Inspiration: Homer's Iliad

Team RWBY were on their way back from a long day of assessments, each one notably fatigued.

"Dear gods…" Yang groaned, "Why did we have to have a full day of assessments today?"

"At least they're out of the way, now," Weiss countered.

Blake remained silent as their leader placed her hand on the dorm's doorknob. "It's over now," Ruby sighed, "A lovely bed is on the other side of this door…"

They filed into the room, Ruby and Yang releasing a collective groan as they collapsed atop their partners' beds.

"Ruby, get off my bed, you have your own," Weiss chided, gently seating herself next to Ruby and stretching her arms out.

"But my bed's up there, and I'm already lying on yours!"

"Lazy dolt…"

"Is no one going to mention the parcel on the desk?" the faunus team member asked, pointing to a neatly wrapped parcel under the window.

Ruby, now reinvigorated, reached over and inspected the parcel, "There's no sender or receiver on it. Not even an address."

"Oh no!" Weiss cried, moving as far away from Ruby as she could, "I'm not being blown up by a bomb today, thank you very much!"

"A bomb?" Yang asked incredulously.

"Of course! Never trust a package that is completely unmarked and in suspicious brown paper," Weiss argued, glaring at her blonde teammate.

Yang laughed, "You honestly think it's a bomb?"

Blake nodded, "Most common method for terrorists to assassinate their targets."

"And why would terrorists want us dead?"

"I'm the heiress to the SDC."

"And I'm a former White Fang member."

Yang's smirk fell as she pieced their argument together, "Oh…"

Ruby brought the parcel to her ear, hearing nothing, then shook the package, again hearing nothing.

"Don't shake it around, you suicidal maniac!" cried her partner.

Ignoring her, Ruby hastily unwrapped the package and opened the box. The team leader pulled out a CD. "Someone sent us a film!" she cheered.

The heiress scowled, "Or malware."

"I'm gonna put it in!" the leader said, rushing to the video player and swiftly inserting the disc.

"Think things through first, you idiot!"

There was a knock on the door, which Blake answered. Outside was Jaune. "Hey girls," he called, "You alright, we've been hearing screaming…"

"Someone sent us a movie, Jaune!" Ruby cheered.

Jaune was suddenly shoved aside as Nora leaned inside, "A movie?!"

"Yeah, wanna watch it with us?"

"Hell yeah!" the ginger girl yelled, rushing past Blake to sit next to Ruby. Soon, the rest of JNPR were inside, having brought chairs from their dorm to watch the film. The screen flickered to life.

Anger… Sing, goddess, sing of the anger of Pyrrha daughter of Peleus, whose spite for Agamemnon doomed the Achaeans on the broad plains of Ilium, sending forth the souls of many heroes to Hades. What caused that terrible anger, O' muse? It all began when Agamemnon, shepherd of the people, insulted the priest of Apollo of the silver arrow. The god was angered and sent a deadly plague to ravage the Greeks, felling many with his bow. In exchange for pacifying the god, Agamemnon took the girl Bryseis, whom godlike Pyrrha had won as she raided the towns of the horse taming Trojans.

"I'm in this?" Pyrrha asked.

"More importantly, you took a slave!" Yang stated in shock, causing Blake's ears to flatten against her scalp.

"I have a hard time picturing Pyrrha as any sort of angry," Nora added, "Does she just frown at you or something."

Pyrrha cleared her throat, frowning at her hammer-wielding teammate, "Believe it or not, I do get angry, Nora."

"See, you're doing it now."

Swift-footed Pyrrha sat in her tent, hearing the supplication of wily Odysseus and godlike Diomedes. "O' Pyrrha, who are first amongst us Danaans, relinquish your anger for Agamemnon, shepherd of the people, and rejoin us in arms against the Trojans. Agamemnon, the source of your woes, sends many great gifts, three times as splendid and valuable as fair-cheeked Bryseis, in apology."

And you, godlike Pyrrha, replied in wrath, "I shall not relinquish my anger for that dog, Agamemnon, no matter how many gifts he sends me! He insulted me by stealing Bryseis, whom I came to consider a close friend, away from me. I have half a mind to sail back to the broad beaches of Phthia with my Myrmidons than waste my time and men helping him recover his brother's wife, who was abducted by Paris. Do not think your words will stop me Odysseus, you who they say are the sharpest of all."

"Okay," Yang began, shivering slightly at the sight of Pyrrha's anger, "She is really mad here…"

The others nodded in agreement.

Pyrrha smiled nervously, "I don't remember ever being that angry, before."

And so swift-footed Pyrrha sent away godlike Odysseus and Diomedes. As she stewed in her anger, godlike Jaune approached, pleading to her, "O' Pyrrha, daughter of lovely-haired Thetis, is it wise to continue raging against Agamemnon, staying in the camp whilst the rest of the army besieges the walls of lofty Ilium?"

"Is Jaune telling her to continue the war?" Ruby asked, discouraged.

"It would appear so."

"But why?" the young leader asked sadly, "Did this war start over Agamemnon's brother's wife-"

"Sister-in-law, Ruby," Weiss interjected.

"Whatever, is it because his sister-in-law was kidnapped? Why are they fighting a war over that, surely it is a misunderstanding."

"Must be some woman," Yang smirked.

"Your father, King Peleus, husband of a god..."

"Pyrrha's a demigod?!" Nora cried in excitement.

"Nora, calm down," her partner said, trying to pull her down to her chair.

"... he sent me to accompany you to the broad plains of Ilium, to protect you and ensure you return to him safely. Yet how could I ever face him again if you were to return home without the glory and honours you have been due? What would the men of fertile Phthia think if their leader returned home without any treasures for the home or women to work the loom?"

Jaune's statement made both teams frown. "Never took you for a misogynist, lover boy," Yang growled.

"I'm not."

"It's not exactly the same as the misogyny you're thinking of," Pyrrha stated, elaborating when the others stared at her, "It's more that after the battle the victors were considered entitled to the spoils of war, among which were slaves, particularly women, and since the social role of women was that of the weaver, that is often what female slaves did. It's still misogyny, but it is not the same misogyny as we understand it."

"You seem well versed in these cultural norms…" Weiss stated.

"This setting looks very similar to the ancient history of my home."

Pyrrha, master of the battle cry, answered him, "O' Jaune, whom I have known since I was a child, you speak wisely. How could I return to the house of my father without the glory and honours I am due? I cannot shame him like that, yet I cannot back down now, either; I would be the laughing stock of the army! Not only that, should the Trojans and horse-taming Weiss draw too close to our ships, they may burn our black ships and strand us on Troy's broad plains. But you, Jaune, you have no quarrel with Agamemnon, you could take my armour and lead the Myrmidons into battle and win glory and honour for the House of Peleus!"

"Of course, Pyrrha, you who are dearest to me. I shall take your armour and lead the Myrmidons into battle against horse-taming Weiss."

"We're fighting each other?" Jaune asked, disheartened.

"It would seem so," Pyrrha replied, feeling conflicted, simultaneously happy at (as she saw it) beating Weiss for Jaune's affection, yet the heiress was still her friend.

Swift-footed Pyrrha quickly grasped his hand, telling him, "All I ask, my dear friend, is that you come back safe and sound. Do not engage horse-taming Weiss, and do not draw too close to the walls of lofty Ilium."

And so, godlike Jaune armed himself with the arms of godlike Pyrrha and mustered the Myrmidons. "Agamemnon, son of Atreus, godlike Pyrrha has not forgotten her anger for you, yet she has acquiesced that it is not in her interests to leave you to fight the horse-loving Trojans alone; her Myrmidons and I shall rejoin you in arms against the Trojans."

And Agamemnon rejoiced, "An auspicious day! I feared that my insult to swift-footed Pyrrha would damn us in this conflict, but she has been merciful enough to lend us some aid. A shame that the best among us Greeks still refuses to rejoin us in arms against the Trojans, but I am confident we now have the strength to repel these Trojans and scale the walls of Troy."

"Don't worry, fearless leader, you got this!" Nora cheered, Jaune rubbing his neck bashfully.

Weiss, however, scoffed, "I'm not too enthused about his success. We're enemies in this!"

The Achaeans rode out of their camp towards the Trojans, falling upon them like waves upon the shore. They bash and break upon the rocks, spraying their foamy water all about, eroding at the rocks until they fall before the might of the sea. So too did the Achaeans fall upon the Trojans.

Godlike Jaune was in the thick of the fray, felling all who stood before him, sending the Trojans into a panicked retreat.

"You're kicking ass, Jaune!" Yang cheered.

"Strange how they don't seem to have any aura or semblances," Ren noted.

However, as godlike Jaune's heart swelled with lust for battle and thirst for glory, the words of swift-footed Pyrrha escaped him, and he pushed up to the walls of lofty Ilium.

There, the Greeks continued their assault on the horse-loving Trojans. Jaune sent many a soul to Hades' halls, until godlike Weiss appeared, riding her chariot in gleaming bronze.

She jumped from her chariot and poised her spear at him, "Godlike Jaune, where is Pyrrha, the best amongst you Greeks? Has she finally relinquished her anger for Agamemnon and rejoined the Greeks in arms?"

And godlike Jaune replied, "Weiss, best amongst the children of Jacques and the stock of Troy, swift-footed Pyrrha has not relinquished her anger for Agamemnon. Upon her request, I have ridden out to meet the horse-loving Trojans in battle."

And Weiss, master of the battle cry, responded, "Then I shall send you back to her a corpse, whilst your soul descends amongst the shades in Hades' halls!"

"Fat chance!" Nora cried.

"Please, I'm a way better fighter than Jaune," Weiss boasted.

"He's a badass in this, though!"

Horse-taming Weiss charged towards godlike Jaune, thrusting her spear of gleaming bronze flying forward with the strength of a raging bull. Jaune raised his shield and deflected horse-taming Weiss, forcing her away.

Manslaying Weiss threw her spear forward, the pillar of bronze flying into Godlike Jaune's shield and piercing through its layers. She charged forward, blade drawn, swinging her sword like a mighty tidal wave.

Jaune met her blade with his gleaming spear, keeping her attack at bay. Yet Weiss of the shining helm kicked him back, knocking him to the ground. With quick speed, she thrust her sword of gleaming bronze into him, spilling his blood upon the broad plains of Troy and sending his soul down to the shades.

The two teams sat in stunned silence. None of them had ever thought they'd see their counterparts actually die, even less to the hands of one another.

Jaune groaned, holding his stomach where Weiss had stabbed his counterpart.

"Are… Are you okay, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, gently placing a hand on his back and rubbing his spine.

"Yeah, I just…" JNPR's leader tried to speak, but his words fell short in his mouth, "...It just feels as though I actually have been stabbed."

O' brave Jaune, what were your thoughts as you met your doom? Were they on the woman who had killed you, curses uttered at the tip of the tongue? Or were they on your family, back home in fertile Phthia, and on King Peleus, the man who had treated you like his own son for so long? Or perhaps they were on proud Pyrrha, the woman with whom you were so close? Were your final thoughts filled with apologies for ignoring her warnings, or pleas for forgiveness for leaving her alone, cold like a fire that burns through all its logs until only one is left?

Bronze-armoured Weiss stripped you of your armour, Jaune, a trophy to be displayed in the house of Jacques. Your death is what caused the proud Myrmidons to fall back, but not before they retrieved your body with tears in their eyes, aided by the bravery of Menelaus, shepherd of the people.

The Trojans raised their voices in victory, celebrating with wine and feasts.

Meanwhile, the Argives retreated back to their black ships, carrying the body of brave Jaune. Pyrrha rushed out of her tent towards the body of her closest friend, throwing herself over the corpse and weeping, "O' Jaune! What ill fate the gods had in store for you! To be taken away when you were so young, to leave me alone to wallow in grief whilst the Trojan's and abominable Weiss celebrate, dancing atop the earth stained with your blood!" She grasped the dust of the earth and poured it over her, disfiguring her comely face, and letting the refuse settle on her shirt, as she wailed in despair.

You turned to Agamemnon, the source of all your rage, Pyrrha, and said, "Oh, Agamemnon, how foolish I was to harbour such resentment for you, to blind myself in my rage and let my most trusted friend die on the field of battle whilst I sat here, twiddling my thumbs in idleness."

Agamemnon, shepherd of the people, replied with eyes full of tears, "Matchless Pyrrha, it is my shame that one of the best of Greece fell today, for it was my blunder that started this whole affair, that Jaune is now but another shade in the halls of Hades, fallen to manslaying Weiss."

And you, sorrowful Pyrrha, cried out, "Curses upon her name! Curses upon the line of Jacques, I shan't rest until every single one of that abominable race has been exterminated!"

The group was shocked to hear such vitriol and hate pour from Pyrrha's mouth. They felt pity and sadness for her, knowing that even such a kind and soft-spoken soul could descend into a frenzied hate. But more than anything, they were terrified, shuddering at the display.

"Yeah, she is absolutely terrifying when angry…" Yang murmured.

The grieving Argives erected a pyre and honoured your life with cremation, brave Jaune, allowing no worm or maggot to desecrate your youthful corpse.

Blazing Pyrrha sought solitude on the beaches, staring into the wine-dark sea. Her mother, silver-footed Thetis, watched from the depths beside her father and wept, "O', you Nereids, listen and hear my woes, woe that I have borne the most glorious of offsprings, a hero among heroes. I tended to her like a plant in a goodly garden and sent her to Ilion to fight the Trojans. Yet now, she sits on the beach, weeping tears of grief that bring pains to my heart. I will go to her, and find out what troubles have befallen her so."

And so, lovely-haired Thetis rose from the depths of the wine-dark sea and approached her daughter. "What troubles you so, my daughter? Here you sit on the beach, weeping tears of grief that bring pains to my heart. What troubles you, tell me so that I may do my best to relieve you of your suffering."

Pyrrha, daughter of Peleus, looked to her mother with eyes full of tears, "O' mother, you who bore me into this world, who suckled me from your breast and nursed me in my tender years, I am weeping for gentle Jaune, for he has fallen on the battlefield at the hands of manslaying Weiss. Now, I have relinquished my anger for Agamemnon and rejoined the army so that I may avenge my closest friend."

And silver-footed Thetis wept, replying, "O' my poor, foolish daughter. Have you no fear of death? Fate has decreed that you should fall if you battle the Trojans. Please, think of your father, waiting for your return in fertile Phthia, who will be distraught at the loss of brave Jaune, whom he cared for like a son; think of how devastated he would be if he lost you, as well! But more importantly, think of me, your dear mother. I bore you into this world as the greatest Greek alive, you suckled from my breast when you were a babe! Please, think of me, what would I do without my dearest daughter?"

Swift-footed Pyrrha wept, tears streaming down her fair face, and said, "O', my dearest mother, how could I not think of you and my father, you who gave me life? There is no one who is dearer to me than you. But how could I not engage the Trojans in combat, after I sent gentle Jaune onto the battlefield to meet his doom, whilst I sat here in idleness? No, I cannot stand still any longer, my bronze spear longs for Weiss' blood!"

Sobs escaped from Pyrrha, causing her friends to look at her in concern. "Pyrrha, what's wrong?" Jaune asked, placing his hand on hers.

Through choked sobs, she replied, "I'm thinking of my own parents, and how they would feel if I were to die. They're honest folk who have done nothing wrong in their lives, what would they do if I died? But, more importantly, I'm thinking about what I'd do if you did die, Jaune; I couldn't live with myself! And now, I'm about to see myself kill my friend in a destructive fit of rage!"

Weiss released a cough, sweat dripping from her brow, "W-Well, there is still time for reconciliation, it isn't decided that you'll kill me…"

Pyrrha could not agree. Even now, her thoughts were saying that if Weiss did kill Jaune, the amazon would not be able to restrain herself. And that made her feel horrible.

Lovely-haired Thetis embraced her daughter tightly, "O' foolish child, why must you torment your mother so? Why must I be cursed with the misery of watching my own child die before she has reached ripe old age, amongst the company of loving family and friends? Nevertheless, I shall support you, my girl, I shall go to Hephaestus, the famous lame god, and have him craft you a set of armour fit for a god."

And so she left, flying up to high Olympus and reaching the craftsman god, saying, "O' lame Hephaestus, lend me your aid, for my heart is heavy with woes."

And so the far-famed lame god approached, "Of course, Thetis, for you are an august and honoured goddess who saved me from the cruel anger of my hateful mother; she threw me off high Olympus because I was born lame, and I would have died if not for Eurynome, daughter of the ever-encircling waters of Okeanos, and yourself, Thetis. Nine years did I stay with you, making many bronze brooches, armlets, cups and chains. If you come to my household seeking aid, then speak, for I shall do whatever I can to help you."

Yang scowled, "What a great mother… Sounds a lot like someone I know…"

Once again, lovely-haired Thetis broke into tears, telling the god, "O' Hephaestus, I ask of you to forge the finest armour you can for my daughter, lion-hearted Pyrrha, for she is to do battle with the Trojans, sealing her doom. Please, make her armour fit for a god, so that she may earn unending glory in battle before sweet death takes her to the shades."

And then, Hephaestus replied, "Say no more, honoured goddess. Do not let your heart be troubled by this any longer, for I would gladly shield her from death's sight just as surely as I would make her armour that will amaze all who look upon it."

When he had so said he left her and went to his bellows, turning them towards the fire and bidding them do their office. Twenty bellows blew upon the melting-pots, and they blew blasts of every kind, some fierce to help him when he had need of them, and others less strong as Hephaestus willed it in the course of his work. He threw tough copper into the fire, and tin, with silver and gold; he set his great anvil on its block, and with one hand grasped his mighty hammer while he took the tongs in the other.

First he shaped the shield so great and strong, adorning it all over and binding it round with a gleaming circuit in three layers; and the baldric was made of silver. He made the shield in five thicknesses, and with many a wonder did his cunning hand enrich it.

He wrought the earth, the heavens, and the sea; the moon also at her full and the untiring sun, with all the signs that glorify the face of heaven - the Pleiads, the Hyads, huge Orion, and the Bear, which men also call the Wain and which turns round ever in one place, facing. Orion, and alone never dips into the stream of Okeanos.

He wrought also two cities, fair to see and busy with the hum of men. In the one were weddings and wedding-feasts, and they were going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by torchlight from their chambers. Loud rose the cry of Hymen, and the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre, while the women stood each at her house door to see them.

Meanwhile the people were gathered in assembly, for there was a quarrel, and two men were wrangling about the blood-price for a man who had died, the one claiming to the dêmos that he had the right to pay off the damages in full, and the other refusing to accept anything. Each was seeking a limit , in the presence of an arbitrator, and the people took sides, each man backing the side that he had taken;

but the heralds kept them back, and the elders sat on their seats of stone in a solemn circle, holding the staves which the heralds had put into their hands. Then they rose and each in his turn gave judgment, and there were two measures of gold laid down, to be given to him whose judgment should be deemed the fairest.

About the other city there lay encamped two hosts in gleaming armor, and they were divided whether to sack it, or to spare it and accept the half of what it contained. But the men of the city would not yet consent, and armed themselves for a surprise; their wives and little children kept guard upon the walls, and with them were the men who were past fighting through age; but the others sallied forth with Ares and Pallas Athena at their head - both of them wrought in gold and clad in golden raiment, great and fair with their armor as befitting gods, while they that followed were smaller. When they reached the place where they would lay their ambush, it was on a riverbed to which livestock of all kinds would come from far and near to water; here, then, they lay concealed, clad in full armor. Some way off them there were two scouts who were on the look-out for the coming of sheep or cattle, which presently came, followed by two shepherds who were playing on their pipes, and had not so much as a thought of danger. When those who were in ambush saw this, they cut off the flocks and herds and killed the shepherds. Meanwhile the besiegers, when they heard much noise among the cattle as they sat in council, sprang to their horses, and made with all speed towards them; when they reached them they set battle in array by the banks of the river, and the hosts aimed their bronze-shod spears at one another. With them were Strife and Riot, and fell Fate who was dragging three men after her, one with a fresh wound, and the other unwounded, while the third was dead, and she was dragging him along by his heel: and her robe was bedrabbled in men's blood. They went in and out with one another and fought as though they were living people haling away one another's dead.

He wrought also a fair fallow field, large and thrice ploughed already. Many men were working at the plough within it, turning their oxen to and fro, furrow after furrow. Each time that they turned on reaching the headland a man would come up to them and give them a cup of wine, and they would go back to their furrows looking forward to the time when they should again reach the headland. The part that they had ploughed was dark behind them, so that the field, though it was of gold, still looked as if it were being ploughed - very curious to behold.

He wrought also a field of harvest grain, and the reapers were reaping with sharp sickles in their hands. Swathe after swathe fell to the ground in a straight line behind them, and the binders bound them in bands of twisted straw. There were three binders, and behind them there were boys who gathered the cut grain in armfuls and kept on bringing them to be bound: among them all the owner of the land stood by in silence and was glad. The servants were getting a meal ready under an oak, for they had sacrificed a great ox, and were busy cutting him up, while the women were making a porridge of much white barley for the laborers' dinner.

He wrought also a vineyard, golden and fair to see, and the vines were loaded with grapes. The bunches overhead were black, but the vines were trained on poles of silver. He ran a ditch of dark metal all round it, and fenced it with a fence of tin; there was only one path to it, and by this the vintagers went when they would gather the vintage. Youths and maidens all blithe and full of glee, carried the luscious fruit in plaited baskets; and with them there went a boy who made sweet music with his lyre, and sang the Linus-song with his clear boyish voice.

He wrought also a herd of horned cattle. He made the cows of gold and tin, and they lowered as they came full speed out of the yards to go and feed among the waving reeds that grow by the banks of the river. Along with the cattle there went four shepherds, all of them in gold, and their nine fleet dogs went with them. Two terrible lions had fastened on a bellowing bull that was with the foremost cows, and bellow as he might they hailed him, while the dogs and men gave chase: the lions tore through the bull's thick hide and were gorging on his blood and bowels, but the herdsmen were afraid to do anything, and only hounded on their dogs; the dogs dared not fasten on the lions but stood by barking and keeping out of harm's way.

The god wrought also a pasture in a fair mountain dell, and large flock of sheep, with a homestead and huts, and sheltered sheepfolds.

Furthermore he wrought a green, like that which Daedalus once made in Knossos for lovely Ariadne. Here was a dance of youths and maidens, whom all would woo, all with their hands on one another's wrists. The maidens wore robes of light linen, and the youths well woven shirts that were slightly oiled. The girls were crowned with garlands, while the young men had daggers of gold that hung by silver baldrics; sometimes they would dance deftly in a ring with merry twinkling feet, as it were a potter sitting at his work and making trial of his wheel to see whether it will run, and sometimes they would go all in line with one another, and many people was gathered joyously about the place of dancing. There was a bard also to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went about performing in the midst of them when the man struck up with his tune.

All round the outermost rim of the shield he set the mighty stream of the river Okeanos.

Then when he had fashioned the shield so great and strong, he made a breastplate also that shone brighter than fire. He made a helmet, close fitting to the brow, and richly worked, with a golden plume overhanging it; and he made greaves also of beaten tin.

Lastly, when the famed lame god had made all the armor, he took it and set it before the mother of Pyrrha; whereon she darted like a falcon from the snowy summits of Olympus and bore away the gleaming armor from the house of Hephaestus.

"That is a stunning piece of craftsmanship…" Ruby muttered in utter astonishment, "That is truly the work of a god…"

Lovely-haired Thetis appeared before Pyrrha, she who breaks through men, and laid the armour before her. "Here, my daughter, armour crafted by the hands of a god."

Swift-footed Pyrrha took the armour and thanked her mother, "Thank you, mother. Wise Nestor has proposed funeral games for gentle Jaune, but I shall not hold them, not until I drag the corpse of manslaying Weiss to his funeral pyre."

When rosy-fingered Dawn rode over the horizon, godlike Pyrrha donned her armour and marched out of the gates of the Greek camp. It was you who the Trojans first saw leave the camp, the first Greek to march beyond the walls and lay siege to their city that day.

None dared approach you, for they were all both awed and cowed by your visage, the gleaming bronze of the far-famed lame god and the anger that seethed from you that could only come from the deepest grief. You roared, calling out to Weiss of the shining helm with an unbridled anger that shook the hearts of all men.

Swift-footed Pyrrha charged forward like a lion on the hunt. She spots a doe, grazing in the field as the wind runs by, and springs forth, catching the stunned doe by surprise and sinking her teeth into her helpless throat. So too did blazing Pyrrha charge at the Trojans, slaying many hundreds of men and sending their souls to Hades' halls.

The two teams shuddered at the display. Godlike was right, Pyrrha was slicing through the Trojan army with barely any effort, yet the ever enraged scowl that disgraced her face terrified them all. Rage was not what they ever wanted to see from Pyrrha, for they were certain that nothing would survive.

She left many a body in her wake, so much so that they began to choke the divine Scamander. Enraged, the river god rose from his home and challenged blazing Pyrrha, "Who has choked the mouth of my river? I am the blood of the river Axios, the fairest of all rivers that run. Let us now fight, Pyrrha."

Upon the utterance of his words, Pyrrha released a growl, "Noble god, it is not my business as to what blocks your river. Leave me be, for any who stand in my way shall fall, into the depths of the broad ocean for all I care!"

The river god rushed forward, sending a torrent of water at blazing Pyrrha. She raised her shield and braced for it, staggering back as the powerful flood crashed into her. Yet she held firm, resisting against the might of the god with all her strength. She could not resist the god forever, so she summoned what strength she could and attacked with her bronze, splitting the river in two.

"She-she-she actually stood up against a god…" Blake mumbled in shock and horror.

"She's a badass!" Nora cheered.

The god reformed, glaring at lion-hearted Pyrrha, "Arrogant mortal, you dare defy a god?"

"I shall not stop my slaughter until the body of manslaying Weiss lies at the funeral pyre of brave Jaune. I do not consider myself greater than a god, regardless of my strength and lineage. Nevertheless, I shall fight all who stand between me and my vengeance, be they god or mortal."

The god was outraged by her declaration, replying, "So, you seek the halls of Hades? Very well, I shall send you to him!"

At that moment, wind-footed Iris appeared before the mighty river, "Great Scamander, do not pursue Pyrrha, shepherd of the people, any more, for it is by the decree of Zeus that she earn everlasting glory today."

The river grumbled, returning to his bed and uttering, "Very well, for if it is the will of all-mighty Zeus then I must capitulate. However, if this girl is to earn her glory, do it away from my home so that I may run to the wine-dark sea in peace!"

Meanwhile, the Trojans retreated behind the walls of lofty Ilium, saved by the intervention of the Scamander. They cowered in fear of the wrath of blazing Pyrrha, all except for Weiss, who stood at the front gate with her spear in hand. Her mother shouted from the walls, overcome with grief, "My daughter, come back within the walls of the city as guardian of Troy. Do not try to fight this monster, for she is your superior in the sport of slaughter. Think of your father, who is beside himself with grief over the loss of his children, many of whom have been either killed or sold into slavery by the Danaans."

Tears brimmed at Weiss' eyes, "Mother…"

"Listen to her Weiss!" Ruby shouted, tightly holding onto her partner's arm, "You're gonna die if you stay out there like that!"

"Alas," said Weiss to herself in the heaviness of her heart, "I cannot retreat behind the walls, for Polydamas will be the first to reproach me for camping too close to the Achaean army. You were right, my old friend, it was foolish to believe that blazing Pyrrha would remain idle in her anger, or that I would be able to beat her in armed combat. Yet how am I supposed to look upon the faces of the Trojans, knowing that it is my fault that they lay dying in the hundreds whilst their wives and children weep for them? What if I were to lay down my armour and helmet, lean my spear against the wall, and march up to Pyrrha, promising the return of Helen, the fountainhead of this war, along with half the treasures that dwell behind the walls of sacred Ilion? But why do I argue with myself over this; if I were to approach Pyrrha in parley, she would not hesitate to cut me down in battle. Best to meet her in combat, and see who Zeus ordains to live."

Thus she stood and ponder, but Pyrrha came up to her as if it were Ares himself, plumed lord of battle. From her right shoulder she brandished her spear of Pelian ash and her bronze armour gleamed around her like flashing fire or the rays of the sun.

Once again, the teenagers were scared stiff by Pyrrha's visage; she truly did look like a god of war and spite, and she was breathing heavily, sending a blood-curdling glare at Weiss.

Fear gripped Weiss' heart and she fled, while Pyrrha darted after her like a falcon chasing a dove. Round the walls of Troy they ran, Pyrrha spurred on by the hatred in her heart, and Weiss moved her limbs as fast as possible.

It was then that grey-eyed Athena descended from the snow-peaked heights of Olympus and spoke to Pyrrha, "Noble Pyrrha, Weiss cannot outrun you forever, for Zeus has decreed she shall die, no matter how much Apollo begs him. Allow me to halt her for you."

And so, the daughter of Zeus disguised her voice as Weiss' elder sister, Winter, and called out, "Dear sister, I see you are onset by Pyrrha, chasing you around the walls of Jacques. Let us await her onset and stand in defence."

And Weiss spoke, "Winter, you have always been dearest to me out of all the children of our father, but henceforth I shall rate you the highest among all for you to leave the safe confines of the walls to aid me. Very well, let us stand in defence together!" Thus did horse-taming Weiss spin around, facing her mortal enemy in defiance, "Pyrrha, I shall run from you no more! Let us face each other in honourable combat and see which one of us is the better woman!"

Swift-footed Pyrrha charged forward, thrusting her spear of Pelian ash at her foe. But manslaying Weiss avoided the blow, rolling away and lobbing her spear at Pyrrha, but was angered when the projectile rebounded off Hephaestus' gleaming shield, crying out to Winter to make her strike.

However, Winter was not there, and blazing Pyrrha placed her foot on Weiss' breast. "Alas!" Weiss of the shining helm cried, "I have been deceived by some god, most likely you, grey-eyed daughter of Zeus."

And you, proud Pyrrha, replied, "No god could have saved you from my spear, you scum, for I would have chased you all the way to Ethiopia in pursuit of my vengeance." And so, you thrust your spear of gleaming bronze into her stomach.

As her life-breath ebbed out of her, horse-taming Weiss coraked, "I pray you, noble Pyrrha, that you fear the gods and respect my body; strip me of my armour if you must, but when my father and mother come offering the riches of Ilion in exchange for my body, listen and accept their trade."

Pyrrha glared at her, growling, "Dog, talk not to me of neither fear nor respect. I would sooner cut you up into tiny pieces and feed you to birds than return you to your parents!"

And so, blazing Pyrrha pulled her spear from Weiss' flesh, and she gasped as death enfolded her, her final breath leaving her body and flying down to Hades, lamenting that it would enjoy youth and strength no more. Pyrrha said, "Die; I shall accept whatever fate all mighty Zeus and the gods have in store for me." She tied Weiss by the feet to her chariot and rose around the walls of Ilium thrice, dragging the body of horse-taming Weiss behind her.

The two teams were equally shocked and appalled at the display. Pyrrha was sobbing uncontrollably, ashamed at what she her saw other self doing. She wanted desperately for it to be over, for the screen to cut to black and end this miserable experience. Yet she could not look away, some part of her attracted to the story being told.

"It's okay Pyrrha!" Ruby cried, "We all know you wouldn't do such a thing to anyone!"

"Yeah!" Nora agreed, hugging her teammate.

Weiss was silent, turning away from Pyrrha. It was not that she didn't trust Pyrrha, in fact there were few she trusted more, but she correctly guessed that saying anything would only make her friend even more hurt.

Apollo, filled with pity, flew down from high Olympus and protected Weiss' body, keeping her comely face and body fair and intact.

Blazing Pyrrha was enraged that the corpse remained intact, retreating back to the Greek camp for the night.

Jacques and Willow were inconsolable as the city of Ilium cried out in grief for Weiss. The people could barely hold Jacques back as he tried to rush out of the gates for his daughter.

Tears freely fell from Weiss' eyes, envy filling her as she watched her father desperately chase after her. Why couldn't her actual father be like that? Why was it that in the confines of fiction she was shown the love that she so desperately desired?

Wind-footed Iris descended from Olympus to speak with Jacques, "Oh king, I bring you a message from father Zeus himself; he has commanded that blazing Pyrrha shall return the body of horse-taming Weiss, and has ordered for you to travel to the Greek camp under cover of dark to make your supplication."

And so, under the cover of dark, Jacques left the gates of Troy and towards the Greek camp. As he made his way, the giant-slayer Hermes descended from snow-peaked Olympus and disguised himself as an Achaean soldier.

"Ho there, old man!" he called to the king, "Why do you approach the Danaans? Surely you know that they would kill any Trojan on sight?"

"Stranger, I have come to supplicate proud Pyrrha for the return of my daughter. I know full well the dangers that my task entails, for Pyrrha would sooner see me dead than display mercy to my line, but this is something that I must do," replied Jacques.

"You have my pity, old man, and I will guide you to proud Pyrrha, whereon you shall meet your fate. Follow me." Thus the giant-slayer led Jacques to the gates of the Achaean camp and brought him inside, shrouding him in a mist to hide from the eyes of the Greeks.

They made their way to Pyrrha's tent, and Jacques fell at her knees, Hermes lifting the mist for all to see the king. The Myrmidons watched in shock as the aging king pleaded to Pyrrha, "O', noble Pyrrha, I have come for the body of my child whom you have so hatefully slain outside the gates of my city. Think of your own father, Pyrrha, who, much like me, sits upon the threshold of old age. There may be those who dwell nearby who harass him, yet for as long as he knows that you are still alive, he is happy, awaiting the return of his daughter. I, however, can have no such happiness, for you have killed almost all of the children whom I love so dearly. Now, all I ask is that you return to me the body of my daughter, the greatest amongst all the blood of my line. In exchange, I offer a generous ransom, plucked from the treasure of my house."

As Pyrrha heard this, her heart ached and she learnt how to pity again, "Unhappy man, you have indeed been greatly daring, coming into the camp of your enemies by yourself; you must have iron courage. You need not worry, for my mother, the daughter of the old man of the sea, came to me with a message from Zeus, bidding me to return to you the body of manslaying Weiss. I will return to you your daughter, for your tears have cooled my rage and brought onto me the feeling of pity and mercy once again." She sprang from her seat and retrieved the body of Weiss, returning her to her father in exchange for gold.

At once, Jacques returned to Troy, where the people of Ilium awaited him, "Fetch many logs and oil, for I have returned with my daughter and she shall have her funeral."

The people sprang into action, following the orders of their king and built a mighty pyre sprinkled with oil. They lay Weiss on top of it and sang many hymns of lament.

Neptune was foremost among them, "O', my dear wife, you have died young, and left me a widow; he of whom we are the ill-starred parents of is still but a child, and I fear that he will never reach manhood. Ere he can do till our city's walls are razed - for you who watched over them are no more, you who were its saviour, the guardian of our parents and children. Our women will be carried away as captives into the ships of the Achaeans, whilst I and the rest of our menfolk will be slain without mercy. I fear that our child will be taken away as a slave, or hurled from the walls by some bitter foe seeking vengeance for a brother, son or father whom you have killed, my loving wife."

Willow followed after her, "O', my daughter, dearest to me of all my children. So long as you were alive the gods loved you well, and even in death they have not been utterly unmindful of you; for when Pyrrha took any other of my children, she would sell him beyond the seas, to Samos Imbros or rugged Lemnos; and when she had taken away with her sword your life-breath as well, many a time did she drag you round the sepulcher of her comrade - though this could not give him life - yet here you lie all fresh as dew, and comely as one whom Apollo has slain with his painless shafts."

Thus did she weep, where thirdly Helen continued the lament, "O' Weiss, dearest to me of all my siblings-in-law for I am the wife of Whiteley who brought me hither to Troy - ere would I have died before he did so. Twenty years have come and gone since I came from hither over the sea, yet not one word of unkindness have I heard from you. When another would chide with me, as it might be one of your brothers, sisters or their spouses, or my mother-in-law - for Jacques was as kind to me as if he were my own father - you would rebuke and check them with words of gentleness and goodwill. Therefore, my tears flow freely for you and my unhappy self, for there is none in Troy who treat me with kindness, but all shrink and shudder as they go by."

They lit the pyre, the sweet flames licking at your body, Weiss, granting you the funeral you were due and releasing your soul which dwelt in Hades' halls.

Thus were the funeral rights of horse-taming Weiss.

The screen cut to black as the movie ended. Pyrrha leapt at Weiss, embracing her in a tight hug and sobbing. Weiss swiftly returned the embrace as rivers flowed down her cheeks, the two girls wallowing in grief together.

The others waited for them to calm down, until the two girls had cried themselves to sleep. Nora lifted Pyrrha and took her to the dorm where she placed her in her bed, whilst Yang did the same with Weiss. With short wishes of goodnight, the two teams retired for the night, silently.