[Blake]

Did I get far enough?

Can I trust someone to help? Can anyone help? I saw the destruction throughout the campus. Men and women left mutilated and membered, yet most left alive in states of agony.

Throughout my panic, questions flung around my mind as I ran through alleys, trying to get Yang somewhere safe.

She won't stop bleeding. Covered in blood, I sprinted through the alleys and corners until I bumped into someone.

"Yang's arm! Where'd it go? Where'd y'all go?"

Nora! If no one else, she can help, "Nora! Take Yang, and get her to a hospital. Then, call your team. Head to the school."

I handed over Yang, and turned on my heel and bolted back to the school.

Whoever did this, I'll make them pay. The people they took from me: Ruby, Weiss, Yang...

I'll kill them for this, whoever they are.

[Ruby]

I felt my stomach churn as I was smacked across the hall. I only had seconds to recover and dodge.

The man was fast. He wasn't called headmaster for nothing. I anchored Crescent Rose so it would protect my injured arm. It was my weak spot - I can't protect it with aura anymore. Due to the Grimm that was placed in me, it took up half of my upper arm and shoulder. Thanks mom!

"Ms. Rose, you should really start paying attention to me, instead of being in the clouds."

I focused back on Professor Ozpin after he struck me with his cane.

"I'm sick of you!" The words just came out as I fired several shots and rushed him with speed. He was forced into the bullets' path, grazing his left leg, shoulder and the edge of his neck.

"Why would you help Salem, Ms. Rose? You of all people should be aware that she..."

I knocked him out. Along with the relief came a familiar feeling in my stomach. I shoved it back.

"I'll spare you, Oz. I never wanted to kill you."

I continued my ascent, and I finally saw the door. Weiss...

I ran and busted the door open.

In a crippled state among red stained sheets lay Weiss. All the hate I had mutated to sadness, to see her like this. My brief excitement quickly faded, and I slowly walked up to the bedside. I removed the sheets and was met with a sight so repulsive I could recall every detail years later.

Her skin was covered in grime, and was cold, almost icy to the touch. Her wounds weren't even covered; her pale skin was slowly being consumed by necrosis, with dark, crust-like patches of dead flesh marring her body. She looked like the corpse of someone left to rot in a ditch, but against all odds, I could sense that she was alive, somehow.

I removed my hood and gently wrapped it around her body. I picked her up, holding her tightly. I look at her face. "I'll make sure they suffer for this, my dear."

I ran, not out of excitement, but fear.

[Blake]

There was only one question on my mind: Where was Adam Taurus?

I was at the entrance, out of ideas. I was going to walk in until I heard footsteps. Instinctively I got into fighting position.

These footsteps were close. I saw the silhouette of a figure. Something that came closer into view, slow and deliberate in its steps. My eyes constantly focused, until I got...

...Ruby holding Weiss?

It was. I saw Ruby's mouth contort, and words I thought I would never hear uttered from her came out.

"You. You - you bitch! Why? Why are you here!" Her eyes turned stark white. "You hurt my love! You almost killed her, and left her to rot in the hands of fools!"

Left her to rot? I had a lump in my throat that I felt grow.

"Ruby..." In that moment, I felt fear. This isn't the girl I knew, even though I desperately wished otherwise. This is someone else. This is a monster.

I pulled out Gambol Shroud and prepared for certain death. She brought this pain upon us all tonight, and now I have to make her atone. I didn't want to.

"Blake." Her voice was cold, indifferent, uncaring. "If Ozpin can't put me down, what do you think you will?" She chuckled, each laugh echoing slightly through the vast, barren yard. I steeled myself in the face of fear and anxiety. Placing down Weiss with care, she pulled out Crescent Rose.

"Ruby," I began, "I didn't think they would -"

Ruby stamped her foot down. "You didn't think? You, of all people, didn't think? You didn't think that they'd just leave her? You thought it would be sun and shine?"

This isn't you.

Ruby continued, tears streaming down her face as she yelled at me. "You thought that you could make things a little better, one sacrifice for many, huh? No!"

This isn't you, Ruby.

Her voice quickly went hoarse with fury. "Why did I ever think things could be okay? Why, between -"

Ruby stopped mid-speech and broke down. In between her loud bawling, I could make out soft muttering.

"Between us? Why us?"

I stepped closer with extreme caution. I wouldn't let anyone else a closer range to me, but this is different. It's Ruby. My friend.

"Blake, Blake, help me..." Her voice was soft yet ragged. I wanted to help, Ruby. I wished I knew sooner. I didn't want this between us.

Then she wailed with a soul-piercing banshee-like howl, one that lasted for what felt like forever. She jumped up and, with Crescent Rose in tow.

With regret, I leaped at her, and she did the same. Our blades clashed with a ferocity I hadn't felt in a long time. I break it and attacked once more. I went for a slash at her neck that Ruby barely dodged. Blood slowly streamed from her neck. With a blood-curdling hiss, she wiped it away. "You may be stronger than me, but I'm the master at close combat!". She lunged at me, impaling the shoulder of my after image.

"Masters don't use brute force," I replied.

I quickly sprinted towards Ruby as she set up a defensive position with Crescent Rose, leaning forward with the blade covering her front. I juked her at the last second, leaning, turning, and going in for a wide slash at her unguarded side. She kicked away, with my sword glancing off her blade.

We both backed up. I could see Ruby's eyes twitching from left to right, figuring out what to do. She locked her gaze with mine, and went in for the kill.

I responded in kind.

We charged at each other, and I jumped, firing and preparing to deflect Ruby's slash when she let Crescent Rose down earlier than I anticipated. She exclaimed, striking the back of my afterimage.

I landed, rolling and stopping on my feet. Ruby looked at me with unbridled hatred in her eyes. "I guess I didn't get you there..."

A pain shot though my back. I couldn't help but wince.

"Or did I?" Ruby's face lit up with murderous delight. I hit the ground, feeling blood slowly pool under me. Downed by a single stroke, I laid there, defenseless. I could make out a person joining Ruby's side - Adam.

"Adam, take Weiss to the base. I'll let you have Blake when I'm done." Adam hissed something unintelligible, and did as told."Well, it's time for you to pay, cat."

Blood lust had consumed her completely. My wound intensified in pain, and my shock kept me from doing anything. All I could do was stop and stare. If it were almost anyone else, I would be on my toes, fighting them tooth and nail. But this was more than a betrayal. It was part of the systematic destruction of everything I came to love over the past months. The twisting of my trust, corrupted by a cancer that ate at those I loved, and I feared, would come to consume me as well.

Ruby grabbed Gambol Shroud and repeatedly inserted the blade into the side of my abdomen. For every opening she made, she licked the blood away, tearing at them more with her teeth. I shut my eyes and screamed, hoping for relief.

And that's when I saw the swing of a silver hammer crashing into Ruby.