The Bloody Rose

IX: The Mt. Glenn Aftermath

It took several tense moments until the final echoes of the battle were replaced by deafening silence, and even longer until the pained groans of the surviving White Fang were silenced by their former comrades who granted them peace in death. It was during these tense moments, that Dr. Oobleck and Professor Port managed to locate and activate a White Fang signal booster to get in contact with Professor Ozpin at Beacon. They would later regret leaving their students alone.

The six students could only look at Blake with concern as she dropped the binoculars as she began hyperventilating, as though she was facing a nightmare made manifest. She had seen her former boyfriend and partner killed by her team leader with a maddened smile on her face. It was as though history was repeating itself with the people she trusts, and with the mental image of Ruby becoming a new Adam in her mind, Blake passed out. Much to her friends concern.

As Blake regained consciousness, she came face to face with Ruby looking down at her with concern in her eyes, but the fact that Ruby still had blood on her face caused the cat Faunus to scramble away from her as fast as she could. "Blake? What's wrong? It's just Ruby." Jaune asked with concern and confusion at the sight in front of him, trying his damned best to ignore the battlefield around him. The sight was difficult for the young Arc to ignore. But the smell and sound, Jaune had heard war stories, passed down through his family for generations. And he realised that one part was right, the smell was unlike anything else, despite what historians always said.

"What did you do to Adam and the others?" Blake muttered in shock and fear towards her team leader as every single one of her instincts was screaming at her to run away from this...THING wearing her friends face.

"All I did to Adam was fight him and emerged victorious." Ruby stated with a calmness that caused Blake to shiver in fear before the reaper continued. "As for his followers? That was more the Bloodletters and Flesh-hounds than me." This of course, left Blake more than a little confused. How was what had happened to the few survivors of Adam's assault their fault? But to everyone's surprise, it was Pyrrha, who voiced the question first. Despite having stayed quiet since descending into the caverns beneath Mt. Glenn. But now, Blake noticed a air of curiosity, concern and...anticipation?

"How exactly can these things be responsible for turning some of the White Fang into...well..." the Invincible Girl trailed off as she waved a gauntleted hand across the breadth of the cavern, where the Blood Fang could be seen training their new converts in the use of both blade and gun thanks to their new allies in the Children of Khorne.

To everyone's surprise, Ruby let out a bellowing laugh, and it was deep, too deep. Far, far too deep to have been made by a mortal throat to produce, never mind Ruby's. And the laughter kept going, growing louder and louder until without warning. Ruby collapsed, and her friends could only gasp and watch in horror as the trio of skulls, still bound together with leather, at least. They hope its leather, to her waist.  As the skulls, once pristine marble white only seconds ago, began to slowly cry tears of blood.

*Meanwhile, in Beacon Academy*

Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy, sat at his desk, his fingers steepled before him as he watched and listened to his friend, and fellow headmaster. General James Ironwood rant as he paced before Ozpin's desk. "-and then there's the fact that these...Grimm have the ability to cause betrayal and intense rage!" The man howled, nay. Screamed at the immortal wizard as he stopped his pacing directly opposite Ozpin. The wizard-turned-headmaster let out a resigned sigh before standing up and speaking. "James, whilst I understand your frustration, the simple truth of the matter is that a missing student. MY missing student, has been found leading a band of people. If it makes you feel better, I will personally be interviewing Ms. Rose upon her return. You may listen in if it'll sate your concern."

Upon hearing Ozpin's words, or rather. The calmness and lack of paranoid concern in them, James turned around with a snarl of frustration and entered the lift, subconsciously activating his semblance as he went. He needed to investigate this, and quickly! Before the air fleet containing his soldiers and students arrived! He would learn whatever he could in that timeframe, he would arrest  any member of either this new 'Blood Fang' or even Ruby's own 'Children of Khorne'. And he would kill these...Grimm that she commanded! The moment that particular thought entered his mind, Ironwood's semblance immediately latched onto it and began expanding on it. 'Only Salem is capable of creating a new type of Grimm! Ruby has defected to Salem!?' The moment the lift doors opened, General James Ironwood quick-marched to the room that Ozpin had provided him. He had to start planning, NOW! For the good of Atlas!

*A.N.*
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave your thoughts in the comments, and I will see you all next time!