Chapter 99 – A Mother's Love
Summer
Ruby stared up at her with total disbelief…
"Mom?" She gasped, her silver eye bulging wide, and Yang lifted her head from the floor with the same shock on her face. It had been years since she last saw her… she had assumed it was some kind of hallucination for a while, but now? No… this was real… she had become something else.
Something more.
The Higher Demons all turned to face her, the Whisperer glared at her, and his body cracked and shattered before her eyes. Yet he remained, an apparition which showed its true form to her, a humanoid shape forged from floating shards of mirror glass. As each shard floated through the air, each member of Team R.W.B.Y saw something completely different. Ruby saw both Roman and Tyrian, Yang saw Adam and Mercury's faces, Blake saw Adam and Fury and Weiss saw her father and Death. All people who had brought them some measure of pain in their lives, and for Weiss it was very recent.
The Onyx Phantom stared at her, and yet it could not mirror itself either, also showing its trye form, a dark humanoid silhouette forged from smoke and flames with a jagged grin of molten teeth and long burning hair. It was clear that since Summer was dead that the Higher Demons could not change their forms to best suit her, something that already put her at an obvious advantage. The Onyx Phantom could not use her own tactics against her, and the Whisperer could not use painful memories against her either. The Lord of the Wood stared her down, the only one which did not need to change its appearance from the Leshen.
"Summer Rose… the Squire of Light standing in shadows…" The Whisperer poetically chuckled as he held out his shattered arms, hands clasping into fists. The Onyx Phantom chuckled sinisterly as he paced around, forming weapons in his hands.
"You're far from where you belong, Squire." The Onyx Phantom hissed.
Squire of Light… the things that Kragen believed in, that the souls of the good would rise again in a blinding light against the darkness.
How he hoped he could stand amongst old friends and loved ones again.
Ruby held her side, feeling the hot sticky blood leak from her wound, wincing as she lifted her head back up at her mother who protected her with her Scythe. She remembered the name of her mother's Scythe – Blossoming Rose. However her mother's scythe was far superior to Crescent Rose, something the Higher Demons seemed to be keenly aware of. The Scythe looked remarkably similar to Crescent Rose, except it was double ended, as if a mirror were between it, two scythes on both ends.
"Whisperer, Onyx Phantom, Lord of the Wood – a pleasure to see you at last." Summer said as she stood her ground, staring the Dark Entities down. "You look shocked. Not a fan of seeing ghosts? From how many souls you've reaped I would've imagined you'd be quite used to seeing their faces." Summer stated as she refused to move from her spot. The Lord of the Wood slowly moved, its burning coals in its skull watched her evilly as it paced.
"I guess we are not used to those we have taken to return long after they were vanquished. It seems we did not strike you down hard enough." The Onyx Phantom laughed as he stared her down, she rolled her eyes and stared at him with a sigh.
"I guess some things are not so easily forgotten." Summer said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"You surprised us, to be sure, but your journey will not end in Victory. Remnant will face the same fate as every Universe that has come before us. We will save you from the decay." The Whisperer assured.
"No… not this time. Everyone hits their stride… but every streak ends eventually." Summer assured, spinning her Double Ended Scythe through her fingers.
"This time will be different. This time – Vir Nominis Umbra… the Higher Demons… and his army of darkness… will be the ones to fall." Summer assured, the Higher Demons all readied themselves, the Onyx Phantom smirked, and the Lord of the Wood's claws sharpened as he stared her down. The Whisperer formed a pair of long jagged blades of mirrored glass.
"We will see… Squire of Light." The Whisperer responded, preparing to battle.
The three Higher Demons charged forward, the Lord of the Wood was the slowest of the three, whilst the Onyx Phantom was the fastest. The Whisperer launched forward and threw one of his swords towards her, whilst the Onyx Phantom leapt at her, eyes burning bright red flames as he grinned with madness on his face. The Lord of the Wood extended its arm forward, forming a powerful hammer of bark in its fist.
The three Demons launched their powerful first attacks upon her, but Summer Rose hardly even moved an inch. She just raised a brow at them, before suddenly ducking down underneath the hammered fist of the Lord of the Wood. It crashed into the wall behind her, shattering it apart, then she spiralled Blossomed Rose through her fingers, hooking the curved blade onto the arm of the entity, and slicing it clean off, and whilst she did so, the glass sword exploded against the spinning blades. The Lord of the Wood snarled as the long root came apart, then Summer swung upwards and drove her Scythe up the chest of the Onyx Phantom, throwing the Higher Demon up into the air. He crashed back down against the ground, and Summer paced back and forth.
She remained completely calm, watching all of their moved as she slowly walked. Then she chuckled, smirking at them. "What? That's the best you can do? I expected more." She taunted.
"Ah… I see where you daughter claimed her arrogance." The Onyx Phantom growled as it got back up, watching her as it moved. Summer stared at him and then she scoffed.
"I guess you guys would now arrogance better than anyone… who else could be a better judge?" Summer challenged, then the Onyx Phantom suddenly blasted forward, shattering the ground beneath his feet, and grabbing Summer by the throat. They both crashed straight through the side of the Grimm Spire. Shadow Dust fractured around their bodies as they flew. The Onyx Phantom punched Summer across the face as they flew, solar rays of white light trailed behind her as they flew up into the air.
The two of them descended back towards the ground and crashed into the dunes of sand, nearby where the fight began. The huge tower of Shadow Dust began to collapse, and she saw Yang immediately helping Ruby up, whilst Weiss and Blake sprinted to Neo, carrying her away from the collapsing tower. She saw the Lord of the Wood turn and stare directly at them as Ruby limped, still holding her slashed open side. The Lord of the Wood's claw shaped hand sharpened and it walked towards them, summoning a swarm of crows and ravens with glowing red eyes and crystal beaks.
Summer gritted her teeth, suddenly blasting forward in a ray of light, smashing the Onyx Phantom off its feet and throwing herself into the side of the Lord of the Wood. She drove one of her Scythe Blades into the Leshen's shoulder, and she rolled across its back with the force of the impact. She landed on her feet and threw the entity across the ground; it slammed its claws down into the ground to steady its landing.
The Lord of the Wood suddenly raised its forearm and sent the Ravens and Crows directly towards Summer. The Corvid Birds all cawed together as they blasted forward in a fast attack. Summer stood her ground, and her eyes lit up the darkness, unleashing the power of the Silver Eyes upon the dark creatures. Their Grimm Feathery Bodies burned into ash, leaving only their diamond beaks behind which clattered across the ground.
The Lord of the Wood walked towards her and slashed its claws at her hard and fast, before extending its root arm forward towards her, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off the ground, smashing her down against the rocks. Summer grunted, but then she slashed Blossomed Rose upwards and through the arm of the Leshen. The root severed and crumbled into rotting wood. The Lord of the Wood retracted the root and formed back into its normal arm. Summer pointed her Scythe at the Higher Demon.
"Your fight is with me." She threatened, the Lord of the Wood stared her down, before creating an intimidatingly soft growling sound. Summer turned as the Onyx Phantom blasted through a wall of flames towards her with a monstrous roar. Just because it could not mimic her like it could with others, that did not mean it was no less dangerous. The Onyx Phantom grabbed Summer by the side of her head and smashed her down into the floor with immense force, dragging her through the grains of ash and sand, before lifting her back up and throwing her over the edge and down the face of the cliff.
The Whisperer dove down after her and tackled her in the air, punching her across the face over and over again. It felt like his fists were made of blades, each knuckle forced from shards of broken glass mirrors. The Higher Demon then sprouted massive wings, all formed from the same shards of floating glass, and it then swung Summer around and smashed her into the face of the rock. Summer grunted, and then the Higher Demon slammed both his feet into her chest, pinning her there, staring directly into her eyes with his chillingly red eyes. "Even in death you still persist… we admire your drive… but it is not enough." The Whisperer assured.
"Gods… you really enjoy being trapped in a perpetual cycle of violence, don't you? When will you understand that Vir Nominis Umbra is fighting a losing battle?" Summer questioned as she held back one of his blades with her hand.
"We have not failed to erase a Universe yet, Summer Rose." The Whisperer reminded.
"Yeah… but you're not closer are you? That's the problem with Infinity, Whisperer! There will always be infinitely more Universes for you to destroy. It will never end… until you lose. You can never win." Summer stated, she suddenly kicked the Whisperer in the chest with both feet, before she then swung Blossomed Rose around and hooked it into the side of his head and yanked him forward, directly into her fist. The impact blew the Whisperer backwards and he flew up into the air, before diving back down towards her.
But he was not alone, the Lord of the Wood vaulted over the side of the edge and it dug its hand into the face of the cliff, controlling its descent and cutting deep scars into the rocks and the soil. And the Onyx Phantom started to sprint down the side of the cliff like a dog on all fours, smashing his fists into the rocks with great force, growling savagely as he grew nearer and nearer. Summer jumped off the face of the cliff and she landed on one knee with her long Double-Ended Scythe rested over her shoulders, and she slowly stood back up.
The Lord of the Wood landed directly behind her, the Whisperer on her left, and the Onyx Phantom on the right. The Whisperer stood tall with his huge wings forged from Shattered Mirrors splayed outwards, and the Lord of the Wood paced back and forth. Like the Whisperer it did not broadcast its capabilities, unlike the Onyx Phantom which threw everything it had at the enemy.
In normal cases that would make the Onyx Phantom the weakest, but considering how powerful the Higher Demons were, it was hardly an advantage against him.
Summer watched the Onyx Phantom as he prowled on all fours like some monstrous humanoid hybrid of dog and man, ferally growling at her. "You are strong, but you cannot stop what is going to happen."
"No… not I. Sometimes all it takes is a singular… smaller… and more honest soul." She stated, staring them down, tightening her grip as she glared the demons down. The Onyx Phantom suddenly charged towards her, snarling and charging on all fours like a wolf hunting its prey. Summer spun her Scythe around and slashed the Demon out of the air, before rushing towards the Whisperer, and she kicked it across the jaw. The shards of glass blew apart, destroying its bottom jaw in a single swipe, but then they returned back into place. The Whisperer suddenly launched three blades towards her, and she slashed one of the swords out of the air, before the remaining two collided against her chest.
The impact blew her backwards, but she stabbed her scythe down into the ground, and twisted it, spiralling back around and sending both her feet into the Lord of the Wood's chest. The huge Leshen stumbled before it suddenly slammed both its fists down into the ground, creating massive roots which burst from the ground and threw her backwards. Summer flipped through the air and fired her Silver Eyes down towards the Lord of the Wood.
It vanished into a swarm of Ravens and Crows which flew around her, and suddenly dove down towards her again. It slammed its huge bark foot down where she was stood, only for her to dash aside in a bright flash of light. The Lord of the Wood charged forward and slashed its claws at her, and Summer blocked and parried the strikes with Blossomed Rose. The Leshen then grabbed onto the handle of her weapon and yanked it forward, punching her in the face next. The impact stunned her, then the Lord of the Wood extended the roots from its arm and wrapped them around her body.
It swung her over its head with a roar, smashing her into the ground, before sling-shotting her into the face of the cliff again. Massive cracks spread across the cliff face, and Summer groaned, imbedded into the stones. She opened her silver eyes again and gasped as she heard the maniacal laugh and roar of the Onyx Phantom. It leapt towards her and slammed both its arms into her, grabbing her by the throat and punching her in the face over and over again. "Even in death you still cannot rival us!" The Onyx Phantom laughed, until Summer grabbed it by the side of its burning skull and swung her head forward, creating a powerful shockwave.
She then pushed both her feet up and forward, kicking it in the chest. She then held out her hand, and Blossomed Rose flew right back into her palm. The Onyx Phantom growled, and she spun her weapon through her fingers. "I'm already dead, Phantom, I can keep this up forever. How long can you?" She asked him with a smirk on her face. Lava poured from the gritted jaws of the monster and he blasted a powerful column of flames towards her. Summer spun Blossomed Rose with immense speed before she then shit forward in a ray of light.
She dug her Scythe down into the throat of the Onyx Phantom and dragged him across the ground, before throwing him into the burning wreckage of a Hellfire Tank. Fighter Jets roared over their heads, firing their machine guns into the bodies of Airborne Grimm which clogged the skies. The Onyx Phantom turned to the burning tank and a grin formed across its face as it stared back at her. "Oh… shit…" Summer groaned, and the Onyx Phantom grabbed onto then huge wrecked tank and launched it directly at her.
Summer swiftly slashed her Scythe downwards as the wreckage flew forward, cleanly cleaving it in two, and the two halves flew past her. Summer smiled as she stood proudly with Blossomed Rose rested over her shoulders, winking at the Higher Demon. Then the Whispers returned in the back of her mind. She turned, and saw the Whisperer suddenly burst through the fabrics of reality itself, for he had vanished from her plain of view. It's skills with illusion and dark magic were unlike anything she had ever seen before. The Whisperer punched her in the face and then formed a bladed lasso and a sword, it wrapped the lasso around her throat and yanked her forward and drove its sword straight through her stomach.
She stared at him and she smiled. "Can't kill what's already dead, buddy." Summer assured.
"No… but we can destroy your physical form and send you back where you belong." It assured, and it went to cut her clean in half, only for her to suddenly bring her scythe downwards and cut its arm from its wrist. The blasts shattered into thousands of pieces before retreating and reforging its hand.
"It doesn't matter. You can try and try… but you will not hurt my baby girl." Summer assured as she stared them down. The Whisperer snarled as it paced back and forth, and the Onyx Phantom joined it alongside the Lord of the Wood. Summer stood her ground as they started to surround her. The three Higher Demons all rushed towards her and then she swiftly spun her Scythe around and brought the blade down the side of the Lord of the Wood's skull, knocking it down to one knee. Summer then took a fist to the face from the Onyx Phantom, and she cartwheeled backwards, ducking underneath one of the blades launched from the Whisperer.
As Summer backed up, a screeching Nevermore crashed in front of Summer, between them, until the Lord of the Wood drove both its sharp hands into its body and ripped it clean in two, creating an opening for the Onyx Phantom to jump through and dropkick Summer. Summer stumbled but then launched back into the three of them, slashing across the Onyx Phantom's face, sliding across the black sand and ash. She then swung her fist up the Whisperer's jaw so hard that the floating blades of glass where blown apart by her fist.
She then swiped her leg across the legs of the Onyx Phantom and blocked the incoming fist from the Lord of the Wood. The huge Leshen glared down at her, but she jumped and flipped backwards, smashing both her feet up the Higher Demon's jaw. The Lord of the Wood stumbled back and dug its roots into the ground, wrapping them around a subterranean boulder and launching it directly at her. Summer shattered the boulder with Blossomed Rose, with a single strike, then she rotated it behind her back, stopping the two burning fists from the Onyx Phantom.
The Phantom growled viciously as magma poured from its hands and hardened into Obsidian, forming a pair of heavy hammers. It spun them both and then launched one of them towards her. The hammer collided into her chest, and with its other hand it blasted fire down into the sand. Lava erupted from underneath them and hardened into huge shards of glass. Summer rolled out of the way and spun her Scythe around her shoulders, shattering the spikes of ice around her, before she threw Blossomed Rose forward, spinning horizontally like a sawblade. It cut across the Onyx Phantom's body multiple times, then she caught it by the long mane of burning flame-like hair and slammed it down into the ground with great force.
The Whisperer sprinted forward, and the wings sprouted from its back again and it launched the sharp glass feathers towards her. She then sprinted forward and kicked the Whisperer in the jaw, elegantly dodging all the blades, and then sliding underneath the Higher Demon, hooking its ankle with her Scythe and tripping it over.
Qrow was not kidding… Summer truly was the best of the best.
She moved like water, like it was all effortless. If not for Qrow's bad luck charm she would have definitely survived that battle, but she seemed to be even stronger than when she was alive.
A Squire of Light…
Summer stood her ground and she playfully sat on a rock as she checked her nails, glancing at the Higher Demons as they got back up.
"Had enough?" She asked with a quirky smile.
She was… without a doubt… Ruby Rose's Mother.
Qrow
The Grimm kept on coming, pouring across the landscape, roaring viciously as they threw themselves into the brave men and women who fought against them. Hellfire tanks fired powerful high impact shells across the terrain, decimating everything in front of them, firing all machine guns at the swarms of Ravagers which surrounded them. Armoured Trucks with mounted machine guns and rail guns fired at everything around them, shredding their bodies of darkness.
A Teryx roared as it descended down towards Qrow Branwen. He glared at the monster and gritted his teeth, spinning Harbinger through his fingers as it grew closer and closer. He spun the sword through his fingers and suddenly leapt up towards the monster. It breathed a pillar of fire at him, but he transformed into his Corvid Form, dodging the flames and only returning to human form once he found the perfect attack point. He flashed back into his human self and slashed his Scythe clean through the wing of the monster. The Teryx roared with agony as it crashed down towards the ground.
Qrow landed just after its corpse crumpled into the hard land beneath it, and he quickly drove the sword through the open jaws of a Beowulf, killing it instantly. He then fired it and kicked another one in the chest before slashing its head clean off its shoulders. Qrow then launched his sword forward and impaled a Sabyr into the ground. He sprinted to his sword and punched the next Sabyr in the face three times before grabbing onto Harbinger and transforming it into its Scythe form and cutting the beast clean in half. The Sabyr's roars faded into the air as it crumbled into ashes around him.
Qrow looked over his shoulder when he heard the berserk roars of Hazel Rainart, even without tasting any blood he was a powerful force to be reckoned with. He punched a Thrall in the face so hard that the undead Faunus was knocked directly off its feet. He then curb stomped its skull into a thousand pieces before he unsheathed his Hereditary Knife and threw it straight through the open helm of a Knights' Bannerman, killing it instantly. It howled as it began to collapse into itself, but Hazel rolled forward and quickly pulled the blade from its face.
He slashed across the back of a Beowulf's knee which caused it to fall onto the injury. It roared with agony as Hazel grabbed it by the jaws and pulled them open relentlessly despite its barks of protest. He then yanked its bottom jaw downwards so hard that the flesh tore and the whole throat was torn open, black blood and smoke billowed from inside of its unnatural body. Hazel then caught a Thrall by the throat which jumped at him and crushed it's jugular with his hand alone, shattering the spine.
Glynda on the other hand was easily handling the Grimm as they swarmed around her. She held The Disciplinarian – her Gardening Crop – upwards and purple energy formed from it, and she lifted the Grimm up into the air with the Gravity Dust and slammed them all against the ground with all her might. Their bodies shattered from how powerful the impact was, then the Professor glanced over her shoulder as an Ursa Major jumped towards her with a terrible roar, swiping its paw at her with great force and speed. She cartwheeled backwards and blasted multiple bolts of purple lightning from her crop, which burned against the armour plating and the thick black fur and muscle which coated its body.
The Ursa Major dug its claws into the ground and ripped a rock out and launched it at her with a howl, but Glynda thrusted The Disciplinarian forward, and the powerful energy shattered the rock apart. Then the fragments sharpened and forged themselves into a large spear. The Ursa Major charged at her and Glynda launched the spear forward and it punctured clean through its skull, pinning it down against the ground. Glynda turned as she saw a small pack of Thralls sprinting towards her.
Glynda held her Crop up to the sky which summoned a powerful storm, bringing lightning down upon them. But some of them got past her defences and leapt towards her. Glynda swung around and held out her arm, close lining the Thrall. She then drove her heel down into its throat, killing it instantly. Glynda then punched a Thrall across the face with gritted teeth, before she then blasted it across the battlefield, blowing its almost skeletal body apart from the impact.
Glynda panted and fell to one knee, wiping the sweat from her brow. Qrow immediately ran to her side, helping her back up. "Are you good, Glynda?" Qrow asked her.
"Y-Yeah… just need a minute. I don't know how much we can keep this up Qrow… the Grimm just keep on coming." Glynda stated, and Qrow looked around, seeing Hazel pummelling the head of a Sabyr into the ground so hard it killed the beast instantaneously.
"Yeah… we need to take down Salem." Qrow said.
"Only Jaune can do that, with Crocea Mors. I hope he's still breathing." Glynda stated as she looked for him on the battlefield.
"He is." The voice of the Knight of Loss answered, all three of them turned their gaze and immediately drew on her.
"Starla Schnee… are we speaking to you or the Knight of Loss?" Qrow asked curiously.
"Me for now… I am… trying." She said as she held her forearm, trying to stop it from grabbing one of her arrows from her Quiver. "You need to help them. The Higher Demons are on the field now."
"Shit…" Hazel growled. "Well they had to show their faces sooner or later."
"Salem is weak if you are going to kill her then now is the time. You may have lost much… but you can still win this." Starla strained as her arm started to twitch more and more. "But first… please… stop me." Starla begged them, and they looked at each other. They knew there was no way she could possibly fight against her curse, the fact she managed to hold it back for this long was impressive on its own.
She suddenly drew one of her arrows and launched it down towards Qrow, but he swung Harbinger and deflected the arrow off. Starla formed a Glyph and she blasted down towards the three of them and she detached her Bow, transforming them into her Tonfas. Qrow went to behead her but Starla flipped backwards and she slashed her Tonfas across the huge blade before wrapping her legs around his head and slamming him down against the ground. Glynda blasted multiple shockwaves of Gravity towards Starla but she pushed her hand forward and created a powerful barrier which blocked her shockwaves from reaching. Then she launched ice into Hazel's leg, stopping him from getting any closer and as he punched the ice over and over again.
The Knight of Loss sprinted directly towards Glynda and dropped to the ground, sliding underneath her legs and knocking her over. Starla then jumped up and stared down at her with glowing blue eyes. Glynda immediately closed hers, avoiding Starla's gaze just in time, not allowing her power to force her to see all her tragic memories. Then Hazel burst forward and grabbed Starla by the throat and smashed her down against the ground. Starla then drove one of her Tonfas into the ground which stopped her dead and threw Hazel into the dirt.
They did not stop him though, he sprinted towards her and he launched his knife at her, but she leant all the way backwards, and the knife narrowly missed her cheek and dug into the wall. Starla rolled across the floor and formed a Glyph which blasted a fireball towards him. Hazel gasped, crossing his massive arms over and blocking the fireball from colliding into his chest. His aura protected him from the flames, but the impact still pushed him across the ground. Starla sprinted forward, her eyes glowing behind the black veil and she swiftly pulled it back, revealing Amber Rainart to him.
He gasped with heartbreak as he saw his little girl in front of him, unable to look away or close his eyes fast enough. She looked at him with a loving smile as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Daddy? When are you coming home?" Amber softly asked, when suddenly Starla kicked Hazel in the side of the head, knocking him down into the ground. He groaned as he held his head, feeling the tears come pouring from his eyes.
Starla walked towards him when suddenly Harbinger erupted through her chest and Qrow dragged her across the ground. She still needed more damage to fully destroy her, and Qrow had come to terms with that. But after all the fighting that she and the rest of the Knights of Grimm had been involved in? She could not have been extremely far from being destroyed at this rate, considering that Fury had already been destroyed and Fear was awfully close as well.
Qrow lifted her off the ground and then launched her forward. Starla tumbled across the ground when she unexpectedly sprung out her glowing white Mourning Dove Wings from her back. Starla launched forward and returned the favour, grabbing Qrow by the side of his head and smashing him over and over again into the ground. She then tumbled with him across the ground and drove her Tonfas down into the ground.
Qrow stood up and his eyes widened as Starla rushed forward and slashed her Tonfas over and over again at him, also firing fire and ice bolts from her Glyphs which hovered behind her. He swung Harbinger as quickly as he could, deflecting both the projectiles and her blades. But then she cut across his side and brought him down to one knee, before firing both fire and ice into his chest. Qrow grunted as he tumbled through the sand again, he checked his aura and saw he was still in the yellow, meaning he could still hold his own against her. He just needed his Bad Luck Charm to start affecting her, he knew it could definitely affect the Knights of Grimm, he had seen it happen.
Qrow stood back up and he transformed Harbinger back into its Scythe Form, glaring the Knight of Loss in her eyes, then she blasted off her Glyph towards him. Qrow gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into her face, knocking her out of the air. She flipped backwards and landed on both feet, swiftly firing three arrows which exploded around him. He closed his eyes to avoid the blinding light, but then he sprinted forward and spun around with his Scythe, slashing across her body over and over again. Starla stumbled and then she slashed up his chest, but Qrow quickly retaliated by spinning Harbinger across his shoulders so hard and fast that she got struck multiple times. He then slammed the blade down into the ground and fired the shotgun into her chest.
Starla then launched forward and she slammed both her feet into his chest, and she went to drive her Tonfa down into Qrow's face. But then Hazel grabbed her by the throat with one hand and slammed her down against the ground with all his force. Glynda also sprinted forward, raising multiple rocks and sharpening them with Gravity itself, and launching them towards Starla. They punctured through her body like a storm of bullets, blowing hole after hole into her body.
She stumbled and a soft groan escaped her lungs, and she fell to her knees, as black and white smoke left from her body alongside dark blue blood leaking from her injuries. Qrow held his hand out to them and he approached, crouching down in front of her. "Starla… do you know of any way to help free you? We have a few ideas… but can you give us anything on Death?" He asked her, she looked at him and she sighed softly.
"Krekras… is broken inside… his honour was shattered… he hasn't been able to piece it back together." She explained softly.
"Damn… how the hell do you convince him to stop killing people with that?" Qrow sighed.
"That… wasn't what broke his honour." She said, looking at Qrow. "I am not certain… but I think our affair still linger on his mind. I think… he blames himself for what has happened to me, for our time together." Starla admitted, they looked at each other.
"Was it?" Glynda asked.
"We have both committed far worse sins than just that… it definitely played a part… but was not the defining factor." Starla revealed.
"So we have to convince him?" Hazel asked her curiously.
"No… I think… only I can. I have tried to tell him it wasn't his fault… but for some reason the conversation would never arise. I fear my curse may be preventing me from helping him." Starla explained to the three of them.
"Which means we need to free you first if we are to try and free him… if this is the way to save him, that is." Qrow stated as he thought on it.
"Any ideas?" Glynda asked her curiously, but Starla closed her eyes and shook her head.
"I… don't want to hurt anyone else…" She softly said, then she looked at them. "Please… stop me…" She begged as she held Qrow's forearm gently which held Harbinger. Qrow nodded his head and sighed, they managed to get a particularly good lead thanks to Starla, one that could hopefully help them break the curse of the Death. That was of course if Starla was right, and it was guilt that bound the curse to him.
Glynda and Hazel backed up, and Qrow looked at her. He smiled gently and he drove Harbinger through her chest. Starla sighed with relief, feeling her physical form be destroyed, and her soul being sent back to the Charred Forest. "Thank you…" She whispered, her body crumbled away into ice, blowing away in the wind. Qrow stood up, and they looked around.
Now there were only two Knights of Grimm left on the battlefield.
Qrow's attention turned when he heard the sound of Summer battling against the Higher Demons, he had no idea she was down there…
… he had not seen her since he saved both him and Raven from Death many years ago.
Kassius
Velvet was still shaking in front of the site where the King Wyvern had finally met its end, at her hand no less. The smoke was still rising high in the sky as its body continued to crumble away into ashes. Kassius approached her from where he took cover and he crouched down beside her, and gently wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug. She returned the favour, burying her head into his shoulder with a few tears. "You got him…" Kassius assured as he looked at the dead King Wyvern. "You beat the bastard."
"That thing… has been haunting me ever since the Battle of Beacon. Some nights I'd wake up in a s-sweat just hearing its roar, thinking it had found us somehow. That it managed to break out from the stone Ruby left it in…" Velvet explained, Kassius looked at her as she spoke, sat down next to her. "… I still can't believe I managed to kill it."
"Well… you did." Kassius chuckled as he looked at her, making Velvet laugh a little as well.
"Yeah… yeah I did…"
They both watched its body fade away, feeling so relieved that the monster was finally dead, once and for all. "He's so proud of you right now… wherever he is… I can picture his smile." Kassius said, looking at Velvet. A tear streamed from her eye as she pictured Cardin's smile… not something that Velvet Scarlatina would have ever wanted to picture back in school… but now? What she would give just to see that idiot's big grin again…
"Yeah…" She sniffled, wiping the tears away with her sleeve. Kassius gently patted her shoulder as he stood up.
"C'mon…" He said to her, gently holding her hand with his Cybernetic one to pull her back to her feet. The two of them left the scorched remnants of the Hellfire Tank they used to finally put an end to the King Wyvern's bloodshed. They walked across the battlefield towards the rest of their team. Emerald, Fox and Yatsuhashi walked towards them, and Yatsuhashi laughed with joy, immediately cuddling Velvet, making her yelp as the massive man squeezed her.
Coco descended from above, and her Winter Maiden eyes extinguished now that she was not needed up there, glad to see them all still okay.
"Can't… breathe!" She strained, making Fox laugh and Coco smile proudly.
Yatsuhashi released her with a smile. "Sorry, couldn't help it." He shrugged, and Fox smirked, holding up his fist and she bumped hers to his. She immediately walked over to Coco and she embraced her new girlfriend, following up with a loving kiss. Emerald approached Kassius and stood beside him.
"That was cutting it pretty close, Kassius." Emerald chuckled.
"Eh, what can I say? It's how we do shit in this gang, right?" Kassius asked her, offering her a fistbump. Emerald rolled her eyes and gently bumped her fist against his.
"Right… what's next?" Fox asked as he held out his arms with curiosity. Suddenly a fighter jet roared out of control with a slashed fuel cell in its body and crashed through the steeple of the Ruined Church Cardin's body was still inside of, decimating it and knocking the huge bell against the ground with a deafening bong. Everyone jolted bar Fox who just sighed, his arms dropping back to his sides. "Of… course…" He sighed with annoyance.
"Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!" The maniacal and demonic laugh echoed nearby, they all turned in the direction they heard that familiar voice. The huge Bat Wings swung from behind his back, eyes glowing Gold with Formido Falcem held in one hand. But his body was more mutated this time, with elongated arms and legs and his head was remarkably similar to the Bat's, except more humanoid. With razor sharp silvery teeth inside of his rotted jaws. "Have you missed me?" Fear laughed, activating his Ultimate Form.
"You…" Kassius snarled with anger as Fear hovered above their heads.
"IT IS I! YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! COME TO FINISH THE LAST ACT OF YOUR PATHETIC LIVES!" He roared, sounding as theatrical as ever as he floated before them with his wings keeping him afloat. Everyone readied their weapons, staring him down with hatefully gritted teeth, wanting to avenge Cardin for what he did.
"Just try and fucking do it!" Kassius yelled with rage in his voice, eyes shimmering with fiery amber flames.
"My pleasure!" Fear laughed, suddenly blasting forward with Formido Falcem held outwards and he slashed into all of them faster than they could react. The impact knocked them all through the melted cobblestone wall and down into the Graveyard. Kassius drove Lash Equinox down into the ground as Fear circled them with a horrific laugh. It was both high and low in pitch, with multiple other voices overlapping his own as he spoke. "Let's see how your precious gods save you now!" Fear roared as he dove down towards them with immense speed.
He created a powerful shockwave of Fear Gas which they all inhaled; however it was nowhere near as concentrated as his usual one. This one simply made them all see the same things. They saw the graves burst as their dead friends emerged and stared at them with vicious expressions. They saw Cardin, Mercury and Kassius' old team. Vetra, Draven and Rajah. They had no weapons, only their hands and all sprinted towards them.
Kassius' eyes widened when he saw his old team sprint towards him, hearing the dark and demented voice of Fear speaking in their heads. "Memories! Some are dreams and others are nightmares!" He laughed maniacally as he unleashed the nightmares upon them. Nothing more than hallucinations but enough to terrify them. Velvet crawled backwards as the Zombified Cardin shambled towards her with blood leaking from his mouth. But then she gritted her teeth in anger, remembering that this was not real, and she activated Anesidora and formed Executioner – Cardin's Mace – and jumped up and smashed it up the Nightmare's face.
As soon as she struck the nightmare it vanished in a puff of brownish green smoke, and she felt the gas lift from her mind. "They're not real!" Velvet called out, and Kassius shook his head, and slashed his sword through Rajah and then drove both his blades through Draven, forcing them to fade away. He then turned to Vetra… and he froze for a couple seconds as she reached out for him.
"Kaaasssiiuuus… hoooow couullld yooouuu reeeplaaace meeee?" She howled as she approached him, and he stared her down and closed his eyes. He focused his senses, and he only thought of one person.
Yang… just think about her… she saved you… she loves you and you love her…
He opened his eyes and glared at Vetra. "That isn't you… you wouldn't have wanted me to suffer in the past. Not like I nearly did if not for her." Kassius said as she reached her skeletal hand out to him.
"Kaaaaaassssiiiiiuuuuus…" Vetra moaned weakly.
"Goodbye, Vetra." He said, and fired Vulcan Nox into her head, vaporising the hallucination. Emerald stared at Mercury and she shook her head and then slashed through his body, wincing and closing her eyes again.
"I tried…" She softly said, wishing she could have saved him from the Knight of Death that day.
The gas faded, and they all sprinted towards Fear, only for his wings to flap outwards again, and the shockwave blew them across the ground. He flew around them and then steadied his flight pattern as he held out his Scythe again to deal a deadly attack like he did the first time. "HERE COMES THE BIG BOY!" Fear laughed, blasting froward, but Emerald launched Silent Judgement up at him and the sickles dug into his flesh and she slammed him down into the ground with all her might.
He grunted as he slammed into the ground, rising back up, towering above them on his abnormally long limbs. "Now that is not cool!" Fear barked with disgust as he shot forward and smashed Emerald down against the ground, digging his nails into her face as he dragged her and then threw her into one of the gravestones.
Kassius launched Lash Equinox into Fear and it stabbed clean through his chest, causing the mutated monster to stumble back from the impact. Fear leapt at Kassius and the Huntsman jumped right back. Fear tackled him out of the air and held him by the side of his head and slammed him down against the ground. He suddenly bit down onto Kassius' neck and shook him around like a dog, before throwing him across the floor as well. If not for his aura his jugular would have been ripped open from that attack. Kassius groaned as he stumbled back up to his feet, staring at Fear.
Fear was on all fours like a monster, roaring with a demonic howl at them all before he suddenly leapt up and drove his long-clawed nails into the surface of the destroyed steeple. He held onto it with one hand as he shrieked to the sky, before jumping back down towards them. He launched towards Yatsuhashi, but the huge Huntsman swiftly dodged the mutant and he slashed Fulcrum downwards through the wings sprouted from his spine. Fear screeched with agony and spun around as old brown blood poured from the stumps.
Fear suddenly swung Formido Falcem into Yatsuhashi so hard that impact blasted him through one of the charred trees, shattering it into ashes. Fear roared to the sky, before he jumped up and bounced off the Church tower again, slamming his curved blade down against the ground once again, narrowly missing Fox. He rolled backwards then bounced off Anesidora's Replica of Jaune's Shield, and he punched Fear across the face, and slashed his jaw as well, causing to hang from sinewy muscle. He snarled viciously and suddenly leapt onto Fox and bit down onto his neck as well, dragging him across the ground, and smashing him against the wall.
Fear began to pummel Fox over and over again with his elongated fist, viciously decimating his aura with every strike. Fox's aura was falling into the red when Fear went to slash Formido Falcem across his face, until Hyde suddenly slammed his burning fist across Fear's jaw, blowing Fear off Fox. The Fallen Demon stood beside Fox, protecting him whilst Kassius stood back up, holding his neck with his hand. Fear may not have managed to draw any blood from that attack, but it still hurt like hell.
Fear turned and held his hanging jaw, shoving it back into place. "Mr Hyde… or should I call you Ebony Berserker?" Fear snarled.
"I prefer the former." Hyde shrugged his shoulders, holding the Crooked Man's Cane in his hand. Fear snarled and sprinted towards him, until Coco started to unleash a storm of bullets from Gianduja, blowing hundreds of holes into Fear's body. He roared with rage at her, charging towards her and slamming his fist down against the ground where she was stood, knocking her backwards.
Hyde suddenly slammed his cane across Fear's face, smashing him backwards and he sprinted towards him and slammed his fist down into Fear's face over and over again, howling with rage in his voice as he pummelled Fear repeatedly into the ground. He then took his Cane and drove it downwards with all his might, stabbing straight through Fear's chest. Fear snarled with pain, his golden eyes widened, and he gargled as he laid on the ground, struggling to get back up. Hyde stepped aside as he stared down at him, and looked at Kassius as he approached, picking up Lash Equinox from the floor as he stood above him.
He held the blade tight. "This is for Cardin!" Kassius yelled, driving the sword straight through his head. Fear's gargles ceased and his body decomposed before their eyes, crumbling away into nothing but dust, sent back to the Charred Forest. Hyde released his fists and passed back into Kassius.
"Good work." Emerald congratulated as she stood beside him.
"Come on… we need to find the others." Velvet said as she looked at them and Kassius nodded his head. Yatsuhashi immediately went to Cardin's body and they carried him to where they could find a truck to get his body somewhere safe.
Where Neptune was being taken…
But now, there was only one Knight left in the Sanctum.
Ruby
Yang and Ruby both got closer to the Safe Zone in the battlefield, although hardly anything about it was safe. It was simply the most secure area that the soldiers could muster, taking their dead here so they could bring them home to be buried. Ruby looked back at Weiss and Blake helping Neo back here as well.
Ruby sat down on a crate and immediately a soldier approached and started to help tend to her wound delt to her by the Whisperer. Everything was still lingering in her mind… the Whisperer's true identity, their plan… and Summer… that was the last thing she was expecting to happen. She genuinely thought it was the sun or maybe a light from one of the Dreadnaughts shining down on them. It was only when she saw Blossomed Rose did it click… and she saw it was the spirit of her mother.
Some of the Medics stared at Neo for a few seconds, knowing who she was. "Patch her up…" Ruby told them.
"Ma'am… this is…"
"I know who it is… the enemy betrayed her, and she has been wanting to get out of that side of things for ages now. Patch her up… she's with us now." Ruby ordered, the Medics looked at each other and they crouched down and started to tend to her slash across her chest that the Whisperer gave her.
"Ruby!" Oscar gasped with relief, sprinting to her and wrapping his arms around her. She held him close but then he quickly stepped back, eyes wide when he saw her side. Oscar looked at Neo, and then Ruby looked at the body of Neptune, laid on the floor with his eyes closed. Sun was knelt beside him with tears streaming from his eyes. Weiss approached Sun and she crouched down next to him with teary eyes and they shared a hug together. They both lost family when Death killed him in front of their eyes.
Ruby closed her silver eye with grief, lowering her head. Oscar sat down and he gently held her hands. "Ruby… what happened?" He asked her with concern, looking at her wound and then at Neo. "Why is Neo here?"
"She… didn't wanna be on their side anymore… and they turned on her." Ruby told him. She then looked at him with a… smile. "Oscar… it was him… all along."
"It was who?" He asked.
"My nightmares? Roman and Tyrian in my head? It wasn't just my P.T.S.D… it was him – the Whisperer. This whole time, it was him." She finally told him with a wide eye. "I'm not crazy… after all this time… now I know… I'm not crazy." Tears streamed from her eye as she said those words, because she had never felt so relieved. She genuinely believed she was a monster… but in fact it was not her… but a Demon.
Yang turned and her eyes widened with relief. "Kassius!" She yelped, sprinting to him and embracing him with a passionate kiss. But Kassius looked past her with a horrified stare when he saw Neptune's body, and Ruby saw Cardin's. Everyone was in shock at their deaths, and Yatsuhashi gently laid Cardin's body down on the ground.
"W-What happened?" He stammered, and Cinder landed with Yenna as well as they saw the surrounding damage. Everyone started to come back together, given a moment of pause to gather themselves. Kragen stood with his hands atop his cane and Mazen bowed his head with grief. Qrow gently held Weiss' shoulder, knowing the pain that she was feeling right now.
"Death… he killed Neptune." Ruby answered with a pained voice, Jaune was sat down, holding his sword down against the ground with grief.
"Cardin… what happened?" Jaune asked with concern.
"He died protecting Velvet from Fear… we took him out." Kassius assured. "Alongside the King Wyvern."
"We got Loss." Glynda assured.
"And we got Fury. What about Kannix and Raven?" Blake asked.
"Still haven't seen her after she bolted." Yang replied.
"Kannix? He retreated… I think the Whisperer forced him to." Kragen explained as he stood beside them.
Penny approached and sat down next to Ruby as they thought about what to do next. "We did some damage to Salem up there, but she fell back into her Castle, into the Throne Room. If we are gonna kill her then now is the time."
"The Higher Demons are on the field as well." Weiss told them as she wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to stay focused.
"And so is Death, and probably Kannix somewhere." Pyrrha stated.
"And Raven…" Qrow growled with clenched fists, furious at how she could have betrayed them so easily.
Ruby felt the soldier finish up her bandage, her aura could do the rest now that it could charge back up. Ruby stood up and Oscar looked at her, they all looked at her, because she looked determined. "We finish this thing. We split up into groups. Kannix and Raven will show, they like a fight. So we split up into four teams. Most of us should go after the Higher Demons, the strongest should go after Salem, and we need to take down Death." Ruby explained.
"Ortega can keep the skies clear of us." Junior assured as he cleaned his Missile Launcher.
"Medics… get Neo up to the Drift of Wandering Star. Whatever happens, make sure she survives." Ruby ordered, they nodded in agreement and called in an Airship to take her up to the Dreadnaught.
Ruby turned to them all. "I will lead the team going after the Higher Demons. Jaune, you will lead the team going after Salem. Qrow I want you going after Death. And Kragen? I need you to track down and try and take out Kannix. Either kill him or make him flee." Ruby told them all, and they all agreed.
Qrow looked around and chose who he wanted to come with him.
"Sun… are you with me?" Qrow asked him, and Sun looked at him and clenched his fist.
"Yeah… I'll help you take that son of a bitch down." Sun growled in agreement, wanting to avenge his best friend.
"Penny, Junior, Malachites. I want you with me as well." Qrow listed.
"Count us in as well." The Sorceress said, stood with the Alchemist and the Enchantress and the Undertaker.
"Alright…" Qrow agreed.
Qrow's Team: Qrow, Penny, Sun, Junior, Malachite Twins, the Witches and the Undertaker
Kragen started to choose his team. "I'm with you, brother." The Architect assured, nodding his mechanical head.
"Always." Yenna promised.
"You can count on me and my forces." Mazen assured with Kaa nodding her head in agreement.
Kragen's team: Kragen, Architect, Yenna, Mazen and Kaa alongside additional White Fang Troops
"Jaune?" Ruby asked her, he looked and Pyrrha immediately held his hand. Oscar looked at Ruby and he stood up and walked over to Jaune.
"I have to." Oscar said, since he and Salem already had such history.
"As must I." Ozpin revealed as he approached them with his hands behind his back, and Jaune nodded his head at the Professor.
"Count me in, pal." Cinder assured with a smile, nodding her head.
"Me too." Emerald agreed.
"You have mine as well." Hazel assured as he cracked his knuckles and his neck.
Jaune's Team: Jaune, Pyrrha, Oscar, Ozpin, Cinder, Emerald and Hazel
"So that leaves the rest of us with you, Ruby." Kassius said as he cracked his neck, ready for a battle.
Ruby's Team: Team R.W.B.Y, Team C.F.V.Y, Kassius, Nora, Ren and Glynda… alongside Summer
Ruby looked at them all. "This is it guys… we have to finish this here." She looked at the bodies of Neptune and Cardin. "For them."
Author Note - This is it, final push against Salem
Either they beat her or they die... time to finish her once and for all. The Battle between Summer and the Higher Demons was great fun to write, alongside Fear Vs Team Misfits, finally destroying him and removing him from the fight. Now it is only Death left, here's hoping they can take him down as well.
Starla may have just given them a vital clue as well of how to lift Death's curse, let's just hope that her assumption is right and that it is the key to breaking the bonds to eternity on Krekras Blackridge.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry this chapter took ages, Writer's Block was kicking my arse. XD Please review and lemme know what you think!
Stay tuned for the next chapter - Upon A Pale Horse
- Matt
