"Mercury!" Emerald's cry was almost like a trigger, sending all into a frenzy as the battle continued.

Tyrian pounced through the air, his stinger, along with the blades of his gauntlets aimed at Ruby. However Qrow intercepted, his blade raised overhead blocking his attack. Tyrian cackled wildly but that was cut short when he felt someone tug at his tail. With a surprised 'umph' he was lifted off the ground and slammed against it on the other side.

Irritated, he tugged his pincer towards himself but Yang held her ground, the metal slowly giving away under her grip.

"Keep him there!" Roared Qrow. His sword was raised over his shoulder. Cutting the stinger would be useless, Tyrian had had it replaced once, he could replace it again. No, he intended on cutting this man down, ridding this world of one of its monsters and avenging Clover's death.

Qrow brought his sword down, the gleaming metal reflecting back in Tyrian's eyes. But Tyrian would not go down so easily, he was not done with the world just yet, not before he saw his Queen's glorious triumph. Bending his legs, he jumped over Yang's head. She tried to reel him in but he responded by kicking her back, causing her to stumble forward and into her uncle's line of attack.

Yang looked up, seeing pain in Qrow's eyes as he struggled against his own momentum, remembering the last time his blade had cut down a friend. He gritted his teeth as his sword continued to fall. He twisted his body, the blade barely missing his niece as it cut into the ground.

That had been close… too close.

"Yang… are you alright?" His breathing was heavy, not from the exertion but the fear of what had narrowly come to be.

"Yes." She reassured her uncle, giving him her hand and helping him onto his feet. He pulled his sword out of the ground. "But Qrow…"

Her voice trailed off, the way Qrow's eyes widened indicating he had also seen what she had. Tyrian was slowly brushing dust off his trousers, but other than looking a little weathered he seemed unhurt. However it was not Tyrian that incited such a terror filled look in her Qrow's eyes, but the creatures that were standing around Sage and Nolan. The Necrogrimm were slowly closing in on them, they would need help fighting so many of those horrid creatures but his eyes had been drawn to one of those monsters, the face recognisable even in its contorted state- Clover Ebi.

Watching Qrow's face was like watching a different man emerge, a man consumed by anger and fear and regret. Salem had done too good a job with these Necrogrimm. Not only were they deadly, but they bore just the right faces to weaken them, to make their usually unwavering resolve crumble into nothing.

"It's not him." Yang insisted. They had seen Clover's body back in Atlas, as the Ace Ops had buried him after the battle. This thing could not possibly be him, just as the creature she had fought could not have been Adam Taurus.

"I know." He answered, swallowing heavily as he remembered what had lain beneath the skin of the one that bore Penny's face- a poor soul who had had the misfortune of being captured by Salem and used in this hellish experiment. But knowing this did not stop his chest from constricting as he saw the creature's face. It did not stop the anger and guilt from swelling until they threatened to boil over and explode.

"Oh, have I bored you already?" Taunted Tyrian, swishing his tail, testing its integrity and reactivity. It was a little slower than he would have liked, but it would suffice.

"Be careful of what you say." Qrow hissed. " It could be your last."

"Big words." Mocked Tyrian, smiling at Yang and Qrow but his eyes moved past them momentarily. Coco ran by, her machine gun loaded and already aimed at the Necrogrimm. Mercury was standing between Cinder and Emerald as Ruby was jumping back to stand beside the latter. Cinder was outnumbered, he had to reach her before he lost his queen's favourite toy. She wouldn't forgive him, and he wouldn't forgive himself if he did. He'd had to get rid of these two quickly.

Confirming that Sage and Nolan had reinforcements, Oscar ran towards Bellamy. He was still on the ground, Valerian in his hands. Although Bellamy seemed unharmed, his eyes were red and swollen which was never a good sign. Valerian was not moving.

"Dr Dell!" Exclaimed Oscar, sliding to a halt and kneeling before the pair. Oscar's eyes carefully studied Bellamy and Valerian more intently. Bellamy truly appeared unscathed however the blood stains on Valerian's chest caused his breath to hitch.

"She's dead, Ozpin." Bellamy said, matter-of-factly and, although monotonous, it did not exactly cover his grief. Bellamy had only briefly met this boy and he didn't even know his current name, but he knew he was Ozpin's reincarnation and Ozpin wouldn't care for pleasantries.

"I'm so sorry." Oscar tenderly responded, for , what else was one to say? In his mind, Ozpin was filled with grief and sorrow for the woman who had become the most recent casualty of his war. Another Huntress that had given her life for a cause he did not know how to win. However, amidst this grief and mourning, another thought escaped Ozpin, and it sickened himself that he had thought so before Valerian's body was even cold.

What had become of the Summer Maiden's powers?

"The Huntress, she's the new Summer Maiden." Bellamy continued to inform them before the question could be asked. He'd never cared much for tact but he knew others would avoid the important questions so as to not hurt his feelings. As he spoke, he gestured with his head to the wall of ice that was slowly melting away thanks to the fire being conjured by Cinder. Behind this same wall the shapes of Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren could just be made out.

Oscar's eyes, if possible, widened even further.

"Nora!?" He exclaimed. "Nora's the new Summer Maiden?"

Bellamy solemnly nodded his head. "And she was already the Winter Maiden if I recall correctly."

That would explain the storm we walked into. Ozpin quietly thought.

But what does this mean for Nora? Oscar begged. He, just like all the rest knew of the prophecy Jinn had warned them of. But he didn't want to think about it. Yet yet he still did.

She will either be driven insane. Darkly began Ozpin, Or take us one step closer to the apocalypse.

Neither was an acceptable conclusion.

"I'm so sorry." Oscar repeated. He barely knew Bellamy Dell but, even without Ozpin's memories he could see how much he had loved this woman. His sentiments were genuine but he couldn't wallow here in mourning. He had to fight, to ensure that that night no one else would meet the same faith as Valerian Carrie.

Bellamy looked up at the younger man. He was very different from the previous incarnation of Ozpin's that he had encountered. This boy was definitely by far younger than Ozpin had ever been but he could see it in his eyes, a light of a being whose origin was a world long vanquished. It brought with it centuries worth of wisdom and perseverance.

But also centuries worth of grief.

Carefully, as if he were holding something fragile which, with the slightest movements, would break, Bellamy lay Valerian's body on the ground. Slowly he stood up, her legs paining him as he did so, but this was nothing to what he still felt in his heart.

He looked at Oscar. Although the letter was quite a few years younger, the two were almost the same height, but then Bellamy had always been vertically challenged, something Valerian had never failed to joke about.

"Are you sure?" Oscar carefully enquired, as he watched Bellamy carefully adjust his remaining gauntlet. The other had been lost in the storm but he still had the dagger, but it was pitifully small compared to what it was expected to fight against.

"Valerian would haunt me if she ever found out I sat on my bum crying during a fight." Bellamy tried to joke, but the tone he used made his words sound too serious to be so. "And I think our side will need all the help it can get."

Oscar nodded his head in agreement. When they'd charged down here, they'd hoped that, if their rescue had been a success, they would have gained four additional fighters. However with Valerian killed and Nora and Theodore otherwise out for the count, their plans would have to change. But then again, when did things ever go according to plans?

That reminded Oscar.

"Theodore's alive!" He quickly blurted out before the two were also swept into the next battle. "We found him above ground. He's being taken to the academy to get treatment."

The flimsiest of shifts crossed Bellamy's face, his lips moving ever so slightly upwards into what could possibly be described as a smile.

"Stubborn as always." He responded but Oscar could see it, the relief at knowing his brother was still alive.

Now to make sure the rest stayed that way as well

With a reluctant growl, Cinder jumped back and away from her adversaries. Mercury stumbled forward as the blade was pulled out of his shoulder. The burns had stopped the bleeding but intensified the pain. He blinked away the stars that danced across his vision but he felt a familiar hand rest on his uninjured shoulder.

"Mercury, are you okay?" She desperately asked, struggling to pull the taller man towards her and inspect the wound. It was deep but thankfully it seemed to have missed his heart. Mercury was a master assassin, that also meant he knew just what had to be done not to get killed. Although that injury would definitely slow him down and there was still that ghost pain running along his spine...

Ruby stopped in between Cinder and Mercury, her scythe a crimson streak as she spun it before her body.

"You traitorous brats!" Cinder roared in outrage. "You were nothing without me! You'd be living on the street or dead if hadn't taken you in… and this how you repay me?"

"And you have dangled that over us ever since." Mercury answered thickly. "And when Emerald tried to repay the favour, you responded by trying to kill her. And I must admit, I've gotten tired of you treating me like your lap dog."

"I don't need her help." Cinder hissed. "Neither one of you!"

"Then you don't deserve their respect." Ruby concluded. She didn't turn to face Emerald and Mercury when she addressed them, Cinder was not beyond stabbing her in the back. "You two should get out of here. I wouldn't expect you to fight your teammate but…"

"Hold it right there, Ms Hero." Mercury interrupted. "What use would it be switching sides if we just ran with our tails between our legs?"

"Switching sides?" Emerald carefully asked, finally coming to terms with everything she had had to endure because of Cinder. Every action she had believed Cinder had done to help her had been only for her own benefit. She would not hesitate to kill either one fo them if it meant gaining more power.

"That's what we are doing, right?" Mercury carefully asked. He didn't like teaming up with the brats but if Emerald was working with them, he'd rather be on her team than against her.

"Yes." Emerald finally answered, her voice heavy. "That's exactly what we are doing."

"Traitors." Hissed Cinder, the blades glowing redder. "You'll rue the day you ever betrayed Salem."

"And it's Salem we'll fear." Emerald finally said, trying to put as much confidence in her voice as she could, even if it were false. "Not you."

She was not lying when she said this. For so long she had feared disappointing Cinder but it was Emerald that had been disappointed. For all these months she'd fought alongside people she'd believed enemies to help someone who'd rather kill her then accept her help. Maybe she'd been calling the wrong people enemies for a long time.

"Let's just hope this is not a mistake." She murmured under her breath, aiming the mouth of her gun over Ruby's shoulder and at Cinder.

And without another word the battle began. Cinder was spoiled for choice. Who would she kill first?

This traitorous man who wasn't even capable of standing on his own two feet?

That cursed silver eyes child that had continuously been a back in the neck she could not rid herself of?

That ungrateful girl who, due to her thievery of the Relic of Knowledge, had forced her, Cinder Fall, to apologise to her master? To beg and plead for mercy when Salem had decided to punish her for Emerald's insubordination?

The question was not who the kill?

The question was who would she kill first?

Her eyes narrowed on Emerald. The girl who had the audacity to believe that she required her help. Although she despised Ruby Rose, at that moment, it was Emerald Sustrai that filled her with an almost blinding anger. She would taste her blade first.

And Cinder flew past Ruby, ready to cut Emerald's pretty head off her shoulders. But Mercury jumped in her way, this time redirecting her strike more adequately. He blocked her swords, trying to twist them out of her grip however they were iron tight. Emerald aimed her guns at Cinder, the shaking in her hands almost incomprehensible as she pulled the trigger. The sound of bullet fire mingled with all the other sounds of battle but Cinder, in an attempt to free herself, twisted her wrists and gripped Mercury's instead. With a hefty heave she not only dodged Emerald's attack, she tossed Mercury to the side. He dug his feet into the ground to regain control of his movements, feeling a single hand push against his shoulder to help him.

"We got to work together." Ruby declared, her eyes moving from Mercury to Emerald who was trying to escape a series of Cinder's attacks.

Grudgingly, still swallowing past the pain, Mercury nodded his head. The pair jumped in as one to stop Cinder's attack. The makeshift team was nowhere as balanced or coordinated as Team RWBY were, but Mercury and Emerald had trained and fought side-by side for years. The simplest nod of one's head and the other knew how to respond almost flawlessly. Ruby was nowhere close to understanding their wordless communications but she was adaptable. She didn't need Mercury or Emerald to tell her when to fight, when to dodge or when to redirect. She may not have understood Mercury or Emerald, but she could read the flow of a battle.

Mercury grimaced in pain and scolded himself for his own weakness.

Master assassin that had been slowed by a blasted shoulder injury. And it didn't help that he could still feel the stupid pain of his broken wings even though he was no longer in his shifted form. It was almost like his brain was insisting he still had wings even though they were not his. His sword dropped as each breath pained him. He wasn't sure of how many more hits he could take.

"Mercury, you've got to stop before you hurt yourself further." Emerald insisted, jumping back to land beside him. She could see the pain on his face even though he desperately tried to hide it. Ruby may not have been able to see it but she'd been with Mercury long enough to see what he tried to hide.

"I'm not leaving the brat to be your only back up." He wheezed, trying to hold back the pain.

" The brat can handle her." Ruby butted in, trying to ignore the fact they kept calling her a brat. They were still new to the whole 'good guy' thing, she could not expect miracles. "Emerald get Mercury out of here."

"You can't possibly think you can fight Cinder alone!" Emerald argued back. Cinder was strong, she had always been strong. She'd honed the Fall Maidens' skills to the point that she had bent it to her will, forcing it to become her own.

"You forget I already beat her once." Ruby tried for a confident smile. She didn't feel that confident that she could do it again now but she couldn't show it. "And I wasn't even a Huntress back then."

"Don't get cocky with me, girl!" Yelled Cinder, charging forward and colliding with Ruby's scythe. "You'll pay for that with your life!"

"Go!" Insisted Ruby, pushing back against her attack.

Emerald nodded her head, both in understanding and in thanks as she draped Mercury's uninjured hand over her shoulder. She didn't really know where would be considered 'safe' but she had to find a place where Mercury could rest and come back. Cinder had always had a bone to pick with Ruby and her and Mercury's betrayal had only added fuel to her already deadly flames. Ruby had bested them time and time again, but she doubted she'd be able to beat Cinder alone. And what was the use of switching sides if they lost their star player?

Ruby knew that Cinder was stronger then she had been at Beacon, she was stronger than when they had last fought in Atlas, but that wouldn't stop her from fighting back. She could just make out Yang and Qrow fighting Tyrian on one side. Out of view, she knew the rest were fighting the Necrogrimm. She could recognise movement behind the wall of ice where Ren and Nora were. She hoped Nora was alright but she could not worry about the others when she had to worry about herself.

Cinder did not take kindly to the younger woman's words. A growl left her lips, Ruby couldn't help notice that she had begun doing that a lot more often when she was around, right before she rocketed towards Ruby. Her two blades were aimed at her neck. Ruby raised her scythe, narrowly dodging, gulping as she did so. However, Cinder didn't allow Ruby to catch her breath. She raised one of her blades over her head and spun sideways, trying to hack at the Huntress. Ruby jumped back, her body twisting both to dodge one sword and block the other with her scythe. Cinder's hands were a blur, the swords being followed by tails of dark red. Ruby perried and feinted but the Fall Maiden was relentless, her anger continued to grow with each stroke Ruby blocked.

As she continued to evade, to Ruby's fearful realisation she noticed more blades forming around Cinder's arms until apart from the two original metal blades, two more had been conjured made of crystalline fire. Cinder's attacks continued to increase in speed. Sweat trickled down the side of Ruby's face as she struggled to keep up with Cinder's movements. Were those blades multiplying? A storm of crimson blades shot at Ruby, -2, 4, 6- how many could she create? More importantly, how many would she be able to block?

Ruby's footwork faltered as she felt her foot sink into something soft. She had just crossed into the Vault, the softness being due to the circle of grass that surrounded the Relic of Destruction. If she didn't start pushing back soon, the sword would be within Cinder's grasp. However Ruby's eyes couldn't help widened when Cinder, breathing heavily with rage, paused in her attack. Surrounding her was a wall of fiery spears, each one pointed at her, too many for her to dodge.

Ruby's mind was racing, could she use her Semblance and avoid all that ?

The Huntress's silver eyes widened.

There were too many.

Too many...

"Ruby!" The cry filled the chasm but the silver eyed warrior was too slow.

Too slow...

Hi! Thank you so so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed the chapter and are liking the fic. I'm sorry if it seems to be dragging atm, I never expected this volume to become so long 😅