The Shadow of Fire
Chapter 56: Ghost Crew
A/N: Hey again! Nice chapter for you all! Next one should be out by next week if all goes well, around the same time as this one.
If you all haven't checked chapter 55 yet I have replaced the massive update text with the actual chapter 55. So go read it before this so you aren't lost. :3
Review time! Lots of them!
jetscythe7: Thanks! Appreciate the support! :3
MONOCHROME SORROW: Thanks for reading! I haven't thought of Melody like Penny, but now I can't unsee it haha! And sure, I'll check out your story when I get a chance. :3
rubberduck248: True. I am very unimaginable with the references haha. :3 Thanks for the review and for noticing it.
kinigget: Couple of reviews from you my good sir/ma'am :3! Let's break them down!
1) Yeah, my early fight scenes aren't too hot, same with my newer ones. Thanks for the compliment too!
2) Silly is my middle name :3.
3) While I appreciate the suggestion, I like Icicle. Fang sounds nice, but with the White Fang mostly in that section, I felt I would be using Fang too much. And yes, I tend to try and express "cool" looking things in my writing. I may be getting better at it, but I still need to work on that. 15 was a mess, really? I'll need to revisit that then. And thank you for the compliments!
TheReach2134: They will be focused up ahead in the next few chapters as the story begins to come to a close. It's actually closing up sooner rather than later, as I have scrapped a few ideas in order to (A) make things fit better and (B) prepare for the sequel. :3 Thanks for the support!
Trewill91: 1) Ooo that would have been cool!
2) Dagonus is sort of like Taiyang I guess, maybe as just the dad though haha.
3) Yes it does make them demigods, and I love wolfs too! And true, Ruby is utterly adorable!
trninjakiller: Yep! Haha!
RedLikeRuby: With Ep 11, all I have to say is Yang better get a hand-le with her life! Haha! But seriously, RWBY has turned much darker, and I frankly am loving it. It balances humor and seriousness so well.
Tatya1999: Yes! I am glad to be back for you all! Thanks for the support!
Teleos: Nope! I am way too nervous in that aspect to even consider a Lemon haha! Rapiers are a touchy subject in RWBY, but hey, if it can shoot lasers of Dust and create ice, logic is out the window. But thanks for the info, I really didn't know that about Rapiers. Orion is a sucker for bottles haha! And yes, Vivi is a really wide spread character. I thank ElfCollaborator for that.
redRWBYhood: Take your time then! No rush into making accounts! And enjoy!
Speaking of ElfCollaborator, if you haven't checked out his Weiss React trilogy and more, check his stuff out. They are hilarious and we even got a few chapters about The Shadow of Fire! Also, Elf made and I believe one or two people who I don't know of edited a TVTropes page for The Shadow of Fire! So go check that out if you want and feel free to edit anything missing from it. Thank you tons Elf and everyone!
Now, into the depths of the story!
It was a decent plan, given the circumstances.
Orion had modified the previous idea that Cheshire had come up with at their last meeting, incorporating various issues that had come to pass such as the lack of a second airship and the incapacitation of both Melody and Weiss. While the plan wasn't completely terrible, there were definitely several whom did not agree with their role in the overall picture.
"This is a horrible plan." Lucas held both of his crosses in his hands as he brushed aside his green cloak. "We have no idea what we are doing, do we?"
"Relax." Morris raised a calming hand towards the knight. "I trust the man in charge. We will be fine."
"You aren't leading a forward charge on Vale's main courthouse." Lucas argued with the former special serviceman as Orion meditated towards the back of the cloaked airship with Ruby and the other Gods at his side.
"We are going deep into the heat." Orion noted as Cheshire ran a nervous hand through her tail, clearly worried. "While they are all distracting the general military and stopping the execution, we are going to have to storm Vex's device and get our powers returned. If we can't, I highly doubt that we will be able to win any other assault later on."
"Thanks for the pressure..." Aphrodite awkwardly muttered as Orion narrowed his eyes on his sister.
"But." Orion said loudly to get their full attention. "We will be fine. All we have to do is break it, make it to the command center and have Ruby here absorb the distortions in space. Simple as that."
"Nothing is ever simple." Ruby frowned as Orion placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It will all work out." Orion smiled warmly.
"We will all perceiver."
The ship silently hovered above the city of Vale, casting but only a mild, shimmering gleam as the craft floated with the clouds. Ruby didn't care to think at all about the fact that had they not been cloaked so well, they would have been blown asunder by the military might of her father.
She still couldn't believe he was acting this way.
Her faintest memory of the man was incredibly hidden within her mind. All she really could recall of the man, thanks to Weiss' description of him, was his tender smile at a young age, back when Summer Rose still lived.
Her small fists clenched tightly as she remembered her mother, wondering how she was doing in the afterlife. Looking down at her hands, the young girl thought deeply. Maybe with her powers back, she could go back in time and...
Orion felt a shiver traverse his spinal cord, a light pain inflicted on his brain as it felt as if someone were pinching the vital organ. He turned to Ruby resting on a bench, looking down at her from his position.
"Ruby..." Orion said sadly. "Don't get those kind of thoughts, especially at a time like this."
"Would it work?" Ruby asked quietly. "Do you think?"
"No." Orion sighed, moving to her side. "Listen Ruby. I once met your mother through Dagonus. She was a beautiful, kind-hearted woman. And a fierce warrior at her soul. But the past cannot be altered. Not by me, nor by you. If it were possible, we would have done that long ago."
"I understand..." Ruby pouted in her place, Orion patting her shoulder.
"We won't lose your father. We are going to save him from himself. Have some faith, kiddo." Orion chuckled as he moved back to his position.
Saturn reloaded his sniper rifle as he let his snakes sniff the air of the craft, the pair liking the idea of flying in the clouds. It was a nice break from all the explosion and falling he had been recently partaking in.
"Remind me where I stand?" Saturn nudged Orion.
"You're with Felix, Morris, and Lucas. Cheshire is going to be deployed a ways ahead with Jacob." Orion explained as the crew turned to his direction. "The rest are with myself and Ruby."
"So basically just me and Sev. Got it." Aphrodite sighed as her brother in question was in a state of comatose, looking out at the sun in the sky.
"Is that enough for his fortress? We are not sure of the defensive fortifications he could have established." Saturn asked as he examined his sniper rifle, loading in a new magazine.
"We will have to make do. Ozpin is a major priority. And once we get our powers back..."
"We level the playing field." Cheshire finished, cackling to herself as Sasha waved happily in the air.
Kryata
Xalveris fought extremely well.
Even with his magical seal implanted deep within his being, he was still a formidable enemy to deal with. His sheer ferocity tore through Yveltal's defenses with nearly every strike, staggering his brother but never bringing him to his knees.
The spears clashed once again on the flat field, sending shockwaves throughout reality itself, practically tearing the universe itself to shreds as the creator battled the destroyer. Neither would back down from their engagement. This was a fight to the death.
Yveltal grunted as he slid across the burnt grass in his white formal shoes. "You know you can not best me, brother!"
"Watch me!" Xalveris barked like a rabid mutt, letting out a deafening battle cry as his eyes began to burn with volcanic flair, growling behind clenched teeth as he threw himself towards his brother.
Yveltal clapped his hands together and emitted a massive shockwave across reality, sending a crescent arc across their dimension above Remnant. The arc flew into Xalveris, meeting his chest as he went up in a massive smokey explosion of grey matter. Clouds of smoke distorted Yveltal's perception before he was flung across the plain by Xalveris, glowing a dark hue as the attack barely phased his being.
Yveltal grunted in pain, teleporting away in a flash of white as Xalveris refused to settle himself, standing alone at the position his brother had faded from.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" Xalveris screamed in frustration as the center of his chest began to glow an unhealthy crimson color beneath his rich silk suit.
The God of Destruction scanned the area with his glowing eyes, calming himself before thrusting his hand forward into the air, gripping space itself and ripping it in two.
From the air at which he tore, the air shimmered as reality was torn in two, a crack of rapidly changing blinding colors shining from the wound in space. Reaching in, Xalveris yanked Yveltal from reality itself, tossing him back into their dimension with a thunderous ripping sound. Yveltal landed with a sharp hiss as the wound sealed itself back into place, growling as he scooted back whilst Xalveris marched in on his form.
Just as Xalveris was poised to lash out with everything in his being, the inferno burning within his chest ignited even brighter, searing through his being as he collapsed to the ground, weakened.
"SUBMIT!" Yveltal sent an arc towards his brother once more, hitting its mark against the seal and sending his brother back in the fetal position, clawing at the air in utter pain.
Xalveris had no other choice at hand but to retreat, casting himself away in a void portal, leaving Yveltal alone in the wasteland they had created.
"Hm." Yveltal sighed as he stood up slowly, summoning his cane to his aid as he regained his balance. The Elder God looked around before walking off towards his distant home, cursing himself under his breath.
City of Vale
Vex's Sky Fortress
Orion and company descended from the cloaked airship with little to no trouble.
Aside from Ruby accidentally knocking one of Dagonus's warriors off the fortress as they landed, things were going swimmingly. Orion landed with his Saber in hand, regrouping with the others at one of the external doors.
"Everyone ready?" Orion asked as Ruby gripped her scythe in hand, nodding her head along with the others in the small group.
Orion thrusted the broadsword into the center point of the door, pressing his weight to the left as the barrier popped off like a bottle cap. The steel door flew off the outer platform of the UFO-like ship, landing somewhere in the back alleys of Vale.
The group made their way into the ship, one by one passing into the new opening as they readied themselves for combat.
"So... Are we doing good?" Aphrodite asked as she gripped her shield in a tight grip, clenching her fists.
"So far, so good." Orion whispered back as a group of demon warriors past by, unaware of their intrusion.
"Ruby." Orion waved his hand forward.
"Yus?" Ruby asked with a tilt of her head.
Orion grinned at her playful wording. "I need you to run a lap for me."
"Lap you say?" Ruby gleefully jumped in place before teleporting away in a flurry of rose petals.
Sev blinked. "She has her powers back already?"
"Semblance." Orion shrugged.
"Ah."
The perky girl reappeared in the same position but a minute later, breathing deeply.
"Large door. Looks important. Two rights and a left down the hall." She explained to Orion.
"Any sign of Vex or anyone important?"
"Nope!" Ruby covered her mouth quickly as her voice had increased in pitch.
Orion pressed a finger to his mouth. "Shhhh. Good work."
"Thwanks!" Ruby spoke muffled through her pale hand.
"So, lead the way?" Aphrodite suggested as Orion lead the group forward, turning the correct sequence Ruby had provided. As she had foretold, there was a large steel door, triple the size of Yatuhashi. Orion fit his blade into the console beside the large barrier, activating the controls and raising the doorway into the roof above.
Dozens of spot lights began to shine down from the ceiling, many pointed directly at the group of four.
"And what do we have here? Could it be my dear brother?" A lab coated man with detailed reading glasses asked as he pressed the spectacles to his nose, examining the team of Gods before him. He floated in the air above the room in a discus shaped hover craft, holding a clipboard in hand.
"Vex..." Orion growled as everyone gripped their weapons tightly.
"I assume you are here for this?" Vex gestured to the large spherical orb suspended in the center of the hall, comprised of a strange golden liquid similar to Ichor. It shot electricity out randomly, damaging the walls around it.
"You can surrender Vex. We aren't here to harm you." Orion suggested, pleading to his creative brother to see the error of his ways.
"I think not, my dear brother." Vex snapped his fingers. "Dagonus and my Lord both require your destruction. Do not take it personally."
The snap activated two hissing motors above the room, both shooting forth steam at a burning temperature.
"Metro. Scale." Vex announced as two massively humanoid drones fell from the top of the room, landing with dull thuds. At full height, the pair looked identical in color and design, both painted dark ebony to make them appear more sinister. They stood at ten, no twelve feet tall, red eyes regarding the quartet with no emotion.
"Deal with them."
Vale Courthouse
"Line the prisoners up. Quickly." A large demon barked at his men, bearing a massive sword half the size of a standard car. The leader of the execution squad scanned the area around him, looking on to the massive crowd behind a black full face mask.
A large plasma screen had been set up above the courthouse. The face was divided in two vertically, the left showing a close up of the stadium set while the other showed the emotionless face of King Dagonus. The crowd was in a frenzy of booing towards Team CFVY, whom were set upon the stage grounds with Ozpin himself at the center. Other teams such as Team JNPR and CRDL all stood to the sides with other teachers, watching in horror as their turn slowly approached.
"Well, at least we aren't going out like punks?" Jaune awkwardly joked behind forced, nervous laughter.
"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yes?"
"Not the time." Pyrrha sighed as Ren held Nora close, the girl in question about to enter into an emotional breakdown.
"Hold still." One of the demons hissed as he clamped Coco down to a large rectangle frame, pressing a button to allow it to hover in place, letting her look on to the crowd as her form hung in an X-shape.
"Ugh..." Coco groaned as Fox struggled to break free from his bonds, earning a shock from a electric tipped prod held by a guard.
Ozpin was set the same as the others, looking around as faces of the crowd flaunted their disgust towards him.
Dagonus had intended to allow Ozpin to survive to be the last killed, but given his recent attacking of one of his guards while being transported, the God of Death would rather not take that risk again. Especially in public.
"Well children, I suppose this is the end." Ozpin solemnly spoke as he looked to his former students. "Keep your eyes shut. I don't want you to see what happens to me."
"We won't abandon you, Headmaster." Coco spoke defiant, coughing harshly as her throat had yet to heal properly.
"Agreed!" Velvet vocalized.
A demonstration of the same execution device was hovering before the crowd, holding a dummy in the air made of but straw. At each corner of the rectangular device a small red light began to flash before suddenly glowing blue, sending a ripple of what looked like a solid aqua-colored holo-projection through the straw man's body, slicing it in half vertically as both halves of the body fell to the sides.
Velvet's ears contracted as she let out a whimper. "On second thought..."
"People of Vale!" Dagonus's voice shook the area around the courthouse. "Today, we put to death betrayers of this great kingdom!"
The crowd was insane, cheering on the dictator with thunderous applause. It was the exact definition of mob mentality, Ozpin couldn't even understand how they could worship such as vile man.
"With my invincible power, I shall grant you all peace, forever!" Dagonus raised his arms to his people from his distant parade across the Kingdom.
The roar of his voice caused Ozpin's device to raise up several feet, on display further for all to see.
"Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon, I sentence you and your kind, to death!"
A hiss of air tore across the arena as a thin metal bit flew into the generator powering the whole platform, blowing it apart and sending shrapnel across the stage.
"Elevation. Eight-hundred feet. Wind right, six inches." Morris looked through a pair of military grade binoculars, looking on towards the arena from a good distance away.
"Take notes, maybe you will learn to shoot better." Saturn adjusted his shoulders as he fired off another shot, one of the demon's heads popping like a balloon seconds later.
Morris just sighed and leveled his own rifle, opening fire on the binds that held the group.
The shrapnel caused a loud cloud of dusk smoke to rise over the arena, anointing those inside with shadows for skin. Ozpin landed on his feet, lashing out at a spear wielding warrior. Tearing it from his grasp, the teacher bisected the demon before throwing the blade across the arena into the lead demon, dropping him like a feather as the weapon flew in between his eyes.
"Miss Nikos!" Ozpin shouted as the red-head nodded, her body glowing faint crimson as she pushed outward with all her being.
All things metal within a mile radius immediately bent to her will, creating chaos everywhere. The massive sky fortress itself even felt the effect some what, shifting out from orbit ever so lightly. The stadium exploded as citizens ran in terror, their cries muted by the sounds of gunfire echoing in the distance.
"Get wrecked!" Cheshire shouted as she leapt from the top of a building, using a her shadowy claws to rip apart a guard post set up nearby, Lucas swinging his massive swords against the legs of another.
"Citizens! Calm! There is nothing to fear!" Dagonus would have gone on, had Jacob not fired off a energy blast into the television.
Glass rained down on the arena as Ulysses flexed his being, growing massive in size as he flung a nearby tank across the parallel highway, blowing apart a blockade of jeeps and soldiers.
"Everyone! Move!" Ozpin shouted as everyone ran for cover as a tank fired on their position, nearly hitting Cheshire as they all bolted for safety.
Ruby sliced wildly with Crescent Rose MK.2, tearing bits of metal chucks from Metro as the human looking drone slammed both fists downward like hammers, nearly grazing Aphrodite as she blocked an incoming strike from Scale. Orion was busy sending arcs of power towards the hovering Vex, who weaved in and out from the Saber's blasts.
"My calculations predict your defeat, Orion." Vex adjusted his lab coat. "Dagonus will soon return and slaughter you all."
"We will take our chances!" Orion shouted back as he leapt up at Metro, slicing into its arm.
A low rumble echoed from the mechs mouth, indicating a successful hit as it tossed Orion aside, stomping down on Ruby.
"Eek!" Ruby's voice was a sharp chime as she rolled enough that her body fit between a gap under Metro's foot, leaving her unscathed as she noticed a small opening at her location.
"Oh?" Ruby asked herself as she threw herself with her speed through the opening.
"Ruby!" Orion shouted as the mech moved his foot, Ruby nowhere to be found.
"Present!" Ruby called back as she burst through Metro's right eye, leaving the machine to twitch violently before humming silent, falling still to the floor below.
"Metro!" Vex gasped as he distanced himself from the group, tapping a few buttons on his wrist as a holo-pad came forth.
The ship began to alarm as metal flew forth from various parts of the chamber, guided by an invisible force as they attached themselves to Vex's body, coaxing him in a suit of thick armor.
Vex landed with a large grey lance in hand, meeting Orion's strikes with equal form. Sev leapt at the man with shadowy daggers in hand before being flung across the room, landing a distance away from the others as Aphrodite ran to aid him.
"Ruby! The orb!" Orion shouted as he was caught in the leg by the lance, crying out in pain.
Ruby nodded and bolted for the orb as Scale moved into her path. The girl jumped and spun her body, spearing with her cloak through the torso of the mech. She landed gracefully amongst the broken gears and wiring that made up Scale. Walking up quickly to the massive orb at the center of the room, Ruby lightly touched her fingers against the surface, a soft chime echoing out from the object as she took a deep breath.
Ruby pushed her being inside the orb of energy, disappearing from sight as Orion was smacked across the room, Aphrodite becoming disarmed by the lance.
"By him or by me, you all are going to die!" Vex went to thrust the weapon into Aphrodite's chest as his body was suddenly frozen in place.
"W-What?" Vex tried to move his body, becoming trapped in space as he struggled with all his might. Orion looked around to see Ruby standing by the orb, hovering above the floor with shining silver eyes. Her clockwork eyes spun rapidly, granting her old powers long since lost by the device.
Slashing with a crimson spear, Ruby split the orb in two. Cracks began to emerge from the unstable energy sphere as the room began to grow incredibly hot.
Orion felt rejuvenated, eyes closing before returning to their previously shining color. He shoved aside Vex and helped Sev and his sister to their feet, moving towards Ruby.
"Let's go. We are done here." Orion hurried as everyone turned to flee the chamber.
"You all aren't leaving me to die here!" Vex screamed from his frozen state, managing to snap his fingers as the group moved to the exit point.
The massive door towards the back of the chamber began to lower down rapidly, determined to hold the group in the failing ship to take them to a combined grave. Sev reached the door first, pushing upwards with his arms to keep the door stable with shadowy hands of mist.
"Go, go!" Sev shouted at the others as debris began to fall down upon the floor, nearly crushing Ruby as she ran past Sev, followed by Orion and Aphrodite.
The trio turned to Sev, ready to assist him in escaping when his strength failed and the barrier came tumbling down. The God of Night was crushed under a mammoth of a wall, golden blood splattering across the floor as Orion shielded both his sister's eyes.
"Sev..." Orion let out a burst of air before pushing the two girls along, making their way back to the exterior of the craft as the core began to grow hotter and hotter, on the verge of exploding.
"Aphrodite! We need a lift!" Orion shouted as the trio leapt off the edge of the deck, free falling downward to the city below as the massive craft imploded above the skyline of Vale.
Chunks of metal and other debris fell from the sky, slamming into the skyscrapers and appartment complexes below, blowing apart businesses and other structures along its flight path. Aphrodite began to glow a bright pink color as her form altered to one of a massive white dove, Ruby and Orion landing on her back as she tore across the sky away from the wreckage.
"Good work team..." Orion looked back at the detonating super structure. "Let's get to the rally point."
"What about Sev?" Ruby asked as Orion shook his head.
"He will reform, but we aren't going to get anymore help from him anytime soon." Orion pat Aphrodite's back. "Let's go!"
Lucas lead the group of survivors and prisoners through the sewer system of Vale, moving away from the conflict as Saturn and Morris mopped up from a distance at any pursuit efforts. They were home free, at last.
"Good work out there team!" Jacob grinned as he adjusted his wife-beater shirt, cracking his neck as Cheshire purred happily.
"Where would the others meet us at?" Ozpin asked as he assisted Coco along, trudging through the muck below the city streets.
A squadron of tanks rolled overhead, drawing concern from some of the group as they pressed on to the checkpoint towards Glenn.
"Fantastic rescue!" Professor Port laughed wholeheartedly, patting Lucas on his back. "Reminds me of the time Oobleck and I had to walk miles through a Grimm infested tunnel! Explosions everywhere!"
"I'm... sure?" Lucas had no clue what this man was talking about.
"We should be coming up on the ladder soon... Right?" Ulysses asked, the bear of a man trudging behind the entire group through the layers of sewage.
"Yes you have." Saturn's voice emerged from the darkness ahead, holding up a bright lantern beside Morris, nose pinched.. "Orion is waiting on you, Ozpin. He says you two need to have a 'little chat'."
Nodding, the eldest man climbed the ladder first, breaking through to the surface with ease. Removing the lid of the drain, the Headmaster climbed out of the system and into open land outside of Vale, before a clearing of large oak.
Orion stood with his two sisters, arms crossed with a sharp, cocky grin on his face.
"Hey Oz. Ready to go to war?"