Chapter 13 – Battle of the Summit's Claim – Pt. 1
Oscar
He sat upon the chair, clutching onto his pencil he was just sketching with, admiring the beautiful landscape. Small gusts of wind carrier the sprinkles of snow off the rooftops, blowing through the air, starting their voyage across the landscape. He smiled as he watched the Altum Eagles circle overhead, hearing their gorgeous cries echo seamlessly across the Claim.
It's so peaceful here… you'd almost forget the world completely changed beneath this place.
His hazel eyes glanced back down at his sketchbook, tapping the eraser against his pouted lip. "Looking for inspiration?" The voice of Ozpin asked him curiously. The shared existence with the Professor clearly was still raw for Oscar, since he flinched every time he spoke, even looking over his shoulder, expecting to see him stood there. He looked ahead to see the Apparition of Ozpin leant against the wooden support of the old house he was beside.
"You could say that." Oscar replied, lifting his knee that the book was propped onto so he could focus on his drawings. Ozpin nodded his head, understanding his hesitation perfectly.
"How are you feeling?"
"I was fine… until you decided to chime in again."
"I know how you must be feeling about all this. Having your own mind… and body… be shared by another? I did not want it to be that way either when it first happened to me."
"How many people have you stolen the bodies of?"
Ozpin glanced at him. "It's not… well… I guess it is. But believe me when I say this is not my choice. If things could be different, and innocents did not have to get involved in my mistakes I would prefer it… but I guess that was part of the Gods' Play. To make me do things I would rather not."
"Like making a monster?" Oscar stared straight at Ozpin, who glanced back at him. "Yeah… I haven't forgotten what Cinder told me." Ozpin nodded his head and he walked around, walking over the snow yet leaving no prints, unable to interact with the real world in this form.
"I was desperate…"
"You grave-robbed. And used the parts you found to create a monster, something nobody would ever accept. I mean what the hell were you thinking? Humanity could barely accept the Faunus for being who they are, why would they ever even think about accepting him?"
"Because I needed a countermeasure against Salem." Ozpin revealed. "I never wanted to hurt Hazel… but I have watched thousands… maybe millions… of brave Huntsmen and Huntresses die horrible deaths to Salem and her monsters. People who I remember from when they were just students… children. I didn't want to see any more people die… so I wanted to create something that… couldn't die. Something that could match Salem on the battlefield… perhaps even wield the Relic of Destruction." He explained, but Ozpin lowered his head in grief. "But Hazel… I created a new life thanks to my magic… and some useful technology from Ironwood… but it was not enough. I created a new person… but he lacked experience that life gives you. I created a new-born child… and shoved its mind inside of a hulking body." Ozpin explained, his eyes squeezed shut with regret.
"And he ran? He panicked?" Oscar questioned, not sounding surprised one bit.
"Yes… he ran when I tried to help him understand how to fight. I lost sight of him, and eventually I realised his escaped the lab and broke out into the streets. It took me months to find him again… but when I eventually did… he was different. His experiences turned him into something completely different… and I found him hunched over the body of a little girl. He tried to help her from a Grimm, but accidentally broke her neck in the process. He blamed me for all of it… for creating a monster, for making him. I tried to calm him, but he attacked me in rage, I fended him off, but he nearly took my life, and then fled. I never saw him for an exceptionally long time… I started to believe he was dead. Ironwood suggested another idea, instead of using dead people to create new warriors, he suggested robotics. But I never wanted to touch the idea ever again." Ozpin explained as he held his hands together, like he could not stand the sight of all that blood.
He then turned and saw Ruby, Penny, Cinder and Pyrrha return to the Summit's Claim. Ozpin stared directly at Penny. "But as you can see… James had other ideas." Oscar watched as the four of them walked down the town.
"And Salem found him. Gave him a new purpose and turned him into a monster." Oscar finished, glaring at Ozpin. He nodded his head in agreement.
"I accept responsibility for my actions, Mr Pine. I know what I have done… and I know how many lives I have hurt… and destroyed." He turned his gaze upon him once more. "Even you are a victim of my mistakes… I should have disciplined Qrow and Raven more, got them to see who their brother really was. Instead of the monster they forced him to become." He sighed, closing his eyes with deep regret.
"You knew Team S.T.R.Q?" Oscar asked, remembering all about the whole mission to find Ruby the answers she needed, and to avenge her mother.
"They were some of my best students, before Team R.W.B.Y of course. Summer Rose… she was something special. Despite everything that happened in her life, her cruel family… everything… she still cared so much for so many people. She loved her team completely, but her friendship with Jackdaw Branwen? That was stronger than I ever anticipated. I never knew she was conversing with him in private on Patch. And even I was fooled by the lies of Qrow and Raven… and that monster Valravn." Ozpin stood there, and Oscar could not only see the torment on the Professor's face… but he could also feel it.
His regret.
How could I not have known? Was I really so blind to not know what Qrow did?
I should have done more… but now it doesn't matter.
"I'm sorry." Oscar apologised.
"There is nothing for you to apologise for. My mistakes are my own… and I can promise you, that you will make mistakes in the future as well. I pray though… that your mistakes will not haunt you like mine did me." Ozpin explained.
Ruby slowed; her silver eyes immediately fell upon Oscar. He could see the look in her eyes…
She knows…
"We need to tell them, all of them. They deserve to know about what's happening to me, the fact that you're… alive… so to speak." Ozpin looked at Oscar.
"Indeed… we have kept the secret long enough. Let me know when you wish for me to take the wheel, and I shall explain it all." Ozpin assured, and Oscar pushed his hands against his legs as he stood up.
"Got it."
He followed Ruby up the street towards the Monastery where the others had all gone, Pyrrha was sat down and she rested her head against the wall with her eyes closed as she nursed the headache, she had from all that alcohol. "Remind me to never drink again." Pyrrha groaned.
"Gods… you really can't handle, liquor can ya?" Cinder scoffed.
"Nope. It's why I never drank before." Pyrrha groaned, which made Cinder chuckle as she sat down beside Amber, gently stroking her hair.
"Are you guys okay?" Amber asked. "You look a little… rattled."
Cinder smiled at her but then looked at Ruby who sat down on the bench and stared at her hands, like she couldn't even recognise them anymore. "Yeah… just ran into some nasty men in there. But don't worry… they can't hurt us."
"Did you kill them?" Amber asked.
"Not me." She answered as she kept her eyes on Ruby. "How's Vernal?"
"She's okay… still asleep, but they say she's recovering. I hope she wakes up soon." Amber answered, Cinder smiled and held her close in a warm hug.
Ruby stared at the blood on her hands, and Ruby sat down beside her with a cloth and a bottle of water. "Here." She softly said, wetting the cloth and she gently wiped the blood off Ruby's hands. She still had that thousand-yard stare, Penny looked at her, gently touching her cheek so she looked at her. "It's okay."
"I… I don't even know how many people I have had to kill now, Penny. I… you know I don't ever want to do it, right?" Ruby nervously asked her. Penny smiled lovingly and kissed her on the lips, pressing her head to Ruby's.
"I know… and once Salem is gone… we won't have to." Penny promised, and Ruby smiled as she rested her head on Penny's shoulder. Her girlfriend continued to clean up the dried blood on her palms.
Oscar walked into the room where Li Ren was stood beside his son, talking about something. He looked at them all and he sat on the beanbag in the middle of the room. "Are you ready?" Ozpin asked.
"Are you?"
"I am."
"Okay…" Oscar blew out a nervous breath. He looked at them all as they conversed, noticing that Ruby was already looking at him. She could not get it out of her mind, she needed to know if Cinder was kidding or not. "E-Everyone?" He raised his voice, but because of how shy he was to do public speaking some of them did not hear him and continued to speak. "Guys?"
Yang stood up, hearing him clearly. "HEY GUYS! Oscar has something to say." Yang called out, getting everyone's attention. Oscar smiled.
"Thanks, Yang." Oscar chuckled, she winked with a smirk as she sat down. He exhaled and held his hands together. "Now… I know some of you have heard the rumours, maybe from Cinder or Pyrrha." He said as he looked at them and Cinder just nodded her head slightly. "The rumours are true… Professor Ozpin… he is alive."
That got all their eyes on him, and the whole room fell silent. "What?" Eryka questioned with wide eyes.
"How is that even possible?" Li Ren questioned.
"I'm… trying to put the pieces together myself… but from what he has told me… our auras have become bound together. He's… here right now, actually." He explained, and he turned to see Taiyang stand up from the crowd and walk down the steps with Zwei following him. The little corgi turned and stared straight at Vicky, then the two started playing together.
"Prove it." Taiyang demanded, and Oscar nodded his head.
"Alright… just remember guys… I will still be here." He assured, he closed his eyes and bowed his head. He felt his soul be pushed down as Ozpin flew up into the cockpit – so to speak. His eyes shone a soft gold, and his entire demeanour changed, holding his hands together over his lap. And when he spoke, they could even hear both Ozpin's old voice combined with Oscar's natural tone.
"Hello again, Taiyang… Miss Rose… Miss Xiao Long… all of you. It is so very good to see you again, students." Ozpin said, and Taiyang's eyes were wider than ever.
"By the gods…" Taiyang gasped as he stood there. "How is this… even possible?"
"That is a long story, but I will do my best to explain it to you in a somewhat timely manner." He assured. But as he was about to speak, he stopped when he double-took at Ruby, with wide eyes. "You… have the Relic?"
Ruby looked at the Lamp on her belt and she just saw Ozpin smile with awe through Oscar's face. "Yeah… we uh… kinda stole it right from Salem's hands. Literally, in fact."
"Well, it seems today just piles up on the surprises." Ozpin chuckled with a smile.
"Hang on, you can't just keep us hanging here! How are you even here?" Nora squeaked with an utterly baffled face. Her bubbly personality always managed to make Ozpin laugh, especially now of all times. Despite how dire the state of the world was, Nora Valkyrie was still that erratic hysterical girl that he watched become a skilled Huntress at his Academy. He chuckled with a smile.
"Well… I am glad to see you still have your sense of humour. I have caused you all tremendous hardship already… I'm sorry." He apologised and closed his eyes with grief.
"I-It's not your fault, though… professor." Weiss said as she sat forward.
"It's all my fault." He said as he stood up. He told them the same thing he told Cinder and the others when they were in the Ruins of Beacon Academy, about how Salem was his responsibility and he failed to defeat her, alongside his curse cast upon him by the Brothers Grimm. Alongside the frightening realisation that the two Gods are growing desperate to stop Salem, to the point where they are having to work together, despite their vast differences.
He stood before them as he concluded on the same story, he told Cinder and the others, but then he turned to Ruby. "But this… this does give me hope. I never imagined you would have managed to get your hands on one of the Relics. Especially one so important." Ozpin said as he looked at the Golden Lamp which pulsed with a bright blue energy. "Has Jinn told you about how she works?"
"You can ask me yourself, Old Man." The flirtatious Jinn spoke as the blue smoke started to vent out from the Lamp and swirl around the lamp before forming her magnificent body before them all. Cinder's eye widened with awe, and then she quickly covered Amber's eyes from her nude shape. Pyrrha and Weiss both stared in amazement at it as well, whilst Blake listened with similar intrigue. "It's been a long time, Ozma."
"It has…" Ozpin chuckled.
"And yes, I have indeed informed Miss Rose on my little… rules." She said as she floated down and laid upon the laps of her and Penny. Both their eyes wide with confused feelings.
"Oh gods… why must you always embarrass me, Jinn?" Ruby groaned as she blushed.
"What can I say? I like you." Jinn responded by booping her nose, making Ruby blush all the more.
"Can we… stay on topic, here? I see you are still as flirtatious as I remember." Ozpin said with a chuckle.
Why did the gods have to make her so hot?
Ozpin just rolled his eyes at Oscar's childish comment. "It seems Jinn trusts you a great deal… I don't ever remember her being this way with anyone else."
"Not only did Ruby Rose save my life, but I see something in her. The same thing that I believe you saw in her the moment she was sat in that dark room being fed an entire plateful of cookies." Jinn explained.
"A Spark." Ozpin recited.
"Precisely. Not only did she manage to save me from Salem, but she was brave enough to literally yank me right from her hands. That kind of bravery is rare, but her pure heart was the other proof I needed. Despite everything, despite the fact the world despises her… she still vows to help them. That is what this world needs – and that is the only kind of person I would place trust in my knowledge." Jinn explained, and Ozpin nodded his head.
"Well… I agree. Miss Rose is more than capable of looking after you." Ozpin assured.
"So, what do we do now?" Blake asked. "Salem is hunting us now, and it won't take long before she realises where we are."
"She's right, that's the closest her forces have ever come to the Summit's Claim. And if Watts managed to modify the damn Gyrfalcon so then it could survive this kind of altitude? Then we can bet she will demand more upgrades. By my logic she's probably already sent a battalion here to finish us off." Winter explained.
"How can you be sure of that?" Taiyang asked her.
"It's what I'd do. All your enemies in one place, wipe them out in one fell swoop." Winter explained.
"Yes, but Salem does not operate in conventional means of warfare. She could do what we expect or do something completely different. Or both." Ozpin explained. "She has lived for longer than I have, and her stratagem has always beaten mine because she does not care for morals. She just wants the job done."
"I can tell you where to find the final Relic, but if I do that, she will know exactly where we are." Jinn revealed.
"You know where the Relic of Creation is?" Cinder asked.
"Of course, I do. I'm the Relic of Knowledge." Jinn bluntly answered.
"Duh." Amber sneered, Cinder lightly elbowed Amber's shoulder, which made her giggle.
"Well, Salem already knows where we are. Watts isn't stupid, and he knows that the only place we could have ran to was the Summit's Claim. Salem will be sending forces here no matter what… we may as well take advantage of that timing." Ruby explained, and Li Ren looked at them all. He nodded his head and left the Monastery.
"I will prepare our people for the coming attack." Li promised, and he closed the door behind him.
Jinn ascended before them all with her arms held out and Ruby stood up, looking upon the angelic entity. "Jinn…" She blew out a nervous breath.
No turning back now.
We need to find that Relic before Salem does.
"… Where is the Relic of Creation?"
Jinn's eyes glowed a bright blue and her entire body shone brighter as well, and the light consumed them all. Ruby looked around with wide eyes, stumbling as the entire room crumbled before her very eyes.
It was fast, but it was what she needed to see. She took the form of an Eagle, gliding over the ruins of Beacon Academy, and over the city of Vale. The Eagle dove through the trees, passing by the Grimm that were roaring and charging through the woods, then it ascended somewhere else. She saw flashes of a man from an older time holding the Sword and driving it down into a stone, with wide blue eyes and blonde hair. The sword remained in the stone, forevermore.
Before her was an ancient castle, one that at the time in the vision was not so ancient, but now was an old ruin, left behind on the cliffs of Vale. An ancient bastion during the Great War. Huge waves crashed against the cliffs, and overhead… the moon was whole… until a powerful white beam shot up from Vytal and a huge explosion completely shattered part of the moon.
The Eagle slowed before the Castle, then Ruby gasped as she saw the flashing images before her. Hearing the voices roaring in her head. "PROTECT THE SWORD!" A demented voice roared, then she saw the flash of Salem's burning red eyes, and her sinister smirk… but that one felt like it was happening right now.
The last thing she saw… where another pair of eyes… but these were different, unfamiliar eyes.
They burned a dark purple, cracking the skin around the eyes, and filled with hatred, and a dark breath.
Then the vision ended, and Ruby collapsed to her knees, gasping and panting on the floor. Penny and Yang rushed to her side, helping her up, and so did Taiyang. "Ruby!" Taiyang gasped as they held her up and sat her down. Jinn held her hands behind her back as she floated before them all. Ruby gasped, blood leaked from her nose.
"Her nose…" Weiss nervously said.
"Don't worry, that happens all the time. It's nothing serious." Ren assured.
"Mr Ren is correct, Miss Schnee. The power of my knowledge is sometimes too much for a mortal mind. I am always careful with how much I show people… to much knowledge can burn the individual out and can even be lethal." Jinn explained.
"Here, Ruby… drink." Penny softly said as she gave her the water bottle, Ruby drank it as she pressed the cool bottle against her head. Ozpin approached Ruby and crouched down before her as she lifted her head, shaking the pain away.
"Ruby? You still with us?" He asked her.
"I think so." Ruby chuckled.
"What did you see?" He asked her.
"I… I saw Vale… Beacon. It's in Vale, I'm certain of that. But then I ended up at some old castle, I saw a man drive the Relic into a stone. The Castle is built on a cliff, white cliffs… and the waves were crashing into it. And I saw… this beam… shoot up into the moon, but it looked whole then… and after the beam hit it, it exploded and it… looked just like it did now." Ruby explained, strained from using the Relic.
Ozpin said nothing and he walked away. "The hell does that mean?" Taiyang questioned, but Oz still said nothing.
"There's more…" Ruby assured. "Salem… I saw her. She knows, I know that it was happening now. Whenever we used the Relic in the past, I always saw her face. She always knows whenever we use her."
"Sounds like she is on her way."
"And…"
They all looked at her. "The last thing I saw… were these eyes. I've never seen anyone with eyes like this though. They were burning with this dark purple… almost like flames."
"Tyrian?" Cinder asked, remembering how his eyes turned purple whenever he either used his semblance or his stinger.
"No, his eyes just glowed… this… this was different. The skin around their eyes was cracked and these dark purple embers were pouring out. Their skin was pale as hell too… just like Salem. I've never seen anything like it." Ruby explained, and they walked around. Jinn descended before Ruby smiled.
"I hope you're ready." She spoke.
"What do you mean?" Penny asked, she hardened her expression.
"They're here."
Battle of the Summit
The Warriors of the Summit's Claim stood at the ready on their walls and within the compound itself, weapons in hand. Some of them looked terrified but were ready to fight, nonetheless. Li walked past one of them, sensing his fear and he gently held his shoulder with a smile. He walked towards the gates as Cinder formed her axe and crouched down in front of Amber. "No matter what happens, you stay in the Monastery, okay?" Cinder said.
"O-Okay…" Amber wrapped her arms around Cinder in a warm hug, and the medics wheeled Venal in the same direction. Yang flicked her hair over her shoulder and Blake stayed at the Monastery as well, still not able to fight due to her blindness, which was killing her inside. Ruby spun Black Thorn through her fingers as they got to position, with Penny beside her.
Ren and Nora walked together, and she stopped him, grabbing him and pulling him down to her lips to share a long and loving kiss. "Come back." She ordered.
"Yes, ma'am." He replied, walking with his father and Taiyang. Weiss held Myrtenaster tightly as she watched from the walls with Winter and Eryka. Pyrrha was also inside the Monastery, to protect the non-combatants in case the Grimm broke through. Without her weapons, she was little use out there on the front line.
Li, Ren and Taiyang approached the main gates, and Sashaa nodded, opening it for them. On the other side of the gates, were Icarus and Adam. The two of them stood there and walking up behind them was the Praetorian Knight that Salem commanded to join them. It stood with its Sceptre pressed down against the ground in a knightly posture.
Li walked ahead of his son and friend, staring directly at Icarus. He sensed the mechanical jaw and the mechanical wings, it was him, no question. "So, it's true… you serve Salem now." Icarus said nothing, the hatred was burning in his eyes. He wanted to kill him where he stood for what he did to his father… for what he did to him that night. But Li had equal reason to hate him too, for he was the one who brought that Nuckelavee to Kuroyuri in the first place. The same monster that killed his wife and took his eyes. "What have you become?"
"I am what you made me." Icarus stated with a vicious snarl in his metallic voice.
"You…" Taiyang snarled, staring straight at Adam Taurus, clenching his fists so hard that the raw energy of his semblance channelled through his muscles. "… I know what you did to my girl. Do you know how much suffering she had to endure because of you?"
Adam just smirked. "Not enough."
Taiyang growled and went to walk forward but Li held out his arm, stopping him. The wind howled around them as they stood there, and Taiyang calmed his nerves, backing off. "You are at the Summit's Claim now… Salem's laws carry no weight here. I am going to politely request that you turn around now." He warned, which made Icarus chuckle sinisterly as he reached into his pocket, and he threw something on the floor.
Li stared at it, and despite his blindness… he knew immediately what it was. Ren seethed with fury when he saw it. "Such a shame… she was such a beautiful woman. Too bad the accident at Kuroyuri happened." He said, and laid on the floor was the necklace that once belonged to An Ren. Li kept his nerves cool and looked back at him.
"Are we here to merely trade insults?" Li questioned.
"No… someone would like to have a word with you." Icarus answered, he then nodded to Adam who reached into his jacket pocket and held the spherical device in his hand. It approached; multiple glowing plates rotated around the core. It floated towards them… then a holographic image formed from the sphere, revealing Arthur Watts. He looked like he was actually there but was only a life-sized hologram.
"Li Ren." He greeted.
"Doctor Arthur Watts, I presume?" Li inquired.
"You presume correctly, sir. I have a lot of respect for the Summit's Claim, I really do. You have kept to yourselves for thousands of years, living your own peaceful lives in harmony. It's admirable… truly." Watts explained as his hologram paced around. "But then you just had to go and harbour… well… all of Salem's Fugitives. I'm afraid our Queen demands that you hand over, Pyrrha Nikos, Oscar Pine, Ruby Rose, Penny Polendina and Cinder Fall immediately."
"That's a tall order." Taiyang stated, which made Watts chuckle.
"The truth is Mr Xiao Long… it's the best offer you will ever get. I mean, I am surprised that Salem is even bothering with all this… after how many times you have burned her requests… but once again… she is giving you the chance to surrender peacefully." Watts stated as he held his arms behind his back with that smirk hidden beneath his moustache. "Don't let this become another Kuroyuri, Li."
"You see… that's where you're wrong, Arthur." Li responded, suddenly smashing the device apart with one fast swing with his staff, glaring down at it with gritted teeth. "This isn't Kuroyuri!" He growled, Icarus scowled at him whilst Adam grinned, excited for bloodshed whilst the Praetorian Knight.
Li, Ren and Taiyang all walked back towards their Gates. "Everyone! Prepare for combat!" he yelled, whilst Icarus opened his wings and drew his Khopeshes.
"I was hoping he'd do that." Icarus admitted, determined for vengeance for both his father and himself. Adam drew Wilt and Blush, laughing sadistically whilst the Praetorian Knight channelled dark magic through his body of floating metal and slammed the Sceptre down into the ground with a haunting howl. And up the path… came the heavy rumbling of an army of Grimm headed straight for them. Icarus took off and Adam jumped out of the way.
Eryka glared at the growing smog of Grimm. "Here they come…"
The snow came the Grimm, lead by a Goliath which roared furiously as it grew closer and closer. "Fire!" Eryka roared, launching her Explosive Arrow directly into the eye of the Goliath, shattering the bone armour around its skull. The Goliath trumpeted before crashing down to the ground, but the rest of the Grimm Forces kept coming. Weiss and Winter summoned their Glyphs, firing different elements down upon the Grimm, setting some of 6them alight of skewering them with spikes of ice. Winter smiled at her sister.
"Looks like you haven't stopped honing your semblance." Winter said.
"What can I say? I had a good teacher." Weiss replied with a smile, then Weiss formed six more Glyphs behind her, which all shot icicles down towards the Creeps that lunged towards the walls.
"Keep them away from the walls!" Sashaa called out as she kept firing her Rifle down at them, nailing beast after beast. Sashaa gasped at what she saw rising up from ahead, there was a small creature which started to roar and grow in size. It had long sharp ears and burning red eyes, and it was incredibly muscular with plates of bony armour covering its back. It also grew another pair of arms as well from its ribs as it roared, foaming viciously at the mouth.
"The hell is that?" Sashaa gasped, Winter looked ahead and saw the creature sprinting towards the gates on all six legs, running like some wild ape.
"Crap, looks like a Shifter! Take it out!" Winter commanded, entering her Military Mindset once more. The men and women on the walls started firing their guns at the monster as it charged directly towards the gates, the bullets hit the armour on its back as it remained hunched forward as it bound closer and closer. Then it roared and punched its fists down into the snow and dug its razor-sharp claws into the soil, ripping out a boulder of stone. Winter's eyes widened. "Oh shit… INCOMING BOULDER! GET DOWN!" She roared at the Shifter launched it directly at them, it exploded as soon as it hit the wall and Sashaa screamed as it threw her off the wall. She crashed down against the ground, her aura breaking instantly. She groaned in pain, but Yang rushed to her aid, dragging her to safety.
Winter lifted her head, turning to Winter. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a few dings and bruises. Nothing my aura can't patch up. We need to take out that Shifter! It's at the gates!" Eryka called out, firing her Bow down at it repeatedly, but all she was hitting were its plates. The Shifter repeatedly smashed its body into the doors as it roared. It then punched its four fists into the doors over and over, howling with every strike, damaging the already damaged hinges already.
"Damn it Pyrrha, you just had to damage the door, didn't you?" Winter growled with annoyance.
"Get ready! They're coming through!" Winter called out to everyone below.
Yang gritted her teeth hard as she glared at the doors, fists clenched, ready to kill some Grimm. The Shifter bellowed as it threw itself through the doors. They broke off the strong hinges and crashed down onto the snow, the Shifter tumbled through the snow but landed on all six limbs. It reared its back and smashed all four fists into its chest, roaring savagely at them all, and the rest of the Grimm started pouring through the gates.
"Hey!" Yang called out, and she blasted directly at the monster, punching it across the face and jumping up to uppercut it. It stumbled backwards but as Yang went to attack again, it caught her by the arms and her body in its hands and threw her directly into the wall. The wall exploded and crumbled around her, luring the Beast inside. Yang lifted her head, wiping the dust and snow from her golden hair, then her lilac eyes widened as she gasped. The Shifter threw itself into the room and swiped its claws at her, but Yang lifted her cybernetic arm upwards, stopping its attack dead, and then she rode the recoil backwards, avoiding the other arm. The Shifter drooled as it stared her down, and she kept her fists raised, before rushing the beast.
She fired shot after shot from Ember Celica, shotgun shell fragments dug into the flesh but did extraordinarily little damage compared to the rest of its body. But then she launched multiple screeching missiles towards the monster that exploded upon contact with its chest. The Shifter was thrown back through the whole it jumped through by the explosion, now with multiple scorch marks and holes in its flesh. However, it was not dead yet, forcing itself back up onto its feet. But as she stood there, she turned and smiled as her Father stood beside her. "Need a hand?" Taiyang asked her with a smirk.
"Oh nah, but the company is always welcomed." Yang assured, which made her dad laugh. The Shifter glared at them, followed up with another roar, attempting to frighten them with that nightmarish noise, but they never even flinched. The Shifter dug its two left arms into the snow and ripped out a chunk of rock, lobbing it right at them. Taiyang jumped forward, channelling his aura into his fists, and the powerful impact of his punch completely obliterated the rock. But through the dust, the Shifter jumped right at him and grabbed him with its upper two arms, smashing him down against the ground, whilst grabbing Yang by the throat with one of its lower arms. It stared at her with gritted sharp teeth.
It lunched down towards Taiyang's throat to rip out his jugular with its long sharp fang-like canines, until Taiyang's eyes glowed, and he suddenly created a powerful pulse of energy. The Shifter released him and Yang, and its black fur set alight with flames, it writhed and howled in agony from the fire that scorched the flesh. It smashed a crate across the floor, then Taiyang ran towards its back leg and he punched it there so hard that the bone burst through its thigh. The beast fell to one knee with an agonized roar, only to finally be finished off by Yang as she jumped towards the beast, firing multiple remote detonated explosive shells into its ribs. They beeped where they dug themselves and she flipped backwards after jumping off its face, landing down on the snow, looking away as she detonated them.
The Shifter roared one last time before the ribs of the beast erupted, and Yang smirked as the explosion went of behind her. Its roar was completely silenced, and its entire chest was blown open, splattering black blood everywhere. The Shifter slumped down to the ground before crumbling away into ashes. Yang rose back up to her feet and Taiyang smirked as he wiped the Grimm Blood from his shoulder. "That's my girl."
"Learned from the best." She beamed.
"We got more!" One of the Guards called out, firing her rifle down at the Grimm that came rushing through the Gates. Beowulves charged inside and howled to the sky, before slashing their claws at the brave men and women who attacked them with their weapons. One of them smashed her axe down the shoulder of the creature, however it simply took the strike in stride, and slashed up her chest with its other hand. She screamed and fell on the floor, only to be finished off by the Beowulf as it clamped its jaws onto her throat and shook her violently as she screamed. Her blood splattered over the snow, and the creature glared at Yang viciously.
These people had looked after them for six years… Yang knew them all… they all did. And seeing them being killed like this? It angered her, but before she was set off, Ruby suddenly shot forward and slashed Black Thorn through the throat of the beast. Yet it still kept coming, only to be finished off when Ruby fired both Volcanic Pistols directly into its open mouth, killing it at long last. "These things are tougher; Salem must have modified these Grimm to survive up here!"
"We always knew she would do something eventually." Yang said, reloading Ember Celica. Ruby dashed towards the Grimm in a flurry of Petals, cutting down multiple Creeps. Some were clearly stronger than others, that fact alone made things harder. They had no idea how much firepower they would have to pump into the Grimm, their strength was completely randomised. Ruby then looked up with wide Silver Eyes as she heard the sound of a rocket roaring over their heads, noticing the mechanical wings.
"Icarus…" She hissed.
Icarus flew across the Summit's Claim and he opened the wings up and threw Grandes down towards the Yurts, creating fiery explosions which set their homes alight. He could hear the panicked screams of the non-combatants who were not in the Monastery yet as they tried to flee. He readied his Khopeshes to cut them down, laughing sinisterly, until he heard his voice. "ICARUS!" Li Ren bellowed, Icarus paused and turned to the smoke and embers where he heard his voice.
The Old Blind Man walked through the smoke with his staff, spinning it through his fingers as he looked up at him. "Your fight is with me. Do not think me a fool, I know that is the sole reason you joined Salem. To get your revenge." Li stated, and Icarus descended and landed before him, keeping his Mechanical Wings open as he circled him.
"You're a weak, blind old man, Li… not the great warrior you once were. You're a fool to think you can fight me." Icarus stated, Li threw his cloak aside, revealing his old combat gear underneath it all, and he held his staff in his human hand, whilst keeping the cybernetic one free.
"Blind? Yes. Old? Yes. But Weak? I think not." Li stated as he stood his ground, holding his staff and keeping his composure. Icarus glared directly at him, holding his Khopeshes tight. Icarus suddenly launched directly at Li and slashed his Khopeshes towards him, only for Li to duck down and roll across the snow, easily dodging his attacks. Icarus snarled and then he threw one of the grenades at him, only for Li to effortless bat it aside with his staff, creating a large explosion behind him. Icarus' eyes narrowed, then the furious Mercenary threw himself forward, not only swinging his Khopeshes at the old man, but also his wings, thrusting the sharp feathers down and forwards, trying to cut him down. But Li backed up, moving faster than he ever expected, blocking and countering every move he made, punching Icarus in the side of his face with his metal hand before he rolled over his back and slammed his staff into the centre of his back with ease.
Icarus suddenly ascended into the air with his Wingsuit, blasting directly at him and spiralling round, cutting his Khopeshes at the old Warrior, but Li ducked down, only narrowly missing that attack. Icarus banked around one of the peaks before diving directly towards him. He roared with hatred as he slammed both his feet down into the ground, driving his sharp wings down where he was stood, and Li spun across the snow, and batted the man across the side of his head with the staff. Icarus was thrown backwards, but the thrusters in his wingsuit slowed him down, and he charged towards him once more.
As Icarus rushed forward, Li went to close line him with his staff, but Icarus jumped over his head, surprising Li, and he hooked the old man's leg and swiped him off his feet. He then drove the two wings down towards his face to try and kill him fast, but he held up his staff with both hands, holding him back. "Look upon your works, old man… I know you are blind… but I know you know what I have become. I know how you are still able to see our auras… what do you see now?" Icarus growled, and the truth genuinely scared Li.
Because that little boy? Who was once a good kid, who could have done so many good things? The only thing left in him now was hatred, and fire. But as he pushed the bladed feathers down against Li's throat, Stormflower suddenly shot forward and the cable wrapped around his neck, and Ren jumped over him with rage in his eyes. He landed behind Icarus and pulled him back, looking ahead with wide eyes as Magni also came hurtling directly at him. Icarus grunted and Ren rolled out of the way just in time as Icarus tumbled off the edge of the cliff.
Only for his wings to open up once more, and the jetpack to blast off once more, flying overhead. Ren helped his Dad back up to his feet whilst Nora spun Stormur Skeggox through her fingers. "We know you're a badass, Li… but you're gonna need help if you're gonna take this bastard down." Nora stated, remembering how it took all of the Rogues to bring him down last time.
And he was even stronger now.
"So, it would seem." Li agreed.
"And besides… I think the three of us all have plenty reason to kill this guy." Ren snarled as he held Stormflower tight. Icarus laughed as he hovered over them, slowly descending down to the ground.
"As I suspected… the old man must call upon his shadows to protect him. Such a pity." Icarus growled. "No matter, at least I can take your son and his ball and chain from you as well."
"Eh, more like Pet Sloth." Nora shrugged, Icarus raised his eyebrow in confusion at that, but it made Ren chuckle.
Ren, Nora and Li stood before Icarus who extended his wings and spun his Khopeshes through his fingers, preparing to fight them to the death he had to.
Back at the centre of the Claim, the Grimm were still pouring through. Penny flew up into the air with Cinder beside her, blasting the Grimm out of the sky, she launched her swords up towards the Manticore that went to attack the Monastery, sending the monster crashing down towards the ground. Cinder roared as she drove her axe into the throat of a Teryx, and the two of them crashed down to the ground. Cinder stood atop its corpse and threw her axe with one hand, directly into the face of a Beringel.
Ruby and Yang fought back-to-back against the Grimm together, and Winter continued to hold the Wall with Weiss and Eryka, repeatedly decimating the Grimm with their raged attacks. But some were managing to climb up the wall, forcing them to have to fight them the old-fashioned way. Weiss repeatedly stabbed the Beowulf in the chest with Myrtenaster, before kicking it off the wall. "Get off my wall!" She yelled.
But her eyes widened as she saw something massive charging towards the gates. It was like a Horse with a Rider on it, and the Imp hanging lifelessly from its Equine Partner was filled with arrows and spears but was definitely still alive. It was the Nuckelavee, the same one that attacked and destroyed Kuroyuri.
The same one that killed An.
The Nuckelavee roared as it cleared through the gates and skidded across the snow. It reared back and roared to the sky. Li, Ren and Nora all turned with wide eyes as they saw the same monster there. Icarus laughed as he stared them down. "Bring back memories?" Icarus asked.
"You're gonna pay for what you did." Ren growled.
"Not before your father pays for what he did to mine… and to me." He snarled, pointing to his mechanical jaw. "Did he ever tell you that? Or did he hide that too?"
"He told me… I know all about what happened. And I am sorry… but you killed my mom. Took away my home… I can never forgive that." Ren snarled, which made Icarus chuckle.
"Then I suppose we are in agreement." Icarus stated moments before they attacked.
Ruby stared at the Nuckelavee with wide eyes, it too had been modified by Salem. Its eyes were glowing just like that Shifter's and the Beowulf's…
"That's how we can tell which Grimm have got major upgrades! It's their eyes!" Ruby called out, then it turned and stared straight at her. Or more specifically… at the Relic of Knowledge. "Uh oh…"
The Nuckelavee suddenly extended its arm and grabbed Ruby, throwing her across the Claim and straight through a building, pursuing her. "Ruby!" Yang screamed. Not only that, but her eyes widened as the Praetorian Knight sprinted straight through the Gates, driving its Sceptre straight through the chest of one of the warriors, killing him instantly. It turned to where Ruby was thrown by the Nuckelavee, and it also pursued. They were both going after the Relic.
Ruby was good… but she could never take on both an Enhanced Ancient Nuckelavee and a Praetorian Knight at once.
"I'll go! Keep the town secure!" Penny called out, and Cinder followed, she was gonna need all the help she could get against that Nuckelavee and the Praetorian Knight. But as Yang stood there… she felt her blood go cold… and her Phantom Pains returned when she heard his voice. His laugh… it made her feel sick.
"Well look who it is…" Adam chuckled, and she slowly turned to see him stood there. Her eyes stared at Wilt and Blush, all too familiar. Flashing images of that moment hit her like a truck, and his smirk remained.
"You…"
"Perhaps this time I can actually finish the job." Adam chuckled as he pointed his sword straight at her. But she hardened herself and clenched her fists.
"Right back at ya." She snarled, and from the Monastery with her enhanced hearing… Blake heard his voice. She was shaking, but she also heard Yang…
… and she could not stay back.
She couldn't keep hiding, no matter how badly her Blindness affected her skills.
One way or another…
The Fate of the Summit's Claim was going to be decided in this battle…
Author Note - Battles are all set up, gonna have some really cool fights next chapter!
This was originally gonna be one chapter, but realising how big this got and I still had a lot more to write? I decided to split this chapter in half, otherwise it would be like... 16000 or maybe 20000 words XD Was a cool chapter to write, sorry it took a while. Been doing stuff for my original stories lately, brainstorming and planning for starting my career as an author.
But! It's here :) Liked having that bit with Ozpin revealing his reincarnation through Oscar to everyone, and of course, the first question in the series! Of course if you remember, the rules are different in Eclipse. Infinite Questions but only for those that Jinn deems worthy, which is why only Ruby saw it. But of course as we saw... Salem sensed it. I wonder if anyone recognised that castle from one of the previous chapters or not? The plot thickens...
But then the Grimm show up, with two very deadly enemies, and of course... the Nuckelavee AND a Praetorian Knight. They've got their work cut out for them here, especially considering the fact that this is the Kuroyurian Nuckelavee, and has had a major upgrade to survive up here. Meaning it will be even tougher than before. Plus the Shifter was quite cool :)
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
- Matt