Chapter Eleven: Maria Vs Hazel
"There's a trail of blood here," Maria pointed at the floor. "It looks as if Oscar managed to wound him quite a bit."
"Good," Glynda spoke in a tone that caused Maria to take a step away from her. "Then, we must finish what he started.
The two Aura wielders marched through the school, taking in the abandoned nature of it. It was a poor sight, clearly no one had furnished it in ages. It looked as if it was going to fall down at any second. With their sights set on making sure they found Hazel and Salem, they knew they had to make sure it was before the sun set. They came to a strange wall blocking the way. The wall was furnished with an ornate design that depicted masks of bone and the Grimmlords were also depicted on it. But, there was also something else next to them, something that looked like a sword or a dagger. There were strange inscriptions in the dagger on the design and strange, ghostly images surrounding the ancient looking weapon.
"What could this possibly mean?" Maria asked, focusing on the dagger as if it resonated with her.
"I'm not sure," Glynda looked around them. "I've heard rumors of such weapons that bring about strange occurrences. There was one that my master told me of a blade capable of bringing out one's spirit if they were worthy. Perhaps it and the Grimmlords are linked somehow?"
"Perhaps," Maria's gaze focused once more on the blade, fist clenching involuntarily as she looked once more at it. It gave her a sinking, sickly feeling in her stomach, as if her very blood was hissing in apprehension about the blade, despite it only being a drawing on a wall. She shook her head to clear her thoughts of it, turning into a jog to catch up to Glynda, who was well ahead of her by now, having not had the same experience as her about the blade.
"That portrait shook you up, didn't it?"
"I don't know why that blade is such a big deal. I feel as if it has something to do with me, somehow, but I'm not sure. Could it be similar to that feeling I get whenever I hear Cinder's name? I just don't understand what it is."
"Don't think about it too much," Glynda looked back at her. "We don't have time to focus on things like that. We need to defeat the Grimmlords before they can hide in the safety of the night."
"Right," Maria nodded, following her closely. She looked at a door Glynda stopped at, watching the strange knob of the door move, turning into a head.
"Looks like I found some guests," It cackled. "My masters will be so proud. I'll get a promotion. You're Aura users, aren't you? They told me to expect you."
"You were the doorknob?" Maria asked, narrowing her eyes. "Well, now that you've revealed yourself, I think we should just take you out right here."
"You'll die trying," The door man laughed. He emerged from the door, standing taller than Glynda and more muscular than her lithe form. She simply looked at him, cigarette holder back in her mouth as she spit a puff of smoke into his face. He coughed, growling at her with anger in his voice.
"How dare you do that?!" He demanded. "I beat up my girlfriend for looking at me funny! What makes you think I won't do worse to you for that?! Master Salem gave me this power to take what I wanted so I'm going to use it!"
"Because you're a waste of my time," Glynda tapped him with the riding crop she had at her hip, walking past him. "Come along, Maria. We've a date with the masters of this house."
"Yes ma'am," Maria followed, saluting the man who was once a door, the Grimm looking at her with confusion.
"Wait, why isn't she fighting?"
"Well, Norman the Doorman, she doesn't need to. Your body's already coursing with Aura, enough to explode you like an overcharged lightbulb."
The Grimm looked at her with shock as Maria walked away, exploding in a brilliant flash of light and dust, the two Aura wielders having moved on to what looked like an assembly hall. There was a stage on the other side where Hazel sat, looking at the rapidly healing wound that had been inflicted on him by Oscar. He glanced up to see the two women, a strange look in his eyes as he looked at Maria.
"Greetings, Maria, and Glynda," He spoke. "I have been awaiting your arrival here."
"You must be Hazel then," Glynda looked past him, almost scanning the room. "Where's Salem?"
"Mistress Salem should be returning shortly. I am waiting here in her absence."
"Well, where is that breathing coming from?"
Maria, confused at this, looked around to see what source of breathing she could be referring to. Glynda answered her unspoken question by flaring her Aura, lighting up the ceiling. What looked to be at least two hundred Grimm were all around them, crowded on the ceiling. They all had their mouths open, many, many fangs open and ready to descend on them to devour them.
"And, what makes you think you'll succeed here?" Glynda asked. "With all these Grimm? If you don't let us go, the stone is as good as dead."
"You're bluffing," The voice from beside Hazel spoke as Salem strode into the room, standing in front of Glynda. Glynda craned her neck up slightly to reach her eyes, the two staring down, the ancient battle that started millennia ago with the bone masks reaching a climax as the creator of the masks faced off against the last of the Aura masters in a stare down. Glynda, for her part, was collected and unflinching as she stared up at the Amazonian woman, cigarette holder parted to the side of her mouth.
Maria felt a shudder as she felt that ancient battle of her own bloodline itching as it came forward, her blood telling her to do as she was fated and war against the evils of the masks. She clenched her fists, ready to leap in and claim as many lives as she could before she and Glynda were, inevitably, gunned down by the sheer numbers.
"Am I?" Glynda's voice shocked Maria out of her focus. "Are you really going to test me on that? Go ahead, kill me then. But know that if I don't make it back to the stone, I've set an explosive that will destroy it. There will be no salvaging it if you don't. And, if that fails to fully destroy it, my servant will put it in a place so secure not even a thousand of you could breach it."
Maria did her best to hide the confusion in her voice at that statement. She hadn't heard anything about that, which meant it might not be true. But, Glynda did seem to be the secretive type, so it wasn't something she could put past her.
"Looks like you've got a tough choice to make, eh, Salez," Maria taunted, walking over. "Are you planning to risk your entire plan for the deaths of just two people?"
"You I have not finished venting my hatred for," Salem growled. "I will make sure to personally eviscerate you. We won't take the chance."
"Aww, but I think Hazel wanted a fight," Maria put on a pout. "Are you really going to deny him that? The poor guy's been itching for the chance ever since we first met. Do you really wanna disappoint him that much?"
"Yes, Mistress Salem, I would like to fight her," Hazel stood.
"Hazel, we must not take the chance with Aura wielders," Salem cautioned. "That one there has already killed Watts with her own two hands."
"Even so, Mistress Salem, I desire a battle. She is the greatest challenge I have faced in over ten millennia."
"*sigh* very well then. We shall stage a one on one combat. The winners may keep the stone."
Maria's jaw nearly dropped. Salem was swayed by their argument, even if it was the griping of Hazel that had sealed the deal.
"However," She continued, turning to Maria and Glynda. "The master will stay here as collateral. You, Rose, go collect the stone and disable the explosive. Then, return to the area behind this school, the stadium."
Maria gulped softly, nodding once as she glanced at Glynda.
"Go, Maria," She said. "I will be fine. They will honor their word."
Maria gave one last nod before she turned to grab the stone. She gave a salute, running back through the halls of the school.
The Rose arrived back at the building they were staying at within an hour, standing in Glynda's room. She found her bag, opening it to find the stone, the beautiful Fire Dust Stone of Mistral.
"Seems she bluffed her way out of that one," Maria chuckled, pocketing the stone. "Looks like I could learn from that too. But, I wonder what sort of panties she's got. Her ass looks great, so hopefully, there's some great lacy ones. Ooh, I can't wait to see her in those."
She opened her suitcase containing the aforementioned undergarments. To her disappointment, however, they were simply white cotton panties that were extremely bland for Maria. However, under the underwhelming underwear, she noticed a picture frame. She picked it up, nearly dropping it again.
In the picture, there stood a much younger version of Raven and grampa Tai. Next to them was Lionheart, looking like he did when he had surrendered himself to the nature of the bone mask. In Tai's arms was a baby and in Lionheart's arms was a baby.
"Th-This is…" Maria was at a loss for words. She gripped the photo tightly, crazed thoughts whirling around in her head. Who the hell was Glynda Goodwitch? What did she have to do with the events of fifty years ago, since that was when the photo was taken most likely. What was there to this story she was missing? Was she tied up in her own destiny, someone like Ozpin, destined to die to bring about the future?
She pocketed the photo and the stone, hightailing it back to the school and the stadium behind it. She was shocked at the size of it. It seemed almost like a cross between a football stadium and a colosseum. She entered, the Grimmlords standing in the center. Night had fallen and the moon shone brightly on them.
"So, have you brought the stone?" A strange, almost greedy look was in Salem's eyes as she looked at the Rose. Maria held up the Stone, her Aura sending out a powerful beam of rainbow colored light that shot through the wall of the stadium. Glynda walked over at that point. Maria handed her the Stone on top of the photo.
"It would seem I have some explaining to do," Glynda looked at Maria with a strange look Maria had seen before, but was unable to place.
"What do you know of Lionheart, Raven, and grampa Tai?" Maria's voice was not harsh, but it gave no hints of backing down from an answer.
"There were events that happened long before you were born that shaped us as we are today," Glynda looked her in the eyes. "I'm sure your grandfather told you of the baby he saved on that ship fifty years ago?"
"He did."
"That was me. But, because he could not care for two children at once, he gave me to Lionheart to raise. I do regret that you had to kill him, but it was clear that the mask's power called to him in a way he could not refuse. He's better off this way. His envy of Cinder Fall's power was his undoing."
"So, wait, you were a baby fifty years ago?" Maria pointed at her. "Wait, that makes you…"
"There is no way Tai didn't teach you math," Glynda rolled her eyes. "I'm fifty years old. Are you happy with that?"
"I suppose it will have to do for now. Now, we've got a battle to settle."
"We have gathered!" Salem shouted. "Tonight, we shall have a two on two battle to decide the owners of the stone! Hazel and Maria Rose shall go first! This will be a typical joust!"
"A joust?" Maria asked.
"The rules are simple," Salem ignored her. "The jousters will ride and battle with weapons we give them. The one left standing is the victor! Then, I shall fight the Aura Master. We shall see who is victorious!"
Maria stepped up, standing in front of Hazel as two monstrous creatures were brought in. The riders were doing all they could to stay on, failing as the creatures bolted. They rushed straight for Hazel. Hazel stood firm, giving a yell of dominance. The creatures stopped short, mere centimeters from reaching his face. It was now, with them still, that Maria could get a good look at them.
The creatures were massive, hulking beasts. To call them horses would be like calling a wild bear a teddy bear. Their skin, if it could be called that, was black, oozing around them like they were made of tar. It made out the vague shape of a horse, but beyond the shape, it was unrecognizable. Where their faces were, there were white bones that made the rough shape of a horse's skull, but with sharp teeth of white beauty. Their mouths opened all the way, like a snake's, and their maws opened to a gaping blackness that seemed to suck in the light. Behind them, sharp, jagged strands fell behind them, like a horse's tail. Their hooves were white with dangerous looking claws. They stood at least twice as tall as any horse Maria had ever seen, whether in person or in picture.
"These are the mighty horse Grimm!" Salem looked at the creatures with pride. "I have put the masks on these majestic creatures. They have a hundred times the strength of a normal horse and answer to no being, human or Grimmlord. Even Hazel's impressive strength will be hard pressed to control these beasts! They can be controlled with Aura, which will help you control them."
"She's right," Glynda grabbed the reins of the gigantic creature, its ferocity dwindling as it sniffed at her, nuzzling up to her. She pat it on the head, stroking it like a typical horse. "This one is a good girl."
"This competition will be a joust!" Salem announced as the Grimm all cheered. "The joustees will take a weapon from the pole and use it to charge at their opponent. The winner is the one who survives. We will use the clouds covering the moon to determine the start. You may gather your weapons now!"
"I think I'll take this crossbow," Maria reached over, taking it. She looked at the arrow, locking it in before sighting it. She gave it a reflexive squeeze of the trigger. The arrow shot out from the crossbow, shooting toward Hazel. "Uh, oops, heh heh. Sorry."
"Perhaps you would like to wait," Hazel spoke without looking at her from his gaze at the moon.
"Yeah, I think I will."
The Rose took another arrow, locking it in place after coating it with a small amount of oil to conduct Aura. She got up on her 'horse', holding the reins with one hand. The moon moved from behind the cloud and Salem held her hand up, a small ball of metal. Her gravity ability crushed it, making a loud bang.
The two charged at each other. Well, Maria charged while Hazel lost control because his reins were cut. He went off course as Maria rode toward him, sighting the arrow and firing. The arrow struck him in the leg, causing a pinprick of damage, a small Aura wound bubbling.
"Her arrow," Salem mused from her seat. "When she shot the arrow, it was on purpose. Clever."
"Maria isn't someone you can underestimate," Glynda looked at her pupil. "I'll admit even I was surprised she would advance so quickly in the art of Aura."
"No matter," Salem waved her hand. "There are multiple weapons to use in this battle. But, Hazel will be fine."
Hazel had recovered his horse, turning it to charge with reattached reins as he made a beeline for Maria, a long lance in his hand. He ran toward her, but Maria had anticipated that. She intentionally slowed down her horse, jumping off and making a leaping backflip onto Hazel's horse. However, the Grimmlord was nowhere in sight. Maria stood on the horse, looking around. In that moment of her distraction, a hand reached up from the horse and grabbed her, a flaming fist shooting upward toward her. There was an explosion of flame, the sky lighting up orange as Hazel's Fire Blast sent out a deadly wave of fire. Maria was flung backward, landing hard on the ground.
"It looks as if Hazel has claimed her life so early," Salem chuckled. "So much for your protégée."
"Oh?" Glynda scoffed. "Don't count her out just yet. She's not done. Not by a long shot."
Hazel's hand was bent at a strange angle, an arrow embedded through it into the horse. A familiar burn of Aura ran through the both of them, having disabled his arm. It was clear the same had happened to his other arm.
"What?!" Salem stood up. "Impossible!"
"When Hazel had attacked, in that instant, Maria shoved those two arrows through him and into the horse. Of course, the horse should be fine. But, it looks like Maria also left another present with the reins."
The reins wrapped around Hazel's arms had nearly sliced through them. The Grimmlord was lying slumped over on the horse, his will depleted. The horse kept running, unaware of its rider's plight.
"Well, it looks like Maria has proven herself to be the victor here. Without his will, Hazel is just a husk. Years or a warrior's pride evaporated in an instant with the interruption of his attack he was so proud of."
"You'd think," Salem smirked, the blondes sharing a look of determination as they watched their companions fight. "You see, warriors have a switch. Hazel will now flip his."
Hazel looked down at the arrows, slamming his face down onto them. The arrows each pierced an eye, giving him the will and adrenaline to stand fully erect, his eyes gone.
"I believed too much in my eyes," He said, growling in his deep voice. "But, now, I will use the fire to sense you. That will be far more accurate anyway."
With that statement, a tail, fiery and burning emerged from behind him. It was a burning orange color at the roots all the way to the tip. The tip was a bold yellow color, shining and brilliant. It moved as if it were a living flame, burning with the heat of Hazel's conviction. His pride renewed, he turned to face Maria.
"Maria Rose," He declared. "I shall destroy you and use your blood to restore my eyes. And, not, I shall attack with my weapon."
He pulled a huge hammer from his back, hurling it at Maria with a powerful throw. It was such a powerful throw that the hammer seemed to ignite. The Rose just barely managed to dodge, the hammer landing heavily on the ground. It left a huge crater in between Maria's legs, the silver eyed woman staring in shock.
"That was to determine if that was you or the horse," Hazel spoke with clarity, taking out a second hammer. "This will not miss."
This hammer he threw with a curving arc, the hammer spinning and twisting. Maria ducked and tried to jump, but the hammer smashed into her ribs with a sickening crack. She dropped to the ground, sucking in a pained breath as she looked to Hazel. The hammer clattered to the ground as Maria struggled to use her Aura to heal the damage to her ribs. She looked to the hammer, noticing it was an odd little contraption. It seemed to have a trigger and a barrel. Wait, was this thing also a gun? So that's how it ignited…
She reached gingerly for the hammer as Hazel stalked toward her, looking like a predator staring down its prey. The fires around him burst forth in glorious red, orange, and yellow. His tail swished back and forth, almost as if it was alive on its own. Hazel's sightless eyes bored holes into Maria, the Rose glaring weakly at him.
"N-No, stay away!" She threw dirt and rocks at him, which bounced off. "I-I don't want to die!"
The Grimm watching the fight booed and jeered at her, Hazel growing angrier every second as Glynda and Salem mused on this, calmly drinking wine as they waited to see the results.
"Maria!" Hazel's thunderous voice boomed like an atomic explosion. "You… you…"
"Your next line is 'you coward! This duel is honor bound and you disgrace it?!" Maria smirked, coughing up a few flecks of blood as her ribs pushed against her lungs.
"You coward! This duel is honor bound and you disgrace it?!" Hazel screamed. The instant he had said it, he gasped, realizing his error. With a swift motion, Maria whipped the hammer around, a powerful burst of Aura flaring up around the hammer as she pulled the trigger. A sound like an explosion of dynamite erupted from the hammer as it was sent flying toward Hazel. The Grimmlord was too slow to make a movement, unable to dodge as the Aura radiating hammer slammed into him from the force of its blast, shooting through his stomach and out the other side.
Maria was not spared from the recoil, being sent tumbling back, scraping herself against the ground and injuring her arm. It wasn't broken, but damn if it didn't hurt.
She sat up, looking at Hazel, who was sputtering in shock as he felt the hole in his stomach. The Aura wound was beginning to fester, very slowly beginning to spread. That, coupled with the wounds in his arms, Hazel would have to quickly drink Maria's blood to heal himself.
"It would seem that Hazel once again underestimated her," Glynda spoke.
"It would," Salem conceded. For all of Hazel's planning, he really did underestimate that human.
"This is my last act before I heal myself with your blood," Hazel spoke, Salem's eyes zeroing in on him like a laser.
"He wouldn't…"
"Wouldn't what?" Glynda felt the tension in Salem's voice at that point, looking at Hazel.
"Don't do it, Hazel!" She shouted, standing up. "You won't survive that in this state!"
Hazel's body began to grow what looked like fur, but was really millions of tendrils of orange fire gathering around him. His eye sockets turned solid black, smoke pouring from them. What was most impressive was the heat he was generating. Maria was no less than a hundred yards from him and she could feel sweat pouring off of herself.
"With this, I shall cleanse the earth of you, Maria Rose!" Hazel began gathering fire into himself. Maria crawled as best she could over to him, her Aura working overtime to make such a feat possible. She grabbed a bottle of oil she kept in her pocket to use with her Aura, throwing it at him. The oil jar broke, splattering over him. The fires in that spot grew more intense as he gathered it in, Maria's band she had taken from Oscar moving toward Hazel. Maria watched it, seeing how it burned up and was absorbed into Hazel.
Hazel gasped, feeling the band and what it had done. With a violent shudder, his body exploded, the fires he had built up exploding outward, incinerating the Grimm closest to him. Maria was just barely spared from the explosion, only taking minor damage.
She stood shakily, walking over to the husk that was Hazel, the head of the warrior having fallen to the ground.
"Maria," His voice was strained, hoarse as he called out to her.
"I'm here," Maria spoke softly, feeling her eyes tear up for some reason.
"Please, drink the antidote. While I am still living. I know you have it and I know you haven't drunk it. I wish to see your victory."
Maria nodded, drinking the antidote, feeling the last explosive dissolving away. Hazel smiled, nodding.
"Thank you, my… friend," He whispered. "You have made me happy in my last moments. It was a neat trick you did with the Aura on that band soaking up with the oil to disrupt my attack."
"What can I say?" Maria chuckled. "I'm good at my job."
"That you are. Thank you for a true battle. You have given me a real fight, even if it depended on some luck on your part."
"Luck is on my side," Maria grinned. She sliced open her wrist, dropping some blood on him.
"Wh-What are you doing?"
"Letting you rest in peace. Go on to your next life with no pain."
"Th-Thank you. I suppose you understood my sentiment at letting the bubble survive?"
"I did. You are a true warrior of honor and it knows no bounds."
"That is the greatest thing I could ever hear from you."
At that instant, over a dozen Grimm rushed Maria and attempted to kill her. Before they could, however, Hazel's tail flared to life, all of the Grimm being consumed in fire.
At this, Salem stood, bowing her head. "A brave warrior to the end," She spoke quietly. Glynda glanced over at her, watching Maria.
"Useless trash," Hazel growled, focusing once again on Maria. "But, you, Maria Rose, are a warrior. Though your methods are a bit unconventional, you sure do know how to fight like a warrior. Be safe. Despite my loyalty to Mistress Salem, I wish you luck."
With that, he breathed one last time, his body turning to dust. Maria looked down, not sure what she felt. She gave a salute, turning to face Salem and Glynda.
"Salem," She pointed, a choked voice escaping her throat. "You're next!"
Two of the creators of the masks are dead. What will happen to the third? Will she reign victorious? Or, will she fall by the hands of the wielders of Aura? Whose side is fate on?
Bonus points if you pick up on the teaser I put in the chapter for a future part.