RWBY: Salem's Son

Chapter 5

A few months later

Approaching the site of a White Fang camp, I noticed we got more than a couple of glances from them. "What are you doing here?" I looked to the source to see a tall, muscular faunus standing in front of us.

"I want to speak to Adam Taurus." I told him. "I think we have an offer he'd like to hear."

"He-"

"What are human filth like you doing here?" I looked passed the faunus in front of us to see the faunus we came to see. Adam.

"Adam Taurus." I bowed my head respectfully. "We need your help."

"My help with what?"

"We're going to destroy the Huntsmen academies." I told him. "With them out of the way, we'll be able to find something that'll help us take over the kingdoms."

"What 'somthing'?" Adam asked.

"I'm working on that." I lied. "But, if you join us, you'll get revenge on the humans."

"So, let me get this straight..." Adam said. "You could've gone to anyone for help. You could've made a deal with a gang leader, paid off some Huntsmen that have strayed from their...righteous path...but instead, you choose to seek an audience with me."

"You're the one we need." I told him. "Your skill, your ability to lead those beneath you. You're an exceptionally valuable man. And I've put a lot of thought into-"

"Then you're clearly not thinking straight!" Adam interrupted me. "If you truly understood me, you would know coming here was a mistake. The White Fang is not an organization for hire. We're a force of revolution!"

"I believe our plan will be beneficial for all parties involved." Cinder spoke up. "I actually have... an associate in Vale. He and I are working on a revolution of our own. But we can't do it without your forces. We need-"

"What you need... is to leave." Adam hoist up his weapon. "You're asking my men to die for your cause - a human cause." he gripped the hilt of his weapon. "That is not an idea I am willing to entertain."

"Very well."

Me, Cinder, Emerald and Mercury began to leave the camp. Once we were gone, I turned to Cinder. "What 'associate'?" I asked.

"His name is Roman Torchwick." Cinder replied. "He's...reliable."

"You don't sound too sure."

"He'll help." she told me.

"Then we'll find him after we're done with our next objective."

"And that is?" Emerald asked.

"Stealing the Fall maiden's power." I replied with a smirk.

There were a few seconds of silence. "But...Salem said only women are able to inherit the power of the maidens..." Emerald said.

"I'm not going to be the one taking it." I told them, turning to Cinder and pulling a glove from my pocket. It is a Grimm glove that was going to be used to take the powers by force. "Cinder's going to be the next Fall maiden."

Upon hearing this, Cinder smiled. "How will we find her?" Mercury asked.

"Arthur told me that she was seen a few villages over. It won't be too difficult to find her." I replied.

Hours later

After searching for some time, we finally tracked down the maiden. She was following a trail on a white horse. "Emerald." I said softly.

"Right." narrowing her eyes, she began using her semblance on the maiden. She was able to cast hallucinations on whoever she wanted. It's how she was able to steal the ring when we first found her. "Mercury, you're with me." dashing through the trees, Emerald began to walk forward, making sure to keep her semblance up.

Going to the far side of the maiden, I began to slow down so I wouldn't make as much noise. Quietly approaching her, she suddenly jumped back from Emerald, pulling out her weapon and extending it.

Emerald was pushed back by a gust of wind as me and Mercury reached her. Leaping in for an attack, Mercury was knocked back but quickly recovered, jumping towards her again. As he got near, the maiden blasted Mercury with fire as he curled up in a ball so his legs would take most of the heat.

Kicking her back, I rushed in and slashed with my sword, only to meet her staff. Pushing with my strength, I saw Emerald rush in from behind her. Just as she reached the maiden, she glanced back and moved out of the way just as Emerald swung her weapons.

Giving her no time to recover, I swung my sword at her again but with more force this time. As the maiden tried to block it, my sword cut right through, cutting her staff in half and hitting her in the chest. The maiden was knocked back by the force of my swing, landing on her back as her aura flickered.

Regrouping with Emerald and Mercury, the three of us began approaching her as she slowly got to her feet. Standing up straight, she raised her head, showing the power of the maiden was flowing from her eyes.

The wind suddenly picked up as she was lifted into the air, her arms raised to the sky as lightning struck from the clouds. Dodging bolt after bolt, the maiden called countless leaves to her, freezing them over before launching them at us.

Dodging as many as I could, I felt a few hit me causing my aura to flicker. Looking back at Emerald and Mercury, I saw both of their auras break as they were knocked to the ground.

Seeing movement further down the trail, Cinder rushed in to help. The maiden must have noticed me staring at Cinder because she turned to face her, launching a fireball. Cinder slid under it, kicking up dust. Using her semblance, she had the dust form into shards, launching them at the maiden.

Using the distraction to my advantage, I held my hand out to the trees, calling countless leaves to me. Doing as the maiden did, I froze them just as she turned her attention back to me.

Seeing the look of shock on her face, I couldn't help but grin as I launched the leaves at her, causing her to fall out of the air as her aura finally broke.

Glancing back at Mercury and Emerald, they were already back on their feet and approaching the maiden. Walking over to her, Emerald and Mercury both grabbed one of her arms I moved next to Cinder.

"How?" the maiden asked me softly. "How are you a maiden?"

"Simple. I'm not." I replied, glancing to Cinder.

She nodded as she pulled out the glove and put it on. Holding her palm out to the maiden, a small Grimm emerged. The maiden's eyes widened. "Please don't..."

The creature spit out a web of black, attaching to the maiden's face. She looks up, screaming, her one free eye blazing, a final blast of wind erupting from her as the glow fades into the inky strands, up through the glove, and into Cinder's body. Cinder's eyes began to glow with the power of the maiden.

Hearing fast footsteps approaching, I looked over as a huntsmen jumped towards us, severing the connection between Cinder and the maiden.

The four of us jumped back as the huntsmen caught the maiden before she hit the ground. Cinder looked up with a grin, right eye now brimming with golden energy, as she gets up from her position and raises her arms, embers circling around her. Targeting the ground beneath the Huntsman, he gots himself and the maiden out of the way just as it explodes. Placing a hand on Cinder's shoulder, I glanced to Emerald. "We need to leave."

Emerald nodded, knowing I meant for her to use her semblance on him so we could get away.

"The Huntsman severed the connection before it was complete." Cinder told me once we got to a safe distance.

"How's it feel?" I asked.

"It's... an emptiness. It burns. Like a hunger. I like it." she replied.

"We'll get the rest of it soon." I told her. "But for now. We need to have another chat with a certain Faunus."

Hours later

Standing in the center of the White Fang camp, I looked around at all of the unconscious Faunus. "What is this!?" Adam shouted as he rushed out of his tent along with his lieutenant.

Emerald and Mercury knelt down, suitcases in their hands. "We could've gone to anyone for help." Cinder said softly. "But we chose you, Adam Taurus." a wall of flames abruptly starts at their feet as she raises her hand. "Our plan will be beneficial for both of us. Or one of us." Emerald opens her case to reveal Dust crystals and collector canisters inside, while Mercury shows the neatly-arranged stacks of Lien in his. "So, which will it be?"

End of chapter 5