"Salem!"
"Salem!?"
"Saaaalem!"
They called into the forest, following the footprints. Salem had gone farther than they expected. Sasha groaned, scratching her head as she looked up at the clouds that had begun to cover the sky. "... That ain't good..."
"What's not good?" Pyrrha asked curiously. Sasha pointed at the grey clouds.
"It might start snowing soon..."
If it started to snow, Salem's tracks would be covered, Yin realized. If that happened, they wouldn't be able to follow her. Finding where she was going would become much harder. Just how far had they walked? The sun was high in the sky; it had to have been hours by now. By now, Ozpin was probably freaking out that they had disappeared.
Yin stared at the snow-coated forest, recalling the deadly attack from the strange man who looked like his older brother. He could almost see the blood staining the snow red. Of course by now the battlefield had already been covered by a fresh coat of snow in the months it took for them to recover, but it was still a sight he'd never forget - a sight permanently burned into his memory.
He could never forget that laugh, either. That voice that sounded identical to his brother. That undeniable nyahaha. That unmistakable, unique accent. In fact, everything about that strange man fit Vao perfectly, aside from being batshit insane. His sleek, jet black hair, his bloodred eye, and while his skin was much more pale and covered in scars, it was still the face of Vao.
... Had he seen that man before? Something about it was starting to feel familiar to Yin - that same man, talking to himself in the snow of a strange city that had been set ablaze, monsters he had never seen before tearing through the people.
His head began to hurt. He could see a room filled with corpses, feel the fear of being chased. Vaguely, he saw an image in the back of his mind. An image of an older Yin, begging to be freed from a prison cell as a war raged on outside. Sasha turned back to him, raising an eyebrow.
"... You okay?" She asked. "You look like you're about to freak out."
Yin jumped when she spoke, staring at her in confusion. "... A-Atlas...?"
Pyrrha looked up at him curiously. "A map book?"
Sasha stopped walking, turning to face the healer with her hands planted on her hips. "Look, if you're feeling sick, you can go rest. We can find Salem."
Yin shook his head lightly. A headache was beginning to form. "N-no, I'm... Fine, I think..."
Sasha stared at him for a few more moments before shaking her head, continuing their walk. "... Whatever, man. If you suddenly black out, I'm totally leaving you there."
Yin ran a hand through his blonde hair, staring at the ground. He watched as his feet crushed the snow with each step, his breaths becoming more shallow. Why did the vision feel so familiar? Had he seen that man before? Did they know each other?
He felt someone touch his other hand, looking down to see Pyrrha holding it gently. "... Do you need to sit down?" She asked worriedly. "You look bothered..."
"I'm fine... Just leave me alone for a while... I need some time to myself," he muttered half-heartedly.
The first snowflake floated past, causing Sasha to grit her teeth in annoyance. "Shit... At least it seems light. We still have ti..." She trailed off. She could have sworn she saw someone duck behind a tree. But when she stared, she didn't see anything move.
Sasha wasn't stupid. She knew they were being followed. And while she would typically alert her companions, something stopped her.
While she didn't make out the face of the stalker, she caught the silhouette. It resembled a human, but far more... Misshapen. Could it have been a nonhuman? Something told her that wasn't the case. If it had been, they'd either have been attacked, or they just wouldn't be followed.
"... Yeah. Good idea, Pyrrha. Let's sit for a while," she muttered. Yin looked up in shocked horror.
"B-but Salem is still out there! If the snow gets heavy, we'll lose the track-"
"Sit down," Sasha growled. Her hands were already reaching for her weapon, the greatsword's blade gleaming in the light. "... Pyrrha, watch over him."
The goblin looked up at her worriedly, her spear already in her hand. "Is something wrong?"
"Don't worry about it," Sasha replied. "I'm just gonna check something out. Be right back."
They watched as the tomboy slowly stepped deeper into the forest, the growing fog shrouding her frame.
Sasha peered around the tree, scanning the area with her emerald eyes. There was nothing behind the tree. Had she been seeing things? She didn't drink any alcohol yet. It couldn't be that.
And when she looked down, her nose wrinkled in disgust. She squatted down next to the black stains in the snow, dragging her finger along the thick, dark sludge. She physically recoiled when the smell assaulted her nostrils, nearly gagging at the horrendous stench. Locking out her arm, she squinted her eyes at it, rubbing it between her fingers. It was like tar; thick, viscous, and yet it felt...
Wrong.
It didn't feel natural. It felt like she was seeing something she shouldn't. Sasha gave another experimental sniff, holding back another gag as the bile rose in her throat. It smelled awful, and yet she found herself wanting more. Sasha knew better than to keep sniffing, rubbing the thick, strange liquid off in the snow before she stood back to her feet, resting her massive sword on her shoulder.
And then she heard the screams through the fog. Her head snapped back, leaning out from behind the tree. Her sword began to rattle, her jaw falling open in horror.
Something was standing over Yin and Pyrrha. Something that Sasha had never fathomed in her worst nightmares. It was the thing Sasha had seen behind the trees.
It was too lanky to be human. Too tall. Its skin was dyed pitch black, dozens of black tendrils squirming around where its face should have been. And all down its arms and legs, the eyes stared with an unreadable emotion.
Drip. Drip, drip...
Red stained the snow as Sasha's eyes began to bleed. Her head felt like it was splitting to pieces.
That thing shouldn't exist.
The abomination turned its unthinkable head towards her, the worm-like tendrils parting to reveal a mouth full of teeth as sharp as knives, three tongues flicking out like a serpent.
"F̸i̸r̷.̷.̸.҈ S̷t̶.̷.̸.҉" It spoke in a gurgled, watery voice. "W҉h̶e̸r̶e҈ a̴r҈e̵ y҉o̶u̸.̶.̶.̸?̸"
It took a step closer, the sound of bones snapping to pieces singing in the air. Its movements were erratic, as if it struggled to even breathe. Its chest began to split open, the ribs gnashing together like teeth, clicking in the mist. Sasha trembled where she stood, her legs refusing to move. She had never been so terrified in her life. Even when she lived as a slave to the Church, she never felt this intense, overpowering fear. A quiet, shaky whimper escaped the depths of her throat, her grip tightening against her weapon.
"S-s... Stay away from me!" She screamed. The feeling returned to her arms, her hands gripping the massive sword's handle so tight that her knuckles popped.
SCHWOK!
The blade of her greatsword cleaved through its bony neck, the severed head landing in the snow with a wet squelch. The thing stumbled, black blood squirting from its neck. The raw stench filled the air, the unimaginable horror letting out a horrifying shriek that shook the air.
"I̸t̵ h҉u̴r̷s̸t̴.̴.҈.҈ I҉t̸ h҉u̴r̷t̴s̴!҉" It wailed in that nightmarish voice. Sasha took a step back, watching in complete silence as the severed head began to writhe, the tentacles reaching back for its body.
SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!
Yin had come flying into its side, toppling the creature over. With a frozen stick, he screamed as he beat it over and over, putting enough force into his swings to crack through its frail bones, beating it to a pulp mess. Pyrrha was at his side, grinding whatever chunk was left with her boot, stabbing at its head with her spear. The deacon dropped the stick to the ground, taking a step back.
"Th-the h-hell," he stammered. "The hell is that... Th-that thing!?"
Sasha didn't have the answer. She stared as the mess began to quiver, the abomination rebuilding itself. She watched as it rose from where it had been beaten to a bloody pile, standing at it's full height of two hundred and seventy-four centimeters, towering over even Sasha.
Even after it had been beaten into an unrecognizable mess, it was still alive. The creature's hands tugged at the worms that writer around it's face, the tendrils exploding from its back. The eyes that lined it's arms and legs widened, its mouths opening in a ear-piercing scream.
"Y̷̧̛͙̞̘̊̔̍I̴̫̬͌͂̈͢͡I҈̢̗̱̑̌͠I҉̨͖̬̰҇̊I҈̨̛̝͕̪͋͒̽N̴͚̱͕͂́͜͡!҈͕̋͜͞"
It was distorted and hard to make out. But there was no doubt about it - it had screamed Yin's name. It was after him.
"Yin, look out!" Pyrrha cried. The deacon ducked just as the tall creature swung its arm for his neck, its claws cleaving through the trees like paper. The towering, frozen flora crackled like thunder as they fell, branches snapping off as they fell into the snow. Sasha sheathed her weapon and grabbed the healer, wiping the blood from her eyes before she started running away, Pyrrha following as fast as she could.
Behind them the abomination let out another shriek, the sound of its flesh splitting apart nearly driving her mad. And when she dared to glance back, she could feel urine trickling down her leg.
It was chasing them, four thin legs sprouting from its hips. It batted the trees out of the way like they were nothing, uprooting and shattering them.
"Sasha!" Yin screamed. "What is that thing!? Why is it after me!?"
"I-I... I don't know!" Sasha screamed back.
Snow flew through the air, blinding them as the abomination dashed ahead, blocking their escape. Its sharp fingers clawed at the mouth on its chest, the worms on its face beginning to part to reveal the mass of eyes that stared down at them.
"H҉̨̛̣̜͙͖͇̠͇̦̃̃̄̐͆̈̎Ę̴̱͇́̄̏͛̾̈̇̕Ŗ̵̟̤̠̔͛̂̇̅͞O҉͍͖̫̗̮̦̋͊͐̀͑̆͢͠ Ȍ̴̡̰̖͎͕̳̔̇͒̓̏͞F̷̙̞̪͈̖̫̩̀͗͂̓̚͢͞ L̸̘̞̙͖̇́̉̌͜͝I҉̡̫̣̖̫̭̏͂̇͠G̶̨͍̗̾́̉̌̌͂̄̕H҈͙̳҇̐̈͂̒̑̏͢T҉̧̟̯̟͉̘̞̘̊̋̿͗͊̆̕!̸͉͎͍̪҇̈̓́͒̇̚̚͢"
Sasha turned around, dropping Yin to his feet. The three ran through the trees, the world flickering around them as the abomination's insanity-inducing nature began to take hold of them. The sky ran as red as blood, the snow warping into a thick, black sludge. The trees twisted and bent into skeletal arms reaching for the scarlet clouds, fingers stretched out. The abomination leapt high into the air, slamming down in front of them.
It wanted a fight, they realized. No matter how fast they ran, this horror would always be faster. And no matter what they did, it wouldn't die. They crushed it into paste, and it still recovered.
The abomination let out a loud shriek, the ground trembling as it moved. Yin and Sasha yanked Pyrrha to the side as the tendrils slammed into the ground, the three pelted with debris that slashed and dug into their skin. The abomination reared its head back, the air shaking with another deafening scream.
Yin took a shaky step back, his mind fogged with horror. He couldn't move. Where had he seen something like this before? Why did everything feel like it was happening a second time?
He was torn from his thoughts when Sasha belted her hand across his face, dragging him away from the abomination.
"Snap the fuck out of it!" She roared. "We need to move, and we need to move NOW!"
Through the trees, they could hear the thing giving chase. Trees splintered to pieces, the ground beneath their feet rumbling as it was torn to shreds by the monster.
Yin's head began to pound. Visions floated past his eyes. He had seen one of these things before, but where? His katana felt warm in his hand, the light of familiarity growing stronger. But one thought persisted through it all.
Was Salem safe?
...
She bolted through the woods, scarlet staining the back of her gear. She could hear the Cultists giving chase, their crazed screaming echoing around her. Her rapier was gripped tightly in her hand, fully planning to use it if they cornered her. She knew she wouldn't win against three opponents armed to the teeth, but her weapon still gave her that sense of security.
With a cry of shock she ducked underneath the warhammer's swing, the head of steel cracking through the frozen bark like pudding. The Cultist burst into hysteria, his eyes wild with delight.
"Salem! The Former Goddess, Salem! We finally found you!" He shrieked. "Jack's going to be so happy with us! He might even let us meet the First when we find him!"
She rolled out of the way as the hammer came slamming into the ground, sparks flying through the air when she deflected the second Cultist's axe.
Her arms trembled, her legs wobbling. The last people she expected to ever meet on Twist was her own Cult. With her Soul being purified, they shouldn't exist; they had no one to worship.
An bolt struck the trees only centimeters from her skull, grazing the skin and leaving a thin trickle of scarlet to roll down past her left ear. The third Cultist had a crossbow, reloading her weapon with one fluid movement. With her covering the other two, Salem didn't stand much of a chance at fighting them off. It was three against one, and the Cultists had more experience than her. She was beginning to really regret relying completely on her magic in the First Timeline. The only reason she was even able to use Crescent Rose effectively in the Second Timeline was because she watched Ruby's memories. And now without that power, she couldn't fight her way through a wet paper bag.
She dove for cover behind the trees when the bolts flew past, one burying itself into her hip. The pain seared through her body, her teeth gritting together to hold back the scream.
"Found you!"
CRACK!
She didn't even mean to dodge the axe. She had instinctively flinched. The tree rocked violently, threatening to tip over. The Cultist struggled to free his weapon, planting his foot against the bark for leverage. Salem's mind ran wild, thousands of thoughts flashing through her head per second. She jumped to her feet and pressed her palms against the frozen bark, pushing with everything she had. The tree began to tip, the wood splintering like thunder as it began to fall. The Cultist let out a horrified scream, abandoning his weapon for his own survival. The tree sent a cold smokescreen into the air, giving Salem the chance she needed.
Limping her way through the trees, she could hear the Cultists screaming after her. She didn't need to look back; she knew they were chasing after her. If she slowed down, she was going to be killed.
"Good afternoon."
Salem dropped to the ground just as the scissors grazed her right cheek, splitting the skin open with their razor-sharp edge. She jerked her head to the left when Ruby's boot came slamming down where her face had been less than a second ago. Scrambling to her feet, the outlawed princess swung her sword.
CLANG!
Ruby blocked the attack swiftly, catching the blade with her scissors. Salem felt her heart sink. "R-Ruby!?"
"Yes, that is what I am called," Ruby said softly.
Salem didn't know what Ruby was doing here. But one thing was obvious; she was with the Cult. A cry of pure joy echoed behind her, ducking her head just as the greatsword missed her scalp by inches. Ruby stepped out of the way, a displeased expression on her doll-like face.
"... Could you please be more careful, Adam?"
The Executioner laughed heartily, swinging his weapon over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah, sorry or whatever. I'm about to kill a human princess. I'm a little excited."
Salem took a shaky step back. She could hear the Cultists growing closer. It was five against one. She gritted her teeth, glaring at Ruby. "What... What the hell are you doing here!?"
It was the only thing she could say. Ruby shrugged her shoulders lightly. "... I am doing what Jack told me to do-"
"Gotcha, bitch!"
A shadow flitted past Salem, Adam jumping in front of Ruby and blocking the blow. Salem's breath hitched in her throat. "R... R-Raven!?"
"Stop standing there making goo-goo eyes at me with your thumb in your ass! Fight, or just die!"
Salem bit her tongue to hold back a bitter retort, leaping towards Ruby.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Scissors against rapier, their weapons clashed. Ruby moved swiftly, her face remaining as calm as ever. Adam, on the other hand, was visibly struggling to hold off Raven's violent assault.
"Th-the fuck is this!?"
Raven smirked. "Sorry or whatever. I'm about to kill a member of the Church. I'm a little excited."
Adam's face went scarlet, his blood boiling. He dropped low, driving his shoulder into Raven just as Ruby spun around and kicked Salem to the snow. The two women rolled to their feet, standing back to back with their weapons drawn. Raven hissed under her breath, not taking her eyes off their enemies. "... You fucking suck at fighting."
"Yeah... Kind of realized that," Salem muttered. "What's Ruby doing here?"
"She's been following you for months now," Raven growled. "Saw her stalking you in Aldia. She did something weird with one of her dolls, and I'm not even sure I believe it..."
"... And you?"
"Making sure Yin doesn't kill Pip."
Salem decided to push it to the side. Having Raven to help her was a blessing she was willing to take without question. "... Alright. Let's do this-"
The Cultists burst through the trees, catching their attention. But instead of three, there were only two.
The third one, the orc woman with the crossbow, was screaming just beyond the frozen undergrowth. The two Cultists beelined for Ruby and Adam, trembling where they stood.
"Miss Ruby! We need to leave!" The sword-wielding one screamed. Adam looked ready to kill him. Ruby frowned.
"But we still have to complete our task," she pointed out. The axe-wielding man shook his head.
"No! The First is here! He's going on a rampage!"
His voice fell silent when something was thrown into the clearing, landing in between the Cultists and the women. Salem felt her heart sink, Raven's jaw dropping open in shock.
It was the orc Cultist's head. The skin had been chewed off, teeth marks scratched into the skull. Her eyes had been gouged out, her teeth crooked from an impact. The light brown fur, once healthy and soft, was now patchy and matted with blood. And with a loud rustling sound, the murderer himself stepped from the bushes.
Salem felt her bones shiver when she saw his face, her rapier falling from her hand. Raven was completely silent, her eyes wide.
Ruby's lips quivered, curling into a smile of pure, unfiltered happiness. "The... The First of the Blessed... Standing right in front of me...!"
Salem weakly pulled at Raven's hand, trying to pull her away. "W-we... We need to get away," she whispered with a trembling voice. "Right... Now..."
But Raven pulled her hand free, taking a step closer. "V... Vao...?"
The First Vao looked around the clearing, a dazed and lost look in his one eye. And finally, it stopped on Raven.
Grrrooooooowwwwwlllll...
"RAVEN!" Salem screamed. She tackled the woman to the ground just as Vao attacked, his axe shredding through the back of her armor, tearing off the first layer of skin and leaving her back raw. He clutched the sides of his head, his single eye going wild.
"F-fucking bloody Timeline pony and trap!" He screamed angrily. "Now I have to do it again!"
Salem instantly knew what he planned to do. He planned to do the exact same thing to Raven that he did in the First Timeline. He wanted to tear her eyes out and eat them. Salem shoved the woman to her feet, pushing her away.
"Raven, listen to me! That's not your Vao! Start running, NOW!"
"What do you mean, 'not my Vao'!? What the fuck is going on!?"
"I don't have time to explain it! He's going to kill you!" Salem screamed in her face. "So if you want to see your Vao, START RUNNING!"
The scream of one of the Cultists broke their thoughts. Vao was beating one of them to a bloody mess, prying his ribcage open with his fingers. Ruby was hopping up and down, cheering for the Enemy's rampage.
The second Cultist threw himself at the genocidal serial killer, almost immediately being blown to pieces by a rocket. Ruby tugged on Adam's arm, pulling him towards the trees.
"Let's go, let's go! We need to tell Jack!"
Adam was already running, leaving his weapon behind. It wasn't because Adam was loyal to the Cult. It was because he was terrified. Vao tilted his head back, screaming into the air. And with one jerk of his entire body, he charged straight for Raven.
"You deadbeat pile of SHIT!"
Salem pushed Raven out of the way just as Vao's hands reached out, catching the princess instead. Salem felt her feet leave the ground, the wind blowing her bun away.
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
The snow flew into the air when Vao drove her into the ground repeatedly, grabbing the sides of her head and forcing her to stare into his eyes.
"You sit here and wait, Goddess," he snarled. "I've got a score to settle. And once I'm finished, you're next!"
Without any strain he threw her to the side, the platinum blonde skipping across the snow like a stone on a lake. Vao scoffed, turning towards his mother. His axe unfolded, his dagger in his left hand. Raven leapt to her feet, her hand resting on her weapon. But she was hesitant, her face pale and bloodless. "V... Vao? What are you doing?"
Vao didn't answer. He pointed his Grimm Demise behind him, dry-firing the weapon and launching himself forward at blinding speeds. Raven almost didn't draw her weapon in time. But even when she blocked it, the raw strength of Vao's arm pushed her back like a cannon, sending his mother into the air. Darkness swirled around him, the dark tendrils shooting from the ground and catching her before she could fall.
Salem scrambled to her feet, pushing aside her fears. If she didn't do something, Raven was going to die. She sprinted at Vao's back, raising her fist. With the full force of her swing, she fully planned to do as much damage as she could to his twisted head. But in the blink of an eye, Vao spun around and drove his Misery through Salem's hand. The princess cried out when he gave a tug, the serrated blade beginning to saw through her bones.
"Auntie sees you!" He screamed. "You can't sneak up behind me anymore, you CUNT!"
Using his weapon's grip on her injured hand, he slammed his knee into her hip. The force threatened to break her bones, her left leg beginning to go numb. Vao snickered down at her, his eye gleaming with hatred. "Stay out of this," he snarled. "Wait your turn-!?"
Salem reached her free hand for his face, grabbing at his hair. With a sharp rug, she jerked him off balance, gritting her teeth together in fury.
"Your fight's with me, Vao," she growled darkly. "Leave her out of this. She'd never have abandoned you if I never gave her my Blood! So fight me, you psychotic cyclops!"
Vao hissed, his lips curling into a vicious grin. "Well, okay then! You're first, you impatient bint!"
Another kick that held the force of a moving truck struck Salem square in the stomach, vomit spraying from her nostrils when she flew back. Vao's magic still held Raven hostage, the woman struggling to break free. Vao stalked forward, kicking Salem's rapier into the air. The weapon stuck straight into the ground, the princess looking at it I'm surprise.
He was letting her retrieve her weapon. Salem didn't understand it; why would he give her a chance? One look at his face gave her the answer.
He wanted a fight. He knew she wouldn't win, weapon or not. She was human, with very little experience in fighting without magic. He, on the other hand, had slaughtered millions with his own two hands. The Blood pulsed through his body, the stench wafting over Salem's nostrils. She knew she should have ran away. Saved herself. After Vao killed Raven, he'd no doubt chase after her.
But Salem made a promise, and it was one she planned to keep until the end. And that promise was to fight for everyone to live peacefully. Even if Vao and Verde were in hiding and Yin was a criminal, they were still alive. She wanted to keep it that way.
She could feel her rapier between her fingers, her knees trembling. How did she feel?
She was terrified. The First Vao had been what she had considered her best project - her own personal weapon. A weapon that could think and act for itself, something she could rely on. Using her own Blood to twist and corrupt him into the worst human imaginable, one with an unquenchable thirst for murder. And with over a decade of experience in nothing but killing, he was by far her deadliest servant.
If she didn't do something, she knew he wouldn't stop with her. If he had access to the Third Timeline, he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. She gritted her teeth, the world beginning to fill with color with her determination. With a deep breath, she charged, swinging her sword for him.
Clink!
Her arm jolted to the side when Vao parried her attack with perfection, his leg slamming into her gut. She could feel her bones vibrate with the force, his elbow slamming down on top of her head. The pain brought her to her knees - he didn't pull any of his blows. She could feel his cold fingers wrapping in her hair, yanking Salem off the ground to be eye level with him. His lips were curled into a cruel smirk, the Aura in his eye socket flickering happily.
"Come on, you bint... I know you can do better than that!" He snickered. "Make me scream! Do it! Just like you did all those years ago-!?"
CRACK!
Salem threw herself forward, driving her forehead square into his nose. Vao dropped her in an instant, his hands covering his face. He twitched in pain, his eye flaring with fury.
"Ow! Ow! Auntie! She hit me! She FUCKING hit me!"
Salem did it. She managed to land a hit, using his growing confidence to her advantage. She swung her sword again, trying to find a weakness in his impenetrable defense. Sword and dagger danced through the air, sparks making the atmosphere grow warm. Vao lowered his hand, his teeth gritted in a horrifying growl. But it wasn't his face that scared Salem. It was the color of his blood.
In the First Timeline, Vao had always bled red. But instead of the familiar scarlet liquid that Salem expected, Vao's blood ran pitch black. Just as hers had, in another time. Another attack parried, and Vao lunged. Salem couldn't break free of his grasp, his strength overwhelming her. Her arms pinned to her sides, she could only watch when Vao opened his mouth wide, sinking his teeth into her shoulder. Salem's eyes widened, her lips parting into a shrill shriek and her legs flailing helplessly. Vao wasn't screwing around anymore. He was going to eat her.
In Vao's moment of bliss, the tendrils securing Raven loosened just enough for her to swing her weapon, severing the appendages. She fell into the snow, scrambling to her feet. She charged straight for Vao's back, her Omen prepared to skewer his heart. She was prepared for a kick; after all, Vao had already shown he was aware of everything around him. But instead of lashing out, he spun on his heel. Raven didn't have time to react, to redirect her weapon.
Her blade sunk square into Salem's gut. The princess's eyes went wide, a choking sound escaping her lips. Raven let go of her weapon in shock, opening herself to Vao's assault.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
Raven stumbled around with each punch, the world spinning around her. She could hear a loud ringing, like someone was beating on a bell. And when Vao's hands grabbed her front, she knew it was over. Spinning on the back of his feet, Vao gained the momentum to throw her into the air, holding his hands out to the sides. The Darkness clouded his frigid palms, shadow bullets singing through the air, juggling Raven before allowing her to fall. The schizophrenic madman pounded on his chest, bursting into laughter.
"Nyahahaha! Auntie, did you see it!? Did you see it!?" He cheered. "My dreams are going to come true! We'll finally be a family again!"
Salem scrambled away from him, Raven's weapon still buried into her body. If she pulled it out now, she risked bleeding out. She pulled Raven to her feet, shaking the woman hard. "Can you run!?"
Raven shot her a glare, her lips curled back in anger. "Am I the one with an ōdachi stickin' out of my gut?"
No more words were exchanged. They turned and bolted for the trees, Raven supporting Salem on her shoulder. She glanced back only once, her heart shuddering in her chest.
Vao was cleaving through the trees that stood in his path, swinging that massive weapon like a toy. His single eye was wild with the thrill of the chase. He was toying with them, she realized. He knew he was more than capable of killing them without putting much effort. He was a monster. Not just mentally, but physically too. Black Blood trickled from his bloody nose, dripped from his eye socket. Raven knew at that moment that Salem told the truth.
Whatever that thing was, it wasn't her Vao. That thing was a true killer.
Raven yelled out when Salem pulled away and charged again, her heart burning with her determination. If Vao wasn't stopped here, he'd find Aldia. It was a miracle he hadn't found it already. But when he did, she knew he'd destroy the town, trying to summon the Gods.
SMAAAASH!
Her mind went blank when the flat end of Grimm Demise crushed her ribcage, sending Raven's Omen ripping through her back, handle and all. Blood painted the trees red, staining the white canvas of the forest. Vao was overjoyed, clapping his hands together, dancing from one foot to the other.
"Oh, you old slag! I thought you were running away again!" He shrieked. "You're amazing! Hole through your body, and you're STILL standing!"
THWACK!
Her teeth exploded when he gave her an uppercut to the chin, her brain slamming into the side of her skull. Pain rocketed through her body, her legs giving out. Her vision faded in and out, the world spinning like an out-of-control carousel.
THWACK! CLAP!
One punch, then a slap to humiliate her. Vao was having a blast, laughing uncontrollably. Salem couldn't stand; the ringing was too loud, the world spinning faster and faster.
She wasn't enough. In the First Timeline, she would have been able to overpower him easily. But now as a human, she didn't stand much of a chance. Vao knelt beside her, his finger wrapping in her hair again. She winced when he pulled, raising her head from the snow. His lips curled into a grin, locking eyes with her. "... Hey... You aren't dead yet, are you?" He whispered softly. "I've still got loads of things I want to do to you..."
Pat, pat.
She shivered when his cold fingers tapped her cheek. He was freezing. When she stared up at that deranged grin, Vao held something for her to see, pinching it between his fingers.
Salem felt her heart stop. She needed to get away. She needed to get away as fast as she could.
"You remember wot this is, right?" Vao snickered gently, wagging the crystal inches from her nose. She could feel the heat radiating from the rock, warming her skin. "It's Dust. Fire Dust, to be specific; my favorite kind of Dust. Destructive, painful... I always used it. You remember, don't you?"
"S-shtop!" Salem whimpered through her broken and cracked teeth. But Vao's grin only widened, the veins in his one eye stretching towards his scarlet pupil. The Aura in his left eye socket began to burn brightly, like a lantern in the dark.
The crystal began to singe the nerve endings from where her teeth used to be as he pushed it closer to her mouth, sending pain searing through her body. Raven tried to interrupt, but with a click of his tongue his magic seized her again. The Darkness began to grow, engulfing their surroundings until the only thing Salem could see was the glowing crystal, and Vao's terrifying grin in the dim light.
Her lips began to burn when the crystal touched. She threw herself around, trying to break free. But Vao's grip was like a steel vise. Tears welled up in Salem's eyes. Vao was torturing her.
"... You know, this reminds me of when I killed Ren back in Vacuo," Vao muttered wistfully. "I remember wondering wot made that stupid scorpion so obsessed with hurting people... I think I get it now. When you hate someone so much, you just want to hear them beg before you off them. You know wot I'm talking about?"
Salem had no idea what he was talking about. From what she remembered, he was one of Vao's childhood friends. She was aware he killed him, but she had no idea he tried torture. When her only answer was pained wails, Vao frowned. The crystal was pulled from her lips, the Enemy leaning closer.
"... You aren't getting it," he hissed lowly. "Beg... Beg for your life. Maybe if you beg hard enough, I'll cut you some slack and make it quick, like a bee sting before lights out."
"A-ahm sh-shorry...!"
Vao tilted his head, his lips curling into a playful smirk. "Wot? You have to speak up. I think Grimm Demise is making me go a tad bit deaf... It's really loud, after all."
Salem gritted her gums. He was toying with her. He could hear just fine. "Ahm shorry!"
"Nyeh... Sounds like an apology," Vao snickered. "Down the hatch!"
The crystal slammed into her mouth, burning her tongue, burning the roof of her mouth. Salem tried desperately to push it out, but Vao's hand blocked her lips. If she bit down by mistake, the crystal would explode and take her mouth with it. Vao was screaming in delight.
"Swallow it! Swallow it! I bet you're used to swallowing, aren't you cunt!?"
Swallow. Just like Tyrian doubtlessly forced him to do. Salem felt terrible for doing what she was about to bring back into his head. Her hand shot out, grabbing at Vao's backside. And with everything she had, she squeezed. The Darkness vanished in an instant, Vao's hand flinching away from her mouth. Salem took advantage of the opportunity and spit the Dust crystal out, the rock melting the snow around it. And when she looked back up at Vao, she felt the guilt punch her in the gut.
His eye was bloodshot, tears falling down his pale face. His hands covered his backside, his teeth gritted together in sheer terror. She had just brought back every bad memory he had.
"A-ah... N-no, no, no no!" Vao screamed. One of his hands covered his mouth, puke spilling between his frigid fingers. He was having a breakdown. Salem stared, guilt creeping up her back. Her chest filled with utter disgust.
Even if he had been scorching her mouth just moments ago, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He stared at her not with anger, but with terror. He looked at her the same way he had always looked at Tyrian. It reminded Salem of how she first found out.
She didn't know Vao was being sexually assaulted right away. It had been a month after he had joined her inner circle that she had noticed his behavior becoming strange. Every time they would have a meeting, he'd sit away from Tyrian, choosing to sit next to Hazel instead. At the time, Cinder didn't like him and offered no protection.
Tyrian had always made creepy and unnerviving gestures towards Vao because of his feminine appearance. That didn't go unnoticed by anyone. It was one month after the Nevermore picked him up from the ruins of the Vytal Festival that she found out, when she had been taking a light night walk. Hearing him scream and beg for Tyrian to stop, only for the Faunus to laugh at him, mock him and say it would feel better eventually. Vao's intense racism was justified; he had grown to hate and fear Faunus. He hated anything that wasn't human. Even after she found out, she still allowed it, even telling Tyrian to continue whenever Vao messed up or made a mistake when she was still training him. The smallest mistake, such as failing to take down one of her Grimm, or panicking in the middle of battle led to sexual assault that night. It was effective in turning him into a weapon, but came at the price of his moral compass. When he fought, he fought to kill. Even in his rare moments where the Blood would allow him to be himself, he would still fight to kill if he was attacked.
He wasn't ever loyal out of respect for her. He remained loyal out of fear that he would be hurt. Fear of his execution waiting for him in Atlas, fear of being beaten down, fear of Tyrian.
And just like with almost every other horrible thing that happened to him, the fault lied with her at the very center. If she had never ordered Tyrian to drink her Blood, he'd never have had the mentality to rape Vao every night for ten years.
Salem could feel herself flying through the air when Raven threw the princess over her shoulder, sprinting through the trees. Looking back, Salem could see Vao balled up on the ground, shaking like a leaf. She could still hear him screaming for help.
It didn't make her feel any better about herself. If she hadn't done it, she knew she would have died. But at the same time, it was her fault he feared being touched. Tyrian molested him for a decade, and she allowed it. And when he disappeared, that guilt stayed.
It wasn't until something came crashing through the trees that she was broken from her thoughts.
...
The abomination trampled after them, crushing trees to powder under its monstrous weight. They ran as fast as they could, sprinting with everything their legs had. Their lungs burned, their legs ached, and they felt like they were going to pass out. The only thing that kept them running was the fear of the thing behind them.
"D... Damn it!" Sasha breathed. "Will this... Th... This thing just... G-give up!?"
Yin jumped when the tendrils exploded from beneath him, nearly being skewered alive. Pyrrha gritted her teeth, shaking her head. "Why is it... So focused on Yin!? Who did you upset!?"
"Who the hell could even make a thing like that!?" Yin screamed back. "The Church is screwed, but not like this!"
"Shut the fuck up and keep running!" Sasha shouted. Drawing her greatsword she spun on her feet, gaining the momentum to cleave through one of the trees. The timber toppled on top of the monster, only to be batted away like a feather.
CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!
The trees split apart as they blasted into the clearing, the abomination hot on their heels. Yin's eyes went wide. "R-Raven!? P-P-Princess!"
Raven stopped dead in her tracks, dropping Salem to the ground. She stared up at the abomination, her face a ghostly white. "W... What th-the...?"
Salem picked her head up from the ground, a sick feeling growing in her stomach.
"O-oh... O-oh n-no..."
The abomination towered above the trees, millions of eyes staring down at them with an unreadable gaze. Tongues flicked inside its dozens of mouths, mouths filled with countless teeth.
Salem was the only one who realized what danger they were in. Without Yin's Light or Vao's Darkness, abominations were incredibly hard to kill. But now she had a new question.
How was an abomination here? She remembered the stench she smelled on Ruby eight years ago. The stench of the Blood. She remembered the warnings that someone had been feeding the First Vao Blood. And yet she still couldn't find a source - she was clean, purified.
So just how the hell was an abomination here? The creature thundered towards Yin, the healer helplessly running in circles to avoid being killed. Slowly and very painfully, Salem stood up to her feet, bending down to pick up a rock. And with everything she had, she threw it at the incomprehensible horror.
The thing didn't even flinch. It only turned its head, glaring down at her.
"Ş̷̟̩͔̗͕̩̱̀̃͞ͅa҈͙̪҇̽̔̏͋͜l҈̢̮̫̫͓̟͙̪̽̏͠ě̴͈̗̘̪͎͊̈̍̀̿͊̕͜m҈̧̱̱͈͖̅͂̅̾̉̿͐́͝.̶̧̭̥̘̰҇͗̓͆̈́̀̇̀̚.҈̨̙̲̭̪̰̲̝̿̍͆̂̇̇̓͠.̸̬͙͎̃̈́̑̿̽̂̕͢" It hissed. It turned its focus on her, looming over the injured woman, engulfing her in its unnatural shadow.
"It's after you too!?" Sasha screamed. "What the hel-"
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
C-c-c-CRACK!
The shadow burst from the trees, slamming into the side of the abomination with enough force to knock it down. Raven screamed in terror, stumbling to the ground. Yin stared up, the blood draining from his face.
The First Vao stared down at the abomination with unmatched fury. Holding Grimm Demise with two hands, he drove the head of the axe into the thing's skin, screaming insanity.
"She's mine! Mine, mine, mine!" He screeched. "Fuck you! Fuck you! Eat shit, you bloody piece of trash!"
"D-Death!" Pyrrha shrieked. Sasha's eyes were wide, the giant taking a step back.
"Is that-"
"It's not him!" Yin shouted. "That's the guy who attacked us! We need to get out of here!"
With Pyrrha's help, they seized Salem's shoulders, dragging her towards the trees. As they ran through the snow, the abomination's cries fell silent, replaced by a psychotic breakdown of deranged, mad laughter.
"D-did he... Actually manage to kill that thing...?" Yin stammered.
Salem knew he did. Even without magic, the Blood did nothing but strengthen the First Vao. He could beat that thing all day until it died. But given how quickly it was silenced, he used his magic.
It didn't take long for them to run into him again. The adventurers skidded to a halt, Raven shivering like a leaf. "H-he was... B-behind us...?"
The First Vao scratched at his teeth with his fingernail, digging the pieces of the abomination out. Staring at the chunk, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed. "... Why does that surprise you? Does the Third me not have a teleporting Semblance?"
"S-Semblance?" Pyrrha stammered. Vao looked over his shoulder, listening to an unheard voice.
"... Are you kidding me?" He said in disbelief. The adventurers looked at each other, slowly backing away. The First Vao laughed, leaning on his Grimm Demise. "Auntie, please! Don't make jokes like that! Hey, greenie! Wot's your Semblance?"
"I-I'm a goblin! And I don't know!"
Vao stared for a moment, his lips exploding into a massive smile. "This just gets better and better! No Semblances makes this a whole lot easier!"
Salem's mind turned. Did his hallucinations just tell him more about Twist? That made absolutely no sense. Vao stepped forward, dragging his axe against the ground.
"... Looks like I'm eating good tonight," he snickered. He stopped, moving his finger between them. "... F... Four?"
He flinched.
"I-I'm sorry! I meant five!"
Another flinch.
"I didn't mean to lie!" He cried out. "Don't disappear again! P-please, Auntie! I need you!"
Vao fell silent, looking around desperately. "Au... Au-Auntie...?"
When he turned back around, the adventurers were running. He gritted his teeth, his blood beginning to boil. "Goddess...! Goddess!"
They could hear him giving chase, Sasha carrying Salem in her log-sized arms. Gritting her teeth, she tore off the hood of the princess's travelling gear, pressing it into her stomach. "Hold that there! Don't fall asleep!" She screamed.
A tree soared past her head, the branches slicing her cheek open. Vao was ripping them from the ground, throwing them angrily. He was throwing a temper tantrum, chasing after them relentlessly. Salem preferred the abomination. She felt they had a better chance at surviving a monster crushing trees rather than a monster throwing trees.
A cloud of ash blasted them in the face, Vao lunging for them. Sasha stepped out of the way, exposing Yin to the cannibal. The cleric shrieked when he was brought to the ground, Vao sitting on top of him.
"I grabbed the wrong one!" He screamed at himself. "Damn, damn, damn, damn!"
Yin didn't have time to scream. Vao swung him around and threw it at Sasha. Pyrrha jumped in the way, taking the hit. Vao ran past them, screaming angrily.
"You stupid bint!" He roared after them. "Goddess! Goddess! I'm going to make you fucking SCREAM!"
Sasha huffed, looking down at Salem. "H-he... Really... H-has it out for you," she panted. "What did you... Do!?"
"She grabbed his ass cheek!" Raven shouted. "The left one! He started freaking out, and now he's set on getting Salem!"
Another cloud of ash, Sasha twirling out of the way as Vao's axe sang for her neck. She could feel the wind coming off the blade as it ripped past. That attack was meant to kill, she thought.
They ran past a hunter, the elf looking after them in confusion. Raven glanced back to scream. "Run! Get out of the way!"
The hunter turned to see a deadly force barrelling towards him, a feminine face twisted in hatred.
"Get the FUCK out of my way!"
SPLAT!
The man's head popped like a watermelon when Vao punched him as hard as he could, blood drenching his front. Vao suckled on his fingers as he ran, licking them clean.
He was beginning to figure it out. Not only did they not have Semblances, but they didn't have Aura, either. That made eating easier for him. He wouldn't have to hit as hard. He was still going to put everything he had into his swings, but the knowledge was good to know. Especially since that meant they'd heal slower. The cannibal thought to himself, recalling a vague memory.
"... Goblins, elves, and no technology," he muttered. "... This is like that game I used to play with Junior and the girls... Dee en dee? No, no... DnD..."
He looked down at the ground, his eyebrows furrowing. "... Who... Who was Junior again...?"
He was torn from his thoughts when Yin and Pyrrha ran past him. Thinking had slowed him down. The Enemy clenched his teeth, his eye going bloodshot. Shoving his thoughts out of his way, he began to build up speed.
His axe unfolded, the bloodstained blade trailing behind him. With one swing, the momentum carried him into the air, above the adventurers. Pyrrha looked up to see him glaring down, his face twisted in hatred.
The Darkness formed behind him, the pale hands pulling him within. The goblin shrieked, waving her arms frantically. "Jump to the side! Jump to the si-"
SLAM!
Vao crashed in front of them like a comet, rubble shattering through the snow and cracking the ground. His magic ripped up the snow, the friction melting it almost instantly. He stood in front of them, swaying from one foot to the other.
"Goddess! Goddess!" He screeched. "I'll never forgive you! You knew, didn't you!? You FUCKING KNEW!"
He smashed through trees without reason, his anger getting the best of him. Salem hadn't seen Vao this upset before. He didn't want to torture her anymore. He just wanted to kill her. Vao glared at her, his body shaking.
"... You grabbed me," he hissed. "You've never been attracted to me... Did you... Did you know what he was doing?"
Salem averted her gaze. It gave Vao the answer he didn't want to hear.
"You... Y-you let him do it!?"
He lunged again, using his Semblance to close the distance. Sasha's mind went blank. He was too close to dodge. Dropping Salem to the ground, she drew her greatsword.
CLAAAAANG!
The sheer force of blocking Grimm Demise was enough to hurt Sasha's bones, her weapon beginning to crack. With one swing she was sent to the side, the shards of her broken sword burying into the front of her plate armor, scratching the skin underneath. If it hadn't been for that armor, it would have torn her lungs to shreds. Vao loomed over Salem, his axe held high over his head.
"I-I... I don't think I've hated anyone this much," he breathed. "I didn't even hate my brother like this! You filthy piece of shit! Eating you... It'd better be worth it!
SLAM!
The blade narrowly missed her feet, Yin pulling her out of the way and jumping between her and Vao, his katana trembling in his hands. He stared at the murderer, his confidence disappearing in an instant. His body had moved on instinct to protect Salem, and now he stood face to face with someone he knew he had no chance of winning against. Vao looked at him, his lips curling back.
"... Yin... That's you, right?"
The healer didn't say anything. He couldn't. His legs refused to listen to the instincts in his nerves screaming for him to run. He gripped his katana tighter, pressing his lips together firmly. With Salem injured, Pyrrha limping from being steamrolled, Raven not having her weapon, and Sasha carrying Salem, he was the only one fit to take a stand. Vao seemed annoyed by the lack of response.
"... Get out of my way. You aren't my priority right now."
Yin slowly shook his head, sliding his foot back. Vao gritted his teeth, stalking forward.
"... Last chance, mate. Get out of my way, before you end up on my plate with Goddess."
Yin didn't back away. He stayed rooted to where he stood. Vao sighed, his single eye expressing that Yin had done exactly as he expected. He blasted forward, the cleric barely blocking the attack in time. Misery chipped his katana, the serrated edge catching the blade. With one sharp tug, it was jerked out of the way, Vao's hand clamping down on Yin's face. The cleric cried out when he was lifted from the ground, his feet dangling in the air.
"Get out... Of my fucking way..."
Crunch.
Yin's voice caught in his throat when Vao began to squeeze, his bones beginning to creak and scream. Sasha pushed Salem into Raven's arms, charging at Vao with the rage of a bull.
"Let him go-"
CRACK!
Sasha was stopped dead in her tracks, the numb pain growing into hellfire. Vao had driven Grimm Demise into her shoulder, cutting through her body like butter. If he really wanted to, he could have split her in two. With one tug, he pulled the weapon free, not even bothering to look Sasha's way when she collapsed, holding her injured shoulder. His grip tightened on Yin, his lips beginning to curl.
Yin's jaw was beginning to fracture, his brain pounding in his skull. Vao was going to crush it. Salem pulled herself free from Raven's grasp, limping closer than the woman would dare approach. Vao turned his gaze to her, raising an eyebrow.
"... Wot? This whole spiel of 'this is between us', or wotever? I don't really care about that. I'll just kill your friends first, get them out of the way-"
"You're right," Salem breathed. "I... Kn-knew exactly what Tyrian was d-doing... I didn't try to stop him."
Vao flinched, a vein beginning to bulge. He tossed Yin to the ground, stomping forward. "You little... You little BITCH!"
Salem braced herself when he lunged, his axe singing through the air. She squeezed her eyes shut.
But instead, she only heard the beating of wings, followed by Vao's confused cries. When she opened them, she could see the villain flailing about, something latching onto his face.
It was Pip.
Ozpin and Pyrrha came barrelling through the trees, weapons in hand. "Salem! Sasha!" The knight screamed. He pointed at Raven and Pock. "Quick! Get them out of here, now!"
Pip leapt from Vao's face, beating his wings frantically through the air. Vao glared after them, watching as they ran through the trees. As the snow began to fall harder, covering the tracks faster than he could follow, he knew they got away. That didn't sit well with Vao.
It was all his fault, he thought. He was the one who decided to toy with Salem, ultimately leading to her escape. He should have killed her when he had the chance. But even still, he was curious where they were hiding. Muttering under his breath, he folded his Grimm Demise and clipped it back to his belt, sliding Misery back into its sheath. His mind turned, new plans forming in his head.
While he found himself landing in Twist more often, he didn't know as much as he could about it. And as much as he wanted to see a village where everyone wouldn't immediately try to kill him, like what Remnant would have done, his mind settled on one thing that bugged him.
The Cultists he saw when he first found Salem. He was certain they wouldn't exist in the Third Timeline if Salem was really purified. They had nothing to worship, did they? And the thing that confused him the most was the fact that Ruby had been with them. Turning his head, he heard the voice.
"... Au... Auntie... You're back..."
...
They burst into the city gates, Yin quickly pulling out his staff and tapping it against the ground. The soft light washed over them, mending their wounds. Of course, it didn't heal them completely. But at the very least it stopped the bleeding. Elves had begun to gather, curious eyes settling on them. The guard at the gate was staring, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Who could really blame him when several people covered in wounds ran into the city?
Ozpin breathed hard, his one hand wiping the sweat from his brow as he led them back into the alleys, away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers. After he quickly glanced around to ensure they hadn't been followed, he rounded on Salem.
"What were you thinking!?" He hissed angrily. "Sneaking out like that, knowing he's searching for you! This town is stupidly lucky he didn't follow us!"
Sasha pushed Salem to the side, wincing when her shoulder ached. "Will someone explain what the fuck is going on!? Why did that chick look exactly like Vao!?"
"We can explain later!" Ozpin snapped. "When we find Vao, we'll explain everything! This involves him, too!"
"Bitch, you ain't walkin' out of this," Raven growled. She pointed a finger at Salem. "When that psychopath first attacked, she called him Vao's name. He was rambling about... About time, or some crap! About how Salem did something to him! Some spiel about a scorpion, too!"
Salem and Ozpin flinched at the last part. Raven crossed her arms, closing the gap between her and the knight, glaring up at him.
"So you listen and you listen good, you dickless fuck-face. Spill everything. Right fucking now."
"Stop it!" Yin snapped. "Are we seriously going to be fighting while some doppelganger is hunting us!?"
Pip and the goblins were silent. Neither of them dared to intervene. But Sasha looked up from the ground, her eyes hardening.
"... All of you, just shut the fuck up."
All eyes turned to her, Yin's filled with relief, and the other three filled with anger. Sasha shrugged her shoulders in annoyance. "We got some crazy powerful mental patient after us. That's all that needs to be said right now, isn't it? Who cares about some backstory? What good is that gonna do when we run into him again?"
"But-"
"Oh, shut the hell up Raven," Sasha interrupted. "You've always been kind of annoying. Shouldn't we focus on finding your kid? Or does he need drugs to get your attention?"
Raven fell silent, glowering at Sasha with an almost uncontrollable temper. Salem's hands on her shoulders were the only thing keeping her from flying off the handle. Yin looked up, his eyebrows furrowing together. "W... We...?"
Sasha nodded. "I don't think that was Vao. For one, Salem can't fight a standing target without falling on her ass. For two, Vao wasn't angry with her when he left, he was angry at you. Putting those two together, she couldn't have done anything to make him as angry as that one-eyed freak that kicked our teeth in out there."
"That... Doesn't explai-"
"Don't get me wrong, Blondie," Sasha growled. "I hate you. I absolutely want to kick your ass. But you jumped in front of Salem, in front of someone capable of killing you. You almost did die. That's why I'm tagging along."
Yin felt relieved they'd have Sasha with them. But one thing stuck in his head. "... But we have no idea where Vao is... If you went alone, you'd know just as much as we do..."
Sasha fell silent. She knew he was right. There hadn't been a clue in eight years of where they were. At least until Pock noticed something off.
"... Why you sweat?"
The adventurers turned to Raven. The woman was dragging her sleeve over her face. Salem stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "Raven... Do you... Know something?"
"... It's more of an idea," she growled. "... Back in Faralda, Vao had... 'Ties' with some shady people. You know a couple of them, Yin. The owner of the only Adventurer's Guild on Twist that doesn't report everything to the Church... I'm going my own way for a while. I'll catch up with you later."
"W-wait... Junior?" Yin said in quiet disbelief. Raven only nodded, the snow crunching under her boots as she walked away.
"Whenever I get back... One feather missing from Pip, Yin. One feather, and I'll kill you. That's not a threat; it's a fucking promise."
She disappeared around the buildings. Salem gritted her teeth. If she didn't feel so weak from the damage the First Vao did to her body, she would have stopped the woman.
Because she knew exactly where Raven was going. Upset at the lack of answers, she was going to find them herself. She was going to try and follow the cannibal.
Sasha scoffed, crossing her arms. "... Didn't she lose her sword? Yeah, she can have fun fighting... So, Yin. Tell us what you know about Junior."
Yin didn't really know much. He only chatted with the bearded man when he was taking a quest, or just chatting about his adventurers with Vao. But one thing stood out.
"... I remember Vao used to go into the backrooms a lot... Usually Melanie and Miltia would go with him," the healer murmured. "... Yeah... Yeah, it could only be him. I remember hearing him talk about how much he hated sending paperwork to the Church. It could only be him."
Ozpin grumbled, turning on his heel. "... Then let's do some last minute shopping. We're going back to Faralda..."
As they marched from the alleys, the elves stared at them, the curiosity never fading. Even if they weren't bleeding anymore, most of them were still limping.
Finally, Salem was alone with her thoughts. She thought back to when she saw Ruby.
The doll maker had said she needed to report to Jack. She remembered the smiling man's face, those relaxed, yet piercing yellow eyes. That unnaturally wide smile, stretching almost ear to ear. The strange man that she couldn't read.
What did he have to do with this? Was he the one behind it all? No doubt he had ties with the Cult. Ruby wouldn't have wanted to report the First Vao's appearance so eagerly if he wasn't.
Just who was Jack Gulden?