A Living Myth RWBY X Child!Dragon Faunus! Male! Reader

Chapter 37: Fault Pt 2

Finals...are...hell....
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Chapter 37: A Witch and a Dragon

Oscar slightly groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He could faintly make out the sensations of being dangled by the collar of his jacket. As he slowly opened his eyes, Ozpin did not have anything particularly comforting for him.
"Stay calm, don't panic. We're going to be okay."
"What?"
Oscar tilted his head up and found himself in a very unfamiliar room lined with bones and walls that pulsated. Before panic could set in, a bone chilling voice began to speak.
"My lost Ozma, found at least."
Oscar's eyes widened in terror as he saw Salem from the shadows and realized the mutated Grimm that had attacked him was dangling him from his jaws. As the farm boy struggled, she continued to taunt him.
"So small, this new host of yours. It's a wonder my hound didn't break you." Salem walked up to him and the Hound held him at her eye level. "It's been how many years since we saw each other like this, face to face? And nothing to say?"
Oscar blinked, trying to find words that wouldn't get him killed. "I'm sorry the reunion isn't living up to your expectations."
Salem lunged, grabbing his face. "You can pretend, boy, but you're not fully him. Not yet at least." She sighed, letting him go. "Well, perhaps you and I can have a better working relationship. Oscar, was it? The Beacon Relic, my forces have been unable to locate the relic beneath the school. If I know my Ozma, he has used some means of deception to hide its location differently than the others. I need to know where it is."
I...that's not something I know about."
"Of course, you keep that one guarded as long as possible. How about something easier, then?" She walked towards the staircase. "The password for the lamp."
Oscar looked down, trying to find a way out of answering. "That lamp is all out of questions."
Salem turned to him. For a moment, there was stillness, then the witch blasted him. Oscar screamed in pain, feeling like he was simultaneously being burnt alive and ripped open. By the time she finished, he was coughing and clawing for breath.
"The lies come out of you so easily." She taunted. Oscar flinched as she touched his cheek. "Like minded souls indeed." She turned away. "One of you may as well tell me...or perhaps (Y/N) could be more...forthcoming?"
Oscar's head shot up. (Y/N) was here too? The Hound had been chasing him first. He then noticed the teeth and claw marks in the creature's body. Did he get caught trying to save him?
"Leave him alone!" The older boy yelled through the pain. "He hasn't done anything to you!"
"True, but I've been dying to have a conversation with him since Cinder told me of his existence."
"He won't tell you anything, and neither will I!"
"Well, it doesn't matter which one of you it comes from, I'll finally have the relic." She looked back as the door behind her opened as a familiar face walked in.
"Hazel?" Oscar said.
Salem didn't even bother to stick around to see Hazel beat the boy within an inch of his life. The Hound followed, limping quite harshly. It seemed the young dragon had done far more damage than Salem had anticipated when she had sent it after him. He was getting stronger. As they walked to the boy's cell, Cinder and Neo were both stationed in the hall. At the sight of her, Cinder knelt.
"Your grace, I..." She looked at the Hound in shock. "What is that?"
Salem petted the beast beneath its chin. "An experiment. So far I am pleased with the results. Did you need something, Cinder?"
"Yes. I...I want to search for the Winter Maiden. I think-,"
Salem cut her off, marching past her without a second glance. "Do you hear that, my pet? She thinks. She wants. As if she's done something that warrants me caring about either of those things."
Cinder gritted her teeth, standing up. "We're just sitting and waiting. Without the Maiden Power, the Vault means nothing. Let me claim it for you."
"I will tell you when and where you are needed."
"But your grace-!"
The Hound swerved, growling at Cinder, who immediately backed down. Salem was starting to become annoyed.
"I'd like to think I have shown a great deal of patience over my many years walking Remnant, but I do hate repeating myself. You will remain here. Is. That. Clear?"
"Yes." Cinder replied, kneeling again. "Yes, of course. Without you, I am nothing."
Salem walked off without a word, the Hound following. She walked towards the other side of Monstro where the other holding cell was. It seemed only logical to keep the two prisoners separate and (Y/N)'s new found confidence may not hold one his own. After all, for all his strength, he was still a child. The two entered and saw (Y/N) was still unconscious, curled up and his back facing them. His wings and hands had been tied down to prevent any sort of escape. The Hound approached him, sniffing and growling. When the creature went to kick him awake, (Y/N)'s eyes shot open as he spun like a top and struck the Grimm with his tail. Salem watched in amusement as her experiment hopped back and snarled at the boy, who got to his feet. To the dragon's credit, he faced the Hound head on. When the creature charged, (Y/N) bathed it in fire before diving under its side thanks to the cover his flames provided. As the two circled to attack again, the witch summoned a Grimm hand to pull the boy into a sit.
"I believe that's enough fun for the both of you."
The Hound obediently sat as Salem approached the captive. Terror flooded (Y/N), but he refused to let her seem him squirm. He glared at the Hound.
"Keep that thing away from me, or I will try to burn it to a crisp every time I see it."
Salem half chuckled, impressed by his determination. With a wave of her hand, the Hound stepped out, leaving the two to speak alone. (Y/N) felt a little better without that abomination to nature in the room, but now, he was alone with the greatest Remnant has ever known.
Salem spoke first. "It was quite foolish of me to not realize you'd be able to see what my experiment was. Your eyes are quite sharp."
"Why did you create that thing!?" He snapped. "I thought you'd know what it's like having your body corrupted by ichor!"
She hummed. "Yes, I can still remember the horrible burning and the twisting of my body from that day. It was pure agony. Then I emerged stronger than ever. I simply did the same for the Hound."
"I don't think the person it used to be would agree with you. Who were they? An old enemy? Some random soul you plucked up?...or maybe they were someone you had to get rid of."
"Ah, what a clever boy." She falsely praised, patting his head. "I suppose that's why you've survived for so long. I'm curious how you know about what happened to me. It was as if you were there."
"I saw the vision the Lamp showed us." He admitted.
"So you would know about the password."
(Y/N) gripped his fist, trying to not tense under her gaze.
"I didn't summon the spirit. And I was told there were no more questions left."
Salem sighed in a mock sadness.
"Oh (Y/N), you shouldn't take after dear Ozpin. It will only get you into trouble."
"I'm not lying."
"No, but you aren't being entirely truthful with me. Just like Ozpin, half lies, half truths."
"You're one to talk." (Y/N) said defiantly. "Do any of your subordinates know the truth about what's really going to happen when the Relics are reunited? About what you really are? I could imagine Tyrian would because he's a psycho, but power mongers like Cinder and Watts? A self-preserving ass like Mercury? Or people like Hazel and Emerald who I honestly don't even understand why they're here? I doubt any of them want to get wiped out. You're just as much a liar as he is, Salem. I guess it just comes with being a human."
In the next moment, (Y/N) was being held up by his throat, Salem glaring at him in a full rage. He struggled to breathe.
"Watch your tongue, boy, don't think I won't dispose of you like the rest of your despicable kind."
"I'm not wrong." He choked out. "Beyond the immortality and the ichor, you are human Salem. Everything you're doing just proves that! You just chose destruction, just like the gods did."
"I will not be bound by their design! They are gone, after destroying the world! They left me to walk in a pathetic shadow of my old world! What kind of monsters would do that!?"
"I agree." Salem's eyes widened, and her grip loosened as (Y/N) kept talking. "The gods were flawed, which made humanity. They were arrogant and petty. Not to mention hypocritical. They wiped out an entire world because of the actions of a few people, left us to deal with the consequences their own actions, and then made it so our only way to ensure they'd never do it to us is by all choosing one side, when they whole point for our existence is that everyone gets to choose for themselves! You did a bad thing, but I agree your punishment crossed a line. I'm not gonna argue that, Salem. But you're just as petty as they are."
"Petty?" She repeated.
"You wanna wipe out the entire world when it isn't even necessary! You already know how to undo the curse! You could've been done with it centuries ago, but you chose to drag this out, make us suffer and die, just so you could spite the gods and destroy their creation again! Wasn't wiping out one world enough for you?"
Salem was silent for a moment, seeming to ponder his words and recompose herself. She let go and (Y/N) slumped to the floor, coughing. She then laughed, which sent chills down his spine.
"It seems we have more in common than I thought, (Y/N). You seem to despise the gods as much as I."
He huffed. "Remnant has enough problems without them. Most of those problems were caused by them. I don't exactly trust gods that could easily kill all life in an instant to rule. The God of Light even said you needed to understand the balance of life and death, not the value. I really doubt something that can't die would ever understand that. At the least the God of Darkness was blatant about it."
"Now that's an interesting take. So you favor the Younger Brother then?"
"I don't favor either of them." He corrected. "I'm just saying the God of Darkness understood what he was and didn't hide it. Still, kinda hard to favor a being that destroyed the world."
The witch turned her back to him. "(Y/N), do you know why I chose to...dispose of Faunus like you."
"I believe I said you're petty." He said sassily. "And considering the gods took the form of dragons, I can guess that's why you hate us. We were never a threat, just a reminder."
She chuckled. "Oh, so close, but not quite. Do you know where the silver eyed power came from?"
He tilted his head. "From the God of Light?"
"Yes, he left a piece of himself behind, so that even in his absence, there would be those to punish the Grimm."
"So?"
She smirked. "Aren't you curious if the God of Darkness left something behind as well?"
"What?"
"I assume you know why our moon is shattered. The God of Darkness did that when he left this world. Along with shards of the moon, something else fell, pieces of his scales. Do you know what happened to those scales?"
(Y/N)'s eyes widened. "Wait, you're not saying-,"
"I am. Those scales retained his power and eventually, they gained their own consciousness, becoming the first of your kind."
The boy looked down, unable to process this. At least now he knew why Jinn had referred to him as a remnant, a remnant of the God of Darkness.
"Yes, your kind spawned from him. In a sense, you're the antithesis to your sister. Ironic isn't it? Why do you think your power is meant to destroy."
"That's not true!" He snapped.
"Isn't it? Claws and teeth to rip apart your foes, scales to block their attacks, wings to hunt them down, fire to lay waste to those in your path, and a monster inside to protect you. You saw what it did to the Hound, what you did. In the end, your kind are no better than the Grimm."
(Y/N) glared, not wanting to acknowledge his words, but he knew the danger his other half posed. It was wild and rage filled. It would've killed anyone, regardless of if they were friend or foe. It wasn't a part of him he was proud of, but still, that didn't make him like the God of Darkness or the Grimm.
He took a deep breath. "I don't care where my power came from, I use it to protect the people I care about and this world! That monster in me only comes out when my life is in danger. It's only ever shown up because of your people. Like everyone else, dragon Faunus can choose who we are. Besides, soul vision doesn't seem very Grimm-like, considering they don't have any."
"I suppose you're right. Still, why waste your gifts on those undeserving? The people of this world tortured you, betrayed you, and attempted to kill you."
"And people saved me and became my family. Like I said, we can choose. You can too."
She sighed again, walking towards the door. "The choice was made for me all that time ago, (Y/N). I do hope I can convince you to reconsider. It would be a shame to lose such a powerful youth."
She kept walking until (Y/N) asked her a question. "Why do you have such an interest in me? You've killed so many of my kind. What makes me special?"
Something new seemed to come over Salem as she thought of her answer. Her body language was still regal and put together, but the boy could sense something within her, something...genuine. Eventually she answered.
"I suppose you remind me of...someone of similar potential whose talent was...wasted."
Salem could not hide the somber longing in her tone, regardless of how hard she tried. It was raw and truthful, perhaps the only glimmer of it left in her. Salem's soul was just as twisted and deformed as the Hound, more so even, but in those moments, (Y/N) could see the sparks of emotion, and he could only have one guess as to who he reminded her of.
He glanced away, a sad frown on his face. "Which of your daughters?"
She didn't even seem surprised he knew. "My eldest. Isa was a prodigy, just as you were."
"You must miss them..."
"As you must miss your parents."
"Salem...what makes you think the gods will let you win?"
She walked out, not bothering to answer. An emptiness settled in him. All of this suffering, all of the death, it could be for nothing, and what scared him most was that Salem knew that and couldn't care less. So long as the creations of the gods suffered, she would be satisfied. It was a horrible realization and only reinforced (Y/N)'s resolve to keep the Relics out of Salem's hand. He had to escape, find Oscar, and get the Lamp out, but it would be nearly impossible to do it on his own. He could still breath fire, but Salem knew he wouldn't just try to blast his way out with his wings and arms bound. He had to find a way out his bindings...or maybe, he needed to find an ally. Besides the derange scorpion (Y/N) would sooner hurl himself from the whale before asking help from, Salem's cronies were likely unaware of her true goal, and likely could be persuaded to change sides. Like Tyrian, he'd sooner die than ally with Watts or Cinder, Mercury never got along with him, and Emerald...honestly he couldn't tell if he could ever trust her again.
That left one person, and a decent candidate all things considered.
Hazel to him felt like the weakest link in terms of his motives. His soul revealed a broken man, but there was good in it. Maybe he could convince Hazel to help. He didn't seem like someone who wanted to watch the world die, but how could he convince him he wasn't lying? The older male would likely assume he'd say anything to free himself and Oscar. Jinn would be able to prove he was telling the truth, but that would mean telling Hazel about the password, and if it didn't work, Salem would have it and the final question. He couldn't involve the Lamp...
Maybe he didn't need to.
(Y/N) glanced at the door, the stink of the Hound still lingering. If he told Hazel exactly what the Hound was, maybe that would convince him at the very least that Salem was a liar.
After all, the fragments he could perceive from the beast did seem very familiar.