A/N: After 21 years, Roosterteeth Productions is shutting down. RWBY is now currently in talks of being bought by another, who I don't know. I remember watching my first RvB Episode, season 5 episode 6 back in 2009. Since then, I've been a fan. Went to at least 5 RTX in Austin. Throughout the years bought shirts, posters (one of which was signed by Monty Oum before he died), a model of Ruby Rose, and numerous DVDs of their shows. And even recently made my last purchase on their website store. I'll be honest, I cried a bit doing that.
I wonder what will happen to their exclusive Website Videos like camp Betrayal, Achievement Haunter, RWBY 1-8, and other videos. Will they vanish off the face of the earth, or will they be put on youtube. I hope its the latter.
RIP Roosterteeth 2003-2024. I'll always watch your stuff long after your gone. Thanks for the memories.
Mercury, Sol System
"This is…a lot to take in."
"Indeed."
Lux Syphoid along with Pyrrha and Jaune were in communication with both Commander Zavala and Ikora Rey and sharing with them what had transpired. Nora temporarily bonded with Osiris's ghost, Vex infused with small traces of Light, and temporarily time-traveling to the past, meeting Saint-14, and preventing his death by saving him. It was a lot to take in.
Lux also got an update on what her partner, Prometheus-23 was doing on Mars. Hive Sects that can resurrect themselves, a just-revealed son of Oryx, Anastasia Bray and Rasputin.
Ad in the fact that the Hidden discovered the heads of the three major factions of the Last City. Their actual heads, it was much.
"Anything I can do?" She asked the Commander.
"At the moment, no. I've put out the call to bring in other Guardians to help with assistance. Not to mention doing the same on Mercury. But between the two of these instances, the deaths of the Consensus factions, we're a bit stretched thin."
Lux sighed. "In other words, hold the line."
"Indeed. Gather as much information as possible about the Vex along with this Infinite Mind. We'll stay in touch." Ikora said. She then changed the conversation. "How is Saint-14?"
Happy that the conversation changed, it was Jaune who answered. "He was a bit shocked about the time he lost. Happy about the Traveler awake and all. But he was a bit…upset about the Eliksni in the City along with their House." He briefly looked to his left where the hole that was the result of Saint-14 putting his fist through was still there. Upset was putting it lightly. He could still remember the creative swearing the Titan came up with.
"Yes. Saint-14 has a bit of a history with the Eliksni of the past." Zavala said. "Where is he now?" He asked hoping to commune with an old friend.
"He's actually with Nora right now. Their going somewhere private to train her in using her temporary Guardian abilities." There was another question Jaune wanted to ask, so he bit the proverbial bullet.
"Any idea how long this temp-Bond will last?"
Ikora and Zavala looked at one another for an answer.
"To be truthful, we don't know. The only Temp-Bond we know of is Shin Malphur and Jaren Ward's Ghost. When the latter died by Dredgen Yor's hand, that bond became a permanent one. Until Sagira is reunited with Osiris, the bond can last for a long while."
"So, find Osiris before he dies, rescue Ren in the Infinite Forest and stop the Vex. No problem." Lux said as the communication was cut off.
00000
Nora followed Saint-14 as they walked through the sand dunes to their destination. After sharing with him about the changes to the Last city, along with the Eliksni House of Light residing in said city, Saint-14 went on a swearing spree which resulted in him putting his fist through a wall. Afterwards, he bid Nora to follow him, explaining that he will train her in how to channel her temporary Light abilities. He in turn, was being led by Sagira to a location she thought of.
"Pariah's Refuge? What sort of place is that?" Saint-14 asked the female Ghost.
"After establishing the Lighthouse as his residence, several individuals that would eventually become the Cult of Osiris started to show up. It soon became too much of the constant questions and whatnot, that he found a hidden cave system with a built-in Vex portal. Isolating it from the rest of the system, he made it his home away from home. Kept some of his personal journals there. We're going there." She replied.
"He won't mind." Sagira said that last bit due to the bond between her and Nora, with the latter asking herself if Osiris would mind and the former answering it.
Truth be told, she was getting used to Sagira in her mind. Sharing experience and memories before the whole Vex Invasion of Remnant. She even shared how she and Ren met. Sagira listened intently as Nora shared one of her most traumatic memories of Kuroyuri as it fell to a Grimm. How she was saved by a young Ren and how they both went to an orphanage together, then to Beacon where they met Jaune and Pyrrha and formed Team JNPR.
It also went the other way as Nora experienced memories from both Sagira and Osiris due to the Temp-Bond. She briefly got a glimpse of a battle from long ago. Along with a memory of him and Saint-14 feeding pigeons together. Along with the Guardians feelings for said Titan.
Feelings that she felt when she was with Ren.
"How about we deal with the whole Vex situation and you and Ren can discuss your feelings for one another." Sagira said through their bond. Having not yet got the hang of replying through their bond nodded in agreement.
They have reached their destination. Turned out that it was a cave underneath a small tower that was as big as an Ursa Major standing on its hind legs. At the base was a small doorway that both Nora and Saint-14 had to crouch down just to enter. Down they went 14-steps till they came to a large circular chamber. Both Geppetto and Sagira created a bright light in their eye that served as a flashlight for them. They passed through the cavern, passing broken and fallen pillars of Vex architecture and weird round spheres of the same type.
They continued to go deeper into the cave, until Saint-14 stopped in his tracks. Nora almost bumped into him. "What's wrong?" Nora asked as she reached for Magnhild. "Look." He said pointing at an alcove to his left.
Nora looked to where he was pointing squinting her eyes. She couldn't see anything until her eyes adjusted. And then the alcove glowed. Her eyes couldn't believe what she was seeing. Small bioluminescent insects crawled around the alcove, small bits of algae and grass littered the bottom of it. A small ecosystem surrounded by Vex technology. Unaltered.
Sagira and Geppetto floated downward and scanned them. They quickly got the results. "No Vex radiolaria present in any of them." "This small piece of Mercury's past, both flora and fauna surviving the Vex."
Saint-14 smiled beneath his helmet. "This is good. Shows that the Vex are not as invincible as they seem. Life and Light finds a way, even in the darkest of Darkness."
Both Nora and Saint-14 left this small piece of mercury's past where it was, not willing to disturb it any more than they should.
They finally reached their destination. Climbing up the stairs, they found themselves in a large circular room. A third of the wall taken over by bookshelves carrying actual book, scrolls and data tablets stuck in between. On one side of the room, elevated by a smaller platform was a table, sleeping bag and other nick-nacks. The rest of the room was made of stone and vex architecture with the latter being a large Vex gate, thankfully deactivated.
The second Saint-14 touched the top of the steps leading into the room, lights came on from every alcove in the walls, illuminating the room. It was soon followed by a large holoprojection of Osiris appearing in front of them.
"Osiris." Saint-14 said. Nora caught a bit of emotion in the Titans voice.
"Hello Saint. At least I assume its Saint-14. I've left this pre-recorded message in the event that you make it here. I've also left several other messages in the event you've came here with either another Guardian or a New Light."
Nora recalls the brief explanation provided by Sagira how new Guardians are classified as New Lights.
"In either scenario, I've provided a way to train you both if you've made it here." Gesturing to the inoperable Vex Gate. "When I first came here away from my, ahem, Cult, the first thing I did was shut down this Gate from the rest of the Vex Network. In doing so, I've unintentionally isolated a group of twenty Vex Units, led by an Axis Mind called the Subterranean Mind. Use them as your 'testing dummies'. You can limit the amount of Vex coming through the portal via the table nearby. I've keyed it to respond to your Ghost and your Ghost alone." He then looked away a bit. Nora could have sworn she saw sadness in his eyes. "There are…many things I wished I said differently when we last saw one another…the things I did say…I truly regret. I know you were doing what you were ordered to do, I don't blame you. I blame the one you call father. As he does what's best for the Last City, I must do what I think is best as well." The hologram shut off.
Saint-14 looked one last time where it was before going to the table near the Vex Gate. He looked over it before stopping to gaze at something. He reached out and picked it up. "He kept this…after all these years."
Nora went over and looked down at it. It was a picture of Saint-14 without his helmet on, smiling as he had an arm around a stoic Osiris who didn't have his helmet on either. A very small hint of a smile on his face. They were also surrounded by pigeons both on the ground, shoulders and on top of their heads.
"I remember that! That was one of the very few moments of him not being too serious." Sagira said looking over Nora's shoulder seeing the picture.
"It was memorable." Saint-14 placed the photo back where it was then turned to Nora. "The time for reminiscing is past. Now we focus on you!"
Nora was placed in the center of the room facing the Vex gate. Saint-14 stood near the controls.
"Sagira told me of your fist time utilizing the Light in the Infinite Forest. How you channeled Arc Energy. Tell me, how did you feel?"
Nora searched her memory from that moment. "I was fighting Vex and those Simulated enemies…I saw Ren getting hit by them…I just snapped and ran right at them."
"Strong emotions like that are how we channel out Light into our Supers." He brought up his arm and a Void Shield appeared. "To protect those, we care about. To shield them from harm." He dispersed that shield and made a Ward of Dawn around himself.
"To charge at the enemies, as if we are a wave of spears thrown at them to stop them from attacking those we care for." Arc energy bathed his body and he was propelled through the air, flying about the large room before slamming in front of Nora.
"And to destroy our enemies, and build something new in its wake!" A hammer of Sol appeared in his hand. He placed the flaming hammer against Magnhild, bathing her hammer in Solar Fire. Nora could feel the heat as she touched her hammer, but it was only for a moment when she could feel the Light seep through her aura, and negate the heat. Now she held a flaming Magnhild.
"Now show me what you can do!"
00000
Three Vex Goblins were soon hit with a flaming hammer, melting their bodies. Nora grinned as she swung it and backhanded a Vex Minotaur that came in from behind her.
"Excellent work!" Saint-14 said as he gave her a breather before opening the Vex gate again.
For the last half-hour, Saint-14 has been letting Vex out for Nora to practice using her temporary Light abilities. He started off with a single Vex unit at a time, and was ready to jump in if she needed it. At first, she did struggle, having him step in. But then she got the hang of it after the fourth Vex Goblin. Soon she was handling a couple at a time, to three and then five at a time. Depleting all of the cannon fodder, all that was left was the Axis Mind; The Subterranean Mind.
"You ready for this?" Sagira asked her.
"As ever be." Nora replied.
Saint-14 looked at the two, then pushed the button. The Vex gate lit up again and a gigantic Vex Minotaur with a circular headpiece stepped through.
The Subterranean Mind itself.
It looked around the room surveying its surroundings. It saw the pieces of the Vex units around the room. Some melted, others dissolving into the Void. And a few fused together thanks to an extreme amount of Arc Energy. It looked upwards and saw the accursed Saint-14. Knowing that it couldn't take on the Saint himself, it turned its three optic eyes towards the lone female.
Stomping towards Nora, it brought its hand down to cave in her skull. Slamming Magnhild handle down on the ground, she brought up a Ward of Dawn around her. The Subterranean Mind's arm hit the barrier and was propelled back a step. It did not expect that!
Nora, taking advantage of its surprise, deactivated the Ward of dawn, then channeled Arc Energy into her legs. With a combination of her Semblance, she used the Arc Energy to increase the speed into her legs and she charged at it. Swinging her hammer, she swung and connected with its metal body, stunning it even more. Changing the current energy from her legs to her arms, she swung it again numerous times at greater speed.
Saint-14 watched as her arms became a blur as she hit the Vex Minotaur with her hammer so fast, metal dented. Seeing it on its last legs, she switched again and she bathed her hammer in Solar Flames. With one final swing of her flaming hammer, the Subterranean Mind was no more.
"Excellent work Nora!" Shouted Saint as he powered down the now useless Vex Gate and went down. Seeing her deactivating the Solar aspect of her Light, he materialized a few items for his Ghost's storage space. Nora looked up and saw Saint-14 with some sandwiches and sodas. "Let's eat."
They sat eating their food, Nora scarfing down the food as Saint-14 drank an idly looked at the photo.
"This photo was of us in the park during an anniversary for Twilight Gap. It was also the last photo of us before his banishment. The Speaker, the one I considered a father to me, he feared that Osiris's obsession with the Vex was a mere pretext for a power grab. It was the Speaker who ordered his banishment. Prior to the time he left, he asked me to go with him. But I was too loyal to the Speaker, thought of him as my father, as someone who can do no wrong. But with him dead now…so much has changed in the Last City. Discovery of your world…House Light…the Red War. When the city needed me most, I wasn't there."
Nora listened, sympathetically. "But you're here now. The City needs both you and Osiris to stop the Vex now."
"I'm afraid I'm more muscle than brains. The only one who knows more about the Vex is Osiris and of course, Sagira." He said gesturing to said Ghost.
"Even with my knowledge, we still don't know where the Infinite Mind is or how to reach it." Sagira said.
"And save Osiris and your Ren." Saint-14 said.
Nora nodded, still thinking of her friend and what the Vex were doing to him.
"Don't worry. From what you told me of your friend, he's as smart as Osiris. If the latter can last centuries outsmarting the Vex, your friend can do the same."
00000
The smell of pancakes and sausages filled the air waking him up. His eyes opened slowly as he yawned. He sat up in his bed, stretching as he looked out the window. The birds tweeting in the air, the sounds of the village waking up with the rising sun.
"Ren, breakfast is ready." Shouted a female voice from below.
He got out of bed and went downstairs, past the numerous pictures of his mom and dad, the picture of his father from the local news of him taking down a Grimm that threatened the village, him and his teammates, and many others.
He made it down to the stairs and watched as his mother placed food on his plate, his father reading the local newspaper. Lie Ren, age seventeen sat down and ate his breakfast.
And yet, something was off. He stopped eating and looked to his parents. He saw his mother with her dark raven hair. And then his father with his rosy hair now with flecks of grey in his goatee and tied-back ponytail. Shaking his head, he went back to eating.
The rest of the day followed his routine, yet the feeling remained.
He went about his chores around the house. He went to his classes at the local school. Yet on the way, he passed a series of dumpsters, expecting to see something…or someone, yet nothing.
He continued on, going through the motions. He attended his classes, ate lunch, then went home again.
He went up the stairs and passed the hallway framed with numerous pictures. That was when he saw it.
It was a picture of his father, standing tall over the dead body of an enormous Grimm with his blades drawn. Now he knew what was wrong.
"This isn't right…this isn't real!"
Memories started to flood back to him. It was as if a dam was blocking them, now no more, things forgotten now remembered.
"Grimm dissolve upon death, so it would be impossible for my father to pose on its corpse as the picture was taken. Not to mention my father is stoic and wouldn't do something like that, even for a picture. And the Grimm that attacked my village was a Nucklevee. Not a Manticore!" As he said it, the picture in front of him shattered into pieces that soon dissolved.
He looked out the window. "The Nucklevee Grimm wasn't stopped. It destroyed the village." The village outside soon dissolved leaving a white field in its wake. The town, nature, animals and people were all gone.
He ran down the stairs, where his parents sat at the table, dinner prepare.
"Ren, what's going on up there?" His mother asked.
"You two aren't real. My real parents died saving me from the Nucklevee. My father and mother have different hair. You merely switched them! And my father had a bow and arow with a small blade, not two longsword blades!" Ren shouted.
The entire room soon shattered leaving only An Ren behind. A sound like glass breaking followed soon after. Memories soon flooding into his mind as he remembered everything. Going to mercury with his Team. Team JNPR. Infinite Forest. Panoptes. Guardian Lux Syphoid. The Vex. He remembered everything.
An Ren scoffed in irritation. "Interesting, that was much quicker than the last attempts. You really are something. We may have only gotten 12% of what your Remnant was before being kicked off by Guardian Rose, and we expected a 6% chance of failure for several of our simulations. And yet, you managed to break through seven times in a row! Clever."
Ren did not remember the last few attempts, but he knows that the An Ren before him is an illusion. A mouthpiece for the Vex. He reached for his weapons, thankfully still with him. He pointed the weapon at the thing using his mother's face. He felt wrong that he was pointing a weapon at his mother, even if it wasn't.
"Who are you. I know you're a Vex."
"What makes you think that we want to tell you?"
"If you wanted me dead, you wouldn't have put me in these simulations in the first place."
A tense standoff between the two, until An Ren cracked a smile.
"Clever boy. I am unit 9999987678-C. Designated name: Cassandra; Oracle Mind." A doorway opened before them. "Come, lets take a walk."
See you next time!