The Grimm Huntress

Persephone

Eclipse stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom that night remembering Jinn's words.

"Salem cannot be defeated while the darkness still consumes her body. Once it is taken she can be vanquished."

She frowned and pulled her hair up into a bun. "Weiss."

Weiss, who was sitting on the bed, looked up from her Scroll. "Yes?"

"What do you think she meant by the darkness needs to be taken?"

She set her Scroll aside and joined Eclipse in front of the mirror. "I'm not sure... but we'll figure it out."

"We always do." Eclipse waved a hand and a flower appeared. She tucked it behind Weiss' ear. "A lily for my love."

Weiss giggled. "Thank you. What about the maiden powers?"

"Dad said it's ready, I need you to call Winter."

"Why not you?"

"You really think she'll show up if I do it?"

"I wish you two would get along," Weiss sighed.

"I wish she wasn't so stuck up but everyone has their things."

"Fine." Weiss rolled her eyes and went back to get her Scroll. "You two are such children."

"You better watch who you're calling a child, Weiss. Because if I'm a child, y'know what that makes you? A pedophile. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand here and be lectured by a pervert."

"Oh my gods Thea. She said she'll come by tomorrow."

"Thank you princess." Eclipse kissed her forehead. "You're the best."

"I know."

•••

Winter crossed her arms. "Why should I trust you people?"

"You shouldn't." She rolled her eyes as Eclipse checked her nails. "Just get in the pod and we can get this whole thing over with."

"No."

"Winter I'm not arguing with you today. Get in the pod."

"What do I get out of this Thea?"

"Oh I don't know, the power to protect our city?" She looked at her incredulously. "Don't make me force you."

"And how would you do that?"

"Okay." Eclipse summoned Quetz and he picked up Winter by her coat and dropped her into the pod, Eclipse closing it behind her. "Good. let's do this."

Winter banged on the glass that was holding her shouting about something but the words were muffled and incomprehensible. Eclipse laid down in the other pod and Quetz closed it.

"Okay," Zeus said. "Thea, you have to activate the maiden powers and the machine will work its magic. I will warn you, this will be painful."

For which one of us? she wanted to ask but kept her mouth shut.

She nodded and reached down past Erebus' powers, past her Semblance, into the space that held the maiden powers.

After this she would no longer be the winter maiden. After this she'll be what she always was.

Persephone.

She could feel when the machine began to work. It started small like a pinch but the pain grew until it was like that night on Beacon Tower. She was burning all over the cold that the powers brought being stripped from her.

She wasn't sure when but she passed out.

She awoke to someone carrying her. No, something.

Eclipse blinked her bleary eyes open to see Weiss' knight carrying her as Weiss walked alongside it. She smiled knowing Weiss had her and let her eyes fall back closed.

It's over.

But it wasn't.

"You gave away the maiden powers? To Winter?"

"Who should I have given them to, your boyfriend?"

Apollo huffed and crossed his arms. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Oh yeah sure. Look Pollo I needed to give them to someone who I trust will protect Atlas. Whitley is not that."

Apollo, Eclipse, and Esteban sat in the greenhouse talking about Eclipse leaving. That turned from her telling them she wasn't staying to her explaining why she looked so haggard. She had even more respect for Pyrrha now than she did before and she wasn't sure that was possible.

"Can we talk about the fact that you just got back and you're leaving?" Esteban asked. "Already?"

Eclipse sighed. "I don't want to, believe me. But if I don't the war goes on and I don't want anything to happen to you. Any of you."

Esteban looked out the window down to the fountain. "Fine but if you die I'll kill you."

"Deal."

Emerald was their guide; there wasn't much left to do.

They could do this.

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I couldn't think of a chapter name so... yeah-