Remnant's Mightiest Heroes!
Chapter 22: The Broken Seal
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November 14: 13:30
Horizon High, New York
In the gymnasium of the high school for geniuses, an event is taking place. On both sides of the room students, freshmen, and seniors alike, have taken seats at the stands. Their chattering is filled with excitement. Most of their attention is on the square arena at the center of the room. It is surrounded by opaque walls to keep the spectators out for their safety. A spotlight shone on their principal Max Modell. He stood at the center of the small arena with a microphone in his hand.
"Welcome, Horizon High Students to the final round of the Bot Fight tournament!" Max spoke out. "For those who are just joining us, the winner of this small competition will be awarded 25,000 dollars! To those who are participating, it will count towards your final grade for this semester's grade. Before I introduce our finalists, please give a hand to the Robotics Class for their hard work and dedication."
All heads turned to a section of the bleachers and clapped. The students receiving the applause either grinned sheepishly or waved in acknowledgment. Some of them are still embarrassed that they've lost their matches. They feebly attempted to hide their battle-damaged robots from view. Max's chuckles echoed through the gymnasium speakers.
"Let's not forget that it's a victory if you learn something from your defeat. I look forward to seeing you all in the next tournament," Max waved one hand to one side of the room. "Now, let's turn our attention to the final match. Let's introduce our fighters for this final battle!"
Max gestured to one side of the Arena. Another spotlight shone down to reveal a confident Ruby Rose. On her side of the arena is a medium-sized humanoid robot that she affectionately named Avenger. Its design is feminine with its chassis-colored red. On its head is a cover reminiscent of a hood. On one of its shoulders is the logo of its namesake. The other had the initial 'R' emblazoned proudly.
"On this side of the arena we have Ruby Rose and her robot 'Avenger'," Max introduced. "A fine example of the new Mechashifting concept she has introduced to this school. Thanks to it, Miss Rose has steamrolled through her opponents like a juggernaut. If a technological singularity happens, I wouldn't want to be in its sights."
Everyone agreed by cheering for Ruby, who looked away with her face red with embarrassment. Part of her school projects had her introduce Remnant's mech shifting capabilities to the school. Her robotics class we're interested in and had been asking for her advice. Even her opponents came to her for tips to improve their robots for the next tournament.
Then, another spotlight came on to show her opponent. Awkwardly standing there but his posture confident is her friend, Peter Parker. His robot's size is smaller than hers, but it is arachnid in design. A dome-shaped body with four legs on each side. At the front, four red LED eyes glared at her robot. Like Ruby's robot, its chassis is red.
"Next we have her opponent, Peter Parker, and his Arachno-Droid," Max introduced. "Despite its small size, it is a force to be reckoned with. In response to Avenger's ferocity, it makes up for it with precise calculation. I believe some in the crowd had experienced it firsthand."
Among the former fighters, some of their robots looked to have been gutted. Somewhere on their chassis is a breach with stray wires sticking out and circuit boards missing. Peter whistled nervously as some of their owners glowered in his direction.
"Now the only thing keeping them from fighting is a long boring speech," Max said, at that the fighters got into position. "The robot that is still standing is declared the winner! Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Ruby declared with confidence. "Ready to kick some butt!"
"HA! That's a good one!" Peter retorts playfully. "Question is…who's robots butt is getting kicked?"
"Oh yeah," Ruby huffed with a pointing finger. "My Avengers butt will kick your butt before it is even kicked!"
Everyone just sweatdropped at this attempt. Even Peter looks unamused. The spider hero made a mental note to guide her on the art of trash talking. It took Max to get things back on track.
"Alright, that's enough of the trash-talking," Max declared, and the fighters gripped their controllers. "Fighters get ready to fight in three…two…one! GO!"
Max barely had time to get out of the arena before the robots rushed at each other. Ruby's Avenger is the first one to draw blood. Right after Max yelled 'go', her robot transformed. Avenger's legs twisted until they became bow-legged. Her hands turned into front paws. The hood flipped over the head, which shifted to form a canine visage complete with fangs. Glowing red eyes glared ominously as they bounded towards Peter's Arachno-Droid. It bit down on one of its front legs and ripped it off. The stump where the limb was taking off sparked electricity.
Peter gritted his teeth as he operated his controller to get his Arachno-Droid away from Avenger. He felt bad that he's fighting a friend, but he's not going easy on her. Arachno-Droid skittered away from Avenger, its creator silently thanking God that he upgraded its speed and mobility before the tournament started. When it got some distance, a small compartment at the face opened, and a blast of electricity shot out.
With wide eyes, Ruby fumbled with controls quickly. Avenger spun its body to avoid the blast. She had seen Peter use this feature to immobilize his opponents before it came in to pick it apart. If she had the time, she would've given Avenger insulation to protect her baby. But the tournament rules out modifications for the duration to keep things fair. Right now, she had to get Avenger close enough to maul Arachno-Droid. But one blast and it's all over.
With determination, she urged Avenger forward. It ran in a zig-zag pattern to avoid the blasts. Pressing a button on her controller, the Avengers fangs glowed red hot.
"Whoa! Things are heating up!" Peter quipped as he had his Arachno-Droid flatten itself against the ground in time to avoid the fangs. He had seen enough of Ruby's matches to know endgame when he sees it. They usually end with Avenger gnawing on her opponents with the heat melting their chassis. To live up to the dog motif, Avenger uses one of the robots' limbs like a chew toy. He wondered if that was to intimidate her opponents because most people became afraid to have her as an opponent. Considering that one of her best friends is a sapient gynoid, he'd want to avenge the non-sapient robots.
The dog landed and spun back around and went for another go. Knowing that he won't be able to evade in time, Peter pressed a button. A long tensile wire, as strong as his webs, shot out and latched onto a wall. With a whir of the winch, it pulled itself out of harm's way again. It was like watching a mini-Spider-Man.
"I thought you said your butts going to kick my butt!" Peter taunted.
"That's what I was thinking!" Ruby yells back as they continued to fight. So far, it's a chase to see who can get the jump on who. The Arachno-Droid kept firing electro blasts while evading the flaming jaws of Avenger. It was like a dance between robots and none of them are giving up. Both are focused on taking the other down like in a video game.
"Looks like our fighters have found themselves in a stalemate," Max announced to the excited crowd. "Students and faculty, this has turned into a battle of endurance. Who will be the first one to fall?
Max was right. In the last tournament, the winner won through a battle of endurance and that is to test out a new battery. Problem is that the match extended until midnight. So, a new rule is issued that every robot will be given a modified battery that will power them for ten minutes. Of course, any secondary functions will consume more power, which is why everyone made it a point to not add too many additions.
Ruby pondered how to break the stalemate when an idea occurred to her. Smiling, she pressed a button that had Avenger reverts to its humanoid form. A swivel of the stick and another button press, and Avenger held an arm upward. A tensile wire shot out and latched onto the ceiling.
"Hey, where are you going?" Peter called out. "The fight is down here!"
"I think the question you should be asking is where are we going?" Ruby said, smiling sinisterly. "But the answers up anyway, so never mind."
"Huh?"
That moment of confusion was enough for Ruby to get a shot in. Only this time, she launched another line towards the Arachno-Droid. It pierced the chassis, the hooks securing from within. With another whir, the spider robot is yanked from the ground and dangling in the air like a fish caught on a lure. As Avenger ascends to the ceiling, so did Arachno-Droid with its legs flailing.
"Is that legal?" A student in the crowd asked.
"As far as I'm concerned, they are still in the boundaries of the arena," Max said, mentally making a note to create another rule as his eyes followed the robot's progress.
"Hey, Peter! Can your Arachno-Droid withstand gravity?" Ruby asked as their robots got higher. Peter's eyebrows shot up when realized her plan. In exchange for mobility, he had to give Arachno-Droid less armor. Now that he thought about that, it came apart when it fell off the fridge at Aunt May's house. It took him a full hour to put it back together. Right now, Avenger is winding his bot close for maximum damage. But that didn't mean he didn't have one more card to play.
"Arachno-Droid can't," Peter said with a smirk. "But you forget something important…never keep your enemies close!"
What he was referring to is Ruby's mistake. When Avenger brought her opponent's robot close, it latched onto her. Before Ruby could cut the line, Arachno-Droid had already climbed around her with its front leg sparking with electricity, the tip white-hot. When it got to the wire attached to the ceiling, Arachno-Droid swiped at it, cutting the line. In a second, gravity took hold and pulled them back to earth.
"Ladies first!" Peter called out as Arachno-Droid clamped onto Avengers back tight. No matter how much it struggled, Avenger couldn't get it off. Ruby watched in horror as they crashed into the ground. Avenger had taken most of the impact. Its frame became dented, and its limbs cracked and became useless. Its head twitched before it became limp, its glowing red eyes fading away.
Avenger is down for the count.
"Nooo! My baby!" Ruby cried out with tears coming out of her eyes as she dramatically fell to her knees. Peter smirked in triumph as Arachno-Droid crawled off Avenger's broken body and stood triumphantly in the arena. Immediately, the crowd goes wild.
"And after a heated battle, one robot has emerged victorious!" Max announced as he prepared to gesture towards Peter. "The winner of this match is—"
CRUNCH!
Max was cut off by the sound of metal rending metal. Everyone was so focused on Peter that they didn't realize that Ruby's robot could still move and change form. Avenger had lifted its wolf head and grabbed hold of Arachno-Droid with its jaws. But it didn't stop there. It kept gnawing at it as sparks and components flew. After several seconds, Arachno-Droid became a pile of scrap metal. Avenger stood for a few seconds before it fell apart as well, the damage catching up to it. The gymnasium fell silent at this turnaround.
"You forgot something important as well Peter…" Ruby said with a smirk. "Make sure that your enemy is down before claiming victory!"
"In conclusion, none of your robots stood victorious," Max said as the two teens sat in his office reviewing the footage of the battle. "So, for the first time in Horizon High's Robot Fight competition…it's a draw."
Both fighters of the final match are in Max's office. They sat with their robots on their laps to settle on who won the match. The crowd was divided between Ruby and Peter. Some argued that because Avenger still had power and wasn't technically down, it was still in the match. Others argued otherwise and said that the latter was finished and struck after Peter is almost declared the winner. It got to the point where Max had to take the discussion in a private setting.
"Well, the rules are that the winner is the robot that is left standing," Ruby chuckled. "So…wouldn't the match go to Peter?"
"Yeah, but your robo-dog turned my bot into a chew toy right before Max could declare it," Peter said, stroking his bot sadly.
"Frankly, I'm surprised that your robot was able to take down your opponent in that condition," Max said as he pulled out a checkbook. "But I'll tell you two what I'm going to do…since this is a draw, I will split the money between you two."
"Really?" Both perked up as Max signed two separate checks for $12,500 and handed one to each.
"Both of you raise solid points and your robots performed excellently," Max said with a smile. "As far as I'm concerned, you both deserve the prize. Just don't spend it all in one place."
"I won't," Ruby said. "I'm probably going to give this to Weiss to help me invest, store away, or…something."
"Isn't that what she told you to do when you get the money?" Peter asked wryly. "I should know because I was there."
"I'll let you guys decide what to do with the money on your own time," Max said as he got up from his desk. "Right now, I need to plan out Horizon's entrance into the next Stark Expo. I'm sure that you'll want to work on your projects for that."
The students took the hint and left the office. As they walked down the hallways, they heard students still hanging around the school whisper about them. No doubt it's about the match and how it ended. But the two heroes in disguise didn't pay them any mind as they made their way to the personal labs.
"I'm surprised you didn't turn your robot into the next Ultron," Peter joked when he realized what he said. "Sorry, bad joke."
"It's alright. I hope that it doesn't come to that," Ruby said with a shudder. "I think I'll stay away from artificial intelligence studies for a while. But I'm glad that you were able to get some of the money, Peter."
"Same here," Peter said with a shrug. "My scholarship money is bound to run out eventually, so I need to plan out my expenses. Never hurts to get some money."
"You have a scholarship as well?" Ruby asked. She got hers thanks to Tony when she got to Horizon High. Like Peter, she'll need to plan out her expenses. Preferably with Weiss's help. Ever since they got to Earth, she's been handling their financial affairs.
"Yeah. From a friend of mine who's long since passed," Peter said, his face becoming crestfallen. "He set aside his estate to give it to me for an additional spot when I left Horizon High."
"You left Horizon?" Ruby asked in surprise. Based on her experience, Horizon is a good-natured school, and everybody is having fun with science. Brothers, she was sounding like that robot from that Portal Game. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to leave. "Why?"
"Let's just say that I was not in my right mind at the time," Peter said firmly. Taking the hint to drop the discussion, they continued in silence. They arrived at the personal labs.
"Anyway, I didn't participate just to get the money," Peter said as he entered his lab with Ruby following. "Arachno-Droid is a prototype Spider-Drone I've been making. Think of the competition as a test run for its operating capabilities. When I make more, these guys are going to act as my eyes, ears, and sometimes my nose once I connect them to my suits systems. They might even give me more time to focus on my schoolwork. Ooh, I bet they'll work better if they are submersible."
"That can be useful," Ruby admitted. "I'm making a drone of my own as well. But I have a question of the design of your robot…wouldn't people suspect you that you're…you-know-who?"
"Hey, I'm not Voldemort," Peter joked as he sets his bot on the table. "Besides, if anyone comes up to me and asks if I'm the neighborhood spider, then I'll just say that I make his equipment. Which reminds me, I need to go over the data my bot collected from the fight. Then I can make some improvements and focus on other projects I've been wanting to work on."
"Like what?"
"For starters, ever since I heard Eddie Brock and Slimy McBooger got out, I need to develop a sonic device that I can equip to my web-shooters," Peter said grimly as he pulled his trademark weapon out of a drawer. He immediately got some tools out to tinker with it. "Luckily, Venom hasn't reared his ugly head, but it's only a matter of time before he hurts somebody."
"From what you told me about that guy, I would want to be prepared," Ruby said with a shudder. Peter told her about the Symbiote, once known as V-252, that was mistaken for a form of matter. What it was is an amorphous, symbiotic life form that latches onto a host. Which her friend can attest when he had the misfortune of getting possessed by one. It amplified his powers, but it began to draw in the negative aspects of his personality, making him violent and corrupted. He was able to get it off, but feeling rejected, the Symbiote found a new host, Eddie Brock, and declared itself Venom, one of his deadliest enemies. Ruby read that he killed a total of fifteen people, one of them a police officer, in a church. The photographs of the crime scene gave her more nightmares than the Kang Invasion of Remnant.
That made her determined to make sure it never happens again. Not on her or her friend's watch. That is her duty as a huntress and a hero.
"I might need to develop some sonic weaponry," Ruby declared. "Want to work together?"
"Two minds think alike," Peter said with a smile as he fiddled with his web-shooters. "Does Remnant have sonic weapons?"
"We have a guy who uses a trumpet," Ruby said, recalling the match between Team RWBY and FNKI. "But it's boooring. Honestly, a sonic rifle is much better."
They got into a discussion about anti-venom weaponry. But she felt like she was forgetting something important throughout their conversation. After a few minutes, Ruby's scroll buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw an alert on the screen. It's connected to her computer at Horizon and it's compiling data for a program. To her joy, the alert read 100% complete.
"What's up?" Peter asked.
"You're not the only one who needs to complete a project," Ruby answered as she pocketed the drive. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my lab. I have a new program I need to test at the mansion.
Avengers Mansion
14:40
"Easy Jaune," Pyrrha warns as Jaune takes a step forward.
"I know Pyrrha," Jaune assured her. "I'm not trying to rush this."
The blonde boy is currently walking between parallel bars in the gym section of the mansion. When the Avengers were giving them the place, and paying the rent, they pulled an all-nighter to clean up the place and bring it up to date. Now, it was team RWBY and JNPR's job to keep the place clean. There is sports equipment on one side of the room and a boxing ring at the center. Yang took an instant love to the room and regularly challenged one of them to a match. Usually, it would be one of those times where she tries to beat Nat when she comes to visit. The blonde girl still didn't get over that match back at Bootcamp. But the spy would always beat her at every turn.
Right now, Jaune is undergoing physical therapy. After being stuck inside an ancient Asgardian suit that sucks the life out of you, Jaune's body felt heavy. Looking at his aura meter, it was red and almost depleted. Nobody wanted to think what would happen if the Destroyer kept draining his aura. He couldn't attend a school like the others until he was back to tip top shape. His cover is that he caught the flu, which is a lame excuse in his opinion, but it worked better than the motion sickness that Nora suggested.
"Whoa!" Jaune cried out as he fell forward. Luckily, Pyrrha was nearby and managed to catch him before he hit the ground.
"Whew," Jaune breathed out as he was helped back up. "Thanks, Pyrrha. Can you help me back to square one?"
"Sure thing," Pyrrha answered as she guides him back to the start of the parallel bars. Taking a deep breath, Jaune began another rep. Unlike before, his steps were steadier as he walked. Pyrrha watched him do this, with a sad look on her face. When he reached the end, he pumped a fist.
"Alright! It may not be a hundred percent, but I'm feeling fit," Jaune said placing his hands on his hips in triumph.
"That's good
"Pyrrha? Is something wrong?" Jaune asked.
"It's just…I should've been there," Pyrrha said sadly, gripping her arms. "If I was there, you wouldn't—"
"Pyrrha, if you finish that sentence, you and I are going to have a problem," Jaune said with a frown, causing her to look up in surprise. "Yes, I got trapped in an aura-sucking armor that would've killed me. But frankly, the only one who should be getting the blame. I was the one who thought it was just a chest plate and tried it on."
"But you didn't know what it was," Pyrrha countered.
"Yet it still doesn't change the fact that it happened and there is nothing we can do about it," Jaune said as he walked toward her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Even if we could somehow time travel, I don't want to change it. I'm glad that I found it instead of some random bystander. From what I got from my aura meter I don't think anyone would've survived it. So, in a way…we saved someone's life by finding it."
"Yeah," Pyrrha nodded. She wanted to point out the fact that Kang can time travel and conquer anything he wanted but decided not to because of a point. What
"Pardon me, Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc," J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke up. "But Yang and Blake have arrived with your teammates following."
"Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S," Jaune said. The two remnantian teens walked out of the gym. They made their way to the Foyer just in time to see their friends, minus Ruby, enter the mansion.
"Hey Vomit Boy," Yang greeted with her bag slung over one shoulder. "I see you've cured your bad case of jelly legs."
"I wouldn't say completely cured," Jaune said, looking at his legs. "I would say that I still feel like I'm weighed down. But I think my aura is helping with my recovery so I should be a hundred percent ready for action by tomorrow if not tonight."
"That's one thing we don't need to add to the list…aside from the Destroyer armor," Nora quipped. After going to Bootcamp, they had begun to realize the limits of their aura. So, they've been keeping a list of things aura can't protect them from. Hellfire was at the top of the list because their soul is laid bare for the cursed flames. Slowly, they've begun adding more to the list, especially with the newest addition.
"So, Blake, did you get new books?" Pyrrha asked, noticing the stack of books in the cat Faunus' arms.
"Yep. Luckily, my teacher bought the old my cat ate my homework excuse," Blake muttered when she realized something. "Wait…where's Chewie?"
"I think we left him in the gym," Pyrrha said.
"No, I think we left him in the dining room," Jaune said with the same uncertainty. The blonde and red-hed looked at each other. Their eyes are widening as they realized the same thing. Blake stared at them with wide eyes.
"You mean to tell me you left Chewie alone?" Blake yelled incredulously. Then, the remnantians heard the noise of something moving from the second floor. Immediately, the teens rushed up the stairs, Blake stopping to place her books on a nearby table. They came to the room that Blake claimed as her bedroom. When they got to their room, they are stunned beyond belief. Except for Yang, who burst out laughing.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Blake cried out with tears in her eyes as she fell to her knees. Her room was nearly cleaned out. Chewie the Flerken was in the process of devouring her bed. His tentacles are shoving it down the pocket dimension that it's connected to. When the last section is through, the tentacles retreat into its mouth. Chewie let out a long yawn before it fell asleep.
"Come on Blake," Yang said as she patted her shoulder in sympathy. "It's not like it's the end of the world."
Blake gave her a flat stare. Ever since Carol left them her pet Flerken, there has been an issue after issue. Turns out, Flerken's didn't like being touched, which is what Carol warned them about firsthand. Nora, who didn't know about Chewie being a Flerken, learned the hard way when he nearly ate a couch. Carol said that Chewie warms up to those that mean no harm to her, but for some reason, she's picking on Blake. She would regularly eat anything related to her including her breakfast. Fed up, she called Avengers Tower to request Carol to find another pet sitter, only to find out that Carol had left on some off-world mission and won't be back for a while.
"Can we please get a dog in the house!" Blake cried out exasperatedly.
"I thought you hated dogs," Weiss teased.
"For your information, I don't hate them! I'm just afraid of them," Blake insisted. "Can't we ask Daisy to lend us Lockjaw until the whole thing blows over?"
"I don't know if a big dog will get along with an alien cat," Ren pointed out. Like the others, he's getting the distinct feeling that Chewie enjoys messing with Blake. At that moment the front doors opened, and a voice called out.
"Hello? Is anybody home?"
"We're here, little sis," Yang called out. Ruby appeared in a burst of rose petals. Call it a waste of power, but it felt convenient. The look of consternation faded as her eyes widened at Blake's empty room.
"Whoa! What happened here?"
"Let's just say that Carol's pet decided to snack on Blake's stuff," Yang chuckled.
"Well, we can deal with this later," Ruby said. She flinched from the glare she got from Blake. "Can you guys meet me in the H.A.R.M. room? I got something I want to show you all."
Ever since they've taken up residence, the command center as they affectionately began to call the command center, had undergone some changes.
For starters, most of it was painted pink, thanks to Nora. To brighten up the place as she put it, the trigger-happy girl had the idea of using paint grenades to decorate the place. Some, if not all, got on the computer equipment which Weiss nearly shrieked at Nora for potentially ruining expensive equipment. Luckily, the paint didn't seem to disrupt any electronics, otherwise, they're going to have to renovate the room.
Speaking of renovating, they repainted the room so that it wouldn't look, in Weiss' words, hideous. Living up to their people's color culture, they used a variety of paints to show pictures of various things from their home such as their fairy tales, humanity's fight against the Grimm, and so on. It's becoming more of a side hobby to do whenever they aren't fighting supervillains.
One thing that wasn't allowed to be messed with is their Endgame board, which is posted near the entrance to the H.A.R.M. room. It's a board detailing the fight that is going to happen after they free their home planet from Kang's rule. Most of them are cards from Deadpool's Guide to Supervillains. Every card is a supervillain detailing their background, powers, weaknesses…pretty much everything about them. When Blake told her friends about them and how they included people from their world, they were stunned by the amount of information…especially coming from a red and black-clad sociopath. But they realized that if Kang can use the future to his advantage, so can they. After Doreen agreed to lend them her cards, they posted them on the board and began thinking of strategies to beat them should they be encountered.
Several black threads connected cards to one that showcased a handwritten drawing of Remnant's most ancient evil, Salem. Like the name of the board implies, she's the endgame threat to their world. Connected to her is the current incarnation of her inner circle. While she may be immortal, the same cannot be said for her followers. One of them they recognized was Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, and Emerald Sustrai. Cinder is the mysterious lady who infiltrated Beacon Tower that night.
As they walked by it, Yang stopped as she found a card that caught her eye. Her face became twisted into a glare, eyes turning red, as she stared at the card. The card showed a woman with raven black hair and red eyes. She was in the process of drawing a red katana from a sheathe containing more blades. Connecting her card to Salem's is a black thread, while another connected her to a lion Faunus. Written underneath is the line is the word 'COWARD'.
"Yang?" The blondes' eyes returned to their normal violet when she heard her sister. Giving the board one last glance, she turned on her heel and walked to the H.A.R.M. room, where everyone is gathered.
"So, what's this thing you want to show us?" Jaune asked as a sitting Ruby operated the console that controlled the H.A.R.M. room functions.
"It's a new program for the H.A.R.M. room that I've been working on," Ruby said as she inserts the thumb drive. "I've been working on it ever since Director Fury requested it of me. It's pretty much why I signed up for computer programming classes."
"Ooh! A secret mission from the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Nora asked dramatically. "So, what is it? A super-secret spy mission? A top-secret weapon? Is it a secret spy mission involving a top-secret weapon?"
"Good guesses but no," Ruby said. "As you know, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers are going to help us free Remnant when we find it. But we've been so focused on Kang and his armies that we've completely forgotten something crucial."
She got a screen that told her the upload is completed. Inputting a command, she stood up and approached the door leading to the virtual room. The silver-eyed girl gestured everyone to follow her, and they did. As soon as they piled in, the doors closed, and the technology of the room came to life.
The students found themselves standing on a stone-gray circular floor with broken pillars rising in a ring. Broken bridges extended from the platform as a chasm formed beneath them. Mist covered the chasm, obscuring the abyss that awaits those that lose their footing. Broken bridges extended outward while one connected to stable land. In the distance, lush green trees as tall as goliaths rose. Sunlight beamed down on from the blue sky. It took several seconds for the remnantians to recognize the place.
"Is this…the Emerald Forest…?" Weiss asked. Her partner's nod confirmed that this is the area in which they had their initiation into Beacon Academy.
"I figure I'd start with something familiar…like where we first came together," Ruby said, smiling at the fond memory. "It took all of the data from our scrolls compiled to make this happen."
"So that's why you needed our scrolls," Yang surmised. "Nice job sis! I get the sentimental value, but why the Emerald Forest? We could be soaking up the sun of Miami Beach and we wouldn't have left New York. Or we can do our D&D campaign here. Heck, we could fight Vox Machina! I've always wanted to go against those legends!"
"While that sounds appealing, that's not why I set this up," Ruby said. Seeing her friend's confusion, she decided to show them. Swiping her finger, she called up a holographic interface and selected a file labeled GB. Appearing in front of her a selection of black creatures with white bone armor.
"Wait…those a…" Ren said as he recognized them. They all recognized them from their home planet. After Ruby selected a picture, a mass of pixels gathered on the bridge leading from the ruin. They gathered to form a bipedal black and extremely muscular creature. Bone-like spiked protruded from its back, shoulders, arms, and claws. But Its most prominent feature is the bone-like wolf mask with red markings.
"It's a Beowolf!" Pyrrha cried out as everyone whipped out their weapons. They got into their battle-ready stances and waited for the Grimm to engage them. But it didn't move a muscle. Aside from the glare that promised to end them both, it didn't move to attack them.
"Don't worry it's on pause," Ruby assured them. Like the others, she had Crescent Rose at the ready. "I'm not the type of girl to just spring this on you."
"So, this is what you've been working on?" Jaune asked as he lowered Crocea Mors. "A Grimm fighting program?"
"Yep," Ruby answered with a prop as she leaned on her scythe. "We've been fighting supervillains for a while that we've forgotten about the Grimm. Thanks to the data from our scroll, and from what a DM would call the Grimm Beastiary, I programmed the H.A.R.M. to spawn any type of Grimm that we can practice. I just needed to test the algorithm that simulates the Grimm's behavior."
"Like destroy everything on sight?" Yang asked to which Ruby nodded.
"What about their learning capacity?" Weiss asked. "Don't forget, the Grimm learn as they get older. There's no point in training against the Grimm if all we do is fight grunts."
"I know Weiss, and I took that into consideration," Ruby said as she showed the interface. Tapping the Beowolf icon, several pictures popped up, each detailing a different Beowolf. "From here, we can select the type of Beowolf we want to fight."
"That's good," Weiss said, secretly proud of her partner for not forgetting that crucial detail. "So, Nick Fury asked you to create this program for S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Not just S.H.I.E.L.D. Cap asked me to give him a copy of the program so he and the Avengers can train against the Grimm. I'm also giving a copy to S.W.O.R.D."
"S.W.O.R.D.?" Jaune asked. "What's S.W.O.R.D.?"
"I've heard of them," Blake spoke up. "According to Carol, S.W.O.R.D. is an acronym for the Sentient World Observation and Response Department. It's a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D. that acts as the extraterrestrial arm to the organization. They deal with threats that come from the stars…hopefully not us."
"Definitely if we want their help," Ruby said. "Problem is that they've never fought the Grimm and I don't want it on my conscience to leave them unprepared. That goes for everyone on Earth."
Everyone nodded in understanding at Ruby's words. Throughout the century of Remnant, the Grimm had been the bane of their people since the dawn of time. Villages have been destroyed and people lost their lives to the Grimm. Here on Earth, the people didn't experience the Grimm. Aside from threats such as supervillains and terrorists, nearly everyone had a quiet peaceful life. They didn't want anyone to lose that. Yet there was one who disagreed with them.
"While we're on the subject, want to pound some Grimm?" Yang asked as she pounded her fists together. "I already miss fighting Grimm and watching them fade to dust."
"IT will be nice to train against the Grimm again," Weiss admitted
"But do we need to?" Ren asked, causing everyone to turn to him. "You remember what Kang said? He's going to eradicate the Grimm. Maybe by the time we find Remnant, they'll be all gone. What's the point of training to fight them?"
"That's how mortals think young Ren."
Everyone turned around to the source of the voice. To their surprise, it is Thor walking away from the door leading into the H.A.R.M. room. The doors manifested as a bright rectangle before it faded. The Asgardian looked around at the scenery, admiring the beauty of the false flora. In his hand is his trademark weapon, Mjolnir.
"Thor!" Ruby said. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm playing errand boy for Stark regarding that new program you created," Thor answered. If he wasn't happy about it, he didn't show it. He turned his attention to Ren. "You cannot eradicate a race of monsters all in a minute. Even my father needed years to bring peace to the nine realms. Even Kang cannot build an army and arm them all in a second. Just because he said that he's going to do it doesn't mean it's going to happen instantly. Young Rose is wise."
Ren met Thor's gaze before he nodded at the truth of his words. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he hoped that Kang didn't eradicate all the Grimm. There was still one Grimm that he needed to kill. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to avenge their deaths. Nora seemed to notice the look on his face but didn't say anything.
"So, is this the result of your…program?" Thor asked Ruby to which she nods. "Impressive work. I feel like this can only be outshone by the skill of the Norns. But I don't recognize the place."
"It's the Emerald Forest," Weiss explained. "It's where we've taken our initiation into Beacon Academy back on Remnant."
"Ahh, you mean when Ozpin launched you into a forest filled with Grimm?" Thor asked as he recalls the stories that RWBY and JNPR told. When they nodded, he let out a hearty chuckle. "Odin's beard that would be a young warrior's dream. To be launched headfirst into danger would be a worthy tale in the halls of Valhalla. What would he do when you graduate, set you on fire?"
"I hope not!" Weiss said dreadfully while everyone laughed. Then, Thor's smile faded as his expression became serious.
"As much as I hate to put down the mood, I didn't come here just to pick up the program," Thor said. "I have something I'd like to discuss with you all."
His tone conveyed the severity of what he wanted to say, which is what scared them. The Norse God of Thunder boasted an atmosphere of inspiring confidence. Yet his voice was grave.
"Okay…" Ruby said. Thor looked around the ancient ruin.
"So…does this place have anywhere to…"
"Oh yeah," Ruby said as she called up an interface. She selected the 'Inanimate Objects' tab and pressed a few icons. At the center of the ruin, a table materialized along with nine chairs. Thor stared at the furniture for a moment before turning back to Ruby.
"A convenient skill to have, young rose," Thor praised. Ruby blushed at that and said it was nothing before she and her friends moved to the table. Each of them took their seats while Thor is the last one. He sets his hammer on the table and clasps his hands together. They were silent for a few moments before Thor spoke.
"First of all, I want to express how glad I am of your recovery young Arc," Thor said, turning the leader of Team JNPR. "I was worried that the Destroyer inflicted lasting damage upon you. It appears that the Norns have not deemed it to be the end of your saga."
"I'm still recovering, to be honest," Jaune said, not sure how to feel about these Norns. "I still feel heavy, but I'm recovering steadily."
"That brings up a question," Weiss spoke up. "If that Destroyer is a weapon of mass destruction, why did your father leave it in a junkyard of all places?"
"An astute question, young Schnee," Thor said. "I swear by the Allfather that I destroyed it when I first arrived on Midgard. Due to its properties, it's not easy to destroy it or rebuild it. Unless you know how…"
"What are you saying?" Jaune asked.
"I talked with the son of Col, and he told me that S.H.I.E.L.D. took possession of the Destroyer's remains. However, the remains were stolen a few nights later. I know for a fact that my father never reclaimed possession of it, because his mighty spear, Gungnir, is what allows him to control it. But if someone else found out how to control the Destroyer…then it will be disastrous. And I know one person whose trickery can pull it off."
Thor fell silent while dread began to creep up the remnantain teens. They knew of the story of his banishment to Earth as punishment for his hubris. After last night, Thor told them about how the Destroyer is of Asgardian origin and that he destroyed it when he got his powers back. But they also knew who sent the Destroyer to kill Thor and ensure he never got back to Asgard.
"You mean your brother…" Weiss whispered. "You're talking about Loki."
"Indeed, young Schnee…I'm talking about my brother," Thor said, confirming their fears.
Ever since they learned of Thor's ties to the Norse Mythos, she read up about the Aesir. Especially Loki, the God of Mischief and adopted brother of Thor. Like the concept he represents, he is responsible for the atrocities in the Myths. His mischief was what brought together Earth's Mightiest Heroes and as Thor told them, he's destined to bring about Ragnarök, the twilight of the Gods and the end of the nine realms.
"Did he send the Destroyer to the Junkyard?" Pyrrha asked. The thought of the evil god and his mischief caused them to feel terrified but wouldn't admit it. Something that her friends readily agreed with.
"I wouldn't put it past him," Thor said, gripping his fist in anger at the thought of his brother nearly killing Jaune. "But I don't understand how he could've escaped my father's imprisonment."
"You mean he's still in jail and sent the Destroyer here?" Blake asked, her ears flattening as she realized the severity of the situation. "But how?"
Thor was silent for a moment.
"Tell me…has anyone in the Avengers told you about the War for the Nine Realms?" Thor asked to which the Remnantians looked at each other before they turned back to the Asgardian.
"Can't say we have," Ruby said. "Is this some epic battle of the Avengers we haven't heard about?"
"Indeed, it is. A saga that has been told throughout Asgard," Thor said proudly. "It all started when we came into conflict with the Masters of Evil."
"Masters of Evil?" Yang barked a laugh. "Seriously?"
"Don't be so quick to ridicule Xiao Long," Thor warned. "The people who called themselves such are composed of our deadliest foes. You can say that they are the fire to our ice. They acquired the Norn Stones. Nine mystical stones were created by Asgard's most powerful sorceress, Karnilla. One stone can open a portal to one of Nine Realms. The Master of Evil planned to tear down the veil between realms and merge them."
"Let me guess…that wouldn't end well," Nora asked to which Thor nods.
"Fortunately, Stark's machinery detected the Norn Stones power in different locations, including one inside a Volcano. So, the Avengers split up and went to each location."
"But apparently, it was a trap. Whenever there was a Norn Stone, a Master was waiting for us. While we managed to repel them, it was too late to stop the convergence. With no other choice, we destroyed the Norn Stones, severing the connections between the realms."
"And so, the Avengers have won the day again," Yang surmised. To her surprise, Thor shook his head.
"Not quite. When we destroyed the stones, we were scattered across the Realms. I ended up in Asgard…" Thor said before he scowled. "Right at the feet of Loki…who had taken over the throne of Asgard and by extension the Nine Realms."
"What?" That took everyone by surprise. They always thought that Loki always plotted to gain control over the Realms, heck even their own. But they never believed he succeeded.
"How did your father let this happen?" Weiss asked. "Wasn't he supposed to be the most powerful god in Asgard?"
"Indeed, he is, but there is one weakness," Thor said. "Once a year, my father needs to sleep for about seven days to renew the Odinforce."
"The Odinforce?" Weiss asked.
"It is a powerful, mystical energy that is the source of his powers. While he is in the Odinsleep, he is vulnerable which Loki took advantage of. He took control of the Odinforce and used it to prevent him from waking up and me from coming back. With the power at his fingertips, he was able to take over Asgard and sent his armies to conquer the other realms."
Everyone digested this tale.
"I'm guessing this is where the war began," Ruby guessed to which Thor nodded. "What about the other Avengers?"
"As I said, they are scattered among the nine realms," Thor continued. "While I was imprisoned, listening to Loki gloat about his victory and my impending execution, my comrades have gathered the remaining resistance among the Nine Realms. Together, they took the fight to Loki by launching a full-on assault on Asgard. They fought against all manner of creatures and traitors who accepted Loki's rule. The battle eventually reached the Royal Palace of Valaskjalf, where I and my brother reside. But even together, they couldn't overpower Loki so long as he was enhanced by the Odinforce. And the war is already starting to affect the other Realms."
"How did you defeat him?" Jaune asked, like the others, he is enthralled by the tale.
"We had to sever the connection to Yggdrasil, the World Tree," Thor answered with a smile. "Which is a little difficult considering that it connected all of reality. In an act of desperation, Scott uprooted it."
"Scott did that?" Ruby asked in surprise. "But why hasn't reality been destroyed?"
"Because by doing so, a new tree was grown, which drained Loki of his power and returned it to my father."
"I can't imagine that he was very happy about having his power stolen," Yang smirked.
"Indeed. Odin confronted Loki and banished him to the depths of Midgard, which is where the Midgard Serpent, Jormungand, Dwells," Thor said.
"Also known as the World Serpent," Blake said, having read up on the myths like Weiss. She knew that it is the serpent that is destined to fight Thor and kill him with its venom, which made her worry for her friend. The cat Faunus then recalled a crucial detail of the serpent that disturbed her but decided not to voice it out yet.
"After his banishment, Odin and all of Asgard praised us as the mightiest heroes of the nine realms," Thor finished. "That was the last I saw of my brother. But now that the Destroyer has surfaced…rebuilt and not operating under the control of my father…"
"You think Loki is free of his imprisonment," Jaune guessed. "That he's planning something new."
"I would agree with you young Arc," Thor said. "But I spoke with Heimdall, and he tells me that Loki is still imprisoned in the depths of Midgard. I trust Heimdall with my life, but there are times where even his gifts won't prevent him from being fooled by my brother's trickery. Which is why I am telling you this. I want you to be on your guard in case Loki is behind the Destroyer's reemergence."
The Remnantian teen's faces hardened as they nodded. They knew of the danger Loki presented, and if he is behind this, they vowed to be ready. He already earned their ire if he is behind the Destroyer that almost killed Jaune.
"Anyway, now that's out of the way, I need to pick up the program," Thor said as he got up. It was then he finally noticed the Beowolf in the room. "Is that one of the Creatures of Grimm you told us about?"
"Oh yeah," Ruby nodded when she saw it. "That's a Beowolf. It's an abundant type of Grimm back on Remnant and therefore the most common."
"Oh? Do you mind if I…?" Thor asked as he recalled Mjolnir to his hand. Understanding what he meant, Ruby called up the interface and activated the Grimm. Immediately, the simulated Grimm came to life. Its red eyes glared at them before focusing on the approaching Asgardian, who had a smirk on his face.
"So how do you think this will go?" Jaune asked.
"That's easy! Thor will kick its ass and send it back to the hell it calls home!" Nora said. "Ooh! Maybe a single lightning bolt will smite it! Go, Thor!"
"I don't know," Blake said. "This is the first time he's fighting a Grimm. Even though it's a simulation, you can't underestimate—"
She was cut off by the sound of a skull cracking. The remnantians turned and their eyes are wide at the source. Thor had swung his hammer with one hand in an under swing at the Beowolf. The hammer sent cracks across its mask before it shattered, exposing the blackness that is its flesh. The impact of Mjolnir caused it to briefly levitate before it landed on its back. Almost immediately, Beowulf began disintegrating into black mist. Thor turned to face the teens with a smirk.
"Next?"
Depths of Midgard
Loki walked among the jungle beneath Asgard. Everywhere he turned, the sight sickened him. This reminded him of how he sat upon the throne of Asgard and made the Nine Realms kneel before him. Thanks to Thor and his cursed Avengers, he is sent to this hell, restrained as he was forced to take the venom of the Midgard Serpent, which caused him agonizing pain beyond no measure. Granted, he couldn't be killed due to the Norns detailing his death at the hands of Heimdall, but that doesn't mean he couldn't be imprisoned or tortured.
But once the throne of Asgard is him again, he will lock Heimdall in the deepest pit of Helheim. Then he will destroy the Avengers and turn Midgard into another Helheim that will pale in comparison to the original. But first, he needed help from Amora's new associate.
The prince of lies came to a stop near a tree root. He looked back the way he came as if he could see the illusion that he placed of himself being tortured by the Midgard Serpent. Unlike his previous illusions, this one is designed to fool even Heimdall. That pitiful guardian of the Bifrost wouldn't be able, to tell the truth from the false. Looking back at the root, he took a step forward.
The root in front of him rippled like a stone thrown in water. As soon as he completely stepped through, he is met with unbearable heat and ash. What he stepped through is one of the cracks between the veil of realms. He frequently used these for his mischief, like that fateful day of Thor's coronation, where he let Frost Giants into Odin's Vault. That day is what lead him to discover his Jotunn heritage and his schemes against Thor and Asgard.
The world he stepped into is the opposite of Jotunheim. Around him, he could see blackened earth with pools of lava and giant flame pits. In the distance, he can make out volcanoes, some erupting with other dormant. Sometimes he would catch a glimpse of something flying among the ash-covered sky, but that wasn't his focus.
The god of mischief walked until he found his compatriots. Amora the Enchantress sat at the center of a circle of the Norn Stones that they've collected. Skurge stood as a guard, armed with two weapons that Loki recognized as Midgards 'guns'. Why he doesn't reclaim his ax is beyond him. It certainly doesn't fit his role as an 'executioner'. He wondered why the heat isn't affecting them, but he knew that Amora likely cast a spell to protect herself from the stifling heat.
"Welcome Laufeyson, to Muspelheim…the realm of fire," Amora greeted.
"Muspelheim," Loki breathed while he fought against the heat. "To be honest, my Jotunn side doesn't exactly tolerate heat."
"Indeed," Amora said. "Frost Giants are almost powerless in this realm, aren't they? I can imagine your father's blood is weakening yours as well.
"Are we ready to begin?" Loki said, getting to the point while gripping his scepter. He didn't bring the Destroyer with him, but he can summon it at a moment's notice. The reason he didn't is that he didn't want to be viewed as helpless without it. He can deal with the two of them without it. Especially when they failed to destroy his brother and the Avengers. Amora simply nodded and stood up.
"With the combined power of these sacred Norn Stones, they shall break the spell over this realm," said Amora while closing her eyes. Then, she began to chant an incantation. In response, the twenty-four Norn Stones runes glowed, and they began to be levitated. After chanting several lines, her voice became intense as well as the light of the runes. When her eyes opened, they radiated green mystical energy.
Then, the Norn Stones shot out a beam that met at an intersection over Amora. Still chanting, Amora raised her hands towards the intersection and spoke at the final words. The beams merged into one ball of mystical energy and shot upward in an emerald beam. It traveled high into the sky until it vanished. For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Then, the sky was lit. Not by sun or moon, but by ancient spells that had been put into place. Runes of various sizes lit up the sky like the stars that have been denied to this realm. From where the beam hit somewhere, they began to shatter. Fragments of mystical power fell before they disappeared. The three beings watched as the sky is falling. Then, they heard a loud noise that echoed through Muspelheim.
"The Seal of Borson…is broken," Amora said with a smile.
"I can imagine that he is quite pleased with it," Loki drawled. "But without him at full power, he is useless."
"Of course, he is," Amora said. "But we need him to conquer Asgard, don't we?"
"Which brings us to the next step in our grand plan," Loki said with a smile. "First, we need to keep him Thor occupied with his precious Midgard. Those kids that he's taken a liking to…perhaps I should practice a bit of my mischief with the artifacts liberated from Odin's Vault…"
"It's too early for that," Amora rebutted. "We still need to recover the fragments from Nidavellir. The artifacts are meant to be used as a diversion while we find a suitable planet to use as the forge. But I do have something for you to use…or someone…"
"Do tell, Amora," Loki said.
"A former teammate of mine," Amora said as she formed a spell circle. "Or rather…slave. Without my magic…or in this case, OUR magic he won't be able to keep his form and he will do anything to keep his corporeal form. But you may have to be a little…persuasive. I hear that one of the Avengers convinced him to be good."
On the spell circle, a figure appeared. Everything about the figure is covered in purple energy that emanated off him in plumes like smoke. Red eyes glared out blankly. Loki instantly recognized the man and smiled.
"Oh, this is just wonderful," Loki said sinisterly. "I think I can be a little persuasive. I just need to find him. I will be off. And Skurge…I'll be sure to reclaim your ax. You'll be incomplete without it."
With that Loki turned on his heel and walked away. The two of them watched him leave for the tear between realms before the Enchantress held up a hand and made a circle motion with her other finger. In front of her, a portal popped into existence, to which she and Skurge stepped through.
They exited into a dark cavern lit by lava coming from the cracks in the ground. Holding up the roof are pillars of obsidian, with stalagmites pointing down at them. Hanging down from the ceiling are magma-like humanoids who stared down at them with ember-like eyes. The two Asgardian traitors ignored them as they walked across the ash floor and came to a stop. Amora kneeled with Skurge following her actions.
"Lord Surtur…Laufeyson has gone off to Midgard to divert Asgard's attention," Amora said while bowing her head.
A few feet away from them is her master. Sitting on a throne crafted from Obsidian is a giant that looked to be made of magma. If he stood up, he would've been eighteen feet tall. Red hot heat glowed from his chest to his head. Two curved horns that are part of his crown are rested upon his head. Two eyes that blazed like fire stared down at them.
"Excellent," Surtur spoke in a deep gravelly voice. "While Laufeyson is keeping the son of Odin occupied and planting the seeds of destruction, we shall reforge the sword of Twilight and restore me to my full might."
"Yes Master," Amora said respectfully. While Amora knew that he isn't in full power, he's is far from powerless.
"Go now to Nidavellir and reclaim the fragments of twilight from those dwarves," Surtur ordered.
"At once Master," Amora said as she finally stood up. Turning around, she created another portal and stepped through. Skurge looked at Surtur warily before he followed his mistress. The portal closed, leaving the ruler of Muspelheim alone. He turned his attention to the fire demons hanging on the ceiling.
"Go and find me a planet that will serve as my forge!" Surtur ordered. At once the magma-like demons spread wings and began to fly through the cavern. Surtur watched them leave as he leaned back on his throne.
"After all these years, I shall fulfill my destiny…Asgard will fall and so will the rest of the Nine Realms!"
[~][~]
Greetings and a Merry Christmas Readers.
This chapter is my present to all of you. The villains are getting ready to unleash Ragnarok. Will the heroes stop them? That is something you'll have to find out. And I'm sure you can guess by the subtle hints on who Amora was referring to. I think it's time that we set him off on his heroic destiny.
That said, I have an announcement to make. Remnants' Mightiest Heroes will be on indefinite hiatus. The reason for this is that my life has been a mess without direction. Now that I've found it, I need to start building upon it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any more chapters. Just remember that this is not the end. I will be back to continue this story. In the meantime, I will update the chapters of my existing fanfics until I take the first step in my life. Thank you for your support for this fic.
Thank you for reading! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Until next time.