At the center of the universe, at the border of the Light and the Dark, stands… Castle Grayskull. For countless ages, The Sorceress of Grayskull has kept this universe in harmony. But the armies of darkness do not rest. Which is why it has long since become hidden from the eyes of the world. For within the walls of this ancient castle hides the Power… the power to be supreme… the power to be almighty… the power to be…
Masters of the Universe
Chapter 2: Sacrifice and Victory
"GAAAAAH!" Ruby Rose yelled as she brought her sniper-scythe, Crescent Rose through a Beowulf's skull.
"Ruby! There's too many!" her partner, Weiss Schnee, cried out as she slashed out with her sword, Myrtenaster, "I'm running low on dust, and I know you have to be running low on ammo. And they aren't running low on Grimm and Atlas Mechs!"
"We have to get through, Pyrrha and Professor Ozpin are still in the Tower!" Ruby said, looking up at the central tower of Beacon Academy, just beyond the massive group of Grimm and robots.
Weiss' eyes widened when her scroll beeped, and she quickly pulled it back while she and Ruby ducked for cover. "Blake? Where ARE you?! Did you find Yang?"
"Yes, but we both aren't in fighting shape… we're trying to get to the port…" Blake replied, "Are you at the Tower?"
"Yes, Pyrrha said that Professor Ozpin was fighting that woman that caused all this, then we lost contact," Ruby replied to her teammate, "We have to help her, but we can't get through these Grimm…"
"Don't worry, you have help on the way," Blake stated, "And he's Big…YANG!" She called as the sound of a small scuffle was heard.
"I CALL DIBS!" Yang's voice piped in.
"What?" Ruby and Weiss looked at each other.
"Dibs. They have been called." Yang stated with authority, "Dibsity DIBS!"
"Blake, did Yang get a blow to the head?" Ruby quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, she did get a big hit but…" Blake started to explain, then a roar sounded directly behind the two girls. Ruby and Weiss glanced up to see War-Hound with He-Man upon his back jump over them. The towering muscle man dismounted from the giant, armored wolf-like dog and the two began to destroy Grimm and Robots with ease.
"Whoa…" Ruby breathed at the sight of the heroes.
"DIBS!" Yang yelled through the scroll.
"What was that, Yang? You're breaking up…" Weiss said, her blue eyes wide and focused on the rock hard muscled back of this warrior.
"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIBS!" Yang could be heard yelling as Weiss closed the scroll.
"Are you two, ok?" He-Man asked, glancing toward Ruby and Weiss who were staring back in shock. Ruby at his face and Weiss at his chest.
"Never better," Weiss flushed slightly.
"Do either of you know where Pyrrha and Ozpin are?" Weiss pointed toward the tower, as the very top exploded. "Ah, thank you." He smiled as a Beowolf jumped toward him, only to be decapitated from a shot from Ruby's Crescent Rose. "And thank you."
He-Man flexed his muscles a moment before lifting his fists and with a grunt of effort slammed his fits to the ground. The impact sent a shockwave toward the Grimm and Atlas Mechs sending them all to the ground. "Do you two think you can handle it from here?" he said with glance toward Ruby and Weiss.
Weiss nodded slowly, while Ruby stepped up, "Not saying we don't appreciate it, but who are you? Why are you helping us, stranger?"
"I'm just here to help," he said climbing back onto War-Hound's back, then said very softly, "a stranger is just a friend you hadn't met yet."
"What was that?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing… If able, I'll be back with the Professor and Miss Nikos." He-Man said, turning War-Hound toward the tower, "WAR-HOUND! UP!" He commanded, and with a snarl War-Hound leapt to the side of the tower, sinking the claws upon the tip of his paws into the side of the tower and began running up the wall.
(-H-)
Fear clutched Pyrrha Niko's heart, yet she refused to show the woman pacing around her any of it. Her aura was drained to the point that she knew her wound to her ankle was not healing and the pain was atrocious. She was sure she was bleeding out all over the ruins of the office. "It's a shame you were promised a power that was not truly yours…" Cinder stated confidently as she paced. "But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways that you never imagined…"
Pyrrha's tired but defiant eyes looked up into Cinder's glowing yellow ones. "Do YOU believe in Destiny?" she asked, as Cinder reformed her bow.
"Yes…" Cinder said quietly, drawing back an arrow and aiming it at Pyrrha's chest.
The arrow was loosed, but Cinder's eyes widened when a spinning sword flew into it before lodging into the stone floor across from them. "What?!" She asked, turning to see He-Man dismounting War-Hound.
"You've caused a lot of trouble today," He-Man stated, glaring at Cinder.
Ignoring Cinder completely, the warrior walked over to the stunned Pyrrha, and kneeled down to one knee beside her, "You're hurt…" He said with an angry edge to his deep voice.
"Who…" Pyrrha asked, gasping when he scooped her up bridal style, then carried her over to War-Hound.
"It's ok, you've fought your fight, let me handle it from here…" He said, sitting her on the saddle. "War-Hound, get her to the pier, my friend." He said, patting the giant wolf's neck. "I'll be ok, take care of Pyrrha. Keep her safe… thank you."
Pyrrha tried to ask what was going on, but the large armored wolf turned quickly, and jumped from the top of the tower.
"Now then, just me and you…" He-Man said, diving out of the way of a fire blast, holding out his hand for his Sword of Power. It instantly dislodged from the stone and flew to his hand.
"You have the Fall Maiden's power," He-Man said, standing to full height. "Yet, you are not answering to the call that comes with it…"
"I answer to no one and no thing…" Cinder growled.
"You don't have to do this you know?" He-Man stated, holding his sword to his side.
"Excuse me?" Cinder was slightly taken back.
"Give yourself up," He said, holding out a hand to her, "I give you my word that I will make sure you are treated with respect and given a fair trial."
"And why do you expect me to do THAT?" Cinder almost laughed.
"Because no one ever wakes up and decides they're going to attack a school or a tournament," He-Man stated, "No one wakes up and decides to hurt people. Something caused you to be like this. Someone or something hurt you. And I want to help. But this… this won't help you."
"You…" Cinder seemed taken back before her eyes began to glow again, "ARE A FOOL!" She released a blast of flames toward him. He quickly lifted his sword to block the attack, and to the Corrupt Fall Maiden's surprise, the Sword of Power seemed to absorb every last bit of her attack. "Wha…How?!"
Before either could respond, the Sword glowed bright red, and released the same attack right back at its sender. Cinder screamed as the blast struck her directly in the face, catching her clothing and hair on fire.
"Cinder!" He-Man called, moving quickly toward the screaming woman. Before he could reach her though, the Grimm Dragon responded to his mistress' cry and swooped down attacking the warrior.
He-Man yelped as he was knocked form the top of the tower, but stabbed the Sword into the wall of the Tower to slow his decent, before falling backwards into the fountain. "Are you ok?" Ruby asked as she and Weiss ran to the warrior's side.
"Get back!" He-Man called, seeing the Dragon diving toward him.
He quickly the two girls and dove away, as the dragon slammed claws first into the fountain.
"You've got muscles…" Weiss squeaked against his chest with his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
"Apparently," He said sitting the two huntresses down, "So does this guy…" He-Man met the Dragon's diving snap of its jaws, with a massive punch to the nose.
The girls watched as the warrior jumped into battle with the dragon.
"You've got muscles… Really?" Ruby asked with a wave of her hand.
"Well, I can't help it!" Weiss replied, "And we're in the middle of a fight, can we talk about this later?"
He-Man jumped to the side as the Dragon slashed at him with its claw. "You are a fast one…" He then gasped when the wing slapped him sending him flying into one of the pillars around the tower. "And strong… but that thing isn't a push over…"
"You're right, Weiss, we have to help him…" Ruby transformed Crescent Rose into its rifle-mode, "ICE FLOWER!" she called out. Weiss nodded and made a few intricate movements, creating a glyph before the barrel of Ruby's rifle.
Ruby fired a series of rounds that passed through Weiss' glyph creating patches of ice on the Dragon.
"I have to pierce its scales," He-Man growled, gripping the Power Sword.
"Then let's get to cutting," Ruby smiled, extending Crescent Rose back into scythe mode.
As Ruby ran passed He-Man her eyes were drawn to his sword. Something about it drew her to it. It was almost like a flower reaching for the sun, the shimmering silver metal seemed to almost… feed her.
"Ruby? What?" Weiss asked her eyes growing wide as Ruby's eyes and Crescent Rose's blades began to grow a bright silver.
The young huntress seemed to go into a daze as she moved with speed far greater than even she had ever before. The glowing blades of her scythe cut through the dragon's armor-like scales as if it was made of paper, she ducked and dodged as it snapped and clawed at her, but kept on the attack, before she pulled the trigger to rocket herself back, giving He-Man a nod as she landed back at his side.
His blue eyes focused on the series of deep cuts in the center of the Grimm Dragon's chest, before he launched himself forward, the tip of the Sword of Power aimed for the X-like wound. With a roar from both Champion and Dragon, the Sword plunged deep into its chest.
"IT'S STILL ALIVE!" Weiss cried out, as the Dragon lifted his head, preparing to strike at its attacker.
Gritting his teeth, He-Man tightened his grip on the Sword, then boldly called out: "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL!"
The sword exploded in white light, as the Dragon threw his head back in pain, the same light erupting from its eyes, nose and mouth. Its entire body tightened as it screamed in pain before it exploded in black smoke and bright light. In the center of the settling smoke, He-Man stood glowing, he grabbed the tip of his sword with his free hand, and pulled it toward his chest, flexing his powerful muscles. "I HAVE THE POWER!"
"Whoa…" Ruby breathed as the girls stared at the hero.
"Now, where was I…" he glanced up to see a Nevermore taking flight with the injured Cinder in its talons. "Won't be the last time we see her…" He-Man frowned, before turning to the girls as War-Hound with Pyrrha approached. "Have no fear, we'll get you all to the port to meet the others."
He offered his hand to Ruby and Weiss, "Care for a lift?"
He-Man lifted Ruby and Weiss and let them set on his shoulders. "Alright, girls, hold on tight." He advised.
"Gladly…" Weiss smiled slightly as she gripped his shoulder strap. Her cheeks colored as she felt his muscled shoulder. "muscles…" she murmured under her breath.
"War-Hound, COME!" He said, leaping high into the air with a screaming Weiss and a squealing and cheering Ruby, and his partner right behind with Pyrrha holding on as best she could to his saddle. He then glanced toward Ruby and Weiss perched on his shoulders, "Hold on, ladies, here we go…" And with that they were off, running and jumping through the city at neck break speeds, with War-Hound and Pyrrha right beside them.
What would have been a long hike through the city, only took minutes.
At the dock, all remaining Hunters and Huntresses were gathered. General James Ironwood and Blake stood to the side as Professor Goodwitch looked over Yang's arm. "This is astounding… it looks like a completely healed scar, and you have full movement it seems… But I still want you to be checked out… Who did you say did this?"
"Him!" Blake said pointing as He-Man and War-Hound arrived with the girls.
"I called Dibs…" Yang growled, glaring with red eyes at her sister and Weiss who were seated upon the Hero's shoulders. The powerful warrior gently lifted the girls with one hand each and set them down before him.
"I need a medic," He-Man called out, turning to War-Hound and the pale, exhausted Pyrrha. With gentle hands, he lifted her up into a cradle and turned toward the group.
"What happened?" Professor Goodwitch asked as she and Ironwood rushed toward him.
"She tried to fight Cinder Fall, the one behind this attack," He-Man stated, glancing down to the barely conscious redhead. "She was almost killed. I… don't want to imagine what would have happened if I had not made it in time."
"I'm glad you did… was there any sign of Professor Ozpin?" Prof Goodwitch said, using her crop to summon a stretcher.
"No," He-Man said, placing her gently on the stretcher. "There was no sign of him."
"He's dead…" Pyrrha said softly, her tired green eyes opening and slowly sitting up on the cot. "He took on that woman and she made it out… and he didn't. I… do not see him letting her escape, or her leaving him alive…" Pyrrha said sadly. The group lowered their head somberly.
"Not that we're complaining at your assistance, stranger," Ironwood said, looking the warrior over, "But who are you?"
"You never studied history did you, Jimmy?" Qrow said walking up with his scythe held on his shoulder, "You're standing before a living legend."
"Living legend?" Ironwood asked, in annoyance at the often drunk Huntsman.
"Throughout Remnant's history, in its darkest hours, the Guardian of Grayskull would appear and stand against the darkness, usually at the call of the silver eyed warriors." Qrow said, "With Beacon being attacked and who could possibly be the last of the Silver-Eyed line in danger, are you surprised He-Man would return?"
"I have silver eyes…" Ruby said softly, confused at what she has to do with this towering warrior.
"Yeah you do, Kiddo," Qrow said, placing a hand on her shoulders, "And it means a lot more than you realize... at least yet…"
"Thank you, Guardian," Ironwood bowed to the warrior, then turned to the group of tired and injured student huntresses and huntsmen. "Team leaders, I need to have any missing students to be reported immediately for search and rescue."
"Where's Jaune?" Ren asked from Pyrrha's bedside, as Nora simply stared at He-Man.
"Hold on…" Pyrrha pulled out her scroll, and instantly all tiredness left her eyes as panicked adrenaline filled her veins. "Oh God… Oh God no…" She said as she saw her, Nora and Ren's weakened but active aura levels, but Jaune's was greyed out and zero. She shook as she dialed his number. "Jaune, pick up… pick up pick up pick up…" She said, as tears began to form in her green eyes.
She began to send video texts. "Jaune where ARE YOU?" She asked into the scroll. "Jaune where did you go? Please answer this! Please… please oh God, please, don't leave me…" She whispered breaking into sobs as Ren placed an arm around her, while Nora continued to glare at He-Man as if to say 'do something'.
"Let's go, see if we can find any of them," He-Man said, turning and jumping on War-Hound's back, "If I find your friend I will send him your way… maybe… his scroll was damaged or something…" He said, kicking War-Hound's side and they jumped off into the night.
Once he was a good distance away. He dismounted War-Hound and drew the Sword of Power and held it high in the air. "LET THE POWER… RETURN!" In a flash of light He-Man and War-Hound was replaced by Jaune and Zwei. "Well… that was a thing…" Jaune said, pulling out his scroll and was surprised to see his Aura level remained flat line. "I… what?" he blinked in confusion, while Zwei just wagged his tail at him.
Before he could think any more on it, it began receiving Pyrrha's messages followed by Ruby and even Weiss. He closed the scroll down, and motioned for the small corgi to follow as he ran toward the dock.
"There he is!" Blake said happily.
"Pyrrha, don't," Ren tried to stop the redhead, but she was already half way off the stretcher, limping forward to meet Jaune.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune gasped when he saw her legs beginning to buckle and rushed forward, catching her before she felt, and she clung to him as he lowered them down to their knees.
"You're ok... You're ok… You're ok…" Pyrrha sobbed into his shoulder.
"What happened?" Ren asked, "Your aura reading is still showing nothing…"
"I… I don't know…" Jaune said as Pyrrha continued to cling to him, "I don't feel any different."
"How long ago did you unlock your aura, Kid?" Qrow asked, crossing his arms.
"Last… last semester, Pyrrha helped me…" Jaune stated.
"I was afraid of that," Qrow said, pulling out his flask, "You shouldn't have even been here. It's a miracle you've made it this long. It's rare but if you wait this late in life to unlock your aura, it won't sustain. You've been burnt out. I hate to tell you this, Kid, but your Huntsmen days are done." He said, and Pyrrha clung to him even harder.
"Ms. Nikos, we have to get that ankle and other injuries looked at…" Professor Goodwitch said, reaching to help her back to the stretcher, but the redhead just held onto Jaune tighter.
"It's ok, we'll talk about this later, ok?" Jaune said, easing Pyrrha's arms from him.
She finally reluctantly relented and Professor Goodwitch and Ren helped her to the stretcher to be taken to the Atlas medical ship. Ren followed behind and Nora stalled a moment to stare at Jaune a moment before following herself, as well as Team RWBY to be checked over themselves.
"Are you serious? Did … what I do burn out my Aura?" Jaune asked, looking at his hands.
"are you kidding, Kid?" Qrow shook his head, "You have more aura now than anyone in the world," He said taking a swig from his flask, "It's too much for the Aura trackers to read so it shows nothing."
"Then why did you tell them I lost it and can't be a hunter anymore?" Jaune asked.
"If they find out on their own it's all well and good," Qrow said, "But your secret must be protected. And you can't do what you do and be a member of a Hunting Team. What happens if you're needed somewhere while out on a mission, in the middle of the night in the dorm with those three? There can only be so many excuses. You have to keep them all at arm's length or else you might as well put on that hoodie: 'Hi, I'm He-Man, nice to meet you'. It's for their own good, Kid, and yours."
"Oh…" Jaune bowed his head.
"Not saying you can't still be friends, but you can't be too close… and you're gonna have to tell a lot of lies… especially to that pretty redhead," Qrow said, "That's another reason I had to get you out of team JNPR… a Team requires trust with one another, it wouldn't be fair to them, or to you. It's better this way."
"C'mon, we got a lot to talk about… with Oz down… things are gonna get busy…" Qrow took a very long swig, "especially for me…"
(-H-)
Several days had passed since the Battle of Beacon, and much of the school had been repaired. Nora and Ren remained at Pyrrha's side as she was given Aura treatments to help recover her Aura and thus her heal from her wounds, yet to the once thought invincible girl and her teammates' disappointment, their former teammate had not even made only a few short appearances with flowers but quickly left without much more than a goodbye.
Meanwhile with Yang, Blake, and Weiss especially were concerned about Ruby. Since the battle she had lost a lot of her chipper personality.
At the time, Ruby sat alone in their dorm room, when a knock came on the door. "Door's unlocked…"
"Hey, Kid," Qrow said as he entered.
"Hi…" Ruby said glancing up at him, before turning back to the window.
"heard you've taken Oz's death pretty hard," Qrow said as he sat down beside her.
"Yeah but that's not it…" Ruby said, "What you said about my eyes… and how they connect me to that He-Man guy…"
"What about it?" Qrow asked curiously.
"I… during the fight at Beacon, when I was helping him… it was … weird…" Ruby said, "I just… when I looked at his sword… just looked at it… I felt… stronger. and Weiss said it did something to me…"
"What did it do, Ruby?" Qrow asked tightly.
"I got faster and stronger and … I was able to do moves I'd never even knew before…" Ruby said, "And Weiss said my eyes and Crescent Rose started to glow silver…" she looked up at her mentor, "Uncle Qrow, who is he? And what is the deal with that sword and me?"
"According to legend, the silver eyed warriors, who had eyes like yours, and that warrior, He-Man, came from the same place, and draw power from the same source… his sword is tied to a great power focused in an ancient castle that has been lost for a very long time." Qrow explained, "Unlike the Grimm's drawing on negativities of the world, that power is the focus of every positive emotion in this world. It's why the Grimm fear him, and you."
"So I have special powers like him?" Ruby asked.
"You'll find out for yourself… one day…" Qrow said, standing up, "Hopefully a long time from now…"
"Come on, kid, you won't want to miss this school assembly…" He said, pulling her up. He followed her out of the room. He paused in the hallway and she stopped and looked back.
"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked, glancing at him with a smile.
"Go on, Kid, I'll see you there…" Qrow waved. He watched her go before closing his eyes and lowering his head sadly. "Damnit… Why Ruby?" He cursed, growing angrier and angrier at fate and destiny by the day.
(-H-)
Team RWBY stood patiently in the crowd of students in the still not completely rebuilt assembly hall. They had lost many classmates from the size of the crowd.
Many lost their lives in what had become called the Battle of Beacon. While many others, after seeing the dirty side of battle, decided that being a Huntsman or Huntress was not what they wanted to do, and returned to their respective homes.
Ruby then spotted Ren, Nora and Pyrrha. Pyrrha had recovered much of her aura and had healed most of her wounds from her harrowing battle, but still walked with an obvious limp. The proud Huntress to be refused the help of a crutch or the arm of either of her teammates. Yet, there were still a sadness in all of their eyes, no doubt from the absence of their 4th team member.
"May I have your attention, please," Professor Goodwitch walked up to the microphone, drawing all eyes up to the stage. "As many of you know, we have lost our beloved headmaster, Professor Ozpin…" She said, allowing a moment of silence for the fallen professor. "But in his honor, and for his memory, and the memory and honor of those who gave their lives to defend this school and the Kingdom of Vale, Beacon will go on. You, who remain, will continue to train to defend the world from the Grimm. Now that you have gotten a taste of the threats you will face in the very near future, it pleases to see you all remain standing tall and strong. Upon Professor Ozpin's wishes, a new Headmaster of this esteemed academy. Allow me to introduce you to … your new… headmaster…" she said, the smile growing more and more forced by the moment. "Professor Qrow Branwen…" She motioned, and the crowd clapped and Ruby squealed when Qrow walked out onto the stage.
As Glynda walked away, she muttered to herself "God help us…"
"Alright, kids," Qrow said with a half smirk. "Myself and the school staff are gonna do our very best to get things back to as they were before the fight. If you have lost a teammate or more, tomorrow you will be assigned your new teammates and new team name. Also, as I don't have the relationship with all of you as Oz…err Professor Ozpin had, I have hired an assistant who knows you all a lot better. Allow you to introduce you to my assistant… Jaune Arc."
"WHAT?" Weiss exclaimed as the rest of Team RWBY and Pyrrha Nora and Ren stared as Jaune sheepishly walked out beside Qrow.
"Wanna say something, Kid?" Qrow smiled, patting Jaune on the shoulder.
"Hi…" He said glancing around the crowd, forcing down a smile at the completely stunned look from Cardin and his team, but forced a wave of nausea down at the look from his own former team. "I wasn't… sure what I was going to do after I lost the ability to be a huntsman, but I appreciate the opportunity to help Professor Branwen, Professor Goodwitch, and the rest of the staff help you all become the best Huntsmen and Huntresses you can be. Professor Ozpin left us some big shoes to fill. And we will do our very best to fill them going forward."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Qrow said, slapping his back, "Alright then, take the rest of the day off, teams missing members will be notified on when tomorrow they will be given their new teammates shortly."
Pyrrha looked up hoping to see Jaune coming toward them, but lowered her eyes sadly when she saw him turn and walk in the opposite direction. "C'mon, Pyrrha, let's get you off that leg," Ren said, taking her arm gently. She nodded and followed him after him. Ren stopped and looked back at Nora. "Coming, Nora?"
"Will in a second, Ren," She smiled brightly, "Gotta go potty!" She said waving back at him, "Be there in a few minutes!"
Meanwhile, Jaune sighed walking alone in the back hallway of the assembly hall. Walking away from them was the hardest thing he had ever done. But like Qrow said, it is for their good. He just had to get used to this. "Hey Jaune!" He closed his eyes when he heard Nora's voice and the sound of her feet as she ran toward him. He turned to see a frown on her usually smiling face.
"Nora, what's wrong?" Jaune asked with a fake smile.
"Oh I don't know," Nora crossed her arms, "You tell me… He-Man."
(-H-)
In a dark, dreary chamber, Cinder Fall groaned as she slowly came to. She hurt all over, and she couldn't see out of her left eye. "W-what happened…" she said in a hoarse voice.
"That's what I would like to know…" her mistress asked, staring down at her with red eyes. "What went wrong my dear? Why does Beacon still stand?"
"Things… were… going perfectly… Ozpin… defeated… was about to destroy his chosen… then… this… giant showed up…" Cinder coughed.
"A giant?" her mistress asked, a hint of dread and anger in her voice.
"I used … the maiden's flames on him… was enough to destroy a building… his… his sword absorbed it all… and sent it back at me… it… my aura… couldn't withstand it… then… then he destroyed the dragon…" Cinder explained. "He wore … brown furred armor and a metal chest plate…"
"His name, Cinderella… what was His Name…" her mistress' voice shook.
"He…called himself…" Cinder swallowed hard. "He-Man…"
"No… no… not when we're this close…" Her mistress' eyes glowed violently red, before she turned on her heel and stormed from her room. Slamming the door behind her almost hard enough to rip off its hinges.
"We must push the plan along faster…" the witch said, glaring at the others waiting in the hall. "Grayskull has made it and its Champion's presence known again. We must plan accordingly."
"Please, one champion?" a smiling man said, crouching on a chair, "we'll end him like we did those silver-eyed fools who tried to oppose us. Just one more fighter to kick out of the way!"
"He-Man is far more than just a fighter, Tyrian…" the witch frowned deeply, "Everyone who has tried to defeat the Champion in the past has failed… we must … I must not make the same mistake again."
To Be Continued…