AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support this series has gotten here and on Tv Tropes. This chapter is another climactic battle for series. I have waited a long time to get this chapter and for what it sets up going forward. Don't want to spoil much but be prepared for things to get chaotic. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 29 – Spring Forward
Maidens.
Raven and Raikou clashed sword at high speeds. As the bloody huntress dove into her portals to gain distance, the Spring Maiden teleported in a bolt of lightning to her opponent's new location. The continued to parry each other's strikes as their blades sparked, "You know, you're a little too old to be called a maiden?" Raikou taunted, "Even if you killed me, I doubt the power would consider you a host."
"Only one way to find out," Raven responded as she created a red vortex behind Raikou. The bloody huntress then pulled back her blade, unleashing a spin kick into the Spring Maiden's stomach. Raikou was flung back halfway into the vortex before realizing it was starting to close. Suddenly, her body flashed light lightning as she teleported away. The vortex closed as Raven scoffed, "Tsk." She said before seeing Raikou stand a few feet away, her sword sheathed as she crossed her arms.
"So, that's your plan?" Raikou said with a smirk, "Lure me parkway in those portals, then slice me in half."
"I already know you're stronger than me," Raven responded, reposing her sword, "But that will kill you regardless of our power gap."
"Oh, so scary." Raikou commented about her opponent, "It is a strong semblance, which makes me wonder why you even need the maiden power." She asked, but Raven rushed in was a vertical swing. Raikou jumped back and evaded, "You know, this power will only make you a target in the future as well. Do you still want it?" The Spring Maiden asked as Raven went for a horizontal slash. In jumping, Raikou saw a red vortex appear.
"You're mine!" Raven said as her target's head passed the threshold, causing her to quickly close the portal. However, Raikou swung her legs forward. She not only pulled her head out of the vortex but kicked Raven in the chin in the process. The bloody huntress landed a few away as Raikou landed on her feet.
Raven gritted her teeth as Raikou sighed, "The worse part, even if you get my power, the moment you die," Raikou said with a slight look of hatred in her eyes, "It will pass onto Yang, making her the next target."
"…" Raven did not say a word, but her eyes did widen for a second, "…I don't care about Yang." She said before reposing her sword one last time, "She was a mistake."
Suddenly, Raikou teleported in front of Raven, "You didn't tell her that, did you!?" The Spring Maiden asked before Raven went for a decapitation slash. However, Raikou grabbed Raven's wrist in the middle of the swing, "As a mother, that is something you never say to your child."
"I do not need parenting advice from someone I am trying to kill!" Raven shouted before jumped, then thrusted her left leg to kick Raikou in the stomach. The force caused The Spring Maiden to let go, "I was born with the purpose of leading a tribe of bandits, not to be some housewife baking cookies!" The bloody huntress said before running towards Raikou with a flurry of crimson slashes, "The only thing I care about is surviving and eliminating my targets." She said as Raikou parried all the sashes, "And I will eliminate you, Spring Maiden!" Raven declared as she saw an opening for an overhead swing. However, as she reeled her blade back, a bolt of lightning struck down. Her blade acted as a lightning rod as electricity ran through Raven's body, "AAAAAAAAA!" Raikou watched as the crimson sword shattered from the overload of static. Raven fell to her knees as her body was emitting smoke. Her aura was brought to its limits as felt her heart race.
"…" This time Raikou did not say a word. However, she did look up to the sky, "No child is born into this world by mistake." The Spring Maiden said as she looked at the clouds start to clear, "They are a blessing to this world, a product of two individual's love for each other." She said as rays of sunlight began to shine down, causing her to smile, "I'm sure of it, Yang's birth was not a mistake." The Spring Maiden said before looking to Raven, "And neither was yours."
"Huh?" Raven responded in confusion, "Of course my birth was a mistake!" She said as she tried to get up, but only got as far as one knee, "They knew me and my twin brother had potential to lead, but they would only follow the strongest." Said as the memory of certain team photo came to her mind, "So, they made us learn from our enemies. We were told to blend in as much as possible and form a team." She said as her mind focused on the blond man in the photo, "But both of us fell away from our true purpose. The difference, I remember it, while he tried to convince me to forget." Raven then imaged the same photo, but her body fading out of existence.
"You feel that if you were never born, their lives would have been much better off?" Raikou said before sighing, "What a sad perspective on one's own life."
"I don't need your pity," Raven said as she stood up, then stuck the rest of her sword in the cylindrical sheath, "I just need to kill you and take that power." The bloody huntress said before unsheathing her sword, revealing a new crimson blade.
"You still think you have a chance against me?" Raikou responded with a scowl, "I haven't even been using a third of the power you're after." The Spring Maiden said as Raven slightly gritted her teeth, "You picked the wrong Maiden to mess with." Raikou said as she was about to draw her sword.
However, both women gasped at a sudden sensation of heat. They looked up to discover a massive Nevermore made of fire divebombing. Raven jumped back in a portal as Raikou teleported in lightning. The firebird crashing into the ground, scorching the rock and soul to a pitch-black color. Outside the range of the fire, Raven exited a portal as Raikou reappeared next to her. The two looked to the fire, seeing someone in a red dress walking through the flames, "The Spring Maiden, I presume?" Cinder said as she smirked at Raikou, "Allow me to introduce myself," She said as her eyes started to glow like the fire around her, "I'm the Fall Maiden."
"The Fall Maiden?" Raven said, gaining Cinder's attention.
"Wait, I've seen her face somewhere before." Cinder thought, but then looked back to Raikou, "No matter, this one is my target."
"My, I sure am popular today?" Raikou said with a smirk to Cinder, "If you have come to kill me, I don't believe these Maiden powers can stack."
"Only one way to find out." Cinder said before spawning a short sword in each hand. She then rushed for her target. Raikou drew her sword, the action unleashed a shockwave of lightning towards Cinder. The Fall Maiden jumped to dodged, then combined her short swords into a massive greatsword made of black glass. Raikou jumped back to dodge, causing the large blade to embed into the ground. However, Cinder smirked as her sword radiated an orange flame.
Raven started to feel the ground tremble as the fire glowed brighter. Suddenly, the ground erupted like an active volcano. Smoke and ash filled the area as the bloody huntress ducked through a vortex to dodge. However, Raikou held up her arms in a blocking stance. The thick smog encompassed her body. The overshadowing thundercloud's lightning could not penetrate the ask, only creating more glass with each contact. The Spring Maiden gasped as she saw the glowing eyes through the smoke. Cinder dashed through the air at high speed, slashing toward Raikou with a new short sword.
The Spring Maiden blocked with her blade, the clash sound like the crackle of thunder. Cinder continued to dash through the smog, looking for an opening to strike again. However, Raikou's body and eyes glowed white. She stretched out her arms and legs before lightning exploded from her body in every direction. Cinder pulled back to dodge as the smog started to dissipate with the explosive blast wave.
Cinder landed back on the ground as Raikou body was still sparking with electricity, "I'm impressed." The Fall Maiden said with a smile, as she formed another short sword, "We must be the first two maidens to fight in generations." She said before combining both into a massive bow.
"You may be right," Raikou responded as she sheathed her sword, gracefully landing on her feet, "But this power was not meant to be used against each other." She then drew her bow, holding it in her right hand, "I can also tell, you are one of the Archer classes." The Spring Maiden said as Cinder aimed her bow, "However, I am a Berserker."
Suddenly, Raikou shot arrows from the bow at a machinegun's rate of fire. Cinder gasped for a second before dodging out of the way. She ran to her left, but Raikou was tracking her movements. The Fall Maiden placed her bow in her right hand as she ran her left hand through her hair. In pulling out a single stand, the black hair glowed with an orangish flame. Suddenly, the flame expanded into a massive burning Nevermore. Cinder jumped on the creature as the two ascended in the sky, gaining distance away from the onslaught of arrows.
After she felt the shots were getting less accurate, Cinder reposed with her bow. Atop the firebird Nevermore, she took aim at the Spring Maiden as a dust arrow formed. With eyes glowing like the amber leaves about to drop, The Fall Maiden shot her single arrow. Raikou watched the projectile coming towards her, causing her to retarget her rapid arrows. However, this single fire shot's flames expanded. The Spring Maiden gasped as the heatwave passed over the entire area, blowing her arrows out of the way.
"Burn out!" Cinder said before she saw her arrow collided with the Spring Maiden. A gigantic explosion filled the land as the Fall Maiden watched from above. The heat burned the grass for a quarter-mile radius as the soil was turned into dry dirt, of which nothing would ever grow back. Cinder smirked as the fire died down, only leaving a smoke cloud. However, she gasped upon hearing the crackle of thunder from above. In her attempt to evade the arrows, she got to close to one of the dark clouds. A bolt of lightning struck the Fall Maiden, this with a slightly pinkish hue to it. Cinder's body was blasted though her own firebird Nevermore, destroying the creature before she crashed back into the ground. A plume of smoke now stood next to the other plume of smoke.
After the wind carried the smoke away, both maidens were seen standing. Raikou's armor was crack as her spandex was ripped. Cinder's red dress was tattered as blood ran down from the top of her head. Both maidens glared at each other in silence. Cinder formed her massive great sword of glass as Raikou drew her blade. The Fall Maiden's body radiated a burning orange aura as the Spring Maiden's emitted a sparking pink. Suddenly, both charged at each other with a single dash, their teeth grit as they raised the sword over their heads. The Cinder's sword began to ignite as the Raikou's was electrocuted.
They clashed with a matching stick, the mixture of heat and electricity expanding like a sonic boom throughout the area. In the recoil, Cinder's blade shattered while Raikou lost grip of her sword. Both Maiden's gritted their teeth as they were a few feet from the other, each still glaring in the other's glowing eyes. However, a red vortex appeared to Raikou's right side and Cinder's left side. Emerging was Raven, who was already in mid-swing. Cinder's eyes widened as the crimson blade was aligned for the maidens' necks, "The both of you," Raven said as Raikou and Cinder gasped, "Die!"
Suddenly, a stray arrow sped through the air and collided the crimson blade. The metal snapped as Raven's strike missed both her targets. The bloody huntress gasped as she looked at her sword now cut in half. She then glared off into the direction of the shot, "A sniper in the plains?" She thought, but saw nobody, not even a glint, "But how far away are-" Suddenly, Raven saw another arrow coming, this one aimed for her head. She barely moved out of the way as arrow cut across her right cheek. The bloody huntress then felt an ominous pressure as from the maidens. Cinder held out her left hand as Raikou held her right, both in an open palm toward Raven. Suddenly, the bloody huntress was blasted by a mixture of orange flames and pink lightning. "AAAAAA!" Raven screamed as the blast sent her flying back. However, she gritted her teeth before spawning a red vortex in her path. The vortex closed as the bloody huntress' body went through.
Both maidens lowered their hands before turning back to each other, "Where were we?" Cinder said with a smirk. Raikou responded in kind before going for a straight punch with her right hand. Cinder barely moved her head out of the way, feeling a surge of electricity spark against her right cheek. The Fall Maiden then went for a leg sweep, but Raikou back to dodge. The two Maiden then held a fighting stance, each not having a weapon in hand.
Meanwhile.
Over a half-mile away, Chloe sighed as she held her bow at the ready. With the eyes of an archer, she witnessed the fight between the two maidens, "Just stay here and provide support," She said in a mimicking tone to Cinder's voice, "Leave the Spring Maiden to me and watch my back." Suddenly, a red vortex appeared near her location. As Chloe turned, Raven flew out of the portal and recovered her stance, "Oh, that's where you went." The red mantle girl said to the bloody huntress, then smirked, "Upset that I broke your sword?"
"This is no place for a child," Raven said before taking out her cylindrical container, sheathing her broken blade as the inner rollover spun.
"Hey, I'm older than I look," Chloe said before aiming the bow at Raven, "You're the one who should run before things get messy." Raven then unsheathed her blade, revealing a sword with a deeper red blade, "Huh, neat toy." Chloe taunted, "But, I know someone who had unlimited blade work. Literally."
Raven dashed for Chloe, causing the red mantle girl to fire her bow and arrow. However, the bloody huntress saw this shot coming and easily dodged and slashed toward her opponent. Chloe jumped back as her bow was cut in half. To replace her empty hands, she spawned two short swords; one black and the other white. Chloe then lunched towards her opponent with a flurry of slashes. Raven held her blade in a defensive stance as was attacking from every angle, "A kid is this skilled?" Raven thought as Chloe grinned.
"Cinder said for me not to hold back," Chloe said before jumping far back into the air. The white sword glowed light blue. While the black sword glowed red, "Sucks to be you." The red mantle girl said as she reeled back her arms across her chest, now holding two more swords, "Wings that surpass mountains, split water, and never fall!" She said before tossing the four swords. Raven watched each blade spinning as they surrounded her, each in one of the cardinal directions. The bloody huntress formed a red vortex in each of the sword's path, sending the attacks to somewhere far away. However, Raven gasped as the red mantle girl appeared behind her with two more swords, "Triple Crane Wings!" Chloe declared as she unleashed an X-shaped slash on Raven's back. The bloody huntress did not feel the pain she thought but then saw Chloe standing in front of her. The red mantle girl's swords vanished into pink cubes. Chloe turned to Raven and blew a kiss her way.
Before Raven could question the action, her body recoiled into the sudden pain. Her back exploded with a red and blue aura, causing Raven to fall to one knee, "You!" Raven said as she could feel her back bleeding. Chloe resumed her bow and aimed at Raven's head, "You…you're too young." She said as Chloe tilted her head in confusion, "You shouldn't be on this path."
Chloe responded first with a scowl, "You're not my mother," She responded, "I'll do what I want." She said as Raven gritted her teeth. Suddenly, both heard the crackle of thunder in the distance. Chloe turned toward the sight, seeing Cinder catching Raikou's left axel kicking. The Fall Maiden's right hand was scorched with the burn marks from the electricity. Raikou then pivoted her body to unleash a left kick into the side of Cinder's head. "Oh no!" Chloe said in a panic as Raven saw this opportunity.
The bloody huntress gripped her sword and lunged towards Chloe. She got passed the red mantle girl's bow, the end of the blade aimed at the neck. Chloe's eyes widened in panic as Raven's remained cold. However, at the last second, Raven saw a different chile. One with blonde hair in pigtails, paler skin, and lilac eyes. The same looked of horror on the face as seen, but Raven gasped at the sight. She stopped her attack as the blade was a mere inch away from the throat. Chloe remained frozen at the mercy of her enemy. While Raven was frozen as well, unable to get that image out of her mind.
Meanwhile.
Cinder crashed into the ground after the recoiled from Raikou's kick. She pushed herself up, but her breathing was heavy, "I was expecting this to be difficult." Cinder said as Raikou glared. "But you're stronger the previous Fall Maiden I fought."
"You should have prepared more," Raikou responded, "I can tell you have trained with the Maiden's Power," The Spring Maiden said as she walked over to pick up her sword, "But not to the level I have." Cinder gritted her teeth as Raikou's sword glowed with pink electricity. The Fall Maiden's heart raced as she knew she had no strength left to block or dodge. Raikou pivoted her body away from her opponent, but the held the sword as she was about to swing. The pink lightning erupted from the blade as if it was center of a thundercloud, "Begone," The Spring Maiden declared as lightning condensed into the blade, her body performing one clockwise spin as she swung, "Vengeful Lightning of the Ox-Ki-"
At the last second, a gunshot echoed through the lightning. A split second later, Raikou's eyes widened as a bullet passed through the right side of her abdomen. The bullet exited the left as her intestines were ripped to shreds. In the pain of the shot, the aim of her attack faltered. Cinder shield her eyes from the light as the blast of electricity barely missed her body. The current of lightning ran for almost a quarter mile before exploding in the distance with a shockwave. Raikou dropped her sword as she fell to her knees, "I don't…understand. I keep my eyes on where the shot came from before?" She said before vomiting blood.
Cinder turned to the direction of the shot, seeing Vitch and Yu walking. The killer faunus carried a massive sniper rifle with a wooden stock, "When you're so busy checking your left," Vitch said with a grin, "You forget to look right." She then looked down at her sniper rifle, "This weapon may look normal, but the bullets it fires do not care about aura at any level." Vitch said before noticing Raikou tiring to reach for her sword. The killer faunus fired another shot to knock the sword away, "No no no, that's enough of the lightning show."
"The two of you took your time." Cinder said as she started to walk over, focusing then on Yu, "Is it ready?" She asked, but then noticed both girls' eyes were hidden by the glare of their glasses.
"Yes, it is." Yu said before looking to Vitch, "Do it." She said with Cinder having a look of confusion, remembering the plan said Yu would activate-
Suddenly, another gunshot was heard. This time, Cinder's eyes widened as a bullet went through her right thigh, bringing her to one knee. She looked to see the smoke still fuming from the end of Vitch's sniper rifle, a sadistic smile on the killer faunus' face, "What are you doing!?" Cinder shouted, "We're on the same side!" at that moment, Vitch fired another shot, the bullet embedding into Cinder's left arm, "AAAAAAAA!" The Fall Maiden screamed.
In the distance, Chloe heard the scream. As she turned, her eyes widened at the sight, "Cinder!" The red mantle girl screamed before dashing towards the Fall Maiden. Raven looked on in shock before remembering her mission. She spawned a red vortex, ready to walk through. However, she hesitated at an ominous pressure.
At the fight, Vitch looked down at Cinder, "Oh, poor Cinder." She spoke with a condescending smile, "We were never on the same side as you."
"Our loyalty is not to the Salem," Yu spoke before adjusting her glasses, "We serve the Woman in Black." She said as Cinder and Raikou's eyes both widened with dread, "And she is the one who will get the Maiden Powers for her goal." The Consort Beauty said before raising her right hand, snapping her fingers.
In the ground, a large violet circuit covered the area. As it started to glow with an ominous aura, Cinder and Raikou's body were stuck with a bolt of blackish fire and lightning respectively, "AAAAAAAAAAA!" The Maiden's screamed while Yu and Vitch watched, unaffected by the circuit torment.
"This magic was specifically created to rip out the powers of a Maiden." Yu commented as Cinder watched her extended her arms, her body glowing with an orange aura now, "As well as other ability the new host may desire." The consort beauty said as her she formed two burning swords made of glass. Yu then looked back to Cinder with a smile, "I did say your powers was intoxicating."
Cinder gritted her teeth as she tried to push herself up. However, she heard someone approaching. The Fall Maiden turned to see Chloe running at full speed, a look of hatred in her eyes towards the Consort Beauty, "Get out of here!" Cinder ordered, but the red mantle girl did not listen.
"It's okay, I got this!" Chloe said as she spawned her two swords. Just as she was about to slash Yu from the front, the red mantle girl teleported behind her opponent for a backslash. However, Yu anticipated this. She spun to parry the attack with her first sword.
With the second, she ran the blade through Chloe's abdomen. Cinder's eyes widened as the red mantle girl coughed blood. As a drop splatted on Yu's check, the Consort Beauty licked it before smiling, her lips slightly redder. She then turned to see Cinder standing up, her eyes glowing with the Fall Maiden aura, as well as pure hatred towards the Consort Beauty. Cinder spawned a single glass sword as she lunged at Yu. However, Vitch fired another shot. This time, through the center of the Fall Maiden's chest. Cinder's body fell back as she dropped her sword, which shattered upon hitting the ground. Her breathing became rapid as blood filled her mouth. Cinder had only the strength to move her head and neck. She looked up to see Vitch still smiling as she looked down the scope. Yu raised up her sword as Chloe's body went limp. With one thrust, the Consort Beauty launched the red mantle girl off the blade and towards the nearby cliff. "Chloe…" Cinder said as Chloe's body went past her field of vision. Tears of blood formed in the Fall Maiden's eyes before they closed. As the black flames took over, the tears and blood started to boil away.
"Hm, pity." Vitch commented, "I wanted to eat that little girl up." Suddenly, a red vortex appeared between Cinder and Raikou. Out walked Raven with a look of dread, "Oh, there you are." The killer faunus commented, "A little late, are we?" Raven gritted her teeth as she gripped her sword, causing Vitch to aim her sniper rifle at the bloody huntress.
However, both saw Raikou started to stand up. Despite the black electricity destroying her body, the Spring Maiden's eyes still glowed. Suddenly, the black lightning changed to pink before erupting over the aura. Raikou pointed at Yu and Vitch, causing the bolts to converge on the two targets. The Consort Beauty created another black circuit as a barrier. Raikou then turned to Raven, "Open another portal, now!" She ordered Raven.
"What is going-" Raven tried to ask.
"Now!" The Spring Maiden said with her eyes flaring. Raven then nodded as she made the portal, "Take her with us." She said while pointing to Cinder, "The Woman in Black cannot get the Maiden Powers."
"Who's the Woman in-" Raven said as she picked up Cinder but was cut off by a gunshot.
The bloody huntresses' eyes widened as the bullet went the back of her left thigh. She dropped Cinder as the portal closed with nobody going though. Raikou gasped before looking back to where Vitch and Yu were, discovering the killer faunas aiming her sniper rifle, "There is no escape." Yu said as Vitch giggled.
Raikou gritted her teeth as she felt the black electricity start to take over, but still looked back to Raven and the unconscious Cinder, "Reopen the portal and leave." She said before glaring back at Vitch and Yu, "I'll hold them off."
"Why?" Raven said as she held her leg wound, "Why are you helping us?"
"They cannot get both of the Maiden powers," Raikou responded, "And you have a daughter you still need to apologize to." She said with Raven gasping, seeing a smile in the corner of the Spring Maiden's, "Don't worry, Raikou will not abandon her child either." She said before the pink lighting returned, coving the area with multiple streaks of electricity. Yu put up another barrier as Vitch reloaded her sniper rifle. As the killer faunus aimed, her body started to radiate a pinkish aura, with some of the power gathering at her eyes. Raikou girt her teeth as the aura around her own eyes started to fade, "Now, get out of here!" The Spring Maiden asked of Raven one last time.
Raven knew this was her moment to escape but struggling to think of a location for a portal to go to. The pain from the gunshot echoed through her mind, making her question if anywhere was safe. Suddenly, she looked back to Cinder and noticed a scroll had fallen out of the Fall Maiden's pocket. While it was cracked, the screen seemed to have coordinates to a location, a possible safe location. Without time to think of another place, Raven spawned the portal. As she picked up Cinder and leap though, another gunshot was heard. However, the target was the one who stayed behind.
A red vortex opened in the middle of an empty hallway. Raven and Cinder fell out as the portal closed behind them. Both hit the floor, but only Raven was able to push herself partway up. She looked over to Cinder, whose body was no longer engulfed in flames, and eyes still faintly glowed with Fall Maiden's power. At this moment, Raven knew she could accomplish her mission if she took this woman's life right here. She tightened the grip on her crimson sword but hesitated. If she became a maiden, then those two would be after her. Raven needed power, but she also needed to survive above all else.
At that moment, Raven noticed something. The aura in Cinder's eyes had faded. The Fall Maiden had breathed her last breath, causing Raven to look on is slight remorse, "She took too much damage already," She said as she looked at Cinder's unmoving body, "She's dead." Raven said before closing her eyes. However, she opened them upon feeling a warm light. In examining the body, the light was coming from the golden ring on Cinder's right hand. Suddenly, the scars on Cinder's body began to partially heal, "W-what in the world!?" Raven said in shock. Suddenly, Raven heard hurried footsteps from one end of the hall. The bloody huntress gritted her teeth before creating another red vortex. She jumped through, leaving Cinder behind to whoever was approaching.
Ruby.
"You think you heard something coming from this direction?" Ruby asked Zwei as he took the lead. As they turned the corner, the red-hooded girl found the one who made her pet was leading her towards.
"Arf!" Zwei said as he barked at Cinder's body. Ruby remained speechless, not knowing what had happened. After the light from the ring started to fade, a weak breath came from Cinder's mouth.
AN: There you go, we get a clash of the Maiden's as Raikou fights off Raven and Cinder. Mama would have won if not for underhanded tricks of Yu and Vitch, who also trick Cinder into the trap. That's right, both ladies work for the Woman in Black. Chloe gets stabbed and Cinder gets killed, but she doesn't stay dead for long. How exactly, next chapter will explain as she is now at Clockwork Academy. Who will she get to meet during her stay? That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.