Random Trivia: The Ring of the Riders was originally the Shield of the Riders. It was changed due to the shield being too similar to the armor.


Flame hands his SMGs to two of the thugs and a third one takes Flame's katana. The thug examines the blade.

"Very nice." He says, "Thanks."

"Try not to get your blood on it." Flame warns.

Four thugs surround Flame all but one armed with Flame's weapon. The odd one out is wielding a pistol he brought with him. Flame's SMGs are equipped with laser sight and one of them is locked on Flame's head. Flame turns to of the laser and leans backwards, causing the laser to land on one of the other thug's head. The thug flinches at the sight and tries to move while the one pointing the laser tries to readjust his aim. Red taps his watch to signal that the clock is ticking. The thug with Flame's katana charges at Flame. Flame actives a bladed tonfa on his bracer and blocks the katana. Flame knocks the katana into the air, and slashes the thug in the face before throwing smoke bombs. The bombs detonate as Flame does a front flip. Flame turns around, grabs one of the thugs with the SMGs arm, elbows him in the head, disarming him. Flame grabs the gun while turning to the other thug armed with a SMG. He dodges the bullets as he knocks the thug's arm to the side and shoots the thug point blank in the head. Flame then backflips, kicking the thug wielding the pistol, and then kicking his returning katana into the unarmed thug.

Red clears his throat, getting Flame's attention. Flame turns his head to Red. Red let's Dead Retribution, hang from his finger to signify that Flame used weapons. Flame turns the rest of his body to Red and drops the SMG and detaches the blade on his arm.

"Anything else we don't know about?" Red asks.

Flame remains silent, telling Red "no". Red looks at another one of his thugs and nods, causing more thugs to enter the room for Flame's second chance.


-Present Day-

Onyx teleports aboard the FAC Requiem to recover the Shard of the Riders from Night's possession. Onyx's connection to the Shard lead Onyx directly to it. Onyx finds the Shard in a empty room. The Shard was floating in the center, glowing and pulsating faster and harder than it ever has. Onyx reaches out to the Shard of the Rider, but once he gets close to it the glowing engulfs the entire room.


Onyx wakes up in the clouds. He holds a hand up, trying to see through the shine of the sun. A figure descends from above towards him. The figure is a woman, wearing a white dress with golden highlights. Her skin is pure with silver eyes and her long wavy hair are glowing a golden yellow.

"Who are you?" Onyx asks.

"I am what remains of the entity once known as Lux." The figure speaks.

Her voice was kind and gentle.

"My memories were retained to assist you on your path to the Rider. Though sadly, that plan is now at risk." Lux says, "Umbra is leaving Remnant... Soon. You must not allow it."

"Leaving?" Onyx repeats.

"He seeks this - the Key of the Riders." Lux says as she gestures to a key made of grimm bones.

The Key of the Riders is connected to a crimson string.

"A device which will allow him to finally contain the greatest enemy ever faced by the Riders..." Lux states.

Onyx looks at the Key of the Riders.

"Humanity." Lux says.

Surprised, Onyx turns back and stares at her.

"Mankind spread across the globe with an unexpected, desperate violence. Entire kingdoms fell before Umbra's Warrior-Servants rose to halt the aggression. When Umbra finally exhausted the humans after a millennia, his sentence was severe. We had no way of knowing that the Riders were not your only enemy. Humanity hadn't been expanding... They were running. Weakened from our conflict, we were no match for the forces which pursued them. The Riders made plans for a final, great journey. But Umbra refused to yield our Relics of the Riders. He would save all life in the world... at a cost. In the Riders' quest for transcendence, the Key had been intended to bridge the living and dead realms. It would have made us immortal... But its results soured. The stored personalities fragmented, and our attempts to return them to living states created only abominations. Such moral concerns faded from Umbra's attention. The Grimm only attacked creatures with emotion. The Key would provide Umbra his solution... and his revenge." Lux explains.

"The Shadow Grimm... they're human." Onyx says.

"They were only the beginning. He would have encrypted the entire race if we had not removed the Key from his care and imprisoned him here." Lux continues, "Rider, when I indexed the Eighth Rider for repopulation, I hid seeds from Umbra. Seeds which would lead to an eventuality. Your physical evolution. Your combat skill. Even your weapons, Dark Sympathy and Dark Vengeance. You are the culmination of a thousand lifetimes of planning."

"Planning for what?" Onyx asks.

An ominous rumbling is heard. Lux looks up, fearful.

"He has found us." Lux states.

Pillars rise from the clouds, Shadow Grimm perched atop them.

"Even in death, her meddling continues!" Umbra says.

"Rider! The soul I placed within you contains many gifts, including an immunity to the Key. But it must be unlocked!" Lux says.

"How?" Onyx asks.

"Relinquish your contact essence!" Umbra interrupts.

"Your evolutionary journey must be accelerated!" Lux states.

"Can I defeat Umbra without it?" Onyx asks.

"No." Lux answers.

"Then do it." Onyx says.

"Prepare." Lux orders.


Onyx's body glows with crimson energy as Lux accelerates his evolution. Not soon after he is beset upon by Shadow Grimm forces. Onyx grabs the Shard and creates a large shockwave, destroying all the Shadow Grimm.

"Onyx, what happened? Your bio readings are all over the map!" Silicon asks over the Com.

"It's a long story, but I know what Umbra after." Onyx states.

"We know that part. Lux filled us in at the same time she did you." Light says over the Com.

"But what we don't know is what she did to you!" Ruby states over the Com.