Under everything his enhanced hearing picked up, Kad could still hear the wind.
The soft whistle blowing though the buildings, the gentle flow all around him. He could hear that familiar sound beneath the rest of the noises in the night.
The shifts of armor plating on the Atlas soldiers behind him, some standing, some laying prone. He could hear the gentle hum and buzz of their fully charged weapons. The distant cracks and crashes of more buildings falling to pieces. The hushed breath of the Hunters lying in wait.
And of course the Grimm.
They had gone somewhat silent only moments ago. But he could still hear them. Claws and hooves, the wings far above him and the heavy tread of more monstrous creatures.
All drawing closer.
There were three main barricades meant to hold the Grimm back. Kad stood at the center, Ignis planted in the rocks to his right. Professor Goodwitch was to the east, and the Huntsman Qrow to the west. Their steady presence a much needed morale boost for the soldiers.
His heart beat steady and even, just as his own breath. Nearly in time with the majority of the men and women around him. Shifting their grips and looking to the north.
When they should have been looking up.
Clouds were ripped and scattered by the first volley of black feathers raining down from the sky. Nevermores screeched in bloodlust over wing beats of thunder. Atlas troopers threw themselves flat. Razor wingtips hissed past Kad's head striking the ground.
The Grimm's opening strike hadn't left them unscathed. A handful of the soldiers were skewered by the wings. Falling backwards, dead before they hit the ground.
One wing flew straight at the giant's face. He swept up his left hand and caught the feather mere inches from his eyes.
It crumbled to smoke as Kad reached back with his free hand. And in a single fluid motion took one of the crystals stuck in his back pockets, crushed the red Dust and hurled the ball of fire into the sky.
The hateful roar turned into high pitched screams of pain. The flaming outline of the spectral bird fell blazing from the night sky.
Briefly outlining the swarms of flying Grimm.
It was a risk Kad knew he had to take. But they didn't have a lot of options to deal with that maneuverability.
But he did have one plan.
They weren't many marksmen among them. But the ranks of civilians with Dust carbines packed around the bends of the stadiums were able to put out an impressive volume of fire.
Griffons were plucked out of the air. Giant Nevermores flapped their wings and raced for higher altitudes chased and stung by hundreds of energy bolts. Others rolled away and landed on the stadium, crawling their way over the building.
The first traps were triggered seconds later.
Beowolves and Creeps stumbled through the broken piles of buildings. And disappeared in flashes of multi colored light when Kad saw them drawing near to the hidden Dust bundles. Some stepped on other triggers, or fell into hidden pits of stakes. Jaws of jagged wood and rebar snapped on limbs and swung up into their sides. Grimm yelped when they stepped on specifically sharp debris planted in their way.
It helped a little.
Ursas pushed through their brethren barreling toward the lines through sheer brute force. Throwing shattered walls and other Grimm out of their way. Deathstalkers and giant Boarbatusks scuttled up the roads ripping through traps, and the Grimm rallied behind them.
Kad raised up his right hand and shouted, "Ready!"
Atlas soldiers hidden in the lower houses took live power cables cut from the tall lines around town into their hands. Their ends sparked blue with raw power. Other squads quickly moved, pulling on other bulky contraptions raising the net of wires and salvaged poles in front of the Grimm.
The beasts walked forward still. Biting into the net and trying to push their way through.
Soldiers looked back to the giant, and Kad chopped his hand down,
Bolts of lightning surged through the struggling creatures. Their howls turned to roars of pain as they were electrocuted. Grimm burst into arcing clouds of smoke as they died.
But he could see them still pushing, desperate to get through.
Kad heard a snap. Then another, and even more after that. Anchors tore free, and the glowing lines slowly died as the Daemons surged forward again ripping through the net. There was only a solid black horde behind their ruined trap. Inch by inch drawing closer. Howling and snarling at the defenders.
Kad raised his left hand with his scroll, and pressed a single button on the screen.
For a moment night turned into day.
Fire erupted under the Daemon army in a deafening blast of sound that shook the defenders to their bones. Droves of Grimm disappeared, catching fire and being thrown into the air by the force of the exploding gas lines.
An officer's voice cut through the chaos and mayhem.
"Open fire!"
The walls glowed with fire light reflected in from the battle.
Even on the far side of the stadium with the wounded and the medics. Trickles of dust fell from the ceiling tiles as the stadium shook from the blast. Troopers leaned over the more grievously injured students trying to keep their battle wounds clean.
But the rain of dirt didn't stop and neither did the shaking.
Ceiling tiles bulged and buckled down.
Griffons spilled into the wide hallway. Drawn down through the roof to the infirmary in search of prey.
Called by despair...
Wishes for strength and change…
The scent was muted and muffled by their powers, but enough.
The claws rattled on the polished floor when the flying Grimm shook and growled hungrily.
Hands leapt for pistols and weapons. Energy bolts sparked against their black hides. The injured at their feet pushed themselves away as fast as they could.
The Daemons reared up and leapt.
Only to be caught by the grip of His mind before they landed on the helpless ones.
The lone cloaked figure standing in a small archway curled his right hand into a fist, the three beasts flailed helplessly stretching their claws down. The man looked down to the nearest trooper.
+Leave this to me+
The soldiers and injured scrambled away as fast as they could dragging those who could not move. Quickly leaving the Grimm and Aurum alone.
He let his mental grip go. The Griffons fell shuddered and spread their black wings high. Screeching and snapping their jaws at Him. He flexed his hands, and own albeit artificial claws adorning his left hand.
The first Grimm hissed one last time and galloped forward. Aurum seemed to flowdown below its strike. It passed over his head and Aurum slashed up into its belly with his left hand trailing sparks of lightning.
The beast exploded in smoke instantly. Its kin charged.
Aurum stepped forward, reaching for a little metal stand left abandoned by a ticket booth. Faster than any eye could track, he gripped the divider tight, spun and hurled it forward.
The round base struck its broad chest. Smashing the squawking Griffon backwards. He reached up with his left hand. The tips of his own weapon dug into the Daemon's neck below the mask. One subtle twist later and the severed head thudded against the floor and faded away.
His right hand pulled on the Grimm's feathered tail, Aurum spun and hurled the beast through the southern facing wall. Bricks cracked and crumbled down.
The new opening grew dark.
And the ground shook from the impact of a Nevermore landing down. It locked red eyes with the tall man. The Grimm's scream rattled every window left to pieces.
Fearless, He walked out towards the beast.
The burning Grimm were scythed down by the dozen. Hundreds of energy bolts tore through their flesh, hammering into armor plates and snapping spikes off of the Daemon's backs. And still they tried to crawl through the flames. Some missing limbs, or with holes clean through their black bodies.
The blaze wasn't going to last much longer.
Another Nevermore, its wings riddled with hundreds of holes fell down flat on its chest in between the barricades and the stadium, shaking the ground. Soldiers pivoted and aimed at the giant bird. The Grimm hissed in pain pushing its wings into the ground trying to stand. Its head turned, cocked in confusion.
Claws gripped the ground and tore chunks free as it turned back to the stadium. To confront the little ginger girl walking down the steps.
Kad saw Penny approach the giant bird. She threw him a quick confident salute, before her pinwheel of swords sprang up as Penny weaved her hands and the blades began to mirror the movements of her hands.
Kad turned away, back to the wall of black being mercilessly hosed with elemental bolts. Kad began to walk down the barricade, slowly unwinding the black chain from around his waist. The Atlesians continued to shoot into the horde. Carefully aiming around the giant until he was below their line of fire.
Beneath his feet Kad could feel the ground shaking.
Out of the night several rolling blurs of spikes and armor crashed over the first of the Grimm. Boarbatusks the size of small trucks trying to close with the rifle teams rolling up the lanes, the Dust carbines had little effect on their heavily armored bodies. Three headed straight for the giant,
Kad swung up. Left to right.
The black links struck the first Grimm low, making the giant boar tumble and crash flat on its back. Its stubby legs churned through the air as it twisted and tried to right itself. The other two were thrown tangled together into one of the few intact house fronts. Rolling around in the lower floors.
Kad reached behind his back again. Feeling the thousand tiny needles of electricity in his palm wrapped around a yellow crystal. His chain flashed out and wrapped around the lone Boarbatusk's neck. He rotated his left hand slowly pulling in the pig, as he crushed and hurled the crystal at the other two Grimm.
The sounds of their struggle disappeared under a shower of cracks and pops of static. Yellow tendrils of power consumed their material forms.
The Primarch hauled on the chain, pulling the boar straight over the invisible line Kad marked for the last little surprise for the Grimm. The beast snarled in hate and rage. Helpless to do anything but watch Kad's left boot come up and then down. Caving in its thick skull through its mouth.
More boars rolled into the other lanes.
Goodwitch swept her arm up, purple bolts flew down and struck the charging Daemons. Crushing them down under ripples of light, killing them instantly.
Qrow calmly held his sword across his back, judging speeds and distances, ready and waiting. Two Grimm hit the base of the barricade. He leapt and spun, scythe unfolding behind him. Only a handful of Hunters in the world could have repeated this feat, and even fewer with his style of weapon.
The hooked blade cut into the base of their necks with masterful accuracy. Severing both of their heads in a single stroke.
Leaving only harmless smoke to pass over the Atlesians as Qrow turned through the air.
Their earthshaking roars broke through the clash of battle.
Kad saw it happen, merely for a moment. He didn't know for how long
But everything paused.
The Atlesians firing halted. Grimm froze and turned to look behind them.
The fire was playing hell with his night vision. But he could see the shadows. Taller than the buildings. The giant white heads side by side.
Goliaths.
He tried to count. Kad flicked his eyes to the east, and to the west. Five giants were heading straight for him. And three more rushing at Qrow and Glynda's positions each. Eleven monsters. More than enough manifest savagery to crush through their walls and bathe the city in even more blood. And he knew there were probably even more behind these beasts. Together the Grimm threw back their heads and howled again.
The giant locked eyes with the lead creature.
And It looked back at the Primarch
The Goliaths broke into a run. Punching craters in the ragged road with their giant feet. Crushing and trampling through the Grimm still tangled in the net and fire line. Kad started to back up, quickly swapping the chain to his right hand.
His feet hit the first slope of the barricade. Kad swung the black links back, around the silver wrapped hilt of Ignis.
The Grimm loomed over.
Atlas officers yelled to their soldiers, pointing up at the giants screaming at them to fire. The Grimm still charged, completely oblivious to the bolts sparking off their skin. The largest in the lead continued to pull ahead.
Kad swung forward then up in a blur of red light. Ignis scrapped and sparked along the rocks and up across the face of the leading Goliath.
Dust stung its face. The Demon reared back. Its front feet leaving the ground as it bellowed in pain. Its brethren pushed around.
The giant began to fall.
More Grimm swarmed at their heels. Giant scorpions and truly massive specimens of every size and shape of monster.
Kad pulled down on the chain, the flaming blade fell into his grip. The Goliath met his gaze one last time and saw his smile.
Its feet struck.
The sound of splitting rock echoed through the air. The ground sunk down. Caving in a specially prepared tunnel beneath the street. The Goliaths stepped onto nothing and tumbled down together.
With the cannon snap of bones the size of trees the Daemons began screaming in pain. Their broad chests crunched into the jagged edge of this final trap. Heads plowed into the pavement. The following creatures slammed into the comically raised rears of their brethren. Skidding to a stop throwing the whole rush into chaos. The other Grimm met similar fates in the other lanes.
Ignis blazed bright, Kad pointed the sword.
"Now!"
Three lanes, each surrounded by houses. All in various states of ruination. Six hiding places.
The jaws of his trap. Set and sprung.
They heard the Primarch's call. The soldiers stopped shooting. And either reached for their short swords or turned back, looking to the skies for more flying Grimm.
Hundreds of different weapons snapped to the ready with a metallic symphony of clicks and buzzing energy. Their wielders finally ready for their moment. As one they leapt from their crouching stance. Up and out from the high stories at the Grimm below.
Dozens of students landed on the backs of the Goliaths trying to climb to their feet on slowly healing legs. Latching onto the sides of the ones turning to face the ambush
Axes, swords, spears, and knives and cudgels, with hybrids of every variety cut into their thick skin. Bolts of Dust, arrows and bullets flew through the darkness aiming for the weak spots. The Grimm twisted and roared, but once again their size betrayed them. Jammed into the street and unable to swing at the youths clinging to their backs. The white heads rolled and shook, trying to throw them off. The students clung tight, still stabbing at their eyes and unarmored skin.
Kad spun his sword and sprinted at the Goliath stuck in front of him. He jumped past the reaching trunk and broken tusks up onto its head. He crashed through the many spikes on its back and the youths slowly killing it with a thousand cuts.
The giant pushed his legs one last time and leapt through the air, roaring a challenge and striking down like a bolt of lightning.
The Goliath moaned and tried to crawl away, sprawled on its left side. Unable to stand on the two right legs messily cut away and struggling to regrow.
Ruby decided the thing wasn't going to get up any time soon. She shifted her stance holding Crescent Rose in its rifle form, as more students swarmed on its head.
She pointed toward the charging Grimm and her Uncle. Her team caught the meaning. Falling in behind Qrow and their comrades.
Ruby couldn't help but smile watching the older Huntsman work. Nothing was less than a killing blow. Spinning his scythe through Grimm without a second's pause. Dodging away from their clumsy swings and bites, leaving the beasts off balance and easy targets for the students behind him.
The sounds of battle echoed out to the cliffs of The Wall, over the abandoned buildings and destroyed cityscape. Yells of triumph fueled by rage and adrenaline. The never ending howls of Grimm as they fought and killed and died.
Fangs and claws still snapped at the Hunter's lines. Breaking auras, skin, and bones. But for every young Hunter that fell to the ground, a hundred Grimm were shattered and cast back to the Warp.
Ember Celica crashed into the Beasts. Blowing them off their feet and into their unholy kin. Buckshot ripping the Grimm apart.
Gambol Shroud cut through arms and legs as its wielder jumped and spun through the strikes of the monsters. The pistol barked popping eyes and killing the lesser Grimm with single shots.
Myrtenaster glowed. Flowing in a trail of light and fire. Its razor tip tearing through flesh and fur. Pointing to where glyphs formed and scattered mayhem and Dust through the horde.
Crescent Rose ran hot sending high impact rounds into the Grimm. Bending back as the scythe clove through Grimm without even slowing.
The Hunters advanced steadily sweeping through the Grimm who hurled themselves almost forward in a suicidal rush.
Qrow still kept one eye on the sky, waiting for the perfect moment. Listening to the monsters around them. Trying to determine when it was safe enough to send the girls to the airship and Ozpin. As Kad had charged him to do.
The death clouds of Grimm were heavy in the air. Choking the moonlight and Hunters alike. Whenever the tip of Ignis slashed through their forms the cloud would burn and glow, the Dust eating at whatever their corporeal forms consisted of.
The giant crouched and lunged tearing Ignis through their black guts and bones. He swept up catching low flying Grimm with the chain around his hands. Pulling the Daemons down from the sky and into their kin.
A Goliath backed away from the swarm of youths jabbing up at the looming monster. The scratches they left on the beast healed immediately.
It swung to the right. Catching a whole team with its trunk as they ran forward. Squeezing them together and lifting them to the sky. Kad's bound weapons flew once again, hacking deep into the side of its neck where the blade lodged in bone.
The Grimm roared in pain, but turned and threw the youths in its grasp over the buildings to the west. Grenades shot up into its face, blowing away a tusk and its jaw. Shaking Kad's sword loose as well.
The giant pulled his weapon back, and ran between the legs and under the belly of the beast. Carving through the legs with powerful two handed blows as he spun. Sending the Grimm crashing to the ground, where it was swarmed by the students following him.
Co'Balt, Alicia, team CRDL, and the axe-man Auburn hammered their weapons into its skull. Bone chunks flew away with explosions and bolts of Dust as the Grimm shimmered and died.
The boys of team SSSN leapt into the hundred duels raging around them. Stabbing their weapons down to finish of the rare injured Grimm as they fought forward in the Primarch's wake.
The darkness and death clouds spiraling away hid the second wave. Hundreds more Daemons manifest and crushing through the buildings to the east. The Primarch and the Professor to the west crushed the last physical forms. The young Hunters howled, running down the Grimm who still fought and fought and fought.
But now the Huntsmen and Huntresses were thrown off balance, playing to Its strategy…
Jaune came to a stop on a beam of wood on top of another pile of rubble. Catching his breath and looking over their lines.
Goodwitch spun her wand, flicking Grimm down under purple blast with ease and an air of contempt in her motions. The upper class team CFVY were guarding their leader as she hosed the monster's with Gatling fire.
Jaune looked back, seeing the faces of his team. Pyrrha and Nora grinning and ready, Ren calm as ever as he waited for orders. Jaune shouted, pointing Crocea Mors forward,
"Come on guys!"
A screaming mass of Hunters followed him over the ruins and into the horde. Ready to push the beasts from their city.
All at once the Grimm seemed to disappear…
At least no more were coming for this section of the line Qrow noted as he pulled his scythe from the back of a giant Ursa. Focusing in on the sounds of battle floating in. Thinking to himself.
"Now or never"
Ruby jogged up when she noticed he had stopped, Qrow patted his niece on the shoulder.
"Get going Pipsqueak," He said, "You've got a job to do."
She nodded and gave him one last smile. Spinning around and circling one hand up in the air, calling her teammates to her.
Shadows gathered on their flanks.
Soldiers scanned the skies, watching for more airborne monsters. Backing up to the steps of the stadium. They had been thinned quite a bit by black feathers spearing down from the dark sky. But the Daemons had all flown off. Either to attack other parts of the city or to be slaughtered on the front lines when they attempted to land on the backs of the hunters.
Penny waved to her friends as they came down the barricades. Tracking the Bullhead coming in low over the buildings. The four girls of team RWBY all fell in behind the ginger girl as she turned and to lead them through the stadium to where her father and Professor Ozpin waited.
Raven held open the emergency exit for them. The doctor and the Headmaster were waiting for them beneath one of the low hanging awnings along this side of the stadium. Watching the shadows in the sky, waiting to see if one of them would turn into a Grimm.
Ozpin was finally feeling a little bit better, after a few hours of his aura working on the injuries he had suffered earlier. Ruby, Weiss and Penny approached the two men. While Yang stepped out into the open and waved the pilot down.
No one said a word after the aircraft landed and they all walked up the extended ramp on the left side of the bullhead. Not that any could be heard over the turbine wing tips.
The young Huntresses reached up over their heads to take hold of safety handles as the two men sat down and belted into the seats and the bullhead took off. The craft spun low, pointing its nose back towards Beacon. All its passengers were able to take one last look over the battlefield.
The glow of Ignis carving through the Grimm. Leading their friends and fellow classmates deep into the fray.
The flashes of light caused by explosions and gunfire on the west lane.
The lines of shadows approaching from the north, closing in on the western lane.
Qrow pointed to a few of the team leaders still behind him, ordering them away. This zone was quiet for now, so he figured that Kad and Goodwitch could use the extra hands. As the sounds of fighting and killing reached even further heights.
The scythe master still walked forward, calmly surveying the scenery before him, as other students ran past looking for more Grimm to fight.
He didn't see the cloud at first.
The black puffs of the slain creatures floating to his left, just another shade of darkness in the middle of the night. And his many years as a Hunter had taught him not to fear such things. Still the students advanced.
As did the Daemons.
Qrow watched another team of four girls jumping over the knee high ruins. Their brightly colored outfits slowly and slowly disappearing from sight. But despite his constant reassuarnces to himself, the hairs on the back of Qrow's neck began to rise. Cold shot down his spine.
That was when Qrow truly saw what was surrounding them.
Ignis had nailed another Boarbatusk to the ground. Kad was forced to leave the blade there with the slowly dying beast as more Beowolves appeared out of the night and lashed out with their claws.
Kad took a single step back, dodging one set of bone white nails. The alpha swung up with its right arm. The Primarch raised his left catching the black arm at the wrist. And in the blink of an eye Kad had drawn his knife out and through the creature's guts twice. Back and forth cutting ribs and vertebrae.
Another ran at him. Kad dropped to a knee and pivoted on the spot, punching out his palm.
Light rippled and pushed away the Grimm, through the air and down dead on the ground. Kad kept spinning as he turned. Smashing another skull to splinters with an elbow as he rose, slinging his chain back around his sword hilt.
"Get down!" He yelled out.
Students dove to safety as Kad pulled and swung his chained sword up and through the Grimm packed shoulder to shoulder. Ignis cut through the tail of giant Deathstalker. The scorpion lurched forward ignoring the burning pain.
Kad jabbed his powerful arm and knife up past the snapping pincers and into the Grimm's mouth. Choking the squeals of pain down. Yet the Primarch was trapped, pushing back against the Daemon's own might with both hands, forced to choose between trying to get his blade in position or being crushed beneath the Grimm.
Its left claw swung forward, about to cut him in half. A single black ax hurled forward somehow flew straight and true. Into the fold between the claws jamming the pincers open.
Kad snarled and began to push back, slamming his right hand down on one glowing eye and gripping tight. He turned, using its own strength crouched and spun. Its many legs left the ground twitching for grip in a panic as the Primarch turned and hurled it away.
The giant bug spun snapping in the air, over its brethren until its back smashed against an untouched corner building. Gone to the wind and the Warp before the rounded front could crush its ruined body into paste.
A soundless hole had swallowed the cheers of unearned victory coming from afar. Qrow couldn't hear anything through the eerie void of noise rolling over him as the cloud swallowed him whole. He had never seen anything like this before.
His eyes stung, and his head felt worse than any late night bender he had ever been on. The blank void only buzzing he could feel, the shocked cold gnawing at his bones as he searched for a target or more students. Qrow swung his scythe to try and calm his nerves with well-practiced muscle memory.
One object finally stood out of the swirls of darkness. The crumpled edge of hard angles and concrete he knew used to be a house. And the hunched spiked back he instantly recognized as an Ursa Major.
With a little girl in red and black hanging limp from its bloody jaws.
Qrow froze.
"It's not her. It's not her. It's not her…" The old Hunter frantically repeated to himself, as the iron grip around his head only drew tighter. But as much as he told himself otherwise…
He could only see the body of his young niece hanging limp and lifeless…
Qrow screamed in unbound fury.
What he saw was only half real. There certainly was a massive Ursa looking up and at the huntsman. Andd the body was all too real as well. The bear spat the dead Vacuo girl out and reared up on its hind legs roaring at the Hunter running at it.
One swing tore the Grimm in two before it could even growl. Qrow dropped his scythe and fell to his knees next to the dead young Huntress. His trembling hands gently rolled over the girl. But as he touched her clothes and hair trying to blink away the tears Qrow only grew numb with surprise.
The visage of Ruby morphed into one of dyed violet hair and an outfit that he had certainly never seen Ruby in before. Qrow blinked trying to believe in one of two very different things his eyes had shown him.
An unholy voice rang out from his ears, rattling his eyes and sinuses in pain.
"Your meddling would not go unpunished…"
Qrow shot up, retrieving his scythe and looking for the source of those jagged words.
Red eyes opened on a tall returned form directly behind the old crow.
Moments before the Grimm Lord's talons erupted from his stomach in a shower of blood.
Kad paused to let his enhanced sense take stock of the situation.
Goodwitch and her students pushing forward.
The Atlas soldiers returning to the barricades firing volleys over the raging melee. The civilians ducking under cover, juggling the burning metal of their overheated Dust carbines.
But to the west…
Nothing.
Kad turned. Trying to look though the buildings and only finding shadows. Shadows and silhouettes, some small. But others growing…
Drawing closer.
Grimm and Hunters alike crashed through the buildings. Youths flying back through the air followed by showers of blood. Alpha Beowolfs, Ursas Majors, Armored Creeps, and low flying Grimm swooping over the rubble.
All headed for them.
Kad didn't even need to shout. The Hunters spun and fired point blank into the horde. And the melee resumed right where it ended. He shifted the grip on his sword, chain, and knife. Looking for the place to jump into the brawl.
The ground shook.
More Goliaths he figured.
Another distant bullhead roared, racing away towards Beacon. Cinder on the move
He let himself smile in satisfaction.
The Grimm howled again.
And then he saw the giant staff wielding Grimm step out of its grave and into the open night air.
The blood seemed to freeze in Kad's veins. One of the Daemon Lords appeared once again. Spreading its feather wings, and planting its cursed staff into the ground.
It held up one hand.
With the Huntsman Qrow speared on the razor white talons, hanging limp and pale in its grasp. Blood dripped from his lips and the terrible wound as the Daemon held him high.
When the creature roared the battle paused. Students in fear, Grimm in patience waiting for their master's word. Like a switch had suddenly been thrown again.
His words were of challenge.
Yet only Kad could hear them. Ringing in his ears as the Daemon raised its staff and pointed to him screeching again.
"Face me Huntsman!"
It's words hissed into Kad's ears alone, but the gesture was clear to any with eyes. The Primarch raised his own sword, and mirrored the creature's pose. It grinned, rows of teeth leering out from its mouth before its white tongue lashed hungrily over the incisors. With a flick of its wrist, Qrow flew from the talons and smashed into the ruins. Kad couldn't spare another thought for him.
Thousands of eyes looked to the Primarch, when his own roar of challenge carried on the wind.
An order to his friends.
A promise to the Daemon.
"You're mine!"
And the switch flicked off.
The veil began to thin…
The walls of reality frayed and broke in a dull flash of Warp fire, pushed open by a malevolent will from the other side.
Deep in the shadow of the mountains of Vale, far from the desperate battle in the Kingdom's capital city. A black cloaked creature of shadow stepped out through the rift, back onto the Dust fused soil for the first time in millennia. Breathing in the fresh night air she hadn't realized she'd been missing.
A long black cloak with a deep hood surrounded her head, completely hiding the figure beneath. Except for the red eyes gazing into the forest.
Branches cracked and broke around her in the thick trees. More shadows gathered close, broken only by the white bone masks on the faces of the approaching Grimm. She stood firm, unafraid of these creatures.
One giant alpha Beowolf slunk forward, pushing its old scarred head underneath her left palm, like a dog seeking affection. Her white palm gently stroked the hairless head between its ears.
She turned and cupped its face, lifting it up to her eye level. The beast breathed deep as it gazed into those pits of the Warp.
"Fear not old one… This is your reward."
The Grimm shuddered in bliss. Letting the witch run her palms down its broad shoulders.
Her own claws sprung out in a flash. And in the blink of an eye, sank deep into the thick body of the old wolf.
The beast yelped once and crumbled to shadows. Its kin howled to the sky. The witch slowly drew in a breath. Inhaling the cloud of smoke.
"Everything is owed…"
"And all is demanded…"
"And yet more shall be reaped from your folly, great ones."
The last term she uttered with a sneer of contempt. The Neverborn force inside of her squirmed and pulsed with anxious energy.
She turned to look at the tallest peak.
Running her mind's eye over the great empty shell buried deep within its rocky slopes.
Her eyes glowed in the night with an unnatural light. She breathed the life force within out and to the waiting vessel.
"From Daemon blood… And Dragon fire…"
The Neverborn stirred flesh and bones that had not shifted for centuries. Cracking rock and stone as one great orange eye opened up beneath the mountain peak. Gazing out through the slowly growing hole at the feast of souls waiting.
The witch smiled. Satisfied with the shape the future was forming.
The pack bowed once as one, as She turned and stepped back through the veil.