AN: Not sure how much really needs clarifying from the last chapter; I imagine it's all pretty self-explanatory. Raven's being proactive and trying to stay several steps ahead of the game, and while Adam ended up in the same place as canon, by taking the scenic route instead of just saying, "He was always an abusive jerk and the embodiment of spite" he feels more like an actual person who's combination of pride and belief that everyone he loves has betrayed him turned him into the monster we remember from canon.

Ghira and Kali pushed their way through a small crowd of people who'd gathered outside of Haven Academy, drawn by the sound of gunfire and fighting.

Ghira flashed his credentials and tried his best to keep the crowd calm with a loud announcement that a training exercise was in effect while advising the officers around the area to try and disperse the crowd.

The Academy grounds themselves were chaos. Ghira and Kali fought their way through several bandit squads before they finally found Sun, Scarlet, and Neptune and were filled in on the situation.

"Taiyang and Qrow took Lionheart deeper into the academy. They're trying to keep the bandits confused and distracted while we pick off their patrols-"

Sun was suddenly cut off when the shouting was heard on the second level, and a bandit came flying through a wall, his body shattering on the stones below, followed quickly by Taiyang, Qrow, and a terrified Lionheart. They were swiftly followed by several bandits who rained fire down on the courtyard as the group ran for cover.

"So much for that hiding spot," Qrow growled and turned to Ghira. "I was hoping you'd have an army of White Fang with you."

"I spoke to Sienna Kahn. I trust her to do the right thing, but I'm not sure how much time we have." Ghira insisted, "We should probably focus on getting the relic out of here, then Raven will have no reason to be here."

"Pretty sure the girl with the boy hair is the Maiden." Neptune pointed out.

"Alright, so we'll have to capture her. Unless… Kali, are you still…." Taiyang turned to the Faunus matron but noticed Ghira give a quick headshake behind her. "Nevermind."

"So all we've got to do is snatch a Maiden from under your exes nose, get her down to the vault, then escape with the relic." Sun summed up optimistically, "Difficult, but doable."

As if on cue, a bullhead descended on the courtyard carrying Cinder's entourage.

"It just got complicated." Qrow groaned as Cinder looked up at Raven, who looked down from the hole her bandits made in the academy's wall.

"I thought you wanted to be on the winning side!" Cinder shouted up at her.

"I am on the winning side! My side!" Raven called back, "I'll use the relics to end this game between Ozpin and Salem!"

Hazel gave a quiet chuckle next to Cinder, "Good luck with that."

Jaune felt a gentle rocking as he came to. He groaned as the pain nearly made him pass out again but tried to stay awake and assess his surroundings. He was in a bullhead and was relieved to see that Team RWBY, Ren, and Nora were all on the bullhead, though they were anxiously looking over the side.

"Who's leading them?" Ruby was asking Blake.

"Adam."

"What's going on?" Jaune groaned out, and Ren and Ruby were at his side in an instant.

"Easy," Ren encouraged, "you've got two broken ribs and a broken arm. Your aura will heal them eventually, but you need to take it slow so they can mend themselves correctly."

"Raven attacked Haven even sooner than we expected." Ruby added, "And the White Fang's on their way to the Academy, but Adams leading them, so they're probably not on our side."

"What's the plan here?" Weiss wondered as she looked down on the army below.

Ruby sighed and set her jaw. "We find the Spring Maiden, get her to open the vault, and get the relic out of there."

"Through an entire tribe of bandits and the White Fang?" Yang asked

"They'll be fighting amongst each other." Nora pointed out, "We can use the confusion."

"And if we can take down Adam, it might demoralize the White Fang." Blake offered.

"There's one more thing we can try to get Raven on our side." Jaune added and turned to Ruby, "If you can get into Lionheart's files, there's something that belongs to Raven in there."

Ruby nodded and took a deep breath before addressing the rest of the group. "Nobodies saying this will be easy, but we knew our chances were slim when we first set out to recruit Raven's tribe. Whatever happens now, we do it as a team."

The group nodded and set about planning while Jaune lay back, bemoaning his inability to help further.

"There may be one more way you can help." Ozpin whispered, "If you're willing to give me control for just a little bit longer."

Jaune hesitated but ultimately groaned. "Guess I don't have much use for my body right now anyway."

As the White Fang entered the courtyard and began engaging the Branwen bandits, Adam noticed Ilia beginning to make her way to the communications tower.

"Where are you off to?"

"I'm going to make sure no one's hiding at the tower to stop us from blowing it."

Before he could press further, Blake, Weiss, and Yang dropped down in front of him. Weiss was surprised when he barely seemed to acknowledge her presence.

"What did you do to Sienna, Adam?"

Adam smirked at her with contempt. "I didn't do anything to her. Fennec killed her under your father's orders. I was there."

Blake scoffed and looked at the White Fang who stood nearby. "Do you actually believe this story?"

"We heard the recording!" One of the men shouted out.

"You and your father are traitors!"

Adam smirked and spoke so only Blake could hear him. "The White Fang is mine."

He lunged at her, and the two joined battle. Weiss and Yang attempted to join the fray but was blocked by a grinning Tyrian.

"I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Tyrian, right?" Weiss did her best to appear unfazed "I've heard stories."

Tyrian grinned viciously. "Have you heard the story of the women I killed before my Goddess found me? I could go on for days with those stories."

Weiss blanched as the man disappeared, then suddenly reappeared behind her with a grunt of surprise as he found a chain with a butterfly sword at the end wrapped around his tail.

"Help Blake!" Kali called, "I'll deal with Callows!"

Weiss nodded and turned to Yang, whose hands shook as she watched Adam and Blake do battle, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Go find your dad and Uncle. Blake and I should be alright."

Yang hesitated, then retreated to Haven proper guiltily.

Lionheart cowered in a corner as destruction rained down around him. He'd been separated from Qrow and Taiyang as Cinder went on a rampage. He suddenly froze as a finger tapped him on the shoulder.

"Where's the vault, Leo?" Cinder smiled with faux sweetness.

"T-the statue in the main entrance hall. Here!" He tore off the amulet around his neck. "This will open it!"

Cinder took the amulet and gave Lionheart a condescending pat on the head. "Good boy."

While Maria watched most of her passengers join the battle from the top of Haven's main tower, she jumped when "Jaune" limped over to join her. She grew even more concerned as he began to breathe in, and her implants showed his aura begin to rise rapidly.

"Stop! We haven't even set your bones yet. You'll ruin them."

"Don't worry. It's not for me." Ozpin breathed out, and the aura swiftly fled his body.

Taiyang struck Hazel with all his strength and grimaced as the last of his aura vanished. Raven had explicitly ordered her men to focus on him, neutralizing his semblance. He could strike his enemy with a devastating force that could wipe out most normal people's aura in one blow, but the force was so great his aura would decrease by about half of whatever he took from his target.

And in his weakened state, he'd only been able to knock Hazel's aura into the yellow zone.

Yang desperately tried to reach her father but found herself struggling to get past the White Fang and Bandits, several of whom had identified her as the superior threat and were focusing on her. Despite her best efforts to evade, her aura was taking steady hits.

Kali tried her best to keep Tyrian at a distance with her weapon's superior reach, but he was still steadily advancing towards her. Suddenly, a roaring figure barreled into the madman.

"Ghira, no!" Kali called to her enraged husband, "You know his semblance!"

But it was too late as Tyrian's hand glowed purple and seized Ghira's arm, causing the aura flow in that area to be cut off. This was enough to break Ghira out of the rage caused by his semblance and make him realize his mistake too late as Tyrian's tail shot towards his now aura-less arm.

Only to be blocked by a sudden burst of aura.

"That was a close call." A voice rang over Ghira's earpiece, "Try to take greater care, old friend."

Flames erupted all around Yang, and she sent several enemies flying. She'd never felt this much power before. She glanced down at her aura meter and found that it was still in the orange and climbing. She looked around and saw the aura of several enemies spontaneously breaking around her.

"Is this you, Jaune?"

"It's me, Ms. Xiaolong," Ozpin answered with Jaune's voice. "Jaune doesn't quite have the experience to pull off this feat. Fortunately, I've had similar semblances before."

"I told you it'd be awesome!" Ruby cheered while she made her way to Lionheart's office.

"Don't get too overconfident." Ozpin admonished, "We're still widely outnumbered, and if you're reckless, I may not be able to replenish your aura fast enough or in time to avoid a killing blow. But yes, this may make things easier."

Yang grinned and turned to see Taiyang trying desperately to evade Hazel's attacks while several White Fang soldiers began to surround him.

"Hey, dad, you're aura's back! Take them down!"

Taiyang hesitated, then unleashed a powerful sweeping kick which sent his enemies flying. Hazel paused in surprise, and Taiyang quickly glanced at his aura meter. Red, but rising.

He grinned viciously. "This is gonna be fun."

Cinder's earpiece erupted with panicked voices.

"My aura's gone! It just vanished!"

"No one touched me, but my aura just vanished!"

"Mines dropping way too fast!"

"Somethings wrong," Hazel growled.

"I think I see the problem." Watts' clear voice came over the earpieces while he observed the battle from above in his airship, "Ozpin's vessel is on top of the academy and seems to be drawing in the aura and dispersing it among his allies. I thought you finished him, Hazel."

"I will," Hazel growled.

"Race ya!" Tyrian cackled.

"I found the vault." Cinder volunteered the information as she placed the amulet in the statue's bowl, and the entrance revealed itself. She then turned to see Raven and Vernal approaching her and gave a friendly wave. "And I'll have the Spring Maiden in a moment."

Cinder's Grimm arm suddenly shot out and seized Vernal, dragging her into the elevator with her as it descended.

"NO!" Raven cried as the elevator vanished.

Yang watched as Raven waited impatiently for the elevator to return and turned to Taiyang, who gave her a nod.

As Raven entered the elevator, Yang slipped in with her. She raised a brow, but she wasn't fighting her, so she shrugged and made room.

"That was a dirty trick you pulled."

"I hoped that you would abandon the mission and join me. I had surveillance watching the broken camp. I would have come for you if you came back."

"What Ozpin, Dad, and Summer did to you was wrong, but I'm not going to make Ruby, Jaune, or anyone else pay for it." She sped along as Raven seemed to grow agitated, "I'm not here to argue about that right now. Do you think Vernal can take Cinder?"

"No." Raven responded simply, "She's dead."

"She's had the Maiden powers longer, hasn't she? Even with you guarding her all the time, she must've gotten some practice."

"I wasn't guarding her." Raven's eyes began to glow, "She was guarding me."

Tyrian attempted to break from her fight with Kali to scale the academy and reach Jaune, only to be intercepted by Kali when she materialized out of one of the shadows in front of him and continued to engage him. Hazel made it to the roof but found himself halted by Ghira, who had turned his rage on the larger man. These two big threats gave way to a less obvious one noticed only by Ozpin, who continued to focus on the battle around him.

"Hello, Leo."

The timid man pointed 'Stalwart' at his former friend.

"If I capture you, this will be over, and I will finally be free."

"You will never be free of Salem. She will continue to use you until you are no longer of any use to her, then discard you."

"And you're better?"

"…I'm the first to admit that I'm not perfect. I make mistakes, but I can still be arrogant, and I can even be cruel and uncaring in the pursuit of my objectives. Maybe I am just another villain."

Ozpin felt Jaune's subconscious listening and pondering his words and hoped that he could make at least one member of his two-person audience understand.

"But it's never been about me. I don't seek power or influence for myself. I simply take it because I believe that my experience makes me the best qualified to do so. Despite all of my mistakes and cruelty, Remnant continues to stand and has even had times of prosperity. That's always been my objective, to save Remnant. Can you say the same, Leo?"

Lionheart felt tears begin to fill his eyes "…I guess I'm one of your mistakes. But you knew I was a coward when you recruited me."

He started when Ozpin seized his ministrations to turn to him and place his unbroken arm on his shoulder. It was a younger face than that of the man who'd recruited him all those years ago, and it was badly swollen, but the eyes had the same way of making him feel like someone believed in him, and because of that, he could do anything.

"You've always been timid, Leo, but that didn't make you a coward. Whenever it truly mattered, you were the bravest man I knew. That's the man I trusted. The man, I believe, is still in there somewhere."

Leo pondered that as Ozpin returned his attention to the battle, then froze as Hazel threw Ghira into Kali, sending the Faunus couple over the edge of the building. Leo felt his knees shake as Tyrian and Hazel turned their gaze to him.

He was jolted from his fears by a small tap on his leg and looked down to see Maria smirking up at him.

"Not gonna let an old lady show you up, are you?"