The Knights of Grimm - Act 5 - The Oncoming Shadow

Chapter 36 - Gjallarhorn's Howl

Cinder

The fireplace crackled softly, and the sound of delighted sighs came from behind it as Cinder and Hazel both enjoyed the wine they had found in the cellar.

They both stared at the flames, enjoying the warmth it gave them despite the cold outside. "I wish Salem were here." Cinder said, immediately surprising Hazel. To hear that coming from her.

He stared at her in confusion, his brow furrowed. "Imagine the look on her face if she learned that the two of us are about to die defending a castle of Silver Eyed Warriors." She clarified, making Hazel chuckled, looking back at the flames with a smile.

"That would be something to see..." He agreed, and Cinder looked around, resting her arm against the side of the chair.

"To think that once we were hunting these people, though... and never once did we know they had an entire castle filled with them. Salem would have been so overjoyed if she ever found this place... all her enemies under one roof." Cinder stated. "I wonder what Merc would've made of all this..."

"If I learned anything from the boy? He would have enjoyed the challenge." Hazel chuckled.

"Yeah... sounds like him." She agreed, looking at her own reflection in the red wine. With both her amber eyes open, her hair so different and filled with more life than she ever expected to have?

It was a big surprise sometimes, remembering how she was all those years ago.

"And us... we've really come a long way from those old days. I was just some... stupid fool, drunk with a power that I never earned. Wanting to gouge a little girl's eye out for what she did to mine." She said, stroking the eye that the skin was faintly scarred around, but had miraculously healed.

"And I was just a big moron hellbent on revenge... unable to see that Ozpin gave her opportunities... and that it was you... through Salem's will... who took my little girl from me." Hazel explained, Cinder looked at him and she closed her eyes with grief. She would never really forgive herself for what she did to Amber, to his daughter, and how he was able to bring himself to forgive her?

She would never truly understand that.

"Salem fed us all lies, manipulated us to believe everything she said was fact." Hazel stated, looking at Cinder. He raised his glass to her. "To the long road we've trekked..."

Cinder clinked hers against his. "... and to where the path leads us."

They both continued to enjoy their drinks together when they heard footsteps coming in from behind them. They turned to see Emerald entering the room alongside Mazen Ursus. Cinder stood upright immediately with a smile. "Hey, Em." She squeaked, making Hazel smirk at how sweet they were.

Especially considering how Cinder treated her a long time ago.

Hazel stood up and walked to the bottles of wine they had fished out. "Care for a drink with us?" Hazel asked the two of them, and Emerald smiled as she stood close to Cinder.

"I would never say no to such an offer." Mazen chuckled, approaching Hazel.

"Uh... are you guys sure that's a smart idea? We only have a few hours until..."

"It's vintage." Cinder stated, and Emerald raised a brow.

"Alright fine."

Cinder chuckled at how quickly that was able to convince Emerald, a thief to the core, through and through. Cinder grabbed some chairs and pulled them over to the fire for them to join them. Emerald sat next to Cinder and Mazen beside Hazel as they drank. But pretty quickly, they found more arrivals.