Remnant burns, and the Gods are dead, all that's left is those who fight hopeless battle of survival…
There are no more cities, no more towns, no more villages. Men's machinations, all that they had accomplished, nothing but pillars of salt to uncaring winds. Death is the norm, each day the slaughter draws nearer to conclusion. A desperation never before seen, her mightiest heroes scattered and defeated. Soon, Remnant will have no remains, nothing more than her dark followers shall inherit the world!
A woman in a white cloak ran with her children. They were heading towards a large metallic ship. Nova Atlas, constructed from the shell of the dead city of Atlas. She stood, the only remaining beacon of humanity. A crow flew next to her, transforming into a man who wielded a scythe. He looked at her, tears in his eyes. She knew what it meant, and she sobbed while running.
"Taiyang isn't coming, isn't he?" She asked the shapeshifter.
He ran with her, replying with a solemn tone, "No…"
"What happened, Qrow?" She inquired with fear as she hears the damned howls.
Qrow, the shapeshifter just looks dead ahead, "They've breached The Hot Gate Wall."
"By the Gods…" Summer gasped but then remembered, "There's no stopping her now…"
Qrow put a finger to his ear, "This is Commander Brawen, I repeat Hot Gates have fallen. We have to begin Exodus Protocol immediately!"
He got a reply, an equally gruff man, "Qrow, how long do we have?"
"I didn't see her among their number, but she's hunting them, James." Qrow told the man over the earwig, "Damn it all this is it, the end!"
"May our ancestors preserve us," The voice of James said over the earwig, "Because the Gods aren't here anymore…"
That was the end of the call, Qrow cursed as he grabbed the little silver-eyed girl running with her mother. She began to cry, asking for her father. He had to bite his lip hard, to the point of bleeding, just so he could put on a stern face. Damn Ozma, Damn The Witch, and The Gods that allowed this to even occur!
The family of four ran, faster and faster!
The End, the end came sudden it seemed, but it was already in motion for millennia. Many names for the demon who wrought, but The Witch was the one that stuck. Her designs insured brothers slit each other's throats, sisters clawed their eyes out. Promising power, promising wealth, leadership, a deal maker! The Gods punished her, but in doing so sowed the seeds of The End.
James Ironwood, the last general of Remnant watched as thousands of people attempted to board Nova Atlas. All his greatest minds knew this was the last chance for humanity to survive this war. Qrow Brawen was on his way with the last two people that could ever potentially end The Witch. His former master, Ozma, was too little and too late in action. Her machinations far surpassed his, and now they all faced the guillotine. Every man, woman, and child!
"Blast it all, Jacques Schnee, you damned traitor!" He screamed as he thought of the man who handed her the relic of creation.
His daughters were on board, but it was only out of his loyalty to Winter Schnee, that he allowed her sister to join. Their mother, broken with guilt, chose the path of sacrifice. Jacques was out there somewhere, he knew, leading these Grimm warbands. A fallen angel, now serving a darker Goddess, and he couldn't do nothing. He was half machine already, and then saw it.
The massive light, followed by clouds splitting apart. The final countermeasures had activated, his most powerful weapons. With them, if war had been between humans, these would've shattered cities. Now these weapons were mere stopgaps!
He placed his hand on his earwig, "Qrow, get them here, now!"
A woman with snow white hair, and icy blue eyes joined him. She was dressed in full battle gear, and he looked at her.
"She's coming, isn't she, General?" She questioned, a hint of fear in her voice.
General James Ironwood looked upon the darkening horizon, and he answered with solemn acceptance, "Yes, Lieutenant Schnee…she is…"
"There's too many people here," Winter said as she gazed at them.
Ironwood nodded, grim resolution filled his face, "Do we have more than five hundred aboard?"
"Yes sir," Winter answered as she looked at the crowds. "We promised to wait."
"Winter…" He started but then found his stiff upper lip, "We shall hold fast."
Winter nodded, and took a deep breath, "I'll board Nova Atlas with you, last."
"Winter, in these dark times, heroes like you are rare. However, please, I am begging to you get back on the ship. If I should fall, its up to you." Ironwood stated, putting a hand on her shoulder while giving her a small smile.
Ironwood turned to the people, "Ambrosius, the relic of creation's spirit, does he know it'll kill him?"
"He does," Winter grimly answered, "He is the last of his kind."
"We were damned fools, trusting that Ozpin…Ozma, whatever the hell he wanted to call himself. He acted too slow, and we paid the price. You're not responsible for your father's actions, but not only do I need you to live to continue leading us…you need to live for Weiss." Ironwood told her before stepping down the platform, "I shall board when everyone else has."
Winter looked away, slightly crying, "Y-yes sir."
Atlas fell first, a star from heaven, shattering her sister city of Mantle. In the madness of civil war between Faunus, and humans. She revealed herself, and a world went mad. She found followers in cultist, the greedy, and those few powerful supplanters. Atlas was the beginning, and her death sparked the flames of The End. Her malicious smile grew, her wish ever growing closer!
Ghira Belladonna walked the hall of Atlas Nova, in the Faunus Quarter. He made sure they were getting blankets, and getting settled in. Some families were mixed with human ones, in death, Equality found its place. He continued walking, finding his only daughter helping to give out blankets with a Schnee girl. Ghira walked up to her, kissed her on her head, and then walked toward a guard. He grabbed the man's gun, and spare ammo, looked him dead in the eye.
"The young deserve a future," He told the young human guard. "You do well to foster this, protect this, and know that where we have failed, you can succeed."
The human guard nodded, "Sir, are you going?"
"Until all of our people are aboard, I think my one final act is to stand with your leader." Ghira stated, patting the man's shoulder. "Be safe, Joshua Arc."
The young man gave a salute, "May my only son grow to become like you."
Ghira nodded solemnly, and looked at his daughter, "Blake, my bellflower…live for your mother and I."
She started sobbing, "I-I'll try, dad…pl-please do-don't go…"
He walked over to her, kneeling down, he kissed her forehead. Pressing his against hers, she held him tightly as the Schnee girl watched on. She kept handing out blankets while Blake embraced her father and walked over to her. Grabbing her hand, the young Schnee girl pulled her away, much to her weakening struggle. Blake wailed as her father walked away, she reached for him, but kept sobbing for him to come back.
Ghira walked past corridors, crying himself as he walked toward the entrance of Nova Atlas. He exited, passing Winter Schnee, who was sobbing as she walked toward her command post. He saw the people flooding in, all of them, Human and Faunus. He stood by Ironwood, who was looking at the soldiers standing guard. Massive mechs, robotic warriors, pilots in Knights. There was a fleet of Bulwarks ready to take off in a moment notice.
Ironwood looked toward Ghira, and they never did need to say a word, both gripped each other's arm in fraternal support.
The duo stood together, watching as the horizon darkened. Millions, if not hundreds of millions, of Grimm were coming. The World Ending horde, the horde that would bring the end, and death to everything in their path. Ghira watched as the Bulwarks were getting loaded with the final countermeasure weapons. Their pilots were going to fly one way, most already having said goodbye to what remained of their family.
"Exodus Protocols have begun," Ironwood told Ghira while looking at his revolver. "Why are you out here?"
"The leader of humanity, should be in company of the leader of the Faunus, it is the end of days." Ghira responded as he pulled the charging pin on his rifle. "This'll end with us either dead here or flying toward safety."
Ironwood took a deep breath, "Ambrosius is going to open The Gateway to us."
"It'll kill him without The Light God to refuel his powers," Ghira realized as he stood there. "Wouldn't that be the same way Jinn went?"
"It would," Ironwood acknowledged as he stood tall. "The Gods little pieces, sacrificing themselves for us..."
"If only we had more time." Ghira replied before walking forward.
Her curse wasn't lifted with the unification. They came down with thunder, realizing what she wrought. They refused to end the world, and in her rage, she finally had her revenge. For if The Witch could not have death, she would bring about death. The Gods, in all of their glory, found folly in forgetting mortality. The Dark Brother was to first to fall, his powers stolen, slayed by his own relics. The Light Brother wasn't far behind, infected with a dark blight, he only managed to seal her for one whole year. Just enough time for everyone to unite, but even then…time was always The Witch's ally.
Glynda was using her semblance, telekinesis, to lift several crates into a Nova Atlas loading bay. She collapsed down, breathing hard. She looked at Professor Oobleck, now Sargent Oobleck, who was directing people. He was on his last legs, exhaustion about to claim him. They looked on to the horizon and knew that with the final countermeasure activated the Grimm would be upon them soon enough. Getting up, she shuffled over to him, and gave a broken smile.
"She's nearly upon us, the end is coming, Ms. Goodwitch." Oobleck said before he sipped from his thermos.
Glynda moved some of dirty blonde hair, and sighs, "That was the last crate of food for this area."
"Jolly good then, as Port would've said," Oobleck stated while holding his thermos up. "Perhaps if we fall here, we'd meet him?"
"Port would be cursing us out if we die here," Glynda replied as she places her hand on his shoulder. "We have a duty to our fallen friends to live."
"Do we still consider Ozpin a friend?" Oobleck wondered aloud.
Glynda lowers her head, replying with a monotone, "I don't know…"
The skies darkened, and Glynda felt a chill run up her spine. Black lightning cascaded throughout the horizon. A massive dragon, three mountains tall appeared. Its wings covered the horizon up. Oobleck dropped his thermos and stood next to his long-time comrade. That dragon was a dead ringer for The Dark God's draconic form. He lowered his head and shook it.
"Does her depravity know no bounds, is this even justice? Necromancy, or a mockery, she perverts the natural order continuously." Oobleck angrily stated as he gripped his thermos tightly.
Glynda looks at him, "Perhaps it's a final mockery. The creator of Grimm, made into nothing more than a servant."
She watched as the beast crushed hillsides with its bare claws. It's horned head snaking over the river. It reared back, but before it could do anything else, she saw The Bulwark Fleet take off with the last of The Manta Class battle cruisers. She stood there, finding Oobleck's hand, squeezing it for comfort. They watched as black flames erupted around the horizon, but by then, the pilots of the Bulwarks had entered into its range. Massive flashes of light drowned the darken sky once more! The Dragon collapsing into a heap of broken flesh, but Glynda knew better. She knew that this was the truly last final stand.
The Manta Cruisers had begun their stalling attacks.
The Witch was freed from her seal. She beset the world, her followers rising up. Mistral fell with tide of blood, her cultist sacrificing in her name. Vacuo was turned black from her locusts. They scoured the sands, eating any and all who stood in her warpath. None were spared, not one man, woman, or child. She ruled Remnant, but domination would only come from those only loyal to her. Their souls sold to her, given to her, and stolen by her. Her grand army, matched with unbridled power and gifts, marched into Vale. The Great Kingdom, the first kingdom, would find her people bled dry as sacrifices.
FOR SHE CONSIDERED NOTHING SACRED!
A Manta Cruiser flew toward the ruins of the mighty dragon. It was suddenly besieged by a power. Black aura flowed around it, her crew collapsing in troves. Her sister ships watched as it began to collapse inward on itself, until it finally disappeared into a dark hole of energy. That same dark hole of energy was then launched at the rest of the fleet. Few ships survived, but those that did saw The Witch standing upon the skull of the dragon.
She stood proudly, a black robe around her. A dark necklace with a white gem at the center, which glowed. She had black eyes, with demonic burning irises. Her skin wasn't pale white, but snow white. She had black nails on her hand, which were sharpened into claws. Her lips bore a dark violet shade and curled into a wicked smile. Her hair was up in an ornate bun, she was The Goddess of Death to everyone in this world now, and she played the part.
Looking up the remaining cruisers she brought her hand up. Black lightning returned as the giant dragon began to reform. How dare those crewmen apart them look down upon her, she felt herself being lifted into the sky at breakneck speed. When the dragon's head finished reforming, she lorded over the cruisers.
Black lightning cascaded around her, forming several balls of energy. She transformed them into spears, picking one from the sky, she reels back before launching it. The cruiser it hit exploded into smatterings. The remaining cruisers began retreating, but she merely held a finger out. A black orb formed between them, holding them in place. The other spears of black lightning launched themselves, destroying all but one.
The last cruiser was firing its afterburners, trying to get away. Instead, she merely snapped her fingers, and it appeared right in front of her. The goddess of death merely flicked her wrist, and the metal rusted, stripping apart. The crew fell out, but they didn't fall to their deaths. She held them in the sky, smiling. Several Nevermore began to circle the group, many of the crewmen screaming as they descended and picked them off one by one!
One of the crew however, exposed his chest, revealing one of the smaller scaled bombs on it. She frowned as he activated it. The dragon skulls from under her was re-obliterated. She stayed floating there, slowly descending down. She scowled as the light from the explosive stayed in the area, remarking a small sear on his left hand. Prior to ascension, that very same bomb would've put her out of commission for at least months. Even the splitting of atoms meant nothing to her now, and she only smiled upon observing Nova Atlas.
Walking next to her, a black-haired woman with demonic eyes similar to hers. She knelt down, her katana at her side. Salem smiled, placing a hand on her loyal follower. She stopped after her follower pulled back, presenting the head of a blonde man. She smiled wickedly, and then looked into the man's blue eye.
"He died without revealing the location of her, and his child with her. Stubborn until the very end, forgive me, Lady Salem," her follower apologized as she kept looking down.
"Raven Brawen," Salem praised with a raise of her hand. "I'm surprised to see you loyal enough to do as I've done plenty of times."
"Taiyang Xiao-Long means nothing to me," Raven replied before tossing the man's head at Salem's feet. "I have not been able to track them further."
"Rest assured, our deal regarding your daughter, Yang, still stands." Salem reassured her follower, and then looked at back Nova Atlas.
A large, portly man, with wings on his back came up to where Salem and Raven were. He knelt down, presenting himself. His white hair, dark eyes, with shining yellow ones made Raven sneer in disgust as she raised up. She looked at Salem, standing next to her, and smiling.
"Jacques Schnee," Salem started as she raised her hand to lift him up. "Tell me, old man, why aren't my Grimm through their very last line of air defenses?"
"I cannot get through them, my lady!" He screamed, with his body beginning to dissolve into smoke.
Salem angrily gripped her hands, and snarls, "In my hour of victory, failure is not an option I will accept! Death to you, Jacques Schnee The Traitor of Atlas!"
"Pl-ARGGGH!" Jacques tried to beg, only to ignite dark purple flame.
Raven snickers, and looked at her Goddess, "I always knew he was more of a liability."
They both watched as a golden eyed woman in a red dress walked up to them. She held the heads of the former grandmasters of The Huntsmen Academies by their hair. She tossed them at Salem's feet, smiling devilishly. Salem applauded her, smiling brightly.
"Good, Cinder, with them dead their last line of elders is gone forever." Salem praised wholeheartedly.
Cinder stood up, brushing her long black hair aside, "My lady when will I get to play with The Silver-eyed girls?"
"Soon my dear, very soon," Salem chuckled before walking away. "Remember though, Summer Rose is mine…I have plans for her, her spawnling is expendable."
Raven slightly gripped her katana at that, but didn't say anything, and watched as Cinder took off to the skies. She stood there, watching them walk away. Tyrian joining Salem as she walked. There was something in her heart, but it was too late for that now. She walked back over to Taiyang's head, picking it up, intending to bury it with the rest of his body.
'Forgive me, my late husband, but you chose the wrong side.'
Summer Rose made it to the front lines of Atlas Nova. She handed Qrow, Yang, and smiled. She looked at her daughters, rubbing both of their heads. Qrow was about to say something before she took off back toward where the giant dragon had been. He stood there, listening to Ruby, and Yang screaming for her. He held them tight, despite their fighting, and ran with them up the ramp. Ironwood stood there, looking at him.
"Has she lost her mind!" He yelled.
"Ironwood…are we ready?" Qrow asked.
Ironwood shook his head, "I'm assuming Ambrosius is charging up now, but I'm afraid its going to be close."
He watched as Qrow sighed, but then realized. He looked to where Summer had been, and then placed his hand on the earwig in his ear. The line perked up, soldiers standing at attention, and watching as their leader motioned for silence.
"This is General Ironwood, I'm calling a general withdrawal, retreat Nova Atlas immediately! Exodus Protocol has begun, retreat into Nova Atlas immediately, I repeat retreat!" He screamed, and then looked at the girls.
"Get them in there immediately, secure them…and pray Qrow." Ironwood ordered.
Qrow nodded, running up the rest of the rampart. Ironwood watched as most of his soldiers began withdrawing, but others stayed, firing at any approaching Grimm. He smiled, marching down the ramp, firing his revolver into the sky as a Nevermore attempted to pounce him. He got to the front lines, where Ghira was, and grabbed him by the back of his neck. He pulled the large man, back, and then looked him in the eye.
"Get back on that fucking ship, Ghira Belladonna and live goddamn you!" Ironwood ordered him.
Ghira looked at him, and replies, "No, I will stand and fight to ensure my daughter will live!"
"She will live, now go!" He screamed.
Ghira roared, running back up the rampart. The other soldiers, all elite operatives, stayed and fired. Ironwood sighed, sitting down on the ground, firing his revolver into the approaching horde. He looked at the soldiers and licked his lips and looked up to the sky. He heard a call on his earwig, pressing it.
"General, its Lieutenant Schnee! This is it, Ambrosius is starting to open the gate!" Winter stated through the earwig, and then yelled. "Get aboard, General!"
"Winter…" General Ironwood started as he looked up. "They killed the headmasters of the academies on the frontlines. People who I swore allegiance when I was younger. They died fighting for everyone. I realize that I was part of the downfall, and in a way my trust in Jacques Schnee brought this about."
General James Ironwood then smiled sadly, looking at Nova Atlas, "Winter Schnee, I hereby grant you command Nova Atlas, forthwith, may you lead her crew and people with honor. I am proud of the woman you've become, despite being so young, You're the child I always wanted, and I thank whatever brought us together, even now."
James Ironwood felt a tear go down his human eye, "Goodbye my friend, may we meet on the other side."
Screaming filled the earwig as he took it out, watching the rampart raise up. General Ironwood stood up, smashing the earwig to pieces. His elite operatives stood next to him, running dry on ammunition they all got their melee weapons ready. Ironwood picked up a sword and watched as a wall of Beowolves emerged from the wooded surroundings.
"To arms my soldiers, my comrades, my family! I stand, we stand, there's no path but forwards! We will march, march to our deaths, but our souls are burn brighter than even the sun! On my word, upon my final spoken word, I say CHARGE!" He screamed out as he ran forward with his man.
All of them screaming a war cry!
Summer felt the sky quake behind her. She looked up, seeing a massive black tear in the sky with green energy around it. She sighed, resigning herself to her fate. She held her sword, walking toward a clearing. She felt her eyes glowing, and then she saw Raven Brawen. She glared at her, but the traitor made no move against her.
"You took Yang's father from her, you traitor." Summer growled as she readied herself.
Raven nods, and then sighs out, "Then put me out of my misery, Rose."
Both charged at each other, blades clashing. Summer circled the ground with her blade after each clash, forming a sigil. She channeled her silver light into it and watched as Raven became stuck. She glared at her, and watched as the traitor fell to her knees, waiting on the final blow. The battle over within a few seconds, as it always has been between them. Instead, Summer broke the sigil, and then walked away.
"You can live with the misery," Summer stated as ignored Raven behind her.
Raven wailed, crying as she thought of the happy family that could've been if she had just stayed with him. She watches as Summer Rose marched forward to her death, and then she yelled out to her. With all of her might, black tears flowing from her eyes, which were full of pleading.
She screams out, "Did my brother make it into the ship as well?!"
Summer stopped, and looked at her, and merely nodded her head. They both heard the ship beginning to lift up, with Raven looking back towards it. She nodded her head, and then stood up. She readied herself for the lashing Salem would more than likely give her for letting Summer Rose come to her. However, it didn't matter now. She sat on her knees, patiently waiting.
Salem marched toward the road leading to the ship, with an army of Grimm behind her. She managed to stop it from flying upward. Smiling wickedly, she was planned to have crushed the ship like a tin can. Instead, she found herself getting bathed in silver light. She screamed out in pain as the ship was lost to her control. She looked over, looking at her attacker, seeing Summer Rose already charging forward. She barely had time to register a sword coming at her neck but having that split second saved her from decapitation.
She backed away, using her powers to increase her speed. Summer stood there, her sword glowing brightly, along with her eyes. Salem snickered, watching as the ship entered the portal realm. Summer stood unfazed by her opponent's look, instead her body began to glow as well. The Witch stopped her snickering, looking confused as the woman began to look into her eyes. Salem didn't see a warrior standing on their final leg, but a mother throwing herself at the lion for her child.
Summer's scream filled the air as she charged forward, throwing her sword to the ground. She grabbed Salem, Salem herself found her hand going through the woman's stomach and out of her back. Blood flowed on the ground, but it too glowed a bright white instead of red. Salem now realized what she the woman had done and looked at Summer who was smiling softly.
"You will never harm my daughters," Summer softly spoke. "May my death, encase you light for until they're out of your hands until they're ready to stop you…Salem…"
Salem roared in pain as Summer transformed into a cage of light around her. She pounded her fists on, trying to use her power to break out. However, she couldn't, and watched as the portal closed. She screamed in pure agony at not getting her last bit of revenge now. Cinder came running toward her, but upon touching the cage of light found her body wrecked with pain. Her followers besides themselves, unable to help their goddess. Summer's sword shimmered brightly, forming a sigil on the ground that kept Salem locked in place. It was over for now, at least until the magic wore off. Salem, her final victory denied, could only watch as her last means of mortality leaving the world.
She screamed out, one last time, and then resigned herself. She looked at the birdcage of light, and then smiled deviously. The power behind it couldn't last more than maybe ten years, and in ten years she would hunt the last Silver Eyed Warrior to extinction, and then slaughter the rest of those who escaped her grasp. She knew by the rate of decay, that some her power would be able to slip out soon, perhaps within a year.
She need only wait, and what ten years to immortality?
End of Part One of Umbra Genesis.
Hi Everyone, it's Blaze here. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Umbra Genesis. This is story is a crossover. A dark one at that, but hopefully as it fleshes out more you will enjoy it more. For right now, please, let us receive your reviews. Also, I know some will point out that there is a large power gap upgrade present. I intend to write with this in mind, and I hope it doesn't turn anyone off from the story.
Thank you again, and praise Lady Salem…because she's coming for you.
Coming for all of you.