Here we are at Chapter 139 and the Volume 8 finale. Kind of feels good to get caught up with the show again. The final part for the battle for Atlas is here. There may be some parts in this chapter that you may question, but just run with it okay. They're all for what could happen in volume 9. Anyway, I do not own RWBY. They belong to roosterteeth. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 139. Enjoy.
Chapter 139: The Final Word
In the central location, the battle rages on as Penny continues her battle against Cinder. The two Maidens fly through the air, coming to blows time and again. On one of the platforms, Kamir'ahk stands over a dying Voshkie'ahk, blood leaking from her wound. Kamir'ahk smirks, only to get blasted by a huge blast of lightning from Khazhak that pushes him to the edge.
Khazhak runs over and kneels next to his sister, "Voshkie'ahk! Say something, please!" he picks her up in his arms.
"Tiamat, please, hold on!" Bahamut says.
Voshkie'ahk's eyes slowly open up, "B-Brother... I'm... sorry," her voice is weak.
"Do not... worry about me, Brother," Tiamat replies.
Tears come out as Khazhak shakes his head, "No, no, no, I'm the one that is sorry. I should've listened to you, but I-I'll fix you up. I'll seal the wound, and then we'll find Jaune and he'll heal you... You're going to be okay," his words come out desperately as he goes to seal her wound.
Voshkie'ahk stops his dragon hand, "There's... not enough time. Go... you have to... stop Kamir'ahk and Cinder... Save the people... and protect Ruby..."
"No, I'm not losing you again!" Khazhak cries.
"You... never lost me, Khazzy... I'm just glad I got... to be your sister again, big brother..." her eyes begin to lose their light.
"Voshkie! Please, stay with me!" Khazhak becomes more frantic.
"Tell... Yukari... that I'm sorry... I couldn't... Keep my... Promise," and her eyes close one last time.
An expression of anguish and turmoil take hold of Khazhak's face as he screams out loud. Back with the others, Penny flies through the air before she gets hit by an explosion from Cinder's power. She reaches out with her Grimm arm to grab Penny, only for Weiss to fly in on her Queen Lancer summon and save her. Meanwhile, Jaune, Nora, and Edom appear and see the chaos before them.
"Priority one. The people come first," Jaune tells them and they separate to evacuate the people.
Edom gets ready to move when he sees Khazhak holding his sister's lifeless body in his arms... and Kamir'ahk approaching from behind.
Kamir'ahk clicks his tongue, "Tch, this is what happens when you put too much value in things like honor and duty. If only you had listened to me back in Anima, then maybe this wouldn't have happened," however, Khazhak pays him no attention as his focus is on Voshkie'ahk. That pisses him off. "Hey, look at me... Look. At. Me... I said, LOOK AT ME!" Kamir'ahk swings his sword down on Khazhak, only for Edom to block the strike with his twin-scythe. "Hmph. More annoyances,"
Edom glances back, seeing Voshkie'ahk dead. He turns back to Kamir'ahk, a single tear in his eye, but a look of anger on his face.
"You're gonna pay for that," Edom mutters and then pushes Kamir'ahk back and goes on the attack.
Back with Penny and Weiss, Weiss tries to fly Penny to safety.
"Weiss, all Cinder has ever wanted is the Maiden power... I can buy you all time," Penny pleads.
"Penny, no-," but then they get attacked by Cinder, who destroys her summon and sends the two crashing onto the main platform where all the civilians are running to.
Cinder lands before them, smirking, and Penny sees Weiss hurt.
Penny stands protectively in front of Weiss, "I'm right here. I'm the one you want,"
Cinder chuckles, "Hm-hm-hm-hm... I want it ALL,"
She charges at Penny, only to get sucker-punched in the face by Porphyrius, followed by an uppercut to the chest and then a spinning roundhouse kick to the face that sends her flying back.
Blake then joins in and looks at Weiss, "Hurry, get up!" she prompts her teammate.
Weiss gets back up and grabs the relic and makes a run for it while the other three stand to fight Cinder. Meanwhile, Edom fights against Kamir'ahk. Edom twirls his twin-scythes around at his foe, but Kamir'ahk deflects all his strikes with his sword before smashing his dragon fist into the ground, sending out a plume of dark energy that its Edom and drains his strength. This gives Kamir'ahk the chance to throw a kick to his body, followed by a high kick to his face that knocks him back over the edge. Luckily, he manages to grab the edge with his twin-scythe. Kamir'ahk goes to finish him off, only to get blasted by a shot of lightning.
Kamir'ahk gets back up, "It's about time you... you..." he actually looks surprised for once.
Standing in front of Voshkie'ahk's body and before him is Khazhak, his eyes glowing completely bright blue, with lightning surging all around his body. However, that's not the only thing that's around his body. The faint traces of a blue, dragonic-like armor can be seen all over his body, with metallic wings and a bladed tail to match, sharp claws on his hands and his feet; all part of the armor (think something like the Dragon Knight armor from White Knight Chronicles, but with the added changes and the armor on the arms and legs being more robust).
...
In a place beyond Remnant, beyond where the gods can go, Midgardsormr opens his eyes, "So, at last one has finally awakened. Khazhak Rairyu as tapped into the true power of the Dragon Spirit... When Dragon and Human are truly one... A Dragoon..." He then closes his eyes when he feels a change in the void. "Tiamat, my child..."
...
"You have gone too far now, Kamir'ahk/Nidhogg," the voices of both Khazhak and Bahamut are heard together at once.
"Well, this is new," Kamir'ahk notes.
"How... can this be... It's not possible," Nidhogg sounds shocked.
"You will answer for your sins, and pay with your lives," Khazhak and Bahamut say together.
"Nidhogg," Kamir'ahk mutters.
"Yes, I grant you consent," Nidhogg activates the Dragon Spirit.
Dark scales spread around Kamir'ahk's body as his power is unleashed, but Khazhak and Bahamut look undisturbed as they slowly walk forth towards their prey. On another platform, Ruby and Yang continue their fight against Neo. Ruby twirls her scythe around and throws it at Neo, who leans back to avoid it. The scythe flies at Yang, who throws a hard right punch at it and sends it flying back at Neo. Neo jumps into the air to evade it, but Ruby uses her semblance to fly into the air while grabbing her scythe and swings it, nailing Neo and sending her through one of the portals around them. Cinder sees this and sends out a wave of fire at Penny, holding her back, and then another at Blake and Porphyrius. Cinder jumps through the flames and smashes her heel down on the ground in front of them, sending them both off the platform.
"Blake! Porphyrius!" Penny flies in to help, but she's not fast enough.
Porphyrius grabs Blake and uses his semblance with his gravity boosters to propel them back up, only for Cinder to send out another blast of fire at them. Porphyrius throws Blake towards Penny and takes the hit. The blast stops him cold and sends him falling into the abyss below where he disappears like Lloyd. Meanwhile, Cinder flies off towards Ruby and Yang.
"Porphyrius!" Blake screams.
Yang looks over and sees him fall, "PORPHYRIUS!" she screams and then she starts crying.
Weiss rejoins them, also horrified at seeing Porphyrius fall, "Come on, we have to get this done for Lloyd and... and for Porphyrius," she tries to fight back the tears.
Yang wipes away her tears and collects herself. Just then, they see a circle of flames beneath their feet, and Weiss gives Ruby the relic before pushing them both out of the way. The flames explode, sending Weiss up into the air before she crashes back down, her aura depleted. Just then, Neo comes back through the portal and attacks Ruby, only for Yang to get in her way. Yang throws a few punches and goes for a low sweep kick, but Neo dodges them all. Ruby comes in, swinging her scythe while holding onto the relic, but Neo flips over and kicks her in the face, followed by swinging her umbrella up to knock the relic out of her hand. She kicks Ruby into Yang and then swings her umbrella at them. Yang moves around to take the hit, but it sends both of them over the edge. Yang pushes Ruby in the air, getting her onto another platform, but she ends up falling into the abyss along with Ruby's Crescent Rose.
"YANG!" Ruby reaches out for her sister in vain.
She then looks up in rage at Neo, who meets the look with one of her own.
…
In a white void, Voshkie'ahk slowly opens her eyes and finds herself floating in mid-air. When she looks around, she finds Tiamat behind her.
"Tiamat... I see... We died..." Voshkie'ahk realizes.
"Our journey together has reached its end, my child," Tiamat replies.
Voshkie'ahk looks sad, "I wish I could still be there for them... but I know Khazhak and the others will succeed. Maybe not today, but I know they will succeed and save Remnant. My only regret is that I won't be there with them... and that I won't be able to see Yukari again,"
"...No... This is not how your story ends, Voshkie'ahk," Tiamat replies.
Voshkie'ahk looks up in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Death is not your destiny, not on this day. When we performed the ritual eons ago to bind our wills to our descendants, the ritual came with one extra condition..." Tiamat explains, and then her body glows before particles of light flow from her body and into Voshkie'ahk's. "Should we dragons decide it, we can save the will, the life of our descendants... by sacrificing our own,"
Her words shock Voshkie'ahk, "What?... No, no you can't. I don't want you to die for my sake!"
"Voshkie'ahk, I have watched you develop into a skilled warrior and into a beautiful young woman. I am so proud to have watched you grow," Tiamat shows her fangs like she's smiling.
Voshkie'ahk starts to cry, "No... No, I don't want to lose you, too! Please... I don't want to be alone,"
Tiamat nudges her nose against Voshkie'ahk cheek, "My child, you are never alone. You have your master. You have your brother. You have your friends, your family, and your beloved Yukari. And do not worry, for I will always be with you, even in the darkest of times,"
"Tiamat..." Voshkie'ahk can't stop the tears from falling.
"Though we come from two different times. Though you are a human and I am a dragon... To me, you have ALWAYS been my daughter... Draw strength from your family, and follow your heart. It will never fail you..." Tiamat says her final farewell before her form disappears and the light engulfs Voshkie'ahk.
…
Back in the fight with Khazhak and Kamir'ahk, Kamir'ahk slams his sword into the floor, sending out a surge of decaying energy at his brother.
Khazhak simply brushes it aside and thrusts his dragon hand out, sending out a large claw of lightning that grabs onto Kamir'ahk, shocking him, and then smashing him into the floor.
"You will not survive this time, Kamir'ahk/Nidhogg," Khazhak and Bahamut speak.
Dark energy flows around Kamir'ahk's mouth, "SHIRYU ROAR!" he blasts his breath attack.
Khazhak throws both his arms forward, sending out two lightning dragon heads that spin around each other and collide with the attack, destroying it. Kamir'ahk growls and gets ready to attack again, only for a fire Dust card to hit him in the chest. Both brothers look over to see Voshkie'ahk, alive, but breathing heavily. Her hair changes color from black to a shining white with light green tips, the sign of Tiamat giving her life to save Voshkie'ahk's.
"...Tiamat," Voshkie'ahk mutters sadly before she falls onto the ground and passes out.
Edom finally gets back up and sees the spectacle before them, "Voshkie'ahk... she's alive?"
Khazhak turns back to Kamir'ahk, "Edom, take Voshkie'ahk and go through the portal. We'll catch up when I'm done here. Go, now!"
Edom isn't exactly sure about leaving Khazhak, but the tone in his voice leaves no room for debate. He picks Voshkie'ahk up and heads for the portal to Vacuo while Khazhak stays to fight.
"How... How did she come back?" Kamir'ahk wonders.
"Tiamat... She actually sacrificed her own will, her very spirit, to save that girl," Nidhogg notes, bewildered.
Back with Ruby, she watches as Neo lands before her, "Whatever it is you wanted... I hope it was worth it," Ruby has her arms our, challenging her.
Neo narrows her eyes, brings out her blade, and thrusts it at Ruby. However, Ruby falls over the edge, using her semblance to fly under the bridge and come up behind Neo, pushing her off the edge. Neo drops the relic onto the bridge while holding onto the edge, but before she can do anything, she gets hit from behind by Cinder, and falls over the edge, clamping on Neo's leg. Cinder picks up the relic and approaches them. Neo reaches up for her, but Cinder reaches out and takes the lamp instead.
"You never should've threatened me," Cinder kicks her umbrella off the edge, and the extends the staff. "And you... should have never been born," she then hist Neo's hand, causing both to fall off the edge.
"Ruby!" Penny suddenly flies in while carrying Blake.
Cinder growls and sends out a blast of fire at them. Penny throws Blake while taking the hit, and Blake catches Ruby. She throws Gambol Shroud and it reaches the edge of a platform. However, as they swing around, Cinder shoots off the ribbon, sending both Ruby and Blake into the abyss below after Neo.
"No," Penny mutters in horror.
Off to the side, Khazhak and Kamir'ahk saw what happened.
"Ruby," Khazhak mutters, his eyes wide.
"Neo...," Kamir'ahk then glares at Cinder. "That... bitch," he mutters, figuring out Cinder's true intentions. He sees Khazhak's back turned and charges his semblance into his sword. He runs at him and jumps into the air. "DARK ABYSS, FINAL END SLASH!" he slashes his sword down on his brother.
However, Khazhak saw it coming and swings around, his left fist encased in lightning... with a new technique.
"AZURE THUNDER, DESTRUCTION BURST DRIVE!" Khazhak smashes his fist against Kamir'ahk's blade, shattering it into pieces.
The collision of the two attacks causes a huge explosion that knocks both fighters off the platform and sends them both falling into the abyss, with both their powers becoming depleted. Cinder sees the spectacle and smirks at Kamir'ahk's apparent demise before turning her attention back to Penny. However, a few shots ring out and stop her, turning her attention to Weiss who is holding Blake's weapon.
"Get away from her!" Weiss fires off some more shots.
Meanwhile, Jaune and Nora regroup at the portal to Vacuo, "May, Joana, any huntsmen that went through that gate, bring them here, now," Jaune tells Nora, who nods.
"I'll go with you!" they see Edom running up to the, with Voshkie'ahk in his arms. "I have to get her to safety... For Khazhak. Once I know she's safe, I'll come back and help,"
The three nod and Nora goes through the portal with Edom and Voshkie'ahk while Jaune goes to help the others. Weiss gets sent to the ground while Cinder floats over her.
"Of course, a Schnee would be the last one standing. Letting all her friends die first," Cinder notes before firing a breath attack at Weiss.
However, Penny flies in and blocks the attack with her blades, "You've never fought for anyone but yourself, unlike Weiss, and unlike everyone else. You wouldn't know the first thing about friends,"
Cinder gets ready to attack, but Jaune screams as he flies in and blasts Cinder away with his shield. He lands and draws his sword as he stands with Penny and Weiss. Cinder stands up, only to grunt in pain as her Grimm arm starts flailing around, confusing them. A moment later, it calms down.
Cinder smirks as she realizes what it means, "...She's back," and then smashes her Grimm arm into the floor, sending out a shockwave of fire that knocks them back.
Cinder creates two swords and throws them at Jaune and Weiss, but Penny flies in and knocks them away. Cinder flips in the air and slams her heel on the ground, sending out a surge of flames that separates the trio. Penny looks to her friends... but then screams when Cinder's Grimm claws pierce her chest. She looks straight at Cinder as she begins to absorb her power, only for Weiss to attack with her and Blake's blade and stop her. Penny falls onto the ground and Jaune comes to her aid.
Jaune kneels next to her, "Penny. Just hold on. My semblance-," he goes to heal her.
"No... There's not enough time to heal me," Penny stops him, and they look back to see Weiss fighting Cinder, but gets pushed back. "She can't have the staff AND the power," she then rests a hand on his left. "But, there is something you can do,"
Jaune leans back, unwilling to do what he knows she's asking, "N-No, I-I don't know where the others are, but... Weiss will give us time," Jaune gets desperate.
"Please... Let me choose this one thing," Penny reaches up to touch the hilt of his sword. "Trust me,"
Jaune draws his sword and stares at the blade. In their fight, Cinder knocks Blake's katana out of Weiss' hand and hits her in the face, knocking her to the ground. Cinder goes to finish her off, but then hears Jaune screaming in anguish. She looks over to see Jaune crying as Penny dies, her blood on his sword. Knowing that she can't get the power from Penny now, Cinder flies in, angry, at Jaune. She collides with his shield, but he pushes her back. Cinder creates another blade and attacks, while Jaune swings his sword. However, Cinder breaks Jaune's blades in half and then swings her sword, causing him to drop to the floor.
"Where did it go?!" Cinder demands, only to get blasted from behind by a blast of ice.
She looks up, and is both shocked and angry, to see Winter flying in the air, showing that Penny had Winter in her final thoughts and made Winter the new Winter Maiden. The two Maidens fly out and collide in mid-air in a massive explosion. Winter pushes Cinder back and swings her sword, but Cinder evades it and flies up high. Winter turns and fires off a blast of ice at her, but Cinder dodges it and attacks with her blade again. The two make a few swing-and-passes at each other before clashing their blades again. Cinder pushes Winter back and swings high, but Winter flies up and lands on a glyph before blasting Cinder with another ice blast. Winter then makes another glyph and summons a flock of small Nevermores to swarm Cinder. Cinder creates multiple blades and sends them at the summons, but the birds outnumber the blades and the rest swarm around her. Cinder makes a fiery explosion to blow them all away. The two Maidens make a few more attacks at each other while Jaune helps Weiss move to the exit portal. During the fight, Cinder drops the staff onto a platform and then notices the pair trying to escape. She smirks and sends out a fire blast at them, but Jaune throws out one of his shield devices to block it, but they do slide across the ground. However, Cinder makes another one of her fire circles underneath them.
"No," Winter mutters as she flies in to save them. Cinder then makes the circle explode. The blast knocks Jaune away, his aura depleted, but it sends Weiss over the edge. "WEISS!" Winter screams as she reaches for her sister, only to watch as she disappears into the dark abyss below.
Winter returns to the platform and falls onto her hands and knees, crying at being unable to save her sister. She looks back to see Cinder retrieve the staff, and bares her teeth in rage as she gets ready to attack her. However, they all hear what sounds almost like a monstrous scream echo across the central location, and release that it's about to disappear.
"We need to go... Now!" Jaune looks at Winter.
Winter glares menacingly at Cinder, "...You are going to PAY... for EVERYTHING you've done!"
Winter flies towards the exit portal with Jaune running behind her, while Cinder escape through another portal with the staff. After she does, the portals, bridges, and platforms begin to disappear, moving towards the exit portal to Vacuo. Winter looks back at Jaune as everything disappears. She turns and reaches out to him, but it's too late as she is already passing through the portal. Jaune races to the portal and jumps when the bridge disappears. However, the portal disappears before he can reach it and he falls into the dark abys below like the others. In Vacuo, Nora bangs on the portal in vain to get through. Meanwhile, Edom holds an unconscious Voshkie'ahk in his arms while Oscar, Emerald, and Ren fight off the Grimm attacking the refugees. Just as the Grimm close in, they are all blasted back by a shockwave of wind. Everyone looks back to see Winter floating towards the front of the group while the portal disappears behind them. Edom joins her, but so do Onyx, Whitley, Willow, Klein, Lloyd's parents, and Azula.
"Where... Where is Lloyd?" Azula asks.
Edom looks at her sadly, "I'm sorry... Azula... I'm so sorry," he shakes his head, trying to hold back the tears. Azula gasps and begins to cry, while Lloyd's parents cry in each other's arms. Edom turns back to Winter. "...Weiss?" he's almost afraid to ask. Winter merely cries and shakes her head. The dam breaks as tears fall from Edom's eyes. However, they don't have time to mourn as the Ravager Grimm return, along with swarm of Sulfur Fish, silverfish-like Grimm that almost look like insects, crawl along the sands toward them. "Uncle Onyx, take care of Voshkie'ahk," he hands her to his uncle. Edom walks in front of everyone and draws his twin-scythe, separating it into its dual form. Edom activates his semblance, with red bone armor forming around his body, only this time, a swarm of skull phantoms form above him and form a line in front of the refugees. The skulls grow smaller, and then suddenly develop skeleton bodies underneath and scythes in their hands. "I am Edom Soul Reaper, member of Team KEPL. I will keep fighting Khazhak... Weiss... And I swear, I will make Cinder, Salem... ALL of them pay..." Edom mutters and then roars as he charges at the Grimm.
…
Small waves are heard as Khazhak slowly opens his eyes, and finds himself on some kind of beach in a place he does not recognize at all. He finds himself just outside of the tide and looks up, seeing plants, trees, and then a massive, mystical looking tree far ahead of him. He looks straight ahead and spots Ruby's Crescent Rose, with the blade imbedded in the sand. Khazhak drags his body across the ground and slowly reaches for the scythe.
"...Ru...by..." Khazhak mutters before his strength gives out and he pass out on the sand...
...To be Continued...
And that's the end of the chapter and the Volume 8 finale. Ruby and Khazhak's team managed to get the refugees to Vacuo, but at a terrible cost with losing Penny, Tiamat, the Staff of Creation, and many allies. However, it seems fate is not done with Teams RWBY and KEPL as most of them are now in some place beyond Remnant, a place that may hold untold secrets, and the possibility of hope for the future. Meanwhile, Edom and the rest are stuck in Vacuo, now working to protect the refugees. Where have Khazhak and his friends been transported to? Will they find a way back home to Remnant? Will they reunite with their friends and stop Salem? Until then, please Read and Review.
P.S. Just to be clear, I wanted at least one member of Team KEPL to be in Vacuo while the others are wherever the Hell they are because I don't know what volume 9 will have in store and I will need someone there to be a part of it. Voshkie'ahk is there too, but I needed someone else to be there as well (and I have something special planned for her while she's in Vacuo). Just trying to cover my bases here.
P.S.S. Now that the story is caught up with a lot of time before volume 9 begins, it will now be another hiatus before I continue the story. However, now that this is done for a while, just as you guys have been asking for it, I will now be working on the RWBY Openings with Team KEPL and my other OCs involved, so please look forward to that (I'll have it in as a separate story from this one, so keep an eye out).