What Might've Been

Chapter 5

Third POV

A couple weeks had passed since Cinder had received her Grimm arm from Salem. But now she had an entirely new problem to deal with. The Grimm queen wanted to make sure that Cinder's fall maiden powers were still going to be able to be used even with a Grimm part grafted to her body. Because of this Salem had had the young woman train every day or so against hoards of Grimm. There wasn't any need to make any extra negative emotions to lure the creatures to Cinder though. The fall maiden radiated enough anxiety and fear to lure in probably even the frozen Wyvern from Beacon.

Today was one of those training days and it was by far the most brutal that Cinder had done. Rei and Jenni watched as four beowolves stalked toward their friend.

Cinder swung her left arm at the Grimm sending slash of fire. It cut through the middle of all four Grimm and they disintegrated away.

Cinder began to pant from exhaustion, she paused for a second to take a breather. She didn't get long though, as heavy footsteps approached from her left.

"Cinder watch out!" Rei shouted.

Cinder gasped and looked in their direction. A Beringel leaped into the air, ready to deliver a blow to her with its fist. The young woman, however, pulled back her right arm and pushed a ball of flame right at it. It, too, disintegrated.

Jenni and Rei sighed in relief.

Except that final attack drained the last amount of stamina Cinder had and she fell to her knees.

Jenni was about to go to her side when Salem cut her off.

"Enough," the villainess said gliding past Jenni and toward the exhausted fall maiden.

She stared down at Cinder with her red eyes, "I thought you were the girl who wanted power. Did you lie to me?"

Cinder winced on the force of Salem's question before looking upward. Turning to face Salem, she clearly shook her head no.

"Then stop holding back," Salem commanded.

Rei clenched his fist, couldn't Salem see how hard she had been training Cinder? Couldn't she understand why the fall maiden wasn't using her powers to the fullest extent? She had killed someone for those powers no wonder she didn't want to use them, she hated them.

Salem leaned in closer to the young woman, "If you wish to master your new powers, you must -" but she was cut off by the sound of someone opening a loud door.

Tyrian stumbled into the room practically crawling on his hands and knees. Even from the other side of the room Jenni could hear that he was muttering asking Salem for forgiveness.

Thankfully that distracted the Grimm queen enough that she left Cinder alone.

"Tyrian! Your task? Were you successful?"

"N-no," the scorpion faunus admitted.

Jenni's eyes widened but she wasn't surprised. She knew there was no way he could take out Ruby, that little huntress was stronger then she looked.

Salem looked down at him in disgust and began to walk away.

Tyrian turned his body to remain facing Salem, "But-but hope is not lost! My tail, my stinger... I-I poisoned him, Qrow! He will not be a nuisance to you any longer, no... no longer! I've done that... have I done well? Have I pleased you?"

The villainess slowly walked past him, "the last eye is blinded. You disappoint me."

As Salem left, Tyrian fell forward, wailing. A Beowolf approached, all focused on Tyrian's negative emotions. It thankfully ignored Cinder and leapt upon him. The mad man sent it away with a single blow and the Grimm landed on its back. Still wailing, Tyrian opened his weapons and leapt atop the Beowolf. He slashed at it repeatedly, tears streaming down his face. His wails gradually turned into laughter as he vented his grief into the butchering of the Grimm. Cinder couldn't help but watch but she was horrified.