Warning - Viewer Discretion is Advised
Epilogue
Jaune
Fire crackled inside of the Amphitheatre, slowly filling with smoke. Plumes of the toxic fumes parted from the building through the shattered windows. He coughed in pain, tasting the metallic flavour of blood in his mouth. He turned, seeing Pyrrha pushing Akoúo down against the ground to try and get back up, wheezing. Weiss was doing the same, and Blake looked around with terrified eyes. Most of the students… children… were dead.
Killed by the blast that Salem created with the Relic of Destruction. Jaune held his chest, feeling his aura slowly starting to recharge but they were all in a bad way. That's when they heard the sound of the double doors behind them open, they turned and saw Watts walking inside, with Tyrian beside him. They stared at him with terrified recognition, and he was not alone. Hazel Rainart and Adam Taurus were here as well, alongside the Mercenary – Icarus – with his huge upgraded Mechanical Wings.
And the one that angered them more than they could ever describe – Killian. He walked alongside them with his Chrome Pistol in his hand. Jaune coughed as he pushed his knee down against the ground to rise back up, seeing Jaymes also getting up as well. Quite a few students and Huntsmen and Huntresses were still alive, but a lot of the Fresh Years were already dead, skin burned and eyes wide and lifeless.
Tyrian began to speak as he walked over their bodies. "At long last… the day has come." Tyrian began as he walked over the dead students, stepping on their bodies and in between them with little respect. "The day that your pitiful lives come to an end, following the suicidal rule of a man with no real plan on how to save the world. Unlike our Great Queen Salem – please… show your thanks to her – because your deaths… your sacrifices… shall birth a new world. A world free from suffering, free from corruption… one where all will he protected… under the just and loving hand of our Queen." Tyrian said as he looked down at one of the young students.
She tried to crawl away, but Tyrian grinned maniacally and his mechanical tail suddenly thrusted downwards and stabbed straight through her back. She cried out with agony, before he twisted the tail and pulled it from her bloody wound. Jaune stared at the poor student, still in her uniform, butchered by that monster. He then looked ahead, to see Salem stood there.
With a nearly dead Ozpin on the ground, covered in blood and scorches, she held the Relic of Destruction in one hand, the blade still burning hot with pure destructive power. "Victory is found in a smaller, more honest soul… that was what you said." Salem said as she looked at the destruction that surrounded her, she turned and looked down at Ozpin with a chilling smile on her face. "And look at you now, Ozma… how wrong you truly were. Does it frighten you?" Salem asked, she crouched down and grabbed him by the back of his head and lifted him up with ease, dragging him across the floor as she approached the edge of the stage, staring directly at Jaune Arc.
She continued. "Fear… it weakens the heart, weakens the mind. Leads to poor decision making, and the urge to tuck tail and run. But no matter how far you run, no matter how fast you are… you cannot outrun your destiny. And for all of you… for Beacon Academy and the rest of your kind… that Destiny is here… or should I say, I am?" Salem snarled as she lifted the Relic of Destruction's blade upwards, pointing the sword directly at Jaune.
Ozpin coughed up blood as Salem held him. "You're wrong… you cannot win this, Salem." Ozpin strained as he held his chest where blood was pouring endlessly. Jaune was shaking with terror, to see Ozpin beaten so easily after seeing what he could do. Seeing Salem up close for the first time? She lived up to her reputation… but she was only getting started.
"Now Ozma… open the Vault or I will have my Grimm slaughter everyone in this Academy, slowly and painfully." Salem warned.
"Don't!" Jaune begged, Salem then stared at the Huntsman who drew his sword, but he felt his body freeze. His hairs stood on end, and Salem did not even have to hold out her hand. Her eyes simply flashed bright red as she glared at him.
"Oh, Mr Arc… worry not, I will have plenty of time for you. But first I need what this old man has been hiding from me. You failed to move the Relic of Destruction because of its power and Choice is already mine. Only Knowledge and Creation remain… and I know that Creation is hiding down there… open the Vault and let me claim the sword." Salem commanded as she glared at him with burning red eyes.
Jaune gritted his teeth as he stared her down, then he turned his head and saw Cardin looking at him, holding Executioner in his grasp, slowly dragging the heavy mace across the floor. The rest of his team stood with him, ready to attack Salem at will. Jaune was ready as well and held Crocea Mors tight. "So… would you rather your family of sand die painlessly or painfully? I assume your soft heart has a preference to that question?" Salem asked, tilting her head curiously, Jaune still however could not move from Salem's control.
"You… can never get what you want. The Relics will not help you make them pay the price they should pay… you know what will happen if you do it." Ozpin wheezed, then Jaune felt the grip from Salem fade away, Ozpin glanced at Jaune and he looked scared for him. Jaune started to advance slowly as Cardin got up.
Watts watched them and Tyrian gritted his teeth to go and stop them, but Watts held out his arm. "I don't think we want to miss this, do we?" Watts asked him, Tyrian's scowl transformed into an excited grin.
"Only one of us is going to live to find out." Salem assured.
"Whatever price you think you will pay for it… it will be more than you know." Ozpin said.
"Your time is over. All your Academies are aflame or soon will be. And the world is cheering for it… thanks to my friend's preparations." Salem assured, then Watts showed the recordings playing everywhere.
It was the footage from the Foundations of Sovereignty, the footage of the Unified Governments of Remnant being slaughtered – but not by the Children of Salem. By… the Rogues… and the Hunters. He used the Black Queen Virus just like last time, altering footage with extremely impressive extra footage of them fighting. Using Weiss killing her father, Ruby killing Vance Ackerman and many others.
The footage… it looked so believable…
… and there was more altered footage, showing Huntsmen butchering Black Gallows Soldiers, security and even innocents. Using the footage from Jackdaw's many rampages and altering them all, again – extremely efficiently to the point where nobody could tell that they were faked.
The Inhumane Necessity now had real evidence behind it, making what has happened seem even more believable.
Salem had won.
But Ozpin chuckled, shaking his head. Salem looked down at him and she narrowed her glowing red eyes. "You… of all people should know by now… that my students are resilient. And your truth will never last." Ozpin assured. "But most importantly… my students… were trained by me."
Cardin roared suddenly and smashed Executioner across Salem's face, causing her to stagger backwards. He struck her over and over again with his huge heavy Mace, and his team all attacked her at the same time. Russel jumped up and slashed his two daggers across her chest repeatedly whilst Dove slid across the ground, firing the gun built into his sword up her back and ran it straight through her spine, whilst Sky rushed forward and swung the huge weapon up her hand which held the Relic of Destruction, cutting her hand clean off and did the same as Dove with his Halberd, driving it into her gut. They both held her still whilst Cardin howled with rage, smashing Executioner down upon her skull over and over again.
Her skull cracked and black blood started to pour from her head, strike after strike. Cardin smashed the weapon down so hard it got lodged in her head, and he had to rip it out of her, panting with terror.
Silence filled the Amphitheatre, and he stared her down. She was lifeless… and he went to deliver one more blow to finish her off.
Suddenly Salem's hand shot up and caught the Mace so hard that a loud metallic boom erupted from her hand. Salem's blood red eyes glared at him as she started to rise back up, a bright gold glow shone from her body, swiftly healing the damage suffered from Cardin's furious assault, Sky and Dove were helpless to hold her down and she towered over Cardin, staring down at him as her face returned back to its old form. She launched Executioner across the room and grabbed Dove by the head and threw him into the wall and kicked Sky from her chest. Russel sprinted forward, screaming with anger as he went to attack her, only for Salem to slam him down against the ground.
Cardin clenched his hands into fists and swung at her, only for Salem to dodge and punch him in the neck, really hard. "Argh!" Cardin gasped, then Salem showed her true power. She did not need the Relic of Destruction to decimate Cardin in combat. Salem threw punch after punch into Cardin, nailing his face and his torso, swinging her knee up into his gut and slamming her elbow down into his spine. She beat him bloody with her fists, grabbing his head by his hair and kicking him in the chest, smashing him into the wall. Salem then grabbed Cardin and slammed her head into his multiple times. She then yanked him and pulled him from the wall, right into her fist, before grabbing the muscular man and lifting him above her head with both hands, and with little effort, she slammed him downwards with all her might onto the sharp spikes of rubble.
Cardin groaned in pain as he looked up at her, bleeding heavily, then Salem smirked. "Oh dear… what a shame." She softly said, almost condescendingly. That was when she kicked his arm from his shoulder, severed by a sharp spike of shrapnel caused from their battle. Cardin gasped with horror, and his gasp erupted into both terrified and agonized screams as he watched his severed arm leave his body, blood everywhere.
Salem walked past him when suddenly, Jaune brought Crocea Mors downwards with all his might. The blade sank deep into Salem's shoulder, but she hardly even reacted to the blade lodged into her bones. She just pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek and rolled her eyes, staring down at him. Pyrrha launched Akoúo towards Salem but she batted it aside and grabbed Crocea Mors by blade, ripping it from her shoulder, golden light shone from within the wound, instantly repairing the damage done.
She looked at the blade in her hand, and a strangely kind smile formed on her face. "Still hiding in the shadow of your ancestors…" She sighed, and then…
… she snapped the blade clean in two with the pressure of her thumb. The blade clattered against the floor, and Jaune stared at the broken sword with horror.
His Grandfather's Sword…
Salem suddenly kicked Jaune in the chest, so hard it sent him tumbling off the stage and down onto the ground. She walked past Cardin's passed out body and she looked at Watts and gestured to him. "You know what to do." She said to him, gently placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Already done, your grace." Watts assured as he approached Team C.R.D.L, the three other members gritted their teeth and went to attack, only for Watts' eyes to glow and they all collapsed to the ground, unable to move. "We're not done with you lot yet." Watts assured, Salem walked around the room and saw all the students fleeing for their lives and she smiled and picked up the Relic of Destruction.
"You had your chance…" She closed her eyes and the veins glowed bright red. "Kill them all." She commanded, and the howl of thousands of Grimm erupted from around the Academy. But Pyrrha still fired Milo up at Salem, bit she held her hand out and blocked the bullets with a wall of fire that burned them to ashes. She was not alone either, Port weakly stumbled and fired his Blunderbuss up at her and so did Jaymes Ickford. Jaymes blasted lightning from his hands with anger in his purple eyes, but Salem spun the Relic of Destruction with her telekinesis, blocking the lightning, absorbing his power into the sword and redirecting it straight into Port, burning him to ash.
"PORT!" Weiss screamed with horror, but Blake started to pull Weiss away.
"We need to go! Now!" Blake yelled, but Jaymes stood his ground as he kept firing his lightning at Salem.
"Jaymes! Come on!" Pyrrha screamed, but he looked back at Pyrrha.
"Go! GET OUT OF HERE!" He begged her, only for his body to suddenly be yanked out of the air by Salem's telekinesis and right into her hand. She held him off the ground and stared into his eyes coldly, slowly crushing his windpipe with her hand. He gasped for air as he writhed desperately, kicking at her and punching her in the face with gritted teeth. His skin started to turn blue from the lack of oxygen. He looked at Pyrrha as he weakened, she stared at the boy who once bullied him with heartbreak. "Run…" He wheezed, and then a horrific crunch erupted from his throat, and Salem threw his corpse into the floor, staring at Pyrrha.
"JAYMES!" Pyrrha shrieked with horror, she went to attack Salem but Jaune grabbed her and pulled her away, Salem walked down the steps and she scowled at them as they fled.
"Run… little warriors." She snarled, before turning to Hazel and nodding. "Get the Vault open." She commanded.
"It will be done." Hazel assured as he walked to the elevator and held the key that Tyrian threw him from Ozpin's pocket. He started to unlock the Elevator and Salem joined him. The others looked at her and she smirked.
"Go have some fun." She said, smirking sinisterly, and Tyrian laughed maniacally as the Grimm swarmed the Academy.
Weiss
She busted the doors open and her eyes widened with horror at what she saw. It was like the end of the world, like the Battle of Beacon… but so much worse than last time. Because the Black Gallows has surrounded the entire school, stopping any innocents from escaping and the Grimm had broken through the walls from the Emerald Forest, just like last time. They were everywhere, polluting the skies but where not even touching the City of Vale, they were completely focused on Beacon Academy.
"By the gods…" Weiss gasped with tears of fear streaming from her eyes. She held her side in pain, injured from the Relic of Destruction's pulse.
"We have to go come on!" A student screamed until a Nevermore suddenly snatched him off the ground, sinking its talons into his body. He shrieked in terror and agony as it carried him off, ripping him open with its beak and claws. They ran as fast as they could, watching as people helplessly fled and were hunted down by Grimm.
A Fresh Year student screamed as an Alpha Beowulf suddenly tackled her to the ground, biting down onto her throat and ripping her open like a dog with a toy. She shrieked and choked as it savagely tore her apart. Students were dragged underground by more Grimm… and others… were being taken and forgotten. The Abductors were here, and there were more than just one this time, grabbing people and vanishing into portals as quickly as they appeared.
"LOOK OUT!" Blake screamed as an Abductor appeared behind Weiss, hands open to grab her, only for Blake to shoot at it. The bullets knocked it back, but it vanished into another portal, and as soon as it appeared they completely forgot what it looked like.
They kept running, dodging the ripped open bodies, but as they fled they looked back as they heard the voice of Doctor Arthur Watts behind them. He emerged from Beacon Tower and he pointed his Revolver forward. And he was not alone, and not just with the Children of Salem.
Thirteen Praetorian Knights dropped down from Sphinxes that they rode into battle, and the one at the front spun its Sceptre through its fingers forged from floating shards of metal. The Ancient Geists spoke, with its terrifying dark voice. "Creatures of Grimm! Attack!" The Praetorian Knight commanded, and the hordes of Grimm poured over the walls, swarming the students to rip them apart. They watched as they got split up from Coco, Fox and Velvet, only for them to disappear into the chaos.
"Just keep running!" Jaune yelled, until suddenly an Ursa Major suddenly threw itself towards Jaune and dragged him across the ground. It bit down into his shoulder and threw him ahead.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha screamed, when a Teryx suddenly swooped over and breathed a column of fire down between them, splitting them apart. Pyrrha rolled out of the way and the Grimm started to push her back from Weiss and Blake. Weiss reached out for Blake as a Boarbatusk slammed itself into her, carrying her off in a different direction.
Team S.S.S.N were fighting together, trying to help as many people as they could, but there were more Grimm here than they had ever seen.
This was nothing like the Battles of Beacon four years ago… this was no battle… it was a slaughter. Weiss slashed Myrtenaster and she looked around, desperately looking for Blake. "BLAKE!"
"BLAKE!"
Blake
She gritted her teeth with anger and drove Gambol Shroud through the eye socket of the Boarbatusk, killing it instantly and she tumbled across the ground. She shoved her hair from her eyes and looked around as Goliaths shattered the Colonnades with their massive tusks, and Manticores blasted fireballs across the Academy, burning the Dormitories down. Students screeched in agony as they jumped through the windows on fire, dying in immense pain.
"WEISS!" Blake yelled with terror.
"Looking for someone?" Adam suddenly appeared behind her and kicked her in the chest. Blake tumbled across the ground and stared at him with wide eyes as he drew Wilt and Blush and blasted forward. He slashed the long red blade at her over and over, cutting her arm. With her aura down because of the Relic of Destruction, she stood no chance against him. But she also had truly little choice, and she slashed the Katana across the sword and ducked down. She rolled out of the way as Adam stabbed the sword downwards with force and gritted his teeth furiously. "How does it feel, Blake? Oh how does it feel to see everything you fought and bled for all those years ago be destroyed anyway? Was it worth it?" Adam asked her as he pointed Wilt and Blush at her.
"Who are you? This wasn't the man I knew; he would never join with someone like Salem!" Blake yelled.
"Then it seems you never really did understand me did you? Oh my love… I guess we need to catch up." Adam scoffed, he shot forward and slashed at her multiple times, firing the Built-In Shotgun repeatedly at her, and Blake fired her pistol over and over again at him. Some of the shots hit him but were never going to be enough to do any real damage to him. He kicked her in the face, giving her a black eye before he grabbed her by the hair and smashed her face into a rock, and then swung his boot up into her mouth. She spat blood out in pain as she stumbled.
Adam chuckled. "You were always the bravest of us… back when you were with me. But you could never make the hard decisions!" He yelled, slashing at her but Blake rolled out of the way just in time, only for Adam to stab her in the knee soon afterwards. Blake screamed with pain as the blade dug straight through the limb, blood pouring from the wound. "The Faunus will survive! Through me! Not through you!" Adam bellowed, he kicked her in the chest then punched her up the jaw, before suddenly slamming the serrated edge of Wilt and Blush against her beautiful amber feline eyes.
And forcefully dragged the blade to the side, slicing into her eyes so deep that he cut them open, blinding her completely. Indescribable searing pain burst from her eyes, alongside all the blood as she screamed with pain. She fell to the floor, grabbing her eyes with her hands as she sobbed and screamed from how much it hurt. She crawled across the floor desperately, unable to find Gambol Shroud.
"You and I had something special once! Something irreplaceable! I would have given the world for you!" Adam yelled. "But now? It will all be mine!" Adam roared as he held Wilt and Blush over his head, about to drive it down Blake's spine to kill her once and for all, a deranged grin across his face.
Until the unmistakable sound of Ruyi Jingu Bang erupted behind Adam, firing over and over again into Adam, staggering him past Blake, and Sun sprinted at him with rage in his blue eyes. He jumped and wrapped the chains that connected the Gunchucks together around Adam's throat, choking him out as he dragged the madman away from the love of his life. Blake cried out in pain as her eyes bled across the floor, completely unable to see a thing as Sun choked Adam out.
But he suddenly swung his elbow backwards into Sun's gut and swung his sword around as well, only for Sun to quickly reconnect the Gunchucks back into its Bo-Staff form, and he jumped forward and smashed the staff across Adam's face. He staggered backwards and then Sun repeatedly made connections against him with the weapon, damaging his aura with every single strike. Adam fired the shotgun at Sun and knocked him backwards, breaking the little aura that he had left in his system.
But as Adam advanced, he slashed at Sun over and over, and he suddenly slid underneath Ruyi Jingu Bang and slashed Wilt and Blush across the back of Sun's legs. He felt his legs give way and he fell to his knees, yelling in pain as he slumped back against a piece of the Colonnades.
Adam laughed as he walked in front of Sun and pointed the blade at Sun's face. "You stupid fool… what did you think your little stick could do against me?" Adam scoffed, but Sun began to laugh as he held the Bo-Staff tight.
"You stupid frickin' idiot…" Sun laughed. "Didn't ya get the memo?"
Adam raised a brow.
"It's also a gun!" Sun suddenly transformed the Bo-Staff into the Gunchucks and blasted the two shotguns directly into Adam's legs, multiple times, breaking his red aura and blowing his kneecaps apart. Adam howled with agony as he fell from where he was stood, grabbing his legs in pain. Sun turned as he saw Weiss sprinting past the Grimm towards Blake, staring at Adam as he shrieked, until they noticed a Praetorian Knight approaching Adam.
It stared down at him… and suddenly its eyes shone bright red, even brighter than usual, and it held out its hand towards Adam. The Psychopath screamed with agony even more, then Weiss and Sun gasped with horror as black smoke and blood poured from his stumps, forming black muscle and bone… like a Grimm. It formed Hooved Feet and he stared at his new legs, standing upon them.
He turned and stared at the Praetorian Knight. "Do not fail me, again." Salem warned, speaking through the Praetorian Knight. The Knight waled away, and Adam turned to stare at Sun with a mad smirk, he kicked Ruyi Jingu Bang from his hands and Sun turned to Weiss.
"GO! GET HER OUT OF HERE! RUN!" He screamed, only for Adam to kick him in the face with his Hooved Foot, knocking him unconscious. Weiss lifted Blake up with her arm over her shoulder, staring at her bleeding eyes.
"Sun…" Blake whimpered, but as they ran from him, a Manticore descended and blasted a fire ball at them, and Weiss was thrown aside.
Leaving Blake alone.
"Weiss… Weiss? WEISS!"
Salem
Inside of the Elevator with Hazel, Salem opened her eyes once again, relinquishing control of the Praetorian Knight after sensing Adam was gravely injured. "That boy better be worth all the effort." Salem told Hazel, he looked at her.
"I hope so. If not I will kill him myself." Hazel assured, that made Salem chuckle as she held her hands behind her back.
"Good to hear." Salem said to Ozpin's Monster. The Elevator stopped at the bottom level of the school, into the huge Vault of Dark Emerald Walls and Green Flames burning in their pyres. There were soldiers ahead, trying to seal off the Vault as quickly as they could. They looked back as Salem and Hazel stood there. She smirked and nodded to him. Hazel cracked his neck and he reached into his pouches as he stepped forward.
"The hell is that dude doing?" One of the soldiers stammered with fear.
Hazel pulled out multiple shards of Earth Dust, and he drove them into his arms. He roared with rage, his eyes turned black and armoured plates of rock formed across his body as he stood there, covering nearly every inch of his huge abnormally built body. "WHAT THE HELL? HOW CAN HE WITHSTAND DUST IN HIS BODY?" A Soldier screamed with fear, Hazel then lowered, in the stance to charge forward like an Olympian Sprinter.
"Oh by the Gods, he's gonna charge! He'll go straight through the doors! Take him out!" The Captain yelled, and Hazel charged forward, running much faster than any of them could have expected as he rushed towards them. They all fired their guns at him, but the bullets just bounced off the rock and iron ore that formed around his body. He stared at them with gritted teeth as he got closer and closer.
"SEAL THE VAULT NOW! THE ENEMY IS CLOSE! SEAL IT! SEAL IT NOW!" The Captain screamed with terror. Hazel grew closer and closer, running even faster, breaking the floor with every single step behind him, blowing out the flames which burned around him.
Then he smashed straight into the Doors of the Vault, splattering the soldiers across his body and the walls, and the entire door blew open, bending metal and Hazel drove his boot down into the ground, slowing himself down with his fists clenched. The Rock Armour cracked and crumbled off his body and he ripped the empty Dust Crystals from his arms and rolled his shoulders.
Salem walked past the broken-up bodies of the soldiers; her heeled boots splattered the blood beneath her as she walked towards the Vault. She gently placed her hand on Hazel's shoulder. "Well done, Hazel." She thanked and walked ahead with him. Before them was the Vault of the Fall Maiden which contained the Relic of Creation that Salem was talking about.
The Sword.
Salem approached the Vault, and she held the Relic of Destruction tight and drove it straight into the Ornate Doors, it melted through them, and broke the spell that kept them locked, and she slowly cut it open, and used her Telekinesis to rip it out. Fall Feathers floated out from the Realm inside, but Salem did not even look surprised by what was inside. She saw it…
The sword…
… it was imbedded in the stone, covered with ancient ornate markings.
Salem walked across the cobblestone path towards it and she gently held the hilt, and she pulled.
Only for the blade to snap. Her red eyes widened with shock, and then they burned hot with anger and rage, tightening her grip on the blade so hard, realising that Ozpin had managed to trick her once again.
She stared ahead with gritted teeth. "Damn you… OZMAAAAA!" Salem roared with rage.
Jaune
He screamed in agony as he felt his shoulder crush under the Ursa Major's jaws, blood poured from his wound and then the beast threw him against one of the collapsed Colonnades. He gasped, winded from the impact as blood ran down from his arm and across the hilt of Crocea Mors. He stood up and the Ursa Major sprinted towards him, jaws smothered in his blood, and it slashed its claws towards him, but he held his shield up, stopping its huge paw, just as he did in Forever Fall.
But then the Ursa Major suddenly swung its claws upwards, straight across Jaune's chest, cutting three deep gashes across his chest, breaking his armour apart with one swing. Blood poured across his armour and he crashed to the ground. He whimpered in pain, feeling as if he had to hold his own guts in. The Ursa Major roared furiously and charged at him again, Jaune roared with the little strength he had left, driving the snapped Crocea Mors upwards and through the open jaws of the Ursa, killing it instantly.
He released the hilt as the beast collapsed, and he crawled backwards, pushing his shield against the floor as blood poured relentlessly from his opened torso from the sharp claws of the Ursa Major.
"Ursa… Major… just my… damn luck…" He wheezed in pain, his breaths were laboured, and blood drooled from his mouth as he staggered. The Grimm were everywhere, and they began to follow him, following his trail of blood. He limped ahead, dragging one foot behind him as he approached the Fountain. The Fountain where his Hero – King Thaddeus Rex – stood, sword held up in the air.
The statue was still intact, even now.
Jaune felt his legs give out as he approached the fountain and he collapsed to the ground, crawling towards the Fountain and resting his back up against hit. He held his hand up, covered in his own blood. The pain was so hot and sharp, tears streamed from his eyes as he looked around for Pyrrha.
"Pyrrha… where… where are you?" He whimpered, and flashing memories started to hit him. When he first walked with Ruby in this same place on their first day, when he and his team stood before this Statue… so many memories.
He turned and saw a Beowulf sneaking up behind him, drooling savagely. "I… I can't…" He gasped, barely able to breathe through the pain. The Beowulf opened its jaws around his head to devour him, until suddenly a blue flash shattered its skull. The Creature of Grimm vaporised before his eyes, and Jaune turned to where the shot came from.
Neptune Vasillias.
He stood atop the pile of rubble with Tri-Hard aimed in his direction where the Beowulf was. Pyrrha ran up and saw him there with Scarlet and Sage beside her. "JAUNE!" She screamed with terror.
"There's too many Grimm… we have to get out of here." Sage said with a shaky breath.
"No! I'm not leaving him!" Pyrrha screamed as she sprinted towards him, slashing through the Grimm. But the Grimm were still a threat even to the Invincible Girl.
"PYRRHA!" Scarlet screamed as he reached out for her. Neptune stared at Jaune and he fired his Rifle, nailing Grimm after Grimm with his Enhanced Aiming Semblance.
Jaune coughed up blood as he laid there, shaking his head. He knew he was too far gone; he would never make it out of here. "No… no don't… not for me. There's too many… just go…" He wheezed. He looked ahead, directly to Beacon Tower and his eyes widened when he saw Salem staring directly at him with clenched fists. Hazel emerged with her and she just started to walk towards him.
Then it all started to come together as he stared at her.
Tyrian…
Hazel…
Adam…
Killian…
Mercury and Emerald…
The Abductor…
They've all been trying to capture me… for her… she needs me for something…
Determination grew on his face as he scowled at her, and he glanced at the Fountain which was damaged, and he saw the wiring and the explosives still inside applied from the Mercenaries that Jackdaw hired as Construction Workers. And they were still online… all he had to do… had set them off.
He stared at Salem again and scowled with a small smirk, knowing he could still beat her. Pyrrha ran as fast as she could, cutting through Grimm, covering herself in their blood. A Creep suddenly jumped at her and bit down onto her arm, but she drove Milo straight through its eye. She ignored the terrible bite wound that bled bad and kept running for him, even getting slashed across her side by a Beowulf.
Jaune reached down and he grabbed his Scroll and he slowly lifted it up to his ear as he stared Salem down who grew closer and closer. And he started recording a message…
"Hey mom… I'm… I know it's been a long time since I called."
"I was angry, I was so angry and stupid and… I shouldn't have done that. I know you didn't want me to become a Huntsman because you didn't want to lose me. All those terrible stories that you heard about Huntsmen and Huntresses and what happened to us out there in the wilds? Well… I'm afraid you were right to be scared."
Pyrrha got closer and closer whilst what remained of Team S.S.S.N held off the Grimm and Neptune covered Jaune, firing shot after shot.
"The world is a scary… and cruel place… and I know you probably wanna say I told you so…" He closed his eyes as tears streamed through. "But I was happy… happier than I had ever been. I met a girl… who loved me… made friends that lasted me… a whole lifetime. But I never shared any of this with you because I was… stupid… and angry."
Salem grew closer and closer towards Jaune, reaching out her hand.
"And…"
"JAAAUUUUNE!" Pyrrha howled as she turned the corner towards him.
"I'm sorry."
He closed his eyes and hit send.
The explosive detonated, and his body disappeared into the flames alongside Salem. The shockwave blew Pyrrha backwards and the ground collapsed beneath her. Neptune gasped as the base of Beacon Tower and all the buildings that surrounded them started to explode and rupture all around them.
Pyrrha plummeted down into the ground, and into the huge Vault underneath Beacon as huge chunks of rubble fell with her. A large chunk beneath her flipped slowly, sticking spikes of rebar upwards…
… and impaled her as they both crashed against the ground, killing her instantly.
Weiss
She groaned with pain, her head bled, and she suffered a bad concussion, the entire Academy was exploding around her and she stumbled back to her feet. She gasped and saw a chunk of rubble lodged into her ankle. She staggered back up to her feet as she looked around, and she limped on her wounded ankle, using Myrtenaster like a walking stick. She stumbled forward and gasped, her large blue eyes widened.
"WEISS!" Blake screamed out desperately nearby. The pour Huntress limped on her stabbed knee and stumbled, walking blind after Adam cut out her eyes. "Weiss…" She cried. She stopped and her ears heard the sound of a Beowulf growling as it approached her, until suddenly Myrtenaster erupted through its jaws, killing it instantly.
"Blake!" Weiss yelped, and she caught Blake in her arms, hugging her tight as she sobbed. Blake held Weiss desperately.
"Where… Where are they? Jaune, Pyrrha, Sun and Neptune?" Blake stammered.
"Sun was… I don't know…" Weiss whimpered.
"We can still find them…" Blake sniffled.
"I know Neptune and the others were near the Tower." Weiss said, she helped carry her towards the burning remnants of the Courtyard whilst Grimm fed on the dead Students all around them. As Weiss approached, her eyes widened with heartbreak, seeing the molten remnants of Tri-Hard and Jaune's Shield on the ground.
And even worse…
Salem rose from the flames, completely unharmed from the explosion, and she just stared at her hand. She clenched her hand into a fist with gritted teeth and walked towards the Amphitheatre once more.
Tears streamed from her eyes and she turned to an Injured Beowulf which snarled at her.
She gritted her teeth and stabbed it over and over again, roaring with both anger and heartbreak, but Blake wrapped her arms around Weiss. They both sobbed and Blake whispered into Weiss' ear. "W-We have to go… i-it's over…" Blake sobbed, and Weiss helped carry her away from the destruction, heading towards the Emerald Forest which was now clear.
Ozpin
The dying Professor laid on the ground, defeated as his dead students surrounded him, he turned and saw Salem approaching him. She held the Relic of Destruction in her hand as the Tower started to collapse around him, chunks of rubble plummeted around them.
Salem stared down at him and Ozpin closed his eyes.
Salem held the Relic of Destruction up and drove it down into Ozpin's chest so hard that the pulse formed from the impact shattered the final supports of the tower. The power cut out in the superstructure and she left, walking outside, leaving Ozpin's dead body behind as it started to collapse around him.
Weiss
The Grimm slaughtered those who remained, only terrified and screams of agony remained as they echoed across the land.
Weiss helped Blake as they both limped into the trees of the Emerald Forest and Weiss went to look back, but Blake shook her head, knowing she stopped to look back. "Don't look back… j-just keep walking…"
As they kept moving forward, Beacon Tower came crashing down in the distance, and nothing but fire, smoke and death remained.
Beacon's Destiny had come…
Beacon had fallen… and the Age of Huntsmen and Huntresses…
… was over.
Darkness
Everything was dark around her as her emerald eyes burst open with a gasp, she sat up and saw her reflection in the dark water which surrounded her. She looked at her chest, seeing that she was still in her armour and there was no wound from what killed her.
She then turned when sensing a cold chill.
Stood with her in this Land of Darkness…
… was a man with no features apart from a pair of curved horns on his head, and he glowed dark purple. He held his arms behind his back in a hunched position and he turned to her.
"Is this how you want your story to end, Miss Nikos?" The Brother of Darkness asked.
To Be Continued
In Act 3: Shadow of Destiny
Author Note - Salem has won
This is easily the most emotionally destroying Ending/Chapter I think I have ever written. I mean it felt terrifying how fast it went to hell and showing what Salem was capable of was both terrifying and awesome.
We have lost a lot of good people, Jaune and Pyrrha are by far the most shocking of them all, but as the last chunk at the end there showed, there is more going on here than meets the eye. The Brothers Grimm are entering the fold now and Act 3 is gonna be crazy.
I bet you all hate me and David right now and you are all valid for that reason XD But please stick around, because Act 3 is gonna be so damn awesome. This Act was an absolute blast, especially here in the final arc, the Argus Arc was a bit slow but holy hell was it worth it in the end. The Branwen Story was so damn interesting, Killian's descent into madness was so fun and the Divide caused by Watts was so fun to play around with as well.
I hope you enjoyed this awesome story! I cannot wait to start Act 3 (which will be starting quite soon, don't you worry :D), and in case some of you have not checked it out yet: PLEASE read Knights of Grimm if you enjoy my storytelling, it is my pride and joy that story (alongside this beast of course XD) and I would massively appreciate it if you guys experience that joyride of emotions!
And just so everyone knows - from here on out - Eclipse is going to be M Rated, I felt this ending kinda hinted at that XD
Thank you for reading Eclipse - Act 2 - Of Blood and Truth! Please review and lemme know what you thought about this ending but also about the whole Act in itself! I hope to see you all back for Act 3! The feedback has meant the world to me! Let's get cracking on the next one!
- Matt
