Cover Picture made by: marius15 on Deviantart, love the work he did! Be sure to check him out!

I do not own RWBY or its characters or merchandise, all credit belongs to Rooster Teeth Productions, however the Original Characters, Plot Lines and creations are my own and are not to be plagiarised.

Prologue

The cold winter air flows across the falling battlefield, rumbles of war reverberate through the cobblestone paths that the blood trickles down. A collection of ants that feast away at the Human and Faunus cadavers that lay scattered, clawed and stabbed and crushed by the armies of Grimm. Hundreds of beasts charge across a gigantic stone bridge built over a cavern, all roaring as they throw their muscular shadowy bodies at their foes. One of the Beowulves digs its claws into the chest of a warrior who cries with agony as it rips him apart. Gnawing at his skin and flesh in order to rip him apart. Blood sprays out from his body as it pulls and rips his body apart as he screams.

That is until the Beowulf clamps its jaws into his throat, viciously thrashing him around until his jugular is torn right off. Spraying claret out and across the black wolf that killed him. The Beowulf rears up on its hind bipedal feet, pulling its arms back to howl to the only partially fractured moon. Nothing compared to what it looks like now, and behind the Beowulf is a battalion of Mammoth-Sized Goliaths approaching the fort with deafening trumpeting roars from their trunks. The roars echo for miles as Nevermores glide overhead, launching Fatal Feathers down into the battlefield beneath them.

Giant black feathered blades come crashing down into the defences, catapults shattered like glass from the impact of such powerful feathers that impact them. Chunks of splintered wood and bent metal thrown through the air, impaling some unfortunate souls trying to defend the main gate. "They're closing in! We cannot hold them forever!" A Knight wails with fear as the monsters charge, the ground rupturing before him as a massive Deathstalker explodes up from the ground before his very eyes.

With horror flowing in his veins, he screeches with horror until the massive glowing gold stinger comes crashing down and stabs straight through his torso. It swings round and roars, throwing the still screaming man into the horde behind it. Only for him to be swarmed and ripped to shreds by the vile monsters that move closer and closer. Burning boulders are thrown from trebuchets towards the army, exploding with brimstone impacting the Creeps and Beowulves that ceaselessly charge. A man on a massive Ballista turns the titanic weapon with all his might and fires.

The huge bolt flies across the sky and nails a Nevermore through the ribcage, the screeching titan of a Crow plummets down to the ground, slowly disintegrating away into a thick plume of black smoke. But their efforts just seem effortless, because the army of monsters never seem to be faltered by the constant barrage of fire that the Knights unleash upon them. A Knight bellows as he swings his sword across the neck of a Beowulf to kill it, only for a Griffin suddenly grabs him and they both crash through the side of the cobblestone bridge, plummeting to their deaths as they scream.

One soldier staggers back with horror, seeing where his friend once stood, falling to his knees and hiding behind a concrete barrier to cover his ears as he cries. Not all of the weapons are so ancient though – for some of them are actually shooting dust rifles as well at the Grimm. Bolts of electrical dust burn through the bodies of Grimm that continuously charge further and further to the gates. Nailing some of them in their weakest spots.

The chinks in their bony armour plating.

Even some robotic Warriors enter the warzone as well, firing missiles from their shoulders to try and lessen the amount of Grimm that continue to make their attack on the walls of the fortress. The robots that they send forth make the Atlesian Knights look like they are made of paper in comparison, broad shouldered bulky mechanical beasts that march through the walls. Along with a huge mechanical titan with razor sharp feet.

Known as a Warden.

The panels around its triangular body slide apart to reveal the charging red laser that prepares to fire along with the trumpeting horn which challenges the Goliath getting closer and closer. The huge Grimm Mammoth erupts into rage as it lifts its trunk at the Warden whilst the Apostle Robots continue to assist the Knights holding the Grimm back as best they can. The Warden roars, blasting a thick red beam of energy into the head of the Goliath, and the beast roars with pain, staggering back as the burning hot laser carves across one of the massive curved tusks.

The tusk severs, crashing to the bridge with an almighty bang, spreading cracks across the bridge. Chunks of cobblestone plummet off the side of the bridge as the Warden stands it ground. Thick black smoke bleeds from the heavy wound inflicted on the Goliath, but the enraged titan just roars again. And it continues to march towards the gates, with a guttural growl as it moves closer and closer to the gates. Every footfall makes the ground shake, and a Nevermore dives towards the Warden.

The Warden screeches, turning and blasts ten tiny missiles from its back which explode as soon as they make contact with the Nevermore. The huge beast roars with agony, vaporised into black smoke before it could even get close. The Warden remains tall, firing the laser into the Grimm that continue to make their approach, slicing the arched tail of the Deathstalker clean off, which causes the stinger to fall and plunge directly down into the top of the Scorpion's skull. The shrieking monster is silenced immediately as soon as the stinger impacts the skull, and it collapses to the ground.

The Goliaths roar with fury as they splay their huge black ears out to the enemy, constantly moving towards the fort. "The Warden doesn't have enough power to take down three Goliaths! What are we going to do?" One of the Knights cries out.

The crying Knight hides behind the concrete barrier, his body shaking erratically with terror, ready to face the end that is coming for them all.

But then...

A man steps out of the fort.

Alone.

With just a sword and shield, slowly approaching the face of the battlefield. One of the Knights taking cover reaches out for him as he approaches. His hair is a greyish blonde with some weathered scars on his body, most likely across his entire body. The strange man wears an impressive suit of armour, one that is crafted with a rare metal named Isomacium. Not only that but it has been carved to represent the skulls of the Grimm, with Beowulf shaped skulls making his shoulder pauldrons, and he wears the helmet that looks like that of a Griffon's head. He holds the helmet in his hand as he approaches, with the sheathed sword in the other hand. The hand he holds the helmet it has jagged metal claws built into the gauntlet, looking like the claws of an Ursa.

He shows no fear.

Just courage as he approaches, and the Knight screams out his name. "Vyrryk! What are you doing?" He screams, but the warrior known as Vyrryk says nothing.

He just stands before the roaring Goliaths that march on the Fortress. He puts the helmet on with ease, staring through the sockets of the Griffon and he clips it to the shoulder pads that he built.

Then he draws the sword.

It is simple looking, with a blue hilt and a yellow crossguard, and with faintly glowing symbols across the blade, and he holds the sheath in his hand. And it transforms into a shield that also has similar symbols inside.

It is Crocea Mors.

He clenches the hilt tight and his blue eyes glow fiercely, as he walks towards the army of Grimm. He slashes once at five Beowulves, and an almighty blast of lightning erupts from the blade that annihilates all of them in one swing. As a Nevermore comes for him, he swings his shield, and the impact creates a deafening back, and the shockwave spreads cracks across the bridge. As he calmly walks across the bridge, killing the Nevermore immediately with one powerful smash. The huge crow fades away into the realms of time and mater, Vyrryk looks ahead at the ground as Creeps tunnel towards him.

He jumps in the air and stabs the sword downwards, sending flames straight through the ground that completely annihilates all the creatures before they could even burst out of the ground. The Knights are shocked of what they are seeing; he has made more progress on his own than they have in half an hour of fighting. And he does not stop there, as an Ursa Major roars and charges at him, he suddenly vanishes right as it slashes its claws at him. Confused, the Grimm Bear looks around, only for Vyrryk to suddenly stab the blade of Crocea Mors downwards into the back of the Ursa's head.

The Ursa grumbles with pain, collapsing to the ground, before fading away.

The Grimm begin to fall back.

Except for the three Goliaths on the bridge that roar at him, so he stares them down with the sword and shield in his hands. The Matriarch of the Goliaths charges towards him with a roar, swinging its huge tusk at him, since it is missing the other from when the Warden challenged the titan. Vyrryk sprints at the beast, diving into a combat roll which narrowly avoids the attack as it scrapes the huge bony tusk through the cobblestone. He stabs the sharp blade of Crocea Mors straight into the leg of the Goliath, and it creates a screech of pain.

The Goliath rears up with him still holding onto the hilt of the blade, as it attempts to crush him under its weight. Vyrryk uses the moment as an opportunity, throwing himself into the air as he floats above the Goliath as it slams its huge feet into the ground, nearly breaking the bridge as well. He floats over the creature, and the blue eyes of the warrior glow brighter, as he blasts down towards the Goliath, stabbing it straight through the head. The Goliath roars with agony, and he twists the blade round, taking control of it just by veering it in the direction of the others.

By guiding the head of the Goliath like the joystick of a Bullhead, he smashes the tusk into the side of one of the other Goliaths. The sharp curved tusk carves deep into the thick hide of the Goliath and it roars in pain, black smoke billowing up from the laceration. He pushes the blade forward to force the Goliath into a charge, and it smashes the other towards the edge of the cliff. The Goliath bellows, as it falls, plummeting down into the chasm with a roar, fading away into the gloomy mist beneath, eventually hitting the ground.

Vyrryk turns to see the injured Goliath making a charge into the Matriarch, and it stabs both tusks into the Goliath's side, making it trumpet out with pain. The Goliath snarls with anger, and with its only tusk it manages to hook the creature by the neck, and then smashing the skull of the Goliath into pillar, which collapses and crushes the Goliath to finish it off.

Finally...

Vyrryk rips Crocea Mors out from the skull of the Matriarch and it stumbles slightly in pain, but still goes to attack him with its trunk with anger. But as Vyrryk rises above the beast, he channels his aura into the blade and the hieroglyphics shine brighter this time, as bright as the sun. He blasts downwards, using his powers to propel himself into the Goliath.

With Crocea Mors extended, he plunges straight through the head of the Matriarch, and he shoots through its head like a bullet. He lands down on the bridge, pressing the blade of the sword into the ground with a shockwave. And the Matriarch collapses to the ground with a groan. And before they know it...

The battle is won.

All the Knights stare at Vyrryk with shock and awe as he rises up, huge clouds of black smoke forming around him as he stands there. The huge Elephants fading away into smoke around him.

He looks at the Knights of the Arc Family and he nods.

Sheathing Crocea Mors into the shield that collapses back into its scabbard form.

"Protect The Sword..."

"It must find the Final Knight."

The voice echoes through his mind...

And Jaune gasps, sitting upright in the bed that he has been in a stage of recovery in for the past few hours. He pants with sweat trickling down his face, looking around, to see Pyrrha still asleep in the bed next to him, also recovering from their fight against Hyde.

He presses his hand to his head...

Remembering the ghostly words of his great, great grandfather – Vyrryk Arc.

His eyes now turn to Crocea Mors leant against his bed, seeing the glimmering markings still present on the sword.

"What are you?" Jaune questions with curiosity...and fear as well.

The blade Crocea Mors – Yellow Death – has more tricks up its sleeve than he realises.

And perhaps...

So does he.

Author Note - Act 4 has begun!

As you can see the Arc Family name will play a big part, along with the very interesting history of the Empire of Arkhonex. This will be a very fun ride, I have been waiting to do this one for a long time. Those of you that are up to date, this will be a fun sequel to the third one. If you are new, then please check out the series from the start! (Don't read the old version, read the proper one. It is way better.)

If you are a big fan of world building and character development then this will be the Act for you, as I said - you can probably guess what I mean by the title if you are up to date and know what Arkhonex is.

So as always a few warnings here and there:

- Every character is at risk in this story

- Violence

- (Maybe) Lemon (Not sure if I will or not, we will see)

- Cursing in places

And of course (if you are new and not aware of what ships can be expected in this series)

- Rose Garden

- Black Sun

- Firecracker (Yang X O.C/Kassius Locke)

- Ice Berg

- Arkos

- Renora

- Snow Bird (Sort of, it's kinda complicated)

So then now all that jazz is out the way I would like to point out as well that if I do decide to write a sex scene then the story will naturally have to be upped to M. But as I also said, we will see if I go through with it or not.

I hope you enjoy the next Act of the series!

Please review, follow and favourite! Your feedback is always appreciated!

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

- Matt