Hello everyone, and welcome to the first prequel one-shot to "Anime War: Infinite"!

In this prequel, as stated from above, you will explore the backstory of the characters of RWBY and how they will be involved in the main storyline; specifically Ruby Rose herself.

But be warn though... there are going to be moments in this one-shot that you may not expect. So hold on to your butts...

Here we go!

WARNING: This prequel will contain some spoilers to "Avengers: Infinity War" (Author's Note in the end will contain spoilers, as well). If you have not watched the movie, I suggest you go do that before reading this fanfic. Thank you...

It's the start of something else...

Yes... Yes it is...

And it all starts here...

...Yes it does.

Do you think it's wise for him to go alone?

Ufufufufufu... he'll be fine.

Let him have his fun...

Things were not looking good; specifically in Oscar's point-of-view.

Everything had started when he, Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Qrow, Jaune, Nora, and Ren arrived at Haven academy to meet up with the Headmaster of said academy; Professor Lionheart. They were to discuss plans on rescuing the Spring Maiden from the Branwen tribe.

However, as they were heading towards their destination, Oscar felt... nervous. Ozpin, the soul that merged with him not so long ago, told him that something was off. That something wasn't right. When Lionheart called to meet up with him, the headmaster seemed to be calm... too calm. Ozpin never remembered hearing his old friend with that attitude. Lionheart would always sound nervous whenever something bad happened, or he would feel excited whenever something good happen. So for him to hear the lion faunus in such a state, meant that something else was going on.

And he was right.

When Oscar and his friends met up with the Haven Headmaster, everything went downhill from there.

Raven Branwen, Qrow's sister, was there with Lionheart. With her came the people that were responsible for the Fall of Beacon months ago and the subordinates to Salem herself: Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai, and Mercury Black. Along with them was a woman named Vernal; who was most likely from Raven's tribe.

Though that was only the beginning. Through the doors, entered another of Salem's subordinates; Hazel. The man mentioned that the White Fang were outside, and that charges were placed all over the academy.

Oscar and his friends were surrounded; with no way out. They were all played right into the villains' hands.

And, to make matters worse, Professor Lionheart was working under Salem.

With limited options, the heroes chose the only thing that they were trained to do:

They fought back.

But sadly, it was not an easy one.

Jaune was quickly decimated by Cinder.

Ruby unleashed her Silver Eyed Powers, but with little effect.

Weiss was impaled by a spear formed and thrown by Cinder.

When the latter happen, that's when things took a turn for the worse...

Ozpin's identity was revealed to the ones that hadn't know, including Hazel. The large, muscular man was immediately enraged by this sudden revelation. With this led to where Oscar was right now... or more particularly where 'Ozpin' was right now.

Oscar was now watching from within his mind-scape, as the former Headmaster of Beacon and Ren were in the middle of fighting a powered-up berserk Hazel. He was fighting him earlier on but, knowing that Hazel was too strong for him, Ozpin took control of Oscar's body. Qrow was also fighting Hazel earlier, but he was knocked into a wall not so long ago.

To his left, Ruby and Yang were continously fighting off against Emerald and Mercury.

While to his right, Nora and Jaune were desperately trying to keep Weiss alive and stable.

There was also the fact that Cinder, Raven, and Vernal had entered into Haven's vault; where the Relic of Knowledge was being kept.

As stated before, things were NOT looking good. Deep down, Oscar knew that they were fighting a losing battle. With the situation they were in at the moment, it would be soon before all of his friends, including him, would be taken down by the forces of Salem.

Normally, Oscar would be afraid right now; afraid that he will be killed. But, with the manifestation of Ozpin's soul inside him, and the training that he had done before all this, the farmer boy strangely felt brave and encouraged by the situation he was in. His survival instincts were on overdrive, even if Ozpin was now controlling his body.

Oscar didn't want to give up, and fair enough, that feeling was... good. He would admit, it was crazy for him to be a part of this. But what choice did he had? He didn't expect any of this to happen until a couple of months ago. With the knowledge and new memories Ozpin gave him, Oscar slowly accepted the craziness.

Even so, Oscar was still in the middle of a losing battle. If there was anything, anything at all, to turn the tide for the fate of Haven Academy, then he and his friends would gladly take that.

But it was not something that they, or anyone, had expect to arrive.

FRWROOMPH!

Suddenly, as everyone was continuing their perspective fights, a very large, dark blueish rift appeared within the room.

Miraculously, both heroes and villains stopped what they were doing and looked towards the dark rift, even Jaune; who just recently unlocked his Semblance and was now healing Weiss.

"...What is this?" Qrow hesitantly said, as he tried to get back up. He then looked up at Hazel, and sarcastically added, "Is this 'Your Grace's' doing?"

Hazel did not answer, as he narrowed his eyes at the rift. He, like many of Salem's other subordinates, have known the Grimm Queen for a very long time. Throughout it all, Hazel had witnessed Salem do many things, a few that he once thought were impossible to accomplish.

This rift was not one of those feats.

Along side him, 'Ozpin' looked at the rift with deep concern. The former headmaster had lived for a very long time on Remnant. He had witnessed and done a lot of supernatural things for over hundreds of years. The rift that he was seeing right now did not surprised him. But, as said before, he was concern.

"Ozpin... what's going on?" Oscar said within his mind-scape.

'Ozpin' was silent for a few moments, before murmuring, "I.. don't know."

Off to the side, Ruby, Yang, Mercury, and Emerald were wondering where did the rift came from; while each duo were keeping an eye on one another, since they were all wide open to get hit.

This is definitely not my mother, Yang thought, her eyes narrowing. She knew her mother, Raven, was still down in the Vault. There was no way her mother would waste her Semblance just to get back on ground level. Besides, the color she uses for her portals is not blue.

While Yang was suspicious on who would form this rift, her younger half-sister Ruby was skeptical. Other than the fact that the bad guys were trying to get the Relic before her friends did, the silver eyed girl didn't know what was going on. Basically, she was at a loss.

"Well, this is unexpected," Mercury said, his tone showing slight annoyance. Emerald looked at her partner for a moment, before looking back at the rift. Unlike Mercury, Emerald was curious. Similar to what Hazel was thinking, the thief couldn't remember something like this popping up out of nowhere; besides Raven's semblance of course. She wondered.. who made this?

Above the entrance to the Vault, Lionheart could only cowardly stare at the dark abyss that was from the rift. The aura it was implementing sent shivers down his spine. It was only a short time after he made his allegiance to Salem, and throughout that time he had seen a lot of scary things the woman could do. He could only guess that this was another one of those things.

Right off to the side of the entrance to the Vault, Nora and Jaune were wondering the same thing the rest of the teenagers were thinking.

Surprisingly, Nora was a bit disturbed by this unannounced entrance. Like everyone else, she didn't know who made it or where it was coming from. But she was feeling uncertain of what the rift actually was. She then looked at Ren, who was looking back at her. She noticed that he too was a bit disturbed by the rift. Momentarily, they both nodded in understanding.

Jaune was the same. However, unlike everyone else, he was also conflicted. He was in the midst of healing his friend when this rift abruptly showed up. It's like everything is happening all at once!, he thought, now feeling a bit frantic.

"J-Jaune?"

Said boy quickly looked down and noticed Weiss slowly waking up. "Weiss!" Jaune shouted, his tone filled with relief and happiness. Nora, nearby, also noticed what was happening and smiled.

"Jaune... what's happening?" Weiss asked, her voice barely noticeable.

"You took a heavy hit. I'm recovering you right now,... but something's going on," Jaune explained, as he looked back at the rift.

"What are you... talking about?" Weiss asked again.

But before Jaune could answer back, loud footsteps were suddenly heard from within the rift. Everyone quickly got their guard up, as a silhouette of a very large figure was now seen coming closer to the rift.

What, or more specifically who, came out sent cold shivers down in everyone's spines, including Weiss.

Stepping out from the dark blue rift was a very tall male being; much taller than Hazel. His skin had a purplish violet color and his eye pupils were pitch black; with a small tint of a blue glow around the edges of his eyes. All over his body, was a full suit of golden-black armor; with the addition of a golden helmet with a symmetrical shape and golden-black arm braces.

Everyone was amazed by the male being's outfit. But what was the most interesting feature came from within his left hand.

In his left hand, was a golden gauntlet. In his gauntlet were, what looked like, six colored glowing stones embedded within.

In his thumb, was an green stone.

In his index finger, was a purple stone.

In his middle finger, was a blue stone.

In his ring finger, was a red stone.

In his pinky finger, was an orange stone.

And in the back of his palm, was a yellow stone.

While everyone was at awe by the being's appearance, they also noticed the blue rift started to collapse on itself and shortly disappear.

Silence now filled the room, thus allowing everyone to get some time to collect their thoughts.

Everyone was basically now wondering who this male being was. He did not look human, or a faunas, or most certainly not a Grimm. So, this being was a mystery to them.

However, there was one person that had more views than the others.

When 'Ozpin' noticed the six stones imbedded in the being's gauntlet, a rare feeling quickly crept up on him:

Fear.

The power that the cursed immortal soul felt from within the stones was beyond what he had imagined. The stones were even more powerful than Salem alone...

How in Remnant is this being capable of controlling such an unimaginable power?, 'Ozpin' thought.

"O-Ozpin...?" Oscar said, his voice trembling. With an immortal soul merged within his body, he too can feel the infinite power from within all six stones. 'Ozpin' did not answer, not knowing that his mouth hang slightly open.

While everyone was wondering what and who this being was, the being himself was thinking of other things.

Before he entered this room through the rift, which only he had created with the Space Stone, the being was at a faraway place. No one on this planet knew where he came from; which didn't matter to him at all.

He noticed the looks the people in the room were giving him. None of them faze him. He always remembered getting these reactions every so often. It almost felt... natural to him.

But there was one thing that did peak the being's interest.

He noticed that one of the humans, a female girl with white hair, was lying on the ground. He looked closely, and found there was a big enough spot of red drenched in the torso of her outfit. There was also the look on her face. Hey eyes scrunched up and her lips were down.

She looked... annoyed.

The Mad Titan frowned.

But not of pity or disappointment.

But of sadness.

Then his lips momentarily quiver back up. He reminded himself that it wasn't the time for him to feel emotional.

No...

Thanos had a job to do.

"Where is the Relic?" the Mad Titan announced to the Huntsmen and Huntresses.

His deep, calm, demanding voice once again sent shivers down everyone's spines; especially Lionheart's. However, his bold statement did put everyone's guard up even more; as they all tighten their grip on their weapons... or fists...

"Are you working for Salem?" Qrow asked back, as he finally got off from the ground. He did believe that the large being was not part of the Grimm Queen's inner circle. But, it didn't hurt to ask.

However, everyone was surprised by how the Mad Titan knew about a very secretive piece of Remnant history; especially that they were the source that kept the entire world in order.

For someone who has also lived for hundreds of years, it was simple. With the knowledge that he was given throughout his life, especially now at this time of age, Thanos was quite intrigued by the history of this planet.

The wars between humanity, the faunas, and the Grimm...

The creations of supernatural beings and artifacts that are now told as fairy tales...

Even, the Brothers themselves...

And one of their creations was just a few yards away...

"Salem..." Thanos called out, and then said, "So that's the one who leads the Grimm... How fetching."

"Well, when you put her that way, that does make a good description," Qrow replied. He then demanded, "Now, are you working for Salem or not!?"

The Mad Titan remain calm by the dusty old crow's outburst. This wasn't the first time he was yelled at; or forced, or demanded, or even betrayed. Nevertheless, he would always reply back.

"I work for no one, but myself," Thanos finally answered.

"Then, who are you?" Hazel spoke up for the first time in a while. Like Qrow, he was pretty sure that the alien was not part of his grace's inner circle; for example, he never remembered the Mad Titan being in one of their meetings.

It was then that Thanos frowned slightly, this time of disappointment. "It seems that I'm not very well known in this part of the universe... You can call me.. Thanos," he introduced himself out loud, surprising everyone yet again.

H-HE'S AN ALIEN!?, Ruby mentally screamed. Normally, she would find that very cool. Ever since her journey to Haven, Ruby Rose and the rest of Team RNJR have experienced a lot of strange things, especially when her uncle told them about the Maidens and the Relics. Now these days though, whenever she found out about something that was as powerful as the fairy tales she was once told, Ruby would not take these kind of secrets as lightly as before.

It can be said for the rest of the teenaged Huntsmen and Huntresses, as well. Yang, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Mercury, Emerald, and Oscar were completely astounded by this unbelievable fact. To think that a person from out of this world would set foot on Remnant, and thus also knowing about the secrets of the planet as well! It was literally crazy for them!

Weiss would've been shocked, as well. But, she was still not feeling good.

Hazel, Qrow, 'Ozpin', and surprisingly Lionheart, however, were only slightly surprised. They were all sort of use to these strange incidents throughout their livelihoods.

"Okay,... Thanos. If your not working for Salem, then how do you know about the Relics?" 'Ozpin' step forward; who finally calmed down and recomposed himself.

Thanos looked over toward the boy and noticed something very strange about him. His personality felt mature... and wise; which something that he knew was very unheard of for a boy at his age.

The Mad Titan was suspicious.

Without a second thought, Thanos then used a very small portion of the Mind Stone's power; allowing him to get into the boy's mind undetected. As he did so, the yellow stone, that was on the back of his palm, began to glow vividly.

The Mad Titan quickly found that something was off about the boy... but also yet familiar. He noticed, within Oscar's mind, was another source of energy. The difference between Oscar's Aura and the unidentifiable one was too great for him to believe that they were one in the same.

And so, Thanos dig deeper.

The Mad Titan switched from the Mind Stone to the Soul Stone; thus resulting the glow from the yellow stone to shimmer and the glow from the orange stone to brighten. With the Soul Stone, Thanos had the ability to look into one's soul. And certainly, what he found was not one, but two souls inside the boy...

So that's where you are. You must've been reincarnated, Thanos thought.

While he was searching, someone noticed the effects within his gauntlet. Yang Xiao Long had noticed the glowing effects from two of the Infinity Stones; thus making her curious. "What is he doing?" she silently muttered. She, like everyone else, were oblivious to the abilities the Infinity Gauntlet had performed. But just the glow the stones were putting off, was making the girl feel uncomfortable.

"Well...," 'Ozpin' said, slowly growing impatient.

Finally, Thanos gave the former Headmaster his answer, and what he said once again shocked everybody:

"Your not the only one cursed with knowledge, Ozpin... Or should I say... Ozma."

The looks on their faces gave the Mad Titan enough time to make his first move.

With just a clench of his fist, the Space Stone activates in his gauntlet. He swings his fist down to the ground; creating a huge shockwave.

*rumble*

"What was that?"

"Probably Hazel smashing that boy to pieces."

"Let's hope he doesn't destroy this place while we're at it."

"Everything will be fine. He'll never do that to us."

Everyone was instantly sent far back and slammed into the walls of the room. Everyone, except one.

Thanos noticed that Hazel was still standing; having just enough strength to keep himself on his feet, but also noticed that Hazel was dazed by the effects of the Space Stone. With quick reflexes, the Mad Titan switched to his Power Stone and thrust his gauntlet. As he did so, a bright purple beam burst out of the Power Stone. Hazel barely had time to noticed the purple beam coming straight at him.

But he was too late to dodge.

The purple beam made a direct hit on the large man's chest; sending him back and straight through a pillar behind. He can already feel the raw energy that came from the Power Stone before he hit the ground. It was tremendous... and very painful. Never did Hazel thought that he would feel pain with his Semblance on. But yet, he did... and he didn't like it one bit. That was the last thing he thought before he blacked out.

Thanos deactivates his Power Stone and slowly gets back on his feet. He looks around the room to admire his work.

All the heroes, villains, young, and old were incapacitated in a span of a few seconds. With a little help of the Soul Stone once again, he can feel their Auras still active; so he knew they weren't seriously hurt. It wasn't his best suit to leave people alive, but nonetheless at the moment it was appropriate. He didn't really see them as a threat... yet.

"You may be wondering, 'How do I know you?'," Thanos called out, as he then turn and slowly approached towards the unconscious body of Oscar, "Isn't it obvious? I have lived for as long as you have; much longer, in fact. I have watched the birth of your world from the tiniest space rock that came into this solar system. I have witnessed the Brothers creating the very factors that exist to this day; Humans, Faunas, Dust, and even Grimm... I never met them actually. But, I very well know the curse that they put on you; destined to bring down the very force that leads the horrors of Remnant itself. However,... time and time again, you fail..., you die..., and you reincarnate."

The Mad Titan paused for a moment, as he had just reached Oscar's body. He looks down at the boy and frowns in dissatisfaction. He may have said this before, but the situation he knew the immortal soul was in made it so accurately, "I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right; yet to fail, nonetheless. It's frightening; turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives; all the same." He then paused again. He realized the meaning at the end of his statement didn't make much sense. So, this time, he decided to change things up a little. He continued, while looking at his gauntlet, "There are times where destiny does not always revolve around death. No... There are times where destiny revolves around achieving your goals. Same as yours; I had that destiny for a very long time. Sadly...," Thanos looks away from his gauntlet and back down at the boy, "...not everyone can achieve their destiny. You are clearly one of them."

"...How do you know I can't achieve my destiny?" 'Ozpin' suddenly said; his voice surprisingly heardable to the Mad Titan.

"Becuase you are fighting a war that you cannot win," Thanos plainly answered.

"J-Jaune.. are you... s-still there?"

The Mad Titan turned to his left and noticed one person that was still awake. The girl with the long white hair was still lying on the ground; barely conscious from the pain she was still going through. Earlier, before he took action on the rest of the people in the room, Thanos noticed that the girl had a white aquatic-like shield around her body. He also noticed that the boy with the short blonde hair had his hands on her wound. From his sharp eyesight, he had seen the blood from the wound slowly receding.

Thanos realized that the boy was healing her wound.

But now the boy was not there to help her, and he could see the girl's wound back to its original state; the blood spreading once more.

A small shadow cast over the Mad Titan's eyes, as his frown was filled with neglect. He never wanted the girl to suffer more. From the first look in her eyes, Thanos could tell that she had already been through enough. But he also knew that the torment wasn't only from what she went through here; she had also experienced something similar for a long while now. Even though the Mad Titan doesn't know exactly what the girl had experienced throughout her life, Thanos did know that she needed someone to help her.

That's when he made his choice.

The Mad Titan turn around and started heading towards the down girl.

"W-What are you doing?" 'Ozpin' called out, but his words were ignored. Like Thanos, the immortal soul was concerned about Weiss' wellbeing. He had witnessed the pain and agony she suffered when Cinder impaled the former heiress. He was earlier hopeful that Jaune would heal her up. Now that he was knocked out, that concern came back to him.

But, unlike Thanos, the immortal soul was very worried of what would happen next. "Please, don't hurt her! Can't you see that she has been through enough!?" 'Ozpin' yelled.

"I know that," Thanos instantly replied back in a surprisingly somber tone.

'Ozpin' was a bit shocked to hear the Mad Titan speak in this way. It was only for a short while, but every time the headmaster heard Thanos' voice, it was always in a mix of calm, demanding, wise, and a little sinister; very much like how he remembered Salem would normally speak. Now, it was just filled with sadness.

He wondered... why?

Before he could theorize his answer, the immortal soul had noticed the Mad Titan kneeling down in front of Weiss.

"What's wrong, little one?" Thanos called out to her. Weiss could barely hear what the Mad Titan was saying, and she could barely see what was going on. However, as time went on, her hearing and vision were very slowly fading; thus making it very difficult for her to speak or move...

"I... can't.. feel... my h-h-hands," she hoarsely whispered.

Her alarming tone made the Mad Titan frown even more. He knew the girl was desperate to stay alive. But despite this, Thanos noticed that the condition within her body was worsening significantly; her skin very pale and the blood slowly spreading throughout her stomach. He knew he had to make a move right now, or else... she wasn't going to make it.

With no seconds to spare, the Mad Titan went to work. Moving his gauntlet up to Weiss's wound, Thanos activated the Time Stone; the green stone on his thumb glowing in effect. Within seconds, the blood that was leaked out went back into the girl's wound, her skin was brighten up back to its original color, and then the wound itself was closed in.

Throughout it all, Weiss herself instantly felt this fiery, bubbly tingling in her chest. The feeling was so intense, that it made her want to scream in agony. But strangely, that did not happen. Instead, the intense feeling was strong enough to push her into a deep slumber. Not like a comatose state; but the intensity was enough for her to pass out...

Thanos deactivates the Time Stone, noticing that the girl's wound was finally healed, and looks down at the now sleeping child. Her face alone was enough to make the Mad Titan's lips momentarily curve up, "Rest now, child. Your fight here is over."

"Why did you do that?" 'Ozpin' suddenly called out. When the former headmaster saw what Thanos had done, he was... confused. At first, he thought that he was going to kill Weiss. But instead, Thanos saved her. 'Ozpin' could easily feel the dark nihilistic atmosphere surrounding the large alien's body. So seeing him heal Weiss's wound, after he just knocked out everyone in the room, was a little weird to him.

The Mad Titan looks back at the unconscious boy and stands back up. He honestly wanted to tell him why he saved the girl. But as he was about to, old memories resurfaced in his mind; making the Mad Titan frown in guilt. He slowly looks back at his full-stoned Infinity Gauntlet, as more, deeper memories resurfaced.

Little One...

Thanos breathes out through his nose.

He looks away from his gauntlet and, instead of looking back at 'Ozpin', looks at the opening large hole near below the balcony. He had felt, for a while now, two more Auras located way below ground level; much, much stronger than the ones up here. He had also felt a third Aura, but just recently, it had depleted rapidly. He could easily tell that something strange was going on down there. But, he did also notice that the two active Auras had a power source that were very familiar to him.

It almost made him grin with excitement. Not because he wanted to fight them, but because he knew they were the 'key' that would unlock the path towards the ancient artifact that he originally was here for.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Thanos headed towards the edge and jumped down through the entrance to the Vault.

And just like that, silence filled the room once more.

Raven Branwen was not having a good day...

It all started a couple of weeks ago at her old campsite; where her tribe was stationed at. They had some... 'unexpected' guests arrive at their front doorstep; and, unlike most people, she always would not be happy with guests; especially the ones that came to her on that specific day.

Salem's followers had 'mysteriously' found her tribe's campsite and planned an unexpected gathering with her. However, they weren't there to kill her. They were actually there to create a temporary alliance with her... well, originally, it wasn't that at all.

Led by Cinder Fall, she, Emerald, Mercury, and another of Salem's subordinates, Dr. Arthur Watts, were here to collect the Spring Maiden; so that she can unlock the Relic inside Haven Academy. Raven and her own subordinate, Vernal, wanted no part in the matter. But, the tribe leader knew what Salem was capable of.

So, Raven struck a deal with them: They would help Cinder obtain the Relic of Knowledge on the condition that she would kill her brother; Qrow. Why would she kill her own brother? Basically, it's becuase that Qrow did not follow the same path that she wanted him to follow and this led to her disliking him... a lot.

However, after the deal was made, Raven knew that they couldn't be trusted; specifically Cinder herself. So she came up with a plan of her own: take the Relic for her tribe and use it for her own misdeeds. Simple as that.

Two weeks past and the Battle of Haven had begun. Everything, from the beginning, went smoothly for her.

She helped Cinder and her allies enter the school...

She got to fight, and disown, her own brother...

She even learned that Ozpin was still alive...

It was just like the old days; days that she now despised.

All the fighting and chaos that was going on around Raven, was enough for her, Vernal, and Cinder to sneak into the Vault; with a little help from the Headmaster himself, of course.

It was a sight to behold, once they got down there. A long stone bridge cross over the dark abyss below, as it led to a large glowing blossom tree; covered with orange glowing petals that were seen above the dim cavern. Below the branches, rested a large wide double door, with an artistic symmetrical design, within the tree's trunk.

It had all been led to this moment; after hundreds of years, one of the Relics of Remnant would finally be unlocked...

And that was when everything went to hell.

When Vernal was nearing the doors to the Vault, Cinder double crossed the two tribe women by freezing Raven into a block of ice and impaling her Grimm arm through Vernal; so that she can absorb the Spring Maiden's powers for her own goals.

Normally, at that moment, Raven and her subordinate would've already lost. But, that wouldn't be the case.

Turns out; Vernal wasn't the Spring Maiden at all. In fact, Vernal was actually a decoy; so that the real Spring Maiden would be kept secret from the rest of the world.

And the real Spring Maiden was none other than Raven herself.

Now, the tribe leader was staring down at Cinder; who was flabbergasted by the new revelation that Raven had just shown her. Vernal was lying on the ground, her body motionless by the torture she had just endured.

All the while, Raven was infuriated. As she thought before, the tribe leader knew that Cinder, or any of Salem's followers, couldn't be trusted. She also had figured that something like this would happen. But, no matter the circumstances, Raven was still one step ahead of them.

...Deep down, though, she never wanted Vernal to be involved in this. She was one of her most trusted allies within the tribe. So seeing her get hurt by the witch, made her blood boil in rage. But still, what choice did she had? Vernal was her decoy; so she had to come with them; otherwise, if her secret was known to Cinder earlier on, then things would've become more complicated for her.

Nevertheless, this was the choice that Raven had made;... and look at where it got her.

"Vernal was a decoy the whole time," Cinder realized; turning her head to the real Spring Maiden. Like Raven, Cinder would never trust anyone; with the exception to those that closely follow her or Salem. So, she did expect her plans with the tribe leader to not work out well... but she did not expect the little twist at the end. Despite the small setback, however, she still knew her goal was in front of her.

There was one thing that Cinder always strived for: Power. She wanted to be one of the most powerful individuals known to man; and her goal finally came into fruition when she stoled the power of the Fall Maiden. But, she knew there was a deeper meaning to having power.

With power; came fear.

With fear; came chaos.

She dreadfully wanted that; oh, so much.

She just has to obtain it first... But it was going to be a lot harder now.

"The last Spring Maiden must've trusted you a great deal to you before she died," Cinder continued, "I bet that was a mistake."

Raven growls in anger at her comment. The tribe leader really wanted to slit the woman's throat at that moment.

But, before she could make her first move, a unexpected guest made theirs.

THWMP!

Suddenly, a loud boom was heard from the entrance of the Vault; resulting in both women directing their attention to the source. Both noticed a large dust cloud had formed from whoever made their surprised entrance. Both women couldn't tell who entered the Vault, but they did noticed a shadow of a large male figure standing right up from a kneeling position.

Both women, at first, guessed the man entering the Vault was Hazel; since they knew there was no other person in the school that was tall as him. However, that was not the case.

As the dust slowly cleared, Cinder and Raven found themselves staring at a being that was not from their world...

It didn't take long for Thanos to make his way down to the Vault. It was a steep drop, but it didn't cause any problems for the Mad Titan. But as he came closer to his next destination, he could feel more of the raw energy seeping from the two women that stood before him.

He felt something else, though; something that was much greater and more pure than the women's mystical powers. He felt the greater source of energy all packed into a small, tight state far behind the two women, and behind the large double doors that he had just noticed.

Thanos realized what it was.

No need to ask the same question anymore, he thought.

The Mad Titan then directed his eyes towards the two Maidens. They both were an interesting pair, but he could tell they weren't as bright as a few people he had met upstairs. He can see the power leaking from their eyes... that alone almost made things feel marvelous to him.

He then looks to their side and sees another woman lying dead on the floor. Her corpse ruined his mood. You save one life for another, he repeated an old phrase.

"You know, throughout my time here, it always seems to me that I'm interrupting something important," Thanos started, as he begins walking toward the two Maidens, "But, that is a matter that I do not take seriously."

His deep, commanding voice didn't seem to faze Raven and Cinder that much; but it did brought them out of their shocking state. Just like everyone else above, they were wondering who Thanos was. They both could tell he was neither any of the species that lived on Remnant. So, they were both a bit curious on what the Mad Titan is.

Nevertheless, they both focused on the main issue: why was he here?

"It seems like your new around here," Cinder said, as she walked past Raven and stood in front.

Thanos stopped in his tracks and looks directly at the Fall Maiden. "That I am," he simply replied.

"Who are you?" Raven called out.

The Mad Titan then looks at the Spring Maiden. It was the same question the people above had asked him. It was now obvious to Thanos that nobody on Remnant knew who he was. He knew he wasn't going to stay here very long, but that didn't mean he can make a name for himself. "Like the Fall Maiden said, I am not from around here," Thanos answered.

The Mad Titan's comment made Cinder's eyes narrow. "Then you know who I am?" she said back.

"Yes; more specifically your titles. Not your names," Thanos pointed out; frowning. He can easily tell how Cinder was feeling at the moment; and he was right. Cinder was not in a very good mood; same as Raven. They theoretically both had been backstabbed by each other. So, when he'd entered the Vault, the Mad Titan could see that a fight between the two women was imminent.

And if he was gonna get caught in the crossfire, then so be it.

It was at that moment that Thanos caught sight of the Fall Maiden's creepiest feature. While most of her body had a normal skin color, her left arm was pitched black; the limb smoking with a very dark, shallow, black mist. While Cinder's Grimm arm did not faze the Mad Titan, it did interest him. He had learned a lot about Remnant's history; but never did he recall about anyone having a limb mixed with Grimm. It felt impossible...

But, as he learned long ago, nothing is impossible.

"However," Thanos broke the small moment of silence, as he looks away from Cinder's limb and back at her leaking eye, "from the way your body has been treated, I believe you are working for Salem."

"What's it to you?" Raven sneered in Cinder's place. She never liked it when that name was spoken.

"Nothing," Thanos quickly answered, "I do not work for the one who leads the Grimm; if that's what your thinking," he paused for a moment, and narrowed his eyes, "But, I do know her motives; same as Ozpin's."

It was then that the Fall Maiden conjured a long fire-glowing sword in her normal arm. "Then, are you here to kill me?" Cinder glared; teeth clenching in anger.

"No," Thanos replied back. He then looked past the two Maidens and straight at the large double doors. "Because there's no need to."

Cinder and Raven were a bit confused by the Mad Titan's statement, before noticing that he was not looking at them anymore. They followed his gaze towards the door and quickly connected the dots.

Before they could say anything, Thanos spoken once more. "Such beauty, isn't she?" he began, as the two Maidens look back at him, "To find a secret unknown to the world, and yet it has a majestic look that makes you want to sit down and look at it until your dying breath... It's ironic. But, on the contrary, it makes sense. What makes something so beautiful, can have a drastic effect inside. Every living thing has a source that makes it alive. Once you pull that out, it starts to wither and rot...; until there's nothing left but ashes."

Cinder and Raven knew what he was talking about. However, unlike the tribe leader, Cinder was also amazed by the way the Mad Titan explained it. He was as wise as her master; if not as wise as Ozpin, as well. She would have praised Thanos for his dark meaningful words... but he was not her ally.

"I understand what you mean," Cinder agreed, making Raven look at her, "But there is one thing I don't get." She then begins walking toward the Mad Titan; with Raven and said alien watching closely. They both could see that her makeshift sword was still in her normal arm; so they both knew Cinder would not take things lightly. Several moments passed, until the Fall Maiden stopped right in front of the Mad Titan. "Why do you need the Relics? Is it for Power? Revenge? Or, better yet, is it something that you just want to keep for yourself?"

Thanos was silent; as he looked down at Cinder Fall's grin. He can already tell that she was a bit wise herself; but not as wise as the immortal soul. However, there was also a bit of deception in her voice. She wanted to get to know him more and possibly falsely persuade him into joining her side.

Like that would ever happen. Thanos may be a bit of a trickster; but he doesn't like being tricked.

"Neither," the Mad Titan responded; thus dropping the grin on Cinder's face and slightly surprising her. He continues, while walking past her and Raven, "I am not a collector; nor am I conqueror. In fact, I'm a survivor. You see, Fall Maiden, I am not here to claim what is rightfully mine. I am here to grab a piece of a puzzle; that I once thought was much smaller. That puzzle is my quest for not vengeance or power, but my destiny."

"Your destiny?" Raven sarcastically repeated; which the Mad Titan paid no mind to.

"Very," Thanos answered, as he stopped behind the two Maidens and in front of the large double doors, "This universe is bigger than you two alone can ever imagine. There's a problem with it; a problem that I, and only I, can fix."

As he said his latest statement, much like everyone above, Cinder and Raven were left shocked. This helped them a lot as to what the Mad Titan was. It also creeped them out a bit.

His skin...

His size...

His armor...

All of it screamed 'ALIEN'. But that was only the beginning...

"...And what's that problem?" Cinder hesitantly asked; as she recompose herself.

"Overpopulation," Thanos answered; without turning his head back, "Every world is born with resources. These resources are capable for many things; food, water, shelter, and most importantly life... Mortals thrive on resources. It helps them survive and reproduce. Without it, they face extinction," he pauses for a moment; looking up at the large tree that glowed before him, "Sadly, there is one flaw to resources. It's finite. One planet contains so much of it, and yet mortals are careless about containing their purpose to survive. That's when the balance tips. Mortals rise; resources fall. Problems are then formed, and then conflict strikes." He then finishes up, while clenching his Infinity Gauntlet in anger, "Then the conflict stops, and what remains are the ones who suffer the most: the survivors."

There was a long moment of silence that filled the chamber.

The two Maidens were again surprised by the Mad Titan's words. His explanation about the universe had a lot of realism. It almost gave them this bad vibe about the world around them.

Almost.

Unknown to each other, Cinder and Raven had to go through many struggles throughout most of their lives. It wasn't easy for Cinder Fall to join Salem's inner circle; the tasks that she had to complete, especially with her most recent one. It wasn't easy for Raven Branwen to survive within her tribe; let alone to eventually become their leader and, most recently, the Spring Maiden. They both were used to the horrors of Remnant.

"That is one thing that I do not like about Remnant," Thanos announced, pushing the Maidens out of their thoughts. They noticed the Mad Titan had just turned around to face them, "It's the fact that the civilizations have yet to fully develop. From the earliest recordings, humanity and faunas have fought the Grimm to this day. Dust may have been a factor into maintaining the Grimm.. and build their roots. But, it'll only be a matter of time before they run out." Thanos turned his direct attention back to Cinder; his eyes narrowing a little, "I don't mean to criticize your master, Fall Maiden; but I see no doubt into telling you what she has done so far."

This made Cinder and Raven a bit curious into what the Mad Titan had to say next; more so for Cinder, becuase she never liked anyone criticizing her Grace. That thought alone made her good eye narrow in annoyance; her pupil glowing from the great power she held.

"Salem's way of balancing this world is incorrect and immoral," Thanos began, "Her only goal is to eradicate all life; plain and simple. But when the deed is done, who will use Remnant's resources? Grimm can't use them, because they have no soul. There will be no one else to claim this world; unless your happening to visit this planet from space. Besides the fact, no matter what your master will do, Remnant will be left unchecked. This planet, and many others, needs correcting."

Power was once again leaking from Cinder's good eye. She was now furious. The Mad Titan's words had pushed all of her buttons. How dare you..., she thought; gritting her teeth. She could barely restrained herself from attacking Thanos.

Raven, however, was feeling different. For a moment, she praised the Mad Titan for insulting the Grimm Queen. Like him, Raven despised Salem... Basically, she was never fond of anyone but her tribe; especially the Grimm.

"That is why I am here," Thanos began his conclusion, "The Relics of Remnant are a piece that I need to balance the universe. Without them, I won't get anything done."

"Do you even know what the Relics are capable of doing?" Cinder instantly talked back, her voice filled with fury. More power was leaking from her good eye.

Thanos frowned. He could tell there was a lot of tension within the Fall Maiden; a feeling that he expected when he criticized her master. However, just like with the dusty old crow, Cinder's anger did not bother the Mad Titan. "I do," he answered, "Choice, Creation, Destruction," he momentarily looks back at the glowing tree, "and Knowledge. Each Relic contains a specific ability; a last gift left behind by the Brothers." He once again raises his Infinity Gauntlet to his face, "May not be efficient as to what I have now, but it is still very useful."

"You don't say," Raven rolled her eyes, her hands placed on her hips.

Thanos looks away from his gauntlet and towards the tribe leader, "There is a catch, however. In order to obtain a Relic, one must first unlock it. But only one person is capable of pulling off such a feat; and I know who."

It was now Raven's turn to glare. She already knew what the Mad Titan was referring towards; there were too many hints that he pointed out.

"I don't mind if you lend me a hand on unlocking the Relic of Knowledge, Spring Maiden," Thanos continued. He then narrowed his eyes more, "But, I don't think you are willing to do that for me. I have already sensed that you two are planning on taking the Relic for your own."

"You are correct," Raven answered. It was then that the Spring Maiden conjured an ice sword in her right hand; her eyes leaking in a red glow. Cinder had also transfused her fire sword into a double-edge sword; her good eye leaking in an orange glow.

"I do not intend on fighting you two," Thanos said. As to warn them, he then clenches his Infinity Gauntlet; all six Infinity Stones glowing in effect, "Know this: If you strike me now, then there will be the possibility that only one of us will make it out of here alive."

That warning, for the first time, sent shivers down the Maiden's spines. But, nevertheless, the two still held their ground.

"I'll take my chances," Raven and Cinder both said in sync.

It was then, at that moment, that the battle between the Fall Maiden, the Spring Maiden, and the Mad Titan had begun.

Okay, two-parter! To be honest, I did not expect this to be this long... :(

But, I did got a lot covered. So, there's that.

You guys may be wondering a few key questions like 'What the hell is going on!?'

Well, I'll answer them right here:

1.) Q: When does this story take place?

An: Well, if you know RWBY, this takes place near the end of Volume 5; around episodes 12 and 13. But for the MCU,... you already saw a hint in my first trailer; this takes place after "Avengers: Infinity War".

Which now leads to the second question:

2.) Q: Since this story is set after "Avengers: Infinity War", then why can't Thanos just snap his fingers?

An: Simple really: He can't; not on a major scale. There's a reason for this; which will be fully explored in the main story.

3.) Q: Why did Thanos save Weiss?

An: Because Weiss reminded Thanos of his adopted daughter Gamora; which you all know by now what happen to her... :(

4.) Q: Who were the two voices in the beginning?

An: First off; it's not the Black Order (RIP). One of them is an OC; while the other is a familar Anime villain.

That's all I have, for now. I really want to get to the 'emotional' part of this prequel, but I guess that's going to be saved for the second half, as well.

I hope you guys like the first half; leave a review if you did. Let me know what you guys think on how well I portrayed Thanos' character.

And I hope to see you all on the second half.

See ya later, everyone!