(Beginning Author's Note: Hmmmmm... Here we are at last. After months of nothing, a new chapter to vol 2 of Green tide finally arrives. I won't be surprised if no one takes note of this at first, I won't blame you. Rather, I blame myself for taking so long, but that's something for the EAN. Honestly, I just don't have much to say here, so I'll just cut to the reviews.

To Merendinoemiliano: I thank you. I like to think my battle choreography is pretty good for what it is. As for Nora, yes, I am glad she was used well. She's actually become one of my favorite characters! And Jaune serving Myrmidia... If I remember right, she's a goddess of mercy and justice, yes? Hmm, yes, actually, I think that's a good fit for the blondie. I thank you again! I must also thank you for (hopefully) not giving up on this story and waiting patiently for a new chapter. I am grateful.

To DemonicOrder: I fear it's a little late to likewise say happy new year, but I do hope this year is going well for you too. Yeah, Terra is killed, Nelson's the cultist (head cultist, actually), and those students... well, you'll see. And Argus's fate shall indeed be decided. In parts, however. And yeah, I also wish this was a show. It'd be so cool! But I must also thank you for (hopefully) not giving up on this story and waiting for a new chapter to eventually come out. I am grateful.

Now, at last, we can begin the latest chapter of the Crashing Tide.)

"Change is a scary thing, isn't it?"

Nelsyrwe gazed at each of his students, probing their minds for an answer.

"Indeed, there was a time when I feared, feared, change…" His back was turned to them, facing a blank whiteboard. "Humans were becoming the more dominant race, Chaos was growing stronger, and to top it off, a race of green mushrooms created a dimensional rift into Remnant. An entirely different world! One with total human power! I felt disgust, yet also curiosity. Then, with His blessing, I understood. Of course, one could more appropriately say…" He turned to face the class dramatically as the sigil of Tzeentch glowed strong on the whiteboard and cried "We ALL have!"

The class' eyes all instantly turned into swirls of blues and pinks and golds as everyone stood up, crying many different things.

"Yeah! He showed us the right way, for sure!"

"You said it, Teach! Keep it up! Keep it up!"

"Oooohh, thank you, Wind Lord! How I wish you could bless us further!"

Nelsyrwe smiled, and then he said "Now then, class, are you all ready?"

When everyone nodded, the High Elf grinned and said "Then let's show that even the greatest sanctum can be breached." But just then, the door burst open to reveal Jaune Arc, weapons drawn yet held back by a band of school faculty. "Stop it, you crazy kid!" One cried, but Jaune pointed at Nelsyrwe with his sword and said "Don't you see?! He is a cultist! Let me go before he–" but he never finished as Nelsyrwe recovered from his initial surprise and shot a gout of pink and blue flames towards the door. Jaune raised his shield, but the others burned into fleshy goo around him. He held back the urge to gag, and once the flames stopped gave a warcry as he charged, sword raised. But one of the students, wielding a bladed chain-whip, caught Jaune's ankle and yanked him towards the students. There were 18 students, and they all began jumping off of the desks and chairs to reach Jaune. He held out his shield and bashed aside one student, then crashed into another in a tangle of chairs.

Jaune quickly got up and ducked under a left-hook, uppercutting with his shield, then slashing down another student. Their Auras were tough, so they weren't getting terribly hurt. Good for Jaune because he's not gravely injuring them, bad for Jaune because they just get right back up and into the fight. "Gah!" he cried, one student with a spear stabbing him in the back. Thankfully, his armor stopped it from penetrating deeper, but now it was stuck. "Just as planned." the spear-wielder grinned, then with sudden strength lifted Jaune into the air, still stuck on the spear. "Nice going! Now, big boy, iiiit's punishment tiiiiiiime!" the chain-whip girl said before lashing his body with her weapon.

W-psh

W-psh

W-psh

W-psh

Jaune's Aura was flickering every time she struck, and looking over to Nelsyrwe he saw he pulled up a board showing Jaune's Aura compared to the students'. His was falling, and quickly. He tried wriggling around, but he was firmly stuck on the spear. The spear-wielder laughed and said "Keep trying, pal! See what happens!" But Jaune ignored him and suddenly got an idea. With all his body weight, he leaned as far back as he could, and as he did the spearman was crying "H-hey, hold on. Stop! You're too heavy to lean—NYAAAAAHHHAGH!" before crashing into desks and chairs behind him. His grip on his spear loosened, Jaune managed to get away, but not reach safety as a student with two flails was spinning around like a whirlwind toward him. Jaune was trapped, but he looked at the spear (still stuck in him) and grinned, saying "Just as planned, right?" before violently spinning around, the long spear half knocking the flail-wielder down and the other students who followed behind. Jaune spun and spun, tripping and knocking down many students, but one who held a tower shield and halberd shouted "Alright, enough of that!" and slammed his weapon down on the spear-tip, cutting it out of Jaune's back (and also nearly hitting Jaune). Jaune leaped away and raised his shield, the halberd-wielder doing the same. The other students circled them, some chanting "Fight, fight, fight, fight…" as Jaune lowered his sword suddenly. The crowd groaned in disappointment, and his opponent was confused, but with a "HYAAAAAAAAHHH!" Jaune threw his sword like a javelin as he suddenly ran towards his foe with great speeds. The sword obviously got stuck in the tower shield, but it went so deep it nearly struck the foe's face. "What the…!" he cried before swinging his halberd in an arc, but Jaune leaped over it, shield in front of him like a surfboard, and he crashed atop his enemy. He then kicked away the tower shield before bashing the enemy's face with his own. He kept going at it until the Aura meter was depleted, then he stepped back and quickly grabbed his sword, looking around him at the circle of foes. But they didn't attack, they parted. And through them walked Nelsyrwe, now wearing Tzeentchian robes and holding a staff topped with His sigil.

"Jaune Arc… Poor, poor, unlearned Jaune Arc. Why fight us, we who can open your eyes?" the High Elf said, his voice calm and soothing. He neared Jaune, who defensively raised his shield, but the Elf merely raised a hand and lowered the shield, saying "Trust in my words, Jaune Arc. I am more wise than you know or ever will be. The Lord of Change is not a bad entity, he merely brings change. To make things and people different, more than they are now, better." He placed a hand on Jaune like a kindly old advisor and said "Will you not listen first? Hear my words of wisdom as these others have? Trust, my friend, trust that Tzeentch will not steer you wrong. He hasn't to us." Jaune looked into his eyes, and he could see Daemons within them, mocking him. His face changed into disgust and he pushed Nelsyrwe away from him, crying "NO! I won't listen to anything you have to say, fiend! And I won't allow you to defile Pyrrha's school any longer!" With that, Jaune quickly bashed Nelsyrwe with his sword, knocking him back as the students all converged on him. But Jaune was quick, and with a great shout cut off the Elf's head. The students paused shortly, and they all let out a great wailing and gnashing of their teeth.

"TEEEAACHEEEEERRR!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"You'll pay for that, bastard!"

"But… is he really dead? No devout Tzeentchian should fall that easily…"

"Nevertheless, we must avenge him all the same!"

"KILL HIM!"

Jaune stood there, weapons ready and cried "Come on, then!" as he waited for their attacks.

Elsewhere in Argus, Ruby was talking with Teclis as they walked through the streets. "So you see, Miss Rose, that Mallus is a truly sad world. Indeed, compared to yours, I don't doubt many would want to live here, Grimm or no." Teclis said. Ruby looked grim and asked "Is it really that bad?" Teclis said "Yes—Well… Hmmm, I guess it really depends. There are a few good places in the world… the Empire, Cathay, Athel Loren, and of course Ulthuan… But I'd say in the end not even those lands are safe from all the evils of our world." Ruby looked down at her feet, then up at the sky and asked "How… How can you stand it? Chaos… Beastmen… Dark Elves… Giant rat-people…"

"Skaven, actually."

"Oh, right. Urhm… I just… It's a lot to take in, y'know? How do you deal with it all? Living in such a cruel world? And with those bad guys coming here… W–... Will Remnant become like your world? N-no offense!"

Teclis gave a small chuckle and said "Ah, the curiosity and despairing of Mankind… No matter what world, it always seems to creep up on you. We deal with it, Ruby, because we must. To protect all that we hold dear, we must face such unimaginable horrors. We must risk our lands, lives, and very souls if we wish to keep them and those of our peoples'." He then knelt down and faced Ruby, saying "Just as I know you wish to do. You've lost your Kingdom, your home, and many of your friends. And yet… you are here, in Argus. You have not succumbed to sorrow and despair like many humans I have met throughout the centuries, indeed…" He shot up and spread his arms wide over their surroundings, "your hope has perhaps risen! Risen above past defeats to protect those who may face similar fates as Vale! I've been in Remnant for not as long as I have Mallus, but I have seen its own cruelties. Seen what makes it such a dangerous world… Yet I have also seen Huntsmen and Huntresses continue to battle against them. With curiosity and despair is also determination and hope. Determination to understand the ways of the world and the hope to fix it, or save it as well as you can. And in regards to our worlds colliding… One can only hope the most that happens is transport between the two. But hear this clearly, Ruby Rose… Through darkness and danger is light and peace. It just needs to be found." Teclis patted her on the shoulder and said "Apologies if I rambled on there a bit. Now, where are your companions? I should give them that little speech too, to lift their spirits."

Ruby replied "Dunno. But I'll be sure to pass on the message. Thank you, Teclis." She sniffled, and quickly looked away as Teclis eyed her, saying "Oh my. I didn't expect my words to be tear-inducing. I'm quite a good orator!" Ruby wiped her nose and said "What?! N-n-no! I-I'm just cold! Argus is a pretty chilly p-place, ya know?" Teclis laughed "Of course, of course!" and they walked on again.

They neared the town's great wall, and imagine their surprise when they saw Gillie accosting people in the street, saying such things like "YOU! Hold still!" or "Wait a moment, citizen! I must check something." or "Good afternoon. Have you happened to hear the good word of our lord and savior Sigmar Heldenhammer?" or even "AH-HAAAA! Stop there, possible-cultist!" As he shouted these things, he either began chanting a prayer or thrusting an amulet of Simgar in the person's face. Nothing ever happened. Gillie then spotted the two and smiled, waving as he cried "Ruby! Teclis! Hopefully you two have some news on any hiding cults!" Ruby replied "I did find this small little hideout in an alley, if that helps." Gillie nodded and said "It does! I'll inform Cordovin. I had hoped my prayers and amulet might cause the fiends to reveal themselves through their heretical cringing (you people of Remnant have such interesting words), but to no avail." Ruby chuckled and rubbed the back of her head, saying "Eheheh, yeah… about the hideout… I already cleared it. Or, I knocked everyone out cold, anyways." Gillie and Teclis looked at her, both thinking "And she's not disturbed by what she may have seen?" before Gillie said "Ahem. Good job, Ruby. I shall go there and clear it out. Was it that suspiciously-darker-than-the-others alley?"

"Yup!"

"Right. Off I go—" but before he could get far, a Tzentchian cultist flew out of a high-up window, screaming as he fell atop the Warrior Priest. Then, from the same broken window emerged Ren, his twin guns dug into the chest of an armored cultist, bullets repeatedly hitting him. He crashed to the ground beside the others, turning to them with a curt nod before saying "Ruby. Gillie. Teclis. Glad to see you're all here. We could… use the help." Teclis said "Really? You seem to have—Wait. Waitwaitwait." He looked around, up and down before saying "Where's No—"

"RRAAAAAAAHAHAAHHAAAHAHAAA!"

Bursting through the broken window (now making it a large hole) came a terrible monster with blue skin, multiple eyes, and thrashing tentacles emerging from its mouth, eye sockets, and gangly arms. Its legs were also a mass of tentacles because why not. And riding atop it, the pointy-end of the hammer dug into its head, was Nora. One hand held the hammer while the other was holding back one of the reaching tendrils, occasionally slapping the abomination's own head with it. What few pedestrians that were still around were fleeing as the monster crashed into the ground (making a small crater) before roaring as it began thrashing about in no particular direction.

"...Nora…" Teclis finished, looking at the monster with narrowed eyes. Ruby stumbled back in shock and said "Wh-what… what is…" Gillie answered "Chaos Spawn. Horrific, mutated creatures born from those Chaos followers who were given too many mutations or simply irked their patron god. I didn't think…" He stopped himself, then cried "Nevermind. Forward, and kill it quickly!" He and Ruby rushed forward, with Ren charging from the side and already firing his guns. One of the Spawn's tentacles rose as a shield to tank the bullets before lashing out at Ren, only for him to jump and stab his gun's blades into it. The Spawn roared in rage, the tentacle (with Ren on it) moving back as it then swung at Gillie and Ruby. Gillie slammed his hammer down on the tentacle and Ruby activated her Semblance and zipped through two more tendrils. She then pulled out Crescent Rose and sliced off the mouth-tentacles. Again the Spawn roared only to be cut off by Nora who whacked it with her hammer and shouting "Quiet down! You're gonna lose anyways!" Ren, still hanging onto the tentacle, cried "Nora! Maybe… don't treat the monster as a horse! Whoa!" He got flung off the tentacle and into a wall, quickly ducking as a pointed tentril stabbed into the crater he was just in. Looking up, Ren jumped and sliced the tendril into pieces before running to Gillie who grabbed his shirt and threw him at the beast's face. Ren stabbed into its eye sockets and began spraying all his bullets into its face as Ruby and Gillie chopped and crushed its tentacles. Teclis was there… he just looked on and muttered "Ehhhh… I'll just… stand here, then." He then smiled and said "I'm not needed anyways."

B-BOOOOOOOM!

Suddenly, he turned in the direction of a great explosion. He saw the flying debris and rising smoke, and the others heard it too. "What was tha-aa—ahahaAAAAHH!" Nora cried as a tendril grabbed her legs and began swinging her around. "NORA!" Ren cried, and he leaped and sliced the tentacle, allowing Nora to grab Magnhild, turn it to its gun-form, and stick it down the Spawn's open mouth. She grinned and said "See ya, Spawny!" before blowing it up. "AGH!" Ruby cried as a flying tentacle smacked her in the face, knocking her on her back. Gillie got a bunch of blue blood in his face, and Ren and Nora both fell into the top of a nearby tree. Teclis just side-stepped the flying body parts, and walked to each of the fighters and healed them, saying "Well done everyone! A good battle, though I admit I expected the Spawn to fight back more. Must have been a rather weak one… or newly-turned." He used his magic to levitate Ren and Nora (who cried "Wheee!" as she floated) out of the tree, and said "But now we must turn to Sanctum. That explosion we heard came from around there, and I fear for Jaune's safety." A look of realization came on Ruby's face as she said "Oh! I just remembered, I passed Jaune sometime earlier. He didn't stop though. He just kept running… right towards Sanctum." She turned to the smoke's direction, and as Gillie said "Let's move!" she was running.

They raced through the town, and soon the academy was within sight, only radically different. The smoke suddenly began changing colors and whipping around like it was sentient, the skies were a crystal blue, and the students and faculty were struggling against Tzeentchian cultists and a few Chaos Spawn. "AAAGAGAAGAHHHHAAGGHH!" screamed one student as the smoke swirled around him, his body turning into the very same smoke until he was lost in the wind. Another was running from a cultist only to trip. "No, no NOOOOO!" she cried, the cultist stabbing around her heart, carving it out amid her screams. A teacher runned to help only for a Spawn to leap in front of him and belch, the foul breath melting his flesh and leaving behind a skeleton. On all of this the new arrivals looked on; Teclis and Gillie grimly, the other three with terror and revulsion. But Teclis suddenly turned and shouted "Nelsyrwe?!"

Near the academy's main door, making his way down the steps, was Nelsyrwe and his class, knocking back anyone who rushed at them. Nelsyrwe looked ahead and waved at Teclis before smacking back a cultist with his staff. He and his class formed a tight knot and began fighting their way through to the front gate. Nora hefted her hammer and said "C'mon, we have to get in there! YAAAAAHHH!" She rushed in, slamming her hammer down on a Spawn's claw as Ren chased after her. Gillie and Teclis went in next, reaching a group of students and teachers, and Ruby charged in last, stopping just a moment when she saw someone else emerge from the school. Jaune Arc, bloody, limping, and tired, rushed out and looked around before seeing Ruby. "Jaune!" Ruby said, and went over to his side in a moment with her Semblance and helped him stand upright as she said "Jaune? Jaune, talk to me. What's happening?" Jaune didn't look at her, he simply pointed his sword (his shield was broken in two, the upper half gone) at Nelsyrwe and said "Him… This is all his doing!" Ruby followed the sword and said "What? Nelson?!" Jaune nodded and began to suddenly run, sword raised as he threw it right into Nelsyrwe's back, the Elf crying "AAAIIEEEEAAGAH!?" A Spawn quickly tackled Jaune, but as they were tumbling the boy punched the beast's face over and over. "You… Won't… Get… In my… WAAAAAAAAYYY!" Jaune screamed, pummeling the Spawn right off of him before stabbing it down the throat with a nearby sword. Jaune struggled to his feet and violently turned to see Nelsyrwe, sword still in his back, but now among Teclis and the others. "GUYS! It's Nelsyrwe! NELSYRWE'S THE LEAD CULTIST!" he cried as he ran.

Teclis looked from him to Nelsyrwe and said "Nelson… I trust this isn't true? I've known you for decades. You wouldn't–!" Nelsyrwe coughed blood and said "Of course I wouldn't! It's Jaune who's the cultist! That lowly, filthy, baseborn, lying, daemon-worshipping piece of sh—?!"

But before he could finish, Nora leaped in and slammed him in the face with her hammer. Gillie did the same, hitting the flying Elf into the ground. Teclis stood there unfazed, saying "Nelsyrwe… The High Elf I know with that name would not hesitate to immediately kill Jaune. He's both a human and a cultist, so of course you'd kill him in an instant. So why's he still alive? Why's he fighting his own cultist friends? Hmmm? Tell me, Nelson!" Nelsyrwe slowly got to his feet, a barbed tentacle sprouting from his shoulder and ripping out Jaune's sword.

"...I always hated that nickname."

Quick as a snake, the Elf's tentacle raced towards Ruby (whose back was turned to him) and stabbed her, only for the blade to bounce off the Aura. "Ahhg!" Ruby cried, stumbling forward from the force of the stab and nearly getting beheaded by a cultist. She threw her weapon into the air and cartwheeled to the side, catching it and swinging down on the foe, cutting him in half. "Ueuegh…" Ruby shivered, quickly turning away from the dead cultist. Nelsyrwe meanwhile sprouted another tendril and launched both at Gillie while the Elf himself launched barrages of spells at Teclis. The Loremaster easily blocked, parried and countered all the magical attacks, but Nelsyrwe cried "Block them all you like, Teclis! I'm as fast as a gatling when it comes to spellcasting! As for your mortal friends, they won't last long, hahahaha!"

"Oh yeah?! Then try this!" Nora cried, coming in low with a golf-swing attack and slamming into the Elf's chest. "HURMPH!?" he choked as he was sent flying. With the tendrils out of Gillie's way, he then kissed him hammer and said "Most Holy Sigmar, guide my hammer and let it strike true! Let it smite the Daemons where they stand!" before throwing it towards Nelsyrwe and clocking him right in the head. "Ahhhh…" he moaned as he flew threw the air, before crashing amongst his students. "Teacher!" they cried, and formed a defensive circle about him. The Tzeentchian cultists were still fighting, but as they began to converge on Team GRRNJ and Teclis, the Loremaster calmly stepped forward. "W-wait, Teclis! There're too many! Let's just work together and—" Ruby called out, but Nore patted her shoulder with a knowing grin and said "Don't worry. You'll wanna see this."

"POWER WORD: KILL"

"Power word what?" the cultists all asked before suddenly being disintegrated in a blinding white light. Once it died down, the courtyard was empty save for the survivors of the academy along with the students around Nelsyrwe. It was then that Atlesian soldiers arrived, one crying "Everyone stay where you are! The Argus Police have arrived!" Troops were rushing in through the gate or over the walls as they surrounded everyone in the courtyard. But even as they moved, the students around Nelsyrwe began to shoot at them. One, two, four, troops were dropping quickly, and one cried "S-subdue them! Hurry-YEAAGH!" before getting shot himself. Nelsyrwe then stood up, a dark blue glow covering his body.

"Aura…" Teclis noted grimly. The others looked on as Nelsyrwe grinned widely and looked his body over, saying "Ah, I had forgotten about this little trick. You know, you mortals of Remnant can be more resourceful than the ones of Mallus…" He looked straight at Team GRRNJ and said "...when you think of about it." In a flash he was right in front of Teclis, an using the butt of his staff he smacked him in the face, then hit him in the gut, bending Teclis over, then swinging upwards he sent the Loremaster flying through the air. "Mr. Teclis!" Ruby cried, using her Semblance to fly up and catch him. Gillie roared as he raised his hammer, but Nelsyrwe raised his hand and a hole opened. Gillie's hammer fell in, and appeared right above his own head, hitting himself. "Why hit yourself, Warrior Priest? Your enemy is right before you." Nelsyrwe laughed, and leaped back as Nora came from the side with a wide swing. Lightning then crackled in his hand, and Nora grinned and said "Ohhh, lightning! I'm so scaaaaared! Come on, sissy, do it! I dare you!" Gillie made to pull her back, but Ren grabbed him and shook his head, saying "Wait."

Nelsyrwe shot out his hand, only for water to blast out instead of lightning, leaving a dumbstruck Nora to go "Huh…?" before being blasted away by water. Jaune growled and grabbed his sword, and now dual-wielding he rushed at Nelsyrwe with a cry and swung in an arc, high with one sword and low with the other. Nelsyrwe blocked both by extending his staff (using it as a blocker) while he stepped back, then flicked it forward to bop Jaune on the head. "Damn pointy-ear!" Jaune yelled, swinging one sword down on him, but as Nelsyrwe side-stepped Jaune swung his other sword, striking him in the side. The Aura appeared, shimmering briefly, and Nelsyrwe smirked before raising a hand up in Jaune's face and blasting him with actual lightning. As Jaune flew back, Teclis and Ruby came in from the side and attacked Nelsyrwe, Ruby swinging Crescent Rose downwards twice before then turning and swinging in an arc while Teclis shot a hail of magic missiles, all converging from different areas. And even then, Nora and Gillie and Ren came up from behind, with Jaune not too far behind. Nelsyrwe looked around him wildly, but too late could he do anything.

Ruby's slashes caught him unawares, making him cry "Aghk! You pest!" and even as he raised a barrier to block the missiles Ren peppered him from one side, leaving him vulnerable to Nora and Gillie who came from the sides and sandwiched his head between their hammers. "Gyahaaaahhh…!" he cried, mouth hanging open as the barrier began to disappear. Ren continued spraying, Nelsyrwe's Aura flaring up, and as everyone began to launch another attack the Elf screamed incoherently as he slammed his staff into the ground. Above them all appeared a blue, avian eye, but from it blasted out a dozen Chaos Spawn. One had great wings (and no other appendages) from which it shot hails of razor-sharp feathers, another had six large arms that each held a massive weapon, and another was covered in sharp-tooth mouths that each breathed some element (like fire, water, lightning and so forth). Nelsyrwe said "I must ask for my Master's aid after all… Heh…" before swinging his staff around him widely, making everyone jump back, and then turning to flee. "No, no, no… NO! He's getting away!" Jaune cried, rushing after him only to be swatted aside by a Spawn with 5 snaking heads, each one with a singular eye and a large mouth. He blocked two on his right with his sword, then the two on the left with his other, and as the 5th came zooming in he quickly removed his swords. The four heads all crashed into each other as Jaune leaped up and kicked the 5th head back before falling atop the other four, stabbing his two swords down in them.

"Jaune!" Nora cried, but as she ran to his aid Teclis stopped her and cried "Wait, Miss Valkyrie!" before raising a shield and blocking all the sharp feathers that flew towards them. "He seems to be in control now, it is these Spawn which must be destroyed first. Plant your feet!" Nora planted her feet, and as the flying Spawn took flight, Teclis slammed his staff into the ground and sent Nora flying straight towards the beast, hammer reared back and ready.

Nelsyrwe's students surrounded Ruby, Ren and Gillie, and as the one with the whip attacked first, Gillie grabbed it and allowed himself to be swung around, only so he could clock one of the students with his hammer before letting go and crashing into the whip-wielder herself. As he did this, Ruby zoomed through a couple students and appeared behind them. They turned, and the spear-wielder immediately lunged while the rifleman stepped back in shock before leveling his gun and firing. Ruby leaned aside, dodging the bullet while also parrying the spear thrust with a swing of her scythe. As the rifleman prepared to fire again, the spear-wielder lunged again. Ruby did the same as before, side-stepping the spear, only for the spear-wielder to grin and violently swing his spear to the side, slamming into Ruby and sending her to the ground.

"A simple trick. But all deceits are welcomed by the Architect of Fate." he said, then raised his spear to slam into Ruby's gut while the rifleman had his gun trained on her should she move. Which she did as a flurry of rose petals. The spear struck nothing but dirt, and the rifleman was so shocked he fired wildly into the air after the blur of red with an "Aahhagah?!" He growled and shouted "HOLD STILL!" as he reloaded, and Ruby appeared from behind and roundhouse kicked him to the ground. She then turned Crescent Rose to its sniper form, loaded a Wind Dust bullet, and fired at the rushing spearman. All at once the spearman felt like he got hit by a train, a whirlwind, and a missile as he began flying faaaaaaaar away, screaming "AAAAEEEIIEIEAAAAAAAHHH!" Ruby couldn't help but wave a hand and shout "SORRY! I made sure you were in front of the water, so you should have a safe landing!" She then turned to the rifleman, who was stumbling to his feet, then with a "Hiyaaaah!" roundhouse kicked him again, this time knocking him out as he mumbled "C'mon, man… Again…?"

"Ruby! Have you finished yet?! I could use a hand here!" Gillie cried, elbowing down an archer before slamming his hammer into a halberd-man's tower shield. The halberd-man then lunged with his weapon, penetrating Gillie's armor but not harming him as his golden Aura gleamed for a moment. Then from behind came a girl with a bunch of pistols strapped to her, and just as she was about to fire Ruby zoomed in and knocked her to the ground. "You little—!" the girl cried before backing away from a swing of Ruby's scythe. The girl then pulled out her pistols and fired, Ruby doing the same, and a veritable gunfight ensued. Back and forth they shot, Ruby using her Semblance and Huntress training to dodge the bullets while the pistol girl side-stepped, barrel-rolled, and even bent backwards while on her feet, all while still shooting. Gillie continued to battle the halberd-man when a student with a greatsword ran up from behind and slashed across Gillie's back. "AGH! Ruby!" Gillie cried, but it was then that Jaune and Nora were both flying into view and crashing into Ruby. Ren was dangling from a Spawn's tentacle, his guns embedded into it, trying to tear himself free. Ruby looked around at the even worse carnage, eyes wide and mouth gasping quickly.

Suddenly, flashes appeared. Sanctum began to look more like Beacon.

The Spawn and students looked more like Greenskins.

And everywhere her eyes darted, she saw a wraith-like figure flit between the bodies.

Ruby could not see its face clearly, nor the rest of its body. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring Gillie's slow-sounding cry of "ROSE!" and Nora's shout "Hey, h-hey! Ruby, you okay?!" But Ruby heard none of this, instead she kept her gaze glued to the wraith, watching and following it as it flitted randomly throughout the courtyard.

"Many people say that when a rose has thorns, it becomes undesirable. For who would want something that's both beautiful, and can harm them? Careless idiots, I think. After all…"

The wraith suddenly turned and looked at Ruby, silver eyes staring into her own.

"...to have, and to love, something like that ought to make a man the most joyous of all."

Then everything became lighter again. The wraith vanished, everything went back to its normal speed, and Ruby suddenly closed her eyes and grasped at them, muttering "Ngh… M-my eyes… they hurt…!" before turning and seeing Ren slam into the ground next to her, coughing and clutching his throat. "Ruby! What's the matter with you?!" Gillie shouted, grabbing her shoulders and turning her towards him. "Now is not the time to lose yourself. Get up, and help end this accursed battle!" Ruby opened her eyes wide, and looking around she saw Jaune impaling the Spawn with multiple arms while Nora shot the flying Spawn out of the sky before taking her hammer and slamming it deeper into the ground, crushing it's head. "Right…" she said shakily, then as she got to her feet, seeing Teclis continue to battle Nelsyrwe and protect the Sanctum survivors while Gillie battled the corrupt students, she more firmly said "Right!"

In a flurry of rose petals, she zipped from student to student, knocking them down and out of the fight. Gillie smiled and turned to face the multi-headed Spawn, leaping aside one strike. He shouted loudly as he jumped up, grabbed one of the necks, and slammed it into the ground, stepping on it as he raised his hammer and brought it down on the head, smushing it. Ruby meanwhile zoomed straight at a particularly large Spawn and pulled out Crescent Rose, slicing right through the beast as she struck a perfect landing, turning the scythe back to a sniper, and shooting Nelsyrwe right in the back.

"AAHHH—GTYAAAGH!" the Elf shouted, first from the bullet and secondly from the lightning bolt Teclis blasted out. He skidded backwards, but turning on his feet he angrily turned on Ruby who readied her scythe for a swing.

Only for Nelsyrwe to open his eyes so wide it appeared unnatural, and shout "Daemon See, Daemon Do!" as a light erupted from his eyes and enveloped Ruby. She quickly used her Semblance to escape, but her own eyes widened when she saw a speeding blur of blue, leaving behind blue feathers, zooming right at her before revealing itself to be Nelsyrwe. He smacked her to the ground with his staff before pointing at her with a clawed finger and shoot pink lighting at her. "E-E-E-E-EYYAAAAAAGAHHGHHH!" Ruby screamed as her Aura desperately tried to beat back the attack, but it wasn't fast enough. "You filthy apes. I'll fry you all to crisps personally, if I must!" Nelsyrwe shouted before suddenly getting tackled from the side. A hammer then crushed his face into the ground, though his Aura held. "Who dares—?!" he shouted, shooting the figure with pink and blue lightning from both hands (his staff having rolled away). The person grunted and gave a few shouts, but they did not scream, and once Nelsyrwe was done, he looked at Nora with shock and fear as the lightning coursed through her and she said "Not if I fry you first!"

Then she reared Magnhild back, and as Nelsyrwe stumbled to get up and flee, she hit him. She hit him, discharging all the electricity stored up in her, so hard he flew right through the walls of Sanctum, crashing into it as rubble and debris began to fall atop him. With that, Nora let out a cough and a sigh before falling to her knees and gasping. "That… That's not people-friendly lightning…" she muttered, before turning and helping Ruby (and herself, using Magnhild as a post) get up. "Thanks." Ruby smiled, and Nora replied "Don't mention it. That's what teammates do." before they turned and looked at the rest of the foes being cleared up by either the military or their team. Or Teclis, who just raises his hand and turns them to dust. The corrupt students began waking up, confusion evident on their faces as they were being taken away, and Teclis was saying to Cordovin "These children were merely brainwashed, whatever part they had to play in all this was surely not of their choosing. Please, be lenient with them."

Cordovin huffed and said "They disrupted the peace of Argus with the intent to kill." She gestured to the bodies strewn about. "They have killed. Brainwashing or not, they will be held accountable for their actions. But… I will see what exactly I can do for them." Teclis smiled and said "That is all I ask." He then turned to Team GRRNJ and said "Ah! And here are our champions of the hour! Thanks to you all, I believe we've rooted out the foul corruption of Argus." Gillie said "Are you sure? We haven't truly searched the city's entirety." Teclis nodded and said "I'm sure. No one else could be the cult leader besides Nelso—Nelsyrwe. He wouldn't allow it." He looked somber then, looking towards Sanctum and then the sea, saying "Never before have I thought a day like this would come. It's both saddening, and yet unsurprising, considering the few Cults of Pleasure back home that remain." He then sighed, tapped the ground with his staff, and said "But no matter. Everything has ended quite nicely for us, though I wish we could have questioned Nelsyrwe on his actions. It was like he was gathering forces for an attack…"

Cordovin then cut in, saying "Perhaps Yukibofu's silence has something to do with it. Maybe Greenskins never took it… the people simply fell to this "Tzeentch". If so, then I would ask this of you…" She turned to Team GRRNJ. "Can you go and investigate? It's a three day journey, but the roads have been kept in well-enough condition so you won't do any side-tracking. You needn't do anything more. Just find out what's happened, and let us handle the rest."

The team looked amongst themselves before all nodding, and Gillie said "We'll set off at first light."

Later that night

"Ngh… AGH… Hrrng!"

"It's not fair… How? How could I lose? The Master laid it all out before me. I saw what had to be done! Rally the cultists, destroy Sanctum… What went wrong?!" Nelsyrwe cried as he staggered his way through the woods. He was heading nowhere, wounded and alone, the sound of crunching snow beneath him the only thing keeping him conscious (that, and his shame and hatred at failure). But then he paused. Crunching snow, and yet not from his own feet. Many.

"Well, this must be him." a voice said.

"I dunno. Masky didn't say anything about him having pointy ears." said another.

"Well, I heard him say that." a third voice said, followed by a fourth going "True! He muttered, like, something about a pointy-eared pawn."

Nelsyrwe whipped around, and standing before him was a small group of Greenskins and humans. The oddest thing he's seen, really. One, with a cane, lifted it up and pointed it at him while saying "Either way, let's just take care of this guy now."

"Yeah." the others all said, drawing their weapons.

Nelsyrwe tried to run, tried to shout "W-wait! I can help—" only to get his legs taken from under him as everyone converged on him, weapons firing and slashing.

Once the deed was done, Melanie stood up and stretched, asking "So… now what?" and Miltia added "I thought we were trying to crush that Ruby girl and her friends. The more I think about it, the more I can't stand the thought of someone else rocking red." She huffed and fluffed her jacket while Neo rolled her eyes and made snowballs. Yaklak and Naklak also made snowballs, but were throwing them at each other while Gorlasg looked around until he paused.

"What is it, Greeny?" Roman asked, following his gaze until he also paused. Soon the others joined, and they all watched as a legion of Greenskins were marching further beyond, grim and quiet. Squeal Sleds moved past as Ice Orcs hefted their frozen weapons. A few Black Orcs were in the mix, towering and dangerous. Gorlasg grinned, and he said "I 'fink I jus' found where we gotta go next." before he and the others followed along. On the road towards Argus.

(Ending Author's Note: Well there it is. It's done. Now to get to the big stuff.

You see, for the longest time since the last chapter, I've... not really quit writing, just lost interest. Writer's block and all that. I wasn't sure if it was all worth it, in the sense of spending much of my time writing fanfiction. I thought about just taking an indefinite break until I could get back into it. However... I got back into it much earlier than I thought when I looked through things. I saw how people were still following and favorite-ing not just Greentide, but my other stories too. I've been getting offers for artwork (one person even wants to make one of my stories into an actual comic! It's called Witchcraft and Sudden Sorcery), and I simply remembered how fun it was to write. Plus, there were you guys who stuck through it all no matter how long. I say that genuinely, and I am forever glad to have fans like you all. I cannot say when the next chapter will come out, nor can I say when anything might get done about this story (or others), but know that I have not given up. Know I will always try to get them done, to write and enjoy my work and not leave it abandoned and undone.

This is TaleBearer42Day, wandering writer of stories, former employee of Tzeentch, a simple guy living his life, and someone who hopes to write for years to come. Farewell for now.)

"May your Tales be told and never end!" - TaleBearer42Day