Pyrrha Nikos was ready to die.

She did not want to. But she was ready to.

Of course, she could have done more. Everyone could have. But she had relieved herself of a burden that she carried for months. She had given her friends enough time to escape. And now, came the end.

The end at the hand of Cinder Fall.

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours," the villainess intoned, and pulled Pyrrha's face up to meet hers. "But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never have imagined."

Pyrrha was comforted, not by this maniacal boasting… but by the hope that somehow, Cinder would be stopped. And with any luck, she would be responsible. And so, she sat up from her pose of supplication, to look into the eyes of her executioner.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Cinder's eyes narrowed, and she frowned. It may have been small, but it made her stumble, and for the first time in what may have been decades… she spoke the truth.

"Yes."

She pulled back her bow, and Pyrrha closed her eyes. Awaiting her fate.

But then…

"PYRRHA!"

Pyrrha felt herself knocked aside by an unseen force. She could hear a rushing of wind, and under that, an arrow letting loose… and hitting its mark.

Her eyes opened, to find Cinder some feet away, a look of disbelief, and even anger in her eyes. Pyrrha herself was on her back, and as she began to rise again, she saw, next to her… a red cloak.

"Ruby!"

Drawing on the last vestiges of strength within her, Pyrrha overturned the unconscious huntress to find, planted squarely in her side, an arrow. The wound glowed a deep red.

"Ruby, come on! Speak to me! Ruby!"

"P… Pyrrha…"

As Ruby's eyes fluttered open for what was to be the last time, Pyrrha could see the coloration leaving her irises. Soon, there would be only black.

"Pyrrha…" Somehow, in spite of her condition, Ruby was able to smile. "You know… Pumpkin Pete's… w-was always… my favorite cereal."

"Shh, shh, Ruby, it's okay… It's all going to be okay..."

"Pyrrha… Thank you… For being… My friend…"

Pyrrha's green eyes misted, and she placed a gentle kiss on Ruby's forehead. Her eyes closed for the last time, as her entire body flashed a vibrant orange and slowly, agonizingly slowly disintegrated… leaving only a cloak of the deepest red. Pyrrha cradled it in her arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Ruby… I'm so sorry…"

"As am I," Cinder Fall coldly responded, once more drawing her bow, in an aim to finish the job.

And as the arrow let fly, and it soared into the champion's back, it… did nothing. For all the world, it seemed to rebound off of her.

"...What?"

Pyrrha's form was suddenly alight with a white aura, and she rose to her feet, appearing, for all the world, as though she had not a scratch on her.

"No… You're not…" Cinder's eyes widened in anger. "No! You can't be alive! The full power of the Maiden was to be MINE!"

Pyrrha turned, calling Milo and Akouo to her. And as she readied once more for battle with this madwoman, her silver eyes narrowed, and she spoke four words.

"Then come claim it."

Author's Note: ...Jesus Fucking Christ, that got dark. I wanted this chapter to be a humorous study in hero worship. You understand me? I wanted that. But, 'twas not meant to be.

On a more serious note, I realize this may have been pretty non-standard of a chapter for this fanfiction, but those rules are more... guidelines. You get me?

Also, I'm not entirely positive those sliver-eyed warrior powers are transferable upon death like with the Maidens but... screw it, it works, right?

Finally, I am truly sorry things turned out so dark here. But not to worry! For next time, it features the Queen of the Castle herself, Nora Valkyrie! Nothing but blue skies ahead, right?

...Right?