6 - 25 - 2020

"So. We're good?"

"Ammie. 'Good' is a very fluid idea at the moment," Jaune growls, sitting cross-legged and cross-armed at the base of the Pool of Darkness as the four relics hover around him with glorious omnipotence, "I mean, I just became the literal strongest thing in the universe... only to be imbued with the knowledge that this universe is a fake universe, loosely based on another fake universe, embedded in a real universe, populated by a single boringly named planet of people who don't even have aura."

"I fail to see your cause for consternation."

A bolt of cerulean lightning cackles nearby, the young Maiden long ago used to such tantrums and giving the super-saiyaned young man little more than an arched brow.

"Well how bout the part where all this power comes together only to use it as a friggin antenna to get some news out from the literal CREATOR of this universe to other people in their supposedly real planet, huh!?"

Amber lets the corner of her lip curl down at that, conceding the point but otherwise beginning to pace with a considerable level of understanding given the unique nature of the situation.

"Well if things are as I understand them," Amber begins, waving a hand aimlessly as she nimbly sidesteps the Relic of Destruction that innocently drifts across her path, "There's a reason that the creator - which unbelievably is neither the God of Light nor Darkness - needs the message stated this way. Something about website rules about announcements to audiences and whatnot."

"Whatever that means..."

"Yes. Whatever that means," she agrees, "But it sounded rather... unfortunate. You say the Creator asked for me to deliver the news?"

Jaune simply glances up at the large, ethereal, blue cross-armed woman floating beside him that apparently came from one of the relics who simply gives him a slight nod before turning back to his partner.

"Yep."

"And Jinn there couldn't just answer that?"

"You know there's a story behind that. We're way past three questions already and she'll only do this for me."

"Fine, fine," Amber relents, raising her other hand in tandem with the first in placation.

"Yeah, apparently you're the better announcer since there's a faction of some who watched-"

A cough from the blue woman.

"-or, er... read, the begging of our journey who are still kinda wigging out over the fact I hadn't killed people yet. I mean, people really think I'd just go bananas over the idiots in the world like that?"

"Hadn't we literally only been back on the surface for not even ten days by the time we were captured by the Fang in Mistral?"

"Exactly. Like, seriously... just why."

A certain amber-eyed companion finally speaks up from the rock face she currently leans on, wincing after just having kicked a small pebble in the Pool of Darkness only to see a weird, Grimm-like pebble angrily crawl out soon after.

"I mean, you've already killed plenty at this point, Jaune. People, Faunus, Grimm, economies, some small-scale ecosystems... even a few allies when you went all-"

"Thank you, Blake," Amber notes sarcastically with an eye-roll, "Not something we need to reminisce over at the moment in light of recent news."

Blake shrugs, as close as she will get to ceding the point as she saunters over towards the duo - Gambol sans the Shroud slung across one shoulder with a battle-damaged Myrtenaster slung across the other like some sort of Sword Art protagonist.

Amber faces a random clearing, framing the view with her hands before speaking up, "Alright. So. I face this general direction over here and pretend my words are taking written form and being read by a few thousand unsuspecting... Earth-lings?"

"Sounds just about right," a voice calls out from nearby, the trio turning to see their wild-haired guide to the land of darkness sharpening her telescopic katana from a similarly cross-legged seating position, "We don't have all day. Or maybe we do. All the nihilism I felt before makes much more sense now when I think of how simple keystrokes in another dimension dictate every thing I say."

"Ray, not that again," Jaune huffs before Amber waves it off and swipes her hand across the air as previously instructed, faithfully intuiting that something called a word divider would somehow appear across time and space.

And so. Her mental message begins.

Hello, men and women of Earth.

My name is Amber, surname Cowl. Of the planet Remnant. Our creator, who has chosen to dub themselves the Author, has enlightened us with the burden of knowledge after the collection of four powerful Relics left by the Gods of Old, and tasked us to relay a message they are not able to address directly due to the laws of your dimension.

A viral disease has taken over your planet. Halted your economies. Heightened political strife. Please know we do not make light of that by volunteering ourselves as the messengers. We simply wish to aid the Author in abiding by the laws of the portal through which my words reach you.

Though my caravan would think you all immortal, it seems this disease has the capability to prove otherwise. This disease has affected the Author personally... and claimed the life of members of their family. This has led to a period of extended bereavement, exacerbated further by the follow up and countermeasures necessary to aid said family affected by the loss and economic impact.

The Author beseeches you to grant them time to adjust and follow through with promises made in your world, as well as to allow time to return to the tale which you currently read. This tale is well underway, and in fact, has already been told as we stand where we are now - however, the words through the portal have yet to be writ. Apologies are due, and gratitude as well to those of you who have reached out to the Author in concern.

The adventure has already been dreamt. Pray give us time to set the stage for the words to come.

With another swipe of her hand that does absolutely nothing in her line of sight, Amber sighs as she imagines what this intriguing Word Divider must be doing in the dimension she'd not known about until today.

"That it?" Ruby asks as she walks up beside the group, hoisting Crescent Rose over her shoulder as she looks among the group in curiosity.

"We can only hope," the stern and level voice of a man well beyond his years comes forth from the mouth of one Oscar Pine.

The raven-haired woman stands, brandishing her sharpened sword as another woman walks up next to her with flaming eyes, followed by a third whose presence is known to all.

Her eyes too erupt in flame for but a moment more, closing as she inhales the rotting intent of the space around them and the small army at the base of the ungodly shrine in support of Remnant's last stand.

"Salem will be here soon."

Jaune stands, the four relics taking form as the blue genie disappears within them, his goggles glinting in the light of Aura and magic from all those around him as they arm themselves for combat.

"And we will be ready."

Jaune takes a final glace up at nothing in particular just as a massive floating Grimm appears over the horizon flanked by myriads of hell-creatures set to consume the world.

"...I just hope that our fight is left for others to witness after this day. Here, and in any other world out there."

End Update

A/N: Sorry guys. The hiatus isn't by choice. Stay strong out there. COVID is real and it's dangerous. I'll be back.