Chapter 26

Cinder slept more than most of her kind. Of all vampires, she knew well the benefits of conservation, the selfishness of waste. A well nourished human contained an average of ten pints of blood. Losing a fifth of said volume would cause one to go into shock, from which the human could easily die. Humans were not a bountiful fountain of blood, they were a gift, to be nurtured and cultivated. One feeding a week at most, and even so, keeping careful consideration of their physical health was critical.

And so Cinder chose to sleep, to conserve her blood. Emerald was a loyal servant, her dearest friend, her chosen. Without hesitation she offered her life's blood, from childhood, when Emerald had been brought to her room for her first human feeding, through her teenage years, tending their gardens, until Cinder reached adulthood, claiming Emerald officially and publicly as her servant. There had been close calls, Cinder hungered and Emerald never once doubted her restraint. Foolishly so, for Cinder was a vampire, Emerald was a human, her life's end Cinder's very whim, and yet Emerald never once gazed upon her with anything less than sheer adoration.

And so she slept, taking from Emerald only when needed to sustain her, savoring and rewarding every drop of vital essence. It was not until Lisa that Cinder became aware of the thirst lurking below, the true depths of her infernal weakness, whispering at the edge of her thoughts, clinging to her body like a disease, the only cure indulgence...and so she slept...but this was no sleep. Waking was a slow process, tingles wracked her form, which struggled to respond, lifting her slumped body with a dull moan.

Opening her eyes, Cinder blinked in the darkness, taking in what little details were not obscured, golden pinpricks in the corner, an armored huntress in the doorway, firelight gleaming in polished bronze, and before her, the captor, standing in wait, emerald eyes coldly staring down at Cinder as she straightened her form. Jingling alerted her to the shackles binding her limbs, rough chains of mottled metal. She gave an experimental tug, but they held fast.

"Meteorite, Miss Fall." Her captor spoke. "You will not be leaving this room without my approval."

"Hmm." Cinder acknowledged, abandoning the probing to meet the witch's gaze. It was rare a human looked her in the eye that she did not intend to seduce, but this one was different. There was a darkness behind her, familiar, powerful, and in a way Cinder would never openly admit, intimidating.

"Why kill all those girls?" Glynda finally asked.

Cinder wanted to roll her eyes, such a simple question, with so many possible answers. "Pleasure." She chose, resisting a smirk.

"Why come to Patch?" Glynda continued. Cinder merely shrugged. Patch was just another destination, a place she had heard about, but never heard much of. "Who are you working with?"

That almost broke Cinder's facade, as a pang of worry shot through her heart, the thought of Emerald worrying over her absence plaguing her mind. "No one." She stated, doing her utmost to keep a blank expression.

Glynda showed neither relief nor annoyance, boring into her with the same dull glare. "What were you planning to do next?"

Cinder felt an itch of annoyance. These questions were meaningless. They gave her nothing. "Hunt." She answered, as was her intention.

Glynda blew air from her nose, closing her eyes. She stayed like that for a time. Cinder's eyes wandered over to the huntress, Pyrrha, Weiss had called her, young, virginal, beautiful, and angry. She met Cinder's gaze fearlessly, spear clenched in hand, shield slung across her back. "Why Weiss?" The witch suddenly asked.

Cinder snapped back to a softer look. She felt a warm fondness fill her heart, and she allowed herself a smile. "She was pure." Sha answered, honestly.

Glynda quirked her head. "Pure?"

Cinder felt her smile grow. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to reminisce. Their meeting had been pure luck. Far from a social flower, she had happened upon Weiss killing a stray Beowolf, such a beautiful sight, dancing away from its claws, whittling away at its resistance with cold precision, until it finally fell, a perfect spear of ice impaling its skull. It was beautiful. "Weiss was...strong, driven, dedicated to her craft, moving effortlessly with grace so many humans pray for, and yet when engaged on a personal level, she was humble, shyly smiling at every little compliment paid, flushing so easily, as if ashamed of praise, no matter how well earned...she was beautiful, but she was lonely, unappreciated, yearning for love, love no other had sought to give her...and it broke my heart to see such a gift to humanity wasted."

"And so you killed her." Glynda growled.

"I gave her my all, like no one else would, like no one else ever could." Cinder insisted. "She would have lived out her days taken for granted, coveted by men, envied by women, miserable and alone, if not abused by the tender nature of her heart. This world is cruel to souls such as her own, and so I granted her mercy."

"Mercy...you bled her dry, and abandoned her." Glynda hissed, eyes narrowing.

Cinder's smile twitched downward. "And I will forever honor her memory. The blood that runs in my veins, her name, her love, will never leave my thoughts." Glynda's lip curled in disgust, her body tense with anger. Cinder could sense her heart beating furiously, the darkness of the room growing, swallowing yet more light in the process, until the witch sighed, turning to leave the room, the huntress stepping aside to let her pass.

The darkness receded. Cinder felt the urge to take a breath, as if the witch's presence had been strangling. The pinpricks in the corner returned, brighter than before, larger. Eyes, notable eyes, glaring down at her. She felt a flicker by her ankle, familiar, this was the shadow that had bound and strangled her before. There would indeed be no escape from this, even unchained. Also familiar was the scent that permeated the air now, floral, alluring, if weaker. She drank it in, relishing in the comfort, tracking it's source...the huntress.

"What?" Pyrrha growled, narrowing her gaze.

Cinder must have been staring. She grinned. "You smell like your sister...like...the botanical gardens…" Cinder's smile grew fond. Emerald tended those gardens dutifully, the scent of a thousand flowers clinging to her like perfume for hours afterward. "It's beautiful...you're beautiful." She admired.

This earned a reaction, the huntress visibly paling, disgusted, eyes clouding with anger. She approached Cinder, pausing only to shake a tendril of shadow from her ankle, as she leveled the silver tip of her spear with the vampire's throat. Cinder leaned back to avoid its contact, smirking at the unfettered fury in the huntress' expression. "The only reason you are not dead and ashes right now, is because you are to be held accountable for all your victims. You are a monster, a blight upon your kind, and I would relish seeing you burn."

"Pyrrha." A voice suddenly spoke. Cinder felt cold explode in her heart as she turned to the doorway to behold the still living form of Weiss Schnee, glaring coldly with those gorgeous blue eyes. "Ruby needs you."

Cinder gaped. "Weiss?"

Mercury sprinted into the cave, a bag slung over his shoulder. "Dew, Emerald, pack up!" He yelled, laying the bag on the ground to rifle through it.

"What, what happened?" Emerald responded, tearing through the privacy curtain bereft of clothing. "Where is Cinder?!"

"The witch got her." Mercury replied. "The Templars are gonna' move her around midday. Get dressed, or don't, get our stuff together. I've got a plan, but it's risky, so I need you to shut up and listen, okay? Just imagine Cinder's giving the orders."

"The witch?" Emerald's hands clutched at her own hair as she began to hyperventilate. "How?" She flinched as an arm wrapped around her midsection, as Dew latched onto her once more in an attempt to soothe her. "Dew not now...i-is she okay? What are you going to do? What am I doing?"

"You're packing, and moving to the spot where we're going to meet up once Cinder's free." Mercury answered. "When I spring Cinder they'll be disoriented. We'll regroup, rush the docks, take some hostages, and take a ship to the mainland."

Emerald took several deep breaths, willing her heart to calm, patting Dew's arms to let go. She turned, cupping the girl's cheeks. "Get dressed. Please bring me my clothes."

"I-I don't have any." Dew stammered, a flash of fear in her eyes.

"Take some of mine, it's okay." Emerald soothed, pecking her on the forehead before letting go. She hurried to obey, and Emerald began hastily packing the cooking area supplies. "What about Dew?"

Mercury grunted. "We're not taking her with us."

"We can't just leave her here." Emerald hissed, but stopped as the girl padded over, wearing one of Emerald's sleepshirts, another set of clothes folded neatly in hand.

"Here you go mis...Emerald." Dew greeted, handing them over.

"Thank you Dew." Emerald plastered on a smile. "Please pack up the beds and clothes."

"Yes ma'am." Dew responded. The thrall returned to her work.

Mercury scoffed. "Leave you alone for a few hours and she falls in love with you instead."

"Maybe if you showed her a few ounces of respect she'd be more willing." Emerald shot back.

"Whatever, say your last before we go." Mercury huffed.

Emerald froze, a chill running down her spine. "Mercury no, please don't."

"We're not taking her with us, and she knows too much." Mercury insisted.

"She's an innocent." Emerald pleaded. "You've taken so much from her already. Please don't kill her."

"Em-" Mercury started.

"I'll do anything." Emerald begged.

"You've already played that card." Mercury smirked.

"So double it, I don't care what I have to do." Emerald persisted, tears welling in her eyes. "Just please Mercury, for once in your life take mercy on my kind. She's given enough, please."

Mercury sighed, shaking his head. "You're gonna' be the death of us."

As the huntress left, Weiss stepped forward, standing before Cinder as strong as the day they had met, but with a brighter shadow, the blonde pyro, slowly pacing behind her like an incensed bull, red eyes glaring at Cinder, in stark contrast to Weiss' chilled gaze. She looked flawless, paler than before, but her head was still held high, platinum hair in its usual side tail, sturdy hunting attire covered by a fur trimmed ivory cloak. She was almost regal.

"You're alive." Cinder whispered in awe.

Weiss frowned. "Of course I am." She said, as if it were a simple matter of fact.

Cinder chuckled, shaking her head. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Of course you didn't." Weiss growled.

"You're so beautiful." Cinder admired. The aspect flinched, fists clenching.

Weiss scowled. "You turned me into a monster." She hissed.

"Monsters can be beautiful." Cinder smiled.

"Yes." Weiss glared. "They can."

"I'm sorry Weiss." Cinder apologized.

"Really?" Weiss snarled.

"I never meant for you to die...but...you should understand, you're here, you must have fed, it felt amazing, did it not?" Cinder pressed. "Life itself rushing through your body?"

"Yes." Weiss bit. "It did."

"Then you should also know that no other feeding will compare." Cinder continued. "No matter how starved you may be, how close to death you are, you will never experience that feeling again...or so I thought."

"And you thought what, I was that amazing?" Weiss scoffed.

"You were beyond description!" Cinder shuddered at the thought. "The moment your blood entered my body I was in heaven…"

"And you would say the same to your other victims." Weiss accused. "Did you tell them you loved their taste too?"

"Because it's true!" Cinder yelled. "Every one of you! Lisa, Ashley, Seras, Linda, Maria, Cho, Kara, every one of my victims were the most beautiful souls I've ever met. I never lied to them and I never lied to you Weiss. I love you." With a flash, the pacing aspect's hair burst into flames, glowing red eyes glaring so brightly Cinder would have feared for her safety, had she eyes for anyone but Weiss, who reached back to grasp her companion's hand.

"And yet...you killed me." Weiss said coldly.

Cinder felt her eyes sting. "I didn't mean to."

"How am I supposed to believe that, when you have left a trail of broken, dead hearts in your wake?" Weiss snapped. "At what point were you going to stop? Why should anyone believe your remorse when you continued to seduce and murder my...their kind? How can that cruelty ever be forgiven?!"

Cinder took a shaky breath, closing her eyes and trying to ground herself. She thought of Emerald, crimson eyes holding no fire, no hatred burning within, only love, adoration, utter devotion, despite how far she had gone, how much she had changed. "I don't expect you to understand...and I hope you never truly can, for it means you are so far gone as I." She finally murmured, breathing deep and calm, meeting Weiss' gaze, now clouding with tears of her own. "You should come with me Weiss. Salem would value an individual so talented as yourself. You could be so powerful. You have so much potential. We need not be enemies." She beseeched.

Weiss' jaw clenched, the hand gripping her companion's shaking with pressure. "I would rather die." She spat. And with that she turned on her heel and left the room, dragging the fiery aspect behind her.

Cinder was left to her thoughts, and the steady rhythm of her own incensed heart. "That's unfortunate." She murmured to herself.

"Did you truly expect any different?" A voice called from the room itself, the shadow then.

Cinder did not have a response for that.

It was midday, the autumn sun shining through unseasonably clear skies. Glynda - in her full witch's robes - and Pyrrha - still in her Huntress armor - stood on either side of Cinder, the trio arrayed in front of Glynda's house. The vampire still had the magic suppressing collar around her neck, with a gag, meteorite handcuffs, chains and fetters to add to her neutralization. Ironwood walked up the hill toward them, Penny, five normal automatons, Ren and Nora, and a dozen Templars accompanying him. He stopped a few meters away, and an uneasy silence descended. Grabbing Cinder by the arm, Pyrrha gently pushed her forward, crossing the distance to Ironwood and his soldiers.

Glynda remained where she was. "I transfer the fugitive to your custody." Ironwood was about to speak, but Glynda was not finished. "Now you and your soldiers are to leave my island."

Ironwood sighed. He considered protesting, but decided against it. All things considered, it was about as civil an exchange has he could reasonably expect. "You're not joining the escort?"

"Pyrrha will act in my stead." Glynda answered.

"Very well." Ironwood agreed.

Glynda retreated into her house, leaving the others outside. "General, what route do you intend to take?" Pyrrha asked, keeping a close eye on Cinder as the Templars formed up around her.

"The same we took on our way here." Ironwood replied. "We'll skirt around the village, then follow the most direct route."

"Very good." Pyrrha nodded. "Marching order?"

"Penny and I will lead the column, followed by the automatons." Ironwood answered. "Then the foot soldiers and the prisoner, with the werewolves at the rear."

"I'd like to remain near the prisoner, if you don't mind." Pyrrha requested.

"I don't." Ironwood allowed.

Pyrrha surveyed the troops with Ironwood. Some looked excited, a few jumpy. One individual was notable in her absence. "You didn't bring Winter?"

"She's preparing the prisoner's...containment." Ironwood explained. "And though I would trust her with my life, I would not trust her to refrain from killing the prisoner on sight."

"Understood." Pyrrha said.

"We are ready to move sir!" Penny announced.

"Anything else Huntress Nikos?" Ironwood asked.

"No sir." Pyrrha replied. "Lead on."

Ironwood gestured for his soldiers to follow, and they did so, heading back down the hill toward the village. Pyrrha remained with Cinder, but the vampire did not make any attempts at resistance, simply marching along at the column's pace, without any prompting. Given her earlier defiance, Cinder's sudden acquiesence was somewhat surprising, but that could easily be explained by the hopelessness of her situation. She was surrounded by soldiers and robots armed with silver weapons, and two werewolves to boot. Without her magic powers, any attempted escape would be short and fatal. Even with them there was little chance of making much progress.

The column marched through the fields that surrounded the village until upon reaching the other side, they joined the main road. If any townspeople took notice of the group, they kept their distance. The road was paved with stones, following the contours of the landscape from the main village to its port a few miles away. About halfway along its length, a path would split off, heading deeper into the island's interior, and to the Templar camp.

A short distance from the village, the road stretched along the edge of a ridge. The side of the road facing the ridge was lined with a low stone wall, constructed from the rocks local farmers had pulled from the ground centuries ago, when the island had first been settled. The occasional cluster of trees provided some shade on what was a rather warm day. The other side was flanked by an overgrown hedge that had probably started life as a boundary marker for a farmer's field. The rural scene was picturesque, beautiful even to Pyrrha, who had seen it dozens of times in her years living on the island. It was the very picture of peace and safety.

Until it was not.

A sharp crack echoed through the valley. The magic suppressing collar fell from Cinder's neck as a bullet sheared off its latch. Before anyone could react, Cinder turned to mist, the chains restraining her clattering to the stones where she had been standing.

"Ambush!" One of the Templars shouted.

"Don't let her get away!" Nora growled.

The air was suddenly filled by a cacophony of bangs, cracks and hisses, along with blinding light as clusters of grenades, thrown by an unseen attacker, detonated all around. Pyrrha looked around, her ears ringing, eyes still adjusting after the blinding flash. She drew her weapons, readying for a fight. Pyrrha scanned the hillside, searching for the fleeing Cinder or the assailant who had waylaid the column. With a sudden impact, there was nothing but pain.