v.2 beta: ssjSega

(Antechamber, Coliseum)
(Sentinel Prime, Argent D'Nur)

(The First Age)

"We caught him trying to enter the city."

Dirty, shivering, famished, bleeding and missing a part of his ear after being mauled by a gargoyle, ten-year-old William shivered under the elderly Deags gaze as he knelt on the floor before them, eyes widened as he stared down at the ground, himself flanked by two Sentinels. His eyes were wide as he appeared to be in shock.

"Welcome home, Markacc. You have grown a bit since we last saw you," the Deag that wore the crown smiled. "I never gave up hope that the firstborn of our former High Priestess to the Wraiths would find his way back to us."

The priest that wore the helm, scoffed, "Hmph. I remember we met your father at this exact sport, under quite similar circumstances."

"...dad?" 'Markacc', muttered.

The Deag that wore the crown turned to the Sentinel guards, "Send him to the Drill Masters. The initiates are to be presented to the great Khan Maykr soon. No doubt she will be happy that Ormero's sacred bloodline is back where he belongs."

"..." they didn't consider Hunter as being part of King Ormero's line?

That would be a blessing, Markacc decided. He would be as far away from here back in the countryside of Elysium, safe from the Night Sentinels.

"Oh crap, Hunter, I..."

"T-that hurt...!"

"I...I didn't mean to-"

And safe from him, and from what he perceived was his grandfather's evil inside him.

(RWBY)

Kingdom of Tyrants IV:
Atlesian Pain Engine

"From this moment onward, shitlings, your existence is pain."
- Unknown Drill Master, Night Sentinels

(RWBY)

(En-route to Epsilon Labs and Facilities)
(Approaching Solitas' shoreline)

(Now)

Standing in the cockpit, Ironwood gripped his scroll, scowling angrily as the words CANNOT CONNECT flashed red repeatedly. The two pilots in front kept their eyes forward, not wanting to face their general as he stewed in rage, and each breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped out.

Winter was waiting for him, "General?"

"My orders to Epsilon to abort their experiments never got through," Ironwood declared. "Or, most likely, they were ignored; either by Jacques or Merlot."

"Titan Base, sir?"

"Communications have gone down. Merlot's doing, most likely."

"..." Winter knew what that meant. "Our battleplan stays the same, sir?"

"Yes. We forcibly take control of the facility," Ironwood said.

Grounds troops and armor from the Atlesian 4th Home Guard Regiment wound surround the facility, making sure nothing got in and out while the Marine would penetrate Epsilon, kill every demonic abomination that were bound to infest the facility if the experiment takes place, take Jacques and Merlot into custody and secure the labs.

"And what about Blazkowicz?" asked Ozpin, Beacon's headmaster stepping out of the cabin.

Ironwood was about to answer when his scroll buzzed. TITAN.

"This is General Ironwood. Report."

"THIS IS TITAN!" the other end shouted, panicked. "COMMANDER CORDOVIN HAS ENGAGED THE SLAYER AND THE WHITE FANG!"

Ironwood's eyes widened, "The White Fang?!"

(The Hold)

In the hold of the military jet that was ferrying him, Qrow, Ozpin, the General and Special Operative Schnee, Taiyang wrapped taped around both his hands, cutting it with his teeth before balling them into fists and throwing a few shadow punches at nothing in particular. They would be the only weapons he would need once they touched down at Epsilon.

Atlesian. Grimm. Demons. The Doom Slayer. None of them were getting in between him and his girls.

"Getting some practice in before the bloodletting begins, Tai?"

Taiyang paused, and sighed when he heard Qrow's coy tone of voice. He turned around to see Branwen sitting on top of a crate behind him. He cracked his knuckles, "I got plenty fending off Grimm that took out the fence around the house. Right now..." He stretched out his palms, the bones continuing to crack. "Right now, I'm imagining myself rearranging someone's face."

"Merlot, Schnee or Blazkowicz?"

"Yes."

"No offence Tai, but you shouldn't set your goals too high."

Tai blinked, "Just Merlot and Blazkowicz, then?"

"Uhhhhh...can't tell if you're being serious or if it's the depression talking, but..." Qrow got off the crate. "In the interests of not having the Slayer pop your head off like a zit, I just wanna remind you that Ruby and Yang sliced and punched their way out of Hell, most likely with Blazkowicz's help."

"Maybe," Tai looked down at his fist. "But I don't trust him." He looked Qrow in the eye, "Any word from Raven? Isn't the tribe in Mistral at the moment?"

"She missed our usual meeting," Qrow answered. He sounded bitterly when he added, "Means she's got bigger problems." He patted Tai on the shoulder, "In the meantime, you just worry about your girls." Suddenly he gripped Tai's arm tightly, "And for fuck's sake, don't cross Blazkowicz."

Tai smacked Qrow's hand and bitterly noted, "Nobody wants to cross him. He's already got Oz and Ironwood by the balls cause' they don't want to cross him."

"...oh, I don't know about that."

(RWBY)

(Warehouse, Epsilon Labs and Facilities)
(Solitas, Atlas)

"YOU DARE TURN YOUR OVERSIZED, FREAKISH WEAPON ON ME, BLAZKOWICZ!?"

"Whoa, DODGE!"

Barely feeling the Solitas cold, Sun bellowed out loud as the Paladin unleashed a volley of rockets, sending asphalt flying all over the place. The Slayer, Team SSSN and the White Fang all scattered as they avoided Cordovin's onslaught.

"MASS-MURDERING ALIEN SCUM! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DEFY SUPERIOR ATLESIAN AUTHORITY!" Cordovin was shouting with glee as she piloted her mech after him. "WHEN YOU DARE TAKE ATLESIAN LIVES! I'LL MAKE YOU...SUFFFEEEEEERRRRRRR!"

"She really hates you, Blazko!" Neptune snarked smilingly, right before they were all dodging cannon fire.

"Shut up!" Ilia exclaimed, cracking her whip to deflect the Paladin's shells.

"ALL FORCES HOLD POSITION! I'LL DEAL WITH THESE DEGENERATES MYSELF!"

"Degenerates!?" Coyle shouted angrily, firing his scattergun at her. "YOU BITCH!"

Cordovin was laughing as Team SSSN's firepower deflected off the Paladin's armor, "FOOLS! YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR SUPERIOR ATLESIAN ENGINEERING!"

++We do not have time for this. Merlot could open the Slipgate at any given moment.++

"T-this is insane!" Marrow exclaimed. "STOP! I'M A STUDENT AT-"

Sun grabbed Marrow and pulled out of the way of Paladin's cannons, "She ain't listening, pal!"

"Why don't you use your OP Semblance, traitor!?" Coyle yelled. "Try doing something for your fellow Faunas!"

Sienna was the first to notice Marrow's contemptuous glare at the volatile lynx Faunus. She panicked and cried, "WAIT!"

"STAY!"

Making sure the White Fang, Team SSSN and the Slayer were in eyeshot, Marrow pointed at them and shouted at them, freezing them all in place.

"W-WHAT?!" Cordovin cried out in surprise. "What is this?!"

"Hold your fire!" Marrow called out, turning his back on those he had just frozen in place. "I say again, I'm a student at Atlas Academy and-"

WHAM!

And William's fist shattered his Aura and knocked him out cold, swatting him aside and breaking his hold over Team SSSN and the White Fang. William drew his rocket launcher, and fired one straight at the Paladin's frontal plating...

"ARGHHH!"

... knocking the Paladin back and down on knee, winding the pilot within.

"How can that kid's Semblance didn't affect you?" Ilia cried, confused.

++Marrow's Semblance appears to affect those with Aura, which the Slayer does not possess-++

"Yeah, we get the gist of it, Exposition!" Sage exclaimed. "There's still an entire Atlesian division between us and Epsilon."

"And that thing's going to be chasing us all the way there!" Scarlet added.

It was going to be bad enough fighting through the entire Atlas military stationed at Epsilon. It was going to be even harder with Cordovin and her mech chasing after them.

"Hey!"

Sun patted him in the back. He turned to see how resolved he looked.

"You guys go ahead!" He smirked and gestured to himself and his Team, "We got this."

Surprised, Neptune asked, "Wait, we do?"

William nodded. He turned to Sienna.

"..." Sienna realized these Huntsmen were risking their lives for her and her followers, where it hadn't been even a quarter of an hour since the last time he derided her and her entire organization. She shook her head and called out, "Ilia, Coyle!"

"YOU!" Cordovin bellowed angrily. "I'LL END YOU, BLAZKOWICZ!"

"AH!" Coyle covered his eyes, the volume of the voice coming out of the Paladin feeling like it burst his eardrums. "Could somebody shut that bitch up!"

Sun clasped his hands together...

"GO!"

...and focused his Semblance – Via Sun – his hair glowing with a golden shine as he summoned several dozen light clones of himself, unlike Blake's Semblance, that charged the Paladin and leapt up on top of it, striking at it at repeatedly throwing Cordovin off until it tripped over itself, giving the Slayer, Sienna, Ilia and Coyle time to make a break toward the warehouse doors.

"WHY YOU-!"

Cordovin swung the Paladin's left arm at William. He double-jumped to avoid it, landing on top of the control pod with his plasma rifle in hand and the Stun Bomb mod installed. He jumped off it as it turned itself to fire it's cannons at him, firing off a stun bomb that enshrouded the mech in electrical charges that caused the mech to convulse.

BBZZZZZZZ "AGH..." BZZZZ "...AMN YOU...BBZZZ...SLAYER!"

(Inside the Paladin)

Face red and visibly frazzled from rage, Cordovin slammed her fist onto the controls, before grapping the com-receiver into it...

"ALL FORCES, CONVERGE ON MY POSITION! DON'T LET THE SLAYER AND THE WHITE FANG REACH EPSILON!"

(Outside the Paladin)

"You heard the commander! Move in and suppress-OOF!"

The Atlesian officer up front and leading the rest of the Atlesian troops waiting outside the warehouse was sent flying from a uppercut to the stomach, shattering the windows of the military jeep he landed on.

KRUNCH!

The Slayer's foot caught the soldier in the face as he double-jumped, breaking her jaw and knocking her into the snow. Landing on top of a troop carrier, he and the White Fang found themselves dodging gunfire from seemingly every conceivable direction as they made a break across the tundra toward Epsilon, an entire division of Atlesian troops and vehicles pursuing them.

"FUCK!" Coyle screamed, the sounds of bullets whizzing past his ear nearly causing his heart to burst out of his chest. "HIGH LEADER, THIS IS INSANE!"

Ilia cuffed him across the back of his head, "Keep running, idiot!"

High-impact gatling rounds tore the ground up ahead of them.

++Dropships in pursuit.++

William installed the Lock-On mod on his rocket launcher...

++Neutralize immediately.++

...and skidded to a halt, raising his launcher up at the pursuing light transport craft. Locking onto the center dropship he fired a volley of three rockets that struck the underside of the craft, causing it's wingmen to evade out of formation as it's left wing was blown off, causing it to go into a tailspin where it crashed, causing the pursuing vehicles to slam on the brakes to avoid the flaming, still intact wreckage as its pilots – on fire – dove out and rolled themselves across the ground, putting the flames out but leaving them severely injured.

"..."

His scrolls suddenly beeped.

It was the awkward, embarrassed voice of Sun, "Uh...Blazkowicz? I was wrong-"

BOOOOM!

"SHE'S RIGHT ON YOUR TAILS!"

The front of the warehouse exploded as the Paladin charged, the Atlesian troops quickly clearing a path as Cordovin charged, with Sun clinging desperately onto it's back.

"Shitshitshitshitshitshit..." Sun's teeth were clenched as he repeatedly cursed to himself.

"SUN!" Neptune shouted after him as he, Sage and Scarlet ran out of the warehouse after them, an unconscious Marrow draped over Sage's shoulder as they attempted to catch up to them, but stopped when they the Atlesian division rear guard pointed their guns at him. Sage dropped Marrow onto the ground as they put their arms up, "We surrender."

"COWARDS! FIENDS!" Cordovin was still madly shouting as she pursued them. "YOU CANNOT OUTRUN ME!"

William and the White Fang had just reached the airstrip outside Epsilon when William suddenly skidded to a stop and spun around, his chainsaw in hand. Cordovin yelped in surprise and brought the Paladin to a stop too, the force of her brake throwing Sun off the Paladin. Spinning in the air he landed on his feet right in front of the mech and the cannon that were aimed down at him.

One could just hear the gleeful smirk on Cordovin's face, "NOW, I HAVE Y-!"

Which was wiped off her face as William charged, ducked beside Sun and delivered an uppercut to the Paladin's left cannon, hard enough for her to lose her footing, bringing the cockpit to level with the Slayer. Cracking his left hand he reached for his scroll and held it toward the cockpit's hatch.

++Accessing. Breaching. Stand by...++

"W-WHAT ARE YOU-!?" the Paladin's cockpit opened up, revealing Cordovin. Cordovin, sitting down strapped in place right in front of a very angry Slayer. "...doing?"

"..."

"GAK!"

The scene was almost comical, William grabbing Cordovin by the throat, tearing out of her restraints and lifting her out of the cockpit, almost like he was choking a chicken, right until he tossed her over his shoulder and she hit the ground, face first into the snow, the sound of the Paladin powering down when it's internal systems failed to detect a pilot.

Though shivering terribly from the cold, Sun managed a weak smile, "I thought you'd rip the cockpit off, tearing Cordovin a new one that way."

"I'd chip a nail," William snarked.

"WAIT...OOMPH!"

William and Sun turned their head to see Coyle smirkingly with his foot into Cordovin's mouth and pinning her to the ground, him, Sienna and Ilia standing above her, each of them staring down hatefully at the Atlesian.

++You should stop them. General Ironwood is closing in, and we need the factions present to cooperate for the present time.++

Coyle wiped the blood still trickling from his broken nose and was about to press the barrel of his scattergun against Cordovin's cranium when the Slayer suddenly shoved him back.

Cordovin spat out the taste of Coyle's boot and stammered, "W-wha-what?!"

"Oh, what, now you're double-crossing us!?" Coyle snarled.

Sun was at his side in an instant with his shotgun-nunchaku at the ready as Sienna and Ilia drew their weapons.

"Nah, he would've killed you guys in a heartbeat," Sun indicated, unamused.

++I suggest you refrain from enacting any more hostilities on the Atlesian military,++ VEGA recommended. ++We will secure General Ironwood's co-operation momentarily.++

"What are you talking about?" Sienna cried, getting into a stance as the Atlas troops pursuing them began to catch up.

That was when an Atlesian capital airship started to descend from the clouds, flanked by Manta fighter craft.

"Shit!" Coyle exclaimed.

Cordovin grinned, "General Ironwood. And he's brought reinforcements by the looks of things-"

"THIS IS GENERAL IRONWOOD TO ALL STANDING TITAN BASE PERSONNEL, DISENGAGE!" the general's voice can be heard from the airship, sounding like it reverberated around them. "REPEAT: DISENGAGE THE DOOM SLAYER AND THE WHITE FANG!"

The Titan Base troops grounded to a confused halt. Cordovin gawked in disbelief and reached for her scroll. Shaken, she spoke into it, "S-sir!? I-I don't understand, We can just eradicate these fiends right here, right now-"

"Do I have to repeat myself, Specialist Cordovin?" Ironwood replied.

"N-no sir."

"Good. Secure the perimeter outside Epsilon. I and Headmaster Ozpin will touch down momentarily to assume command. If the worst happens, we have to make sure nothing gets out. I'll assume Sienna Khan is there with you?"

"..." Sienna frowned. "General?"

"You're no doubt already aware that there's an evil greater than whatever crimes humanity has inflicted on Faunas? I propose-"

"A ceasefire? Done!" Sienna hurriedly said. "We need to get back into Epsilon, now!"

++General Ironwood, order your ships to open fire on Epsilon immediately!++ VEGA interjected urgently.

"...say again?!"

++Merlot is preparing to open a gateway to Hell. Disrupt him in any way you can.++

(RWBY)

(Epsilon Authority)

Still hardwired into the computation systems on the bridge, Merlot wasn't bothered by the arrival of that Atlas airship and the reinforcements it brought with him. Rather, he anticipated it. Relished it, even.

"Receiving incoming communique from General Ironwood," one of the Knight-200s manning the consoles said.

"Block," Merlot replied. "Give Ironwood more reason to be afraid. Are our guests aware of the pandemonium brewing outside?"

"Negative. Schnee and his party appear to be unaware."

Merlot smiled, "Not for much longer." He suddenly ordered, "Pain Engine status?"

"Flesh Batteries in place. Preliminary charging underway."

"Prepare to raise the Slipgate, where Schnee can get a good look."

(RWBY)

(Observation Deck)

Jacques checked his watch. He smiled when he saw that it was time. He tapped his champagne glass with a spoon, barely noticing Willow down what was left in her glass as she, almost on instinct, silently joined him along with their son Whitley, both with smiles on their face, though the boys were less forced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we witness history unveil before our eyes, I just want to address a certain, shall we complication, we at Atlas have been worried about for the past week," Jacques said. "I, of course, refer to the criminal agitator known as William Joseph Blazkowicz, more commonly known as the Doom Slayer."

He inwardly smiled when he could see the cloud of dread descend upon the upper-class types. The Atlesian elite thought they had more reasons to fear the Slayer than the military, that his propensity for property damage could mean trouble on whatever investments they had outside Atlas.

"Trust me, that anxiety is the same I myself felt up until today. We were all worried the Doom Slayer might one day end up undermining our interests within and outside the kingdom, but I'm happy to announce that just a few hours ago, the Schnee Dust Company had managed to finally apprehend him after he had taken my daughter Weiss and threatened the lives of company personnel here at Epsilon."

Confused disbelief and murmuring followed.

Jacques chuckled, "Heh, yes I know, I know. I heard the rumor of his 'godlike' power to inflict unwarranted destruction where it isn't necessary. But..."

He snapped his fingers, and a Knight-200 stepped onto the deck, and gasps rang out when they saw it was holding the Slayer's helmet, the mark on it undeniable. The crowd cleared a path for the knight approached Jacques and handed him the helmet, his smug look reflecting off the visor.

"...to all the members of the press, let me just say: They were just rumors."

And with that, the elite of Atlas all broke out into cheers, happy that the Slayer was no longer around to defy Atlas.

"Where is Blazkowicz currently being held?" one of the reporters asked, writing with a stylus onto his scroll.

"He's on ice, ready to be transported to Atlas to stand trial for his crimes against our beloved kingdom," Jacques replied.

"And how's your daughter?" another asked. "How's the heir to the Schnee Dust Company doing?"

Jacques smiled and turned to Willow, "I'll let my dear wife answer that. Willow?"

Willow briefly downcast her eyes, her own forced smile never wavering. "She's...resting."

"And will make a full recovery and will back in Atlas in no time," Jacques finished. "Now, if I may direct you toward the field just past these windows, we – as a kingdom – shall the for the first-time glimpse upon the device brought humanity, what brought our people, to this world." There was nothing but confident glee in his voice, "It was my father-in-law's company that solved the biggest mystery of where we came from, and with it our keys to the heavens itself!"

The entire observation deck rumbled and the sounds of loud machinery and gears could be heard as the wide, empty space outside observation slowly parted way. The guests present gasped in wonderment as the massive arena-like architecture elevated from the frozen ruins below, and the massive ancient Slipgate situated in the center.

'This is what my father kept hidden from the world?' Willow thought, alarmed. She looked at Jacques, and the almost maniacal glee on his face. 'What he kept hidden from me? And Weiss is imprisoned because of this?'

"BEHOLD!" Merlot announced over the speakers. "The origin of our species!"

More concussions followed, and everyone was quick to realize the dome covering Epsilon was being bombarded.

"W-what is this?!" Jacques demanded. "Merlot?! What is happening?!"

"Heh, allow me to say a phrase that you are most likely are fond of repeating: 'Should have read the fine print.'"

"...what?"

(RWBY)

(Elevator)

Catrice remembered why she had dropped out of Atlas Academy in her final year. The competition, the aggression, the violence, she couldn't stand any of it. Here she was in a nearly cramped elevator car, surrounded by a team of Huntresses-In-Training, almost like she could feel their Aura, and it was suffocating her.

The elevator music wasn't helping.

"...kill them...kill them all..."

And she could hear Ruby mutter quietly to herself. They all could.

"Ruby?" Yang said. "Are you-"

"I'M FINE!" Ruby snapped, causing her teammates to jump. "Let's just stop Weiss' dad from opening that gate. Then we go find William and leave this place!"

"Ruby, you're not killing my father," Weiss stated matter-of-factly.

"..." Ruby looked over her shoulder, her dull grey eyes looking like they were staring into Weiss' soul. "Why not? He started it."

Weiss started shivering, like she was staring at the creation of another Slayer.

Catrice swallowed and dared to speak up, "Ruby, there's no need to do that. We just need to stop the opening of the gate and-"

DING!

The door opened and they were greeted by an SDC security guard...

"Hey-!"

...that Ruby swatted into the wall to their left hard enough to shatter his Aura and render him unconscious on the floor.

Ruby gripped Crescent Rose with both hands, "Try to keep up."

"Ruby...WAIT!"

Ruby took off out of the elevator and through the lobby in a hail of rose petals, leaving her teammates in a mix of dust and roses, ducking and swerving out of the bullets' way as the security present fired at her. Yang launched herself with Ember Celica and sent one of the guard's that were aiming at her sister flying. Blake producing shadow clones that caught the gunfire sent way until she got close enough to slice his assault rifle in half and leg sweep him off the floor, drawing her handgun and shooting him in the chest before he could fall, blasting him against an information kiosk. Weiss summoned a flock of birds towards an entire squad of SDC guards that poured into the room from another lift, pecking at them, causing them to flail their arms in a vain attempt to brush them off, leaving themselves them open for Weiss to produce Fire Dust that she used in a glyph that she summoned underneath the guards' feet, that exploded and sent them flying.

Ruby cried in pain when she felt herself get clipped in the chest, her Aura managing to absorb the shot. Opening her eyes, she glared hatefully at the guard responsible. The guard panicked when a red blur suddenly went for him, and slashed him across his left hand, breaking his Aura and severing the radial artery.

"ARGHHHHH!" the guard paled as he dropped his rifle and clenched his right hand over where Ruby cut him, trying to staunch the bleeding. "OH...OH BROTHERS, NO!"

Yang dropped the guard she had been holding by the collar of his uniform as he eyes widened in shock, "Fuck..."

Catrice covered her mouth in horror at the amount of blood the guard was losing. "...not that kind of doctor..." she muttered shakenly to herself before she shed her labcoat off, immediately tearing a strip off. Forcing the guard's left hand off the wound she fastened the fabric strip around the wound. "I...I don't know if this is enough. He needs proper treatment!"

"..." Ruby spared the guard she had bled and the shrink that was treating him a glance. She grabbed the hammer of Crescent Rose and blasted the doors out of the building they were in, revealing the main plaza outside, and in the distance the Slipgate that had been risen up from the ruins underneath.

"We're too late!" Weiss exclaimed.

++The Slipgate is currently being connected to the...power source. There is no way to prevent the portal from opening now.++

"VEGA!?" Yang cried, hearing him through their scrolls.

"Where are you?" Weiss yelled. "Where's William?!"

++Currently outside the entryway. I am attempting to force the doors open, to let ourselves back in-++

"Shut it down," Ruby calmly ordered, still staring ahead at the Slipgate. "Now."

++Merlot has locked me out, Ruby.++

"..." Ruby closed her eyes, and sighed. "Then I'm going in. Save as many as I can."

++I do not advise-++

"RUBY, STOP!"

Yang grabbed her by the arm. Suddenly, Ruby turned to glare at her.

'Oh, shit,' Yang gaped, afraid that her own sister was about to turn on her for stopping her.

"...Yang..." Ruby grounded out.

"Don't leave us behind again," Yang quickly said. She turned to her teammates, "Right."

"Y-yeah," Blake shakily nodded.

"Whitley, and most likely my mother, are up there too," Weiss said. "We have to save them."

"Stop wasting time and go if you have to!" Catrice exclaimed urgently. "I'll...stay here."

Team RWBY ran off in the direction of the observatory overlooking the Slipgate. Yang, however, paused to turn to Catrice and give her an apologetic glance. Catrice returned one of her own before she tightened the impromptu bandage around the guard that was bleeding.

Hell was minutes away from pouring through and, to her shame, she had just sent teenagers to try and stop it. Three of them suffering from borderline PTSD, while the team leader had more or less crossed over the threshold.

William Joseph Blazkowicz III was the Slayer of Argent D'Nur? Then, Ruby Rose was well on her way to becoming the Slayer of Remnant.

Not Slayer, no. Reaper.

(RWBY)

(Outside)

"D-demons? Faunus experimentation? R-right u-under m-my-?"

Everybody ignored Cordovin quiet ramblings as held her head in her hand, eyes wide in disbelief as she sat in the snow against her downed Paladin, focusing instead on William as he tried to force the blast doors into Epsilon's entryway open.

++Access granted.++

William took his hands off the door as they opened. He glanced over his shoulder at both Team SSSN and the White Fang.

"..." the thought of asking them to hang back hadn't even crossed his mind. Everyone on this planet was stubborn enough as it is. He glanced over at a still unconscious Marrow being treated by a medic, before turning to Sienna.

"We're coming in with you," Sienna confirmed. She turned to Coyle and Ilia, "Right?"

"Yes, High Leader," her subordinates chimed.

As for Team SSSN...

"Hey, don't even think of finishing this thing without us," Sun grinned. "Payback's going to be a motherfucker once we give it to Schnee."

They all stepped through the door, which promptly sealed themselves closed to prevent any of the Atlesian troops from following them.

"HEY, WHAT THE HELL?!" the lieutenant leading them cried.

"Report! What has happened?" Ironwood exclaimed over the LT's scroll.

"We've just been locked outside Epsilon!"

++I have gained limited access to Epsilon's entry points. I am enacting UAC protocol containment procedures,++ VEGA announced. ++General Ironwood, have you managed to contact Schnee?++

"Our transmissions are being blocked," Ironwood angrily replied. "Jacques most likely has no idea what's happening outside his little bubble?"

++WARNING! POWER SOURCE ENGAGED! PAIN ENGINES CYCLING!++

Cordovin's eyes shrunk to pinpricks, "...what?"

"ALL STANDING ATLESIAN FORCES! PREPARE FOR IMMIMENT DEMONIC CONTACT!"

(RWBY)

(Observation)

SINISTER
- DOOM ETERNAL OST, MICK GORDON

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present unto you, courtesy of Atlesian science..."

Horrified gasps followed.

"...combined with the craftsmanship of the Sentinel race..."

Jacques' eyes widened

"...twisted by the fell designs of the Hell Priest Deag Ranak..."

"N-no..." Willow croaked.

"...I give you...the PAIN ENGINE!"

Evil, pre-recorded chanting came out of the speakers...

(0:25)

...two massive steel cylindrical structures raised out of the ground on opposite sides of the Slipgate. They had the Schnee Dust Company painted on white on both of them, over a red pentagram background. The sounds of gears, machinery, and panicked, agonized screaming by the score was suddenly blasted over the speakers in observation as compartments within the Pain Engine opened to reveal Faunus fastened by steel cuffs to the power grids, Alerted Reality goggles welded over their eyes bombarding them with horrific sigils as voltage courtesy of Sentinel energy surged through all of them.

"Dad?" Whitley whispered, terrified. He turned to his father to see that the man was staring at the window over the field in disbelief. He shook him "Father!"

Willow closed her eyes tightly, running her left fingers against her temple as she mustered up focus, and courage for what she was about to do next. She gritted her teeth, grabbed Jacques' scroll and shouted, "SHUT IT DONE, NOW!"

"Why? The show is only just began! And look who's just arrived..."

The doors were kicked open...

"AW, FUCK! WE'RE DEFINITELY TOO LATE NOW!"

... prompting Willow to drop the scroll, squinting her eyes to make out her daughter...

"Weiss?"

...and Team RWBY standing there, the crowd backing away as they saw all four of them panting from the exertion of rushing to get there. This seemed to snap Jacques out of it, as he spun around to see his daughter...

"WEISS?!"

...and her teammates, crying out in a mixture of outrage and fear. Fear, in that the red one – Ruby – noticed that he was still holding the Slayer's helmet in his left hand. And she was brandishing her very sharp looking sniper-scythe in her hands.

"YAAAAAARGHHHHHH!"

And before Weiss could stop her, Ruby zipped right up to him and brought her scythe down...

"..."

...at first Jacques didn't make a sound, chalking it up to shock as he was separated from the fingers on his left hand, them along with the Slayer's helmet falling to the ground...

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

...the shock gave way to panicked screaming and blood shooting out from the severed arteries.

"..." Willow's eyes were wide as she backed away slowly from Jacques as he fell to his knees, stretching his hand sans the fingers forward, blood gushing out and some of it landing on Willow's blouse.

"NO!" Whitely cried.

"RUBY! NO!" Weiss screamed once her own shock faded.

Ruby pulled the hammer back on Crescent Rose and pulled the trigger, trying to shatter the window. Suddenly, the blast shields came down before she had the chance to crack them.

"Uh uh uh..." came Merlot's mocking, scolding voice. "Not before the best part."

A holoscreen blinked into reality, displaying the Slipgate slowly coming to life, the Pain Engine expanding its victims Aura to encompass it...

(1:52)

...a cacophony of screaming that became borderline deafening followed as they were suddenly awash with red energy...

"Gentlemen! I give you...ARGENT ENERGY!"

...red klaxons bathed the entire facility as the Pain Engine finally allowed the flesh batteries to each choke on their final breaths and die as the Slipgate activated, eldritch power spilling out it released a Hell wave that swept over the entire Epsilon facility...

(Plaza)

"GUYS! GET DOWN!"

...horrific memories came back to Neptune as he shouted for his team, the White Fang and the Slayer to drop the ground as the Hell Wave came their way.

"SHIT!" Coyle shrieked, covering his ears. "WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

The Slayer defiantly stood where he was, the Hell wave washing over him, unable to penetrate the Praetor Suit.

(Slipgate)

Fully activated, the first thing that could be heard was a massive roar before a Baalgar stepped through, a cybernetic terror where most of it was more machine than demon – a Tyrant. It's left arm was replaced by a laser cannon with attached targeting system, his right leg and groin were replaced by steel, mechanical prosthesis and special tubing distributing Argent energy ran through its stomach and chest. The fact that its ribs were clearly showing didn't seem to be a detriment to the demon lord from out of the black soul pits of Babel.

A hail of bullets and laser hit it, one hitting it between the eyes and revealing the demonic steel underneath the flesh. The Tyrant roared and pointed its massive arm canon up at the observation window, it's targeting laser scanning the blast shield before it opened fire, melting the steel but otherwise it held. It roared in anger and marched forward, the machinery within it whirring as they afforded him movement.

"HOLD!"

Its master followed out the Slipgate – a withered old man with bad teeth and ever worse posture who supported himself with his staff whose reddened eyes stemmed from his addiction to Argent energy. The color of his crown and the priestly garbs of office were long faded over millennia. At first glance, one could feel the evil that radiated from him.

To hear him speak, it was distorted malice incarnate.

He smiled, "Reliquiae. Where the beasts and the heretics were cast down to when they rejected the word of our great Khan Maykr. How long has it been since I sat foot upon her?"

"Deag Nilox," Merlot's voice greeted him. "Welcome."

"Ahhh...Merlot. Everything is according to plan, yes? Has Grav shed his skin yet? I wish to speak with him before-"

"Change of plans, priest."

The smile was promptly wiped off his face, "What? WHAT?!"

(Observation)

Ruby picked up the Slayer's helmet, smiling at her own reflection in the visor. Noticing that Jacques was kneeling in front of her, she glared and brought Crescent Rose underneath his chin.

"P-please..." Jacques croaked, clutching his mutilated hand.

Ruby bared her teeth as she ready to slice his throat, when she felt the point of Myrtlenaster against his own neck.

"That's enough, Ruby," Weiss said firmly. The sound of Ember Celica loading followed, and she noticed Yang levelling her gauntlet right at her face.

Yang glared, "Seriously?"

"This has gone too far!" Weiss exclaimed. "Ruby has gone too far!"

Jacques smiled shakenly, "W-Weiss, you-" he was silenced by Weiss' glare.

The heiress visibly shook with rage, "I'll...General Ironwood will know what to do with you...Jacques."

"Aww...isn't this precious?" Merlot said. "It's something anyone could have seen coming from a mile away. Am I right, Jacques?"

Jacques shivered, "W-why are you doing this?"

"I think you may need to make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to be a bit...longwinded," Merlot chuckled as he disparaged himself. "For years, I have always held onto the belief that the Grimm are the most superior species on the planet. Fascinating in their biology, their unbridled, raw aggression. I believed their lack of sentience would have been them the perfect vessels to control, to make Remnant a better place."

"Grimm? Better place?!" Blake cried.

"Then years ago I discovered Hell was real. The demons were real, and over and over as I dug deeper into the texts, the inscriptions on the stone, I was proven wrong again, and again. The Grimm are not the apex-"

"W-what are you blithering on about?!" Jacques angrily interrupted.

"They are perfect, Jacques. The Grimm are merely attracted to the negative emotions of humanity. These demons, however, ARE anger, fear, hatred, sadness. One only needs to stare at them long enough to realize they had spent their existence stewing in it. The Argenta believed they could match that hatred, and now look where they are now." He laughed. "I know you're listening right now, Slayer. You think you're the only Sentinel left alive. Well..."

(Plaza)

"...not all of Argent D'Nur had been consumed. Half the planet still exists, has it has been for over thousands of years. The Night Sentinels empire is only a miserable shell of its former glory, dominated by your false Maykr gods as the demonic energies flow to the south."

"Uh..." Sun had nearly slammed into the Slayer's back when he had suddenly stopped running upon hearing his homeworld, all this time, was still around, even if it was half a planet."

"..." so many feelings were going through the Slayer at this moment, right before he pushed them all down and focused on anger. He resumed running toward the observation deck just above the now-raised Slipgate.

++Hell signatures detected through the facility. The demons are warping in,++ VEGA reported.

"Maykrs?" Ilia cried, puffing as she struggled to keep up with the Slayer alongside her fellow White Fang. "Hell?! Demons?! What is he even talking about?!"

"Nothing worth stopping for!" Sienna exclaimed. She growled, "For now."

"All this time, the last remnant of your civilization was content to sit back and let you continue their war for them..."

(Observation Deck)

"And soon, very soon, the Kingdom in the clouds itself will mostly likely float above Hell itself and I'LL be there to observe."

Yang gaped, "You gotta be shitting me!"

Disbelief was all over Jacques' face, "But...but why?"

"Is that concern in your voice, Jacques? I don't recall you expressing any when you signed off on the damned – literally damned – projects. Admit it, all you saw was lien signs. The prestige that would come your father-in-law's company funding the first off-world colony."

Weiss turned her hateful gaze on her father. Jacques really sweating now. "But...but...you told me, you reassured me it was all about the Slipgate and getting the thing to work."

"And you believed him?!" Weiss shouted.

"YES, he believed me! Yes, I did say it was all about the Slipgate. Everything here was ALL about the Slipgate, including the ashes of all the Faunus we scattered into the volcano underneath the geothermal planet," said Merlot gleefully. "Oh, and I doubt that excuse will work on the Doom Slayer, so before he kills you be sure to keep in front of the camera. I want to get every possible good angle of him tearing you limb from limb...for my research."

Jacques was trembling now, "Y-y-you're insane..."

"No shit!" Blake exclaimed, pale and shaking uncontrollably in fright.

"So I've been told, repeatedly, after I blew up Mount Glenn. And you hired me anyways. And as for YOU, Nilox..."

(Slipgate)

"...the timing of your arrival was impeccable."

The Tyrant stared up at the ceiling where Merlot's voice was coming from the speakers above. It tilted his head and let a throaty confused growl. It then looked down at the Deag, and he was trembling with rage.

"Merlot, you FOOL!" Nilox angrily shouted. "I am not here to sate your demented curiosities! I am here to facilitate the corruption of the Kingdom of Atlas while Deag was to settle with Mistral."

"Welp, too bad. Change of plans," Merlot said, smug.

"Ranak was clear on what your task was supposed to be!"

"HA!" Merlot belted out a laugh. "And he considered me a true believer. Imagine that. Now be a good evil sorcerer and kill, corrupt or whatever it is you do to the living and be sure you put on a good show. For the sake of my 'demented curiosities', of course."

The Hell Priest bared his teeth angrily, "You...dare to betray me!? You betray the Will of the Khan Maykr!"

"I learnt from the master."

Nilox gripped his staff tight enough for his hands to start trembling with rage. And then, to his shock the Slipgate behind him and his Tyrant escape deactivated, leaving him stranded within the facility.

"Oh, you as well Nilox: if the Great Slayer gets to you before you manage to escape, be a good sport, bare you neck for the cameras as he rips your head off. Seeing him kill someone he must really hate would be truly something to behold."

Nilox's eyes widened fearfully when he realized he was stuck in this place, with the Great Slayer himself, the last of Ormero's bloodline, blessed by the Firstborn themselves, and the demigod to come out of the Divinity Machine...

"Get...GET THIS GATE BACK OPEN!" Nilox practically shrieked "But not before you bring me Ruby Rose! BRING ME THE ROSE! I DEMAND THE ROOOSSSSEEEEEE!"

A/N: Late chapter again. There was a lot of stuff that comes after Deag Nilox's intro I cut out of this that's going to be in the next chapter, including the Marauder fight and General Ironwood and Ozpin's arrival, but with what's been happening at the moment I wanted to get this chapter out now and focus on getting through it.

It would have been easy to write Jacques as being worse than he is in canon, that he knew about what was going on in his own company, and to just kill him off in the most brutal way possible. But I believed it would be more satisfying to keep him as he is in canon – a pathetic, sniveling, short-sighted coward that's not worth killing.

So, Mick Gordon's out. Apparently, he was supposed to have a deadline and he didn't meet it, though I believe you shouldn't be able to rush art. I'm hoping they bring in Andrew Hulshult to score the DLC and the inevitable sequel now.

Crossover-Connoisseu – aka LineArtBot – has done his own version of a DOOM/RWBY theme song. It's on BandLab if anyone wants a listen. It sound awesome, like a cross between 'This Will Be The Day', 'At Doom's Gate' and the Terminator theme. ;-D

...serious time now. Someone on Wattpad – FakerDarkSouls – reposted this fic and translated it into Spanish. I would have preferred if they had asked me first. At least they credited me and provided a link to my profile, though.

Now, I don't normally do this, but...

Story challenge time: I dare someone to write a DOOM / GATE AU crossover. The gate opens on Argent D'Nur, but instead of it being the same invasion like in the beginning of canon and many other fics, it's instead Zorzal's army during the time when he invades the Warrior Bunny tribes, where they get sidetracked when they discover it en-route to the Warrior Bunnies' land, so this is an AU prequel of sorts. Predictably, they get beaten back, but the newly-empowered Slayer and his Night Sentinels – including Lord Sash, Gor and Roan the Mighty – pursues the Imperials, come to the aid of the Warrior Bunnies, completely annihilate the Zorzal's forces and negotiate the Empire's retreat by letting him live – beaten and thoroughly humiliated.

From then on, the Sentinels establish a presence around the gate and begin to expand their own empire onto the Special Region. The AU elements include Rory Mercury and the other GATE characters uncovering the Deags and the Maykrs designs, foiling their attempts to destroy Argent D'Nur, and with her help the Sentinels overthrow the Maykrs and foil the Hell Priests before they could even begin their plans to construct Nekravol and destroy Argent D'Nur. And the Maykrs and the forces of Hell decide to aid the Empire and Prince Zorzal.

Oh, and the Slayer ends up marrying and deflowering Tyuule. ;-)

If anyone wants to use this idea, go right ahead. I've got too many other things to do to write this.

Oh, and I posted the first chapter of my side project Black Dog Chronicles: Hexen. If it gets enough attention, I'll definitely continue it.

I hope you are all keep safe. :-)