The Shadow of Fire
Chapter 60: Devastation
A/U: Only two left! Oh what fun!
Reviews:
Darkstar6195: I didn't really plan a ton for Blake to do this story, but I do still love me some Blake!
Trewill91: Look up Dialga, imagine something like that.
jetscythe7: Thanks!
Setsuna Lucifer: Thanks! Love Ruby respawning. Feel if she could, she would do it all the time. Somehow fits her in my opinion.
Rapter267: That sounds like a cool crossover. Fallout is pretty fun. Not the best at it. For the Ruby bit, technically Ruby died as a Human/Faunus when she became a Goddess. So if she feels like it she can make herself appear as one, like how Cheshire is a Faunus Goddess. Hope that answers it!
Enjoy!
Melody screeched as her powerful voice sought to shatter the wasteland that was currently Vale.
Glass structures shattered as her words tore across the grounds of the city. Deciding not to engage the fleet with her fellow siblings, the younger Goddess marched onwards through the rough roads, blasting obstacles apart with a simple cry. Nothing could get even within a foot towards her without being torn apart.
A bolt of black electricity tore past the girl as she marched, pausing her mid-step. Her head went numb for a moment before she silenced her cry, looking around confused.
Her dark brother stood down the road from her with arms crossed in a state of defiance. His dark Aura whispered into Melody's ears, hinting towards her destruction.
"Dagonus." Melody spoke almost with a hush, noticing a slight trembling in her arms. "Stop this madness now!"
Dagonus shifted to show he was holding an odd chain over his shoulder with a sphere attached to the end, glowing a strange unholy color. His eyes flashed with hate as he looked the girl down.
"Melody. Dear, sweet Melody." Dagonus cooed, the ball dragging upon the tar. His mouth altered to a twisted sick smirk, as if he were hungry for something. "How have you been, little sister?"
Melody stood her ground despite slightly quivering knees. "This is no time for pleasantries, brother. You're going to pay for all this damage you've inflicted upon these poor people and your own blood."
"Will I now?" The death God tilted his head, twiddling his fingers in the air.
A cage of bone formed around the girls form, locking her in place as she attempted to move just seconds earlier. Grabbing at the framework, the girl grunted in defiance.
"Not so fast, Melody." Dagonus cackled to himself, almost hauntingly so, as he leaned into the bars. "We are going to have ourselves here a nice, little chat."
Feng thrusted forward with his fists, sending bolts of Aura across he battlefield as he marched onwards with his fellow allies. His team had diverted into two parts, his own moving in to the Queen's estate to secure some form of government once Dagonus was overthrown. Himself along with Felix and Hayden pushed through the city streets into the more wealthy sector of the vast Kingdom.
Adjusting his currently orange tunic, the monk tore enemy encampments asunder with his vicious strikes. Anything he failed to hit was ripped to shreds by Hayden in his beastly form or shot to bits by Felix's pistol. The group worked as one coheres unit, pushing onwards to final victory in their roles.
"Not much further!" Felix announced as he pointed his gun towards the golden gates of the Queen's estate. Gunfire could be heard coming from the shelter as her royal guards defended her homestead from the invasion of demons.
Feng landed on his feet, stretching as he finished off the last demon. "Glad the Grimm are nowhere to be seen."
"Even they can't hold a candle to a living God." Felix noted.
"True." Hayden muttered. "Too powerful for them."
"Agreed." Feng nodded. "Let us secure that advantage."
Saturn stood tall from the ridge line, hooking his sniper to his back as he finished loaded a fresh batch of rounds.
"I'm heading down there." The crime lord announced to Jacob and Morris.
"Really? What about our mission?" Morris questioned as he took a tank gunner down.
"Eh screw that." Saturn shrugged. "Not enough action here. Getting bored just snipping down thralls."
"I'm content here." Jacob interjected as his mortar slammed through an occupied apartment complex. "This is pretty fun if I do say so."
Saturn looked off into the distance, noticing a small trail of smoke and a flash of yellow. The man felt something in the back of his head, a strange itching sensation if you will.
"Schnee?" The man muttered as he shook his head. "Keep a look out here. I'll be in contact."
And with that, the crime lord took off down the hill with the aid of his Guardians.
Weiss rolled up at the broken gates of Vale, riding past the chard wreckage on Bumblebee.
Zipping through the streets, the collected ice queen slammed to a halt at a broken checkpoint. Wreckage of tanks and other vehicles blocked any further push on Yang's bike, leaving her to move out on foot.
Keeping the hollow spear left after her last battle, the heiress held fast to her own blade. Pointing it to the ground, her rapier often glided against the concrete below, letting out a shattering sound like nails on a chalk board.
The girl made her way down a corner before practically fainting, noticing a massive pool of golden blood.
Her mind went numb as she examined the scene before her. Blood dripped effortlessly from the stone walls of the street as abandoned shops where doused in the fluid. Frayed electrical wire sparked against the ground as power lines were down, ripped apart by some monster.
And there in the center of it all, was the still form of Melody.
Weiss ran to her aid as the girl laid still, almost unable to move a single muscle as her lungs filled with blood. Her eyes looked distant, as if she wanted to die yet couldn't. Her stomach was ripped open with her organs free to the outside world, her rib cage missing entirely. Weiss didn't even want to consider where her left arm had gone.
"Melody!" Weiss knelt as her side, gently cradling her head as the girl managed to turn her eyes to her arrival. "Stay with me, everything will be alright."
"Heh." The girl coughed as she was in so much pain she couldn't even register it any longer. Not sure what to do next, Weiss took a hard glance down at her wounds.
"Melody..." Weiss sighed in defeat.
"Be fine." Melody lightly coughed as she managed to speak ever so slightly. "Be stronger."
"Stronger..." Weiss echoed as Melody managed to press a hand upon the girls neck. A faint glow of gold traveled up Melody's body, sending power into Weiss' being.
"Dagonus... Xalveris..." Melody gasped as she felt a tear form on her face. "One in the same."
"Possessed?" Weiss worried, still certain they would find a way to stop the dark God.
"Becoming. Summoning." Melody trembled, grabbing at Weiss' free hand with all the energy she could muster. Clearing her throat, she continued painfully as Weiss held back tears.
"Fight them. Stop them. Don't let my music die..." The girl shivered as Weiss failed to understand.
"I... I don't-" Weiss began before being cut off.
"I... I can see a little light..."
Melody fell still, eyes distant as her being failed to disperse as Gods typically did.
Then Weiss understood her meaning. Xalveris had truly slain her.
And Melody was gone.
Weiss shut the girls eyes and rested back down on the road, taking one last look at her still, calm being. The heiress trembled in pain and remorse as she pressed on, somewhat rejuvenated by the strange power Melody inserted.
Turning a corner, the heiress spotted the armored form of Dagonus. Dragging the orb of energy to its destination at the center of Vale, the God of Death was in a fantastic mood.
"Dagonus!" The heiress screamed as the God paused in step, turning back to face the girl with a sick smirk.
"Weiss!" Dagonus' form flickered for a moment before altering back into his former, still grinning wildly.
"Hello, Schnee." Xalveris's voice flowed through the puppet God, looking vilely on towards the heiress. "How are you doing these days?"
"Shut it." Weiss growled. "Why don't you come out here and fight me like a man?"
"Oh?" Xalveris cackled. "I would be so delighted to do so! In fact, once my assistant here finishes preparations, I'll be more than happy to mop the floor with you, little hero."
Weiss' grip tightened on her blade, ready to execute the God before her.
"But in the mean time..." The God began as he placed a demonic helm over his multi-colored hair, his voice growing deeper as his face was blocked by metal.
"Allow our mutual friend to entertain you."
Weiss was initially confused by the God's words before a series of thundering footsteps shook the grounds to her right. Just as she turned to see the source, Rook, in all his mass, tear through a noodles stand and slammed into the heiress. Weiss was sent reeling back as she landed with a thud on the ground, her whole being aching in pain.
"Ugh." She groaned. "I really, really hate these guys."
The heiress rolled out of the way just a second before Rook thrusted downwards with a long spear, nearly impaling her skull as it merged with the concrete. The girl formed a Glyph below her back and threw herself upon his own, pressing another at the base of his neck before propelling herself off of it.
Stunned, the titanic Fallen God of War dropped to his knees. Steam began to form from the small gaps in his armor, hissing under his breath as he stood tall once more.
"The heiress." Rook growled like a bull, grinding his fiery blade against the pavement as his spear remained in the ground.
"The errand boy." Weiss retorted, annoyed with the title at this point. Not to take a note from Ruby, but she honestly felt that something more spectacular was in order. Perhaps 'God-slayer?'
"I am a GOD you pathetic worm!" Rook stomped so hard the ground quaked. "I shall grind you into dust!"
Weiss took up a combat stance, her sword at her side as she readied herself for battle.
"Weiss!" Ruby's voice came from nowhere as she appeared through a massive portal nearby, Yang and Blake joined together.
"Ruby?" Weiss lowered her blade for a moment, looking at her girlfriend.
"We traced Dagonus this way!" Ruby explained as she saw Rook, drawing her scythe. "Need a hand?"
"I've got this one." Weiss nodded to herself. "Go get Dagonus. He's up to something near the center of the city."
"Rodger that!" Yang cracked her fists as a neutral-temperature fire consumed her body, covering her with an inferno of armor.
"Yang?" Weiss looked to Blake for guidance.
"Long story." The ninja shrugged.
"Well, time we make our leave!" Ruby laughed. "Ladies, if you would!"
The girls moved in on the portal once more, no one noticing Rook jumping into the air above them.
"GAH!" The Fallen God of War bellowed as he slammed his blade down upon Blake.
If not for Weiss, that is.
The heiress spawned a massive Glyph, using her Summoning to the best of her abilities. The massive sword of the Grimm-Sentry Knight from the training grounds in Atlas emerged from the magical device, blocking his strike. Rook landed on his feet with a thump, struggling to break its defense.
"Go! I'll deal with this and meet you there soon!" Weiss shouted as he struggled to keep the powerful Glyph up.
The girls nodded and parted ways with the W of RWBY, disappearing in the portal.
"The death God will kill your friends. Then my master will come for what remains of your soul." Rook chuckled, breaking through the barrier as Weiss stumbled back.
"You know what Rook?" Weiss growled in return, flashing a strange Aura for but a moment. "I think it's time someone put you down the animal you are."
And with that, Weiss dashed forward with her blade, locking steel with the Fallen God of War.
Ozpin, alongside Glynda and the other remaining professors of Beacon, moved in on the city center. Having been briefed on Dagonus's location by Ruby as she moved in on the dark God, the group quartet pushed on as the others in their team diverted to stall the enemy.
"Sir?" Glynda asked as Ozpin looked to his right, walking quickly with his cane. "What can we expect from this God of Death?"
"An enemy far stronger than any Grimm imaginable, dear Glynda." Ozpin shuttered as they rounded a corner to the center of the city.
There stood Dagonus, standing upon a large platform of marble. Having broken a statue plaque from when the city was founded, the God had placed the orb upon the shattered stand at the exact center of Vale. Looking upwards with his Godly vision he could see the dimension of Xalveris towering over the unsuspecting Kingdom.
Tapping the side of the orb gently, the God of Death activated a mechanism within, summoning forth both a long dagger pointing upwards along with an ancient looking bowl to collect Ichor. Dagonus slashed a hand through the confines of time and space, the arm of Melody falling onto the ceremonial dagger. Blood dripped down into the device as the crude energy of Ichor powered the device, nearing its completion as Dagonus tossed the limb aside.
"All that remains is one more God." The deity spoke to himself as he readied to push his palm down on the device.
An arc of pure temporal energy collided with the dark God, sending him through a nearby fine china shop. The glass window exploded as he shook his head, stumbling up from the counter.
"Dad!" Ruby cried out as she stood where the orb was suspended, her scythe in hand. "Stop this! I know this isn't you!"
"Ruby...?" Dagonus groaned in pain as dark energy shocked his being, reclaiming his loyalty to Xalveris. "I'll crush you!"
Dagonus flew across the air in a flurry of shadow, lunging at the girl with a crimson spear. Just before he made contact a geyser of hot molten magma erupted from the earth below, knocking him back further as portions of his being was scorched.
"I don't care if you're our father! No one hurts my sister!" Yang growled as she locked eyes with her father, clenching her fists.
"Yang...?" The deity felt the same pulse of energy. Xalveris wouldn't lose this time.
Blake leapt across the air in a flurry of Shadow Clones, slamming into the deity as she propelled herself with her ribbons. Dagonus was sent spiraling over to Cheshire, who recently arriving, kicked him back into a water fountain.
Thrashing about before hovering tall, the God of Death clenched his fists in anger. He had enough of these worms beneath his feet.
"Dagonus!" A familiar cry came from the rooftops above as Orion leapt off the edge, plummeting down with his Saber in hand. The blade pierced through the God, pinning him to the ground below as a flurry of arrows tore into his hellish black armor.
Aphrodite stood at the entrance to a nearby alleyway, holding her bow tight as she fired off another volley of sharp arrows into Dagonus's torso. The dark God fell to his knees as Orion yanked the blade free from his back, leaping away to gain some distance from his brother.
"Surrender." Orion held his sword firmly in hand.
Shaking, Dagonus slowly got up to his feet. Golden blood pooled from the gaps in his armor, most severely from the gapping gash across his chest from the Saber. Yet still a sinister laughter arose from the God's lungs, growing louder and louder. His eyes began to glow a fierce hue of crimson beneath his helm as his powers began to manifest themselves.
Orion reacted first before anyone else.
"Everyone down!" The God of Fate shouted as he dropped to the ground.
Dagonus thrusted outwards with his palms, generating a massive shockwave of demonic energy in a pulsating tidal wave. The blast traveled in all directions, melting everything in its path as power lines and building crumbled. The energy wave nearby sliced off Blake's head had Yang not tackled her to the ground as everyone dropped together.
Cheshire was the first one back on her feet, leaping at the God with shadowy claws. Lashing at Dagonus with a flurry of swipes, the young Goddess ripped into the weak points of his armor. The deity stumbled back in pain, swatting to the side with his scythe from out of nowhere.
Cheshire dropped as Orion dashed forwards. Managing to catch the girl, Orion threw his Saber like a javelin, aiming right for the man's head. Orion teleported away with his sister just as Dagonus smacked the blade away, spearing it into the ground at which the pair were a second ago.
With his focus entirely on the wrong people, Yang leapt forwards and threw herself on to the dark God's back. Dagonus thrashed about as Yang wrapped her legs around his torso, igniting her hands into volcanic temperature before thrusting them into the shoulder blades of her father. Dagonus screamed in agonizing pain, struggling to grab her off of him as she melted his armor. Ruby dashed forwards and slammed herself into his chest, leaping back before throwing two arcs of energy. Yang leapt off as he was hit, forced into a distortion of both time and space. A cube of incomprehensible energy barricaded him in a prison where reality didn't exist, effecting him more mentally than physically.
"Will it hold?" Ozpin asked as he moved up to the group, turning Goodwitch and the others away from the battle to instead secure Beacon.
"Not sure-guh!" Ruby stumbled backwards a few steps as she raised both hands to hold the barrier secure. Her eyes flashed with power as the clocks turned faster and faster until the hands couldn't even be seen. "I can't-"
The barrier nearly exploded as Dagonus shifted forms. The massive dark wolf radiated a fierce dark Aura as it let out a feral roar, testing the boundaries of the barrier. Ruby growled as she forced it to hold with all her being, contemplating creating another layer of distortion to lock him out of time itself, if it were even possible.
Dagonus charged at the barrier with all his might again, several cracks forming along the glass-like surface. Forming within his mouth was an orb of pure darkness, readying to fire at the shield.
Yang reacted quickly, pooling molten magma over the barrier. The liquid became solid quickly, covering the God within another prison. Aphrodite surrounded the cube in a thick ribbon, enabling her to hold the prison with sheet force. Blake did the same with her own ribbons, the fabric surprisingly strong due to the Dust infusion.
Ozpin narrowed his vision, planting his cane firmly on the ground. A series of shadowy gears began to form on the floor, slowly churning as the Headmaster readied himself for his most powerful attack.
The magma began to crumble little by little as the ribbons began to tug against their two holders. Blake and Aphrodite tugged and tugged as best they could to hold it still, but alas failed.
Just as the entire system collapsed, Ozpin readied a bubble shield of green energy and leapt towards Dagonus.
Weiss slammed her head into the stone walls of a nearby coffee shop, falling down to her knees out of stun.
The heiress wasn't doing too hot, not at all.
Rook roared as he thrashed about, weaving in and out of blasts from Myrtenaster. The massive knight rammed his entire body through the coffee shop, dragging Weiss along with him as he tore through the other side. Weiss was flung across a clearing into a small reflection pool, causing bruising across her body as she landed awkwardly on her feet.
"SCHNEE!" The God of War roared as he slammed into the ground before her, swinging his flaming sword crazily as Weiss summoned as many Glyphs as she could to defend herself. Dust spilt out from her sword's Dust chamber as Rook made contact, fizzling within the waters below in a dangerous concoction.
Weiss flipped backwards and landed on the blade, cool to the touch as the fire was doused by the water. The Schnee spun and kicked with a Glyph at the base of her heel, severely damaging Rook as he was sent flying across the waters and into a nearby vending machine. The God growled as he morphed forms, changing into a dark stallion with electric eyes, neighing as he ran down Weiss.
The heiress was trampled under his hooves, crushing bone into powder as he went on through the girl. Weiss rolled a distance and lay flat on her back, groaning in immense pain. She could easily feel several rips broken into various chunks of bone, leaving her in a constant state of pain. Rook raced around as he readied himself to trample the girl once more.
Weiss managed to roll herself over just as Rook charged back, dodging his attack and slicing at his stomach. The God roared in pain before tumbling over mid-step, landing painfully in the pool of water.
Rook morphed back and began to growl under his helm, thrusting his hands back as he summoned dozens of massive spears into the air. The grey weapons spun as Weiss stood up, blinking as she felt too weak to summon any Glyphs.
The blades flew across the air right towards Weiss as she let out a horrific screech.
Melody's unique power manifested itself within the girl, allowing her to cry with such intensity as the former Goddess. The spears were crumbled in mid-air, sent flying back at their owner. Rook stumbled back, failing to understand as he was bombarded by the attack. The magical spears ripped through his being, tearing apart his torso as he dropped to his knees.
Weiss dropped her sword to the water below, droplets dripping from her torn dress. The Dust chamber was fully submerged in water, exploding at her feet into a wave of ice. Rook's lower body was frozen solid in a miniature pillar, almost making him appear to be a statue.
The knight's ancient helm folded back into itself, revealing a human skull with dark blue fire for hair. The being before Weiss gasped for breath as if it would help its condition, Rook howling in pain.
Weiss felt the empty spear she recovered from the last God she fought, noticing both a tremor at its touch as well as a faint coldness. She unhooked the weapon from her back and examined it, realizing it was no longer clear, but very blue; icy blue.
"No..." Rook groaned in pain, Ichor dripping from his skeletal jaw. "No..."
Weiss walked forward with new found energy, leveling the weapon. It felt like she were holding an icicle with gloves flowing with some sort of energy she couldn't identify.
"Rook." Weiss spoke as the Fallen God of War looked up to his rival.
"This time, stay dead."
And with that, Weiss spun and pulled the mysterious spear with her. And Rook was no more.
His armor was the only thing that remained, the skeleton dispersing as ash into the wind. Weiss nudged it with her boot, triggering some sort of mechanism inside as it began to fold into itself, leaving a small grey choker in its wake.
Weiss grabbed the object and felt the diamond shaped sapphire at its center. The heiress quickly placed the jewelry around her neck, thinking it could come in handy if it did what she suspected. Looking around one final time, Weiss took off towards the center of Vale, ready to finish the fight.
Saturn arrived at the center of the city right after a brilliant flash of green.
His robotic eyes took a few moments to register what was happening, but they did eventually take in his surrounding. His mind, however, was extremely defiant towards the input.
The strike team sent to the city center was all but eliminated. Only Orion stood in defiance to the dark God. Ozpin was laying sprawled out on the pavement with his cane broken and bent, Blake tending to his wounds as best she could. Aphrodite was somehow laying atop a nearby balcony, apparently blown up there by some sort of explosion. Cheshire, Ruby, and Yang were all piled up nearby, out of commission for now.
Orion was throw right beside Saturn, who caught the God with his Guardian. Orion gave a small nod to the man before dashing back into combat, slicing with his Saber as best he could.
Saturn looked around once more. Where was Schnee? He knew he had felt her presence earlier.
"Dagonus!" Orion shouted as he swung the blade. "Stay down!"
Dagonus caught the weapon with a broken gauntlet, ripping it from his grasp as he smacked the deity aside with the hilt of the blade. Orion was thrown backwards in the air as everything seemed to slow down.
Out of the corner of his eye, Saturn noticed Ruby raise her hand upwards. Manipulating the flow of time, Saturn took a moment to think of a solution. He knew the power that sword Orion owned contained, and if he could get one powerful blow in that could be the end of Dagonus. Uncapping one of his pens, the assassin pulled forth a golden blade.
"Orion!" The man shouted as he threw the weapon like a javelin towards the God of Fate.
Orion looked and knew exactly what to do, spinning in the air before kicking the weapons base to fling it further with more speed. The katana flew into the stomach of Dagonus, piercing his magical armor as the Saber fell from his grip out of stun. Orion caught it mid-flip, defying gravity as he pushed himself off the air itself and threw himself and the Saber through Dagonus's chest and into the ground below.
Grasping for breath, the dark God grabbed at the air for some form of help. His mind went dark as Xalveris took total control over his being.
'I will not have my plans ruined by some idiotic prince of the light!' Xalveris hissed at the being he possessed, taking his hold.
Dagonus reached upwards as best he could, pressing his palm down upon the blade of the orb.
The entire block exploded in a magnificent dome of black energy. The mass of the planet shifted as the universe bent to the will of the orb. Dimensions collided as dark clouds began to form in the sky, lightening striking buildings and other structures. The sun grew distant as a purple hue captivated its aura, leaving it as a flickering flame on a candle stick. When the dust cleared, all that remained of the epicenter was the strike force and a massive solid shadow.
Orion took a step back, visibly shaking. Pressure seemed to be growing as gravity intensified, noticing Blake slightly wince as extra pressure was applied to her spine due to the shift. He could feel the planets and stars fading as something entered their reality.
The shadow melted into a small puddle on the grounds beside Dagonus. The dark God panted for oxygen as his vision grew shaky. His mind felt clear for the first time, grasping the air as he tried to warn the others.
A second blob of shadowy mass appeared next to the original, no bigger than an apple. One by one, dozens more began to appear culminating in a massive sphere of shadow.
A large ebony portal appeared above the construct, sucking the orb through its mass. The sound of gongs going off in a mystical pattern began to emerge from the distortion as the other fighters got to their feet. Saturn struggled to move as the same pressure was felt on his shoulders, his Guardians whimpering in their snake form.
A column of hazy smoke appeared in the space between the two mysterious powers, allowing a ripple between realities to form. The crack in space tore open in a flash of white light, allowing a single figure to step out.
Adjusting his black tuxedo, the Elder God of Destruction formed a crooked smile and for the first time in the history of the universe, he took a single breath of Remnant air.
Xalveris had arrived.
Kryata
The Wellspring
Lord Yveltal sat alone at his dinner table, toying with his meal. It had been so long since he had actually eaten something solid, as opposed to his typical method of simply waving away his hunger. Hunger was a Mortal concept, one he only took up as mimicry to his sons and daughters.
The entire room shook for a moment as a goblet of wine fell to the floor, shattering to pieces as gold and silver littered the ground.
"Hm." Yveltal stood up, pushing his chair in.
"Daddy!" A little girl cried out as she entered the room from an opposing hallway, wearing a purple-pink princess outfit. "The sky!"
Yveltal shushed his daughter as he looked out the back window of the chamber, noticing a funnel cloud of dark mass. An enormous portal suspended itself above the cloud, pulling it between dimensions.
"Flicker?" Yveltal spoke as his daughter nodded her head. "Please go find daddy's armor, if you could be so helpful."
The little girl nodded and ran off to aid her father, leaving the Elder God of Light alone in the chamber.
"It has begun, hasn't it." The God noted grimly. "The beginning of the end."