They got almost ten feet away however a voice screamed "INCOMING" and an explosion the size of a cruise ship went off throwing them off the bike, cole pulled Ruby into his arms and flew into a tree knocking the air from his lung. before he lost consciousness he saw Ruby putting on her helmet and dragging him behind a car while watching roaring flames engulf the world around them.
'didn't see that coming' he thought watching the world fade away.
Ruby was thankful she still had Ironwood's armor he gave her, otherwise moving cole would've been next to impossible. But she could only do so much with what happened so when the flames went upward she put cole in the car and went looking for any survivors, instead of people she saw fire...and unless she'd been hallucinating she saw two white haired people holding up an energy dome that seemed to act like a thick multicolored stream flowing from the woman hands while the man was holding up his hand towards ironwood and the council members was a gold energy spinning and pulsing around them.
"is everyone okay?" the man asked letting his shield go and helped them all up, he wore a brown fur cloak, two swords on his back, yellow cat eyes and studded armor.
"we're fine sir, but what are you doing here on military base and how is that girl doing this" ironwood asked helping up the others in the dome of light.
"my daughter is familiar with the man's presence and she felt he needed our help" he replied casting a ward circle mixing it with water and wind dust then slammed it on the circle creating a field of mist just as the dome the woman was casting flickered away and all around them flames blew around them for a few more seconds till they dissipated enough to see Adam and a few white fang members searching the burning debris for something but found nothing just yet.
outside the fading dome the entire base was gone; blown apart and melted in places.
Alyx, augus, those guards, and the new recruits all dead in seconds, she couldn't do anything about it.
Shaking her head she dashed out the dome and Into the flames hoping cole was out there since the explosions had stopped. She searched every car, burning barracks tents, pit field was barren and burning, comms was gone and even the galley was full of charred bodies but no sign of cole. She pushed her emotions aside and got back to searching and wound up back at the parking lot looking through car after car. cole was hopefully placed in. her frantic rushing she unintentionally ripped the door off and looked in finding it empty.
"n-no...nonononono" she said frantically looking around and spotted a few more cars. Unfortunately for her he wasn't there; car after scorched car she searched every one but found nothing, until she spotted something moving out in the distance.
"cole!" she yelped. desperate she ran as fast as she could to the sight and saw a redheaded bull Faunas holding a body in his arms, next to him stood a reptilian Faunas and a few white fang members taking them into a black bullhead.
She leapt out from the bushes and used her semblance to get to them faster but after a second too long she fell and went tumbling into burning embers of what was a wall and alerted them.
"fire up the engines!" he yelled over the roaring flames "we've got unwelcome company!"
Ruby got back up gasping and wheezing watching them ascend off the ground, "cole- no, please don't go" she begged as loud as her voice could go but it came out as a whisper.
Her body wouldn't respond to her and it only got worse when the bull Faunas jumped down and kicked her in the visor cracking the glass and grabbed her by the neck mid fall "I sacrificed everything to rescue him" he tightened his grip choking her more making her desperately kicking and tried getting out of his death grip "I wont let you kill him" he seethed hurling her into a burning car shattering the windshield on impact. she coughed violently and gasped for air when the man put his sword to her neck "follow us and ill cut you-" he said but was cut off when the white haired man made a mad dash for Adam and cut his mask on the right and hit him with an invisible fist throwing him into a burning car.
"sorry, but she's done you no harm and I've seen how brutal you are toward people; they're monsters and yet they insist that they're heroes."
He looked Adam in the eye as he grabbed ruby with little effort and pushed her into ironwood and qrow, whom were running towards them.
Adam flourished his blade as the two warriors began to circle each other. Geralt was listening foe everything and planned out his moves but he had to rely on swords only this time or the signs would tire him out fast, whereas Adam was full on aura and had a bit of his semblance charged thanks to geralt's sword strike, this white haired faunas would attack him yet he was one of his kind.
Seeing his eyes sent Adam into a cold rage but he fought it down as to remember his training.
Geralt on the other hand was calm and careful. His witcher training was all he needed but his opponent's heart was beating at an incredible speed that went up when he opened his eyes up and in that moment he could practically taste the negativity and rage flowing off his vestige.
Just like that geralt's sword was against his forearm and braced for the impact of Adam's swing making his slide three meters on his back foot knocking him to his back, but geralt was ready. Using the fall he rolled off his back and to his feet sprinting for the red bull and let his sword drop at his feet catching Adam off guard punching him in the temple.
Both swordsmen rushed in with a clash and sparks flying between their blades, glares were exchanged as the world blurred away. Adam swiped and slashed for the killing blow but geralt? He just parried or blocked his attacks with quite a bit of difficulty due to his speed and brutality so geralt had to parry up from Adam's quaking down swing crashed on him in the chest. with aard, geralt used everything he could in that sign to send adam back, falling to his hands and knees, taking the opening for what it was ciri vaulted over him dropped her sword in a feint swing toward Adam's face adam saw the sword coming so naturally he retaliated by striking her sword away sending it careening into a burning tree hilt deep, ciri laughed at him and uppercut him in the stomach as hard as she could, grabbed his head and crunched his mask into his face causing his nose to bleed.
Straining his eyes past the tears and struggling to stand without shaking were both impossible considering his semblance drained his aura, geralt wore him out and ciri had hit him in a cheap surprise attack knocking him down to a shaking and bloody mess.
Ciri pulled geralt up and let ironwood hold him without looking at them. "catch your breath geralt, I'll handle what's left"
"you hit pretty hard for a rather young woman; cole must have good taste in faunas for you two to come help him"
"I wandered for weeks looking for him after giving him to you, why's he carrying the arm of the-"
"ciri, focus on why we're here" geralt tiredly interjected.
"which reminds me" she replied as she looked into Adam's eye Inside his cracked mask "what's cole mean to you?"
Geralt stumbled to ciri's side and grabbed her shoulder, "hold on ciri we should try and find him remember?"
Seeing the prime moment in front of him, adam slashed at him in anger knocking him down and sending his sword flying then ran off towards a car with three white fang members drag an armored figure out and towards a black bullhead.
"COLE!" Ruby screamed bolting towards the group. running over to the bullhead everyone else chase, reaching out for cole Ruby had maybe gotten twenty feet from the ship before the sides of the aircraft blew up throwing everyone quite a distance back.
Ruby smashed into a car, geralt and ciri hit each other, ironwood flew into the council members and qrow and the others fell on their backs.
they all watched it happen but those who cared for them in various ways now thought Ilia and cole were dead. Ruby's mind stopped working for a few seconds, completely unable to process that her best friend had died right in front of her. The world froze around her as her heart felt like it had finally broke and no one could ever put it back together, there was nobody she could love like she'd begun to love cole and this feeling quickly morphed into rage for her sister, her teammates, and everyone that had pushed him to this fate and she wasn't enough to save him "this...wasn't supposed to...happen" she said quietly as her body stilled like the dead, her mind blanked and
her hands found her new weapon on her back slowly drawing it out with a calmness rivaling the winds themselves. "I was supposed to...save him, graduate...what am I supposed to tell weiss now that..."
Of all things that could happen what came next was not something anyone saw coming, ruby stood up as if she had no injuries and held her scythes, tightly gripped them and merged them together by slamming the locking systems in place in her scythe staff. looking over at Ruby they watched with rapt attention as she walked slow and carefully towards the now burning ship and a forty foot paladin that was in desperate need of destroying. After the explosions and fighting, most wouldn't blame them for not hearing the sound correctly. but those who did hear it, were subjected to a wail of rage and anguish that rivaled the shriek of the fabled shrieking grimm called: the howler. Some had to cover their ears from the vocal assault while a few others stared on in worry. Her aura blew out like red flames from within her very soul licking her body as it grew in size and slowly condensed into her body. Her eyes let out a silver flame-like energy engulfing them. Everyone was frozen in place as they watched a black and red blur shred the paladin to little more than scrap metal the size
of her body. In her rage Ruby made sure that the paladin's legs were first to go, then the arms, the mounted guns, the rocket launchers, the entire fight with this paladin was so one sided it wasn't really a stretch to want it stopped, ruby was a torrent of negativity and even if grimm were around she'd just cut them down too.
Ruby had lost herself to shock and grief and couldn't control it any more. when ruby had taken other the main problems with the paladin the hatch opened and inside was a pilot screaming in pain. she gave pause and watched the man inside clutch his arm dangle by little more than tendons and veins; somehow this made her smile a bit in her mindset. When he looked up his bloodshot eyes saw Ruby's cold silver ones burning with rage that practically bore into his from behind his visor.
Qrow sped to stop ruby but stopped in horror at the scene playing out, watching her grab his head and bashed his face into the center console over and over and over and over.
"You've taken my brother from me? Then in exchange I'll take your life" she cried out in anger.
Geralt and ciri watched on as ruby didn't stop until the man's head was reduced to a puddle of mushy red meat and blood that now burned and boiled in the rising flames.
after she was done she jumped back from the mess gasping for breath.
'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' oz thought walking over to his student. When she was able to breathe properly again she dropped her scythe staff, fell to he7uur knees and began sobbing while looking into the flames for a sign of cole or at the very least his body.
Just as he reached Ruby he froze feeling Glynda hugged her to her chest while she cried for her best friend.
"cole I'm so sorry.. I cou-couldn't-" she screamed one arm outstretched toward cole's assumed burning corpse and the other being held by Glynda. while that was going on ironwood and the two white haired saviors exchanged thanks and left for less burnt surroundings.
ozpin's problem lied with the knowledge that cole was dead, different types of magic exist, a few dozen people were burnt and dead and now the leader of the white fang was dead or went missing.
"how did everything go wrong, the plan was fool proof" he fell to the ground punching the scorching earth repeatedly screaming "damn it" over and over until he noticed a man approaching, he sprung to his feet and ran towards it but hit air as the figure blinked out of existence "sorry but my fight is with cole not you people" he heard a deep voice whisper out into hear ear.
"just remember that there are a few dozen people ill kill and I'll keep killing" ozpin lashed out wild and bold swings but hit air while listening to a fading chuckle.
lashing out Ruby thrashed in qrow's hands "let me go, I said let me go, He needs me!" she screamed with tears falling on her visor tearing out of their grasps and ran toward the burning ship and threw her helmet off. Before she got any closer a strong arm grabbed her and hugged her to their chest refusing to let go.
"QROW!?" Glynda and ozpin exclaimed just as Ruby hit the ground in her father's arms restrained and immobilized.
Tears still fell as she continued to scream and cry "dad, please let me go-"
"ruby branwen listen to me!" he yelled pulling her back grabbing her shoulders both were on their knees staring at each other.
"pedal...im sorry, okay! I tried to save you both.."
She opened her mouth but he silenced her with a tight hug "Ruby...im sorry but that man killed cole not you!" he tightened his hold on her when she latched onto him crying her broken heart out, "ITS NOT FAIR" she wailed in anguish "I loved him like a brother"
Glynda and ozpin said nothing so that they could have a moment of silence for the deaths that occurred today, but none more painful than cole. "this world is far to cruel to such a loving person" Glynda said hugging Ruby and Qrow. "I failed you Ruby" Qrow sobbed holding his daughter in his arms "I knew how much you loved him and I still failed you" to a father nothing hurt more than a child's inconsolable heartache. He felt it best to let his tears fall because the scene brought back memories of how summer died but her cries broke his heart all the more knowing he couldn't say or do anything to help her here hurt too much and he felt useless.
"sir we should get everyone in the bullhead and get to beacon." Glynda glanced at ciri and geralt to ask something but they were gone from view.
"James we need to tell the world about what happened here and in hopes you'll help us; I'm willing to overlook everything if you help with finding out what just happened here, if everything goes the way I hope it'll strengthen the other kingdoms resolve and well have a chance to find these people and why they did this" oz said walking in the bullhead and sat near the front nursing a broken arm.
"Qrow collect your daughter, we have to go" ironwood called out through the smoke and smoldering air.
without anyone realizing, geralt and ciri had already been on the ship far in the back to talk in privacy and to be respectful of the amount of loss they all experienced.
qrow picked up and bridal carried Ruby with him and followed close behind the two council members while they followed behind oz and Glynda. With ironwood behind all of them making sure no one came.
after an hour Ruby had passed out due to the exhaustion of crying so hard and all her pain gave her the chance to rest. Qrow put Ruby in a seat with Glynda and joined ozpin in the cockpit and flew off at full speed back to beacon. "ozpin...you realize what this means?" he asked straining to keep the ship steady while it sped from the inferno that shrank into the distance.
He looked to his direction and heavy sighed trying to think without emotion but failed.
"im so sorry old friend, truly I am, but I don't know if I can make the announcement; we lost so much today that-"
"some more than others" ironwood said slowing the ship down and sighed heavily.
Glynda watched as Qrow took Ruby into his arms and held her close before falling asleep crying silently for his hurting daughter and for all the memories this brought back to the man and none were more painful than the other memories of a similar situation.
"Glynda?" ironwood called out, she walked into the cockpit and froze at the sight in front of her, she tried to speak but it felt as if someone had poured concrete down her throat, the entirety of haven, the jungles, slums and even the outskirts were burning and smashed. Everyone all around were busy fighting the flames while others helped get people out of the doors of the and hoses
"If its this bad here then we need to get back to beacon as fast as possible" she said grabbing the controls and pushed a few dozen buttons making ironwood turn to her with a questioning gaze.
"uhh...Glynda , what are-"
"i'm rerouting what I can to make the most of what we have; beacon is far enough without avoiding the grimm." She explained before the hull began to creak and some parts flew off from the strain of the speed, "Glynda!" oz warned coming from behind after hitting the back wall.
"its fine, we've got plenty left" she mused before the bullhead lurched at top speed reaching almost 200 mph.
For close to six hours the craft was flying by hopes and dreams though it was just as miraculous it was relatively in one piece as the courtyard of beacon came in veiw but only ironwood saw it since everyone else was asleep...until the violent shaking woke ciri, prompting her to yell out in surprise. at this point the others began to stir upon ironwood yelling to everyone "tighten your harnesses and stay calm!"
Everyone did as he said and glynda took controls on her side and pulled back with him hoping it would help but it was all in vain.
The ship rocked and shook just before dying and fell to the brickwork and crashed down shattering glass from the windshield, ripped lamp posts from the ground and slid all the way towards the arc monument and stopped just in time to not so much as scratch the stone.
The night was thankfully vacant of bodies in the courtyard but soon everyone was coming to see the mistral ship smoking and the destruction it left behind.
Glynda and ozpin exited first, next came Qrow cradling an unconscious Ruby who'd been crying in her sleep. Ciri and geralt were the last to exit with geralt helping ciri walk.
All occupants were bruised and bleeding but nothing too serious besides broken hearts and bruised prides. ozpin looked to the two and said "we will talk in the morning but for now you can go use the infirmary"
both nodded at the man and left with ciri limping with geralt patiently walking alongside his daughter.
Everyone ranging from other teachers, every student, and a few with their parents watched in shock as they saw the sorrow bleeding off them, they all had a vague understanding of why Ruby had come back in a worse shape than when she'd left and in strange armor she wore made everything more confusing.
Unfortunately for the remainder of them yang and the others pushed through the crowd, "move outta my way damn it, Hey, who's hand was that- move!" yang exclaimed moving them to the sides creating a pocket for the seven to get through. Once they got in front of them yang asked "what happened, is Ruby okay, did cole come back-"
only just barely grasping the gravity around them she asked "what on remnant's surface happened?" she said growing quieter with every question. Everyone else followed suit with their own questions but none were answered. The only other time yang saw something like this was when qrow told her, tai and ruby that summer had died.
Ruby opened her eyes and whispered "dad, can we to go to cole's room?" noticing she was finally awake he put her down and looked at ozpin, he gave her a nod and had already sent the code for it to Ruby and motioned for Qrow to lead her away.
"I'll have food and drinks sent up as soon as-"
"thanks ozzy but I'll handle this from here; the kid had his place fully stocked" qrow interjected and tossed him his flask "just filled it if you need any" with that the two left to cole's room and thankfully no one stood in the way long.
Thanks for reading I hope to improve the next chapter.
I'm limiting each chapter to 4000 words or less from here on.
Comment anything you think could be worked on at:
H6pp1n355_in_misery.
Criticism is appreciated