HK-47: The White Fang's Assassin

Chapter Forty Four - Heart Of Darkness

In the wake of her defeat at the hands of Adam Taurus and the White Fang Empire, Salem retreats back to the Evernight Castle in the Land of Darkness and began the process of rebuilding her forces. Much to her surprise, much of her Grimm had been decimated by the power of the Star Forge's limitless fleet. Salem begins using her magic to produce more Grimm for her army. But as she continuously used her magic to produce more Grimm, it began to take it's toll. One day, Cinder enters Salem's throne room to find Salem greatly weakened by her continuous use of magic. 

Cinder: Master.....

Salem: Rebuilding our forces have proven more difficult than I imagined. 

Cinder: How much longer do we have to hide from Taurus and his army of animals? 

Salem: Patience, Cinder. We much have our army at full strength before we can retaliate. When I chose you as my vessel for the Maidens, I put my trust in you. 

Cinder: And I am eternally grateful, my queen. But I believe that now is time to.....

Cinder cuts off as Salem rests her hand on the throne. The glowing red holes on the back of the throne light up more brightly. Salem's hand produces a red shockwave, and in response, a red design on the floor begins sending out repeated shockwaves, which move across the fleshy walls. As Salem speaks, a bright glow can be seen pulsating through red lines that lead out from the throne across the floor in several directions. She walks away from the throne with her back to Cinder.

Salem: This game is not yours to win, Cinder, it's mine. Just because you're more valuable to me than a pawn, does not make you a player. Everything is already in motion. All you need concern yourself with is your ability to act when I tell you to. Taurus made a fatal error in making himself my enemy. Now he sees himself as some sort of righteous conquering warlord. The only thing I can give him credit for is his ingenuity. It is a pity that Watts died. His expertise would've been useful in this matter. But no matter. The end results will be the same. When I burn Taurus and his Empire to the ground, I will find all the remaining Relics and the Maidens. And then.....the end. There will be no dawn.....for this world....

As Salem says this, it became clear to Cinder that despite these setbacks, Salem believed that victory was inevitable. Suddenly, the room began to shake. What followed was the distant sound of a thousand engines. Salem and Cinder looked outside the Evernight Castle to see a fleet of a thousand warships descending upon the Evernight Castle. Leading the fleet was Adam Taurus's flagship Tartarus. Swarms of White Fang fighters poured out from the warships and unleashed a rain of fire on the Evernight Castle. On the bridge of the Tartarus, Adam Taurus watches as his forces attacked on the Land of Darkness. He then broadcasts a message to all his forces. 

Adam: Fight! Fight for the glory of your Gods! Fight for the glory of our righteous cause! The Gods do not help those who kneel before them! The Gods do not save those who pray for mercy, for those are not true prayers! Would you beg in the presence of your lords? Your impiety begs only for death! True prayer is forged in battle! Dazzle your lords with your prayer, and you shall know them! You shall know glory! After the tearing, the crushing, the breaking of bones of our enemies, when the fruits of our prayers lie at our feet, the Gods will descend from their thrones on high to bring judgement upon their wretched and pitiful servants! The Gods will watch in awe as the men and women of the White Fang Empire burn this world to the ground and rebuild it for the Faunus! FIGHT! FIGHT FOR THE GLORY OF THE WHITE FANG EMPIRE!

As Adam Taurus rallied his army of Faunus and Droid, the invasion of the Land of Darkness had begun. In the throne room, Salem and Cinder watch as the White Fang fleet begins besieging the Evernight Castle. Despite the vast number of White Fang ships invading her home, Salem remained unfazed.

Salem: Once upon a time, a girl trapped in a tower was cursed by a cruel and unforgiving world. But the world did not count on that girl to become a force of destruction. Now this world shall reap what it has sown. I have waited an eternity for this moment. The moment that I at long last bring this world to it's knees. I will not have my plans dashed by an upstart animal and his army of pets and machines. Adam's pathetic little empire was entertaining while it lasted. But now Adam Taurus has interfered with my plans for the last time. It's time I showed Adam what true power is. 

In that moment, Salem prepared her diminished forces to fight against the White Fang Empire. Two of arguably the most powerful factions in Remnant would do battle once more. The mortal Adam Taurus would battle against the immortal Salem. As the battle began, the forces of both the White Fang Empire and Salem would clash one final time in a battle that would ultimately decide the future of Remnant. In the heart of darkness, a battle of annihilation would be fought.