Chapter 55 – Shadow of Destiny
Amber
She looked out across the Sanctum, staring at the Eclipse in the sky.
Her eyes reflected the chilling sight, a day that nobody ever believed would come, yet there it was. "By the gods, we need to keep moving. Come on, Amber." Mercury stated as he started walking ahead, but he looked back at Amber with Emerald beside him.
"Amber! We can't stay here!" Emerald called out.
"Running won't change anything now… the Grimm are unkillable… running away won't give us better odds." Amber stated, for someone as young as her she spoke like an adult would.
"We promised Cinder we'd keep you safe." Emerald stated as she walked up to the girl.
"I know you did… but I can't leave… my mom is down there… I am not leaving her." She stated as she went to walk back down the mountain they just climbed, but Mercury grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
"Are you insane? You can't fight, and you're a kid. You won't stand a chance down there." Mercury stated.
"I know! But I am not leaving my mom!" Amber argued.
The Final Battle
The legends were true, the Grimm truly were unstoppable now. The soldiers fired everything they had at the beasts, and their bullets tore into the flesh of Beowulves and Sabyrs, some of the weakest of all Grimm… yet the ammunition did very little to sway them. The wounds regenerated instantaneously, just like Salem's curse did for her. They fired constantly, but the beasts sprinted towards them and tore them apart, splattering blood across the ground.
Ghira punched a Beowulf across the jaw then dug his claws into its throat, ripping the neck open, only for such a lethal wound to be recovered in a manner of moments. His eyes widened as the Beowulf snapped its jaws at him, and he tossed it aside.
"GHIRA!" Kali shrieked, jumping to him and they both tumbled out of the way, just as the Praetorian Dragon swooped overhead, dragging its claws and tail across the black sand. The God of Light stared at the monster with horror, seeing how they formed into some sort of abomination that mocked the very form he truly had. The long serpent-like dragon, but instead of golden scales, it was jet black, with glowing red eyes.
And the monster was enormous, blasting a devastating beam of red energy from its jaws, wiping out legions of their brave soldiers in seconds, leaving nothing but ashes behind. It swung its enormous wings as hard as it could; the downdraft forming sandstorms beneath it as it flew high into the sky. It blocked out the Eclipse above, then it immediately lunged towards one of the Dreadnaughts.
It clamped its huge muscular jaws onto the bridge, flames erupted inside of its mouth as it shook it like a chew toy, spitting the burning remnants out. Blake watched in fear from the Dreadnaught that she and Yang were aboard, alongside Dutch, who stared back at the monster. Its glowing red eyes glared at them, and it snarled viciously, before roaring as it channelled another beam of red energy up its throat and into its mouth.
Until suddenly, a massive beam of purple energy erupted from the side of the monster. The Praetorian Dragon turned and roared with fury as the God of Darkness in his Dragon Form flew directly at the monster, biting into the side of the creature's head. The two tangled in the sky, the long tail swiping through the dunes and leaving massive chasms in its wake.
This battle had become something far more insane than anything they could have imagined.
Now they were facing a Grimm of impossible scale, something that, by the looks of it, only a God could have the power to put down. The fact that it was the God of Darkness fighting the monster instead of the God of Light truly said a lot about the supposed better of the two Gods. The God of Darkness dug his claws into the flesh of the giant and blasted dark purple flames into the scales and chunks of metal that were pulled in from the battle to form armour. The Praetorian Dragon roared with fury and bit back at its own creature, and coiled its body around his body.
The God of Darkness suddenly exploded into a vast array of purple and black fire, which launched the Praetorian Dragon high into the atmosphere. The God of Darkness swiftly pursued, and they continued their battle nearly in the stratosphere. With the clouds far below them, and only the blood red Eclipse behind them, fire shot out from them both. The Praetorian Dragon was terrifyingly fast and erratic for its size, especially when in the sky, vanishing into the clouds.
The God of Darkness swung his wings as he looked around, snarling and chattering his teeth, and dark purple lava leaked like saliva. Suddenly a red glow formed beneath him, and the Praetorian Dragon erupted from beneath him, burning a beam of red energy across the God's body, and immediately biting into his throat, carrying him across the sky and throwing him ahead.
The God spread his wings and held out his hand, forming an enormous sword of purple energy and swung it towards the Praetorian Dragon as it launched towards him. The blade cut across the body of the creature, and it was quite the deadly blow, but with the Eclipse the wound was healed immediately, anyway. The God of Darkness snarled, then flew high above the Praetorian Dragon, before diving towards the beast and grabbing it by the throat with his claws.
Fire burned around the two as they made re-entry and came crashing down into the ocean nearby Evernight. The explosion caused an enormous earthquake that sent devastating tsunamis towards the battlefield. Down below on the battlefield as the two giants clashed in the sea, everyone knew it was suicide to stay here as the water came crashing into the land. The water flooded into the dunes, washing the wreckages away. "Everyone retreat!" Ghira ordered, and Airships flew in to extract the brave soldiers from what remained of Evernight.
Salem watched as the Praetorian Dragon and the Brother of Darkness battled nearby, then she turned to see the Brother of Light still attempting to flee. She snarled and turned to the Relic of Destruction and reached for it, only for Ruby to launch herself towards her and slice straight through her hand as the Queen's arm extended. Salem snarled as she saw her arm fall, and Ruby tumbled across the sand. Suddenly, massive waves of water crashed through the dunes and swept Ruby away from the sword.
But as the water approached the sword, the water evaporated the second it got close, ironically leaving it completely untouched, the water moving around it like a rock. Salem extended her wings and flew high in the air, and blasted lightning from her palms towards Ruby as she jumped from the water in a burst of petals, firing Black Thorn at Salem. The Dark Queen raised her wing and blocked her bullets, before launching towards her once more.
Penny flew upwards and slashed Floating Array upwards across Salem's chest, then Cinder flew into Salem and buried her axe into her chest, sending her crashing into the rocks. As she got up, Pyrrha vaulted over the rocks in front of her and kicked Salem in the chest, throwing her Obsidian Akoúo into Salem's face. Salem grunted and stumbled backwards, and she caught the shield as it bounced back in her direction. Pyrrha jumped and spun through the air, slicing down Salem's chest.
Pyrrha raised Akoúo fast and blocked a fireball thrown from Salem. The explosion's shockwave threw her against the rocks, and Salem stood tall. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" Nora suddenly yelled, launching Stormur Skeggox directly into Salem's chest, and she sprinted towards the Dark Queen. Salem gritted her teeth and turned to her, catching Nora as he jumped towards her by the throat.
Salem threw Nora against the ground, but as she ripped the axe from her chest and kicked Nora onto her back, she went to bury the blade into Nora's stomach. But Nora swiftly launched Magni into Salem's face the second she landed on her back, and caught Stormur Skeggox as Salem dropped it, and swung it into the side of Salem's head. She grunted in pain, falling to one knee as Nora charged it with electricity, making Salem scream with agony and fury, eyes glowing bright red as she glared back at the Valkyrie.
Salem screamed with fury as she glared at Nora, unable to move with the electricity coursing through her body, until Thaddeus suddenly tackled Nora to the ground. Nora yelped in pain as the back of her head cracked against the rocks, and Thaddeus stamped on her chest before raising his sword above his head, but Ren swung in and wrapped his grappling hooks around his throat and pulled him away from her, and allowed Eryka to fly towards him and punch Thaddeus in the jaw, sending him tumbling into the waves that surged beneath the dunes they were stood upon, washing the wreckages and some Grimm towards the sea.
Salem growled as she turned to the Relic of Destruction, parting the water, creating a constant cloud of steam around it. She launched herself towards it, smashing Eryka out of the way as she flew towards her, causing her to crash into the dunes. She swiftly grabbed the sword and tore it from the sand, and she was not even reacting to the pain of it burning her flesh and nerves anymore.
She had become numb to the sensation.
She flew across the flooding battlefield as the brave soldiers retreated in airships and vehicles, water crashing against the crystals and bringing them crashing down into the ground with enormous lumps of sand and metal thrown high in the air. Thaddeus also sprinted with her across the dunes beneath, and the Brother of Light turned around in fear, and swiftly blasted his Silver Eyes at her, but she raised her wing, letting it freeze to stone and take the hit, before smashing it into his face so hard that the wing exploded.
The God was thrown against the crystals by the impact, and she slashed the sword towards him, but he rolled out of the way, and threw a bolt of golden lightning into her chest. The crackling yellow forks of light stabbed and burned against her flesh, making it sizzle. But she stared back at him with hatred as the faceless man attempted to retreat. Thaddeus suddenly leapt towards him and drove his sword into the chest of the Brother of Light, holding him in place.
The God of Light roared with fury and went to wave his hand at the unnatural entity, only for Salem to suddenly jump at him from behind with the sword. He turned and gasped as she got closer and closer, until Ozpin and the many Variants of Ozma all jumped and tackled her to the ground, pinning Salem down. Oscar jumped and wrapped the chains of Thunderous Deception around Thaddeus' throat and yanked him away from the Brother of Light.
"RUN!" Oscar yelled.
Salem roared with fury, creating an explosion of fire that disintegrated the echoes of Ozma from existence, staring at the Brother of Light as he continued to flee, forming a pair of Angelic Wings to speed up his escape. Salem relentlessly pursued to kill him, but a spray of machine-gun bullets knocked her out of the sky. She looked ahead to see Coco firing Gianduja at Salem, shredding chunks of white flesh from her body, powering her dust rounds up with her semblance.
Velvet jumped onto the rocks and aimed Oobleck's weapon at her, launching a massive fireball towards Salem which hit her in the face and knocked her back towards Oscar, who smashed the Long Memory across her jaw. Salem spun around from the hit and grabbed Oscar by the throat, eyes glowing red and teeth gritted. She pinned him against the wall and pointed the blade of the Relic of Destruction against his chest. "Time for your insolence to end, Ozma." She snarled.
She pushed the sword towards his chest, only for Ruby to throw herself into Salem's side, ramming both Scythes into her shoulder and cutting straight through the bone, slicing her entire arm off. The sword melted the arm and Salem growled from the pain, glaring at Ruby as the black tar poured out, sprouting a brand new arm. The arm snapped into position as she stared at the Silver Eyed Huntress, but then they both turned, as the God of Darkness came flying towards them.
He crashed through the dunes, smashing the landscape apart underneath his enormous body, digging his claws through the dunes. He snarled as he stared back at the Praetorian Dragon in the sea, roaring back at him, eyes glowing bright red. Salem stared at the Brother of Darkness and she blasted a beam of fire from her hand into his eye, and the God turned, swinging his tail into her extremely hard.
"LOOK OUT!" Penny screamed as she flew to Ruby and grabbed her, pulling her away from the ground. Everyone ran as the Praetorian Dragon suddenly launched towards the Brother, shattering the land as they made impact. Pyrrha flew through the air and Cinder caught her, yelling as she hauled her across the sky. Whilst Team C.P.P.R flew around the two Dragons battling, Eryka, Winter and Weiss helped guide everyone to safety, with Eryka's powers and the Schnee Semblance carrying them all away.
The Praetorian Dragon blasted another beam of red energy into the Brother of Darkness, smashing him against one of the towering purple crystals, shattering it and sending it crashing down. Ruby held onto Penny as they flew, then she turned to Cinder. "Where's the Sword?" She called over the deafening roar of the Dragon, making their ears ring. Pyrrha looked around and gasped, seeing a chunk of land crashing into the back of the Praetorian Kaiju, with the Relic imbedded into it.
"There! It's on the Dragon's back!" Pyrrha yelled, pointing at it. Salem watched as the four flew to the weapon and she gritted her teeth, forming wings and flying after them. The Praetorian Dragon roared as it slashed its claws at the Brother of Darkness, only for the God to suddenly fly forwards and smash his head into the chest of the beast, knocking it backwards.
As the Praetorian Dragon recoiled backwards, the God stood on his hind legs and roared with fury, grabbing onto the creature's head and smashing it into the ground with all his might. He immediately blasted a cloud of purple flames into the face of the beast, setting its black beard and hair aflame. The Dragon roared with fury and pain, slashing at the ground with its claws to get back up.
But once the flames stopped, Thaddeus sprinted at the titan and jumped onto the side of its head, ramming his sword into the Praetorian's flesh and using it like a climbing pick. He climbed swiftly, jumping higher and higher across the body, using the huge spines and plates to speed his ascent.
Nora looked up at the two Dragons as they battled, knowing that they needed to get out of here before they were crushed. "We need a pickup! Now!" Nora ordered.
"Copy that! On our way!" Joanna replied, and Nora turned to see a pair of Bullheads arriving with the Happy Huntresses and Marrow inside to pick them up. They got aboard and started circling the two giants.
"This is frickin' insane!" Marrow screamed with disbelief at what he was watching as the Praetorian Dragon recoiled away from the God of Darkness, spreading its blood red wings behind it.
"Would be a lot easier if the God of Light actually helped us!" Weiss yelled over the roaring.
"Where is he?" Fiona asked.
"Dunno! He's probably hiding in a hole or something." Oscar answered with a scoff. They turned to see Team C.F.V and Vernal be picked up with the surviving soldiers down there.
"If you told me that the damn God of Darkness would be the one helping us right now, I never would have believed you." May scoffed, shaking her head.
Back at the Dragon, Team C.P.P.R landed on its back, tumbling across it, but holding on was half the battle, having to lodge their weapons into the scales to stop themselves from falling to their deaths. And to not be sick from how erratically this monster was moving. "Gods…" Ruby stammered as she felt herself get light-headed.
"Well, one of them is right there!" Cinder pointed out.
"Yeah, that expression is literal now." Ruby chuckled, then she looked ahead, seeing the Relic of Destruction still lodged in the rock that was thrown when the two Dragons collided. That shockwave was so powerful it left a crater where they were standing, which was now filling with the sea water from that Tsunami.
"There! The Relic!" Ruby called out.
"Who the hell is gonna be the one to use it?" Cinder called out as she held onto one of the spines, though nobody answered.
None of them wanted to die…
… but someone was going to have to die if they were going to kill Salem.
They advanced as carefully as they could, climbing across the Praetorian Dragon's back as it continued to battle against the God of Darkness. Pyrrha looked up and gasped as she saw the Brother fly high above them and start blasting flames of destruction upon the creature, and punching it in the head, yanking its head down towards the ground as hard as he could. The skull of the beast smashed against the sand and rocks.
It snarled as it coiled it's body and launched itself upwards towards the God, biting him in the face. As the Dragon roared in pain, Pyrrha saw the glowing purple eye of the God of Darkness stare directly at her, and actually widen. He suddenly ripped himself free from the teeth of the beast and flew away. "He saw me…" Pyrrha said.
"Huh?" Penny called back to her.
"The Brother of Darkness! He saw me… I think he's gonna try to make it a bit easier for us now!" Pyrrha yelled louder.
"You mean he's gonna cool it with the hits? Can he take the punishment he's gonna receive by doing that?" Cinder asked.
"He's a God! So long as it isn't the Relic of Destruction, he can fight for eternity!" Pyrrha pointed out. The Brother of Darkness flew ahead of them and suddenly dug his claws into the mountains and blasted fire towards the Praetorian Dragon. The beast suddenly flew upwards and its long serpentine body shot upwards into the clouds. They climbed the scales like they were climbing a mountain.
"That fucking Relic better not fall now…" Cinder growled as she kept her eyes on the crumbling rock it was stuck in. As they kept climbing, the Praetorian Dragon suddenly started diving back down through the clouds, nearly causing them all to fall.
"WHOOAAA!" Ruby screamed as she held on tight with Black Thorn, feeling the blades cutting through the flesh and making her slide away.
The Brother of Darkness suddenly appeared and smashed his tail downwards into the head of the Dragon, sending the creature crashing through the mountains. The sudden stop threw the team forward and got a bit closer to the Relic and still having to stab their weapons into its body. "You all okay?" Pyrrha trembled.
"I'm… gonna puke…" Ruby winced.
"THAT'S WHAT THE GOD OF DARKNESS CALLS TAKING IT EASY ON US?" Cinder yelled.
Pyrrha rubbed her head in pain, then saw the God of Darkness fly towards the head of the Praetorian and slammed his clawed legs down upon its body and bit down against its skull, pinning the beast against the mountains. As Pyrrha stood up, she felt that chill in the back of her mind again.
"GO! WHILE IT'S STILL!" The God of Darkness demanded.
"Now! He's holding it down for us!" Pyrrha called out to them all. They all got up and sprinted across its back towards the Relic of Destruction. They got closer and closer until Thaddeus suddenly jumped over the Relic and stared at them with a grin.
"Where do you think you're going?" Thaddeus snarled. Then they heard the thrum of Salem flying overhead, and she suddenly came crashing down on the spine of the Dragon, calling her Twinblade back. She spun it through her fingers, standing beside her enslaved Knight. Team C.P.P.R sprinted towards the two foes and Salem launched her Twinblade towards them, spinning through the air and narrowly missing them as they slid across the ground. Ruby jumped and sliced across Salem's cheek, black blood spraying out, but Salem kicked her in the chest, knocking her against the ground.
Cinder suddenly launched herself towards Salem and tackled her to the ground, the two tumbling across the body of the Dragon. Cinder stood atop Salem and drove a spear through her shoulder, pinning her there, and she rushed towards the Relic of Destruction without hesitation, only for Thaddeus to slash her up in the back with his sword. She screamed in pain and her amber aura flickered, and her eye glowed with fury, fire bursting from her iris. She spun around and blasted fire into his face whilst Pyrrha jumped onto his back and drove Ira Red into his back, pulling him away.
Cinder was just within reach, until the Praetorian Dragon suddenly smashed its head upwards into the Brother of Darkness and launched him away, before taking off suddenly. The Praetorian Dragon soared across the sky, banking around and driving its claws into the Brother's back, carrying him high into the air, before swinging downwards and smashing the Brother into one of the Spires of Crystal. The Brother howled in agony, grabbing at the crystal that protruded through his chest.
The Praetorian Dragon landed, snarling as it channelled fire up its throat to bring down the hellfire into the God's face, and it did. The Brother roared in agony as the Praetorian tormented him whilst impaled on the spike of Purple Crystal.
In the distance, the Brother of Light kept fleeing, only to stop at long last at hearing his Brother in pain.
He stood there and slowly turned around to see the Praetorian Dragon tormenting him. He stared at the monster and clenched his glowing gold hand into a fist as the sun shone past the moon and through the clouds.
Cinder rushed to the Relic and Salem ripped the Spear from her shoulder and extended her arm, grabbing Cinder by the back of her head and pulling her away from the Relic and tossing her into one spine of the creature. She tumbled across the ground and Salem called her Twinblade back as she walked towards her.
"I have had enough of you always standing in the way of me and my vengeance!" Salem yelled, raising the blade above her head. Until suddenly a pink grenade exploded against her chest, knocking her backwards, and a spray of bullets carved chunks of flesh off Thaddeus. He grunted and tumbled away from Pyrrha, having to drive his sword into the flesh of the creature.
"We got your back!" Coco called out, firing her Gianduja down at Salem.
"EYES ON US, UGLY!" Nora yelled as well, shooting her Grenade Launcher relentlessly at them. Salem tumbled back and stared at the two Bullheads, and suddenly launched her Twinblade towards them, and it arced around and sliced clean through the wings of them both. Fire erupted from the wing as they spun out of control.
"SHIT! NO! WE'RE GOING DOWN!" Coco screamed as the two ships came crashing towards the dunes beneath them.
"NO!" Pyrrha and Ruby screamed, both staring at the Relic of Destruction. But suddenly the Praetorian Dragon bellowed in pain as a blast of black lightning shot through the top of its head and knocked it away from the Brother of Darkness. He snarled with rage and suddenly transformed into a ball of purple light, the titanic creature vanishing in an instant.
Salem stood tall, and she pointed her finger at Team C.P.P.R.
"MY KNIGHTS! BURN THEM TO ASH!" she commanded, and the Praetorian Dragon turned its gaze, turning all the way around to stare at Team C.P.P.R on its back. It growled deeply and charged another beam of red energy into its jaws. Penny and Ruby hugged each other and closed their eyes as it blasted the beam at them, waiting for the end.
Until nothing hit.
They opened their eyes and gasped to see the Brother of Darkness now in his humanoid form, his wings still extended to shield them from the incoming beam of destructive power. Protecting them… him… of the two Gods it was him…
But then the rock that held the Relic of Destruction crumbled, and sent the weapon bouncing down the creature, and Salem held out her hand, catching it as she stood in the shielded position the God created with his body, growling as he took the hit.
"Finally…" Salem said as she stared at the God, helpless to defend himself from her. But Team C.P.P.R stood in front of the Brother of Darkness, knowing that they were just as helpless.
"Please… don't do this." Ruby begged.
"We're done talking." Salem snarled, aiming the blade with both hands at the five of them, and about to attack.
Until they all felt the warmth of the sun shine upon their cheeks. Salem's eyes widened when she realised and turned to the sky as the clouds parted. "No…" she gasped. Team C.P.P.R turned at the same time and gasped with disbelief, as the Brother of Light in his Draconic Form seemed to descend from the light bleeding through from the Eclipse, snarling with golden lightning crackling around him.
The Brother of Light suddenly launched himself towards the Praetorian Dragon, jaws wide open and eyes shining brightly, and before the Praetorian Hybrid could even react, he clamped his jaws down against the creature's skull. The impact launched them all from the Praetorian Dragon as it struggled, throwing them all towards the ground, Thaddeus falling helplessly whilst Salem fell towards the rocks.
The Brother of Light's eyes shone brighter and brighter, then the light was so bright that it nearly blinded everyone, and turned the Praetorian Dragon to stone, alongside every single Grimm currently spawned from the Lakes of Tar.
Cinder caught Pyrrha and Penny caught Ruby to slow their descent, and the two rolled across the sand as they land, whilst Thaddeus hit the ground so badly that his body was mangled from the impact. Ruby looked ahead to see the Relic of Destruction fall blade first into the sand in the middle, and Salem crashed against the side of the mountain, before landing on the sand with a grunt.
Ruby stared ahead at the Relic of Destruction and rushed towards it, only for her to have to duck as the Brother of Light lunged directly for Salem, but Salem rolled forward and grabbed the Sword, and swung it across Light's chest, so hard it sent him back into his Humanoid form, and left a deep glowing gold slice across his torso. Liquid light trickled from him and he groaned from the pain, holding his chest as he stumbled away.
"Brother! NO!" The Brother of Light screamed as the Brother of Darkness flew at her as well. She turned with hatred in her eyes and swung downwards, carving his curved Horn from his head. The God bellowed in pain as he crashed into the ground, also now in his Humanoid form.
The glowing purple Horn forged from pure Darkness fell into the sand.
The Brother of Darkness desperately crawled away from Salem as purple blood seeped from his head, his hand pressed against it. Salem dragged the Relic of Destruction behind her, staring at him.
Pyrrha turned and saw the Relic of Creation right next to them as well. With how manic the ride on the Dragon was, she never realised they just landed right back where they started. Salem raised the sword to cut him down, only for Ruby to shoot at her relentlessly, and jumping with Black Thorn, but having to burst into petals just as Salem swung at her. She slid across the ground and cut across the back of Salem's legs, then shot her in the hand, making Salem drop the weapon onto the ground.
Salem suddenly kicked Ruby in the face, reaching down for the Relic, until Pyrrha launched Ira Red into Salem's chest, and yanked her away from the Relic with her Polarity, jumping and wrapping her legs around Salem's neck, throwing her body weight towards the ground, throwing Salem ahead of them.
Salem dragged her claws into the ground as she stared back at Pyrrha who sprinted towards her and launched Akoúo at her, but Salem caught the obsidian shield and crushed it into dust with effortless ease, then punched Pyrrha in the face, and slashed across her chest with her razor-sharp claws. Salem suddenly grabbed Pyrrha by her ponytail and threw her into the rocks with ease.
Cinder launched herself towards Salem and swung her axe relentlessly at her, constantly trying to cut her head from her shoulders. But as Cinder brought the axe down towards Salem's skull after missing every swing from Salem's swift dodges, Salem caught the axe in her hand and ripped it from her hand and smashed it into Cinder's chest. The impact shattered what remained of her aura. Then Salem drove her clawed hand into Cinder's gut.
"CINDER!" Penny screamed, roaring with fury as she suddenly blasted everything she had into Salem's chest. The Dark Queen grunted as Penny focused the beam from her chest into Salem's, forcing her across the ground. Penny then stopped and dove, ducking under the fireball that Salem just launched at her, and slashed Floating Array up Salem's chest, then flew up into the air and slammed both fists towards her.
Salem caught her fists, and the two glared at each other, blasting the sand away from beneath their feet as they held their ground. Salem suddenly twisted the odds and smashed Penny into the ground and threw her ahead of herself.
Cinder coughed up blood. Not just from her sickness anymore. Her hand pressed against the stab wound in her chest. She looked up at Salem, seeing the two Gods in a corner together as she approached the Relic of Destruction. She then hardened herself and turned to Penny.
Penny looked at Cinder… and all Cinder did… was nod.
A look of realisation hit Penny, and she nodded back.
"P-Please…" The Brother of Light whimpered, his hand held up as she scooped the Relic of Destruction into her hand. She gripped it tight and did not react at all to the primordial destructive energy coursing through her body anymore as it burned the flesh away.
"Begging?" Salem laughed, shaking her head. "Where was any of your mercy when I begged for your aid? You showed me none… and neither will I." Salem snarled, raising the sword, until Penny suddenly launched forward and punched Salem's hand and held onto her hands, staring at her. Salem gritted her teeth with rage and slashed the sword across Penny, sending her body flying back.
"PENNY!" Ruby shrieked as Cinder walked forward.
Cinder held the sword in her hands, pointing it at the two gods. "You knew what I was from the very beginning… but you never had the stomach to do what is necessary. Now you will face the consequences for what you did to me." Salem snarled, raising the sword high, and swinging it towards their necks.
And it snapped.
Her eyes widened as the sword crumbled into Grave Dust in her hands and did nothing to the Brothers Grimm. Then she turned, wide eyed… to see Cinder Fall, picking the Relic of Destruction up. She gasped and her eye widened as the Primordial Energy burned through her skin, flesh and nerves, smoke trailing from her left arm, and travelling up her neck and into her blinded eye, burning the eyepatch away and some of her hair.
Ruby, Penny and Pyrrha watched with disbelief at Cinder Fall, the one who said she would never give her life for the world… do exactly that.
Tears welled in Pyrrha's eyes as she watched, and Salem stared back at Cinder, stood in front of the Relic of Creation.
Cinder smiled affectionately as a tear trickled from her healthy eye, still ignited with her Fall Maiden Power.
"And I…" she wheezed, her voice becoming fainter.
"… believe…"
She stared at Salem as blood leaked from her eye.
"… in Destiny."
Cinder let out one final roar of defiance, and swung the sword, sending forward an arc of fiery destructive energy. Salem jolted, her eyes blinking, and behind her the arc cleaved the Relic of Creation in half. The glowing blue beam that shot upwards into the sky suddenly cut off and the Moon broke apart, the repair process incomplete, and shattering once more.
The sunlight shone upon Evernight, and the eyes of the Grimm started to glow again as they looked around. From the wreckage of the Bullhead, Nora looked up with wide eyes as everyone survived with her, and saw the beam disappear.
"… they did it."
Salem stood still, and she looked down, groaning as she saw the wound. Her pale skin returned to shade it once was, her white hair returned to their blonde colours, and her eyes turned blue once more. And red blood leaked from the wound, and she stumbled backwards towards the two remaining Relics that hovered in place.
Cinder stumbled backwards as well, collapsing to the ground, smoke trailing from her body as she wheezed. Pyrrha, Ruby and Penny crouched down in front of Cinder, holding her hand. "Cinder? Cinder…"
She couldn't say anything. Her eye was so distant, it was a miracle that she was still breathing. Her breath was so faint, and her heartbeat even fainter. "You did it…" Ruby sobbed, and a small smile formed on Cinder's face. Then they turned to see Oscar stood on the hill.
They could not see them all… but all the Variants of Ozma were watching, their heads bowed as Salem was nearing her end. The Brothers Grimm stood near Salem, holding their wounds as they looked at her.
Nora, Ren, Winter, Weiss, C.F.V, Vernal, Joanna, May, Fiona and Marrow walked up the dune as well. They turned and saw the Grimm, they all looked lost, before fleeing from the scene. But strangely… the Tar Pits… a strange glowing purple crystalline structure was forming over them.
But none of them cared about that.
Especially when they saw Emerald and Mercury on the dune, and Amber slid down it. "Mom? MOM!" Amber cried out as she ran to where the three were. Ruby closed her eyes with grief and kissed Cinder's forehead. Pyrrha pressed her head against Cinder's.
"Thank you… for everything…" Pyrrha said to her, before walking away as well. Amber stood behind them, tears in her eyes. Vernal walked over as well, with Weiss looking at them as well. She wiped tears of her own from her eyes, and Vernal crouched down in front of Cinder with Amber looking at her mother.
"Mom?" Amber whimpered, fighting back the tears.
"Hey… sweetpea…" Cinder softly said, with a loving smile on her face. Amber looked back at Salem, who was looking at Cinder… and even she seemed to show some grief of her own for Cinder's sacrifice.
"You did it, Mom… you're a hero… they all know it… the whole world knows it. You saved the world…" Amber struggled, feeling the pain in her chest as she looked at her mother's life begin to fade. "But it's okay… it's okay to go now… you don't have to fight anymore. I'll be okay… I will be… for you. I promise. I'll be good and I'll do everything to make you proud." Amber sobbed.
"I love you, mom… I love you so much…"
Amber could not manage any more words, so she just nuzzled up close to Cinder like they used to when she was little, hugging her tight. Cinder smiled as she laid there, with the most important person in the world in her arms. Her eye glanced at Vernal, who was tearful as well. But all she did was nod. No words had to be said.
Cinder smiled again, then her eye slowly closed, and her heartbeat trailed away…
… and stopped.
Her hand lightly dropped, and she was gone. Only Amber's tearful cries could be heard now… she was finally at peace. Weiss walked over to Vernal and Amber and she gently crouched down, being there for them.
And they knew that if Blake was not in need of medical attention, she would be here as well… because it was Cinder who saved them, and gave them a home for six years.
Cinder Fall… the one who was once their enemy… and died saving the world.
Pyrrha exhaled shakily to see Thaddeus on the ground, and she saw… the black blood was still there, but the regeneration had stopped. His body was mangled, but he was still alive, eyes still glowing purple. Part of her had hoped that once Salem died, Thaddeus would die and Jaune would be free… but no… Thaddeus was still there.
He growled from the pain as Pyrrha approached his body, crouching down beside him. Thaddeus chuckled sinisterly as she stared at him, tears dampening her cheeks. "So she did it… finally slayed the bitch… heh… did the one thing I never could." Thaddeus chuckled.
"No… all you did was butcher more people she finally grew to care for. You're more of a monster than she ever was." Pyrrha stated.
He laughed again. "I did what I did… for the good of Remnant…"
"Tell that to the Atlesians… and the thousands… maybe millions of people… that died because of you." Pyrrha stated.
"Judge me how you wish… Invincible Girl… We are all a product of our actions, a product of the choices we were forced to make. You yourself… have had to make some bloody choices yourself. We all have done things to survive… even dear… Jaune… my dear great, great grandson… knew that much." Thaddeus stated, coughing up black blood.
Pyrrha's lip trembled. "Give him back to me…" she begged.
"Jaune… is dead… there's nothing left of him in here… I consumed what was left… he was just a host… to give me a second chance." Thaddeus stated, and she closed her eyes in grief as the Brothers Grimm approached behind her. "Look at them… still so high and mighty. None of this would have happened if it weren't… for their hypocrisy." Thaddeus stated, but the two wounded Gods said nothing as they stared down at him.
The God of Darkness looked down at Pyrrha for a few seconds before back at Thaddeus again. "Then… at least now that you'll die… he can finally rest… and you can't tarnish his name anymore." She snarled with hate in her eyes.
"When… will you understand?" Suddenly, Pyrrha drove Ira Red straight through his heart, and his glowing purple eyes widened. But he just stared at her, and he smiled.
"Nothing… ends…"
She stared at him and twisted the blade before pulling it out, black blood oozing from the wound. "… I… cannot… die…" Thaddeus repeated, smiling. "Thaddeus Rex Arc… is eternal… and when I walk this world again… I will be wading through… a sea… of blood…"
His glowing purple eyes faded, leaving nothing but black sockets behind, and the cracks that glowed purple faded as well.
Thaddeus was gone.
Pyrrha stared at Ira Red in her hand, covered in the Black Blood, and she dropped it to the floor, and she felt sick to her stomach from what she just had to do. She hiccupped breaths as she cried, covering her face as she cried.
The Brother of Darkness looked at her pain, but unlike most of the time when he saw beings seeping with negativity… it did not bring him any joy. He just felt the pain that she was in and knew that it was not fair.
The Brother of Light crouched behind Pyrrha, and tentatively held out his hand to her, to rest on her shoulder. "Child… you've fought a battle no one should ever wish to."
"Get away from me!" Pyrrha wailed, staying wrapped around Jaune's corpse as the purple light crackled to embers. "Y-You did this! You! One thing! One thing she asked of you, and you didn't do it! And now, all this! Because of you!"
Darkness looked down, fists clenching and loosening at his sides. Pyrrha growled, before dropping her head back down onto Jaune, crying fat tears onto his greyed bare chest. Light recoiled his hand, looking at his brother.
"Did you expect worship?" Darkness questioned.
"No. I guess I did not." Light sighed. Darkness looked at the destruction of Evernight.
"A champion that wins the battle usually is rewarded. Gold and trinkets, they will not mend a heart."
Light looked up. "No. No, that is what caused all of this. The meddling. With the balance of life and death."
"The balance can be swayed, by one, just this once." Darkness snarled. "If not for my champion, you and I would be ashes at her feet, and all of this world would be caught between life and death."
Light shook his head. "I cannot condone…"
"I'm not asking you to." Darkness touched his shoulder. "I'm asking you to be human… just this once."
"To be human, welcomes in emotions that make us too natural. There have to be rules."
"And I concur. But of all this bloodshed. Surely one little rose bud, rising from the rubble… A seed of hope, for one who gave it all."
Light looked at Pyrrha, sobbing. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head. "And what of everyone else who died? Do they deserve to die?"
Darkness looked down. "No. They did not. But he? Mangled and made by Salem, turned into a weapon of emotion and violence. You brought Ozma back, because you saw a spring of hope."
Light looked up at Darkness. "That was…"
"Necessary? Yes." Darkness looked at Pyrrha, lifting his hand. "And so is this."
Jaune jolted awake, screaming in pain and shock. Pyrrha fell back onto the rubble, screaming herself. Jaune was afraid, lost. He patted all over himself to check he was whole. He looked around with great panic, seeing the Gods looking down at him, then at his chest, seeing the golden light healing him, his legs reconstructed, his body fully healed.
But and his skin like Salem was no longer pale and filled with the Grimm Tar, he was Human once more.
And it was… so easy… so effortless.
"Jaune? J-Jaune?" Pyrrha stammered, unable to believe what was happening, turning to the Brother of Darkness, who lowered his hand and walked away from her. Pyrrha turned back to Jaune, and she helped him sit upright, and she held his cheek.
"Pyrrha? W-What's happening? I… I… the Ursa… we were at Beacon… and then… Salem… I… it's all so confusing what's going on?" He cried out, then he looked at his chest and the trousers of the Salem Knight. "W-What am… I… wearing?" He stammered.
But she just caressed his cheek as tears welled in her eyes. "Is… this really… real?" She stammered.
The Brother of Light watched as Pyrrha laughed and cried with joy, giving Jaune the most passionate kiss he had ever known and holding him tight, never wanting to let him go.
And he raised his golden hand to erase Jaune.
But he paused, staring at the two, and he thought back to Salem and Ozma… how erasing him and bringing him back… it was what started all of this. Playing with a human life like it was a toy…
He kept his hand held up, then closed it and lowered his arm.
Maybe… just this once… the rules can be bent.
Pyrrha looked back at the Brother of Light, who stared at Jaune, before he just turned and quietly walked back to where Salem was with his Brother.
She was elated that Darkness did that… but none of this felt… like a glorious victory.
Salem laid against the remains of her old home, looking at the burning Castle of Evernight and the destruction of the Sanctum itself from the final battle. Seeing the Grimm flee and the Tar Pits become sealed by a purple crystalline mineral.
She could feel it… the end… it was near…
Ruby looked at her and she closed her eyes, then sighed, standing up and walking away from Penny and Weiss to where Salem was. The Brothers Grimm stood nearby, looking down at Salem.
Her eyes were weakening, but she turned to see Ruby standing beside her, crouching down. She chuckled quietly. "Ahh… I seem to have a guest…"
"I'm… so sorry… Salem…" she said to her, and Salem raised her brow.
"Why?" Salem asked her.
"Everything you've suffered… what you've lost… what they did to you." Ruby stated with a harsh tone as she glared at the Brothers. "… I hated you for so long. I just thought you were a monster. But… when I learned the truth? When Jinn showed us the truth? And I saw what they did… and everything you lost… what Thaddeus did to you…" Ruby explained.
"Perhaps I was wrong after all… perhaps you can understand… losing your mother… learning what your uncle did and hid from you… you tried to kill them… just as I wanted revenge." Salem explained.
"Revenge… it doesn't bring us any peace." Ruby stated.
"I tried to understand that fact for so long… but I always dragged more vengeful souls into my coven… and it just became a circle." Salem sighed.
She was right.
All of them were driven by vengeance in some way.
Watts, wanting revenge for what Jacques and his family stole from him.
Hazel wanted revenge for how he was created to be a monster.
Adam wanted revenge against Humanity and Blake.
Killian wanted revenge against Jackdaw and the Huntsmen and Huntresses.
Icarus wanted revenge against Li.
Tyrian… was the outlier…
"I always was too slow to learn…" She chuckled, then Oscar approached, and crouched down in front of her. Salem looked at him and she smiled. "… is he there?"
Oscar's eyes shone gold, and he smiled. "Hello… Salem…" Ozma greeted with a gentle smile on his face, and she smiled back. "You don't look a day older since I first met you." Ozma said, and she chuckled.
"Always the one to pay the compliments first." Salem chuckled, and so did he. "It's… finally over… Ozma…"
"It is… I'm… so sorry, Salem." He said, closing his eyes and bowing his head.
"Why is everyone apologising… to me? I was the one who… wanted to burn them… who slaughtered so many for what I wanted… who lead the Grimm. You both… all of you… had the strength and the bravery to fight… a shame that I only realised my mistakes… now… when the end is here." Salem said, and she closed her eyes, feeling the blood pooling around her.
Then she sighed, looking up at the two Brothers.
"Are you afraid? The Brother of Light asked her.
She scoffed. "Of death?"
"Of ending. These are your last moments." The Brother of Darkness clarified.
She chuckled. "And I get to spend them with you looking down at me… like you always did. How advantageous."
Salem looked at Ruby. "Tell me… how does it feel? To finally win?" She asked her.
"I-I didn't…" she breathed, before looking at the gods. "You did this to her, you did! How can you stand there and gloat in her face?"
The Brother of Light sighed. "My child. We do not come to gloat. We come to… ferry her. When she passes, we'll see to it she gains passage to the beyond."
"When the light leaves you, and Darkness claims you." Darkness said coldly.
"Step closer, little rose." Salem coughed. Ruby walked forward, up to the Grimm master. "It's funny. You remind me of myself at your age. A long time ago, of course… but I see it in you."
"See what?"
"The Joy of Adventure." Salem chuckled, Ruby wiping her eye. "Never… lose that spark…"
"I-I thought killing you would bring me joy, or… make me jump and cheer! But… I feel… hollow?"
"Mmm. Revenge does that to a person. Whether or not you succeed in your vengeance, you leave this life cold… and bitter inside." Salem groaned. "Like me."
Salem looked at Ozma and she held out her hand, and he gently squeezed with a loving smile. She looked up at the sky, seeing the setting sun.
"Remember, Ozma? The field?" She whispered as she faded, and Ozma welled with tears in Oscar's eyes.
"Always."
As he held her hand, he felt the life fade, and her hand dropped.
Ruby looked at her and saw her eyes became lifeless, and the pupils dilated. She closed her eyes with grief for Salem, a feeling she never imagined she would feel. She reached over to her and gently closed her eyes.
"I… dunno what I expected to feel… but sadness… that wasn't one of the feelings." Ruby said, feeling Penny's hand gently touch her shoulder as she sat there.
Oscar felt Ozma relinquish control, then he looked at the Brothers Grimm who were looking at him. "The time has come… Ozma…" The Brother of Light said as he approached Oscar and crouched down to him. He pressed his finger against Oscar's forehead and Oscar collapsed, passing out.
"Oscar!" Ruby gasped.
But from inside of Oscar's mind… he found himself back in another memory. He was standing in a field, and he looked around. It was the same field where he would train with the many Variants of Ozma, to enhance his skills with magic. He walked across the grassland, and saw them all, all sat on chairs waiting for him.
He walked towards them and saw Ozpin stood at the very end with his hands atop the Long Memory.
"To think… this day has finally come…" Ozymandias said with disbelief in his voice.
"She's really gone…" The Drunk stammered with disbelief, looking at the bottle in his hand, and tossing it aside. And a smile formed on his face.
"What's going on?" Oscar asked.
"Oscar Pine…" Ozpin said. "You have come a long way from where you began, and you have grown into a wise and fine young man. With a new world ahead of you, it is up to you to decide who you will be with your future." Ozpin explained.
"This… this is it, isn't it? You all can finally rest now… that's what the Gods are gonna do?" Oscar asked.
"That is correct, Mr Pine." The Brother of Light said. He turned to see the enormous Dragon atop the mountains, looking down at him. He then moved down towards them, and formed back into his humanoid body, his antlers splayed out far. He walked towards the Variants of Ozma with his hands behind his back. "You have all fought valiantly and fulfilled your end of the deal. And now I shall fulfil mine." The Brother of Light assured, holding out his hand.
A bright light slowly formed above them all. Ozpin looked at the sky with Ozma, and they both exhaled shakily.
Oscar approached Ozpin. "We… didn't start things on a positive note… but I'm glad you wound up in my head."
"As are all of we. You have done us all proud… and have proven yourself to be worthy of your title." Ozpin said to him, and he held his shoulder. "Hold onto it…" He said, looking at the Long Memory in his hand, now no longer in any of their hands. "It will prove to be a loyal friend to you… as it was to us all." Ozpin said with a kind smile.
"I won't forget any of you… I just hope… you can all rest now." Oscar said.
"We will… it's been a long time coming." Ozymandias assured with a smile.
One by one, they faded away into bright light.
Oscar walked backwards as he watched they fade into light, and Ozpin smiled. "Goodbye, Oscar Pine. And never stop fighting the good fight." Ozpin departed as he walked away into the light, letting Oscar finally be free at last.
As Oscar leaves…
… Ozma found himself laying on the grass…
… staring at the perfect blue sky…
… with Salem's hand in his.
Author Note - It's over, Salem is gone
God this was one of my favourite chapters, the final battle was one of the most epic clashes I've ever written between the Praetorian Dragon and the Brother of Darkness. Gotta give it to him, Darkness got stuck in unlike his Brother, until the end anyway. Did love writing the death of the Praetorians by the Brother of Light, having him finally help was really awesome to do.
And... goodbye Cinder Fall. You died a fucking hero, and yes you can probably guess where my inspiration for her sacrifice came from lol. Another one of those ideas my brother and I came up with and loved. And the Relic of Creation is destroyed as well.
Down goes Thaddeus as well, and so effortlessly... Jaune is back. I loved writing it that way because... it was that easy. Just a God going "here ya go" and just brought him back. So much suffering could have been avoided if they just did that before with Salem, or if they just killed her for trying to disrespect the balance.
What I love about the end of this battle is the fact it doesn't feel very happy, because it isn't. Yeah they won, but at what cost?
At least Ozma and Salem are reunited again...
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter - Pyrrhic Victory
- Matt