Brilliant blue eyes widened in surprise as Summer's bedroom door was thrust open to slam against the wall. Her mother immediately swooped in and began grabbing up Summer's weapon, along with her combat outfit and some spare lien.

"They've found us. We need to move. Now," her mother announced fervently, finishing up her task to swing one piercing silver eye towards her daughter. The other was covered with a black eyepatch, a red rose emblazoned across its surface.

Summer's head whipped to the side as the first howls broke the night's tranquility, announcing the creatures of grimm. More followed, one after the other, far too many to count.

She nodded numbly and stood, feeling her mother's fingers entwine with her own to lead her towards their small shelter in the basement. Feet pounded down the steps as the two hurried to the thick steel double doors, and both let go of each other's hands long enough to grab one door each, straining to heave them open.

Summer trembled as her mother pushed her forward into the basement shelter, down the dark, dank steps and into the chilly interior below. The myriad roars and growls of the grimm hoard followed in their wake, muted only once the older woman had stepped down next to her and slammed the doors shut once more.

Darkness suffused their surroundings, leaving only the cacophony of grimm in its wake. Petrified and incapable of seeing anything with her human eyes, Summer waited for her mother to turn on the light, washing the basement in a pale white glow. Tremors shook the building as the sea of grimm began their assault, rocking their shelter to its very foundation and causing the long light filaments to flicker while dust drifted down from the ceiling.

"Come on, Summer. No time for standing around," her mother ushered her the rest of the way down the stairs, handing her combat uniform over to her as she did, "Change, quickly. We haven't got much time."

Summer couldn't get her vocal cords working, nor breath deeply enough to even try. She accepted the clothes from her mother and changed on the spot. Within a minute, long, silky black hair swayed over the back of the form-fitting blue top and black leather jacket, neither of which extended down past the bottom of her ribcage. Her black leather pants hugged tightly to her hips and legs, covered near the bottom with her combat boots and the dust pouch on her hip. On the breast of her jacket, her symbol of an intricate clock stitched in blue thread.

"Ready?" her mother held up Summer's weapons, a one handed black straight sword with a blue tint along its edge, and a high powered energy pistol, courtesy of a few left over Atlesian scientists that her mother had saved two years prior.

Summer's hands shook as she accepted them. She reached above her head to attach the sword, gravity dust within the hilt reacting instantly to proximity with similar dust that lined the back of her jacket. The pistol attached to her hip in the same fashion, both ready to be used at a moment's notice.

Her mother nodded in determination and headed over to the desk, spinning back around with a small case in her hands, "You remember the dosage you should take, right?"

"Th-three vials once I arrive. One per day until I've recovered," Summer replied feebly, accepting the case and holding it gingerly in one hand. Seven vials lay inside, the most they could scavenge from the ruins of Vale to the east.

"And you remember all your instructions? The name you should use? Everything you must do? Who you need to go to and when?" her one good eye pierced into Summer's, who could only nod timidly.

Her mother relaxed, breathing out slowly and moving to place a hand on her shoulder, "I know this is going to be difficult. It's a lot of pressure to put on a seventeen year old," she smirked, "Trust me, I know the feeling. But I believe in you, Summer. We've trained you for years, and all for this moment…" her mother's eyes grew somber, and she pulled Summer forward to wrap her in a hug, "I love you."

Tears poured down Summer's face as she hugged her mother fiercely. If all went well, then it wouldn't be the last time they hugged… but it would be the last time that Summer would ever be able to call her 'Mom', "I love you, too!"

An enormous impact shook the home once more, the cacophony of grimm noises reaching its peak as they forced their way inside. Thick, meaty paws slammed against the door into the basement, denting its surface after only a few blows.

"Go, go now. I won't be able to hold them back for long," her mother stated worriedly, moving in a rush over to the wall where both Summer's parents' weapons were kept. The large red scythe was pulled off, leaving the sword and shield in its wake.

Ruby Rose-Arc cocked back the bolt on Crescent Rose and gave her daughter one last sad smile before turning to face the stairway.

'O-okay, I can do this… It's just one time. What am I so worried about?' Likely the soul-splitting pain she was about to endure, but best to not think of that. Summer clutched the case of aura-enhancing vials to her chest and used the sleeve of her coat to try and wipe the tears from her eyes. They were swiftly replaced by more, her eyes locked on to the last family member she had left.

The door at the top of the stairs caved in slightly, a six inch gap widening to reveal the cold red eyes of the grimm beyond. The beringel raised its two fists to beat down against the thick steel doors once more, each blow widening the gap further.

"I'm not hearing any whooshing sound, Summer!" Ruby yelled, shifting into a low stance and bringing Crescent Rose to rest behind herself, ready at a moment's notice, "Go!"

Summer's chest heaved as she turned away, incapable of watching and still maintaining concentration on her semblance. She closed her eyes, salty tears streaming down her cheeks as she focused.

With the date firmly drilled into her for the past several years, Summer's semblance activated. The ground beneath her feet lit up in a blue glyph, a clock whose hand began to rotate backwards, ever increasing in speed as the world around her slowed to a crawl.

Summer peeked over her shoulder, and saw the grimm at the top of the stairs part to each side, making way and revealing the true enemy to her for the first time.

Salem.

Pale skin, white hair, and horrible black and red eyes stared down at the witch's last two remaining enemies with a snarl. Ever so slowly, Summer watched Salem's hand raise, watched the area around her mother begin to brighten with a white flash, saw a gnarled and pale finger point directly at her.

The instant before Summer's semblance took hold…

She watched the ray of dark magic pierce her mother's chest...

And saw her body turn to ash.

Summer didn't have time to scream before she was ripped backwards in time.

This story will be uploaded on Wednesdays. Thank you to all that were early adopters and followed / commented to show your interest.