Okay, this is the second to last chapter, or maybe I may write three more chapters including this one. Depending on how this one turns out. Honestly, I have become pretty bored with this story, and just want to see it finished.


"You've improved." Vader stated as he parried a blow from Pyrrha's sword.

"I had a reason to." She said as they met slash after slash.

"I thought I told you, that boy you knew is no more." He said as he thrusted his sword forward, only for her to move her head out of the way, duck underneath, and push his sword away with her shield, while also aiming a slash at the weak points in his armor.

From what Ozpin had told her. All of his limbs were mechanical, so she didn't need to worry about actually hurting him. But the problem was she had to aim for areas that would slow him down, areas that his armor was weak in. So around the areas where the shoulder meets the neck, or where the delt would reach the shoulder blade. In other words, it severely limited her options. In Ozpin's own words, he was way more machine then man, twisted and evil.

"And I thought I told you that was a lie." She said as Salem just rolled her eyes in the background.

"So melodramatic, why don't you get back to killing each other, talk is boring." She said as if she was watching a game of football on the television.

Pyrrha glared at her. This woman just continued to piss her off more and more. Granted she couldn't think about how angry she was at her, especially when Vader and her were engaged in a duel. Once again, she had to push herself just to keep up with him. She may have been in intense training, but it was obvious that he had gone through his own. And based on what Ozpin told her, he had an unfair advantage due to his cybernetic limbs.

She knew from her training with Ironwood that you never wanted to fight a cyborg. If a man was flesh and blood, his body can eventually get tired, his arms will feel fatigued, and his aura can only do so much to stop him from dropping from Exhaustion. But with a cybernetic implant, it was much stronger than a limb of flesh. And to make matters worse, machines didn't get tired, they had their limits, but stamina was never a problem if they had droid limbs.

She knew her one hope was to go for Vader's head or chest, where his armor would most likely be the weakest. But once again, there lied the problem.

She was trained to kill Vader, but if there was any hope of bringing Jaune back. She needed him alive. And that was yet another problem. Vader would actually kill her if she gave him the chance.

She bashed her shield against him, pushing him back and jumping into the shadows of the throne room.

"Ah, fighting from the shadows, that seems unlike you." Vader said as he looked around.

Salem always kept her throne room dark, it may have been stereotypical of a villian to have a dark lair, but she hated the sunlight, too many bright and happy thoughts came along with the light. So she preferred to stay in darkness.

"I found that sometimes you have to resort to things you don't want to." Pyrrha's voice echoed around the chamber.

"You are only delaying the inevitable." He said as he heard a chuckle.

"I could say the same thing to you, Jaune." That name was really getting on Vader's nerves.

"If you're trying to change my mind by repeating that weakling's name, you might as well surrender now." He said as he reached out with his semblance hoping to get a sense of things.

"What's wrong? Afraid that I used your real name?" She said as Vader sensed something.

"If I were you, I would spend less time talking, and more time planning your defense!" He said as he reached out into the darkness and grabbed Pyrrha by the throat and threw her into the light.

"Koff...Koff..." She said as she was planning a sneak attack that went wrong.

"Many assassins have tried that approach on me, I would suggest a new strategy." He said as she glared at him.

"What is this, some kind of game to you?" She asked as Vader narrowed his eyes underneath his mask.

"Only if you rely on poor strategy." He said as he held his sword up.

"Then I guess its time to take off the kid's gloves." She said as she crouched down into a stance.

"I'm getting you back, one way or another, even if I have to beat you to a pulp." She thought as she charged forward.

"Yes, Yes, Fight all you want, it won't change anything." Salem said as she drank out of a goblet.


OUTSIDE THE BASE

"COME ON MEN!" Jack yelled as his soldiers followed behind.

"You know, I admire our Captain, but honestly, what kind of nutcase charges into battle with just a sword and a bow and arrow." A private said to his buddy.

It was true, Jack had lost his assault rifle due to a weapon's malfunction, but that gave him an excuse to use his favorite two weapons, his Grandpa's basket hilted broadsword, and his Grandmother's long bow. They didn't even transform into anything, they were just regular run of the mill weapons. (1)

Granted they couldn't argue with his results, who knows how many battles he had been in, and yet he usually managed to come back without a single wound. Minus the one time that he got drunk and was bitten by a white fang grunt. But that was a whole other story. The point was he didn't believe in all the fancy transforming weapons that some of the Huntsman had, why not go with good ol fashion steel and a good ol fashion bow and arrow?

"I don't know, but there is a reason they call him Captain 'Mad' Jack Midnight." The PFC said as they dodged a bullet zooming over head.

"COME ON YOU FAUNUS BASTARDS!" He said as he decapitated one.

"Uh, sir that's racist." One of the female soldiers said.

"Oh please, I wasn't referring to our guys, besides PFC Charcoal over there is a bear faunus, you see him complaining about racism?" He asked as PFC Charcoal was under fire.

"WHO GIVES A SHIT WHAT THE CAPTAIN SAID. JUST KILL AS MANY OF THOSE WHITE FANG FAUNUS BASTARDS AS YOU CAN!" He yelled as he stabbed one through the eye.

"I still think its insensitive sir." She said as Jack glared at her.

"There is no place for sensitivity in war." He said as they all charged back into battle.

Meanwhile, General Ironwood was smirking. They had managed to get a sneak attack in on the base. This was the best bit of luck they had in months.

"Hopefully this will put a dent in their forces." He said as he got ready to go out onto the battlefield.

"Going out there yourself General?" Glynda said as she walked in.

"It's my duty, Glynda. I can't ask those men to sacrifice themselves if I won't do the same." He said as he got his pistol.

"I was wrong about you, you know?" She said as she got closer to him.

"How so?" He asked as he got a spare pistol just in case he lost his.

"I used to think you didn't have a heart, it's a shock to find out you do." She said as Ironwood sighed.

"Listen, I know that my actions around the counsel may seem heartless, maybe even mean spirited, but in the end, those are my men down there, and if I can get even half of them home to their families, I will. If by chance, my presence on the battlefield, increases their motivation to survive and go home, then I will risk my own life for them." He said as Glynda was now face to face with him.

"Well, don't think you're going without me." She said as she had her riding crop.

"You and I fighting side by side? Never thought I would see the day." He said resisting the urge to smirk.

"Don't push your luck." She said as they got ready to jump out of the bullhead.

"By the way, where is Ozpin?" Ironwood said as Glynda looked at him.

"Where do you think?" She said as he sighed.

"He's going after Miss Nikos...are you sure he is up to it?" He asked as it was her turn to sigh.

"He's gotten stronger, and he's back to fighting shape, but he'll have to fight his way through legions of soldiers." She said as they jumped.


OZPIN

"Good to see I can still fight." Ozpin said as he was leaving behind a legion of soldiers.

"And to think, the students thought because I used a cane that I was too old to kick ass." He said in a rare moment of letting his fun personality show.

The truth was, the calm and reserved personality was for the students, behind the scenes, he was pretty laid back, and at times he could even be boastful. In battle was one of the few places he could cut loose. And while he may have lost against Cinder and Salem. He had no doubt that he could take on these Queen's hounds easily.

"I need to get closer to the base, the more of these Troops I take out, the more it helps James, and the closer I get, the more time I have to get to Miss Nikos, if I was a gambling man, I would say that Salem has already pinned her up against Lord Vader." He said in a grimace.

He wasn't just fighting his way to help Miss Nikos. He was also fighting his way there so he could fight against Vader. He did not believe for a second that Jaune was still in there. He was certain that he had been killed. But he knew what Miss Nikos was like. He saw the look in her eyes.

He knew that she still believed Jaune was alive. And that was very dangerous. Granted Ironwood had sent her on the mission without informing Ozpin. Unlike his colleagues, he did not have faith in Mr. Arc. Not after what he had seen and what he had been through. Especially when he remembered that compared to Salem, Mr. Arc may has well have been an ant.

In his eyes, Jaune was dead, and it would be merciful to kill Vader, especially since if word got out about who Vader truly was. People would lose hope. Those who knew Jaune spoke of him fondly, including his family, who had been informed of his death at the hands of Lord Vader. To find out that Jaune had turned over to the dark side would crush them. In a way, Jaune had become a symbol for many of his friends before the truth came out. Lord Vader, however was the force that seeked to corrupt that symbol.

"Down boy." Ozpin said as he smashed a dog faunus's skull in with his cane.

"Oops, that was only meant to be a concussion at best." He said as he continued to walk on.


BACK WITH PYRRHA

Pyrrha was currently hiding. She had to keep silent. A sneak attack wouldn't work on Vader, but what she needed now was to recuperate. She may have gotten stronger, but so had he, and it woudl be wise to get some rest before attacking again.

"You cannot hide forever Nikos." Vader said as he was searching for her.

"I will not continue this pointless battle!" She said as she switched positions, trying to throw Vader off.

"It is the only way that you can save your friends and allies." He said as he lifted his helmet.

"Ah yes, especially that team of yours, what was the name? Oh yes...JNPR." He said as Pyrrha had to remain calm.

He was just trying to get a rise out of her. And she was not going to fall for that trick.

"Tell me, do you ever worry, that you will fail them? Just like you failed me?" Vader said as Pyrrha felt him touch a nerve.

"Does it ever burn you up, knowing that you could fail to save them, after all, you couldn't even save one person, what makes you think you can save your team, let alone a whole race?" He said as Pyrrha was feeling her strength returned.

"Or have you excepted the fact that you can't save everyone?" Vader said as he suddenly heard a movement.

He turned to block a quick strike from her sword.

"I didn't fail at saving you..." She said as she bashed him with her shield.

"I'm just about to complete that mission." She said as Vader's sword was by his side, as he looked hesitant for a moment.

"You still believe in those foolish hopes of yours?" He asked as he was having a hard time believing her.

"I won't give up, not when I am so close." She said as things went silent for a bit.

All you could hear was the sound of Vader's breathing, almost as if he was contemplating what she said.

"Then you will die." He said as he swung at her again.


(1) Look up Captain Mad Jack Churchill