Jaune gently lifted the lamp, smiling at the beautiful relic before holstering it to his belt.
"You're not going to summon her now?"
"In this cramped cave on an island surrounded by Grimm? No thanks. We've already established that I'm not powerful enough to control all the Grimm around here. Not just yet."
"Oh, so you're planning on returning, are you?"
"Yeah. Let's face it, this is the perfect place for me to practice conquering the Grimm. Make sure what happened with that Wendigo doesn't happen again."
"Mm, smart."
"Thank you. Now then, m'lady, would you like to do the honors," Jaune asked with a bow.
Raven giggled. "Only because you asked so nicely," Raven said as she was preparing her Semblance.
Then, a rumbling was heard.
"That can't be good," Raven said.
Jaune's eyes widened when he sensed what was coming. He immediately lunged at Raven, surprising her when he hugged her and wrapped the two in his wings. He then covered them again with Wyvern wings.
Then, the giant head of a snake crashed out from the stone beneath them, slamming into Jaune as it roared, breaking through the cave and bursting towards the sky, roaring towards the heavens.
Jaune bounced against the massive snake a few times before he opened up his wings and plunged his claws into the snake's side, his claws slamming into a massive scale as the two hung onto the beast.
Jaune groaned before he shook his head, still holding onto Raven. "You alright?"
"Bit banged up, but in a better state than you." The snake then slammed onto the island, the two now able to stand on the massive Grimm. "Is that what I think it is?"
"The biggest King Taijitu you've ever seen?"
"Just making sure," she said as she prepared her sword.
"Wait, that's the white head," Jaune said. "Where's-" A boom occurred behind the swordsmen, followed by a roar. "There is it," Jaune said as he turned towards the black head of the Taijitu, claws ready, back-to-back with Raven. "How fast can you open a portal out of here?"
"You think I'm going to run away and let this thing run rampant? 1. it is uncomfortably close to one of our contingency camps. 2. If that thing reaches the mainland or Menagerie, Huntsmen will be called, and there are enough of those in Anima as is. 3. If you think I'm leaving you behind to face this yourself, then you underestimate me, hero."
Jaune shrugged. "Worth a shot to keep you safe."
Raven chuckled. "I've never needed anyone to protect me, let alone a man the same age as my daughter, even if I slept with that man."
"Had to bring that up, Rae," Jaune asked as he began to spark, fire whirling around his claws.
"Don't call me that, hero," Raven said as her eyes ignited with her Maiden powers.
The two smirked, ready to take on the monster Grimm large enough to coil around a Leviathan.
Then, when the white head lunged, a fist slammed into its face, making it slam into a nearby plateau. The black head roared at the assailant, Jaune turning around to see it for himself. His eyes widened. "Whoa."
"That's a big Beringel," Raven said.
The Beringel was the same relative size as the massive King Taijitu, meaning it was as big as a Leviathan. The massive Ape Grimm roared as it pounded its chest, challenging the Snake Grimm.
The serpent accepted the challenge when the white head lunged at the ape's neck, the beast barely catching its jaws in time. As it struggled, the body began to coil around the Beringel, Jaune and Raven jumping and flying into the air to watch in awe and fascination.
The Beringel fell onto its back still holding back the white head, only to roar in pain when the black head bit its shoulder.
"Not looking good for the big ape," Raven said.
"Nope." Jaune looked up and saw storm clouds. He nudged Raven and pointed at it. Raven smirked as she had the same idea Jaune had and started shooting lightning into the clouds, charging it. Jaune then pointed his own hand and began to concentrate, imagining lightning shooting from his hand. It worked. He was now helping Raven charge the cloud.
The Beringel rolled over and began to slam the Taijitu's head against the rocks around them, enduring the black head tearing into its shoulder.
"NOW," Raven went, the two swinging their hands down.
Lightning then flashed, electrocuting the snakes and ape. The ape roared in pain, but still stood up and ripped the white snake's jaw off while the lightning took care of the black head, killing the massive King Taijitu.
"Damn, that was supposed to take both of them out," Raven went. "Got a plan B?"
"Hope Cordovin had a bigger and tougher mech built?"
The Beringel looked at the two, eyes glowing red with rage.
"Oh, shit," the two went in unison.
The Beringel roared as it swung its massive arm, Jaune and Raven flying out of its path of attack. Jaune was able to concentrate and create a Crocea Mors made of ice and throw it like a javelin at the best. He was aiming for its eye.
The creature moved back just enough for the sword to hit its bone plating, the ice shattering. It roared at Jaune, the volume disorienting Jaune and his superhuman hearing, the man yelling out in pain as he held his now ringing ears. The Beringel then prepared to swipe Jaune out of the sky.
However, Raven was able to jab her sword into the massive monster's shoulder. It was basically a prick to the beast, but enough to get its attention, the creature now using its prepared hand to swat Raven. She ejected her hilt from the red blade and turned into a raven just in time to avoid being crushed.
When the Beringel swatted its shoulder, the Dust exploded into flame on its shoulder, making it roar in pain. It was on fire, the flames spreading. The beast looked around until it saw a nearby lake and jumped into it, the water bursting like a geyser, raining around Jaune and the reverted Raven flying next to him.
He shook his head clear as the water fell onto him and his current partner. "Thing's smart."
"That's never a good thing to say about a Grimm," Raven said as she loaded a new blade.
"What's it doing? It should have resurfaced by now."
The two waited with bated breath, wondering what was taking the massive Grimm so long. Then, Jaune's enhanced vision saw something rushing towards the surface of the water. When he realized what it was, his eyes widened. He then flapped his wings with enough force to create a gale that blew Raven away.
No later when he did, a massive boulder shot towards him. He was just barely able to catch the massive stone, but not without being pushed a good distance away, his Aura sparking. He then saw a shadow and looked up. "Aw, come on."
The Beringel roared as it slammed another boulder onto Jaune, smashing him into the ground. It roared in victory as it pounded its chest.
"TOO EARLY TO CELEBRATE, YOU DAMNED APE," Raven yelled as she stabbed a yellow blade into the neck of the beast.
It roared in pain as electricity raced through its veins. It received even more pain when a boulder smashed into its face.
Jaune was standing atop the rubble, still in his throwing position. "Not so fun when it's done to you, eh, big guy?" Jaune then lunged towards the beast, fist at the ready. Raven plunged her sword even deeper, then proceeded to run across its neck.
Then, the Beringel gave its loudest roar yet, both the island and the very heavens shaking from the sheer volume of the roar. This was enough to stun Raven as well but did major damage to Jaune as he screamed while holding his hands over his ears.
In this vulnerable state, the Beringel punched Jaune into the ground. When it moved its fist, Jaune was groaning, face up, ears bleeding, and Aura sparking yet still unbroken.
As Raven was still dazed from the roar, never having to defend from anything that loud, the Beringel was able to grab her. Its grip was so tight that Raven dropped her odachi. When she regained her composure and saw the position she was in, she immediately activated her Maiden powers and tried to shock and freeze the Grimm's hand off, ice crystals already growing on its hand.
The monster roared in pain before it retaliated by squeezing Raven. The beauty began to cry out in pain, her Aura beginning to spark.
Jaune opened his eyes at the sound of Raven's cries of agony. He looked to see her in the clutches of the beast and got angry. "E... nough," Jaune went hoarsely as got up, stumbling a bit.
The beast was bringing Raven closer to its face, seeing up close how she glared at her, despite the position she was in, panting in pain and exhaustion from the fight. Not liking the fiery look in the beauty's eyes, it squeezed again, making Raven cry out once more.
"I said enough," Jane said hoarsely.
Raven's Aura then broke, the woman fainting. Seeing this, the Beringel opened its massive mouth, preparing to eat her.
Jaune's eyes shot open in rage. "THAT'S ENOUGH," Jaune roared, his roar even louder than the Beringel's, terrifying the other Grimm that came to attack him to the point they ran away. Even the Beringel looked afraid before it roared back in a challenging way.
It then yelped in pain and looked to see a massive ice Crocea Mors in its arm. It then roared in pain when Jaune stomped onto its hand, forcing it to release Raven. In the blink of an eye, Jaune had Raven on her back and was already using his Semblance on her.
Raven gasped back to life with a cough before she opened her eyes and looked at Jaune. She smiled. "You shouldn't keep your Chieftain waiting, hero."
Jaune smiled back. "I'm not one of your bandits, Rae."
"Don't call me that," she said with her smile still present.
Jaune's smile went away when he heard the Beringel roar. He wanted to heal Raven more but needed to deal with the beast first. Besides, he was pissed with it and ready to punish it.
When he stood up, the Beringel threw its massive fist towards Jaune and Raven, the force of the fist creating a wind pressure that was causing the rocks to crumble into dust and the water in the lake behind them to be pushed back. Even the ocean miles away from their position was being pushed back.
When the fist landed, it created a boom so loud that one would mistake it for thunder in the eye of a hurricane mixed against an earthquake.
However, that was not the most shocking thing to occur.
That honor belonged to the fact that Jaune stopped the fist of the massive, mighty Grimm... with just one hand.
Raven was amazed. There he was, her former lover, holding up the hand of a Beringel like it was nothing. "That's enough from you. I will not tolerate you threatening my woman anymore," Jaune said in a cold, no-nonsense tone that made even Raven shiver.
She then noticed that the Beringel looked frightened for a split second before it looked angry again. It then roared at Jaune, as if challenging him.
As it roared, Jaune's eyes widened in anger as he crushed the middle finger of the beast. It winced in pain before roaring again. Then, time slowed down.
Jaune was attempting to Conquer.
The Beringel's purple was dark, massive, and powerful. It looked thick, endless, and untamable. It was a massive dark color.
However, Jaune's yellow was now so bright that it shined like the sun.
As they were connected, Jaune could hear the Voice of the Grimm emanating from the giant Beringel.
'I'M STRONG NOW! I'M POWERFUL! YOU WERE FIT ONCE, BUT NOT NOW! I AM STRONGER THAN YOU NOW! YOU ARE NO LONGER FIT TO BE MY LIEGE!'
'I thought as much. You were that same Beringel from before.'
Indeed, this was the Beringel Jaune conquered earlier.
The Beringel's purple was then starting to spread onto Jaune's arm. However, Jaune didn't seem worried at all.
'You know, I'm getting really tired of you Grimm and zealots calling me your liege. Saying whether I'm worthy or not. Reminding me over and over again that her blood runs through me, and now her curse... and even her damned throne. Her damned throne atop the monsters of the world. . . The monsters I've been spending my life fighting against, protecting people from, and training my own son to fight. I've had enough.'
Jaune's yellow then began to slowly overtake the Beringel's purple.
'I have a chance to protect them. To protect Remnant. My sons, their mothers, our friends, our family; I now have the chance to let them live their lives in peace. And if I have to become your damned liege...' Jaune's eyes shined brightly as he looked up at the Beringel with fearless, undaunting eyes. 'THEN SO GODDAMN BE IT!'
As soon as he thought that Jaune's yellow quickly spread across the Beringel. It roared in shocked surprised before it was completely engulfed in the yellow once again, the beast roaring as it now shined like a glorious light.
The Beringel removed its massive fist away from Jaune's hand and started to roar as it beat its chest. It then gave a thunderous, trumpeting roar that made the island shake again, Raven wincing in pain from the volume. It sounded too much like a victory roar to Raven.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the Beringel looking down at Jaune, the father of her son standing before the beast, his long hair flowing in the wind. "Jaune?"
He merely turned to look at her. The two stared into the others crimson eyes, Raven looking a bit nervous... until Jaune smiled at her. She then knew they won the moment the Beringel kneeled before Jaune, groveling before him.
"Hello, my Bandit Queen," Jaune said as he knelt down and continued to heal her.
Raven looked at his huge hand over her stomach before looking at the man himself. She stared at him before she gently pushed a stray hair off of his face. "So... I'm your woman, am I," she said with a teasing smile.
Jaune jolted a bit. "Uh... It was a heat of the moment thing."
"Hmm?" Raven then raised her leg in a sexy manner. "Was it, now?"
"Y-yeah," Jaune said as he quickly glanced at her leg before looking back at her stomach to concentrate on his Semblance.
Raven's eyes became seductive before she closed them with a giggle. "Well, not that it's true. I don't belong to anyone, not even to someone as talented in bed as you."
Jaune jolted at the bed bit.
"You'll just have to make do with this."
"Hm? With what," Jaune asked as he looked up. As soon as he did, Raven gently grabbed his chin and gave him a kiss, making sure it was a French one.
"With that," she said as she looked into Jaune's eyes sensually. Both acts made Jaune's pale face brighten up.
Raven giggled as she stood up. "That Semblance of yours sure is useful. Helps someone get to their feet almost immediately. At least that's what it feels like," she said as she patted herself down, getting the dirt and dust off of her.
"Uh, yeah. Glad I could help," Jaune said as he stood up.
"So, what about that thing?"
Jaune looked up with Raven at the Beringel, which was now standing. "What about it?"
"It serves you now, right? Are you going to have it follow you around?"
". . . Nah. I'll have it guard this island."
"Why? It's not that big. You could probably build a small town at most."
Jaune thought for a bit before he snapped his fingers. "Can you give me a Green Blade?"
Raven raised an eyebrow before she complied. Jaune took the blade, jumped high up, seemingly used his Semblance on it, then threw it into the ocean.
"Well, that was a waste of a good blade. Care to explain," Raven asked in annoyance.
"Three, two, and one."
Then, more land grew from the rea Jaune threw the blade, the island now growing bigger.
Raven whistled. "That Semblance can do quite a bit."
"Right?"
"But I'm not giving you any more of my blades."
"Fair enough. I'll just buy some more and come back here when I have the ti-"
The island began to quake, surprising the two. The ground beneath them began to rise. The sound of water rushing was heard. They looked to see even more land rise from the sea. Moments later, the previously tiny island was now big enough to house its own kingdom, surrounded by terrain more than big enough for even the massive Beringel to explore. That fact alone made the Beringel roar and pound its chest, obviously happy.
Jaune and Raven looked around the large island in shock.
"Did you... do this on purpose?"
"Uh... No. No, I did not."
Raven flew up to get a better look of the island, Jaune following her lead. The two looked around.
"This is incredible. How did you do this," Raven asked.
"I have no idea," Jaune answered before looking at his hand. "I know Aura activates Dust, but to this degree? Did my Semblance evolve again?"
"No." Jaune looked at her. "It's been enhanced."
"Enhanced?" Jaune then realized it. "Magic. The Grimm power flowing through me. It mutated my Semblance?"
"That's my only explanation. Your powers must have made your natural abilities evolve further than even you thought. Who knows how powerful you are now."
Jaune stared at his hand. "Should one man... really have this much power?"
"You might need it."
"Huh?"
"How else are you going to rule the Grimm? You want to make Remnant a safer place, don't you?"
"If I can."
"Then you need to get even stronger. Who knows how many more Grimm are going to be like that," Raven said as the two looked at the Beringel, who was sitting on the highest mountain to follow the two, at first looking out towards the horizon before looking at the flying beings, letting out an oddly cute and curious grunt.
"Well, in its defense, it is technically my fault it's like that. I had it kill a bunch of Grimm to distract them while we took on the Wendigo. I didn't expect it to absorb the essence of the other Grimm and grow like that. Hopefully, other Grimm won't follow its example." Jaune then felt a chill... and felt like he was being watched... from above.
"Well, you'll just have to become strong enough to Conquer even them, won't you?"
"I... I guess so. Still, I should make sure giant Grimm don't become the norm. Maybe I should keep them on this island to be safe."
"So you're going to keep this island for yourself, huh?"
"That's the idea. Who knows? Maybe the Grimm on this island will become the protects of Remnant when I'm gone."
ENOUGH
Jaune yelled out in pain, holding his head.
"Jaune," Raven went in concern.
YOU ARE ABUSING MY POWER, BOY. SPEAKING WORDS OF BLASPHEMY. HERESY.
"Who... Who are you? You're... not... Salem."
NO, I'M NOT. IS THERE A REASON YOU EXPECTED HER?
"Why... wouldn't I... expect to hear my... ancestor? The first Ruler of the Grimm?"
FIRST? FIRST?! SHE WAS NOT THE FIRST, BOY! INSOLENT CHILD. YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHO YOUR PROGENITOR IS. YOUR CREATOR.
"Creator? What the hell are you talking about?"
I AM THE BEGINNING, BOY. THE TRUE CREATOR. I AM THE REASON YOU HAVE YOUR POWER. YOUR STRENGTH. YOUR VERY LIFE. EVERYTHING YOU ARE IS BECAUSE OF ME.
Jaune's eyes widened. "Impossible. You can't be."
AH, NOW YOU UNDERSTAND. THEN YOU MUST NOW KNOW THIS, BOY. YOU ARE COMMITTING SINS AGAINST ME.
"What?"
I DID NOT CREATE THE GRIMM TO BE GUARDIANS.
"No, YOU CREATED THEM TO BE DESTRUCTIVE MONSTERS!"
MIND YOUR TONE, BOY, LEST YOU PAY FOR YOUR BLASPHEMY.
Jaune then screamed in pain, his head feeling like it was splitting in two.
YOUR ANCESTOR USED MY CREATIONS SELFISHLY, NOT LEARNING THE TRUTH BEHIND HER PUNISHMENT. ONLY BECAUSE OF YOU AND OTHER MORTALS DID SHE LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFE AND DEATH. THOUGH YOU HAVE DONE WELL, YOU USE OUR POWER SELFISHLY AS WELL.
"HOW THE HELL DO I USE YOUR POWER SELFISHLY! I'M ONE OF THE GREATEST HUNTSMEN REMNANT HAS EVER SEEN! I'VE SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES, DEFEATED HUNDREDS OF CRIMINALS, AND PROTECTED THE PEACE FROM YOUR CREATURES!"
USING MY 'DAUGHTER'. Jaune eyes widened. YOU REFUSED TO BRING THE RELICS TOGETHER, BELIEVING PEACE WAS OBTAINABLE THROUGH YOUR OWN EFFORTS, YET YOU AND THE HUMANS SEE HER AS A DIETY TO BE WORSHIPPED. WHAT WOULD YOUR WORLD BE LIKE WITHOUT HER? ESPECIALLY YOU, WHO LOVE HER SO DEARLY?
Jaune looked down. 'My world... without Nimueh,' Jaune thought.
AND NOW, YOU PLAN TO PERVERT MY CREATION, USE IT AS YOU SEE FIT, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING OF GIVING ME PRAISE.
Jaune's eyes widened.
CAREFUL HOW YOU TREAD, BOY. I AM NOT AS PATIENT OR AS LENIENT AS MY BROTHER. PERFORM ANY MORE HERESY OR BLASPHEMY, AND THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES. WE SHALL MEET... MY GRANDSON.
With that last bit, Jaune felt relief wash over him, nearly falling out of the sky. Raven caught him before he could fall, looking worried. "Jaune, what happened?"
Jaune was panting as he was holding onto Raven. It took him a while to catch his breath, but he was still panting. "I... I don't know."
"Really? It sure sounded like you did."
"Huh?"
"You were speaking out loud. It sounded like you knew who you were talking to."
Jaune stared at Raven before looking down. "I did."
"And?"
". . . It was the God of Darkness."
Raven's eyes widened. "What?"
"It was him. I never heard his voice or even saw him, but it's obvious that was him. Who else could it be?"
Raven stared at Jaune before looking at the lamp. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, let's leave your little Grimm Island."
Jaune chuckled. "Grimm Island? I think I like that name. Simple and to the point. Grimm Island it is," he said as he and Raven landed.
"Glad I could help." Raven then cut open a portal. "After you."
"No, no, beauty before beast."
"Hmm," Raven went with a teasing smile. She then turned and walked towards the portal... sensually. She then looked back, knowing full well Jaune was enjoying the view from the wide look on his face. She then giggled. "You cheat." Jaune jolted before Raven walked through her portal with a victorious smile.
Jaune sighed. "Dammit, she's right. I seriously need to take Nimueh out on a date."
Meanwhile, at a hotel.
Ruby took off the provided house slippers and was about to slip into bed before she stopped. "Hey, Weiss?"
"Mm," she mumbled while on her pillow, trying to sleep.
"After this, and we get back home, can we go out for a date?"
"A date? Ruby, we've been married for fifteen years."
"And we don't spend as much time as we used to. Can we just have some quality time, you and me, just the two of us?"
Weiss sighed. "Sorry, Ruby. I've been away from the company long enough. I'm using almost all of my vacation days, leaving the work to Whitley. After this little trip, I won't have free time for a while."
"Oh, so... no time for a date?"
"No, Flower. No time. Why do you even want to go on one, anyway," Weiss asked sleepily.
Ruby got into the covers, back turned to her wife. "Honestly, it just randomly came to me."
"Oh. Well, sorry. Good night. Love you," Weiss said before falling asleep.
"Love you, too," Ruby said softly before she thought of it. 'Why... why DID I want to go on a date?'
Jaune sighed. "Yeah, I need to remind Nimueh I love her with a nice romantic date." He then turned towards the Beringel. "Take care of this island, big guy. From now on, you're the King of Grimm Island."
The Beringel stood tall and pounded its chest, roaring in what sounded like pride to Jaune, as if both honored and overjoyed to receive its new title and duty.
Jaune smiled at the mighty Grimm before he walked through the portal, the lamp dangling from his hip. When he walked through, the portal finally closed, ending this chapter of the Grimm Island.
