Chapter 26

Setting the Stage

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic / Curse"

Flashback

"Scroll Communications / Tv"

Location / Date / Time Change

"So let me get this straight..." End said as he stared at the lamp on the table. "This... thing can answer any question we ask it?"

"In a manner, you are correct." Salem replied. "Every hundred years, the spirit in the lamp will answer three questions. Yet it cannot tell us of what hasn't happened."

"Okay, so how do we use this thing?" The demon asked. "Rub it, ask a question and shake it, sacrifice a farm animal or something?"

"Nothing that complicated." Salem answered. "We must simply speak the spirit's name. Unfortunately, I do not know it."

"I'll have Keyes examine it throughly. He's bound to find something." He said standing up. "And Sayla might be able to pull something from one of her books. So, shall we head to the briefing? I'm curious to find out what I missed."

"As am I." The pale woman nodded before picking up the lantern and carrying it out of the lab room as the two walked through the hall. The two entered the briefing room where they found Emerald, Mercury, Cinder, Hazel and Keyes.

"Keyes, I have another project for you." The fire demon declared.

"What is it, master?" The necromancer asked.

"The lantern." End said, motioning to the object. "We need you to analyze its magic so we can figure its true name."

"Very well, master. I shall begin at once." The former skeleton nodded as he reached for the lamp.

"So, what's the word from 'Vernal'?" End asked as Keyes.

Everyone turned to see Salem clutching the lamp close to her as Keyes reached for it. The tower began shaking as lights snapped and shattered, scaring the humans. Grimm roared outside and charged at the window. Chairs were tossed to the ground as the windows shattered, scaring the group out of the room for safety.

The tremors stopped and End stood his ground, looking around the room. The meeting room was completely turned into a mess. Glass shards littered the ground as the windows were destroyed. Every chair was overturned and the main table was tossed to the side. Salem stood in the center of the room, emanating a dark aura as blue cracks covered the ground and walls. "Salem... are you okay?" End asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked back. "We hold a relic, Ozpin is in the defensive, and two of the academies are destroyed. How could I be anything but pleased?"

End blankly stared at her in shock that she was unaware of the aura she was immersed in. "So then what's going on here?"

"Oh... it's time for a change." The witch replied, confusing End even more. "Come with me." She walked past him and the demon followed in suite, the relic swinging with every step. They reached the spawning pools and End watched as Salem plunged the lamp into the black sludge.

With a smile on her face, she pulled out the relic of knowledge. The once golden metal was now a dull silver as the blue light was now pitch black. Red crystals ripped out of the ground as the land shook. The lantern began glowing in a black aura as Salem bit her finger. Smearing her blood on the lamp the land once again shock, destroy cliffs and cracking her tower.

She turned her around and waved her hand, instantly repairing the damaged tower. End could feel the power coming not only from the relic but Salem herself. It was intoxicating to him, but at the same time worry crept into his mind. If one relic could do this, what would happen if she had all four? He'd have to make sure of his plans success but for now he moved towards her and gripped the corrupted lantern.

He shuddered at the feeling before Salem turned to him and the two shared a lustfully savage kiss. Bubbling turned them back to the puddle as a black paw ripped out of the puddle of sludge on the ground. End stepped back and watched as the whole Bengriel pulled itself out. Salem waved her arms and the beast groaned in pain as a pair of wings burst out its back. Panting, it took off and perched itself on a nearby rock.

With Cinder's Group

Cinder paced back and forth as Mercury laid on the ground. "You can feel it, can't you?" She asked her posse. "The power coming from the relic? Its only a matter of time before the world belongs to us." Emerald nervously hugged her arm, catching the Maidens attention. "Do you have something to say?"

"Are you... okay, Cinder?" The thief asked. "Ever since you went through that pod, you've turned into someone else."

"Well, I like it." Mercury said.

"As do I." Cinder said, holding up her hand and summoning a flame. "With End's enhancement, I'm stronger than ever. Even with only half the Maidens power, I'm more powerful than a whole maiden. And we're inching ever closer to realizing Salem's world."

"Its just... I'm not so sure its her world anymore." She mumbled. "Ever since we joined up with End, things have changed. Cinder, you're completely different from when we started. I'm not sure if i want to-"

"Stop." Cinder interrupted, closing her hand and snuffing out the flame. "Let's get one thing clear, I don't need you to worry about me. I only brought you along to aid the cause, not to act like a child worried about her mother. Whatever connection you think you feel, there isn't."

Emerald just stared at Cinder in shock. "You can't mean that... This has to be End control-"

Cinder grabbed the dark skinned woman by the throat and lifted her off the ground, making Mercury stand up. "I assure you, NO ONE is controlling me. Everything I say is what I feel. And I expect this childish attitude to be gone when I return."

"From where?" Mercury asked as Emerald gasped for air.

"Atlas. End feels that we can finally begin dealing with Ruby's group." She explained. "So Neo, Sayla, Jackal and myself are heading there. With Winter in our pocket, we'll be able to do what we please."

She tightened her grip as Mercury tried pull them apart. "Okay, you've made your point. Now let her go!"

"I don't want to have to repeat this again." Cinder said before dropping Emerald to the floor. She gasped for air as Mercury tried to helped her recover.

"Cinder!" All three turned to see Jackal standing at the end of the hallway. "We're leaving, now."

Cinder turned and walked over towards the door. Emerald reached out to her, but Cinder swatted her away. "Worry about how you can help the cause. I don't need you."

Three Days Later

Hell's Core

Red eyes opened and scanned the room. Various lab equipment littered the tables and floor. Her legs were weak as she made her way to the window where she stumbled. There she saw the blood red sky and black rocks that jutted out of the land. Her own reflection showed off three red lines along her face, two over her eyes and one along her forehead. Her hair had also gained a slight red tint to it.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Raven turned around and saw End walking over. "And soon the whole world will share this look. But to show the world this glory, we must prepare ourselves. Get dressed, your training starts now." End helped her up and showed Raven over to her new clothes on a nearby table.

Black leather gauntlets with red plates were to cover her wrists. A new more revealing black and red kimono would don her chest, secured by a series of black belts with red buckles. Hanging off the side was a plume of red feathers underneath black ones. A black jacket would hang off her shoulders, where a Grimm face was sown into the fabric. A pair of black boots with raised heels would serve as footwear. The only thing left from her human life was her bead necklace and her sword.

Quickly dressing herself, Raven walked behind End down the hall before the two came to the same room Cinder once trained in. "We don't need to worry about your Maiden powers. But your new demon physiology makes you stronger, faster, more resilient. You must learn to channel it appropriately or else you only hinder yourself."

"Understood master. I am ready to begin." Raven replied.

"Oh no, I'm not going to train you." End chuckled as he pointed over his shoulder. "He is."

Raven turned around to see Ezel slither into the room. "It's finally my turn to do something." He declared. "Don't think I'm gonna hold back on you, new girl." Raven slowly gripped her sword handle before drawing her blade as Ezel smirked and turning his arms into black swords and held them in an x against his face.

The spring maiden charged forward and swung her blade only to have it shatter against the demons arm. "Too strong." End noted. Raven nodded and changed her blade before swinging again. The same thing happened again and Raven did the same thing, only this time the blades clanged against each other, forcing Raven back. "Better..."

Raven resumed her fighting stance and charged once more. Just before impact she jumped over Ezel and swung for his neck, only to have it blocked by Ezel's sword. A tentacle reached up and grabbed her leg before tossing Raven towards the wall. The woman flipped in the air and jumped off the wall, intent on striking the demon.

Ezel swung his arms and forced her back to the ground. She rolled to cushion her impact before charging once more. With blinding speed she zoomed at Ezel, who charged the back and both swung. Seconds later, the passed each other and Ezel's arm flew across the room. Ezel clutched the nub in pain before charging once more, intent on finishing the fight.

"That's enough for today." End said instantly stepping between them. Ezel stopped and the force blew both Raven's hair and End's cloak backwards.

"No..." Raven panted out as she used her sword to stand up. "I can continue... Let me prove myself..."

End turned to Ezel, who was still clutching his missing arm and shook his head no. "Maybe I should give it a try." The three turned to see Kyouka walk into the room. "After all, birds of a feather and all that."

He turned back to Raven who was standing up on semi-wobbly legs. "Very well. I'll allow it." He said.

The vernette smirked as she and Ezel walked to each others place, the male demon picking up his arm on the way. Raven wasted no time and charged her fellow demoness. She raised her blade and swung, only to have it captured by the clawed hand. "Oh, I don't think so." Kyouka said before gripped the blade until it shattered and then punched Raven back.

"You want to be like us? Then this is what you have to face." Kyouka glowed in a green aura before erupting in light. Her body had changed to gain a mask similar to her own with long structures on the side resembling horns. Her hair was replaced by a large tuft of feathers with a long ponytail that reaches down her body and ends in another tuft. A pair of pauldrons made of feathers and revealing black armor covered her arms and wrapped around her torso, revealing most of her stomach and breasts. Her legs are covered by black boots that begin mid-thigh where they are lined with feathers.

She blew on her and Raven collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain. "Tell me Raven, how does the wind feel on your skin?" Raven could only growl up at her before Kyouka kicked her. "This is the power I have over you, and you can do nothing about it."

"That's enough, Kyouka." End ordered walking over. The demoness merely sighed and deactivated her Curse before returning her body to normal. "Now, let's get you back to your tribe."

"What? No, master!" Raven begged. "Whatever I've done to displease you, I will fix it."

"You've done nothing wrong, my little bird." He explained, leaning down. "Your tribe needs to see you. They're growing restless without your leadership, and we need you to recruit them. And if they refuse..." Ends face grew a wicked smirk. "Then kill them. We have no need for their weakness."

Raven nodded and stood back up. "Keyes will accompany you. He wishes to check on Vernal." Keyes appeared in the room and lead the woman out of the room before End turned to Kyouka. "What was that about?" He asked, demanding an answer.

"She needed to learn her place." She replied, only for End to continue to glare. "Very well. I didn't approve of her haughty attitude back at the camp. Now that she is one of us, I figured this was a good time to take my revenge."

End merely pinched his forehead before letting out a sigh. "I don't want to keep dealing with this again. You must learn to get along with the others."

"I'll consider it." She said. "Speaking of others, what about your new pet? Don't have to see how your cat is doing?"

"While you have a point, you can't worm your way out of this." He said. "When I get back, we're having a serious talk about this." Kyouka merely bowed in response as End vanished in flames.

Kyouka turned at the sound of footsteps to see Pyrrha walking into the room, weapons at the ready. "Oh, hello Kyouka. I don't suppose you'd be willing to help me train for a little."

The bird demon raised an eye before smirking. "I think I will..."

White Fang Headquarters

Sienna sat in her throne, contemplating everything that she was apart of. "Destroying a Huntsman Academy... we can never go back after that." She mumbled. "Was this truly the best course?" Her mind traveled back to the meeting with End. "What are you after?"

The door opened and two guards let End into the room. "Good to see you again, Sienna." He said.

"End." She said, leaning forward. "Why is it that you have a knack for showing up when I least expect it?"

"Consider it a gift." He chuckled. "I've come to see how your forces have been holding up after our successful attack."

"I must confess, I feel very little joy." She said. "It was one thing when Adam acted rouge and attacked Beacon. But now, now we as a force can never be the same. We've become the monsters humanity made us out to be. We've received new members, but they're joining out of fear."

"You don't get it do you?" End asked walking forward. "How long have you been at this? Years, decades? And only know have you gotten these kinds of results. This is what you've always meant to be. Let me show you."

He grabbed her head and her eyes went wide. Her mind was filled with images of humans slaughtering Faunus for sport. Her eyes seemed to turn red as the images changed to the Faunus alongside with Ends forces killing humans. The images turned to the humans bowing to Sienna.

The demon let go and Sienna dropped to the floor. "Now do you see? How useless your struggle is?" End asked, standing over the Faunus. "Why fight for an equality that will never come when you can be part of something much greater?"

Sienna pushed herself up and stared at End. "I... I submit..."

End smirked and helped her up. "Make preparations. We march for Atlas."

Lost Hope

End opened his eyes and smirked, waking up in his little world. He entered the dance hall, passing the dancing couples before opening up a cellar hatch. Passing the wine and roots, he walked through the basement before opening a door. Black vines held up Salem in a torn and tattered black dress. "And how are we today?"

Salem snapped up and glared at him. "You dare show yourself to me!?" She shouted. "I can't believe I ever trusted you. But I take solace in the fact that I will not submit to you."

End chuckled as he closed the door and walked over and cupped her face. "It's so cute how you think you can win this even after all these years." He patted her face before pulling on the vines, making her look into his eyes. "I've always wondered why you were humanoid instead of a monster like the other Grimm. And now with the lamp, I'll finally have my answer."

"You don't know how much the relic has increased my power." Salem said. "Now matter what you do, I will not break. And once I find a way to break your spell over me, I will destroy you."

End smirked before pulling his pants down, freeing his erection. "You'll break. They always do."

Well, this is the last chapter of End of Remnant for a while. I'll pick it back up when I can finish off a little something special, and then AFTER I finish catching up my other crossover story. Hope you all enjoyed this story and I'll see ya next time, whenever that'll be.

If I have failed to describe Raven's new look properly, look up 'Raven Branwen as Baiken' by LobbyRinth on devianrart.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.