The snow fell as it always did, caking the streets of the city in a frigid white powder. The tall, muscular and tomboyish elf was counting the contents of her wallet, a bag of groceries dangling from her wrist.
"Блин... ненавижу эту экономику," Sasha muttered. After eight years of living in Alida again, she had returned to her native language.
Nevertheless, she tossed her wallet back into the pockets of her trousers, her boots crunching against the snow. In the streets, drunk elves lounged about, some participating in street gambling. One of them waved, catching her attention. "Здравствуй, Саша!" He called.
"Привет," Sasha greeted back. She approached the elf, staring down at him. "Что ты делаешь?"
"Пьет водку. Она была со скидкой," he replied. "Хочешь немного?"
"Да спасибо."
Sasha took the bottle of vodka from his outstretched hand, twisting off the cap and taking a sip. Her house was coming into view. As she trotted up the driveway, she took another sip. Knowing her brother, he'd be upset if she drank it all. Things weren't cheap. She pushed her way inside, spotting Nikita stoking a fire. He looked up when he heard her, his green eyes locking onto hers.
"Ты принес еду?"
"И водка. Здесь."
Sasha tossed him the bottle, leaving Nikita to drink away. She had forgotten how terrible it was to live in Aldia. The currency was hard to come by, and they were practically in poverty. The biggest source of income was from Nikita and Sasha being in the guard. Most of their time was spent drinking, though. Not many travellers came to Aldia. Not just because of the snow, but because it was filled with elves. Occasionally, a human adventurer would stop for supplies, pick a fight with a former slave, then get the snot kicked out of them by a pissed off drunk who was waiting to die.
She sighed, cutting up a beet for stew, listening to Nikita hum a soft tune to himself as the fire began to crackle. The warmth of the flame heated up the cold house, and served as the place they cooked their food. Sasha threw the vegetables into the cast iron pot, setting it above the fire.
Aldia wasn't a very nice place to live. Not only did the city own everything they had, but owned their wealth, too. This made it hard to afford much food, so they usually ate what they could. Beet stew was considered a cuisine here. They had the Church to thank for that. Whereas human cities had a mix of theocracy and monarchy, Aldia was stuck in communism, led by a human. Luckily, the human leading them, James Ironwood, tried to give them as much freedom as he could get away with. He only took their money when the Church grew upset. Sasha knew he wasn't a bad guy, just a guy stuck in a bad position.
Sasha partially regretted coming back to her homeland, but having her brother with her made it a bit easier. When she lived alone, it was more difficult to afford even firewood, leaving her to cut down trees herself. Now she had someone to cut trees with. Picking up her sickle, she glanced back at Nikita.
"... Я иду на ферму. Я вернусь."
"Отлично. Возвращайся скорее."
Sasha sighed as she took a bottle of vodka, gulping down half of it as she stepped into the snow. With how cold it was, it was very difficult to grow crops, and the cold made it difficult to stay out for too long. But with alcohol to warm her up, she could manage with the few crops they had.
As she slashed away, she groaned. She'd definitely be visiting Oobleck's bar tonight.
...
The bitter wind swept over the adventurers, the snowy mountaintops coming into view. The horses hooves clopped against the stony ground, the steeds huffing in the growing cold.
The Goblin City was far behind them now, having ridden on horseback for six days. Within two days, they w the snowy mountains across the great plains.
"... It's cold," Ozpin muttered. He wished he had insulated armor like Sasha. But with the warm climate of their southern home, it wasn't necessary.
"Get used to it," Salem muttered. "Getting sick of you complaining..."
The two began to bicker, Yin tuning them out. Pip was on the same horse as him; with harpies naturally being light, his weight gave no unnecessary strain on the beast. Pip looked up at his uncle, his cheery smile brightening the blonde's mood. "Uncle Yin, wot's Miss Sasha like?"
"Loud," Yin answered bluntly. When Pip looked disappointed, he decided to go a bit further. "She was always smiling. Really friendly, too. I think you'll like her."
"Do you think she knows where my dad is?"
That was a question Yin didn't have the answer to. Aldia may be a city of elves, but it still fell under the Church's control. Vao wouldn't have dared to go near it. He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe."
He ruffled the feathers on his nephew's head, the harpy letting out a cheerful squeak. Pip was what he needed on this journey. Knowing that times were going to get difficult, and even deadly, Pip's optimism was a welcome sight.
Ahead, Pyrrha and Pock were discussing food rations. They had enough, but they were preparing for if they got lost along the way. Yin sighed, tuning them out too. He moved his hand down, patting the katana strapped to his hip. The weapon brought upon him a strange sense of calm.
Once again, his head began to hurt. With a quiet grunt, he pulled his hand away from his weapon and touched his forehead. Pip looked up at him curiously. "Uncle Yin?"
Yin shook his head, trying to shake the headache away. He was thinking about Vao. Whenever they found the thief, he knew it would turn into a fight quickly. He knew Vao would be trying to kill him, and yet... Why did that feel familiar?
"... Hey, Salem..."
The princess looked up from her argument with Ozpin, raising her eyebrows curiously. "Yes? Is everything alright?"
Yin shook his head. "... Have Vao and I... Tried to kill each other before?"
It was the strangest thing that ever left his mouth. He didn't even mean to say it - his lips had moved on their own. Ozpin went silent, his face growing noticeably more pale. Salem let out an awkward laugh.
"I... Don't believe so?"
Yin felt like she was lying. He shook it off, trying to ignore his thoughts. But whenever he tried to think of something else, his mind went right back to the odd familiarity of everything around him.
He never snapped like he did eight years ago. So why did it feel like it happened once before? It felt familiar the entire way through; he snapped and attacked Vao, and they split apart. The only thing that didn't feel familiar was Vao winning the fight.
Those thoughts persisted until they reached the snowy mountains, for days of travelling he thought about it. It was only when the horses suddenly stopped that he was broken from his thoughts. The beasts were whinnying, pacing restlessly.
Pock furrowed her brow worriedly. "... Something wrong. Something scare horse."
"Could it be a nonhuman?" Salem suggested. But Pock shook her head.
"No. They just avoid... I never see this before..."
Suddenly the horse that Yin and Pip rode reared on its hind legs, throwing them off and into the cold snow. The others did the same, and before the adventurers could stop them, the steeds turned and fled the way they came, disappearing into the snowstorm.
"What hell!?" Pyrrha shouted.
Salem helped Ozpin to his feet, turning to her friends. "I-is everyone okay?"
"Y-yeah," Yin muttered, dusting himself off. "What about you?"
"I'm... Fine, more or less..."
Something had scared the horses. That was worrying. Ozpin groaned, rubbing his temples. "... I have a very bad feeling about this..."
"Tell about it," Pyrrha muttered. "Now we walk. Bad day..."
The cold bit at them as they trudged through the mountain pass, touching their very bones. The snow stung their skin like wasps, forcing them to search for shelter. But with all the ice, there was no way they would start a campfire. There wasn't even a pocket in the cliffs that they could use to shelter themselves from the wind.
Crunch, crunch, went their boots in the snow. Pip shivered, huddling closer to Yin. He was the least properly dressed for this kind of weather. And with the harpy being younger and smaller in general, the cold was getting to him that much faster. Yin grunted as he picked his nephew up, trying to keep them warm. Pip looked over Yin's shoulder, resting his chin against his uncle. But something made him stop. Something behind Salem.
"... Nan?"
The figure vanished the moment they realized he had seen them, with the adventurers staring at Pip curiously. "What's that?" Yin asked softly.
Pip squinted through the snow. "I... I thought I saw Nan. She looked different, though..."
They glanced behind them. Nothing in sight. Yin felt himself growing worried; was Pip hallucinating? That wasn't good. He looked at Pock. "Do we have any water?"
"I have bottle. Here."
He caught the iron thermos, his gloves sticking to the metal. Passing it off the Pip, the harpy struggled to drink the mostly frozen liquid.
Yin glanced behind them one more time. He still didn't see who Pip could have been talking about. Was it Raven? He wouldn't be too surprised if she followed them. With no one in sight, he handed the water bottle back to Pock when Pip finished sucking on the ice. Down the mountains, and into the snowy forests, the trees didn't help much to shelter them from the wind, but it was at the very least something. But there still was no sight of Aldia. He never realized how far north it was until now.
It wasn't until Pyrrha let out a scream of horror just ahead that his heart began to pound. They sprinted through the misty woods, the Captain coming into view. Her helmet visor was open, revealing the terror in her eyes. At her feet was a corpse.
It was an elf's corpse, a man who looked like he was in his thirties. Of course, he was likely several hundred years old. His chest had been brutally torn open, and over half of his organs were missing. The sight reminded Yin of the dead goblin in the Goblin City who had met Death. In fact, the wounds were the exact same.
Salem and Ozpin immediately scanned the trees, trying to spot any movement beyond the fog. But everything was dreadfully silent. The only noise was the leafless branches clattering against each other in the frigid wind.
"D-Death... Death here," Pyrrha stammered. "Death come... B-but why?"
Pock was silent, her hands shakily covering Pip's eyes. Yin stepped closer to the corpse, bending down to inspect the grisly scene. The taste of vomit built up in the back of his throat. No animal would do this, no matter how hungry it was. He never even heard of nonhumans doing something this gruesome. He could see an axe for cutting timber not far away. The elf must have been a logger.
He leaned closer to the corpse. The marks of fingernails and teeth caught his eye, filling his mind with disgusted horror. It was another person who did this. He wondered if it was one of Iris's inner circle members. The only one who came to mind was Jack. After all, he was the Ripper of the Royal Capital. But even still, none of the Ripper's victims looked like this.
He turned his head, finally spilling his stomach's contents into the snow. It was too much to look at. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the corpse. Ozpin stood next to him, peering at it with a stern look of fear.
"... It's fresh," he breathed. "This man was killed around this morning..."
He looked up, squinting into the trees. His heart stopped.
He could see him peering from behind the trunks, locking eyes with the knight. And in a cloud of ash, he vanished.
They were being hunted.
"... We need to move," Ozpin said slowly. "Right... Now..."
Yin nodded, his knees wobbling. "Y-yeah... This is... The Church... Oh..."
He felt sick. To think he ever followed something like that. Something that not only enslaved and tortured children, but ripped them to pieces like this. His thoughts were interrupted when Ozpin suddenly lunged at him, tackling him out of the way as the orb of Darkness rippled past. The orb shredded the trees into splinters, sizzling into nothing. It ate through the frozen wood.
And standing where the orb had come from was him. His pale hands trembled, his fingers pulling at his absurdly long hair.
"I-I missed... I missed," he whispered. "Au-Auntie... D-don't be mad at me!"
Yin's body locked in horror, Salem's horrified scream blaring through the air. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be Vao.
"RUN!"
He was ripped from his thoughts when Ozpin slapped him across the face, snapping out of his trance. Their boots smashed against the frozen ground, Pip taking flight above the trees. They could hear the deranged laughter of the cannibal chasing them, ripping through trees with his axe.
BOOM!
Salem dove to the ground when she heard Grimm Demise fire a rocket, the missile exploding ahead of them. The air grew colder, darker. She was tugged to her feet by Pock, pulling her out of the way just as the monstrous weapon came slamming down, splitting the frozen dirt to pieces.
Vao's smile stretched ear to ear, his laughter singing a twisted, demented song in the air. "Nyahahaha! Goddess, Goddess! I found you!" He shrieked. Salem ducked underneath a swing of his axe, Misery plunging into her side. The serrated dagger tore through her armor, blood painting the snow. With a kick that held the force of an explosive, Vao launched her through the trees. His tongue flicked out, suckling on his bloodstained weapon.
"It... I-it doesn't taste right," he hissed. He was about to throw a murderous temper tantrum. "G-Goddess... It doesn't taste right!"
His single eye stopped on Yin, his smile falling. The cleric held his katana, the blade rattling. Yin had never been so terrified in his life. This wasn't the same as the fear he had of Jack. This was worse. The thing in front of him was capable of more than anyone in the Church could dream of. His head seared with pain, nearly crippling him.
Vague memories flashed by. A strange corridor, staring at a younger Vao in strange clothes, cradling the corpse of his mother. His aunt lying in the sand, her eyes torn from her skull. A woman with amber eyes, holding up one of Ruby's rotted silver eyes. And still he couldn't remember why he had seen it. The Gods themselves were trying to prevent it, to prevent Yin's memories from returning, toying with him even in the face of the deadliest man to walk.
"Yin," Vao hissed. The Aura in his eye socket began to blaze, his lips curling into that awful smile. "Yin!"
CLANG!
He almost didn't move fast enough. If he didn't have his katana held in front of him, he wouldn't have been able to move fast enough to block the attack. Vao's shrill giggle escaped his lips. "Where's Crescent Rose!? Where's your Dust enhancements!?"
Yin kicked up the snow, turning around and sprinting away from everyone else. He could hear Vao chasing him, his interest in the others lost. That voice haunted his head, screaming after him.
"Come on! Fight me, Yin! Nyahaha! Fight, fight me!"
Pip soared down next to him, his red eyes filled with terror. "U-Uncle Yin, who is that lady!?"
"I don't know!"
A voice whispered into Vao's ear, a voice only he could hear. His lips curled into a smirk. Pointing Grimm Demise behind him, he dry fired the weapon and launched himself forward, slamming into the harpy and taking him out of the air. Pip slammed through the snow, his wing snapping in half. A scream bubbled from his lips, his legs kicking as he tried to stand back up. But Vao's weight had already slammed down on his chest, the cannibal staring down at him.
"I found a Faunus! Auntie, I found a Faunus!" Vao laughed hysterically. He raised his dagger, and plunged it into Pip's chest.
Yin could hear his nephew screaming, fury beginning to boil his blood. He sprinted towards the source of the noise, the sounds of sickening laughter filling the air. Vao was sitting on top of Pip, slashing away with Misery. Horrific realization dawned on Yin - he wasn't trying to kill Pip. Not yet.
He was torturing him, and enjoying every moment of it.
"Scream, animal! Scream, scream!" Vao shrieked. "Scream, you filthy rapist!"
Yin leapt through the air, his katana held above his head. He was fully prepared to fight.
Clink!
He froze when his katana was stopped by Vao's cursed weapon, the blade stained red with the blood of millions. It wasn't possible for Vao to know Yin was coming from behind; the cleric had jumped, and yet his attack was blocked as if the cannibalistic psychopath watched him. Vao rose from where he sat on Pip, turning towards Yin.
"Gotcha~!"
He could feel his ribs cracking under Vao's knuckles, the gut punch lifting him off the ground and into the air. It wasn't anything like eight years ago. That punch was meant to kill.
The cleric slammed into the tree and slumped against the frozen bark, his body convulsing. He could barely breathe. He could only watch, gasping for air with blood dripping from his lip, as Vao stalked forward, his boots crushing the snow with each step. Misery dripped, staining the snow red. Vao's smile faltered, his single eye flooding with confusion and rage.
"Light... Why aren't you using your Light?"
Yin thought he was nuts. His insanity was visible for all to see; completely different from Jack, it showed in the way Vao existed. His face began to darken, veins snaking their way up his neck and forehead.
"Am I... Am I a joke to you...?" Vao snarled. "Magic... Fight me with your FUCKING MAGIC!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Yin's life flashed before his eyes when Vao kicked him against the tree, the third finally sending him through. Leaving a rut in the hard ground, the snow covered him. Yin was struggling to even stay awake. His eyelids grew heavy, everything going grey. Vao stormed forward, lifting his axe. His smile widened, his Aura blazing. Yin closed his eyes, waiting for the pain.
CLANG!
Vao's weapon once again blocked an attack from behind, spinning around with his dagger singing through the air. Salem jumped back just as the razor sharp blade nicked the tip of her nose, flicking scarlet through the air. Vao stared at her, his pale face flushed with hatred. The princess mustered up the courage to smirk at him.
"... U-u-upset?" She stammered. She knew she was backing away. But fighting Vao wasn't her plan - that was a death wish, and not for Vao. She just hoped he would take the bait. She felt terrible for using it against him, the guilt pressing down on her like a steamroller. "... M-mad you k-killed your Auntie...?"
Vao flinched, visibly startled. His anger falling away, replaced by horror. She had struck a fatal nerve. "N-no! I didn't mean... I didn't...!"
"Keep t-telling yourself that," Salem growled. A lump had grown in her throat, her legs tensing in preparation to run as fast as she could. "B-but..."
She trailed off, glancing back at the murderer. He was staring at her. Just like she wanted. She took a deep breath, screaming out at him.
"It was my Blood that did you in, right!? My Blood that forced you into gouging out your mother's eyes! Killing your crippled sister! Your father, your uncle! Come on, Vao! Make me sorry! Take a bite if you can, you schizophrenic family killing cannibal!"
There was silence. Her heart thundered in her chest, threatening to pop under the devastating pressure of Vao's blank stare. He stood perfectly still, not even breathing. And finally, his voice spoke. A low growl pitted deep within the depths of his feminine body.
"B... Blood..." His hand reached up, his fingers pushing into his eye socket. The Aura inside flickered and sparked, the flame-like speck growing. "Salem... You..."
Salem took a step back, her jaw dropping open in utter horror. The Darkness was growing, focusing around Vao's body. She could feel the unnatural power radiating from his form, making her knees knock together. The air grew colder, a bloodthirsty look gleaming in Vao's one eye. She could feel the monstrous, horrible power. He wasn't this strong in the First Timeline. He was strong, but that paled in comparison to now. Was it the Souls? When Vao ate others, he ate their Souls. Could it be similar to the power Salem herself used in the Second Timeline? No. This was a different feeling. A feeling she really didn't want to feel.
The Blood was enhancing Vao's magic tenfold. It was stronger than it had been in the First Timeline. But that only meant one thing that Salem didn't want to believe.
Someone was feeding Vao Blood.
Vao stared at her, his anger intensifying. She'd never seen him this furious, not even when Yang pretended to be Summer in the First Timeline. Not even when he helped Yin kill her.
"... I'm going to fucking KILL you!"
His grip tightened around his weapons, his body tensing up. Salem turned and bolted away, running as fast as her legs could carry her. She could hear him screaming behind her, smashing through trees like they were nothing. When she mustered up the bravery to glance behind her, all she could see was the Darkness soaring after her. Realization hit her.
When Vao was in that ball, not only was he destroying everything in his path. He was eating through his obstacles, his Darkness erasing whatever it touched. She dove out of the way as it soared past, the air growing colder.
CLANG, CLANG, CLANG! SPLRCH!
She couldn't keep up with his movements. With the Blood having been wiped from her Soul, she didn't have the power to fight against him. His dagger plunged into her leg, ripping the flesh to shreds and dropping her to the ground like a log. Vao towered over her, his lips curled back into a snarl. His Magic crackled around him like lightning, the flame of his Aura arcing through the frozen air.
"I'll FUCKING KILL YOU!"
Salem's mind went blank when he raised his foot and drove his heel straight into her chest. Her ribs shattered like ice, the splinters cutting through her body like little razors. Vao's deathly cold hands pulled her leg, tossing her into the air. And with a heavy swing that echoed through the air like thunder, he drove the flat side of his axe into the princess, batting her away.
She could feel the trees snapping under the sheer force she flew, her arms held to protect her face. The limbs snapped and bent, the horrendous pain sending electric shocks through her nerves. Straight through the forest, and back into the cliffs of the mountain. Vao came blasting from the trees, the Darkness following, expanding.
Salem let out a shrill scream of terror when his Grimm Demise pierced the stone inches from her skull, Misery returning to his hip. Vao's grin widened, his madness taking over. He gripped the sides of her head, lifting her off the ground.
"And I'll make it as painful as bloody possible!"
ZZZZZZZZTT!
Her nerves locked up, her mouth falling open in a broken wail. He was forcing his Magic into her body, the Darkness tearing away at her Soul. It was like an electric current, frying her from the inside. Vao's laughter burst from his lips, his voice shaking with joy. "Scream! SCREAM! Just like I did! Just like I did every night when you left me with that FUCKING SCORPION!"
Salem's legs kicked out, trying to push him away. But kicking Vao was like kicking a cement wall. He didn't budge, not in the slightest.
ZZZZZZZZTT!
Boiling hot blood bubbled and popped at her lips, trickling from her nose. He was cooking her alive. He leaned closer, the stench of his breath assaulting her lungs. "I'll kill you," he breathed with a shaky giggle. "Kill, kill, kill! You'll be killed, Goddess! Killed by your own weapon!"
Weapon. In a last ditch attempt to survive, she drew her rapier and thrust forward, aiming for his teeth. But Vao just moved his head out of the way, his teeth snapping down on the blade. Salem watched in utter disbelief when he strained his jaw, the metal beginning to crack. She tried to tug it free, but Vao's mouth was too strong. Years of cannibalism had strengthened his mouth, and his Darkness hardened his teeth like diamond. With a shrill growl, he chewed through her sword, sticking out his tongue to show off the pieces of steel. He spat them out on the ground, his head leaning forward.
"No, no! Doesn't taste right!" He screamed. Those teeth, the most lethal weapon Vao possessed, sank into her shoulder, tearing off a bloody chunk before he threw her to the side. Salem gasped and squirmed, her body searing with agony. She couldn't even scream anymore. Vao chewed and gulped down what he bit down, his hands grabbing his hair and pulling. "Doesn't taste right! It doesn't TASTE right! Blood, where's your Blood!? You taste like everyone else!"
Rocks flew from the wall when he ripped his axe out, charging at Salem in a frenzy. She squeezed her eyes shut again, a scream bubbling from the depths of her lungs.
CLANG!
A warm sensation washed over her, the feeling of Grimm Demise cleaving her in two never coming. Salem shakily opened her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest.
A white cloak fluttered in the wind, a cigarette hanging from the blonde man's lips. His blue eyes watered, his teeth gritted together from the strain of holding Vao back with his scarlet scythe. And his Magic, Light, held back Vao's Darkness from ripping Salem to gory pieces.
"V-Vao!" Yin screamed.
Vao's eyes flickered with fury, his smile turning upside down. "You! Get out of my way, get out of my way!"
Yin's legs began to tremble under Vao's monstrous strength, looking back down at Salem. "G-get away! Get away, NOW! S-someone... Someone's been giving him Blood!"
Salem climbed to her knees, holding her torn chest with her hand just as Vao's Darkness ate through Yin's light, the Hero thrown back from the shockwave. He climbed back to his feet, holding his scythe out. Vao threw his own body around, as mad as a bag of ferrets on steroids.
"Backstabber!" He screeched. "You're protecting Goddess! Auntie, what should I do!? Yin is strong!"
The Hero of Light hissed, his Magic beginning to flare. "Snap out of it, you fucking schizo! I really don't want to hurt you!"
Vao screamed again, blasting forward like a bullet. Yin charged, his scythe gleaming gold with his Light. Their weapons met, their Magic colliding into an explosion that sent Salem tumbling through the woods. Boots crushed the snow, Ozpin helping her sit against a tree. Stray beams of Magic forced him to keep low, his eyes blazing with horror.
"Salem, wake up! Wake up!"
"O-Oz... Y-Yin... Pip...?"
"Pyrrha and Pock are taking them away! I came back to get you-!?"
A scream erupted through the air, Yin slamming into the ground next to them. The Hero of Light lifted his head, his face covered in scrapes and cuts. His thigh was missing a chunk, blood squirting from the bite. Vao stomped through the mist, the tree sling over his shoulder. His hands clenched, his fingers burrowing through the wood as he swung it around, a happy laugh bursting from his bloody mouth.
"Nyahaha! It doesn't matter who I eat! Yin always tasted the best! Didn't he, Auntie!?"
Yin coughed, standing back up. Ozpin stood at his side, his longsword drawn from its sheath. "... Y-Yin... How could you lose?" He stammered quietly. The Hero of Light was trembling, his face a deathly pale.
"I-I don't know... A threw a few attacks at his back, but he deflected them. I-it's as if... It's as if he can see his own back...!"
Vao tossed the tree aside, swinging his axe and unleashing a flurry of Darkness. Yin held Crescent Rose out in front of him, his Light shielding them from the onslaught. But with every strike, he gasped and the shield flickered. Vao was overpowering him. In the First Timeline, they had been at the same level. But now Vao was stronger; it only confirmed someone had given him more Blood, increasing his capabilities and his insanity.
SMASH!
A final attack shattered Yin's shield, the murderous psychopath disappearing into a cloud of ash. Ozpin didn't have time to react to the cold air coming from his side. Vao's feet slammed into his arm, the dropkick sending him straight into Yin and knocking them to the red snow. Vao ran into the trees and pointed Grimm Demise at his feet, dry firing the weapon and propelling himself into the air. As he disappeared into the mist, they could hear a few more gunshots. He was getting himself into position, they realized. Yin grunted, picking Salem up in his arms and running away with Ozpin.
The sky began to run black with Vao's Darkness, Doom with One Eye following from above. Yin's teeth gritted together, screaming a furious order at Ozpin.
"Find cover!"
They dove behind the rocks that jutted from the ground as Vao came crashing down like a dark meteor, his Magic burning away everything in sight.
BOOM!
Trees were uprooted from the ground and thrown away, the world around them going dark. The explosion almost shattered the stones they hid behind, Vao's shrill laughter echoing in the air.
Grrrrroooooooooowwwwwwllll...
His laughter devolved into a scream, and when Yin poked his head out from his hiding place he could see the flame of his older brother's Aura as the murderer tossed and threw himself to the ground.
Vao was starving. Yin couldn't remember a time he was ever this hungry. Not even an emotional shock would be enough to snap him out of this. That meant they'd have to wait for the Graveyard to suck Vao away again, or square up against him. And given that Vao was completely mad with the power to blow a hole through them without trying, they didn't stand a chance.
The flame snapped upright, beelining straight for him. Yin threw himself to the side, feeling the wind from his brother's deadly weapon graze his chin. Focusing his Magic, he let out a burst of Light that chased away the Darkness just enough to illuminate Vao's face as the cannibal dove for the Hero, his jaws wide open to clamp down on whatever he could.
SLAAAAM!
He drove his knee square into Vao's chin, Light blasting into his head. The Darkness dissipated in an instant, finally giving them the break they needed. Using the handle of his dead sister's weapon, the Hero of Light smacked Vao around like he was hitting a baseball, the murderer grunting and growling. Until finally his hands clamped down on the scythe, scooping Yin from underneath the arms and throwing him into the air. With another cloud of ash, Vao teleported next to the airborne hero, driving his legs into the side of his skull.
Yin crashed back into the ground, the world spinning around him. Dizzily he lifted his head, his heart sinking at the sight before him.
In Vao's right hand was Grimm Demise, where it always had been. But in his left was Crescent Rose, his Magic tainting the blade with shadow. The black flames burned from Vao's body, outlining him with Darkness. His smile widened, his reddened teeth gleaming in the sunlight as the clouds parted.
"Nyehehehahah... I got Ruby's weapon," he snickered. He glanced over his left shoulder, practically hopping with glee. "Auntie! It's like I'm holding your weapon!"
A moment of silence, and then distraught. "I-I didn't mean... P-please don't yell at me!"
Yin watched as Vao quickly lost interest in the fight, delving into a full blown argument with himself. Slowly he stood to his feet, his eyes locked on Crescent Rose. That weapon meant just as much as Summer's cloak did to him. He wasn't about to have it stolen, not even by Vao. With a slow step forward, he drew closer, inch by inch, moving behind Vao. His left hand reached out, closer towards his precious scythe.
"I'm sorry! I-I thought you'd like it!" Vao bawled. "S-stop, I don't... I-I didn't mean..."
Vao's crying stopped, his head perking up. "B... Behind me?"
Yin's blood ran cold, the color draining from his face. He was certain Vao hadn't been looking at him the entire time. Did he notice the footprints in the snow and deduce that it was him? But Vao's next words destroyed any chance of that being the truth.
"Y-Yin... His left hand is reaching for me...?"
SCHWING!
Yin pulled his hand back just in time as the dark blade of Crescent Rose sang through the air, nearly taking it off. Vao turned around, his face beginning to turn red.
"I won't," he hissed through his bloodied teeth. "I won't let you have it... I won't!"
Yin scrambled back in terror when Vao turned into a whirlwind of blade and death, his weapons quickly becoming a blur.
Somehow, Vao was completely aware of what was happening when he wasn't looking. Yin didn't think it was Magic; not even his Light was capable of that. Was Vao just naturally aware of his surroundings at all times because of his lifestyle of fighting?
Ozpin leapt from his hiding spot, swinging his sword for Vao's neck. Yin felt the shriek bubbling in his chest.
"Oz! He can see you!" Yin screamed
With one swing, Ozpin felt the burning pain in his left arm, watching as the limb separated from his body, his own blood arcing in the air. The knight fell to the ground, staring at the bloodied stump in shock. He couldn't react. The speed, the sudden pain, and the horror of staring at his own severed arm had mentally fried him.
Vao chased after the limb, his stomach roaring. Now was Yin's chance, while Vao was distracted with his meal.
SLAM!
Vao let out a cry of surprise when Yin tackled him like a linebacker, his feet planted on his girly chest and his hands holding Crescent Rose tight. He pulled, twisted, whatever he could to pry it from Vao's cold, murderous hands. If Vao kept it, he'd use it to kill. That would be the exact opposite of what Ruby would have wanted from the weapon she built with her own sweat and blood. Gritting his teeth, he strained every muscle in his body, pulling with everything he had. He used his Light, trying to at the very least weaken Vao's grip.
A loud crunching noise nearly made Yin let go, the pain shooting up his leg. Vao had bitten him, his teeth beginning to crack through the Hero's shin. With a furious cry he lifted his other foot, and kicked him in the forehead. It didn't stop Vao's bite, but his hand finally let go of Crescent Rose to clamp over the bruise, the sudden release sending Yin tumbling to the ground. Vao smirked around his leg, moving into a crouch and starting to spin.
His mother's cloak flew over the back of his head, his hair pulled straight up with the sheer force of Vao's spinning. Faster and faster, until Yin felt sick. Finally Vao let go, launching the Hero of Light into the sky. With the dry fire of Grimm Demise Vao gave chase through the air, his lips dripping with fresh red.
"Home run, smoker!"
Yin felt the pain shooting down his arms when Vao struck him with his axe, Crescent Rose being the only thing between him and getting split in half. His bones creaked and snapped, the weapon flying from his hands. When he hit the ground, he gasped and spluttered. His Semblance kicked into overdrive, slowly mending his broken arms. Vao landed next to him, standing over his brother with glee.
"Aw... You're broken," Vao snickered. "Come on, hit me! Hit me as hard as you can! ... Huh? Behind me again?"
Vao turned around, his single eye resting on the footprints in the snow. Salem was escaping. He gritted his teeth, giving one last look at Yin.
"... I'll get you later," he growled. Yin tried to grab Vao's hair, but the murderer sprinted out of reach, chasing after the princess.
Salem limped through the snowy forest, her vision fading in and out. She didn't know how she was still alive. She knew her wounds were deadly; with each breath, it became more difficult to suck in air, and with every exhale blood trickled down her lips and fell from her chin. And when she blinked, Vao was standing in front of her. She kept out a small gasp, trying to back away. But Vao seized her chin in his hands, his insane strength threatening to crush her jaw like a twig. His eye gleamed with hatred, his tongue trailing over his bottom lip hungrily.
"We aren't done, cunt. We have a little score to settle," he hissed. "You did this to me... Made me a freak!"
He shoved her hard, knocking the princess on her back. His axe gleamed in the sun when he lifted it high over his head. When she backpedaled, he only stepped forward, keeping her close enough.
"Tell you wot," Vao snickered psychotically. "Beg. Beg for your life, I might spare it... Beg to me, Goddess! Beg! Beg, beg, beg, beg!"
Salem let out a choked cry, screaming for help. But with the Hero of Light critically injured and Ozpin left in shock, there was no stopping Vao. At least, that's what she believed.
Splat.
Vao flinched when he felt something wet hit his shoulder. He glanced back, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "... Did someone just throw... Paint at me?"
His eye widened, the red paint beginning to burn. He let out a confused shriek, his free hand clawing at his shoulder. But the paint only got in his hands, burning his fingertips. "Ow! Ow, ow, ow!"
Salem shakily looked behind the cannibal. The Second Verde stood with her paintbrushes, her team standing at her side with their weapons drawn. The artist looked at the princess, her lips curling into a shout.
"Salem! Get out of here! We'll slow him down!"
Salem didn't waste any time. She turned, limping into the snowy trees as fast as she could.
"GET THIS SHIT OFF ME!" Vao screeched. Screaming at the top of his lungs he dropped Grimm Demise, his hands gripping at his clothes. And with a hard tug, he tore them off, exposing his body to the cold air. The Second Vao's jaw dropped.
"H... Holy bloody scars, mate..."
They traced over the cannibal's body, exposing just how much more experience he had than Team FRSB. He was nothing but scarred, lean muscle, just like the Hero of Light was. Vao picked up his axe, firing a rocket at Verde. The artist hit the ground as the explosive slammed into the trees, setting the forest ablaze, melting the ice into a boiling puddle.
"T-Team FRSB," she breathed shakily. "Stop him!"
"Didn't this guy destroy over half a fucking world?" Sasha muttered under her breath. "Yeah... Nice knowing you guys."
Together they split up, charging Vao from four different directions. Drawing Misery from his hip, he deflected their attacks with ease. He gritted his teeth, glancing over his left shoulder again. "Au-Auntie," he whispered. "Tell me when to dodge that paint!"
A voice only he could hear whispered to him, his serrated dagger plunging into Yin's metallic arm and tugging the Second Hero close. With a spin, the red paint splattered over his back, his voice raising to a scream. Verde's mind went blank. She was keeping her distance like usual. It wasn't like she was running at Vao. There was no way he could possibly hear her attack, much less prepare for it.
"Yin! I'm sorry!"
With his elbow the First Vao bashed Yin's face in, screaming racial slurs towards Faunus. Even if he wasn't fighting a Faunus, his hatred for them raged like a river over his common sense. Sasha gasped, her Semblance kicking in. With a battle cry she reeled back her first and swung, throwing her entire weight behind the blow. And to her surprise, the First Vao didn't just catch her fist. He stopped it dead in its tracks. With a grunt he tossed her aside, shaking Yin like a baby.
"Why do you look younger now!? Why!? Why!? Wot the HELL is going on!?" He spat furiously. "Are you fucking with me!?"
Yin's eyes widened when Vao tore his prosthetic arm from his shoulder, staring at the limb in confusion. He expected blood, not a hunk of metal.
((Behind you.))
Vao turned when the voice whispered into his ear, the mace digging into the side of his face. Cardin's eyes blazed with fury, forcing his weapon to go through and send Vao stumbling. "Russell! Blake! Now!"
The ribbon soared through the air, wrapping around his throat. Vao choked and gasped, his hand shooting out and yanking the Faunus from the bushes. His eye blazed when he saw her.
"SHITTY KITTY!"
He tugged Gambol Shroud from her grasp, swinging the handle around like a flail, beating in whoever got close enough.
((Above you. It's a trap.))
Vao dove out of the way just as Russell came slamming down, his daggers sticking into the ground. The green haired man gasped, struggling to pull them free. His face went paler than the snow when he looked up, his eyes meeting Vao's.
"Piece of shit!" The cannibal roared with bloodlust. Russell felt his teeth splintering when he got the uppercut, sending him straight into the air. Vao tried to move for Yin again, but froze dead in his tracks.
The Second Vao shook in front of him, Grimm Demise shaking in his hands.
"R-really wishing I didn't stop bloody drinking," he stammered.
The First Vao blinked, staring at his eyes. His two eyes. His blood boiled. "... You want to look like me?" He hissed. He threw his arms out, challenging them. "You want to have some bloke dress up like me, is that it!?"
The black tendrils seized the Second Vao, jutting from the ground and pulling his weapon away. Panic settled in. He couldn't use his Semblance. The First Vao teleported forward, his hand pressing against the left side of his head, his thumb hovering over his eye. Once again, the voice whispered to him.
((Take it. Rip it out. Do it for me.))
"Then I'll gouge your fucking eye out too, cunt," Vao giggled.
His thumb was stopped inches from the eye, the pieces clicking instantly in his head. Glyphs. He teleported out of the way as the ice fired at him, pelting the Second Vao like hail. He wailed in surprise, the Darkness releasing him. Vao laughed as he ducked and weaved around Weiss's attacks. He was having a blast. Even if he was a complete lunatic, he enjoyed watching people try to kill him.
((Stop screwing around. Kill them.))
Weiss's eyes widened when Vao grabbed her arms, yanking them from their sockets. The heiress dropped to her knees, her screams cut off when he decked her in the mouth once, twice, then thrice. He kicked his leg out, cracking through Cardin's breastplate, and with a swing of his dagger he cut to the bone. Misery dripped red, his tongue flicking out to lick it clean. With a turn of the blade, Verde stared at her own reflection.
"Little paint slag," Vao hissed. "That hurt... That really, really hurt..."
Verde took a shaky step back. She knew the First Vao was strong. But this was too much. She'd rather be fighting Ruby when she was possessed again, not whatever this thing was. He had single-handedly worn down his enemies despite being vastly outnumbered. He had been playing the entire time.
The Darkness exploded from Vao's body, the black ball of shadow forming behind him. His stomach growled louder, the pale hands of the Souls he had devoured grabbing at him, pulling him inside. Verde turned tail and ran when it gave chase, tearing through anything that stood in its path. Gunfire filled the air as they shot at it, the bullets ripped to pieces.
Vao's hands shot out from the cloud when he got close, seizing Verde by the wrist. The artist gasped, her voice reaching new heights when he tore her arm from her body. The team leader dropped to the ground, spit bubbling at her lips, her eyes brimming with tears. Vao emerged from the cloud seconds later, holding what was left. He snapped the bone in two, sucking at what he could inside. Sasha stared from where she stood, the feeling of vomit rising in her throat. Sure, they had watched Verde bite Vao that one time. But they never saw her cannibalize anyone.
With a shaky sigh, she undid her ponytail. If this Blooded up killer wasn't going to hold back, then neither was she.
"Hey, Family Killer!"
Vao flinched, his eyes blazing with rage when he spun around to face the giant. Sasha smirked, holding out her arms, taunting him. "C'mon. Killer to killer, you and me. Show me what you did to Summer! Show me just how much fun you had killing someone too weak to fight back, you cannibalistic jackass!"
Sasha charged at the one-eyed human weapon, the veins in her arms bulging out as she pushed her Semblance as far as it would go. She needed to make this hit count. She knew it could easily be her last.
Crack...
At first, Sasha didn't know what happened. In her ten seconds of consciousness, she felt herself falling. She didn't feel the pain right away. It wasn't until she saw the glint of Grimm Demise in Vao's cold hands that it dawned on her.
The reason she was falling was because Vao had dodged her blow, his axe cleaving through her waist. He cut her in half.
Her upper body slammed against the ground, her eyes wide. She didn't even see him move. She didn't even see him move for his weapon. Her legs landed in a crumpled heap at her side, Vao twirling his axe, flicking the blood off the blade. He turned his head, staring at her over his shoulder. He was crying. But his lips were curled into a horrifying smile.
"Au... Auntie," Vao breathed. His free hand reached for his eye socket, covering the wound. "Aun... Auntie..."
She had struck the nerve. Vao's thin body twitched, his joints popping into place. "Haha..."
He turned to face them, his shoulders falling forward. He leaned against his axe heavily. The confidence he held had disappeared, giving way to the Blood. The foul, yet addicting stench radiated from him, filled his gaze.
"I'll... Kill every last one of you."
He wasn't bluffing. When they stared into his single eye, they could see it. They weren't going against the loon they were fighting just moments before. In the blink of an eye, he vanished to Weiss's side, Misery ripping through her hip until it scratched bone. Blake turned and tried to flee, but an explosion from Grimm Demise sent a rocket that exploded next to her, the Fire Dust burning at her skin. The Faunus fell with a shrill scream, rolling desperately in the scarlet snow, one of her ears being torn off and eaten. The pieces of Cardin's armor were picked from the ground, the shards burying into his stomach. The ginger gurgled, a wail escaping when Vao beat him unconscious with his own mace.
Russell's daggers were crushed to pieces under his boots, the former cultist's bloodcurdling screams echoing through the air when Vao snapped his legs, rolling them like a newspaper. The Second Vao's cries when he tried to protect Verde, his stomach being stabbed with what was left of the arm that was eaten. Yin trying to crawl away, his terror making him cry. His prosthetics were used to electrocute him until he blacked out from the pain, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and froth bubbling past his lips. Sasha fighting to stay alive when Vao ground his heel against her chest, stepping on her as he approached the last one in any shape to take a stand.
Verde shivered, looking up at the monster. It was rare she ever physically displayed emotion. But with the cannibal torturing her friends without any reaction, the walls she built after her childhood were torn down, staring up at the psychotic, twisted grin. It was everything she feared about the Blood, everything her research had shown her. It was what happened to people who tried to fight it off, people who didn't accept it like she once did before it was purged from her body. She knew he was monstrous after her research, but to see the real thing before her eyes, she couldn't imagine calling him Blessed. He was hell on earth. He was madness in human form. Despite the First Yin's warnings, they didn't listen. They should have done as they were told and ran with Salem.
She stared in eldritch terror at him. The most wanted man in the First Timeline, who had a seat on Death Row bearing his name. The very thing that destroyed and devoured millions of people, eating their Souls. Finally, they were seeing what made him feared by everyone. They saw his psychosis that eroded his humanity to nothing, to the point he was almost inhuman.
Vao Dusty Branwen.
...
Salem limped through the bushes, her legs finally giving out. She collapsed into the snow, the earth trembling. She knew everyone was sent back to the Graveyard when the screaming and the trembling stopped. Her heart pounded weakly in her chest, a hard lump growing in her throat.
She finally lost control, breaking into a sobbing mess. She knew none of them stood a chance. If the First Yin was beaten, then no one stood a chance. They put themselves into death's hands so she could get away. And the worst of it wasn't even that they were possibly dead.
The worst was that Salem knew it was her fault.
If she hadn't given into the Blood those thousands of years ago, if she had the courage to off herself and be done with it before it took her Soul, she could have avoided everything. Crawling on her hands and knees, she leaned against one of the frozen trees, spitting out a mouthful of crimson.
Thwack.
Her forehead hurt. She didn't want to stop.
Thwack.
The tree had a red stain. She wanted it to end.
Thwack.
The memories rushed past her eyes. Standing in the familiar forest of their old world, manipulating Vao into trusting her.
Thwack!
Yin attacking Vao at the school dance when he discovered who his mother was, shattering their bond to pieces for her own benefit.
Thwack!
The Nevermore dropping Vao on the balcony, moments after he killed Summer and realized she never meant to take his eye. Watching him break down, watching his self-loathing increase.
THWACK!
Passing by Tyrian and Vao's room late at night, listening to him scream and beg for the Faunus to stop, sparking his intense, murderous hatred for Faunus.
THWACK!
Watching Yin fight for years to kill Vao, everyone he cared about dying around him, only to realize his brother didn't have any control, that he even tried to off himself twice to prevent anyone else from being eaten. Finally coming face to face with someone he had despised, and throwing his anger to the side to save someone innocent. And then tormenting them again using their sister to do it.
Tap... Tap...
She didn't have the physical strength to keep slamming her head into the bark. She fell against it, her vision beginning to darken. She didn't even blame the Gods anymore. She was the one who was stupid enough to do exactly what they planned. She didn't want to keep going with this journey anymore. Everything she did only caused problems.
The First Vao had attacked them twice now. And the second time, he critically injured everyone, just as she and Ozpin had feared. They knew what he was capable of. They knew he was a true killer, someone Salem once relied on to do her dirty work because of his overwhelming strength. Yin was the only one aside from herself and Ozpin in the First Timeline who had a chance at killing him. And yet all they did was wait for him to come back, sitting ducks in a pond while the hunter's shotgun got ready to fire.
She hoped that at least the Third Yin made it. The deacon had no memory of anything. Unless seeing Vao brought back his memories, then there was a chance he could still live semi-peacefully in hiding, like his brother.
The warning echoed in her ears. That the Gods' plan had been set in motion. If she hadn't been so obsessed with protecting them, if she had just stayed in her fucking castle, they wouldn't be in this mess. As she fell to the cold snow and her vision began to go black, she saw several pairs of legs running towards her, shouting in a language she didn't know. Her eyelids grew heavy. The last thing she saw before they closed were the pointed ears.
And then finally, Salem stopped breathing.