Chapter 66 - The Sons of God
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. - Job 1:6
The silence weighed heavy. Anvils on his shoulders, and growing weighter with every slow passing minute. Jaune's body felt stiff as a tree in winter, but his mind whirled like an overworked machine. Turning over a hundred and one questions and fearing every possible answer. Eventually, Jaune was able to open his mouth and whisper. "You want me to stop a war?"
The Superior had begun to light an incense. He set the burning sticks in a bowl and white smoke curled gently out of it. The room filled with a resinous, wooden smell. "Indeed. But I suppose that is a big request to take in so suddenly. Let's circle back to it. I suspect you have some questions of your own."
Jaune would rather have stayed on topic, considering the outlandish scale of the scenario, but he decided it best to play the Superior's little game. After all, he did have questions. "What you said earlier. About Adam. Is he really your son?"
"I couldn't blame you for finding that hard to believe. You've yet to see my face, but I can assure you, Adam takes after his mother primarily. Imagine my surprise when I received news that you had taken him as one of your latest marks. You have an uncanny way of demanding my attention, Mister Arc. At that point, I decided to tune in and watch you work."
Jaune blinked. "That's why you're here? To watch?"
"I admit it is not my only reason. But remember, ignorance is mercy."
Jaune slowly nodded. Suspicious, but compliant. "Adam mentioned you a couple of times. Was always kind of vague. He said you taught him the sword."
"And plenty more. Since he was a child, Adam possessed the potential to be a powerful Heart Hunter. I thought it likely that he would surpass all my past apprentices," The Superior's shoulders sank as he let out a sigh, a strange instance of humanity when he'd always appeared so alien., "In time, I learned the full measure of his power and, unfortunately, he fell short of my expectations. On top of that, Adam had a vehement disinterest in our hidden world, and on that topic I failed to convince him. In the end, I considered him a failure."
Jaune's mouth twisted with disgust. "You decided he's a failure just because he didn't do something you wanted?"
"I did."
All Jaune could do was scowl. The Superior did not even try to justify himself. He simply stated what he'd done, fully aware of how messed up it was, and seemed not to care in the slightest. "So, Adam knows about this world?"
"He knows of our existence and has an idea of our business, but otherwise, no. He knows far less than you do. Still, like us all, Adam was not without his demons. He matured in many important ways once he stepped away from me, but fell into a rather perverse habit. I'm sure you are well aware of his interest in Miss Belladonna?"
Jaune paused. "You knew about it?"
"He is my son. Of course, I would know."
Jaune felt a spike of irritation. "And you didn't talk to him? You didn't try to stop him? You had to know what he was doing to Blake."
"Adam demanded I keep my nose out of his affairs and I did so. He believed himself an adult, so I let the world have him. Every man must dig the grave he will eventually lay in. The fool my boy is, it was only a matter of time before his perversions came to light. He was too arrogant. Believed himself cleverer than he was. It is the oldest lesson. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before the fall."
"So why is he like that? Why did he want someone like Blake? A guy like him could have anyone he wanted." And apparently did, since he had apparently been messing around with Trifa. It was also common to hear women at the community center fawning over him.
"I don't imagine it was specifically Miss Belladonna he desired. It was not sexual pleasure he sought nor a romantic partner. I believe he wished to compensate for what he felt he was denied all his life. Control. Adam felt neutered by my parenting methods. I'm sure that fed into his desperate need to get away from me, to make a life of his own that I would have no power over. A life where he would hold all the power. Why else seek an impressionable, inexperienced, incapable young woman but to exert his own impressions, experiences, and capabilities onto her? What else does a weak person dream of than to be strong? To be in control? To be the Superior?"
Jaune tried his best to keep from growling as he said, "It's you. You turned him into that."
The Superior chuckled. The bastard chuckled. As if the ruin of his own flesh and blood was some elaborate joke that had finally built up to the punchline. "Do you think I am that cruel? Forgive me for appearing prescient, but even I cannot know the trajectory of the human heart. Did I intend for my son to prey on vulnerable young women? No, but I've never cared for specifics so long as the end result served my purposes. I sought to make him strong, but he rejected my plans and so I let him be. Had he stayed, obeyed, he would have seen incredible success. He could have indulged in every sin this world has to offer under my protection. Instead, it seems he will only amount to me as… a tragic disappointment."
The urge to punch the Superior was growing stronger every minute. Jaune's fingers curled in an attempt to stay in control. What kind of father talked about his son like that? A father was supposed to love his son, but Jaune saw nothing even resembling affection from him. Adam had been a tool. A child he'd made from his own genes, cast away like a toy he'd played with until it broke. Jaune knew how powerless he felt before the Superior and could only imagine how much worse it must have been for Adam. Was it any wonder he turned out the way he did?
"But even failures can serve a useful purpose. I have seen for myself the strength of Adam's Alter and even your talented aunt would have trouble. A suitable challenge for you, Mister Vasilias, and Miss Rose. I hope you three will make it entertaining." Jaune could hear the smirk on the Superior's face. "We've gone on long enough about this boring topic, don't you think? Let us get back to my question…"
Battle of the Public Domain
Time passed: Fifty-seven minutes, twenty-six seconds
Mortality Rate: 7%
Casualties: 70
Field Status: Normal
To produce an Overshadow, one's base power had to exceed the base power of the Heart World's Host. You only had to be a slight percentage higher to pull it off, though obviously, the closer in power the two were, the harder it would be to enforce the effects of your own world onto another's. Now, this was the standard rule, which obviously applied to all individual heart worlds.
But the Public Domain quite literally belonged to everyone. And the vast majority of people had little to no power.
Effectively, for anyone who could Overshadow, the Public Domain was free real estate.
Total annihilation was the only acceptable outcome. Destroy the Hunters wholly and completely. leave no evidence or questions behind. That was the only way she could protect herself, her friends, and her baby. With that in mind, Victarine Peach decided to go all out from the jump.
Peach locked her pointer and middle fingers together in a peace sign. Then, with her scalpel, cut the air. A rejection of peace to embrace bloodshed. Her emotions fueled the flames, the flames grew in ferocity, and her power spilled out and infected everything around her. The earth and air and sky and even the thousands of people. The command was undeniable. This was her world now, and all its inhabitants would bend to her authority.
"Womb of the First Woman," she whispered.
It was like a vat of paint had spilled into the sky, blotches of pink overcoming the darkness until all the sky was consumed. The clouds boiled like they were trying to resist the change, but even they bent to Peach's will. The clouds turned black without exception, leaving rays of pink light to shine down on the battlefield. The ground shook as black skyscrapers burst from the earth like sprouting trees as screams of panic came from everywhere. Far off, the great clocktower rose high above all else. The eye glowing a ghostly blue. The bell in the parish rang deep and solemn. A declaration of tragedy.
Some faceless fool must have recognized it, for he trained his sword on her and called out to his allies. "It's Peach's Overshadow! Kill her now before—"
But it was too late. Peach's full power filled her up and she felt more complete than she had in years. She nearly smiled, but there was no time to enjoy this. A thousand men needed to die today and she intended for none of them to survive.
A squad of a dozen warriors leapt at her like a pack of wild dogs bearing down on a single prey.
Peach flicked her pointer and middle fingers. "Shred."
One agent's sword was inches from piercing her skull, but just before the tip of the blade could land, the blade melted away in a spray of ribbon like strips, floating away in a breeze. The owner of the weapon followed suit shortly after. First his hand, then his arm, and half his face. He only had a second to regret his mistake before the rest of him fell into a pile of fleshy confetti. No trace of the man he'd once been. Not even any blood. The cuts were that precise.
The others exploded in a shower of razed remains that rained all around like water from a geyser. None of them even close to touching her. That was what it meant to have twenty percent of your power restricted. It didn't just affect your reserves, but your damage output. At full power, there was nothing Peach couldn't cut. Maybe even God himself would be cut.
A fireball the size of a house lit up the world as it flew at her, produced conjured by a trio of Fire-type agents. It roared like a pride of lions warning off trespassers, charred the ground and air, and threatened to consume everything. But to Peach? It was nothing more than a candle light, easily blown out. With another slash of her fingers,The flames parted into thousands of flickering tongues, all spreading away from her as if the fireball had splashed against an invisible wall.
"Sew." Peach held her hand up and curled her fingers, taking control of the flames like they were puppets on strings. The flames rewound, reattached, fused back together like they'd been set on rewind, until they reformed the great fireball. She pointed at the three fire casters, "Stitch." Her puppet strings pulled the three agents and their fireball toward one another, and their screams were lost in the epic blaze.
Mad laughter. Not far off, Cinder was conjuring flames of her own and with all the self-control of a rabid dog. Blue plumes laid waste to the world, massive explosions blew dozens of men into the air, falling columns from hell shattered the ground, even reducing patches of earth to pools of magma. Cinder was a demon that had crawled from the cracked gates of hell, short on time to enjoy wanton carnage. Her swords were a whirlwind, welcoming every challenge, and fighting with the most orgasmic smile on her face. Plainly, she needed no help.
She saw Qrow further off, and while he was not nearly as bombastic as Cinder, that didn't make him any less deadly. So fast that he occasionally appeared as a black streak darting about the field like quick pen strokes. A wayward buzzsaw which cut down everything he came across. Those too slow fell to pieces and even those who could defend themselves had a hard time keeping up. Qrow came from above and dropped the back of his heel to one agent's head, booted him away, then spun around to block a second agent. He feigned a cut, then spun around and cleaned his foe in half, carried through to slice through another agent attempting to sneak up.
Qrow hurled cursed energy blades at approaching agents, all of whom dodged well, only for Qrow to close the distance by driving his knee into one's jaw.
Another agent came swinging his steel fists in rapid succession, forcing Qrow on the backfoot, but that didn't last long. Qrow cut a wide circle around him, forcing all attackers to give him space, then began to spin his scythe over his head. Dark energy swirled around him, a great whirlpool of black, red, and gold. It spread wider and wider like an ever spreading black hole, either drawing in those foolish enough to challenge it or scaring off those who didn't want to risk it. The latter were the smart ones. Qrow stabbed the end of his scythe into the ground and the swirling dark energy coiled into a tiny ball, held for a second, then exploded with such incredible force that Peach felt the blowback from where she stood. All those caught in the expulsion of cursed energy were reduced to blackened skeletons. Clearly, he needed no help.
That meant Peach could get back into Oobleck. She'd fought him for a while in the beginning, but as the fight went on, different enemies had stolen her attention. The pressure of maintaining her Overshadow was already weighing on her after so long without use, so she figured she had maybe ten minutes, provided Cinder or Hazel or Oobleck didn't use theirs. But if she found Oobleck soon, she could finish him and crush the enemy army's morale. Cut off the head and the body would follow.
She dashed into the fray, roaring madly like the rest. It was a sea of chaos, an ocean of violence, screams, and magic. She hadn't really thought about how insane their powers were until she saw them all being flung at one another. Lightning clashing with ice, fire clashing with earth, wind clashing with water, psychic energy on dark energy. Shaking earth. Harsh wind, both freezing cold and blazing hot. Weapons too. Greatswords struck axes, spears poked shields, hammers pounded against halberds. Arrowfire came from above, and people on both sides conjured varying means of protection or were struck down. People yelled, cursed, screamed, bellowed, and cried. They Fought madly, viciously, mercilessly. A great discordant choir of warfare, and Peach played her part just as eagerly.
She shredded an agent that stabbed a long spear at her, spun out of the way of a firebomb that ended up taking out one of her allies. She may have changed sides, but she had no care for Hazel's forces. To her, they were simply meat shields in case she got desperate. Honestly, the more of them that died, the better. Well, so long as they still won in the end. But she couldn't say for sure about their odds.
One agent conjured spears of holy energy that cut through five rebels at once. One rebel made a rage-filled attempt to stick him with an arrow, but that agent simply batted it aside, crossed the distance, and lopped the fool's arm off. A perfect representation of the true nature of this war. Cinder and Qrow were extremely gifted anomalies, so it made sense for them to fight almost evenly with the veterans of the church, most of which were average in terms of power, and this could not produce an Overshadow. But in terms of skill, every veteran was worth thirty rebels, and that was quite literal. Peach saw how smaller groups of Hunters would utterly destroy whole brigades of rebels. The only equalizing factor was that the rebel numbers seemed to keep replenishing. Still, the weeds in one's garden could not grow back faster than you cut them down and this situation was no different.
So Peach got back to her mission, razing through waves of enemies that never stopped spawning. Many which she couldn't put too much effort into killing since it would only take up more of her time. Her Overshadow vastly increased her attack power at the cost of defense, and above all, she could only Overshadow two more times today. And that was after a short cooldown. She had to make each one count.
And on top of that, there was no telling when someone else would use their Overshadow and as such cancel hers. Especially Oobleck. She had to take him down before he could use his.
Peach jumped out of the way as something rippled the air beside her. She felt the air split in a way that was familiar to her signature technique, Sever, No, it was the Sever technique. used against her. She might have wondered who fired it, but she showed herself quickly enough.
A woman whirled two long daggers with a deep set frown. Bianca Prisma, an agent under James Ironwood in Atlas. It should have been obvious the experts gathered here wouldn't only be from Vale. "Should have expected this of you, Miss Peach."
"If you're smart, you'll walk away." Peach ordered.
"Can't. I need a promotion and your head will earn me one. Don't take it personally." Using her mimicry semblance, Bianca used sever again. forcing Peach to side step. Honestly, it spoke to the girl's arrogance to try and use her own technique against her even while Peach's Overshadow was active. Peach stayed on the move, unfortunately having to respect the girl due only to the fact that Sever, by its very nature, could not be blocked.
The girl slashed at her again, then came with her daggers, moving fast but not so fast that Peach couldn't see her. Peach parried her cuts one after another, backhanded the fourth, then booted the girl in the gut, sent her flying. Peach flung a Server of her own, but Bianca was quick to dodge, and instead a rebel was slashed from neck to waist.
Peach frowned. She could not let this little bitch waste her time. It would take a lot out of her, but if it cleared the way, then she had no choice. Peach dashed at Bianca, so quick that the girl couldn't track her. She grabbed the girl by the neck, pinned her to the ground. She weaved her psychic energy into her scalpel, sharpened it fine, then stabbed it into her head. "Incision." Peached whispered.
Bianca's body began to convulse so violently that Peach had trouble holding her down, but it didn't last for long. Eventually, she settled and Peach let the girl up. When Bianca looked Peach in the eyes, it wasn't with hard enemy hatred, but shocked affection. As though they were a long lost family finally united.
Bianca folded her arms around her. "Sis! I missed you!"
Peach hugged her back with one arm, then gently pulled away. "Not right now, okay? We've got enemies all around us. I need your help, Bianca."
Bianca nodded resiliently. "Yeah! Leave it to me!"
And Bianca set off like a dog eager to fulfill its master's command. She ambushed a group of her allies and even managed to behead one man Peach knew was a dominion with Sever. It still amazed Peach how such a technique worked. Imagining a false memory, then stitching it to her target's mind to influence an intended behavior. A sort of semi-mind control. Outrageously complicated and full.of pitfalls, but the results spoke for themselves. It wouldn't last long, especially once Bianca found inconsistencies in her memories, but hopefully by then one of her allies would have killed her.
Peach breezed through the path Bianca made for her, fighting off any who stood in her way, faces both familiar and not. She pushed through waves of allies and enemies alike. Had to duck beneath multi-layered barriers conjured by her allies as they were pelted with bolts of raw energy. All around her the world was filled with deafening noise. Battle cries, perishing wails, big explosions, clashing blades.
At last, Peach saw Oobleck now. He was fighting off a woman with a parasol and a man in a bowling hat totting a cane. Neo and Roman Torchwick. Once notable Hunters, now enemies of public security. Still, they were her allies now and Hazel's comrades. She couldn't afford to let Oobleck kill them before she got a killing blow on him.
Peach jumped in just as Roman released a spray of sparking dust with a flourish of his cane. A moment, they exploded with great intensity like fireworks close up. A light show of fiery beauty. It forced Oobleck to shield his face, giving Neo time to come down with her parasol's hidden blade to stab him through the neck. Oobleck chose that moment to look up though and backpedaled out of the way. Upon landing, Neo sprang at Oobleck with another stab, but was easily blocked. With a swipe of his steel club, Oobleck sent a wave of fire spreading out before the two rebels, forcing them to give ground.
Peach rushed in as Oobleck appeared behind Roman and struck him in the back so hard that he lifted the man off the ground and painfully bent him backward. Peach used Sew to draw Roman to her, then once they were near to clashing, she released it, sprang off Roman's shoulders and darted right at Oobleck like a speeding bullet. She stabbed toward him, and was certain her scalpel would pierce his throat.
But then she saw that Oobleck's free hand had assumed a shape. Thumb and pointer finger sticking out. Damn, how had she forgotten to consider his semblance? Instead, Oobleck managed to jump clear of her attack and land safely several feet away.
Peach flipped in the air, landed on her feet, faced her target. Neo had already scraped Roman up and run off, which was all but admitting how outclassed they'd been. It was kind of annoying really. Was Hazel the only rebel of quality? The rest of them were little better than flies buzzing in the enemy's face until they were swatted away.
Peach pointed her scalpel at Oobleck. Five minutes left of her Overshadow. Plenty of time if she was quick. She hoped Neo and Roman had tired Oobleck somewhat, but it didn't look like it. "Where were we, Bart?"
They went at each other, and once again their clash parted the clouds above.
Peach aimed Shred at Oobleck's head, but with another cast of his semblance, the man escaped unharmed. Oobleck flipped back, sending a stream of fire raining onto Peach as she dashed at him, turning the land into a great bombing field. Peach weaved around the explosions as she charged at full speed, arms pumping, world blurring. She jumped, flipped, cartwheeled, spun in the air, torquing and twisting her body each and every way as the world burned around her, closing in on her mark.
Oobleck cast a wall of flames, but Peach's Sever divided it in half, allowing her safe passage. She threw a kick at Oobleck's head and landed it, stunning him long enough for her to Suture his foot to the ground. Peach threw another stab at his neck, but he used his free hand to push it aside. He then brought that hand back around with a concentrated fireball in his palm. Peach only had time to shield with one arm.
The explosions rocked her ears and sent her flying. Made her crash and roll in the dirt, clothes smoking. Peach felt a burn on her chest, but she'd spent years training the strongest fire-type hunter in the organization, so she was plenty used to fire by now. Still, that didn't mean Oobleck was weak in the slightest.
Peach crawled to her feet, spat into the dirt. There wasn't much time left.Not much time left. She had to kill him now. She had to use Divine Surgery.
Peach molded her energies in preparation… then felt her strength sap away like water down a drain.
Oobleck was holding his palms up and together in a gesture that seemed like he was cradling something small and precious. Like a seed he was preparing to bury. Shadows fell onto his face while his glasses seemed to glow with white. "It is curious how even after the invention of iron weapons, gunpowder, nuclear energy, and magic itself…that knowledge remains the greatest power of all."
A great pressure fell over the world. The black clouds cleared away like they were fleeing from a terrifying force. Blue rose from the horizon and quickly took over the pink sky until all that was above them was a clear blue daytime sky. Behind Oobleck, hundreds of tree roots had begun sprouting from the ground like a legion of snakes burrowing up from hell. The roots began to wrap around themselves, twisting and cooling into a thick conglomeration of wood that grew taller and taller by the second. Eventually, it reached four times Oobleck's height, then spouted a great bushel of leaves, all glowing with every color imaginable, and even some Peach had never seen before.
Finally, the branches gave way to tiny stems which birthed small round fruits. Apples. All a bright sun gold, shining with holy brilliance, dripping with fresh water, looking so delectable that Peach felt famished just looking at them. She cursed herself for giving him time to pull his Overshadow.
Peach could not help but feel fear as she bore witness to Oobleck's Overshadow technique - The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
"It was the naivety and hunger of men which doomed him in the age of paradise. And the ramifications of their sin plagues us to this day." Oobleck held his hand out and one of the tree's fruits fell into his palm. "Do you remember the Superior's favorite saying? Knowledge is the root of insanity. For years, I never understood what he meant. Arrogantly, I believed he was wrong. But I was a fool. If knowledge is humanity's greatest power, then of course those hungry for power would seek it out, covet it." Oobleck glared at the golden apple, its light reflected on his glasses. "And in that pursuit of power, we cursed ourselves with the potential for evil."
He bit a sliver out of the apple, a trickle of succulent juice slipping off his lip. He didn't appear to like the taste or hate, and the rest of the apple burst into particles of light as he crushed it in his hand. There was no way to tell what effect the apple would have on Oobleck, not until he acted. That was the terrifying power of his Overshadow technique. You could never be prepared for what trick Oobleck would pull out. He had the knowledge, while all else flailed around in the dark.
Sure enough, Oobleck dismissed his club and put his hands together. The earth began to shift and crumble, the sound like crackling ice. Huge chunks burst from the ground, tattered with roots, grass, and dripping dirt, and began to clump together like a mass of bubbles, molding and growing bigger every second. They formed into thick, heavy torsos. stubby wide legs, and hulking long arms. Tiny heads grew out of the chests, black faced, and yet they managed to radiate barely restrained wrath. Two massive golems towering so high that their shadows fell over Peach even from twenty feet away.
Oobleck's face changed just slightly. His eyebrows tilted up, like a crack of humanity had escaped through the hard exterior. "Go in peace, Victarine," he said.
The golems moved much faster than Peach was ready for. Giant feet shaking the ground as they charged her down. and even though she got several Severs off, they were greatly weakened during the cooldown from her Overshadow, so they did nothing to slow them down. Peach managed to scramble out of the way of one's punch, but the impact upset her balance, plucked her off her feet. She hit the ground head first, the whole world in a spin.
All Peach had time to comprehend was the two Golems Massive fists as they crushed her dead. Or would have.
Hazel caught both Golem's fists on one arm. There was more surface area on their knuckles than Hazel's whole body and yet he held their weight like they were the five-pound dumbbells at the gym. The old Vicar did not look at her as he said, "You're losing your edge, Vick."
It was, admittedly, the first time ever that Peach was glad to see Hazel. The man had perfect timing, she had to give him that. "What do you expect? I'm getting too old for this shit."
Hazel pushed the Golem's off, and just before one of them could raise its arm, he shoulders through its head like a football player barreling through the opposition. He landed on the ground just as the second attempted to stomp on him, but with only the flat of his palm, Hazel stopped the foot where it was, plunged straight through. Then after a beat of silence, the impact spread through the Golem like a ripple through water, and it blew the construct into a billion raining pieces. Unbelievable strength. Incredible technique. What's more, none of it involved magic or a semblance of any kind. It was pure physical prowess. Peach recalled once, when she'd asked Hazel why he did not use weapons.
He'd said, quite flippantly, that he did not need them.
She got to her feet, hoping to not look spent as she stood beside Hazel and glared down at Oobleck. He'd adopted a frown of distaste, as if this scenario was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. It seemed no one was getting what they wanted today. Still, his Overshadow hadn't been active for long, and as powerful a teammate Hazel was, real fights were rarely ever decided by a difference in power. Being able to lift a mountain did not directly correlate to immunity to a stab wound.
Peach turned to Hazel with a plan in mind. "You should Overshadow. Take away the tree, then we can rush him and—"
"That won't be necessary," said Hazel.
Peach stared at him, bewildered. "You must be joking. You can't tell me you have no idea how dangerous Bart's Tree is? If you take it away now, we can beat him and end this war."
If Hazel was convinced, he didn't show it. He raised his fists, blatantly ignoring Peach's suggestion. Peach wanted to change his mind, but what would be the point? Perhaps Hazel knew something she didn't. He was not arrogant enough to deny an obviously good plan. So there had to be a reason he refused to use it. Maybe it was extremely draining on him? It was a common enough aftereffect. Perhaps he could only use it once? Didn't seem likely. Someone of his level should be able to enforce his Overshadow as often as he liked. Or at least more than most. Was he saving it for some reason? That sounded plausible. But for what?
For who?
Now wasn't the time to ask. Oobleck had bit into another fruit, so whatever new ability he'd gained was now in play. It went without saying that they'd have to tread carefully. So long as they fought patiently, wore Oobleck down, then they should be able to take him out without too many issues.. Simple enough, right?
Peach had to resist a bemused chuckle. When was anything ever that simple?
"So, Mister Arc. I believe we were talking about war? And more specifically, your opinion on if you are capable of stopping one." The Superior held one hand out, palm up like he was waiting for a servant to give him something. "Well, what do you think? Would such a task be beyond even your abilities?"
Jaune stared at the back of the Superior's head, wondering how in hell he was supposed to answer such a question. He had to get some kind of sick enjoyment out of screwing with people. "I mean, I've never done it before. How am I supposed to know? I can't even break up a fight between two people." Mostly because he was usually a combatant rather than peacemaker.
"But if you had to. If, perhaps, something precious to you was at stake? What if, depending on the outcome of this war, you stood to lose someone you love very dearly?"
Jaune was getting tired of the Superior's ambiguous way of talking, but he really wasn't trying to get on his bad side again. "I mean, I guess I'd try to stop it. If I could." Jaune swallowed. "Is there a war going on?"
"Oh yes. A war between all my children. Every daughter and every son who answered the summons."
"Your children?"
"The agents of my humble church. They gather now in the Public Domain for the final struggle against our determined enemies, the Children of Salem." He shook his head like he couldn't believe it even now. "An ironic name, really, given how they too are my children, rather than hers. But life moves ever in a circle. I now believe this is our curse. We are fated to oppose one another."
Jaune had no idea what he was rambling about now. He looked at the unconscious woman on the floor and related to what she'd complained about earlier. This old bastard could not get enough of hearing himself talk. Jaune tried to steer the conversation back to his concerns. "So Aunt Peach is there? And Oobleck?"
"They are. And no doubt your aunt is doing exactly what I expected her to do. It is disappointing, really. But then, I suppose one's love for their child can influence a measure of courage resembling insanity. You are a very beloved young man, Mister Arc."
"Then what would you want me to stop the war for? Don't you want the rebels taken down?"
"Certainly. But at the cost of my entire elite force? That is quite the price to pay. Fodder can always be replaced, but soldiers of quality are like snow in the summer, exceedingly rare. Loyalty, skill, commitment, obedience, these are all things which take time. I pride myself on my patience, and I daresay I have more time than most, but my old apprentice's patience has reached its zenith. Hazel Rainart is hungry for revenge and he stands at the cusp of it. If he is victorious, my head will roll."
That all sounded like good news to Jaune. It appeared that Hazel was entirely capable of killing the Superior, to the point that Jaune sensed a bit of anxiety, however he pretended otherwise. It made him wonder how powerful Hazel was to make even the Superior sweat. Jaune thought to ask what the Superior had done to cause this conflict, but then considered his own experience and decided he was better off not knowing. "Aunt Peach and Oobleck are strong. I've gotta think they could beat him."
"Perhaps so. But I suppose we'll never know, now that your aunt has become a turncoat."
A long stretch of silence. It was as if Jaune's brain was a printer that had frozen midway through the process, and now the computer was troubleshooting to figure out what had gone wrong. And once the system resumed, a slow and cold feeling inched up Jaune's back, made the roots of his hair stand up, and made his skin prickle. He felt the leash tighten. "What?" he uttered.
"I know, I am disappointed as well. But I speak the truth. Victarine Peach has betrayed the organization. She has betrayed me. Betrayed you. Betrayed us all. She sides with the rebels and means to crush my entire elite force."
It sounded like a joke. Jaune desperately wanted it to be a joke. But for all of the Superior's infuriating riddles, he never once seemed anything less than serious. The questions fell out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Why? It doesn't make sense! She doesn't benefit at all from betraying us. Why would she do it?"
"Hazel has manipulated her. He fed her very serious untruths that Peach was all too willing to believe. He preyed on her deepest vulnerabilities, and coerced her to serve his purposes."
"T-then it's not her fault! Hazel started this!"
"That does not absolve her. As I said, we must all accept responsibility for our choices. I'm sure by now she has killed many promising Hunters who sought only to maintain the safety and security of the public. There is blood on her hands, Mister Arc. And blood is a notoriously difficult thing to wash out."
Jaune's heart was pounding against his chest like a prisoner beating the walls of his cell. There was no ambiguity when it came to the fate of those who opposed the organization. He had a ton of questions for his aunt and none of them would be answered if she ended up like Velvet. Forget the whys. He needed to figure out how to save her from the Superior's wrath, whatever it took.
Jaune closed his eyes and lowered his head. Like a dog that knew it was in trouble. "What do you want?"
"I'm sorry?" The Superior said, "I didn't hear you very clearly."
"What do you want me to do? Whatever it is, I'll do it. Just please, don't kill my aunt. Please. I'll do whatever you want." He was almost crying now. All he could think of was Velvet lying dead before him, and how that same situation could happen again, only this time to the closest thing he'd had to a mother in years. "Don't take her from me. She's all I have. I'll do anything you ask."
"Ask?"
Jaune swallowed. "I mean, command."
The Superior was silent for a moment. He'd picked up the incense sticks and waved them out, then straightened back to his perfect posture. "Very well. You've convinced me. First, you'll need to defeat my son's Alter. That should be well within your capabilities, even alone. The Public Domain can be reached from anywhere, even in other Heart Worlds. You should have no trouble getting there. Stop the war. I would prefer Hazel to die, but I will be satisfied with most of my forces preserved. Accomplish this, and who knows, you could earn far more than just your Aunt's life. How do you feel about working a more closely with me, Mister Arc? Would you enjoy that?"
Jaune thought it was such a sick, twisted, disgusting suggestion to which the only sensible answer was a vehement no, paired with hawking a wad of spit into the Suoerior's eye. But instead of that, Jaune pressed his lips together and nodded. All of sudden, he felt like hed just shaken hands with a devil. Had he really promised to stop a massive war between the most powerful agents and enemies of the organization? It sounded impossible. It was impossible. But it was that or lose his aunt. And that was a choice that more or less made itself. One thing was certain, he could not involve Neptune and Ruby. They'd nearly lost their lives because of him one too many times and he could not risk them again. Once Alter-Adam was defeated, he'd send them home. They didn't know how to dive into the Public Domain so there was no way they could interfere.
Jaune would have to do this on his own. And that terrified him like nothing else.
So why did he, somehow, feel kind of…
Excited?
"If love cannot be saved by your means alone… call upon me."
Jaune got to his feet. "I'd better move quickly."
The Superior raised one hand. "Safe travels, Mister Arc. Be sure to make this terrible business a bit more interesting for me. I will be watching."
And Jaune turned and walked out of the room. Stopped when he saw Velvet at the door. She was pointing at him, an accusatory finger, a trembling finger. Her eyes were wide yet unseeing, as if paralyzed with an unknown, unquantifiable fear. And Jaune realized she wasn't pointing at him. She was pointing at the Superior.
Remember me, she said without words. My murderer sits right behind you. He lives and breathes, while I sleep in the ground. Remember what he did to me. Remember and act.
Kill the Superior, she implored.
Jaune whispered so low he almost couldnt hear himself. "I can't. I can't..."
"Are you still here, Mister Arc?" called the Superior.
Jaune scrubbed the tears out of his eyes. "No, I'm going."
Remember me, she said without words. My murderer sits right behind you. He lives and breathes, while I sleep in the ground. Remember what he did to me. Remember and act.
Kill the Superior, she implored.
He was a loyal and committed member of the organization. He was a Hunter dedicated to the preservation of public safety. He was an obedient lapdog. And good dogs did not bite the hand that fed.
Even if the dog salivated at the idea of his master's blood.
Battle of the Public Domain
Time Passed: One hour, seventeen minutes, seven seconds.
Mortality Rate: 13%
Casualties: 130
Field Status: 2 cases of Overshadowing.
Risk of Incursion: Calculating...
Oobleck's Overshadow was an interesting one. The apples on the tree were each manifestations of semblances he understood in detail, and whenever he ate one, it gave him a new semblance alongside his current one, while also changing his element type. There was no way to tell which apples gave which power, just as it was impossible to know how many semblances Oobleck had studied. Neither the tree nor its fruits could be destroyed except by Oobleck himself, which meant the only way to take him down was to prevent him from consuming the fruits. Easy enough. Peach was faster than him and Hazel was faster than them both.
Of course, that hardly mattered when Oobleck's true semblance allowed him to slow down time.
Oobleck threw up a hand sign. His pointer finger up and his thumb out, like the hands of a clock, and Peach felt the torpor effect take place. The stab that would have caught him in the neck instead slid right by as Oobleck weaved away to safety. Peach might have feared his counterattack, but the slowdown effect only lasted for an instant. Half a second, really. Not enough time to get a killing blow, but certainly enough to avoid one.
With a snarl, Peach cut through a rebel that had been interfering in their fight on the back of a horse spirit he'd conjured. Horse and rider both fell in half and Peach pushed herself to pursue Oobleck.
Hazel was on him now, and his massive muscles arms moved with such incredible speed that Peach could barely see them. The only reason Oobleck was not taking a thousand hits was because the new semblance he'd acquired boosted his own speed and strength. Effectively turning him into a brawler that approached Hazel's prowess. Well, somewhat.
The name of this two-on-one game was high octane speed and savage aggression. The speed of master hunters in their prime. The ground shattered where they moved, their clashes made ripples in the air, sent shockwaves through the ground. Hazel's bull charges knocked people flying, mere obstacles in his path. Peach cut through everything in her way, blood spraying her face, eyes locked murderously onto Oobleck. He in turn crushed every rebel in his path with great precision. Again and again, they battered at each other, dodging, blocking, cutting, bashing. Each of them was hungry for blood. It was a fight between the best and that was not to be interfered with by the thousands of peons around them.
Peach sent a Sever at Oobleck's head, knowing he'd duck right into Hazel's knee. But he took the blow well, was sent flying backward, but using Time Slow to stall Hazel's next attack. Still, this was Hazel Rainart. Chosen Vicar of a time past. Even while slowed down significantly, he'd still crossed the distance to Oobleck in that half-second and thrown a brutal right hook. Oobleck managed to block, but the impact was enough to send him skittering across the ground like a kicked doll.
Hazel was already there when he landed.
Another savage blow. A chop to the neck that Peach had seen behead more than fifteen people up to now. It knocked Oobleck to the ground face first, the earth cracking beneath. Hazel's heavy boot came down to crush Oobleck's spine, but the agent just managed to roll away, spring back up, and make some distance.
Peach appeared behind Oobleck then, scalpel winded back for a beheading, but he threw himself forward to escape. Dashed back at her, and they clashed their weapons together, while the ground beneath their feet split from the sheer force of it.
It was hard not to feel guilty, looking into his face now. One of his lenses had broken and blood leaked from his temple. He'd never been an enemy, even if he never pretended to be a friend either. She wondered if he understood her choice, even sympathized, despite knowing she had to kill him. Perhaps it didn't matter this close to the end.
"This isn't how I wanted things, Bart." Peach said.
"Nor I." Oobleck's strength overcame her and she was forced to double back. Wait, in his hand. When had he pulled another fruit? No time for an answer. He took a great chunk out of it, swallowed…
Then clapped his hands together.
A massive shockwave ripped Peach off her feet and left her sprawling across the field, rocks scratching her up. Oobleck came down from above like a diving hawk, looked to be swallowing yet another bite from a different fruit, then puckered his lips in a spitting gesture.
Not wanting to waste time on a guess, Peach jumped up and began to run. Her back burned as stray drops from a yet of boiling hot water fired from Oobleck's mouth and pierced the ground. Then, a barrage. He fired at her as she ran, forcing her to duck and spin, weave and dart, constantly having to up her speed. Peach leapt into the air, torqued her body so the water jet just grazed her, slicing off a wad of hair.
She pointed her finger at Oobleck just as he began to fire, "Sever."
The jet flared out sideways, no doubt catching its master in the face. Oobleck plummeted to the ground first, but landed just fine, then burst off the ground, straight toward Peach. Upon landing, she fired several Severs at him to impede his pursuit, but he weaved around them without much effort. So much for that.
Peach sutured two slabs of earth and yanked them together as Oobleck closed in. They might have crushed him like a slice of meat between two slices of bread, but for Oobleck's Time Slow. He slipped right through and with time to spare, landing a kick to Peach's face that sent her stumbling. She made a counterattack, but he battered her hand aside and continued his assault. His club bashed over the head, flung her face to the side, slammed against her back once, twice, three times. His Time Slow shut down her attempt to attack, and, two-handed, he struck her with a winding blow like a baseball player landing the home run hit. Peach was sure she spun over ten times in the air before she crashed to the ground.
Peach pushed through the pain and threw herself up, and just in time for Oobleck's to crush the ground instead of her skull. With a snarl, she pointed her scalpel at Oobleck and… barely got half a word out.
Peach's stomach scrunched into a ball as she looked up.
It was unmistakably an absolutely colossal chunk of earth. The closest thing to a meteor she had ever seen. How she could tell it wasn't one was that they'd have seen it coming far sooner. So wide that its full circumference wasn't visible without turning her head, and its daunting shadow loomed over them like a guillotine above the neck of the guilty. Oobleck rarely ever looked shocked, but this cracked even him. It fell fast, but in the moment it looked so slow, like the jaws of a giant monster mere moments before it swallowed you whole. Peach understood instantly that there was no challenging it. All she could do was run.
Oobleck scattered one way and Peach the other. Hundreds of agents and rebels were already scrambling from the mass of land, and Peach imagined that from above, they all looked like panicking ants. She outpaced them as the giant mass touched the ground.
First a low, dull rumble. A short stretch of silence.
Then, the world exploded.
The earth at Peach's feet crumbled in on itself, caving into itself like they'd all been standing in a sinkhole just waiting to fall through. She hurled herself away in a panic, had to fight to stay upright as the ground crumbled beneath her every stride. Those running, Rebel and Hunter alike, succumbed to the crumbling ground and were dragged screaming below. Struck with rocks and knocked unconscious, left to drown beneath the earth. Peach collapsed to her knees when she finally found stable ground, over a hundred feet away from the impact zone.
The chunk was buried near halfway into the ground, pieces rolling off its crooked edges, surface pocked with trees plunked out whole. Peach looked higher and found that someone was standing on the edge of the chunk, staring down at her with big arms folded. Hazelm
She got to her feet, unable to contain her rage. "You couldn't have warned me you were going throw half the fucking world at me?"
"Where is Bartholomew?" Hazel said, completely ignoring her complaint.
Peach pointed south. "He ran. Like anyone with sense would."
Hazel turned and headed that way without another word. Utterly unaffected by the scattered corpses spread about the battlefield, enemy and ally alike, that he'd been the cause of. She didn't know him to be so reckless. That attack itself was pretty uncharacteristic for someone normally so calm. It was speculated that a person's elemental typing often reflected their most defining personality traits. Why the hell then was Hazel a Psychokinetic? Ah, right. It was in the damn title.
Peach huffed but followed after Hazel regardless. She dashed up the pseudo-meteor and scanned around for him. Thankfully, neither he nor Oobleck were far away. Hazel rushed Oobleck with savage punches, while Oobleck looked now to have slowed down, one arm hanging limp. Hazel scored a blow that made Peach's chest hurt, sending Oobleck spiraling away, toppling heels over head. Hazel rushed to finish him, a wolf ready to chomp into its meal.
Only to be intercepted by one of his own allies.
The rebel's sword clashed against Hazel's bare arm, drawing no blood that Peach could see. And it was quite plain he did not have the strength to hold Hazel back. Even so, he roared in Hazel's face as if he was the one in charge. "Captain! What the hell was that!? We were all around you! Do you realize what you've—"
Hazel backhanded the rebel across the face, and Peach was sure she saw his neck fold sideways, then he stepped over him like he was a rock in the path.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the only one of his allies who'd seen.
They rushed him like a pack of hyenas chasing a single prey. Some roaring with outrage. Hazel met them without a moment's hesitation. He barreled through two of them, sent them flying. He punched straight through one man's magic barrier, then through his chest, pulled him off his fist like he'd snatched some foliage out of his way. He caught a woman by the neck as she came down to stab him, crushed her windpipe, then tossed her corpse so hard it knocked over another. They came two by two, three by three, but none could reach him. Spears, swords, arrows, axes, fire, lightning, wind, all of that and more pelted at Hazel in mad desperation for his death.
And it wasn't as if Hazel was so fast that he could dodge it all. The man rarely if ever dodged. Instead, razor sharp blades and heavy clubbed steel failed to break his skin. They bounced off it, as if Hazel's body rejected their touch. The flames ate at his clothes, but nothing more. Lightning would shoot through his body but fail to electrocute him. He stood against the torrents of wind like a mountain, all while making corpses one after another like a chef prepares for the dinner rush.
All only possible because of his remarkable semblance. He could not be harmed or caused pain by any attack that was significantly weaker than him. And since he was a past Vicar, his power far transcended even Peach's. She realized now that even had she fought Hazel in her own heart world where her power was full, even her strongest attacks would barely break his skin. The only reason she'd thought it possible to win was through Qrow's Curse typing. The only thing which could get around this semblance were the effects of a Curse-type, and as far as Peach knew, there were fewer of those even than Blessed types.
No one could be blamed for thinking Hazel Rainart was otherwise completely invincible.
By the time Hazel had finished wasting his own people, Oobleck had only managed to crawl to his knees. His remaining arm was barely able to lift his club. His soul wished to fight on, but his body was spent. Honestly, Peach felt rather drained herself, especially since she was still in cooldown. It felt longer than it used to be. Hazel though? He just strode on toward Oobleck like this had just been a warm-up exercise, bit arms covered in the blood of friend and foe.
Peach couldn't help but get closer, now knowing this struggle was at an end. She stepped around the bodies, ignoring them just as much as Hazel did. Maybe she hadn't actually killed any of her allies, but did not doubt she would have if it came to it. She felt no pity for them. They were fools to put so much faith in Hazel. He was an apprentice of the Superior. And if nothing else, all his apprentices adopted his brand of savagery.
And Peach remarked as she joined up with Hazel that this would be her too, had she stayed on Oobleck's side. The pressure of Oobleck's Overshadow began to fade away. The skies went dark again. The distant buildings rose from their coffins. It would be some time before Oobleck could enforce his Overshadow again. But she doubted Hazel would give him even a portion of that time.
They looked down on Oobleck now. That had been the idea, but seeing it now, a refined man like him on his knees? It didn't feel real. His glasses had been destroyed completely, revealing his tired eyes. He hunched a bit, looking like he was trying not to vomit, while clutching his stomach with his working hand. He'd dismissed his weapon, which meant he'd decided that there was point in fighting anymore. Oobleck coughed up blood, nearly fell over and just managed to put his hand down and hold himself up. He was a dead man, whether Hazel laid the final blow or not.
Hazel stared at him with that empty, neutral look of his. Almost like he was a dance partner who's seen his partner's routine and was not at all impressed. "You're a strong man, Bartholomew.Why insist on using your strength for the Superior's sake, even now that you know the truth?"
Oobleck didn't say anything. Probably because he was busy spitting blood in the dirt.
"A man like you could do real good with him removed. Certainly you were drawn in by the same ideals as us all. The desire to help people. To aid humanity in overcoming its demons and to create a healthier, more prosperous world." Hazel gestured to the bloody battleground surrounding them. "But this is where you choose to stand? Why? Can you not see that the powers you defend are evil?"
Oobleck coughed up a bit of blood, but still he said nothing. Peach wasn't sure whether he was choosing not to or simply couldn't.
"Speak!" Hazel barked, muscles bulging with barely subdued fury. "Will you not justify yourself?"
Oobleck coughed a third time. Or wait, there was a curl to his lip. He had chuckled. Bartholomew Oobleck had fucking chuckled. It was so unbelievable that Peach actually took a fearful step back. "What is this, a trial?" he mocked through a gravelly voice. "Do you mean to have me confess my crimes and beg your gracious mercy?" Oobleck's sharp eyes looked up at Hazel with an unimpressed glare. He was the dancer whose partner had failed to impress him. "What is it? Do you falter now with me at the cusp of death? I will not justify myself to you or any other. Kindly do not waste my time with your pathetic attempt to assert your vain self-righteousness."
Hazel's normally calm face gave way to a twist of silent rage. "Very well. Go quietly."
He raised his foot above Oobleck's head, and Peach nearly turned away so she didn't see it.
Then, something stabbed into the ground. A spear. It plucked right into the ground, the shaft standing nearly between Oobleck's head and Hazel's foot. Slowly, Peach looked up.
There, on top of one of the red-manifested buildings was what looked to be a young woman. Could've been anywhere from sixteen to twenty. She folded a tiny booklet up and set it down, as if she'd been uo there watching this whole time, taking notes. She wore a black leotard with long sleeves and a high collar that hugged her body. Like a modest ballerina outfit, making her seem nimble and quick. She had a few pieces of light armor—golden greaves and gauntlets with red trim and a similar light breastplate, while a long red cape hung over one shoulder. Last was her helmet, completely obscuring the top half of her face, more like a mask, really. A scarlet plume flowed from the helmet and hung down past her lower back.
They stared at each other for a long moment, and Peach could not help an uneasy feeling. How had she not noticed her? Very clearly she was on Oobleck's side, but he'd not mentioned anyone like her before. Certainly she would have heard of someone like this.
Unless…
One moment, Peach had her eyes on the girl. Then blinked. The girl was gone.
Instinctively she spun around. Anticipating a stab in the back, but found that no one was behind her. When she looked at the building again, the girl had returned, only this time Oobleck was easing Oobleck off her shoulder. Bewildered, she looked at where Oobleck had clearly been dying in the dirt and sure enough he wasn't there anymore. Had that girl really crossed that distance in an instant and back again without Peach noticing? She'd never seen such speed before. And that all but confirmed to her exactly who this girl was.
The Vicar of the Hunter's Church.
"He sends a child now," Hazel huffed. "The Superior's desperation grows more apparent."
The girl said nothing. Just watched and waited.
Hazel stepped forward. "I've been where you are. Whatever the Superior has told you, I can assure they are nothing but lies. Do not be fooled by him. Use your strength for real good." He held out his hand, "Make the right choice, girl."
Again, the girl gave him nothing. Just like Oobleck, it was as if they were above this needless talk about good and evil. Honestly, Peach was sick of hearing it herself.
Hazel's frown set in deeper and he raised his fists readily. "It's a shame. Confronted with the reality of your deeds, you self-proclaimed defenders of humanity have nothing to say."
The Vicar summoned her weapons. A short double edged straight sword, practically a toothpick in length, but doubtless light and easy to swing. She conjured a round shield in her other hand, big and hefty, looking like it could protect her from anything. Perhaps it could. Only now did Peach comprehend what she was about to witness. A fight to the death between two warriors who had transcended all others to achieve the rank of Vicar. Two of the most powerful Hunters in the organization's history. In all her career, she had never witnessed something like this. Part of her wanted to see it play out. Part of her wanted to get as far away as possible.
There was no time to make a choice. For in an instant, both Vicars vanished from their perches. So blindingly fast that Peach didn't see them again until they were right on top of one another.
The world slowed down.
Hazel towered over the girl as he swung his clasped hands down like he was swinging a sledgehammer, while the girl crouched beneath, swinging her shield in a leaping uppercut. Inch by slow inch they curved toward one another, visages muddy, like watercolors. Peach saw the air bend around them. Red lightning sparked from their hands. Peach's heart was rapid fire as she watched them come closer and closer , dreading the impending contact.
And when they connected, Peach's senses were ripped away from her.
There was no sound, except for a brain splitting ringing that skipped her eardrums and drilled straight into her skull. Jackhammer pounding. She wasn't standing anymore. Her body turned over and over and over, dark sky and dark ground flipping up and down. The clouds parted, the ground trembled, the air shook. And not just her, there were hundreds torn away by the force of their clash, tossing like ragdolls from the point of impact. It was like a nuclear bomb had been dropped on them and the resulting blast sent everything else into orbit.
Peach hit the ground after an age of flying, rolling over and flopping onto her side, her entire body trembling. But not with pain. She was overcome with shock and growing horror. Couldn't resist clutching her arms and trying to steady her ragged breaths.
Hazel and that girl. They weren't people.
They were monsters.
Battle of the Public Domain
Time Passed: One hour, forty-five minutes, fifty-nine seconds.
Field Status: Tainted by Multiple Overshadowings.
Risk of Incursion: 15%
Gross War Population: About 1,000
Mortality Rate: 19%
Casualties: 190
Forces Remaining: 230 Hunters, 580 Rebels
66 chapters in and only now do I finally give real examples of Overshadowing. Crazy to think about.
Now, full disclosure, I have recently read through and caught up to Jujutsu Kaisen. Love it. Inspired some new ideas in me. But the mechanics and ideas for Overshadowing were already in mind before I ever heard of JJK and are extremely similar to Domain Expansions! Now, I normally wear my inspirations pretty openly and without an ounce of shame, but this time it really was a huge coincidence. xD
Anyway, hope you enjoyed and see you in the next one!
ISA