Ragnarok 38
The heat of the flames wrapped around the building as Lie crouched low, dodging a blade of the scythe that would have taken his head off if he had not been more careful. A downward swing nearly sliced him in half even as he used the blades of Stormflower to halt the strike. He grinned as he pushed forward.
"You are strong enough." He whispered as he pushed upwards with a mighty shove. Vytalian Qrow leapt backwards and to one side as Lie opened fire, shredding a nearby wall. He charged towards Qrow noting Nora face off against one of the two Ravens as Cinder and Mercury clashed against Glynda, the other Raven and God Qrow.
After a fierce kick caused Qrow to tumble back, Lie turned to Valkyrie. "Nora we'll fight the Gods, let Cinder deal with the Hunters!"
For most the order would have been shouted too quickly to be comprehended in the heat of battle, but Valkyrie barely nodded before she disengaged and moved towards Lie.
One of the Ravens pursued as the other broke off to support Glynda.
"Qrows swap!" Glynda ordered as she danced away from one of Mercury's kicks. Vytalian Qrow broke away from Lie and surged forward striking at Cinder, while the Remnant Qrow charged towards Lie and Valkyrie to support his sister.
Lie took a deep breath as he parried Raven's odachi. Ducking as Valkyrie struck back. Raven moving just enough to evade the strike. He had no time to reposition before Qrow's blade struck down. Lie bent at an awkward angle to raise Stormflower to halt the strike.
"Why are you doing this?" Qrow hissed.
"If you gave me the time to explain I would!"
"Then stop!"
"If only I could." Lie replied, Knowing exactly what any rational fighter would do if his opponent stopped fighting. The perplexed expression on Qrow's face causing Lie to nearly roll his eyes.
Lie and Qrow broke away from each other as flames burst to life between them , Lie glanced towards Cinder, a scowl on his face. Glynda was pinned to a wall by several arrows and was struggling to free herself. But Raven appeared to be overpowering Mercury. Lie turned towards Qrow, the god stared back, his weapon transforming into its scythe form.
"You're getting serious." Lie said.
Qrow did not reply, instead charging forward with a shout. His scythe hissing as it sliced through the air.
Ren charged forward as well, firing as they drew closer. He back stepped at the last moment, firing as the edge of the scythe missed him by less than the width of a finger. Qrow leapt sideways, out of the hail of bullets. He closed on Lie from the left. Lie leapt into the air striking downwards. The bladed weapon met the blade of the scythe with a clang. Lie was pushed backwards, landing deftly on the cement floor. He frowned, this was taking longer than he desired.
Valkyrie was having problems dealing with her opponent. With Belladonna and Arc out of the way, she didn't have to hold back. She could unleash her full power. However, her opponent was being difficult, striking at her from a variety of angles. Valkyrie couldn't maintain the distance she needed for the effective use of Magnahild.
The red sword slashed near her, slicing a few strands of hair. Valkyrie swung her warhammer, but Raven had already retreated outside the range of her attack.
"That's it!" Valkyrie shouted as electricity radiated off her skin. Grinning as Raven's eyes widened in realization.
The first bolts of lightning struck Raven in the chest. Shooting backwards she crashed into a nearby wall. Nora allowed the wind and lightning to wrap around her. Lie had told her to spare who they could, but the element of surprise was gone, it was time to stop holding back.
"Maiden!" The Remnant Qrow shouted as he evaded a burst of flame from Cinder.
"On it!" Another voice shouted as the Remnant Raven broke off from Mercury and struck at Valkyrie, lightning bursting between them.
"So you're the Summer Maiden on Remnant?" Valkyrie asked, "let's see whose stronger!"
The warhammer crashed down, Valkyrie grinned as Raven stepped back far enough for her to swap to a grenade launcher, firing three grenades in swift succession.
"Nora!" Lie warned.
The explosions were powerful, and the building shook violently as bits of flooring and wall showered the combatants.
Raven ignored the shouts, appearing from a portal behind Valkyrie.
"Watch out!" Lie shouted.
Valkyrie turned in time to see the blade swing down. Crackling from the electrical energy of the Summer Maiden, Raven's blade smashed into Valkyrie's shoulder. Pain like lava coursed through her body, emanating from her shoulder. She buckled to one knee, releasing her grip on Magnahild. Raven's electricity coursed through Valkyrie's body.
Valkyrie grinned.
Raven did not hesitate to strike again, swinging down with her sword. She aimed to take Valkyrie's head. Every nerve screamed for her to retreat as the faint outline of a grin appeared on her foe's face. But she refused, overruling her body's fear. Her blade swung down, aiming to end the fight in an instant. She did not notice the rising fist until it was too late.
The fist smashed into the flat side of her blade, warping it quickly. The blade screeched as it cracked and gave in as the foible broke off. Red eyes widened in shock as a fist struck her in the stomach with a force she had never experienced.
In a flash the course of the duo's battle had changed. Raven, once having the initiative, could not keep up with the rain of blows. Her strength was not enough to deflect the blows of her opponent. Even as she concentrated lightning into her arms.
"Raven! Stop the lightning, it only makes her stronger!" Glynda shouted. She watched as her ally was forced off her feet by a left hook, crashing into the ground with a dazed look in her eyes. Glynda yanked an arrow from her shoulder. Blood poured from the wound, but she ignored it as she reached out with her semblance.
The tug on Valkyrie's leg was the first indication that something was off. Valkyrie looked at her leg quizzically, before her expression turned to shock as she was lifted off of the ground by the offending limb. Glynda smiled, as Valkyrie began to flail, one hand scrabbling at the ground as the other tried to keep her skirt in place.
"No you don't!" Mercury challenged as he charged forward. But before he could reach Glynda the god Raven intercepted him, smashing him into the ground with a single fist. She then turned and charged at Lie. Valkyrie gasped as she was hurled into the ceiling, smashing through it and continuing upwards. Glynda released her semblance as she fended off Cinder. Remnant's Qrow appeared beside her.
"This doesn't look good for us." He said
"Stay calm Qrow. Help is on the way." She replied.
Across the battlefield, Lie was growing uncomfortable with the course of the battle. He was not the tactician that Arc was, and this situation was hairy. The element of surprise should have been enough, but he hadn't anticipated the two Branwen's being with their Remnant counterparts. Facing just the Branwen's, who were Odin's personal scouts, would have made him hesitate and think of calling off the attack. Facing them and their Remnant copies was probably putting Lie and his group in over their heads.
Now, to make the situation even worse, the Vytalian God and Goddess were double teaming him. He was exceptionally skilled at staving off his opponents, but the hard truth was that it was only a matter of time before his defense gave under their attacks. He was simply holding off the inevitable.
A foot broke through his guard, grazing his shoulder and throwing him off balance.
"Sorry about this!" Qrow shouted as he raised his scythe. Lie prepared for the deathblow.
"Move!" The Vytalian Raven shouted, quite literally kicking her brother in the ribs, shoving him out of the way of a small cane sword's blade.
A petite girl with pink and brown hair appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She smiled as she spun her blade. She pointed at Lie and then Raven before immediately charging after Qrow.
"Better late than never." Lie thought as he turned to face his foe, comforted by the fact that Salem's backup had finally arrived.
His strikes at Raven were deflected with disturbing ease. He retreated and unleashed a burst of gunfire, causing Raven to scramble for cover.
Lie got a moment to breathe, as he too moved towards cover. He glanced around, trying to locate Valkyrie. The two of them had a chance if they were able to team up. He felt his heart pound as he realized she was not in the building. What had happened to her?
Valkyrie crashing back through the roof answered Lie's question. Even as she crashed into the ground with a groan, Lie's immediate thought was of the ceiling. He glanced up, and he felt the panic rise again.
The steel pylons holding up the roof creaked and groaned as the roofing warped, threatening to give way at any moment.
Lie swore as he grabbed Nora. Rushing to pull her up.
"Raven." She coughed.
Ren glanced at the downed mortal. She had pushed herself to her knees but likely had one hell of a concussion.
Lie paused, his conscience warring inside his head.
Maybe he could reach her in time. Maybe he could pull her out, maybe her rescue would give them all a pause in the fighting, let himself and Valkyrie explain their motives. Maybe he could convince Glynda and her cabal that as horrible as their actions might seem, they were the least severe of a host of poor options.
But then he'd have to gamble that Valkyrie, not in much better shape than Raven herself, could make it out of the building in time.
Lie made his decision.
He dragged Valkyrie to her feet and pulled her out of the building as the ceiling caved in. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the shock on Valkyrie's face. The widened eyes and gaping mouth, showing the concern that came so naturally to her, before she looked away from the building in shame.
Ren put her down, as Cinder, wreathed in flames appeared in the corner of his vision, Neo skipping beside her. Mercury, however, was nowhere to be found.
"Is it over?" Cinder asked, breathing heavily.
Lie was about to respond as the ruins of the ceiling burst in all directions, as if thrown aside by a blast. Lie was confronted by the image of Qrow cradling an unconscious Raven, their god counterparts kneeling on the ground and glaring daggers at them. Glynda stood, blood flowing freely from her forehead, her left shirtsleeve stained red.
"No Cinder, I don't think so." Lie muttered with a curse.
Next to him Valkyrie sighed, clutching her ribs as she rose to her knees, her hammer nowhere to be found.
"Are Jaune and Blake under there?" She asked, gazing at the ruined building.
"They're fine." Lie said, hoping that it was true. The two of them had been knocked unconscious, but still had quite a bit of aura left, surely a falling ceiling wouldn't have killed them.
He had no time to confirm before he had to scramble out of the way of flying debris, the cracking and breaking of stone against stone reminding him of how deadly the woman was, even if she was badly wounded.
"Cinder! Cover!" He shouted. Cinder made no reply as she unleashed flames on the woman.
The flames were batted aside as a massive eagle appeared. Lie could only curse as wings easily the size of a small building buffeted away the flames.
"Qrow's semblance" he thought ruefully. Few gods had the power to transform, but those that did generally could transform into massive creatures. Fortunately, Qrow wouldn't be very mobile underground, his sheer size stopping him from moving or flying anywhere. Nevertheless, the wind generated by those wings would certainly negate any of Cinder's attacks.
"Don't charge in!" Lie ordered as he saw Cinder drawing her blades. She ignored him only to find that the wings were far faster than she would have expected. Qrow's wings drew her into a crushing embrace releasing her before smashing her into a pile of rubble with the swipe of a wing.
Lie could only curse as he saw what was happening. Mercury was missing, Cinder was likely incapacitated. Valkyrie was injured and he was exhausted. The only one fully capable of fighting in their current state was Neo. And she couldn't fend them all off alone.
To make the situation worse, both god Branwen's seemed tired, but uninjured, Qrow had only mild injuries, and Glynda, while badly injured was not out of the fight. At least Arc and Belladonna were not awake.
Could they win? Should he order a retreat?
"What would Jaune do?" He asked himself, thinking of his friend and leader.
He sighed as he reloaded Stormflower. He imagined Arc would come up with some wild plan that shouldn't work, but by a mix of skill, teamwork and a heavy helping of luck, would. Unfortunately, he wasn't Arc. He had an idea, but it was one he was reluctant to use. It was a strategy JNPR would fall back on if everything went to hell, a strategy Jaune had somewhat unintentionally invented in the heat of the moment. The first part, and currently the most challenging, to get Valkyrie her weapon. And then to blast this entire place down upon his foes, sift through the rubble and drag them back to Salem.
He glanced at Valkyrie, who had sought cover. She nodded to him and then to Neo. Neo smiled before giving a slight nod, she skipped back a step, her image shattering into a thousand pieces.
Ren looked at Valkyrie quizzically, Valkyrie smiled and nodded. Lie's heart warmed a little. It was nice that at least one of his friends had complete faith in him.
Lie glanced at the building, Magnahild resting near some rubble, likely uncovered by Glynda's attack. He took a deep breath, prayed Neo would help rather than watch them get slaughtered, and leapt out from behind cover.
Salem watched the Battle at Mountain Glenn through a screen of frosted ice. It was a perk of having a portion of the powers of Yggdrasil. Some part of it lived inside her, like a parasite. In turn, she gained a variety of powers. Including the ability to see the battle unfold.
Convincing Neo to help was not easy, but promises of vengeance for Roman were able to sway her. This world's Ruby was of little importance to her. Ruby Rose, Remnant Huntress, was entirely expendable.
Lie and Valkyrie, however, were not.
Salem frowned as she saw how the battle was evolving. The odds of victory were not good. She gritted her teeth as she realized that Lie would not retreat until it was perfectly clear their side could not win.
The fact that Cinder was being openly insubordinate did not please her either. Cinder had done it before, and her failures at Beacon had caused dire consequences. The fact that a huntress with silver eyes had appeared had caused complications; admittedly minor ones, but unnecessary complications none the less.
Perhaps it was time to cut those ties. Denying Ozpin, the power of the Fall Maiden had been her main goal. Whether she had the maiden power or it belonged to some random brat was of little importance, as long as Ozpin's - now Glynda's- cabal were unable to have it.
Lie and Valkyrie were valuable allies, not to mention dear friends. Glynda turned from the screen, reaching out with her mind, she sent Neo a message. Within moments the petite woman appeared before her.
Salem strode over to a chest she kept in the corner of her room. She opened it quietly, drawing the rapier inside. She had designed it years ago, but rarely had much need for it.
The rapier was almost an exact replica of Myrtenaster. However, the hilt was black, and the blade was a deep blood red. She spun the revolving dust canisters experimentally, checking the Multi Action dust revolver still worked. She may have cleaned and maintained it regularly, but that was no reason to risk the weapon failing in battle. There was no excuse for carelessness.
"Nocturne," Salem muttered, running a hand down the flat of the blade, "it has been a long time." She turned and faced Neo, her eyes narrowed, face stern.
"Take me to them." Salem commanded.
Neo nodded with a smile. She held out a gloved hand which Salem took without a word.
The two women vanished.
A/N: My apologies for getting this out late. In all honesty, it won't be the last time. Fight scenes are hard to write. I ended up getting one of my friends to help me with it. We spent more time editing this chapter than I spent planning the arc! So special thanks to him for all his help. Whether he'll be able to help with the next chapter is up in the air though.
A Nocturne is a musical composition designed to evoke the night, I think it is fitting name for Salem's weapon.
Hope you are all have a fantastic week! Until next time.
Deamonhunter