RWBY Through Worlds

68: Dust or Gold

Far across the kingdom, Mercury Black was doing some practice exercises in the run down sort of inn/tavern that they were holed up in.

He was most unpleasantly interrupted by Tyrian--who never knocked--telling him, with a nasty smile, that "the goddess wishes to speak to us."

That involved going into some back room and taking out the creepy Seer thing that they'd just had to bring with them.

Mercury had wondered why they hadn't made a move yet. That Theodore guy was so keeping them on the ropes, he was sure of it. He had to be lying about not being able to get in touch with the Maiden yet because she was on a mission... The question was, did he really not know where she was, or was he stalling?

If Salem was calling just to hassle them about that, she was wasting her time, but he wouldn't say so out loud.

But surprisingly, Cinder was in the room with her. They seemed to be back at the lair in the Grimm lands.

Tyrian bowed and began doing his usual kiss-up routine, but Salem didn't let him continue for long.

[You know, their relationship is like a way creepier and more disgusting version of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. If you're an Austen fan, tell me you don't see it.]

"I have news," she said. "Dear Cinder and I have paid a visit to the Branwen tribe. It seems Raven Branwen deceived us about who the true Maiden was. It was her."

"How dare she lie to us," Tyrian said obligingly.

"Big surprise," Mercury muttered.

"Yes," Salem said. "Most unfortunately...for her." She smiled. "We have taught her a lesson."

"You mean, the tribe is no more?" Tyrian looked like he was almost drooling.

Mercury raised an eyebrow. They wiped out an entire tribe of bandits? In person? Salem was getting less and less shy.

He could almost hear Emerald saying it was kind of sad... What a pathetic sap she was.

Then again, Hazel would have probably said, "No one had to die today." So he was even worse.

[Do I detect a note of missing your friends in that, Merc, or is that too soft boi for you?]

"All but one," Salem said. "I thought we should leave a little messenger. If the Grimm didn't finish him off by mistake."

"But she got away." Cinder sounded livid.

Salem held up her hand to warn Cinder to shut up. Salem was talking.

Cinder was silent.

"She has somehow evaded us," Salem said. "I set a trap for her, but we no sooner had a glimpse of her in the Seer then some blinding light blocked our view, then it was gone."

"The silver-eyed girl?" Tyrian said.

"I thought so at first, but, it did not seem like it," Salem said. "And our dear Theo, I had thought, confirmed that she was not with the party. Also Cinder has told me that Neapolitan killed her, for some reason. So unless they have another silver-eyed warrior, which I doubt, I have only one suspicion. Something about it looked like that stranger who was with Ironwood when we left Atlas."

"Who is that?" Tyrian didn't know who that was.

Mercury had no clue either.

"Whoever she is," Cinder said distastefully, "she's tied up in the Relic business. I saw it."