Rostam can't help but enjoy this battle. It started out as a contest of martial skill, and then it became a contest of speed. Two worthy trials that provided great enjoyment to the hero, one of them even almost killing him! Hoho, this battle has truly become a hallmark of greatness.

The battle has now reached its third stage, with Rakhsh temporarily dismissed to relieve him from the burden of carrying Rostam's bronze body. The fight is now on foot, another clash of weapons. However, this time it is not the skill of the demoness that will be tested. She has already proven her skill and her speed, but does she also possess the raw power to overcome Rostam's mighty bronze defense?

Thus far it doesn't appear to be so. Rostam is pressing the offensive, the enemy showing no sign of using an authority of great power. Is it because she's waiting for a better opportunity or simply because she doesn't possess such a power?

Either way, Rostam cannot help but smile as he fights. After all, battles like this are what turned the hero into a renowned god. To seek out more dangerous labors, perform more feats of heroism, and seek out more fame, that has become his nature. As a top-class [Hero of Steel] he can do no else.

His origin as [Steel] can be traced back to his birth: His father is Zal, born with white hair like lightning; His mother is Rudabeh, she of the river water; And the mighty Simurgh, oft equated with the phoenix, helped with the successful birth of Rostam. Thus their union gave birth to what can be described as lightning quenched in water and tempered by flames, the formula for the original [Steel].

As for his origin as a hero, one only needs to look at his deeds. After all, which hero can claim feats equal to his? Who slays fierce lions like Rostam? Crosses hazardous deserts like Rostam? Kills monstrous dragons like Rostam? Cleaves foul enchantresses like Rostam? Defeats heroic champions like Rostam? Conquers mighty cities like Rostam? Overthrows mighty demons like Rostam?

None! Of course they don't compare! There are four, perhaps five heroes worthy to stand on his level: Hercules and Achilles of the Grecians; The knights of the round table's leader; India's hero of charity; Ireland's child of light. Yes, he is standing as a hero amongst heroes, of whom epic tales are made.

And now he will overcome them with today's labor: For who will obliterate god-slayers like Rostam? His name will resound through the world for generations!

Speaking of names, there's one faux pas that Rostam has begotten during this duel. With Rostam currently on the advantage now's the perfect moment to rectify it: "Haha, though it is unbecoming of one like me to have forgotten this, I'll take this opportunity to ask you! God-slayer, pray tell me the name of the one worthy to stand as Rostam's opponent, I shall remember it well!"

"Ghrk…"

Ghrk? That's an unusual name-No, most likely she's exerting herself just to keep up, unable to spend energy on something unrelated to battle like giving her name. Rostam will forgive this lack of formalities from his opponent just this once, as regarding your enemy's skill a hazard that requires your full attention is technically a compliment.

In that case Rostam will return the compliment by continuing to press the attack, the flow of his sword seeking to taste demonic blood. Sword and scythe clash once more, exchanging blows to create a victor in this duel. One exchange leads to another, and another; three exchanges, six, twelve, twenty; Yet even with so many clashes there is still no victor.

Much to Rostam's dismay he has to admit that the battle is still a stalemate. Though his opponent doesn't seem capable of harming Rostam, he has the same difficulty with managing to cause harm. This opponent is much more slippery than anything he's ever faced before!

In the end it all comes down to the fact that the combat styles of god and god-slayer are completely different, even though both are warriors:

Rostam's own sword style has always been simple: Exceed the enemy at all aspects, outperforming them in strength, speed and sharpness. Any attempts at parrying will be broken through with pure strength, any evasion will be prevented through pure speed, and any block will be sliced through with pure sharpness.

But to his dismay his opponent has answers to his style. Though it pains Rostam to say it, this demoness is more agile than him. Her divine speed allows her to dodge any blow by moving a few body lengths backwards. While Rostam could overcome such a deficiency by utilizing the speed of his beloved Rakhsh, said partner is unable to charge for long with the weight of his bronze body on top. Speed and endurance are unfortunately mutually exclusive.

And even Rostam's mighty strength won't do here. Though Rostam exceeds the demon queen in pure strength her weapon is made from unbreakable steel, able to withstand even the mightiest of Rostam's blows. Even if Rostam manages to force the enemy to block a blow she's able to do so without problem. Though she probably doesn't realize it, she's a perfect match for defending against someone of Rostam's skills.

In that case Rostam will simply keep on doing what he usually does, fighting at high pressure. The wisdom to find a perfect counter against these tactics are not part of his authoritative domain, being a hero who can only foolishly persevere towards victory.

Or to be more precise, he'll obtain victory through his perseverance: Divine speed like the demoness shows always has some sort of flaw, a weakness to exploit. Rakhsh for example moves swiftly, but he s lacking in acceleration and agility. If Rostam were to hazard a guess the excessive speed and agility of this demoness can't be sustained indefinitely. Sooner or later she'll slow down, and that's when Rostam will strike!

After another twenty exchanges Rostam notices that his sword is advancing on the enemy. Strikes that were previously dodged are now parried by the demoness, who only survives thanks to the sturdiness of her scythe. Rostam's attacks are finally fast enough to catch the demoness!

Or rather, she's slowing down. Compared to the speeds she's shown before, she's currently only going at about eighty, ninety percent of her previous top speed. Most likely she's suffering the first backlash from overusing her stolen divine speed. In other words, now is the time to strike!

Rostam lets out a soft whistle, calling for his beloved companion: "Rakhsh, come hither!"

Though Rakhsh had been dismissed by Rostam after activating his metal body, the mighty steed now manifests next to the battle in full gallop. Once more the demoness decides to evade any blows with her godspeed, but this time Rostam doesn't pursue. Instead he mounts his horse mid-gallop, riding away from the battle at fast speeds.

Hmm, likely this tactic is confusing to the young demoness. Indeed, abandoning an advantageous position is generally considered a poor move in battle. However, there is no doubt in Rostam's mind that after a few more exchanges the god-slayer would retreat to regroup while there's still a chance to escape. The instincts of one who can fight gods are that excellent after all.

That is why Rostam will settle this battle in a single blow, so that there is no chance of escape at all! The best authority he has to accomplish that feat is a long range weapon, much to his horse's dismay. Rakhsh is starting to buckle from carrying his master who used an authority of absolute endurance. The authority that turned Rostam's body into defensive bronze also causes his weight to skyrocket. If Rostam has to guess then his current weight is probably a few tons or so? Obviously no mount is capable of continuously galloping at godspeed with that kind of weight on their back.

No, the mere fact that Rakhsh would still be able to carry Rostam for a charge or two is a testament to the beast's might. In all of Persia Rakhsh is the only mount worthy and capable of carrying Rostam in this state, it is not his fault that supreme defense and supreme speed tend to be very hard to combine.

Besides, Rostam isn't a fool who uses the same strategy twice in a row. Hit-and-run attacks have proven not to work against this enemy. That's why Rostam will bet it all on a single strike. When Rostam is a mile away from his enemy's position he chants words of power, to release one of the strongest authorities in his possession:

"Beloved Rakhsh, o shining steed with wondrous grace. May the immortal sun grant thee radiance to dispel the dark!"

As Rostams speaks those words his beloved horse whinnies, before speeding up and becoming enveloped in blazing fire. Like a blazing comet the horse speeds across the terrain, looking like a spear of sunlight.

Of course, such a feat is only to be expected from his Rakhsh. In Persia the horse has often been associated with the sun, carrying it in a chariot across the sky. Fellow Persian gods associated with both horse and sun like Mithra and Verethragna probably have something similar to this power as well. And as Rostam is Persia's greatest hero, it makes sense that his mount is a being of such caliber as well. Rakhsh the Luminous is a [Horse of the Sun], a manifestation of the flames that temper [Steel].

The blazing flames from Rakhsh burn through the asphalt of the airfield, turning it into a sticky goo. That's not the only destruction Rostam causes, as he's been charging through a few of mankind's flying devices and buildings as well.

Hey, Rostam's plenty heroic by trying to prevent innocent human casualties, even he cannot help but accept that property damage is unpreventable when facing threats of a god-slayer's level.

The destruction of the airport causes great shock and panic in many of the audience watching the duel. It caused blackouts in some of the faint of heart, as if they're afraid they might get burned by these solar flames.

Bah, how ridiculous. What kind of a hero would Rostam be if he would harm the populace? He knows perfectly well that this attack won't harm the people in the audience, and the enemy is at least honorable enough not to use the people as human shields. Of course, if the demoness did that Rostam would use his authority of charm to make the humans claw the enemy's skin off, but with that not happening there's nothing to worry about. Oh ye humans of little faith, do you not trust in your hero?

Ah, screw it. If they want to make their own feeling of safety, so be it. Rostam dispels his magic on the audience, leaving them free to fall back or watch the battle from wherever they want. It won't be Rostam's problem anymore.

Immediately after Rostam removes his influence most of the audience flee in a wild panic, irrationally thinking that a hero would allow harm to come to them. The mages are somewhat more understanding, but unfortunately they put more focus on guiding the populace to safety than watching a heroic god like him. Hah, such a waste of eyes. The only exception is some red-headed teenager, who stood up but didn't retreat even an inch. She has her eyes firmly on the battle, only glaring at Rostam from the shine of Rakhsh' flames. Good girl, perhaps Rostam should grant her his blessings after the god-slayer has been slain.

And speaking of god-slayers, there's one who needs to be turned into a charred paste. Rakhsh is moving at blazing speeds, equal to the godspeed he's shown before or perhaps even beyond that. Because Rakhsh nature has turned from [Mighty Steed] to [Solar Horse] it can move at divine speed even with the weight of Rostam on his back, even if he's slowly turning into literal solar rays.

But speed is not the only thing this attack has, as the power burning through it is phenomenal. The heat and flames of this attack are even starting to melt Rostam, who has a supernaturally sturdy body. Someone like that god-slayer who doesn't have a defensive authority like him will be vaporized into nothingness!

The enemy realizes this as well. There's a hint of fear in her eyes, and she immediately dashes to the side. Rather then seeking an opportunity to counter or negate the attack she realizes the futility of such actions and immediately seeks to escape from the blast radius with the shortest route possible. Those are excellent instincts from the god-slayer, taking the only action to escape these solar flames!

Then again, Rostam didn't expect his enemy to fail to dodge. The skills she's shown thus far prove that she's far too elusive to be taken down by something as simple as a meteor of heated sunlight. That is why this authority was merely a distraction for his real offense.

If Rostam were to use Rakhsh as the killing blow then there would be no reason to do something as risky as ride the blazing conflagration in battle. Not only is Rostam's body glowing brightly from the heat, he's also starting to melt in some places.

To some this tactic might seem like suicide, but to Rostam this is a heroic gamble to obtain victory. After all, a hero cannot truly win a fight if he isn't willing to risk it all! And there is one thing that Rostam can obtain from riding a solar meteor that would otherwise be unavailable to him:

Divine speed.

Rostam's currently moving at insane speeds thanks to Rakhsh, capable of keeping up with the speed of that demon queen. And with her running away perpendicular from the trail of Rakhsh it's child's play to see the trajectory she's taking!

Rakhsh has done his part. To become a destructive spear of blazing fire his physical body is deteriorating, soon unable to manifest for quite a while. But that sacrifice will not be forgotten, old friend! Rostam jumps off his mount and towards the enemy, using Rakhsh' last vestiges of physical form as a springboard to intercept the demoness' retreat. Yes, the real attack was never meant to be the flames of the sun. The true attack is Rostam himself!

As a warrior of [Steel] Rostam's well aware of how a master of divine speed fights, and has a few ways to strike at people with such power. The key concept to beating that speed is striking the enemy with the shortest possible path, such that by the time the enemy realizes they're being attacked Rostam will be finishing the attack.

Indeed, despite her divine speed the god-slayer is only able to recognize the attack by the time Rostam finishes the trusting motion of his sword. The sword in his right hand is thrusted at the enemy's heart, fatal if it strikes true. The demon queen uses her divine speed to dodge to the side, but she's a tad too slow. Though the heart isn't pierced Rostam manages to leave a gash in the thorax, a wound that causes a trickle of blood.

If that were it then this exchange would be in the god-slayer's favor. A mighty steed for a single non-fatal cut is too poor a trade. Fortunately the sword in his right hand isn't the only the attack of Rostam. His left arm seeks to grasp the god-slayer in a hold, and she's a tad too slow once more as Rostam's hand grasps her left wrist.

Gotcha! Rostam has finally caught the god-slayer! His beloved horse may have been transformed into motes of sunlight, it's a price well worth it if it means that this slippery demoness can't escape!

The demoness lets out a lovely scream of pain, accompanied by the sound of her wrist sizzling and boiling. Right, staying in Rakhsh flames' should've raises his body temperature by a few hundred degrees, making his hand comparable to a branding-iron. Though it wasn't intentional Rostam has found another way to hurt this demoness.

Even so the enemy doesn't let the pain hamper her attempt to escape. She's tugging her own arm, trying to free it from Rostam's grasp. However, without an authority of physical might it is as effective as trying to push over a fortress with your bare hands.

Let's not keep her suffering any longer. Slash this enemy to ribbons before she can try any form of authority to escape from Rostam's grasp.

Rostam thrusts and slices his blade with passion, but the god-slayer is still much more nimble than he is. Nicks and small cuts is the best he can do, as she evades the worst blows with her superior speed and nimbleness. Even being grasped by the wrist is not enough for her to stop dodging. The only blow that Rostam can land for certain is cutting most of her left arm off, but that would just release the demoness from his grasp. Ah, speak of an annoying finish.

No, his enemy hasn't given up yet on this battle. The spirit of defiance still shines brightly in her eyes. Even though she's caught and unable to hurt Rostam in the slightest she's not going to let it end like this. Yes, that's the proper fighting spirit of a god-slayer!

In that case Rostam should give it his all to ensure a proper finish! Rostam sticks his sword into the ground, knowing that cutting techniques aren't the solution against an enemy this nimble. No, a thick and heavy weapon won't do in this situation. A hero must always choose the appropriate tool for the job, and in this case the best tool would be the art of Pahlevani. Or as it is known today, heroic wrestling!

A tug at the demon queen's arm is enough to force her to take a step towards him. That is the perfect opportunity for Rostam to duck down and pull the arm over his shoulder, digging his own head into the enemy's left armpit. With his shoulder into the god-slayer's side and his right hand grabbing her left knee Rostam's in the perfect position to perform a throw.

Rostam lifts the demoness up on his shoulder, before falling over backwards to slam her painfully against the ground. Unlike normal wrestling throws that utilize the wrist this technique does not release the victim mid-throw, preventing any slippery tactics from this demon queen to prevent her back from crashing against the asphalt. Modern humans would call this move an Angle slam, though if it were up to Rostam they'll call it a Rostam slam henceforward.

The force of the hero's weight is enough to pulverize the asphalt, creating a small crater around him. Where Rostam's bronze body is mighty and taking the brunt of the impact, the body of a god-slayer will at least come out with pain and cracked ribs. Indeed, the blow was heavy enough to daze this demoness for a second or two, lying on her back and trying to gather her bearings.

Perfect! Rostam gets up immediately and stomps his foot on her heavily burned left wrist. The sound of a sickening crunch can be heard coming from the demoness' arm, as she screams in pain. Though a god-slayer may have bones much stronger than steel, the weight of his body currently exceeds that of castle. Each of his steps is cracking the asphalt underneath him, leaving deep footprints. To force all his weight on a single arm, it will break it no matter the limb's strength.

Pained screeches from an evil woman, how it pleases Rostam so! Yes, this is how it's supposed to be: The enemy felled by his hand, with a grateful populace thanking him for the deed afterwards. This is the end, a glorious finish!

Rostam plucks his sword out of the ground and raises it high. He is ready to deal the final blow, prepared to settle this battle right in front of the humans. This is where he will kill this demoness who shows no respect to the gods, and show off his might as a hero!

Pyrrha hasn't been able to do anything but sit as a spectator thus far, forced to watch Ruby face Rostam alone. For perhaps the first time in her life Pyrrha truly feels helpless. Unable to do anything but watch and lament your own lack of power… is this what Jaune felt like when he became her partner?

Actually, that is probably spot on. To be partnered with someone who is way out of your league, thrust into fights that make you feel like you don't belong… that is exactly what Jaune went through.

Pyrrha remembers that blonde well, that foolish yet lovable boy who managed to win her heart. Despite being a terrible fighter he never stopped trying to improve, and always made up for his lack of skill with intelligence, courage and heart. If Jaune could show such valor in the face of overwhelming odds, then why can't she? If she cannot stand proud and help her friend, how could she ever consider herself worthy of Jaune's love?

That realization causes any fear she holds for Rostam to shatter. No longer will she allow herself to stand idly by!

Though Pyrrha would like to run up and join the fight, by the time she will reach the two duelists Rostam will already have killed Ruby. Luckily Pyrrha knows how to influence the battle without needing to get over there:

"Come, Hapax. Come, Legomenon. That which is once vowed needs no repetition with words, but let your loyalty be rewarded with valor and chivalry!"

One skill that Pyrrha did learn in her month with [Our Boys & Girls] is the magic art of [Summoning]. In an instant both spear and shield appear in Pyrrha's hands, arming her for battle. Though neither the spear Hapax nor the shield Legomenon are much more than magically enhanced steel, at the moment they serve perfectly well for what Pyrrha desires.

With a mighty heave she throws her shield, straight in the path of Rostam's sword. His blade clashes against Legomenon, and with the help of some magnetism Pyrrha manages to stop Rostam's swing. Okay, he did manage to cleave through half of the shield, but at least Ruby's safe for the moment.

Rostam looks with surprise at Pyrrha, not expecting anyone to interfere with this duel. For a mortal to dare get between him and his prey and trying to denounce his embodiment as the slayer of demons, it certainly leaves a god surprised. Furthermore, with the spell words of [Leaping] Pyrrha quickly crosses the distance between herself and the god, using the moment of his surprise to expertly thrust Hapax forward into Rostam's neck.

Of course, her weapon utterly fails to harm him. Even if Rostam were not using an authority to turn his body into bronze metal his natural resistance as a god would not be overcome by what in his eyes might as well be a twig or a toothpick. The spearpoint of Hapax breaks off, splintering upon contact with the god.

Rostam raises an eyebrow in response to this attack, before deciding to give some light punishment. With his unarmed hand he shove Pyrrha back. To an outsider it looks like a weak push, but when Pyrrha tries to block with the shaft of Hapax Rostam shatters what remains of the weapon, proving that he's actually making a terrifying palm strike!

The bronze palm of Rostam strike Pyrrha straight in the chest, who topples backwards while gasping for air. It's as if she's been hit by a speeding car, the blow taking almost half her aura with it! With some struggle Pyrrha gets back up, while the god is looking at Pyrrha with slight fascination.

The god is occupied for a moment with Pyrrha, giving Ruby a few more seconds to live. However, she won't accept her death just yet. With Rostam distracted now might be the only moment Ruby has to escape. At the moment Rostam has caught Ruby's left wrist, and no matter how Ruby tries she won't be able to get it free. In other words, her own hand is holding her back. It's going to hurt tremendously, but it's better to live with one hand than to die with both!

Ruby turns Crecent Rosary into a sickle, knowing what she has to do to win: "Gyhaaah!" Ruby lets out a scream of pain as she cuts off her own left hand, freeing herself from Rostam's grasp. The scream alerts Rostam of his captive's escape, but before he can do anything about it Ruby uses her godspeed to escape a few dozen feet away from her enemy.

Though his prey has managed to escape from his grasp Rostam doesn't mind it too much. Instead he's more interested in the human who dares to face off against him, even though he broke her armaments with ease. Such courage can be forgiven… once:

"Why do you not stand back and watch, girl? The role of a young maiden is to stand by and wait to be saved by the hero, and offer her love to the victorious. To interfere beyond that, we cannot call that anything beyond presumptuous!"

Though it sounds like advice, it's not hard to understand that this is a thinly-veiled threat. Rostam will kill her if she doesn't back down.

Pyrrha lets out a sigh, before wordlessly going into a boxing stance. Though she's not as skilled as Yang in the art, she should hopefully be proficient enough to create a small opening in Rostam's guard. If Ruby can exploit it, then it would all be worth it. It's better to die fighting a hopeless battle for the sake of her friends than to live with the shame of leaving Ruby alone to fight!

Despite Pyrrha's hostile intent Rostam is more intrigued than angry. "Such lovely bravery! Hoho, I can certainly appreciate that personality." Rostam lowers his sword for a moment, currently enjoying the human girl's valor. "Hmm, though you lack the connection of serving the great goddesses of the land, you are a maiden held by a demonic entity. Yes, one like you should submit to me."

These words spoken by Rostam hold powerful magic energy. Though Pyrrha doesn't understand what's happening Ruby immediately realizes what kind of power this is, having seen it in action before. Wepwawet also once tried to turn Ruby into his servant, using an extremely similar magic art.

"A maiden should not seek the valor and spirit of noble men." Rostam chants, his words of power aimed fully at Pyrrha. "It is enough to bind my blessings on your tresses as a talisman to brighten the world."

"Pyrrha, don't listen to him!" Ruby shouts out, warning Pyrrha immediately. "He's trying to turn you into some mindless follower! Resist what he says!"

With Ruby's current's state as a god-slayer she would obviously never be affected, and due to her past experiences perhaps even able to resist through sheer willpower. However, Pyrrha only stands motionlessly, staring blankly at Rostam.

"Useless, demoness." Rostam nonchalantly explains to Ruby, "It's true that one can overcome such a power with great willpower, but in actual fact it is nearly impossible for a mortal. To know magic is to know the power and superiority of the gods. This form of servitude is the pact between men and gods. Unless one seeks to sever their own destiny and walk the path of chaos, one cannot stand up to the words of the gods."

Though Rostam's clearly trying to sell himself as a hero, he's currently a little off from that impression. Before he moved and spoke with some heroic radiance, but the way he's currently talking about the truths of the world reveal his true face as an inhuman god.

"Furthermore," Rostam continues, "her role is that of the maiden. After I slay a demon or serpent they become my spoils of war."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asks warily, not liking this 'spoils of war' attribute that Rostam tries to give to Pyrrha. The god himself has no problem with answering, perfectly fine with explaining the [Hero]'s origin:

"Heroes like me face the goddesses of the lands, and slay them to bring ourselves glory and valor. To then submit these goddesses they are separated in two facets, the dragon that gets exterminated by the hero and the maiden who is rescued and falls in love with him. In other words, we are [Heroes who defeat the Monster and save the Maiden]." Now Rostam lets out a chuckle, though the ferocious heroes' eyes stay sharp and focused. "As the hero I will kill you, the monster, and rescue the maiden. That is simply the destiny between us."

Destiny, huh? That's a rather bogus claim to Ruby: "Sorry, but I don't believe in destiny. I don't need some wishy-washy force when I can believe in my friends!"

"The power of friendship?" Rostam sneers at those words, only able to ridicule them. "That's utter folly, god-slayer. In what tale does the beast get the girl instead of the hero? I'm the hero who became a god, while you're the human who became a demon. It is her fate that after your death she will be taken as my bride, becoming the bearer of my blood."

Wait, did he just say... but, that would mean-

Oh.

Oh!

Oooh!

That is unacceptable! To trample over Pyrrha's feelings and desires, and willing to force himself on her, how can such a person still be called a hero? If anything it's him that is the real villain!

Rage fills Ruby's thoughts, as well as an intense desire to save Pyrrha from such a horrid fate. Magic energy well up in her eyes, before a bright flash of silver washes from her eyes over the runway.

Ruby's silver eyes, proof of her status as a witch, now activate to blast everything in sight. It's a mighty power by mortal standards, but they don't affect Rostam in the slightest. Well, affect him physically at least. Seeing Ruby's ability surprises Rostam greatly, as he recognizes the power held within Ruby's silver eyes:

"What? It can't be, are those [Mystic Eyes of Calamity Pacification]?" Those eyes hold the power to cancel and negate magical effects and powers, even capable of calcifying creatures crafted through magic. Though it is barely capable of affecting Rostam and his authorities in the slightest, what worries him more is what Ruby's usage insinuates: "That's a witch's power! Damn you, fiend, how dare you forget your role as a servant to heroes like us!"

"O shut up!" Ruby says with annoyance. "Someone like you has no right to call himself a hero!"

Despite being crafted from supernatural forces, the natural resistance of a god means that Ruby's mystic eyes fail to petrify even the smallest part of him. His power of heroic dominance on the other hand could be broken by a mortal with great willpower. The silver gaze has no trouble at all disrupting that power. Pyrrha is no longer staring blankly at Rostam, quickly moving into combat position to continue defending her friend.

Ruby managed to stop the power Rostam used to take hold over Pyrrha, but he's not giving up yet:

"By the oath of the demon-slaying warrior, now is the time to grant me strength!"

Rostam's dominance over Pyrrha may have been nulled, the connection between them hasn't been fully severed. Rostam renews his power, flowing his energy into Pyrrha once more. In time she will be stuck under Rostam's spell again, something that Ruby can feel as well.

Obviously Ruby cannot let it end like that. Letting her friend be used like that, it's unacceptable!

"Pyrrha!" Ruby shouts out, her hatred towards Rostam raging. "Do you want to blindly serve that jerk? Between me and him, you have to choose: Which of us two do you wish to follow into battle?"

The response Pyrrha has ready in a heartbeat: "You, Ruby!" Pyrrha loudly lets her loyalty be known to the world. She is a huntress, which means that she has a responsibility: To help those who need her help, to fight vigilantly for those she cares about; And in this battle, there's only one person she wishes to fight alongside: "I want to stand by your side, and fighting alongside you will be my destiny!"

That is all Ruby needs to hear. With Pyrrha's declaration to fight by Ruby's side the young god-slayer fulfills every condition needed for the third aspect of her authority. The part of her authority which will once become known as [Opener of Egypt] requires the recipient to be someone willing to follow Ruby, and that condition has been fulfilled. With eagerness Ruby chants the spell words of this power:

"Be a shining noble at the head of the nobles, permanent in high rank, stablished in sovereignty, the beneficent power of the company of the gods. Let every man make offerings to you, who is commemorated in heaven and on earth!"

A link of energy forms between the duo from Remnant, with Ruby pushing her power into Pyrrha. Physically, mentally, spiritually… this authority boosts Pyrrha's ability by multiple levels. The trickle of energy Rostam pours in to control Pyrrha gets washed away by the billowing waves of energy Ruby puts in.

"So you claim the maiden for yourself, demon?" Rostam says impassively. "It matters not. In this final round between us I will kill you and complete my eighth labor, then undo your power on the maiden."

Ruby only smirks at Rostam's declaration. "Sorry, but that's where you're wrong. I'm not going to fight you anymore." Ruby has wounds all over, not even capable of wielding the scythe anymore due to lacking a left hand. Her heart and body feel sluggish from overusing her godspeed, and she lacks the power to combat Rostam's bronze body. Obviously direct combat is out, but luckily Ruby has another solution:

With her remaining hand Ruby points to Phyrrha, the grin on her face never leaving. "And if you think Pyrrha is just a maiden for you to conquer, you're wrong again!" Seriously, the blockhead doesn't realize a thing, did he? "After all, Pyrrha may be a girl, but she's also a weapon, one very dangerous for a metal maniac like you to touch. And he did touch you, didn't he Pyrrha?"

"Yes." Pyrrha says with a grin of her own, understanding what Ruby's planning. "Yes he did." Pyrrha's hands glow black, and with a short shout Pyrrha causes Rostam to be bathed in the same glow.

"?!" Rostam suddenly is incapable of moving his body. The maiden's using some ability on him that keeps him pinned to the ground. While his bronze body should be as agile as his flesh body, that redheaded mortal has somehow managed to make him feel like he's carrying the weight of a mountain on his shoulders, his body already pushed to his shins into the asphalt below him.

Under normal circumstances Pyrrha's magnetism would have no effect against the magic resistance of a god. However, at the moment she's empowered by an authority capable of making even an ordinary human fight on equal footing with mighty divine beasts. With Ruby's authority boosting Pyrrha and giving her access to a god-slayer's magic energy she's more than capable to pin down a god made of metal. Look it up, Rostam, but mistress of magnetism beats man of iron!... Okay, man of bronze, but it's clear what Ruby means. Even if you are a mighty hero, that doesn't mean you're invincible!

"Speak to me not of truces, or pledges, or wine." However, Rostam has not given up on the fight. He chants mighty words of power to reinforce his might, and to get out of this pin. "Remember my valor and cunning, for any pity I have is gone."

With great effort Rostam lifts his right foot, pulling it out of the broken asphalt. Though Pyrrha's semblance is still in effect on the god, slowly but surely he's trying to escape from that power. Pyrrha strains herself, pouring even more power into her semblance to keep Rostam down, but it won't last long. A human, even one with an authority boosting her, won't win a confrontation of power with a god.

Furthermore, the energy she's using to keep Rostam pinned is all coming from Ruby. Though Ruby's magic energy levels have been multiplied with a factor of thousand, Pyrrha's currently consuming enough to burn though a huntsman's aura every second. At this rate Pyrrha will have drained Ruby dry in a minute or three.

Victory needs to be decided quickly and decisively. Ruby needs to get rid of this guy, but she lacks the destructive power to do so. Heck, she can't even properly wield her scythe. It's unfortunate, but Ruby's current ability is not enough to kill Rostam. She's got nothing to pierce the defense his bronze body provides.

However, she doesn't need to kill Rostam to stop him. And she will stop him!

"One minute-no, half of that." Ruby shouts to Pyrrha. "If you can keep him pinned like that, I'll promise you victory!"

Pyrrha grunts, too focused on keeping Rostam down to acknowledge Ruby's declaration. Ruby doesn't mind, as she gets to work on her final attack:

"The essence of earth, the bearer of life! I beseech you, grant me invisible wings!"

Spell words of [Flight], meant to bring Ruby in the right position. Ruby quickly flies up in the air, until she's about two hundred feet straight above Rostam. Now in position she begins to chant new spell words, the last of the four forms her authority can take and the one capable of ending Rostam's rampage:

"In the evening Ra descends in majesty to the western horizon of heaven, to the portals of the Duat at the Gap of Abydos. Splendid is the Mesektet Boat, glorious its trappings, and its colors are of amethyst and emerald, jasper and turquoise, lazuli and the luster of gold. Strip the boat of its splendor, make it bare and without glory when it passes through the portals of the Duat, for in it is the body of Ra, lifeless and dead!"

The forth form of Ruby's authority is normally not a combat power. Of the four it's the least capable of causing destruction. It's not a power of immeasurable speed, mighty boosts for mortals, or the resurrection of the dead. It's nothing more than a power that sends Ruby to the Egyptian underworld to heal. Nothing destructive about that.

However, what would happen if someone got caught up in the descend to the underworld? If he's unable to avoid joining Ruby on that journey, then certainly that's a good way to remove him from the battlefield!

A fissure opens up, large enough to swallow Ruby whole. With Ruby hanging in the air the fissure opens up in the spot closest to the ground… which is exactly where Rostam is standing! A mere fissure would be easy for a god to get out of under normal circumstances, but unfortunately for him there's someone exerting tremendous downwards pressure on his body. Quickly he falls into the fissure, unable to do anything but fall towards the underworld. Rostam's opinion on this banishment is pretty clear:

"This is-no! This battle can't end unheroically like this! Nooooooooooo!" Unable to do anything but helplessly fall into the void, Rostam can only pitifully let out one final scream until even that can't be heard anymore.

After a few more seconds Pyrrha feels the object she's been exerting pressure on disappearing, causing her body to relax from the arduous task she's been through. She just handled more power than she ever did in her entire life, so exhaustion is to be expected.

"Pyrrha! Catch!" However, Pyrrha can't rest yet. Ruby falls down in the fissure in front of her, throwing Crescent Rosary like a rope towards her friend. Ruby desires to be pulled up, and Pyrrha is not going to fail her friend's request!

Pyrrha pulls on Crescent Rosary, taking steps back to slowly drag her friend out of the pit. Yet for every step she takes it feels like Ruby's weight doubles. It's as if the fissure itself is refusing to give up its pray! Each step becomes more difficult, before Pyrrha is only able to keep Ruby steady. With how much she is straining she's can't hold on any longer…

…until she can. Suddenly a lot of the weight Pyrrha was carrying is gone, like someone else is taking care of it. Pyrrha looks behind her, where Guddy and Hassan have joined Pyrrha in dragging her friend up.

"Ruby Rose, we have a lot to discuss!" Guddy says, straining himself to help lift Ruby out. "For a human to successfully repel a hero-class heretic god, that's obviously impossible! How did you do that?"

Ruby shakes her head, disagreeing with this undue praise. "I dunno, I think I got lucky. I mean, I only managed to find an opening because he was too busy trying to kill me heroically." In a way this battle reminds Ruby of her practice battles with Cardin. Though that guy can easily overpower her he never won because Ruby was always able to see through his arrogance and unneedy heroic actions. "I don't think that I would be alive if he was actually trying to kill me instead of showboating like a hero."

Hassan lets out a wry chuckle at Ruby's humility. "Yet for us mortals something like a god not fighting optimally is irrelevant, as fighting one equals death. What kind of being are you that you can equal the gods?"

The other mages under Guddy and Hassan's command also break the last vestiges of power Rostam held over them and join the rest in pulling Ruby up. However, just when it seems like Ruby can be pulled out of the fissure the power dragging the young god-slayer down intensifies massively. Three of the mages are unable to keep holding on, letting go and falling on the ground.

"You can let go, Pyrrha." Ruby says, having resolved herself to descend to the underworld. "I don't know why exactly, but I feel like I can't escape getting dragged down. I just wanted to stall for some time so that jerk will be gone when I go down. Trust me, I'll be back within a day."

Letting go now? Pyrrha won't accept, cannot accept Ruby's offer! However, to her surprise Guddy is the first one to let go. Pyrrha looks with a face of betrayal at her teacher, who explains why he has given up.

"Look, Nikos." He says with an air of resignation, "Rose probably knows her own power better than we do. I'll trust in her judgement."

"I agree." Hassan adds, letting go of Crescent Rosary as well before looking up in the sky. "I don't know about the girl, but those thunderclouds above us look mighty unnatural. I don't know if this power will strike us with divine retribution if we don't let go, but I don't intend to find out."

With their leaders throwing in the towel the other mages let go one by one, and the power dragging Pyrrha down quickly becomes unable to bear, even with her body still boosted by Ruby's authority. She too must let go, leaving Ruby to fall alongside her Crescent Rosary into the ravine, quickly disappearing from sight.

With Ruby swallowed the ravine immediately closes again, as if it never was there to begin with. Pyrrha is left alone with the mages, who desires a lot of answers:

"By the devil," Guddy says with exasperation as he gazes over the destroyed airport, "I still can't believe all this happened. Nikos, where did your friend gain such godlike power?"

"Well… I'm afraid I don't know." Pyrrha genuinely doesn't have the answer to that, with Ruby never explaining how she's capable of so much more now. "She didn't have those powers before I died, and she did after she resurrected me."

That answer only seems to annoy her teacher more, knowing that there's another side to Ruby's authorities. "Of course she did, she can also resurrect people too." Pyrrha can practically hear Guddy roll his eyes at that explanation. "Let me guess, the reports I've been getting of the 'Miracle revival at Fludir' are because of Rose as well?"

Pyrrha nods at that question, which causes Guddy to groin. This was one question he rather got wrong.

"I believe that we've got little choice but to accept it as truth." Hassan says, letting out a small laugh at the ridiculousness of what he's noticed: "What we've witnessed was a human wielding an [Authority], the 'power that makes a god a god'. That girl's an usurper of divine power, I cannot fault lord Rostam in his description of [Demon Queen]. After all, didn't we give Caesar the same description?"

"Caesar?" That's an unknown name to Pyrrha. In all the magic lessons she hasn't heard anything about someone named like that. Fortunately Hassan is more than willing to fill up this gap of knowledge:

"Caesar Blandelli, the founder of the Mediterranean magic association [Campiones]. It was said that he carried out the exploit of god-slaying, and could perform divine miracles as a result." Hassan begins to explain some of the miracles Caesar performed: Arriving in a whirlwind no matter where the enemy appears; Calling forth a giant divine boar to rush the ground; letting the heated light of the sun strike down like a spear; Or causing thunderclouds to fill the sky to strike every enemy with inexhaustible lightning bolts.

"I thought it was just an exaggeration, build up over one hundred and fifty years." Guddy explains his skepticism, not trusting in an unusual legend from long ago. "Were it not for Rose's skills I would've never believed humans were capable of slaying gods-"

Unfortunately the conversation gets rudely interrupted by a clap of thunder striking nearby. Reflexively Pyrrha turns to look at the place of impact, before her face morphs into one filled with horror:

Standing there is none other than the orchestrator of Beacon's fall, the thief who stole the powers of a Maiden, and perhaps the only person in the world Pyrrha genuinely hates:

"Cinder…"

Cinder Fall. The person who killed Pyrrha at Beacon, all for the sake of obtaining the power of magic. A power that is now grossly overshadowed by what someone like Ruby is currently capable of… and possibly Cinder as well.

The thief of the Maiden powers is hovering a few feet in the air without using said powers, With arcs of lightning casually circling around her. It appears that Cinder has obtained a few new abilities, though they've warped parts of her body: The sclera of the left eye is pitch-black instead of white, giving it a somewhat grimm-like appearance; the left sleeve of her dress is gone along with her arm, replaced by an inhumane limb made out of blue lightning; and her hair is gone, replaced by strands of lightning. She turned herself into a monster for power.

"Ozpin's little maiden…" Cinder maniacally chuckles, sadistically enjoying meeting again with a person she killed before. "Talk about a memory of the past. I must say, you were right after all."

"What do you mean?"

Pyrrha's question is something Cinder has no problem answering. Smugly she gives her explanation: "You asked me if I believe in destiny. And seeing you here, facing me as I wield power you can barely fathom; I'm happy to say I still do."

-x-

Firewyrm2: Are campiones demonized or something?
Kind of, yes. God-slayers are considered evil tyrannical monsters by the magic world, with other terms commonly used for them are "demon king" or "rakshasa monarch". Especially in South and Southeastern Asian countries the god-slayers were demonized in myth. The one known as the "King with Ten Lives" became the origin for the demon Ravana, and it's likely that Rostam's foe Div-E-Sepid was originally a god-slayer too. In these countries someone who slays gods is the same as a ruler of demons. Hence to Rostam calling Ruby a demon queen is completely natural, as for Iran's legendary hero the greatest of demons are the humans who dared to slay a god.

EvanderAdvent: How is Pyrrha able to use magic?
[Resurrection March] explicitly says that it "closes all wounds, neutralizes any poison, cures all diseases and lifts any curses affecting the person who died." In other words, ever since resurrecting Pyrrha's no longer affected by the curse of the two brothers. On that note, a few hundred people in the village of Fludir will eventually discover that they're no longer bound by the curse of Babel.

EvanderAdvent: If Pyrrha gets a kill under the effects of [Dead Anointer], whose kill is it?
[Dead Anointer] is comparable to Godou's [Youth] in quite a few regards, including the regard of this question. Pyrrha under the power of [Dead Anointer] counts as a subordinate being of Ruby. If she were to kill a god with that power it wouldn't be Pyrrha's kill but Ruby's, just like a kill from the [Boar] counts as Godou's kill.

Kitsune Obsessed Freak: How many authorities will Ruby have?
Just like how RWBY's arc number is 4, so too is the number of planned authorities. Used authorities at least, a fifth one from the final boss is possible but that wouldn't exactly see any use.

SeanHicks4: Is the Campione setting of this fic pre- or post-canon?
A good question, and a spoilery one to answer as well. Though I honestly believe that those who read the light novels know exactly where I am now. I mean, I've been hinting at this since "Sisyphus 1", and I'm genuinely surprised that only one reviewer noticed that there was even something slightly off. (Good job Trueopulence for noticing it!). But on whether it's pre-or post-canon, let's just say both. It takes place more than a century after the events of one novel, and two years before another.