The power coursing through him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Something inside of him had awakened, something foreign...but also familiar as it flowed through his veins.
His aura had always felt like a raging river when he entered his semblance state, but right now it felt like a hurricane with him at the eye.
Glowing eyes locked onto the Blades of Chaos clenched in his hands, Rios followed the chains attached to the base of the pommels to where they were wrapped tightly to his forearms. The metal fused to his flesh forming a permanent bond with the weapons, but he could also feel his aura merged with the legendary blades as well.
Shifting his gaze ahead, he saw the others looking toward him in awe, unable to blink as the power radiating from him was something that couldn't ever be ignored. But the wolf-Faunus' focus was on the Grimm, especially the Cerberus who stood tall over the Beowolves it had summoned.
Grip tightening on the blazing swords, Rios took a step forward.
The movement was enough to break the small trans that had fallen over everyone. The three Beowolves closest to the Faunus roared before launching themselves toward him-
Only for one of the Blades of Chaos to come flying toward them, the magical fire surrounding the Hades-forged steel creating a wide arc as the chain attached to the pommel guided it on its swing. Cleaving through flesh and bone as though they were butter, removing the heads from the Grimm in one clean stroke.
With a flick of the wrist, the blade snapped back to the hand it had been thrown from. The bodies of the Beowolves collapsed to the ground and vanished in a burst of ashes.
The Cerberus howled, commanding the Grimm around it to go on the attack. The pack of Beowolves that remained charged the Faunus with the intent to tear him to shreds.
Rios snarled before running at the incoming horde, swinging the Blades of Chaos in a series of slashes that sliced flesh, removed limbs, and burned the remains. For those that tried to get to a distance, he would swing the weapons on their chains and catch them before they got too far. One of the unlucky Beowolves had been speared through the back and out the stomach with one of the blades before being yanked backwards, the weapon returning to its owner who forced it downward, disemboweling the Grimm before coming back around and taking its head off.
Within seconds, all of the lower-level Grimm were no more. Their blackened blood splattered all over the ground and on their executioner being all that remained.
From their spot, the others felt an array of emotions. Shock, awe, disgust and a hint of fear being the most prominent.
"...What...happened to Rios?" asked Ruby, her silver eyes locked onto the powerful swords he was now wielding.
"It could be his semblance." offered Ren, Nora vibrating with a manic grin at his side as they looked on.
"What about the swords? No semblance could create solid matter." Blake threw in while Weiss held a hand over her mouth, trying to avoid getting sick after seeing how the hunter had slaughtered the Grimm.
Pyrrha was watching her partner in awe. The power rolling off of him in waves washing over her and leaving her breathless. His savage takedown of the Grimm aside, she knew that something about him had changed. Something powerful. His aura alone was making her feel weak in the knees, intimidated...and excited at the same time.
Yang was in a similar state. Her lilac eyes seeing nothing but the boy, no, man that was before them. Her heart threatening to beat out of her chest, shivers going up her back. She'd never been this enthralled in someone before, or this aroused.
Glowing eyes locked firmly on the Cerberus, Rios began swinging one of the Blades of Chaos on their chain. Creating a flaming windmill as he started to advance on the larger opponent.
Roaring, the large beast charged the Faunus. Its three mouths wide open and prepared to tear him to pieces.
Rios continued to spin the flaming blade on its chain, waiting for the Cerberus to get close enough before throwing the weapon at the Grimm. The blade piercing the side of the left head's neck as the hunter ran full sprint, avoiding the Cerberus' snapping jaws and leaping into the air, the chain attached to his free arm guiding him in an arc and helping him land on the beast's back.
Pulling hard on the chain, the wolf-Faunus tore the Blade of Chaos from Grimm. Releasing a fountain of ichor as he threw both weapons downward, the chains wrapping around the Cerberus' left head before coming back around with the pommels landing back in his hands.
Pushing his aura into the chains, the links began to glow red hot and started to burn the Grimm's flesh. An agony filled roar was released from the wounded head as Rios started to pull, the heated metal sinking into black flesh while at the same time burning through its bone armor.
With a powerful battlecry, the wolf-Faunus yanked back with all his strength. The chains sliced clean through the neck of the Cerberus, removing the head completely from the body with an explosion of ash and black blood. The remaining two heads screeching from the loss and pain.
The Grimm now disoriented from the head's removal, Rios jumped toward the head on the far right. One of the legendary swords piercing through its bone armor on its back as though it were cardboard as he swung up under it, using the momentum to drive the second blade up through its jaw, affectively pinning its mouth shut.
Yanking the other blade free, the Faunus slashed back and forth on the now vulnerable head. Slicing deep gashes along its snout and neck before plunging the sword into its eye.
Dropping back to the ground, the hunter violently ripped both blades free, spilling gallons of ichor everywhere. The head he had attacked slumping forward a bit, the damage leaving it weakened and nearly useless.
All that remained was the center head, which howled before opening its mouth wide and launching a fireball at Rios.
Rolling to the side to avoid the threat, the wolf-Faunus snapped to his feet swinging the Blades of Chaos upward. Slashing the Cerberus across the chest before following up with a series of swings that struck the beast from different directions.
Jumping into the air, Rios brought his arms together with the chains extended behind him as he came back down. Both weapons struck the ground in front of the Grimm with tremendous force, a geyser of magma shooting upward and viciously burning the beast.
Blades snapping back to his hands, the hunter threw them again at the Cerberus as it staggered from the damage it had taken. The chains of both weapons wrapping around its front legs.
One strong pull and the already imbalanced Grimm collapsed to the ground, Rios brought the Blades of Chaos back to his waiting palms and charged forward, driving them both through the front of its snout while at the same time jumping over its head to its back.
Chains gripped tightly, the Faunus began to pull. The Cerberus' head rose up and pointed toward the sky, struggling as it was forced farther and farther back.
Rios roared as he jerked back with everything he had, a loud sickening crack echoed through the forest as the beast's neck was snapped at an odd angle. It's movements coming to an abrupt stop as it collapsed to the ground, its body already in the process of dissolving into the air.
Pulling the Blades of Chaos free, the hunter looked down at them in deep though. The aura shroud surrounding him fading along with the glow within his eyes as he crossed the weapons on his back, using a small application of aura to allow them to stick in place before taking a minute to collect Leviathan and Artemis. Clipping the frost-axe to his belt with his quiver of arrows while slinging the bow over his shoulder as he made his way to the others.
"Everyone okay?" he asked, snapping them all out of the stupor they had been in after seeing him taking down the Cerberus.
"Uhh..." Ruby said, unable to form a real thought at the moment.
"We're alright." said Pyrrha, going to take a step forward only to stumble when pain flared up her left leg.
Rios snapped out and caught her, the champion blushing when she felt his strong arms wrap around her to keep her upright. "How bad?" he asked.
"Just twisted my ankle, I should be fine soo-EEP!" Pyrrha squeaked when the wolf-Faunus suddenly scooped her up into a bridal carry, her blush darkening to almost the color of her hair.
"We should get moving, more Grimm will be on their way from all the fighting." he said before making his way back in the direction of the cliffs. Ren following with Nora skipping along beside him humming happily.
Yang watched Rios for a moment, trying to understand the flicker of jealousy that briefly passed through her when she saw him walking off with Pyrrha in his arms before she and the others caught up with them. The eight huntsman/huntress hopefuls leaving the Emerald Forest together, their mission a success.
X
Several hours later, all the students that had completed the initiation stood together on a large stage. The rest of the student body gathered in the large auditorium and looked on as Professor Ozpin stood at the front by a microphone as he addressed all in attendance regarding the new hunters' success after watching their exploits on the many large screens around them.
"Russell Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. You four received the black bishop pieces. From this day forward you will be working as team CaRDnaL. Led by, Cardin Winchester." the crowd applauded as the newly appointed team stood proud.
The headmaster turned to the next team on the stage. "Next we have Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward you will be working together as team RWBY. Led by, Ruby Rose."
Ruby stood stunned just before Yang glomped on to her, "I'm so proud of you!" she shouted over the applause.
When everything was said and done, Rios and his group stepped up next. "And lastly." Ozpin began. "Soterios, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren and Nora Valkarie. You four collected the white rook pieces. From this day forward you will be known as team SPaRtaN. Led by, Soterios."
Rios blinked in brief surprise at the announcement. Pyrrha smiled at him while Ren and Nora nodded toward their new team leader.
Ozpin looking back with a knowing glint in his eyes as the new teams stood together. "Looks like things are shaping up to be an interesting year." the headmaster said before putting the ceremony to a close and sending everyone off to their designated dorm rooms.
The newly formed teams RWBY and SPRN walked together through the housing wing of the school where the dorms were situated. Stopping by the doors that led into their rooms which were across from one another and giving each other tired good nights before turning in for the evening.
Rios flicked the lights on revealing a rather large room. Furnished with four beds lining the wall across from the door, a couple book shelves, dressers, desks and two bedside tables. There were also two closets on the far wall next to a door that led to a decent sized bathroom with two showers, one sink and one toilet.
Finding all of their luggage already in the room, the team spread out and started getting ready for bed. Each one taking turns in the shower with the new leader waiting until last.
Now alone in the bathroom, he pulled the Blades of Chaos from his back. Having left Leviathan and Artemis safely in the room, he tried to figure out how he was going to bathe while the mystical weapons were bound to him.
A sudden instinct flowed through him, channeling his aura through the chains and hearing a couple of soft metallic 'clinks' were heard as the links attached to the pommels detached from the swords. The chains coiling around his wrists and securing themselves in place.
Confusion, among other thoughts, passed through Rios' mind. But too much had happened that day for him to press the issue at the moment. Carefully laying the Blades of Chaos on the sink, he stepped into the shower and let the warm spray relax his aching muscles before he started washing up.
Finishing up some time later, the wolf-Faunus stepped out of the bathroom only in pair of boxers with a towel around his shoulders. The others were already in their chosen beds as he set the powerful swords with his other weapons and laid down in the only available one next to Pyrrha's.
All of the fighting and revelations of the day catching up with him the moment when his head hit the pillow of the surprisingly soft bed. His exhaustion settling in with the hands of sleep right behind him...
Only dreams were the last thing to greet him.
X
Rios gazed up at the long, elegant staircase before him. The polished marble with gold trim making it shine that would rival precious gemstones. All the steps leading to a temple-like structure at the very top.
As if moved by an unknown force, the young hunter began to ascend the stairs. His steps only making the softest of taps as he climbed higher and higher.
He didn't know why or how, but something at the top was calling to him. Drawing him closer. But before he even had a chance to question anything he discovered that he'd reached the top already, revealing a large temple.
The entrance decorated the same as the stairs with several carvings that depicted warriors locked in battle with either each other or creatures he'd never seen before.
Stepping through the opening, Rios walked down a long corridor with a high ceiling. Tapestries and painted murals covered the walls depicting more events that were foreign but at the same time familiar.
His journey ended in a lavish throne room, a massive, circular pool of water dominating the middle of the chamber. But the young Faunus' eyes were trained on the figure seated above everything.
"You have come at last." said Kratos. Rising from his throne and descending the steps. "It has been many centuries since one of my descendants visited this place."
"Where are we?" asked Rios.
"A realm beyond the living and the dead, boy." answered the ancient warrior. "One where time stands still, but at the same time the past and present exist. Your blood, much like the generations of your family before you, are connected to this place."
Rios looked around a second time, "Why?" he asked simply.
"You wished for answers. Here is where you will get them." said Kratos. "You've been having visions while you sleep. Of a past not your own, but tied to your ancestry...my history."
The Faunus nodded, "I saw what happened...with Ares, and your family."
The Ghost of Sparta closed his eyes briefly, as if remembering the horrible day in question. "It was a past I fought endlessly to escape from. A madness that consumed my very soul." his eyes opened and locked with those of his descendant. "I lived as a warrior. Died as a God. Having suffered the ultimate sacrifice, I was denied release from my torment. I watched the world get torn apart in a great war that I had created against Gods that lorded over it. In the end, I achieved my revenge on those who wronged me...but it did not bring me peace. And the world suffered for it."
"To understand exactly what you are and what you have become, you must learn of the history of how it came to be. If you wish to have any hope of harnessing your birthright and prepare yourself for when the time comes."
"What do you mean? What's coming?" asked Rios, a sense of dread filling his being at what the warrior was implying.
"Another great war is on the horizon, boy. By forces not unlike the Gods from long ago that work in the shadows. And your world will be once again torn to the brink of devastation when these forces clash." Kratos motioned to the pool in the center of the room, "Come. You have much to learn and only so much time to learn it."
As much as Rios wanted to pressed for more information, he knew that the only way to get any of the answers would be to do as the man stated. Despite how strange things had changed in such a short amount of time, deep down he had a feeling that this was what he needed to do. Like an instinct telling him to follow the man that was claiming to be his ancestor.
Moving across the room until he was standing beside the pale warrior at the edge of the pool. Kratos looked down at him and gave a stiff nod, "Prepare yourself, boy." the water's surface shimmered before images started to play out before them.
The young wolf-Faunus looked on as the images took hold and found himself reliving his ancestor's bloody past.
X
A/N: Sorry for the delay folks, doing my best to work out some things with the stories I have open at the moment.
Even though this chapter is shorter than the ones before it. I'm setting the stage for some major events and even some changes to the main canon of RWBY. Hey, it's a God of War crossover, you think Kratos' bloodline would follow the rules? Not a chance.
I do hope I captured the true essence of carnage that comes with fighting with the Blades of Chaos. I have to replay the games from GOW Ascension all the way to GOW III to really understand how Kratos used his weapons and how to put it in writing. Badass, but challenging at the same time.
Read and review, and I'll get back with a new update before you know it!