Chapter 21, Battle of the Tertawa Highlands Part II

Present Day

Pyrrha watched as the sun set over the city of Lothadare. Sitting against the tree in the courtyard of the Academy, she gazed over the academy walls. She always enjoyed watching the sun set back in Arthamore. She and her mother would sit outside in the front yard of their house and watch the sun set over the mountains. Sometimes they would stay out until the first stars would appear.

It was one of the fondest memories of home that she held dear.

Thinking about home, Pyrrha narrowed her head as she wrapped her arms around herself. She pondered about her parents. She missed them so much. They must be so worried about her. Where did they go? Were they looking for her?

But most of all, would she ever see them again?

She knew it was silly for her to think like that. But Qrow had said that they had to remain here in Lothadare for the time being. So that they could train her to become the Knight of Opara. But Mother and father had said that it took years for one to become a knight. Qrow had said they couldn't allow anyone to know where they were. Not even them to prevent the Grimm from ever discovering where they were.

"Hey."

Pyrrha looked up and saw Qrow standing over with two ice creams.

"I thought you might like one." He said, handing it down to her.

Elsa reached up and took hold of the ice cream.

"I love Ice Cream." she proclaimed.

"Thank you."

Qrow smiled. He reached down his hand and patted the top of her head. He then sat down next to her, gazing up at the sunset.

"You know, I used to do this all time when I were your age." He said, glancing to her.

Pyrrha glanced up to him.

"Really?" she asked.

Qrow nodded his head down to her. He the cocked his head, glancing ahead at the setting sun.

"Didn't have the best home life growing up," He claimed to her.

"Our father was always off on a crusade. Whenever he was around, he would be down at the pub drinking himself away."

Qrow narrowed his head, seeing just how like his father he was.

"Our Mother was always off working to earn us a living," He said.

"So it was just me and my sister. Sometimes we would get ice cream down at the park and sit just like this and watch the sunset."

"You have a sister?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.

Qrow frowned.

"I did," he said, narrowing his head.

"Once..."

Seeing how sad he looked, Pyrrha frowned.

"Is she...?" She asked.

Qrow shook his head.

"No, nothing like that." he insisted to her.

"What happened?" She asked, curiously.

Qrow sighed and shook his head.

"Faith can be a fragile thing, kid," Qrow insisted to her.

"Especially in war. After what happened in Tertawa, she started to really question why we were fighting to begin with. Why we were sending so many of our students to die in a war we didn't even believe we'd ever win."

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes.

"And then one day, when the war seemed hopeless for Ataria... she ran," he said.

"Abandoned the war. Our Kingdom... And our family."

Qrow narrowed his head, clinching his fist tightly in contempt and anger for his sister. He had been so Mad at her for so long for abandoning them. Not just the Ataria itself. But also Tia, her daughter and him as well. Though it wasn't like he was any better then she was. After what happened to Kayla, Johnathan, and Jaydan, he had lost faith that they had any hope against Salem as well. Like his father before him, he turned to drinking to try and quell the wounds this war had given him.

But even still, he never abandoned the efforts to defend the realms from the Grimm. He continued to fight for Ataria. For the Queen.

But foremost, for their family.

Pyrrha gazed sullenly up at Qrow. She narrowed her eyes, feeling so sorry for him. She glanced back up at him, reaching up her hand and she placed it atop his clinched fist. Qrow opened his eyes, glancing down at the girl.

"I'm sorry, Qrow." she said.

Qrow sighed, gazing back up at the sun which had disappeared behind the city's skyscrapers.

"I'm no better then her, kid," he insisted, shaking his head.

"After what happened to my students, I started to question if it was even worth fighting Salem. If I should train anyone else. And at one point, I wanted to just give up as well."

And now?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.

He then turned, glancing down at her. He then shook his head.

"I'm still not sure, kid." he insisted to her.

"I didn't think I could be the one to train you."

Qrow cocked his head to her.

"Those three looked up to me. And I threw just them into a war they weren't ready for. They died because of me. I don't want the same thing to happen to you too."

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes before glancing up at Qrow. She then came up next to him, leaning against his side as she tried to comfort him. Qrow raised his arms as he glanced down to her. She glanced up at him, smiling. Qrow smirked. He lowered his arm and placed it around her shoulders as he held her close. All the while, they continued to peer ahead at the sun that had disappeared behind the high skyscrapers as the stars had began to appear.

14 Years Ago

Qrow and his three prodigies ran through the snow covered woods, followed by the few remaining squad members with them. Trudging as fast as they could through the snow that was now up to their ankles, they came to a fallen tree, laying over the ground. Qrow then paused, glancing back in the direction they had came. There wasn't any sign of the Grimm. They must be far from the clearing.

"I think we lost them." He said, glancing back at the others

Johnathan gave a sigh of relief, narrowing his head. Qrow cocked his head with a stern glance. He then came up to the three.

"What happened back there?" He exclaimed to them.

"I told you three to get to cover."

"We thought you needed our help." Johnathan proclaimed.

"You could have been killed," Qrow said.

"This isn't the simulation, Johnathan. You need to be smarter then that."

Qrow then glanced to Kayla and Jaydan.

"That goes for you both as well," He proclaimed to them.

"We can't afford to be reckless."

Johnathan attempted to speak up. Only to be held back by Kayla, who shook her head to him. She then turned to her mentor, gesturing a nod to her mentor.

"We understand, Professor Branwen." she insisted to her master.

They then heard a sound off in the distance. Qrow turned back as he gazed into the snow covered woods. Squinting his eyes, he scanned the forest. But saw nothing. Only the bear trees and thick white snow that covered the forest floor. As well as the thick grey fog concealing what lied in the distance.

Kayla, Johnathan and Jayden drew their weapons.

"What was that?" Kayla said.

Qrow shook his head.

"I'm not sure," he said, glancing back at them.

"We need to call for extraction."

Qrow then turned to the Atarian Trooper behind him.

"Private, send out an SOS transmission," he ordered.

"Tell them to send for extraction."

"Yes, sir." one of the troopers said.

One of the troopers pressed the COMM link over his helmet as he radioed in. Qrow then turned back to his three prodigies.

"We need to keep moving," He insisted to them.

"They won't be able to see us from in the woods. There's a clearing not far from here. We get there, we can light a flare for when they show up."

"What about the Grimm?" Johnathan asked, curiously.

"They'll just follow us."

Qrow narrowed his head. He hadn't thought about the Grimm that were pursuing them. There was no doubt that they were not far behind. But they were overmatched and Outnumbered. And with his prediction of a knight that posses the abilities of a mage, the odds of survival were slim.

They heard another sound off in the woods ahead. This one sounding much closer then the last. Qrow once more glanced back into the thick grey mist. It was there they saw something in the mist, coming toward them. Was it a Grimm?

It was hard to say. He could hardly make out what it was from this distance. But whatever it was, it was getting closer.

Qrow reached back and drew the Harbinger from behind, which transformed into it's sword form. Qrow glanced back at his three students.

"Be ready." He said.

Kayla drew her daggers from her sides, twirling them in her hands before holding them at the ready. Johnathan pulled his crossbow from behind, pulling it into two which transformed into two Khopesh's swords. Jaydan threw his blaster into the air as it then changed form into a double bladed plasma staff. He then grabbed hold of his staff and held behind him.

Many of the Atarian troopers came up and took position, raising their blaster riffles toward the strange figure. Slowly the figure within the snowy mist drew closer. Slowly the mist began to part as the figure began to reveal themselves. But it was not a Grimm. Rather the figured appeared to a woman, wearing a black and red armor. Qrow lowered his large sword slightly, peering ahead at the figure.

"Look what we have here," said a woman's voice.

"Some poor souls who've been left behind."

It was right at that moment that a burst of flame from both her hands, forming into two separate swords. The sight of which Qrow stared in utter shock and horror, seeing that their predicament was as he had theorized.

"Such a shame," she said, grinning so connivingly.

"That you all will die in this cold barren forest."

Qrow glanced to the Atarian Troopers.

"Open Fire!" He exclaimed to them.

The troopers raised their blasters and opened fire upon Cinder. Seeing the blue plasma bolts flying toward her, the Dark Mag grinned as she then charged forward. Leaping from side to side, taking cover behind trees, only to then reappearing on the other side. Deflecting a single shot with the blade of her sword as she continued to charge forward. She came up to the first trooper, slashing him over the chest, before turning around and impaling him with the other sword.

Pulling the blade from his body, as she was then approached by another trooper. Holding her at blaster point, only for her to swing her sword around slice their blaster before they could fire. She then thrust her other hand forward, shooting a burst fire from her hand, causing him to fly into the air. He flew back and hit against a tree, falling dead to the forest floor below.

Qrow's mighty sword transformed into it's shot gun form. He then held it up and fired at Cinder, only for her to block his shot with her sword. It was right at that moment that Johnathan charged forward passed Qrow, who reached out to him.

"Wait, Stop!" He exclaimed to him.

Qrow and Kayla attempted to stop him. Only to then stop as they came under fire by several purple plasma bolts. They cocked their head, gazing off into the woods where they saw several Grimm moving toward them, firing. Using the cover of trees, the Grimm troopers fired their blasters upon the Atarians.

"Get down!" Qrow exclaimed to them.

As Kayla and Jayden rushed for cover, Qrow raised the Harbinger and fired back at the Grimm. The other members of the squad turned their attention from Cinder, firing back at the Grimm. Kayla suddenly stopped as she turned back to Johnathan , who was fighting Cinder.

Johnathan then leaped up as she slashed one of his khopesh swords to her. Only for her to hold up her sword and block his blade. She then pushed him back as she then charged toward him. Johnathan reacted quickly and tried blocking her attacks. Their swords clashed against one another's as they continued to swipe and slash.

Swiping her sword, it then collided against the curved blades of Johnathan's khopesh swords. Cinder grinned, the flames of fire magic bursted alive over the blades of her swords. She then proceeded to push forward, forcing their blades toward Johnathan's face. Johnathan turned his head, trying desperately to hold back the Mage's swords.

"Johnathan!" Kayla exclaimed.

Cinder glanced to her left, where she then leaped back as a bladed wipe came down between them. She then turned to Kayla and Jayden, who retracted her blade before charging toward Cinder. She procceded to swing her daggers at her. Only for Cinder to leap back from her, blocking her the blades of her dagger with her own swords. Cinder then swiped her blade, creating a wave of fire at her. Kayla crossed her two gagger was pushed back from the flames.

Jaydan then leaped into the air as he raised his plasma staff to strike her down. Only for Cinder to raise her sword, blocking his staff before forcing her back. She then came forward as her swords clashed with his staff. Jayden twirled his staff as he tried to block her blades before Johnathan and Kayla intervened.

After blasting a nearby Grimm, it was then Qrow turned and saw his three students fighting the mage. He widened his eyes in shock.

"No..." he said.

Qrow leaped forward as he hurried to aid his prodigies, slashing his large sword at the Grimm in his way, cutting them down. All the while, Kayla, Jaydan and Johnathan continued to rush at Cinder, who continued to dodged every attempt made by the three. Leaping into the air, leaning back from their blades and blocking their attacks with her two swords.

Kayla slid back over the snow covered ground. She lowered her daggers to her side, which then formed into their bladed whip form. She then once more came form and slashed at Cinder. Only for her to leap over her, landing behind the young prodigy. Before Cinder turned and blasted her with a surge of fire magic. Kayla was too late to react as she was pushed back, landing over the ground.

"Kayla!" Johnathan exclaimed.

He then turned, glaring angrily at the one who harmed his college. He then charged forward toward Cinder just as Qrow who came up to Kayla. He turned to Johnathan

"Johnathan, STOP!" He said, extending his hand to him.

Johnthan charged toward Cinder, who thrusted her hand forward as she tried blasting him with a ball of fire. Only for him to quickly leap to the side, nearly avoiding the fire as he continued forward. Cinder all the while continued to blast at him with her magic. Avoiding her every attempt, Johnathan leaped into the air, passing over cinder as he landed over the tree behind her. He then ran up the tree, placing his foot over the branch above.

But just as he was to turn and leaped down over Cinder, branch underfoot suddenly snapped, causing him to tumble to the ground below. There was a sudden flash of fiery light from below when Cinder suddenly turned up at him and thrusted into the air. Johnathan gasped as he felt the fire spear plunge into his chest.

As Qrow helped Kayla back onto her feet, the gazed up in shock and awe at the sight of Cinder impaling Johnathan.

"Johnathan!" he exclaimed.

"No!" Jaydan exclaimed before charging forward.

Cinder dissuaded Johnathan's body, throwing it to the side. She then turned to Jaydan, who swung his staff at her. Summoning her two swords which appeared in hand with a burst of her fire magic. She turned and swung her sword around, which cut through the very middle of the staff, severing his weapon in two. Before he could even react, Cinder thrusted her other sword forward and impaled him as well. Jayden gasped.

"Jaydan!" Kayla exclaimed.

Dropping his arms to his side, the two halves of his staff dropped from his hands. Cinder pulled her swords from his body, where he fell to his knees and collapsed over the snow. Cinder smirked, glancing to Qrow and Kayla.

"How ironic the Kingdoms are desperate to protect their people that they throw them to their deaths." She said.

Kayla glared angrily at the dark sorceress. She attempted to charged forward, only to be held back by Qrow.

"No, we can't fight her," He insisted to her.

"We have to Go, NOW!"

Kayla glanced up at her master with tearful eyes. She turned back to Cinder, who was grinning back to her as she stood over the bodies of her two friends. All but preying on her desire to take revenge over her.

"Kayla!" Qrow exclaimed to her.

By her masters insistence, Kayla finally narrowed head. She knew she couldn't allow her feels to cloud of Judgment. That was just what she would want. She needed to smarter then that. The two then turned and ran ahead into the woods. Much to Cinder's surprise, who only smirked to them.

"How predictable." she said.

The remaining squad had taken cover behind the toppled tree. Emerging from behind cover, the troopers fired their blasters at the Grimm, who emerged from the forest. Blasting two of the dark troopers, only for the others Grimm emerge from behind cover and return fire. The Atarian troopers quickly ducked down behind the tree, avoiding the purple plasma bolts. It was right at that Qrow and Kayla leaped down from over the tree and ducked down behind the tree.

Qrow turned to the troopers.

"We have to fall back, Now!" He said.

"We're pinned down," The trooper exclaimed.

"There's too many of them!"

"We can't stay here!" Qrow insisted to them.

"We have to get to the clearing!"

The trooper narrowed his head. Their chances of escape were slim at this point. There was too much firing from the Grimm. If they tried to fall back, they would be cut down quickly. Though that was not to say that there was no chance of escape. But that would mean require sacrifice.

"Go!" He proclaimed to them.

"We'll cover you!"

Though hesitant of the idea at first, Qrow understood the troopers decision. He nodded his head to the trooper, thanking him for his noble sacrifice. He then glanced back to Kayla, taking her by the hands.

"Come on!" he said.

As both student and mentor both got and made a break for the woods, the troopers turned to his fellow squad members.

"Provide covering fire!" He ordered.

The other troopers then stood up from behind the fallen tree, firing their blasters at the Grimm. Several of the Grimm that were not behind cover were struck by the trooper's blue plasma bolts, tumbling over the ground. Those that were in the woods quickly slid behind the trees, using them as cover from the barrage of blue plasma bolts. Using the covering fire provided by the squad, Qrow and Kayla ran ahead into the woods. Trudging through the thick deep snow as they avoided any firing from the Grimm. Kayla glanced back at the battle unfolding behind them.

The Grimm then emerged from behind cover, firing their blasters back at the Atarian troopers. One of the troopers behind the cover of one of the trees behind was struck by a purple plasma bolt, causing them to fall to the ground. But even still, the remaining troopers continued to fire back at the emerging Grimm.

Cinder emerged from the woods. She gazed ahead at the two Atarian knights, who had fled into the woods. Leaving but a small group of troopers to fight against the hordes of Grimm. She smirked.

"Well, well," she said with a smirk.

"Atarian Knights cowering behind their precious armies. How predictable."

As he swords then appeared in hand in a fiery blaze, Cinder then narrowed down. From a blast of her fiery magic underfoot, she the leaped forward as she soured through the air toward the unsuspecting squad of troopers. One of the troopers firing their blaster then glanced to his left, where they saw the mage coming toward. Before they could react, Cinder swung her sword at the Atarian. His severed head still within his helmet rolled away over the snow covered ground.

The sight of which caused the other troopers to gazed in shock and horror at the dark mage. Cinder landed behind the Atarian trooper, who fell to the ground behind her. She then leaped toward the other troopers, who turned and opened fire upon the Mage. Cinder blocked the plasma bolts with her sword as she came up to the troopers. She slashed her fiery blades, cutting the blaster in half. She then slashed the trooper's stomach, causing him to fall to the ground with a cry of pain. She them leaped up onto the log and then jumped into the air with her fiery magic.

She raised her swords into the air before slashing them down upon the trooper below. With a cry of agony, the trooper fell before the dark mage. Cinder then glanced up to the three remaining troopers, who raised their blasters to her. Cinder grinned, raising her two swords as she held one from the side and one over head.