RWBYond Home: Mayhem in Mistral

AN: This is the finale of the arc. This is also when this story surpasses RWBYond Vale as my longest story. It's been a pretty wild ride and it'll continue to get more wild as the remaining arcs take a more serialized approach.

Review Response: Guest- How did you get this far without realizing this was always the power scale? Did you not read the last 3 arcs of RWBYond Vale, any of RWBYond War or the last 2 arcs of RWBYond Generations? Kyrogue- Spite's not quite done yet. And Ruby's absence was out of narrative necessity. Silver-Eyed-Knight- Even Abraham would have trouble with Fury or King by himself. Cinder, Levi, Cinder and Panic are all pretty close to the same level with Avarice, Void and Nova being just a tiny notch below them.

Previously on RWBYond: A knock down drag out fight. Team PNGC, Nova and Johnny fight Spite, Panic and Fury. It's the toughest fight any of them have been in. In a desperate move, Prim fired the last of her aura at Fury and had it fired back at her, creating a crater in the city.

The Three Beasts Part 3: Rise of the Guardian

The Masked Man stepped from his home in Castle Dagon. He clenched his fist in frustration. The old fool has chastised him like a child. He put his mask back on and prepared to rejoin the Grimoire in Kuroyuri. Before he could create the portal, his childhood friend, Medoh Vormir joined his side.

"That was rough." She noted as she put her hands through her thick black hair.

"Doesn't he understand this is the only way for our people to survive?"

"He always looks for a better way." Medoh said. "He's not like us. He's not a warrior. So, what are you going to do now?"

"Stay the course. I'll change direction but the endgame is no different. Balance, one shall die for the other to survive."

"Well, good luck." Medoh said. "So does that mask actually work?"

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" He said. "And with Pura Vita at my side…" He tapped his sword.

"Your voice trailed off, meaning something is bothering you." Medoh said.

"I'm still not complete." He said. "I am still unable to fully interact with them. I am still...incomplete."

"Well, you should take a break and see the old man about that." Medoh suggested. "So, just keep at it. Before too long I'll be able to join you out there." She licked her lips. "If their dust is as potent as I've heard…" The Masked Man created a vortex to head out.

"I need to leave now." He said. "Something is wrong."

"Well, if it's so important then go. And don't be a stranger." She waved him goodbye.


An eerie silence fell over Kuroyuri. Glade couldn't see his sister anywhere. Johnny was too focused on the injured Nova. Chenzi and Nickel were shellshocked. Glade was consumed by anger as he rose to his feet. But it was Spite that broke the silence.

"HA!" Spite laughed. "Some guardian she was! Getting herself killed like that."

"I think the redhead boy is going to cry." Panic laughed. "Isn't that what you feared?" Glade summoned Heart's Grow but Johnny grabbed his wrist.

"Wait." He whispered. A storm circled in the sky above the crater. In the storm a Black Gate formed.

"What the…?" Glade whispered.

"She's coming." Johnny's words hung in the air.

A brilliant white light fired from the center of the crater and into the sky. For a second, the clouds turned pitch black, then pure white, then back to grey. The bits of the sky that shown through went from blue, to red, to purple and back to blue.

Prim's silhouette broke through the ground as she rose. Her hair floated through the air. Her clothes were damaged. Her armor was gone, just leaving her green shirt and skirt. Though only Johnny could see it, both her eyes were silver.

The light began to die. A white haze covered Prim's body. Splotches of yellow and white flames coated her body, just as they had against the Lionhead. Then, in an instant, she burst into a rainbow array of rose petals. Fury ducked under her punch just in time. As she appeared, Panic, then Spite turned to look at her.

"What?" Glade muttered.

Prim flipped in the air, creating a massive gust of wind. Fury threw another punch at her. She scattered into rose petals to dodge to attack and throw a punch of her own. Fury intercepted the punch with his other fist, blasting Prim back to the center of the crater.

"But that's…" Nova muttered.

"Scatter!?" Glade shouted the name of the Rose family semblance.

Fury pounced on Prim. Her knees buckled as she scattered past him again. She looked at her hands as a scratch appeared on Fury's cheek. Panic and Spite both started sliding down the crater.

"You don't know when to pack it in!" Spite shouted. She and Panic switched sides and pounced at Prim. The Guardian caught Spite's foot and Panic's claw in her hands and tossed them aside. Panic fired a barrage of spikes as she slid up the crater wall. Prim burst into rose petals and reformed when the attack stopped.

"That's impossible!" Nova protested. Fury raised his hand to call Panic off.

"It's just like when we fought Lionhead, but it's even more potent." Johnny said.

"Damn it!" Glade said. "To think she's this much stronger than me."

"You shouldn't move." Johnny said as Nova tried standing.

Prim walked and then ran towards Fury. His eyes flashed and Prim effortlessly avoided his heat vision. She danced around his fists and landed a powerful blow to his stomach. The two started trading blows. All Fury could do was block Prim's lightning fast punches. He gave ground and Prim fired a cannon construct that blasted him away.

"If she's gaining ground on Fury...then I'm going to take down Panic." Nova said.

"I thought you'd be more upset about this." Johnny said.

"I can piss and moan later." Nova said as she popped a soldier pill in her mouth that helped her recover her aura.

"Johnny, what's going on?" Chenzi asked.

"Prim has tapped into her hidden powers. It's much more potent than last time." Johnny said. "And whatever forces at work that have made the Grimoire so much stronger than they have been in the past, seem to be working in her as well. But that heat….I'm not sure about that."


Panic was watching the battle with a toothy grin on her face. She didn't even acknowledge Nova's existence when she dropped down from the sky. Prim's movements were completely different than they had been in the past. And there was a sense of familiarity about it.

"It looks like there were benefits on this side as well." Panic said. "I wish I was in Fury's position."

"You have bigger things to worry about." Nova said.

"Ah yes, the Summer Maiden." Panic turned towards her. "Didn't you already get beat up by Fury?"

"I've recovered enough to take you on." Nova said.

"Ooh, is that foolishness or bravery I hear." Panic cupped her ear.

"It's just confidence. I have no reason to fear you."

"Ah, so it's foolishness." Panic grinned.

Nova and Panic ran at each other and exchanged blows. They both hit each other in the gut with their knees, sending each other backwards. They ran at each other again. This time Panic fired spikes while Nova shot flames from her hands.

The two locked hands and slammed their heads into each other. Nova's amber eyes were coated in purple flames. Panic's yellow eyes started to glow. Nova's heartbeat started quickening. Shivers ran down her spine.

"I…" Nova started to lose ground.

"That's right mortal. Give in to that fear."

"Will not lose in a place like this!" Her body erupted with energy. She lifted Panic into the air and slammed her into the ground. She manipulated the earth to launch the monster in the air and then caused the stone pillar to explode.

Nova rocketed up on a wave of fire and slammed into the monster. She kept blasting her higher and higher in the air. Just as Panic countered with a block, Nova pulled out her sword and slashed down on the beast.

Lightning started striking from the sky. The storm had reached a crescendo over the town. Nova envied the Fall Maiden. Cinder would be able to manipulate this storm perfectly and obliterate the Grimoire with a wave of her hand. Nova had to do it a bit more manually.

She took the rain that started to pour and turned all the drops around her into sharp ice. She fired the barrage down at Panic. The Grimoire fired up with her own spike attack. Nova kept up the barrage past Panic's limit and knocked her to the ground.

Nova then raised her sword in the air like a lightning rod. Lightning coursed through her body, kept at bay with her own magical prowess. She fired the lightning down like a spear, blasting Panic again.

The Grimoire bounced up and dodged Nova's next lightning strike. She jumped in the air and swatted Nova to the ground. The two twisted in the air, slashing at each other. Panic wound up on top and stomped Nova into the ground. Nova channeled her power into the pavement, creating rock spikes that slammed into the beast.

As Panic reeled back, Nova slashed at her with her prosthetic hand. Her fingers carved through the softer spots of Panic's face like a cat gutting a rodent. The silvery metal burned the beast's face. Panic screamed. Her face scarred with claw marks.

Panic shrieked. Nova's ears ruptured from the sonic shout. Her body lost balance and her vision disoriented. She tried feeling with her aura and successfully blocked an attack with her sword. She took her broken sword and plunged it through Panic's stomach.

Panic shrieked again and plunged a spike into Nova's prosthetic hand. The spike slipped between the indestructible metal and into the servos. Nova completely lost the ability to use that hand. She tried backing up but tripped over her own feet. Panic's talons extended, plunging through Nova's right arm.

She completely lost feeling in her arm and it fell limp by her side. Her aura faded trying to repair all the damage her body had taken from the battles. The soldier pill did little to repair her body from Fury and did not prepare her to go all-out against another Grimoire.

As Panic struck her chest, her aura started losing its ability to protect her. In a brief moment, she remembered her first spar with Ruby. Nova's own idol had toyed with her and obliterated a hill with a single blast of energy. When that happened, Nova had braced herself and landed a blow against the legendary warrior, earning Ruby's respect.

Nova did the same thing now. She steeled herself. She took her sword and swung it with all her strength. In a clean slice she cleaved through Panic's arm, amputating it. She then stabbed Panic through the stomach and kicked her into a strange lightning blast.


Spite ducked under Johnny's kick. Glade flung a small blast at her feet. She flipped over Johnny and kicked his aside before flipping away from Glade's attacks. Johnny fired a beam of light from his weapon. He caught her off balance and Glade hit her with an axe construct.

"You're wasting your time." Spite said. "The two of you are not enough to stop me."

"You didn't do well against Chenzi." Johnny said. "Glade is even stronger."

"No matter." Spite said after a moment's pause. "Fury is going to kill that girl and then he'll be coming for you. Can you completely destroy me before that…" Glade cut her off with a cannon to the face.

"You talk too much." Glade said.

"You fought both Fury and Panic, you're running out of gas." Spite said as she ran towards him. Johnny stepped in the way. She swatted him away, but his body blocked her vision. Glade was prepared.

"Moon Piercer!" His spear impaled her. He then summoned Heart's Grow and pummeled her into the ground. She blocked Heart's Grow with her feet but it was obvious she wasn't nearly as strong as Panic, let alone Fury.

Glade's eye was filled with light as he slammed sword constructs into each one of her limbs. She tried pulling herself free, tearing her body apart in the process. Everytime she would sever something and regrow it, he's skewer it again.

"Let's see how many times you can regrow." Johnny said as he slammed a street sign through her sternum.

"Damn you!" She shouted. "Just wait until I get my hands on you!" Glade kicked her in the face.

"There's really a lot of levels to these monsters." Glade said. "If you hadn't weakened her she'd be a challenge."

"How are you this strong?" She whined.

"Oh, yeah, that little comment you made about being weakened. I took a soldier pill." Glade said.

"So, it's a war of attrition." Johnny said. "Can you survive being pinned here like this for an hour?" Johnny said. The new soldier pills actually let people go for two hours of fighting, unless they do something that requires all their power. But Johnny lied to give Spite a little bit more hope.

"If you want to kill me just use Amon's Light and do it!" Spite shouted.

"Oh, if you were going to beg then you should have stayed down. It's not worth risking my life by overdoing it if you can't even break free from this."


The Grimm had scrambled. Lone wolves jumped from rooftop to rooftop. The bigger Grimm had all been taken out. The only ones left were the small ones that could maneuver past the blockades and the smart ones that snuck around.

Yang finished up the last behemoth that had made its way to the fortification. Soldiers on the outskirts began counting their dead. Citrine raced through the city, hunting the remaining monsters down.

"It's times like this I actually feel like a huntress." Citrine said as she blasted a Grimm of the roof. "So many missions just feel like pest control or boss fights or in this case, wars. It's the thrill of the hunt I like. That feeling of fear when a Grimm runs and hides." She snipped another one. "Oh, hell yes."

"Are you getting turned on?" Eiess asked.

"Would you be happy if I was?"

"Save it for the honeymoon." Yang said.

"You can't make me." Citrine commented into the radio. Eiess flicked her wrist and burned a Grimm with fire.

"That seems to be the last of them." She said. Citrine dove into her, lifted her up and pulled their faces together.

"We won." Citrine said.

"We haven't heard any word from Prim." Eiess said as she checked her scroll. "They still seem to be alive, beaten up but alive. I'm not getting a good read on Prim though."

"Not good as in she's in trouble or not good as in….?" Citrine started.

"Not good as in the entire signal as being weird." Eiess showed Citrine.

"We should head over there and see if they need help." Citrine said. "Hold on." Eiess wrapped her arms around Citrine and kissed her.

"I always do." Eiess said. Citrine ran forward before tripping and falling on top of her fiance. "Oof."

"I think I used up more aura than I thought." Citrine said.

"We'll just have to take the slow way." Eiess said.


Prim's aura was swelling inside of her. It didn't manifest as large constructs or mighty blow. Just a quiet, static fury. The world was crawling in slow motion. Everything was bright and cast in shades of yellow. Her body moved without a conscious thought, scattering and reforming against every blow her body wouldn't have otherwise dodged.

At the beginning of the battle, Fury's strikes had been precise. He hat hit everywhere he needed to when he needed to. Now his strikes were stronger, faster, more unpredictable but more frantic. Prim couldn't think. Every time she tried he'd land a blow. She let her body move on its own.

Fury was getting increasingly impatient. He screamed and snarled with each missed strike and cursed at all of Prim's counters. He was completely consumed by his namesake. But Prim was quiet. To her the world was cold and unmoving. But Fury felt the heat.

"I used to look down on humans." Fury said. "But there was one who earned my respect, truly earned my hatred, not because of his feeble body but because he was the first to destroy me. You too have broken through the bonds of your mortal body." He looked up to the sky. "Isn't that right Abraham of Argent Way?" He screamed.

Prim cocked her head, trying to understand his words. All sound was muffled, ineligible. She could feel the vibrations coming from his moving mouth but couldn't decipher them. Fury was visibly annoyed by the lack of interplay. So much so that he shouted and tried smashing her again.

This time she scattered behind him and threw him into the air. She scattered again and blasted him through the ground and into the dried up sewer system beneath the town. The ground started to shake as Fury ran underneath her. The debris created as he smashed his way up created the perfect step ladder for her to kick him in the head.

He fell back into the crater where this stage in the fight started. He found Prim's sword and grabbed it. When he looked up, Prim was standing above him. He blocked her next punch and landed a kick to her side.

He lunged forward with Crocea Mors, and tried cutting Prim down with her own weapon. She thought she would dodge it, but her body moved on its own to catch the blade in her hand. The glowing white aura that swelled inside her cushioned the blade and melded with it.

Her vision darkened. She heard the screams of millions of Grimm. She saw Abraham cutting the Grimoire down. She saw the previous wielders of Crocea Mors battling monsters. Then she saw herself. Behind her was a line of a thousand glowing orbs. In front of her was a mirror. She was older, battle scarred and determined. The two Prim's smiled at each other.

The vision faded. No time had passed. The sword was in her hand. Her white fiery aura extended to the blade, causing it to glow. Fury was screaming and dropping to his knees. His armor had several gashes in it. Streams of black smoke started leaking from his wounds.

The blade settled in her left hand. Her right fist opened up. Her aura formed a white blade construct. Fury charged at her again. Prim sprinted forward and began slashing. Each swing of her blades was perfect. Each one slashed along a gap in Fury's armor. She could feel his essence draining, being absorbed by the sword.

Fury countered one of her attacks and grabbed both her arms. He squeezed tight. His eyes began to glow red as he fired his heat vision point blank into her chest. She kicked him in the chin to push his head skyward.

"I...am not weaker….than a human!" He declared as he overpowered her and blasted her with all his power. She was flung away by the blast. Her sword was knocked out of her hand and planted itself in the ground at the edge of the crater.

Fury was closer and managed to cut her off from her sword but was stuck in the throat by her aura blade. He screamed as he shattered the aura blade and tried punching her again. Prim landed a punch to his bicep and managed to push him back. Two more exchanged like that and it was clear. Neither one was going to budge.


Chenzi had watched Nova battling Panic. The two were evenly matched and tearing into each other. The huntsman got an idea from one of Nova's attacks, and lifted his hammer and waited. He felt a pit rise in his stomach as Nova took more damage.

When Nova slashed Panic's arm off, Chenzi's plan won out. He was struck by lightning. The power channeled through his hammer and through his body. He aimed it at the Grimoire and unleashed it.

Panic was blasted to the ground. Nickel was already flying through the air to plunge her sword into the monster. Nova took a deep breath and gathered enough power so use Nickel's sword as a conduit. She blasted the Grimoire once more.

"Heh." Panic rolled onto her feet. Nova didn't even give her a chance to breathe. She put every last bit of her power into a series of well placed strikes on Panic's body.

"It's over." Nova declared.

"I might be hurt but I'm not dead." Panic said. "I can keep going all day."

"But you're already dead." Nova said.

"What?" Each point that Nova had struck throughout the fight began to glow.

"Wonder why I ran out of aura so quickly?" Nova grinned. The glowing points began to link together, forming a destruction glyph. "This is something that the Winter Maiden actually taught me."

"No!" Panic's body started turning to dust.

"Aura bombs, focused, small, and in all the right places to turn you to dust." Nova said.

"I'll be back! You hear me! And when I do I'll destroy…."

"Shut the hell up." Nova fired a dust round into Panic's mouth. The Grimm of Fear turned to ash, completely destroyed by Nova's attack.

"Why didn't you do that to Fury?" Chenzi asked.

"I couldn't get clean enough hits." Nova trailed off as she collapsed. Johnny caught her.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Nova said drowsily.

"Glade is trying to finish off Spite. He's got her pinned down pretty tightly." Johnny said. He looked on towards Prim and Fury. "Which means it's all on her now."

"Do you think she can make it?" Nickel asked.

"With each passing strike her blows get sharper, stronger, faster."

"She's not fighting like Prim." Chenzi said. "All of her movements are completely different. She's a defensive fighter who likes to block and redirect attacks before overwhelming an opponent with her constructs. Not….whatever this is."

"It's hard to say." Johnny admitted. "She closed such an impossibly long gap in such a short time. But that heat….there's something about it I don't like. It's completely unnatural."


Prim and Fury circled each other for a second before exchanging blows again. Fury blocked each attack with the thickest part of his arms. Even Prim's aura sword couldn't breach his defenses.

Thunder crackled from the impacts. Fury wanted, needed to persevere until this power passed. But it didn't seem to be diminishing. If anything it rose at an even faster rate than the Grimoire's power rose. After several minutes of relentless attacks, there was a flicker.

Prim's eyes flickered between silver and blue. They held on silver again as her blows tightened up. For the first time since entering this...Guardian State, she opened her mouth. With it she unleashed the scream of a thousand generations. As her howl echoed through the town, Fury was overwhelmed with a feeling he hadn't felt in ten thousand years. For the first time since his first death at the hands of Abraham he felt it completely. Fear.

Prim's knee blasted his chest armor to pieces. She raised her hands and created a blade of light that impaled him fully. The blade extended as Prim was flung into the tree that stood in the middle of town. She blasted herself off the tree and aimed her strike.

She screamed again. It was as if an entire army howled in righteous anger. Dust flew up. An explosion permeated through the air. As the smoke settled, there were three forms. Fury, shellshocked in agony. Prim, her eyes turning blue and the white light fading from her body. And between them, the Masked Man cloaked in black energy.

"Primrose Arc." He said. "You are an interesting being. But this...is our limit." Prim's white aura and the Masked Man's black aura merged into a mess of gray that blasted Prim to the edge of the crater. She pulled Crocea Mors from the ground and aimed it at the pair.

"So, you finally show up." Fury growled.

"Lucky I did, that blow would have destroyed your head." The Masked Man stated. He created a Black Gate under Fury and Spite. "Panic is a loss we'll recover from."

"Like I'd let you get away!" Prim screamed as she lunged for a strike on The Masked Man. He pulled out a black sword and blocked the strike. The blades screamed when they intercepted each other. Prim was taken by surprise. It was as if the swords themselves were screaming in anger.

"I'm not here to fight you right now." He shrugged her off. Fury and Spite had escaped. "We'll have our battle to end the cycle at a later date. We can discuss the particulars later."

"You're going to answer my questions now." Prim said as she raised her blade again. "Who are you?"

"Patience, Guardian." He mocked. "I want to explain myself on my own terms. So, I'll come for you...later." He disappeared in a red cloud.

"Damn it!" Glade cursed. "They got away."

"It's okay." Prim said as she collapsed.

"Prim….what the hell was that?" Glade asked.

"I wish I could explain it to you. It was as if someone else was inside me." Prim huffed. Her vision started to fade and the world turned to black.


Prim woke up in a hospital room. Oscar was sitting at her side with a puzzled look. Glade, Johnny and Citrine were with him. They recapped on what happened during all the battles. Oscar was most interested when Prim brought up her Guardian State.

"It sounds similar to when I draw knowledge from the Ozpins of eras past." Oscar said. "Except you were able to draw power from your ancestors."

"How is that possible?" Johnny said. "Spirits lingering in Oblivion and supplying their power into artifacts I can understand." He held up Amon's Rod. "But for a human to hold that kind of power."

"We'll be sure to monitor any occurence of this form in the future." Oscar said.

"It could be the thinning of the veil." Citrine suggested. "People have been clamoring about that since Cipher showed up back when I was still an infant. It's what Avis Bran wanted. What Levi fought to understand. What my mom was warned about."

"It's the most likely cause." Oscar said. "And it would explain why many other people have experienced massive spikes in power in the last five years. And people with no training unlocking potent and deadly semblances."

"Like Lionhead or Hina." Glade said.

"Dark forces are at work." Oscar said. "We have to find the identity of The Masked Man at once."

"I have a clue." Prim said. "When our swords clashed, they screamed. It reminded me of when Abraham's spirit first called me to Crocea Mors."

"Odd….I don't know of any blade or metal that would have such an effect." Oscar said. "This is most troubling."

"Well for right now it's over." Citrine said as she sat down next to Prim and pulled her into a hug.

"Citrine's right." Johnny said. "With Panic destroyed, it's unlikely they'll use Mistral as a staging ground. Nova and I will return to Vacuo after the wedding." Panic nodded as she looked at her hands. The hand she had used in that final attack was shaking.

Glade and Chenzi were helping Nova pack up some things while she slept her injuries off. Johnny was with Citrine and Eiess helping them get stuff ready for the wedding. Nova had passed out after the battle and had been bedridden ever since.

"I still think it's funny that Johnny has such an intimate knowledge of Nova's...physique that he's going dress shopping for her." Chenzi said.

"I can't believe that we're here organizing all her stuff." Glade said. His scroll started to ring. "It's Hina."

"Better answer." Chenzi said.

"Hello?" Glade asked.

"Hey babe." Hina said. "I just wanted to let you know that Vito is giving me some time off so I can go to the wedding. He also has some business for me in Mistral so I'll be in town for a while."

"What kind of business?" Glade asked.

"Some awesome business that I want to tell you face to face." Hina said with excitement. "So, how have you been."

"Oh, same old same old." Glade said. "We all almost died."

"Ouch, you're serious." Hina said.

"A lot happened the last couple days." Glade chuckled.

"Alright, tell me all about it when I get in town." Hina said. "I'll see you a day or two before the wedding, depending on how reliable my transportation."

"See you then." Glade said. "Love you."

"I love you too, bye." Hina ended the call.

"I don't know what's more impressive, that you landed a hot piece of ass like that or that you maintained it over such a long distance for this long."

"Don't let Grace catch you talking like that." Glade responded.

Pangur walked in and started rubbing himself on Chenzi's leg. He picked the cat up and started petting it. He laughed at how much Nova's cat liked him of all people. Chenzi was willing to bet Pangur liked him more than Johnny.

"Hello?" Someone said from the hall.

"Who can that be?" Glade asked. He opened the door. A student with fluffy fox ears was standing at the door with a notebook. "What do you want?"

"Um…." The girl's face went red. "This is probably a question you get a lot but….I know you all fought the Grimoire and I was wondering…."

"I'll give you an autograph." Glade rolled his eyes even though he was actually loving the recognition. Chenzi grabbed the notepad next and signed his name.

"Thank you!" The student bowed. "I already have Ms. Nova and Mr. Clay's signature. This means a lot to me. I want to be just as cool as you guys when I graduate."

"Well, with cute fluffy ears like that you'll have no problem getting people to think you're cool." Chenzi gave her a thumbs up, causing her to blush.

"Chenzi." Glade face-palmed.

"Old habits die hard." Chenzi said as he closed the door. "And don't act like you weren't all about that."

"I have a girlfriend."

"Not that! Signing your name for a fan."

"Oh...I guess I got so used to Prim being the celebrity of the family that it slipped my mind."

"You're a terrible liar." Chenzi said.

"Just shut up and finish up here." Glade groaned.


Amaterasu arrived at the Staging Grounds. This is where The Masked Man told him to meet him and his allies. Amaterasu wasn't all too pleased when he saw two of the Grimoire. The Masked Man was sitting at the edge of the ancient altar to the ancient Vacuan God of Night. His hand was shaking. It was obvious they had just seen battle.

"When you first approached me, I didn't think it would be like this." Amaterasu said. "Are you insane? Using monsters who wish for humanity's eradication, no better, no...even worse than Cinder."

"They are a necessary evil." The Masked Man said. "It's better to use them, than to fight them. I have no reservations about their nature. We'll do what has to be done for all our people." That seemed to put Amaterasu's mind at ease.

"So what happened anyway?" Amaterasu said.

"I finally met my match." He said. "The Guardian, Primrose Arc. I was only to call a tiny bit of power to match hers. And my hand hasn't stopped shaking yet."

"It'll pass." Amaterasu said.

"It'll pass as I gain all my power in this world." He said. "This has been a preemptive strike. They know my Mask. We'll stick to the shadows for now."

"We're here boss!" Three more people pulled in with a truck and stepped out.

"Amaterasu, meet Mob, Zalfos and Chu." The Masked Man said.

"We've got a lot of power from some old associates." Mob said.

"Good, put it with the rest." Masked Man readjusted his mask. "You three are key in the next phase. I want Primrose Arc's power extracted. I can't allow her to get in my way at a critical moment."

"I'd say consider it done…." Mob said. "But it'll take a while to recalibrate the machine to gather more power."

"Take your time." The Masked Man stood. "I'll be seeing her soon. I have some materials to gather for the next phase. I'm finally strong enough to get what I need. And...I have been told that I should explain myself to her."

"How about explaining things to us?" Amaterasu said. "We still don't even know your name."

"Fine….it may be meaningless to you….but if it helps earn your thrust. My name is Zeldon."

AN: Okay so the main reason his name wasn't revealed sooner is because I just settled for a name a few days ago. I was maybe even going to hold off on it longer but it just made sense here. Anyway, that's it for the Mayhem in Mistral Arc.

Next Time:

Amon Rhond sits in his clock tower in Oblivion.

Amon: The skies are violet now. You know what that means?

A storm cloud hangs above the city of Haven.

Amon: Heroes and Villains alike have seen drastic increases in their power.

Hina surrounds her body in Sky Diamond

Hue blinks away and strikes Nickel in the face.

Prim's eyes turn silver as she faces the storm.

Amon: The Vortexes are opening.

A Vortex opens in Cinder's throne room.

Amon: The Grimoire have returned.

Hue is blasted by a wave of dark energy.

Amon: A New Harbinger of Destruction has appeared.

The Masked Man stands on an Atlesian beachhead, surrounded by soldiers. Winter steps forward to face him.

Amon: And as the world edges ever closer to the brink of chaos and destruction….

Prim stands at the edge of a cliff, staring at the moon.

Amon: You come to visit me...Abraham of Argent Way.

Abraham: She is the key to Remnant's survival.

Prim crashes through a pillar and picks herself up. Blood trickles down from her forehead as her eyes start to glow. She draws her sword to face her monstrous foe.

Prim lays against a stone. She looks up and sees The Masked Man looking down on her.

Masked Man: Humans are such a persistent pest.

Johnny, Nova and Yang confront Avarice in a library.

Avarice: I don't know Who this Masked Man is.

The Masked Man blocks blows from Yang and August. He throws them into opposite walls and catches Oscars cane with his hand.

Avarice: But I do know he's connected to my brother somehow.

The Masked Man slams Oscar against the wall. A shadowy monster appears at his side.

Masked Man: This World will know despair.

The Masked Man slams his hand into the sand and summons a giant Grimm to wipe out the Atlesian forces and gravely injures Winter.

Lionheart: I think it's time to hold a tournament of sorts.

Cinder confronts Lionheart in his office.

Lionheart: Anyone can join regardless of age or rank.

Mob creates a tornado with a wave of his hand.

Nephrite jumps across a series of floating islands.

Lionheart: No weapons, no dust, and no magic.

Nova: Oh come on! That means I have to hold back against everyone.

Johnny: Your magic basically works the same as dust. It'd be an unfair advantage.

Glade: You're the Guardian of Remnant. Everyone will be coming for you.

Prim finds herself surrounded by foes.

Lionheart: You six will be the only ones to know the true ulterior motive. To find those taking advantage of the situation.

Sumire: Are you sure this is a good idea?

Russet: This is a great chance to see how we stack up against the pros.

Argent: There's something I want to test.

Argent jumps out of the way of a man with a lycanthrope semblance.

Verdant: I'm hoping for the chance to fight you.

Nova: I have someone else in mind.

Nova holds up a ball with the number 13 on it.

Lionheart: Only 16 people will be put in the brackets. But with how many people are applying, there will be a qualifier.

Glade summons Heart's Grow to battle the pirate Zwart Baard.

Nova: All the strong ones are here.

Nova points to Prim in the staging area.

Nova: But most of all I want to fight you.

A Black Gate opens and transforms into a Vortex. The Masked Man steps through, flanked by Zalfos and Mob

Nova activates her Maiden powers

Chu licks his lips in anticipation.

Hue glares at his target.

Prim's eyes are engulfed in silverlight.

Prim and Nova rush at each other. The two exchange blows, punching each other in the cheek at the same time. They seperate and fire off aura blasts before rushing at each other again. They lock hands. Prim summons Fighting Dreamer and Nova summons a clone and the two constructs knock each other out. They headbutt and separate before going at each other again.

Glade and Hina train alone in the woods, comparing the strengths of their semblances.

Nephrite and Chenzi meditate at a waterfall. Nephrite opens her eyes and surges with power.

Zalfos drops from a stone pillar. Mob cracks his knuckles and gets ready to attack. Chu drops down and rushes their opponents.

Hue and Jet stand back to back on a floating island and counter Nickel's attack.

Verdant practices his kicks before grinning and throwing a thumbs up in Prim's direction.

Argent practices his punches in front of his admiring teammates.

Johnny laughs and scratches his head as Nova turns her nose up at him. Her face softens as she leans on his shoulder. Prim jumps in and wraps her body around his arm, earning a shocked expression from Johnny and a dirty glance from Nova.

Johnny's pleasant mood ends when he sees Nightshade watching him from the stands. He looks at his opponent, Hue, who is in a meditative stance at the opposite end of the arena.

Johnny evades a series of punches from Hue. The assassin teleports around and strikes Johnny in the face.

Hina catches Argent's punch and tosses him aside.

Nephrite shatters Heart's Grow with a single palm thrust and strikes Glade's shoulder.

Verdant ducks under Zalfos and uppercuts his stomach.

Jet delivers several swift kicks to Nickel's torso.

Mob creates a meteor rush that his opponent tries to punch through.

Chu dances around Chenzi's lightning blasts. Chenzi misses a lunging punch and Chu bites down on his arm. Chenzi flips over and puts Chu in a headlock and pulls on his opponent's rubbery body, stretching it out.

Prim's eyes flash silver as her blade clashes with The Masked Man's. Prim summons Fighting Dreamer to her side. The Masked Man creates a pitch black humanoid construct with a wolf's head to counter it. Thunder claps from their screaming blades as they smash each other in a headbut.

A wedding photo with all the main heroes flies through the air and catches fire.