I have finally succeeded. All that time, all that effort, the planning the patience all of it is over. I have won. The four kingdoms are burned to ashes, Ozpin and his allies lay dead, the Grimm run amok killing the stragglers or those stupid enough to fight back…those bothersome children are all dead.

"All except you." Salem rasped, turning to face the girl. A frown appeared on her face as she observed the younger girl. She was asleep for now, below the steps and much too weak to escape much less fight. Her expression was almost peaceful.

What shall we do with her? Cinder had asked.

Leave us. I will decide her fate. Salem had answered. In all honesty she had planned to kill the girl, painfully, slowly. But for some reason she had been unable to bring herself to do such a thing. Salem sighed, for once in her almost eternal life completely confused.

I should kill her, I should kill her right now. Fast or slow, it does not matter, she must die. Just like her friends. Salem thought to herself, raising her hands and willing flames around the girl. One flick of her hand and it would be over, perhaps that was a better fate than keeping her alive. But she still could not do it, with a huff of irritation Salem let the flames disappear, looking back over her expansive domain. Some people called this place hell, but Salem never found it bad. Contrary to popular belief damned souls did not come here nor was it boiling hot and always flaming.

"W-what?" Salem turned again, seeing the girl sitting up. Confusion on her face she looked around slowly, until her eyes slowly focused on Salem.

"Ruby Rose." Salem said.

"Uh…hello?" Ruby answered, sounding lost. Salem raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you being brave? Or are you stupid?" She asked.

"I-I'm sorry but who are you?" Ruby asked, scooting back a little bit. Salem narrowed her eyes, walking a few steps down towards Ruby. "W-where am i?" She sounded scared, as she should've…but not for the right reasons.

"What do you remember, child?" Salem asked, her voice softening a mere fraction.

"R-remember? Well…" Ruby stared at a fixed point, obviously thinking back. A few moments later she frowned, cupping her chin a hand. "Nothing. I can't remember anything. Do I know you?" Salem smiled widely, one of her hands gently caressed Ruby's cheek. The girl didn't seem to fear here in this moment.

"Yes, yes we know each other. My name is Salem. You are Ruby." She answered truthfully.

"Why don't I remember anything?"

"Some bad people took you away from me. I saved you but they…they did something terrible. That is why you can't remember anything." Salem made her voice sound hurt, she let it show in her eyes. She wanted emotion to show, for Ruby to believe every bit of it. Luckily it wasn't hard.

"You saved me?" She asked, leaning forward. She looked like a little girl, a small grin of excitement on her face. "How'd you do that? What had happened?!" It was…endearing. She was acting like herself, cheerful and excited. Salem found her smile growing more genuine despite herself.

"That is…that is a long story Ruby." She answered. "But it won't matter. You're…you are safe now." Salem whispered, to which Ruby smiled widely.

"All thanks to you!"

"Ruby, you know why we can't go out." Salem said.

"But Saaaaaal." Ruby whined, pouting.

"It's too dangerous."

"You said you killed all the evil ones though!" Ruby crossed her arms, still pouting cutely.

"Same may remain, I am still taking care of it. Surely if we went out they would attack, and I won't let you get hurt again. Do not worry, someday soon it will be safe." Salem smiled widely, scrutinizing Ruby's clothing. "How about we do something else? I know you will like this."

"Hmm…something like what?" Ruby asked, obviously curious.

"Dress up." Salem whispered, smiling widely. Something which only a week ago had never happened. Ruby was the reason Salem had so suddenly changed, her ideals and morals were the same. She wanted the entire world in ashes, every human dead…every human except Ruby. She had already decided she would keep the girl and change her, change her to something more suitable. And that is how merely half an hour later Ruby was hiding behind a cluster of rocks, getting changed. Salem didn't bother her, her own thoughts wandering away. So far she had managed to hide Ruby from Cinder, unsure of how Cinder would understand this. In the end it didn't matter, if Cinder didn't like it Salem didn't need to care. No, the reason she was hiding Ruby was for something much more embarrassing…

She snapped out of her thoughts as Ruby called her, walking out from behind the rocks. She chuckled softly, watching how Ruby half tripped over her new clothing. She was wearing black silk robes just like Salem's, a bit smaller so she could fit in them more appropriately. The only reason Salem had even thought of the clothes change was because Ruby had her clothes quite ripped, and she even mentioned she liked Salem's clothing. It was actually…very cute.

"Well? Do I look like you?" Ruby asked, smiling jokily. "I, Salem! Am the destroyer of the evil mankind!"

"Oh, so threatening! Humans will surely fear you Ruby."

"Salem, what am I anyway?" Ruby asked, her smile replaced by a curious look.

"What do you mean, Ruby?"

"I can't be human. You're too nice to me for me to be a human! So what am I?"

"Oh…well…you see…" Salem muttered, rapidly trying to invent some excuse. "You are like me. We are the same species, Grimm."

"Grimm? That sounds kind of grim." She laughed a second later. "Get it? Grimm sounds grim. But seriously, if I am Grimm how come I don't look like you?"

"Everyone looks different, Ruby, even the humans are unique among themselves." Salem answered calmly, letting Ruby sit by her side. "You don't need to look like me to be Grimm."

"Well I'd like to look like you. You're beautiful." Ruby comment, looking away. Was her face pink? Was she flustered?

"I assure you Ruby, you are just as beautiful."

"You need a mirror, that way I can see myself!"

"When we go out someday I will give you a mirror. For now just know you are pure beauty." Salem said, one hand going through Ruby's hair.

"Tell me how I look! Pleeeeease!" She did puppy dog eyes, leaning closer. Salem chuckled and didn't argue.

"You have beautiful silver eyes. Your short hair is tinged red at the points and you have the face of an angel." Salem almost laughed as she saw Ruby blush, looking down. "And you are adorable."

"I still think looking like you would be better." Ruby muttered shyly.

"Um, happy birthday." Salem said, feeling quite uncomfortable. She had never done this before with anyone, but when Ruby had started asking her birthday and age Salem had no choice but to go along with it. "You are no seventeen."

It was the truth, they had been together for two years now down here in "hell". Ruby hadn't changed too much, except that she certainly looked more feminine, more mature of her body and her hair had grown long. This place didn't have any barber and Ruby had only managed to cut it a few times with a sharp piece of rock. It now cascaded down her back, somehow the tips still maintained their red color. Salem had asked Cinder of birthdays once, her subordinate had seemed confused by the question but answered nonetheless. Apparently people brought each other presents, tokens of appreciation. And Salem had the perfect one.

"Thank you Sal!" Was all Ruby said, obviously not knowing how to proceed from there.

"I have a…a present for you." Salem said. "Take my hand." Ruby didn't question her. Salem was pleased to see how their time together had made Ruby trustworthy and, to be frank, evil. Remembering nothing of her old life Ruby took after Salem. She hated mankind, she loved the Grimm and would gladly kill as well. She lost any and all "morals" of her real life. The two melted into the shadow, reappearing in another area.

"I-I think I'm going to be sick." Ruby muttered, clutching her stomach.

"Yes, others don't take that method of travel very well." Salem answered. "Look around you."

Ruby groaned, but stood up and raised her sight. An ear to ear smile spread across her face as she looked upon it all. The grass on the ground was burned black, as were some tree trunks here and there. The sky was dark red and the moon was completely shattered, Grimm ran around in the distance.

"Remnant, after I destroyed the humans." Salem hummed with satisfaction. "Beautiful, is it not?"

"It's…perfect!" Ruby cheered, surprising Salem with a tight hug. "I didn't expect this at all."

"I…you're welcome Ruby." Salem answered, feeling odd. Despite the years she never got used to being kind at all, to being nice. Not genuinely at least, she acted it out easily enough with Cinder but with Ruby it was honest, and she never got used to it. Who knows what would have happened afterwards, but a voice interrupted their moment.

"You." Salem and Ruby turned, seeing the angry Cinder behind them.

"Ruby Rose." Cinder said, her voice coated with anger.

"A human…" She said with awe. "I mean, a human! Salem get behind me!" Ruby cried, pulling out a jagged edge of rock from somewhere in her robes and getting in front to defend Salem. To defend her.

"Salem, what is this?! Why is she here?"

"Cinder, you must calm down." Salem ordered, her gaze hardening. "Ruby is mine."

"You promised to kill her!" Cinder yelled back. "Your odd behavior…it makes sense now. It was her."

"Salem…kill me? What is she talking about?"

"Allow me to enlighten you." Cinder growled, in a flash she was by Ruby's side. A hand put on her head, Ruby screamed in agony as Cinder's hand began to glow. She fell down, dropping her makeshift weapon. If Salem was to guess Cinder was using the combined power of the four maidens to have her remember, and she was causing great pain in the process.

"Cinder end this!" Salem yelled, raising her hand towards the women.

"Or what?" She yelled back. "You will kill me? I should kill you where you stand Salem-"Cinder was interrupted by a stinger piercing her stomach. She let go of Ruby, looking down at the tip of the stinger which had passed through her. She made an injured, croaking sound. The Deathstalker that Salem had summoned behind her roared and pulled out its stinger only to stab her two more times. By then Cinder was dead.

"S-salem…" Ruby muttered fearfully, standing up. "Y-you made this world…you kill them all…you lied to me."

"Ruby…" Salem murmured, looking shocked. She remembered, Cinder may have died but she had the last laugh. "This is our world Ruby, ours."

"You killed my sister…my friends…" Ruby murmured, tears coming to her eyes. Salem opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. There was nothing to say, Ruby had remembered and now she would be disposed of.

"I'm sorry." Was all Salem said, words that were once alien to her mind suddenly being said. The Deathstalker lifted its tail for another attack but Ruby dashed to Salem, using her semblance for the first time in the two years. Salem expected to be hit, stabbed maybe, but much to her surprise Ruby hugged her.

"Don't kill me Salem, you're all I have now." Ruby whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're all that's left."

She's gone insane. To know what I've done and not hate me, she is tricking me or just broken.

"You lie. Now that you know the truth you cannot want to be by my side." Salem answered, although she didn't pull her off.

"P-please…" Ruby sobbed. "I…i…"

"You must die." Salem murmured, mainly to herself.

"I love you." Ruby whispered, suddenly grabbing Salem's head and pulling her into a rough kiss. For once in her eternal life Salem's heart skipped a beat and she felt shocked. Ruby broke away, smiling sadly. "I love you, Sal."

"I…I love you to Ru-"Salem was cut short. Her eyes widened in shock, but a different kind. One of regret.

"I…love you…" Ruby whispered again, a gasp left her mouth as the light left her eyes, her body going limp as the Deathstalker pulled its stinger out of her body.