Chapter 10 – Through the Ashes…
Ozpin
The old Professor stared through the smoke, seeing the Grimm still pouring through the streets of this once beautiful city.
Now just mass grave for so many poor souls.
Glynda rushed ahead with him, taking the chance as soon as the Grimm were gone, then they dived behind the cover of a burning truck. The stench of its ignited fuel filled the air. It made them feel ill, that alongside that repulsive stench of the dead bodies nearby. Glynda had a cast iron stomach. Not much could make her feel sick. But seeing how these people died in immense agony? It was horrific… words could not describe the emotions that swelled in her chest.
The closest she could find – was rage.
Ozpin, however, was completely composed in his mind. Glynda stared at him with disbelief at how he could stay so calm despite everything happening. But then again… it was Ozpin. He had lived a longer life than she could comprehend. Watched and helped cause the descent of his own civilisation, then watched and helped build something new from its ashes.
They did it once… they could do it again.
Maybe…
How does anyone come back from this?
Ozpin gripped his cane tighter, then held Glynda back before she could go forward, and he just held his finger to his lips. Then… she heard that chilling whistle in the air, that song that they all knew off by heart… the song that practically meant he was here.
"A grin as candid as children, as sweet as bee honey,"
"His voice kind and sharp, as the blade of a razor,"
"Brings you from elder to youth, within the blink of an eye."
"Wishes be granted, be it: love, riches or luck,"
"His face like a mirror, fear shall consume you,"
"Anger through truth, loss through acceptance."
"For the end of your journey, Death will come for you,"
"Charcoal Cities, come waiting for you,"
"The Soothsayer shall wait, for his voice will control you,"
"Torment and Control, till the moon will shatter…"
It was Vir Nominis Umbra; he walked through the flames, hands held behind his back as he embraced the suffering in the air. And he was not alone. They heard the howl of two wings cutting through the air. Fear and Fury both landed behind him and knelt down, bowing their heads.
"What news do you bring?" Vir Nominis Umbra questioned as he turned to face them.
"Ruby Rose and her compatriots have escaped the city border with the Drift of Wandering Star." Fury answered. Vir Nominis Umbra snarled, then Ozpin's eyes widened, and he swiftly grabbed Glynda and dove into a crater in the ground. A wise move, because Umbra's anger led him to smash his hand straight through the burning cabin of the truck and he launched it into one of the destroyed buildings. The two Knights did not flinch, and he stared down at them.
"Ortega!" Umbra barked in rage. "I should have cut him down long ago."
"Things are not yet failed, sir… we know Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch did not join them. They are still somewhere in the city." Fear explained, Umbra stopped in his tracks, then turned to face the Knight. He then closed his hand into a fist, clenching it tightly, then he chuckled softly.
"Clever old bastard… probably still has the Relic on him. Wants to divide my efforts…" Vir Nominis Umbra guessed, Ozpin listened to his words as he kept his head down, ready to fight just in case.
"We can send the rest of our forces to find him." Fury stated.
"No, let the Oncoming Shadow continue to feast on the people." Vir Nominis Umbra answered coldly, angering Glynda.
Fury's flames burned hotter around his body and he tightened his grip on the axes he held. "For what purpose? Haven't these souls suffered enough already?" Fury questioned.
"They're deaths are meaningless, Fury. Sacrifices have to be made in order to complete our task, and their suffering means nothing at all." Vir Nominis Umbra's words were horrific to hear, but after all… his reputation had preceded him. He was always the one entity they had ever met who was truly evil.
"MEANGINLESS?" Fury roared, his burning wings sprouted from his back, Ozpin's eyes widened.
The Knights… first Loss and now Fury… their curse is waning, it must be…
They're fighting back against Umbra more and more…
Vir Nominis Umbra kept his back to the Knights of Grimm stood behind him. Fear stood up as well. His eyes were glowing less, and his words sounded real, unlike the demented vocabulary he had when fully under its power. "And what sacrifice do you make, Umbra? Whilst you stand idly by and let all these people suffer? Despite claiming to be their saviour?" He yelled. Umbra suddenly spun around and his arms extended forward, and he grabbed the two of them by their throats.
"YOU KNOW NOTHING OF SACRIFICE!" Vir Nominis Umbra suddenly bellowed. "You should be thankful… you have not seen the things I have seen. Done the things I have done… be thankful that I have actually given you a purpose. You cannot even imagine an existence without that…" Vir Nominis Umbra snarled.
Umbra's eyes widened.
Purpose… there it is again…
… he keeps mentioning it…
… Purpose…
Vir Nominis Umbra released the two Knights, letting them both drop to the floor. "There will be sacrifices, my Knights… and I bear the burden of them all."
They both stared at him and shared a growl, but quickly, that black mist cast across their souls and it was like they became completely different people. The original souls that they once were became buried beneath the darkness of their Curse. The two Knights stood tall, and Umbra turned his back to them once more.
"Now… find him. And bring me my Relic." Vir Nominis Umbra commanded. The two Knights nodded their heads and transformed. Ozpin swiftly cast a spell that created a ball of energy that made the two of them invisible. Both Fear and Fury flew overhead, luckily not noticing that their prey was right there.
But Ozpin knew the level of risk there was in casting a spell like that.
Umbra stopped in his tracks, then turned. His eyes glowed bright red, and then they narrowed with suspicion. He approached the crater, and looked down inside, opening the palm of his hand and charging a powerful bolt of red lightning into his palm, then he launched the blast down into the centre, creating a powerful explosion that would have killed anyone in there.
He stared through the smoke… but nothing.
"Ozpin…" He growled, knowing he was near.
The spell wore off, and they were now across the street, hiding in a destroyed building, the air latent with smoke. "Gods… that was too close." Glynda panted.
"He catches on quick, I had a feeling he would." Ozpin said.
"This is suicide, Ozpin." Glynda said.
"Well… I'm afraid that if you still doubt my intentions… you should've gone on the Drift of Wandering Star." Ozpin said. Glynda turned to him.
"I don't doubt you, Professor." Glynda defended.
"You did… and you were right to doubt me. I betrayed your trust, lied to all of you. I wouldn't blame you if you weren't comfortable aiding me after everything." Ozpin explained, checking the area for Grimm – or worse – Umbra himself tracking them.
"Yeah, well… you're done with the lies now, aren't you?" Glynda asked. He looked at her.
"Yes." He promised.
"Good, then that's enough for me. And for what it's worth, I've never doubted your intentions. I've always known whose side you were on." Glynda explained as she kept her hand tightly gripped onto the handle of the Disciplinarian.
"Thank you, Glynda."
The sky darkened, and they both saw rain beginning to fall, heavier and heavier… and every few seconds they heard the echoes of gunfire. The echoes of the Grimm, and they felt the rumbling of explosions and the heavy footfalls of monsters. Now and then the bellow of a Krastax could be heard, most likely bringing down a building full of people.
"You heard that exchange? Between Umbra and the Knights?" Glynda inquired.
"I did." Ozpin answered as they both carefully exited the building, heading down the strip to the nearby airfield where there could still be some airships.
"They're fighting back against him more and more. The curse is weakening." Glynda stated. "Was it like this for you?"
"How do you mean?"
Glynda wanted to choose her words carefully. She knew he was no threat, but this was clearly a hard topic for him to discuss. "Before Kragen and the Architect freed you from your curse? Were you fighting back against Umbra's ideas?"
"Yes… in a way. What Fear and Fury are going through? I've seen it happen in all the Knights, even Death. Starla is the one who I believe will break away from her curse first. She is the only one who is still completely there. It's just that her curse controls what her body does, but not her soul. It's the ultimate form of torture of her." Ozpin explained. "Her curse made her feel helpless and weak, believing this was her punishment. Although I think Weiss and Winter have changed that for her, and she is challenging him more and more. Just as they are starting to."
"After she helped free Ruby, Jaune, Oscar and Pyrrha from their imprisonment in Old Town, I knew something big was going down with them. This is just proving that they're trying to break free from their curses." Glynda said.
"Yes… and for their sake, I pray they do. Being one of the Knights of Grimm… is a hell that you cannot even comprehend. Always aware of your actions… but being buried underneath so much evil… it's like being trapped behind unbreakable glass, watching as someone else steers your body. Making you say and do things you would never do." Ozpin explained. It was easy to feel sorry for them.
"Even Death?" Glynda asked.
"Especially Death. His curse is the strongest, without a doubt. Krekras Blackridge is still in there, I know it." Ozpin stated, hope ever present in his voice.
They turned the next corner, but they quickly ducked down, seeing a man being swallowed up by a Nightmare. He shrieked in terror and agony as the hands dragged him into its mass, fusing him into its body forever, endlessly in pain.
It shambled down the street, all the suffering and negativity seeping from its body lured a pack of Thralls to it, and they all walked through the streets. And eventually the horrifying beast caused children peeking through windows to scream. The Thralls turned and sprinted at the source. Glynda went to help, but Ozpin stopped her.
"We can't… if any Grimm spots us… he will know." Ozpin warned. She stared at him and at the building. She had a clear shot…
She gritted her teeth and her eyes streamed tears… but she knew he was right. And against her gut instinct, she walked with him, blocking out the screams from the building as the Thralls broke in. "I'm sorry, Glynda…"
Glynda fell silent as they kept sneaking through the destruction together, seeing so much death… the deaths of so many innocents… and seeing how merciless these monsters were in their slaughter?
How could anyone become numb to such horrors?
But when Glynda looked at Ozpin, she noticed his fist. Closed constantly in a tight fist, and despite how focused he was… she could see that this was torturing him, too. "Tell me, Ozpin…"
He glanced at her as the rainwater drenched their clothes and her hair, freezing their bodies. "You saw that image? That final moment… remind me of what you saw?"
"When I saw the future for the first time… the last thing I saw was a group of brave warriors stood at the Fountain of Beacon. Snow everywhere, ice everywhere… and Grimm… everywhere. But they stood their ground whilst Vir Nominis Umbra watched." Ozpin described.
"Who did you see?" Glynda asked, but he fell silent again.
"I cannot say." Ozpin said.
"C'mon, Ozpin… no more spoiler crap. Tell me." Glynda begged.
"It's not that… telling people the full extent of that final image? It could cause them to lose hope… the aftermath of what I saw? It could end in our failure instead of our victory. I do not know how it ends, but if I tell people about it in detail? It could end us all… such information… it is best left for fate to decide." Ozpin explained.
Your words always confuse me, old man…
… why can't you ever just give me a straight answer?
They walked down the street and before them was the airfield, and some Airships were trying to escape. One large vessel ascended from the landing pad and attempted to make an escape, only for a Shrieker to blast down and explode into its hull. The enormous ship filled with people crashed down into the water with a jolting bang. And then it was dragged down into the deep by the Shark Krastax, being ripped to shreds by all the sea-dwelling monsters.
The airfield was on fire, but they could see there was still a hangar bay still intact, with a couple of airships inside. They both sprinted to the airfield and Glynda blasted the fence apart with her crop.
As they arrived at the airfield, Ozpin stopped. She looked back and her eyes widened. "What are you doing?"
He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Go. Get to the Airship. I'll be right with you." He assured, turning around and activating his cog armour again. The chunks of metal on the floor from all the destroyed wreckages yanked the metal towards him, forging it into the cogs.
He then glanced back at her as his helmet formed. "Now, Glynda."
She looked up and her eyes widened, spotting Fear and Fury's beasts diving through the clouds. "Son of a bitch…" Glynda gasped, but she knew he was right and rushed to the abandoned hangar.
Ozpin did not flinch as the two Knights landed before him, and he spun his cane through his fingers. "Professor Ozpin…" Fear greeted, grinning maniacally at him, spinning Formido Falcem.
"Rylen… Axzura… I know you're still in there. I heard you, you are not his weapons. Fight the magic he cursed us with." Ozpin begged. They both stared him down, and his words seemed to have frozen them for a few seconds. Fear twitched his head and rubbed his hand across his eye, and the golden glow flickered for a few minutes.
"L-Leave this place…" Rylen stammered before a few seconds before Fear forcefully took control once again. Fear shot forward, eyes shone bright gold, and he darted from side to side as he attacked, immediately slashing up the chest. Ozpin grunted in pain as the impact threw him backwards, but he stamped down into the ground then tapped his cane on the floor, forming multiple glowing signs behind him. He fired two powerful beams of green energy towards the two Knights. Fear opened one wing from his back, using it to shield his body from Ozpin's magic. Whereas Fury just charged into the beam, it carved into his molten armour, but he did not even seem to be affected by it.
Fury roared, throwing one of his burning axes at Ozpin, but he dashed aside, slowing time around him. The old Professor bolted forward and smashed his cane across the side of Fury's face, causing the burning Knight to stagger aside. He then transformed Mihi Vindicta into its Sceptre form and slashed Fear across the jaw. The impact was so serious that it caused his jaw to hang loose.
He snarled in anger, having to grab the jaw and reattach it with his skeletal hand, before ripping his crossbow from his shoulder and shooting it at Ozpin. The bolt nailed Ozpin in the eye, only for that to be an illusion cast by magic. He formed many illusions around the Knights, creating up to ten replicants of himself, and then they all rushed forward. They all slashed their Sceptres across their bodies, and Fury roared with hate, beheading the illusion with his axe.
Fear jumped through the air, dodging the blows from all the illusions, and he cut three of them clean in half with one swing. Then Fury breathed a cloud of fire into two more, burning them to death. Then Fury roared to the sky, creating a powerful blast of fire that wiped out the rest and revealed the real Ozpin as he rolled across the ground, smoke and embers trailing off his armour.
Fury charged towards Ozpin and swung both axes towards him, but Ozpin spun his Sceptre around, locking the axes onto the stick. Only for Fury to rip it from his hands and send it bouncing across the floor. Ozpin, however, still had power, and punched Fury in the face repeatedly, knocking him back a few steps, before floating up in the air. His eyes glowed bright green, and many signs formed above him, and they all transformed into swords that he shot down into Fear. The blades cut clean through his arms and stabbed into his burning body.
He then formed a ball of magical energy with his hands and slammed down into the tarmac, creating a single but powerful explosion of magical energy. The blast threw Fury across the floor, then he turned to see Fear turn his head to the Sceptre. Time suddenly slowed, and he rushed right past Fear as he reached for the weapon that contained the Relic of Knowledge. He grabbed onto it and swung around, slashing straight through Fear's eyes. Time resumed, and the impact sent Fear tumbling across the floor, and he snarled with anger.
"Damn it! My eyes…" He growled in frustration.
Ozpin's eyes widened, and he heard the deafening roar of Vir Nominis Umbra, causing the windows of every building in the city to shatter from his bellow. He turned around to see the Airship afloat and Glynda fired everything the military vehicle had at the Knight of Fury, blasting him far away from Ozpin.
"Come on!" She called out, and he did not waste time, jumping and transforming into his Hummingbird Form, and he flew directly into the back of the Airship. She flew away as fast as she could, and Ozpin looked back with wide eyes. Vir Nominis Umbra was coming after them. A cloud of darkness pursued them and he erupted out of the cloud. He had a pair of black Dragon-Like wings sprouted from his back and he blasted a powerful beam of crackling red and black energy at them.
Ozpin thought fast, and transformed the Sceptre into Mace form, revealing the Relic of Knowledge, and he formed a powerful spell, which blasted an almighty beam of bright green light directly back at Vir Nominis Umbra, forcing his dark magic back as Glynda kept flying as fast as she could. Umbra's teeth were gritted together as he kept firing the magic at them, but the Relic's extreme energy stores instantly amplified Ozpin's magic in power, and he eventually overpowered his magic, and the beam created a tremendous explosion upon impact.
Vir Nominis Umbra grunted in anger as the blast threw him back from them, and he hovered above the water, watching Ozpin as the airship disappeared into the clouds.
Then… a smirk formed on his face, despite his failure.
"And so it begins…" He darkly laughed, turning away and refusing to give chase.
For the game for the Relics… has begun.
The Airship kept to the clouds and Glynda's eyes were constantly focused on the radar on her screen, watching as Umbra's dot became further and further away. "He's not pursuing."
"I didn't think he would… not yet…" Ozpin answered, panting as he closed the Relic away once more and sat down. Glynda fiddled with the controls and set it to autopilot.
"Which way is it to Calavera's?" Glynda asked.
"South… south of Mountain Glenn. She lives in the wilds in a small cottage. Hopefully she's still there." He panted. She set the rough coordinates, then walked down the steps to him.
"That was a close one… you okay?" Glynda asked.
"Yes… just… a lot of energy had to be used in that fight." He grumbled.
"We sure he won't follow?" Glynda asked.
"Not anymore… he can sense the Relic's location, but only when it is not closed away in my staff or in a vault. I made sure both the Vaults and these Canes worked the same way." Ozpin explained.
"Yes… so if the Relic is ever revealed…"
"He will know." Ozpin confirmed.
"Good to know." Glynda said, sitting down next to him, hugging her knees and pressing her forehead against them.
"Are you alright?" Ozpin asked.
"Heh… ask me when this is all over." Glynda said, and Ozpin nodded his head. She then looked at him and sighed. "Okay… you can't tell me who it is you saw exactly… so tell me this – the people you saw? They were Ruby's team, right?"
"Yes." He confirmed, that much they all knew.
"How many of her team were there?" She asked. Ozpin was no fool. He knew what she meant there.
"You mean – how many of them are going to die?" Ozpin presumed. Her face didn't change, so that was confirmation enough.
He sighed and closed his eyes. "At least… half…"
Jaune
He sat on the edge of his bed, already feeling better now that he had some time to recover.
He scraped his whetstone down the blade of his sword, methodically sharpening the blade with every single motion he made. He then rested it down on his lap and he sighed, closing his eyes. He felt the sword's connection to his aura all the time now, and the glyphs left behind on it shone ever so faintly.
He sighed, gripping the hilt as he pressed the blade down against the floor.
"What would you have done, Vyrryk? If you were alive now?" Jaune mumbled to himself. He gasped as he turned his head.
"Talking to ghosts?" Ren asked him, leant against the wall. He smiled and chuckled softly. The rest of his team returned. They had some cups of coffee with them as they approached Jaune. They all sat down together, and Jaune leant his sword against the wall.
"Feels like we're surrounded by ghosts these days." Jaune stated.
"I know what you mean…" Ren agreed.
"Heh… normally I'd tell you all to stop being so grim… but…" Nora sighed, her hand slightly twitched as she sat there. She then gently touched her chest.
"What's wrong?" Pyrrha inquired.
"Qrow… I was talking to him a few minutes ago. He said he was fighting the Lord of the Wood again… lately I've… been thinking about it…" Nora explained.
She hopped off the bed and walked to the window, looking out at the clouds. She clenched her hands into fists, squeezing her eyes shut. "All my life that thing has been hunting me… ever since it bound itself to me. We all know that this binding is keeping the Lord of the Wood from being killed for good."
"No, Nora… he's a Higher Demon. We all know it isn't that simple, and even if that is part of it, there's definitely gonna be something else to make sure he dies for good." Jaune explained. "We just need to figure it out."
"But it's still linked…" Nora explained. Ren immediately got up and cushioned her hands.
"Hey… don't start thinking like this…" Ren begged her.
"I can't stop, Ren." She replied, pulling away from him and stroking the side of her neck. "Look… if it comes down to it… if I have to die for us to kill it for good… don't stop me."
"That's enough." Jaune said.
"Do you have any better ideas? I don't want to die, Jaune… but I don't see any other way of freeing me from this curse." Nora explained. "It's not gonna stop coming after me…"
"I freed myself from the Onyx Phantom's control. Ruby fought back against the Whisperer's control. Hell, Hyde is no longer the demon he once was. Their so-called rules are not the only things we have to follow… there are always other ways." Pyrrha explained.
Jaune's eyes widened. Then he stood up and walked across the room. "Hyde…"
Team J.N.P.R all looked at their leader. "What're you thinking?" Ren asked.
"Kassius told us that when they were in Queen's Cove, Hyde figured out that Cardin was being affected by a Lesser Demon. A Hym… and he delved into Cardin's soul and killed the thing, freeing him from it." Jaune explained.
"You think we could lift my curse the same way?" Nora asked, and he pondered on the idea.
"Well, the only way we'll know for certain is to ask experts. We can ask Hyde, but we should also ask Kragen and Yenna when we get to Dragonspire Keep. It may be the safest place to try it too." Jaune explained. Nora looked at Ren and he smiled.
He gently wrapped his arms around her and held her close, kissing the top of her head. "It's worth a shot…" Nora agreed.
Yang
She walked through the ship, looking around in the different rooms, holding a couple of sandwiches she made on the ship. The Drift of Wandering Star was a military airship, so it didn't really have a restaurant, but it had enough provisions to make some snacks to keep them going.
Still felt weird to walk on a ship that had been trying to kill them over the years.
She approached an Engineering Room, and when she opened it, she found her prey – Kassius Locke.
As she expected, he couldn't sit still for long, and was already working on repairing some areas of damage on his cybernetic arm. He had a screwdriver and was finishing up, tightening up the screws that held some of the internal pieces together. He flexed the arm back and forth and closed his mechanical hand into a fist. His head rose, and he jolted when seeing Yang stood they. "Oh!"
Yang chuckled. "Sorry." She then held up the two bags with food in them. "Had a feeling I'd find you somewhere like this."
Kassius chuckled. Leaning back against the wall and resting one leg on a crate, Yang sat down next to him on the bench. "After everything I've been through lately… tweaking my arm is a vacation in comparison. Gives me something to focus on, I guess." Kassius said, accepting the sandwich Yang gave him.
"Well, the world needs us more than just for our fists." She said, flexing her cybernetic arm. He smirked back at her.
"Oh, I'm ready for it, but I'm sure we're gonna get to punch a few ugly bastards. Maybe a lot of them." He almost sounded excited about the fight.
"Heh… can't argue with that." Yang said, taking a bite out of her sandwich.
Kassius' confident smirk faded, though, and Yang's face grew concerned. "Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah… I just…" He sighed. He did that thing that Yang always noticed whenever he was nervous. He would always scratch at his neck and tug on the collar of his shirt. It was a really telling expression of his. "I know you said you weren't, but… if you're mad at me for… when I ran…"
"Kas… stop…" Yang told him, then she smiled. "I know it was Hyde and I don't blame him either… you both had quite the revelation that night."
"I know… I just should've been there for you when you needed me." Kassius sighed, but Yang stroked his cheek and turned his head to face her.
"Listen up, cowboy… you were always there. You fought across the world to get to Arkhonex so you could help me. And if it weren't for you, for Ruby, for the Architect… for everyone. And everyone we lost… we'd be dead. And I never lost faith in you… and I never stopped loving you. So cut that crap, okay? We're in this together… and we've got bigger problems than worrying about issues that don't even exist." Yang explained, before finishing her speech with a long and passionate kiss. They both pressed their heads together, and he chuckled.
"Well… when you put it that way." He chuckled, making her laugh too.
"I don't know how things are gonna work out… not with the Shivering Dominion… and the Oncoming Shadow… but I know one thing. I ain't ever gonna stop loving you, Kas." She promised, and he smirked.
"Glad to know my romantic… um… skills… made an impression."
"Eh, it was more the scars." She joked, gently stroking the burn scars on the side of his face.
"Aww, guess I need to get a few more, since these ones have faded a bit." Kassius joked, making her giggle again. "What would work? King Wyvern or getting backhanded by Umbra?"
"Hmm… might as well go big or go home."
"I like the sounds of that. Of course, Umbra better be scared. Because it's gonna take more than that bald-headed asshole to get between this little love story we got going on."
Yang laughed, then they both sat close to each other. "Alright… I got nothing." She laughed.
"Oh thank the gods, I was running out of flirty lines." He sighed with relief.
They both ate their sandwiches. Then she turned to him. "So… how are you feeling? About being a Team Leader again?"
He rested his arms on his knees. "Honestly? Kinda scared… last time… well last time didn't go so hot."
"You got this, I know it. Oscar, Sun and Penny wouldn't have joined you if they didn't trust you. Gotta remember, they volunteered." Yang explained.
"I know… I know… I'm worried about Sun. Guy's in a dark place right now. I know how he feels. But with Penny and Oscar with us, they'll definite help calm him down. Those two are good at that. Especially Penny." Kassius chuckled.
"Oh yeah, one of the cutest and nicest beans I've ever met." Yang said. "Although… I never heard. How did you convince Ozpin to put your team together so early?"
"Just followed the example you girls showed me – Yell loud enough and eventually someone will come over to see what all the fuss is about." Kassius commented, which made Yang laugh, Kassius got up and he walked over to the door and Yang followed.
"Yep, that sounds about right. That's kinda how we got to go to Mountain Glenn back in the day." Yang remembered.
"Heh… not like the old days, is it? Bunch of crazy kids running and gunning, taking on every asshole who got in our way with literally no budget and making it up as we went along. We're actually respectable now." Kassius stated as he and Yang walked out of that room and entered the Hangar together.
"Yeah… something's telling me that respect is gonna come with a lot of sleepless nights. I can't even imagine how many lives are counting on us, Kas."
Kassius walked up to her and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Well, when things get tough… and they will… just remember… like you said, we're in this together." Kassius said to her, which made her smile. "And if it ends with both of us dying in a massive explosion killing a Leviathan-Class Grimm? Remember, I made the killing blow."
Yang laughed again as they both walked over to some benches by a Hellfire Tank. "Speaking… of which…"
He looked at her. "I know you don't have any illusions about what we're up against, Kas. You've been with us since Mistral. How do you rate our chances?"
"I know it looks bad now, Yang, but I know we can win this, Yang. For the first time since Beacon fell, we're not alone in the fight. The entire world is with us now and they know what the score is. And not only that – this is the first time we've actually had a solid plan. Until now it's all been us playing by ear." Kassius explained.
"After what just happened to Vale, you still believe that?"
"I didn't say it would be easy, or that there wouldn't be casualties. It's something I accepted the second I realised this day was coming." Kassius explained.
"Yeah… I thought I was ready to see all that but… gods…" Yang stammered.
"I know… and I'm with you on that. Seeing it first hand… nothing the stories described could have ever prepared us for this. But even now, I still know we can do this. We're not dead yet… and I know that some of us… maybe a lot of us… may not live to see the end of it. But we can't start worrying about what ifs. We need to finish this… we need to kill the bastard. That's all my mind worries about… well… except about you." Kassius admitted, and Yang smiled.
"I do sometimes wonder about what the world will look like after it's over." Yang said. "I mean… I doubt the Kingdoms will exist anymore… it may be like what happened after Arkhonex fell."
"Maybe… but with the Grimm gone? The world will be ours for the taking… we can learn from our mistakes and make something really beautiful." Kassius explained, then she smiled.
"Maybe you could be a king?" Yang teased.
"Oh gods, please no…"
"Why not? You'd look good with a crown." He raised a brow. "Imagine it? King Kassius Locke – First of his Name, Lord of Smartassery with a Gorgeous Queen."
"Your confidence is… inspiring… but if anyone is gonna rebuild the world, it'd better be someone who knows how to hold a hammer."
"Oh, gods… Queen Nora."
"Ha! She'd make it a law that everyone would have to have pancakes every single day." Kassius laughed. The two of them sat together and laughed.
Despite such a cataclysmic event happening around them… the two would always be able to find the lighter side in such moments.
Ruby
She walked across the blades of grass of her old home…
Still a grown woman, but seeing a fond memory. She looked around and heard the voice of Taiyang, laughing as he watched his kids playing near the newly buried grave of Summer Rose. She stared at her father and reached out to him, but he never looked at her, and she just closed her eyes with grief. Her heart ached upon seeing his face, but she turned to look at what he was watching.
It was a rare thing for him to be smiling, especially when Summer's death was still recent. Ruby watched her younger self and Yang playing with a younger Kassius Locke. As a kid, Kassius grew into quite a tall young man pretty quickly, as he always said – I hit puberty and became a giant compared to everyone else. Yang's hair was still in pigtails whilst Ruby was so small, barely keeping up with him as they played.
"Gotcha, knucklehead!" Kassius laughed, grabbing her and lifting her up onto his shoulders. "C'mon! Let's ride!"
Ruby smiled, hearing how happy she sounded despite the tragedy of their mother. She then looked at Taiyang, seeing his face… he was still smiling. No wonder why he was always fond of Kassius. This must have not been long after he recovered after being savaged by that Terror Bird. He was always like a big brother to Ruby, and of course, became much more to Yang.
When Taiyang was too broken to help his kids… Kassius did what he could, helping Yang as well.
Yet Ruby mostly remembered Yang taking care of her. Because Kassius was two years older, he sometimes would be stuck at school or have other duties.
"Things can return to this one day… I know it…"
Ruby watched as she and Yang played with Kassius. "The Shivering Dominion will not be our end… the only thing it will mark the end for… is Vir Nominis Umbra. We have to keep fighting… so then so many other families can have memories like these." Ruby said to herself.
Then a dark voice sung echoed behind her, and she turned to see him emerging from the shadows.
"Why, oh why must I bow down to you?
A group of measly peasants?
Spoke the Grand Lord of Redcrossing,
Demanding his people work harder and harder – for his own goal.
Gold, women, food, wine and power,
'Tis all the reward he knows for his effortless acts.
Though judgement comes for all men,
No matter wealth, age or gender.
When he comes – one should allow him entry with kindness,
And think carefully on their wishes.
"Riches, food and power…this is what I demand"
Spoke the Grand Lord of Redcrossing.
But now the ashes lay on the once green fields,
With only one body residing.
Wishes be granted…
But not what he wanted.
And with all he asked…
He be left behind with not a soul to share with."
"If I remember correctly… that song is about Ezekiel Arc, isn't it?" Ruby presumed.
"I always knew you were well educated. Let me guess… Jaune Arc told you this? Witnessing the coward's fitting end?" Umbra replied.
"That's right." Ruby confirmed.
"In all the universes I have cleansed there are always people like him… Ezekiel Arc… Jacques Schnee… those who would betray their own kind for their own sins." Vir Nominis Umbra stated.
Then the trees and her home all burnt into the familiar Charred Forest. "Haven't got the largest album of songs, do ya?" Ruby questioned, which made Vir Nominis Umbra chuckle.
"I remember the ones that stick out to me… and I feel this song is very fitting for where you are going, my dear." Vir Nominis Umbra stated as he walked beside her. Ruby glared at him. Even though he was just in her dream and knew he could not hurt her… she still felt intimidated by her presence.
The two of them stared out at what was once the beautiful view of home, now burned away into a nightmarish sight of the Charred Forest.
"How many more are you going to let die for this arrogance you have, Miss Rose?" Vir Nominis Umbra questioned.
"Arrogance? You're one to talk." She snapped back. "Acting like your way is the only way… like this is what we deserve."
"It's… not about what you deserve. I know the people in this Universe… most of them anyway… do not deserve the fates they suffer. Some do… that's how it always goes. But it matters not – your fates have already been decided. This is the way things must be." Vir Nominis Umbra explained.
Ruby shook her head.
"Spare these people their suffering, Miss Rose. Let me claim the Relics for myself, and I can end their pain once and for all." He promised.
"You may sway others with your words, Umbra – but not me. All that will do is give you more monsters to destroy the next universe. So if I were you… I'd stop trying to convince me." Ruby stated, and he smiled.
"We will see. Your strength is incredibly admirable, Miss Rose. You may be the most impressive foe I have faced in all the Universes I have destroyed. And there have been… so… many." He stated, closing his eyes. "I believe your words are true… but I will still try, and should you ever open your eyes to the truth. I will hold my end of the bargain." Vir Nominis Umbra assured.
Ruby narrowed her eyes.
"Well… I wouldn't hold your breath."
Then Umbra hummed the same song again as he walked away from Ruby. She ignored him as best she could… then her dream ended.
She gasped, sitting upright suddenly, and turning to see Oscar softly asleep beside her. She looked around, seeing Kassius and Yang still chatting by the Hellfire Tank, and Team C.F.V.Y talking indistinctly in the corner as well. Oscar grumbled, and he woke up slowly, rubbing his hazel eyes.
"Hey… you okay?" He asked her.
"Yeah… Umbra… I was dreaming, and he came to me again." She explained.
"Not the Whisperer?" He asked.
"No… I haven't seen a single hallucination of his since… well… since he revealed himself." Ruby assured.
"What did he want?" Oscar asked.
"He tried to convince me to give up." Ruby answered, which made Oscar chuckle.
"He should know better… you're one of the most stubborn people I've ever met." He teased, making Ruby chuckle and she bumped her elbow into his side. He chuckled with her and the two sat together, squeezing each other's hands.
"We'll make it through this…"
"Yeah… we will…"
Ozpin
The Airship soared across the sky and finally arrived at their destination. Even from here, the smoke from Vale could be seen.
It rose high into the atmosphere, and the sky was constantly darkening as rain fell around them. The Airship descended and the landing gear folded out. It set down on the field in front of a little cabin. Ozpin walked out first with Glynda behind him, and they approached the front door, and he knocked on it.
No answer.
"Ahem…" A voice caught his attention. They turned to see her stood before them, with a recently killed deer slung over her shoulder.
She was a beautiful woman – roughly thirty years old, maybe forty now.
She had shoulder-length black ash hair, silver eyes, and was quite tall, roughly the same height as Glynda, if only a little taller. Usually she wore an ornate skull mask that all but completely concealed her face, revealing only her lower jaw, but she had already taken it off and held it in her other hand. She wore a laced waist-cincher over a long blue tunic with a dark grey hemline that fell over a dark teal skirt that also had the same grey hem. The tunic opens in a 'v' to reveal an off-white folded collar. The long sleeves are also cinched just above the elbows. All three cinches and the hem are the same dark grey as the hooded cloak Maria also wore. Her boots were dark brown. In addition, she wore a dark blue skull necklace.
"Hello again, Oz…" Maria Calavera greeted.
"Hello Maria."
Author Note - Ozpin and Glynda have found our favourite Grandma! Except of course she is not and Granny in this story and is still in her prime XD
Showing him and Glynda escaping was great fun, especially with their little conversations that they shared. And of course that last fight between Oz and the two Knights - and when Umbra nearly got them. I love writing this story because of that inherent fear of "Where's Umbra?" since he can show up at any second.
I loved this chapter for the peaceful moments too. Like with Nora and Jaune coming up with a plan to remove her mark that binds her to the Lord of the Wood. Here's hoping that his theory can save her from the Lord of the Wood... end of the day Pyrrha destroyed the fragment bound to her from the Onyx Phantom. The same can be done for her if Hyde can find it.
Kassius and Yang - I love those two so much. Writing their little moments is always both touching and brilliant since they bounce off each other with humour so well.
And of course, Ruby's dream. I would like to credit LunaTheBlackWolf for this idea with Kassius giving little Ruby piggybacks. That idea was so adorable :D But of course Umbra had to go and ruin it. Asshole.
The gang are nearly at Atlas... the question of course is - What state is Atlas in?
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter - Maria Calavera
- Matt