Thanks to TehGramerPolise and MasterofBones for their help with this chapter. A new short story set in the Nevermore Sweetling universe kind of like "Happy Holidays Sweetling" is in the works and should be coming out soon (TM).
I stepped past the shattered magical wall and brandished Harbinger. As I did so I could practically feel the ripple of fear that swept through the gathered monsters.
"Alright listen up!" I bellowed, "If any of you suckers want to live then you're going to do exactly what I say."
I pointed at Ashuna, "First thing's first: give me the Scepter of McCulloh, after that you're going to hand one of these two." I jerked my head at Seydin and Count Arnau, "The daggers, they are then going to get the temples up and running again."
I glared at each of the three monsters in turn, "Everybody with me so far?"
There was a collective murmur that I wasn't actually sure was assent or awed cursing.
I decided to just roll with it, "After that's all done, Winter and I are going to leave. We'll be taking Lushi as collateral, if anyone tries to stop us, she dies first… followed shortly by the assholes in question."
I once again looked around at the three monsters, "Is that all clear?"
Once again the murmurs came in reply and once again I decided to just roll with it. I turned to Ashuna and held out a hand, "Well?"
The monster hesitated and a single drop of sweat began making its way down the back of my neck. I really, really, hoped that none of these guys could read minds because I was bluffing so hard I swear I could feel my nose growing.
I mean Maidents, talk about running on empty. I was no longer attuned to mana, so no super strength or speed. I could technically still use the Flames of Sarongar like I had in Forever Fall, but that had exhausted me to the point of collapsing.
If push came to shove, I would need anima, and the only anima in this whole city that I knew of was currently one freaking flask with Winter. Who I had told to stay behind because she wasn't prepared for a fight.
Oh boy, the irony would be killing me right now if it wasn't a hairsbreadth away from, you know, getting me killed.
So it took just about every bit of self-control I could muster to hide my very palpable relief as Ashuna lifted his hand and the Scepter of McCulloh appeared inside of it. He slowly began shambling forward, his face making it clear that he really didn't want to be anywhere near me.
I bit back the urge to scream at him to move it. The absolute last thing I wanted to do was break the pall of numb terror that had fallen over the three monsters. What I did want was to grab the Scepter, stop the Filth, and then book it out of here as quickly as possible with Winter and Kali in tow. So I lifted an eyebrow and beckoned with my fingers at the reluctant monster.
His face paled and he stumbled forward as he quickened his pace. He was almost right in front of me and the Scepter almost in my hand when… horribly predictably… everything went south.
There was a tutting sound and I felt dread creep up the back of my neck as I recognized the voice.
The Big, Bad Bird comes a fluttering and so you start giving away my toys?
I looked over Ashuna's shoulder to see a human made entirely out of Filth reclining on the throne.
Slowly it shook its head.
That's just not very fly of you Chuck.
It cocked its head.
Especially when all it can do right now is flutter and flap its beak.
Oh crap.
"What do you mean, Master?" Ashuna asked slowly.
Take a good look… do you see the glow of Gaia's honey? Do you see Sarongar's fury? He's got you scared of a high card Jack, Chuck."
Ashuna turned back to me and I let loose with all the fire I could muster in a blast of heat and flames. As soon as that ran out, I slashed wildly with Harbinger, praying that my desperate sucker punch had taken him off guard.
It hadn't; before my blow had even landed, Ashuna's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, stopping it cold. The fire slowly dissipated and my heart fell as I saw that it hadn't left so much as a mark on the monster's face.
Ashuna for his part looked baffled and then his expression slowly morphed into rage.
"You tried to trick me." He seethed.
I lifted a finger, "Correction: I did trick you."
All things considered, maybe that hadn't been the best thing to say.
I didn't even see the blow that collided with my midsection, all that I knew was that suddenly it felt like someone had reached down my throat and tried to pull out my stomach.
I retched and collapsed to my knees. A moment later, something slammed into the bottom of my chin, sending me flat on my back. I was only there for maybe half a second when Ashuna planted a foot on my ribs and started twisting.
I let out a cry of pain and I heard the Filth on the throne laugh. Then its face was right above mine and its featureless face split into a blood-red smile.
It really is nice to see you again, Qrow. That being said, I'm afraid that I'll have to keep it short. I know it's rude, since this will be the last time we meet, but you know how it is, lots to do and so little time.
"Screw you." I spat.
The Filth being's smile faded slightly.
You know… I think somehow I'm actually going to miss that die-hard defiance.
It lifted up a hand and waved.
So long and good night little birdie.
Then it vanished.
An iron grip latched itself around my throat and I was hoisted up so that I was face to face with Ashuna, who had a demented smile on his face.
"Qrow Branwen. I've waited for you for so long... sometimes in eagerness… sometimes in dread; but I always knew you would come." He considered me for a moment, "However, I admit that I never thought you would simply fall into my grasp like this."
"Unpredictable, that's me." I croaked.
Damn it, there had to be a way out of this; maybe if I could just distract him Seydin or Count Arnau could get a good shot in.
Of course, the only problem with that particular plan is that they would probably be sure to take both of us out. Hell, I wouldn't even necessarily be surprised if they decided to get me first.
"I knew you would come." He repeated, "From the moment that I killed Summer Rose."
He got the exact reaction that no doubt he had been hoping to get from me, "Ignite." I spat and the Flames of Sarongar erupted all over me, surrounding the two of us in a firestorm for a brief moment.
Then it died out as my vision started fading in and out as the exhaustion hit me like a physical blow.
Ashuna of course, was completely unharmed and he chuckled as he shook his head, "You have no idea how this feels." He told me, "I have been waiting for your vengeance for that day and this is all you can muster? I would be more relieved if I wasn't so… disappointed."
He laughed as he threw me to the ground and I bit back a cry of pain as my body collided with the stone.
Ashuna casually flicked a finger and a golden chain shot out to wrap around my neck. My hands reflexively went to my throat as he pulled it taut, yanking me towards him.
"Come, I think you should see this."
He turned and started walking and I only barely managed to keep my grip on Harbinger as I was dragged behind him by the neck.
He reached the throne and then snapped his fingers.
The chains extended to wrap around my entire body and then flew out to latch themselves into the walls and soon I was hanging suspended in the air.
"There." Ashuna said, "Do you see what sits atop my throne?"
He pointed and I let out a harsh bark of laughter, "What am I looking for?" I asked hoarsely, "Just how hard you're compensating for something?"
The monster sighed and then he snapped his fingers again.
I screamed as two of the chains around my neck undid themselves and plunged directly into my flesh.
They writhed like worms and I could feel them splitting and dividing to burrow farther and deeper into my skin.
The threads inside my body pulled and yanked, forcing me to look up to where the monster was pointing.
As I had seen before, the throne itself was made out of bones that twisted and interlocked with one another to form designs and latticeworks.
What I hadn't seen before was that at the very top of the throne, there was a skull.
And hanging beneath it was a large piece of battered white and red cloth… a cloak.
Summer's cloak.
A strength born of pure rage coursed through my veins and I felt the chains rip and tear at my flesh as I pulled and struggled with everything I had.
And then I was free, I fell to the ground and shot to my feet; my eyes fixated solidly on Ashuna, who was simply standing there, his hands extended outward and a mocking smile on his face.
The tiny rational part of my mind that wasn't consumed by fury whispered that I was being played, that Ashuna was simply toying with me and that I was giving him exactly what he wanted.
But that voice was tiny compared to the rage that was tearing around inside me… a breeze swallowed by a hurricane.
I threw myself forward, Harbinger whirling as I attacked with reckless abandon, with not a care to my own defense.
And to my shock, it actually kind of worked.
Ashuna must have underestimated the kind of rise he was going to get out of me; because while he deflected the first few attacks, one of them got through and he let out a gasp as a cut appeared on his cheek.
I felt a surge of triumph rise within me and I redoubled the ferocity of my attacks, causing the monster to fall back before me.
However, it was not to last; Ashuna snapped his fingers and a wall of chains appeared between us.
I paused for just a moment… this was checkmate I realized, there was no way I was going to be fast enough to get around the wall. I also knew that at any moment it was going to launch forward to trap me again and I wasn't fast enough to dodge that either. At that point it would be over, Ashuna wasn't going to give me another opportunity like this.
So I took the only option that was left, I gathered up every single bit of energy and strength I could muster and charged straight at it.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the chains started to fire outward and I ducked and weaved as far as I could before the sheer amount of them made that impossible.
Single lengths of chains connected and began wrapping around me, seeking to hold me back; the first few that did snapped as I pushed on through. But there were hundreds of the things and soon, I was having to go step by step towards Ashuna, who I could barely make out between the spaces between the chains.
He was right there, his palms out as he concentrated on the magic, his eyes panicked and his mouth set in a snarl as he tried to stop me.
And it was working, the chains were wrapped tighter and tighter and even my berserk strength couldn't get me through.
So with the last bits of my strength I summoned the Flames of Sarongar, swapped Harbinger to its sword form and threw everything I had into a single thrust.
The chains snapped and broke and shrapnel flew as shoved my blade outward.
I felt Harbinger bite into flesh and something slammed into the right side of my head so hard that I saw stars and the world around me exploded.
The next thing I knew I was lying on the ground and I groaned as a dull ache spread from my right forehead down to my jaw
I got to my hands and knees, shaking from sheer exhaustion, my breath coming in short gasps. Blood splattered onto the ground from my face in fat drops; my vision felt narrow, restricted… it was so disorienting that I nearly fell flat on my face.
I blinked my eyes a few times and shook myself trying to recover; it was weird, it seemed like my vision on the left side was fine, but the right…
Then I lifted a hand up to my right eye and I felt my heart go cold as I felt a piece of metal.
It was gone. I realized, my right eye was completely gone.
There was the sound of scuffing feet and I looked up to see Ashuna. His left hand was clutching tightly onto his shoulder and I saw blood running from a deep wound he had taken there.
"That was more what I was expecting." He said, "But still I must say, rather disappointing."
He fell to his knees and let out a gasp, "Rather dissapointin-"
Then he fell flat on his face, spasmed once, and then went still.
I simply stared for a moment, unable to believe what I had just seen.
I had won.
Holy Maidens above I had won.
I had killed Ashuna, I had avenged Summer.
Then a golden apple appeared in the air above him.
My heart slowly sank as Ashuna's arm sprang to life and he snatched it out of the air. Slowly he rose to his feet, and as he did so, the apple withered and died until it was blackened and shriveled.
Finally the monster was back on his feet, a large smile on his face. He casually tossed the rotten apple aside and rotated his shoulder, the fatal wound that I had left there gone without a trace.
"As I said." He told me, "It was still rather disappointing."
I tried to get back to my feet, but dizziness and nausea overwhelmed me and I simply fell back to my knees, my head spinning.
Ashuna chuckled as he walked up to stand in front of me, "I have to admit, it's been a while since I've had to use that particular spell." He admitted, "But I had been prepared to use far more if it meant surviving our eventual encounter. There was still so much I had been excited to test."
He held out a hand and a chain began forming in his palm, "Still, it would serve no purpose now." He said, "I suppose I shall simply have to use them in my battle with the Jade Empress instead. Good-bye, Qrow Branwen."
Everything happened so fast that it left me reeling.
One moment, Ashuna was about to kill me, the next a giant golden Beowolf rammed into him and tackled him to the ground.
"Qrow!" Winter's voice echoed strangely in my ears, "Get down!"
As if I could do anything else, I collapsed onto my stomach and I felt a huge gust of wind shoot right over my head.
I looked up to see Ashuna struggling to escape from the bear hug the Beowolf had him in and I briefly saw a hand appear out of nowhere. It swooped in, snatched the daggers cleanly from Ashuan's belt, and then just it had appeared, it disappeared into thin air.
Kali's magic, I realized blearily, of course, she could go to re-activate the temples now; stop the Filth.
Everything was going fuzzier by the moment, but I was lucid enough to see Ashuna break free from the Bewolf, only for Winter to step forward and strike out with her rapier. Ashuna parried the attack with his magic and soon the two of them were going at it blow for blow.
"Be careful he's got chains." I called out to her, "Also apples for when he dies, does that seem like cheating? That seems like cheating to me-"
And then I was out like a light.