RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts
Chapter 37: The Great Dragon and the Dark Abyss
WARNING: I own none of these characters sides from my OC(s). All rights go to their respective owners and properties.
This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.
Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.
So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^
Things were not well. Not well at all.
The Seer had displayed what Salem witnessed. While Vernage was to be reborn once again, Evol had taken over Lily as an emergency tactic which in turn enforced more power into his very soul. His own hybrid son could not even harm him as the snake had stolen the 'genes' the boy inherited from him.
Evol had taken down two major pieces off the board with rapid succession. Even if Vernage would be reborn the world will only swallowed by the snake. With the bottled and Box in his possession, he was one phase away from regaining his almighty power as the dark abyss he is of the Blood Tribe.
Salem had long abandoned emotions in the past but not patience and rage. Her patience was wearing thin by the hour, her anger only growing as Evol practically called out to her upon his succession that she could not do within a mere day. Her brows furrowed and inhaled before her eyes snapped open and pushed herself from her seat.
Evol will not open his Box to regain his full power.
Salem wanted the gods to suffer for everything that has happened. This will not bring her goal to fruition as they'd just go off somewhere in this universe to do the same thing again. She wanted them to pay for it all, and she will not let some gluttonous snake take this from her.
She had initially set her creation for a later time but with her hands being forced, it was now for drastic measures to erase that vile serpent.
"You have finally forced my hand Evol."
XXX
The group was recovering after the success of saving Haven Academy and rescuing Cody but the failure of stopping Evol. He achieved another phase due to his emergency transfer to protect his life essence by possessing Lily but in turn the girl was forever gone due to her initial sacrifice. Vernage was no doubt set to reborn upon leaving Lily when the girl had yelled out to leave her.
In order to make sure the people of Haven are safe, they had no choice but to steal a small airship and fly off to a more deserted place, in hopes that if Evol follows them, they wouldn't drag any innocent lives into another fight.
Mistral was a no go so they remained in its outskirts. Not safe due to bandits and Grimm but a risk to take to ensure good people are not slaughtered by the snake.
"Phew… I think they'll be okay now…" Jaune sighed with relief but also from exhaustion from using his Aura to heal both Weiss and then Cody. "They might wake up momentarily."
"I'm so proud of you Jaune!" Nora smiled with excitement as she hugged the leader, "You finally unlocked your Semblance!"
"Ehehehe… m-mind letting me go…? I can't… breathe!" Nora was crushing him in her embrace.
"Whoops!" She released the blonde Huntsman, giving him air to regain. "Sorry!"
Everyone was recuperating but the tension around them wasn't all that good.
"So… Blake? What… brought you to Haven?" Yang looked at the Faunus.
The Cat Faunus didn't speak at first but said, "Taking back the White Fang…"
"And it did, right?" The Faunus merely nodded but her amber eyes were glum. "Well… I'm glad you finally took it back…"
Yang and Blake continued to remain silent after that. It has been a year since everything happened, and it's still awkward for everyone here.
"Blake about what happened-"
"Don't." Her eyes peered at her with a hiss, the gaze almost glaring at her. "Just don't."
"Really? After all this time, that's how you respond to your partner?" Yang frowned at Blake's response when she now wanted to try and make some amends.
Blake pushed herself to stand, pointing at Cody while keeping her focus on Yang. "How do you expect me to respond after what happened at the school, Yang?! After what Vernage… Lily…" her pointed finger curled back into her hand.
"So its okay when 'she' wants to get close, but when I want to make amends you still run like before?!" Yang stood up as well, "I was just ready to accept you back when you came to help us and this is how I get treated?"
"Guys stop." Ruby intervened. She stood between the ten, trying to calm the other. "W-We got the Relic and we saved the academy!"
"But we couldn't save Lily when she sacrificed herself only for that bastard snake to kill her by possessing her!" Blake snapped. "He has the box and all the bottles! He gained another phase for Brother's sake and this is 'good'?!"
"Hey, don't yell at Ruby!" Yang snapped back, almost ready for a verbal fight.
"Ugh, will you two shut up! I was sleeping!" Weiss snapped up, glaring at the girls for their arguing.
"Weiss!" Ruby zipped towards the former heiress, hugging her. "You're awake! And alive! Mostly okay!"
"I really should've just stayed quiet…" Weiss groaned out yet softly smiled from Ruby's affection. Her ice blue eyes trailed and saw Cody and froze.
"Cody is back! And um… Evol is…"
"Just say it Ruby." Blake hissed.
Ruby lowered her head. "Evol is still alive and has his box and bottles…."
"So… any idea what we can even do now?" She turned to the others, looking for some answer.
"I… I don't know…" Ruby's form deflated slightly. She had thought it will be okay but Evol has Pandora's Box. He has all the Fullbottles required to open it and retrieve his full power.
"Wait… if he has all the bottles…" Nora noted before pointing to the Dragon Fullbottle in Yang's hand, "Then what's that?"
"Evol tossed it because he didn't need it after he took over Cody…" Yang couldn't forget that day. Evol never needed the bottle because it was never needed for the box.
"And you didn't drop it? He'll come after us now!" Blake questioned her partner.
"Look, save the arguing once we reach a safer place to land. Hopefully with us in the dense woods, he won't find us so quickly." Qrow groaned out as he was the one piloting the ship. "I know you guys are not happy or happy but now is not the time."
Blake sat down, crossing her eyes and looked away. She hasn't been okay after Lily's death from sacrifice. The former agent had expended all of her life upon releasing Four Phases but at a hair close to death she had used a piece of Pandora in an attempt to kill Evol… only to fail in the end. Evol has a body that has no other soul but his own. That was the bitter reality now. He gained more power, stole Lily's Semblance and magic, and finally set on reawakening his full might.
How was she going to tell Rose and Jared? With the two under her mom's care… the only question is their emotions. Her head lowered and her cat ears folded in sadness.
"Blake… I know how you feel…" Yang spoke up, earning the Faunus's attention. Yang had Cody's head on her lap, as she gently stroked his hair. "When… Cody was also taken over… I…. I didn't know what to do either… I was almost ready to give up myself and just… let Evol win."
"Yang…" Ruby responded softly.
"But I didn't give up because I know Cody was still there… and was glad I was right."
"… he is alive but Lily isn't anymore… you remember what Vernage told us back when Lily left Faust. She was the only thing keeping her alive but now that she left Lily who told her to… she's gone…" her amber eyes began to swell with tears. "She's gone because all she wanted to do was repent for everything she did and save Cody! She's gone and won't come back like him…! She… she…" she finally cried.
"Then wouldn't it be best to try and fight?" Yang questioned. "He took something from us all… And even more people suffered because of that monster…" Yang's fist clenched, "I can't rest easy knowing he's just around the corner…"
"How can we stop him when he is too powerful?! He has his magic! Lily's Semblance! He has that damn armor!"
"We… can find a way…" Cody's voice grumbled, slowly opening his eyes. "He may… have her body now… but… that thing is still here…" He said, pointing to the mecha that awoke and sucker punched Evol for them to get away. "What… did it say…?"
"Lily's emotions coursed in her magic that leaked onto it." Jaune recalled. "Do emotions actually coalesce in it?"
"It does." All attention went to Oscar but rather Ozma who was allowed to speak. "Outburst of emotions or even strongest emotions can cause a chain reaction to magic. Much like the time Team RWBY had witnessed Lily's outburst when she awakened the magic she inherited upon Vernage's possession. Her anger caused damage around her. Thus such emotional distress and of the like can course in the magic they cast."
"Then… there has to be a way for her… to be saved…." Cody grunted, slowly leaning forward.
"But Evol said she died when Vernage left her."
"I know Lily…. Better than anyone… Her Semblance can't be canceled out as long as she's aware of it… she told me herself…."
"How can you be so sure?" Blake hissed. "Evol has her Semblance."
"Because… I believe in Lily." Cody answered looking to Blake, "Don't you too?" He wanted to hope Lily was still there. No, he prayed for the possibility. Vernage kept Lily alive but now that the former is elsewhere Lily used her draining life to stop Evol but failed, taking away her life in the process.
Even if the chance is not even slim? He still wants to have faith that she'll come through. Just like how Yang had faith that he'll be free from Faust.
Yang smiled softly as she nodded, "Then I believe that she'll come back too…"
Blake lowered her head but briefly noticed the machine hovering before her, its glowing V-shaped eye staring at her.
"Se… you… as… er… ight."
Its speech was still fragmented but Blake swore it was trying to say… her brows slowly soften.
Lily saw her as her light in the cruel world she lived in. She gently gripped the edge of her coat. She wants to believe Lily's still alive… but was afraid that her hopes would fall.
XXX
"Ugh… well THAT happened!"
From the rubble of the school, an eruption of magic shot out as Evol got back up, rubbing its neck along with a loud crack. The space snake didn't know such a thing could happen. Did his little bat-chan add something to her Technomancy before he took over or was it something she had ready in case of her dying?
Whatever the case was, he was sure out of it for awhile for once. Not even his fights with his brother or cousin left him out of the fight for long. With a stretch Evol looked around before finding where it was as he walked over and kicked the statue out of the way to reveal the Pandora's Box that was left behind by Lily's death. With a smirk, he picked it up and placed in the two bottles that Bat-Chan had into a Panel, fully ready to start his next…. phase?
"Hm?"
Evol looked confused as the Pandora's Box didn't change or anything for his next phase. But he collected all of the bottles! As he looked further into the box, he realized… he was one missing.
"Ah! Forgot.. I let boyo's girl keep the last bottle! Why did I forget that so soon?" Evol smacked his forehead before looking around, "Ho? They went that far out? Well, matters not anyways. Time to finish this whole thing and enjoy my tasty feast."
With a simple step with one foot, he launched himself in a blaze of magic towards the direction his boyo and the bottle were at with immense speed. It won't be long left for him to use the Tower and then he can move onto his next meal plan. He ponders if he'll come across the Brothers down the line? Wonder how they'll taste upon being eaten? Meh, Gods wasn't the first to devour given previous planets he had been on had no or few little deities.
He kept himself away from one planet. That orange fruit was such a pickle. Interesting abilities the human had but the world had no other lifeforms aside from that man and the fauna. Yeah, it was that boring for him, so he just left it alone.
"Maybe I'll return and see how he fairs against my true power?" Evol grinned, thinking that with his plans almost complete. That so-called 'God' from before will tremble. "Hopefully that stupid Galactinsect doesn't ruin it like before. Ugh, I hate that guy so much."
Either way, it won't be long left before this becomes another destroyed planet for him to dine on. Oh how exciting this was for him!
A millenia old world that suffered by conflict caused by the seeds he planted? Ah, it was going to be an exquisite meal indeed. Fancy even.
"Hm?" He narrowed his eyes to see a dark blur that was unidentified. "What is that?"
It looked like it was… flying right towards him. "Oh." He grunted slightly, finding himself and whatever it was crashing across the mountaintop of the wilderness, rolling a few times before his helmet dragged across the dirt and cane to a halt. "Ugh, should have stuck the landing." He pushed himself up, popped a few joints in the female body he possessed. "What the heck hit me anyway?"
He turned around and saw a peculiar Grimm. None that he had seen before as it reminded him of a Beowolf but it wasn't. It lacked most of the bone plating except for its head and a few spikes on its back.
"Die…." The creature growled out. Clearly to Evol, this was just another ploy from that witch child again. Curious. All Grimm never spoke but this one has.
"Yeeeeaaah no." He blasted a fireball at it which forced it to pounce to the right and galloping to him. The snake ducked but slammed his fist upward, driving it into the stomach of the beast. It was launched into the air but Evol saw its back bulge and out came wings. "Impressive… seems Salem created such a Grimm with speech and capable of growing extra appendages. Clever girl."
He grunted as it tackled him, trying to take a bite out of him. It snapped its jaws at him repeatedly but he gripped its neck and threw it through a tree. "Down boy. You shouldn't bite a snake when you back it into a corner."
"Will… Kill you… Snake…"
Evol chuckled and spread his arms, giving an open gesture. "By all means. Go ahead, take a bite." He sneered. The hound roared and flew towards him. "Appear."
The Gargoyle Bat-chan created manifested by his command only unlike the dark blue colors it had, its color scheme matched Evol's armor. It flew at the Hound, tackling it as both flying creations clawed each other. "Hmm… maybe I should add an additional layer to its nimble mechanical body." He gives credit for Bat-chan's ingenuity and increased intellect to forge such a collection of machines from her Technomancy. He should have asked her to forge more weapons in the past.
The Hound soon let out a howl as it gripped the Gargoyle and literally tore it into two, breaking the machine before smashing its head in, causing the created machine to fade into motes of techo-light, showing its victory.
Evol sighed. "Yup. She should have added a layer. Good agility and flight but terrible protection." He evaded the hound and grabbed its hind leg. "Time to put you on a leash." He yanked it back to him and punched it in the face. And again. And again. He created several techno claws to mimic his swings, increasing the speed of his blows until it left a growing crater beneath it.
Evol raised an arm and blew some air into it before laughing and drove his fist straight into it upon channeling his magic. From the damage done before, it caused the whole summit of the mountain to burst into pieces.
As the rubble and the two began to fall, The Hound growled before letting out a powerful roar, sending shockwaves and rocks to Evol, surprising the snake.
"Was that.. A Semblance?" Evol got out only to soon realize this was more than just another created Grimm.
Now this definitely created curiosity. He laughed as they descended. "You actually turned a human into a Grimm!" He praised her for such a feat. Though while similar to his Smash creations, he doubts Salem thought of the same thing, so most likely just a big coincidence for it.
He created several dozen blades and launched them, all the while flying towards it. It evaded the swords but felt Evol grip its jaws as they descended. He tugged more before ripping it clean to see the face beneath the black ichor. A Faunus. He was right.
The Hound's third arm grew and gripped the top of Evol's head. It was trying to crush his head.
"Kill… Kill… Evol!"
"No." Evol gripped the mortal's neck before it can regenerate the maw of the beast. "How about you?" The body was shrouded in a violet aura, the Hound's body twisting in irregular directions. Evol's evil grin grew beneath his helmet as he channeled his magic onto the beast, watching its body distort so painfully to any mortal soul.
With its body twisted, he chucked the Hound into the earth below and cracked the lever. As the weakened Grimm attempted to stand back up, the damage it received made sure it wouldn't be able to dodge or fly away.
EVOLTECH FINISH!
Evol rushed at blinding speeds, even faster than anything else as the red energy from the Rabbit Evol Bottle was the only thing to be seen. Evol struck the Hound with each pass, making its ichor-like body splatter against the ground with each hit, only for parts of the Faunus body that remained within to be seen. Evol then struck the body with a powerful kick, causing all that energy build up with each pass and strike to converge onto that one kick, causing a powerful explosion and leaving no trace of The Hound left.
CIAO!
Evol landed on his feet and stretched, cracking his neck and rubbing it. "I give her a C in creation but an F for such a failure of an attempt." He yawned and relaxed against a boulder that landed behind him. "Man that was one hell of a fight though. Meh, I'll give boyo and his buddies some leeway to savor. I'll be there soon enough. Oh and Salem! If you hear me, I win yet again! Haha!"
With a small step, he began to make his way to his boyo, taking his time for once as he didn't want the fun to end just yet.
Though from afar was a Seer, watching the snake leave only for the Grimm to begin to twist, churn and shiver as cracks on its orb head showed, only for the Seer to collapse and begin to disintegrate. Most likely Salem in utter anger and lashing out as the Seer in response to her creation being killed so effortlessly by Evol.
Yet this was far from over… she may have found something that could weaken the snake in such a form that next time… she'll laugh over his failure.
XXX
"Did we have to land here…?" Ren frowned as the group landed at the sight where they fended off Nuckleveel Grimm. While it was dead now, being in Kuroyuri still brought unpleasant memories.
"Its the farthest we can be should Evol attack us now, but not too far should we somehow fend him off and continue onward." Qrow pointed out. "If you got something that can help kid, best share it with the class." He said to the now recovered Rider.
"I… may have something in mind…" Cody nodded in response.
"Well? What is it?"
"I… just need to grab that Dragon Bottle of his…" He answered to them, "I… I think I can use it."
"Hm? What makes you think of that?" Nora questioned.
"I… I'm not sure… But I just feel like it'll work…"
"Kid, Evol took the only thing that allowed you to transform and his DNA that you had." Qrow reminded him. "As far as I know you could become another Smash if it doesn't work."
"I know it sounds crazy… But… I just have this feeling it'll work again." He clenched his fist tightly. "Besides… what else can we even do without that power again?"
Yang gave a soft smile as she nodded, "Then we'll try to distract him for you to grab it. Just… be careful okay?"
"I will…"
"Geez, get a room, you two…" Nora rolled her eyes at how the two blonde's were staring at one another, causing them to flinch in response.
"H-Hey! He's my boyfriend! You would act the same too if you and Ren were the same!" Yang blushed from Nora's teasing.
"Can we just prepare for our incoming attack!" Weiss shouted out with frustration. "I swear, am I the only one being serious here?"
"Since when were you serious?" Cody chimed in with a snicker from Yang.
"Since we are possibly about to die by an extraterrestrial lifeform." The Atlesian frowned.
"Still a buzzkill as ever before, Weiss." Cody chuckled.
"So how should we get ready for Evol's attack?" Jaune looked to anyone for an answer. "If he's going to be here soon we have act fast."
"Well… having a smoke screen to start off would be good. Weiss can accelerate most of us so we can get at least some attempts in to rush and flee before he can target us." Ruby offered the idea, "Meanwhile, Yang and Nora can shoot from afar, and hopefully as most of us rush in, Cody can follow behind me or Qrow to grab the bottle… and hopefully whatever comes next is positive."
"That seems reasonable… Just don't stick long to an attack, otherwise he could maybe grab someone." Cody warned, as he felt worried for the others in this fight.
"We'll be careful… Just make sure you don't die on me, okay?" Yang pouted softly, as she worried a repeat is about to happen again.
"I promise… After all… I'm here now, aren't I?" The young rider smiled at her. "Plus, I owe you already for all of this…"
They smiled before Yang glanced at Blake. "What about Blake?" She whispered quietly so the Faunus wouldn't hear. "You know that she won't be… herself when she sees Evol."
"We have to believe that Lily is still alive and fights back… We have no other way to stop him without fighting in Lily's body…" Cody frowned, "But much like you all had to fight me to free me… we'll have to do the same with Lily too."
They jumped when they heard a loud echo of an explosion far from here. "We better get started." Ruby announced.
With a nod they begin to set up where and when as Cody tried to help with his magic… though since the reveal of Evol taking his genes back, the potency of the magic was much worse off than before, causing the boy to struggle a bit. "I should have done more of Vernage's lessons back at Patch…" he murmured.
He felt so powerless after waking up. His strength was just akin to a mere young adult, his magic weak, and his Semblance isn't as powerful as it was due to the Nebula. Even when he tried to help move a piece of a boulder, he barely could even budge it.
"Geez… let me help you." Yang offered, as she helped move the boulder out of the way.
"I feel… so helpless…." He frowned softly, "All that power I had before… Gone… I shouldn't have taken it for granted…"
"Don't beat yourself up… none of us expected any of this to even happen after Beacon…" Yang reassured him, "Plus… I'm honestly just glad to have you back here… I… I really missed you." the blonde brawler hugged the boy gently, feeling such relief in her heart.
"Me too, Yang. Me too."
Soon a soft bop to their heads made the two flinch as they turned to see Weiss, arms crossed and upset over the two.
"If you two have the time to flirt? You have the time to work!" Weiss scolded the two blondes. "Save it for after we get out of this together!"
"Looks like not much has changed from the months I was gone from…" Cody noted with a chuckle.
"Oh you have no idea."
XXX
Evol landed on his feet, flicking away a few ashes and proceeded. "Yikes talk about a deadbeat place to be in."
The trace that he had on boyo lead him here. Most likely some ambush for some 'final attempt' to beat him. He'll play along before ending them and completing his task for his final phase. Give them some hope before crushing it completely.
The snake entity pondered on how to kill each of them, of course saving his two favorites torture victims for last. So many possibilities on this little fun game before ruining every ounce of hope they have left. He hasn't had this much fun since erasing that planet of weird monkey warriors who turned gold.
He scratched his head but paused. His 'borrowed' Semblance detected the traces of technology. It was around him. "Oooiii! I know you are here! Why not come out and give good old Evol the bottle huh? If you do, I can ensure you guys live when I eat the world!"
The response came after as smoke and dirt began to fill around his 'vision' making what he could already tell to be a smokescreen for an attack. Though for Evol, he simply rolled his eyes from this, yet still was playing along. "Okay, I can play tag but on extreme difficulty."
He detected the devices they carried so it was easy to pinpoint their location. Soon from the smoke came a swift attack. The first one was the Heiress, as the next one came from the silent ninja man.
"Hoo? Using the smokescreen to try and confuse me, eh?" He chuckled. The cosmic being saw the incoming attack and stopped it before throwing Ren away. The evil Rider then released a gust of air, removing the smoke.
Nora jumped from her cover, coming down with her hammer as she was already fueled with electricity to give more of a powerful hit alongside Yang who charged ahead to fight at close range.
The snake raised his head and lifted both hands, catching the hammer and fist, denting the darkened dirt beneath him.
"Ho~ now that was a hefty hit!" Evol snickered.
As the two heavy hitters continued to try and push their way through, Jaune and Qrow charged in to try and make sure anything didn't intervene with any other plan should he summon something from Lily's Semblance.
"Damn it they won't last much longer." Qrow gritted.
"Got that right, birdy!" Evol grinned, twirling Yang and Nora as he smacked them into Qrow and Jaune before tossing them to the side, just in time to catch a familiar scythe. "Nice scythe, red riding hood."
"Grr! It can also do… THIS!" Ruby shouted, pulling the trigger as the blast from the weapon struck Evol, surprising the snake that it could have that feature.
Evol massaged his chest and hummed.
"I must admit, this little game has been fun… But I'm getting bored already…"
"Then wonder what happens if I take this?" Cody said, now revealed as he gripped the Dragon Evol Bottle, snatching it off of the belt.
"What the?! How did you get there boyo?!" He paused and glanced at Ren. He stared before grasping his head and laughed. "Now I get it. Camouflage! Nice trick. Seems you kids have learned…" he twisted his rotation and out came the familiar three machines except they were blood red. "So have I. Gremlin. Gargoyle and Cerberus get em."
"I won't let you!" Cody growled, gripping the bottle as he slammed his fist against Evol's helmet… though not a move came from it.
"Keh… HAHAHAHAHA! Did you honestly think just taking up the bottle I made from you, will give you back your power?" Evol bellowed with laughter.
Cody growled in response as he continued to wail and punch against Evol with all that he can, even though the snake wasn't feeling anything from his attacks as it only made him just shake his head with shame.
The leader of Faust caught Cody's fist before using his free hand and punched him in the face. It bruised Cody but Evol repeated it but more harder, making the blonde yelp. The snake repeated the process two more times and threw him.
Cody groaned but saw Evol point to the others. "Now go do what I said."
The machines obeyed and went on the offensive. Gremlin curled up and rolled rapidly. Ruby squeaked and used her Semblance to avoid the sharp roll that shredded a door into wood chips. Gargoyle soared before tackling Weiss before she was able to summon her Lancer.
"S-Stop…" Cody tried to plead.
Cerberus used its three tails of chainsaws to block the blades of Qrow, Jaune, and Nora before flicking them up and struck them, their Auras reacting on the sharp strike.
"No… I want you to see them suffer…" Evol grinned, denying his request before he gripped the boy's neck and lifted him up while taking back the Dragon Evol Bottle. He forced the blonde to watch the fellow teens cornered by the beasts. "Isn't this your consequence for fighting against my organization for as long as you remember? Trying to stop me so many times like dear Vernage tried. She succeeded on occasions but not before I made sure she suffered after she had put me in the Box centuries ago."
The machines continued their relentless assault.
"Leave them out of this, Evol!"
"No… You're going to watch them die… and it's going to be due to your fault… just like her."
Cody's eyes dilated upon seeing them cornered by the mechanical trio. Sweat beaded down his face in fear but a ribbon whipped around Gremlin before it could shred the group. It was tugged and hefty thrown at Gargoyle then at Cerberus, the sharp body of the roller damaging their systems.
"B-Blake…"
The Faunus protected the group as Gremlin was the still functioning machine left. She gritted as it was ready for one last roll.
Evol laughed. "You really think you can stop a shredding killing machine- GEH!" Evol nearly choked upon something grabbing the back of his neck. He was hoisted up, dropping Cody in the process and Cody gasped. Dematerializing from hiding was Cyclops.
It chucked Evol towards Gremlin, destroying the shredder. Evol grunted to stand back up but was pushed back down upon the relentless beating from the machine. It bashed again and again. Evol raised his hand to use his Gravity before it did not stop the beating.
Its optic solely drilled into focus of everything the monster had done. Raising both large talons, hovering over the beast, it brought it down but alas Evol finally caught the powerful bash. His Semblance activated, causing its body to twitch, the bottom of its hovering mechanism slowly turning red from the bottom up.
It was being reverted back to control of the one who held the Semblance it was made from.
"Guh… while I give some credit to your assault… you still can't defy what made you."
Its glowing optic slowly looked at Evol. It remembered the sadness the creator had. The joy she had upon being with her friends. To feel the measure of safety she felt as he was always called upon to look over her.
Its creator who the snake had stolen.
Its program began to analyze its contents. Slowly, it reached up, startling Evol. "I obey Lily."
"Hah? What did you just say, you pile of-" The crimson color of its mechanical form faded and Evol was greeted with its fist. Evol staggered and saw the machine burst from control. It swooped at him with its large claw out. Gravity shrouded the machine, its systems overloading before Evol forced it to rip its own arm off.
"Bothersome."
He repeated it, forcing Cyclops to rip its own gravitational system that allowed it to move. It dropped to the ground, sparks bleeding off its missing components. It reached out but the snake grinned and flicked his wrist. It was thrown aside like trash, rolling across the dirt and landed in front of Cody. The blonde frantically moved to it, seeing its extensive damage.
"Li..ly…" Cody slowly reached out to the Cyclops. "I… don't know… what to do to save everyone…"
The machine twitched but gently moved Cody's hand with its only arm. "Play… recording…"
Its optic flickered and its speaker system activated albeit barely.
"With Vernage asleep… at least I can admit how things are for me…" It was Lily's voice. "I don't know how much time I have left in the cruel world we live in. I know that one day I have to count my sins to ensure the people I murdered. The people I hurt rest in peace. To say my goodbyes to even my own mother." The recording frizzled. "Cody's always keeping his head up when he goes down. It was the one thing I envied about him after he was free."
"She… envied me…?" The young boy got out, surprised.
"I dreamt that one day… he would keep that head high as the heavens and be that soul to live another day. I know we may not have a way to stop Evol… but I do believe he can be pushed back. Just because he is a powerful lifeform… there is still hope in the world. You oppress, you cause resistance. You resist, you rise up. You rise up and fight. Fight for everything. For freedom. For the future… for what we do as humans have always done against the Grimm."
Cody's eyes swelled with tears as the machine slowly handed him the bottle he took back from Evol.
"At least… Vernage will one day see that dream I had come true when she is reborn. To see the world without someone like Salem. Without Evol to ruin the futures of every soul he came across…. To understand why I fought for someone I care for as a family. For someone I love…"
Blake's cat ears stood at attention.
"So… don't give up life like I try to do. That is why I made you, Cyclops. Because I want Cody to understand it. To know we may make mistakes… but we live on for those we care about."
The machine lost all power and slowly disintegrated into motes of light and the essence of magic.
"Tch, what a nuisance. Still as annoying as the day I practically killed her…" Evol scoffed with a roll of his eyes behind his mask.
"Don't you dare speak ill of Lily…" Cody stated, as he slowly stood back up. "You stole nearly everything from my sister… But I will not let you speak ill of what she tried to do, to change things for the better."
As he gripped the bottle tighter, something… 'sparked' enough to gain Evol's attention.
Cody yelled and rushed towards Evol. The alien was unamused. When the human swung his fist, within his clenched fist, the bottle glimmered as his whole fist became a fiery blue blaze and finally delivered a good hit on the snake. Evol staggered a few inches back, his head turned to the side and elicited a gasp of surprise.
Everyone shared the same reaction as did Cody. Shakingly, he looked at the bottle Cyclops took back and saw the magic that came from it absorbed into it, the blue flames from his arm doing the same. As the magic infused with it, it turned into a more warm, fiery orange with red at tips of the flames. The bottle changing color into a golden hue with the dragon turning gold and red as well.
'It changed? It shouldn't even be reacting to him anymore!' Evol gawked in his thoughts.
As Cody stood there in shock the robo dragon, Cross, roared as it flew over to him, the prototype driver he always had in its jaw as it tossed it to him. He gripped the driver before placing it on his waist as the dragon folded up and landed in his free hand. Cody gripped the bottle tightly as he placed it into the dragon, as it too now changed but into the same colors as the Evol Driver did as he then pressed the button before inserting it back into the driver.
KAKUSEI!
GREAT CROSS-Z DRAGON!
"Impossible!"
With a glare, Cody gripped the crank as he began to turn and churn it, as the blonde gasped and groaned, feeling the Nebula power flow back into him. His eyes now having the same blue hue as he continued to crank the lever as the pipe base formed around him, summoning the armor as he stopped churning it.
ARE YOU READY?!
"HENSHIN!" Cody cried out as the armor collapsed on top of him, forming something familiar but new.
WAKE UP CROSS-Z! GET GREAT DRAGON!
YEEEEAAAAHHHH!
Once the armor formed, the previous Cross-Z wing armor cracked and shattered away to reveal a change in his armor. Whilst most of this armor was the same navy blue from before. What changed was the folded wings on his chest and shoulders, now adorning with the crimson red blood and gold as Evol did, even having his Cross-Z emblem he thought of once now on the center of his chest, while finally the helmet had changed too, now with a darker navy blue for the dragon face with red 'gem' eyes and a red scale crown that replaced the navy blue from before as a golden mouthpiece replaced the silver one.
This was no longer 'Cross-Z' but 'Great Cross-Z'
Great Cross-Z bellowed upon the reignition of the Evol Genes. He felt the familiar strength he had returned to him. The magic rejuvenated and him fully raring to go into the fray of the fight.
"I retook my genes! There should be no way for you to have your power back!" Evol growled in annoyance by this change.
"Well it is… and I'm going to repay you for everything you've done!" The returned Rider announced, lunging at Evol but this time added with the Phase Changes left over from Lily, adding onto his speed as one punch turned into twelve punches in a second.
Evol staggered before he extended his hand, surrounding himself and Cody in a dome of technoblades. The action stopped Great Cross-Z.
"Just because you regained it doesn't mean jack when I have gained this Semblance to create as many weapons as I want." He stopped the incoming arm of Great Cross-Z. The blades rained down, forcing the teen to act as he tried to hit the snake but at the same time feeling the blades graze his armor in their dance of punches and kicks.
"You may have 'gained' her Semblance, but you are still a novice compared to her abilities!" He noted, his flames igniting as he lashed out around him, quickly melting the blades from not just the intense heat but pressure as well as they shattered the moment they cooled off.
"You're just copying what you saw and nothing more!" Great Cross-Z stated as he slammed his fist into Evol's helmet, cracking it from the impact. "She used it with the smartest mind out of anyone I know!" He punched Evol across the cheek. "She taught me how to survive!" He swung his fist to the right. "She reminded me to keep fighting for my freedom! To rise up and keep fighting against you!"
Evol dropped down and kicked his leg upward, slamming his boot against the boy's chin. While the dragon rider reeled from the kick, he gripped Evol's shin. The human yelled and spun on his heel, turning around and threw the alien into a broken cabin.
"Are you risking killing you dear old sister who I am possessing? Oh wait, she is already dead! Don't you get it? Why fight me to save a dead girl?"
"Then that just means I have nothing to hold back against…" He glared at the snake, gripping the crank and started to churn it. "And if I know Lily? She already has a plan to get out of your grasp. Here I come, dad." He said the word with so much venom.
READY!? GO!
GREAT DRAGONIC FIN~ISH!
As a gold and red dragon formed from the Rider's fire, blasting it upon him, he flew towards Evol with his Rider Kick, at full power. Making sure the snake felt this attack from the pit of his soul as when the kick connects, the dragon construct follows behind, biting down and causing a powerful explosion from it, shattering Evol's armor.
The body of Lily rolled across the ground before coming to a stop. The young rider panting in response to using a lot of his strength for that attack, hoping it did something enough to force Evol out of Lily.
He cautiously approached before he saw Lily. Evol didn't even bother cleaning away the blood she lost when she fought him. He shakingly knelt down and nudged, getting no response. "Lily…? Come on, wake up." He got nothing. "L-Lily, come on I know you're there. Just like I did when you saved me."
"Cody…" Yang frowned sadly, unable to say much else even if she too wanted to believe things would work out.
"I know she's still alive in there… She has to be…." He shook the girl again and again. "Lily, stop joking please!" His eyes swelled with tears under his helmet. "Wake up…" he wept.
Evol was telling the truth… Lily was dead seconds before he possessed her.
"Wait… if… Lily is still dead… where did Evol go?" Ruby questioned the others.
Great Cross-Z snapped his head up. Ruby was right. If Lily was not responding did that mean…
He gasped and frantically stood up. His mind rang alerts on instinct. He grabbed Yang and Lily and rolled away, causing the others to disperse. A sharp rock erupted where he was.
"Th-That's impossible…" He uttered in horror.
"Huehehehehe~."
They froze. Fearfully they turned towards the village entrance to see a hovering orb that was red as blood.
"Surprise~?" Evol's voice echoed from it.
"I thought your true form would be just as ugly as your voice… Guess I was wrong." Yang frowned.
"Oh right." The orb glimmered before they gawked when it began to grow and mold itself. It reformed sickly and revealed a red monster that was like a snake due to the hood of his skin but held green dots that blinked.
"P-Please tell me that the genes you got don't let you do that, Cody." Ruby yelped.
"I pray to the gods I don't… I rather be dead than that ugly thing…" He responded with repulse.
The alien stretched widely, cracking his neck to the left and to the right. "Ahhh, much better! All that energy you released when I casted the spell worked wonderfully!"
"Spell…?"
"Reincarnation. Something I studied through Bat-chan's memories. Upon being with Vernage, it allowed her to see her memories which in turn, meant seeing Vernage's memories of every little spell during her lifetime."
"Th-That means…"
"Yup! Instead of reawakening in another body like aways, I can simply revive myself seconds before death! Haha! I feel so proud of myself! My brother would be so jealous if he saw this!"
"Then I'll just try again to turn you into ash!" Cody growled, gripping his driver again.
A tendril whipped the Rider, making him gag and crash into the others. It retreated back to Evol and picked up the box and Bottle. "Now then…" he opened a panel and placed it inside. Upon closing it, it glowed brightly. "Begin the lightshow."
It hovered off his hand, all the panels glowing and the box spun around rapidly. The box glowed brightly before releasing a small device that gently hovered and allowed Evol to hold it. The device looked to be a trigger with a turn gauge with a spiral barely showing, with a triple horn on top of it.
"Like I said… you have already lost."
OVER THE EVOLUTION
With the Trigger activated, Evol placed it onto the right of his buckle, clicking it into place.
"Now… the whole world shall bear witness what I am! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Evol was shrouded in a pitch black twister that sent everyone flying and crashing on the dirt. The twister grew taller as everyone witnessed it.
"W-We're too late…" Ruby uttered in horror.
A violet light was seen in the dark twister, earning more dread from everyone.
BLACK HOLE! BLACK HOLE! BLACK HOLE!
REVOLUTION!
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE…!
The voice of the belt's systems echoed and high in the sky was Evol… only his armor was different. While his arms and legs held the armor of his previous stages, his body armor, shoulders. and the helmet was not. They were white as snow with a black under color across the armored segments. A black waist-covering fluttered against the wind as the ends of it were red as blood. The helmet was the most ominous as it was similar to his Stage 1 but it held extra armor segments with a pink-red line running across the lens of his helmet and a dot in the center, similar to looking into the void of a black hole.
"Final Stage… complete." Evol ominously announced with delight.
He landed on the dirt, his arms spread like wings and laughed. The whole world has finally witnessed his final form. The bottomless black hole that he was within the vast cosmos.
"I won't let you do this!" Cody hissed, rushing towards Evol to fight back. "HRAAAAAHHHH!" When he swung, Evol suddenly vanished in a small black hole. "Eh-"
And reappeared, grabbing the Rider and slammed him into the ground several times. With the teen down, he threw him up and spun his arm, black energy gathering into his limb. The moment Cody drew near, Evol punched him directly in the chest, sending him flying across the village.
The rider, now out of his armor as he coughed and gagged out blood from the attack, showing that once again Evol's strength surpassed what he had before, as it only made Yang rush over with worry to help him back up once again.
"Ahh, to feel my power again after so many centuries! I feel so rejuvenated!" Evol spun around, looking up at the sky. "The full might I had now ready to eat this world! My precious Tower, here I come so I can eat! Remnant is now mine! Huehehe… AHAHAHAHAHA!"
Cody trembled in fear as did everyone. With Evol finally at full power, they have no way to stop him.
To be continued…