Annoying and problematic, these were the thoughts Cinder had about the situation she found herself in while doing the unthinkable at any other time and fighting on the front line to defend a kingdom she wanted to destroy.
The irony did not go unnoticed.
All this was because of an unexpected anomaly that suddenly appeared in the form of a golden light to plunge half the world into chaos.
Under different circumstances, this would have been welcome, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case at all.
Whatever it was, it was powerful, to the point that Cinder felt her legs weaken at the stirring of the beetle and the power of the Maiden within her, both trying to escape her control.
For a moment, fear of losing everything she had worked so hard to obtain was there to hold her heart.
She hated it.
To feel less, and helpless; to know that this unknown but familiar power was more than enough to destroy her like a mere insect.
At first, she considered the possibility of this being the power of a Maiden, but that couldn't be it. Magic was powerful and could defy logic, especially with the amount of power Salem wielded, but not in such an extreme way as the golden light.
Otherwise, Remnant would have been turned to ash by now.
No, that light was something different, something more, and Cinder intended to get to the bottom of it.
If power like that existed in this world, she would be sure to get her hands on it even if it was the last thing she did...for only then could Cinder obtain true freedom.
Before that, however, she had to bow down - something recurrent in her life and which she hated more than anything in this world - keep up appearances and...help, even if only a little.
After all, if Cinder really wanted to find the source of that power, she needed to stay in Vale, the epicenter of the anomaly, from what she could tell from recent seismic activity. To that end, maintaining her Huntress-in-Training disguise was a must, even if it meant killing a few Grimm.
Thankfully, these things had gotten out of Salem's control, and she was unlikely to find out about this little "betrayal".
Oh well, Cinder smiled as she cut down yet another rampaging Ursa with ease, even while hiding her abilities as much as possible. Sacrifices must be made.
Besides, she hadn't joined this line of defense just to keep up appearances. If she really wanted to, retreating was possible by making use of her affiliation with Haven.
Mistral needed a lot more help than Vale and Vacuo; Salem made sure of that.
With the help of that cowardly lion, the Headmaster of the Haven academy, every Hunter who could be a problem was either dead or on the list to meet the same fate soon.
As a result of this effort, Mistral was almost defenseless, and only newbies remained alive to Tyrion's disappointment.
If they all died, the other kingdoms would notice, and that couldn't happen.
Regardless, Cinder decided to stay for more than just that divine power; she made this decision after learning of something unexpected.
After more than a decade of hiding in Beacon, Ozpin had decided to join the battle.
It wasn't very pleasant how happy the masses became with this news, and considering this outcome, it made sense for him to have made this decision.
By boosting morale with the presence of a legendary Huntsman, the negativity would diminish, and so would the threat of the Grimm.
At least, in theory.
The current situation was anything but normal, and levels of negativity hardly had any influence on this outcome.
Salem's lack of control over the Grimm only reinforced this theory.
That aside, having Ozpin on the battlefield created a rare opportunity to take him down, and that was more than enough reason for Cinder not only to remain in Vale but also to fight alongside her primary target.
Easier said than done. Her eyes were on the second immortal who inhabited this world and the power he possessed as he took down Grimm after Grimm with deadly precision. Experience and combat skills refined over millennia...
There was no waste or emotion behind his movements; everything was cold and calculated as if it were an instinctive response from someone who must have seen so much blood that he could drown in it.
Considering how long Ozpin or Ozma had been alive and fighting, something like this was to be expected. What Cider didn't know, however, was how much of that blood had been spilled by him.
Nobody lives that long without getting their hands dirty, not even a hero.
At least Cinder would admit that Ozpin deserved his reputation and could see the contrast between him and Salem.
While one had skill, the other had power.
Cinder wanted both and more; much more.
For now, however, she would have to swallow this burning desire and recognize that even with half the Maiden's power that she had obtained, victory against this man was impossible under normal circumstances.
At the very least, Cinder would have to wait for him to become exhausted, and even then, it would be risky to even try with so many people guarding his back.
In fact, even without having the chance to get rid of Ozpin, joining the fight was an excellent decision and revealing on many levels, as it showed the ability of those who followed the Headmaster. Cinder already knew about Qrow Branwen, and on this day, she learned that he wasn't the only one they should be aware of.
Glynda Goodwitch lived up to her reputation as the strongest Huntress in Vale and potentially the world, where even Amber, a full Maiden, seemed small in comparison.
Seeing this woman fight and crush even Elder Grimm like it was nothing made Cinder wince mentally at what could have happened in the encounter they had in Vale.
Things could have been much worse.
Running away was definitely the right choice, and based on what she had seen on this day, Glynda had moved up the list of targets and become a similar priority to Ozpin himself.
Even if it was unlikely, imagining how strong this woman would be as a Maiden made Cinder thankful that these powers weren't passed on in a controlled way.
Fortunately, that wasn't the case, and Glynda's powerful Semblance relied heavily on her Aura reserves and was extremely costly to use for long periods of time. Eventually, she began to weaken and had to withdraw before becoming a liability to the others.
Again, if it hadn't been for the location and the fact that Cinder needed to maintain her disguise, as well as being separated from Emerald, Mercury, and Neo, she would have been sure to return this woman to Vale in a black bag.
Her death would have to wait.
With Glynda's cue, the fight continued with no sign of stopping and was quickly proving to be a futile effort.
The Grimm just kept coming!
With the amount that Cinder had been forced to kill, she could only pray that Salem wouldn't get wind of any of this, or her punishment would be unimaginable, and that scared her as much as it fueled her hatred.
Being at someone else's mercy would always be something she would repudiate with every fiber of her being.
Cinder only put up with it because of the opportunities to gain power and true freedom at the end of it all... and the chance to destroy this world that rejected her and made her suffer until she wished she were dead.
Thinking about it all made her emotions run wild, and her blades cut through the Grimm in her path faster than she should have, attracting unwanted attention from her primary target.
For a moment, her heart almost stopped as she feared she had let a spark of her power manifest and reveal her identity as a Maiden.
"I can see that Mistral will be in good hands in the future," Ozpin praised the skills this young lady possessed, being far beyond her peers, just like Pyrrah Nikos. "But physical prowess will only get you so far. Keep your emotions in check and regulate your pace, or you'll exhaust yourself before you know it."
A piece of advice that everyone should carry with them all their lives, but which, unfortunately, was something that not even Glynda, a fully-fledged Huntress, could avoid but ignore when the situation demanded it.
Considering some of the Grimm that the golden light attracted, having Glynda use so much power was inevitable and necessary. Otherwise, by this point, the bodies of their students would be piled up and the morale destroyed... even more than it already was.
Even Ozpin's presence could only go so far as to motivate the masses during a struggle with no apparent end.
Slowly, the current scenario was becoming desperate, much like that of a battlefield.
"I'll...keep that in mind, sir," Cinder breathed a sigh of relief when she realized she hadn't been caught out and did her best to respond without being disdainful of what was said. Heh, if he only knew about Mistral.
Imagining the look on his face when the truth came out made her mood improve.
A temporary change, especially with the rumble that echoed in the distance with the collapse of a boulder near Mountain Glenn, soon revealed something that changed everything.
"You've got to be kidding me..." Cinder had completely forgotten about that thing! What am I supposed to do about this?!
Wyvern, a Named Elder Grimm!
One of the weapons that Salem had been guarding for a long time now, waiting for the right moment to strike and take down Vale!
The same kingdom that Cinder was fighting to protect rather than destroy!
Dammit! She had her fists clenched around her weapons, conflict getting the best of her. If Vale is destroyed, I'll never find the source of that power!
As much as she hated it, Cinder couldn't let this kingdom fall!
It seems I have no choice. She would really have to go against Salem and try to take down the Wyvern. But how do I do that without using all my powers?
Better still, Cinder wasn't sure she could defeat the thing even if she went all out and had help from monsters like Glynda and Ozpin.
Again, the irony was there as she considered fighting alongside her enemies against one of her master's weapons.
Given the situation, who could blame her?
What's more, Cinder would do whatever it took to achieve her goals, no matter the cost!
As for Ozpin, he was busy considering the possibilities.
The situation was unprecedented, and the levels of negativity in the kingdom must have reached a peak to attract such danger. To make matters worse, by this point, everyone who was helping had been worn out, not to mention exhausted, after fighting without proper rest since the golden light emerged from within Vale, days ago.
Looking at the tired faces of his allies, even the bravest and most courageous, like Professor Port, expressed concern, and for good reason.
A Grimm of this level alone, one capable of creating minions, would be enough to push the Kingdom's defenses to the limit. In this situation, where countless enemies were advancing nonstop and with the forces dispersed to help evacuate other smaller settlements, only tragedy would result.
In the worst-case scenario, Vale could meet its end today.
I don't think I have any other choice. Ozpin focused on his weapon, The Long Memory, and the power that had been stored up over countless lifetimes. I'll have to use it.
Hopefully, he would be able to control the flow of power and use only what was necessary.
A green spark of energy emanated from his weapon and resonated with his body, feeding him with levels of power that Ozpin had long since lost.
On this day, he would once again be Ozma, the hero of a forgotten time.
Cinder felt this change, and her eyes widened as she was pulled out of her own thoughts.
Magic! She'd recognize that intoxicating feeling anywhere! Ozpin is going to use magic!
Not only that, the intensity of the power being unleashed by him was far greater than she had expected, and it didn't make sense.
According to Salem, Ozpin or Ozma became weaker and weaker with each reincarnation he experienced.
So how does he manage to emit such a powerful flow of magical power?! Cinder couldn't understand, and while she knew that this man was the one who created the Maidens, he must be nothing more than a shell of his former self! Salem must have lied to me!
If so, that woman had sent her on a suicide mission!
More and more, it seemed that Salem was using Cinder as a mere disposable pawn, and this fueled the resentment inside her.
She couldn't wait to get absolute power and try to get rid of that old hag!
Unfortunately, that would have to wait, and even if Salem was using her in this way, and she certainly was, Cinder had no option but to obey.
That was the price she had to pay for selling her soul for power, which was no match for what the two immortals of this world possessed, and even less than the source of the golden light.
As much as it bothered her, Cinder had to put all that aside and focus on what was happening around her and Ozpin's full capacity.
Before she could see the former hero of this world in action, however, something just as unexpected happened.
From afar, like a shooting star, an extremely familiar wave of golden energy appeared to change the lighting of the sky for a moment and cut the Wyvern in half!
What followed was silence before shock gave way to confusion.
"What in the world?!"
It was the mutual consensus of those present as to what just happened, where not even Ozpin could keep his composure, and his eyes went wide as he stopped circulating his power.
If it hadn't been for the two separate parts of the giant Grimm falling to hit the ground like a meteor capable of creating a shockwave, it would have been hard to believe that it had even happened.
Then, before the confusion could turn into euphoria, golden light rained down from the sky to hit each of the Grimm advancing on Vale's defenses and wipe them out completely.
In a way, it seemed like something straight out of a fairy tale where light triumphed over darkness.
All in a matter of seconds.
"Is that... what real power really is?" Cinder asked no one in particular, unable to keep her thoughts to herself. "Incredible."
What was the Maidens, Salem, or Ozpin compared to that?
Nothing!
The difference was so absurd that Cinder was glad to be on the "good" side of the battlefield, or she would have shared the same fate as those Grimm.
The question that remained, however, was about the source of this power.
The answer lay in the mere act of looking up and focusing on the black-clad figure of a man whose facial features could not be discerned apart from an extremely unique hairstyle, everything else being hidden by the distance and the glow of the white flames surrounding him.
Still, it was enough to prove that it was a person, and that only raised more and more questions.
"Who is that?" Cinder voiced the most important one of them, curious about the identity of this mysterious person who was capable of flight and such destruction. I need to find out more about him as soon as possible!
For she wasn't the only one interested in this mysterious man.
"A solution," Ozpin replied as he expressed a smile full of long-forgotten hope, but only until he remembered something else and narrowed his eyes as he watched this man's cue as he finished destroying the Grimm, flying away as fast as he had arrived. "Or the birth of a new problem."
Even if this man had helped, it didn't change the fact that he was the probable cause behind it all.
People had died; a lot of them, and that couldn't be ignored, forgotten, or easily forgiven.
The fact that this mysterious figure, surely the same one who was spotted flying around Vale before the golden anomaly happened, had taken so long to deign to show up and help only proved his point.
Ozpin needed to confront this man and find out if he was willing to take responsibility for his actions or if he had another Salem on his hands.
Only time would tell, and he couldn't help but hold out hope for the best outcome.
For Cinder, the implication behind the Headmaster's words was obvious and slightly worrying:
This person could be either a new ally or a new enemy.
Considering the dead Grimm, the answer was clear, and Cinder needed to start reconsidering her loyalty to Salem.
There was no winning against a being capable of so much power and destruction, even more so when her plans to destroy Vale had been thwarted almost completely at this point.
The options here were to recruit him or join him.
Given the difference in power, it was clear who would have to bow to whom.
Unless... Cinder thought of something unthinkable at any other time, and a predatory smile appeared to adorn her beautiful face. Unlike Salem, this is clearly a man, and I can use that to get what I want.
After all, being as beautiful a woman as she was had its uses.
The problem now would be to find him before Ozpin did.
Time to make use of all the resources I have in Vale. Cinder would have to stop her activities and put every criminal in this city on a manhunt. That and take advantage of my identity as a transfer student from Haven.
That way, her chances of getting to this man would be much greater.
For now, let's go back and start working on it. Cinder sheathed her swords, being sure that she would no longer need to be on guard now that the Grimm in the area had been destroyed. I need to contact Emerald and...
She stopped, her train of thought being interrupted by the emergence of a massive amount of power, followed by a sudden explosion of red light!
For a second, Cinder feared that the man had returned to destroy more than just the Grimm, but there was no time to confirm any of this before she was hit by a shockwave capable of knocking her off her feet, and she had to use one of her weapons to avoid being thrown away.
Not everyone had the same level of instinctive reaction, and they were carried away by the wind, where Cinder found herself doing the unthinkable at any other time and helping someone else who was thrown in her direction.
All for the sake of keeping her identity intact.
When it was finally over, Cinder let go of the hand of a faunus girl with rabbit ears, and her eyes opened wide at the sight of a cloud of dust rising in the distance in the shape of a mushroom capable of connecting heaven and earth.
What's more, the mountains that should have been in that direction had disappeared!
"What the hell..." Cinder couldn't understand, her mind working through the possibilities and realizing something almost as shocking. This... wasn't done by that man!
Not only was the color of the power used different and felt different, but he had flown away in the opposite direction!
Then something occurred to her.
"There's someone else in this world with that kind of power." Cinder swallowed dryly, not knowing what to make of this revelation. I'm sure that man in black is the source of the golden light, but what about that red light?
Better yet, how many people capable of that were out there?
Although this was practically a confirmation that it was possible to obtain this power, Cinder didn't know if it was a good thing or not.
Ozpin, on the other hand, already had his mind made up about it, and in the worst way.
"My school!" He could only think of Beacon, which was in that direction, the students he had left behind, Amber, and the Relic! No, no, no!
This couldn't be happening!
Not now!
Without saying a word and ignoring the commotion around him, Ozpin ran towards the nearest Bullhead to return to Beacon...or what was left of it.
Watching this reaction, Cinder couldn't find pleasure in the desperation of this "enemy" of hers. Before, if Beacon had been destroyed, it would have been cause for celebration. Now, that wasn't exactly the case, especially because of her decision to abandon Salem.
Besides, Ozpin had no reason to worry.
As far as Cinder knew, Amber was being held at Beacon. So, if the school had been destroyed, the other half of the Fall Maiden's powers would have come to her, and that didn't happen... unfortunately.
Even if there were something stronger than magic out there, she wouldn't say no to more power, regardless of its origin.
"Err, excuse me?" Cinder heard someone talking to her, her eyes falling with some irritation on the girl she had helped earlier. "I-I just wanted to thank you for your help."
Velvet didn't wait for an answer, just bowed in respect to this pretty girl and moved off to help those in need.
The thought that Beacon had been destroyed didn't leave her mind, and tears could be seen forming in the corner of her eyes.
There would be time to cry later.
Cinder said nothing, just watched as the girl who seemed on the verge of collapsing emotionally moved to help the injured.
Being the target of gratitude was a strange feeling, even more so when it was the result of ulterior motives.
Whatever. Cinder had no time to waste on sentimentality. I need to find my target and get my hands on that power.
Nothing else mattered.
Just like always.