Thorn-covered fingers ever so gently stirred a crystal chalice filled with dark red fluid. The figure holding the chalice was seated on the floor, beside a large figure seemingly cloaked in solid shadows in which no light could pierce.
Both figures were sitting in a large room, once filled with opulence and grandeur now wrecked. With a dozen corpses of the Noble Clan's children staked into the walls in precise unlethal spots that had them slowly bleeding out into large buckets beneath their feet.
The room itself was high atop the mountain it was built upon allowing the two figures to watch the hordes of Grimm tearing through the civilians and would-be warriors below.
"I do not understand your desire to drink specifically orphaned virgins blood... What makes an orphan so valuable? Does the status of being an orphan take time to season their blood or can I merely pluck the head of a parent and their children automatically taste better?" The large figure spoke with bland disdain as it eyed its lesser.
The smaller figure bowed their heads and then in a calm voice explained. "It does take time my lord. The status of an orphan is no immediate thing, it's something that needs to season their hearts, mind, and soul with jealousy at what they lack, sorrow at what they miss, and despair at knowing they will never see their loved one's again."
The smaller figure once again spoke but this time with more amusement. "Just like yourself my lord. Why do you still eat the souls of humanity, but deliberately avoid gaining more power by devouring the souls of Grandmasters and Sages... It's because they are too heavy for a casual meal my lord."
The large figure was silent for a moment before the it looked down and in the middle of its facial area of a mass of shadows gleamed a single beach ball-sized crimson glowing slitted eye. "There is truth to your words. But only at the end, the truth is that I rightly fear my Apocolpyse class brethren who would attempt to devour me while I myself am digesting my meal. But you yourself merely hate all of humanity, faunus, and want to destroy this world."
The shorter figure shrugged with her sitting up and allowing the roiling flames of the burning settlement to reveal her mutated female form. "Grimm... Human, Faunus, all are the same. Just one thing or another tear at another to push themselves above others. I merely shed my mask to become the best me I could be."
There was a particularly loud gurgle of agony coming from one of the children staked into the wall and the mutated 'Traitor to Humanity' strode over to the younger boy. Not even properly a teenager with a lick of facial hair.
"Shhh, shh, just... Hang there. You are doing the world a favor dying now. Your worthless life will mean nothing and no one will ever remember you, you adorable little thing." She whispered as she gently drew her blackened hand that was covered in Grimm white bone thorns across his cheek.
But her motion was anything but comforting as the boy gurgled and shook with his face turning red and then purple in but moments as dark cuts of micro cuts formed and expanded on his cheek. With the woman leaning down to lick the expanding cuts that were mixed with his tears of agony.
"Now that's a good boy. The taste of despair fits you quite well." The woman simpered at the end.
Then the large figure remaining in the room actually stood up, and past the thick wreaths of solid shadow were legs of humanoid shape if not for their size.
"Sawnay, you have a new task... You have had fun playing in Mistral. But I want you to go to the continent of Sanus, my brethren in Obriareus the Hundred Handed One is playing a game I wish to be ruined. Force his lieutenants in the Transcendents who follow the Hundred Hands games into attacking the major settlements." The figure ordered without inflection in its wretched voice.
Sawnay the woman frowned as she looked at her prizes. A dozen children, obviously virgins who were going to be bled for her consumption of their lives, blood, and even souls with her mastery of Necromancy.
"My lord... This process takes a few days, could I just leave when I am done?" She begged kneeling down to the figure.
The figure was silent. Not making a noise nor any movement and with pressure filling the room, even the tortured orphans couldn't even make a noise.
Finally, the figure blinked it's massive single eye and Sawnay whimpered pathetically as her legs gave out from underneath her, along with her arms falling off leaving her only a head attached to a torso.
"If you will make me wait for your little pleasures. Then your pleasures will be tainted by your arms and legs reforming, should you take more than two weeks to reach Vale... I will break our contract and leave you to the world's mercy." The figure stated calmly.
There was a pause before Sawnay smiled a mad demented thing as she simpered. "Of course my lord. Anything you wish."
And with that, the figure seemingly disappeared as it faded into a swirl of shadows leaving Sawnay to regenerate her limbs painfully over the next few hours. And then begin her grizzly heretical work.
She hummed and sang with haunting beauty as she worked over the children and used the special necromancy techniques that she had learned over the many years she had lived with the Apocalypse Grimm's blessing. She removed their faces so she could wear them and hide her identity.
-
Tired, dull, and hungry eyes looked upon the noble Sage of Heaven. Mistral's uncontested strongest Sage. And 'supposedly' the strongest Sage in the world having defeated all of the sages in combat before, as he gave another of his oh-so-common speeches.
"The fall of the Dragon Elephant Martial Sect is indeed a loss, though I will be personally going to deal with the measly transcendent Grimm and the traitors who are serving the Grimm! But... With the loss of the Dragon Elephant Sect, that means that many refugees from the farmers and serfs who worked the sects fields and lots will be arriving in Mistral."
The cold grey eyes of the Sage raked over the assembled crowd of thousands of people who arrived to hear the sages 'wisdom' and the latest news of the world beyond the Great Wall of Mistral.
"Thus while the... Refugees are being redistributed to other Martial Sect's and noble clans to work the fields, the city will be rationing food supplies again to pay the sects and noble clans to take in those refugees."
Even as dark whispers filled the stadium the Sage had no change to his expression as the dull tired eyes closed and Emerald Sustrai thought. 'More like the clans and sects are demanding bribes not to disclose how the Elephant Sect got destroyed internally via one sect or whatever allowing the Abberation, the traitor humans into the sect.'
Emerald took a deep breath with her heart firming as she thought about the orphanage she basically ran now. Her illusion semblance allows her to craft powerful illusions of monsters allowing young masters to fight them for practice... And even taking great payments from elders and especially young masters to craft an illusion for them to play with some unattainable great beauty.
Both Mistral and Atlas had zero problems with slavery... With Mistral being of the opinion that personal might was all that mattered in keeping humanity alive and even Faunus's were allowed to rise up in power should they become strong enough though human's wouldn't go out of their in the slightest to assist in their growth.
While Atlas... Dressed up the slavery and called it 'work contracts' being paid in company script or indentured servitude, or the worst... Compulsory service in the service of Atlas's overwhelming powerful military that was only kept in check 'if at all' by its native mega-corporations.
So that left Emerald three choices but only two were real options for her to flee this god-forsaken kingdom. First was trying to go to a smaller settlement, but that had many issues. Mistral was based entirely on strength, and that meant a psycho Grandmaster could disembowel her and the rest of the orphans she was supporting to make facial moisturizer.
And face zero consequences for doing so.
Or she and the children she was helping raise could go to Vale or Vacou as she knew this rationing was going to be bad with the previous tax season being just a couple of weeks ago and some civilians were still eating boiled bark to survive that fleecing.
'Vacou is a terrible desert filled with the worst of the Grimm due to Vacou simply not having enough water sources to sustain larger populations even with water elemental mages... Going there would put us too much upon a tribe's mercy should we even make it across the ocean to the east to get to Vacou.' Emerald thought.
But that left a major issue, Emerald was currently in Mistral Imperial City. The main city of the Kingdom. And thus that meant if she wanted to get to Vale. She and the other caretakers would need to pay... An exorbitant amount of money to take the orphans she was in charge of, to Windpath City to charter a ship that could take them all to Vale's harbor.
As Mistral was as strong as it was, partly due to it being built into the tallest mountains in the world upon powerful ley lines and thus was a good distance away from any port that was open to the oceans of the world.
Unlike Vale which had the world premiere harbor and was in part so resource-rich due to its willingness if not desire to trade with the other three kingdoms other than itself.
Emerald seeing the Sage of Heaven flicker in place before disappearing took a breath before she pulled herself out of the crowd at all possible haste as she rushed towards the orphanage she helped run.
After all, to move five dozen orphans that had lost their families due to the Grimm... Or worse, Sects and Noble Clan disputes. So much had to be done. Not to mention the bribes that would need to be made to get space on a ship chartered.
-
Iron sand trickled across the palm of a noble beautiful woman clad in a revealing toga while gleaming enchanted bronze armor across her feet up to her knee's while also having the same gleaming bronze armor over covering her arms from wrist to elbow.
The woman had bright crimson hair that flowed freely down her back, and as much as her face was beautiful. It was clear the woman was one of power and was respected with how she held herself.
"So... My little Pyrrha has managed to make it into Beacon." The woman spoke as the iron sand flowed into the air to form a thorny rose with the iron seemingly rusting, becoming red hot, and even gleaming polished silvery metal in spots to add texture and definition to the artful rose she created.
Another woman, one wearing a similar tight fitting toga but no armor nodded her head, but didn't make eye contact with her lady as she spoke submissively. "Yes my lady. She passed well, even earning praise for her combat abilities from the Sage of Time Ozpin."
There was a moment of silence as Pyrrha's mother swirled the rose sculpture in between her fingers before she stated plainly. "Hmm... She didn't link up with anyone did she? No, no she wouldn't my proud little gladiator wouldn't do that unless she trusted them explicitly, thus she was then humbled by Ozpin who remarked on her merely being an aimless machine of slaughter."
It wasn't a question. Pyrrha's mother spoke those words as a stated fact and the servant bowed gracefully and spoke. "Indeed my lady, your foresight is of the divine. That is exactly what has happened."
There was a moment of silence as Pyrrha's mother played with the rose until abruptly the entire rose turned to molted metal that dripped through her fingers and splattered onto the ground between her feet with Pyrrha's mother's baleful bright green eyes turning onto the servant.
"And Ozpin's response to my daughter being returned to me?"
There was a slight pause as the servant swallowed before she spoke quietly. "He... Rather rudely replied that Lady Pyrrha has decided to join Beacon and is thus considered by law a Valian Citizen. With her adulthood giving her the right to go where she pleases."
The Volcanic Sage gently stood up with each step she took from her throne of burnished and cast bronze that resembled the Niko's colors and symbol. With her walking outside a set of double doors led to a large raised balcony that overlooked a massive estate of rolling hills covered in vineyards being worked by the Niko's serfs.
"What explicitly, did the Sage of Broken Time say."
The serving woman was silent for a moment before she hiccuped and said almost frankly if it wasn't for the fear in her voice. "I dare not say it my lady."
Pyrrha's mother's face twitched as she idly threw a glance at her servant who cowered in place and she rolled her eyes. 'The weak should fear the strong in order to serve their betters all the better... But sometimes too much fear can be detrimental to actually getting your help to do their duties.' She thought with some annoyance.
"I will not throw you into the Bronze Bull for speaking whatever foulness leaving the Valian wretches tongue... That is only for those who attempt to steal my alchemical wine as you know well." She tried to jest.
But the words 'Bronze Bull' made the servant's face go white and the Volcanic Sage actually exhaled in annoyance seeing her legs twitching with the desire to flee the situation.
'You stick a dozen people into a solid bronze bull to cook them alive slowly over a couple of hours and all of a sudden your servants think it's the default punishment. When it was only for the Abominations who made deals with Grimm and needed a way to properly kill them through their annoying regeneration.' She thought with frustration mounting.
"Ma-Ma Mistress... He said and I quote. Make a bronze cock, sit on it... And spin while thinking about the wine I stole from you when you tried to take slaves from Patch, Pandora Nikos."
Pyrrha's mother... Pandora Niko's went still in place as she processed that so called message. Before her lips quirked up into a smile and she snorted in cold amuesment as her green eyes turned molten bronze.
"I see... Then he better watch my daughter well. It would be a pity if a volcanic vent were to erupt in the middle of vale."
There was a pause... And then the servant girl spoke with a voice even a mosqiutio would be offended by. "He knew you would say that... And he said that he stopped time, while you were in Mistral to speak of the Sage of Heaven and he stole a bottle of your alchemical wine from the well of all places."
The marble ground beneath Pandora flashed red hot and as Pandora stared out into the distance as a rumble rang out through the vineyard as her powerful lava and geomancy magic flexed with her overwhelming motions.
The serving girl could only silently watch... As Pandora had gotten so hot-headed that the marble floor beneath her feet had become so overheated. That Pandora was literally sinking along with the rest of the rest of the balcony down to the base level of the Niko's estate.
"Both Lady Pyrrha and Mistress Pandora are too stubborn." The serving girl muttered to herself as the balcony made a loud groaning noise that covered up her voice as the molten metal and stone gave way and fell down the ground level below.
-
Back in Beacon. That very Sage, Ozpin was carelessly pouring that very alchemical wine he had stolen into his large mug of coffee with him taking an obnoxiously loud sip of it before he smacked his lips and spun in his office chair to stare out across the many tower-filled fortress that was Beacon Academy.
"Hmm... This school year does have its gems for sure. A new Silver-Eyed Warrior, pity about her being a girl. A male silver-eyed warrior is something humanity direly needs to spread their genes about." Ozpin mused to himself before his eyes focused on the more 'modest' tower of Luxanna Crownsguard.
"And that Jake Bariss boy... His power over naval-based manifestations does have promise depending on how far he can take it. But even if he cannot have true mass power, being able to manifest and remotely control a whole line of turrets to ease the pressure off Vale's walls could be enough to put him in A-tier."
And then Ozpin's eyes saw past the wards and other towers as he gazed upon his once protege, Glynda the Goodwitch teaching her latest Disciple in Morgan Arc.
"Ah... Glynda, tough love only works when it is focused on the person who personally fails. Not when other people are relying on them." Ozpin sighed as he watched his taciturn and truthfully terrible at social issues disciple telling Morgan that she would not help her with her issues of the pissant Baron encroaching on her mother.
Sure he knew that Glynda was doing it to push Morgan out of her... Shell, 'more like the magical tower' she loved to hide within and do her research on magical flames that fed and burned off souls and magical constructs that would be extremely effective against the Grimm and necromancers.
But Morgan didn't know that. All she was hearing was the woman she considered her secondary mother for the last four years was telling her to buck up and solve her issues on her own. Or worse... Leave her mother to her fate.
"Hmm... Glynda needs to spend some more time with Luxanna to stretch her social muscles." Ozpin muttered before he tilted his head to the side and smiled an obnoxious and evil thing as he took his scroll and sent a quick message to his Vice-Headmistress.
[Take Morgan and introduce her to Jake Bariss. He needs to be acquainted with people that aren't royals and higher-tier nobility.]
After sending the text message he looked away and then his amused expression died as he peered through the wards of the 'Dark Magic' wing of study. Already Calia and her disciple Ferid were discussing the finer workings of the flesh abomination they had turned the six examples Ozpin had made out of the cowardly nobles that had hid during the initiation.
And of course, there were grumbling on the Valian council of nobility about his actions... But the Royal Family stood beside him at that decision, as cowards defending Vale did not fit the Royal Family's goals of expanding Vale's territory.
Though... It was a pity. Ozpin did try to give those examples a clean death, but it seems that punching their hearts out right in front of Calia wasn't enough with how she had reformed their hearts and was now twisting their bodies and souls into an amalgamated abomination.
But a powerful abomination none the less and with six souls powering the monster... That gave the monster quite a bit of aura to take a hell of a beating from lesser Grimm to say nothing of one of the souls coming out on top inside the abomination and being able to use its semblance in the future perhaps.
Ozpin turned his sight from the grizzly scene and then with some amusement saw the latest Silver-Eyed warrior. Ruby Rose was staring longingly at the weapons attached to Jake Bariss's so-called 'Ship Girls'
'A teenager who can make women who are utterly devoted to him... How the hell did he even make it to Beacon honestly?' Ozpin thought incredulously before his amused smile died painfully as Yang Xiao-Long came around the corner... With Ruby and Yang's eyes meeting and he sighed knowing issues were on the way.
After all... That dumbass Taiyang had the nasty habit of making bastards that would fall into his lap and cause issues. Even if Yang was the only one he stepped up to the plate and took care of due to how Raven had to flee Vale partially with how Summer Rose wanted to kill her for 'cucking Taiyang' away from her.
"Like that blond bastard has a faithful bone in his body." Ozpin groaned seeing what he expected to happen did as Yang and Ruby began to fight with Jake Bariss coming out of his bedroom half-dressed due to having gone to bed early.
'I need to steal more wine and booze... Maybe I should mug Raven's brother for his whiskey.' Ozpin thought.