Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own.
AN: Enjoy this strange idea. Details on creation below.
"This is bad." The Grimm's feeler was triggered by a sudden lack of pressure. It was a neat trick, one where the Grimm would only wake up and expend energy to catch worthwhile prey wherever it decided to hunt at. It wasn't as bad as most other Grimm like it. As long as she stayed where she was, nothing would happen. Even if she moved, all they would need to do would be to kill the Grimm quick and carry on.
In most cases at least.
This one was a bit different than the norm. It was covered in white bone spikes, a volatile and corrupted power swirled within it. The moment the pressure was let up, the twisted power within would detonate the creature of Grimm. The blast would be disastrous to the team. The mission would be over, all their sacrifices to get to where they were now worthless. It would all become worthless with all of them dead, the spikes of the Grimm would tear through their Aura as if it wasn't even present.
"Stay still Ms. Rose." Oscar examined the creature with a critical and ancient eye. "I'm sure we can figure a way out of this."
He couldn't hide his worry. No one could escape this type of trap. It was nearly the perfect countermeasure to Hunters that treaded too deep into the witch's territory.
"Don't worry, I've got an idea." Jaune crouched down, laid an Aura infused hand on the spiked black appendage. It was suffused in a muted white glow around her foot in only the blink of an eye. "Just stay s-"
He shoved her away before he could finish, the white glow of his Aura fading away once the Grimm consumed it just after his foot had taken her place.
He was now the one trapped.
"Jaune? What do you think you're doing." When she tried to run forward, try to help him get out of her mess, it was Oscar who stopped her.
"Wait Ms. Rose." Oscar met Jaune's eyes, his sad smile telling them all they needed to know. "This is your plan, isn't it?"
Words truly didn't need to be spoken now. It was obvious what he planned to do.
"Go." He looked away, looked towards where a field of Grimm awaited them. "Keep going and take that side path we scouted and wait for me to draw them away."
"No!" It was a whispered shout by Nora. "We won't leave you here." She glared at the motionless Grimm in front of them, the creature of darkness responsible for their situation. "We aren't going to leave anyone behind again!"
"Listen, you need to leave." Jaune glanced to the Grimm that was still asleep. His Aura still pulsed around him, fed the imminent blast. "Get away from here and end this." He smiled at her. "Let me do my part and you do yours."
"Jaune..." She didn't throw her arms around him and she didn't cry. She wiped at her eyes with her sleeve and gave a silent nod as she hefted her grenade launcher in her hand. "Consider it done Fearless Leader."
Despite her best efforts, a tear dropped to the ground.
"I know you can do this Nora." He looked to Ruby next. "Go and end this all Crater Face."
"Jaune..." It was admirable she wasn't crying her eyes out at what was happening. It was her fault that this was even happening, her fault that she would see another friend die right in front her with nothing able to stop it. "Please don't do this..."
"Go on." He looked away. "Don't throw everything away now because of me. Let me do this."
"We need to leave Ruby." Ren's Semblance washed over them all, let them focus on the mission.
He didn't turn away with them.
"Its been an honor Jaune." Ren laid a hand on the blonde's shoulder before he left to the group and turned down the path.
He waited.
"This one's for you Pyrrha." His voice was a whisper as he spoke to the fallen.
"Almost heaven..." He began more than loud enough, his voice carrying across the fields in front of him even before he drew the blade from his side and began to hack and slash away at the twisted growth in front of him. He needed them all, as many as he could get, to see him out in the open like this. He needed to draw as many as he could. "Great Mistral, sun drenched mountains, Grimm free rivers." He was definitely drawing them closer, could see Salem's many pawns move to investigate him.
"Who is that and what is he singing?" He only dimly heard one ask. It didn't matter as he kept going.
"Life is old there, older than the Grimm. Younger than the mountains shining in the dawn." He kept going as one neared, the same one Yang had fought in the tournament that seemed like a whole lifetime ago. He needed to be closer. They all needed time to get closer.
"It's that blonde kid from Beacon. What d-" He got close enough for Jaune to stop, a sudden headbutt throwing him onto his back. He wasn't out cold but he was dazed.
"Remnant roads, take me home, to the place I belong. Great Mistral, sun drenched mountains, take me home. Remnant roads." He flung his arms out, told them to come to him as he kept singing. Kept luring them all in.
"All my memories gather round her! Mistral lady, to famous to live her life! Red and golden, shining in the sky. Wish I had told her sooner, now there's tears in my eyes!" The first of the Grimm decided to test the waters, lunge at the prey that drew it to him without regret.
"Remnant roads, take me home, to the place I belong! Great Mistral, sun drenched mountains, take me home! Remnant roads!" He sang as the beheaded Beowolf hit the ground and began to dissipate.
"I hear her voice in the morning hour, she calls me and I want to cry. This heartache reminds that she's too far away! But walking down these roads, I get this feeling that she's with me everyday." He rose his shield, forced away the next Beowolf daring enough to attack the strange noisy prey. He sent it elsewhere into the thick foliage with a mighty shove. It's companions, man and Grimm alike stopped their slow approach at last.
"Remnant roads, take me home, to the place I belong! Great Mistral, sun drenched mountains, take me home! Remnant roads!" He still sang even as a handful of weapons were drawn, the shots making his shield ring as they bounced off one after the other. He needed them to get closer, just a little bit closer.
They were all coming for him now. Even the Grimm were beginning to stop their slow prowl towards him and begin to pick up speed. Too many weapons to count were drawn, more than enough to kill him. His sword was useless now so he plunged it into the ground next to him. He wedged the shield in on his other side before he rose back to his feet.
"Remnant roads, take me home, to the place I belong." He began again, started the end as the bullets began flying, as those who had fallen to fear and now served darkness began running to him, as the Grimm began to snarl and truly change him. "Great Mistral, sun drenched mountains, take me home." He saw them far away, saw them look back at him as the horde approached. "Remnant roooooooooo-"
'Goodbye Ruby.' Now was the time.
"-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"
He closed his eyes and stepped off.
His Semblance amplified the blast.
"What?" The ritual was ruined when her concentration was snapped away from it. The knowledge that a multitude of detonations were tearing apart the horde of Grimm she had placed around her fortress was enough to do that.
"Jaune..." Ruby gave a brief moment for her fallen friend.
Then Crescent Rose was aimed and fired.
A special bullet, one infused with the power of her Silver Eyes along with as pure of Dust they could find courtesy of Weiss, was perfectly aimed. Wind Dust allowed it to suffer minimal drop from air drag thanks to a sudden wave of pressure creating a tunnel and added additional distance as it added to the round's already impressive spin. Fire Dust made sure the first shell in the rear ruptured on time, jettisoned the true ammunition forward. A second shell of Fire Dust fired forward next, the super heated projectiles spreading out and puncturing the normally sturdy protective glass and weakening it for the round. Ice Dust within the Fire Dust flash froze the weakened glass hardly a moment later and turned it as brittle as glass. The round punched straight through and into Salem's chest and ruptured into a blinding white flash.
The vile creature didn't even have the chance to scream before she was simply erased. The stolen relics were consumed with her, destroyed with her.
Ruby dropped the smoking weapon. It was ruined, specially modified to fire the single round forward at maximum velocity. The barrel was literally melting from the sheer heat the round produced from it sheer speed, no doubt thanks to the numerous Glyphs placed inside the barrel itself. Yang had helped her absorb the tremendous kickback, her Semblance letting her dig her heels in to avoid moving. She didn't release her little sister as the tears finally began to flow.
The nightmare was finally over.
AN: So, this happened. Watched Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Decided to write this. Hope it brought some enjoyment to you.
Peace.