Illithid behind the Curtain: Running up that Hill (Patreon)

It was as if the world had gone mad.

The city was burning once more, Vale fighting back against two enemies as Ruby watched in the distance a number of golems and Patches forces holding off devils and grimm alike. Further on, barely discernible she could see a storm engulfing the island of Patch and see lightning crackle and strike rapidly and she knew that the defenses had activated. One after the other, all of them were fighting as hard as they could.

Her friends by her side in the small shuttle were quiet, unusually so. Perhaps it was the scale of things, or maybe just a need for quiet, but each one would be lost in their thoughts, preparing in their own way. Blake and Ren would be meditating, finding solace in serenity as the shuttle shook against the turbulence. Nora, seated by Ren would also be devoting time to Weiss, the exuberant girl giving Weiss a hug as Einzbern snuggled on the Schnee's lap. Weiss's discomfort and worry over her sister would be reduced by their help, a fact she seemed grateful for as she smiled, though the grip on her sword handle was tighter than normal.

Pyrrha would be focusing on the view outside, like Ruby. On her shoulder, Icarus would snarl at the sight of imps and grimm, eager to fight despite his size and Pyrrha would stroke along his neck as he did so, saying quietly. "Soon buddy. We'll be there soon."

Jaune seemed to be talking quietly to his sword and then Ruby felt an arm wrap around her shoulder, Yang smiling as she squeezed and looked out the window.

".... Feels really big, huh?"

Ruby swallowed, nodding once. "Yeah... Kinda." Yang hummed in thought, considering before she finally spoke. "She's coming you know." Ruby looked briefly confused and Yang smiled as she added. "Aunty Em. No way she's gonna miss any of this. You were wondering where she was, weren't you?"

Ruby blushed, before adding. "Well yeah. I was just thinking we could really use a wizard right now."

"She'll come. But you know, even if she doesn't we'll be fine." There was a brief look of surprise on Ruby's face, Yang winking once as she grinned. "Remember the stories she used to read to us when we were kids? The ones she combined with minor illusion?"

The memory of those days made Ruby's smile less tense, more genuine as she nodded. "Yeah. Tricksters and heroes, dragons and trolls, wizards and artificers... All sorts. But why bring it up?" Yang shrugged once, comfortable with half-hugging her little sister as she spoke.

"Because that's what this reminds me of. It's one of those stories we used to beg for. Dashing heroes, a world in peril and villains, waiting to be stopped... But in all those stories, there came a moment you know? When they had a choice to keep going or not."

Ruby noticed how their group seemed to be listening in, as Yang continued, oblivious or not to it all.

"And those heroes were scared. They were sad, they were terrified, and, in that moment, they found out who they were. Just like us. Whatever happens after we go out those doors? We already know what and who we are. We saw the darkness and none of us opted to run. We've been taught by the best, and it's time to show it wasn't a waste."

"Here, here." Ren said, opening his eyes as Blake chuckled and smiled. "Corny, much?"

Yang laughed. "Maybe I took a page from those books you like? Though it'd be hard to check, considering all the-" She ducked a thrown emergency blanket pack, as laughter filled the cabin. Ruby smiled wider... The world had gone mad. There was a chance this could be the last time they see each other. But she could not, would not regret the choices that led them here, that let her meet them.

"I don't want this to end." She admitted and Weiss snorted.

"Dolt. If that's so, then all we have to do is win the day." Nora grinned and loaded up a new batch of grenades in her weapon.

"You tell em partner." Weiss sniffed. "Naturally."

Jaune breathed out, rising to his feet as he spoke, looking at his reflection in his drawn sword. "My family as far as my line goes, faced similar moments. I can't call myself an Arc if I refused to do the same."

Yang let go of Ruby, approaching as she lightly punched his shoulder.

"Then don't worry about being an Arc."

"Because I think we'd be happy with a Jaune." Pyrrha said, smiling his way as Icarus let out a screech. Jaune nodded, breathing out again as he began to bounce from foot to foot. "Yeah... I can do that."

"Approaching destination." The voice over the intercom spoke, and every one of them began to head to the back. It was time now and Ruby followed, thinking of Penny as she did so. Her eyes flicked to the only thing she could take to remember her friend, one of her swords on her belt as she checked Crescent Rose and put on a look of determination.

Yang brought out headphones, sticking them in her ears as Jaune asked curiously. "At a time like this?" Yang shrugged lightly in return. "For some reason, I can feel my magic respond better when I listen to music." She turned on her scroll, and as the synth music began its opening notes, she grinned.

"Yeah... That's the stuff."

The doors opened, alarms ringing as the sight of Beacon in flames and under siege presented itself.

And as they leaped out, each one of them proceeded to land according to their landing strategy as well as their new, learned skills.

"Bigby's HAAAAAND!" Cried Yang, arcane power collecting as she produced what looked like a giant, golden energy construct of her own hand, Ember Cilica included for her to surf down on as she let out a whoop.

Weiss as she flew down would suddenly morph, form shifting as a giant white eagle screeched and dove, Nora grinning as she suddenly grew bigger, hammer included as she prepared for a meteoric strike using her own body.

Ren suddenly sprouted wings, draconic and green scaled as he grabbed Blake, the two of them flying down to support Weiss and Nora as screams from Jaune was suddenly interposed by Pyrrha intercepting. Using her semblance to surf on her shield, she grabbed Jaune in a bridal carry, grinning at the knight.

"Hello again."

Jaune groaned and covered his face with his hands, glad she couldn't hear his sword right about now.

Ruby watched it all, smiling as she stared below... It was time. She tapped her rose emblem and cried out.

"Red Knight, activate!"

There was a whir of energy booting up, and then a metallic shink of interlocking plates unfolding. Mechashift technology, combining with the arcane mindset of an artificer and obtained by viewing the war golems of Brightboom. Armor, a dark red like a knight of old herself began to slide over her body, until it was all but protecting her. Ruby grinned, and her helmet slid the rest of the way, closing in place as boosters kicked in, enhancing her speed as she sped up.

And like Nora as she unfolded Crescent Rose, became a projectile all on her own as the mass of falling metal crashed through several grimm, even as Nora landed to smash one of the Atlas mecha.

The impact shook the ground, Ruby sliding on her feet to a halt as the rest of her group landed, armed and ready to fight.

And then there was no more time to think, as a Grimm roared and leaped for her face, just in time for her to cleave it as more filled the gap.

====

"It's not here." Cinder felt her world fall out from under her, as she looked at the state of the underground complex.

Rocks were everywhere, signs of a cave in and destroyed machinery being the only thing that awaited her here. There was no power, there was no Fall Maiden. Only rot and ruin. Her anger flooded her body, she screamed in frustration as she spun on the Grimm, who was incredibly still.

"This is your fault! You pathetic... You little... Does this look like victory to you?!"

The Grimm spoke, condescendingly so. "The loss of the Fall Maiden is unexpected, but not entirely. The school is still being destroyed, brick by brick. A new generation of hunters and huntresses are strangled in the cradle, and we can-"

"THERE IS NO WE!" Cinder roared, chopping off his words with a wave of her hand, now currently wreathed in flames.

"EVERYONE OF YOUR PLANS HAS ONLY LED TO RUIN! THIS WAS MY TRIUMPH! MY VICTORY! AND I AM THROUGH WITH YOU!" She scowled, turning to the machine as she growled. "We can salvage something from this. Get back up, get to work killing the students till you perish. I'll just have to do this all myself."

She approached the machine, looking through it before realizing he wasn't moving, as she snapped. "Did Salem make you deaf as well as worthless? I said, GO!"

To her fury, the grimm spoke casually. "Hmm... No, I don't think I will. What an utter disappointment." Cinder turned, ready to burn him to ashes as she produced her weapons, the grimm ignoring her actions as his eyes seemed to glow under his hood.

"Had you learned nothing? Or has the stench of power only drew you like a sow to the slop pile? And you didn't even have the decency to find what I was after, before trying my patience." Cinder paused, her eyes widening with fury. "Has Salem betrayed me? Is she that worried of my power?!"

The notion made the grimm laugh. "Your power? My dear, some fake archfey in comparison to her current patron would be like comparing a match to a raging forest fire. Ah, but no... This is a bit more personal."

They slowly began to circle each other, Cinder growling as the hooded grimm spoke lightly. "I had hoped he would have hidden it somewhere here. But then again, it's not like the parasite to put all his eggs in one basket. My master was right on that count. But you had always been little more than a distraction, alas. You see my dear, it was never the Maidens that held such importance to me, but something far better. Somewhere, on these grounds is an item that I would very, very much like to have. A treasure beyond a paltry, third hand soul."

Cinder blinked and the hooded grimm was suddenly in her face, hand shooting out as it grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the stone wall. Her aura shattered, her eyes wide with fear as the creature leaned in close and spoke.

"And if you can't help me, find this relic... Then I really don't have a use for you, do I?"

He flexed his hand and Cinder's body went limp. Dropping the corpse, he turned to leave-paused and sighed as he snapped his claws.

Imps appeared from the shadows, accompanied by flames and the scent of hellfire as he turned and pointed to the body. "Return that to its mistress. I dare say, she'll find a better use for it than we will. And a bargain is a bargain."

He sighed out, quietly considering as he added to himself. ".... Whoever she is, must have gained quite the boost now. It's not quite the Relic of Choice." He moved his claws to his cloak clasp, undoing it as he let the whole thing drop.

"But bringing the Soul of the Fall Maiden to my master, should be quite the feather in my cap regardless. Now... Where are you.... Ah."

He paused and turned his head, sensing with something far deeper than mere sight and sound as he grinned a jagged, toothy smile.

"There you are."

====

Yang let out a burst of sound, an air guitar blast that imploded in a sonic shattering kaboom that destroyed grimm and sent white fang down with bleeding ears. Her eyes were glowing, wreathed in flames as around her, the rest of her friends continued to hold off the forces.

Her sister, looking like a splendid knight would be striking out, the siblings moving back to back now.

And then the earth shook. It exploded and what emerged, was a Grimm that Yang could not recognize at all.

It looked like the pictures of trolls in Aunty Em's books. With bone armored plating, spurs and four arms, muscular and almost dragging across the ground. Tusks jutted out from its lower jaw, as spiral ram horns adorned its head. The eyes peered out towards them, and then it seemed to smile as it focused on Yang.

"Take it down!" Ruby cried out and as one, her friends charged in. Pyrrha and Jaune, shields up would move to charge, just as the giant slammed his foot into the earth and a wave of dirt and rubble pushed and obscured. For a moment, both were blinded as the troll backhanded both away, to Icarus's distress as the dragon roared and the troll snorted.

"You're a thousand years too early to challenge ME, little wyrm."

His hand shot out, gripping him in his grasp to a surprised squawk, though before he could squeeze, Blake, Weiss, Ren and Nora charged in. Blake's cable hooked around the arm, yanking as Ren leaped, fists flying into hammer blows and forcing his grip open, as Weiss leaped in wolf form and grabbing Icarus in her jaws, rushed away. Nora, in her giant form slammed her hammer down.

One of the hands had intercepted, the troll grimm sneering as he suddenly moved, rapidly yanking Blake and kicking a solid blow to Nora's stomach, sending her flying back and crashing into Beacon.

Rounds exploded, fired at him from Yang and Ruby, both unleashing all they could as the survivors of Beacon added their own firepower. Lightning began to arc in the air, the living knights of the Lightning Horde adding their own blows, as a concentrated blizzard roared and swirled about the target from the boss of the White Pheonix.

And then for a moment, all was still.

Right before four, glowing red lines flashed in the mist and the troll leaped in the midst of the defenders. Already regenerating, as he laughed and with four flaming swords, began to strike back. The blades roared, chopping through flesh and metal as men died screaming, the drow likewise butchered as Jarlaxle cursed and fled for the door, whistling a general retreat to his forces. Lady Misako, floating back would speak grimly.

"That's no grimm. That style..."

The troll laughed, raising one of his blades to the sky as he intoned.

"I am the General. I am the Commander. A thousand Blades for a thousand Souls."

The fallen twitched. Slowly rising, flesh melting and corroding, shaping into something new as from a disorganized force of the White Fang, the Grimm and Atlas came something else... Something far more disciplined. Ranks began to form, stygian blades were drawn and the troll laughed.

"REMNANT! YOU ARE DOOMED! HELL HAS COME UPON YOU AND I AM ITS FIRST THRUST!" His eyes flashed as he snarled.

"I AM JORGEN! REJOICE! FOR YOU ARE NOW UNDER THE MERCY OF HELL!"

A golden fist, half his size came rushing in and he slashed at it, the energy dispersed as he glanced over and grinned. At the front of the line was a girl with hair of gold and a soul of fire. The one he was looking for as he spoke idly.

"Consider the offer rescinded for you."

And suddenly he was in front of her, fast enough to startle Yang, that something so big could be so quick. He saw her eyes, saw the realization, the recognition that she was going to die. And nothing could be done about it.

And then there was a burst of rose petals and the red one was suddenly knocking his target out of the way, with a speed almost enough to match his own.

There was a screech of metal, a flash of heat and Yang watched from her prone position, screaming-no, others were too as Ruby fell over. Crescent Rose, her pride and joy had been shattered, the pieces fallen along with an object that she didn't want to believe was there.

Her arm.

This thing cut off her sisters arm.

Her eyes burned gold, she rose up in a fury as she charged. "GET AWAY FROM HER!"

And then the skies suddenly split. A burning, bright light flew through the air towards them as the troll leaped back, a sword that glowed like sunlight embedded in the earth, like a guardian between them as a figure floated slowly to the ground.

Yang blinked. Aunty Em, floating a few feet off the ground had an expression on her face. A blank, shuttered thing as her eyes flicked to the scene around her, to the sight of the troll and then deliberately, to Ruby's arm.

"Jorgen." She said, and the voice was inhuman, cold and as clinically precise as a scalpel. Yang shuddered and moved to grab her sister, along with Weiss as the latter eyed and breathed out with relief. "Small miracles. Its cauterized, but she's passed out." Weiss grabbed some moss from her pouch, chewing briefly on it before pressing it to the wound.

Yang kept her eyes on the two, the silence growing as even the grimm seemed to dare not approach.

The troll grimm, Jorgen seemed delighted in contrast. "Hannibal! I had been waiting for this moment. So tell me..." His eyes flicked to her face as he spoke casually.

"You seem upset. Is it because I maimed your pet?"

And then the world shattered.

Music surged, heard in the mind and discordant, a wild chorus of howling, incandescent rage as Yang watched her Aunty Em take her true form. From the human looking, smiling herbalist to the monstrous Illithid beneath. Tentacles writhing, the jaws beneath snapping as it flew for the troll, sunblade arcing down as Jorgen laughed and swung his blades to meet it.

And the world shuddered once more.