Authors Note- So...Hello. I really do apologize for the major delay. I lost my motivation and time at the same time as I was cramming for finals. So this is the second to last chapter. The next being the epilogue and well. That's it. So enjoy! See you all in the epilogue! Which should be out in the next few days as it is to be fairly short.
-Chapter 10-
-The Last Stand-
-The Morning after The Defense of Vale-
-Romeo-
We boarded one of Vale's military helicopters the next morning after they dropped off a bunch of soldiers from the military police. I stood at the ramp as we took off feeling the breeze. Most of the group was tired and were dozing off in their seats but Kai was pacing back and forth at a fast pace.
"Hey" I said, trying to get his attention, but he continued to pace back and forth.
"Kai?" I said a little louder. He still was pacing.
At this point I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. "Dude you alright?"
He turned around and gave me a neutral look. "Yeah fine."
"You don't look fine"
"Its just my nerves, i'm good"
"Alright then."
I returned to watching the scenery as we flew over a bunch industrial factories. The constant clanging and exploding sounds constantly reminded me that we're on our last breath and out of time.
The pilot yelled back to us "FIVE MINUTES TILL THE FIRST STOP"
Guess Ruby and Weiss were getting off soon.
I suddenly realized that Ruby wasn't going to be with me... I went to sit down next to her to exchange our to-be lengthy goodbye.
-Kai-
As Ruby and Weiss got off at what looked like a huge complex for the military police I saw Romeo look completely worried and empty.
"He better get it together if were going to kill a Sundowner" I said to myself selfishly.
Then we lifted off and began going to our next stop.
Romeo went back to looking out the back of the helicopter.
We went to each "stronghold" and each pair respectively got off. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. And then the pilot called back "WE'RE HERE" Over the sound of the rotor blades. So we landed and I instantly recognized where we were. We were at Beacon. But it was different. Tents were pitched over almost all the ground. Wounded people staggered and coughed inside most of them. Tender nurses ran between them trying to ease the pain.
"These must be hunters and huntresses. " I say dismally.
"Yup..." Romeo replied. "Well lets go find whos in charge."
"Probably Ozpin, lets check his office." I said as we started walking through the hundreds of tents, weapons glinting on our backs. I put my hood up and Romeo popped the collar on his jacket. I felt like I shouldn't be here. I didn't belong among these people, they were hero's, veterans, and much better people than me. I peered into each tent, soon seeing refugees in some of the tents, small children too. I looked forward after seeing a man on his deathbed. Beacon looked like a skeleton of its former self. The white walls and structures were now dingy and tinged a grey color from dust and ashes, burnt wood smoldered on the structure like it had been through hell and back. Then I started hearing something that surprised me.
"Is it them?"
"Are you sure?"
"The hero's of Vale are here?"
"That's their weapons..."
"Maybe we have a chance..."
I turned to Romeo, who had a scowl on his face. "You hearing this?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah..." he whispered back.
We reached the first of the extensive hallways of Beacon. Weapons and warriors rested in the shade and some roamed the halls on some sort of errand, some jogged by, others leaned against a wall with a bottle in their hands. Deeper inside official looking people, military captains, secretaries, and squad leaders walked swiftly around the clean, powered halls. Full of lighting and screens. They whispered to each other the same things the people outside did. We reached Ozpins office, guards stood outside of it. I tried walking through but they stood in the way.
"Passes please" they ordered more than asked.
"We don't have any. But I'd think you'd be expecting us" I said.
"No pass, no entry" they said.
"Listen I didn't just kill a Sundowner and seal the Gates of Grimm for you to stand in my way." Romeo said pushing one aside.
"Sorry sirs! We didn't recognize you sirs! Go right on in!" They said frantically after hearing that we closed the gates. We walked through.
"The fuck was that?" I whispered to Romeo
"No idea" he replied as we saw Ozpin, his mechanical looking sword and a cup of coffee in his hands. His sword rested on his shoulder
"And then we can relocate these refugees at the Military Police complex to..." Ozpin said to his colleagues who were gathered around his desk. "Ah Kai, Romeo! Glad to see you were successful. " he said turning around. "I congratulate you! The halls are filled with rumors that you and your friends are the best group of warriors there are." He said in his usual tone.
"Yeah, I've heard. Now what are we doing now." I said.
"Straight to business then." He began. "Me and my colleges, General Grey and Chief Defense Administrator Kevin Small have split your group up throughout the strong points we have left for a few reasons. You give the remaining soldiers and Hunters hope and courage, so they will be more motivated to fight when they are alongside you, you also have killed a Sundowner before, so you will know how they act better than everyone else. Now our intel says that the Sundowners are to be here in 4 hours; we are expecting 6 Sundowners, to attack us. Hopefully they split up and one will go to each strong point to try and overwhelm our forces. There will be hordes of Grimm with them. So what you need to do is to rally our troops and kill the Sundowners or else we are lost. And our world will enter a state of darkness."
"Well what about the other cities? Why can't they help?" Romeo asked.
"The other cities are gone. We're all that is left." Ozpin said.
We were quiet then. A long strand of silence hung over us.
"We'll get everyone up and moving" said the General and the Defense Administrator.
As soon as they left I asked "So where do I go."
"..." Ozpin paused "The edge of the cliff. There is where you will draw the attention of the Sundowner. "
"Alright then. Lets go." Romeo said as he walked out. I followed.
We walked through the same halls, the same whispers floated towards our ears. I heard my footsteps echo as soon as we reached the outer halls. All the soldiers and hunters were gone. We turned the corner to the entrance way and there stood every soldier that was bent against a wall or lying in a tent. They formed a semicircle around the large entrance.
"There they are!" Someone said. The crowd all turned from their conversations or self-pity.
Before I could say anything a person walked through the crowd, and stood halfway between us and the crowd of soldiers. The person looked a little too young to be a soldier.
"Hello, I'm Grey." The young man said. "I unofficially represent the fighters here."
I grunted in response.
"And you may be?" He asked patiently.
"I'm Romeo" My partner said. "And this is Kai" he gestured towards me.
"Ah, good. I'm glad it's you two we got." Grey said shifting from side to side.
"Why?" Romeo asked.
"We'll we've heard a lot about you and your crew, and I've got to say, having the elite of the elite here is comforting." Grey explained.
"Well I like to think that we're all equal." I said.
"And maybe you should but sometimes the truth isn't what we like." Grey said. "So in reality me and the fighters here would like to see if the rumors are true, are you legends?"
Grey then instantly attacked us which I didn't expect since he had a blindfold on, Grey of course. "By the way. I'm blind." He said as he nearly kicked my nose into my brain.
Me and Romeo drew weapons. And just for fun we let our aura's flare out. Romeo levitated a few feet off the ground with a faint blue spiral of wind under him. And I made manipulated the light so that I seemed like I was entombed in a whirl of shadows.
Grey wasted no time and attacked us as a few soldiers stepped up to test our metal. 8 soldiers circled us, waiting for their time to attack. Me and Romeo went back to back, I brandished my glaive at half of them as they tried to get under my defenses. Finally I heard the clash of metal on Romeo's side, I acted distracted and they took the soldiers took the bait, they lunged at me as I turned invisible, jumping upwards, landing on the head of one then kicking his weapon out of his hand, I dived under a swipe from a spear, rolled and came up behind him and knocked him out.
I reappeared, and tauntingly laughed "Heh having fun yet?" Before vanishing in a whirl of dark feathers. I swept my leg and made one fall and flipped over the other one, landed on his back and kicked downwards before landing a few feet away and revealing myself. The soldiers all stumbled back into their line but Romeo was in the hands of Grey, obviously defeated.
"Yeah don't underestimate this guy, thought I could mess around. Not the best idea I've had." He said. Grey smirked, he let Romeo go to stand on the sidelines.
Me and grey circled each other, a slow dance played cautiously. Everytime I tried to move he responded even though I was invisible. He can see me. A blind man can see me. So I decloaked and simply strode over to him, he burst towards me, holding his right arm back. A naive move to make. He then punched with his left hand, which I didn't expect but I caught him be the wrist, thrust my knee into his gut and pointed my glaive at him. The purpose was to make it look effortless so maybe the soldiers would listen to his orders.
"Damn..." Grey said as he coughed. "Maybe we do have a chance." He smiled at me and we shook hands.
The moment was over in an instant as a Sundowner appeared on the horizon.
"Positions!" Someone called and the soldiers hustled off.
Me and Romeo dashed to the cliff that overlooked the lake in front of Beacon. Blades brandished as we prepared for the absolute worst.
I felt the raw power of the Sundowner as he approached. I readied my glaive, poised to strike or dodge at an instant's notice. Romeo stood besides me in the same fashion. But something odd happened, as the Sundowner came up to the edge of the cliff, guns were fired but no dust or bullets whizzed by. Looking behind me I saw a dome of swirling black mist hold me and Romeo In. We were trapped.
"I am Wrath. I am Death. I am Pain." It said in a deep menacing gargle. "Who are you?"
"Is it asking us to boast?" I thought.
"I am Romeo Blue. Survivor of the Violet Hill Massacre and excelling swordmaster." Romeo said "and slayer of all grimm." He growled.
"You do not deserve the knowledge of my name. But I am the one who eliminated your brethren" I taunt.
"Very well. Then shall we begin?" The huge Jagged black Sundowner chuckled. He flew up towards the tip of the dome and I saw what we were up against.
The Sundowner was as black as the darkest night, he had spines as sharp as the finest blade, and his hide looked as thick and tough as a corpse-stomper. His size could be described as absolutely humongous. At least as big as an airship. Maybe bigger. And then he glowed a slight orange hue in his abdomen and spew molten flames at us.
Romeo channeled his aura and made a small dome of swirling wind to disrupt the onslaught. When the flames stopped we had little time to react as the Sundowner dove towards us lashing his teeth and talons. I jumped out of the way, my boots rubber sole sticking to the heated pathment. As the Sundowner dive straight into the ground, I jumped over its long neck and slashed against his spines, causing my glaive to bounce off harmlessly.
The sundowner twirled its tail around and nearly hit me. Had it not been for Romeo who had used his aura to accelerate me forwards.
Romeo slashed his swords out and cut a small gash into the maw of the beast causing little reaction. The sundowner retaliated and spewed flames around itself, engulfing itself in an orb of fire. We backed away. I signaled Romeo to use one of our trained attacks, it was a simple series of strikes but it was effective at confusing larger creatures.
The Sundowners orb of fire exploded outwards, to which Romeo blocked more of the fire. He then sent me forward, I went invisible and raked the under belly of the Sundowner, a small gash appeared, and then on the other side I flipped into a standing position and swung downwards as Romeo hopped over, slashing in a deadly dance. I jumped back over and thrust my glaive downwards as the Sundowner moved his and tail to attack this side I was on the other and Romeo was on his way over, again slashing. Now the Sundowner rotated and used its spikes to its advantage by thrusting towards us, nearly ending both of us.
We both dashed at the Sundowner's head, two blurs flashed as we struck towards the beast, Romeo shot at the creatures red eyes, and I swept the side of its maw. The Sundowner bucked forwards, knocking both of us back a far distance. I landed on my feet and Romeo on his back, though he quickly recovered.
"My turn" Wrath growled.
He flew up, and after a slight laugh, he spewed smoke at us, unsure of what was happening and unable to see I felt a shift in the wind, a slight swoosh.
"DODGE" Romeo yelled. I poised and launched myself to the right, but Wrath was persistent and caught me with his razor sharp Talons. I felt my body being crushed.
This is it. One simple mistake. I remember one last thing before I am crushed under the weight of Wrath. Words of my namesake. The original leader of my guild. It went like this, before he died to the hands of the Creatures of Grimm. "The drums play softly as a hero enters the battle grounds. No wonder there was no drums, because I am no hero". I recited this line for what seemed like hours as I felt the weight increase on my chest, I can't breath. Oh well. Sky knows I tried.
-Romeo-
As I feel more weight on my chest I know I have to do something. I dont have too much aura left. I grimace as I hear the chuckle of Wrath itself.
"Fuck it" I say to myself.
I channel my aura into the wind, and push upwards under where I think the Sundowners wings are. The weight lightens and then it is gone. I roll out from under my impending doom and trust Kai has done the same. The sundowner slams back down and finds its prey gone. Then I hear it roar. The smoke blows away and I see Kai stabbing its eye. Pure black blood pools on the broken grey stones of beacons pathways. As the glaive goes deeper I think "Yes! We've won!"
And then the tail comes and smashes Kai to the ground. The sharp spines pierce Kais arm and scratch his face severely. Down he goes. To the ground. Red mixed with black.
The sundowner turns on me, snarls and says "You're next ignorant prey!" And he charges recklessly towards me. Drawing my swords I turn them into pistols and fire a volley at him. Backing up at just the right speed to keep my distance I continue to pelt his hide with bullet after bullet. Then my back hits the wall and I vault myself off of it as the Sundowner lunges and slams into the wall causing bits of rubble and bricks to fall down.
"Really? You fell for that?" I taunt, half heartedly laughing. The huge beast swirls around, faster than before and spews fire my way, and this I did not expect. Before I could react my skin is singed and burned but I finally direct the fire around me. Pain seeps through every fiber of my being as I move. There is nothing else to lose. I fight a losing battle.
Connecting my swords, I unleash the rest of my aura. Wind swirls around me and blue streaks of light swirl with the wind. My eyes glow a deep blue and my hair blows around with the wind. I float up a few feet and dash towards my enemy, who has started to fly. I smack into him, my blades twirling like a saw-blade across his hide. A huge gash appears as I continue to cut him down his body. The angry roar takes place and just as I get to the end of his body I am hit in the back and into the rubble that has fallen. My back aches first and then my head crashes onto the tiles and I black out.
In a daze I think back to the morning, with Ruby "is it wrong to sleep with someone after only knowing each other for a month or so? Not anything intimate or gross but just sleeping together? I hope not because I actually got a good sleep for once". But now, laying in a pile of broken bricks and tiles thinking about that moment, wishing that I could go back to that, was all I had left. I jumped up, away from the bricks and tiles that I had been knocked into, and used all my remaining aura to blast the sundowner into the air and then down to the ground. I then Black out again. Eternal rest sounds very appealing.
-Kai-
I gasp and grab at the floor, observing my hand as I get up from a pool of blood. My right shoulder is pierced but not as bad as it could be. The cut went clean through. My cloak is soaked and weighs me down. I unclip it from my robes and let it fall. For once I don't want it on. I dash for the Sundowner that lays stunned on the ground, glaive trailing behind me. I leap over its massive body and hold my glaive with both hands, I spiral downwards with a trail of dark feathers left behind me.
A pulse of pure dark energy knocks me back onto the ground. My right arm hits the stone and I cry out in pain. The dark dome disintegrates and I see the hulking form of the Sundowner fly away. Unsteadily it flaps, its head droops and it falls from the sky a few miles off.
I gather myself and sit on the cliffs the edge and watch as the Sundowner is in the sky again. Trying to get as much distance as possible between it and us. Romeo joins me and then some soldiers who look like they've just fought off the largest horde of grimm ever seen by man. Some one cleans, bandages, sews, and slings my arm. Romeo looks a little too pale besides his burns, half his face was covered in gauze.
"He got away?" He asked feebly.
"That he did." I said
"Dude I just nearly died for nothing" Romeo complained.
"We drove him off, and hes heavily wounded, and he's alone, and we saved thousands of lives. That's not nothing" I say.
"Yeah. I know. I just want him dead." He replied.
"Me too". I say blandly.
I hear the blades of a helicopter whirring after an hour of rest near the cliffside.
"Sky" was my first thought. Im sure Romeo's was of a similar nature.
The helicopter landed near us and our friends walked out. They looked battered and a bit ragged but nothing major had seemed to happen to them. I started to get up to meet them halfway, but instead my leg seized up and I sat back down.
Sky came up immediately, although trying not to be too visually excited. We kissed for a good while and when we parted I asked everyone if they had killed whatever grimm had come to them. they had killed the remaining Sundowners. But the scars earned from these battles were great and there was still one out there. I saw my friends tattered clothing and each person had new marks to bear. Ah oh well. It was for a good cause.
"Lets get some food. And then some rest. We all need it." Jaune said nervously. His arm hanging around Pyrrha.
We all agreed. And the group made their way towards Beacons cafeteria. We made it halfway, in the deeper hallways of Beacon before Romeo fumbled over his feet and nearly face planted. His left leg must have had the worst burns. Ruby helped him walk safely until someone ran by and gave us a wheelchair, much to Romeo's dismay.
Finally we ate. Stale bread and hot soup full of disgusting meat. Unsavory if I hadn't been starving. We ate over small talk and comforting nudges. Slight chuckles filled the air as our delirious minds wandered over topic after topic. After what seemed like such a short time it had been hours since we sat down. We made for our dorms. Or well teams JNPR and RWBY plus R. I made for my old "classroom" with my small group of two. I opened the sliding doors with ease and, luckily since Romeo wasn't staying, showed Chen to his room. I crashed on my small bed with Sky, who leaned on my good side.
That was the best sleep I'll ever get.