Chapter 34 – Vengeance and Tragedy
Blake
Sienna was tied up and leant against the wall, still unconscious after Ilia knocked her unconscious with a single yet powerful charge of electricity. Oscar finished securing the rope that they found, and he stepped away from her, crossing his arms. "You sure it's tight enough?" Weiss asked.
"Don't worry, I've had plenty of experience with rope." He assured, and immediately he felt all the eyes were suddenly on him, all looking suspicious – well except for Yang, who just had a cheeky smirk. He turned and raised a brow, then he gasped.
"Wanna… elaborate?" Yang teased.
"Nothing like that! Raven taught me how to use ropes so I could easily set up tents…" He answered.
"Uh-huh… sure… likely answer." Yang chuckled, walking over to Blake.
"What?" Oscar squeaked.
"What was her name?" Yang continued, making Blake giggle softly. Oscar narrowed his eyes and pressed his tongue against the inside of his lip.
"You have a filthy mind, Yang Xiao Long." Oscar sighed, which just made Yang chuckle.
"Oh, you ain't heard nothing yet." Yang followed up, Weiss and Ren both groaned, shaking their heads in embarrassment whilst Nora just smiled brightly, like always. Oscar crossed his arms and just ignored Yang.
"But… you're definitely sure the ropes are tight enough, right?" Ilia asked.
"Yes! I'm sure! She couldn't get out of those, even if she wanted to!" Oscar called back. Yang smirked once again.
"Bringing back memories?" Yang was ruthless tonight.
"Holy shit Yang… I swear to god I'm gonna…"
"I'm awake." Sienna grumbled. Everyone fell silent, not even noticing the former High Leader was now just deadpan staring at them.
Sienna looked at the predicament she was in and exhaled, pressing the back of her head up against the rocks. Blake and Ilia both approached her, and Ilia crouched down, looking right at her. She looked older since they last saw one another, but it was still the same Sienna Khan she always knew.
"Hello again, Sienna… been a long time…" Ilia greeted. Sienna softly chuckled.
"Ilia… glad to see you're still breathing." Sienna commented.
"No thanks to you, y'know, for nearly blowing our heads off our shoulders." Yang commented, shrugging her shoulders. Sienna gave Yang one hell of a glare, but the Golden Brawler was not one to back down, and she just glared right back.
"We didn't come here to fight you, Sienna… we wanted to talk." Ilia's calm voice was always enough to stoke the fires of any possible argument.
Sienna's fiery eyes turned to Ilia, then she just sighed before pressing the back of her head up against the wall once again. Sienna showed signs of her age in areas, mostly in her hair, which was still black but had more streaks of silver through the black in places. There were a few wrinkles in places, but mostly just bags under her eyes. She clearly had not been sleeping very well these past few years.
Sienna then turned her gaze to Blake, noticing the blindfold. "Blake… you're alive…" Sienna commented, and she gently smiled at the Former High Leader.
"Yeah… not in one piece though…" she said, gesturing to the blindfold over the scarring that blinded her eyes. Sienna closed her eyes, and she sighed.
"Adam… it was him, wasn't it?" She asked her, and Blake just nodded her head. "Damn bastard… I should've put him down a long time ago." She sighed, shaking her head and clenching her hands into fists. But then she calmed herself down, and collected her thoughts, looking at them all as she just sat there. "I'm sorry for firing on you… when I saw it was you… well, you heard me. I didn't think you were real… these past few months… the desert gets to your head after a while." She explained.
Nora glanced down the mountain at all the cages that contained all those beasts that she captured. Then at those bodies they all saw left where they fell, the Feral Ones with signs nailed to their corpses. "You don't say." She commented.
"What are you doing here? In Menagerie… this place is watched over by the Feral Ones now." Sienna questioned.
"We came here for you – the High Leader of the White Fang." Weiss answered. She looked to the Former Heiress, though not with judgement. She was surprised to see her still alive, just like Blake.
In fact – it seemed to be nice for her to see so many familiar and friendly faces again.
But then her face scrunched, and she grumbled. "Former High Leader. The White Fang are no more, the Feral Ones saw to that." Sienna corrected.
"No, there are still many out there who believe in what our cause stood for. We can still fight back against Salem, Sienna. I know it." Ilia explained, but Sienna started laughing. Even though she was not a monster, her laugh was still quite intimidating. Sienna Khan always had that aura of power about her.
"Have you forgotten what happened last time we tried fighting back against Salem, Ilia? The Rebels and the White Fang were slaughtered… I saw so many people butchered in ways I couldn't even try imagining." Sienna explained, closing her eyes as the images of the past flashed before her. "Salem cannot be stopped…"
"She can." Ilia answered.
"She can't. I have watched so many people land fatal blows on her. One man even beheaded her… but I watched as her skull just grew back and she tore them apart, one by one. Salem is invulnerable to all weapons. I've seen it firsthand. And so have all of you…" Sienna explained.
"Not all of them." Oscar answered. Sienna glanced over at the Former Bandit.
"I remember you, boy… you were one of Raven Branwen's Bandits…" Sienna scowled at him, it was easy to forget that before all this happened – Sienna and Ilia helped Jaune, Pyrrha, Weiss, Blake and Winter hunt down the Rogues. And unlike the others, she did not share their compassion, for she did not know those humans personally like they did.
"Among other things." Oscar answered. "And to clarify – I know how to kill Salem. We all do now."
Evident from the change of expression from frustration to slight intrigue – Sienna was listening.
"We have another team of friends out there trying to help us take down Salem. They have the Relic of Knowledge with them. A few hours ago they used it, and it dragged my mind over… because I'm the new reincarnation of Ozpin…" He explained.
That took Sienna aback more than the first statement of Salem having a fatal weakness. "W-What?"
"Long story." Yang assured.
"Yeah, even now we're still kinda wrapping our heads around it." Blake agreed.
Oscar continued, crouching down beside Sienna. "I saw her past, and it showed us how to do it. The only weapon that can kill Salem is the Relic of Destruction. A weapon capable of killing anything… even gods…"
Sienna stared at him, then she just rested her head against the rock again, staring up at the stars. "Yes… the Relic of Destruction… the very Relic that Salem already has." Sienna replied.
"Well, that's why we're here. Some other friends of ours are finding more people who can help us, but we need you, Sienna. We need the White Fang, and we know they will only follow you. We need you to come back." Blake explained, and then she cushioned her shoulder. "We can stop her, we can end all of this."
Sienna rolled her eyes, then pushed Blake away with her shoulder. Blake retracted, then Sienna stared at her with her eyes bloodshot with tears. "Do you all just not get it?"
They all fell silent.
"I didn't run and abandon the cause because of Salem… I abandoned the cause because the very people I had been fighting for betrayed us all. The Faunus… not Humanity… the Faunus. We had sacrificed so much to help our own people, and then… then the very people we fought so hard for betrayed us. Slaughtered so many friends… Salem gave the Feral Ones power… but the fact they turned on us so quickly?" Sienna's voice was hoarse from the pain of reliving the Fall of the White Fang.
Sienna stared at Ilia and she exhaled sharply, feeling the tears trickling down from her eyes. "And it's all my fault…"
"What? No, it's not." Blake defended.
"Yes… it is. And you know it." Sienna said, staring at Ilia. But Ilia shook her head.
"No… it wasn't because of you…"
"If I had just followed my gut and killed Adam when I had the chance… when he was locked in that cell for four years… the Feral Ones would have no leader. They would have fallen apart and the White Fang wouldn't have fallen apart the way it did. All the people that have died by the hands of the Feral Ones… their blood in on my hands… because I showed mercy." Sienna explained. Blake stared at her.
"Mercy has never been a weakness, Sienna. And even if you had killed Adam… none of that would have stopped Killian. It wouldn't have stopped Watts. And it wouldn't have stopped Salem or the Inhumane Necessity. Salem would never let the White Fang stay standing. Anything she deems a threat is destroyed. Just like the Huntsmen Academies." Blake explained, but Sienna just closed her eyes again, shaking her head.
"Even if I did… it would be pointless. The White Fang won't follow a leader who abandoned them… and even if they did, it would take too long to amass forces to attack." Sienna explained.
"People knowing that Salem can be killed will do anything to change things." Ilia stated, sounding as optimistic as ever.
Sienna scoffed, then stood up, letting the rope fall from her body. Oscar's eyes widened with disbelief at that. She had freed herself from his bonds ages ago. She walked past them all. Then stopped, looking back at them. "What you're doing is suicide. The world already tried… nobody wants to stop her now. And many agree with her. You're fighting a losing battle. Just stop this and survive for as long as you can – we lost." Sienna explained, walking away from them.
Blake reached out for her, but Ilia just outstretched one arm and closed her eyes with regret. "She's broken… I'm sorry…" Ilia sighed, walking over to a rock and sitting down. "It was a pretty dream… I wish we could've made it real."
Nora and Ren looked at each other and they stepped forward. "There must be someone else, right? I mean… what about Blake's dad? He was the High Leader once! They might follow him, right?" Nora asked, but Ilia just stayed quiet.
Yang stared at the Chameleon Faunus, who just stayed silent. "No… not you too."
"Talking to her… it brought back all those terrible memories…" Ilia explained, burying her head in her hands. "I want to help you, but… she has a point. The entire world tried to fight Salem and… well… we all know how that went. Nobody wants to fight a losing battle."
"So you'd rather just give up? Roll over and pretend the bad things aren't happening?" Yang questioned.
"The White Fang won't follow Ghira. They viewed him as a coward when he stepped down because they had to do things more aggressively. Sienna is the only person who can lead us against Salem… but… she's lost hope too." Ilia explained, shaking her head.
Blake clenched her hand into a fist, then Yang turned, hearing her hiccuping breaths, and tears streamed down under her blindfold. She stormed off, disappearing off down the path. Ren sat down, sighing, cracking his knuckles.
This was what Salem had turned even some of the bravest people into, people who are too afraid to fight.
Not for their own sake.
But because they cannot bear losing anyone else.
Yang immediately followed after Blake, leaving the others to try and think up a new plan. But considering how few options they had left… things weren't looking good.
Eryka
Clover and Harriet did not hesitate in the attack, whilst Dutch, Marrow and Vine stayed back.
Elm charged forward after the first two did, but it was clear that she was not as savage as the two of them had become. Eryka grunted, being punched in the face by Harriet so hard that she was sent tumbling across the floor, but she drew Slice 'N Dice, driving it down into the floor to steady herself. Dulcis screeched, flying directly at Harriet as she darted towards his mother and slashed his talons across her, allowing Eryka to cut up Harriet's chest. Sparks flew, but her golden aura protected her.
She tumbled down the steps, then Eryka turned to suddenly get smashed in the chest by Elm's massive hammer, crashing her against the wall. That hit knocked the wind out of her and she gasped, but luckily Winter and Joanna had her back. Winter formed a glyph which shot the huge Huntress towards Elm. The Ace Op turned and snarled. Her aura glowed, and she dug her roots of aura down into the floor, and swung her head into Joanna. The stop was so sudden that it knocked Joanna on her ass, then Elm swung her hammer up into Joanna so hard it threw her high in the air.
Eryka groaned, pressing one hand against her knee as she tried to force herself back up onto her feet, but Harriet suddenly pinned her against the wall. "Such a weak aura… I'm impressed someone as pathetic as you is even still alive." Harriet snarled.
Eryka growled and head-butted her, knocking Harriet back a few paces, then Eryka swung her fist into Harriet's mouth. "That's how, bitch." Eryka hissed. She sprinted towards her to throw another hook, but Harriet cheated in the fight, darting out of the way and punching her in the side of the head. She then beat Eryka over and over in hit-and-run attacks, before drop kicking her against the railing.
The metal bars bent as she slammed into them, and then Harriet launched forward.
Only for a flash of lightning to collide into her, blasting Harriet down the stairs. Lavinia descended in front of her daughter, helping her back up. "I hate this little shit already." Lavinia scoffed.
"Eh… guess we are like mother like daughter." Eryka commented.
Harriet stared at what she was up against, then turned to see Marrow just stood dead still with wide eyes. "Marrow! Quit standing there and help me out!" Harriet yelled, but he didn't even seem to hear her.
He stood still, his gun shaking in his hands. He stared at Fiona, who stared back at him, but suddenly she gasped for air as Clover wrapped the line of his Fishing Rod around her throat. He jumped over her and looped the line over the upper piping, pulling her up and off the floor.
She gasped for air desperately, kicking her legs, feeling the rope tighten around her throat. Marrow stared at Clover and saw that deranged look on his face. He was grinning maniacally as he slowly choked her to death. Marrow stared up at Fiona, then closed his eyes, and he scowled, aiming directly at Clover.
Clover stared at Marrow for a brief second when Marrow fired on him. The incoming bullets blew him across the room and against the wall with a grunt. Fiona yelped, falling to the floor and coughing in pain.
Amidst the clash, May swung into Dutch's blade as he quickly transformed his rifle into his sword form. She stared at him and narrowed her eyes. "If you're gonna do it, now would be a good time." She stated. Dutch looked at her and he just nodded, rolling away from her. They were simply playing along until now, but after seeing Marrow fire on Clover like that… it changed things.
Marrow rushed over to Fiona, and he helped her up. "Are you okay?" He asked her. She coughed, massaging her throat.
"B-Better now… thank you…" She smiled up at him and he smiled up, only to turn when he heard the furious snarls of Clover as he got back up.
"MARROW!" Clover howled. "You goddamn traitor!"
Marrow and Fiona both swiftly stood tall and aimed their weapons at him.
Vine shot up into the air, using his aura to his advantage, and he stretched out his arms to the walls and ripped massive chunks of concrete out and hurled them down towards May. The Happy Huntress sprinted, rolling out of the way of incoming boulders. But he turned his gaze when he saw Marrow had turned against them, and he stared at him for a few moments.
May jumped up onto one of the Vasillias Cartel Trucks parked nearby, and she fired an explosive Crossbow Bolt up towards him. He launched another chunk of rubble at her and the bolt exploded into it. Vine stretched out his arms and slingshot himself towards May, who vanished into thin air as he slammed his glowing fist down into the ground where she was standing, shattering the flat concrete upon impact.
He looked around. His robotic eyes scanned the area for her presence, only for her to suddenly reappear beside him. She punched him in the face, then ducked under his fist as he went to counter, but she countered him instead. She punched him twice in his flank, then uppercut him in the chin. Vine gritted his artificial teeth at her, then his golden hand lunged forward and grabbed her by the chest, swinging her into the wall, and then throwing her across the path and threw the next wall.
She tumbled into the room, making the operatives inside flee as Vine used his aura arms to easily get inside. But as he looked around for her, she activated her semblance once again; he narrowed his eyes as he tried to search for her heat signature. But there was nothing. Her semblance was very impressive, indeed. He admired how affectively she used it in combat… but… there was only one thing she could not make him not be attuned to.
Sound.
He spun around when hearing the old broken bricks move, catching May by the throat and revealing her. He turned and then swung her down onto the ground with all his might, breaking the table. He then pinned her against the wall, staring at her. "Damn it… don't you realise you're on the wrong side?"
"There are no sides – I only serve Remnant, and whatever keeps the people safe." Vine stated.
"The Black Gallows are working for Salem and she intends to burn the world down! How is that protecting people, Vine?" May questioned. He paused as he searched his logic. His eyes hardened, and then he punched her with his other fist, breaking that wall as well, sending her tumbling back outside.
May stumbled, coughing from the dust, and Vine launched towards her again, but May jumped up in the air, spinning and she swung her boot down onto the top of his bald head. He crashed into the floor, rolling through the debris before coming to a stop. May looked at him as he got up and he stared at Marrow, fighting with Fiona now against Clover, and he glanced at May, who was still ready to fight.
But May was not stupid… she knew he was starting to see that the Black Gallows were no longer what Remnant needed to survive.
Nearby, Winter slashed forward with a defiant roar, cutting across Elm's powerful aura, but her adversary was far larger and stronger than the Atlesian Specialist. Elm took the incoming blows with ease, then grabbed Winter by the throat, lifted her off the floor and smashed her down against the ground with all her might. Elm bellowed and swung the hammer down towards her head, and Winter gasped, looking away.
But it never struck, she looked up to see Elm catching the hammer, growling with fury before she punched it up in the air, and then smashed her fist into Elm's face so hard it ripped her from the ground she had anchored herself onto. Elm crashed into the wall, and Joanna charged towards her, punching her twice in the face, then another three times in her torso, and another up her chin. Elm growled, then kicked her in the gut, knocking her back, and then she transformed her hammer into Missile Launcher form, blasting a rocket towards Joanna.
Winter swung her sword, forming a protective glyph in front of Joanna which took the explosion for her, saving her aura from being majorly damaged in the fight. Winter then shot up into the air, holding her blade back and yelling as she blasted a load of icicles down at Elm. Some of them scraped her, but most were smashed apart as she spiralled her massive hammer with ease.
Elm jumped up towards Winter, but she cut across Elm's chest, and then kicked her in the gut again with both feet. As she crashed down into the ground, Joanna roared, leaping on top of Elm. She brutally began beating Elm's face into the floor with all her might, but Elm caught her fist and yanked her down so then she could punch the Happy Huntress in the face. As Elm got up, her eyes widened as a swarm of Summoned Nevermores flew towards her, cycloning around her like a tornado, stabbing their beaks into her aura and slashing their talons repeatedly.
Elm roared savagely, spinning her Hammer through her fingers and slamming it down into the floor. She created a single but powerful blast of fire dust, killing all the small Nevermores instantly, and she stamped down onto the floor, firing a rocket towards Winter. She ducked down, then rolled out of the way, only narrowly missing them as they exploded off into another side of the subterranean base.
Eryka and Lavinia, on the other hand, continued to clash against Harriet, who darted from side to side, dodging the Falconess' incoming arrows. She swung at her, but Lavinia slammed her fists down into the ground. Roots burst from the concrete. Even here in Vacuo, she was able to summon them; They tried to wrap around the speedy Huntress, but she still got closer. She punched Lavinia in the face, and then kicked her in the back with both feet, using that force to launch towards Harriet.
She grabbed Eryka under her chin and smashed her down into the floor with significant force, breaking her aura once again. Eryka groaned in pain, and she swiftly picked up Slice 'N Dice in an attempted to skewer the Kingpin's Daughter. But Lavinia formed a pair of swords forged from ice and she charged towards the Ace Ops Huntress, blasting lightning into her, blowing her off Eryka.
Eryka rolled out of the way and swiftly picked up Constantine Damascus, and she drew her bow back, and Dulcis flew towards her. As she fired the arrow, Dulcis caught it, and his body ignited with fire, creating the Burning Phoenix. He screeched with fury, and Harriet gasped, eyes wide as the huge burning Aura of Dulcis flew towards her, scorching everything beneath him. She sprinted, then ran across the wall before jumping down, narrowly avoiding the Phoenix, and she went to punch Eryka in the face.
But she had been skilled in fighting long before she became an Official Huntress. She caught her by the throat and smashed Harriet into the floor, and punched her over and over in the face. Harriet quickly recovered, however, wrapping her legs around Eryka's head and twisting around, smashing Eryka down into the floor.
But just as Harriet tried to punch her, Lavinia caught her fist and threw her up into the air. Lavinia blasted up at her, punching Harriet in the face, and she exploded through the roof, allowing light bleed inside. She grabbed Harriet by the throat as she flew high in the air, punching her repeatedly, before tossing her high in the air, and the sky darkened. She summoned forked lightning which came together and knocked Harriet back down towards the ground.
Eryka rolled aside and Harriet smashed into the ground, her Exo-Suit smashed to bits and her aura broken completely. She groaned in pain and Eryka immediately kicked Harriet in the face, knocking her unconscious. "Annoying bitch." Eryka growled, rolling her shoulder and blowing some blood out from her nose, and spitting some out of her mouth.
Lavinia descended back down and immediately checked on her daughter. "You alright?" She asked her.
"Eh, been through worse…" Eryka then looked down at the totally obliterated Harriet Bree. "A bit overkill…"
"Eh, she deserved it."
"Yeah, she did."
Clover sprinted at Marrow and fired his pistol at him, but Marrow spun Fetch swiftly through his fingers, blocking the incoming bullets, then both he and Fiona sprinted at him. Fiona elegantly slid underneath Clover's fishing line and she punched him in the back of the leg, allowing Marrow to jump up and knee him in the nose. He flipped through the air and landed on both feet, aiming down the sights of Fetch in its rifle form, firing multiple times at him, withering his aura away with every bullet. But he then rolled aside and launched the line towards Marrow, wrapping it around his throat and tightening it, but Fiona jumped up and kicked him in the side of the head.
She then slashed her Crossbow Staff across his body, and stabbed it down into the floor, spinning around on it and kicking him in the face once again. He stumbled back, and then she kicked his Fishing Rod out of his hand. But as he landed, he threw his Horseshoe at her, knocking her onto the floor. He sprinted towards her and grabbed her by the throat, strangling her with a savage glare in his eyes.
She gasped for air, terrified of that look in his eyes as he grinned. Until a bullet shot at him, knocking him off her. He looked up and his eyes widened.
"Get the hell off her." Dutch snarled, firing shot after shot at him. He stood beside her, still shooting at him. The familiar shots made Vine stop, and he saw Dutch also standing beside Marrow, helping Fiona up.
"Traitor…" Clover snarled.
"I'm done standing by and letting Killian burn the world down. Stand down." Dutch commanded.
Elm turned as well, and she gasped. Seeing Harriet unconscious on the floor, she hissed and fired a missile towards the two Vasillias', causing Lavinia to grab her daughter and throw the two of them out of the way. Elm sprinted to Harriet's side, lifting her onto her shoulder with ease.
She stood with Clover as they backed up, finding themselves vastly outnumbered and outgunned now. "Vine… Vine, we have to go…" Elm said.
"You are all going to suffer for this." Clover snarled, but then both he and Elm gasped as they saw Vine.
Standing with Dutch and Marrow as well, fists clenched.
"Remnant will suffer if Salem and the Black Gallows remain in power… stand down now…" Vine commanded, fists clenched. Marrow aimed Fetch at them both, and Clover immediately tucked tail and ran. Elm stood there for a few moments, then glanced at Harriet. She sighed, turning and following Clover.
"Damn it, Elm…" Marrow sighed.
"There's still time for her to see… she only followed him because Harriet was hurt." Vine pointed out. Dutch looked at Vine and he just nodded at him.
Marrow exhaled with relief, lowering his gun. Then he looked at Fiona, who was proudly smiling at him, and he smiled back.
Then Dutch looked around.
"Wait… where's Robyn?"
Yang
"Blake?" she called out, walking through the paths naturally formed on the mountain. It was growing colder and colder with every second.
Where is she?
She could be cold…
She passed by some of the other warnings Sienna had posted in case someone tried to scale the mountain from any side. She really had become very paranoid, but Yang wasn't worried about any of that. She was worried about Blake, just Blake.
Then she stopped… she heard something…
… crying…
… Blake crying.
She turned the corner and found her; she was sat down at some sort of naturally formed oasis on the mountain. It was beautiful, surrounded by the most colourful flowers she had ever seen in the desert. They had seen a couple of oases out here, but nothing as stunning as this. Yet… Blake could not see it at all. She was sat down by the water, hugging her knees as she cried, and her blindfold had been removed, sat on the floor next to her.
She walked over to Blake slowly. "Blake… are you okay?"
"Please… please go away…" She sniffled, and Yang tightened her fists, swallowing down her own upset of seeing Blake like this.
"I'm not going anywhere…" Yang promised.
"Please… I don't want you to see me like this…" She sniffled. Yang walked over to her and sat down, gently squeezing her shoulder with her cybernetic hand, and she sat down next to her.
"I don't care if you're crying, Blake… I'm here." Yang promised, but Blake shoved away from Yang and stood up. She sat back, holding her hands against the sand to support herself from falling back.
"I'm such an idiot…" she cried.
"No, you're not, it's okay." Yang promised.
"IT'S NOT OKAY YANG!" she yelled, hearing Blake yell like that made Yang jolt a bit. "I dragged us out here! On this stupid mission, thinking that… people actually would want to fight back! That they were like us… we could have died so many times and it was all for nothing!" Blake argued.
"It wasn't for nothing, Blake… it's not over yet…" Yang promised.
"Isn't it? Because it sure as hell sounds like it. Ilia's right, there's nobody else in all of Remnant the White Fang will follow. They won't follow my dad since he stepped down and they sure as hell won't follow me because I ran away!" Blake explained, tears streaming from where her eyes once were.
Such a cruel irony…
Her eyes were blinded, yet her tears still worked.
"He's right about me… I am as stupid as he said…" Blake cried, that made Yang bolt upright.
"Shut up." Yang retorted.
"Huh?" Blake sniffled, and Yang walked up to her, cradling her shoulders.
"Don't ever think like that. Nothing Adam has ever said about you is true." Yang stated.
"But…"
"But nothing. Wanna know what I think?" Yang asked her, gently looping a finger through her black hair, and then caressing her cheek with her thumb, wiping a tear away. "You're the bravest person I have ever met."
"W-What?"
"Yeah, I know what you're thinking… why not Ruby? She's your sister. And yeah, Ruby is another who's high up there… but you? You inspire me in so many ways, Blake. You face your fears time and time again, and no matter what the world throws at you, you always get back up. You were the one who helped me get over… this…" Yang said, looking at her cybernetic arm.
Blake sniffled as Yang continued to speak. "And after everything that has happened, you still always try to do the right thing. Something… something I haven't always been able to do."
Blake saw her clear as day through her mastery of sensing Aura, and her smile made her heart form butterflies.
"But I always strive to… because you're the person I always want to make proud. You're kind, you're smart, brave, and beautiful…" Yang confessed, causing Blake to gasp, and her lip trembled. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met."
Blake smiled, and then she kissed Yang suddenly on the lips.
Yang's eyes widened swiftly with disbelief.
They stared at each other for a few moments after that, then Blake's ears perked up and she gasped. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I-I-"
Yang grabbed hold of Blake and pulled her close, one hand behind the back of her neck, and she passionately returned the kiss. The first kiss that Blake had experienced ever since she lost Sun, and it made her melt into Yang's embrace, and they finally lost themselves in each other. They gasped between kisses, and Blake held onto Yang tight, pressing their heads together, breathing heavily, cheeks pink.
"Holy shit…" Yang gasped, and Blake giggled softly.
They went to kiss again…
BANG
They both spun around and gasped, hearing gunfire and a large explosion back where they both were. "Oh, no…"
With their moment together shattered, they both sprinted up the path they came and returned to where the others were, finding Oscar being thrown against the wall by a large masked Feral One. With multiple others with him.
He stared at them… and it made Weiss, Blake and Yang gasp.
"Well, well… long time no see." The Former White Fang Lieutenant growled, laughing darkly at them.
Robyn
Robyn ran through the Cartel, and she stopped as she picked up some tracers, just in case. They could always come in handy.
"Saph! Terra!" Robyn called out whilst everyone fought against the Ace Ops together, sprinting through the base to find them. She turned and found Saphron holding little Adrien's hand.
"Robyn? What's happening?" She nervously asked.
"Find somewhere safe and hide! Where's Terra?" Robyn asked.
"She went down there to go to the bathroom." Saphron answered.
"Alright, I'll go get her. And keep this, in case you have to run, we can find you with these. I'm gonna connect them to my scroll, okay?" Robyn
"Okay… please find her!" Saphron begged.
"I will, I promise." Robyn assured, sprinting down that hallway and running down it, and she started banging on the bathroom door. "Terra! Terra, you need to hide! The Ace Ops are here!" She called, but nobody was in there. But then her eyes turned… to the blood on the floor. Her eyes widened, and she saw the impact on the floor, then looked down the dune…
… spotting Killian sobbing on his knees in front of a body.
Her eyes widened…
… Terra's body.
Fury flowed through her veins, and she gritted her teeth, then vaulted over the wall and slid down the dune towards him. "KILLIAN!" She bellowed. He spun around, eyes still wet from his tears. But she kicked him in the chest with both feet, tumbling him down one of the dunes. She slid down, slashing him across the face with her bladed Fan Crossbow, then she pinned him against the rocks.
"WHY? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?" She yelled, tears in her eyes, but Killian's Grave Dust arm formed from his sleeve and he blasted a powerful bolt of fire into her chest. Robyn grunted, tossed backwards by the blast. Killian cracked his neck and drew his Chrome Pistol, spinning it through his fingers.
"This is on you, Robyn… you dragged her into this… YOU MADE ME DO THIS!" Killian howled, his mind lost completely. He fired repeatedly at her, but she slashed the bullets out of the air, but she launched herself towards him, punching Killian in the face. As she tumbled past him, his Grave Dust hand suddenly extended a blade which he used to catch the blades of her Fan, staring her down with his bloodshot onyx eyes.
"You're gonna pay for this." She snarled, but he kicked her back.
Killian roared with anguish and fury, jumping up in the air and slamming his burning Grave Dust fist into the sand, sending the sand towards her, melting and hardening it into black glass. Robyn grunted, knocked back by the sharp impact of glass. She rolled aside as he fired at her repeatedly with his gun, but then she shot an Explosive Crossbow Bolt at him, which made him stagger back.
She jumped through the smoke, kicking him in the face with both boots. She then rushed back and pinned him down against the floor, punching him repeatedly in the face, then she slashed his face with her fan blade, and pressed it against his throat, trying to break the Respirator. But he grabbed her by the hair and flung her off, and suddenly got on top of her, punching her in the face as well, teeth gritted with rage.
But she blocked his next punch, and then kicked him in the chest, pushing him off. Then she rolled backwards and landed on both feet, immediately slamming her fist down onto the firing button of her crossbow, launching three bolts towards him. But he slashed them out of the air with his Grave Dust arm.
"I actually thought there was good in you once! The one thing I thought you'd never do is hurt your sister! What the hell happened to you?" She yelled.
"WHAT I HAD TO DO!" Killian cried out, firing bullet after bullet at her, swiftly reloading his pistol. One round impacted her shoulder. She sprinted at him and fired another explosive bolt towards him, landing it at his feet. When it detonated, it blew up up into the air, making his onyx aura flicker momentarily, sending him down into the amber. He crashed down, and then she thrusted up and smashed her knee into the side of his face so hard it made him tumble.
As he landed back on his feet, he launched his Grave Dust arm at her, grabbing Robyn by the leg, and he swung her high above his head, smashing her down into the sand once. "ALL I EVER WANTED WAS TO PROTECT REMNANT! BUT TIME AND TIME AGAIN! YOU ALL KEPT ON SABOTAGING ME! PUSHING ME!" Killian screamed, swinging her over again and throwing her into some rocks that protruded through the dunes, causing her aura to flicker as well.
She coughed from the pain of that impact, but immediately rolled aside as he channelled ice into the Grave Dust arm, launching a spear of ice from his hand at her. She narrowly dodged it, and fired more bolts at him, but then he got more creative with his dust usage. He channelled Wind Dust this time, and spun around, forming a small Dust Devil that swirled towards her, and then blasted a beam of fire into it, melting the sand into shards of black glass, throwing them everywhere.
She tried to dodge them, but they shredded into her aura, throwing her across the sand, and he sprinted towards her as the Dust Devil died down, and grabbed her by the throat, effortlessly lifting her off the ground. "I will do whatever it takes to save Remnant, and nothing is gonna stand in my way." Killian snarled, throwing her across the dunes again.
She crashed and tumbled through a dune, making her aura flicker again, now in the red. She groaned in pain, but gritted her teeth as Killian sprinted up the dune and jumped off the edge towards her.
Until a powerful shot hit him in the chest, knocking him down the dune. He dragged his hand into sand to slow himself down. He stared ahead and his eyes widened… and he gasped with disbelief. "You…"
Robyn turned, and she smiled.
Dutch landed beside her and he advanced, scowling and with no remorse for Killian now, and he relentlessly shot at Killian, nailing every single shot. One round hit Killian in the shoulder, sending him tumbling down the dune. "Dutch… argh…" Robyn winced, holding her side.
"It's alright, catch your breath." Dutch assured, staring ahead as he felt the ground shake.
The dunes exploded, and Killian erupted from them, roaring with rage as he hovered in the air, using thrusters built into his boots. "You turned her against me! THIS IS ALL ON YOU SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!" Killian's voice echoed across the desert as he yelled.
Dutch gasped. His eyes widened with heartbreak when he saw the corpse of Terra on the floor, and he gritted his teeth, aiming up at the man who saved his life.
Now turned into a monster.
"No… you did this yourself… and I see you for what you really are now. I'm done looking the other way." Dutch growled. Killian launched down towards Dutch, then he transformed his rifle into sword form, blocking the claws of Killian's Grave Dust arm, glaring right back. He slashed up into him, knocking him back, and then he sprinted towards him, sliding underneath the incoming hand that stretched out towards him.
He cut across Killian's leg, dropping him to one knee, but Killian spun around and punched Dutch in the face, dropping him on the floor. He then fired at him, but Dutch rolled aside and swiftly fired back. Killian rolled aside, using Wind Dust to pull the sand up in the air, and melted it down into shards of black glass, and wind once again to launch it towards Dutch. Killian then shot forward, slashing down at Dutch in a diagonal attack, then punching up his jaw. Dutch crashed against the floor, then Killian grabbed him by the throat, dragging him through the sand and threw him down the dune, with wide, furious eyes.
Dutch rolled aside, then aimed up at Killian, revealing his Grenade Launcher attachment, firing it at him.
The grenade whistled through the air towards him, exploding into Killian's chest, making his aura flicker once again, also now in the red. Dutch got up and sprinted up the dune, jumping up and punching him in the face as he got back up. Dutch rolled down the dune, slashing his sword towards Killian's neck, only for Killian to catch the blade of his sword in his Grave Dust hand.
Killian ripped the weapon from Dutch's hand and then punched him in the face. He grabbed Dutch by the throat and pumped fire dust into his palm, burning away his aura, scowling down at him, making his aura flicker more and more as he burned it away. "I should have let you kill yourself that day I found you." He snarled.
Suddenly, Robyn threw herself into Killian, tackling him to the floor, punching him in the face so hard it broke his aura. She punched him repeatedly, bruising his face and bloodying his nose. But he kicked her off and punched her with his Grave Dust hand, breaking her aura. Dutch scrambled up, but Killian also blasted a fireball at him, shattering what remained of his aura as well.
They were all in a perilous state now. Dutch growled as he tried to get back up, turning as Killian slowly got back up, clenching both hands into fists. Robyn aimed at him, but he turned and went to shoot her, but she fired, lodging a crossbow bolt into his shoulder. He fired at her, and it hit her wrist that the crossbow was attached. Robyn screamed in agony as the bullet broke her weapon apart and blood splattered out.
Dutch sprinted at Killian, pinning him against the wall, smashing his face against the wall repeatedly with his face. Robyn looked at him, then her face hardened with a plan. Killian kicked Dutch off and slashed at him, only narrowly missing when Robyn tackled him again, pressing her hand against his back, and then tumbling off. Killian got back up and Dutch wrapped one arm around his throat and choked him, punching him in the back.
Killian swung his head back and then punched Dutch in the face so hard it broke his nose, knocking him down into the sand.
Robyn winced in pain, applying pressure to her gunshot, then she saw Killian rush for his gun, and she sprinted after him. She punched him in the face, but he then grabbed her wounded arm, making her yell in pain as a searing feeling rushed through her. Then he punched her in the face and swiped her off her feet with his leg.
He reached for the gun, but Dutch grabbed him by the back of his head and smashed his face into a rock as hard as he could.
All three were exhausted now, but were not stopping.
Killian jumped for the gun, but Robyn kicked him in the face, then she and Dutch both punched him in the face. Dutch turned to his rifle on the ground and he kicked it up into his hands and turned to Robyn, who smiled at him.
And then… a gunshot…
Robyn gasped, her eyes went wide, and Dutch's widened as well.
Killian had grabbed the gun and turned, firing it into Robyn's back from below in the shadows. And it went straight through her chest. Blood stained her shirt as she stumbled forward. "No… No… no, no, no… ROBYN!" He screamed, catching her as she fell into his arms. He tried to stop the bleeding, but she gasped and pushed him away as Killian appeared behind him.
Dutch spun around, aiming his gun directly at Killian's face.
His old friend… the man who saved his life…
Killian and Dutch held one another in each other's sights for a few moments, and then Killian glanced past him, seeing Fiona, Joanna and May sprinting with Eryka and Winter and Saphron after figuring out what had happened.
What have you done, Killian…
But as darkness passed overhead, Dutch pulled the trigger, firing at him. But he left it just a millisecond too late, as that shadow allowed Killian to activate his semblance just in time. Vanishing into the shadows, and the bullet shot off into the distance.
He stammered, and dropped his gun immediately, kneeling down beside Robyn and lifting her up onto his knee, pressing his hand against her gunshot… but… it was fatal. She hiccuped breaths as blood leaked from her mouth, raspy breaths. "No… please just hold on…" Dutch begged her.
She coughed and smiled. "You… didn't hesitate…" Robyn weakly whispered, proud of him.
"I… I didn't get him…" Dutch stammered, tears streaming down from his eyes. But then she smiled, and she reached down into her jacket pocket, revealing her scroll, and she took his hand away from her bleeding chest.
"When… I tackled Killian… I planted a tracer on him… they had some in the compound… I gave some to Saph." Robyn explained, and he looked at her scroll, spotting that the one she placed on Killian would lead them directly to him.
"A tracer… hmph… you always think of everything…" Dutch's voice was falling apart as he spoke.
"Heh… not everything… but… nobody's perfect…" Robyn said, smiling up at him. She then caressed his cheek. "Someone has to take the fall… don't… let his lie continue…"
"Killian will take the fall… I'll make sure of it." He promised.
Robyn smiled adoringly up at him as the sun rose, glowing across her beautiful face. "Finish this… you promise me…" she whispered, pulling him closer.
"I promise…"
She kissed him gently, but the moment faded away as the life left her, and her body was left lifeless in his arms. Tears poured from Dutch's eyes, and he let out a scream of heartbreak and anguish.
He hugged her body as the others arrived… and the Happy Huntresses collapsed to her knees, and the cries of Saphron echoed across Vacuo's desert as she found Terra's corpse.
And Eryka and Winter stood beside Dutch, knowing who did this.
Eryka clenched her hand into a fist, and she gritted her teeth with anger.
"Killian…" she snarled.
No more…
… Killian is going to die…
Author Note - Goodbye Robyn...
Killian has now killed two beloved characters in a row - and judging by Dutch, Eryka and Winter - they are not letting him escape. And thanks to Robyn, they now know where to find him. This was such a great finale to a chapter, had a lot of fun writing it, showing how far Killian has fallen, Dutch finally fighting him and of course Robyn's death.
Coming chapters are gonna be some of the ones I have been waiting for... for a LONG time...
This was a great chapter to write, because of how it kinda reflects both sides. Got the problems with Sienna and how she has lost hope, thinking they have no hope, and then we have the Ace Ops fracturing and Dutch finally revealing he is on the good side to Clover and Killian. But then we have the really sweet moment with Blake and Yang's first kiss (also painful considering Eryka and the gang know Sun is still alive, but poor Blake has no idea and is finally comfortable with moving on), and then the heartbreaking first kiss between Dutch and Robyn as she died.
Rest in Peace Robyn
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
- Matt