Hate.
Salem knew this intoxicating feeling all too well, having had it in her life since the moment Ozma died millennia ago.
Back then, she believed that her beloved's fate was an injustice of the world, especially after all the good Ozma had done as a hero.
In a way, he had contributed even more to this world than those two useless gods.
So her hatred grew even more after having her request for resurrection rejected by the hypocritical God of Light.
The God of Darkness, on the other hand, listened to her request but changed his mind after discovering that she hadn't come to him first, his sense of inferiority speaking louder.
As a result, Ozma was revived and killed several times while Salem was forced to watch helplessly.
From that moment on, she lived with nothing in mind but revenge fueled by her hatred, even resulting in the extinction of humanity after being cursed to live for eternity in this damned world.
In the end, she even came to hate the man she loved most because it had all happened because of him.
If Salem had never met Ozma, she would never have suffered so much.
Love was her greatest curse.
With that, love gave life to hate, and a war began against her beloved for the fate of this world.
Salem believed that there was nothing else that could make her hatred grow even stronger, especially after so long.
Imagine her surprise when golden light appeared to illuminate half the planet, almost as if to prove her wrong.
For a moment, it even seemed as if that damned God of Light had returned to this world; the purity and vitality behind that golden power was that intense. However, there was so much anger and violence behind that power that it couldn't be the case.
That hypocritical god was an emotionless monster, after all.
Regardless, it didn't change the fact that this power was just as hateful, even more so when you took into consideration the countless problems this light had caused her.
All the Grimm, except for those on the continent of Solidas, which was on the other side of the world, had gone crazy!
Salem had lost control of the army she had spent thousands of years building!
As if that wasn't enough, these stupid creatures even dared to attack her and destroy her castle!
Truth be told, in the last five days, Salem has died more times dealing with these Grimm than in the last millennium fighting Ozma!
That was completely ridiculous!
So much so that Salem had let her hatred burn like never before and done the unthinkable at any other time... Annihilate all the Grimm who dared to turn their claws against her.
Inevitably, she would say, considering that these creatures were attracted to negative emotions and, at the moment, no one in this world had more of them than she did.
As a result of this hatred, Salem had almost cleansed the entire Land of Darkness by spending five days fighting, day and night, since the golden light shone on the world, killing her former minions nonstop.
Even Monstra, the Named Elder Grimm she had such a hard time taming, had to be destroyed!
Thanks to this, most of her army no longer exists.
As if that wasn't enough, Salem also lost all her subordinates who were in the castle with her!
Obviously, a few humans were easy to replace compared to thousands of Grimm, but it was still a significant loss.
After all, Salem had lost Tyrion, her favorite puppy.
Hazel was all muscle and brawn, so he didn't matter much, but Arthur was different.
The loss of the little doctor affected the plans immensely that were underway to find the Maidens and take down Vale and Atlas.
So much preparation and work thrown away!
All the more reason to hate the entity responsible for unleashing all that power.
If there was one good thing about what had happened, however, it was the fact that half the world was going through a similar ordeal to the one Salem had to go through.
She wasn't the only one losing out, and badly.
Still, that didn't exactly help her in her goal of collecting the relics and summoning those two damned gods.
Even if three of the four academies fell as a result of this rampage, Salem wouldn't have access to the Relics without the Maidens.
Speaking of which, I wonder if Cinder is still alive. Salem couldn't forget her little apprentice... if that pathetic girl could even be considered as such. Especially with some of the Elder Grimm acting up again.
There were certain Grimm who were so old, powerful, and intelligent that not even she could control them.
Monstra, despite its massive size, was relatively young compared to some of the things out there. Otherwise, Salem would have tamed every one of them and achieved what she had wanted a long time ago: to gather the relics, summon those two damned gods, and put an end to everything, including her life and eternal suffering.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and now her goal could be even further away than ever!
"Damn it!" Salem shouted to the dark skies of the Land of Darkness and made lightning strike, her hatred burning even stronger inside her chest. "No matter what or who you are, I'll make you pay for all of this!"
While this entity was powerful to absurd levels, to the point of being mistaken for a God, no one was untouchable, and she had time on her side.
Just then, almost as if in response to her words, the horizon lit up with the red light of a power that felt both familiar and different at the same time.
"It's not the same..." Salem noticed almost immediately and clenched her fists as the Land of Darkness trembled, if only slightly, under the pressure of this power. "There's another being out there who's stronger than me."
Someone insignificant compared to the golden light, but who was nonetheless a force to be reckoned with.
This complicated things even more, especially when she didn't know where two entities of power like this had come from and why so much power was being released, whether now or five days ago, only that it was coming from the direction of Vale, where Cinder was supposed to be.
"I need to find out what's going on out there." Salem turned her back on the bodies of the last Grimm she had massacred and headed in the direction of her castle...or what was left of it. "I can't believe it, but I'm starting to miss Arthur."
For it was at times like these that that pathetic little man had his uses.
"Let's hope his equipment is still intact." Salem would have to lower herself and try to use the technology that the new humanity was so proud of having created. "That or find someone else who can do it for me."
An interesting idea, but one that would have to wait.
After all, Salem was without subordinates now, and the Grimm in Atlas would be unable to bring anyone alive to her.
The distance and weather conditions were that severe.
"I'll have to do it myself." Salem smiled, an idea or two forming in her mind. "Yes, perhaps it's time to stop relying on inferior creatures and servants."
In fact, she could even go herself to check out what had happened in Vale.
All she had to do was use a little magic to alter her appearance to the way it used to be, and Salem could walk freely in this world.
Imagining the surprise on Ozma's face if their paths crossed only reinforced that decision.
"Yeah, let's go with that." Salem's smile grew, and suddenly her hatred had given way to something else she hadn't felt in a long time. "Traveling through this hateful world and doing what needs to be done with my own hands."
A very welcome change to her boring life and one she perhaps should have made a lot longer ago.
For the first time in millennia, Salem was excited about the prospect of leaving the Land of Darkness, and she couldn't wait to get started!
-----
Never before had Yang felt so weak and pathetic.
As someone who had to mature at a young age to look after Ruby, Yang started training earlier than most. Not only to protect her little sister but also to provide a distraction and help her father overcome the depression that deeply afflicted him.
No one had been more affected by Summer's death than Taiyang.
It wasn't everyone who could lose two wives without starting to feel guilty about it, after all.
Thanks to that, over the years, Yang had grown into a force that everyone around her was bound to recognize.
While she wasn't a genius like Pyrrha, first place tended to always be hers when it came to physical abilities, and it was only a matter of time before she surpassed the peak her father had reached when he was an active Huntsman.
With that in mind, it was no surprise when no one else of her age could measure up to her. In fact, even some adults who dared to try their luck with her or her little sister were defeated without being able to put up a fight.
This must be why she became complacent and began to neglect her training.
Besides, before she knew it, time had passed, and Ruby had grown up to start her own training under Uncle Qrow's tutelage.
Suddenly, Yang no longer had to pretend to be the mother figure of the house; she could start living her own life without feeling guilty, and that's exactly what she did with all her rebelliousness.
Better yet, no one could stop her as she had the excuse of looking after Ruby for years to justify her selfish actions.
Really, how stupid could she be!?
While continuing to train would hardly have had an impact on the current situation, probably making Yang even more arrogant than she already was, at least there was a chance that she would be able to help her little sister... and fulfill her duty as a big sister.
Instead, Yang made mistake after mistake and now found herself struggling to merely get to Vale while giving her all in a fight she wasn't sure she could win.
This was just another result of her choices.
As if it wasn't enough that she was only training when necessary, Yang had gone days without eating or sleeping while drowning in guilt... only to regret it even more now.
She felt so useless!
With every step Yang took, her body heaved along with her breathing, trying her best to keep up with Blake, who was easily leaving her behind.
Worse still, frightening tremors were going on constantly to remind her of the battle taking place against the Nergigante in the Emerald Forest.
Ruby, the little sister she loved more than her own life, was fighting an absolute monster that not even entire armies had been able to subdue, and all Yang could do to help was run away.
Not so long ago, Yang would have been the one jumping into danger and telling Ruby to back off while she fought to protect her.
Now, Ruby had obtained enough power to make her so strong that probably only Weiss in this world could compare and surpass her with all that ice magic... not to mention Vegeta, who certainly reigned supreme.
That man aside, the princess and all her power were one of the reasons Yang swallowed her frustration, understood the danger of the current situation, and didn't insist on wanting to help...even though she knew she'd only get in the way.
If only I'd taken care of myself! She regretted letting her emotions get the better of her to the point of affecting even her Aura levels. No, I should have learned to control myself a long time ago!
If she had, Yang wouldn't have been rejected by Vegeta and would have had the power to fight alongside Ruby.
Hell, if she had controlled herself, none of this would have happened!
For this reason, Yang needed to do her best and change!
Starting by believing that Ruby could take care of herself, finding Vegeta to do the unthinkable at any other time, and begging for help.
This time, Yang would swallow every drop of her pride and even kneel before that man if she had to!
Saving Ruby was all that mattered!
With this decision being made to fuel her determination, Yang persevered to keep up with Blake's speed all the way until she finally arrived at the Vale gates.
Fortunately, this didn't take long, with the path almost clear of obstacles.
Any and all Grimm who appeared to get in the way were nothing more than the remains of what Ruby and Weiss had killed.
What's more, Blake, unlike Yang, was one hundred percent okay and made quick work of eliminating these pests without losing a step in her pace.
Still, it was strange.
Vale was in a state of emergency because of the Grimm attack, but there were hardly any trying to force their way through the gates. However, there were signs of fighting everywhere, with small craters filling the ground as if small explosions had taken place.
Certainly, the defense system was doing an excellent job.
Thanks to that, all that was needed now was to enter Vale and get to Vegeta.
Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.
"You've got to be fucking with me!" Yang had red eyes and flames of fire in her hair as she punched the steel door in front of her, making everything shake and knocking dust off the wall above. "Open this shit, you son of a bitch!"
Her little sister's life was on the line, and a fucking guard was refusing to let her in without checking her identity first!
There was no time for that!
"Yang, calm down!" Blake could understand where all this anger was coming from, but this was neither the time nor the place to let her emotions get the better of her. "This isn't going to help us at all!"
On the contrary, it would only get in the way.
To tell the truth, it was a miracle that the defense systems hadn't been activated by now to respond to the attack on the gate.
"What do you suggest then?!" Yang turned on her partner, staring at her with traces of tears in her red eyes. "Ruby doesn't have much time left!"
She couldn't stand by and let her little sister die!
While Blake understood the pain of loss, having attended more funerals than she could count in her life, the thought of losing a close relative was frightening and justified the despair in her partner's eyes.
Even though Ruby and Weiss weren't exactly family, their deaths were something Blake couldn't think about without her heart squeezing inside her chest.
Those two girls meant so much to her now.
Just then, before more could be said, the gate trembled and began to open to reveal a glimmer of hope.
"Finally!" Yang felt a level of relief that couldn't be described, even more so after bumping into someone familiar on the other side. "Professor Glynda?!"
At any other time, seeing this woman would be considered a curse, but that wasn't the case at all!
Glynda Goodwitch was considered by many to be the most powerful woman on the planet! Even if she had been surpassed by Ruby and Weiss, she could still join the battle and help!
"Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna?" Glynda straightened her glasses as she stared at these two girls who belonged to the most troublesome team she'd ever had at Beacon. "What in the world are you two doing outside?"
At the moment, both the kingdom and the academy were in a state of emergency, and all combatants, including first-year students, had to be ready to act if necessary.
The fact that these two were outside was a complete violation of all the rules a Hunter should follow, and there was hardly any justification for such irresponsibility.
Or so Glynda thought.
"Professor!" Yang did the unthinkable at any other moment and grabbed this woman's shoulders, almost pleading with tears filling her eyes. "My sister needs help!"
Glynda felt a chill just seeing a girl as strong and confident as Yang almost crumble like that, especially with the possibility of her youngest student being in danger.
"Calm down, Miss Xiao Long." She offered a helping hand to support this girl who was just about to faint, her physical state being as bad as her mental one. "Explain what happened?"
She needed to understand the situation before taking any action.
"Ruby and Weiss are fighting Nergigante in the Emerald Forest!" Blake decided to step in and summarize the size of the problem at hand, so much so that it made even a stoic woman like Glynda's eyes widen in shock. "We need your help to get in contact with Prince Vegeta!"
While she understood what was going through Yang's mind to ask for help from a Huntress as powerful as this woman, the Prince could fly to her teammates in danger and destroy that thing completely in a matter of seconds!
Besides, Professor Glynda was a Huntress and the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon! By obligation, she had to have the means to contact any Hunter in Vale, possibly in the world!
"You two know about Prince Vegeta?" Glynda came out of her stupor at the mention of a monster like the Nergigante, only to be surprised again by the name of the man she had only learned about on this day. "I'm sorry to inform you, but I already sent him to help on the battlefield a short while ago." She looked at the damaged ground and pointed. "He's the one who did that by clearing out the Grimm who were blocking every entrance to Vale."
Her words were like the final blow that Yang was unable to bear.
"It's over..." She fell to her knees, tears streaming nonstop down her defeated face. "My little sister... Ruby... she's going to..."
Yang didn't finish, being unable to continue before she broke down and started crying like a child.
Glynda felt her heart sink and almost regretted telling the truth.
"Y-Yang..." Blake also had tears forming in her eyes and fear taking root just seeing how defeated her partner was. "Pr-Professor... isn't there anything we can do?!" she tried once more, refusing to give up that easily! "Please try to contact Vegeta! Or mobilize Vale's forces or...or anything!"
No matter what, they had to try and do something!
"That..." Gynda hesitated, not knowing how to answer, let alone how to lie. "I'm sorry, but I don't have Prince Vegeta's contact, and all the available troops are already out there, on the battlefield, fighting for the last five days non-stop." Currently, Vale only had the bare minimum to keep operating at this point, and if Nergigante really was around, moving those troops was unthinkable. "I would personally help if I could, but I've also just returned from the last battle and my Aura is in the red."
In this state, trying to fight a monster like Nergigante would be like committing suicide, so all Glynda could do was grieve for her two students and pray for the best.
No, she could also make good use of this information to put the kingdom, as well as Beacon, on high alert.
That way, Ruby and Weiss's sacrifice would not be in vain.
Before that, however, something else happened.
Coming directly from the Emerald Forest, an explosion of light happened to paint the skies red. If it weren't for the more intense and vibrant color, it would be just the same as the golden anomaly, but less so.
Still, it was an extremely familiar and frightening event to experience a second time.
"What in the world..." Glynda began and stopped as soon as she saw debris being sent flying in her direction! I need to get everyone out of here!
Reacting before she'd even finished thinking, she was already using what little Aura she had with her Semblance to grab her two students and jump into the gates in search of protection.
No more than a second later, the shockwave arrived to hit the wall, and the wind that entered through the open gate almost managed to carry each of them away.
The result was so extreme that debris and trees were literally raining from the sky to cause destruction and frighten the population even more.
Seconds later, there was calm, and dust filled the air to make everyone cough violently.
"Are you two all right?" Glynda asked as she surveyed the situation around her, making sure there wasn't someone nearby in need of immediate help. If the kingdom turned out like this, what about Beacon, which was even closer to the explosion?
The mere thought of her students being injured by damage to Beacon's structure frightened her and made her want to return to the academy immediately.
However, not everyone was having the same reaction as her.
"That power... that color!" Unlike Glynda, Yang was almost static as she changed her attitude completely and flashed a hopeful smile! "That has to be Ruby!"
Without waiting for an answer, she got up and ran towards the gate while ignoring everything else to focus on the horizon where a mushroom-shaped cloud seemed to connect the earth to the sky.
"Are you sure it was Ruby?" Blake only hesitated for a second before deciding to follow her partner, her eyes focused on the aftermath of the explosion. "For all we know, it could very well have been Vegeta."
Not only did the power look similar, despite being a different color, but the damage caused was out of this world. Truth be told, as the dust settled, the horizon became visible to show that countless mountains had disappeared without a trace.
While Ruby and Weiss had grown stronger, to imagine that they were capable of such destruction was ridiculous!
"It was Ruby, I'm sure of it!" Yang didn't know how to explain it, only that she could feel her little sister's presence in the air around her, as if it were the remnants of that red light! "We need to get back there!"
With Vegeta having joined the battlefield, there was no one else in Vale who could really help in this situation, so there was no point in staying any longer.
With her mind made up with no turning back, Yang ignored her precarious physical condition and started running towards Emerald Forest.
Blake considered her partner's words and the possibility that this was just her desperation speaking louder as she wished Ruby were still alive. However, even if it hadn't been Ruby or Weiss, it only meant that Vegeta was involved, and they might be all right.
Only by going there could she be sure.
"In that case." Blake made up her mind and easily caught up with Yang, who was just about to fall over. "Let's go together." She didn't wait for an answer and put the surprised girl's arm around her neck to help. "That way we can get there faster."
For a moment, Yang said nothing, too surprised for that, but then smiled as she accepted the help she would never normally admit to needing.
"Thank you," she whispered as she looked ahead, thinking only of the well-being of her beloved little sister. Hang in there, Ruby. I'm coming!
Just like Yang always did and always would!
As for Glynda, she could only watch in confusion as her students left without being able to stop them after she had refused to help.
More than that, she didn't understand what they were talking about.
"Just how could Ruby Rose be capable of doing something like this?" Glynda knew about the silver eyes, that being the main reason Ozpin had given that girl a chance to enter Beacon earlier than she should have, but that couldn't be it. The silver light is called that because it's silver and not red.
None of this made sense, only that Vegeta was involved somehow, and she needed to understand how. First, however, came her duty to the people of Vale as a Huntress and the students of Beacon as a Professor.
For a moment, Glynda wanted to stop Blake and Yang from going, but she decided against it.
Even if Yang wasn't in the best condition, Blake could take care of both of them, even more so now that the Grimm had been destroyed by Vegeta.
So all Glynda could do was wish them luck and focus on doing her job.