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Prologue

Blood…

That was what she felt, hot and still sticking against her cheek. Her silver eye, wide and wet with tears, hearing nothing around her except the cries of those that were left. She could just hear Yang, Jaune, and others crying as the wind howled around them. She leant against the tree with Crescent Rose rested upon her legs, staring up at the starless sky and the shattered moon. Distant howls of the endless hordes of Grimm out there, trapped with no way out.

And all she could hear in her mind… were the words of Vir Nominis Umbra.

"I'm truly sorry... You all wanted to be heroes, to save the world from the horrors of the world... But in the end, it all meant nothing. Life is not like a fairy tale, and this tale does not have a happy ending."

Three Days Prior…

Before the blood… before the fire…

Ruby was sat on her bed, back in the dorms of Beacon Academy. It felt like old times, sat up on her top bunk whilst Weiss was beneath her. She fiddled with her new haircut, still getting used to not having that long tail anymore. "So this is what it's like?" Weiss asked as she peered up at Ruby on the bunk above her.

"Yep. How's it feel?" Ruby inquired.

"I feel a lot lighter. It's nice." Weiss admitted as she climbed up to join Ruby on her top bunk. "How's your leg feeling, pal?"

Ruby moved it back and forth, touching the long scar that was left behind from Raven driving that knife down her in the battle two days ago. "It's better, not as stiff as it was. Still can't believe it was only two days ago… we've been so busy, non-stop preparations. Training the Students… I know what Dad meant now… about how stressful teaching is." Ruby chuckled as she pushed her hand through her hair.

Yang and Blake both were sat together, reading some books to pass the time. "Do you think we're ready? I mean… he said it would be starting today… and… I gotta admit Ruby… I'm terrified." Weiss stammered, but Ruby smiled at her.

"We've done everything we could in the time we had. But we know our mission, we need to get to Atlas and get that Relic out of there as fast as possible. Are you sure you're okay with going back there? I mean… you haven't been back in Atlas since you left." Ruby explained, and Weiss blew out a shaky breath.

"Yeah… my father… my brother? They're not my family anymore… all of you are." Weiss assured with a smile. Ruby gently put her arm around her friend, and they rested their heads together.

"He'd be proud of you." Ruby assured.

"I bet he's pissed right now." Weiss chuckled with a smile, something they hadn't seen from her in quite a while.

"Why'd you say that?" Ruby asked.

"Missing out on last night's party? He'd have loved that." Weiss said with a smile.

"Knowing Neptune, he'd probably be suffering the biggest hangover ever right now." Blake chimed in with a laugh.

"How's Sun? Looked like he drank more than I think he intended." Weiss asked her.

"Kassius challenged him to a game of shots. And we all know how competitive those two can get… so… yeah… he's got one hell of a hangover. But he's taking some stuff to boost him up." Blake assured with a smile.

"Oh Sun… rookie error… never challenge Kassius to a drinking game." Yang laughed with a bright smile on her face.

It truly was like old times, four girls hanging out in their dorm, just laughing and having fun… but sooner or later they had to return to reality. They turned when they heard Glynda Goodwitch knocking on their door. Then she opened it, stood there in her formal gear once more. And already, they could see the look in her eyes.

Dread.

"Morning girls… I'm sorry to interrupt you… but Professor Ozpin needs you all right now." Glynda said, they felt their hearts hammering as they got up and grabbed their weapons. They followed Glynda out of their dorm, passing by the one where Sun was still rubbing his sore head, staring at the pictures of his fallen teammates, the last member of Team S.S.S.N left standing.

Ruby looked around as she saw Huntsmen and Huntresses – graduated and students – all rushing around them. "Don't bullshit me, Professor… is this what I think it is?" Ruby asked.

"He didn't say but… I'd stake my life on it. Just let him explain it to you." Glynda explained as she turned the corner. Ruby the Professor approach and she couldn't help but smile.

"Professor." Ruby greeted.

"Good Morning, Miss Rose. You look well, considering how crazy that night got with the alcohol." Ozpin said as they joined him, all headed towards the courtyard, and by the looks of things – towards Vale.

"Ah you know how it is, never really did like drinking." Ruby shrugged her shoulders.

"Still amazes me that we're sisters, y'know." Yang joked.

"The ways in which we are all so unique…" Ozpin added, Blake looked as so many people continued to pass by them.

"Why's everyone in such a hurry, Professor?" Blake asked nervously.

They walked across the road, and Ozpin started to fill them in. "We're assembling all our forces, Ortega and Mazen are mobilizing their fleets and armies to prepare. Word's been flooding in from all the continents… Grimm Signatures, highest numbers we have ever seen." Ozpin explained, Ruby slowed down with her team, and their eyes all widened.

"Umbra?" She asked, he stopped and looked back at her.

"The Local Council aren't sure, not yet." Ozpin answered.

"What do you think?" Weiss questioned.

"I think we all know what this means." Ozpin said, even he looked scared.

"If I have learned anything from Vir Nominis Umbra, it's that he never goes back on his word. And he told us all that the Shivering Dominion would begin today… which means the Oncoming Shadow is coming." Ruby stated.

"Tell that to Vale's New Council." Ozpin said.

"Unless the Council's plan is to seriously nag Umbra to death then we're wasting time. We need to get to Atlas as fast as possible." Ruby explained.

"Believe me, I agree with you. But we can't just leave these people, the Council deserve to know what is coming. You have to remember, all these students? These Huntsmen and Huntresses? Every single civilian in our Kingdoms? None of them have witnessed what we have… what you have. Pyrrha killed Salem, we found Arkhonex and the Embered Grove. And we know what he plans to do to us, how he intends to wipe us all out. You know this threat better than any of them." Ozpin explained, Ruby glanced at him as they walked.

"Well it's not like we tried to warn them earlier, like we tried with Thaddeus Brimstone." Ruby stated.

"That is not the fault of these politicians. When Horridus Morbus spread through Vale they tried their damndest with the little information that they had." Ozpin explained. "Look… I know this isn't what we planned. But we need to do what we can for the people of Vale. Our defences won't hold forever, and we need to get as many people into the Beacon Vault as we possibly can."

"It could take hours to fully explain everything to them, Ruby's message gave them everything they needed to know." Weiss commented.

"Yes… but they do not know Vir Nominis Umbra. Not like we do; they have to fully understand what they are dealing with if they are going to handle this tactfully. So they can actually save as many lives as possible." Ozpin explained.

They walked across the street, and before them was the Council Building. It was a large and impressive structure that overlooked Vale. Ruby glanced up at the beautiful cloudless blue sky, and she closed her eye… swallowing thickly.

Any minute now…

Ozpin opened the doors, and he walked with Glynda and Team R.W.B.Y towards the security checkpoint. They were let through immediately, not even needing to check for weapons. Already given clearance by the Councillors. "Councilwoman Ida is expecting you, Professor." The Security Officer informed.

"C'mon." Ozpin commanded as they approached the large doors before them. Inside of the Council Chamber was a gorgeous statue of the Brothers Grimm – Light and Darkness – shown as a pair of dragons. One gold and one black, swirling around each other in an endless conflict. They walked down the marble steps, past the statue and they passed the many operatives constantly looking over the incoming feedback from the C.C.T Network.

Ida stood up, the Councilwoman who helped contain the Horridus Morbus Outbreak days ago, and she didn't look like she managed to get any sleep since then either. "Professor Ozpin… Miss Rose…"

Ruby could see it on their faces… they were terrified.

"Go on, Ida… how bad is it?" Ruby asked them.

"We were hoping you could tell us… we did not ignore your message… but seeing these numbers come in? It is… unlike anything I have ever seen before." One of the Councillors answered with frightened eyes.

"Countless towns beyond the Kingdom have gone silent and our Grimm Detection Systems around the border are… spiking… higher than the meters can go, some of them have even been broken by the levels of Grimm Activity." Ida explained, her voice was shaking like her body was.

Ruby looked at the reports, and it was live.

Every few seconds, individual towns in the wilds of Remnant were vanishing like they never existed. "Whatever is happening… it is incomprehensively powerful." A Councillor stated.

Ruby gave the data pad back to the woman who gave it to her, she had all the proof she needed. "You don't have to say anything else… I can answer your question already. The Shivering Dominion has begun… and the Oncoming Shadow is here." Ruby finally said… and those words hurt to say.

She felt the entire room go cold with dread. "T-Then… what do we do?" Ida stammered.

"I told you. In my message I sent to every Kingdom on Remnant. We have a plan; we have to get as many people into the Vaults beneath the Academies as we possibly can. Whilst my team get the Relics to Arkhonex in the Embered Grove… where we can find a way to kill the monster behind all of this. Vir Nominis Umbra." Ruby explained.

"But what about the rest of us? We could get a few thousand into a Vault, but there are still so many left behind!" One of the fearful Councillors stammered.

"Then… you either run… and try your luck out there… or you fight. For as long as you can." Ruby admitted, and that truth was somehow just as frightening as the Oncoming Shadow.

"I know it isn't the answer you wanted… but it's better than nothing. And believe me… this is our best chance at surviving this." Ozpin agreed.

"You have to understand, Vir Nominis Umbra is not like us. He is not human, he is not even alive, not as we understand it. He is far more powerful than any of us, and far more intelligent. He doesn't fear us and will never take pity on us." Ruby stated.

"The only way we can defeat him is by standing together. All as one." Blake added.

"COUNCILLORS? WE JUST LOST CONTACT FROM QUEEN'S COVE!" An Operator yelled with horror on her face.

"Queen's Cove? The entire city?" Glynda gasped with wide eyes.

"But… how did they get past our naval fleet so fast?" Ida stammered.

"Professor, we are receiving a live feed from General Cordovin in Argus." Another Operative revealed, and their held up their scroll which projected a large holographic screen to them all. They saw Cordovin, stumbling as deafening sirens resounded and endless howls of Grimm echoing everywhere.

"This is General Cordovin! Argus is under heavy attack from Grimm! We can't hold off for much–!" Her feed was cut off by a thunderous explosion as a Sphinx flew towards her. Then they started seeing footage from exterior cameras of her base, and they saw it… thousands… upon thousands… of Grimm. There was a massive crack forming in the sky somehow, reality torn apart, and Ruby could see the burning embers from the Charred Forest pouring into their universe, and from the portal in the sky, and one formed in the ground, the Grimm were just flooding out like an endless ocean.

And their defences were being completely decimated by the sheer amount. This was worse than Arkhonex… far worse… this was the full Oncoming Shadow.

And they were just as unstoppable as they feared, maybe even more so.

Then… the feed cut…

C.C.T NETWORK INOPERABLE

"The hell just happened?" Ida questioned.

"The Vacuo C.C.T Tower… it's been destroyed…" The Operative revealed.

"That's why Umbra kept the tower functional… he was waiting so he could destroy it at this moment." Ruby mumbled, clenching her fist.

Ozpin turned to Glynda. "Why haven't we heard from Ortega or Mazen?"

"I don't know, I'm trying to raise them on local comms." Glynda explained as she paced back and forth.

"If… if our defences at Queen's Cove and Argus weren't enough… what hope do we have?" A Councillor stammered, and Ruby turned to reassure them… but she stopped.

She felt a cold chill on the back of her neck, and it made her eye widen.

"Oh no…"

The doors they entered through suddenly burst open, and he stood at the top of the stairs, yet he floated between the two Draconic Statues of the Brothers Grimm. He rested his hands upon their serpentine heads, smirking down at them. "Sorry to have kept you all waiting." Vir Nominis Umbra began, and his eyes shone bright red as he stared them down, and the two statues shattered into a thousand pieces. The skull of the Brother of Light crashed to the ground and slid towards Ruby's boot.

She did not even flinch, just stared him down as he walked on thin air, descending towards them. "The brave Huntsmen and Huntresses bested the Dark Queen Salem." He said as his feet landed upon the marble floor, and his hands came together, each digit lightly touching, like always. "Colour me impressed."

Ruby stepped forward. "We stopped Salem, and we stopped the Acolytes of Lien… and we will stop anything else you throw at us."

But Vir Nominis Umbra just softly chuckled at her defiance. Team R.W.B.Y kept their weapons trained on him despite knowing that he could not be harmed by their conventional methods… at least… not yet. "Oh my dear Thorned Rose… Salem's goal was never victory. Twas merely to set the stage."

"For what?" Ozpin questioned; Umbra couldn't help but furrow his brow in confusion.

"Why… for me… of course." He giggled, holding one hand to his chest. He slowly approached Ozpin; head held high as he walked. "You see, watching you all battle against her was quite the show. But you sacrificed all your forces… for nothing. All for some precious time? How long will it take you to comprehend the fact that time has never been on your side, Ozpin? It has always been a tool for me to command." Vir Nominis Umbra explained as he walked closer and closer to the glaring Professor who kept Mihi Vindicta pointed at him in its Cane Form. "The people of your universe have suffered for far too long, Oz. So… how about this? Surrender the four relics to me, and you have my word that all of your conclusions shall be swift and painless. Opposed to the hell I am already unleashing."

Ozpin stared him in the eyes, and he narrowed his. "That is not going to happen." Ozpin assured.

Vir Nominis Umbra sighed, rolling his brown eyes. "Open your eyes, Oz… bravery and knowledge has carried you far. But this is not a conflict you can win – I am offering you the chance to spare your subjects the pain of my creations ripping them to shreds. I advise you reconsider… so that this can all be over." He softly said, smiling like a parent would to a child who was afraid.

"You still think that this conflict's end has been decided, but you're wrong. Because I know you're afraid." Ruby spoke up, and that got his attention. Vir Nominis Umbra stepped back from Ozpin as he listened to her words. "You know that what is hiding in the Embered Grove is the key to killing you, and you are afraid that we will find out."

He turned and stared directly at her.

"There are only two ways this story ends. Either you win and we all die… or we win, and you die. Not every card is in your favour this time, Umbra… and I can promise you… that I will stop you." Ruby promised as she glared at him.

He stepped into the middle of the room as he looked at her, and he smiled. "Your defiance against all odds… truly is inspiring." He stated. "But mistaken."

He turned to the window and he held out his hand. "Behold… Team R.W.B.Y… your world. Such a beautiful thing, isn't it? All of Humankind and Faunuskind's hopes, and dreams all nestled within this single pocket of reality. Filled with verdant hills of green, and sapphire seas… this Remnant of those who came before… is truly a paradise."

He walked to the window behind the councillors as he gazed upon the city, and Blake's ears twitched as she sensed something was really, really wrong. Above her in the circular skylight… the blue sky was darkening.

"But now? Your paradise's future has already been decided, for the boundaries of it's fate have been completely erased. And now the controls for it's future… are mine." His voice suddenly became darker, overlapping itself with a deeper more monstrous and demonic version of the Soothsayer they were used to. This was the true Vir Nominis Umbra speaking now, and it was a nightmarish thing to hear.

He walked down the steps as he spoke. "I control this Universe now… I command it's future… and very soon… it's conclusion." He stated as his eyes started to shine a glowing red.

Team R.W.B.Y watched in horror as the sky went from blue to a blood red, and they heard the screams erupting from the city. Ruby then glared directly at Vir Nominis Umbra with hatred. "From there, my will shall spread across the Cosmos of Creation forever! Infinite and Unbound! And there's nothing you or your witless friends, or the shadows of Arkhonex, can do to stop me." Vir Nominis Umbra spoke as he stood right in front of Ruby, glaring right into her eye, yet she did not flinch, she just stared straight back.

He smirked at her as he walked backwards with his arms stretched out. "I have already set the Oncoming Shadow in motion…" He stated, and they stared in horror as the sky tore open, and fiery embers and smoke polluted the skies, and thousands and thousands of Grimm came flying out from within, an infinite amount of them. And she could see even King Wyverns – like the one Salem used – and Reapers, the same variant as the giant monster buried beneath Old Town in Arkhonex. There were so many, and the same portals were opening everywhere on the ground, unleashing hordes of Grimm into the city of Vale and the Academy of Beacon.

"… and thus… at long last… the canvas shall be wiped clean upon Remnant's glorious conclusion! Our future awaits… Team R.W.B.Y." Vir Nominis Umbra concluded as he held his hands out with an evil smile.

Ruby looked behind him and the Councillors as a Reaper descended towards them, channelling fire up its throat and into its huge jaws. "MOVE! NOW!" Ruby screamed, but Ida and the Councillors were too late. The Reaper blasted fire directly through the window, burning them all to ash. Umbra vanished into the flames with a sinister smirk. The impact blew Team R.W.B.Y, Ozpin and Glynda backwards, and the huge Reaper smashed straight through the burning ceiling as it ascended, bringing massive chunks of burning rubble down upon them all.

Ash covered her cheek as she laid there, dazed from the impact of the shockwave. "Ruby!" The faint voice of Ozpin called out as Ruby started to regain herself. She pressed her hand against her head which was throbbing from the pain. If it weren't for their aura, they'd all be dead from that Reaper's attack. "Ruby!" Ozpin called again. Ruby sat upright and looked around, before seeing Ozpin through the smoke. "Ruby!" He called again and he saw her. "There you are!" He ran to her and grabbed her hand and pulled her up to her feet. "C'mon get up! We've gotta get moving." Ozpin told them.

Ruby turned to see Blake throw her Crescent Rose. The rest of her team and Glynda were fine, and she saw Yang turning the body of one Operative over, only to find her dead. Killed instantly by the looks of things. And it seemed everyone in the room was killed instantly as well.

"It's started…" Glynda softly said with fear in her voice as they walked through the smoke, and they stood on the damaged balcony where the window once was.

Ruby stared out at the City of Vale…

The Grimm just kept coming, endless swarms of Grimm just constantly descended both from the ground and the sky. And amongst the roaring… she could hear the blood curdling screaming of people in the city, being torn apart by the monsters.

This was it.

The Shivering Dominion had begun.

Author Note - Knights of Grimm is back!

And holy shit I have been so hyped for this Act, as you all may know by this point XD This story has been planned for so long now and I cannot wait to break into the epic, heart wrenching carnage that is about to follow from this point. And as you can see, this story is getting right into it. The Shivering Dominion has begun, and the Oncoming Shadow have finally been unleashed. Vir Nominis Umbra's final plan is being set in motion, and they must get the Relics to the Embered Grove.

Hell... even 1 in that place would be good enough, just as long as Umbra does not get all 4!

Vir Nominis Umbra is done playing games and messing with them, he will show no mercy now. And that Synopsis is not overexaggerating... blood shall flow. Take your bets on who you think will be surviving this Act, because it will be insane.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

So happy to finally get back to writing this series. Sorry for taking so long, but now we are here! I hope you enjoy the penultimate Act of Knights of Grimm! Please review, follow and favourite!

Stay tuned for the next chapter - The Beginning of the End

- Matt