Another day, another chapter, and this one's a biggy! First, review response time. Guest; bear in mind that Cinder does not have the full Maiden powers yet, she only has half. Besides, we all saw with a bit of strategy that a Maiden can be defeated. Also, why would anyone do something as horrible as kill someone...right? Thaqif; what? No one is going to die...or are they? Silent Howl; as previously mentioned, when Ozpin fought Cinder it was when she was fully powered. And OutlastTheDark; yeah the woman Cinder was talking to is Salem from the Volume 3 finale. And curfew's are the worst, a way to protect people that can be turned against them. And why does everyone think someone is going to die?! Now, on with the show!
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Chapter 16- Death Blossom's
"Let's go beat the crap out of this guy!"
As soon as Yang said those words, the other members of RWBY nodded their heads in agreement. Ruby spun around and flung the window open, quickly jumping out of it followed closely by Weiss, Blake and Yang. When Ruby landed, the Reaper was already a good distance ahead of her.
"How fast can that guy run?!" Weiss exclaimed, drawing Myrtenaster quickly.
"We'll need to hurry up if we want to catch him." Blake replied, quickly taking out her Scroll and typing a command on it. Seconds later, Blake's weapon locker landed nearby, quickly opening and revealing Gambol Shroud inside.
Ruby followed suite, quickly taking out her Scroll to call her weapon locker...but paused. An idea had formed, it might not work, but it was worth a shot. Quickly typing in the necessary commands, Ruby watched and waited. Seconds later, her weapon locker landed in front of the Reaper, who barely managed to skid to a halt in time.
Ruby then charged forward with assistance from her Semblance, blocking out the pleas of her Team. As the Reaper spun around to face her, she let out a loud battle cry as she barrelled into the Reapers side, causing him to grunt in shock and slight pain as he was flung to the side. The Reaper rolled backwards uncontrollably before he managed dig his claws into the soft soil of the grass he had landed on, churning up a large amount of dirt as he grinded to a halt.
Ruby was quick to act, quickly grabbing Crescent Rose from its locker and activating its scythe form. Reaper slowly rose from the spot, laughing menacingly as he drew Death's Vice, activating its sickle form. Ruby glanced behind her, the rest of her Team still a distance away.
"So, you really think you can take me by yourself?" the Reaper chuckled, slowly pacing around as Ruby followed his movements, never taking her eyes off of him. "You're more foolish then I thought..."
"Let's see how confidant you are when we kick your butt!" Ruby replied, gritting her teeth as she tightened her grip on Crescent Rose.
"Get in line..." Reaper simply replied, charging forward with Death's Vice at the ready.
The two scythe wielders clashed, neither one gaining or losing ground. Ruby was giving her all, using her Semblance to dash around in order to flank the Reaper on multiple occasions, whilst the Reaper barely seemed to be trying, countering or completely dodging her attacks. He was on the defensive, but why? In the midst of the blade flurry, the Reaper changed tactics, suddenly launching his own strikes at the red hooded Huntress. As Ruby went on the defensive, the Reaper dropped to the ground and delivered a sweeping kick. Ruby managed to jump up in time, but was left vulnerable to another attack, which the Reaper took full advantage of. As Ruby was in mid air, the Reaper delivered another kick, this one higher, hitting her in the stomach and sending her sprawling into the dirt.
The Reaper quickly rose, walking forward at a steady pace as Ruby slowly rose up, raising one of his sickles in the air.
"Get away from her you bitch!"
The Reaper turned as Yang charged forward, swinging a right fist at the Reaper who was struck back by the blow, spiralling backwards before gracefully landing. Ruby turned to see that Blake and Weiss were still quite a bit away, no doubt Yang having charged forward upon seeing her in danger.
"Ruby! Are you okay?" Yang asked, turning to face Ruby and helping her up off the floor.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ruby replied, rubbing her stomach briefly as she turned to face the Reaper. "Be careful Yang, this guy is fast!"
"We'll see about that..." Yang seethed, slamming her fists together before charging forward, the Reaper ready to meet her in a basic combat stance.
As Yang neared, the Reaper spun on the spot, holding his right arm out and causing Yang to hurdle over the outstretched limb and roll forward, quickly turning around to face Reaper and firing Ember Celica into the ground, launching her forward.
The Reaper was quick to counter, activating his Semblance and dispersing into black mist as Yang's fist made contact with him. As Yang looked around, the Reaper reappeared a few metres away, Death's Vice now in shotgun form. He fired a few shots at the blonde brawler who managed to dodge the rounds as she charged forward yet again.
She swung her right fist again, only for the Reaper to lock her wrist between his weapon's, which had morphed back into their sickle forms. Then the Reaper quickly wrapped his legs around her waist and legs, forcing the leg wrapped around her waist down and causing her to tumble to the ground with a loud thud, the force of the blow sending her rolling away.
Yang winced in pain as she attempted to rise, shaking her head slightly. She gazed up, the Reaper stood above her with Death's Vice in shotgun form, the barrel of the weapons aimed at her head.
"Your light is extinguished..." the Reaper murmured, laughing menacingly as his fingers tightened on the triggers.
Then the Reaper yelped in surprise as Ruby leaped onto his back, pulling his hood down over his eyes and causing him to drop Death's Vice on the ground as he attempted to grapple with the red hooded Huntress.
"God! This guy's got the strength of like...ten Ursa!" Ruby shouted as she attempted to force the Reaper to the ground, who didn't so much as buckle under the weight.
Eventually, the Reaper managed to grasp a hold of Ruby's wrists, flinging her over his head and causing her to drop Crescent Rose as she skidded to a halt next to Yang, who had since recovered. The Reaper seethed as he reached for his weapon's, only to stagger back in shock when he realised he no longer held them.
"Looking for these?" Yang asked, grinning as she gingerly held Death's Vice by the grips for the Reaper to see before throwing them behind her.
"Why you little piece of-" the Reaper paused upon seeing the runic symbol forming beneath him. Turning, he saw Weiss and Blake rushing forward, with Weiss pointing Myrtenaster at the Reaper, the blade glowing an icy blue.
As she flicked the blade up, the Reaper leapt to the side, spinning in the air slightly as a large number of icicles protruded out of the ground where he once stood. Before the Reaper could land however, Blake charged forward, delivering an upper cut to the Reaper, sending him flying into the air. Blake then swung Gambol Shroud upward, the ribbon flying out and wrapping around the Reaper's waist before pulling him towards the ground.
As the Reaper was about to make contact with the ground, Yang charged forward, punching the Reaper square in the face, sending him sprawling to the dirt as Gambol Shroud's ribbon unravelled around his waist.
"Is that the best you've got?" the Reaper seethed, his hands clenched tightly into fists as he rose from the ground.
As the Reaper stood, he glanced to his left slightly, snickering wickedly to himself. Ruby glanced around and gasped when she realised just what Reaper had eyed up. Crescent Rose still laid untouched from when the Reaper had thrown her off. Ruby charged forward, but the Reaper was faster, activating his Semblance as he swept over Crescent Rose, the weapon being absorbed into the shadowy vortex.
The mist then circled around the small group before stopping behind them, the Reaper appearing as he swung Crescent Rose before planting the blade into the ground with a loud thud. Ruby could only gawk in shock at the sight...someone else was using her precious weapon.
"You give that back you...meanie!" Ruby shouted, balling her fists up as she glared daggers at the Reaper.
"'Meanie'? Really?" the Reaper asked, tilting his head slightly in obvious disappointment.
Before Ruby could respond, the Reaper then spun around, swinging Crescent Rose in a wide arc. Team RWBY were forced to back away as the Reaper continued to move at a slow pace, swinging the scythe with every step he took. Ruby was grateful that the Reaper clearly wasn't used to a weapon like Crescent Rose, each swing was slow and easily dodged, but it was still enough to keep them back.
Eventually, the Reaper grew bored of the weapon, carelessly chucking it towards Ruby, who nearly fell back as she caught the weapon. The Reaper then rolled to the side, to where Yang had tossed Death's Vice only minutes earlier. Grasping hold of the familiar weapon's, the Reaper spun around to face the Huntresses, firing round after round of bullets. The four Huntresses dived for cover, dodging the bullets hastily, though some found their mark in the Huntresses sides or arms.
"Die!" the Reaper hissed, loading strange spherical rounds into Death's Vice before firing at them again.
When the new rounds impacted the ground, a salvo of explosions rippled around Team RWBY, sending them flying to the ground with yelps of pain and surprise. As Ruby looked up, the Reaper quickly loaded more shotgun shells into Death's Vice before aiming the weapons at the downed Huntresses.
Suddenly, a gold disc like shield flew out towards Reaper, hitting him in the back and staggering him as he turned. The shield returned to its wielder, none other then Pyrrha Nikos, the rest of Team JNPR behind her.
"More lambs to the slaughter?" the Reaper mumbled, his weapons now trained on the new arrivals. "I'd be more than happy to accommodate you..."
"Step away from them. Now!" Jaune ordered, bashing Crocea Mors together in an attempt to intimidate the Reaper.
"And what will happen if I don't?" the Reaper asked, clearly not at all impressed with Jaune's display.
"This!" Jaune shouted, charging forward with his shield at the ready to deflect any incoming shots.
In response, the Reaper simply fired a blast at the shields centre, sending Jaune flying backwards and into the dirt, back next to his team.
"Jaune! Are you okay?" Pyrrha asked, turning to face Jaune as the blonde knight stumbled back into a standing position.
"Yeah...I'm fine..." Jaune replied, shaking his head as he regained his bearings.
"Let's break his legs!" Nora shouted as she charged forward, swinging Magnhild wildly in the air.
The Reaper leapt backwards, dodging the initial wild strike from Nora before she swung the weapon counter-clockwise, the Reaper barely just ducking beneath the swing. Ren soon joined his partner, firing rounds from StormFlower as Jaune attempted to flank, Pyrrha offering cover fire with Miló.
The Reaper continued to dodge the multiple attacks coming his way, weaving through the strikes. As Nora swung once more overhead, the Reaper side-stepped the strike before leaping into the air and delivering a kick at Nora's chin, sending her sprawling backwards into Ren, both falling to the ground.
Jaune charged yet again, letting out a primal yell as he swung Crocea Mors down at the Reaper, who manoeuvred around the blonde knight and delivered a kick to his back, sending him sprawling down in front of RWBY. Pyrrha then drew out Akoúo, flinging the shield once again at the Reaper.
The Reaper charged forward, sliding beneath Akoúo and onto his back. As the shield passed over him, he slid one foot into the groove of the shield and the other onto the opposite end of the shield. Then with a flick of his heels, he flung the shield back at Pyrrha as he himself rolled forward. Pyrrha held her hands out in front of her, her Semblance activating as Akoúo was mere inches away. The Reaper then sped forward, kicking Pyrrha in the gut and sending her sprawling backwards, Milóand Akoúo skidding to a stop next to her.
"How do we stop this guy?!" Jaune shouted, shaking his head as the other members of Team JNPR slowly rose up off the ground.
"We need to work together!" Ruby shouted, holding Crescent Rose out in front of her, the scythe blade pointed at the Reaper who was now pacing around like a caged lion. "There's no other way."
"Right, so what's the plan?" Jaune asked, keeping his eyes on the Reaper who seemed to be waiting for them to attack.
"Just follow our lead!" Ruby shouted, charging forward with the rest of RWBY behind her.
The Reaper switched Death's Vice into their sickle forms and charged at the advancing group. He swung forward at Ruby, who easily leapt over the blow. As the Reaper looked up, Yang delivered a punch to his chest, sending him sprawling backwards. Nora then swung Magnhild, hitting the Reaper in the back and sending him sprawling to the dirt where Ruby swung Crescent Rose in a wide arc, hitting the Reaper and sending him flying backwards with a pained grunt.
As the Reaper stood up, a large number of glyphs appeared around him, causing him to look around in confusion. Then Weiss sped forward, rebounding off of the glyphs and into the Reaper, who staggered at each blow made against him. As the Reaper recovered from the last of the blows, he swung wildly at Weiss, who easily dodged the strike.
Caught up in attempting to strike down the Heiress, the Reaper was once again set upon by both Pyrrha and Jaune, who swung at him with their weapons drawn. The Reaper managed to parry Jaune's strike and kick him back, but was struck in the side by Pyrrha, who had extended Milóinto its javelin form.
The Reaper staggered back with a loud grunt, seething loudly as he massaged his stomach. Before the Reaper could move forward, a long black ribbon wrapped around his frame, immobilising him immediately.
"What-?" the Reaper stammered, attempting to pull his arms free from the bindings.
Looking around, he saw that Blake had fired Gambol Shroud's ribbon at him, the item in question having wrapped around his frame. As he continued to struggle, Blake tugged the weapon, unravelling the Reaper whilst also causing him to spin around on the spot. As the Reaper regained his bearings, Ruby swung at him again with Crescent Rose, sending him flying towards Blake who swung Gambol Shroud upwards, causing the Reaper to growl in pain as the blade sent him to the ground again.
As the Reaper slowly stood, Weiss formed an ice glyph under his feet that detonated instantly, trapping the Reaper in a block of thick ice. Now truly immobilised, Weiss powered up another glyph in front of Ruby, who quickly shifted Crescent Rose into its Sniper form and fired through the glyph, sending an infused round at the Reaper's icy prison.
As the round connected, a large explosion occurred, sending everyone flying backwards from the shock-wave of the blast. Ruby coughed up a large amount of dust as she slowly rose, rubbing her eyes as she looked around the charred landscape.
"Is everyone okay?" Ruby shouted, coughing up another handful of dust as she spoke.
"I...I think so..." Yang muttered, slowly getting up as she clutched her back, wincing slightly as she stood at full height.
"Weiss, Blake, how about you?" Ruby shouted, looking around for either the faunus or Heiress.
"I'll...I'll be okay..." Weiss managed to say between deep breaths, supporting herself on Myrtenaster as she nearly toppled over.
"Remind me...to never do something like that...again." Blake stated, entering a coughing fit soon after.
"Jaune? How about you?" Ruby shouted, looking around for any sign of the blonde knight or his team.
"We're all okay...I think..." Jaune shouted in response, the sounds of coughing following soon after.
"Wait..." Blake murmured, breathing heavily as she slowly moved forward. "Is he..."
A loud groan soon followed, causing all to focus on the large dust cloud which was just now beginning to settle. In the centre of the cloud laid the Reaper, shifting slightly as he continued to groan. It looked like he wasn't going anywhere any time soon.
"We...we did it..." Weiss weakly said, laughing slightly in joy. "We actually did it!"
"Is he...you know..." Ruby murmured, turning to her team and sliding a finger across her neck.
"No...he's alive..." Blake replied, rubbing the back of her head.
"Then let's go find Ozpin or...someone before he gets up..." Ren managed to say, clutching the side of his stomach.
Ruby nodded in response, turning heel to head back to Beacon. But before she could get far, a wicked laughter echoed around her. Slowly turning to face the cloud of dust, she saw that the dust cloud was now beginning to turn in on itself, forming a small vortex around the Reaper's form. A vortex that was beginning to turn a deep black.
"Guys..." Ruby murmured, warily raising Crescent Rose as she spoke. "I don't think it's over yet..."
The two teams turned and faced the vortex, which had only grown bigger and thicker. Then suddenly, it spread out as if hit by a sudden gust of wind from all angles, coating the area Team's RWBY and JNPR stood. As Ruby recovered from the sudden gust, she saw the Reaper standing in the centre, his body glowing a dark red as he held Death's Vice in their shotgun form.
Then he spun around, far faster than Ruby expected, firing round after round in every direction. As the Reaper got faster, his accuracy somehow increased, pin-pointing the two teams locations with ease. Ruby watched as the rest of her team and JNPR were sent flying to the dirt as the rounds repeatedly hit them. Ruby attempted to deflect the bullets, spinning Crescent Rose out in front of her. Eventually though, her defence wavered, and she was hit by a salvo of bullets, sending her tumbling to the ground.
Ruby groaned in pain as she looked around, the black mist having finally dispersed. The rest of her team and JNPR were unconscious and no doubt badly wounded, but at least they were alive...for now at least. Looking around, she saw Crescent Rose a few feet away, thankfully undamaged by the Reaper's onslaught. She crawled forward, attempting to reach out for the weapon. A heavy boot soon planted itself on Ruby's back, pushing down hard and causing her to scream in pain. She was then forced to turn, and soon found herself staring face to face with the Reaper, who quickly pinned her down with a boot to the stomach. The Reaper then raised one of his weapon's, his finger tightening around the trigger as he aimed at Ruby…
A shot soon rang out across the courtyard as the Reaper suddenly leaned back, a bullet speeding past his head. Turning to face his new adversary, he snarled in displeasure as Ruby also turned, silently gasping when she spotted the figure.
"Qrow..." Ruby whimpered, wincing slightly when the Reaper removed his foot from her stomach.
"Step back Reaper!" Qrow warned, quickly shifting his combat stance as he held out his sword in front of him. "Before someone gets hurt!"
"Branwen..." the Reaper hissed, the venom in his voice clear as day. "I should have known Ozpin would have sent for his lackey."
"I'm not gonna warn you again..." Qrow warned, his voice dangerously low. "Stand down, now!"
"So be it..." the Reaper seethed, quickly shifting Death's Vice into their sickle forms as he charged forward.
Qrow also charged, swinging his blade in a forward arc, Reaper using his Semblance to pass through the strike unscathed and reform behind him. Qrow spun quickly to face him, his blade scraping across the concrete and churning it up slightly. As the Reaper lunged forward, Qrow swung his sword overhead, hitting the Reaper and sending him flying backward, where he rolled backwards and resumed his fighting stance.
The Reaper then sped forward, managing to strike Qrow with three consecutive slashes, each one staggering the aged Huntsman before he managed to parry the fourth, sending both skidding back slightly.
Ruby winced as she attempted to get up and help her Uncle, but accomplished nothing as she fell forward, yelping slightly as she fell on her side.
"Ruby!" Qrow shouted, turning round to face Ruby, holding out his hand as if reaching out for her. "Stay out of this! Please..."
The Reaper took this as an opportunity to strike, lunging forward with his sickles raised over his head. Qrow turned at the last second, jumping back as the Reaper impacted the ground, kicking the Reaper in the face as he tugged the blades free. Qrow then leapt into the air, his blade held in a reverse position over his head and slammed down onto the Reaper's position, who used his Semblance to evade the move. As Qrow tugged his weapon free, the Reaper reappeared, running towards the school with Death's Vice in their shotgun forms, firing blindly behind him.
Qrow blocked the barrage and gave chase, quickly activating his own Semblance and shifting into a crow, quickly catching up with the Reaper. The Reaper turned fully, slowly pacing backwards as he attempted to shoot down Qrow, who circled him overhead. The Reaper then waited patiently as Qrow continued to circle overhead, his eyes trained on the morphed Huntsman. Then, a single shot ran out as the Reaper fired on Qrow, the round hitting where his shoulder would have been, causing him to squawk in pain. Qrow soon landed and shifted back into his human form, clutching his left shoulder whilst seething loudly.
Qrow charged again with his sword at the ready, swinging the blade over his head as they interlocked with Reaper's sickles, the two now pushing against one another.
"It's not too late..." Qrow hissed, pushing the Reaper back. "Stop what you're doing...before it's too late..."
"It was too late long ago..." the Reaper hissed back, pushing Qrow back further. "Turn around and perhaps you'll live to fight another day!"
"Ozpin was right about you..." Qrow seethed, stepping back slightly so he did not fall over from the Reaper's force. "You truly are dead!"
"Took you that long to realise?" the Reaper mused, laughing menacingly as he exerted more force against Qrow.
The Reaper then delivered a kick to Qrow's gut, causing him to stagger backwards. As Qrow turned to face the Reaper, who swung upwards with one of his sickles, slashing Qrow across the chest. As he staggered backwards, the Reaper swung again, sending both of them into the air. As Reaper attempted to continue his barrage of assaults, Qrow suddenly delivered an uppercut of his own, hitting the Reaper and sending him flying into the dirt.
Qrow landed soon after, the Reaper already up on his feet. The two then charged one another again, their blades clashing and rebounding against one another repeatedly. Qrow then swung down again, Reaper blocking the strike with his sickles crossed above him. Qrow attempted to force the blade down, though Reaper forced the blade to the side, leaping over Qrow and kicking him in the back. Qrow quickly turned, attempting to swing the blade through the Reaper's body, only for him to use his Semblance and pass right through the Huntsman and reform a few metres behind him.
Qrow turned once again, growling as he charged forward, the Reaper doing the same with his sickles. As the two got closer, both leapt forward, thrusting their respective weapons forwards. The sound of metal entering flesh soon resounded around the courtyard as both stared at one another, unmoving. Ruby froze as she awaited the result, barely able to stay awake as both her Uncle Qrow and the Reaper continued to stare at one another.
Both stared in silence, neither moving, both of their faces set in permanent scowls. Then, the Reaper thrust forward slightly with his right hand, the sound of flesh being pierced following suite. Qrow's eyes widened in shock as he looked down, one of the Reaper's sickles lodged in his gut. Qrow looked up again, wincing slightly as the Reaper leaned forward slightly, edging closer to his face.
"This is on you..." the Reaper growled, though his voice was almost sad when he said it.
Then with a sickening squelch, he tugged the blade free, Qrow's limp form falling softly to the ground.
"...Qrow..." Ruby whimpered, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared down at the limp form of her Uncle, attempting to shuffle forward, but only screaming in pain when she attempted to move.
"Consider yourself lucky, girl..." the Reaper hissed, wincing slightly as he clutched his left arm. "For now you and your friends live. But next time, your precious Uncle won't be able to save you..."
The Reaper then dispersed into shadow, a stream of mist flowing freely in the wind before shooting out into the night, out of sight. All Ruby could do was shuffle slowly to the body of her Uncle, his face growing pale as a pool of blood formed beneath him.
"Qrow...you gotta wake up..." Ruby pleaded, shaking the limp body of her Uncle as tears streamed onto his body. "...Please...wake up..."
Yet Qrow lay unmoving, his face growing paler by the second. The sounds of people approaching could soon be heard, no doubt teachers attracted to the area by the commotion caused by the fighting, yet Ruby didn't care. With a shaking hand, Ruby closed Qrow's eyes, before laying flat on his chest and sobbed uncontrollably, not caring for those who now approached…
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Oh...guess someone DID die after all...I am so dead now, aren't I? Feel free to review and constructive criticism is welcome. Any questions? Feel free to either leave in a review or PM me and I'll answer next chapter for reviews and whenever possible for PM's.
Raging Archon out.
