Author's note: Did I really write an 18 page fight scene? Yes. Yes, I did, it seems. Enjoy! Ah, also, I answer some questions that might come up at the end, after the chapter.
Chapter 31: The Price To Be Paid
"This… is really bad", said Yang.
"You don't say," shot back Weiss.
The two of them were currently crouched over, concealed behind a boulder.
"Quiet," hissed the gigantic woman next to them.
Cautiously, she craned her neck and looked over the boulder. Yang carefully followed suit, making sure not to make any noise as she did so. Her eyes widened when she spotted him. He was taller than any human she had ever seen, and much bigger, with a frame so powerful, it looked as though he could crush a mountain with his bare hands. His skin was pale, and his scarlet hair flowed constantly upwards like a flame, disregarding gravity. He was armed with a red spear whose entire body was made of some unidentifiable substance that was neither metal nor wood. Yang could tell from a single glance at it, however: it was no ordinary weapon.
She ducked back down again, heart pounding in her chest.
"We're up against that?" she muttered.
"Incorrect," said Valkyrie. "We are escaping from that. And why haven't you informed Dante yet?"
"Because Scrolls don't work with all the demon energy static you guys are giving off," said Yang. She was still unsure about this whole situation. Although she'd known from the get-go that the mission was to help Penny get to Hoperow to reunite with her mother, who happened to be one of the Five, this whole working with demons thing wasn't something she was entirely comfortable yet. While it was one thing to trust Dante, she didn't know the so-called Five at all. A part of her was actually shocked that the four-armed giantess next to her hadn't slashed them all to pieces by now for no reason other than just because.
Valkyrie gritted her teeth in annoyance.
They needed help. The best case scenario was Dante arriving on the scene.
But if he couldn't be reached, then the next best person to deal with Cu Chulainn was Atlas. The stone titan was more than a match for his Warp Spasm, and may very well be the only member of the Five who could beat down the Hound in a direct contest of strength. Valkyrie mentally located Malevar.
"Snake. Can your telepathy reach Atlas from here?"
"I thought you were against bringing him here because guarding the town is sssssooooo important?"
"Save your smart comments for later! If the Hound gets away, he will be more trouble than he is worth. Furthermore, we might not survive without Atlas' help."
"Tough luck, as the humansssss say. I can speak to Atlas from here, but I cannot transport him here. Remember: his true form is larger than this universsssse. Powerful I may be, but I cannot teleport a Titan."
Valkyrie swore mentally.
They were running out of options here.
Unlike Malevar and herself, Atlas could neither fly nor teleport. Even if he were to run, it would take time for him to reach this place. And in any case, if he did run, they would have to deal with an even bigger earthquake than the one the Warp Spasm caused.
"Can you reach out to Dante, then?" she asked the Serpent.
"He is outside my reach. I can sense his power, but he is too far away for me to speak with him."
"Damn it all! Then we are on our own."
"Calm yourssssself. We are not without hope of victory."
"And how do you suggest we win, Snake?"
If Malevar was annoyed in any way by her condescending tone, he didn't let it show. While he had not taken part in the fight against Cu Chulainn until the very end, he had watched it all, and carefully analysed the legendary warrior's abilities. And while he wasn't overly fond of Valkyrie, or even the other members of the Five, his goals were aligned with theirs. Meaning, he needed to make sure they survived. And he also needed to make sure that the humans they had run into survived.
It would be a waste to lose valuable research subjects.
And in any case, the success of their entire endeavour hinged on proving to Dante that demons could be protectors and allies of humans.
"Stay hidden," he replied to her. "Wait until I tell you to move. And when I do, follow my instructionsssss to the letter. If you have any wish to survive."
The Serpent turned his attention to the two humans next to him.
Entirely by chance, when they had all scrambled to hide from Cu Chulainn, two of them had ended up choosing the same spot as Valkyrie… while the other two had chosen the same spot as himself.
Blake and Ruby were both as far away from him as they could be without coming out of the bushes and revealing themselves.
Malevar mentally rolled his eyes. He had seen this exact reaction so many times, he had lost count. Not even bothering with the formalities, he decided to get straight to the point.
"You two… you are warriors among your kind, are you not? You are what the humansssss here call 'huntersssss'."
Ruby and Blake both stared at him in awe when they realised that he was speaking directly into their minds.
"Holy shit. He can telepathize!"
"Ruby, that's not an actual word."
Malevar's forked tongue flicked out for a moment, and he had to consciously stop himself from hissing in irritation.
"As much as I enjoy being ssssstared at in awe, sssssave it for later. You are both warriors, yes?"
Slowly, the two huntresses-in-training nodded.
"Then you will be of use here."
"Of use?" said Ruby. She didn't entirely like the sound of that coming from a giant, very evil looking snake.
"Yes. We need all the strength we can muster, in order to fight Cu Chulainn."
"We're going to fight him?!"
Blake didn't even bother to keep the disbelief and fear out of her voice. As a Faunus, she was far more attuned to her natural instincts than the others in her team, and every single one of those instincts were telling her how incredibly dangerous the enormous spearman was. He didn't just happen to be the one hunting them right now: in every possible way, all of them were prey, and he was the super predator.
"Good. You are afraid. That is good indeed," said Malevar.
The situation was tense enough that Blake didn't even comment on the fact that the Serpent could read her emotions.
"How on Remnant is it a good thing?"
"Becaussssee fearlessness is a symptom of idiocy. Only a fool fearssss nothing. Fear breeds caution… and caution breeds survival."
"And you know how to survive against him?"
"Yes. But we will need to work together for the plan to ssssucceed."
Cu Chulainn looked around, searching for the smallest glimpse of his targets. Neither Valkyrie nor Malevar were anywhere in sight. He could smell them, but could not use their scent to track them: the air in the forest was strange. If he had to guess, something in here was warping the space here. But he at least knew that his prey were nearby. And they weren't the only ones. He could smell one additional demon, though he wasn't familiar with her. There were humans too. Four of them.
How exactly they had ended up here, he had no idea. Perhaps they were simply travellers lost in this strange forest. Well, he had no business with mortals. So long as they didn't get in his way, he had no reason to go after them.
Hmm… how do I force them out of hiding?
The idea occurred that he could leap into the air and use Gae Bolg to destroy the entire forest.
But that seemed so easy, it would take the fun out of the whole thing.
Perhaps there was another way.
Reaching into himself, he found his demonic power, and projected it outward.
Back during his time as a demigod on Earth, this technique had been useful against elite warriors. Later on, once he had become a demon, there hadn't been too many occasions when it made sense to use it. But now seemed like the perfect time.
As his demonic energy was projected in every direction, so was his presence, and with it, the aura of fear he caused in his enemies.
It was a psychological bluff, but given how strong he was, it was extremely potent, enough to make his prey believe that there were suddenly tens of Cu Chulainns in the forest, coming at them from every direction.
As expected, he heard panicked shouts.
And there we go.
"Too easy."
He threw his spear in the direction of a tall, four-armed silhouette.
Only for it to pass clean through, even as the figure dissipated as though it had been made of smoke.
"What?"
He sensed demonic energy approaching from above, and quickly stepped backward, avoiding being impaled by a descending thrust.
"Ambush tactics from the original Berserker? Just what has the world come to?" he said, shaking his head.
"Save the lecture on honour for when you give up that spear," replied Valkyrie. "We all take what advantages we can."
Cu Chulainn chuckled. "So that's what it is, is it? Well, it isn't as though the outcome will change."
He charged forward, spear held ready to pierce through the Berserker Queen.
Mid-charge, he sensed someone approaching him at high speed.
Eh? There are humans who can move that fast?
Without changing his trajectory, he simply spun around, lashing out with a heel kick even as he continued heading towards Valkyrie.
Ruby managed to change directions at the last moment, barely avoiding having her head knocked off her shoulders.
In truth, she was nowhere near fast enough to react to the Child of Light. However, she had begun to dodge before he had even started his kick, because she had been warned it was coming.
"Charge at him, but abandon the charge before you even get close. He will sense you coming, and counter your attack," Malevar had said.
"Then what's the point of even charging in the first place?" Ruby had asked.
The Serpent had smiled.
"To distract him."
As the huntress looked on, Cu Chulainn's whiffed kick left him open for a fraction of a second. It was at that precise moment that Yang appeared next to him. She wouldn't have been fast enough to close the distance in such a small window of time, but she didn't need to: Malevar had teleported her there.
The desperation ultra-technique that burned through almost her entire store of Aura was unleashed in a devastating overhead punch.
Ember Celica crashed into Cu Chulainn's face, cracking upon impact.
Yet, the force behind the blow managed to knock the giant off his feet.
Even as he was sent spinning, the Hound had already begun his counterattack. He had been planning on sparing the humans, but they had gotten involved.
A vicious slash screamed through the air, so fast that Yang didn't see it coming, so powerful that it wouldn't have mattered even if she had gotten her arm up to block.
It did not connect.
Yang had not imagined that her strongest attack would have been barely enough to force the demon spearman to counter, but Malevar had known. And he could not afford to lose his pieces this early in the game.
The Serpent teleported his rook out of the way, and instead unleashed a different piece.
Gae Bolg's counter-slice cut through trees entire metres away from the sheer air pressure it generated, but even Cu Chulainn was open for a fraction of a second after his attack whiffed… normally. The genius spearman would not fall for the same strategy twice.
If my attack is horizontal, they'll want to avoid the plane it's on. They'll come from above.
Prepared this time, he reacted as soon as another presence appeared, above him, just as he had predicted.
Leaping off the ground, he launched a spinning uppercut that smashed into his would-be attacker. Anyone else would have had their body broken immediately.
But Blake just so happened to be capable of making clones of herself.
The true attack came from below, as Malevar opened a portal in the ground itself for her to come out of.
Gambol Shroud bit into the back of Cu Chulainn's right knee, slicing his hamstring.
The spearman almost dropped to one knee.
Almost.
His brief stumble was the opening Ruby needed to fire off shots from Crescent Rose.
Ordinary bullets would not so much as have been able to pierce a demon lord's skin. But Dante had long ago taught his students how to charge their weapons with Aura. To make sure, however, Malevar had also reinforced each projectile with his own formidable Magic.
Disoriented though Cu Chulainn had been, he was still able to react, spinning Gae Bolg in a circle and deflecting the shots with ease.
Yet, the layers of distractions had not ended.
One member of Team RWBY remained, and by now, she had been bought enough time to use her Glyphs.
Ice sprouted from the ground, encasing Cu Chulainn's legs entirely.
"Cheap tricks," muttered the warrior.
He knew that another attack must be coming.
So when a cloud of Summoned Swords appeared above him, he was ready.
Instead of letting the Swords shoot towards him, he swung his spear, the resulting shockwave shattering them all as though they were made of thin glass.
"You've grown predictable, Hound."
Even as the voice spoke, Summoned Swords rose upward from the very ice holding him, piercing through him from all around.
His golden eyes widened in fury.
He stared at Malevar, who had finally revealed himself, seemingly to gloat.
"Treacherous snake," he growled. "I'll use your skin as a rug after I'm done with you."
"Tssssk tsssssk. You don't undersssstand yet, do you? There is no 'after'. You made the mistake of underestimating your enemy."
"You think this level of attack can harm me? You are merely delaying the inevitable."
"Time is power. And these attacks have bought us plenty of it."
As Malevar spoke, another figure appeared.
Cu Chulainn stared at her in surprise. There were two Valkyries? No… the one that had attacked him initially had been a fake from the beginning.
The one that had appeared now was chanting in a low voice.
Belatedly, he realised that none of the attacks so far had been meant to do any damage. Instead, they had all been meant to distract him from her, so that she could finish her chant. While demons were capable of casting Magic simply with a thought, there was a benefit to chanting. On a subconscious level, sounds and sights, feelings, had psychological impact. They served to make the caster believe that they were feeling powerful.
And belief was the foundation of all Magic.
Thus, the spell cast by a demon lord of the highest level, with a full incantation behind it…
… held unbelievable power.
[OST: Dark Souls 3- Yhorm Theme]
"... From the Earth they shall rise, out of their graves. From the Ashes, they will emerge. The noble dead will walk the world once more. The faithful who braved hell will return.
Rise, for now is your time.
Rise, and bless the world with destruction.
Rise, and purify all with your rage."
As Valkyrie finished her chant, the spell was complete.
All around them, the ground began to crack. The roots of trees that had held the soil together, growing stronger over thousands of years, were torn apart, as the very earth was broken open. The entire forest began to collapse.
Team RWBY looked on in awe and fear.
A cold drop of sweat rolled down Yang's face.
"What in the actual hell…"
Above, the sky, finally visible because the canopy of trees was gone, began to change colour, turning from blue to red.
A moment later, it shattered.
Hands began to reach out from the void that lay beyond the sky, as figures crawled into Remnant from another dimension.
The same happened below, as the hands that had torn the ground apart now began to reach out, and pull their owners out of the earth.
Hands covered in bandages, gloves, gauntlets of various kinds. Hands holding spears, axes, knives, swords, cutlasses, guns.
As RWBY looked on, they emerged.
Brave warriors from every generation of humanity who had died on Earth, whose souls had all attained Valhalla. Their forms glowed, solid, yet ethereal, long past the bounds that restricted the living. For as far as the eye could see, countless spectres stood, ready for battle, their crimson eyes focused on Cu Chulainn, ready to tear him apart at their mistress' word.
All the while, the world continued to change.
The forest they had been standing in disappeared entirely.
All of a sudden, they were standing on a snow-covered field.
In the distance, a massive golden hall was visible, out of which yet more warriors were emerging.
"Where… how… what even…"
"We are no longer in your world," answered Malevar. "This is Valhalla. A dimensional space created from the manifested faith of millions of warriors. It just so happens that the four-armed brute is the ruler of this place."
It took a moment for what he had said to sink in, since what he was describing simply did not go with the rules of reality as any of them knew them.
"She's the ruler of a literal world?" said Yang.
"... You could put it that way. Though there's not much to be sssssaid for ruling a world of dead sssssouls. There were two wayssss she could have done this. One was sssssummoning all of her warriors to Remnant. But that would have been problematic for your world. The alternative was to bring the battle to Valhalla. But to do that, we had to ensure that Cu Chulainn couldn't move, jussssst for a brief while, so that he would be pulled into the sssspell."
He looked at the spearman.
"Do you understand yet? You have lossst. You will perish here. In a world far from any of your homes. Not the sun. Not Ireland. And not the demon world. You will become one more corpse to join all those that reside here… for eternity."
Cu Chulainn looked at him in silence for a moment.
Then, he broke the ice holding him effortlessly.
He took a step forward, and looked down in surprise when he stumbled.
He had been expecting that his demonic regeneration would have healed the wound by now.
How… how can this be?
His eyes widened as he remembered that it had been inflicted by a human.
While humans were incapable of even putting a scratch on demons in most circumstances, there was more to the matter than met the eye at first. While most of hell's denizens were unaware, Cu Chulainn knew the truth.
Demons contained the power descended from Lucifer, the power to reshape the world as one saw fit.
But they were sundered forever from Divinity, since the original fallen angel had given up on it long ago.
On the other hand, while human beings could scarcely reshape the world even with all their might and technology, they were full of the very Divinity that demons lacked.
It was given many names.
But Cu Chulainn believed it was heart.
The thing that humans possessed, and demons did not.
As such, a human that learned to channel that heart, that spirit, was capable of slaying demons.
And on Remnant, all human warriors were taught to channel that very heart, that very spirit, in the form of Aura.
It was ironic. He had already sensed the energy of the human warriors here. Their Aura could not protect them from him. Yet, that same Aura was capable of harming him.
He had been evaluating his opponents purely on the basis of their strength. Humans were inherently at a disadvantage against demons since they could not match them physically.
Yet, they had something that gave them the ability to strike a fatal blow against demons.
He had forgotten to factor that in.
And it was the very same heart that Cu Chulainn had given up, when he had chosen to become a demon.
That was how he had ended up in this situation.
All around him, the countless legendary warriors who had earned their place in the Hall of the Dead, along with their mistress. Aiding them, the Serpent himself, as well as that strange fledgling demon. And with them, the four humans who had made it all possible.
Worst of all, this was in a different dimension. Whatever sun was giving its light to this place was not the one from which he gained his strength, meaning he could not enter a Warp Spasm here.
All the cards were against him.
To the shock of everyone, he nodded his head. It took them all a second to realise he was bowing.
"Very well. From this point, I will fight in earnest."
Spinning his spear overhead, he hefted it into a high grip behind him while entering a low stance. His right leg, which he could no longer move normally, was in front, forced into a bent position using mechanical leverage rather than muscular contraction.
[OST: Skyrim- Dragonborn, metal version (Jonathan Young)]
A long time ago, a child was born in Ireland. The circumstances of his birth were a miracle, and it was said that he was the son of the Sun himself.
The dead souls of Valhalla charged in from every direction.
As they closed in, Cu Chulainn launched himself forward using his left leg.
Blades swung at him from all around. Hundreds upon hundreds rushed in to face him head-on, even as hundreds more shot at him from a distance, bullets, arrows and spears alike raining down on him.
Yet, not a single one of them managed to touch him.
From a young age, this child possessed transcendent might and skill.
Every projectile and blade was deflected flawlessly, even as he countered. The Spear of Certain Death tore through the bodies of deceased warriors, bringing them down.
Trained by Scathach, and tutored by kings, he was raised to be an invincible protector of his people.
In the distance, a rumbling was heard.
Enormous tanks came into view, the spectres of machines that had been destroyed during Earth's great wars, driven by the same soldiers that had piloted them in life.
Artillery shells crashed around the spearman, their explosions shredding the ground and covering him with clouds of shrapnel, dust and smoke.
Out of the clouds he leapt. In mid-air, he flipped downward, throwing his spear with his foot.
Steel armour could not withstand the demonic spear, which pierced through them all, leaving trails of explosions in its wake.
Yet, the seeds of tragedy had already been sown.
By his own hand did his best friend die.
And by his own hand did his son die.
All the result of human machinations.
The very same humans he was supposed to protect.
With those he loved gone, and his faith in humanity lost, Ireland's greatest warrior faced his foes in one last battle.
Forced to break his own oaths, spiritually weakened, he was eventually killed, though he refused to kneel, even at the very end.
Betrayed and defeated, the noble warrior forsook his humanity, willingly choosing hell.
Landing next to the destroyed tanks, Cu Chulainn grabbed one by the barrel of its cannon and leapt into the air once more, lifting the entire tank with him.
Spinning, he hurled the charred engine of war right into the ranks of the dead warriors, where it landed, crushing several of them under its weight.
Instead of allowing himself to descend, he summoned a demonic glyph, launching forward off it, right into the thick of the enemy.
From warrior to warrior he leapt, biting their throats out with his sharp fangs as he went.
Finally landing, he dashed forward, continuing to use his right leg as a crutch, always making sure his knee was locked due to mechanical positioning, and adjusting his balance and movements accordingly.
And all the while, his spear never missed its mark, piercing and slashing through every enemy who dared approach.
The Hound was fighting an entire legion of humanity's best… and he was winning.
"As expected of Hell's greatest spearman," said Valkyrie. "Your legend will live forever."
Cu Chulainn did not reply.
He had already sensed them approaching.
Valhalla wasn't simply home to the many humans who believed in Valkyrie. It was also home to the many, many demons who had fought and died for her.
Armies of Frosts, Assaults, Demonic Knights, and even Valkyrie's sisters from her own tribe, all came forth.
Instead of backing down, Cu Chulainn stood firm.
Calling upon his knowledge of runes from his training under Scathach, he utilised a desperation technique that was only possible for him.
While it was impossible for him to enter a true Warp Spasm without the power of the sun available, it was also true that a fragment of the sun's power was always within him.
"Amplify."
Runes appeared next to him.
A simple amplification wouldn't be able to enhance the solar power within him by much. But it would be enough.
His frame enlargened, muscles bunching. He clenched his jaw. Maintaining a partial transformation like this was extremely painful. He was far stronger than he was in his normal form, but not strong enough to contain that power properly. The smallest movement, when performed incorrectly, had the risk of tearing his body to pieces. It was a power that could only be used by a warrior who made no mistakes.
And Cu Chulainn happened to be such a warrior.
"False Riastrad- Warp Spasm of the Sane."
Unlike the true Warp Spasm, he retained his senses completely in this state, combining his flawless mastery of technique and all his skills with the immense strength of the berserker boost.
Valkyrie and Malevar could both sense the dramatic growth in his demonic aura.
But they had come too far to back down now. The only choices were victory or death.
When the Hound leapt forward with one leg, his movement cracked the entire ground. A chasm formed that spanned the distance to the horizon.
His leap had cracked the shadow-Earth on which Valhalla was built.
The demonic hordes still charged forward to meet him, even as the very planet began to fall apart.
Neither side acknowledged the possibility of retreat or surrender.
Each swing of Gae Bolg wiped entire legions of demons away, the mere air pressure from the blows smashing mountains and leaving canyons in the ground, reshaping the environment.
Yang struggled to stay on her feet as the ground trembled violently.
"You guys really didn't think this plan through, did you?" she shouted.
"There is no such thing as a foolproof plan," replied Valkyrie through clenched teeth. Her eyes were fixed on the Hound. She would fight to the bitter end, but that end might be approaching quickly.
Cu Chulainn had already annihilated more than half of her army single-handedly.
It was a loss that could never be made up.
Yet, she continued to fight.
Strangely, she did not feel regret emanating from any of her warriors. In the last moments of those who had perished, all she felt from them was fulfilment.
As though they had found meaning at last.
A warrior protects.
I understand now, at last.
The realisation came upon her suddenly, like cold water washing over her.
And as soon as it came, she knew what she must do.
She looked at the humans.
"Should I die here, a portal out of this place will automatically appear. As soon as you escape through it, it will close. Powerful Cu Chulainn may be, but he has no way out of here."
She turned to Penny.
"You. You are still young. Too young to die. Escape with the humans, and find your way to your mother."
Having given her final instructions, she looked at Cu Chulainn, and began to walk towards him.
Hmph. Guess I got my wish after all.
She would die at the hands of a peerless warrior.
"Sssssss…. Always the show-off."
Malevar had slithered up next to her.
"What are you doing here, Snake?"
"Is it not obviousssss? There is a battle to be fought."
She looked at him incredulously.
"YOU plan to fight? You?"
"I take no pleasure in it," he replied. "But it seems you are incapable of getting the job done on your own, even with your entire army's help. So, I must partake in the fighting myself."
Valkyrie began to laugh.
"I lived my entire life without any sense of meaning. And right before I die, I experience miracle after miracle. Fate, it seems, is not without its sense of humour."
As they spoke, Cu Chulainn fought the last remnants of Valkyrie's legion.
As his spear cut them down, Valkyrie spread her wings, both sets of them, and launched herself at him.
The two warriors collided, with Malevar watching.
"These brutes will never change, will they? Well, I ssssuppose I should get to work, and finish this off."
[OST Dark Souls 3: Pontiff Sulyvahn theme]
Valkyrie had honestly, truly believed that the climax of his strategy, the end-goal of the distractions caused by team RWBY and Penny, had been to allow her to trap Cu Chulainn in her dimension, Valhalla.
And Malevar had let her believe that.
A warrior could never see past the fight. That was the blessing and curse of all great fighters.
Their entire world revolved around the fight.
And thus, in a way, their entire world revolved around themselves.
Valkyrie had needed to believe that her efforts could stop Cu Chulainn. And it was true that they would play a part in stopping him.
That was why Malevar had let her believe so.
Contrary to what the reader might think, the Serpent was not dismissive of the warriors' way of life. In his own way, he respected it. After all, it was not a way he could ever adopt. He admired their courage, their ability to face life head-on.
And so, it came to him to make sure that all of this was not in vain.
He began chanting.
This wasn't a spell he could ever use on Remnant.
After all, that was a world that needed to survive.
"I am the dark at the end of all things, the final page on the book, the breaking of all thoughts. Let my will be as the death of time, and the death of worlds. I am Armageddon, Ragnarok made flesh, the Twilight of all who live. I feel no rage, only serenity. I feel no sorrow, only peace. I feel no regret, only acceptance.
To life, death.
To beginnings, an end.
To existence, nothingness…"
His chanting was heard by Penny, who realised with horror what he was doing.
"No… you can't…"
She began to rush towards him. She had to stop him now, before he finished the spell.
Malevar heard her coming, and without even turning or stopping, cast another spell.
Mid-fight, Valkyrie realised that her control over the realm had slipped.
Despite her not having willed it, a portal opened next to her, and she was pulled towards it.
"What…?!"
Similar portals opened next to Penny and team RWBY as well, and they all felt themselves being pulled into them.
As they were being forcibly removed from Valhalla, they looked on as Malevar faced Cu Chulainn, who looked at the absolute end of his patience.
"SNAAAAKKEEE! Must you take even this from me?! The chance for an honourable death?!"
"There is no honour in battle, you blind fool!" shouted Malevar. "Where is the honour in creatures killing each other for their own desires? It is all simply a struggle for survival. Nothing more. Don't use your moral codes as an excuse here. You are no more honourable than I am."
As everyone looked on, Malevar's form began to shift and change.
The one who had once crawled on his belly now stood tall on two legs.
Cu Chulainn was beyond outraged.
"How dare you… in front of me? In front of me of all people you disobey the ancient decree?"
Malevar swept his silver hair out of his eyes with one hand.
"You witless worms know nothing about the ancient decree."
Continuing his incantation as though he had never stopped, he channelled the demonic energy he had built up.
"Cease existence. Return to nothing. Apocalypse… UNLEASH!"
The true nature of his spell was laid bare, as the very air around them all began to fracture, cracking apart and falling as though made of so many tiny shards of glass.
Reality itself was eroding.
Far too late, Valkyrie realised that this had been Malevar's plan all along.
He had never needed her warriors' help to defeat Cu Chulainn.
He had simply needed her to bring him here, so that he could trap him in this place… and then destroy the entire dimension, with him still inside.
"Snake… you used me… used us all."
"... And you served your purpose well."
The next moment, she felt herself being hurled out of Valhalla, leaving it one final time.
Suddenly, she was back in Remnant, in the ruined forest where they had been before.
A few metres away were the humans, along with the Seer's daughter.
And finally, there was Malevar, who was still in the human form he had somehow taken.
Valkyrie stared at him with hatred, but she was exhausted. Fighting Cu Chulainn twice on top of forcing Valhalla to manifest physically had taken its toll on her. She was in no condition to deal with him at the moment.
"Why?" was all she asked.
Before he could answer, the air ripped open once more, as the veil between dimensions was torn open.
Malevar stared in absolute shock.
Battered, bloody, and stumbling somehow on one functioning leg, but still alive, Cu Chulainn stepped forward onto Remnant.
Post Chapter Note:
FAQs:
1) Why did Blake's attack hurt Cu Chulainn while Yang's much more powerful attack didn't?
Answer: Demonic reality warping is based to a great extent on what a demonic thinks/believes. While Aura is able to negate the protection offered by demonic power to an extent, it isn't always able to overcome it completely. Cu Chulainn thought that the knife in the leg did more damage than the punch that landed on his face, so that's what happened. The follow-up question is why demons don't really think perfect win-conditions into existence. And the answer to that is that it's not that simple. Simply thinking something isn't enough. It has to be something the demon believes in completely. This is why so much emphasis is placed on the physical, since it greatly influences the subconscious.
2) What is Valhalla?
Answer: It's a separate dimension, similar to the one Mundus created when fighting Dante. Meaning, it's a replica of our universe, though, as Lucifer pointed out, it's not necessarily a complete replica. In Valhalla's case, it's a realm several times larger than our galaxy, and contains all the celestial bodies located within that space. Think of it as a partial replica of our universe, though only the Earth is populated.
3) When will Dante appear?
Answer: Either in the next chapter or the one after that. Bear in mind, the direction the plot is going in hinges crucially on the other characters. That includes team RWBY, the Twins, Lucifer, the Five, Glynda, Qrow, Winter, Ozpin, and several others. That means that I have to spend a corresponding number of chapters setting up all these events. Of course, there is a temptation to skip these, but I really hope you won't. I think the payoff that will eventually come will be well worth a little bit of patience for now. And of course, if you're enjoying what I'm doing with the other characters, then that makes me really happy because my goal is to write something fun. Don't worry: this is still a Dante-centric fic, and that won't change. I don't want to give any spoilers away, but the final art of this story will feature an extended section that delves even deeper into Dante's character and gives him (hopefully) some real, meaningful struggles. I want to stress that this won't be a no-stakes story probably hasn't even gotten to its really dark bits yet.