Chapter 51 – Onto the Embered Grove
Blake
Smoke filled the sky, and embers danced between the plumes as the Schnee Bank collapsed under the ashes. The building groaned as the weight of its greed came toppling down, crashing into the floor, being swallowed by the molten jewels and gold inside.
Blake and Yang stumbled away from it, coughing through the smoke. They monitored the sky, still feeling like they had to after all this time. "Did that… seriously work?" Yang chuckled in awe.
"I think it did… you saw that weird smoke coming off him, right?" Blake asked her.
"Yeah… you think that was the curse being lifted?" Yang asked.
"I think it might have been. He looked so different, but he could still use all his abilities he had before we ever lifted it. Maybe he has full control over what he does now?" Blake wondered, leaning her back against one of the trees. Yang coughed, then watched as flakes of ash drifted through the air between them.
"Well… either way… looks like he could finally get what he wanted. Honestly, I didn't know what I was expecting him to do, but for a pirate to just destroy his own trove that quickly? I wasn't expecting that." Yang stated.
"That wealth represented the lies of Arkhonex, just like that painting represented their greed, how that painting literally started a long war that killed so many people. All over a painting. And Axura fought for Arkhonex. He protected them. And what did the Lords do to reward him for his heroism?" Blake said.
"They strapped him to a stake and burned him alive, and took all his gold he earned from fighting those cultists… all for their own." Yang said with a heavy sigh.
"No wonder he wanted to destroy it. That gold didn't matter to him, not anymore. All it represented was how he was betrayed. The catalyst for all that anger that erupted from him the day they set him on fire. Pretty poetic, come to think of it." Blake chuckled, wiping the sweat from her brow. She looked around as the smoke drifted higher into the air, then she cleared her throat. "Okay… we need to find the others, somehow." Blake said.
"We're headed for Old Town. We just need to get our bearings and keep heading in the same direction." Yang suggested, reloading Ember Celica, ejecting a spent shell casing.
The two walked away from the smouldering bank, leaving it to be buried in its own ashes. They moved through the overgrown alleys, keeping their eyes and ears open for anything that could lurk in these long abandoned structures. As they walked, Blake was quiet, more than usual, and Yang noticed it immediately. She sighed as she walked up to Blake's side. "You okay?" She asked her.
"Yeah." Blake answered.
"C'mon, partner." Yang chuckled, shaking her head as she looked at Blake. She sighed, closing her amber eyes, then opened them as a tear trickled from it.
"For so long I wanted to kill Fury for what he did to my mom and dad… that was the first time I ever saw one of the Knights. I wanted to avenge them so badly, but the more I learned about the curse, and about the real man who was trapped in that burning body?" Blake explained as she walked, gripping her forearm as she spoke. "My feelings… what I wanted… they became so confused. I didn't know what I wanted, I still wanted to get revenge but… Adam wanted revenge on Humanity, and look where that got him." Blake stated.
Yang just listened as they walked.
"And now… I just watched the Knight of Fury die… and Axzura Vex leave… and I don't even know what to feel." Blake said.
"You got both." Yang stated, and Blake looked at her with a curious expression. They both stopped, and Yang gently squeezed her shoulder. "Axzura killed the Knight of Fury, burned the thing right out of him. And that wouldn't have happened if you didn't think to lure him to that Bank, Blake. And you saved Axzura. He's free now… to do whatever he wants. And at the same time, you avenged Kali and Ghira." Yang said with a kind smile. Blake hiccuped a breath, then Yang gave her a warm hug, holding her tight as Blake's feline ears tucked down into her hair.
"Mom… Dad… I miss you so much…" she cried as Yang held her close. "But… you can rest easy now… the monster that… did that to you? It's gone…"
"I wish I could've met them, Blake. But if they raised up a girl as kind as you? Then I know that they're proud of you, because not only did you avenge them, but you saved a life at the same time." Yang said.
They both pulled away from each other, and Blake wiped her tears away, exhaling shakily, before nodding at Yang. The two continued on, pushing through vines and bushes, but as they were about to cross the street, Blake gasped and pulled Yang back. She covered Yang's mouth, and they both stared back at the street. Something was moving through the streets, and they saw a massive Royal Manticore land. Heavily armoured all over its body, growling as it sniffed the air.
They steeled their emotions, narrowing their eyes at the Grimm as it looked around. The Royal Manticore stalked across the street, its long bony Scorpion Tail dragging through the overgrowth behind it, leaving a trail of poison in its wake. Blake gently took her hand away from Yang's lips, then they both prepared to make a break for it. The Royal Manticore was at least three times larger than the usual species, nearly as big as these buildings, its huge wings shaking off the ash from the Schnee Bank.
Blake and Yang checked down the side of the street the creature came from and saw it was clear for now. This was their best chance. They both rushed through, but as Yang ran, her foot tripped across a piece of rusted metal. She rolled into the alleyway, then the Manticore turned, growling, saliva drooling from its teeth. It walked towards the pole it heard get moved, and they both ducked behind an old dumpster, holding their breath and staying brave.
The Royal Manticore sniffed the pipe on the floor, growling deeply as it looked around, before roaring to the sky. More Manticores emerged from nearby buildings, also looking around for them. But most of them seemed to be curious about the burning bank, which was definitely an advantage for the pair. Blake tapped Yang on the shoulder, pointing down the alleyway to keep moving.
So they did just that, leaving the Manticores behind, hoping they wouldn't catch their scent. "Gods, I can't wait for when these things are just a bad memory." Yang whispered.
"Tell me about it. I just hope killing Umbra erases them from the world. I guess we're close to finding out… I just hope that Umbra hasn't been stringing us along." Blake stated.
"How do you mean?" Yang asked.
"What if there is no weakness in the Embered Grove? What if we've been wrong, if Sylens was wrong all those years ago? What if this is all part of Vir Nominis Umbra's plan, luring us into a trap to slaughter us?" Blake asked.
"Oh, I fully expect that bastard to have something planned for us when we get closer to the Embered Grove. I'd be more shocked if he didn't." Yang explained.
"Well, I trust Ruby's intuition. She's gotten us this far." Blake stated.
"Yeah… I'm so proud of her. Even after everything that Umbra, Tyrian, the Whisperer, Salem and so many others have put her through… she just doesn't give up. I can't even begin to fathom how strong she is." Yang said with a proud smile on her face.
"Well, I bet she gets a lot of that from you, Yang." Blake admitted.
"You think?" Yang asked.
"You're kidding, right? You're one of the bravest people I've ever known. If anyone is a role model for her? It's definitely you." Blake assured with a kind smile, making Yang smile back.
"Not just me. Dad… Uncle Qrow… Kragen… Oscar… you and Weiss… I think she's a product of all of us, in a way." Yang said, which also made Blake smile.
"Well, she inspires me, that's for sure. I don't know if I could have continued if I was captured like she was… endured what she endured." Blake stated.
They continued to move, but Yang slowed down, her eyes widening in fear. "Blake…" she said. Blake stopped, and her eyes followed Yang's gaze, and she immediately spotted what she was staring at. "… remember what I was saying about Umbra leading us into a trap?"
"Yeah." Blake agreed with a certain tone in her voice.
There were three ravens watching them with diamond beaks and glowing red eyes, their caws sounding unnervingly unnatural, like they were mimicking the sound of a Raven's call. And they were… staring… their eyes never leaving Blake and Yang at any moment.
But the thing that scared them most?
"They haven't alerted the Grimm…" Blake said.
"Yeah… he's definitely waiting for us." Yang said with a sigh, clenching her cybernetic hand into a fist. She wanted to fire Ember Celica at them, but that would give away their position. So they had to just accept it.
That Vir Nominis Umbra was watching their every move.
And the Lord of the Wood was most likely nearby.
They kept walking, feeling the eyes of those Ravens still watching them. "This is gonna get bad." Yang stated.
"Yes. Yes it is." Blake agreed as they kept walking.
As they continued, they heard something crashing through the overgrowth ahead of them. They both readied their weapons for whatever beast was coming for them. Until Blake's ears perked up and she started smiling as she heard their voices, gesturing to Yang to lower her weapons.
"My leg's stuck!" Sun whinged.
"I hate vegetation!" Kassius also complained. Both Yang and Blake started giggling, until finally the two of them tumbled out from the bushes, covered in thorny branches and sticky weed.
They both giggled at their stupid boyfriends just laying there in front of them.
"My hero." They both said at the same time to them.
They both sighed. "I knew they'd be fine." Kassius sighed.
"Don't lie, you were just as worried as I was." Sun said, pushing Kassius off him. They both got up and immediately wrapped their arms around their girlfriends. They both checked them for any injuries, especially burns.
"Are you okay?" Sun asked.
"That big bastard didn't hurt you?" Kassius panted.
"We're fine… in fact, Blake's plan? It worked." Yang said. The boys both looked at Blake in disbelief.
"I-It worked?" Sun asked in awe.
"Yeah… it worked. The second he saw his trove, he calmed down for a moment, then he went berserk and started destroying all of it, burning the entire bank down. And when we were about to be killed by all the molten metal and the fire, he transformed into his wyvern form and carried us to safety." Blake explained.
"And we saw his curse break… it's like the black smoke that Grimm turn into when they die, but it was just coming off his body. And then… he just transformed… and left." Yang concluded.
"He just left?" Kassius asked.
"Looked that way to me." Yang said.
Sun sighed. "Would've loved it if he came to help us…" Sun sighed. "But… holy shit, Blake… you really did it. And now we're down a knight. I'm starting to like our odds." Sun said.
The Ravens cawed some more, getting the attention of the four of them. They all stared at the Ravens that continued to stare at them.
"I wouldn't speak so soon." Blake stated.
Ruby
Old Town…
It hardly looked beautiful before that Reaper rose from it and left it a giant mess, but it definitely looked a hell of a lot worse for wear now. The town was cleaved in half by the titan, and water from the old sewers had flooded into the town, creating a murky lake where it once was. As Ruby stared at the destruction, she could see what remained of Arcturus Base just ahead of them as well, the Acolytes of Lien Headquarters, before Jacques pulled what was left back to defend Atlas.
Now… the Acolytes of Lien were no more, just a memory.
The fire of their battles that had waged here only a few days ago were no longer burning, but some smoke was still trailing in the air. Ruby sighed, her hand shaking as she looked at the floor. But Oscar walked to her side, clasping her hand. "They're gonna be okay." Oscar promised.
"I hope so… it's just… we've lost so many people already… I can't lose my sister, too." Ruby stammered, closing her eye.
"Blake! Yang!" Weiss called out with relief. Ruby turned and that same relief formed on her face, suddenly blasting towards Yang in a flurry of rose petals. She tackled her sister to the floor with a tight hug, making Ruby chuckle.
"Hey… we promised, didn't we?" Yang asked her with a smile. Ruby wiped a tear from her eye, smiling at her sister.
"Yeah, you did… thank the gods." Ruby sighed. Yang got back up and Ruby immediately hugged Blake tight as well. Kassius and Sun returned, sitting down beside Penny, who was fiddling with her fingers. "So… did it work?"
"To our disbelief, even now… it did." Blake revealed. She told them everything that they told Kassius and Sun, and they all were met with awe. Ozpin and the Architect walked over to Blake and Yang.
"What you have done? As someone who was saved from this curse, I'm certain that Axzura will never forget this. I will never forget what Kragen and the Architect did to save me from it… and so I must thank you. For saving him." Ozpin said with a kind smile, one that Blake and Yang both returned.
"We do have bad news, though." Blake revealed.
"How bad?" Jaune asked, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword.
"We were being watched by Umbra's ravens… he knows we're here. But worst yet there were a bunch of Manticores, even a Royal Manticore searching for us. But the Ravens didn't alert them… meaning…" Yang explained.
"He's got something waiting for us." Cinder sighed. Neo rolled her eyes, and she hopped off one of the rocks.
"I'm not even surprised that he's one step ahead of us anymore, he always seems to be." Nora stated with a shrug, her chin resting atop Magnhild.
"And yet somehow we always get ahead of him again." The Architect stated, glancing at Ruby, Oscar, Jaune and Pyrrha… and then at Nora.
Nora was surprisingly the most curious one now, because she was not one of the four that Vir Nominis Umbra has been so obsessed with.
Yet she defied her fate…
… he still hadn't figured that puzzle out.
"Well, it doesn't matter… the Embered Grove's within sight now. We just need to get there… let's just be ready for whatever Umbra has planned for us." Ruby said as she walked down the road with everyone towards Arcturus Base.
They passed by old buildings on their approach, monitoring the sky for anything.
All the while… being followed by the Diamond Beaked Ravens.
Everyone had their weapons at the ready.
Every sense primed.
Their hearts hammering.
They walked up the rising bridge, which was about to look over Acturus Base. The bridge was broken at the very end, but plenty of ways for them to descend safely. From here they could see the destroyed Hellfire Tanks and Paladins where they fell, amidst the enormous crater where the Reaper rose from Old Town. And just across Acturus Base's enormous grounds… was the Embered Grove.
It was so close…
… the answers to their burning questions could be found in that mysterious forest.
Pyrrha cradled Jaune's hand as she looked at the forest, remembering their lovely night together in that cave. Ruby closed her eye, controlling her heart rate, before she took another step.
Suddenly the Lord of the Wood erupted from one of the buildings, and immediately grabbed Ozpin by the throat, smashing him through one of the buildings. Ozpin grunted and yelled as the two tumbled down into the crater where the Reaper awakened.
"PROFESSOR!" Ruby screamed.
Nora stared with wide eyes as she saw the Lord of the Wood toss Ozpin across the ground, then it slowly turned, glaring at Nora with burning eyes. She did not feel that burning sensation, but she still felt the fear in her chest that thing gave her whenever she saw it. She tightened her grip on Magnhild. But things were only about to get worse.
Oscar turned and saw the Whisperer and the Onyx Phantom, both of them transforming and flying towards where the Lord of the Wood took Ozpin. Ruby turned to Glynda and Maria.
"HELP HIM! GO!" she yelled, and without further questions, they went.
"What about us?" Weiss asked with fear in her eyes. Ruby looked to the sky and saw Emerald still in her bullhead, keeping the Grimm busy like she promised.
Her mind was moving at a thousand thoughts per minute, but she slowed everything down to focus on a plan.
Until Kannix Volantis suddenly leapt up behind her, extending a blade coated with Shadow Dust, aimed towards her back with a mad grin on his face. "Got ya, Little Red!"
He thrusted towards her for a fatal blow, only for Kassius to launch towards him and stabbing him straight through the throat, falling down the side of the broken bridge they were stood on. Kassius growled with anger as he drove the other sword through Kannix's heart, blood spraying out the other side, puncturing through Kassius' old armour.
And yet, despite those lethal wounds, Kannix still glared at Kassius, making the Huntsman gasp in fear.
He tore his swords from Kannix and shot away from him, and Ren dove after him, firing a Grappling Hook for him to catch onto and hooking the other onto the bridge. "Shit!" Kassius yelled.
"Kassius? Are you alright?" Ren asked.
"The fuck is with this bastard? A sword through the throat and heart and he still won't fucking die?!" He yelled.
Kannix strained as he tried to scream, his aura regenerating the damage as he coughed up blood. Then his eyes lit up bright silver, burning through the buildings, destroying them with ease. When the supernova of silver light faded, he was beneath them, trails of white mist leaking from his eyes as he glared at Kassius with gritted teeth.
Ruby focused herself and turned to everyone else.
"WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYES OPEN! KANNIX AND THE DEMONS AREN'T ALONE! UMBRA COULD BE ANYWHERE!" Ruby yelled.
Suddenly, a bolt of blood red lightning crashed down in the distance, but the loud bang made everyone jolt. Ruby slowly turned, her eye shrinking with fear and sweat trickling down from her brow.
Vir Nominis Umbra.
He had landed from that bolt directly in front of the Embered Grove, his black wings folding away and shifting back into his Soothsayer body. Flames and red electricity crackled around where he landed, standing tall, holding the Relic of Destruction in his hand.
And by his side were the Knights of Death and Fear.
Fury and Loss were nowhere to be seen.
And then Yang and Weiss turned to see the Hound flying and landing on the side of one of the buildings, roaring viciously at them. They both clenched their hands into fists.
Weiss to avenge her sister.
Yang to finish her traitorous mother.
Ruby's lip trembled as she tried to think about what to do. But it was only about to get worse. She aimed down the scope of Crescent Rose at Vir Nominis Umbra as he held the Relic of Destruction in his hand.
"You've all fought bravely. But this universe… is already dead." He stated, before he raised the Relic above his head, and it glowed brighter and brighter with destructive power. Everyone immediately recognised that image of when he destroyed Atlas with that very stone.
"HE'S USING THE RELIC! GET DOWN!" Ruby yelled. Everyone dropped and hit the ground. Ren and Kassius, once back on the bridge, did the same.
Vir Nominis Umbra roared and slammed the relic into the ground, and enormous walls of fire erupted from the ground, tearing the soil apart and opening fissures into a hellish fiery domain in the Charred Forest. The Walls of Fire formed into a gigantic ring around Arcturus Base, sealing shut behind everyone, but also locking Glynda, Maria and Ozpin from rejoining the others.
Keeping one of the Relics… out of their reach.
Everyone backed away from the fire, staring at it as it burned through the buildings, even cutting one of them so cleanly in half that the other half of the building collapsed nearby.
They all got back up and stared at the roaring flames so close to them. "What? Did he miss?" Sun asked.
"No… Umbra knew exactly what he was doing." Jaune said, and Ruby nodded her head in agreement. "That was a perfectly formed ring of fire. He's trapped two of the Relics in here with all of them, whilst trapping Ozpin, Glynda and Maria out there against three Higher Demons with no way to get reinforcements on their side."
But the Wall of Fire seemed to purposely not seal off the Embered Grove.
And Ruby knew exactly why… it was Umbra's entire philosophy, to never play completely unfair, to always give them a chance of victory, no matter how slim.
Meaning the plan was still the same.
"He has us all but surrounded. He plans to target our Relics one by one and slaughter us all in this ring… but he left the Embered Grove open, meaning we can still get in there." Ruby explained, standing up and pulling her red hood over her head, holding onto Crescent Rose in one hand.
"Vir Nominis Umbra has the same plan that we do. To end this war once and for all." Ruby said, skilfully transforming Crescent Rose into Scythe Form, and resting it behind her, gripping the handle with one hand, and pointing at Umbra with her other. "It's our side of his now! We either are torn apart by Umbra, or we reach the Embered Grove and find the secret that'll bring him crashing down!" Ruby yelled.
Down below, Kannix was getting back up, spitting what little blood was left in his mouth onto the floor.
The Hound roared with fury atop the building it was perched upon.
Outside, the Whisperer, the Onyx Phantom and the Lord of the Wood faced Ozpin down.
The Knight of Death and the Knight of Fear stared ahead with uncertainty.
And Vir Nominis Umbra stared back at the defiant Ruby Rose, eyes glowing red, smirking sinisterly.
This was it.
If they couldn't get into the Embered Grove…
… Remnant's fate would be sealed.
Author Note - Here we go, final battle for Act 5 everyone!
This is gonna be one intense fight, no more nameless infantry and armies to let the powerful villains slaughter... just characters we all love now, no more backup, and the Relics are at more risk now than they ever have been. Very excited for this final battle there are so many moments I am so hyped to write.
Sorry this chapter was on the shorter side, it was originally gonna be the ending of the last chapter but, with the way that one ended it just made more sense to end that chapter there.
And this one ending like this? It's just the best cliffhanger hehehehe.
Plus I don't like bloating chapters just for word count XD
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
- Matt
