Author's Note:
Okay. I know I said I'd take a break from writing and wouldn't post something for a while. But, I couldn't stop myself. If something captivates me, or if my mind can't find the brakes for the train that is my imagination, I almost can't help myself. Also helps that I have a lot of spare time. So, here's another one.
Glad people enjoyed the previous chapter of RWBY and Friends watch the Multiverse. In the last one, the sniper with a beanie targeting Roman was May Zedong, and Blake's 'very tall, bear of a man' kidnapper was Junior. Just a quick cameo for those two.
Disclaimer:
Infinity Blade 3 belongs to Chair.
Infinity Blade III – Origins
The young huntsmen-in-training had successfully pulled Nora and Sun apart. Nora kept on thrashing her arms and legs around, shouting about how Sun was a 'dirty gun' secretly planning to murder them, erase pancakes from existence, and sought to take over all of Remnant. Sun was currently unconscious, for Nora had strangled his throat to the point his face had become blue and had passed out. Professor Port of all people was attempting to revive the transfer student from Haven.
"Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen. All the young lad needs is some good old mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, performed by yours truly." Port spoke in his usual dramatic manner of speech as his face descended on Sun's.
Everyone present recoiled at Port's announcement, many turning away. Unwilling to watch the probably middle-aged man lay his lips on the young monkey faunus.
Alaric, having recovered from his fit of laughter, and also put off by that mental image, grabbed hold of the back of Port's collar and effortlessly pulled him away from Sun. "That will not be necessary Professor Port. Mister Wukong should come around in three... two... one."
As the Keeper said one, Sun eyes opened and he bolted into a sitting position.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What just happened? Why does my throat feel like it was crushed between two mountains? And... why is Professor Port kneeling beside me? H-He didn't do CPR on me, did he?"
"Don't worry Sun. He didn't." Blake answered Sun's question, a small smile on her lips. She wondered how he would react if she said yes.
"Well, now that the gun is a awake (Hey!), I would like to show you another universe. Less... light-hearted than the last one." Alaric announced. Remembering the three tied up members of the audience, the Keeper turned to Yang, Taiyang, and Qrow, and asked them. "Now, I trust you three have calmed down now, and that you won't try to kill either Blake and the gun?"
The three nodded, while Blake planted her face into her hand, and Sun had an indignant look on his face. "Come on dude! I'm not a gun!"
"Marvellous!" Alaric said gleefully, ignoring Sun entirely. Waving his hand in a lazy manner, the ribbons that held the three relatives in places unravelled themselves, freeing the two Xiao Longs and the perpetually drunk Qrow.
"Yeesh. What was that made from?" Taiyang questioned Alaric. The silken ribbon that tied him, his daughter, and brother-in-law, felt impossible to break free from.
Alaric, who was now fiddling with the remote again, looked up and responded. "Hm? Oh, the sound of a cat's footfall, a woman's beard, roots of a mountain, bear sinews, a fish's breath, and bird spittle."
Once more, the audience was stunned into silence. Not only did what Alaric say sound completely ridiculous, as well as impossible, but the calm and casual manner which he listed off those impossible materials really threw them off.
"Don't try to think about! Just sit down and watch this new universe." The Keeper of the Repository said, redirecting their confused faces back to the TV screen.
The screen slowly light up, revealing a large dark smithy. The only source of light in the smithy being the forge's fire. By the light of the forge, countless swords that lay on the floor of the smithy, to the point that the floor beneath was lost to view, were illuminated and gleamed in the darkness.
Ruby's eyes sparkled with excitement as she eyed the innumerable amount of swords before her.
"This world was broken." An ancient and unfamiliar voice, still filled with strength and vigour, spoke. "Screaming for salvation. Into fire, blood, and treachery, you were born. My majestic blade."
The screen revealed a tall long-bearded man, his face set in a hard, stern look, pull a long-bladed sword from the forge. Its blade glowed bright due to the forge's heat.
"From this man's narration, his world must be imperilled by something. Much like our own." Ozpin gravelly intoned. Alaric said this universe would not be as light-hearted as the one with the highly amusing, albeit very confusing, standoff in the last one. "But what is so special about this sword? How can a simple weapon change the fate of an entire world?"
This prompted the others in the audience to ponder on this question also. Ozpin was right. How could a single sword bring 'salvation' to the man's world?
The man began to hammer at the flat edge of the sword's blade with heavy blows. The sound of metal striking metal ringing out loudly through the speakers.
Transitioning from the smithy, the screen now showed an immense human figure, wearing armour that gave the impression of a skeleton and wielding an hammer of their own, tower over the forms of smaller humans who were like minuscule ants to him.
"Immortal. Invincible. The Deathless came. Caressed the throats of weak humanity." The giant figure brought his hammer down and crushed the lowly human figures beneath him. His body partially eclipsing the sun behind his titan frame.
"Deathless?" Glynda whispered. The name evoked a sense of dread in the audience, and that was not even taking account of the implications regarding the mortality of these 'Deathless'. Or lack thereof if the narrator's words were to be trusted.
Alaric laughed. "Yes. Imagine, men and women, whose physical capabilities that far outpaces that of regular mortals. Similar to yourselves, really. Except, they no longer need to fear death, for they now possess fully functional immortality. Their bodies can be slain, but, their consciousness will remain and come back in an exact copy of the body that had previously been killed. And, unlike you, who chose to serve those lesser in ability to you, the Deathless have conquered their world, and bound humanity to centuries of servitude."
"How is that even possible?" Pyrrha questioned. Baffled by the thought of someone being truly immortal, and disgusted by how the Deathless had exploited their immortality for the sake of personal gain.
Alaric said nothing, but secretly glanced over at Ozpin. The two's eyes met, and Ozpin realised that the Keeper was well aware of his own ability to reincarnate through another's body.
"To kill the immortal is impossible, they said. But I, the Worker of Secrets, embraced a Deathless warlord. And forged you! A weapon to slay, the un-slayable." The narrator, and most likely the man forging the blade, spoke. A hint of pride in his voice.
"That sword can kill these Deathless?" Blake mumbled. She had read similar such stories before. A seemingly immortal villain who terrorises the world, and only a special weapon wielded by the hero could defeat them.
But, a Deathless helping forge a sword that possessed the capability to kill him and his kind? That most certainly wouldn't end well for the narrator.
"'Worker of Secrets', huh? Gotta say, that sounds like a sweet nickname." Neptune remarked.
Once more, the screen changed from the smithy to a scene of the narrator, now wearing a combination of unique golden armour, a mask with an impassive expression set upon it, and black robes chained up and being sealed away. The Worker of Secrets looked up from his soon-to-be prison, and saw a menacing figure in pitch black armour lined with gold. In his hands was the Worker's completed blade. And it was truly magnificent to behold.
"The warlord betrayed us! Stole you from me! I was entombed! Deep in his Vault of Tears! He was Ausar the Vile."
"Of course he'd get betrayed." Qrow said with a shake of his head. To him, this Worker of Secrets didn't seem so smart if he didn't anticipate that the Deathless would betray him. A weapon of such potency such as that one's? Obviously someone was going to get the short end of that deal. And it was the Worker who drew the short straw.
"Wait, if he's been entombed like that. How is he speaking right now?" Weiss questioned. "Why imprison him in the first place, anyway? I'm not saying it's a good thing, but why not just kill him then and there?"
Those who listened shrugged. From this Ausar's delightful title, he sounded like the kind of person who'd murder others who got in their way, even those once close to him, and got his jollies from torturing people and kicking adorable corgis. But still, how was the Worker of Secrets talking right now?
Others were not paying attention, and looked fixatedly at the sword in the warlord's hand. It was a marvel of blacksmithing. A work of art as well as a weapon. But still, they did not understand how the sword could be used to truly kill the Deathless. Did it hold some sort of unknown mystical power that only the Worker knew?
Ausar held the sword in both hands and brought it closer to him, inspecting the brilliant blade. To the shock of Ausar and the audience, white energy began to erupt from the sword until it burst in a bright flash that turned the entire screen white.
"Consumed by your infinite light. You burned his very soul!"
Well, the audience got their answer as to how the sword could permanently kill the Deathless. It could cut not just a Deathless' flesh, but also their very 'soul'. And it frightened them.
A sword that could destroy a person's soul.
They, and the people of Remnant, felt that they had an intimate understand and connection to their souls. Due to their usage of Aura, the physical manifestation of their soul, and Semblance, the manipulation of their Aura. They did not know what happened to their souls after death, but the thought that this sword could actually inflict harm to it chilled them to the very bone.
Well, at least karma kicked Ausar right in the balls.
The screen returned to the Worker as he continued to forge the Deathless-killing sword. Pulling it from a barrel of water, the Worker returned to his anvil and struck at the blade once more.
"The both of you, lifeless. Tearing you from Ausar's corpse. The God-King whispered. "Sacrifice'."
"Another Deathless tyrant?" Ironwood grunted. Receiving a nod from Alaric.
"But, what was all that about 'sacrifice'? And how could that sword become 'lifeless'?" Ruby questioned. Fascinated by the weapon, and the story. She was hoping that some awesome hero would come into the story and beat the baddie, save the Worker, and make the world a better place.
"Shhh. Young one. I will explain later." Alaric hushed, his voice gentle as a calm stream.
As the Worker struck his hammer against the sword's blade a second time, the swords that dangled precariously from the ceiling fell. Blades first.
The screen transitioned again however, and the swords fell onto countless warriors. Killing them. They were in a throne room now, and seated at a high-backed throne above the corpses of fallen warriors was a Deathless in impressive form-fitting silver armour. The Deathless-slayer beside him.
This was the God-King. Raidriar.
"And so death had its day after day. A ritual slaughter... fathers and avenging sons... All doomed."
The audience choked at the sight of the number of slain that had fallen by the God-King's hand. Even the more strong-willed shifted in their seats. The price to reawaken the sword was incredibly high. And the God-King was willing to pay it.
"S-So... many." Velvet quailed. Holding on tightly to Yatsuhashi's arm.
The God-King stood up from his throne, the sword in hand, and descended down the steps that led up to his throne and clashed blades with a warrior in full plate armour wielding also wielding a sword. The audience rooted for this warrior, hoping that he would end this God-King's reign of slaughter.
"Until at last... a warrior came with true and noble heart. He'd slay the mighty God-King..."
The two warriors took their battle off-screen, the shadows falling onto the steps to the God-King's throne. To their joy, the warrior beheaded the God-King, and his headless corpse fell back on-screen and onto the throne's steps.
"Yeah!" Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Jaune, Nora, Sun, and Neptune cheered, punching the air with their fists.
Taiyang and Qrow looked on in amusement at Ruby and Weiss. Winter let a small smile adorn her face as she watched her younger sister. At least she was making new friends in Beacon.
Ruby was ecstatic. This was turning out just like the books she read, and the stories her dad, and Yang read to her when she was younger.
Blake was hesitant to join her friends and celebrate this unknown warrior's victory. This was just like the books she read, and there was going to be a catch. A plot twist. Stories like this did not simply end there and then.
"Anoint you with immortal blood. And so unleash your glory!"
"Uh, that's a good thing? Right?" Jaune said with uncertainty. The cheer he and his friends displayed earlier wavering.
Returning to the Worker in his smithy, the camera was now angled to look up from behind his anvil. A portion of the sword's flat edge visible, and of the Worker, only his face could be seen. As he struck the sword with his hammer again, strange white markings lit up along the blade's blade edge.
"The warrior was Siris. He unknowingly gave you life. And foolishly gave us freedom!"
"What?" Ruby shouted in alarm.
"So, this Worker is also a bad guy?" Taiyang questioned. He, and a few others in the audience, had assumed that he had made the sword and intended to wield it for benevolent purposes. It appeared he did not. Had years of watching the world choke under the firm grip of the Deathless drive him to this path? Was it his imprisonment that turned him?
The Worker was now sat on a throne of his own, free from the Vault of Tears. The slayer of the un-slayable at his side now.
"I am Father of the Deathless! Creator and destroyer of all! And Siris is our enemy... he is Ausar reborn!"
"WHAT?!" Ruby screamed even louder. Joined by a few more voices.
The Worker created the Deathless? Thoughts ran 10 kilometres (6-ish miles) a second around their heads. Why? Did that mean he too was a Deathless if he created them?
And Siris, the 'hero', was Ausar returned? If so, did that mean that the sword did not truly kill Deathless, or did it leave them unable to take a physical body for some time? And what were his motives? Did he seek to reclaim the sword, and with it conquer the world?
The clank of metal plates moving was heard behind the Worker. The Worker turned his head, the camera panned to reveal a keyhole-like doorway allowing white light into the Worker's chamber. A silhouette stood before the doorway, the same as the warrior who had struck down the God-King, Siris. Or as he was known in his previous life. Ausar.
"And now, my secret vengeance. The world shall know your name!"
Unconcerned, the Worker of Secrets brought up his sword in a reverse grip, the white markings of the sword lighting up as the sword rose. The Worker brought the sword down and pierced the floor, the floor began to split as energies ran through the floor and towards Siris.
Focusing on Siris, the camera showed the Deathless warrior take up a stance and readied himself for the fight of his many lives.
The screen cut to black, and it was all over.
Once more, silence dominated the room. Alaric sat there, waited for the first person from the audience to speak. The anticipation delighted him greatly.
Everyone turned to look at Alaric, their eyes a mixture of emotion and thought.
Ozpin, and those in his inner circle, regarded him with suspicion. It could not be a coincidence to them that Alaric could have randomly chosen a universe for them to observe relating to immortality, and how those immortals used their unending lives to shackle and destroy those of others. And the implications of a weapon that could kill those with immortality made their gazes all the sharper.
From the young huntresses and huntsmen-in-training, they were less unified in their feelings on the matter. There was conflict, anxiety, and doubt..
But he could see confusion in all their faces.
"What was all that?" Ruby asked Alaric. Her voice was quiet, but it was still loud enough for everyone to hear her.
"That... was a preview, a summary, of a world struggling not against endless hordes of Grimm or other such monsters. But one where undying overlords have held sway over the lives of the people of that world." Alaric responded. "Through manipulation of a particle unique to that universe and its branches, the Deathless have achieved immortality through the ensured maintenance of their consciousness beyond death. That sword you saw, the Infinity Blade, was forged with technology that can destabilise those particles. And destroy a Deathless' consciousness."
"But how was Ausar able to return? It obviously doesn't work properly." Weiss interjected.
"Oh, it does. The Worker of Secrets fixed another piece of technology to the Infinity Blade before Ausar's treachery and his imprisonment. One that erases the memories of a Deathless instead of destroying them. Ausar fell prey to this device, and lost all memory of who he was. The monster he was. And became Siris!"
Everyone was now hanging onto Alaric's every word.
"Siris fought against the God-King many times, dying each time. For generations and generations. Until, finally, he bested the God-King. After this, he realised his true nature as a Deathless, and in time, his previous life as Ausar. And do you know what he felt? Remorse. Regret. And an overwhelming desire to redeem himself through this new identity of his for the vile acts he performed in his previous one. I will say no more of this universe. But know that Siris ultimately did redeem himself for the crimes of Ausar."
Silence reigned again. Seeing how overwhelmed his audience was, Alaric stood up and began to walk to the door he had entered the room through. "This is all a bit much for you, I understand. I will leave you alone for a while. Please, collect your thoughts."
As soon as Alaric had left the room. The audience began to fall into quiet discussions between themselves.
Ozpin and his group had gone to a corner of the room and were closely whispering to one another.
"That was a... most intriguing universe to watch. Wouldn't you say Oz?" Ironwood quietly said to Ozpin. The Beacon Headmaster nodded. His mind elsewhere.
Observing this universe made Ozpin think. He could have become like the Deathless. He could have chosen to, instead of following through with his task of destroying Salem, used his curse of immortality through reincarnation for his own personal benefit. The temptation to do so had existed. But he had overcome that urge lifetimes ago and fully dedicated himself to his task.
What Remnant could have become if he did follow those desire, Ozpin could scarce imagine.
The ponderings of the huntsmen-in-training, and those unaffiliated with Ozpin and his Order, was not as serious.
For a certain cat faunus, she remained silent. A universe where a person possessed a dark past which they regretted? Oh, this universe made her think. I don't need elaborate on why. You've seen this dance before. Blake having former terrorist neko girl problems, yadda, yadda, yadda. No need to say more. I really don't want to write about Blake's angst-ventures, I really don't.
As the group of huntsmen and huntsmen-in-training were in deep thought. A new set of popping sounds alerted the group to some new arrivals.
Another one done. I loved writing this one. Not only do I think that the Infinity Blade III - Origins Trailer was one of the best trailers I've ever watched. But the game itself was one of my favourites to play. If you noticed, or not, I did not replace anyone in this universe. I could have made Ozpin the Worker of Secrets, but there's no way I'm replacing John Noble's amazing voice.
Don't worry, Oz will be the protagonist of the chapter after the next one. I really hope you enjoyed this.
Well, I'll see you lads and ladies when I next see you.