Volume 3 Finale – Chapter 47: Conflicting Truths

I stumbled upon something ancient. Something I never thought possible. My trip around our world, meeting new people, exploring cultures, discovering secrets... I never thought it would lead to this. One building guarding the path to a mountain guarded by tree and rock. The planet itself protects this path, and all who dare traverse it are met with death or a choice. I hope that nobody finds this place again. I hope nobody learns of this woman guarding knowledge.

But it's no longer a single building, Slater. It's a town, all ready and waiting for someone like you to come along. It's not just rocks and trees now, but Grimm. If you're reading this, you have the willpower to pass my trial – to go beyond your current self. I invite you, Slater, to find me as your uncle did. You see where to go. They're swelling in your mind. Do not tarry, Slater, for truth awaits.

You don't think you'll be forgetting those words any time soon. The book must've been manipulated by someone's Semblance. It's the only answer you can come up with. But that's not what's important right now. You're so close to unraveling what Harrier found, and whatever this person is dangling before you. Despite your Semblance, you still decide to take your time and travel there on foot. Something's telling you that it's the right call. Neo accepts this, despite not really knowing how to react to this turn of events. But, you said you know where you're going. She can only assume it has to do with your Semblance hunt.

Really, you're just hoping to uncover this whole mystery and maybe save the old man in the village and your relative. You have a hunch that whatever person tainted this book, they wanted specific people to find their location. Those who didn't... went crazy. Though, why they default to your last name still escapes you. You could say it's because Sable Slater is the author, but both cases had people who knew another Slater. The old man knew Harrier and the Tawny knew you. So there are two options on the table and no way to deduce which one is correct. But you'll figure that out soon. It took an entire day of walking to reach your destination. Of course, you stopped to sleep and eat, so it would've taken less time. It surprises you how close this place was to Mistral. But, considering the hint about mountains, there's little in terms of guessing. One could make a case for Vale, but you'd have come here first either way. And now you're approaching the village. At least, if the visions you saw were correct then you are. But, as a welcoming committee is a familiar face, for better or worse.

Full head of gray hair, older-looking man, larger nose, sunken eyes...

"You're kidding me," you huff.

As if on cue, the executioner salesman notices you and scoffs. "You? What are you doing here?" He moves to the middle of the road as if he's protecting something.

"My search led me here. What're you doing here?"

"I'm a resident here. This isn't a place for outsiders."

"What? It's not like we're Faunus," you mock him. "What other lies are you going to spread to feed people's fears?"

"I assisted those people."

"Assisted? That's what you call it."

"I wouldn't expect a simple-minded fool like you to understand."

"Right," you roll your eyes. "So, are you going to get out of the way, old man?"

"Why should I? This is a sacred place."

"Pfft, you let Harrier through he-"

"Don't you dare speak his name!" The man lashes out almost animalistically. "Harrier Slater is a god among men! You're just a pathetic child!"

You and Neo are almost taken aback by his outburst. Generally, Harrier's name often brings grief or trouble. You've never seen someone defend him to such a degree. Especially some random civilian who you never expected to even know the Slater name.

"A god among men, huh?" You snicker. "Maybe... but by that logic, I have divine blood too."

The elder's rage quells somewhat after your words. "Blood... child, are you saying you're related to Harrier Slater?"

"I am. My name's (Y/N) Slater. I'm his nephew."

His expression immediately switches from disdain to ecstasy. "Another Slater? That's... that's a gift from the heavens! Please, follow me! Everyone will want to see you, hear you, guide you! You're here for the mountain? For the power!"

"Yes," you go along with it, though it's not a total lie. "I want to follow his footsteps and fulfill my..." You take in a breath, almost embarrassed at what you're going to say. "Destiny.

"That's wonderful! Wonderful!" He repeats, approaching you, grabbing your arm, and walking your forward. "Please, let me guide you. Oh, I haven't been this close to a Slater in a long time. I apologize, truly apologize for my demeanor towards you before. Had I known..." He scolds himself. "Well, you'll do well."

He continues rambling as he leads you to his village. Neo is mostly left behind as if she's not even there. He's too enamored by your presence to give her any attention. Fine for her. If she perceives him as a threat, he'll have their back turned.

Soon enough, he leads you to a wide-open space a few miles from a looming mountain. To no surprise, it's a lush surrounding with flower beds, bright and decorated houses, everything just seems like a fairy tale. Like this is an illusion to put your mind at ease. Forget the Grimm, the tensions, everything. Without a strong will, you wouldn't be surprised if someone arrived and just... forgot everything. Get indoctrinated into this Slater religion and never end up leaving.

There are dozens of people wondering the town, smiling, laughing, and enjoying their lives away from all civilization. But the strangest thing you see when you get closer to the center is a statue. A crude, stone statue of Harrier Slater. Even though his name is carved at the base, you didn't need it. The hair and glasses gave it away. Though, despite being stone, he seems cleaner. He's wearing an entire outfit in this carving rather than his shirtless form he seems to don nowadays.

"Everyone! Everyone!" The old man shouts. "A Slater has come! Come to follow Harrier's footsteps!"

The entire town drops what they're doing to greet you. Overwhelming your senses with greeting and questions and physical contact. It's nothing dangerous, so, Neo remains passive. In fact, she chuckles at your predicament. You're trying to stay above water and now drown from all this attention.

"H-Hey, come on! I just want-"

"Calm down, everyone! Calm yourselves!" The elder screams over the crowd. "Please, treat this young man to the guest house. Slater," he gets your attention. "You wish to find the power destined for you. There's a test you must pass."

"Right to the point. Good," you nod. "I'll pass any test you have ready."

"Fisher! Bring him to the guest house," the elder commands. "Tomorrow, you will face the guardian."

"I can do it now."

"No, tomorrow," he says adamantly. "We must prepare. Please, Slater, be patient. We beg you of you."

You cross your arms and sigh. "Fine. I'll wait. But what exactly do you have to prepare for?"

"The ritual!" Everyone cheers.

"Indeed. Do not worry, if you are strong then no harm will come to you. Since you're a Slater, we know it won't harm you."

You let your arms fall to your side. "Alright, show me where I'll be staying."

"Show him, show him," the crowd cheers as if they're a cult.

"Please, follow me," the elder gestures down to the left end of the town.

You make your way through the crowd, following your guide to a very beautifully crafted house that has no neighbors like the others. It has plant pots handing around the corners with bright pink and strong black shades.

"Strange colours."

"We were told to paint it this way," he replies, looking back and smiling at you. "I think it's for you."

"Us," you look over at Neo. "Someone... knew we were coming..."

Neo thinks back to the person who left the statue behind. She doesn't like being played with like this. Even now she feels a set of eyes on her. It's not these people – they're too enamoured with you. No, someone else is watching you. And Neo is determined to find whoever that is once you're settled. This is a critical moment. Any disruption could ruin everything that you both desire. You're too close to the goal, too close to a new form of closure. Whatever happens, Neo must see this through, for both your sake and her own

The elder opens the door and gestures you both inside. There's a massive wave of a new, pleasant smell. It's truly as if this building has just been preserved for you. Everything from the tables and chairs to the cupboards and floorboards. All of it is pristine and perfect. It's almost like a home you'd retire in and spend the rest of your life lazing around with the woman you love.

"Please, make yourself at home. We'll be ready for tomorrow. If you need anything, please ask. We'll give you anything, Slater. You deserve it," he praises you before closing the door.

You and Neo are left alone in this flat house. You approach the fridge and open it up, finding a variety of fruits, snacks, and beverages. The freezer has frozen meats and vegetables to make satisfying dinners with

"At least we won't go hungry. I think I can make something pretty delicious with this" you chuckle before closing the door. "I don't like waiting. It's so close, but..." You cross your arms and start slowly pacing. "Why is Harrier so popular?"

"He's a god!" A voice shouts from the window. You and Neo look over to a man, middle-aged, not a standout man. He's in basic farmer attire with dirt and soot across his face. He has a smile, wild and obsessed. "He came to us a man... he went up the mountain and came down a god! You too, Slater, will come back a god! A god! A new Slater!"

"Tsk," you look away, letting the man laugh. "Harrier isn't a god... though I doubt he's even human," you shake your head.

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The Next Day...

Vani remains silent, arms cross, keeping to himself as his present family members – which is everyone but two – are conversing. His father, Berry, has just left his personal quarters. The patriarch clearly shaken by whatever happened within. Berry closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, attempting to release any anxiety and stress within him. With everything that's happening, with what could unfold, he has to be prepared and stay strong as the leader of his family. Your status as an ally is important right now. With opposers coming so close, with one of his family members now practically insane, it's a lot to balance. Plus... his new orders...

"Berry," one speaks. "We know where they are. We can end them right now!"

"They have more numbers."

"But we have teamwork!"

Berry rubs his chin slowly as his mind calculates a mile a minute. "Yog... contact my daughter. I want to know what they're doing."

Yog steps forward, separating himself from the crowd, and starts spinning his hand. With his Semblance, he conjures a yellow-white gloop that slowly starts to open.

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You stand before a massive crowd, all cheering in a ritualistic manner. You're unsure whether they're just excited to see you take this trial or if they want to consume you for being related to Harrier. The elder, the one who you clashed with, is standing above them on a wooden platform. You're with him staring down at the crowd. You're not a fan of being above these people like this. The center of attention isn't a bother, but this is a whole different ballpark. Neo is disconnected from the mob, being told that she can't participate since she's not the one being tested. She doesn't mind. It gives her more of a view... and she may spot who's been watching you.

"My friends, today we will experience true euphoria."

Euphoria?

"Something we'll be telling our children and grandchildren. (Y/N) Slater will descend and defeat the beast below," he throws his hands out. "If he succeeds, he will ascend to new heights. We will let you, (Y/N) Slater," he looks back at you. "Trail up the mountain and obtain divine power!"

Why tell me? Now I could just go...

"Now," he moves towards the center and stomps his foot, opening a wooden door that reveals a tunnel. "Go, (Y/N) Slater."

You roll your shoulders and sigh. "I can't even see... fantastic," you hop into the hole and descend into darkness.

The crowd cheers, easily heard by you and especially Neo. She winces, looking towards the forest beside her. For a moment, she feels a chill down her spine. There's no doubt... someone, or more likely something, is here.

In the distance, Folia remains hidden, having been watching you from different locations this whole time. She's surprised her family has never found this village. She never even knew this existed. But if this leads to some sort of greater power that can be used to help her family then this wasn't a waste. Not that it was before. An order from her father is absolute. She would never think it was useless. Her surveillance is cut off when her arm begins to burn. She holds in any sounds of pain, instead grinding her teeth to cope.

A familiar colour seems to rip itself out of her skin, rest on her clothes, and shows a projection of Yog and Berry.

"Father," she bows her head.

"Folia. Have you kept up with Slater?"

"I have, father. He has reached his destination and has been told to wait."

"Do you remember where it is?"

"I do, father."

"Then come back. We need you. We need to prepare for when Slater comes back."

"Very well, father. I'm returning now."

"Good girl. See you soon."

The liquid slithers back under her clothes and seems to nest within her skin. She shakes her head to hold in the grueling pain. With that out of the way, Folia stands up and prepares to go when suddenly her body senses pick up someone closing in. Folia barely manages to dodge Neo's foot coming down on her. Your partner lands gracefully, despite having just attacked. Folia slides to a halt then stares at the other woman.

The two don't exchange words. It's a very quiet contract for conflict. Neo twirls her umbrella and rests it on her shoulder, smiling at the Tawny.

"You knew. I wasn't adequate. Father will be disappointed," Folia monologues. "He just wanted to ensure your safety."

Neo rolls her eyes at the excuse.

"I see. You're doubtful. I understand. You sent someone into the depths of insanity. You must understand that it's cause for concern. Not only that, but you've discovered a method to boost oneself. Father has been searching for it ever since he heard of Harrier. You have found it," Folia pauses for a moment, resting her hand on her mouth. "I... haven't spoken this much before... interesting," she lets her hand fall and stares at Neo once more. "So... what do you want from me?"

Neo isn't sure what to do. She doesn't trust Folia. She doesn't trust any of the Tawnys. But she has no legitimate evidence pointing to them being deceptive. But her gut says otherwise. Neo and Folia's eyes remain locked, the tension from both women rising. Neither sure whether to let the other go... or to fight.

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You keep your arms high as you fall farther and farther, the cheering of the crowd chasing you down the hole. After some time, you unsheathe your blade and pierce the wall beside you. Upon connection, you realize that you're in some sort of structure now. You're cutting through stone, not dirt. This at least makes it easier to slow down, but it makes your descent a lot louder. Soon enough, your sword is freed from the stone and you reach the area. You stand up, stretch, and sheath your blade.

"No doubt about it," you wait as your eyes adjust to the darkness. "This is another one of those lairs... at least I know the Grimm I'll be facing. I'm far stronger than before. At least I have my sword," you drag your arm along the stone while you slowly start walking. "And my Semblance. I won't be trapped down here again."

You keep your other arm out in case there's a sudden wall. But you do feel carvings in the wall you're using as support. You stop and focus on the wall, trying to force your eyes to see. After some time in complete silence, you're able to read the carvings. It's similar to the surface... a mountain with two women atop it. One appears to be a warrior while the other is a hunched old woman. People bow below her, surrounded by the corpses of other humans and Grimm.

"How old is this place..? How long have the Grimm been here? And who is this? To be carved into these stones so long ago," you sigh. "Maybe it's just nonsense," you start to walk away but pause at the sound behind you.

A growl. A howl. A way to announce one's presence and strike fear into their enemies. It's the same sound you heard long ago. You slowly turn around to meet your predicted opponent. A massive arm slams against the far corner. It pulls the being out from behind it... but it's not what you're expecting. There's a green glow emanating from behind the wall, radiating disruptive energy.

"Oh no..." You slide your foot back and unsheathe your blade.

The Grimm's fierce, glowing green eyes capture you, giving it more reason to reveal itself. The Grimm towers taller than most you know, including a Goliath. It makes sense. The ceiling, upon observation, seems artificially heightened. It wasn't this big when it got here. Besides that, it's far bulkier than the Grimm you remember before. And, of course, there are green crystals along its arms, back, and thighs. It also has a massive stones club that's similar to the other one's.

It makes your body tense up for a moment. The remainder of all that time struggling underground – nearly meeting death numerous times. Seeing this mutated monster brings back all those thoughts... and even of the Hydra. This one creature has such a tie to you... it just makes you want to rip it to shreds and be done with all of it.

"Merlot, you bastard," your teeth grind against each other. "How did you even get this Grimm?"

The Grimmotaur, now in full view, unleashes a mighty howl that echoes to the surface. The force of it pushes against your body, almost making you slide.

"You're a cancer on this world," you furrow your brow. "I'll destroy every last one of Merlot's monstrosities."

The beast runs towards you, dragging its club behind it. You sprint forward, moving far faster than the hulking creature. You swing your blade as it hauls its club, the clash shaking the maze.

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The shaking ground signals to everyone that a battle has begun. This momentary distraction provides Folia a chance to dash away and incredible speeds and leave Neo behind. She runs for only a few steps before stopping. She's unsure how this will turn out now... it's your family. She'll have to defer to your judgment on this one. For now, she'll return to the crowd and await your return.

"The battle has begun!" The elder shouts while people whistle, cheer, or shakes bells. "Praise be unto this glorious event!"

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You spin in a ball and land against the far wall, pushing off it with so much force that the stone shatters into dust. Your weapons collide once more, sending another crack through its weapon. You're surprised that it's still intact at all. You push your sword against the club to swing yourself around and slam both feet into its face. The beast hardly moves at this assault, instead simply grabbing at you. With a step, you avoid his attack completely and also get his back. You spring yourself forward, both hands on your sword, and slash at its neck. Your blade, however, is blocked by green crystal.

That wasn't there before!

You push off its back and slide across the ground, getting back into a fighting stance. The beast slowly turns around, retracting that green crystal back into its body.

You gotta be kidding me. He can grow those at will? Or is it a natural defense mechanism?

The beast spins around, slamming the stone club against the wall and shaking the hallway. Bits of dust and dirt fall around or on you. Your hair is stained with bits of the substance. You run forward, counting on the Grimm to swing its club horizontally. As you predicted, it swings, allowing you to roll over the stone and continue your attack. You jump to reach its head and start slashing away at its face. Like before, lots of green crystals buffer its skin, keeping it from really taking damage.

"Tsk," you spot out of your peripherals the beast swinging again.

You throw your head and free arm back, using the club as a means to push yourself towards the ceiling and away from harm. The beast, however, grabs your leg as you try to back off and slams you against the ground. Your aura takes all the impact, but the beast still has your leg. You can't teleport out of its grasp, so the only option is cutting your way out. You stab its forearm, only for the blade to meet crystal once more.

Are you serious?

It slams you against the walls, roaring the entire time as if it was having the time of its life. It soon throws you towards down the hall, giving you the time to recover, but not before he throws it club at you. You slam your blade into the ground to slow yourself to a halt, keeping your body low so the club soars overtop of you. You can hear the beast sprinting towards you already, so you launch yourself to the right and out of the way of its horns. You start running down the hall, looking for a new location in the maze to find a better place to fight. Maybe tighter corridors that will restrict its movements. The Grimm hastily collects its club and locks back onto you, starting the chase once more. It throws its free arm forward, releasing a column of green crystals. You look back and spot this new attack.

It's not just a defense mechanism. It knows how to use it offensively too. This thing isn't mindless.

You strafe to the right, dodging the frighteningly fast crystal formation. You're almost caught off-guard when a section of the crystal start firing towards you like sharp legs. You flip forward, jump to the close wall, leap across to the opposite wall, then use that to get a head start, all with those sharp crystals coming after you. With your eyes completely adjusted, you manage to see that the path you took leads to a complete dead end.

"Damnit!"

You turn around, witnessing the dozens of sharp crystals coming for you. Your arms move at near lightning speeds to repel all of its attacks. The bits fly to the side, growing and growing as you cut down more and more crystals. You're pushed back a bit, almost reaching the wall behind you.

"Tsk, no way!" You take a step forward and move at a speed which you don't even believe you can handle. You manage to push forward, chopping them down faster than it can send them. This focus backfires. You're barely ready for when the Grimm bursts through the wall of crystal and swings its club. On instinct, you slash at it and shatter the stone club for good.

Now that's gone, but it still has those crystals which are even more dangerous.

The beast swings its fist at you, which you're more than agile enough to spin around, grab the green crystal on its arm and push yourself closer to slam your foot into its face. You spin your heel, slamming your other foot the side of its head and pulling your previous foot back. The beast, of course, retaliates by throwing its head towards you. But it only meets smoke. Your blade dances along its back, unable to really connect thanks to the spontaneously growing crystals. You push back with your blade and hop even further away.

No doubt, I'll have to amp up Crimson Blaze.

You slide your blade hand across the edge, letting it draw and taste your blood once again. You handle the blade normally once as the black blade dons a crimson tint once more. The Grimm is already running to attack once more, his entire left arm being covered in crystals.

"Let's start round two, then," you sharpen your eyes. "You won't last a minute."

The beast slams both its hands down to crush you, but you've almost glided back to avoid it. The strength behind his attack shatters the stone below, making you both fall to a floor below. You flip and land perfectly, while the Grimm crashes on its back and buried underneath the fresh rubble. This room is far different – a massive center chamber with dozens of the crystals around.

This was its resting place.

The Grimm roars, seemingly exploding from the rubble and shaking the structure once more. It becomes more animalistic, this time running at you on all fours instead of standing like a person. You stand your ground, eyes sharpening as it approaches, weapon at the ready. Right before it gets to you, the strand of blood that's touching the ground sprouts into a thin, sharp wall that nearly decapitates the Grimm. It sends it howling into the air, unable to recover on its own. You step beside it, unleashing a barrage of red sonic waves from your blade, pushing the beast into the far wall. You step before it once more, this time with momentum, and plunge the blade into its belly. You immediately pull your blade to the right, opening its stomach for air and dust to enter. You spin through the air and land on the ground, quickly returning your attention to the Grimm. Like the others, the Grimmotaur begins healing the wounds you've inflicted. That means you have to overwhelm the blood composition so it can take damage.

The beast pushes off the wall to get you, it's arms thrown forward, mouth open and hungry, it's massive body taking up so much of your vision. Crystals begin to protrude from its arms, just like before. Right when the beast is about to snatch you in its grasp, you dash forward and begin to spin, dancing around its airborne body as if you're drawn in by its gravity. You stay close, slashing and piercing every part of its body without any sort of resistance. The sound of shattering crystals fills the room, the little bits glimmer for you.

The Grimm crashes against the ground after such an overwhelming assault. When you touch the ground, you place the tip of your sword on the stone and spin around, pointing it at the beast. A column of blood bursts from below, carrying the Grimm and the stone it rested on straight into ceiling. The fragile floor breaks under the pressure while the Grimm merely howls in pain. You take your sword back and unleash sonic waves once more to push the Grimm even further into the ceiling. You note that the size of and amount of crystals are dwindling fast. It's clear that your augmented blade is slowing down the regenerative process of even the crystals.

You pull your blade back to your hip before leaping forward and extending your arm, letting Crimson Blaze lead the charge. You push the beast through the ceiling, and into solid stone. Its body is breaking through everything in you're way while you also use small blood blades to clear anything that might hit you. With you being so close, the Grimm manages to grab you, turn around and slam you into the stone. It lets out a wrathful scream as it pushes you against the cold rock. With no way to move your body, you use those small blades to pierce several spots on the Grimm – shoulders, palms, knees, stomach, and extend the blades to give you distance. It shakes its head, still making itself heard through the land while you gain your bearings and follow up. You catch up and start slashing, almost seeming like there's a constant red barrier between you and him. Your arms, once again, are moving faster than you recollect. You furrow your brow and push even further, spinning around, flipping, anything you can do to keep the momentum going. That single side barrier soon turns into a ball of pure red. Any bits of stone that dare fall close turns to dust. The red ball of blades pushes the Grimm through the stone, out to the dirt, and eventually out in the sunlight.

Neo and the townsfolk are caught off guard when a green-tinted Grimm and red ball suddenly burst out of the ground followed by a brief yet large bloody geyser. You slash him once more to send him even higher in the air and away from the crowd. You step back to the grass and throw your arm forward, releasing an arm-sized pillar of blood towards the Grimm. It's raging eyes look down at you and mimic you, doing the same with the crystals. The red and green clash mid-air, bits of crystal and blood raining down. You know you're pushing it in terms of blood. You're already feeling lightheaded, you're sure your skin tone has paled too. You dash forward, using all your strength to leave a man-sized crater where you once stood. The speed and power of your attack slices right through the blood, crystals, and Grimm. The attack gives the creature pause, allowing your blood to overwhelm the crystal and pierce its body. The small sharp blades spread through its system until it breaks out like bloody maggots. The green colour it once has is almost completely overshadowed by your red blood.

Its composition has to be screwed! Now!

You bring your sword above your head and let gravity bring you back towards it.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

You bring your blade down right through the middle, slicing the giant Grimm in two. The halves fall separate ways and turn to ash before they can touch the ground. Having used so much blood, you don't land as gracefully as you normally do. It's a loud thud with you falling to one knee, breathing heavily. You aren't necessarily tired from this battle, but the blood aspect is really affecting you with some light headedness.

"Less than a minute," you stand up, flick your sword so any remaining blood flies off, and sheath it. "As promised." You exhale. "If I wasn't doing something so important I would sit down for a second," you say under your breath.

"Such a display of skill and power! You truly are a born Slater!" The elder announces.

The entire town approaches you with him and the front. Neo has already made her way all the way around and it at your side. She nudges you and gives a thumbs up.

"Shoulda been there. Woulda been a fun one," you wink.

"You... I'm so honoured to have witnessed to Slaters in my lifetime. You're more than worthy to travel the mountain. But," he looks to Neo. "She cannot come with you."

You snicker. "Alright, that's fine." Neo pouts at your immediate dismissal. "Can she stay in the house?"

"Of course, (Y/N) Slater. Let me show you the way to go. All of you!" He turns back to the town. "We have a statue to build!"

The crowd seems oddly excited for such a grueling task. But that's not your business. You just want to reach the mountain.

"Wait in the house. Trust me," you wink.

She nods and struts her way to the place you've stayed. She decided not to inform you of Folia's presence. At least not yet.

You look back to the elder, confidence mixing with major blood loss. "I'm ready."

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A simple stone path leading up to the mountain. No guards, no traps, just a straightforward route to your destination. So you and Neo, who you leapt back to get when you were out of sight, keep an eager pace. You haven't said anything for the whole walk. Your colour has slowly begun to return after letting your body relax and recharge. The calming tone of this path just helps. The bits of trees covering the stone path, the few bits of light still managing to shine through, the cool breeze swimming along your body, it gives a very calming sense. In a way, you almost find this sort of deceptive forefront to what could be ahead. All you can do is calm your mind and prepare for whatever presents itself to you, be it a battle, a conversation, or nothing at all.

These torturous thoughts remain until the path finally ends. It leads into the mountain with an opening that's not quite obvious. There's some flora naturally growing around it, indicating it's been there for some time, and it's clear nobody intended this place to be easily detectable. You take a deep breath before stepping forward. Neo remains a few steps behind, wanting you to take the charge on this one.

"Slaaaaaaater," a voice echoes from the cave.

You slide your foot back and grab the handle of your sword, eyes looking out for anything approaching.

"Don't be like that, (Y/N)," you note the voice is more female... and almost recognizable. "You're here for a reason. Will you stop now?"

You return to a neutral stance and start walking into the cave, Neo now getting closer to you.

"That's it, little Slater. Come get what you came for."

The cave is extremely dark with only a small bit of light near the end and from whence you came. There's no point looking back now. The key to Harrier's massive power, the potential increase you could attain, you could be able to restore Beacon and protect the planet from the Grimm, from everything. This resurgence of motivation makes you unconsciously move faster into the mountain. The light grows larger and larger until you finally are embraced by it.

A man-made room, containing only a large pot that's boiling, a chair, and a desk with dozens of hand-carved statues. On that chair is an old woman – one you've seen before. She's just finishing a carving of you... standing exactly where you are now with Neo behind and her before you.

"Things have gone about how I predicted," she turns around and smiles, eyes closed. "And will likely persist in doing so."

"You..." Your arms across as you step forward. "What... you're the one who... marked that book?" You say with no other way to explain it. "Is that your Semblance, or..?"

"Semblance? No, no," Paligria slowly gets off her stool and approaches you. "Semblances are not my specialty. Or maybe they are," she begins to laugh. "I know how to change them. How to leave traces... oh, how fun it has been to watch."

You can't even follow some of what she says. You don't know whether she's just senile or just messing with you.

"So... what..."

"You didn't come here for me, (Y/N). You came here for you. For your family... for me," she laughs. "So I can help defeat your family. My family? Your family, yes, yours. My family is dead. Long dead. Ages dead. But here I am," she laughs again.

She's certainly different from how she was when you first met her. Again, it's hard to decipher her angle on this. But if she did power up Harrier then she can do the same to you.

"But you heard my message, heard my spell that was spelled out for you," she laughs. After a moment, she looks at you with disappointment. "No laughs? You like jokes. Jokes are buried within you like a coffin. Much is buried. Hatred, to others and yourself," she waddles towards you. "Regret, sorrow, no, no, not the Slater I saw. Different Slater. Sorrow Slater," she stops before you and raises her hand to your cheek. Salem's mark lights up, burning against your skin. She frowns, the first time you've seen any sort of separate emotion. "Salem has marked you. Salem after Slater. Already has one – Harrier," she turns away and wags her finger. "Harrier, I helped him. Shall I help you?"

"Look," you shake your head, the mark dissipating. "You did... change Harrier's Semblance. How? What did you do and how do I beat him?"

"Harrier, silver eyes, regeneration, an unparalleled warrior," she stops before her pot and sighs. "Blood requires blood. Blood is weak to blood. Harrier needed blood. Needed a family. Much like Jet. But when he came to me, desiring power, I showed what blood he needed. His own, a child, a spawn, its blood would raise him to new heights. Your father was the same. Your father rejected it, would not sacrifice you. He died for that."

"Tsk," you look to the side. "I... already know that."

"A legendary warrior and a Maiden."

Your eyes widen. "Maiden? What?"

Paligria laughs. "The Maiden of Fall, now with Cinder."

"Cinder..." You grind your teeth. "That power she had... my mom had it too?"

"Indeed," Paligria turns around and smiles. "Your parents gave it all to you. Clementine's duty was fulfilled, plans were made, hopes put on you. I wonder, (Y/N) Slater, do you want to augment your Semblance?"

"I... want to know how to beat Harrier. That's it!"

"That's a lie, child, do not lie to your elders," the words make you back down. For some reason, despite how crazy she sounds, there's a strange hint of authority layered in your voice. It's hard to explain. "But I will answer your questions. You found me, and I rarely get visitors here. And you, child," she looks to Neo. "Would you like an improvement?" Neo keeps her hands on her umbrella and shakes her head. "Mm... curious."

"You haven't answered my question," you say with a hint of annoyance.

"Yes, yes," she waves you off. "All augments come with a price – a weakness. Blood halts blood. To quell Harrier's blood one would need a sibling's."

Your heart almost stops upon hearing that. "H-His weakness... is my father's blood?"

"Indeed."

The entire room seems to spin at this realization. You clench your fist, shaking it with insurmountable anger. Salem's mark flares as well, causing concern for Neo.

I took dad's sword... I took his blood sword and... if I didn't... I...

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" You howl, slamming your fist into the stone wall and shaking the room. "I... I did get my parents killed... they said I didn't but if I hadn't taken it... they wouldn't have..." Your rage is felt through the room.

Neo moves to your side, taking your hand in a small attempt to comfort you.

"Your parents knew what they were doing. Plans were made, traps set, and hopes given."

"It doesn't matter," you shake your head... slamming the wall again. "DAMNIT! I don't have my father's blood! I can't beat Harrier! Why let me live when I can't even beat him!"

"Yes, you do," Paligria bluntly states. "But it's cursed blood. Cursed Salem blood. Cursed Harrier blood."

You know what she means. The Curse Mark channels enough blood to harm Harrier... you now know that it's the same as Merlot's Grimm. But Harrier's blood isn't naturally diluted like the Grimm. Disrupting that balance is much harder... and you can only concentrate enough of your father's blood when the Curse Mark takes over. You're dead in the water with this.

"So I can't halt his Semblance... but what about me?" You finally ask. "What would happen if I augmented my Semblance?"

Paligria smiles. "Slaters are always interesting. Come, come," she gestures you towards the pot. "I need blood. There's much in your blood. Blood will tell me. Pour blood in there," she points down into the boiling pot."

"I hope this doesn't bound me or anything."

"A joke, good, good," she smiles.

"Y-Yeah," you unsheathe Crimson Blaze and slash your hand to drip blood into the pot.

"Good," she stares into the pot while you return your blade to its sheath. "(Y/N) Slater, a conflicted heart and potent blood... your Semblance – traveling through space – and... your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"Silver blood runs through your veins. To improve your Semblance you will need to truly see the world..." She turns from the pot to you. "You will need new eyes... silver eyes of whom your heart accepts."

Your mind instantly flashes an image of Ruby with a wide, caring smile and silver eyes full of hope.

"No!" You lash out. "I can't take her eyes!"

"To improve yourself, you must. With silver eyes to see, your Semblance will be... unparalleled."

"No," you immediately brush off. "I won't. Not hers... I won't," you almost scream. "I'm not like him! I won't sacrifice those around me just for power!"

"He didn't sacrifice it purely for power. Harrier knew of the world's threat," Paligria begins to pace. "He found this new power, sacrificed his family for it, and thought that he and Jet could protect everything... even if he denies that rational. I know what's in that man's heart more than he does. He believes he wanted to upstage his brother, to prove he was superior, but his heart broke, his mind unable to comprehend when Jet chose you over the planet." Your body heats up again, unsure how to take all of this. "But now... his Semblance cures all. Any emotion, any regret, it's all gone. It may have even healed those bad memories, making him believe he is right. And you, (Y/N), you're walking example of this."

"What?"

"In truth," she says with more of an upbeat tone. "The combined powers of an augmented Jet and Harrier would have defeated all of that witch's forces. Harrier knew that. I'm sure she does too. But even still, Jet chose you. You, to Harrier, are a mystery. Something he wants to destroy, something he promised to protect, something he desires to understand. One so much weaker than him, than an augmented Jet, is still held to such high regard. Is it jealousy? No, no, no, no," she shakes her head. "That is not for me to say."

"So..." You take a deep breath. "Harrier-"

"But these are rambling of an old woman," she returns to a senile tone. "So take them as you will," she places her hands behind her back and approaches the desk. "You have choices now, (Y/N) Slater. You have enemies very close and very far. But you also hold keys to much, left by those you trust and who trust you. You know how to improve yourself, to gain unimaginable power. You know how to stop Harrier. Your questions have been answered. But, please..." She gets on the chair and turns her head... but the face is different. Younger... and her eyes...

"Give my regards to Ozma."

The entire room begins violently shaking, dust and rock falling all around you.

"Neo!" You grab her hand and leap to the entrance, making it just before the cave collapses on itself.

You and Neo remain silent, staring at the now caved in entrance. You let her go and take a few steps forward. "What... the hell," you clench your fist. "DAMNIT!" You slam it into the rock, inciting the Curse Mark to form again. "All this way for nothing!" Your fist connects with the giant boulder again. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this, huh? WHAT!" Again, you punch it. "I got my parents killed!" Punch. "I have to take Ruby's eyes?" Punch. "And I can't even kill Harrier!" This final punch shatters the boulder into small pieces. "What am I..." You fall to your knees, a few tears starting to roll down your cheeks while your voice begins to crack. "What do I do now..? I doomed my parents... I doomed Beacon... and I know I'm doing everyone here by getting angry! Who the hell was she? She changed... and Ozma? How did... she know all of that. I don't get it! I just don't get it anymore! I was happy! I was at Beacon, had friends, had... fun. Now everything..." Your voice begins to die down. "Neo... I..."

The girl gets to one knee and places her hand on your back, giving you a warming sense of comfort. She's there... despite it all, Neo is there. You know, even after all this time, Dylan, Weiss, Yang, Ruby, Jaune, all of them will be there too.

"I think... it's time I went home."

Neo nods, understanding what you mean.

"Let's go back."

You close your eyes and disassociate from yourself momentarily, soaring over the fields of Mistral and zooming towards the Tawny residence. The moment your mind locks on, you leap yourself and Neo back inside the residence. You manage to catch Berry coming down the stairs, startling the poor man.

"My goodness, (Y/N)," he places a hand on his chest. "You scared me."

"Oh, sorry about that," you reply with a lack of emotion. "I... just got back."

"I see..." Berry's eyes divert away, thinking for a moment. "Actually, are you still up for some work?"

You exhale. "I can. But I'm leaving afterward."

"Truly?"

"Yeah," you nod. "After all this... what I saw," you shake your head. "I have to get back into the fight, I have to get back on the front lines," you look back to him with overwhelming confidence. "Cinder, Salem, Harrier, I don't care. I'm going to find my friends, find whoever I can... and take them down."

Berry seems to frown for a moment, but almost immediately smiles. "If that's the case, then please come back afterward. I believe I can talk with the rest of my family and help."

"Really?"

Berry nods. "Indeed. We were unable to assist Clementine so preventing any true harm with you is... preferable."

"Heh, sounds good," you nod. "So, what do you need?"

"Well, funny you mentioned it," Berry walks down the stairs and stands before you. "I was looking into a group of rogue Huntsmen working for Salem."

"Seriously? So that's what we stumbled on," you think back to the warehouse.

"I have Folia on her way there. With your Semblance, you might be able to finish this before she arrives. There's no doubt they work for her. Please, kill them. Show no mercy before they destroy Mistral."

"You don't have to tell me twice," you smile. "Neo, you ready?"

She nods, twirling her umbrella with excitement.

"Where do I need to go?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

You and Neo appear just outside of a small, abandoned village. The day is coming to a close with dark clouds covering the even darker sky. The moonlight is scarce, making your infiltration potentially easier. Being on a hill, you get a better view of what you're working with. You squint at the settlement, noting a few patrolling Huntsmen.

"A group of Huntsmen working for Salem... how could you betray Remnant like that?" You whisper aloud. "How could Harrier..."

"He found this new power, sacrificed his family for it, and thought that he and Jet could protect everything."

"If that's true... why work with Salem..?" You squeeze your eyes shut and shake your head. "Not now. I'll worry about that later. Come on, Neo, let's just finish this."

You and Neo jump ahead, soaring over the small field and landing on the closest building to you. There's not many notable buildings. They're all one or two stories high, the latter usually having an old shop on the first with their house above. From what you gather, they're likely hiding out in the old head or leader's household. It's the largest building there, if only by a bit. The two patrolling Huntsmen didn't notice you in the air, you so gather that they aren't the most observant. You and Neo nod at one another before jumping again, towards the two. You bring your blade down on him, cutting right through his shoulder and out his opposite hip. Neo lands on the man, quickly snapping his neck with her feet before he can scream. You flick your blade to get the blood off and grab the body.

"Better not leave them out in the open."

Neo follows your lead, dragging the body between two buildings. You both jump to the roof of the left building then spring to the bigger building. It's in the center so you can check if any others are patrolling. Lucky for you, there isn't. That means the rest of them are inside.

"Hm... there's the front door... Neo, check for any other entrances."

She nods and leaps off the rooftop to fulfill your command. You remain in place until Neo returns.

I do this and I'll have my family on my side. If they were fighting Salem too, why haven't I heard of them before? Then again, I didn't know about Salem until... well, maybe they were doing this the whole time and I didn't need to know. They didn't tell me about my parents... Harrier... why is it my family is kept secret from me? I don't get it.

Neo hops up before you, getting your attention. She points behind her, towards the back.

"Alright... we can go front and back. I'll get their attention from the front, you attack when they're distracted. Sound good?"

She gives you a thumbs up before turning around and jumping off the building once more. With all the far away leaping you've done, your Aura has taken a little bit of a beating. You make a mental note to try and lay off it and let your Aura recover. It's true that short-range stepping doesn't take much, but it does slow down your overall regeneration. If anything, that just means you'll be fighting on a little more even ground. Not that these people deserve it.

You backflip over the edge of the building and land just before the door. You can imagine the layout is going to be simple. Perhaps the entrance is wider... maybe a meeting room father down. Being two stories, you can also assume that the upper floor is homier than the first. You don't know how many are going to be in there, but improvisation is always your style. You still remember the time you jumped off an aircraft into a hoard of Grimm. The memory makes you chuckle. Goodwitch wrung your neck for that. She's not here to stop you anymore... to make you triple check your actions. Now you can just stick to your gut and hope you're doing it right.

"Neo's waiting for me," you whisper. "Clock's ticking," you unsheathe your sword and twirl it in your hand. "Let's end this quickly."

The door flings off its hinges from your powerful kick. The wooden rectangle slams into an unsuspecting individual, knocking them out instantly.

"What the hell?" A few voices shout.

You run in, scouting all the people in the immediate room. It's a long hallway ahead with this small side room to your right. A coffee table, couch, three chairs, and boarded up windows. There are two people on the couch, just now getting up after their ally was brought down. You push off your left foot and dash past them, your blade passing by their throats before they can even activate their Aura. You hear the sound of their heads rolling along the wood before their bodies fall. Beyond that, your ears pick up the sound of footsteps coming from above and further down the gray hall.

"What's going on down there?"

"Is it the Tawnys?"

"Close," you whisper.

There are no stairs here, so they'll be funneling down the hallway. You twirl your blade and run down the hallway. A few Huntsmen, weapons ready, exit from different sections of the hall. You slide to a halt and cut right through him, turn around and absolutely overwhelm him with a flurry of blows so fast that he couldn't even turn around. The Huntsman falls, blood sliding down his back.

You jump out of the room and use the wall to spring forward, passing through another Huntress. There's two more ahead of you, completely on guard now. You even notice the sounds of a scuffle upstairs, so Neo must have already entered the building.

"Isn't that the kid? Slater?"

"Isn't he-"

You thrust your blade into the chest of the man before you, flinging him into the other Huntsman and grounding the two. You turn around, ducking under a whip from the woman.

"You're Slater! He's not a Tawny!"

You raise your leg to the woman's neck, slamming her against the wall. Her Aura seems to shatter instantly, which is odd to you. But you follow up with a spinning slash to put her down. You halt your spin and run towards the two you knocked over.

"Slater," the one on his feet speaks. "We can't let you-"

Your blade runs along him with such power and precision that he's thrown through the far door, completely knocked out. You spot someone in the main room, a meeting room. A familiar man stands strong, clearly distressed when his eyes spot his fallen comrades – some dead, some alive.

"(Y/N) Slater," the older man with graying hair plaguing his natural brown. "I did not expect you here... with the Tawnys."

"Chalk," you recognize the Huntsman. "You're..." You close your eyes and sigh. "Damnit... so that woman," you slowly enter the room and spot the same woman you were about to speak of – bloody, tied up, and unconscious.

"It was a Tawny, (Y/N). They're against us!"

"You're against everyone!" You argue. "Damnit, fine," you shake your head. "Your plans stop now."

Chalk sighs. He raises his arm with the massive kite shield. "Very well, (Y/N). If this is the path you have chosen, then I will fight you."

You can tell he's nervous. Something about this confrontation has been odd. Their Aura hasn't been very strong. It's possible Chalk also has a low Aura supply, but you shouldn't count on that. You have no idea what his fighting style or Semblance is. Probably defensive since he only has a shield. Neo is still fighting, so you're alone for now. Not that you're worried.

You test the waters, throwing a few slower slashes at Chalk which he manages to block. His shield slowly begins to faintly glow after those hits. You and Chalk start pacing in a circle with tension rising. Chalk isn't making any offensive moves. You throw out a few more strikes like the ones before, the sound of your steel clashing against his echoing in the building. That shield starts glowing just a bit more.

I don't know what it's going to do, but I shouldn't let it happen. I can't mess around here.

You swing your blade so it'll be blocked. You grab hold of his shield with your other arm and push it to the side, attempting to throw it away completely. Instead, Chalk just slides a bit. You internally sigh when you see the shield is practically attached and wrapped around his hand and forearm. Chalk sneers, using the power of his shield to unleash a small pulse that flings you into the far wall. You slam against it, indenting the wall as you slide down.

Great, it's like Yang or Adam... is that his Semblance or just the shield?

You get back up and roll your shoulders. "Played your hand early."

"Hm?"

"I do it too, I guess, but mine is harder to get around," you spin your sword. "I'd say sorry but... you don't deserve it."

You step behind him, back to back, sword in a reverse grip. You lift it up and are about to stab when he turns around, wafting another group of shadow away.

"Wha-"

You twist and kneel down, slashing at his stomach. His Aura protects him from any damage and also alerts him to where you are. He turns back, lifts his arm up and tries to bring the sharp bottom of his shield down on you. Once again, if merely pushes away a shadow. He's immediately kicked in the back and send into the wall. He does use his shield to block it, also absorbing damage for him to use against you. He stands back up, taking a few breaths.

"His Semblance is... strong..."

You step before him, in the air, and slam your knee into his nose, flicking his head back to bounce off the wall for you to drive your foot into the side of his head. Chalk slides face-first across the ground, stopping just before some broken windows.

"It's over. Maybe if you surrender, tell us what you know, then the Tawnys-"

"Will let me live?" Chalk chuckles. "The Tawnys-"

A blur dashes from the door and stops right above Chalk. You recognize her as Folia, blade out and... already bloodied. Without hesitation, she shoves her blade into his back, breaking right through what little Aura he had left. Chalk coughs up blood and clenches his fist.

"Slater... the Tawnys... they work... for Sal-"

Folia throws her knife into his neck, cutting him off from saying anything more.

The world seems to spin for a moment, circling in on you as if the planet is rotating thousands of times faster.

"What? What do you mean?" You approach.

But there's no point. Chalk's eyes are blank. You look back to the bodies in the hall. You left some alive... but pools of blood are below them now.

"Folia, what was he talking about?"

"It matters not. The Huntsmen working against us are dead. That's what matters."

"There's nobody else he would say but Salem. I thought they worked for Salem, Folia!"

Folia sighs. "Father said you would be dealt with when we return."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what he meant!"

Neo runs into the room, seeing the death around. She killed everyone upstairs and heard something fun happening here. She was surprised Folia reached here in time, considering she was at the village before.

Folia turns to you, her apathetic eyes meeting yours. "The Tawnys work to save the world. Ask my father for more."

"Tsk," you grind your teeth. "No, you're going to tell me right now. Who did they work for?"

Folia keeps as neutral as ever. "They did not work for Salem."

In a flash, you appear before Folia, grab her neck, and slam her into the wall.

"THEN WHY THE HELL DID WE DO THIS?"

Neo snickers at the view. Killing these innocents won't weigh on her conscious, but she's certain it will for you. Especially knowing they lied to you.

Folia frowns. "Please let me go."

"Answer my question or you'll join them!"

"The Tawnys work to save the world," she repeats. "We always have. My father decided that Salem was the only way to achieve that."

"Salem..." You say with absolute hatred.

"You're marked by her. Should you not be grateful?"

"SHUT UP!" You throw her across the room. "YOU LIED TO ME! YOU ALL DID!"

"It is not our fault," she says while getting up. "That you are easy to manipulate.

Hearing those words, recognizing you've been lied to, forces you to act recklessly. You swing your sword, sending a sonic wave at the girl. She utilizes her Semblance, Boost, to dodge your attack. Right then and there, Folia is well aware that she's not fast enough to avoid you without her Semblance. Plus, she never recovered her blade from Chalk's corpse so she can't attack. You jump at her again, waiting for the moment she tries to move. The second she boosts in a separate direction, you step in front of her and slash against her stomach. With your immense attacking power and her own momentum, her Aura is rendered useless instantly. It does save her from being sliced in half, though. The girl tumbles across the ground and is only stopped by Neo's boot. The mute deviously smiles at the helpless woman below her.

"I won't let this slide," you say as you march up to the two girls. "I swear... I swear I won't let this go unpunished."

"You're the one... who did it," Folia struggles to say.

"I know... and I'll make sure you can't manipulate anyone else again. Neo..." You look away. "We're going back to Mistral."

Neo lifts her umbrella, letting the blade jump out. Folia doesn't say a word, doesn't beg for her life, doesn't threaten you at all. She's completely content with her death. And with a thrust of Neo's hand, Folia's life is cut short.

"We're going to collect our things from the house... and I think it's time I change these clothes."

Neo pulls the blade out of Folia's lifeless body and smiles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The rain pours harshly on Mistral this night. Neo spotted that the entire Tawny family has gathered outside the house, so you don't bother searching for yourself. You have your bags, your supplies, and now you're going to find people to fight Salem and Harrier. You've been away from this for too long. You went on your personal quest, found out what you needed to, and now you have to return to the front line. Hopefully, you can find your friends and meet up with everyone. If you can't find them... well, you'll find a way. Maybe return to Glynda, perhaps find Qrow, or even go to the other Headmasters for advice.

You open the door, finally revealing your new outfit. It was tailor-made by Dior with all his specialties. There's three layers to your chest – first is an orange t-shirt that adopts your mother's colour. Overtop that is a very sturdy and light vest that's black with four diagonal stripes coloured the same orange as your shirt. The lines connect at different points – two meeting just below your chest and another connecting right above your waistline. Your new sheath, modeled exactly like your old one, is still attached to your belt. You now have two fingerless gloves that act the same as your previous one. Your pants, following the black colour scheme you have, flows down to your sturdy shoes that blend black and orange. To finish it off, you have your father's coat, modified, of course, to be black instead of his traditional white. It's prominent collar stays up, the ends flowing from the wind blowing. It also has both sleeves, as you've repurposed the bracer's amazing durability for your vest, and let it flow down to your knees.

It's something you held dear because of your parents' colours. Jet, the colour black that donned white instead, and Clementine, a woman who adored orange. Now, being the all that's left of the two, you'll carry on their wills and colours. They'll be there, in some sense, when you make your own way.

Ahead of you, in the public area of this district, are all the Tawnys you've seen and more. At this point, there's nearly fifty of them.

I thought they were all here before? No matter.

You and Neo approach them, Berry being at the front with Cara. Vani is on the left outskirts of the group. He can hear what's being said and is in view of everything.

"You killed my daughter," Berry starts.

"You made me kill innocent Huntsmen. Lied to me. Manipulated me. If I didn't she'd be here ready to..." You look at them all. "Fight me. I'll offer you one chance to save your family, Berry," you take a few steps down their stairs. "Abandon Salem. If you don't... your family is going to die," you keep walking, casually passing by the large group. "That's my only warning."

"What sort of threat is that? Salem is going to lead this world into a new era!" Berry throws his hands in the air. "The Huntsmen? They pretend to protect but they're all selfish," Vani crosses his arms and looks away. "Salem is the only way for this planet to prosper, to be free of Ozpin and his idiotic rule. All who go against Salem will die. My parents knew that. My grandparents knew that. Even your parents knew that. They fought against her and look at that... dead. Your mother could've been safe, but she was a coward, a traitor, and got what she deserved."

You stop in place, taking a breath to not overreact. "It's not cowardly to fight for what you believe in. Especially not when you're indoctrinated by family. I see why Ozpin never mentioned you. In a way, I pity you. Even Harrier thinks for himself."

"Harrier is a tool for Salem. We all our! Your mother could've been the greatest one! She became a Maiden so young, thus we groomed her for the goddess," his face scrunches up. "But she ran away when she learned. A disgrace to the family. You can't imagine how much animosity rose from me when I saw you... saw your mother's whore face."

"Hehe," you shake your head. "If you say one more thing about my mother, Berry..." You look over your shoulder. You note Vani's uncomfortable stance and face. Everyone else seems happy, seems behind what Berry is saying. Vani isn't. "I'll kill all of you right now."

"Tsk, you can't do it if you tried. We're one of Salem's greatest forces! Well, she even touched you," he devilishly smirks at your visible mark. "It seems Clementine's rebellious nature was passed down to you. Gifted by a goddess and you still fight against her."

"There's no gift from here," you shake your head. "The Grimm are monsters. She manipulates, she destroys. You're just pawns to her."

"Then what does that make you? Are you not a pawn for Ozpin? We truly believe in our goddess, but do you believe in Ozpin? Many people have, and almost all have died. It's what they deserve," Berry can't stop smiling. "It's what your mother deserved."

You sigh. "Neo, hold this," you pass her your bag. "This won't take long," you turn back to the Tawny family. "I warned you. I suppose I shouldn't have hesitated. If you're such a great force in the name of Salem..." You slide your right foot back and grasp the handle of your blade. "Then this will help the world."

You barely show off the base of your blade when time seems to slow down. The raindrops themselves pause at this moment. Three important viewpoints capture different parts of what comes next. There's yours – stepping between the family members before they can even draw their weapon or activate their Aura. It doesn't matter who it is, they're all either focused on or die in one wide sweeping attack. There's Vani – somehow managing to jump away from the ordeal before you get to him. There's a moment when your eyes meet, where you acknowledge Vani is getting away but don't do anything about it. Then there's Neo, who witnesses a sudden burst of shadow, the sounds of bodies falling, and then you're back beside her sheathing your blade. Vani watches in horror from atop a nearby building. Once the shadow clears... there are only still bodies an the rain washing away the blood. The remaining Tawny jumps down and falls to his knees on impact.

"I... why... I ran but... WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?" He screams at you, tears forming.

"I..." You take a deep breath. "I don't think you're like them. Don't prove me wrong," you turn around to start walking. "Besides... I don't want to be the last Slater and Tawny."

You and Neo begin to walk away, Vani remains unmovable. The last two Tawnys left with open paths. You know yours, you know where you have to go now. But Vani... Vani's path has just truly started.

I did it! Holy hell, we finished Volume 3. Yeah, it's all downhill from here. Oh, sorry, was talking about actual RWBY. Ka-chow! Anyway, I'm really happy this chapter is out! I've had so many aspects of this chapter in my head for such a long time. We're really starting to catch up! Ha, no, I'm three Volumes behind. But, hey, next chapter is gonna be Volume 4! Next chapter also won't be for a while! I've given Crimson Shadow a lot of love lately which means I've been ignoring everything else. So, I'm going to give Limitless and Dismal Demon some time. I hope you understand. I at least wrapped up Volume 3 so there's a sense of completion. At least for me. So, I won't see you readers for a little bit. Hope you enjoyed! I've definitely had a lot of fun!

I know I piled a lot into this chapter. I thought of splitting some of it up but I also wanted to give an... overwhelming sense. A lot happened for you, as Slater, and there was a lot to take in as you, the reader. It's a shared experience, and I think it worked well. It also got through various points I wanted without dedicating entire chapters to it. I don't know, I liked it.

Also, we now have a new Beta Reader! Tricked ya, we have two! Yeah, that means double the quality control! Sounds like a fun time, right? Thank you MazMan and SamCat for being the new Betas!

Want to keep up with me? Know what chapter's coming out next and the progress of them? Follow me on Twitter! Twitter . com (slash) Chinsangan

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Advice? Send me a message!

I also have a Pa tr eon, if you want to check that out! Pat reon . com (slash) Chinsangan

My Discord is now open! If you want to join, either check my bio for a link, find it on my Twitter, or message me directly!

A special thank you to Patreon supporters: James Tubbs, MazMan, Sassylemons, and Big Genatools

Extra special thanks to Ride The Lightning and Nicholas X Wright!

Thank you guys so much for supporting me! It means the world!

And finally, thank you to the Beta Reader: MazMan & SamCat