Remnant's Maiden Of Dawn

Chapter 63: Revertion

3rd Person POV:

In the vault of the Spring Maiden found under Haven Academy, Neo stares at the door that once guarded the Relic of Knowledge; the door itself is now a stone wall since the Relic has been taken out.

Cinder: Now you understand.

Cinder Fall is sitting on a boulder, flicking her dagger and changing its form.

Cinder: I've got to get the Relic before it can be secured in Atlas. It's the only way that Salem...(sighs before she finishes) It's the only way we can accomplish our goal.

Neo looks back at Cinder.

Cinder: You're not the only one who wants Ruby dead. But unfortunately, Salem does not feel the same way...

Neo places her umbrella on her shoulder and walks toward Cinder.

Cinder: I've been... instructed not to kill her...(melts her dagger in her hand) But you... You have no such orders. You can do as you please.

Cinder: I'll handle that defiant wolf girl.

She sees the image of Y/N staring at her as Cinder forms a dagger and throws it at a wall.

Neo sees the sight and thinks back to Y/N, blushing a little from the memory of their "exchange" after the events of Mountain Glenn.

She snaps out of her trance as Cinder approaches her.

Cinder: Help me get to Atlas, help me find her... and the rest is up to you.

Neo ponders Cinder's words for a moment before smiling at her and holding her hand out. Cinder takes Neo's hand with her own, sealing the deal with a handshake.

Suddenly snow can be seen falling as Yang is seen driving Bumblebee down the path while the others are on the flatbed with Ruby, Blake, and Weiss trying to keep Y/N warm and provide her comfort while she recovers.

Everyone remains silent until Maria is the one to break it.

Maria: The Apathy. They're not strong or ferocious. They drain your will to go on. Bartleby's estate was hemorrhaging money towards the end.

Maria: He wanted to cut costs on Huntsman protection, but in order to do that, he needed everyone calm... always.

Oscar: (reading from the book) "Managed to get two away from their pack. Hike back was miserable, but got the bastards in the cellar. Wife thinks I was out sealing the waterway entrance.

Oscar: I'll do it tomorrow and tell her the truth once these things take the edge off of everyone. I'm tired."

Maria: The next page proves that he did, but not before the rest of the pack followed their missing pair all the way home. My guess is they made their way beneath the estate through the water tunnels that Bartleby sealed up the next morning.

Maria: Bartleby's plan worked. (takes the book from Oscar) No one was angry or sad or scared. No one was anything. And then... no one was left.

Maria takes one more look at the final page of the diary, the last words written down being "I'm tired". She then closes the book and tosses it out into the snow, the cover having "VIII" on it, while the group continues to drive down the road.