Chapter 100 – Upon a Pale Horse
R.W.B.Y
Down below in the shattered wasteland…
Summer paced back and forth, her silver eyes constantly glowing and focused on the Higher Demons. She was holding her own, but she knew her form could not hold up against three Higher Demons on her own. The Lord of the Wood slowly paced as well, whilst the Whisperer stared her down and the Onyx Phantom viciously snarled at her. Fire surrounded them; smoke darkened the sky from the seemingly endless conflict. "What? Had enough?" Summer challenged.
"Do you think this is wise, Summer Rose? Challenging what you have left against the Higher Demons?" The Onyx Phantom barked viciously.
"More than my heart drives me now." Summer assured, and the Onyx Phantom scoffed with anger.
"Your meagre resilience disgusts me! Your hearts are all plagued by the Decay of which the Brothers Grimm forged, a fate that is the same just as everyone else! A fate that always ends in destruction!" The Onyx Phantom bellowed, he suddenly blasted towards her and slammed his fist down towards her. The impact shattered the ground and the explosion threw her up into the air. Summer flipped backwards and she fired from the barrel of Blossomed Rose. The Onyx Phantom shoved his shoulder into the bullet, it did not damage him, but he still snarled with savagery in his eyes.
Summer landed and stared him down. "Your actions cannot save your child from the fate that all the others have faced." The Whisperer promised, Summer smirked right back.
"If you believe that then you never have known my daughter, have you?" Summer scoffed. "No wonder you couldn't corrupt my girl… you don't know the first thing about her. She is stronger than you could ever hope to be." Summer stated, and the Whisperer chuckled, then looked over its shoulder to see Ruby landing down from above, dragging Crescent Rose into the face of the cliff to steady her descent. She spun her large Scythe through her fingers and slammed the blade down into the ground, her aura healing her wound just enough that she could fight again. She was nearly back into the green, but still needed a bit more time – so she knew she had to be careful.
Weiss dove down and cast one of her Glyphs, bouncing off it and landing down beside Ruby, whilst Blake swung and flipped through the air, beside Ruby as well. Yang was the last, firing Ember Celica and using the recoil to control her plummet. Team R.W.B.Y stared the Higher Demons down and the Whisperer chuckled sinisterly as it stared them down, eyes glowing bright red. Then it's body shifted once more, back into the body of Roman Torchwick. "The four of you never seem to learn, do you?" The Whisperer chuckled in Roman's voice, crossing his arms.
"Think again, asshole." Ruby scoffed, that's when the Lord of the Wood turned his gaze to the sudden impact behind him. He saw Nora stood there with gritted teeth, Magnhild rested over her shoulders, eyes crackling with pink lightning. She felt her scar sting, but she was not letting that stop her from fighting the Higher Demon this time. Just because it was connected to her life… it did not mean she could not destroy the body just like anyone else could. Ren stood beside her, whilst Kassius landed beside them, slamming his fist down into the ground, one of his eyes faintly shimmering with fiery amber glows. And Glynda stood beside them as well with the Disciplinarian in her grasp, causing multiple large rocks to rise up behind her.
The Onyx Phantom turned as well as Team C.F.V.Y all emerged from the fire, weapons at the ready as the stared the Higher Demon down with determination in them. The Onyx Phantom grinned sadistically at them. Summer then spun Blossomed Rose around, ready to fight with the three sub-teams against the Higher Demons. "So… feeling so cocky now?" She asked the demons, then Lord of the Wood shifted its clawed hand into a wooden spike, held onto a long root which grew within. The Onyx Phantom mirrored the body of Yatsuhashi, half his face cracking and burning away into smouldering embers like every dark reflection made by it.
The Whisperer threw Melodic Cudgel up in the air and caught it with a smirk, ready to have Roman Torchwick battle once more but with more power than ever before. "Come then, brave warriors, fight… fight for a future that will never be." The Whisperer assured as he stared them down.
Then all it all erupted into a massive battle.
Team R.W.B.Y and Summer launched towards the Whisperer who suddenly fired Melodic Cudgel towards Summer. The screeching explosive projectile flew towards her as she launched forward, exploding against her chest and sending her tumbling down across the ground. She drove Blossomed Rose downwards into the ground, slowing her tumble whilst the rest of Team R.W.B.Y rushed the Whisperer. The Higher Demon backed up and blocked Crescent Rose with Melodic Cudgel, and he spiralled around and punched Yang in the gut, knocking her down from her jumping attack. He then slammed his fist down into the ground and held his hand out, levitating the chunks of rock that burst from the ground beneath him. He then thrusted his hand forward and sent the huge chunks of rock hurtling towards them at great speed.
Blake flipped backwards, casting an explosive Shadow Clone that detonated as soon as one of the boulders made contact. The boulder shattered into a thousand pieces whilst Weiss jumped up in the air and cast many Glyphs, using them to bounce through the air, dodging them all. Whilst Petals flew past her and through the many chunks of rock. Ruby yelled with rage as she slammed Crescent Rose down into side of the Whisperer's shoulder, slamming him down against the ground. With Roman's face he glared up at her, suddenly slamming his hand down into the ground and stopping her from dragging him. She flipped over his head and then he shot upwards into the air, punching Ruby in the face. He then spun Melodic Cudgel through his fingers and pressed it into Ruby's gut, firing the cannon and blowing Ruby down towards the ground again.
The Whisperer landed back down against the ground, watching as Ruby fired Crescent Rose to soften her landing as well. The Whisperer turned, Roman's eyes widened as he heard the sound of both Yang and Blake yelling with rage. Blake twisted around and threw Yang with the Ribbon of Gambol Shroud in Yang's hand. She pulled her Cybernetic Arm all the way back and he grinned maniacally, shifting into the form of Adam Taurus. Melodic Cudgel transformed into Wilt and Blush as she drew closer.
Yang slammed her metal fist at him, but the Whisperer caught her metal hand in his, the impact fractured the skin, revealing the shattered blades of glass that made up its true form. It stared at her, grinning with that mask over his blind eyes. "Is that all you have to offer, Yang?" The Whisperer questioned with a laugh, perfectly imitating Adam's voice. He then went to slice Yang's arm clean off, but then she fired Ember Celica to the side and just dodged it. She ran, her heels scraped through the sand as she built up speed and fired multiple shots towards him.
The Whisperer grinned as he held the red blade, even perfectly mimicking Adam's Semblance and Crimson Dawn Sword. He blocked each shot and his hair and coat flashed red with every single strike made. "We never did have that rematch, did we?" Yang scoffed. "I guess this will have to do!" Yang roared, and Blake winced with grief. Adam may have been their enemy in the end, but he really did try to change.
Did he help feed those thoughts of betrayal into his mind like he did to Raven? How many has he manipulated with his whispers?
President Thaddeus Brimstone's sudden change of heart about the real threat? Was that because of him? Adam? Maybe even Kannix and Salem suffered the same fate as well…
Yang and Blake both sprinted at the Whisperer in Adam's form, and he ducked down, just dodging Yang's fist and he swung his horned head up into Yang's cheek, causing her to stagger backwards. He then swung around and slammed Wilt and Blush down against Gambol Shroud. The impact brought Blake down to her knees as he stared down at her with Adam's maniacal grin. This was more like the Adam she saw when Beacon fell… a monster. He then kicked her, and she rushed forward, firing Gambol Shroud's Pistol repeatedly at him, jumping and slashing Gambol Shroud across his body.
The Blonde Brawler rushed forward, blasting towards the Whisperer, grabbing his arm and rolling across his back, throwing the Whisperer down against the ground with great force. As the Higher Demon swiftly got back to his feet, Yang shot forward and she slammed her fists against his sword so fast her arms moved like a blur, she then jumped and brought her boot down the top of his head before uppercutting him with great force. The Whisperer then slashed with great force, his body glowed red and sent one powerful arc of red energy towards Yang. It collided against her chest and knocked her backwards, and then fired the sword from the Sheath.
Blake gasped as the Red Sword flew towards her, until suddenly Crescent Rose cut it down from the air, sending it shattering back into the glass that had forged it. The Whisperer snarled, and Adam's body crumbled away, and the shadows of Mirrored Glass flowed around, forming into something else. Back into Tyrian Callows, and he smirked maniacally as he rushed forward. He swung his Stinger directly at Ruby, but she held the huge stinger back as the Whisperer stared directly at her, eyes glowing purple. "Come, my little flower, we have some catching up to do!" He laughed maniacally.
It was terrifying how well the Whisperer could study people so then he could impersonate them perfectly. Ruby then gritted her teeth and suddenly blasted her Silver Eye up into the Whisperer, the Higher Demon roared with agony as it stumbled backwards, shaking his head. He then turned as Weiss launched herself forward and stabbed Myrtenaster at him, the impact blew the Whisperer backwards, having to drive The Queen's Servants down into the sand and ash. The Illusion of Tyrian cackled as he sprinted towards Weiss, firing his guns built into the Pincer Blades relentlessly, rolling through the sand as he dodged her incoming fireballs from the Glyphs she had conjured.
He then threw himself towards her, and slashed across her cheek, and his Scorpion Tail wrapped around her throat, choking her out. "Worry not! You shall join your beloved shortly!" He assured as he tried to crush her throat completely, until she gritted her teeth with immense hatred. A massive Glyph opened behind him and his eyes widened as the Arma Gigas emerged from it and swung its sword directly into his side. The Whisperer crashed down into the ground, but the impact also knocked Weiss down onto the ground, she gritted her teeth with anger as she stared the Whisperer down.
Summer launched past her with Ruby beside her, and the Whisperer glared back with a demented smirk.
The Lord of the Wood suddenly launched its Root Spike forward, and the huge root just extended longer and longer towards Nora Valkyrie. She glared at the Leshen and she gritted her teeth with anger, swinging Magnhild against the spike so hard that the bark shattered against contact. She spun her hammer through her fingers and glared directly at it. "Come on then you son of a bitch, COME AND GET ME!" Nora yelled, the Lord of the Wood held out its arms and howled to the sky as a swarm of Crystal Beaked Ravens and Crows swarmed up behind it, then it levitated off the ground, forming a pair of wings forged from Grimm Black Smoke and chunks of bark. It swung them as it floated above her and clenched its hands into fists.
Suddenly massive stalks burst from the ground beneath them, one that threw Nora backwards and into the dunes of black sand and ash. She groaned with pain, holding her hand against her head as she laid against the dune. "Ow…" She groaned. Nora turned and saw Ren sprinting forward with Kassius and Glynda.
The Lord of the Wood suddenly slammed down to the ground so hard that the impact blew them across the ground and it suddenly moved extremely fast. It slashed its razor-sharp hands over and over at them. Kassius ducked and dodged the strikes, before he rushed forward and slashed Lash Equinox up the armpit of the Lord of the Wood. It snarled with annoyance as it stared at him. "That all you got, you freaky Tree Bastard?" Kassius challenged.
"DON'T ENCOURAGE IT!" Ren yelled before it suddenly backhanded him as he rushed forward. The Leshen turned its Stag Skull towards Glynda who hovered and launched huge chunks of rock towards the Higher Demon. The Lord of the Wood grew hardened bark from its shoulder and pushed itself towards the huge chunks of rock which collided against it. They shattered against its body, and suddenly it launched its fist forward and grabbed Glynda by the chest, pinning her against the face of the cliff that they fell from. The Lord of the Wood snarled softly as it tightened its grip, and Glynda strained to free herself, unable to use the power of the Disciplinarian against the entity.
That was when Ren jumped onto the back of the Lord of the Wood and drove Stormflower downwards and straight through the Stag's Eye Sockets. The Lord of the Wood roared with fury as it staggered backwards, flames burst from the coals that Stormflower's Blades had dug into. The long Root Arm of the Leshen retracted and they both reached up to Ren and grabbed him, throwing it from its shoulders. Ren yelped, tumbling across the sand and ash, staring right back at it and the Lord of the Wood immediately began to regenerate its sight, staring straight at Ren with rage.
It launched a razor-sharp blade of wood attached to the long Root Arm it extended towards Ren, when suddenly Magnhild stopped it. The spike shattered and she launched forward and smashed the huge Hammer directly into the Lord of the Wood's chest. The impact was so powerful that it sent the Lord flying off towards the Cliff Face. The Leshen crashed against it, and it quickly ripped itself free, staring straight at Nora.
Nora stood her ground, panting as she felt the Mark of the Leshen on her chest begin to burn, but Ren's hand gently soothed her pain. "Hey… are you okay?" He gently asked her, she smiled longingly at him.
"Yeah… I've been wanting to kick this thing's ass for a long time." Nora growled.
"Well just let us know if the Mark starts to be too much for you to handle, I can't lose you." Ren said, and he sprinted ahead. The Lord of the Wood walked forward, and it slammed its fist down into the ground, sending a swarm of powerful roots burrowing through the ground beneath him. But then the ground shattered, and huge plates of rock started to rise, and Ren jumped from each of them. Glynda stood there, levitating them with the Disciplinarian. Ren threw himself towards the Lord of the Wood, but it crossed its massive arms over, stopping his boots from striking its skull.
Then the Lord of the Wood pushed forward, throwing Ren backwards. But just as Ren flew back, Lash Equinox was thrown directly at it. The blade dug into the Leshen's chest, causing it to stumble. Kassius then jumped up and fired Vulcan Nox repeatedly at the Higher Demon. The bullets broke off chunks of bark, but the Lord of the Wood hardly even reacted to his attacks, until the ground beneath him started to rise. Glynda launched the ground forward and Kassius jumped, swinging his Cybernetic Fist directly into the side of the Lord of the Wood's skull, smashing it against the wall. Kassius stumbled against the wall, not sticking the landing as well as he wanted to, and the Lord of the Wood suddenly slashed down his aura protected body with one hand, before kicking him in the chest.
Kassius crashed against the wall and dragged his hand into the ground, staring ahead to see the Lord of the Wood ripping Lash Equinox from its sternum and throw it straight back at Kassius. He ducked down, and the blade stabbed into the wall, wobbling back and forth. "That was close!" Kassius yelped, swiftly pulling it from the rock and rushing forward with Nora. She fired her Grenades and the Lord of the Wood blocked them with his arm, before catching Kassius by the throat and slamming him down against the ground.
The Ravens and Crows started to swell up behind the Leshen, a deep terrible howl started to form from the Demon, and then they all shot forward in a single – immensely powerful – attack. Their beaks and claws cut their bodies up, damaging their aura with every single strike made with their tiny sharp weapons. But as they looked at the Lord of the Wood, he vanished, only the caws of the Corvid Birds could be heard. The four of them all stood together, because they knew it was not fleeing.
The Higher Demons never fled.
They watched the cyclone of Corvid Birds dive down towards them and then the Lord of the Wood erupted from within them, grabbing Nora by the throat and smashing her face down against the ground with immense force. It then lifted her off the ground and its other hand opened up; razor sharp claws ready to kill her. But… her Aura was still active, and she gritted her teeth with anger as she choked, then Kassius jumped up behind the Lord of the Wood and drove Lash Equinox in its Spear Form straight through its throat. The Lord of the Wood released her and stagged forward, grabbing the spear which protruded through the wood and vines where the Adam's Apple would be. It pulled Long Spear straight through and turned to glare right at him.
"Don't you throw-"
The Lord of the Wood launched Lash Equinox straight at Kassius, but it then stopped mid air as Glynda pointed the Disciplinarian at it, and Kassius held it in his metal hand again, spinning it through his fingers. "Thanks, mom." He sarcastically said to Glynda, she rolled her eyes.
"Don't lose it again." She replied, Nora stood back up and she held Magnhild tight as she stood with her boyfriend. The Lord of the Wood stared them down, still able to take all of them on. That Leshen was not about to go down without one hell of a fight.
Team C.F.V.Y all charged towards the Onyx Phantom who donned the Dark Reflection of Yatsuhashi, and the Mad Higher Demon grinned with his face. Yatsuhashi roared as he jumped towards it with Fulcrum held above his head, and he slammed it down with all his might, only for the Phantom to stop it with the Blackened Version of its own. It stared at him with a gritted grin, before kicking him in the chest and then swinging the huge Sword towards Coco who blasting up into the air and launched a beam of ice down towards him. He raised the Dark Fulcrum up and deflected the beam across the sky, before Fox lunged forward and punched the Onyx Phantom across the jaw.
The Onyx Phantom stumbled back but as Fox slashed Sharp Retribution at him, he then felt another tonfa strike, and his blinded eyes widened. "The Hell?" Fox sent.
"He's changed Forms! He's mimicking Fox now!" Velvet sent to the team, and the Onyx Phantom laughed in his voice, before thrusting forward, hacking and slashing the tonfas across Fox's body, before kicking him in the face and grabbing him by the arm, throwing him over his shoulder and down against the ground with a powerful thud. Velvet ran across the decimated landscape and she threw herself forward with her Replica of Executioner and swung it straight into the Onyx Phantom's face. The impact blew him backwards, but he dove the Tonfas down into the ground. Fire burned away Fox's image and he shifted into hers, but his Hardlight Dust Replicas were Red instead of Blue.
He formed Floating Array and sent the blades towards her, and Velvet jumped and flipped through the air, forming Stormflower and throwing one of the Pistols towards him. It spun through the air and slashed across its jaw. Velvet stared at herself as her own jaw seemed to hang from the hinge, and then the Onyx Phantom realigned it. They all found it terrifyingly unnatural to see the timid Velvet Scarlatina grin like that. He then sprinted towards her in her body and slammed his fist down into the ground, the Demon's eyes glowed bright red with lava and fire bursting from the skin.
Fire and lava erupted like a Volcano from the ground, raining burning rock down upon them. That was when Coco flew through the air and punched the Onyx Phantom in the face, knocking him across the ground. It looked up at her and laughed maniacally, as fire burned from the eyes of the Demon, and its body shifted and mirrored Coco. It also mimicked her Maiden Powers, and took off into the air, but instead of blasting ice from its hands, it blasted fire instead.
They both blasted beams of opposing elements at one another, causing steam to burst from in between as they fought. Coco blasted forward and smashed Gianduja across the Onyx Phantom's face, causing it to spin through the air. It then held out its hands and roared to the sky in her voice, summoning a storm but of fire and burning ash, bringing fireballs crashing down into the ground around them. Coco flew and dodged them, as best she could, until the Onyx Phantom tackled her out of the air, punching her in the face repeatedly, before slamming her down into the ground with great force, landing on her chest with both feet, staring down at her.
The Onyx Phantom suddenly felt Fulcrum erupt through its chest, but it hardly even reacted. The Higher Demon looked back at Yatsuhashi and just rolled Coco's eyes before shifting once again. It kicked backwards, pushing Yatsuhashi backwards, and then it ripped Fulcrum from its chest and slashed both it and its own down across his chest, dual wielding both versions of the massive sword, before launching his one straight towards his chest. The impact knocked him backwards and he walked down the dune, staring at them all, ready to continue the battle with a sinister smirk on his face.
"This is gonna be one tough son of a bitch to bring down." Velvet said.
"That's observant of you." Fox scoffed.
Ozpin
He walked through the castle, the rest of the team were near, but he needed to be the first to see her. The sound of the war outside rumbled throughout the castle, but he did not even flinch as the dust fell through the cracks in the ceiling. He followed the paths, and eventually found himself in the chamber where Vyrryk's body was still laid.
He stood there… exactly where he stood when they paid their respects to their old friend. He stood for a few moments to mourn his old friend once again, before opening his eyes again, and walking up the steps. He passed by the many cells, including the two where Ruby and Oscar were held, where he saw her.
Salem…
The Dark Queen winced, she was weakening from this battle, the clash in the sky against the three Maidens had definitely taken a lot out of her. She wiped her lip, seeing the black blood on her pale hand. She snarled with anger as she walked towards the broken windows of the Throne Room, looking out at the Battle.
But then… she heard him approach…
The sound of his cane tapping against the cold floor, it was immediately recognisable. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at him, staring directly at him.
"Ozpin…" She said as she glared directly at the Professor. He stood before her at the other end of the Throne Room. "… I was wondering when you would arrive."
"Apologies for being late." He said to her, walking around the room, the two of them circled each other as they spoke. "Things are quite… busy… lately."
"Indeed." She agreed, looking at the chaos. "It has been a long time since we last spoke… old friend."
"Yes… and look at what has happened to you because of my actions." He said with grief in his voice. But then when he opened his eyes, he stared at her with conviction. "But my actions… are not responsible for what you have done. I may have turned you into what you are… but your actions are your own."
"Do you honestly believe that you can defeat Vir Nominis Umbra? Are you this blind to the truth that he is beyond our comprehension?" Salem questioned.
"I do not know… but I believe in trying. It's better than just rolling over and dying. And after being one of his slaves I will never join his cause in the hope of survival. Not after what I saw." Ozpin explained, and Salem chuckled softly.
"And here you stand… fighting a war you know cannot be won. I don't know if I would call that progress." Salem said.
"At least I'm fighting." Ozpin said.
"NEVER question my ability to fight! I have been fighting longer than you can imagine. And don't assume you know me, simply because you provided the stone which gave me my power… does not mean that you and I are one and the same." Salem explained as she pointed at him.
She walked around the room. "And even if you do kill him… what then? The Oncoming Shadow would have killed so many people that it would make moving on nearly impossible. Perhaps even all life on Remnant would be extinguished… what kind of a future is that?"
"Even if we all fall… at least every other future Universe would be free from him." Ozpin explained, and that made Salem chuckle.
"Your confidence is inspiring… sometimes I wish I could have shared it." Salem stated as she ran her finger across the destroyed table. "But confidence alone will not save you." Salem stated.
She opened her hands, feeling the Dark Magic course through her veins, and Ozpin readied himself to fight her. "You once told me… that Victory is found within a smaller, more honest soul." She said, looking at him.
"And I still believe it." Ozpin stated.
Salem softly smiled, nodding her head. "For your sake… I pray that you are right." Salem stated, she then thrusted her hand forward, blasting a powerful fireball towards Ozpin. But he shot out of the way, using his Semblance to his advantage, and he sprinted directly towards Salem.
He jumped up and thrusted Mihi Vindicta towards her, and the impact caused a powerful shockwave which shoved them both backwards. Salem dug her feet down into the ground and she blasted a bolt of red lightning from her open palm towards him. Ozpin spun the Cane through his fingers and it swiftly extended into his Sceptre, and he pushed the curved blade into the beam, absorbing its energy, and channelling it back at her in a beam of green energy. The beam of light carved through the floor and then towards her, Salem suddenly threw her hand up and tore the floor apart, shattering the shiny marble apart and using it like a shield. The beam cut across sit but was not powerful enough to break through.
Salem then launched the rubble towards Ozpin, and he slowed time, running directly at the Dark Queen, jumping and spinning through multiple chunks, before he drove the blade of his Sceptre directly into her gut, pinning her against the wall. "This conflict ends, once and for all Salem." Ozpin growled, and she laughed sinisterly.
"They say with age comes wisdom, but it seems you have become more naïve than ever!" Salem yelled, she kicked Ozpin in the chest so hard that he crashed through the already destroyed table. She then ripped the Sceptre from her chest and launched it directly towards him. Ozpin blasted towards his weapon and caught it out of the air, and he fired multiple bolts of green energy towards her. Salem blocked them with Magic, blue energy coursed around her arms as she deflected them up through the ceiling of the building.
Ozpin slammed Mihi Vindicta down into the ground, creating a shockwave and then green lightning started to spark and crackle around him. Salem held out her hands with an evil grin, eyes glowing bright red. Red electricity pulsated more and more around her pale skinned body, causing her veins to glow red as well. She then blasted the bolts at him, and he did the same, Green colliding into Red in an array of bright colours. They held each other back, then Salem's eyes glowed brighter and brighter.
Ozpin's widened, knowing she was about to use that attack the others mentioned – Salem's Gaze. Ozpin swiftly stopped time and sprinted to cover, then Salem unleashed a terrifying roar as the light around them darkened, and the deep red and black energy that erupted from her eyes burned everything around him. The Professor held his ground, before waiting until the light returned.
Salem's fist suddenly punched through the remnants of her table and grabbed Ozpin by the throat and lifted him off the floor and threw him into the wall. The face of the wall shattered, and he plummeted down a tall spiralling staircase, one that Salem followed him down. He looked up and saw Salem slamming her hands down against the many railings, shattering them with her weight and clawed fingers. She then just dove down towards him and they both flew through the air. Her eyes ignited as she carried him, and Ozpin swung his fist into her face over and over, and she did the same as they crashed through multiple walls.
Then they smashed up through the ceiling, and then Salem held him by the throat, and launched him back down towards the Keep. He fell straight through a glass skylight, shattering it and crashing down into a large circular room. The same one that Salem trained Cinder… and where Cinder got her mark from Fury for failing to kill Ozpin. The Professor pushed his hands against the floor as he got back up, and her armoured boots landed right in front of him, staring down at him.
He looked up at her with a scoff, noticing the Circlet on her head, remarkably similar in shape and design to the Nikos Circlet. "You think… you have any right to mimic that Artefact?" He asked her, she gritted her teeth, and held her hand out. There were many statues circling the room, and one of them cracked. The hands shattered which gripped a long Stone Carved Halberd and she launched it towards him. The long stone handle slammed against his throat and pinned him against the wall.
Salem choked him as he hanged from where she held him. He gasped for air desperately, and Salem gritted her teeth, any humanity of who she once was had been forgotten long, long ago.
But then…
… Akoúo suddenly slammed into the back of Salem's head, breaking her telekinetic hold over Ozpin. The Professor crashed to the ground, coughing as he gasped for air again. Salem turned and saw Akoúo return back onto Pyrrha's forearm, staring Salem down. But Pyrrha was not alone, because diving down and hovering behind her from the skylight Ozpin fell, was Cinder, eyes burning with the Fall Maiden's Power. Emerald emerged from behind Pyrrha as well, alongside Hazel who cracked his neck, ready to continue this fight against his former master.
And then… she heard the sound of him bolting through time as well. She turned and saw Oscar Pine, drawing Traveller's Atrocity as well as he stared her down, and Jaune Arc with Crocea Mors firmly in his grasp.
Salem chuckled as she stared Jaune Arc down. "You really should learn when to accept that you are out of your league, boy." Salem stated as she stared him down.
"What can I say?" He sighed, spinning the sword through his fingers, aiming the blade directly at her with his shield raised. "I always was the densest of my team."
Salem clenched her hands into fists, and she gritted her teeth. Salem opened her hands and formed two large swords forged from Obsidian, glowing with red energy, and they all sprinted towards her. Jaune jumped up in the air with a defiant roar as he went for her head, but Salem blocked his strike with her sword, and then kicked him in the gut, knocking him down to the ground, whilst catching Silent Judgements chains and slamming Emerald back down against the ground. She ducked down as Akoúo flew towards her and then crossed her swords over to refract the beam of fire unleashed from Cinder's hand.
This was it…
… either they killed Salem inside of the Keep… or she killed them.
It was ending for someone here, once and for all.
Qrow
The Knight of Death walked through the battlefield, decimating their allied soldiers with terrifying ease. He was the last of the remaining Knights of Grimm on the field, and he drove Ferrum Arctus through the chest of a brave soldier who slashed his Sword towards him, only to be cut down in one strike. Death pushed the body from the blade of his sword and stared ahead as a Military Truck roared towards him, to try and flatten the Knight. But Death stood his ground, and then slammed his boot down onto the bonnet so hard the entire face of the car collapsed down against the ground, flipping it over his head and crashing down on the roof. The soldiers tried to escape when Grimm swarmed the vehicle, pulling them out and eating them alive as their shrieked with agony.
But as Death walked, he stopped, sensing someone was near. He turned fast and stopped the blade of Harbinger which collided down into his. "Long time no see!" Qrow yelled, but then Death growled and thrusted forward, throwing the skilled Huntsman backwards. But as Qrow landed, Death looked around and saw the many other brave warriors who had joined him.
Sun, with Ruyi Jingu Bang, spun the Bo-Staff through his fingers, hatred ever present on his face, desperately wanting to avenge his fallen best friend. "You're gonna regret what you did." Sun snarled.
"I take no pleasure in what I do, Mr Wukong." Death assured as he stared at him, but Sun could not give a damn about his morals. But they were not the only members here.
"Krekras Blackridge!" Penny's voice called out, whilst Junior and the Malachite Twins arrived as well, ready to battle against him. Death stared up at Penny who floated before him, and he immediately could tell something was different about her.
"You… are human… yet also Synthetic…" He stated with surprise in his voice.
"Merlot learned a lot… and has given me the chance to build a future for myself. That is not a future I am willing to let you sacrifice." Penny explained as she slowly descended. "I know that you believe that this is your duty. But for the people who once swore to protect… drop your sword… and help us defeat Vir Nominis Umbra." She begged, she knew that it would take a hell of a lot more than a polite request to break the curse, but she had to try at the very least.
He then turned his head as the Three Witches and the Restless Marshlands and the Undertaker arrived as well, the huge Unnatural Being slashed its huge Shovel through the head of a Thrall, killing it instantly. Death's cape of black smouldering smoke and embers blew in the wind, and he slowly clenched his hand into a fist, staring them all down.
The smoke cape transformed into the Nevermore Wings, and he slowly spun Ferrum Arctus through his fingers. "The only equalizer in all life… is Death itself…" The Knight responded as he pointed his sword at them. Penny closed her eyes, sad that she could not make him see reason.
"I was hoping you'd say something like that, you son of a bitch." Sun snarled, he charged first then the rest of them did as well, and Death stood his ground.
Ready to fight to the last.
Author Note - A bunch a cool and epic battles to go through in the following chapters!
The Higher Demons are so fun to write in combat, mainly the ones who can change their fighting style mid combat like the Whisperer and the Onyx Phantom. I love the Whisperer because I get to write certain characters fighting again who have been dead. One of my biggest regrets was never doing a Blake and Yang Vs Adam fight in this story (considering how much beef there was there) but now I can still have some semblance of it through the Whisperer. Writing Torchwick and Tyrian fighting again was really cool as well.
Actually... just writing Torchwick fighting in general... only just realised I have pretty much never done that since all my stories are Post Vol. 3 XD
Salem Vs Ozpin was pretty fun and am very excited to do Qrow and the gang Vs Death. I think Qrow's side have the best odds to be honest XD Death is good but he is vastly outnumbered. I was gonna write their fight but honestly I'm gonna save it for next chapter. That way I can write some really cool stuff. Basically we are now in the final chunk of this big final battle. Breaking up this last epic battle of heroes and villains into multiple chapters.
Gonna be fun!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter - Turning the Tide
- Matt
