Team RWBY, along with the Servants and general Ironwood, caught a glimpse of the different ships that are now evacuating Atlas. The team were allowed into the cockpit, not like there was any sort of division between them.
"It is time," said Ironwood. "I will not ask any of you to stand like soldiers, nor will I demand from you as though you were. But I will still brief you on the matter at hand."
"We just have to deal with the god of light while Archer loads the bullet, right?" Lancer asked. "Seems simple enough."
But Ironwood shook his head. "No. It is not just that. While it's true that we are to hold the god of light in place, such matters are not of concern for Archer and Watts. No. As soon as the final ship evacuates Atlas, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen will be officially disbanded."
Team RWBY looked to one another in confusion. What did that mean, and why does general Ironwood appear apprehensive about it?
They didn't have to wait for long. Ironwood continued after a sigh. "From this point onwards, all of you are to be enemies again, properly this time. Miss Rose, that means that you are now given permission to attack and kill either Watts or Archer for the purposes of this Grail War. All of us here are now free to act in accordance to our own self-interest. Watts in particular has extended a sincere thanks for your cooperation and that may the best Master win."
"That's good," Weiss commented. "I mean, at least he was courteous about it."
"But that is where I must ask miss Rose." There was hesitation in Ironwood's voice. "What do you intend to do if you win this Grail War?"
"General?" Ruby tilted her head. A sense of dread overcame her. Lancer moved to put herself between Ruby and the general. Even Sanson moved but that was more to protect Blake who had followed in Lancer's footsteps. Ruby already felt Yang's prosthetic hand gripping Ruby's own.
"I will lay down my cards and be frank with you," Ironwood confessed. "I was moved by the message of this Voyager though I understood none of it. Just like Watts, I too wish to make contact with this planet Earth. It may not be in my lifetime but I do think that it is the best course of action for Remnant. Think of the possibilities, space exploration, cultures completely alien to our own."
His head was bowed but his focus never faltered from his task of piloting the ship. Ruby could see the number of airships lessening in number.
"Watts made an agreement. Should he win the Grail War, he will wish for the coordinates for planet Earth; I have offered him my support and the resources that I could provide so that he could accomplish it." His fist gripped tight. "We have already obtained these alternatives to Dust from doctor Jekyll and it pains me to go against someone I consider a good friend for this."
"Why are you telling me this?" Ruby asked. Her hand was hovering over Crescent Rose. She wasn't confident; she remembered how those iron eyes followed her even with her semblance, and that was during training.
"I will not kill you, miss Rose." Ironwood must have noticed the atmosphere in the room. "But I will not help you should Watts choose to target you."
"General," Weiss tried to argue. "While I think it is admirable for Watts to want to communicate, I think—"
But Ruby already made her decision. "Okay, general, I understand."
Ruby expected shock and she received just that. "Ruby!" Yang exclaimed. "You can't just—"
"This is a Grail War, Yang." Ruby didn't allow Yang to explain further. "Watts is just using what he had to his advantage. Team JNPR is doing it with Jeanne—thanks Sanson for joining us, by the way."
Sanson bowed. "That is more to do with miss Belladonna."
"I thought I told you to call me Blake," Blake said. "I've only allowed it because I forgot about it."
"Can I ask why you're telling me this?" Ruby asked the general.
"Because Qrow is also my friend," Ironwood replied. "And I know you to be his niece. For that reason, I see fit that you must at least know the reason."
"Was that why you were harsh on me last time I was here?" Ruby still remembered the shock of someone actually keeping up with her in the heat of battle. Mercury Black back in the Vytal Tournament didn't count since she wasn't in the best mindset at the time.
"I believe I mentioned how Masters are just as much of a target as Servants," Ironwood reminded. "Now, I can tell you explicitly: Watts fully intends to win this Grail War and he will not hesitate to target even you, miss Rose. You may be the huntress while his training is formed by experience and cleverness, but Watts is more willing to break any sort of rules you think there is when fighting."
"There aren't." Ruby shook her head. "Out there, we have to do what we can to survive."
"Perhaps, but your training also succumbs you to those habits you have built. And in the academies, you are all taught to fight with some form of fairness if only for the grading system. Such a teaching method, while useful and recommended in the classroom, does not apply when out in the field. I hope that you, all of you, would have broken free from those habits, especially you, miss Rose, with this Grail War."
"I understand." Ruby nodded. "I will do what I can to win the Grail War. If it helps, I think Watts' goals is admirable too; I wouldn't mind helping you after the Grail War."
Ironwood beamed with pride. "I can see why your uncle speaks highly of you."
"Hey," Yang caught it. "He didn't say anything about me?"
But Ironwood only laughed it off. "He's proud of both of you. My words are reserved for miss Rose because she is a Master."
"Sign me up to the next Grail War, then."
"Yang, no." Weiss, Blake, Sanson, and Lancer all spoke in perfect unison.
After a few more minutes of flying and with the sight and sound of the battle on going, Ironwood had begun their descent. He was rushing it.
"We have to move quick," Ironwood insisted. "Hyde's elixir is spent; I can see the steam coming from him."
Ruby wasn't sure what she was looking at nor could she tell how Ironwood could tell. But she didn't care for it in the slightest.
Team RWBY, along with the Servants, jumped out. Astolfo managed to catch Yang. Ruby saw that Astolfo still had Harpe with him, as a backup. The wound on the god of light was still present but that was reminder that they had failed to kill the god of light then.
The Servants each caught each member of team RWBY. Only Ironwood had no savior but he was flying the airship. All other airships were heading back towards Mantle but their own remained behind. The general was to be their pilot after this mission; he remained behind to watch over the airship.
"Alright team!" Ruby rallied them. "Let's move!"
No one raised an objection. But Ruby caught the concerns of her team; Ironwood's words still rung close to them.
"You got a plan, kid?" Lancer asked.
"First." Ruby raised a finger. "Deal with the god of light, and then we deal with Archer."
Lancer nodded and led the way. The battle became clearer and clearer.
Astolfo had led the charge and was first to arrive and relieve Hyde, now back to Jekyll, off of his duties. Jekyll rested against a cover and greeted their coming.
Lancer quickly joined in the fight while team RWBY, along with Clover, assisted Sanson as he carried Jekyll out of the battlefield. Sanson checked Jekyll for wounds and healed any injuries he had suffered; Jekyll suffered many injuries.
"God of light has quite the bite force," Jekyll said. "I actually worried that he would get past Hyde's healing factors."
"Rest for now," Sanson diagnosed. "We will take it from here."
"Clover," Jekyll called. "A little luck."
"I have some drinks if you like?"
"I'm just looking for the safety." Jekyll shook his head.
Ruby didn't have time to ask questions. She commanded her team to get going and help the other Servants. They had little use against him. But they were to act as Masters for their partnered Servants. There were no Command Spells on any of them but their Servants listened to them as though they did.
Lancer spent more time defending Ruby. As a Silver-eyed warrior, she was the least effective combatant against the god of light. In some strange display, Sanson and Blake had a natural chemistry to them; it might be that Sanson was an Assassin-class and Blake might as well be some kind of super ninja. Yang and Astolfo could only be described in Yang's words: one of the boys; Ruby could not make other sense to it other than that.
But even against a god of light, wounded by Harpe and further weakened by Hyde, everyone was cautious for the god of light still proved himself a capable fighter. They were fighting against a draconic-like creature and most of the Servants here weren't exactly dragon slayers. Only Astolfo was matching as a knightly character with Sanson following behind. The god of light, noticing Harpe, was cautious.
It wasn't their goal. Their plan was simply to hold the god of light in place.
Weiss soon got her chance to lead again. A great howl was heard and Hyde, fully recovered has returned to the fight. He alone had held back the god of light and with the other three, was even surpassing the god of light in combat.
Ruby kept her distance. Her eyes would shift between the god and of the positioning Atlas. It was closer to them now. No one could ignore that. But the god of light was still ignorant of what that would entail. Atlas' grounds hid away much of the moving parts but Ruby could see something moving from the little that was peeking from the edges of the floating kingdom.
She looked to her team and gave them one simple command: "be ready! It's time."
/-/
Earlier.
"Well," Watts declared. "It was nice working with you, James. But I believe that this is the moment that we part ways. The League is officially disbanded, and we are free to do as we wish."
Ironwood stayed in place, almost hesitant to leave.
"James?"
"What do you intend to do, after you win the Grail War? How do you intend to accomplish this wish?"
"Why, I only need the coordinates and the resources for it. I still have to find some means of wording so that I could get both. You never know with wish granting devices; perhaps only one wish is allowed and I know that mine counts for two. Why?"
Archer was sitting there in contemplation. He had his suspicions but chose not to word it out. There was a change in his Master's face: expectation and hope. Watts was thinking the same as Archer.
Then, they received their confirmation. Ironwood said: "I am willing to offer my services and the resources at my disposal should you win this Grail War."
"Oh?" Watts stood up, pleased yet unsurprised. His Master was already improving. "The Golden Record has moved you just as it did me?"
With a begrudging acceptance, Ironwood nodded. "I will not interfere in your Grail War matters against the other Masters, but I will not interfere in theirs as well."
"You'll inform them." Watts caught the lie. Archer had to hold back a proud tear. "You intend to ask miss Rose for her wish of the Grail in the hopes that we could ally with one another for the duration of the Grail War. My, my, you are no Master, James. But even I can see that you have a wish for the Grail."
"Everyone has a wish, Watts. Given the opportunity, very few people will object to the Grail."
Watts nodded. "That is true. Very well, inform miss Rose if you wish. I only ask that you truly will not interfere in the Grail War matters. I suppose that means that hacking Penny Polendina is within those terms?"
Ironwood's face hardened but he nodded once. "I will not claim knowledge should it reach Pietro's ears."
Watts shrugged it off. "If he does, I can assure you it will not come from my mouth."
Ironwood was willing to let it go as it was. Soon enough, he had to leave them be as Archer and Watts were off with their final arrangements.
The alert had been issued and there was some time left before they could all evacuate. Under no circumstances could anyone stay behind, no matter their reasons. Watts and Archer had given the specific timetables for them to enact their plan and there had been no alterations to it since then. If anyone were to remain behind, then it was only their own fault.
"You wish to leave early, Master?" Archer asked out of courtesy. "I will not stop you and I could handle things from here."
"We will conserve as much aura as we could, Archer," Watts replied. "Your Independent Action may allow you to act for longer periods of time without a Master but it is best that we conserve what we could."
Archer nodded.
The blaring alarm was still going and by Archer's estimations, there should be over half still left behind in Atlas. As confirmation, Watts looked through the camera feed of every part of Atlas. The docking bay was getting full of people and the number of airships evacuating the floating city was increasing.
Pride swelled in him. "I am proud that my people at least know what to do." He sighed. "All they had to do was their job and they're doing precisely that."
"Grievances of the time with Salem? Miss Fall really does have a problem with such matters. She has that incessant need for power and dominate over others as a consequence of the weakness of her own circumstances. It would have been a tragic tale had it ended there. But she ended up putting herself in the leashes of another."
"It is all that she had known, I would guess." Watts may not have that much of an interest in people but he had picked up a thing or two from Archer.
"It would be a fair assumption," commented Archer. The coffin that was his weapon was already in place. It was only a matter of pulling the trigger should the right time come. As it stands, Archer and Watts could still sit back and calm their own nerves.
Archer couldn't hide that chuckle. Watts managed to deduce it, making Archer proud. "Nervous, are we?"
"You have brought this old voice of mine towards childish trebles," Archer said, deliberately referencing that play that his Master had read. "I have my pipes and I certainly feel like whistling myself! I am absolutely excited and thrilled to see it happen. Had the detective been here to fail, I would say that it would be too perfect."
"It is a shame then that none could match your intellect while here." Watts shrugged. "I would have tried my hand at it but all I know with certainty is that there is nothing I could be certain about knowing."
"Such is the nature of wise men." Archer nodded. "The first step in the quest for wisdom will always be the acknowledgement of one's own ignorance."
Less than half of Atlas' remaining people are leaving. Watts took a final preparation to see that everything was in place. The feed of the god of light and Hyde's conflict was getting closer.
"Well," Watts said. "I suppose I will expect you to catch up soon, Archer?"
"Keep an airship seat warm for me, will you?"
Watts nodded and ran off, leaving Archer alone.
There was still time before he had to fire Atlas. For most, it would appear that there were only a few minutes. But for Archer, even a minute would mean a lot. His mind could race for a long time and still not miss a thing. Every little crack and dent on the individual floor tiles were noticed by him. He had estimated their area and calculated the total number of tiles in his mind: a safe estimate would be around the hundreds of thousands; the place that they were in was simply too large.
"Getting slow in my old age," Archer commented. "I couldn't even give an exact number. Oh well, no matter how sharp one trains their mind and body, nothing could stop the slow approach of death and decay."
He stood up and pushed his back.
"Ah, but I should have trained the body just as much as I did the mind! I should never have been an amateur in matters of physical training. I regret that I could never see the true beauty and strength that this body of mine could have been capable!"
Archer himself, James Moriarty, would admit this one thing on Sherlock Holmes: that detective trained his body just as well as his mind. Perhaps his next project should be the means to keep his old age active physically.
The camera feed showed the Servants engaging with the god of light. Astolfo had been kept from using Harpe but the display of that weapon was enough to keep the god of light distracted. Even if he hadn't, the god of light was cautious and avoided it like a plague. The elixir had run out some time ago and Hyde was running purely on steam. With Lancer and Sanson's appearance, Hyde could sit back out, rest a while and return to the fight; Archer just knew that Jekyll wouldn't sit back.
There was no sign of the general. He had kept his side of the bargain and refused to interrupt them. Archer predicted that Ironwood would be close-by but never would he interrupt the fight. Archer contemplated on having Ironwood keep the rest of team RWBY distracted.
"No." Archer shook his head. "Such matters wouldn't matter."
No matter how Archer looked at it, he was one Servant against four. Three if Astolfo chose not to engage and went ahead towards Salem. But Sanson and Hyde would certainly target Archer and make quick work of him before Lancer would even realize that he had been removed from the Grail War.
Archer sighed and shook his head. "There is no winning this Grail War for me and Master, is there? My dear Watts, you are cursed to have others be chosen before yourself. Even this very Grail War, you have contributed the most, second only to myself. But all of that is for a reward that could never be yours. Such a shame! Such a shame!"
His fist tightened and he moved his head, cracking away the stiffness of his neck. He needed to keep his body as loose as it could if he wanted to think so clearly.
"Still!" Archer vowed. "I am a Servant! A heroic spirit who had made his mark and thusly recognized by the Throne of Heroes. Are we not, by our very nature, meant to overcome impossible odds? Are we not proof of the impossibilities made possible?"
He raised his fist into the air.
"I am James Moriarty! The Napoleon of Crime, the mastermind of the criminal underworld! There is no end to my schemes and plots! With a reach going as far as heavenly domains, there is no shadow of civilization that did not have my hand in its crafting!"
Archer then placed his arms into the machine.
"Behold Remnant!" Archer declared. The whirrs and mechanical movements of the device were the most beautiful pieces of music he had ever heard. His Master was still running out by his estimations. A vehicle was waiting for Watts which would make the journey significantly faster.
The energy output was increasing its charge. Everything was moving according to plans.
"I shall demonstrate for you the ultimate crime! For what greater crime could one commit if not a crime against god?" Archer kept his grip tight on the trigger. "To my Master, I give you my final lesson! My final problem for you to solve!"
Maximum energy was reached. The target was in place. The god of light squirmed and fought back. He broke free from the Servants that kept him in place. But it was too late!
Then, Archer felt a sudden surge of energy coming from him. Though he couldn't hear his Master, he knew just was this energy meant: Watts had issued a Command Spell.
Though he could not hear the voice of Watts, that was with his ears. Archer heard it in his heart. "Take the shot, Archer!"
Archer aimed for the head. "The Dynamics of an Asteroid!"
All of Atlas began to crumble. The release of Archer's Noble Phantasm was slow. Everything surrounding him was crushing in on itself, shrinking to become that bullet. Infrastructure, roads, garbage, waterways, and whatever plant life that remained all came together to form a tightly compact bullet.
The Black Cannon had been modified for this purpose. Converting the entire landmass of Atlas into energy, along with the Command Spell, and his Noble Phantasm, all of it had been designed to kill an immortal of Remnant. They only had one shot: it was either the god of light or Salem.
Soon, the skies above had begun to clear. The grounds above sunk in and collapsed into the shape of the bullet. Explosives of electrical wiring, leftover Dust and many other sensitive things were setting off. Yet, even those things were collapsing into the bullet.
Archer's grip on the trigger never loosened. He put his aching back into as the trigger resisted with how intense the bullet was being used.
Then, the bullet was fully loaded and the trigger moved back. The recoil was intense, and with a deafening boom, that Archer flew back so fast that he had past his own Master despite the head start. The airships all performed evasive maneuvers just to avoid him.
But the shot landed, headshot. The great wyrm of light's head pulled back from the impact. Then, it was falling down. All those airships bore witness to the impossible sight. Archer only hoped that his Master was watching
Because Archer managed to catch this beautiful sight. "I hope you got a good look, dear Watts. That is the both triumph and terror of the Earth's human spirit."
/-/
Team RWBY, the Servants, and Clover, all fled for safety. They didn't need to know anything else other than to survive. The shot was fired and the god of light is falling down. None of them had seen Ozpin's death. But they knew that he had perished. It was easier to swallow since they had known the headmaster to be mortal for the most part and didn't have any reason to think otherwise; his immortality didn't quite sink in for them.
But this? This was a god. A god was killed and he was currently falling down. No movements. No sudden stops. The serpentine body fell and quaked the ground from its sheer size. Lancer was already looking upwards. Ruby did too. If the god of light was dead, would darkness arrive soon after? Ruby wasn't sure if they could handle a second god after this one.
The skies remained as they were.
The god of light continued its descent into the ground. The snow and smoke all rose high above that Ruby buried her face in her cloak. Everyone else sought for shelter or hid behind the Servants when they could not. Clover had been fortunate to find cover and guide the rest.
Quaking ground kept going until it slowed to a halt. But Ruby's heart kept beating and everyone's breathing took over all sounds heard. Ozma was one thing. Salem was another. This was something that they never anticipated. Even Blake, with all of her experience in various forms of literature, couldn't believe that sight that they had seen.
For the quick moments of silence that followed, horror had kept them in their place. While the Servants were now out investigating, without need for command after seeing all of their faces, Team RWBY and Clover were simply dazed, unsure of what to do with Clover even shaking his head.
Only Yang couldn't drop her weapon. Everyone else lost their grip and strength in their legs as they well went down on the ground. The world stood still for them. The message that they had heard in Vale contrasted to the sight that had just occurred before them; a weapon, made from this planet Earth, capable of killing a god. Such things should have been a work of fiction. Yet, there they were right in front of them. A great and terrible weapon remade with the resources of Remnant that could take down gods.
Ruby was a weapons girl. She knew her weapons, her own most of all. She had designed and redesigned her weapon many times until it was perfect and tailor-made for her. She would help her friends back in Signal with their weapon designs and would even help Yang with the maintenance of Ember Celica.
She would have helped the rest of her classmates if they asked. They didn't need to ask; she'd do it herself if she was allowed to, and she'd do it for free.
It wasn't just the weapons of huntsmen. She could pinpoint the histories of the weapons, how they would be used and how she would use them if given the chance. All of that had been to help her design her Crescent Rose to be the best weapon of a generation, if not all time. She wasn't perfect in that regard for there was the Atlas Colossus back in Argus. But she was a safe bet to ask when it came to weapons.
She had seen armaments of great machinations. Cannons, siege weapons, war machines of great sizes. Even the Colossus back in Mistral—Ruby still couldn't figure out how she missed that in the books—seemed to pale compared to this Black Cannon.
Not even the Grimm could match it. Great and terrible creatures of Grimm came in different sizes and shapes. There were those of mythical origins but even the most fanatical of huntsmen would find them difficult to believe. The Repha'im were forgotten from Ruby's mind.
Her hands trembled. No one else moved from the spots even as the Servants returned. Ruby only learned that they returned because she could see a vague image of someone moving and there was no one else who could be moving that she'd know. Servants have that Grail War knowledge; they'd know this right? Her silver eyes were towards something or someone but she wasn't seeing them at all.
It was Clover who managed to speak up. But he did not have the confidence. "So… uh… any of you want to confirm?"
Ruby had to blink many times before she moved. It couldn't even be called nodding; it was much closer to a head mildly vibrating for a second.
Lancer had to carry Ruby and assist her as they walked towards the scene. Sanson had done the same for Blake, Jekyll for Weiss, Astolfo for Yang. Clover didn't have any assistance and was using his pole as a walking stick.
Slowly, the lifeless, serpentine form of the god of light came into view. The crater that held the corpse was the final barrier of their disbelief. Once they got past the edges and the first sign of the dead god appeared, it had become evidence that their eyes did not lie to them. Archer and Watts were not lying to them. Not only do other worlds exist but that that world was capable of killing gods, the very makers of the world and everything that Ruby knew.
Before Ruby realized it, she was right there next to the god of light. Everyone else remained at the edge of the crater. Blake was shaking her head looking at it.
Hesitation took over Ruby's hand as she hovered above the god of light's face. There were no pupils, only vague shapes in the form of an eyeball. The eyes were silver. It's form still remained yet it was not moving.
A sudden sadness overcame Lancer for Ruby felt the tears coming from her eyes.
"Sorry kid," Lancer said. "You and I, we're made from the god of light. Sure, that could be said for pretty much anyone here on this Remnant. But these?" She pointed to her own eyes. "These makes us especially made from him."
Ruby didn't feel the same. She raised a hand to one of her eyes and covered it. Nothing. There were no tears, no inherent sadness or crying that attached her to the god of light.
She turned around and looked for doctor Jekyll, the one who knew Archer the most. "This…" she was shaking her head. Those weren't the right words. "This is Earth?"
"One of many things that Earth has and can do, Ruby." Jekyll nodded.
Ruby looked back at the god again. She checked the god of light; he remained dead.
It was Blake who put it into words. "God is dead, and we killed him."
AN: Something something obligated to make Nietzsche reference