RWBY Through Worlds (End)

218: Angel of Mercy

Blake and Meridian actually had very similar tests.

One that, for Blake at least, was much harder.

[Maybe it's not the gods who are making it easy or hard. Maybe it's something in the person.]

They both saw their homes, and the god of light gave them almost identical offers.

"I understand much suffering has happened to your people because of the world," he said. "We cannot change the past."

And here, to Meridian, he said, "But I can restore Vacuo to how it was, before it was ravaged by greed. Give the people a new start."

And to Blake, he said, "The Faunus could have more and stand on equal footing with the humans. Their land could be better, a whole kingdom for themselves without the Grimm. They would be the envy of the world."

Blake could see them--and her parents...

Meridian could see Vacuo thriving again, and the people there far happier and less alone.

He put a hand to his bow/sword.

Blake had tears in her eyes.

"There's a catch, ain't there?" Meridian said to the god.

"No," the god said. "I can do these things. But only if I rule. I want peace and life. I must have the authority to provide them."

"And your brother would be okay with that, would he?" Meridian said.

"My brother and I share the burden of the world," the god replied. "He will have his part, I will have mine. As it should be."

"That sounds nice and all, mate," Meridian said, putting an arrow to his bow. "Just one problem: Any world your brother is in won't just have life now, will it? They'll be death and destruction and darkness. Given time, wouldn't that just eat its way right back into my home? Can you promise human nature would change?"

"Humans are what they are. They can choose," the god said.

"That's another way of saying 'no'," Meridian said. "All this is nice--wouldn't I like it if those pricks in the past hadn't ruined our land? But it'd be a tad heartbreaking to see them ruin the future also. Nice offer, but I think we'll have to learn to mend fences ourselves. I don't want your blasted charity."

"It's no shame to seek help from a god."

"You helped that lady, didn't you?" Meridian scoffed. "Her and Oz had a right time with your help, didn't they? Not sure I want it. Might end up like them. I ain't no saint, but at least I'm human. Not something... less than human."

"Then human is all you will be," the god said with a note of severity.

Meridian's test ended there.

He was in the field.

"Holy smoke," he said. "Was that it? Just a little chat? All that for nothing." He lowered his arrow.

"Meridian?!" Weiss called, as they rushed to him.

"Oh, hello... Did I miss anything?" he asked. "Where are we?"

Meanwhile, Blake...

"I don't understand," she said, hugging her sides. "Why are you showing me this? Why would you offer me a chance like this when we've been planning to get rid of you?"

"I can show mercy," the god of light said. "You were misguided children, led astray by those who sought only to use you. But you could make it right and be rewarded."

"It... seems more like a bribe than a reward..." Blake said faintly.

"You call the security of your people a bribe?" the god said.