Notes: Hello and welcome to my RWBY/Darksiders crossover, which I am currently just calling Judgement. This is not what you would call a true crossover since I will not be using most of the Darksiders cast, but instead I will be borrowing their world and its themes. Of course this means that the story may have some similarities, but will greatly different from what is offered in Darksiders.
Since all of that is the case this first chapter is going to be throwing a lot of exposition and world building at you all at once, but I hope you will be able to enjoy it. Also please if you get the chance, I would love to hear your thoughts about this work in the reviews.
Also if you've been wondering where I've been lately, well the long and the short of it is I've been working. I've been working a lot, like seven days a week a lot. As in the last day off I had was 12 days ago. Also in between that I went to Gencon and became ill for about a week. So yeah, it has been hard to find time to sit down and wright, but know I haven't went anywhere nor do I intend to. Let this new work be the proof of that, ride or die my friends, ride or die!
As always this story was proof read by MartunaMajor, always a bang up job.
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or Darksiders respectively. Though I may own your souls after this is over. Fair warning.
Chapter 1: The Call
Since the dawn of time, the armies of Heaven and Hell have waged an endless war. A war with such scale and scope that not even the all seeing or the all knowing could grasp it in its entirety.
Drawn to this conflict was the Charred Council, an entity bound by the ancient laws to preserve order and balance. It held that any great power, left unchecked, threatened the very fabric of the universe.
With the Charred Council's intervention, in time Heaven and Hell came to honor the Council and its laws, for none be they Angel or Demon were beyond the swift and terrible justice of the Council's enforcers.
There was the Weiss Schnee white Rider of Conquest, then there was Yang Xiao Long the Red Rider of War, the Black Rider of Famine Blake Belladonna, and finally their leader the Pale Rider of Death Ruby Rose. These four were a fearsome sisterhood known simply as the Four Horsemen.
Amid the Turmoil that came in the wake of Heaven and Hell's war, the first humans emerged. It was long after that, that the Council foretold that these weak, but cunning creatures would someday be an integral part of the balance. Thus a third kingdom was named, the Kingdom of Man.
Now with all fighting halted, by order of the Council, a truce was forged between Heaven and Hell. The great pack was bound by Seven Seals, each to be broken at the appointed time. Said time was only when Man's Kingdom stood ready for the Endwar, the final battle between Heaven and Hell, the battle that would bring lasting balance and determine the ultimate fate of the three kingdoms.
Or at least that is how it was supposed to happen, however few things ever go completely as planned. This is true regardless if you are a man, angel, demon, or even a god.
A great bell rang out from the highest tower of the Grand Cathedral of Oum and it echoed across the endless golden horizons that made up the Kingdom of Heaven. Upon hearing its meaningful melody the angels of Heaven all halted their labors and stared up in awe before broking into a haunting song of jubilation.
Meanwhile a mighty horn sounded from somewhere deep in the bottomless bowels of Hell's molten pits. As the horn's thunderous roar grow louder and lowered, so did the sounds of war-drums and demonic battle cries.
These two events while taking place worlds apart were not random nor were they unconnected, for they both had the same meaning. They were the signal. The signal that the seven seals had been broken, and that the time had come for the Four Horsemen to ride to the Kingdom of Man and herald in the end of days.
Kingdom of Man
Somewhere high above the Earth's surface, above even the clouds, above even the highest mountain top, a mighty thunderclap rang out. The deafening blast shook the heavens and seemed to scorch the sky painting it a bright shade of red before it was plunged into darkness. It was at that moment that space itself seemed to rip apart leaving a hole in the fabric of reality, and then a dark portal formed in the newly created gap.
As soon as the portal had appeared four flaming objects shot through it at incomprehensible speeds. Each objected gave off a wicked aura of varying color, shape, and size, but all denoted a power beyond the realm of man.
As the balls of flame lowered altitude and began to slow, it became clear that they were moving on their own accord. The fireballs were correcting course and even maintaining a tight formation with their companions. To an outside perspective it would've looked like a group of meteorites had obtained sentience, but for those who knew better they would see these objects for what they truly were, and they would cower, pray to the creator that they had not come for thee.
The Four Horsemen had arrived in the Kingdom of Man.
From within one of the four fireballs a voice deep echoed. Though it sounded twisted and contorted into something that couldn't possibly be human, in defiance of white noise created through the rushing winds, the words came through loud and clear.
"I can't believe this is actually happening!" The voice spoke from within a fireball of pale green flames. Past the flames a dark clad humanoid figure could just barely be made out. The figure appeared to be female, with short dark hair, a bone like mask obscured her face, and a black cape and cowl cloaked most of her small form. The woman was also sat upon a pale horse that emanated a sickly energy and almost seemed skeletal. "The end is finally here after sixteen-hundred years of waiting, we can finally ride!"
"Hey I hear that sis." Another voice erupted from a bright red fireball. Another woman spoke, this one with bright red eyes that pierced right through the thick flames created by both her mount and her own long flowing main of golden flaming locks. From an outside perspective it might have appeared as if she was being burned, but in truth her body was naturally like this.
The second horsemen's body was also far larger than the first riders. Her physique was that of a pure warrior, cut from granite and sharpened to a razors edge. So much so that it could even be easily notice through the thick full plate armor she wore over most of her form. A great broadsword hung from her back and her gauntlets were larger and thicker than what seemed necessary for defense suggesting that they had some offensive applications as well. "It might've just been sixteen-hundred years for you, but for us it's been even longer. I've been waiting for this day for nearly eighteen-hundred years now."
The first horsemen let out a contorted giggle that seemed vastly out of place given her nightmarish visage. "Oh, trust me I know. We've been putting up with your complaints for decades now you know?" This comment earned a snort from the second horsemen and a few chuckles from the two remaining fireballs. After waiting a moment for silence to once again rein, the first horsemen spoke again. "So, now that we're here, where is everyone going to go first?" She asked.
The first one to reply was the red horsemen. "Vacuo of course, I figured it would be a great chance to work on my tan!" She declared.
"It's the end of the world and you want to tan, seriously?" Spoke the third horsemen from within her ball of white flame. This horseman was also a fair bit smaller than her red counterpart and her voice was also a fair bit softer than the first two and carried an air of nobility about it. However, the pristine white armor she wore promised fortitude. Also with the white longbow that clung to her back and the gleaming silver rapier that hung from her side, it was clear at a glance that she was a formidable fighter. "You do realize that you're literally a walking inferno right. Would a tan even be noticeable?"
The red horsemen scuffed at white's comment. "I was joking Ice Queen, geez. We've been together for what? Two-thousand years now and you still can't pick up on this stuff."
"First of all, stop calling me that! If you're going to call me anything other than by my name, it better be Conquest. Secondly, I'm fully aware of what you meant!" The white horsemen snapped. "I was just trying to make a point about this being a more serious matter than our usual affair and you shouldn't decide your course of actions on a whim. The fate of the balance rests on our shoulders after all."
"Yeah, yeah I hear you Weiss." The red horsemen said as she waved dismissively. "Since you seem to have it all figured out, why don't you tell use where you planning to go your majesty?"
Ignoring the obvious jab at her, the white horsemen quickly replied with. "Atlas of course."
"Atlas, are you being for real? And I'm the one not taking this seriously?" The red horsemen questioned.
"And what's pray tell is wrong with Atlas!?" The white horsemen shot back.
"Well I wouldn't say there's anything wrong with it, not unless you're actually looking for a challenge that is." The red rider retorted and then when it looked like the white rider was about to say something she went on. "I mean that place is already a frozen wasteland so half the work will be done for you before you even arrive. Then even if you managed to find any people to reap, what're you going to do, make it colder? I don't think they will be impressed. Now Vacuo on the other hand, that place is swarming with strong fighters. I'm looking forward to seeing what humanity can do in a real fight."
"Fighters?" The white rider asked with a raised eyebrow. "You do realize that Atlas is the greatest military power in the world right? They may be few in number, but their superior technology and training has made them a formidable force. If anything, I'm the one who will be doing most of the heavy lifting today."
The red rider growled and looked like she was going to continue the argument, but their pale leader cut in by addressing the last member of their party. "What about you Blake? Where do you plan on heading?"
The last horseman was riding on a black horse and was cloaked in shadows. From within the shadows a pair of bright amber eyes peered outward, like a lighthouse cutting through fog they met the eyes of their leader. Then she opened her mouth to speak and a buzzing sound began to emanate from her as she spoke. "I think I will head to Mistral. I hear it is nice this time of year."
"I bet it won't be nice for much longer." The red horseman said jokingly.
The group broke into a light laughing fit at that, before their leader spoke again. "I guess that leaves me Vale then."
"Don't sound so disappointed. Vale is a fine conquest." The white horseman reassured.
"Oh, I'm not. Vale is perfect. It's just that it hasn't sunken in that this is really happening." Their leader replied curtly. "Well, I guess it's about time we parted ways huh?" She offered.
"Yeah, I do believe you are correct." The black rider replied.
"Alright, let's do this!" The red rider cheered as she pounded her armored fists together.
"Fight hard and remember your training sisters!" The white rider chipped in.
With that each rider said their goodbyes and well wishes before splitting off in different directions all while still travelling at breakneck speed.
Now alone with only her thoughts and her trusted mount to keep her company, Ruby Rose the leader of the Four Horsemen let out an explosive sigh. The reason for her exasperation was because she wasn't sure how to currently feel.
She knew she was supposed to be feeling excited right now. And in a way she was. It was the Endwar after all. This was the day she had been waiting for like, forever. However, something just didn't feel right about it. Even though the call had been sent out, it came so suddenly, and she still had yet to hear from the council. She figured that the council would've given her and her team at least some heads up before the event itself, but nothing, zip, zilch. That was odd to say the least, though the council wasn't known for being very forthcoming, and it didn't decide when the Endwar was going to come so it might not have known.
Then there was also the fact that she still wasn't completely comfortable with her team's responsibilities here. Their primary responsibility was to act as heralds. When the seventh seal was broken, her four horsemen were to ride forth to punish the wicked. It mattered not who or what they were, be they sons of Men, Lords of Heaven, or the Dregs of Hell. That part she didn't take issue with. There was only one minor problem. This battle wouldn't just involve the wicked. There would be hundreds of millions of innocents stuck in between and her and her sister's crusade would force her into battle with them all.
After all, the plan called for Ruby and her fellow horsemen to launch an all out assault on each of the major cities of man. The instructions were simple enough, announce yourselves, attack with everything you have, kill everyone who flees for they are cowards, and kill everyone who fights back because they are interfering. If the human's proved to be a formidable foe, then the Endwar could begin in earnest, and the gates of Heaven and Hell would be flung open allowing their armies to march forth and for the souls of the fallen to enter their domains respectively.
For this plan to succeed however, Ruby wouldn't be aloud to show mercy even to the weak. Since doing so could taint the test results. If they had to call off the Endwar just because she couldn't do her duty properly, her whole team could suffer the consequences, and she dreaded to imagine what those would entail. She's worked with the Charred Council long enough to know it wasn't known for its leniency.
"Well at least a quick death at our hand should be a far more merciful end than anything the legions of hell would grant them. Also despite their self-righteous airs the soldiers of Heaven were far from empathetic for the plights of lesser beings." Ruby reassured herself before sighing again and clasping a hand over her mask. "It is going to be a long day."
It was at that moment that Ruby's mount began to buck and screech wildly as if trying to get its riders attention. "Huh, hey easy, what is it boy?!" She yelled. Then the skeletal horse screeched again and looked like it was trying to stop itself, but couldn't stop without its riders command. Realizing this, Ruby looked ahead to see the capital city of Vale sprawled out before her.
Ruby had already arrived in the Kingdom of Vale without even realizing it, but that wasn't what her companion had been trying to warn her of. No, it was far more likely the towering skyscraper she was currently barreling towards at over a hundred miles per hour.
"Oh crud!" Ruby shouted as she pulled hard on her mounts reins, but it was too little, and too late. Both Ruby and her mount let out a muffled cry as they slammed into the side of the building with all the force of a ballistic missile. The pale green flames had had been shrouding them dissipated as the force of their momentum carried them through the outer wall of what they could now see was some sort of business space with cubicles arranged throughout the space.
Then Ruby's momentum continued to carry her and her mount through the floor of the office space, then the floor below that, and the next after that, the whole way down shattering glass windows, crumbling steel support beams, and smashing through masonry. This continued until she finally smashed through the far side window five stories below her entry point ejecting her from the building. Now in open air, Ruby had just enough time to breathe before she crashed into the front of a bakery across the street.
"Ouchy, that wasn't pleasant." Ruby groaned as she slowly picked herself out up off the bakery floor and shook the dust and rubble from her clothing. Her mount soon did the same and snorted in a way that told his master that he was annoyed. Hearing this she turned to face her mount. "You alright boy?" She asked.
Ruby's mount snorted and huffed. Ruby giggled because to her trained ear what she heard was. "Yes, no thanks to you!"
"Sorry, I should've been paying more attention. Speaking of which," Ruby admitted before turning back towards the rest of the shop she had just crashed into. Most of the shop was in ruins, the front had almost completely caved in and the remains were now scattered throughout.
Also Ruby could just make out a mangled body crumpled behind what remained of the front counter. Seeing this, Ruby's eyes widened before she fell down to her knees and screamed. "Oh no, what've I done! I'm a monster!" However, her concern was not for the poor soul buried in the rubble, but instead it was directed at the smashed display case. Sprawled out across the floor were confections of all shapes and sizes. There were several cakes, a few muffins, couple of donuts, and even a whole plate of cookies. All of which looked like they had once been delicious, but were now ruined.
"I'm so sorry little ones, I didn't mean it! It was an accident!" Ruby declared as she stared down at the mess she had made. During this time Ruby's mount had moseyed up beside her and began to lap up icing from one of the smashed cakes with its black rotting tongue. Seeing this made Ruby's eyes light up with hope. "Your right boy, it's too early to give up! Maybe some of them can still be saved." With that realization she began desperately sifting through the rubble for anything that still looked edible.
After a moment of searching, Ruby finally found one treat that had miraculously managed to survive the carnage completely in tact. When she held the pristine chocolate chip cookie in hand, she held it up like it had been bestowed upon her by the creators themselves and she nearly wept with joy. "Don't you worry little one, I won't let you go to waste!" She declared before lifting up her skull mask just high enough to jam the treat into her mouth. She then hummed in delight as she savored her reward.
Ruby was broken from her revelry when a frightened voice entered her hears. "What the hell was that, a meteor?! Hey is anyone alive in there!? Does anyone hear me!?" Ruby also heard a few other voices each mumbling their own concerns, all coming from the entrance of the shop.
Ruby quickly swallowed the rest of her cookie before speaking. "I guess it's show time, boy." Her mount's only reply was a snort. Then Ruby tugged back down her Mask and quickly pulled herself back on top of her stead. "Right, let's do this."
Ruby's mount gave a nod as it began to slowly walk towards the smashed entrance. Meanwhile Ruby was having a minor panic attack on the inside. She was now seconds away from revealing herself before humanity. "It's okay, you've practiced for this moment for centuries. You can do this!" She tried to reassure herself.
A moment later and Ruby's stead was stepping out into the light of day. Straight ahead of her she could see the building she had crashed into earlier. The gaping hole that she had created as she passed through it still smoldered, her pale flames still clinging to the sides. Looking down she could see that a rather large crowd had gathered around. Some wore curious expressions, others looked concerned or frighten, and all of them were now staring at her and her mount.
"Umm, hello." Ruby said as she raised a hand in greeting. Then mentally kicked herself when she realized that she was not only using her normal voice, but her usual manner of speaking. A manner of speech that was not well suited for intimidation. Her choice of words didn't help either she supposed.
A few of the people around her glanced at one another in bewilderment before one finally worked up the courage to speak. He was a rather tall man with short black hair and brown eyes. "Hel-hello, umm do you know what just happened? Is this a movie set or something?"
Ruby looked down to meet the man's eyes. She could see him visibly tense up when he looked into the cold silver orbs that peeked out from behind her mask. Ruby decided to ignore the man, pulling on the reins to direct her horse forward and pushing her way through the crowd.
"Hey wait! I said wait!" The man called after Ruby as she went.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Ruby said. Her voice was now every bit as cold and distorted as it had been before when speaking to her sisters.
Upon hearing the horsemen speak those words, many became uneasy and began to put space between themselves and Ruby. Now with some room to breathe and a captive audience, this was as good a time as any to get things started. "Kingdom of man, hear me now! I am Death and I have come baring joyous news! The time of your final judgment is here!"
That statement caused a few confused and bewildered murmurs to spread throughout the crowd. "Final Judgment?" One whispered. "Did she just call herself Death? Is this girl some sort of nutcase?" Another spoke. "She has to be right, look at that crazy get up she's wearing." A third person spoke.
Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd Ruby went on. "The Endwar will soon be upon us, but before that time can come, you must prove yourselves ready." She declared before reaching behind her back to draw a large device of some kind. Then she flicked a switch on the device causing it to unfold and extend to nearly four times its length and at the end a thin curved blade revealed itself.
"I-is that a scythe?!" A man from the crowd asked sounding frightened.
"Among other things." Ruby replied before twirling the newly formed weapon around a few times in a practiced fashion. "Now then, for anyone who believes themselves ready for this test, step forward and face me in combat! For those who do not believe, you may stay where you are and Death shall welcome you with her embrace."
With that declaration the crowd fell into silence, everyone was uncertain what they should do. "Is no one here willing to face me?" Ruby asked.
Then a new voice called out. "You there, put down the weapon and step off the horse!"
Ruby looked over towards the source of the voice to see a man in a blue police uniform walking towards her with a handgun drawn. "Ah so somebody has chosen to face me."
"I said put down the weapon!" The police officer yelled as he leveled his weapon at Ruby.
"Very well," Ruby said as she raised her weapon and for a moment it looked like she might drop it, but instead grasped it with both hands. "I shall face you!" Then her mount reared up on its hind legs before breaking into a charge towards the officer.
"Shit!" The officer cried out before he panic fired in the horsemen's direction. The first round he fired was easily deflected by Ruby's scythe and for a moment the cop was dumbstruck by the sight of something that is usually only seen in fantasy. However when he realized the crazed scythe wielder was still heading his way at an incredible speed he knew he could let himself loose focus and began unloading round after round at his attacker.
Ruby wasn't deterred by the gunfire and in an inhuman feat of speed and dexterity she continued to skillfully deflect each and every round fired in her direction until her opponent's clip was emptied and her mount was upon him. The officer cried out in horror as he stared hopelessly into eyes of death. Ruby's horse reared up again before letting out a haunting wail of its own and the horsemen's hand swung down cleaving the man's head off clean off his shoulders in one swing.
Now a whole head shorter, the former officer's neck became a fountain of crimson before he crumpled onto the street. For a moment the crowd was too stunned by what they had just wittiness to reacted, they simply couldn't believe what they had just seen to be real. However when a wet splat could be heard from a few feet away and the crowd turned to see the former officer's head rolling on hard pavement, there was no longer any room for doubt.
The mob, because mob was the only word that could describe them now, descended into complete panic. They were screaming words like monster, murderer, and psychopath mostly directed at Ruby, but the most prominent among the words being used were directed at each other and those words were run, escape, and flee. They also seemed keen on doing just that as they began to scatter in all directions.
Seeing this scene play out Ruby could only shake her head as she recalled her orders. 'Kill anyone who flees. There shall be no place nowhere to run, nor anywhere to hide in the Endwar, therefore there will be no place in the in it for cowards.' Ruby let out one final sigh as she resigned herself to her task. "Foolish creatures, you cannot out run Death!"
Then making good on her claim, the horsemen of Death snapped her reins, and her mount responded with renewed vigor speeding off in the direction its master had willed it. However, this time a pale green energy enveloped them both before their image became a dark blur that stretched across roadway in a zigzagging pattern beheading every person that intersected their path. By the time the blur finally settled, Ruby and her stead had moved across nearly three blocks in what seemed like the blink of an eye leaving nothing but carnage and blacked rose petals in their wake.
Ruby looked back on the work she had done with cold eyes. "This is too easy. Surely they can offer me more of a challenge than this?" She pondered allowed. Then almost on queue, Ruby heard the roar of an engine and rushing winds and when she looked up to see a helicopter flying overhead with the words police spread across the side, and when a booming voice called out for her surrender she felt a smile coming on. "It appears more brave warriors have appeared, perhaps they can fair better."
Kingdom of Heaven: Great Cathedral of Oum
The Great Cathedral of Oum as the name suggests is a cathedral dedicated to Oum, the creator of all things that Heaven's light touches. It acts as both Heaven's mightiest fortress and as a shining beacon of hope to its chosen people. And it is usually a place of complete peace and tranquility, but as it's grand bell chimed, and an immaculate chorus erupted from outside and from within, the Cathedral was anything other than peaceful and tranquil.
Added to the white noise was the sound of over a dozen humanoid figures marching through the halls of the Cathedral. Their group moved in a tight formation with every step being measured. Their garb was a collection of whites and gold. Some wore decadent armor, while others held remarkable weapons, while all featured a pair of large white feathered wings on their backs. Leading this group was a tall woman with curly blond hair that was gathered into a tidy bun and sharp blue eyes that seemed like they could pierce steel.
The woman leading this group was none other than Glynda Goodwitch, commander of the Hellguard the most elite fighting force under Heaven's banner. Because of this, she was also the right hand to Ozpin himself, who was also known as the Great Overseer of Heaven. The Great Overseer is the highest seat an angel could hold and the only one who is permitted direct audience with the creator barring very special occasions.
As the group reached the end of a gilded hallway they found themselves stood before a set of large ornate doors. That is when Glynda raised her hand to indicate for her followers to halt. They did not hesitate for even a moment; each stopped in place and gave a crisp salute. "I shall speak with the Overseer, there is a chance he could be in an audience with the Council or Oum, so I want you all to remain here and no one is to enter."
"Yes ma'am. We shall await your return." The one who had spoken was a tall female archangel with long red hair and light golden armor. A round golden shield and matching spear were held at her sides.
Glynda gave the warrior a thin smile. "Thank you Pyrrha, I trust this place to you then."
With that Glynda quickly stepped forward and pushed through the double doors entering a circular chamber that seemed to float in the clouds. There were no walls here, despite the fact that they had existed from the outside, and there were seven banners each with different sigils hung around the perimeter of the chamber. In the center was a lone platform supporting a single gilded throne and stood beside it was the one to whom it belonged, Ozpin the Great Overseer.
Ozpin was an angel of average height, but while in his presence it was easy to feel far smaller. His hair was short, grey, and slightly disheveled. His eyes were deep pools of green that peered out from behind a pair of small round glasses. Also despite his actual age placing him amongst the oldest beings in Heaven, his appearance was that of a young man that could've been no older than forty. His garb was that of light blue robes and a white scarf that both glittered with gold. On top of that was a set of armor that resembled a clockwork mechanism, and on his back, his wings shown like the sun, and between them was a floating ring of pure light.
When Glynda entered Ozpin's chamber he had his back turned to her and he was gazing into what seemed to be a tear in space itself. Before him was a swirling pool of flame that acted like a window into the realm of the Charred Council and Ozpin seemed to be in the middle of conversing with the ancient entity. "Ozpin!" Glynda called out.
Hearing his subordinates call, the Overseer turned to give her a quick glance before turning back to the tear in pace before him and speaking. "I see, well I suppose there is little other choice. I will see your will be done."
"See that you do. Remember Ozpin, the fate of the balance rests in your hands now." The Council replied before the special rip began to swirl and shrink until it popped out of existence completely.
With their conversation now over, Ozpin let out a mighty sigh before he removed his glasses and began wiping them clean on his fancy robes. Only then did he greet his subordinate. "Hello Glynda. What can I do for you?" He asked.
"Surely you jest?" Glynda asked with a raised eyebrow. "The bell has rung, the Endwar is upon us! I've already rallied the troops and have gathered the Archangels. We're prepared to march on the Kingdom of Man as soon as you give the order my lord." She explained.
"Ah yes, I suppose that's good, we'll need them I suppose." Ozpin replied in the same tone one would speak of the weather.
"Ozpin your acting strangely, is something the matter?" Glynda inquired.
Ozpin gave Glynda a sad smile as he replied. "As always I can't get anything past you Glynda. You know I just had a rather interesting discussion with the Charred Council."
"About what?" Glynda inquired.
"A great deal of things, but mostly about how the Endwar is not yet upon us." Ozpin said with groan.
"What, that cannot be! The bell has rung, the call was given, and our scouts have confirmed that the Horsemen have already descended upon the Kingdom of Man. So how can it not be the time!?" Glynda inquired.
Ozpin gave a nod before explaining. "That's the confusing part. The call has certainly been sent, but not by the Council. On top of that, the seventh seal is still intact. I have even double checked that fact with Oum so that we can be certain of it. Even more troubling though, is that the Council is currently unable to contact or control its enforcers, meaning that there has been some sort of horrible mix-up, or…"
"Or the Horsemen have turned against their master and are now acting on their own accord!" Glynda finished with a gasp. Ozpin gave a grim nod. "By the creator, Oz, if the Horsemen have gone rogue what're we going to do?!" She asked suddenly sounding panicked.
"We must remain calm Glynda, it is still unclear where fault resides here, so we must try to ascertain that information. However, in the meantime we must also try to contain the situation. To that end, the Council has given us the authority to bring in the Horsemen." Ozpin declared.
"Bring in the Horsemen?" Glynda repeated sounding uncertain. "You mean capture?"
"Not necessarily." Ozpin stated causing Glynda to give him a questioning look. "Capture implies force, but it is like I said before, we don't know if the Horsemen are responsible for this. Even if they are involved, there is always a chance they could be reasoned with, so I think it best we use our words before our swords."
"And if words don't work?" Glynda inquired sounding gravely serious. "I will not send my men into a battle they have no chance of winning Ozpin."
Ozpin let out a sigh before he took a step towards his throne and pressed a button the armrest causing a complex mechanism built into it to whirl to life. "The very balance is at stake so we can't afford to pull any punches. If we find ourselves at the wrong edge of the Horsemen's blades then you have my permission to use this." He said as he reached down to extract a small glowing sphere of pure white light from within a previously hidden slot in his throne.
It was clear Glynda recognized the shining sphere since she immediately dropped down onto one knee and desperately tried to avert her eyes from it. "No, I'm not barely even worthy of gazing upon an artifact so sacred, I couldn't possibly taint it with my touch."
Seeing this subordinates uncharacteristic behavior, Ozpin couldn't help but let out an amused chuckle. "Please raise your head Glynda. I have already received Oum's approval on this matter so you need not fret."
Hearing this Glynda cautiously lifted her head so she could meet Ozpin's eyes. His emerald orbs held no trace of deception, which only made sense, it was hard to imagine one as holly as he to mislead her, but still. It was hard for her to believe what she was hearing. "Why, why would Oum trust a lesser being such as myself with something so powerful?" She asked.
"What do you mean by "a being such as yourself" Glynda?" Ozpin questioned. "Please, you should give yourself more credit. Throughout the centuries that I've known you, you've proven your worth time and time again. More so than anyone else and I'm not the only one who has noticed." He declared before sneaking a wistful look at the Sun like sphere that loomed over Heaven's infinite horizon. Then he returned his gaze to Glynda who was now looking at him with awe. "Of course the choice to take this gift is yours, if you do not believe you are ready, I will just have to find another."
It was then that Glynda's eyes became sharper and more focused. "No, if this is a burden that must be bared, I cannot push it off onto another."
Ozpin smiled as he lowered the sphere into Glynda's hands. "Yes I suppose it is your cross to bare, as they say." He said half jokingly.
Glynda also smiled as she accepted the small glowing artifact. However, her eyes widened when the sphere responded to her touch and began to change shape in her hands. First it flattened out like a disk, then it expanded to nearly the size of her head, and then finally the center hollowed out creating a golden ring.
"It looks like it's accepted you. I suppose congratulations are in order." Ozpin declared.
Glynda shook her head. "Not yet," Then she maneuvered it behind her head where by some magical force it snapped in place, hovering in mid air, and its light began to shine even brighter. Feeling the artifacts power surge through her, Glynda closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. When her eyes snapped back open again, there was new determination within them. "There is still much work we need to do."
A few minutes later and Glynda stepped out of Ozpin's chamber and met the awe struck faces of her archangels. Each of them was staring at the golden halo swirling behind their commander's head with wide eyes. "I have returned." Glynda declared to get their attention.
"Umm, ma'am is that what I think it is?" The red haired angel from earlier asked while nervously pointing towards the artifact.
"Yes, it seems it will be necessary for the trail ahead of us." Glynda replied curtly.
"Is that allowed? I thought the use of the ancient ones artifacts was forbidden, even during the Endwar." A male archangel asked in a calm tone. This angel had long black hair that was wrapped up in a ponytail, and his eyes were hot pink, but seemed to lack any and all luster such a bright color would normally have. Out of all the angels there, his armaments were the lightest with only a few armor plates strapped to his chest and shoulders, and his only weapons were a pair of identical looking bladed handguns that hung from his waist.
"Yeah, I don't want those demons complaining that we cheated when we pound them into oblivion!" Another archangel shouted. This one was also female with red hair, but it was cut much shorter and were several shades lighter making it almost appear orange. Her eyes were bright green and had a slightly mischievous edge to them. Her armor was thick and bulky and covered in decorative wing motifs and swung over her shoulder was a massive warhammer.
"Yes, about that. While these artifacts are normally forbidden, there are always exceptions. For example, their use is allowed when punishing those who are in breach of the ancient laws. And since it seems that the Endwar will not be happening after all…" Glynda began to explain.
"Wait, what!? But, the call, it was given!" The first red haired angel declared.
"I am aware Pyrrha, but it was a false call. And we suspect that there is something else afoot here. Something that could threaten the balance and we must find out what." Glynda replied.
"Wait, does this mean I won't get to pound any heads?" The hammer wielding angel asked, sounding disappointed.
"I don't know about that Nora, there is still a good chance your prowess may yet be needed." Glynda declared.
"So what's our mission then? I imagine that if it's serious enough to warrant the use of the ancient ones artifacts, it must be quite a big problem." The black haired angel inquired.
Glynda gave a nod. "You're right about that Ren. Our mission is of the utmost importance. You see…" From there Glynda went on to detail what Ozpin had told her and what they would need to do.
"You want us to stop the Horsemen!?" Pyrrha asked sounding aghast. Glynda gave a nod. "Ma'am I mean no disrespect, but one does not simply stop the Four Horsemen. If it were just one, then perhaps with the artifact it would be possible, but all four at once? That is madness, how are we to defeat such formidable foes?"
"I hope that it will not come to that." Glynda declared. "Remember what I told you before, the Horsemen may not be our true enemy here, and even if they are, they may not be seeking a direct confrontation. Start with your words and it seems hopeless than retreat. Do not face them alone under any circumstance."
"Understood commander!" The archangels all declared in unison.
"Good," Glynda declared with a nod before turning towards another angel under her command. She was a female angel with long blonde hair and a piece of cloth covering her eyes. She was of quite small stature and her armor was of a rather simple design, while she carried no visible weapons. Her name was simply Justice. Justice had long ago taken a vow of silence so she had not spoken throughout the whole conversation. "Now how about you Justice, do you have any questions or concerns regarding our mission?"
Justice raised a dainty finger to her lips to signify that she was thinking. However, then she just smirked and shook her head. Glynda smiled. "I see. Well if you need to do any preparation I suggest you do so now. We shall be departing for the Kingdom of Man within the hour." Justice gave a quick nod, before turning and skipping away down the hall in the direction of the barracks. "And that goes for the rest of you as well!" This time when she spoke, she directed it at the rest of her group who quickly made to follow their comrade to the barracks with the exception of Pyrrha.
Instead Pyrrha approached her commander. "Ma'am if I may be so bold, what do you think is truly going on here?"
Glynda sighed deeply. "To be honest Pyrrha I have no idea. I pray that the Horsemen are not responsible for this, but few other possibilities are very desirable to us either."
Pyrrha looked confused as she spoke again. "Why is that?"
Glynda glanced back in the direction of the barracks to make sure they were alone and then back to lock eyes with her subordinate. "It is because that false call could have only been made, if the perpetrators had the aid of one of our own."
Hearing this caused Pyrrha's eyes to widen momentarily before taking on a far more focused edge. "Ma'am, are you suggesting that we have a tra-" Pyrrha was silenced when Glynda placed a finger to her lips.
"Take heed Pyrrha, we never know who could be listening." She said in a hushed voice. "If we do have a traitor among us, we will need to tread very carefully. I trust you know why?" Pyrrha gave a nod. "Good, now if you have nothing you need let us head towards the gates." Pyrrha said nothing more and quietly followed her superior in the direction of their destination.