Beacon Academy, a school dedicated to protecting Humanity from the Creatures of Grimm by training young aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses and transforming them into unparalled heroes and warriors.
But in the Dark Hour, that changes. The Dark Hour is a period of time between the end of one day and the next. There are those who can stay awake during this Dark Hour, and if they do they will see everyone around them transmogrify into large coffins that keep them safe from the monsters that prowl the streets. If a person is attacked by one of these monsters, called a Shadow, then they will lose all emotion other than melancholy and become apathetic to the world around them, slowly starving themselves, sometimes just doing it quickly.
Some people who can remain conscious during the Dark Hour have something called 'The Potential', what exactly it is, is anyone's guess, but it allows that individual to summon something known as a 'Persona'. The reflection of the Self.
Within the Dark Hour, the beacon of hope that is Beacon, becomes the beacon of despair known simply as 'Tartarus'. A large labyrinthine tower that was over 250 stories tall, reaching into the clouds.
Wanting to find out the mystery of Tartarus and the Shadows, a group of Beacon students grouped together, and named themselves 'SEES'. The 'Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad' ventured into the tower during the Dark Hour, and then they discovered a conspiracy to end the world by a group of three adults.
They also had Personas, but once they were defeated, SEES thought themselves having stopped 'The Fall'. But they were oh so wrong.
SEES had nine members in total, used to be ten but… Those nine members were: Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee, Glynda Goodwitch, Oscar Pine, Lie Ren, Zwei 'the dog' and finally Penny Polendina.
After defeating the three cultists they found out a secret. A friend, Jaune Arc, was an amnesiac; he could remember his human life sure, but his life before that? Completely forgotten. But now he had remembered, he was the Appriser of Nyx.
The Mother Goddess, mother of night and death, the bringer of the end of the world. She who would raze the world of all life and begin anew, the mother of the Brother Gods. Jaune was her Avatar on the mortal world, and he was to reawaken her.
That night, Jaune sat them down and explained everything. Nyx was not malicious, but benevolent, and that is why she would kill everything. Humanity has something called the 'Collective Unconscious' which Nyx was connected to, and with it she could hear the cries of Humanity. She could hear them begging for death, and like any mother, she would give her children what they want. Death.
Jaune told Ruby how much he loved her, and that she was the one he wanted to kill him. He told Ruby that if she killed him, they would all forget the Dark Hour, and everything that took place over the year that SEES was operational. He wanted them to live the rest of their lives not fearing the coming end, even if he was dead he couldn't truly die until his purpose was complete, they would live in relaxation until their deaths.
SEES had already made their minds, and Ruby agreed with it. No.
Jaune smiled sadly and left, telling them the day of The Fall was New Year's Eve.
It was the day of reckoning, and on their way to the top they fought the cultists again, Cinder, Emerald and Mercury. Leaving the three unconscious on the floor, SEES ascended the stairs and finally stood at the top of Tartarus.
Glynda sighed as she looked at the pillars that surrounded the top platform. The entirety of the top was a flat surface, and surrounded by black pillars with crows unfurling their wings towards the center of the platform. "We finally reached the top."
Blake noticed something and looked upwards "Hey, look at the sky!"
They all looked up and saw a whole moon. During the Dark Hour it was normally a sickening yellow, but now it was pure white, almost silver and shined with an eerie glow. Weiss' Persona felt it "Something's coming!"
Yang clenched her fists "Is it Nyx!?"
Weiss gasped "I can sense it even without my Persona. This is the first time that's ever happened…"
SEES stared at the moon, when suddenly a figure formed out of thin air in the sky. It was large, easily thirty feet tall, with a long sword held in its right hand. It looked male, but wore clothes that looked like it would fit a woman better. It had four long black crow like wings coming from its lower back. It had feathery clothes that came down into black armor that spread off into an armored skirt. It had strange black leggings that seemed to have its feet as simply points facing the ground.
It was pale, paler than even Weiss, it wasn't the beautiful pale, but the paleness of a corpse. On its head was a strange crown, from its black hair it extended up, small enough to not fit on its head, but as it went up it extended out to over twice the size of the figure's head, the crown was also black, with a small amount of gold running up the sides.
It floated down slowly, and when it neared the top of Tartarus it looked at them. Its wings spread out, showing them the glowing blue lines under the skirt and armor that extended onto the base of the wings. They got a better look at its face; mouth simply a black line and eyes were black holes in its head. As it looked at them the smile on its face slowly and ever so slightly widened. It was the definition of terror.
Once it had fully landed, and now stood at the center of the platform, Penny spoke to it. "You are…"
Blake noticed something, its facial structure "Jaune…!?"
"That was my name for a time… I didn't mind it."
Glynda was so lost "…What's going on!? Wait, are you…?
"I am merely a harbinger of The Fall… Although Nyx and myself are now one in the same."
Yang cracked her knuckles "Is that so…? Well regardless, I don't regret my decision. I'll defeat you, no matter what you are!"
"I see… Then, you must already know. What people fear most… What they try to ignore… That is what I am."
Oscar shook his head "We know that already."
Yang nodded her head "Yeah… Everyone does."
Glynda pushed up her glasses "You are what awaits all living things from the moment they are born…"
"Then you also understand that it's pointless to resist… So, why do you? There must be trembling in your hearts."
Ren nodded before narrowing his eyes at the Avatar of Nyx. "Yeah, of course I'm scared… But it's no use carrying on about it! I wanna live!"
Blake stood shoulder to shoulder with Ren and pointed at Jaune/Nyx "…I'm tired of running! Living means looking death square in the face… So, I won't back down… not even from you!"
Penny raised her arms, her robotic body allowing herself to turn her arms into guns "I will stop you, even if it costs me my life. That is my own decision!"
Jaune/Nyx stared at them for a few seconds that seemed to never end. "…I see."
Jaune/Nyx's wings extended out and nearly knocked SEES off Tartarus from the wind alone. Weiss steadied herself "Everyone, get ready! She's coming!" Weiss quickly turned around "I'm sensing Shadows approaching from below, too!"
Glynda turned to the rest of SEES "Everyone who's not fighting Nyx should try to keep them at bay! This is our last chance… We can't afford to lose!"
Only Glynda, Yang, Penny and Ruby remained behind to fight Jaune/Nyx. Everyone else held the Shadows back in the floor below.
'The Battle for Everyone's Souls' began playing.
"The moment man devoured the Fruit of Knowledge, he sealed his fate… Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yes, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination."
Jaune/Nyx rose into the air and lifted its hand, a card appeared over its hand, showing 'The Fool' Arcana, before the card twisted and showed 'The Magician' Arcana.
Glynda used this as an opportunity to attack and pulled out a pistol. It was silver and had the word SEES engraved into it. She pointed it point blank at her temple and pulled the trigger, with a boom blue fire emerged from the other side of Glynda's head, along with ethereal shards of glass. "Persona! Come… Artemisia!"
A pale woman dressed in blue royal armor appeared from out of Glynda. She had blonde hair in a bun and a red bird like masque, she held a whip sword which she grabbed and pulled apart, smirking like a dominatrix.
When she pulled the sword chain apart the air around the Nyx Avatar froze solid, encasing it in ice. It wasn't long though before the ice cracked and shattered.
Weiss, whose Persona was no way fit for battle, but instead used for support, scanned Nyx. "Nyx's Arcana changed to The Magician!? Be careful, its properties have changed!"
The Nyx Avatar lifted its left hand towards Yang and clenched its fist. The ground below Yang turned orange and a tower of fire burst out from under Yang. Yang noticed before it hit and used her own 'Evoker' to summon her Persona. "Caesar!"
With a burst of lightning the fire was blown away, and Yang's Persona, Caesar, could now be seen. It was a tall robotic looking man wearing a crown of leaves, with a large red cape. In its hands were gladius, and Remnant. Caesar, the emperor who almost ruled the entire planet. Its chest was transparent, and inside a smaller version of Yang could be seen, lounging on a thrown, smirking and holding her crown in her hand.
"Go!" Yang shouted, pointing her hand at the Nyx Avatar. Caesar followed suit, lifting its left hand, and Remnant floated in the air and spun slightly before a bolt of lightning came down from the sky and struck the Nyx Avatar on the head. Nyx Avatar grunted in its distorted voice as the lightning arced across its body, but after it was done, there was hardly any damage at all.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… The silent voice within one's heart whispers the most profound wisdom."
Nyx Avatar floated into the sky once again and spread its wings as it raised its hand again. The same card appeared, showing The Magician Arcana before twisting and showing 'The Priestess' Arcana.
Once it landed back on the ground it pointed at Glynda, clenching its fist. A white shield appeared around Glynda before shattering, her resistance to ice granted by her Persona was destroyed. It unclenched and clenched its fist again, casting another spell, this time shards of ice appeared around Glynda and slammed into her. She struggled to hold herself up against the onslaught. But after it was finished Glynda nodded to Penny.
"Come, Persona!" Penny said, her robotic nature allowing her to have a built in Evoker. She summoned her Persona Athena. It was a robotic woman with no arms, instead she had a ring around her with a shield. It spun around and cast a spell.
A green light appeared around Glynda and healed her, restoring her Aura to full in an instant.
Ruby closed her eyes and felt her Personas. She was of the Wild Card, 'The Fool' Arcana, so she could have as many Personas as she wanted. She felt around for one of her strongest and felt him in the sea of her soul. Ruby lifted up her Evoker and stared Nyx Avatar in the face as she pulled the trigger.
Behind her a figure rose up. Black skin stretched over muscles, naked save for a flowing cloth that spun around the figure. It had dark blonde hair and two large white horns that came from its forehead. It held its arms out to its side almost like it was being crucified, it had six giant bat like wings with dark red membranes.
"Come… LUCIFER!"
Lucifer, the Morning Star, the root of all evil. "Thunder Reign!" Ruby shouted as Lucifer twitched his fingers. A bolt of lightning came down from the sky and struck Nyx Avatar, but this time all the lightning that hit the Avatar gathered on its chest and exploded like a bomb.
Nyx Avatar's smile never wavered, even as it grunted and flinched from the attack.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Celebrate life's grandeur… its brilliance… its magnificence…"
Nyx Avatar rose into the air and summoned the card showing The Priestess, it twisted and showed 'The Empress' Arcana.
Weiss was scanning the Nyx Avatar again and again but… "Something about Nyx keeps changing…" Weiss had to figure it out.
Glynda summoned Artemisia and used the spell 'Barudyne' which summoned a giant sphere of ice above Nyx Avatar and dropped it on her. It of course didn't do much to her, simply an annoyance.
Penny did her best to buff her friends; she summoned Athena and cast a spell creating a light of purple around the group of four. Their Aura now took less damage from attacks of all kind.
"All shall perish…" Nyx Avatar spoke as it raised its arm at Ruby and clenched it, a tornado of wind blades came to life around her. Ruby changed Personas to Chernobog which nullified all wind damage, making the blades do nothing to her. "The time has come…" Nyx Avatar turned his attention to Penny and used the wind blades on her.
But before the blades could damage her Ruby summon Chernobog, a tall blue humanoid creature whose head transformed into a mushroom. It had a long flowing black robe and a large silver straight sword. Around it blue mushrooms grew from the ground.
Chernobog tilted his sword towards Penny and created a green shield around her which blocked the wind blades.
Nyx Avatar tilted her head at Ruby, and Ruby responded by changing persona again, this time to Helel. Ruby placed her Evoker to her head and pulled the trigger, her head jerking as Helel was summoned.
Helel looked just like Lucifer, tall figure with lightly tanned white skin, a white cloth floating around him. His wings though were white and angelic, and his horns came from his temples and faced sideways.
"Helel… Primal Force!" Helel kissed his own palm and blew it at Nyx Avatar. A portal formed in front of Nyx Avatar and a beam of blue light burst from it into Nyx Avatar. She grunted in slight tickling pain as he leaned back. Once he righted himself his smile widened again.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer…"
Nyx Avatar changed her Arcana from The Empress to 'The Emperor'.
Glynda summoned Artemisia and froze Nyx Avatar's leg solid, but again without even a grunt of effort he broke free.
"Don't mess with me!" Yang shouted as she placed her Evoker to her forehead and fired, summoning Caesar, sending another thunderbolt down onto Nyx Avatar's head.
But when it hit her head it disappeared. The Emperor is the same Arcana as Caesar, and they both used lightning. Nyx Avatar was now immune to lightning damage.
Nyx Avatar rose up on his wings and brought his sword down, which SEES could now see was a distorted and twisted version of Crocea Mors. His attack, Almighty Attack, could not be blocked in any way. Blue flames made of butterflies burst from the sword and swept over SEES, but thanks to the defense increase the damage did not kill them, only badly hurt them.
Penny summoned Athena and used Mediarahan, healing the entire party fully.
Nyx raised his hand and sent thunderbolts at all the members of SEES, hitting them all and doing significant damage, only Yang remained unharmed, for her Arcana was The Emperor.
Ruby summoned Helel again. "Helel… God Fist!" A white cloud formed above Nyx Avatar and parted, shining a ray of light and a golden fist rained down on top of Nyx Avatar. She grunted again but the fist broke upon impact with her head, leaving her unharmed.
Glynda summoned Artemisia and cast the spell 'Focus' on herself, making her next magic attack do double damage.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself…"
Nyx Avatar changed her Arcana from The Emperor to 'The Hierophant'.
Nyx used Almighty Attack again, but all the members of SEES were able to dodge it by jumping in the air. Nyx Avatar raised her sword to strike them while they were in the air but Glynda used her focused spell to create a block of ice that froze Nyx's right arm.
Nyx looked down at it and the ice shattered, but now SEES was on the ground and ready.
Penny reapplied her Marakukaja, which increased their defense.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another…"
Nyx Avatar changed his Arcana from The Hierophant to 'The Lovers'.
Yang sent herself forward, unfurling her new gauntlets, given to her by Ruby. Ruby learned how to make weapons out of her Personas, and Mara made for the best gauntlets, even though Yang wanted to refuse because… well… Mara. Green tentacle penis chariot.
But the 'Evil Hands' were amazing weapons, so Yang couldn't say no.
The skulls on the ends of her gauntlets opened wide, and cannons came out, yang punched Nyx Avatar right in her leg, blasting her with the cannon before doing it again with the other fist. She would have kept going but had to jump away when Nyx Avatar swung her sword at her.
Nyx Avatar swung her sword at Glynda, but instead of blue flames, a pink arrow burst from the sword. So confused, Glynda couldn't dodge and was hit by it. Her eyes transformed into love hearts.
Now that Glynda wouldn't dodge, she didn't want to, Nyx Avatar sent a wave of blue flame with a swing of his sword. Ruby tried to use her Personas to help Glynda, but ended up getting hit. Now she and Glynda were too hurt to stand up, Glynda loved it because of the spell.
Ruby was able to reach into her pockets and pull out an orb she obtained from within Tartarus, she lifted it and a light seeped out, healing both her and Glynda.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… One of life's greatest blessings is the freedom to pursue one's goals."
Nyx Avatar changed his Arcana from The Lovers to 'The Chariot'.
Ruby stood up and changed Personas, to one she could not use for too long, it would kill her if she used it too much. "Come… MESSIAH!"
A robotic woman with long flowing silver hair burst from Ruby, Messiah did not need an Evoker to be called. She was Ruby's greatest Persona. She sat on a throne made of swords, which was also wings attached to her back, and a chain was wrapped around her left arm, while the right one was held over her heart. The left arm was held down by the chain, which had coffins hanging on it, showing the origins of Messiah…
Ruby made Messiah by using Thanatos, the Persona of the Death Arcana, and one she gained from becoming friends with Jaune. Thanatos was fused with her original Persona, Orpheus and from it the Messiah was formed.
Messiah held her right hand out to Nyx Avatar, and the stars in the sky gathered into one single point, and a beam of light burst down onto Nyx Avatar.
He grunted, the loudest grunt he has made so far, but it was still only the type of grunt you use when you bump your arm hard on a bench, not being hit by all the energy of the Milky Way Galaxy.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… To find the one true path, on must seek guidance amidst uncertainty…"
Nyx Avatar changed her Arcana from The Chariot to 'The Justice' Arcana.
Ruby changed her Persona to Lucifer and Yang activated her Semblance. Ruby hit Yang with a blast of fire, charging her up, Penny also cast 'Charge' on Yang, doubling her next physical attack.
Yang summoned Caesar and it swung its sword in an arc, so powerful was it that it could cut through dimensions. It was hardly a scratch to Nyx Avatar.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly, and forge one's own path…"
Nyx Avatar changed her Arcana from The Justice to 'The Hermit'.
Nyx Avatar cast the spell 'Mudoon' which create a sigil of purple flame in front of Ruby. Before she could react it sent a wave of darkness into her, killing her instantly.
But she lived, because she always kept the Voodoo doll on her in case she encounted an enemy that could use dark instant kills, she also kept the item to stop light instant kills as well.
Nyx Avatar used her hand and cast the spell 'Foul Breath' which created a green foul smelling gas around Glynda, choking her out of her trance, and making her more susceptible to ailments.
Penny summoned Athena and cast 'Matarukukaja', which increased the attacks of all members of SEES.
Glynda summoned Artemisia and cast 'Focus', making her next magical attack twice as potent.
Yang used Caesar to strike Nyx with lightning, opening up a chance for Glynda to freeze Nyx Avatar's torso, of course it almost immediately broke but it did do damage.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Alongside Time exists Fate, the bearer of cruelty."
Nyx Avatar changed his Arcana from The Hermit to 'The Fortune'.
Nyx summoned wind blades to tear up all of SEES, she succeeded in damaging them. She raised her hand again and created explosions of fire in the face of all members. None of them nullified fire, and were hurt.
"Come, Lucifer!" Ruby summoned Lucifer again. "Megidolaon!"
Lucifer smirked and clenched his fists, pointing them at Nyx Avatar as five different blue orbs appeared around her. They all smashed together and created a giant explosion that dwarfed the entirety of Vale. Luckily since Lucifer was Ruby's, she could command who it hurt and who it didn't, it only hurt Nyx Avatar.
And while it was a larger attack than Messiah's, it did less damage, Messiah was more powerful after all.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment."
Nyx Avatar changed his Arcana from The Fortune to 'The Strength'.
Glynda summoned Artemisia and froze Nyx's arms solid, Yang used her Caesar to strike his head with as much energy as she could. Penny increased SEES' damage, and Ruby used Chernobog to cut up Nyx's legs with wind.
Ruby stopped and summoned Helel, using the spell 'Primal Force'. The portal's beam hitting Nyx Avatar and causing her to groan in pain.
"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… In the face of disaster lies opportunity for renewal."
Nyx Avatar changed his Arcana from The Strength to 'The Hanged Man'.
Nyx raised her hand and cast 'Megidola', creating a small nuclear blast over the heads of SEES. Ruby rose up and summoned Helel, casting the spell 'Salvation' and fully healing SEES. Yang used her Evil Hands and punched cannon fire at Nyx Avatar, who jerked slightly with every attack.
Glynda cast focus on Ruby and nodded to her. Ruby summoned Helel again and cast God Fist.
It smashed down onto Nyx Avatar who grunted again.
"The moment man devoured the Fruit of Knowledge, he sealed his fate… Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed… Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end…"
Nyx Avatar looked directly into the camera, directly at the audience
"… It matters not who you are… Death awaits you."
Nyx Avatar changed Arcana again, this time the card had a skull engraved upon a gate.
Weiss gasped, finally realising what was changing, Nyx was changing Arcana, but none of them were her true Arcana. "I sense… Death! Nyx's true Arcana is Death!"
Yang summoned Caesar and used her strongest thunder strike, but now Nyx Avatar didn't event grunt, she just ignored it.
Nyx Avatar raised his hand and froze Yang solid. Yang's frozen body cracked and shattered, spraying ice shards everywhere.
Nyx Avatar raised her hand to Penny, and Penny's eyes went wide as her body heat up, all the machinery inside was being melted to slag, and Penny couldn't even say anything as her body melted into a small puddle.
"You cannot avoid death. To live is to die; they are one in the same…"
Nyx held her sword up and her wings wrapped around her body like a bat, even though her wings were Raven wings. "It's useless." A high pitched whining sound emanated from Nyx as she unfurled her wings again, a white ethereal light covering her body, this was the spell known as 'Moonless Gown'.
Nyx pointed at Ruby and broke her resistance to fire. Glynda responded by summoning Artemisia and trying to freeze Nyx solid again. But something happened, as soon as she did the light surrounding Nyx Avatar intensified and Glynda gasped before falling down dead.
Ruby turned back to Weiss and screamed at her "ORACLE NOW!"
Weiss nodded and held he hands together, charging up an Oracle. Her Persona 'Juno' appearing around her, a butterfly like woman with a mouthless, noseless mask, and only multicolored eyes visible. Juno was mainly a light blue, but held also green and red colors. Blue, green, red, makes sense for a sensing Persona to be colored as the main colors the human eye can see.
Weiss opened her eyes and Juno sang a song, the sound coming out of her face despite the lack of a mouth. A light appeared above Ruby and floated down, as soon as it touched her it exploded.
Penny's puddle merged back together into Penny who gasped at her activation. Glynda woke up with a start, her glasses falling off her face. Yang groaned on the ground and shivered from the cold.
Nyx lifted Moonless Gown from herself.
"Let us finish this. It is the path of your choosing. The time has come…"
Nyx raised her hand and cast the spell Night Queen.
Dark blood red light burst from the moon, shining down into five beams on the battlefield, four around SEES and one on the four standing in front of Nyx Avatar. The four smaller ones exploded and blasted all the members of SEES not fighting Nyx to the ground. Only Glynda and Ruby were able to stay standing.
Glynda used all of her power to summon Artemisia and cast 'Focus' on Ruby. Glynda fell to the ground, trying to reach into her pack for a Soma to heal everyone.
"Messiah!" Ruby summoned Messiah for a second time in an hour, she vomited blood but remained standing. All the stars in the sky gathered at one brilliant point and the beam of the Milky Way hit Nyx Avatar dead on, the Focus doubling the damage.
Ruby fell to the ground but suddenly regained her energy back, she looked to Glynda to see her standing up, holding an empty Soma.
Nyx Avatar looked to the sky as she sighed in pain. She fell to her knees and her body leaned back over the armored skirt. Raven feathers flew into the air from the wings as Nyx Avatar stilled.
'The Battle for Everyone's Souls' stopped playing.
Glynda let out a breath of relief "…Did we do it!?"
Nyx Avatar leaned forward and began to float into the air, nearly giving SEES a heart attack. With the lack of Shadow attacks, all members of SEES could be there for this. Nyx Avatar floated up towards the full moon.
"Such a pity… You understand fate, yet you still fight against it with all of your will… If more people were like you, then perhaps The Fall could have been prevented… But it's too late now."
The moon's shine intensified and the clouds around Tartarus spun around in concentric circles around the Nyx Avatar. All the clouds were blown away and the moon could be seen in all its glory.
Weiss was almost speechless "The moon…" She gasped out as she stared at it.
The moon was breaking apart, and inside of it was a giant mechanical eye. The shell that contains the true Nyx.
From the crown upon the Nyx Avatar's head, a golden beam shot up towards the red eye in the sky.
Yang took a step back in fear "This… This can't be real…!"
Penny stared up at Nyx "Soon… Soon it will descend upon us." The camera zoomed into Penny's eye, showing a reflection of Nyx and her Avatar "Descend upon us all."
In Vale, all the coffins suddenly blinked away and the people stood awake. They were confused, looking about at the green tinted surroundings and the blood everywhere. The people began to panic once they saw Tartarus in the distance, and the moon's eye descending upon the world.
A young man in a hoodie began smiling at the sight of Nyx. "Look at the moon, it's glorious! The end of the world! It's really here, everything they said was true!" He began laughing, remembering what the cultists had said online.
As he was laughing his body turned black and burst open, a black goo bursting from his body and covering the floor.
"At last…" SEES turned around to see Cinder Fall, holding her arm as it bled from their previous encounter. She limped towards them. She couldn't move much more and collapsed onto her back and began laughing. "Vexing, isn't it? The look on your face is priceless!"
Yang strode forth, cracking her knuckles "Shut up…!"
But before she could punch Cinder, Weiss turned back around "Something's coming!"
With a boom everyone atop Tartarus was pushed down. Nyx's mere presence was enough to push them down.
Penny's robotic body began going into overdrive, Orgia mode. "We will never give up!" She screamed as she stood up again.
"Why fight that which is inevitable? You'll only suffer…"
Yang was able to stand up as well "Dammit! I won't back down!" Yang screamed in pain as she slowly stood tall against the overwhelming power of Nyx.
"I made up my mind; I'll fight until the end!" Blake glared up at Nyx as she stood up as well.
Another wave of power came from Nyx and they were all forced to the ground. Penny's body was forced down as well, despite Orgia mode being activated.
Ruby closed her eyes and fell unconscious.
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Ruby opened her eyes within a familiar place. The Velvet Room, a placed she had dreamt of ever since she was ten, the ever-present Igor and Elizabeth smiling at her across the room. Ruby saw that the Velvet Room was moving up, it was an elevator, and has been ever since she first stepped foot inside Tartarus.
"There's no need to worry." Igor reassured, despite his scary looks, giant bloodshot eyes and long nose, creepy smile and voice, Igor truly cared for humanity. "This isn't the afterlife… you are still alive. Do you remember what I once told you? How the strength of your social links will determine your potential?"
Ruby nodded and Igor placed his hand on his head, cupping his ear "Listen… Can you hear the many voices? Each one's power is limited… Yet, they all reach out to you… Can you feel them?"
"Yes, I sense them…" Ruby said in awe, now able to hear the voices of her man friends, spread all over the world, calling out to her.
Igor raised his hands and a ball of blue light appeared in the Velvet Room.
"I'll always have your back, Ruby." Sun said, his voice reaching through the void. "All I can do right now is pray… But, whatever it is, man… I know you can do it!"
Neptune was next "Something crazy's going on here… But I know you're out doing all you can, Ruby…. So I won't lose my cool either. You taught me that."
Leo spoke up through the sea of the soul "What on Remnant made me think of you at a time like this? Well, I suppose you did teach me a thing or two about loyalty…"
Qrow now "You saved me, Ruby… I was so blind before… I'm sure you've got things under control, right? Like you always do." Qrow's smile was audible in his voice.
That was only a snippet of the many voices pouring out from the sea of their souls. Igor smirked "Can you hear them? These are the voices of hope that wish to help you… Separately, they are weak… but together, they will bring about a great change in you."
"Now is the time to draw on the true strength of the bonds you have forged!"
The gathering mass of energy burst into a blinding light and merged together, condensing down into a card. It floated down and Igor looked on in shock, his mouth and wyes wide as he gazed at the card.
"I never dreamed of seeing that card with my own eyes… This is indeed a surprise… Behold, the last power you and I shall unveil… It is the power to bring about a new beginning, or the ultimate end. It may be possible now, with this newfound power… You may be able to defeat the one who cannot be defeated."
Ruby leaned forward and grabbed hold of the card, showing the face towards her she saw an empty void filled with stars and galaxies and all manner of nebula and celestial bodies.
"What you have in your hands is the power of the Universe… Nothing is outside the realm of possibility for you now."
Ruby caught his meaning… Omnipotence.
Elizabeth looked up and smiled at Ruby "We shall soon reach your destination."
Igor held out his hands in a gesture to their surroundings "You must accept your destiny. Our contract has been fulfilled… I have completed my role as well. You were truly a remarkable guest."
Finally the elevator stopped, Igor and Elizabeth's smirks becoming wider as the light shone through the grate door of the elevator. And it only shone brighter as the door opened.
The light enshrouded both Igor and Elizabeth in darkness, and the only thing visible was their ever growing smirks.
Blake woke up and lifted her head, she saw Ruby stand up unimpeded by Nyx's attacks. Everyone woke up and saw as Ruby looked to Nyx and began to float upwards towards her.
Yang struggled, gritting her teeth so hard they almost broke, she grunted and groaned as she tried to stand up, but couldn't make it further than on her knees. "Stop! Don't do this! Come back!" Yang begged Ruby, but as always, Ruby ignored her and continued on, knowing she had to do this.
Ruby floated into Nyx's shell, and was plunged into eternal darkness. Within the moon, an eternal unending void of darkness lived, and somewhere within it rested Nyx herself.
Ruby saw it ahead, a white light. She came closer and saw a great golden orb suspended in the void. Nyx.
Ruby floated down and touched the non-existent ground, her shadow inverting and being white underneath her. She stared up at Nyx as it stared back.
Around Nyx a multitude of ghostly ethereal white arms formed, each one waving about and tipped with deadly talons. This was Nyx's true form.
Nyx was the only truly divine being in the universe, even the Brother Gods were pretenders in the face of Nyx. She could kill them both without even noticing it, it would be so easy.
'Burn my Dread' began playing.
Nyx summoned black energy that condensed within her hands, and turned red, just like Night Queen.
Death
The attack rained down onto Ruby and exploded out.
Ruby stayed standing, despite herself nearly dying. Even with her new found Omnipotence, Nyx nearly killed her with a single attack.
Nyx gathered up more energy.
Death
The attack exploded on Ruby but again she remained standing.
"Is there nothing we can do!?"
"Don't give up! We have to believe in her!"
"Give her strength! Take my life if you must!"
The voices of Blake, Penny and Glynda rang through Nyx, and Ruby regained some of her strength.
Nyx gathered more energy and sent it at Ruby.
Death
Ruby withstood the attack; she couldn't lose, not now, not ever.
"Yeah! I'm willing to risk mine, too!" Weiss
"She's going to face it all by herself!" Oscar
"No, she's not alone! I won't let her die!" Yang
More power surged into Ruby, she stood tall against Nyx.
Death
Ruby held her hand up and blocked death itself.
Zwei barked his own love for his master
"I won't allow this world to be destroyed!" Ren
"alright, let's do this." The voice of Adam, once their enemy and once their friend, now deceased, rang out from the afterlife to give Ruby his power.
A new power is now available to Ruby!
Ruby dropped her Evoker, and blue light surrounded her. All sound disappeared, even the music stopped. Ruby slowly lifted her right hand and pointed at Nyx "Great… Seal."
A light came from Ruby and swept across the endless void.
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Erebus raised its two heads and stared ahead, seeing a great golden gate form between itself and Nyx. It roared at the intrusion and attacked the door. It raged against the unbreakable will of Ruby Rose.
Ruby herself gave up her soul, her life to become the Great Seal that would keep Nyx away from Erebus, the manifestation of Humanities craving of death. Erebus revealed itself fully to the audience.
A great fifty foot tall dog like creature, as if someone had stitched together the front halves of two dogs, and then melted off their flesh leaving nothing but bare bone. A dark oily liquid poured from inside Erebus and covered them as it dripped to the floor. Their baleful yellow eyes wide and unmoving as it raged against Ruby.
Both heads had horns, but one head's horns faced forward while the other's faced backwards. Their skulls didn't look like a dog's though; they looked like a hybrid between a human and a dog, a snout but human teeth in a perpetual cheshire grin.
Ruby's body appeared on the Great Seal, though it was stone and was chained to the Great Seal. She would remain here forever, to keep Erebus away from Nyx, until the day she is no longer needed.