He's here.
They tried to get rid of him but he's back.
The Nightmare isn't hunting today...
It's just going for a stroll.
His claws were quick to cut through the nearest hunters to him. Their screams barely registered before he shifted to his next target.
Fire rained down upon him all angles as he continued his massacre.
He just weaved through it with his killer intent radiating out like a wave of depare. Many were caught by the indiscriminate firing yet it never ceased.
He continued to push through his enemies; entirely uncaring for the degradation of his body.
This... Nightmare has returned. They rained hell on him while clearing the Emerald Forest and now he's here for revenge.
Many brave hunters ran forward, weapons drawn, prepared to cut down this strange being.
They died braver than the rest.
Those who did not approach gave a rain of fire. The ships skill in the air joining in as the Nightmare just continued forward.
All Glynda could do was grab her riding crop and head for him. The fear of death circulating through the back of her mind. She surpressed this feeling and prepared to meet this Nightmare head on.
Pyrrha just tightened her grip on her weapons as radios screamed about Grievous' return. How he was just tearing through the everyone in his path. Her mind being trapped in deep thought as the panic dissipated in the clouds of her mind.
'He isn't dead.'
'The thing that has Jaune isn't dead.'
'Why can't he just rest in peace?'
She was only broken out of it by the receptive tug on her shoulder. She turned to find Team Rwby alongside Ren and Nora giving her comforting looks.
They wouldn't understand what she was going through, not completely anyway. So she knew what she had to do.
Even if they tried to stop her, she'll fight this Nightmare and give Jaune true peace.
Jaune was walking through the dark void which had become his mind. Ever since the Nightmare had devoured Grievous' Psyche, it had been leaving the rest of the mind a darkened void. Only his own presence gave this enternal darkness any form of light.
He took each step with caution as he was constantly fed images of the Nightmare's current activities. The looks of horror on many hunters' face as he tore them apart with clawed hands. It was disgusting having to experience such things invading your mind.
And it was disturbing how he had already gotten used to it.
Then his foot tapped against something. He looked down to find the outline of Grievous' mask. It's white coloration an absolute antithesis to the blank void that surround the two.
He picked up the mask and inspected it. There was numerous cracks running along it, the left eye hole was larger than the right eye hole, and the whole thing seemed to have been thrown into a pool of darkness.
The thing in his hands is probably the only piece of Grievois still leftover in the mind.
The only thing left of the monster that had been forcefully created from his darkest thought.
Until the Nightmare came along.
So he set the mask back on the ground, and continued on his walk. He had a destination in mind, and the signs were in his favor if the body's constant screaming were anything to go by.
This thing's falling apart, and he'll make sure it breaks at just the right time.
Yang just followed after Pyrrha, even as the rest of Team Rwby (alongside Ren and Nora) was pulled away. She was not going to just let her friend throw her life away fighting that monster.
"Pyrrha listen to me, you have to stop." She tried in desperation. "I can't Yang, as long as that thing still lives I just can't." was Pyrrha's response. "Then why? Why do you have to kill it?". "You wouldn't understand.". "Why wouldn't I understand?".
Pyrrha was silent for a moment as she considered her next choice of words. "I heard it speak, and I know who it is. I know who is trapped within Grievous.".
The way she said that caught Yang off guard. 'Trapped within Grievous' constantly running in a loop within her mind. "What do you mean, Trapped within Grievous?" She asked with a cautious tone.
Pyrrha breathed in and spoke. "I think... I think that Jaune may be trapped within Grievous." Yang was about to argue but Pyrrha glared at her. "When I was fighting him with the Vale Homeguard... When I was all that was left. He could have killed me, he was about to kill me. Then he just stopped, and when I looked into his eyes I saw a blue that I was far to familiar with. And he told me to run in Jaune's voice." Pyrrha explained while tears began to flow down her face.
Yang just stared at her friend in shock.
"So, to give Jaune peace, I'm going to kill Grievous or whatever Nightmare is using what is left as Jaune as a puppet." Pyrrha stated while walking away. Yang grabbed her arm and spoke; "I'm coming with you." she stated.
Pyrrha looked her in the eyes and nodded. "For Jaune and for all the people that have been killed." she said. Yang nodded and the two walked to the battlefield with eye of fire.
It was becoming boring. Few could give him any sort of meaningful fight. It was always either a mindless full power assault or a desperate last stand. There was never someone who could just stand face to face with him and give a nice fight.
It was so disappointing.
He had hoped that those who would be considered the best that Vale could offer would do so much more.
Then he felt a violent pull on his spine. The metal along his back began to warp and creak as he felt his spine tear through it. He turned to the possible source and found Ms. Goodwitch, her riding crop pointed right at him, and a look of fury in her eyes.
He chuckled to himself. "Finally, some prey that can give me a good fight." he muttered to himself. "I can not let you pass any further. This time I'm putting you down for good." Goodwitch spoke in stern tone. "Such bravery, but can you back up those words with actions?" he shot back while preparing his blades.
Goodwitch didn't answer him, simply raising her riding crop and preparing to end him.
They saw Grievous charge right at Glynda Goodwitch. He wasn't even phased by the large tear running along his entire back. Even with so much of his body broken this monster persevered for some unknown reason.
Pyrrha rushed forwards, throwing her javelin right into Grievous' path as he neared Glynda.
He felt a something strike his neck. The cold steel jutting out from the complex joint was a javelin. He ignored it as he continued forwards with intent to cut down Glynda.
Then he felt a pull from his legs.
He was dragged away from the professor. His legs violently warping from the force of it. Then a pillar of fire shot towards him. He tried to jump out of the way, only to be dragged by the legs.
He took care of this problem by slicing off his legs.
The metal and mist was instantly turned to slag by the sheer heat of the flames. He just continued his assault by leaping about with his powerful arms.
And a special surprise within them.
They watched as the Nightmare willingly severed its legs to avoid Yang's fire.
Then its arms split into four.
The shock of its actions left the three of them stunned.
"You know-" he began, his voice a distorted mess. "-the Warrior was given these tools for an opponent who would give him a true battle. How sad that they never saw that day; their purpose being a set of foux legs." he finished before he shot towards Pyrrha.
Glynda and Yang both shot to intercept him. The former with a telekinetic hold, the latter with a stream of white hot fire.
The Nightmare miraculously dodged both attacks before his body was warped by Pyrrha's semblance. The hold she had him under causing his metal workings to implode.
The others could here the vicious warping of the metal and the sound of grimm flesh rending. Glynda capitalized on this by doubling down of the warping of its body; bending it even worse than before.
Yang followed this up with a massive wave of fire.
He had to move. He had to get out. This cage, the cage of the warrior and the ghost, was no longer useful.
He had to push through, he was almost out.
When he gets out, they can't warp him anymore. He'll be free to kill as he sees fit.
"So this is what is controlling me; a coward who talks a big game but the moment it gets difficult he wants to run" a voice spoke up from the void of the mind.
It was the ghost.
"Not even Grievous was that cowardly, he fought with little care of his own life. Now if he just fought for the people I might have respected him, but even he was preferable to you." The ghost insulted him.
WhY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!????.
"Don't use that tone, we're both stuck in here so it's not like you can actually run." the ghost remained calm.
I WILL UNMAKE YOU!!!!!!
"Not like you have enough time to do that. I mostly came here to see my friends kill you." The ghost said.
He looked back, finding the great wave of fire heading towards him.
He couldn't move. The metal was closing in on him. The flesh was being melted. He couldn't stop the fire.
The flames consumed him.
They just watched as the fire turned all that was left of Grievous into slag. Its dying scream being a violent mash of anger and sorrow.
"Rest in peace Jaune, I did it." Pyrrha muttered under her breath.
It was then that Grievous' corpse shook violently before something burst forth from it. A mass of screaming darkness broke through the mask and spasmed wildly on the ground. The flames just devoured this fleeing being as well as the metal.
It was finally dead.
Jaune just watched from the shadows of the mind as everything broke down. The Nightmare tried to destroy him, but he was just a distraction.
He was honestly just happy to be free from all this.
He felt bliss as everything slowly went blank.
The day of Grievous' death was the spark of a new age for Remnant. Humanity and Faunus soon recuperated against the Grimm and White Fang with brutal efficiency.
Entire encampments of White Fang were found out and arrested.
Entire swarms of Grimm were exterminated.
The White Fang would never be remembered as a voice of equality, rather they would go down as traitors to Remnant. Hunted down and silenced for the rest of eternity.
Grimm grew stronger in response to the ferocity that the Four Kingdoms demonstrated against them. Yet it was rarely enough in the face of the fire and brimstone that can be delivered from the weapons of the kingdoms.
Jaune Arc would be remembered as a boy who went to Vale to become a huntsman, only to be murdered by sabotage after his method of joining was revealed.
Grievous would be remembered as the worst killer in Remnant history. Racking up a body count not seen since the color wars of old.
This Nightmare was nothing more than a small story in the endless cycle that made up the history of Remnant.
That's a wrap. It's been a wonderful time writing this story for you all. I'm do glad that it's been so well loved by so many of you guys.
Hope you all have a good day.
Post Credit Scene.
Pyrrha Nikos laid in bed, sleep having evaded her once more. It had been several decades since she had ended the Nightmarish creature which had desecrated her friend's corpse. She had fought against Salem, being on of the lucky few to see the cruel witch's stone body being sealed within a coffin before it was cast into the ocean.
She had lived far too long, never having found love or joy for much of it.
Most of Team Rwby had long since past away. Ren and Nora were already dealing with great grandchildren.
And she was alone.
Then she felt the light hit her. She found herself in a realm of pure light, the holy aura emanating from all around it was comforting.
She felt someone take her hand, she turned to them and found the face of the one she had lost so long ago. She saw Jaune, a smile cast on his face as he took he hand.
Nothing was said as she felt like her old self, a smile growing on her face as she embraced him. He responded in full, the two becoming locked in an embrace.
She was in a nice place now, a heaven for the both of them.