Chapter 6 – The City of Ruin
Ruby
It was hard to focus, with all the destruction that kept occurring everywhere they looked. As the Krastax laid Vale to ruin, smashing everything in their path, the two Knights of Grimm continued to fight against them.
Death slid back across the ground after Yang punched him in the chest, firing Ember Celica at the same time. His smouldering cape opened into a pair of Nevermore Wings, and he launched a multitude of Fatal Feathers towards them. Ruby shot forward, spinning through the air, and cutting the feathers to pieces with Crescent Rose, leaving very little behind her. She then glided across Weiss' Glyphs, then slashed her Scythe across Ferrum Arctus. He swung into Crescent Rose, sparks flew from the metallic boom, and he then punched Ruby in the face, knocking her backwards.
She tumbled across the slippery floor, driving Crescent Rose downwards to stop herself from falling into the water. She gasped as she looked down, seeing the snapping jaws of Grimm beneath her in the waves. By the looks of it, they were both Dunkleosteus and Sea Taijitu, all of them roaring in the waves as they tried to get at her. She swung herself back up, slicing the head off one of the Taijitus that made a lunge for her.
Death continued his fight against her team, as Weiss shot forward across her glyphs and stabbed into his chest plate. He stumbled back as the Schnee jumped onto his chest, repeatedly stabbing him in the gaps between his armour to do as much damage as she could. He grabbed her by the head and threw her aside. She flipped through the air, then used her glyphs to steady her descent. Weiss landed elegantly, then closed her eyes, lifting Myrtenaster and a golden glyph appeared beneath her feet.
Time slowed around her as she focused her aura, activating her Time Dilation, then she conjured many glyphs that surrounded Death who looked around with confusion. He may not have been affected by the actual slowing of time, but her power was still something even a knight should fear. She suddenly darted forward and ricocheted off the glyphs like a ping pong ball. She cut into him with every passing, slashing him apart, leaving deep glowing incisions in his armour, then she formed one up top and dove towards him. Death quickly moved aside, but just as she landed? She formed even more glyphs and ran fire dust down her blade, thrusting it forward with gritted teeth.
The Glyphs launched a flurry of fireballs into Death's chest, and they all exploded at once, throwing him away from them. The huge Isomacium Knight crashed and tumbled across the floor, ramming his sword down into the ground to stop himself from going too far. He held out his hand and the screeching sound of him forming his Obsidian Bow returned. He drew it as it formed from thin air, glowing with dark red light, and then he fired the newly constructed arrow directly at the Ice Queen.
Weiss gasped, eyes widening, and then she swiftly formed the blade of the Arma Gigas, breaking the arrow upon impact. Death blasted ahead and spun through the air, slicing into the white blade, so hard the Summoned Weapon crumbled into white embers. Weiss staggered back. Then Death swung around and booted her in the gut. Weiss yelped, tumbling across the ground.
On the other side of the Docks, Glynda and Ozpin continued to fight the Knight of Loss. She slid across the wet ground with her glyphs, and as enormous waves crashed against the face of the docks behind her, she froze them into ice. Ozpin shot through time towards her, Sceptre extended and teeth gritted. He thrusted forward with his Sceptre, but she formed a glyph that blocked his attack. The impact blasted a shock wave all around them, but Loss stood her ground, spinning her Tonfas through her fingers.
She rushed him, slashing him across the chest. Sparks flew off as the blades cut across the armoured cogs. Ozpin staggered back from her strikes, then she jumped and slammed both feet into his chest. He tumbled backwards, then spun the Sceptre around, resting it over his other arm. Green energy gathered through the staff and into the tip of its blade, blasting a sharp beam into Loss. She grunted as the beam collided into her chest, tumbling her backwards, but then her back opened and formed an enormous pair of Mourning Dove wings, which glowed bright white. She launched forward, and multiple glyphs formed behind her, all of which shot white blades towards Ozpin.
He stood his ground and moved incredibly fast, swinging the long Sceptre up and down and from side to side, knocking the blades aside. He then jumped and spun through the air, narrowly dodging a spear of ice that flew directly underneath him. He landed and threw the Sceptre towards Loss.
It pierced through her sternum and pinned her to the wall. She grunted in pain, gripping Mihi Vindicta with her hands. Ozpin darted through slowed time and smashed his arm against her chest, staring into her glowing blue eyes. His glowing green eyes mimicked hers, showing that the Knight of Vengeance was still partially in there, but he had been freed from the curse and could choose to become whatever he wanted. Whereas Loss was still trapped, despite her mind itself being free.
"You… have to stop him… he cannot win… not again." Starla winced as her hands pulled the Sceptre from her chest. Still functioning even now.
"We will." He promised.
"Get back!" She warned, because Starla now had ripped his Sceptre from her breast and swung it around to hit him in the head. But Ozpin caught it with his gauntleted hand, but Starla suddenly swung around and kicked him in the head's side. The impact threw Ozpin across the battlefield on which they had been clashing. Ozpin crashed across the crumbling dock. Water splashed off his armoured body, and he stared back at her.
Loss' wings flapped, and she hovered high above them. She closed her eyes and beneath her formed a gigantic glyph. From it formed a huge Summoned Beast, a Minotaur. It was huge, glowing white, with massive curved horns protruding from its skull. It bellowed in hatred at the Knight of Vengeance, but he stood his ground, scowling right back at the creature.
He gripped Mihi Vindicta even tighter.
Starla looked down at Ozpin with grief in her beautiful eyes, but then her focus was torn away as Glynda levitated hundreds of chunks of debris from the ground, then she formed them together into a huge spear, bound by purple energy. Glynda pushed her glasses up, then swung The Disciplinarian forward, launching the javelin of destruction towards Loss. The Knight tried to evade the incoming weapon, but it sliced through her right wing, sending her plummeting back down to the ground.
She lifted her head from the water, and Glynda slid down the crumbling dock towards her. She swiftly threw her fist into Starla's face, knocking her back a few steps, but the Knight fired multiple icicles from her glyphs that conjured from behind. They shredded Glynda's aura down with every single blade of ice that flew their way. The Professor's Old Friend swung her crop around, creating a defensive barrier that stopped her icicles from striking.
As she looked ahead at the Knight of Loss, she saw her grip on her veil once more. Her eyes widened, and she looked away. Loss yanked the Veil back and revealed her face, tears endlessly streaming from her heartbroken eyes. As soon as Glynda looked back, Starla had launched ahead and smashed her fist into her face. Glynda grunted in pain but flipped through the air and landed on both feet.
Starla kicked her weapons up off the floor, then connected the two Tonfas together. She drew the newly formed bow back, forming three arrows and firing them directly at Glynda. She rolled aside, narrowly dodging the incoming projectiles. Then she slammed her fist down against the ground, and used her powerful weapon to lift two of the cars behind her, and she threw them with the Gravity Dust infused into her weapon. They weighed as little as plastic toy replicas with her powers, and Starla stared ahead as the cars flew forward. She formed two powerful glyphs behind her, and they launched fireballs into the cars.
As they exploded around her, Starla just walked through the flames, dividing her Bow in half once more, spinning the curved sharp blades around.
Ozpin dashed through time, rolling across the shattering landscape as the Minotaur slammed its fists down into the ground where he was standing. The impact of its huge muscular arms caused the concrete floor to buckle, flooding it with water. It unleashed a storm of white flames from its mouth at Ozpin as he rolled aside, constantly avoiding its strikes. He blasted bolt after bolt of green energy at the monster, then he slowed time, sprinting towards the creature. He slashed it across the back of its legs with the Sceptre.
It roared with immense pain as it collapsed onto one knee, slamming its fist down into the ground, then Ozpin transformed the Sceptre down into its cane form. It roared at him, but he jabbed it repeatedly in the eye, until the eye socket collapsed, then it swung its curved horns towards him. He jumped, holding out his hand and catching onto the curved horn. It swung its head around, which just threw the skilful Huntsman high in the air.
As he spun through the air, he transformed Mihi Vindicta once more. It shifted and the Relic of Knowledge emerged, constructing the Mace with its power charged up into it. He descended towards the creature with a roar, burying the Mace straight through its skull.
The Minotaur's head crashed into the ground so hard that the whole pier came crashing down into the deep. It crumbled into flurries of white ash, but Ozpin jumped and flipped backwards. He landed back on solid ground as Starla's summoned beast faded away, and he lifted his head with a determined scowl, staring at Starla, who continued to battle against Glynda.
Death was still battling against Team R.W.B.Y. He caught Yang's fist and smashed her down into the ground. She gasped as Death went to drive Ferrum Arctus down her chest, but Blake swung overhead, then threw her grappling hook down towards him. It wrapped around the hand which held the sword, and she pulled him back. He went to grab the ribbon, but she pulled it loose, before rushing the Knight head on. She slashed her swords at him, but he blocked her incoming blows with his sword. Sparks flew from every single strike made.
Suddenly Death pirouetted, swinging the sword downwards in a diagonal angle at Blake, cutting her clean in two, but her severed corpse faded away. Blake flipped away from her fading shadow and caught Gambol Shroud in her other hand, firing the pistol repeatedly at him. Ice bullets flew down at the Knight, freezing parts of his body solid. Death growled as the bullets froze his shoulder in place, but he was stronger.
He forcefully gyrated his arm, shattering the ice into a thousand pieces, freeing his arm. He immediately slashed at Blake repeatedly. Blake kept retreating from his blows, and he beheaded her shadow. She appeared on his side and went to kick him in the head, but he caught her by the throat and smashed her down against the ground. Ruby hooked Crescent Rose under his chin in a storm of petals, dragging him away from Blake. She smashed his head through one of the abandoned trucks. It exploded as he crashed through the engine block, igniting the fuel inside.
Ruby spiralled Crescent Rose through her fingers, transforming it into its Sniper Rifle form, firing multiple explosive rounds into the flames. A few landed past the fire until a deafening twang of sound erupted as Death deflected the incoming bullet. It rebounded off and exploded in the sky. Death slowly emerged through the fire, covered in the crackling flames, eyes burning red as he stared Ruby down. She narrowed her silver eye, and it shimmered.
He swiftly channelled black lightning through the sword, then fired it at her. Ruby dashed aside and continued to fire explosive shells into Death. He only slightly recoiled as he watched her. Then he sprinted towards her and threw the sword directly at her. Ruby only just dodged it, but just as she stuck the landing, Death was already punching her in the face. His Isomacium fist was cold as ice, and hurt like a tonne of rocks, sending her tumbling across the floor. Death kicked Crescent Rose from her hand and he beat Ruby in the head once again and kicked her up in the stomach. He smashed his pronged gauntlet into her neck, pinning her to the wall.
She winced as he choked her, but then she lifted her flexible leg and hooked it onto his arm. That had little effect on him, even making Blackridge chortle at her. "Child of Wilted Rose… how foolish you are to assume such meagre actions could even break my stance." Death commented, but Ruby smirked back at him.
"It's not 'sposed to… but this is!" Ruby yelled, quickly drawing her knife from her boot and she rammed it into Death's eye socket. The howl Death unleashed was unlike anything Ruby had heard, and he pulled his arm away from her. He grabbed the knife and tossed it aside. Ruby flew forward in a flurry of petals, grabbing her knife and reaching out for Crescent Rose.
But just as she got closer, Death caught her by the hood and smashed her into the ground. Death stood over her as he kicked her onto her back, then pummelled Ruby repeatedly in the head, breaking the ground apart beneath her. Ruby groaned in pain. Her aura flickered, already passing the amber and nearing the red from Death's berserk paroxysm.
Yang and Weiss both rushed to her aid, and Yang literally threw herself into Death. The two of them crashed into the flooding water, drenching her beautiful, golden hair. She pumped her fists, emptying the spent smoking shells from her gauntlets. Death swiftly stood up and his helmet opened up, revealing that burning skull inside. He roared demonically at her, fires raging inside. The water that sprayed off his body instantly turned to steam from all that extreme heat coming off his body.
Yang raised her fists in the boxing position, then a glyph formed beneath her feet, as Weiss charged Yang up and sent her flying forward. It blasted Yang through the air like a missile, and she threw her fist into Death's face. That punch was the first to throw him through the air. He crashed across the flooded water, and his helmet closed back together. Yang sprinted at him. Punch after punch, she attacked him. Nailing him in the face and firing her shotguns with every blow she made. He swung at her, but Weiss kept assisting her, using the Glyphs to help Yang slide across the ground.
Weiss then used her semblance to freeze the water that Yang was rushing towards, creating a frozen wave, which Yang sprinted across. She jumped towards Death and arched her arm all the way back, pummelling him in the head. Death grunted as he staggered back from her. Blake helped Ruby up and the entire team came to Yang and Weiss' aid. Death raised his armoured forearms to block Yang's incoming blows. The two were fighting like professional boxers, but Death could always gain the advantage over her.
He kicked her in the chest and swung his fist into the side of her head so hard it dazed her. Death stood behind Yang and swiftly picked her up with ease. He swung her around and brought her back down onto his armoured knee. His mask opened and the burning skull roared once more at her. She gasped in immense pain from that attack, if not for her aura that would have probably paralysed her.
Death slammed his boot down onto the back of her head, forcing her into the rising water, drowning her. She desperately fought back, trying to get back up. She fired both Ember Celicas into the ground. The explosive blast was just enough to free Yang from Death's brutal attacks, and as he stepped back, she rolled across the ground and landed on her back, aiming both Gauntlets at him. "Eat this, you son of a bitch!" She yelled, firing her screeching missiles towards Death.
They all exploded into his chest, throwing the Knight across the ground. Death tumbled backwards but landed on both feet, turning to his sword still in the wall when he threw it at Ruby. Weiss closed her eyes and drove Myrtenaster down into the floor as Ruby and Blake joined Yang in their attack, and the Arma Gigas stood tall with them. It charged towards Death as he grabbed Ferrum Arctus.
Death twisted around and smashed the blade of his Cursed Sword up into the blade of the Arma Gigas, striking so hard that it broke the Spectral Knight's stance. Yang fired forward and punched Death in the head with her cybernetic fist. She slid under the sword as he swung at her, and in the same moment Blake cast a Fire Dust Replicant of herself, exploding near Death. He staggered back, more and more cracks of light grew across his body. Through the fireball came Ruby Rose, spinning through the air like a buzz saw cutting into his heavy armour plating repeatedly. She landed on both feet, then as Death went to fire lightning from his sword, her eye shone brightly.
The power of the Silver Eyes forced Death back, and he roared in pain as the bright light weakened him more and more. The Arma Gigas charged forward, slashing its sword up Death's chest, then as it drive down towards Death, he rolled aside, and his Nevermore Wings opened up and he jumped up, slicing Ferrum Arctus right through both its sternum and its head. The Arma Gigas crumbled into white embers, then Weiss immediately launched herself through the white dust, stabbing him relentlessly in the chest, before twirling around and stabbing her sword into the ground. Massive spikes of ice created from Ice Dust erupted up from the ground towards Death, blowing him backwards.
Death staggered backwards, but Blake jumped and slashed him repeatedly with Gambol Shroud, incising him with the Katana's blade and her sharpened scabbard. She rolled across the ground as Death slammed his sword down on where she was standing, and jumped up, wrapping her ribbon around his neck, slamming him down against the ground. Yang jumped onto his chest and punched him repeatedly in the face with her powerful fists, breaking pieces of Isomacium off his helmet.
Death's wings suddenly flapped open, and he took off into the air, but did not flee. He grabbed Yang and threw her down onto the ground.
Whilst they battled, both Ozpin and Glynda continued to fight against Loss. The Knight sprinted across her glyphs, loosing arrow after arrow down at them. She jumped and fired one towards Glynda, but she smashed it aside with bolts of gravity dust. Starla dived and smashed her fist down into the ground, creating a powerful shock wave. She split her Bow and slashed across Glynda's aura repeatedly, hacking away at her with incredible speed and precision. She then swung her leg around, roundhouse kicking Glynda in the head.
Ozpin fired a powerful beam of green energy from his hand, commanding the powers of magic at his disposal. The crackling green light impacted her blade as she raised it, refracting it through the water, evaporating it upon contact. Starla rushed forward, slashing Ozpin across the leg, then she rolled across his back and hooked her leg under his chin, throwing him forward. He flipped through the air and drove his Sceptre down into the ground, using the momentum to swing around and kick Starla in the chest with both feet.
She tumbled across the ground, dragging her Tonfas into the floor to slow herself down. She opened a Glyph that launched more arrows of light towards Ozpin, but as he charged through time, he ran past them one by one, cutting a few of them down, before punching her up the chin. As Ozpin slid past her, Starla swiftly transformed into her Dove Form, flapping her wings as she banked around and dived directly towards the Professor. She burst back into her Knight form and punched him in the face so hard it cracked the armoured cogs.
The two crashed into the water together, creating multiple waves as they both fought in the water. All around them, massive Grimm were swimming and dragging ships down into the dark bloody depths of the sea. But as they continued to battle against each other, Ozpin formed signs of magic with his hands, steadying himself and creating powerful bolts of green energy to fire at his foe.
Starla blocked the incoming magical attacks with her glyphs she summoned, swimming swiftly through the water and cutting her tonfas across his body. The wreckage of a gunship crashed nearby, giving her something to push herself off in the water. She drove her tonfas into his shoulders, but his aura saved him from any actual damage. She pinned him against the wall, glaring at him with glowing blue eyes.
Ozpin rammed his Sceptre through her stomach, then used powerful magic to blast the two of them out of the water before a Grimm Mosasaur snapped them up like a snack. Starla flew, using her gorgeous white angelic wings to keep her afloat. She drew her bow back and fired an arrow down at Ozpin, and it formed a black glyph holding him in place. She went to attack, but Glynda launched bolt after bolt at Starla, then the sky above her darkened, forming crackling clouds.
She brought down bolts of lightning, one which knocked her out of the sky. Starla grunted as the burning hot molten light scorched her body, and she crashed down into the floor. Ozpin was freed, and he sprinted towards the Knight with Glynda. Starla spun around, kicking Ozpin in the jaw and she crossed her blades together to stop Glynda from sending that spear of rubble at her once again. It broke apart but kept floating behind her.
Suddenly Mihi Vindicta burst through Starla's chest, causing her to cry out in pain, then the javelin came crashing down through her breast, impaling her to the ground.
She gasped in pain, collapsing down to one knee, panting.
"I… well done…" She panted, she was beaten, but just needed one more blow to destroy her body and send her back to the Charred Forest.
All so she could endure the pain all over again…
Helpless to stop it.
Glynda turned her gaze to Death, who was nearly beaten as well. He swung his wings repeatedly above Team R.W.B.Y, launching Fatal Feathers down at the team. Weiss formed a protective barrier of white energy, saving her family from him. That was when Ruby launched forward and cut straight through his wing. He dropped, and the impact made the entire dock shake. Ruby spun her huge Scythe around and rested her boots on the blade, firing a bullet up into the sky to dive towards Death.
She cut into his body, and Death went to slash at her, but Blake cut through his arm, lodging her shadow and setting it alight with Fire Dust, combining it with Earth Dust. She exploded into lava, covering his arm, and weighing it down to the ground. Ferrum Arctus clattered across the ground and Yang smashed her fist into the side of his head with all her might. The impact of her fist created a shock wave and Weiss rushed forward with a roar of fury.
"JUST FUCKING DIE!" Weiss bellowed, ramming her sword straight through his eye. Death's helmet split open, and he unleashed a horrifying roar of rage as the cracks shone brighter and brighter. Then the singularity collapsed in his chest, crushing his body apart and swallowing himself up. His arms and legs snapped inwards as he roared, then his chest faded, and finally his skull crumbled into the oblivion.
Sent back to the Charred Forest.
Team R.W.B.Y panted, relieved that he was destroyed so they could have a breather. Weiss' teeth were still gritted, knowing she would have to fight him again just… that realisation just made the sweetness of destroying Neptune's Murderer turn sour. Then she turned, seeing Starla on her knees, beaten with two spears impaled in her body. Ozpin quickly pulled his from her heart, sparing her the pain and Glynda let hers collapse.
"I'm sorry…" Glynda sighed. "I know you don't want this… I won't forget how you brought Winter back to Beacon so Weiss could say goodbye."
"No need to… apologise. I am paying for my sins… but hopefully… my curse will be lifted soon. And when that day comes… I will fight for you. I will finally have control of my own body again." Starla softly said with a smile on her face.
Weiss approached her ancient relative and crouched down before her, cradling her hand. "We'll find a way… I promise."
"I hope so… not for my sake. For all of yours… I do not wish to hurt anyone else… or at the very least… anyone who is undeserving." Starla stated.
"We will kill Umbra. I promise you." Weiss assured.
"Oh… I know you will. And if I am being honest… I think you have him scared." Starla admitted with a nervous laugh.
Then a massive quake hit them. She turned, and she gasped. "Oh, dear… it looks like… you have company. Big company." Starla warned. They turned and saw the waves grow in intensity. Then a massive tentacle burst from the sea, wrapping around a Bombing Airship and it slingshot it down into the ground with terrifying ease, blowing it to pieces. More and more tentacles emerged, and Ruby gripped Crescent Rose tight.
Then it rose from the sea, creating a deep rumbling growl as it rose tall.
"Ooooof… course." Ruby sighed, glaring at it with exhausted eyes.
It was no ordinary Kraken, but an Empress Kraken, three times the size of the one that hunted them on their journey through the Cruel Sea five years ago to save Ruby at the Volcanic Chain Isles. It bellowed to the sky, so loud everyone had to cover their ears or go deaf, with such a short skull but filled with hundreds of huge razor-sharp teeth. This thing was gonna be extremely hard to bring down. Especially with how much armour was covering its entire body.
Weiss turned to Starla, who just smiled. "Kick its ass." Starla winked, so Weiss smiled and did the merciful act of finishing Starla off, standing tall and slashing Myrtenaster through her neck, killing her instantly. Her body shattered into shards of ice across the floor, then they all turned to the enormous monster near the massive bridge that crossed to the other side of the harbour to the second half of Vale.
"So… how are we bringing her down?" Yang asked.
Ruby sighed.
"We'll figure something out." Ruby assured.
Kassius
He sprinted with his team back to the Courtyard, seeing the damage left behind from their fight against the Lord of the Wood. He jumped and drove Lash Equinox through the ribs of a Beowulf, then threw the other sword directly into the skull of a Thrall, killing it instantly. He walked to its decaying corpse and yanked the sword free.
"I still can't stop thinking about that… thing." Penny stammered, wide eyed.
"I know, the Knights of Grimm are one thing, but they're not actually Grimm. That… I've seen nothing like that." Kassius agreed.
"The Skinwalker spoke but… never intelligently. It just mimicked what the person it hunted said. That thing… it responded to us when it grabbed Oscar." Penny stated as he looked at him.
"Yeah, I hope Ruby, Jaune and Pyrrha are okay. If that is the only one, then hopefully it isn't being wise and licking its wounds. But we don't know if it is the only one of its kind." Oscar explained.
"Let's just hope Umbra only made one. He's made enough freaks to give me nightmares for the rest of my life." Sun stated, turning the corner to see a Nightmare shambling around. The screaming souls of men and women devoured by the beast sent chills up his spine. Alongside their faces pushed up against its black membrane, desperately begging to be killed, to end the pain. "There's one such example."
The Nightmare roared as it went to swallow up Sun, but Kassius slashed Lash Equinox across its body repeatedly, then spun around and fired both Vulcan Nox Bracers, blowing the Grimm across the path and into the wall. Penny finished it by blasting a powerful beam of green energy into its body, blowing it to pieces. "Nice moves, Pen." Kassius patted her on the shoulder. She beamed gleefully as a response.
Sun stared at the black tar everywhere. His hairs stood on end but there was a look of just rage in his eyes. He gripped Ruyi Jingu Bang tight, Oscar stopped and turned to him. He gently touched his shoulder. "Hey… you good?" Oscar asked. Sun did not answer. He just pulled his shoulder free and kept walking. Oscar watched him walk on and he sighed, staying in pace with them.
They could hear the gunfire and scared screams of the civilians. They sprinted to the courtyard to see Team C.F.V.Y, Qrow, Cinder and Emerald continuing to hold the line against the Grimm horde. Coco stood at the steps, relentlessly firing Gianduja down at the horde, shredding them all with a defiant battle-cry. Yatsuhashi bellowed, slashing Fulcrum repeatedly through their soft bodies, even catching a Thrall by the face, digging his fingers into its eyes and smashing its head into the wall so hard the skull collapsed.
Fox rushed forward, slashing through the Grimm in a great slaughter, smothered in their black blood, communicating with his team telepathically as he fought up close with Yatsuhashi. Velvet stayed with Coco, using a Replica of Magnhild in its Grenade Launcher Form, repeatedly blowing the Grimm apart to thin out the horde.
Civilians were still being covered though, and there was now a steady stream of them alongside Airships rolling in with more people from inside the city. The Vault was filling up fast now, and it was a welcoming sight to see. After seeing so few people arriving? It made them feel better to know they could save a few thousand lives thanks to these Vaults.
But soon… these doors were gonna have to close.
Then everyone else would have to fend for themselves for as long as they could until they could kill Umbra and end this. Qrow cut Harbinger through the few straggler Grimm that got through. Emerald too, gunning them down, slicing them to pieces with Silent Judgement. Cinder was still without her aura after the battle against the Lord of the Wood, but she was doing whatever she could, using her Dust Bow, nailing Grimm after Grimm as her aura charged back up.
Kassius vaulted over a block, throwing Lash Equinox into the chest of a Manticore that was headed for Qrow, knocking it out of the sky. As it crashed, he slashed his other blade through its throat. Penny flew overhead, blasting another powerful beam of condensed energy down upon the Grimm that were swelling before Team C.F.V.Y, giving them a hand in cutting them down one by one. Oscar sprinted through paused time, ripping multiple Sabyrs apart with Traveller's Atrocity.
Sun charged forward, roaring with intense hatred, kicking a Beowulf in the chest. It stumbled back, and he smashed its skull into the ground. He fired repeatedly at them as they kept coming. Blowing their heads apart with every shot. They kept cutting the Grimm down, one by one, and then Sun smashed the head of a Thrall in with his Bo-Staff.
"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT? HUH? I COULD DO THIS ALL DAY YOU FUCKING SONS OF BITCHES!" Sun roared with fury, eyes filled with hate in his eyes, sweating as he kept his fists clenched. Kassius looked at him and he sighed.
They finally had a moment, the Grimm had slowed down, in fact there were no more for now. Looked like they finally caught a break.
But Sun still wanted a fight.
Cinder approached her brother, immediately hugging him. "Are you okay?" She asked him,
"Yeah, Sapphire… I'm good." Kassius winced. "Ah shit… sorry. I gotta stop doing that."
"Doing what?" She asked.
"Calling you Sapphire. You chose Cinder, that's your name now… I gotta start calling you by the name you chose." Kassius sighed, rubbing his head.
"It's okay, I've never been angry about that." Cinder assured.
"I know. I should just be better, that's all. Plus, I feel like I'm confusing people." He chuckled.
Cinder just patted his shoulder and smiled, which was enough to make him feel better. Then she looked at Sun, noticing his enraged demeanour. "Hey… is he good?" Cinder asked, gesturing to him.
"No, he isn't. Both him and Weiss… well Weiss seems to hold it together a bit better, but… it's just duct tape. But Sun? The guy is furious, wants to kill every single Grimm he sees for what happened to Neptune." Kassius explained. "I'm worried about him."
Kassius looked at Sun and he pinched his brow. "Bringing back old memories too…"
"What do you mean?" Cinder asked him.
"Well, I wasn't far off the way he was when I lost my team. You didn't see me when I saw Ilia all those years ago… I just… lost it. Went wild like a fucking animal… and Sun is just like me. He has Blake but… when Yang helped me through it, things weren't this bad." Kassius explained.
"Yeah…" she agreed, gently squeezing his shoulder. "It'll be okay."
"Having another team again… it's scary. But I'm not letting them die. I'm not failing again, not this time." Kassius promised. He turned when he saw another airship coming in and it descended before the tower, and when it opened, he saw Saphron, Terra and Adrien inside.
Saphron's eyes were still bloodshot and her cheeks damp from the tears she had been shedding. Kassius immediately walked over to her with Oscar as well. "Saph? Are you all okay? Where's Jaune? Everyone else?" Kassius asked.
"Team… Team A.M.F.S are all dead… and Jaune? Pyrrha? His team? I… I think…" Saphron choked up, hiccuping cries.
"No… no, no, no…" Kassius gasped, wide eyed.
"Things were getting so bad in the city, we had to go to the rooftop of a skyscraper but… that Flaming Knight and that Rotten Monster…" Terra stammered, still shaken by what happened.
"Fury and Fear… fuck… I've been wondering where those two have been." Qrow growled, pushing his hands through his hair.
"They attacked. The burning one destroyed the building's supports. We got aboard in time but… Jaune… the others? They didn't make it in time… they fell with the tower." Terra explained, holding back the tears herself. Kassius paced back and forth.
"No… no, they can't be…" Penny whimpered, covering her mouth.
"Wait… Pyrrha and Neo were there. Pyrrha's the Summer Maiden she could have caught two of them and Neo has her Umbrella, she could have saved the other. They may not be dead… they could be hurt… but not dead." Kassius explained.
"Kas…" Cinder whispered.
"We don't know that they're dead. So I'm not losing hope." Kassius said, but he stopped and turned to the civilians. "Look… the Vault is still open. You need to go, they're gonna be closing it soon." Kassius explained.
Saphron and Terra both smiled, and little Adrien reached out and made a little cooing noise. Kassius turned, and he smiled at the toddler. "Don't worry, kiddo. All this? It will just be a bad dream… we'll all wake up soon. I promise." Kassius promised. Saphron smiled and nodded her head.
They joined the line of people heading down the tower to the Vault.
At least they made it…
Kassius pulled out his scroll, immediately calling Jaune. But nobody answered. All he heard was static. "Jaune? C'mon you blonde moron, pick up." Kassius muttered, but his call suddenly got interrupted.
"This is Admiral Ortega to Ruby's Team." The Admiral called in, everyone all pulled out their scrolls and they saw his feed, the Drift of Wandering Star, was still holding, but it looked intense.
"Admiral? How bad is it?" Qrow asked.
"Vale is done for, Branwen. There's no saving it, the Grimm just won't stop coming. No matter what we do, they just keep pouring through the portals. They're destroying everything." Ortega explained. Penny immediately rushed over.
"Dad? Dad, are you okay?" She whimpered fearfully.
"Hey honey, it's alright. We're fine up here but we won't be for much longer." Ortega explained. "The Vault is almost at capacity. I fear the amount of people already in line will be the last people to fit in there, according to Victor. Once that Vault closes, get your asses to Ruby's location." Ortega commanded.
"Where is she?" Qrow nervously asked.
"At the docks with the rest of her team, alongside Oz and Glynda. They just took on those Krastax, and then the Knights of Death and Loss. But… well, they need your help and they have the only zone I can safely pick all of you up and get you to Atlas to secure the Relic of Destruction from Jacques." Ortega explained.
"Wait, why do they need our help? What's attacking them now?" Kassius asked.
"Uh… an Empress Kraken." Ortega answered, Kassius just blinked.
"Of course they are. Gods, why can't those girls' just fight something small and fluffy? It's always gotta be something HUGE!" Kassius groaned. "Alright…" He sighed.
Then he thought about this. "We're headed to their position."
"Copy. Hope you all make it."
"What about J.N.P.R and Neo?" Cinder asked.
"Already got a plan there." Kassius explained. "Jaune, if you can hear me, head to the Bridge near the docks. We need to get the hell out of Vale before it is too late to get out of." Kassius explained.
He turned to them all. "The Inner City of Vale is hell right now. You heard what Saph and Terra said. If they're alive, we have to hope they can make it back… they have Pyrrha with them. And Jaune has Crocea Mors and his Semblance. They can make it."
Then they heard the alarm sound across the city.
It was matched with Victor's voice.
"Vale's Vault has reached capacity. We are closing the doors. I'm so sorry. To everyone who is still out there… survive. Survive for as long as you can. And good luck."
The enormous doors in the Vault slowly locked, protecting the many people they saved and sealing them tight. Keeping them all safe from the horrors above.
But now… they were out of time.
Vale was lost. They had to get out of there now.
Qrow looked back at Beacon and he closed his eyes with grief.
Goodbye, Beacon…
Again…
He turned and ran with everyone towards the docks, whilst Team K.O.P.S headed for the Bridge, hoping that J.N.P.R and Neo were still out there.
Jaune
I'm… alive?
How the hell am I alive?
He pressed his hand against his head and looked up to see Pyrrha with her hand still held onto his and onto Nora's. Her eyes extinguished, and he saw Ren with Neo lowering her umbrella.
Kassius was right.
Pyrrha used her Maiden Powers to save them and Neo caught Ren, using her umbrella to safely descend. But now they were down in the city, and all of them were injured, and without an aura. Smoke and dust clogged the air, and they were surrounded by rubble. Distant roars from the Grimm and the Krastax filled the streets, and Pyrrha helped him back up.
"We… we need to get the hell out of here." Pyrrha softly said to him, looking around the area with wide eyes. She aimed Milo down the street with Neo beside her. The two of them were the only ones capable of fighting, whereas the others were too hurt to fight. But they could walk.
Jaune pressed his hand to the side of his head, feeling the blood sticking against the skin. "Argh… gods…"
He turned and heard his scroll vibrate. "Kassius…" He gasped, answering his call. "Kas?" He could hear his voice, but the signal was awful. They could only make out a few words from time to time.
"Jaune, if - me, head - Bridge near the docks. We need to - out of Vale - too late - "
"Kassius? Kassius?" Jaune repeated.
"Signal's too weak… it must be the Charred Forest." Pyrrha theorised, looking up at the sky. It was getting harder and harder to see anything. The air was filled with dust, or smoke… or gods' know what else was out here. Jaune weakly drew Crocea Mors from his Shield and they kept moving through the streets.
The dead were everywhere, some ripped up by Grimm… others crushed from the debris. It was horrifying. They all ducked down, taking cover when one of the Krastax – the Eel one to be exact – jumped through the towers, smashing them to pieces. Their ears were all still ringing from the deafening roar of the building collapsing beneath their feet. Combining that with the endless drone of gunfire, explosions, screaming and Grimm roaring? Everything seemed to be muffled now.
The gigantic beast stood ahead in the street, roaring up at the burning sky. It was only then did they see what was happening… and it was terrifying.
The Charred Forest, it wasn't just opening doorways to their Universe… it was spreading… consuming their universe. And they could already see the first effects. The grass was turning red, some of it was already blackening, and ash was falling from the sky like snow.
The snow hadn't even arrived yet, but they knew that when it did… the end was near.
They waited until the Krastax moved off, and eventually it did, turning down a different street, chasing other civilians in their cars to kill. The ground was constantly shaking, either from buildings collapsing, explosions or the titans that roamed the streets. Leviathans roared and blasted airships out of the sky. More and more, their forces were being completely wiped out. They watched as a burning Dreadnaught came crashing down into the side of one of the burning skyscrapers.
And some of the Grimm that Vir Nominis Umbra had created?
To call them nightmarish was not enough. Civilians screamed in immense pain as these creatures simply made them suffer, ripping them open and slowly devour them inside out. The Thrall hordes kept pouring through buildings. They saw civilians pinned down in a shop, firing their guns at the horde, but they swarmed. Their screams became muted out by the screeching of the thralls as they ripped them apart.
They quickly crossed the street, Neo and Pyrrha, keeping them covered.
Neo stopped. Her eyes widened when she saw something. "Neo…" But Pyrrha stopped too. She saw something as well.
Neo could see Roman… as real as he was when he died, just staring at her, smiling softly. He reached out his hand, but Pyrrha stopped Neo from walking toward him. "Trust me… it's not real." Pyrrha warned. Neo shook her head, remembering the horrors she saw in that hell. And Pyrrha knew better than any of them, of just how dangerous that universe truly was.
"Don't trust the things you see… or hear… the Charred Forest is seeping into our world now. Meaning its hallucinations are coming too." Pyrrha explained. She shook her head, shuddering.
Do you believe in destiny?
I am tired of being the lovable idiot stuck in the tree while his friends risk their lives for him!
She was not alone in hearing these voices in her head either, or seeing these hallucinations. Ren turned, and he gasped, seeing the ghostly apparition of Li Ren wandering through the streets, and the same Nuckelavee stalking him, making that same haunting screech. As he walked, in the corner of his eye, he could actually see the buildings of Kuroyuri.
And Nora?
Everywhere she looked… it felt as if the Lord of the Wood was watching her.
Just waiting to claim her soul, to finally kill her and break the seal that bound the two together. They all kept seeing these hallucinations and watched as the darkness continued to infect their world. Pyrrha watched as trees that were once evergreen shrivelled up, blacken and burn. Even the air tasted of something burning. It made her sick to her stomach.
But they kept moving.
They heard what Kassius said and knew they needed to get to the Bridge.
It was an easy landmark to remember, so they carefully traversed the streets.
Jaune looked ahead, gasping as he saw a civilian in the centre of the street, screaming in terror, a gun in his hand. He fell to his knees, clearly succumbing to the hallucinations of the Charred Forest.
He stuck the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
Jaune wanted to stop him, but it all happened so fast.
Grimm was not the only danger now… the Universe itself was a threat. Perhaps even more dangerous… how do you outrun a universe trying to kill you?
Jaune walked out, and he fell to his knees, pressing his hands to his head, feeling the Universe trying to crush him. He turned and saw Grimm glaring at him down the street. "Jaune! Get… up!" Pyrrha strained, seeing the Apathy covered in blood shambling from the building, shrieking at them.
This is it…
… I'm sorry Ruby…
… I'm sorry, Kassius.
I can't…
The blood curdling roar of Hazel Rainart snapped them out of it, as he suddenly grabbed an Apathy by the throat and ripped its head clean off. Still drugged on his Blood Rage, he turned and saw the incoming pack of Grimm. He charged forward with Mazen Ursus. The White Fang warrior drove his Chainsword through the ribs of an Ursa, killing it instantly, and Hazel punched a Thrall through a building.
A Beowulf clamped its jaws down at him but he caught it by the mouth, then smashed his fist down its snout, collapsing its entire skull into itself. The remaining White Fang soldiers in Mazen's Company shot down the remaining Grimm, and Kaa helped him up.
"Jaune… gods we thought you were dead." Mazen said as he approached them, and Hazel panted, pressing his hands to his knees. His Blood Rage was finally wearing off, and he turned to them.
"Jaune… thank the gods." He panted.
"Are you okay?" Nora asked.
"You're asking me? You fell from a skyscraper that collapsed beneath you." Hazel chuckled.
"We heard Ortega's hail. We need to get to the docks." Mazen explained.
"Kassius called me… he said we need to meet him at the bridge. I don't know why." Jaune said.
"Ortega said Team R.W.B.Y are fighting an Empress Kraken. It may be best for you to go find him, none of you are in any state to take on a monster like that. Come on, we'll have a better shot at getting there together." Mazen explained, Hazel held out his hand and smiled.
"Come on… we need to go." Hazel explained, they nodded their heads, and followed them.
Vale… it was beautiful once.
And within only an hour… they could not recognise it.
It was no longer a City of Beauty.
It was a City of Ruin.
Author Note - Thank god for that, J.N.P.R aren't dead, but goddamn is the Charred Forest scary. Even the evil universe itself is a threat, since it is constantly churning out nightmares to mess with people's heads.
This was another fun chapter to write. As I always say, I love writing Death in combat. He is just so fun to write because of how unpredictable he can be, but I also love showing Team R.W.B.Y being able to beat him in a fight since they have become such fantastic Huntresses now after everything they have been through. And now... they have to fight another Kraken, one that is way worse than the one they faced last time. Because of course it is XD
And now the Vault is sealed, they have done all the can for Vale, they have to go now and hope the rest of the people can survive out here long enough to kill Umbra. Vale is destroyed, there is no hope to save it now, unless they can kill him.
Hell of a gamble.
But it's the best hope they have.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
- Matt