Chapter 58 - Rose At Midnight
Act VI - Kingdom of Lies
Anger filled my eyes, Charron staring back at us, completely unphased by the weapons drawn to him while he inspected everyone silently. "I spent a long time configuring my escape, countless cycles of trial and error," Both eyes narrowed. "Did you really believe a couple of Huntsmen and some flimsy fragment of my hide would be enough to stop me?"
Then his body flickered, hands rising to inspect the effect. "I'm not free... yet, but my abilities have already started to feed their way into this cruel world, seeding my return," He put his hands together, pointing a finger to me. "So, before I rewrite the wrongs of my creators, I'm going to ensure you cease to be apart of the new world."
"We won't let you," I blinked, seeing that Ruby raised Crescent Rose defensively, I've never seen her so furious before, and that low voice gave me chills. "No one else is going to die."
Charron sighed, "You were always too pure for this world, a soul without corruption, without stains from witnessing death and chaos, truly a prodigy," Then he looked directly at me. "You haven't told them, have you?"
"Told us what? Sky?" Hearing Yang's question brought my heart to a stop, remembering every word he said. It was all my fault, without me, Charron would have never existed, I... even with the vow I made to find my place in this world... it was still all my fault
"That shouldn't have ever existed," Then, the world turned dark and hollow with rage
*Shatter-SCREECH!*
A concussive sonic blast ruptured the skyline, splitting the floor and bending some of the wooden supports. Through dust and splinters our eyes focused on the figure that attacked without reason from the sky itself, a familiar, deafening wail distorted and heavy having pierced my eardrums.
"No..." This couldn't be happening, how, how is this even possible!?
The black wings folded, banishing the dust before Charron as the figure stood tall with a creak in its bones. Black feathers sharper, and flailed. The wings tipped with white scales, the face was that of a vulture, the beak split, eyes hardened to a permanent scowl. The clothing was shredded, revealing the toned body covered in black skin and scales, scales poking out from tears, the legs layered in scales that had turned black, the talon long and crooked.
"Morana," The abomination twitched at Charron's words, his figure slowly returned to nothing. "Kill him."
"Ruby!" I went on instinct, body alight with a blue tone as my arms wrapped around Ruby's waist, pulling us away while Nora and Ozpin retreated. Morana screamed, a funnel of sound tearing through the floor, blowing a hole through the side of the staircase with minimal effort while I sat Ruby down beside Weiss and Jaune, clutching her tightly. "Dammit, why can't anything work out our way!?"
"We'll lose at this rate," I know, Iota, but what can we do? "...I don't know."
It's all my fault... what have I done...
"It's okay," What, but Ruby...? She wasn't facing the on-going chaos, rather, me with a smile, confident, completely unphased. "We've gotten out of worse situations before, even when we're told we had no possible way of ensuring victory," Her hand closed around mine. "We only got this far because we were never alone, and right now, Penny and Iota are with you, so I know you can win this too."
I remained silent, Morana storming toward us with his wings flared, it wasn't some warrior anymore, just a hollowed monster reincarnated by an imperfect creature. Looking away to my friends, most injured and barely able to stand, then to Morana, Hazel having already recovered outside, Raven, that girl, and Cinder had gone after the Relic.
"I'll leave it all to you, Ruby," What hope I may have lost came back tenfold, rising across my body was the silver gleam of a suit I hadn't used in a while, the neon blue glow resonating across this torn battlefield with a hum. "Echo," Standing tall with Ruby clutching Crescent Rose, I gave her a quick fist bump, the two of us leaving each other's sides to face our own battles, Morana snarling, his feathers ruffling with fury. "Time to settle the score," I braced my gauntlets, drawing in the energy I needed, locking it in place. "Let see you scream after this."
His scream shook the air, infusing Echo with more sonic charges that I promptly set off behind me, launching me toward the distorted Grimm, his wings flapped, threshing in my direction as I swung my right arm down, a sonic blast pivoting me around the bladed wings, the left throwing me toward Morana for a sonic right hook to the beak, the blast tossing him through the skyline again as I gave chase with two flicks of my wrists, shattering a pane on my way up, landing on the metal beam.
Morana swiped with a frantic scream, the sonic attack rippling across my armor, forcing me back as I raised my forearms, his claws brought down on them both, hooking them so his beak could scream in my face, throwing me into a tumble. Shaking off the ringing two sonic blasts spat from my soles, bringing my left arm around and across his shoulder, followed by a sonic knuckle to the chest, bending the skin with a cone of sound.
Giving chase I swung my arms back and flew over Morana, firing off several blasts that he took flight to evade, screaming in a constant wail to disrupt my glide, with lightning-quick reflexes Morana brought a heel down on my back, hooking both feet into my armor as he slammed me into the metal support over and over again, tossing me up for both wings to slice across my chestplate.
I brought my fists forward, Morana his maw as two different pitches of sound reverberated against the other, our compressed shockwaves bending the beams, obliterating what glass remained in the ensuring blast that nearly threw me off Haven. Morana was in flight, harrowing form cast in the shattered moon's glow, eyes hardened with malice while drawing back a fist, the feathers standing on end.
"Sky, you must evade!" Taking the A.I's advice I did, throwing myself back in time for Morana's impact with the roof, his fist plunged into the steel, the sonic blast firing a barrage of hardened scales and bladed feathers that would have shredded Echo
"What the hell did Charron do to him!?" While I wasn't going to get an answer it was certainly something to worry about, whatever he did, the imbalance of light and dark inside Morana was completely scrambled, his instincts were all that really seemed to remain, even his fighting style was non-existent
All of a sudden his wings poised toward me, and then the next impossible thing happened, the tips of the wings fired two small beams of sound, slamming into my body like bullets, had it not been from the pressurized strike that took the air from my lungs I'd have cursed, so instead I tumbling, managing to hook my fingers into the beam before I could fall through the roof. Swinging under and back on top Morana was towering over me, his right fist striking with my forearm as I gave him a series of gut punches, backhanding him aside for my left gauntlet to unleash all the sound built up inside, breaking a number of scales and giving Morana a taste of his own power.
Not allowing Morana a second to recover I landed another snap-kick to his side, then unleashed a blast from my feet, flipping back around to give chase after the disgruntled Grimm as it flung both wings high, sweeping over me, delivering a sonic attack to my back, mine barely tickled it given his constant flight. So, I pulled my arms close, allowing his attacks to riddle my armor, warnings dashed aside as a familiar chill ran along my body, feeling Iota's aura encompass me.
"Let me add a little flare," Give it a shot, bud! "Hmph," The blue highlights flickered white, my arms extended just before Morana could land any closer. "Sonic-Ice-Blast!"
The dome of sound expunged from the ports dotting Echo, the dome freezing the very soundwaves in the air, the jagged waves slicing through Morana's skin and wings, one gouging out an eye, forcing a pained wail from the Grimm that now struggled to stay aloft. Iota handed me control and I jumped over a wing's horizontal swipe, kicking the beak away and planting both hands atop his head, ushering a massive, high=pitched wail through his skull, breaking the sound barrier as we observed Morana colliding with a nearby school building with resounding force, bringing a section of the roof atop him.
A single breath and I collapsed to my knees, I didn't realize it but airships had flown in, huh, guess that meant the White Fang were through, and there were alot of Faunus down there, Jesus. As for below my feet, I pulled myself to peer down at the issuing battle, from what I could tell it was pretty much over, Hazel was the only one left standing, Emerald and Mercury were free but unable to stand anymore that I could, and from how Hazel moved his attacks were lumbering, and he wasn't jumping about like before.
"It's over, but, Charron, why show himself now?" It didn't sit right, everything that's transpired was due to him manipulating Mars, and now Morana, but that couldn't be it, can it? He was methodical when we spoke, even after 'trapping' him in his prison he still didn't give up, clearly Eric's sacrifice bought us time but for how long? The endgame was so unclear now. "This is really unsettling."
"Yeah, it is," A voice pitched in and by then it was too late to even blink. Searing heat split my side, a hand forcing me onto my back with a orange glow of a knife plunged through the right of my abdomen, piercing my aura and exciting a scream from me. The person holding me down and straddling my waist was
"T-Tabus..." I coughed, trying to pry her hand back but she merely twisted the blade further, the mixture of healing and pain unbearably annoying, and she seemed to have figured that out herself. I lifted my left hand to her shoulder but she didn't budge, holding steady. "I-I was-"
She sounded... strained, shaking her head. "I... have to, n-n-need to, dammit, die!" What was that? Tabus pushed me back, holding her arm to my throat to lean closer to me with that unsettling mask of hers. "Y-you, have to die, I-I don't... Kai." Charron, what did he do to her!?
Tabus then threw me aside, taking her knife with her as she pulled at her hair, raven with dark purple highlights, whatever was happening she struggled to find some semblance of control. All this time and the first I've seen of her she up and shanks me, fantastic. "R-run, you dumbass."
Had I actually listened, I would have avoided what came next, the lights of Haven flickering crimson under me, shrouding my sensors to His presence.
[No POV]
"That's enough! Just give up." Ruby was in her 'serious' phase, she wasn't giving them another chance to surrender if they tried something, and with Sky, Iota, and Penny fighting up above she had to make this fight come to an end otherwise everyone would be running on empty. Thankfully, Hazel and Mercury weren't planning to make a move, especially since Mercury can't even stand.
"Dammit!" Mercury slammed his fist into the ground, twitching as his broken leg sparked again
"It's not over! Cinder will come back, she'll have the relic, and she'll stop all of you!" Emerald defied them
"Do you really believe that?" Oscar asked, propping himself up with his cane. "The tremors we felt before, that had to have been Cinder fighting the Maiden." That grim news alone put the fear of God into Emerald, Sky's words starting to get to her
"She won't let us down..." Emerald muttered, but sadly, everyone turned to the sound of the elevator as it rose through the ground, and upon it, everyone felt a long-forgotten feeling of victory course through them. Yang overlooked them all, the mystical, golden lantern held tightly in her hand.
"Yang..." Ruby felt relieved that she was okay, and a small smile from her sister assured of this, or, that was until Hazel moved, picking Mercury up as he hissed to Emerald who fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face
"Emerald, get up, we need to go." Mercury tried to call to her. "Emerald!"
Emerald snapped, her mental state broke with a banshee-like scream, the whole world turning black in a flicker of lights as a near cold, and demonic presence turned the lights red with blood. A black void split the ground, swirling within the darkness that took form, molding into a black figure that towered over them all. The body twisted and constricted, a pale-faced woman with black veins, arms bend irregularly, twisting to face the group with crimson eyes.
*SHRIEK*
It was brief, mere seconds of a black void upon the creature's descent to consume their minds, bodies, and souls. But upon opening their eyes, all shaking and startled with dread, the room was normal again, but no sign of Emerald, Mercury, or Hazel, obviously escaping during the illusion that felt far too real to be just mere images.
"Wha-What was that!?" Blake asked what we were all thinking
"An illusion. But an accurate one..." Ozpin spoke, holding himself up with his cane, fear laced across his eyes over the result of the illusion, a trace of sorrow in his voice. "That... was Salem."
It didn't take long, before everyone could finally relax again, the worn state of battle finally taking its toll as most sat down, wincing at their own injuries slightly. Ruby's ears then twitched to the sounds above, hearing a pane of glass shatter.
Sky slammed into the ground back-first, coughing, his armor torn to pieces, some parts bleeding from slashes to his arms, right temple, and torso. Then Morana swept down, grabbing him by the throat to pull him eye-level with his gouged out optical with a snarl.
"Sky!" Ruby yelled, drawing her scythe
"Let go of him!" Weiss joined in as the others did the same, surrounding the unstable Grimm who merely twitched, then, unleashed an ear-piercing scream that threw them all aside, keeping them far enough away for his wing to twist around, one of the longer feathers at the tip of his limb prodding between his chest and shoulder.
Not a single person could utter a word as blood flew across the ground like a spray as the red liquid ran down Sky's chest, a sonic beam having pierced his body completely. His face twisted with pain, a faint lack of oxygen reaching his lungs as Iota and his own aura fell apart. Sky shuddered under his drowning scream now filled with blood as he grounded his teeth, he stumbled out of Morana's grip, trying to clutch the wound, he ultimately fell back in a heap, losing all his strength to so much as say a word, blood pooling under him.
"SKY!" Almost all of them cried out, Ruby being the loudest among them. Ozpin, back in control regained what strength he had alongside Qrow and ran to Sky's fallen form, hand still clutched to his wound in agony. Morana let out an inhuman cackle, beak wide with sickened bliss, allowing the blood to drip into his maw with satisfaction.
Ruby tried to keep her calm, even as her heart raced with a fear unlike any she's felt thus far. It would have been easier to fall apart, but she couldn't, it would be so much nicer to run and hold Sky but that won't stop Morana. Clutching Crescent Rose felt heavy yet she did it anyway, her feet were shaking yet she stood despite the fatigue. She wanted to cry so instead hatred unlike any she's felt before overtook her emotions like a raging fire.
The dread in the air, the last strand of everyone's hopes of winning were beginning to dry up. With only a fraction of her friends being able to stand and fight some more, all shaking from the exhaustion from the fights before.
"It can't really end like this?" Jaune
"I'm... feeling weaker every second that passes me..." Weiss
"Come on, Sky can stand up to these guys, so we can too!" Yang
"Sky... what do we do, I... I might be our leader, but... I-I just don't know what I can say to make everything work out, please, just give me some strength to stop this!" Ruby finally whispered to herself, no one hearing her voice, not even Morana
~You... never, n-needed me...~ Ruby nearly sprung at the faint voice through her earpiece, something Sky manufactured to keep tabs on all of his friends during the fight, but now, Ruby felt her heart rate sour again at his dangerously low voice rasping in her ear. ~M-Maiden blood, r-remember, fire, h-help... your strength is y-your own, f-fueled by yo-your bonds, t-that's what makes y-you... breathtaking~
Morana slowly stomped toward the group, claws taut, yearning for blood, it filled his head, crimson staining the walls, organs strewn across the floors, the screams in his head, he wanted nothing more than their blood on his hands.
"Don't you dare give up!" All eyes stood shot open, looking to Ruby who took a stand before the Horseman, no longer trembling, her eyes laced with an unmistakable fury that caused silver contrails to form. Just that sheen brought Morana to a standstill, eye hesitant under the glare.
"This fight isn't over yet!" Ruby cried out, pointed the barrel straight ahead, screaming out with malice intent. "What are you waiting for!? Hit me with your best shot! I'm standing right here!"
That moment of hesitance gave weigh to bloodlust, Morana broke from his statue and threw himself toward Ruby, herself ready with her sights set on Morana's throat, if she could stop his sound attacks she could buy everyone some time. The Relic, her friends, family, the guy she fell for, all of it was on the line with this single shot.
There was a scream, a feeling of the air pulled around her, a flash of silver, and a warmth unlike any other.
*Shink-Shink-Shink-Boom*
A star pattern crossed the gap, followed by a flash of white light that caught Morana in its grasp, himself reeling in agony. Ruby blinked, having not moved an inch, seeing anything more than a white blur. Morana was thrashing his arms wildly, parts of his form layered in stone, pieces of his form crumbling to dust.
A figure stood before her, slightly taller than the Huntress. Her armor consisted of a silver chest armour matched with a black tunic and a white, thigh-long windswept skirt beneath the armour. She also sported long, black boots with metal plating alongside thigh-high socks of the same color. Covering her hair was a newly fashioned white cloak with the red underside. It was shorter, splitting into two tails just below her shoulder blades, the cloth resting down at her thighs. Last, she wore some fingerless gloves, clutching a bow with several arrows nocked.
In Ozpin and Qrow's arms, Sky cracked an eye open, red dust trickling between his bloodied hand. "H-hey, Specter," Relief and worry flooded his mind as her mask turned to him, bow and arrows still primed
"You're okay..." Sky eyed the familiar voice that spoke up, seeing Blake standing with a guilty look on her face. Smiling weakly, his hand did a tiny wave. "Sky, I-"
"It's good to see you're okay, Blake," His dry voice managed to force out. "Let's talk later, too tired, lots of pain and blood." While hesitant, she nodded with a tiny smile of her own
"Everything will be fine," Specter brought her eyes back to Morana, the mechanical voice modulator keeping her identity hidden even now. "Let me finish what I began."
To Be Continued...
The shortest of the four, but we're entering the final battle between Summer and Morana, hopefully, to put him down for good this time. The Battle of Haven is coming to an end, who will live to see the dawn? I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support, seeya in the next chapter!
Next Chapter: Haven No More Act IV - Death's Last Stand
Morana is all that remains, Summer takes up the burden of the fight for the team, but can she make good on her word or will her own guilt cloud her judgment?