A heavy silence settled in the room after Onyx's words. Ozpin had told them the truth about Salem—about her past, her immortality, and the burden he carried. But Onyx wasn't finished.
His sharp amethyst eyes locked onto Ozpin once more.
"…What about the Fall Maiden?"
Ozpin exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"You said she was attacked," Onyx pressed. "Who did it?"
Ozpin glanced at Qrow, then at Glynda and Ironwood. The weight in his gaze told Onyx everything—they knew more than they had let on.
Qrow was the first to speak, his voice uncharacteristically subdued.
"I was the one who found her."
Ruby turned toward her uncle, eyes widening. "You—?"
Qrow nodded. His hands clenched into fists. "I was the one who saved her from being killed… but I was also the one who failed to protect her in the first place."
Onyx narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
Qrow let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "Oz sent me to move her to a safe house. That was my job—to make sure she stayed out of enemy hands."
A long pause.
"I failed."
The admission hung in the air, heavier than anything before.
Onyx's expression remained unreadable. "What happened?"
Qrow's face darkened. "I don't know who did it. I don't know how they found her. But… they came out of nowhere. I fought them, but—"
He scowled, shaking his head. "I can't remember what they looked like."
Onyx frowned. "What?"
"I've tried," Qrow growled. "Again and again. But no matter what I do, I can't remember their faces. It's like something's blocking it. Scrambling my mind whenever I try to recall them."
Ruby's face twisted in concern. "Uncle Qrow…"
Qrow didn't look at her. He was staring at the ground, as if replaying the battle in his mind.
"They were fast. Skilled. And they weren't working alone—there was at least three of them." His jaw clenched. "One of them—a woman—was the strongest. She was the one who went for the kill."
Onyx's fingers curled into his palm. "…But you stopped her."
"Yeah," Qrow said bitterly. "Stopped her from finishing the job. But not from taking half of the Maiden's power."
A chill ran through the room.
"She's still alive," Ozpin spoke at last. His voice was heavy with regret. "But just barely."
Onyx's eyes flickered toward him.
"Amber—the Fall Maiden—survived, but only in a comatose state. She is currently being kept in a vault beneath Beacon, where she is… stable."
"Barely," Qrow muttered under his breath.
Onyx's mind was racing. An unknown enemy. A woman strong enough to take half of the Fall Maiden's power. A power that should have fully transferred to her killer—but Amber was still alive.
"…You think Salem is behind this," Onyx deduced.
Ozpin's expression was grim. "I have no doubt."
Glynda adjusted her glasses, her voice calm but strained. "There are very few who even know about the Maidens. The attack wasn't random. It was calculated."
Ironwood nodded. "Whoever did this… they had a plan. They knew where she would be."
"And they knew how to counter me," Qrow admitted, scowling. "Like I said, I can't remember their faces. Someone made sure of that."
Onyx crossed his arms, deep in thought. "If they have half of her power… then that means they want all of it."
"Exactly," Ozpin confirmed. "Which is why we must ensure Amber remains protected."
Ruby clenched her fists. "If Salem is behind this… then that means she has someone working for her. Someone strong."
Qrow sighed. "More than one."
The realization settled in. Salem wasn't just lurking in the shadows.
She was moving.
And now, the war had begun.
---
As the elevator doors to Ozpin's office closed behind them, Onyx and Ruby stood in silence, the weight of everything they had learned pressing down on them.
Salem. Her immortality. The Fall Maiden. The unseen war Ozpin had been fighting for lifetimes.
Onyx's fists were still clenched. Everyone has a weakness. Salem's weakness is simply our existence. That's what he had told Ozpin. And yet, the reality of what they were up against felt heavier than ever.
Ruby let out a shaky breath, her silver eyes troubled. "Onyx…"
Before he could respond, a familiar voice pierced the air.
"Papa! Mama!"
A blur of movement—small arms wrapping around Onyx's waist, squeezing tightly.
Hemera.
Onyx immediately softened, his tension melting as he knelt down, his arms instinctively wrapping around his daughter. "Hey, Little Light."
Ruby followed suit, placing a hand on Hemera's head, offering her a gentle smile. "We're here, sweetie."
Behind Hemera, their friends approached—Yang, Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren—all looking at them with concern.
"There you guys are!" Yang said, crossing her arms. "You just up and disappeared in the middle of the dance. Weren't you two just going to get some fresh air?"
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You were gone for over an hour."
Blake studied their faces, her sharp gaze narrowing slightly. "Something happened."
Jaune, ever the concerned leader, looked between them. "Are you guys okay?"
Nora leaned forward, frowning. "You both look like you saw a ghost."
Ren placed a hand on her shoulder, silently telling her to ease up.
Onyx and Ruby exchanged a glance.
They weren't sure how to answer.
Because no, they weren't okay. They had just learned the truth behind everything. The truth behind Salem.
But how could they just tell their friends that?
Onyx exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "…It's complicated."
Yang frowned. "Try us."
Hemera looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Papa?"
Onyx hesitated. He didn't want to lie. But he also didn't want to burden them with the full truth—not yet.
Ruby was the one who spoke. "…We talked to Ozpin."
That immediately made everyone pause.
Weiss's expression shifted. "Ozpin?"
Pyrrha frowned. "About what?"
Ruby bit her lip. "About… something really important."
Onyx sighed. "Something we can't talk about. Not right now."
That didn't sit well with them, but they could tell—whatever it was, it was serious.
Jaune, always trusting, gave a nod. "Alright. But if you ever need to talk…"
Onyx smirked slightly. "I know, Jaune."
Nora, sensing the heavy mood, clapped her hands. "Okay, enough with the gloom and doom faces! We're all still here, right?"
She looked at Hemera, grinning. "And the little bean is still happy and adorable, so that means everything is okay for now!"
Hemera giggled, and for a moment, the weight in Onyx and Ruby's chests lessened.
Yang sighed, shaking her head. "Fine. But you two owe us a proper explanation eventually."
Blake nodded. "And if there's anything we can do to help… let us know."
Onyx looked at them—his team, his family.
Salem had her forces. But they had each other.
And that was enough. For now.