A/N: I am kind of proud with this one, always have been.
Chapter 9: Darkness Calls
The next day was the semi-finals of the Vytal Tournament. It was a day of hard combat and tense bouts taking place. As two pairs of partners readied for combat, the display screens turned blood red with the emblem of a black rook. The next thing of note to happen was the swarm of Atlesian Knights swarming the Arena like a mechanical flood. Their gears crunched and chattered rhythmically as they raised their Rifles on the civilians as the live feeds continued in chilling uninterrupted detail. The world of Remnant took a collective gasp as they watched the feed. Stunned, unable to look away as the Grimm outside the walls took exceptional note of what was happening inside. To further amplify the shock and awe the White Fang took to their bullheads and stormed Amity as well, supported by the Atlesian assets as they rounded up the students and penned them into the center of the Arena. As the world looked on at this info, shocked. Though at beacon something was happening, a response was being prepared.
Roused from their beds, weapons gathered. Dark grins curled under their masks as they readied to do the job they were tasked with. A VNN marked Bullhead was ready for them, they approached as their leader couldn't wait. Their movement was accented by the clatter of black armor, the rattle of blacked-out weapons, the whipping of cloaks in the blast of the Jet engines of the bullhead as the thunderstorm resumed in full force. It would have been a dangerous night to fly, but it was well beyond the time for safety. The world was starting to wake the Grimm.
On the bullhead, the team of four was briefed that it was happening on course with what Winter predicted. That was a massive force of White Fang assisted by AKs that took the Vytal Festival arena by storm. Overwhelmed and outgunned those in the Colosseum had no method of fighting back. Holding them in the center arena at gunpoint all the students were there minus Prydwen and a few others that were out on missions. As the world watched in shock as all of Atlas's military assets were compromised and hacked, then used against them, Ironwood had failed, and the world knew it and he was nowhere to be found.
The Bullhead that was heading for the arena is where Winter and the four black knights were preparing for their assault. Clad in the new uniforms of their own creation. With their hoods up, their identities concealed by neoprene half-face masks and black visors to cover their eyes. They looked like knights now. They were truly set to stand against the white fang. They gave their individuality to fight. sadly, seeing these outfits unsettled Winter to a painful degree as she felt like Ironwood won that battle. Refocusing, she ignored that feeling as this uniform was agreed upon by the team. Weiss reassured her of this many times. Looking out at the Turbulent sky Winter could only mutter to herself, "I have a bad feeling about this."
"So Winter, what does it look like down there?" Ruby inquired lowering her face mask to talk unimpeded. Despite the tense situation, she felt powerful, she felt like she could help. Though the look on Winter's face was grim.
"It is bad," Understatement of my life, Winter thought as she continued as she looked into Ruby's visor "lots of hostages, bombs, and about five hundred White Fang members," Winter spoke briefing the knights. Amity's security had been compromised but they had regained access to the cameras and now had actionable intel.
"Any sign of their leaders?" Weiss inquired about the locations of the main targets that the team had, hoping for one in particular. Wiess herself was hoping they could cut the head off of the proverbial snake, thus collapsing the White Fang.
"Yes the press box is where their main leader, Adam Taurus, is located," Winter explained bringing up blueprints of the press box on her scroll. "We also have word that there is a rogue Mistralan team that will need to be dealt with as well," Winter explained as they seemed to be more critical to deal with than Adam.
"Anyone else coming with us?" Ruby inquired about reinforcements, she was hopeful there would be some but she had to make sure. Winter's face turned to another frown as she looked doubtful. Though she had to give an answer.
"Rumors only, though if what I'm told is true, Ozpin is gathering some of his forces," Winter responded, knowing most likely who would be brought in. This had Winter cringing at the thought of that man, but she would tolerate him as anyone offering their help was needed for this.
"Touchdown in fifteen seconds," the bull head pilot said in a stressed tone, as flying this high in a bull head was a bad idea with this kind of weather. The rumble in the engine proved to show his concern with this flight.
"Pyrrha and Nora you are to control the fodder in the Arena" Winter said starting to give her orders, before continuing with, "Ruby, Weiss you are to capture Adam." Seeing Ruby's smile twist and curl Winter added one final point "Now sadly, I feel the need to say this 'No Killing, you are not to kill any members of the White Fang,'" Winter stated explicitly, hearing this actually made the knight's quiver, Not one of them showed any will to kill, anyone severely harm, maybe, but not kill. This order rung throughout their heads. They looked at each other, their eyes wide under their visors, Winter thought they could kill.
As they deployed into the arena proper from the commandeered news bullhead. Ruby and Weiss dropped quietly into the shadows above the booth. They were using glyphs to slow their descent so no one heard their boots against the roof. There was a White fang goon who was watching over the Arena from above and Ruby came up from behind and struck him in the back of the head with Verstreut's pommel. Ruby hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious with the first hit. Weiss smiled beneath her mask as Ruby struck hard and fast. Using a hand signal, Ruby gestured to the door. Ruby opened it with her sword at the ready in her hand. She looked ready to handle anyone who tried to attack her. This was all while Nora and Pyrrha dropped into the shadows of the arena floor. Their cloaks silenced the light rattles of their armor. like shadows. They subdued a few goons quietly as they pursued their objectives. Now Ruby and Weiss had infiltrated the rear of the booth and waited for the signal, while Pyrrha and Nora silently subdued the White Fang near the shadows. Seeing them in position Winter gave the command, it was quick and one word in their earpieces, "Go!"
With that, Nora and Pyrrha revealed themselves, their black cloaks catching a breeze and flaring notably causing one of the White Fang goons to yell, "Who the hell are you two!?"
"We are the Black Knights," they both Responded, "and we are here to break your legs!" Nora added maliciously as they charged deploying their now blackened weapons in hand at full deployment. The goon who called them out took a solid hit to the knees from Nora. The girl was laughing as they took on these terrorists, her body full of electric charge as she slammed another. Pyrrha was more precise using her sword and shield to cut through the white fang goons who thought they could handle them. With that, the world began looking at the screen with a glimmer of hope in the name of the 'Black Knights.'
In the Pressbox, at the same moment, Ruby and Weiss revealed themselves by incapacitating the guards behind Adam with pommel strikes. Hearing the intrusion, he turned to face them and said: "Now this is a surprise, didn't know we had an opposition group here, no matter, you will die for intruding." He said drawing his sword and Ruby and Weiss followed suit by assuming a ready stance. Both began an onslaught of attacks Adam was barely able to keep up against these two. To him, their speed was impressive, most impressive.
Down below fighting around the tied down students, Nora and Pyrrha were a sight to behold. The White Fang grunts and AKs were charging them head-on like fools. They were getting batted out of the way. The cracks of bones being shattered and metal crunching rang through the air. Nora and Pyrrha were smiling under their masks. The crowd was cheering them on. The few students at beacon who knew could tell this fight was personal. Especially as the duo of PN could be heard roaring with rage.
Though, after enough fools had their legs inverted. Two recognizable faces came up to them. The girl with dark skin and minty hair, they knew as Emerald, and the gray-haired kickboxer who was known as Mercury. Their weapons were drawn at the two knights. "Alright I have no idea who you two are but we can let you ruin our plan, so go look somewhere else for your human sacrifices", Mercury said, never seeing these two before. Using hand gestures Pyrrha told Nora to handle Emerald while she attacked Mercury. For once the duo had a challenge to face. Then they were joined by Neo and Cinder and the fight was truly on.
Up in the press box, Ruby and Weiss were overpowering Adam. The duo of red and white were making very unpredictable, fast-paced strikes on the terrorist leader. Considering the insane speed they had, and their glyphs, which gave away the identity of a Schnee, one set of their glyphs was normal while one was using a floral patterned Glyph something that was quite new to the man, especially one who had done battle with a Schee prior. One was using a slashing sword, with near spot on edge alignment, while the other was using a rapier with pinpoint thrusts. Parrying with both his sword and sheath, he evaded their attacks that were fueled with extreme prejudice. Their strokes were fueled by a fiery vengeance that tore the air as the blades clanged. Getting a glimpse as the eyes under the visor with one strike, he recognized who he hurt.
"Oh good, so you survived that mine blast!" Adam declared as he chuckled looking at the two of them, he knew how he was going to get an advantage, "So you must be the pathetic leader who got your team killed huh?" He said and like clockwork, the slasher charged at her. The Faunus then noticed a slip up on the slashing blade user's enraged motion and exploited it by taking his blade right down on her right arm severing it.
As her arm flew, Ruby screamed in agony as she fell as her right arm was cut off just before the elbow. She was still cognizant as the pain forced her into screaming as blood poured out. Though her crimson aura stopped the bleeding for the time. That's when Ruby heard Weiss screaming as she continued the onslaught, Weiss felt the pain in her right arm, it was like it was on fire. Weiss had to win because if she didn't Ruby would most certainly die. Clanging and ringing, the blades sang in the fury of battle, a true song of war.
Though, on the floor, Ruby noticed something next to her a shadowy dust crystal that had fallen out of a box nearby. Out of options, Ruby took the crystal in hand, realizing what it was, Distortion Dust. Looking at the battle again, she had to do something, anything to help Weiss. Despite the risk, Ruby put the crystal next to the bloody glowing stub. Seeing the sight above her. she watched Weiss get disarmed and kicked into the wall of the box by Adam. Ruby needed to hurry, she poured her Aura into the crystal which caused a bright flash at the stump of her arm and a chain reaction.
In that second a singularity did not form but she felt something attaching itself to her arm and her mind was permeated with another Vision and knowledge. This felt more real than her past visions. She was a dark room, looking out over a lava field from a window as she stood on what looked like an obsidian platform. Standing before her looking down at her. To Ruby, it felt like this figure was looming over her. Clad in a suit of black armor and his breathing sounding like that of a worn-out gas mask. She felt the pain in her arm she saw his right hand hold up what looked like a flashlight and spoke in a deep raspy metallic voice.
"To you, I don't exist yet, but we are the same," this voice stated, deep and booming, as this figure spoke through his mask, "We are willing to do anything, sacrifice anything to save our loved ones, though you have a chance I never did, Ruby," He said his voice chilling Ruby to the bone as he started to speak again. "And I want to help, and a prophecy told me, a powerful Sith would be raised by my arm." Ruby looked at the masked figure, his armor and raspy breathing unnerved her, the next question further unnerved her as he offered her a choice." Would you embrace the darkness to save Weiss, Ruby?" Ruby sat there, trying to interpret what this figure meant but there was no time she needed to help Weiss, so she gave her answer as she stood taking a step forward.
"Yes, I would!" Ruby said, which gave the tall figure all he needed to do what he needed to as Ruby looked at this man whose voice erupted from his mask.
"then you shall have my arm Darth Fleurnoire!" He said christening her with a name she did not yet understand. Holding his arm in a prime display to the young leader, watching this his hand 'dismantled itself' into glowing fragments. Fluttering through the air like burning petals, the glowing bits of metal and fabric formed onto the stub of her arm. The metal skeleton of the arm reconstructed itself before her eyes, as each nerve was painfully connected to the arm. Then it was sheathed in the fabric from the figure's arm, the process was complete as her new hand was capped with a heavy synthetic leather gauntlet.
"To save her, you must adopt a new weapon, Fleurnoire," he said handing the 'flashlight' to Ruby. "Take this and do what I could not," the weapon resonated with her new hand in a dark way as she took it in a new hand. She could see a shadowy black aura on this hand that was twisting and writhing into Ruby's merged aura. It felt like raw power. It was bleeding, like black ink through a pale red fabric. All of this caused her to feel something new. Something that was always there, yet unnoticed. Though she recognized, it was that push, that feeling she had during those visions. It was this power, a force that was empowering her, guiding her in her time of grief. Teeming with this new power, she felt alive. Her body awoken to power she started to giggle, then chuckle, then burst into a full bore manic laugh. This is it this is the power I needed. Ruby smirked as her eyes started to burn but funnily enough, it didn't hurt as reality resumed back to her.
Witnessing Ruby activate the distortion Dust, the former Heiress wanted to scream, but the world went still as she felt another vision begin. She was screaming, hoping that she wasn't dead, this wasn't how it was supposed to end. Though her vision faded into the chamber of a dark yellowed grey great stone structure. Surrounded by the jungle, they were places of darkness. Though the Sky betrayed her location to be nowhere on Remnant. As a red gas giant loomed above a voice called out to her.
"Do you want to Survive!?" This voice yelled out as Weiss saw the man clad in dark blue robes looking at her. He had one arm exposed, very asymmetric armor, and a long dark messy ponytail. The former Heiress looked, he approached, and asked, "Would you step into darkness to save Ruby and yourself?" Weiss looked at this man, he was very intimidating, as he stepped forward, Weiss thought on the question for no longer than a millisecond.
"I would, I turned against my family to be with her, I will be the best partner I can be, and I can't be that if I am dead!" Weiss ranted to the buff man before he smiled down at her as he held up his hand, showing an ornate gem on the back of his hand mounted in what seemed like an elaborate amulet as he spoke.
"Then I, Exar Kun, name you Darth Glatteis," He stated giving Weiss an unknown title as he looked at Weiss and that amulet disintegrated into snowflakes and three dug into the left side of her face marking where her scar was with even more scaring the side of her face while the amulet formed on her hand. Though she felt a burn on her forehead like the mark on Exar's head was copied by an unknown force. Though this strange man said, "bare my mark when your name strikes terror into all that would try to end you," He said as he handed her a tool that looked like a flashlight, "and let this serve you as well as the force!" he declared as Weiss didn't get time to look it over before a power flooded her veins. As with her partner, it was there but not, it wasn't unfamiliar but it was unknown. She could feel this was just what she needed to survive and aid Ruby in her survival.
On the floor of the Arena, Neo saw to the downfall Nora as she was knocked out after a few good hits from Neo and was down on the ground when the flash occurred. Nora having just gotten smacked down by Mercury and Neo, thought she was dreaming when she saw a sandy cliff before her and a man who looked to be wearing a suit of the black carapace. Though he had his highly tattooed face exposed he had a long braid of grey-black hair. "Come forward Nora, do you want to have vengeance?" He asked as he looked at her, his eyes mismatched one looking artificial, though organic.
"Why wouldn't I?" She asked back, thinking of how she lost Lie Ren, as the man approached her. He gave a kind of gentle smile he then said.
"Well then I name Darth Svarttrost," he said as lightning erupted from the ground below Nora, and like her comrades, she got an unknown title and the lightning etched markings into the upper right quarter of her face as her eyes burned. This lightning also awoke Nora to something new, a it was something that made her feel euphoric as it crashed across her body. It was something that felt like a muscle that she hadn't used in years but had just moved now. Though despite being shocked, she felt none of the pain one would expect. Once it was done, this man handed her what looked like a tooth with some techno-gizmos sticking out of it. "Seek your vengeance," were the words he left Nora with.
Cinder and Emerald had quickly sent Pyrrha to the side of the arena. She was knocked out with her back slumped to the wall. Though as her head hit the wall her vision distorted and she saw red sand. Lots of red sand, that led up to a pyramid. In front of the pyramid, a man wearing what looked to be dark robes with yellow eyes approached, offering Pyrrha a hand, "You have suffered much pain, Pyrrha," he said as he lowered his hood showing a bald head, with markings over both eyes. Those eyes burned orange as they looked down at her. "So would you like the knowledge to end this pain once and for all?" after a minute of consideration, her mind remembered how she had to help her team through the pain of loss, and she remembered the pain Ironwood lit in their hearts. For the normally nice red head, she felt rage alongside the pain.
"I don't want to end it, I want those who oppose me to feel it!" Pyrrha replied as this man smiled, Pyrrha could feel her right eye burn in flames. The mark of the man before her was carved into her face over her right eye. Though she then could feel herself connecting to something, she could feel the world around her in a new way, like there was something surrounding her that she could use, something she could control.
"Then I name you Darth Noxcaedis," He said as Pyrrha took his hand and stood up. Giving her a smile as he handed her a bent-looking hilt and said, "Go, you shall make a fine Sith," he states as the four of them return to reality.
With another crack of lightning, the man realized he was getting to the end of the prophecy as only one more verse remained after this one. Though the Storm overhead was growing and swelling. Starting to bristle with lightning as his mind drug out the penultimate verse. "In realizing Their powers, Sith of age yet to come, and Sith of long past will assist Them before their arrival, and after." this thought concerned the dark lord as he walked. Did this mean some Sith of the future have an interest in these heralded ones or was the universe bending itself to assist these people? This puzzled the Sith greatly.
A/N: I thought it was unfair for Ruby to be the only one getting the spotlight of their Sith so I gave everyone one. Also, I decided to use Vader's castle from the Disney EU as I really like how it looks and is much better than Coruscant and Vjun.
