Fangs of the Exiles

Rated M

Rwby

Summary:

Life is not about what happens to you, but what you make of it... At least that's what everyone says. Two faunus will answer whose way is right, carrying the will of a titanic kingdom while the other, the spirit of one who shouldn't exist. Forgotten, their paths will cross, for better or worse.

A/N:

So, this chapter required a massive rewrite from both Shadows of Destiny and Bound by Shadows. Initially, I was going to make it where Roman hadn't died, but it led to a dead end with Neo's story. So, regrettably, I'm going to have to keep him dead in this story. Plus, I loved his depiction in Volume 9 so, I'm not going to mess with that.

Speaking of which, we are approaching Volume 8 in the canon timeline and there will be some major changes as well. I'm not going to spoil things but that will be somewhat shortened in terms of the viewpoint. Team SMK will have a slightly larger role in that volume while certain characters are going to have their journey in the volume 9 segments.

I will not be tapping into the Ever After plot because it was just that good, in my opinion. Instead, I'm going to go a different route that will happen around the same time as that canon event. So, be ready for that when it comes. For now, enjoy the chapter and I'll see you next time!

Chapter 26: Throne of Titans-4

Form your armies. Dream your dreams.

Make your plans and plot your schemes.

Send your fighters; one and all.

Then, in battle, watch them fall...

Chilling darkness.

This was all that welcomed Aganju as he strained to open his eyes. The sounds of the melodic tone kept him in a state of dizzying entrancement until the pain in his side could no longer be ignored.

His ribcage ached as he inhaled deeply. Sharply exhaling, he only took a breath when it was necessary due to the sternum pain. He made a valiant effort to gather himself as his head began to swim. His stomach constricted, making him want to throw up. His brain hurt. His field of vision became hazy. His pain was exacerbated by the sound of chain links, making it impossible for him to reach for his stomach.

What happened? Where am I?

At best, the most he could recall was his battle with Tyrian.

Tyrian Callows.

Despite the stinging in his head, the faunus felt his memories begin to clear up

The fox quickly realized that he was immobilized by something heavy when he attempted to move. Whatever it was, it effectively bound and secured him. Was the scorpion responsible for this? As he fidgeted inside the restraints, he had his doubts about that. He had noticed how they had a musical jingle to them. Through what appeared to be blinds, he just about made out the shining glow of the full moon. He struggled to make sense of his surroundings as the dull pain punished him for this act, pulsating through his lower abdomen.

Glass?

Just then, Aganju's ears picked up the sound of footsteps drawing near. As expected, he wasn't alone.

A woman's figure could be seen moving daintily in his direction shortly after he did so. She appeared to be short, or at least shorter than he would be if he were standing, from what he could make out. Although he couldn't make out the specifics, the faunus had a strong impression that this person was someone he knew. His suspicion increased when he felt the woman's face only a few inches from his own.

"Step away, Neo..." The woman turned to the voice as a medium-sized flame appeared behind them. "He might give you rabies."

Pink/brown eyes rolled at the poorly executed joke, pausing their examination of the injured boy. Neo left Aganju while casting a sympathetic glance before passing a woman with short raven hair. The tufts obscured one of her eyes. Though a sizable scar was still visible, she covered her left eye with an eyepatch. A matching cloak covered her shorts and black tank top.

"Good help is so hard to find these days."

Before returning her focus to the chained faunus, she waited until Neo had left the area, probably on a mission. As she got closer to her hostage, her eyes gleamed with a menacing glint. Her gaze grew a little softer only when the door closed in the distance. He sat idly by as she reached for the locks and blindfold that concealed the scarred areas of her face. His attention was drawn to raw, pink flesh, but he saw nothing else. Again there was silence as she extended her right hand and set it ablaze.

"It's been a while."

"Ella?"

After the young man uttered her name, Cinder Fall giggled menacingly. As she observed the fire burning behind his blood-red orbs, she compared the sheer rage mixed with his surprise to a sweet symphony. She was reminded of the one thing she coveted more than anything else: Power, by the murky, evil thoughts that swam behind that menacing gaze.

For Cinder, being able to dominate people regardless of their resilience was like a drug, and she treasured the high it gave her. Even though it only serves to reinforce her obsession with breaking their will and resolve, her deranged lust for dominance had a stronger impact when she was able to subdue someone who was regarded as being on par with her.

The idea of this happening made her Grimm's hand shiver in delight.

"I've missed you too," she purred.

He chose not to answer, but she didn't care because his homicidal glare said more than any words he could have ever said. A certain part of her craved verbal affirmation because, given the company she currently kept, it had been so long since she had a real conversation. Neo was a more than capable henchwoman, but at times it was awkward because she couldn't speak.

"I bet," he turned away, trying to keep the venom burning in his throat down.

Good, she liked that his injuries hadn't affected his attitude. She wanted the honor of breaking him thoroughly, just like before.

She teased his shirtless form, manicured nails tracing down the dark lines that adorned his torso; the stories each one told could fill a small library to the brim with the faunus' experiences and hardships, some of which she knew personally. She looked at each of them from his confined stance, his toned frame shivering uncontrollably.

It mattered little as she silently 'read' each line as if she were a fortune teller.

Soon, the answer became evident.

Vulnerability.

It was a feeling Cinder had long since forgotten about, a long-lost friend to the power-hungry woman.

A gasp escaped his feather-like grazed lips, only to be followed by a low rumble from his chest. It was a clear reminder of that night on Beacon Tower, and she thoroughly enjoyed watching his face twist as anger slowly built and bent his features into those of a raging beast.

"Don't you like this?" her lips brushed his ear, cooing and teasing him against his will. When she received no answer, Cinder began nipping at his lip, biting down, threatening to draw blood from her defenseless captive.

If her prey resisted, she'd give him something to put his resolve to the test. Cinder finally allowed her victim to control his breathing when she took her hand away from his chest. She observed his eyes close as his breathing became more steady, only for him to add a new measure to the conflict.

"No? Then perhaps you'd prefer this!"

Aganju suddenly felt something piercing his side while still being subjected to the ongoing sensual torture. This time, she targeted a specific weakness—a wounded area of his body located beneath the right side of his ribs. The area was visible to her eyes even though he couldn't see it; brown skin and dull purple made for an unappealing contrast; this was undoubtedly Tyrian's doing.

She secretly thanked the psychopath for his involvement. Had she not shown up when she did, Aganju would've been halfway to Salem by now.

Another grunt escaped his lips, but the glass restraints kept him firmly in place on the bed. Every feature on his face caught her attention. She cherished every second, from his furrowed brows to his exposed canines. She had needs, though, just like any other human. The stinging flesh gave way to razor-sharp claws in a matter of seconds, and they started penetrating the area around the wound, painting the area a sickly black.

"AAAHH!" his sudden scream erupted as bile began to fill his mouth.

I see this gets results...

Cinder's wicked grin grew as the euphoric scream, further stoking the blaze of control into a wildfire. It would only be a matter of time before he broke, just like all others before. Surely, she expected a challenge from the young man. It was inevitable as she awaited its arrival.

Gripping his chin, Cinder knew one thing was certain:

It was only a matter of time.

[Atlas-Schnee Manor]

Pyrrha Nikos stood outside of the Schnee family manor with a solemn expression.

Nearly three days have passed since Aganju vanished, and it is obvious that the search for the fox hasn't gone well. There were no other hints to go by besides his scroll and a few samples of his blood left behind. On top of that, they were now redirected from their investigation so they could serve as Jacques Schnee's guests/security as opposed to continuing with the probe.

Ironwood was the main invitee, but the general drew everyone from their search to go with him. For the narcissist and his elitist friends, what was supposed to be a chance to "break bread" instead turned into a glamorized victory party; a party of haughty Atlas celebrities. She arrived and quickly departed the main hall to patrol the grounds, joined by Qrow and Marrow who were each doing so for their reasons.

The only indication of its presence was a chilly breeze as green eyes scanned the mansion's landscape. If she was being completely honest with herself, she knew she had nothing to be concerned about. Pyrrha simply desired to escape the phoniness that pervaded the interior of the opulent structure. The warrior was utterly disgusted by the fake smiles that covered their jealousy for the other guests. One of the reasons she chose Beacon over Haven was because she secretly hated her place in Argus. She met Aganju as a result of it, which is the most important part.

Where are you...? she quietly lamented.

The 'Invincible Girl' shivered as she only heard the wind's low sighs in response. But it wasn't the wind; it was the part of her that was missing that made her tremble. She was only able to resist the cold because of her anger at the general for subjecting them all to this repugnant performance.

"Thought I might find you out here..." Pyrrha turned around to find a familiar blond approaching. Empathy was on display behind the lilac gateways. "The party scene not to your liking?"

"Oh, Yang... I just needed to get some air."

"Of course! It wouldn't have anything to do with my brother, would it?" Pyrrha allowed a humorless giggle to pass from her mouth but the evidence was clear as crystal. "I miss him too, and if I'm being honest, I'd rather be out there looking for him instead of being around these boring stiffs. We would all rather be searching for Aganju, but..."

"I know," Pyrrha cut in. "It's been over two days and there's been no trace of him. Add to it the mission for Amity Coliseum and it is blatantly clear that we've been stretched thin. I still don't care about that damn tower when someone's life is on the line."

It wasn't every day that one would hear her curse, after all, so Yang noticed the signs of her friend's emotional fortress weakening. Despite her best efforts to keep her smile intact, the normally composed Pyrrha Nikos started to cry. Immediately, the blond encircled the taller girl in a tight embrace, shielding her ally from any potential criticism from the outside. Before Pyrrha finally broke free, they would stay that way for a while.

It was clear that guilt was eating away at her as Yang finally saw traces of dark circles beginning to form underneath her emerald eyes, the same way she looked when they reunited at the Branwen camp. It also reminded her of a certain feline back during their time at Beacon.

"It's not your fault, you know?"

"Excuse me?"

"Aganju didn't leave because of you... He left because he couldn't deal with Ironwood's possible decision on martial law. He left because of Sango and Team SMK. You just happened to be the straw that broke the camel's back."

"But, the argument-"

"Is nothing that most couples haven't handled before either. Even Roxie and I have a spat every now and then," Yang shrugged. "It's a part of relationships. You disagree. Argue. Fight. Make-up. It's normal to face those things sometime."

"I guess. Thank you, Yang. I... I needed to hear that."

Yang merely blushed while rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "It was nothing. Besides, you should see Ruby. She's nearly blamed all of this on Ironwood herself but, Oscar was able to calm her down."

Both girls laughed softly at the half-hearted joke. It would soon be interrupted by the hard footsteps of Qrow.

"Hey, Ruby called looking for you two. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Branwen."

Hearing his name being recited in such a formal fashion made the older man blush nervously.

"Just Qrow is fine..." he chuckled. "Mr. Branwen makes me feel old."

As he turned around to leave, both girls erupted into a more jovial laugh at his expense when the blond remarked about him being old.

They decided to go inside again only after they had finally calmed down. Each step became more difficult for the pair, but they persisted, each realizing that Aganju was important to their friends as well. They were even more determined to find their companion as they saw faces showing guilt, anger, guilt, and other emotions.

If he was being held captive by Tyrian, they'd find the monster.

More importantly, by committing such a cowardly act, Pyrrha would cause damage to him and everyone else involved. Now that she was aware that Tyrian belonged to Salem's faction, she was able to conclude that there might be other Salem faction members hiding out in the kingdom. Ironwood mentioned Hazel, but she was also aware that Mercury & Emerald were associated with the group. Were they also here? If that were the case, it was probably wise to consider that their boss would be present.

That was 'debunked' when Yang mentioned that she saw no sign of that monster back at Haven Academy. It wasn't good enough for Pyrrha though; Unless she saw that damned woman's corpse, she wouldn't be satisfied.

In her mind, she'd rather be safe than sorry.

Sharp screams and groans filled the room where the Fall Maiden and her helpless 'guest' were kept. As Aganju continued to suffer the never-ending torture, his cries of agony ricocheted off the soundproof walls. Cinder dug her nails deeper into unprotected flesh, drawing purple streams from various areas. As she played with his defenseless form, she took pleasure in his muffled moans.

"Someone's having fun."

She looked down at her captive, seeing the defiance and fury burning behind his red orbs. The way his face twisted in agony. As she twisted her sharpened talons, his chest rose and fell violently; The disbelief caused by his lack of aura. It all heightened Cinder's control over the boy's body, allowing her to choose where on the ebony map she'd attack next.

"F-Fuck y-y..."

That was what she liked to hear, his rebellious nature, which only fueled her sinister fetish. Though he couldn't tell, she was getting hot and bothered, which would have been a sickening revelation if he had suspected. There was no denying that the woman was taking advantage of the situation far more than she had intended to from the way she bit her lip to that twinkle in her eye.

"What was that...?" she hummed seductively. "I couldn't hear you over that moaning and suffering."

"Shut. the fuck. u-Mmphff!"

There it was; the final stretch before the soul-crushing truly began. This was all Cinder needed before burying her claws deeper into his abdomen.

The woman pulled Aganju into an intense kiss, silencing him as he struggled to express his pain. As he squirmed futilely, his groan echoed into her mouth, tickling her throat. The agony eventually became too much to bear. Cinder only tightened her grip on his head as his body began to go limp. Her tongue pressed against his lips, dominating his otherwise motionless lingua. She even observed his eyes rolling back, not from pleasure, but from the pain she inflicted on him with maniacal delight.

As she backed away from her victim, soon only a thin trail of saliva remained between them.

Her smirk finally fell into a thin line at the sight of the semi-conscious faunus. She lifted his face gently with her Grimm's hand. His furious bloody gaze, dull and hazy, gazed back with a weak yet harsh look locked onto Cinder.

Seeing this made Cinder smile softly, licking her lips from the pilfered lip lock.

And yet, there was something else that surfaced within her.

A feeling conflicted with her previously entertaining sensation as she noticed even then, how the faunus began to stir.

"...that all... you got, Ella?" he wheezed roughly; his throat now raw from what felt like an eternity of screaming. Her grin only grew more voracious at this sight of his rebellion. He wasn't broken yet, after all, just stubborn. Perfect.

"I'd hate to break my toy before I've finished having fun," she crawled over his bound form, eyeing him like a piece of meat. After committing such a disgusting act, Aganju wasn't surprised when she willingly crossed another line. She ground her hips in his lap, feeling something stir, albeit against his will. He turned away, ashamed that his body would betray him in such a carnal way. "Don't be shy. I'm not completely sadistic, if you play your cards right, I can be gentle."

"Somehow I doubt that..."

"What do you know?!" Cinder abruptly snapped, allowing her human hand to hover over his discolored wound. "You're just a mutt-playing hero! Even now, you're the one at my mercy! If I want you to kneel at my feet, I can make you do it, whether you want to or not."

"It... won't change the fact t-that you're still that s-same little girl from before, E-Ella."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she began to seethe, incensed at how he could still push her buttons. "My. name. is. Cinder!"

Aganju simply laughed, choking a little from the stinging in his gullet.

"And here... I thought you were just... some skirt."

Cinder accepted the sarcastic tone, further depriving her of the warm feelings that had earlier stirred within her. A potential sexual experience was taken away from her because, even worse, his lower region had become softer underneath her. That had happened twice already, and each time his ill will had only served to enrage her. She had a stake in the outcome of this game. It was clear from the hurt expression on his smirking face that she had broken his body.

"You forget," she heated her palm, inching closer to the distorted wound. "I could end your life at the snap of my finger."

"And yet... you haven't..."

The comeback caused Cinder's good eye to twitch. He not only possessed a strong sense of resolve in light of everything he had already been through, but that tiny flicker was also expanding into a sizable fire. He had such nerve! She scoffed at the brazenness of her prisoner to both openly mock her and deny her of her victory. While striking his wounded side with her palm, she summoned a tiny flame in her hand.

If she couldn't use him to satisfy her physical needs, he'd have to suffice to satisfy her insatiable desire for subjugation. The heat was intense as his body trembled and rocked in agony, forcing a stifled grunt as she scorched the poisoned wound shut and ruthlessly dug her nails into his side to inflict even more agony. Despite his anguish, he maintained his grin, flashing the same crazed expression he had when they fought on Beacon Tower.

Fool.

It was the only word she could think of as she watched the faunus go completely limp.

She initially believed she had ended his miserable life, but a few minor convulsions put an end to those hopes. When the smell of burning flesh started to fill her nose, she was compelled to leave the unconscious man to face his fiery fate. She'd eventually break him, but for now, she heard the door to her room open, signaling that her subordinate had returned.

Hopefully, there was some good news from Neo.

If nothing else, her report might pull her away from the damning truth of the vulpine's words.

Even when she burned him into unconsciousness, she found herself truly lacking the resolve to kill him. In short, she hesitated; held back her usual brand of torment in favor of... Mercy? She shook off the thought of herself going soft, but, she now had a terrible realization come upon her.

Aganju was right:

Underneath Cinder Fall, the dominating Fall Maiden was still that weak and pathetic little girl somewhere inside.

Ella was still alive.

Mantle had evolved into a sign of impending mayhem. To begin with, the city's external heating system had failed, leaving thousands to perish in the freezing temperatures. This only led to conflict and negativity as the populace started to riot. Breaking into Dust shops. Taking all the fire Dust they could fit in their pockets. More criticisms and 'theories' about Atlas's schemes.

A ripple effect from outside the city walls only required one thing to truly begin the apocalypse for the former kingdom.

The Grimm.

Mammoths. Sabyrs. They came in droves, breaking through the poorly constructed walls of the city. The people began panicking, even more, attracting more Grimm onto their streets. It was a vicious cycle but, thankfully, Ruby and the gang were able to make it down in enough time to begin cleaning up the mess while Ironwood and the other members of the council worked out the issues of Jacques Schnee's crimes against the kingdom.

On the bright side, they now knew who was responsible for so many of the crimes occurring in both cities.

The bad news?

Arthur Watts was the culprit.

With his knowledge of Atlas' inner workings, he was able to hack into any access point, turning even the most encrypted security measures into his technological playground. Thanks to Jacques, the disgraced scientist was like a kid in a candy store.

For now, the general had begun forming a plan, leaving the huntsmen and huntresses to tango with the beasts down below.

One of the mammoths was decimated by Ruby, Harriet, and Penny using one of its tusks to impale them. With the help of Elm and Nora, the assignment was somehow transformed into a game of "Whack-a-Grimm," with each huntress keeping score. Vine, Jaune, and Ren were all focused on getting the locals to safety by using any available Atlas transport. Jaune was in charge of the evacuation while Ren and Vine managed the tension around Grimm. With the help of Marrow's semblance and Weiss' Arma Gigas summon, they were able to slow the monsters down. The mission for Qrow, Robin, and Clover was to track down and capture Tyrian so they could question him about Salem's scheme and the whereabouts of the missing Aganju.

This left Yang, Pyrrha, Roxanne, and Blake to handle any remaining Grimm while evacuating many of the citizens on the southern end of Mantle.

"Watch out on-"

"-the left?" Pyrrha finished, blasting and slicing away at an incoming Sabyr. "There are two from-"

"Behind!" Yang yelled, rolling under the pair of Grimm that tried to pounce on her. She followed this up launching sticky bullets, aiming for their masks. Yang then slid under another pounce from one while another lunged straight at her. Thankfully, her speed was superior as she timed an uppercut perfectly to knock one in the air before pivoting on her heel to slam the other into the ground.

In a matter of seconds, the airborne tiger crashed into its grounded counterpart before the explosives were activated, destroying them cleanly. Pyrrha nodded, impressed at such a flawless sequence before tossing Deimos into the mouth of another Sabyr that dared try and get the jump on her. The strength of the shield shattered the animal's large fangs but she wasn't done yet.

Pyrrha activated her semblance flipping the vile creature several times with tenacity. When it finally began to fade away to blackness, the spartan warrior turned to an equally impressed Yang.

"Hmmm... Points for brutality!" she gave a thumbs up. "Hey, Roxie! How's it going with the evacuation!?"

"We're pretty full! I don't know if we'll have enough room but we'll keep trying!"

Just as the airship's doors started to close, Pyrrha and Yang nodded in agreement. A short while later, it took off for the heavenly city, leaving Yang and Pyrrha to fend for themselves while trying to reach the others. Unfortunately, there were simply too many people living in Mantle, regardless of how many Grimm they managed to eliminate. The shelters scattered throughout the city were almost all full, but the crowds never seemed to thin out.

The populace was becoming restless; their fear and panic only served to draw in more Grimm, more than the huntsmen could destroy. Although Nora made an effort to calm them down, the residents' complaints rendered her efforts useless. From blaming Atlas & Ironwood to the impending doom that lay before them, the situation seemed far too out of hand for the young warriors.

"Please, if you could just give us a little more time..." Nora pleads to no avail.

As the massive screen flickered to life, the group hoped that it would be the first step towards providing relief to those who needed it the most. Robyn Hill's face appeared on the screen, bringing comfort to the people and assuaging their fears. With the help of her semblance, she confirmed the truth behind Ironwood's words, from the revelation of Salem to the recent events in both Atlas and Mantle. This was a crucial moment in their mission to bring hope and aid to those who were suffering.

Nora sighed in relief.

Ruby watched proudly.

Jaune used the momentum to direct the citizens in his sector to safety.

There was even a revelation of the culprits as well as a plan for asylum in Atlas for those who've yet to reach a shelter. No detail was spared. Nothing was off-limits. Tyrian and Watts listened as the general disclosed information about Amity Coliseum while Robyn sent out a warning threat to the twisted serial killer.

It seemed the pieces were all placed, and Ironwood had made the first move.

"I still can't believe those idiots beat us here!" Cinder's growled in irritation as she stomped toward the massive window that overlooked the magnificent floating kingdom. Like many others throughout the two cities, she and Neo watched the broadcast. Through her good eye, Cinder began picturing her plans falling apart before her despite already knowing that Tyrian was here. "Vacuo was supposed to be the next target. The timeline's changed."

Neo quietly groaned as she knew another brooding spell was about to come. Surprising her, Cinder turned around with gravity slowly lifting in her gaze.

"You said the farm boy has the lamp?" Neo nodded. "Find him. Take it..."

The younger woman hopped up, using her semblance to turn herself into Ruby Rose, earning the ire of her 'partner'.

"No! We get what I need first, then we get what we want. Now go!"

Neo finally lost her cool, crossing her arms as her impatience started to show. Naturally, Cinder, who was already a skilled con artist, softly grinned at the scene in front of her. She was aware of Neo's desires, but they needed to finish their mission first.

"Ironwood's been hiding the Winter Maiden for years. Tonight, I'm going to find her," she took the scroll from the illusionist who simply frowned at the woman's unquenchable thirst for power. Had she not learned from her previous encounter at Haven? Not if she was still trying to claim a maiden's power for her own. Alas, Neo wouldn't challenge Cinder; If she wanted to repeat her mistake... again, then she was free to do so. "The general is as predictable as his androids; Threaten what he has, and he'll flock to protect it."

Cinder then took her exit, satisfied with her abrupt change in her plan as was the case with narcissists. Content with the way things were to go according to her grand design, she completely forgot about her 'subordinate' and more importantly, the hostage she'd be using as her pincushion.

Neo didn't forget though as she turned her attention to the back room where their captive was held.

Sparing a glance at the front door, she slipped to the back. Opening the door, she was given a clear view of the damage inflicted on the fox. Unlike before, he was only bound with simple ropes, though in his current condition, they were more than capable of holding him.

Numerous cuts and puncture wounds had dried blood that had caked over them. Neo could see the dark crimson and black hues blending with his brown skin under the glow of the shattered moon. He could barely muster the strength to open one of his eyes because Cinder had inflicted pain on his right eye as retaliation for his role in the Beacon Tower incident, making him smell like singed flesh and making the young woman want to throw up.

A violet gem peered at her with amusement as Neo looked on in horror.

"Oh, Is it... your... turn now?" he playfully teased in between coughs. "I... admit, I don't think... I can take anymore tonight."

Silently, she frowned before shaking her head at the boy.

She turned to leave after confirming that Aganju was indeed alive because she believed she had a task to complete. It's not like she had any genuine concern for him. He was, to put it mildly, interesting. Even so, it wasn't enough to stop putting off the task at hand. She couldn't help but feel a familiar stirring in her stomach even as she left the room. She could see that the final glimmer of defiance had almost been extinguished after days of suffering. Just before Beacon fell, she came to a realization that was too personal for her. Just before Beacon's collapse, she had a realization that was too personal for her.

Just like before... When she found out about Roman.

As she rushed down the dark hallway, she failed to lock the door, a mistake that would be exploited immediately. An unknown figure snuck inside the suite, scanning the area for anyone else. Bloody Gems made sure that nobody else was around before exploring the room, only to be hit by the stench of burning flesh and blood.

Surprisingly, there was no apprehension from the ungodly scent.

Each step was measured and deliberate as they approached the back room. Opening the door, their vision fell on the denigrated form of the vulpine faunus. Unlike the sadistic or stoic stare of Cinder or Neo before them, the figure rushed over to him. From the shadows, they drew a blade that flawlessly sliced the cords, freeing the fox.

Confusion mixed in with worry as they inspected his body. It was when the slightest of touches along the grotesquely purple wound that the boy began to stir, his body convulsing slightly before returning still.

"Dammit...!" they hissed, enraged. "This is why my portal didn't work? Tyrian must've had a field day torturing you."

"No... Cinder."

The individual froze, their gaze watching him shift with a humbled growl. Surely, he didn't say that, right? Cinder survived?! How was that possible? If this was true, then they'd need to modify their course of action.

So, with a heavy heart, the woman placed a hand on the boy's head, leaning in to kiss it gently. As she left through another portal, Raven smiled bitterly.

"Head back to Atlas. Find Yang and her friends. I'll be there to help once you do..."