- Location
- Italy
Is there no reality where being a Schnee is not utterly terrible?
A Series Of Unfortunate Circumstances [RWBY SI] [AHOIAC AU]
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So that solves the question of what happened exactly to Jacques.
GrindingV2
Azir is beyond awful holy christ
- Location
- Canada
Oh god, now this is the angst I know shade for.
All hail the red bug of despair.
All hail the red bug of despair.
- Location
- Maldives
The Feels! Right in my FEELS!
GamingPizza1998
(Verified Pizza) (Verified Cape) (Verified Case53)
- Location
- Earth
I can feel the Angst overtaking me... It is a good pain.
- Location
- a place
Huh looks like Winter attempt to insure what happened to Wren doesn't happen to anyone else in her family is just as abusive as their father. The old save the child, spoil the rod kinda of thinking.
- Location
- Earth
Damn, she took it hard and there's no surprise she is traumatized by it. I really can't imagine how she'll react to shade if the cross paths.
Oof. If Shade finds out that Winter has been super harsh to Weiss he will use it against her.
- Location
- America
They are persumly on their way to haven academy to find the Spring Maiden and retrieve the relic, as mentioned by Cinder two chapter ago.
warhammer651
The Festive Fortress is Unbreachable!
Tell me, Winter, how much of the city will you allow to burn to save one boy
Chapter Forty-Eight
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Forty-Eight
The Relic was not at Beacon. The Goliath had demolished it down to the last brick, and the underground was being extensively searched. Yet, it was a terrifying blow to the world all the same, and we had a report to make to Salem herself.
I dreaded the idea of meeting the woman in person, and yet couldn't shy away from an encounter in which she specifically demanded our presence.
Mercury and Emerald were by our sides, while I had no idea what had happened to Neo or Torchwick. Were they still alive, or had they been deemed unnecessary and thus dealt with? The most important thing, however, was that their reputation was still intact.
I had thrown myself to the wolves, so to speak, but in so doing no one had seen the rest act with the Grimm. For all that everyone knew, I was the sole responsible actor in the fall of Beacon. It was ironic how the world would probably wish for my head, and my head alone, while leaving out everyone else.
I was the man who had sold the world.
I had sold Beacon to the Grimm, and for what? Who knew. Was I a delusional madman, or was I a harbinger of a greater chaos?
Still, with the communication systems down I could show my face pretty much anywhere that wasn't Vale or Patch without problems. Not that I was interested in doing that, but as I looked at the horizon aboard the flying vessel that would lead us back into the Grimm lands, I couldn't help but ponder on our next move.
Mistral was clearly the next target; there were few to no huntsmen, Lionheart was a traitor, the Relic of Knowledge was there, but we needed to find the Maiden, which would be another issue entirely and finally, I didn't know how we'd manage without the White Fang.
Would we end up using more Grimm? They hadn't been a part of the plan, but they could be. Would Mistral actually end up destroyed? Would a whole city of people just have its life snuffed out to a sea of darkness?
"What should we expect from your boss?" Mercury asked, catching my attention as he came to a halt near me.
"Cruelty and evil," I answered back. "Make no mistake. She may appear human, and she may even give the appearance of kindness, but she harbors no such feelings. She can snap your neck if she so wishes, and she won't merely because it won't make you suffer enough. She can use magic," I heard him snort, "And do you really think I am the person who jokes about this?"
He grew quiet as he realized I was staring at him. "Fuck," he muttered. "Still, she'll be pleased, no?"
"That Ozpin died...yes, that Beacon fell, yes," I grimaced, "That we didn't find the relic she tasked Cinder to recover...it depends." I took a deep breath. "But there should be a high chance none of us will lose our heads, provided you keep extremely quiet."
I then tapped the side of my head, "Your thoughts too. She can read them."
"Now you're just yanking my chain," Mercury said with a smirk, but it quickly disappeared when he realized I meant it. "Fuck."
"Aye," I said with a slow nod. "Just do your best and keep your head low. She won't bother with you if you don't make yourself noticeable. She probably thinks all humans are below her."
"You should be careful about what you say, Shade," Cinder's voice came mellifluously from behind me, "You never know if our mistress is hearing or not."
I shook my head and turned, even as Mercury hastily excused himself. "If she hears, she hears. She has no reason to be displeased about the truth, unless she suddenly decided to open a charity and help people rather than murder them with Grimm?"
Cinder sighed, and came to a halt by my side. "She'll be pleased," she said. Whether it was to convince herself, or to convince me, I had a good guess on which was which. Her fingers found mine, and we held hands as nature left the place to desolation, to a purplish evil sky and to flying, black shapes.
"I love you," Cinder said.
"I love you too," I answered back.
"You stayed," Cinder whispered.
I blinked at that. "Why wouldn't I?" I muttered back, feeling Cinder's fingers tense. "Were you worried?"
Cinder took a deep breath. "You always were kind," she murmured. "You made the world your enemy for me," she looked at me, her eyes slightly misty.
"You are worth a thousand worlds in my eyes," I answered back.
She smiled at that, and for the briefest of instants I saw the innocence of Ashelyn's smile. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but it had been there, unquestionably.
Our arrival wasn't heralded, nor was there much fanfare to go about. Yet, Salem knew we were there. A Seer Grimm waited for us. Emerald remained silent by Mercury's side, though she too didn't look at ease. I gave her a smile, but it worked little in assuaging her fears.
Still, after we followed the Seer Grimm for a while, we came to a halt in front of Salem's throne room. "Be on your best behavior," Cinder whispered, glancing at Emerald and Mercury, who both stiffly nodded. Then, she stepped inside first, and I walked behind her.
"Cinder, dear," Salem spoke with a gentle, affable voice. Like everyone's favorite grandmother, and everyone's most terrifying witch, she could seamlessly mix the two. "You have returned and, I am told, you have succeeded in destroying Beacon."
Cinder slowly bowed her head, "I have," she said. "Ozpin is dead, the maiden's power fully in my possession, but I could not find the vault. It was hidden too well."
"No matter," Salem mused. "Time is something we have in abundance, and while the Grimm scour the kingdom of Vale for it, the humans will cower behind the walls of their precious city...for as long as we allow them to." She folded her hands on her lap, seated as she was at the head of the table that had Doctor Watts and Hazel on one side, and Tyrian on the other.
Tyrian actually clapped with glee. "Well done, well done," he sneered. "Failing the Goddess was never an option now, was it?" he cackled as he said that, but Salem merely clicked her tongue once, and he grew quiet.
"You were already informed on your next objective," Salem continued. "However," her gaze shifted towards me. "There is a mistake that needs to be rectified."
I arched an eyebrow and tensed.
Salem merely smiled. "I will not force a gift on an ungrateful child," she said, "however while dear Cinder will cooperate with Lionheart, I am expecting you to aid Hazel in his upcoming task."
I glanced at the giant man. He gave a slow nod and stood up.
"Very well," Hazel acquiesced.
I gave the briefest of glances towards Cinder, who did not appear outwardly worried. Then I turned and left by Hazel's side.
"Where are we headed?" I asked.
"Menagerie," Hazel said, and I frowned.
"Why?"
Hazel kept walking, but differently from Tyrian, he had the decency to explain things, if only the smallest amount necessary. "Tyrian found allies among them," he acquiesced. "We are headed there to ensure they stick around."
"Shouldn't Tyrian handle them?" I asked.
Hazel looked at me, and I looked back. The unspoken message was clear. Tyrian could behave himself only if kept in a dark room for most of the time, and he definitely wasn't a people's person.
"What kind of allies did he found?" I asked next, dread rising in my weary soul.
"White Fang," Hazel grunted. My heart skipped a beat as my hands clenched into fists. "You will behave yourself."
"I will do as I am told," I retorted, "No more, and no less."
Hazel gave a slow nod. "Then, behave."
Differently from Cinder, or Watts, or perhaps even Tyrian...Hazel did not know how to drive a Bullhead. Neither did I, for what it mattered.
Thankfully, horses were apparently a thing.
Unfortunately, horses were still slower than flying machines that did not tire.
It was going to be a long trek, an even longer mission, and I dimly realized that even if I did have a Scroll, I would be unable to call Cinder since we'd literally be Kingdoms apart.
That, more than the dead people I had left in my wake...
...was what grieved me the most.
The Relic was not at Beacon. The Goliath had demolished it down to the last brick, and the underground was being extensively searched. Yet, it was a terrifying blow to the world all the same, and we had a report to make to Salem herself.
I dreaded the idea of meeting the woman in person, and yet couldn't shy away from an encounter in which she specifically demanded our presence.
Mercury and Emerald were by our sides, while I had no idea what had happened to Neo or Torchwick. Were they still alive, or had they been deemed unnecessary and thus dealt with? The most important thing, however, was that their reputation was still intact.
I had thrown myself to the wolves, so to speak, but in so doing no one had seen the rest act with the Grimm. For all that everyone knew, I was the sole responsible actor in the fall of Beacon. It was ironic how the world would probably wish for my head, and my head alone, while leaving out everyone else.
I was the man who had sold the world.
I had sold Beacon to the Grimm, and for what? Who knew. Was I a delusional madman, or was I a harbinger of a greater chaos?
Still, with the communication systems down I could show my face pretty much anywhere that wasn't Vale or Patch without problems. Not that I was interested in doing that, but as I looked at the horizon aboard the flying vessel that would lead us back into the Grimm lands, I couldn't help but ponder on our next move.
Mistral was clearly the next target; there were few to no huntsmen, Lionheart was a traitor, the Relic of Knowledge was there, but we needed to find the Maiden, which would be another issue entirely and finally, I didn't know how we'd manage without the White Fang.
Would we end up using more Grimm? They hadn't been a part of the plan, but they could be. Would Mistral actually end up destroyed? Would a whole city of people just have its life snuffed out to a sea of darkness?
"What should we expect from your boss?" Mercury asked, catching my attention as he came to a halt near me.
"Cruelty and evil," I answered back. "Make no mistake. She may appear human, and she may even give the appearance of kindness, but she harbors no such feelings. She can snap your neck if she so wishes, and she won't merely because it won't make you suffer enough. She can use magic," I heard him snort, "And do you really think I am the person who jokes about this?"
He grew quiet as he realized I was staring at him. "Fuck," he muttered. "Still, she'll be pleased, no?"
"That Ozpin died...yes, that Beacon fell, yes," I grimaced, "That we didn't find the relic she tasked Cinder to recover...it depends." I took a deep breath. "But there should be a high chance none of us will lose our heads, provided you keep extremely quiet."
I then tapped the side of my head, "Your thoughts too. She can read them."
"Now you're just yanking my chain," Mercury said with a smirk, but it quickly disappeared when he realized I meant it. "Fuck."
"Aye," I said with a slow nod. "Just do your best and keep your head low. She won't bother with you if you don't make yourself noticeable. She probably thinks all humans are below her."
"You should be careful about what you say, Shade," Cinder's voice came mellifluously from behind me, "You never know if our mistress is hearing or not."
I shook my head and turned, even as Mercury hastily excused himself. "If she hears, she hears. She has no reason to be displeased about the truth, unless she suddenly decided to open a charity and help people rather than murder them with Grimm?"
Cinder sighed, and came to a halt by my side. "She'll be pleased," she said. Whether it was to convince herself, or to convince me, I had a good guess on which was which. Her fingers found mine, and we held hands as nature left the place to desolation, to a purplish evil sky and to flying, black shapes.
"I love you," Cinder said.
"I love you too," I answered back.
"You stayed," Cinder whispered.
I blinked at that. "Why wouldn't I?" I muttered back, feeling Cinder's fingers tense. "Were you worried?"
Cinder took a deep breath. "You always were kind," she murmured. "You made the world your enemy for me," she looked at me, her eyes slightly misty.
"You are worth a thousand worlds in my eyes," I answered back.
She smiled at that, and for the briefest of instants I saw the innocence of Ashelyn's smile. It was gone as quickly as it had come, but it had been there, unquestionably.
Our arrival wasn't heralded, nor was there much fanfare to go about. Yet, Salem knew we were there. A Seer Grimm waited for us. Emerald remained silent by Mercury's side, though she too didn't look at ease. I gave her a smile, but it worked little in assuaging her fears.
Still, after we followed the Seer Grimm for a while, we came to a halt in front of Salem's throne room. "Be on your best behavior," Cinder whispered, glancing at Emerald and Mercury, who both stiffly nodded. Then, she stepped inside first, and I walked behind her.
"Cinder, dear," Salem spoke with a gentle, affable voice. Like everyone's favorite grandmother, and everyone's most terrifying witch, she could seamlessly mix the two. "You have returned and, I am told, you have succeeded in destroying Beacon."
Cinder slowly bowed her head, "I have," she said. "Ozpin is dead, the maiden's power fully in my possession, but I could not find the vault. It was hidden too well."
"No matter," Salem mused. "Time is something we have in abundance, and while the Grimm scour the kingdom of Vale for it, the humans will cower behind the walls of their precious city...for as long as we allow them to." She folded her hands on her lap, seated as she was at the head of the table that had Doctor Watts and Hazel on one side, and Tyrian on the other.
Tyrian actually clapped with glee. "Well done, well done," he sneered. "Failing the Goddess was never an option now, was it?" he cackled as he said that, but Salem merely clicked her tongue once, and he grew quiet.
"You were already informed on your next objective," Salem continued. "However," her gaze shifted towards me. "There is a mistake that needs to be rectified."
I arched an eyebrow and tensed.
Salem merely smiled. "I will not force a gift on an ungrateful child," she said, "however while dear Cinder will cooperate with Lionheart, I am expecting you to aid Hazel in his upcoming task."
I glanced at the giant man. He gave a slow nod and stood up.
"Very well," Hazel acquiesced.
I gave the briefest of glances towards Cinder, who did not appear outwardly worried. Then I turned and left by Hazel's side.
"Where are we headed?" I asked.
"Menagerie," Hazel said, and I frowned.
"Why?"
Hazel kept walking, but differently from Tyrian, he had the decency to explain things, if only the smallest amount necessary. "Tyrian found allies among them," he acquiesced. "We are headed there to ensure they stick around."
"Shouldn't Tyrian handle them?" I asked.
Hazel looked at me, and I looked back. The unspoken message was clear. Tyrian could behave himself only if kept in a dark room for most of the time, and he definitely wasn't a people's person.
"What kind of allies did he found?" I asked next, dread rising in my weary soul.
"White Fang," Hazel grunted. My heart skipped a beat as my hands clenched into fists. "You will behave yourself."
"I will do as I am told," I retorted, "No more, and no less."
Hazel gave a slow nod. "Then, behave."
Differently from Cinder, or Watts, or perhaps even Tyrian...Hazel did not know how to drive a Bullhead. Neither did I, for what it mattered.
Thankfully, horses were apparently a thing.
Unfortunately, horses were still slower than flying machines that did not tire.
It was going to be a long trek, an even longer mission, and I dimly realized that even if I did have a Scroll, I would be unable to call Cinder since we'd literally be Kingdoms apart.
That, more than the dead people I had left in my wake...
...was what grieved me the most.
- Location
- America
You know, the fact that Shade was willing to burn the world and become its enemy for the sake of his beloved even if she was no longer the same woman who he love must irk Salem even a tiny bit.
Shade: Touches Salem.
Salem: Dies to the power of love.
Shade: Makes a Harry Potter reference.
- Location
- Tampa Florida
Dude right if ozma was a good lover sadly he's a shit lover also kyaaa the truth about wren will come out soon he's identity known to the world Wren Schnee Humanities Betrayer has a dope sound too it ,also just wanna say SHADE MY MAN fuck ya with these quick updates your making me tremble with excitement
- Location
- England
Salem is probably VERY bitter about it... Probably feel terrible if something happens to either and she learns she's Shades extremely great Grandmother... (Probably think the gods cursed her bloodline to be forever miserable)
I think she'd have mixed feelings if Shade compared favorably to Ozma but right now Shade is in Ozma's forsake the world and divine mandate to rule as godkings phase. He hasn't had a conflict that truly pits strong loyalties against his love of Cinder.
If he chooses her over his existing family or any kids irreversibly Salem might think he compares favorably but I think he won't. Shade has already shown he will bend over other loyalties rather then choosing Cinder absolutely. Salem may already know or infer this from how he was televised in the fall or how he intervened to leave survivors.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Poor Emerald. Poor Mercury. Gotten used to being around at least one loving person and now they're stuck in Salem's castle without him.
Pandora
Gotta say, blood IS as tasty as I make it look~
- Location
- Brazil
How lewd of shade. She isn't his waifu this time around... He can't just go touching other women like that!