Chapter 102 – United We Stand
C.F.V.Y
The Onyx Phantom roared with a maniacal laugh, he jumped up in the air, taking the Dark Reflection of Yatsuhashi. The blackened blade of the Phantom's Replica of Fulcrum slammed down into the ground so hard that chunks of the floor erupted from beneath his feet, and then he ignited the air, melting them down into Lava and sending it flying towards the massive Huntsman. He spun his huge sword through his fingers, slicing them apart before they could even reach his aura, and then he rushed forward, jumping up and slamming the massive sword downwards with all his might. Yatsuhashi roared with anger as he slashed the sword down the Higher Demon's chest.
The Onyx Phantom suddenly jumped forward and grabbed Yatsuhashi by the collar of his armour, and he smashed him against the black soil repeatedly before throwing him up in the air. Yatsuhashi gritted his teeth as he soared through the air and looked down as the Higher Demon blasted up towards him. The powerful God-Like Demon swung its fist into Yatsuhashi's, but then he kicked the Demon backwards and then he drove the sword straight into the gut of the beast. They both fell towards the ground, and Yatsuhashi landed on body of the entity, before jumping upwards and throwing the Demon across the battlefield.
Velvet stood beside him, turning to see Coco helping Fox back up after the Higher Demon battled against him. "This guy just keeps on fighting, doesn't he?" Yatsuhashi scoffed as he stared at the monster. The ashes around the entity started to vibrate from his presence.
"Yeah… I've come to learn these Higher Demons are tough bastards, but not indestructible. We won't be able to kill them yet, but we can destroy their bodies. At the very least remove them from this fight like the rest of the Knights of Grimm." Velvet explained as she stared at the Onyx Phantom.
"How do we know when he is getting close to being destroyed?" Fox asked as he turned to her.
"Cracks. We've seen it happen with the Lord of the Wood, the more damaged his body looks from the cracks, the closer they are to being destroyed. Their bodies can only take so much punishment. If we keep up the pressure, the Onyx Phantom will fall. Of course… unlike our usual enemies, these guys don't fear destruction. They'll keep fighting until they are sent back to the Charred Forest." Velvet explained.
"Which means he will just be even more dangerous the closer we get to destroying him." Coco said.
"Nothing's more dangerous than a cornered and wounded animal." Fox added, spinning Sharp Retribution around.
"Exactly. So be careful and remember that these bastards are always more powerful than you could expect." Velvet told them.
The Onyx Phantom rose back up, and Yatsuhashi's Face burned away, and the ashes were replaced with Velvet's. The Bunny Faunus glared at the Higher Demon that smirked with her face and spoke in her voice. "Come on then, kids… show me what you've got!" The Onyx Phantom challenged, it suddenly launched forward and summoned black and red holographic replicas of Lash Equinox as it launched one of the swords towards Yatsuhashi. He held Fulcrum upwards and blocked the sharp holographic sword from hitting his chest, then the Onyx Phantom jumped and slashed downwards at Velvet before firing Vulcan Nox repeatedly at her. Velvet ducked down, using Anesidora swiftly and conjuring a replica of Jaune's Shield, blocking the bullets from striking her body, but then the Onyx Phantom punched her shield so hard that the Hardlight Dust structure shattered like glass.
The Phantom reached forward and grabbed Velvet by the arm and pulled her forwards, slashing the sword across her body and firing both of the Vulcan Nox Replicas at Fox who sprinted towards him. He jumped up and spun through the air, but the Onyx Phantom used its sword to block the many sharp strikes from Fox with Lash Equinox.
"Hit him from behind! He can't fight all of us at once!" Fox sent to his team.
"Good thinking!" Coco agreed, and she flew towards him as Fox lunged forward, but the Onyx Phantom grinned as Velvet's Face shifted to his, and he rushed forward and grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him towards Coco, colliding into her and knocking the Winter Maiden out of the sky.
"Did you think you were safe in each other's thoughts? Oh no… I can hear you all.." The Onyx Phantom sent right back with an evil grin carved across Fox's Dark Reflection. Coco suddenly stood up and drew Gianduja, roaring with anger as she engaged her Semblance, using her aura to maximise the power of her ammunition. The bullets shattered the landscape and the Onyx Phantom suddenly held out his hands as he smirked, ripping the magma from beneath them up from the ground, and throwing it up into the air. The lava cooled with the night air and turned into pumice and obsidian.
Coco gasped as she looked around, until the Onyx Phantom erupted through the pumice with his hand stretched out, the embers burned across his body as he shifted into Coco's Image, and he grabbed her by the face and smashed her down against a cold hard rock. The Onyx Phantom then threw her up in the air and punched her in the stomach, so hard it sent her flying backwards and crashing into one of the rocks. Coco gasped with pain and her aura flickered slightly, taking a hefty blow to her charge. She looked up and blew her strands of caramel coloured hair from her eyes when the Onyx Phantom unexpectedly demonstrated its impressive speed as it shoot forward across the sand.
"YOU BORE ME, WINTER MAIDEN!" The Onyx Phantom roared, but suddenly Coco threw her arms back, unleashing a powerful pulse of icy air that knocked the Demon backwards. She dug her heels into the sand as she stared at Coco, and then held her hands out and ignited the fire, and blasted multiple fireballs towards her, melting rocks down into balls of molten rock and using them like meteors. But Coco jumped and spun through the air, firing columns of icy air towards the burning hot chunks of rock.
The fire extinguished and she punched the frozen rocks into shards as she sprinted towards him, and she blasted forwards and punched the Onyx Phantom in the face, pushing him back. She then collapsed Gianduja back down into its Handbag form and swung it across the jawline of the Onyx Phantom, and then down the top of its head. Her foot came up and nailed the Phantom in the crotch, however it hardly even reacted to it. So Coco rushed forward, and she rolled across its back, and she hooked her Handbag underneath its jaws, and threw the Demon forward, directly into Fox's blades.
He slashed the Onyx Phantom brutally and repeatedly, cutting up the body forged from burning hot embers. He then jumped and kicked the Higher Demon over and over again, before driving both Tonfas into his shoulders, cutting them downwards and kicking him forward. He then pushed his feet backwards against the ground and jumped towards the Higher Demon and slashed across the side of its face. The Onyx Phantom grunted with anger as he crashed against the ground, only to suddenly block Sharp Retribution with its own replica of his weapon, staring at him with the same blind eyes.
The Onyx Phantom grinned, and suddenly vanished from Fox's position, he listened carefully as he looked around, only for the Onyx Phantom to suddenly appear behind him and slam him down against the ground. His body wobbled creepily as he stared at the rest of them, suddenly darting forward with impossible speed as he punched Velvet in the face. She yelped in pain, tumbling backwards as the Demon sprinted towards her.
It grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the floor, slamming her up against the wall, speaking through her face and voice. "Tell me, Velvet Scarlatina, what will you do if you succeed in this battle? You only have three days left, at most, until the Shivering Dominion begins. How many loose ends can you tie up before the inevitable happens? You and Coco Adel have only started this cute little relationship… does it hurt you to know that it will never last?" The Onyx Phantom asked her curiously, tilting its head with a disturbing grin. What made it more disturbing was seeing that smile on what looked like Velvet's Face, staring right at the Real Velvet.
"Does it hurt you whenever you hear the crap you keep spouting on a daily basis?" Velvet retorted, she suddenly conjured Ember Celica and fired it into the side of the Demon's head, it roared with anger as it recoiled back, but it kept its grip on Velvet and smashed her through the rock, sending her tumbling backwards. She groaned, shaking her head before turning to see him blocking out the lunar light as he jumped towards her, she rolled aside just in time as he smashed his knee down into the ground with force. The ground cracked and shattered around the knee, then the Onyx Phantom swung around and smashed the boot across Velvet's cheek. The impact knocked her backwards, but then she blasted forward and yelled, pulling her fist back as she pummelled it directly into the Higher Demon's face.
They both rolled across the ground, but the Onyx Phantom formed Sienna Khan's Cerberus Whip chain and wrapped it around Velvet's throat, strangling her violently as he twisted it hard and fast, trying to break her neck as she fought back. "ARRGH! GET OFF HER!" Yatsuhashi bellowed, he grabbed the Onyx Phantom by the throat and lifted it off her and threw him down into the ground with immense force. The Onyx Phantom rolled backwards, and once it was back on its two feet, it slashed Fulcrum up Yatsuhashi's chest so hard sparks flew.
The Onyx Phantom laughed as he paced back and forth. "You Humans and Faunus can't win! We feel nothing, we fear nothing, and can be beaten by nothing! I have stood before your crumbling world and I pity you because you feel every second of torture as it all falls apart around you. The Oncoming Shadow is a blessing, an end to all your suffering once and for all! Isn't that what you want? Isn't that what everyone wants? To not hurt anymore?" The Onyx Phantom questioned as he paced back and forth, swinging his hands around as he spoke, but Yatsuhashi looked at Coco and she nodded her head.
Fox and Velvet were ready as well.
"It's an end you have no right to give us. And pain? Well that's just a part of life, you learn from it. If you never did hurt… well I guess we would end up just like you then wouldn't we?" Coco scoffed as her eyes ignited, then all of Team C.F.V.Y attacked the Onyx Phantom at the same time. Coco launched huge lances of ice towards the Onyx Phantom which stabbed and sliced through his body as he staggered backwards, until he suddenly formed Gianduja and fired it at them all, however Yatsuhashi arched his sword, blocking the bullets with its huge blade whilst Velvet and Fox took cover behind him, then Fox vaulted over his shoulder and sent both his feet forward, straight into the Onyx Phantom's face, knocking it backwards.
As it staggered back, it then slashed the tonfas towards him but Fox slid underneath the blades and cut across the back of his legs, just as Velvet jumped over him and threw her Replicated Silent Judgement Sickles downwards, they stabbed and wrapped around the Onyx Phantom's body as she landed, and the Onyx Phantom snarled, suddenly yanking her towards him as he went to punch her out of the air, but she then fired Ember Celica as soon as she conjured them, and then switched to Crescent Rose, spinning through the air and slashing him repeatedly as she soar over his head. Velvet landed and she smirked as she rushed forward with Coco flying above and blasting both lightning and ice down towards the Onyx Phantom.
The ice and molten bolts of light burned his body, and the ice froze his legs in place, then Yatsuhashi sprinted forward and slashed his huge sword repeatedly across the Onyx Phantom's chest, angering the Demon, because with every single strike suffered, more and more cracks started to form across its body. Embers poured from within as it staggered backwards, however it was still fighting.
The Higher Demon snarled with anger as the fire inside of its form started to grow, and the Blown Red Flames that mocked Coco's Winter Flame grew hotter and hotter, and suddenly the ice shattered into vapour, and the Onyx Phantom bellowed with fury, and it slashed its claws across Yatsuhashi's body and chest, kicking him in the chest, and suddenly forming Fulcrum and smashing it up his chest, before launching the sword towards him, and mimicking Velvet as he summoned Floating Array.
He launched the swords towards her, and Velvet gasped as she rolled out of the way and she fired Trishula's Replica at the Higher Demon as quickly as she could, hitting him in the head multiple times. He staggered backwards and unanticipatedly smashed his fists into the ground hard and aggressively, tearing rocks from the soil and throwing them at her, she dodged three but the fourth and fifth shattered against her, knocking her down against the ground. He turned and caught Coco's fists as she soared towards him, teeth gritted together.
The Onyx Phantom twisted her arms and pummelled her against the ground, stomping at where her head just was, until Yatsuhashi hooked Fulcrum underneath his jaw and pulled him backwards. Fox slashed his torso repeatedly, dealing more and more damage against his structural form, with every repetitive strike his body was becoming more and more unstable, just as Velvet said it would.
"Coco!" Yatsuhashi called out, she smirked and lowered her wonky sunglasses and she aimed Gianduja at the Onyx Phantom. The barrels spun around, moving faster and faster, before unloading a storm of powered up bullets onto the Onyx Phantom. He roared with anger as the bullets started to destabilise his body more and more as he tried to break free. He reached back and grabbed Yatsuhashi by the head, throwing him towards Coco, and they both crashed into the floor.
Fox blasted forward, stabbing both Tonfas into his chest, and then jumping backwards, punching the ground with both fists. The shockwave threw rocks up from the ground that sliced through the Onyx Phantom's body. The smoke and embers trailed from the body as he stared at Fox, mimicking his body perfectly, he sprinted forward and jumped off the wall, slashing his Sharp Retribution Copies towards Fox, and he crossed his blades together, stopping the Onyx Phantom from dealing a heavy blow against him.
"You may be blind, but I know you see… you know the truth. You were raised in Vacuo, in the hardest parts. You know how hopeless it is, none of you stand a chance against what is destined to happen. Surely you of all people know that you cannot possibly win this fight, and even if you did… your kind would still be doomed to fall." The Onyx Phantom hissed aggressively at him.
"Yeah… growing up in Vacuo was hard… made me cynical. But you're wrong… because we can win… and we will learn from our mistakes… and yours." Fox replied, which made the Onyx Phantom scoff.
"Your words are as hollow as your future." He snarled.
"I guess it takes one to know one right?" Fox scoffed right back; the Onyx Phantom roared with rage as he went to drive his Sharp Retribution Blades straight through Fox's throat. Until Coco suddenly flew forward and grabbed the Onyx Phantom, and smashed him against the face of the cliff, dragging him up against it. They both flew high up in the air and she held him by the throat.
She stared her Dark Reflection in its burning eyes, then she smirked. "We're gonna prove you wrong, Onyx Phantom." Coco promised, and the Higher Demon chuckled.
"And for your sake, Coco Adel… I sincerely hope you do." He replied, then Coco gritted her teeth, and she dove down towards the ground like a missile with him and they both smashed into the ground with an almighty impact, creating a huge shockwave and cloud of dust. The broken remnants of the Onyx Phantom laid beneath her, covered in cracks – it was not going to take much more.
The Onyx Phantom looked up at the nearly completely destroyed moon, and he smirked through Coco's face.
"Soon… the end… will be here." The Onyx Phantom softly said, almost sounding excited for the day it comes.
Yatsuhashi roared as he drove Fulcrum down, straight through the Onyx Phantom's chest, the impact dealt the final blow of damage that they needed, the body pulsated and Onyx Phantom erupted into flames, but Coco tackled Yatsuhashi out of the way just in time. The fire and smoke rose high into the sky, and they all looked at the centre of this battlefield, where Team R.W.B.Y and Summer Rose were fighting against the Whisperer
Now there was only one Higher Demon left.
Kragen
Kannix fired his cannon repeatedly at the Architect whom stood his ground, firing straight back at him, but the Spectre sprinted straight at the Architect, and he rolled underneath his rifle shots, and jumped up, upper cutting the Mechanical Man with his metal fist, before digging the Hook into his shoulder and rolling across his other shoulder, breaking off a piece of armoured metal. The Architect grunted, staggering across the black sand, suddenly getting shot in the chest by Kannix's cannon. The shells exploded against his armoured chest, thrown through the sand dunes by the shockwave.
Kannix smirked, smoke trailing from the barrel of his gun, when suddenly Kaa leapt at him and slashed her knives down at his face, but he used his cybernetic arm to keep her at bay, gritting his teeth savagely at her as he threw her aside and slid to the side as Mazen swung his Chainsword downwards with all his might, growling brutishly. As he swung again, Kannix extended the blade from his cannon and he slammed it against the teeth that grinded against it, then he fired the cannon, blowing the sword from Mazen's hand. But the Ursine Faunus was hardly helpless without his weapon and grabbed the smaller warrior by the throat and lifted him off the ground as he sprinted.
Kannix yelled with pain as Mazen dragged his face through the shards of metal and glass on the ground where one of the trucks was totalled. He then threw him against the ground and proceeded to knock him into the sand with berserk rage, his huge fists made dull thuds with every single strike against Kannix's face, bloodying his hands with his broken nose. But Kannix caught his hand and snarled just as aggressively, and kicked Mazen off his chest and rolled backwards, firing his cannon three times at him. Mazen hardened his aura, and the explosive shells erupted around his body whilst Kannix's aura replenished from the pain in his broken nose. He grabbed it and twisted it back into position with a muffled crunch.
Kannix coated the blade with fire dust, igniting it, and he sprinted towards the High Leader. He jumped up and swung the blade, firing the cannon and slashing his Hook at the same time at Mazen. However the much larger but skilled High Leader backed up, sliding across the sand, he reached down and threw the dust into Kannix's eyes, and used the momentary blindness to his advantage. He rushed forward and thrusted his knee up into Kannix's chest, before kicking him in the chest.
The impact winded Kannix as he slid back, but then he slammed the cannon down into the ground and blasted it, creating a powerful shockwave from the explosion which threw rocks and dust in Mazen's direction. He crossed his huge arms over, and his mask protected his eyes from the dust. Kannix sprinted towards him and he jumped over Mazen, firing his Cannon repeatedly down at him, one of the shells clipped his shoulder but he still hardened his aura against it, before he kicked his Chainsword up in the air and back into his hand.
Kannix blasted forward and slammed the blade against his, glaring at each other, sparks flew repeatedly as he forced his blade against the Chainsword, but Kannix grinned sinisterly. He suddenly drove his Hook Blade directly into the teeth, jamming the weapon, behind his mask Mazen's eyes widened. Kannix then jumped over his head and pulled the Chainsword up against his throat. The teeth grinded against his aura, withering it quickly, until Kaa literally threw herself into the Fallen Silver Eyed Warrior.
They both tumbled down the Sand Dune together, and Kaa jumped and landed onto him, punching Kannix in the face over and over again, before she bounced off him and slid flawlessly down the dune of black sand and ash. She drew her Throwing Knives and launched one of the explosive ones towards him, and Kannix's Silver Eyed widened as he saw it detonate right in front of him. The explosion broke his aura, but he paced back and forth, quickly regenerating it, and he sprinted towards her.
She drew her knives fast, flicking her wrist as she threw them, and Kannix slashed them out of the air, dodging the ones that had Dust infused into them. She threw one of them and it froze into his leg. He yelled with both pain and anger, but he shot the ice to free his leg and stared at her as she sprinted towards him. She jumped at him and wrapped her legs around his neck, whacking the top of his skull with her elbows over and over again, until Kannix grabbed onto her back and threw her down against the ground with force.
He aimed the Cannon directly at her face, and she saw the Fire Dust loading into the weapon as he charged it up, but she smirked and kicked it with her lightning reflexes, sending the cannon upwards, firing the shell up into the sky. She flipped backwards and landed on both her feet, seducingly sat atop a rock as she spun a Knife through her fingers. "What? Don't like getting your ass handed to ya by a Lady?" Kaa taunted, and Kannix scoffed.
"Honey, if you and I were on the same side? I bet we would get along famously." Kannix assured with a grin.
"Oh I bet you say that to all the girls." She replied, she shot forward and punched him across the face, slashing the back of his knee and she went to drive the weapon down into his face, only for Kannix to connect his Hook to her ankle, swiping her off her feet, throwing the knife up into the air. He caught it and launched it down towards her, but she rolled out of the way just in time, leaving the wobbling knife in the ground.
She rushed forward and jumped up, bicycle kicking him repeatedly, but Kannix blocked her boots with his metal arms, before grabbing her by nape of her neck and pressing his cannon against her belly. He fired and the high explosive shell broke her aura, throwing her backwards and smashing against the wall. He smirked as he walked towards her to finish the job. "But like always – you picked the wrong side, honey." He said, aiming it at her face.
"KANNIX!" Kragen roared, just hearing his voice immediately took his attention off Kaa and he immediately fired his cannon in his Former Mentor's direction. Kragen spun Ebony Duchess fast, blocking the shell from hitting him. It exploded and the smoke trailed around his body as he walked through the cloud. He pointed the staff forward as the Architect slid down the dune behind him, and Yenna dropped down from the sky as well.
"Mazen, get her out of here. Her Aura is down, she did well." The Architect commanded, and Mazen quickly picked up his friend and carried her to safety. Kannix looked at the three of them and he chuckled as he watched them surround him.
"Well didn't this suddenly get interesting, my old friends?" Kannix chuckled as he looked at Yenna.
"We're not friends, pal." Yenna deadpanned.
"Ouch, I forgot how venomous her bite was." Kannix chuckled, looking at Kragen. "Is that how you like it, old man?"
"Nah, he's more of a bottom." Yenna shrugged, Kragen just sighed and rolled his silver eyes.
"It's true." The Architect nodded.
"How do you kn-" Yenna stammered.
"ALRIGHT! Alright… I get it… no need to paint a picture." Kannix groaned. "That's… more than I needed to know. I was being sarcastic, y'know that right?" Kannix asked as he pinched his brow.
"Eh… just the truth." Yenna laughed.
"Thank you… Yenna…" Kragen sighed, shaking his head. Kannix charged up his cannon as he looked at them all. Yenna smiled quirkily, shrugging her shoulders at her husband.
Kannix looked at his blade and then at Kragen. "How long do you think you rebellious fools can keep this up? Fighting against him? I mean… hell… I'll give you credit… I wasn't expecting you to come after Salem and do this well against her. But you cannot beat Umbra." Kannix stated.
"Many things are impossible until they are done." Kragen said.
"Longevity cannot be assured on arrogance alone, the four of us… of all people… should know that better than anyone." Kannix said, stood amongst the remains of Arkhonex.
"Not arrogance, Kannix. I believe in Ruby Rose; I believe in her family and their faith. I lost it for a long time but when I heard of everything she accomplished before being taken by Salem? I knew that Ozpin was right – that all it takes is a smaller more honest soul to win this." Kragen explained to Kannix.
"Yes… I am sure that there have been people like you in countless other universes who said the same thing. I wonder… where are they now?" Kannix asked.
"So what? We should just give up? Not even try?" The Architect questions.
"I am not the type to fight for the Losing Side… not anymore." Kannix stated.
"So you'd just join the side that intends to kill everything? Including you? Seems pretty stupid if you ask me." The Architect shrugged.
"If I can get what I want before the end… then I will gladly fall with the rest of you. So long as you get to suffer as I did on that island… alone." Kannix snarled, and Kragen sighed, shaking his head.
"I have tried and tried to apologise for what happened that day, but you refuse to accept or even listen – sometimes I still think the boy I trained is still in there. But now I see… he never did come back from that Island. Only his Spectre did." Kragen stated, and Kannix snarled viciously.
"Enough talk!" Kannix roared, he suddenly fired his cannon towards Kragen, and the Old Silver Eyed Master ducked down, narrowly avoiding it. He sprinted directly at Kragen and jumped at him, driving his extended blade at him. Kragen raised Ebony Duchess, stopping the blade and holding him back. He forced him backwards and them blasted a beam of his Silver Eyes towards Kannix, but he rolled out of the way. "This is the future for all Universes and everything that lives on them! We evolve or we die! Those are the options!" Kannix yelled as he sprinted around them, firing his cannon repeatedly.
Yenna formed a barrier of ice and lightning, blocking the explosive shells from hitting her, she then levitated up into the air with crackling purple lightning surrounding her body. Her eyes shone violet with flames burning hot from her irises. She launched bolts of lightning down at Kannix as he moved quickly, but he fired his Cannon up at her, but she used powerful gusts of wind to send the shells off in different directions.
"Try and redirect this!" Kannix yelled, his eyes suddenly lit up white and he fired a powerful beam of white energy towards her. Yenna gasped and flew ahead of the beam as he pursued her, but whilst Kannix was distracted, Kragen pulled Ebony Duchess up Kannix's jaw, and he threw him into the ground with a roar. Kannix drove his Hook into the soil but was suddenly kicked in the face by the Architect. The impact of his heavy mechanical foot rang out, and he grabbed Kannix by the back of his head and threw him into one of the rocks.
The Architect stomped down onto his chest and punched him square in the face, so hard it actually dazed him. "Just so you know, I take no pleasure in this." The Architect said, but Kannix laughed, spitting out blood.
"Good… because I do!" Kannix replied, firing his Cannon over and over again at the Architect. He backed up, getting hit multiple times, but then he lifted his arm and used Hardlight Dust shields to block them. A newer upgrade, one he never needed to use before. He held the shells back, and grabbed his rifle with his other hand, firing it at him. But he could not make a good shot.
Yenna flew up behind Kannix and slammed him against the dunes, and punched him in the face, before forming two swords and slashing them across his aura. He rolled backward and blocked her swords with his arm, before slashing his Hook across her face, and then slammed the Hook down against her hand so hard it slammed her against the floor. He kicked her in the gut and fired his Cannon at her once more. Kragen sprinted towards Kannix, striking repeatedly with his Staff, smacking him across the face and jabbing him in the gut with it. He then stabbed the staff down into the ground and threw himself forward, using his own momentum to kick him in the face with both feet.
He spun his Staff through his fingers and his eyes glowed, he remembered many of the Magical Spells over the years and he summoned the power of wind, not as powerful as a Maiden's, but enough to send a large cloud of sand up towards Kannix. He shut his eyes and lowered his head to stop the grains and flakes from blinding him. Kragen rushed him again, smashing his shoulder into Kannix, staggering him, and then he channelled his Silver Eyed Power into his staff, every strike dealt more damage to him as he moved fast. He ducked down underneath the blade that Kannix thrusted forward, then he punched Kannix up the jaw, before throwing him over his shoulder.
Kannix grunted and Kragen went to slam his Staff down into his head, until he caught it in his hand, and yanked it from Kragen's hands, and proceeded to swipe it across his face, knocking him across the floor. Kannix charged at Kragen and grabbed him by the throat with his cybernetic hand, choking him as he pushed him against a rock where a shard from one of the Shadow Dust Grimm Spires had landed. He forced him closer and closer towards it with an insane grin one his face.
But the Architect grabbed the spike and jammed it into his gut, and Kannix gasped in pain, feeling his aura break – but the Shadow Dust was not letting it regenerate, just like it wouldn't for anyone else. Kragen's eyes widened – and he realised. "That's it… Shadow Dust…" He gasped, Kannix ripped the spike from his chest, feeling the blood leak out and he held the wound with a savage growl.
"Take him out! This is our only chance!" Kragen yelled as he sprinted towards him, but then Kragen spun around and fired his Cannon on fully automatic, less powerful but way faster. The shots knocked all three of them down and he limped away, cowardly.
"No… we can't let him get away!" The Architect yelled, but their eyes widened as they saw a massive Royal Manticore swoop down and grab him in its talons. They watched as it carried him away, but not to kill him… but to get him out of there.
Once again, he ran and escaped, like a coward.
Kannix looked back and held the wound with a strained face, knowing they had just found his fatal flaw. Kragen panted as he held himself up with his Staff, but Yenna gently held him in her arms. "Let him go… we know how to beat his Semblance now. We need to keep his aura broken with Shadow Dust." Yenna said.
"Yeah… we can't keep on letting him escape. He's many things… violent, insane… persistent… and now it seems he is also a coward." Kragen scoffed.
"You're only just getting the memo on that front?" The Architect chuckled.
"He wasn't always." Kragen sighed, still sounding ashamed about the accident that happened on the Volcanic Chain Isles all those years ago. "Come on… we need to help them finish off the Higher Demons." Kragen said.
"Right behind you." Yenna promised.
Jaune
The Battle against Salem raged on inside of the Training Room…
Cinder slammed both her blades at Salem, but she used her arms to block them, her eyes shone red as she stopped the swords with her arms and slashed her clawed hands at Cinder hard and fast. She kicked Cinder in the chest and the impact threw her into one of the statues so hard it cracked, but she flew directly back at Salem who conjured two more Obsidian Swords. Oscar shot forward as well, firing both his Pistols at her before connecting them both together into the Sword and he slashed at her, but she blocked his blade and Cinder's blades. Salem kicked Cinder in the chest and started to swing both her swords incredibly fast at Oscar who blocked and parried them as best he could, but Salem then smashed Traveller's Atrocity from his hand.
He went to dash through time to catch it, but Salem caught him by the throat and pinned him against the wall. She snarled as she stared at him, and Oscar gasped. "Cynthia…"
"Cynthia is long dead, Oscar Pine." Salem snarled, throwing Oscar down against the ground, she turned and saw Hazel roar as he jumped towards her. He slammed both his fists down Salem's blade, and started to throw punches hard and fast at his Former Queen, punching her in the chest so hard it smashed her against the wall. Hazel rushed forward and grabbed her by the throat, choking her against the marble, but Salem grabbed his huge arms and easily pulled them away from her neck, physically superior in comparison to Hazel. She then slammed her head into his, and punched Hazel in the gut, before grabbing him by the head and throwing her fist directly into his head. She then grabbed his hair and threw him into the wall.
Ozpin launched forward with his Sceptre, driving it into Salem's chest, pinning her against the ground with gritted teeth. Salem yelled with both pain and anger as she grabbed the Sceptre which cut deeper and deeper into her. She kicked Ozpin in the chest and ripped the Sceptre from her chest. She then tried to rip the Relic free from its holding, but Pyrrha launched Akoúo into the side of her head, and Oscar grabbed the Sceptre when she was dazed, throwing the weapon back to Ozpin.
"Do not lose that!" Oscar called out.
"Good thinking." Ozpin agreed as he spun it through his fingers. Pyrrha launched Milo in its Spear Form towards Salem, who turned, and the weapon stabbed through her shoulder and staggered her backwards. Pyrrha bounced Akoúo off Salem's face, rebounding it back into her hand, before yanking Milo back to her hand with her Polarity, which staggered Salem right into the shield once more as Pyrrha swung around. Salem staggered and gritted her teeth with anger, and Pyrrha jumped up to drive the Spear through her spine, only for Salem to spin around fast and catch the Spear with her hand and pull Pyrrha towards her.
She grabbed Pyrrha by the face and smashed her into the ground so hard the marble floor shattered like glass. The impact made Pyrrha's aura flicker and she groaned, stunned from the concussive strike, and Salem picked up Pyrrha's Spear and went to impale her with it. "Pyrrha!" Jaune screamed, charging Salem with Crocea Mors, and she gasped, turning to face Jaune, knowing the threat that sword posed to her. But then Jaune held his Shield over his head as Emerald landed on it. Jaune threw her up in the air and she launched Silent Judgement down towards Salem, wrapping it around her neck as she arced over her. Salem yelled with rage as Emerald slammed her down against the ground and Jaune jumped towards Salem to kill her.
Salem's eyes suddenly glowed black and red, and Jaune gasped, raising his shield just in time as Salem used her Gaze against him. The powerful blast of destructive darkness threw Jaune backwards. Jaune crashed through the wall and tumbled into another room, groaning as he saw all the old tools left behind. He had found Tyrian's Torture Chamber, where he was going to put Ruby through hell five years ago.
The Salem's Eye Brand was still laying on the floor when Ruby used it on Tyrian's eye. Suddenly a red tentacle wrapped around his throat and he gasped for air, turning to see the Seer was inside. It hissed and clicked, throwing Jaune across the room as it floated towards him. It threw its spiked tentacles forward, jabbing Jaune multiple times, and wrapping its Tentacles around his arms and then his throat as it started to choke him out.
He gasped for air, starting to turn blue as the Seer started to crush his throat, until Cinder suddenly flew into the Seer and smashed it into the wall so hard its Glass Dome exploded and black smoke rose out from it, with a creepy howling sound left behind. Jaune gasped, able to breathe once more now that the tentacle had been vaporised. He looked up and Cinder helped get him back up. "Are you alright?" She asked him.
"Yeah… thanks to you." He chuckled.
"I've always wanted to do that to that creepy bastard. I was wondering if it was still here." Cinder scoffed.
"Well… you definitely got it…" Jaune looked at the room. "The hell is this place?"
"It was Tyrian's Torture Chamber… whenever Salem captured Silver Eyed Warriors, she let him have fun with them in here. He was gonna do the same to Ruby." Cinder said.
"Did he?" Jaune asked, Cinder crouched down and picked up the Brand.
"She wasn't the one who got branded." She reminded, and Jaune chuckled, but then they heard the conflict and quickly returned to it.
Salem fired a bolt of lightning into Hazel which threw him across the room, then she caught Silent Judgement's Chains and pulled Emerald towards her and proceeded to punch Emerald in the stomach so hard that she was thrown all the way up to the ceiling, crashing against it and shattering the ornate markings. She fell back towards the ground, but Cinder's eyes widened, and she gasped, flying up to her and catching her before she hit the ground. "Gotcha!" Cinder smiled, and Emerald smiled back.
"Thanks…" Emerald chuckled.
Cinder set her down and launched herself towards Salem again, blasting two beams of fire at Salem who returned the favour with burning red flames, holding Cinder back as she flew around her. Both their eyes burned with their Maiden Powers, and Salem snarled with anger, before she launched herself up at Cinder and grabbed her by the throat. She smashed her against the wall, repeatedly banging the back of her head against the wall, before throwing her down towards the ground so fast that none of them could have caught her in time. Salem dove back down, creating a shockwave upon impact so hard it threw everyone backwards.
Jaune ran to Pyrrha and helped her back up, and she gave him the thumb's up, and they both looked at Salem. "She's gotta be getting close to falling soon, right?" Pyrrha panted.
"Yeah… but so are we." He said, showing her their aura levels, they were all near the red.
"We can't run now… we're so close." Pyrrha stammered.
"No, we can't. We have to finish this here and now." Jaune agreed, he sprinted at Salem and channelled the power of his Ancestors through his body, and he lunged forward. Vyrryk's spirit lunged forward as well and grabbed onto Salem, and Jaune drove the sword towards her, but Salem caught the blade in her hands. It cut the skin, leaking not just black but also crimson blood. Her more human side was showing, and the more injuries she suffered, the less her Curse started to keep the Grimm Essence regenerating her wounds.
She forced him back with gritted teeth and held out her hand to one of the statues and she levitated it with her Telekinesis, throwing it towards him. It hit him in the face and they both crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud. Emerald fired both her Revolvers relentlessly as she advanced with Oscar sprinting alongside her. He moved through time so fast and punched her in the face, staggering Salem. She recoiled from Emerald's bullets, but she held her hand out and lifted Emerald off the floor and launched her into the wall with force.
Emerald gasped, and her aura flickered.
Ozpin launched himself towards her with his Sceptre pointed at her, roaring with rage, but Salem grabbed him by the throat, and she yelled right back. Salem swung around and threw Ozpin straight through the wall.
Ozpin
The wall exploded around him and he gasped, feeling Gravity pull him down towards the ground. He looked around and he spun Mihi Vindicta through his fingers and he drove the Sceptre into the rock, and then jumped off it, crashing into the ground nearby, on a ridge that overlooked the battlefield.
He sighed, feeling his aura break after all the fighting they had been through. He sat upright and pushed his hand through his grey hair, staring at the room where they were still fighting. But then he sensed his hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
"It's beautiful… isn't it?" Vir Nominis Umbra asked him with his hands held together, watching the battlefield nearing its conclusion. It was clear which side was winning, with the Grimm numbers thinning, and only the Whisperer left down below and Salem growing weaker?
They were going to win…
… yet Ozpin still felt no better… because he knew this was only the beginning, and he looked up at the Shattering Moon… and he knew.
The End was Near.
"Death? Blood? Suffering?" Ozpin asked him as he forced himself back up to his feet with a limp, he hadn't even noticed he broke his ankle on the landing.
"No… the feeling of knowing that we are so close to the end. It brings a strange sense of clarity… doesn't it?" Vir Nominis Umbra asked him as he glanced at the Professor. He stood beside his enemy, and they both looked out at the battlefield.
He knew Umbra was not here for a fight.
He was here for a talk.
"Okay… let's talk."
Author Note - Only Salem and the Whisperer left...
Gotta love Umbra, always likes to have cool chats at random intervals XD
It looks like our heroes are gonna win this battle, been a long time since they have had a Victory this big. The question of course, is how Salem is going to fall, and if god forbid she takes anyone with her? And of course the Whisperer is still down there, but he is vastly outnumbered and outgunned, but still the most dangerous Higher Demon, so he is definitely one to fear.
This was a fun chapter, I always love writing the Onyx Phantom's Fighting Style, he is a fun challenge. I love having the heroes have to fight themselves, because it is the last thing you would ever expect to fight, is yourself. Kannix Vs the Arkhoni Survivors, Mazen and Kaa was really awesome. Mazen is just a beast, and I love writing how brutal he is in combat. And now, we know how to actually take down Kannix permenantly, break his aura and keep it that way with Shadow Dust. He is definitely one of those villains who makes my blood boil and I love him for it XD
And of course - the Salem Battle. She is so fun to write XD
In case people are curious (since this has been a huge Act) I can assure everyone we have AT MOST 7 Chapters to go. After this Act is finished I will have a break from Knights of Grimm for a bit, just a few weeks probably. It's just been such a huge Act and all XD But Acts 5 and 6 are gonna be AWESOME and I cannot wait to get there :D
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite! All reviews are massively appreciated :D
Stay tuned for the next chapter - Final Rest
- Matt
