Chapter 11: Not Today
Nathan stared daggers at the man he had vowed to defend Blake from if ever he surfaced, knowing that this time, he had failed. He'd seen everything: Adam stabbing Blake, Yang attacking Adam in a fit of rage, only to lose her arm to something Nathan could only attribute as Adam's semblance, all of it.
He could tell Adam's eyes were on him, sizing him up, just as Nathan himself had sized up Adam.
Without prompting, they began to circle one another, neither man taking his eyes off of the other, no-one speaking a single word in that moment.
Nathan watched as Adam sheathed his sword, but kept his hand on the hilt in case Nathan attacked in that moment. It was as if Adam was daring Nathan to put away his own weapon.
Regardless, Nathan refused, his knuckles white as he gripped his lightsaber.
Finally, they came to a stop, their respective positions the exact opposite of where they were before; Nathan now stood with Blake and an unconscious Yang, and Adam all alone, still staring one another down.
Finally, Adam spoke: "Are you prepared to die to protect her?" He asked, gesturing to Blake next to Nathan.
Nathan raised his lightsaber into a battle-ready stance, replying: "If I have to." Looking behind him, he said: "Blake… get Yang to safety. There's an evac point at the docks."
"Nathan…" Blake said weakly as she hauled herself to her feet, dragging Yang up as well. "Please… don't. He'll kill you." Her eyes were brimming with terrified tears, fear radiating off of her like a nuclear reactor going into meltdown.
Nathan offered his girlfriend a sad smile. "I told you I'd have no choice someday." He replied softly.
Blake's eyes bore into his with a fear he'd never known, along with a pain that could only be considered that of mourning. She clenched her free hand, as if she were going to punch him.
But instead, she pulled him into a fierce, passionate kiss.
Nathan kissed Blake back fiercely, turning to face her completely and return the kiss, until breaking it.
"Be safe, Nathan." Blake pleaded. "Please." Then, she fled with Yang.
Nathan took a deep breath, and turned to once again face Adam.
"So… you're the one Blake's left me for." Adam said, his voice a snarl.
"Jealous?" Nathan asked. "Actually, how can you be? Desperate is a better word for you."
"Me, desperate?" Adam said. "I am neither desperate nor jealous. If anything… I'm pleased. Because when I finally have Blake to myself; it'll be your head that'll be on display as I punish her."
"Think you've already punished her enough." Nathan said. "No more."
"Are you sure about that?" Adam asked as he and Nathan began to circle one another. "You should know enough about me from her stories to know that there will be more. There will be more people that suffer at my hands because of her betrayal."
"She didn't betray you, Adam." Nathan replied. "She just ditched you because she realised you for what you really are."
"And what's that?" Adam asked.
"A psychotic, sadistic and spiteful monster with a Messiah complex the size of the Schnee Dust Company's bank account." Nathan answered.
Adam cackled. "Good. I'm glad she referred to me as a monster. Because I am the monster the world of Remnant so desperately needs to visit justice upon humanity for their litany of sins against the faunus! I'm the necessary evil!"
Nathan shook his head. "No… you're just a pathetic little man who thinks that he deserves the world at his heel just because he was once at the world's heel. Fact is Adam… you don't deserve shit."
Adam scowled. "And you deserve more? What gives you the right to say that you deserve more than I do? If anything at all?"
"Because I earned Blake by treating her with the respect she deserves as a person and as a faunus." Nathan fired back. "Whilst you forced her to date you out of fear. I deserve more because I earned it. Not because I scared people into getting what I wanted whilst wearing a scary mask that looks better placed on a six-year-old kid at Halloween."
"This mask is the symbol of how humanity considers the faunus!" Adam snarled. "It's a symbol of fear, because humanity deserves to fear me!"
"That's funny. Because after this; all they'll do is wonder who the fuck you are when your name comes up in conversation." Nathan retorted. "In your eagerness for recognition; all you'll be is forgotten because of one thing: You're not Sienna Khan, and you're not Ghira Belladonna. You're just a spiteful little shit that-"
"ENOUGH!" Adam roared, charging Nathan with a fierce battle cry.
Nathan marched towards Adam, and their blades met in a clap of thunder.
The sheer power of their inaugural strikes forced both men apart, backing away before charging each other yet again.
Adam immediately slashed at Nathan's neck, as if preparing himself for the swing he would make if he were to behead Nathan.
Blocking the blow, Nathan countered with a slash down on Adam's shoulder. When that was parried, Nathan went to jab at Adam's belly, only to grunt as he was sent sprawling when a gunshot rang out. Getting to his feet, Nathan saw Adam smirk at him smugly, holding what Nathan thought was just his sheath, but was also actually a rifle. Good to know, Nathan thought to himself. Bastard has a rifle built into his sword sheath.
Adam closed in on Nathan within moments, lunging for his chest.
Parrying the blow, Nathan flipped backwards to avoid a follow-up attack before blocking a slash that would have left him in two separate halves, breaking free of the blade lock before seeing Adam sheath Wilt. Sensing what was coming, Nathan leapt up and over Adam as he unleashed his semblance, perching on one of the pillars before catapulting off of it towards Adam, slashing down at his head.
Blocking the blow, Adam used his superior strength to break free before sending Nathan staggering back, rearing back for a downward slash.
Parrying the blow, Nathan used the Force to shove Adam back, taking a moment to regroup and adjust.
"I'm impressed, boy." Adam remarked, saying: "You've lasted much longer than most opponents. But I wonder just how long you can actually last."
"You'll find I'm full of surprises." Nathan replied as he charged Adam, feinting at Adam's belly, and when that was parried as Nathan hoped, he swung around and managed a quick slash that caught Adam across the side of his neck, though aura absorbed the worst of it. Pressing his attack, Nathan once more thrust for Adam's chest.
Blocking the blow, Adam shoved Nathan back, sheathing and unsheathing Wilt three times in quick succession in an attempt to break Nathan's defenses.
Blocking all three attacks, Nathan dodged an attempt by Adam to slash down at him, countering with a fierce spinning back kick.
Adam rolled forwards to avoid the blow, taking aim with Blush and firing at his foe.
Nathan blocked all the shots, dashing forward as Adam sheathed Wilt, wanting to stop him unleashing a proper blast of his semblance.
Adam smirked, and ejected Wilt from its sheath, sending it hilt first into Nathan's face, knocking him back. Cackling, Adam said: "You should have listened to Blake, boy. You should have run away when you had the chance."
Nathan groaned and shook his head to clear it of the cobwebs. "In your dreams, you wannabe messiah."
Adam scowled and surged towards Nathan, leaping towards him and slashing down at his head.
Nathan blocked the blow, using the momentum to flip backwards, using Adam's own momentum against him and sending the White Fang commander stumbling forwards, turning and slashing Adam across the back.
Adam roared with pain and spun around wildly, slashing widely at Nathan.
Nathan leapt back to avoid the blow, but closed with Adam quickly, parrying a strike that would've left him holding his guts in, ducking another that could have opened his throat, and blocking one more that could have beheaded him.
Adam pushed against Nathan, pushing him back in an effort to drive him back.
Giving ground, Nathan finally managed to spin out of the blade lock, using the Force to hurl a table at Adam, who merely slashed it in half before charging him, slashing up in an effort to slash Nathan from hip to shoulder.
Nathan parried the blow, countering with a crosscut for Adam's throat. When that was parried, Nathan jumped back to avoid his foe's counterattack, spinning around and slashing at Adam's flank, managing to score a hit.
Adam yelled in pain and backed away, staring Nathan down once again.
Nathan caught his breath, meeting Adam's gaze from where he stood.
"I take back what I said about you heeding Blake's warning." Adam declared. "You're probably the best fighter I've faced in a very long time. Meaning when I kill you, it'll feel all the more sweet when I make Blake look at your severed head."
"At least you'd have earned it." Nathan retorted. "Probably the first thing you've actually earned in a long time. Win or lose… I was never going to walk away while you threatened to kill Blake."
Adam scoffed. "You love her, don't you?" He asked.
"More than you'll ever care to know." Nathan fired back.
"You know… she loved me, too." Adam replied. "And she abandoned me. What makes you so confident that she won't do the same for you?"
Nathan scowled. "Because it's like I keep telling you, Adam… I earned Blake. I treated her with the love and respect she deserves. And because of that love and respect… I will beat you, here and now, or I will die trying!"
Adam scowled. "Then die trying is what you will do." At that, he tore Wilt from his sheath and charged Nathan with a fearsome war cry.
Nathan replied with a war cry of his own, meeting Adam with a fierce downward slash.
Adam parried and slashed at Nathan's chest, scoring two blows before a third was parried.
Nathan countered with a fierce super-kick that sent Adam staggering back, following up with a massive slash that caught Adam on the left hip, before bringing his lightsaber down across Adam's chest before hurling Adam back with the hardest Force Push he'd lashed out with that day.
Adam went flying back, crashing into a few burning tables and chairs which kicked up a great amount of smoke and ash.
Nathan spotted red energy crackling around Adam, and grinned, realising Adam's aura was low. Now, he thought, as he charged across the room, leaping towards Adam with a defiant bellow, knowing that this would mark the blow that ended the fight.
Too late did he notice Wilt sheathed into Blush. Too late did he see Adam's hair almost glowing with energy. And finally, too late did Nathan Phoenix see the cunning smirk crossing Adam's face.
Meaning Nathan was too late to stop what happened next.
With a triumphant bellow, Adam unsheathed Wilt with tremendous violence, unleashing a massive wave of energy that bathed the entire area blood red.
Nathan felt his aura vanish within moments of the attack happening, shouting with pain as a sensation eerily similar to a lightsaber slash carved a massive slash across his abdomen, from his right hip to just beneath his left pectoral, before finding himself being flung backwards with such force that when he crashed into the wall behind him, he cried out with even more pain as he felt several ribs break as he then sank to the floor below.
Nathan tried to rise, only to break out into a fit of coughing, feeling something in his throat, which he then spat out. His eyes widened as a familiar crimson liquid struck the floor. It was blood. His blood. Steeling himself, Nathan gritted his bloody teeth and rose to his feet, summoning his lightsaber.
Adam shook his head in disbelief. "Why do you keep picking yourself up?!" He demanded. "Look at you! You're tasting your own blood; you have a deep wound in your gut… just stay down!"
Nathan spat on the ground at his feet. "I will beat you…" He said. "Or die trying."
Adam glowered at Nathan before breaking into a fierce run, letting out one final battle cry as he prepared to end Nathan.
Only to stop in his tracks as the ceiling collapsed, separating him from Nathan.
Nathan frowned as he heard Adam's frustrated exclamations from the other side of the collapsed ceiling.
"Boy!" Adam bellowed from the other side of the newly formed wall between them. "This will not be our last meeting! When we next see each other… I WILL finish what we started tonight!"
Nathan groaned as he held his wound. It was bleeding, but not too badly. Though if he left it untreated; it could be fatal. "Looking forward to it!" He managed to shout before starting to stagger out of the dining hall. He reached out with the Force, and let it fill him with as much strength as he could, standing a little straighter as he then sensed two people nearby:
Jaune and Pyrrha.
The thought of them granted him yet more strength, and he set off for their location. It thankfully wasn't too far from where he already was.
Outside Beacon Tower…
It wasn't long before Nathan caught sight of Pyrrha and Jaune.
They were stood outside Beacon Tower's main entrance, seemingly catching their breath.
"Hey!" Nathan called out, stumbling over to them. "Jaune! Pyrrha…"
Both looked and their faces fell.
"Nathan!" Pyrrha shouted as she rushed over to him, hugging him tightly. "A-are you okay?!"
"Yeah… Nothing I can't deal with after a good night's rest." Nathan said, grimacing.
Pyrrha eyed him and shook her head. "You look terrible." She remarked, before seeing his wound. "Oh gods, you're bleeding! Sit down here!" She said, sitting Nathan down before removing his jacket and T-Shirt, tearing the latter into strips and beginning to dress Nathan's wound as best she could. Once she was satisfied, she said: "It'll hold for now."
"Good." Jaune said before adding: "Anyway, I think I have Glynda's number."
"What do you need that for?" Nathan asked.
"It's… complicated." Pyrrha replied. "Look, just rest, okay?"
Nathan nodded as Jaune then said:
"What was all of that, anyway?"
Pyrrha opened her mouth to respond: "I-"
They were interrupted by the booming of explosions from beneath them, causing the floor beneath to shake.
"Well; that's not good." Nathan muttered weakly.
"But… Ozpin…" Jaune said defeatedly.
"Wait… Ozpin was down there?" Nathan asked. "Why? Were you guys down there too?"
"Yes." Pyrrha said. "And… I will explain as soon as we are safe. There's no time right now." Looking at Jaune, Pyrrha added: "Go. Get to Vale and call for help."
"Huh?" Jaune asked. "What are you gonna do?"
Pyrrha responded by looking back towards the tower, a determined look on her face.
"No way." Nathan said, realising exactly what Pyrrha was implying. "No chance in hell that's happening."
"No…" Jaune said, realising too. "No, Pyrrha, you can't. You saw how powerful she is." Pausing, Jaune added: "Pyrrha, I won't let you do this."
Pyrrha sighed. "I never said I'd be alone." At that, she looked at Nathan.
Nathan met her gaze, and nodded. "Pyrrha's right. Out of the three of us, me and Pyrrha are the only people with even the smallest shred of a chance against whoever 'she' is." Nathan said. "I may be badly wounded and injured, but I can still kick ass." Looking back at Jaune, Nathan added: "Go call for help, Jaune. Me and Pyrrha will take care of business up there for as long as we can."
Jaune nodded before hugging them both tightly, saying: "Be careful. JNNPR won't be the same without either of you."
Nathan nodded before he and Pyrrha set off for the elevator whilst Jaune took off running in the opposite direction.
As Nathan and Pyrrha reached the elevator though, they heard a familiar voice cry:
"PYRRHA!"
Pyrrha turned to see Jaune running back their way at full speed, a desperate look on his face. Running to meet him, Pyrrha said: "Jaune, what's wr-"
Her question fell unsaid as Jaune pulled her close and kissed her passionately.
Pure surprise gripped Pyrrha in a vice before finally, her mind registered what was happening:
Jaune was kissing her. He had her in his big strong arms, and was kissing her full on the lips.
So many feelings threatened to break through, but the one that eventually bubbled to the top was the one she'd always felt for Jaune:
Love.
Reaching up and wrapping her arms around Jaune's neck, Pyrrha pulled Jaune further into the kiss, lifting a leg up as his arms wrapped snugly around her waist.
Eventually, the kiss was broken, and Pyrrha found herself desperate for more. "Jaune…"
"I've been wanting to do that ever since the Dance." Jaune said softly, smiling warmly at Pyrrha. "Now go. Show that bitch upstairs why you're the Invincible Girl."
Pyrrha smiled warmer than she'd smiled in a very long time, before nodding. "You're right." She said resolutely. "And with Nathan at my side… anything is possible.
Jaune smiled back before looking up to see Nathan watching them, a silent request that needed no words.
Nathan nodded. "She'll come back down that tower, Jaune. I swear." At that, he joined Pyrrha at the elevator shaft. "You ready?" He asked.
Pyrrha nodded, a firm smile crossing her face. "Let's do this, Nathan." She said before taking a deep breath and willing the elevator to shoot straight up towards the top of the tower.
Nathan looked at Pyrrha, and their eyes met. It had only been a few months, but in that moment, it felt like they had been friends for their entire lives.
"Nathan… if this is the last time we address each other in this life; I… I want you to know that you're one of the best friends I could have ever asked for." Pyrrha declared. "I am so grateful to have had the chance to get to know you."
"Same here, Pyrrha." Nathan replied. "But… if I'm being honest… you don't feel like a friend to me anymore. You… you feel like family. Like a sister."
At that, the two friends shared a warm, loving hug, knowing it could well be their last ever shared as they ascended towards what could be their final battle.
Ozpin's office, at the same time…
Cinder sauntered through the office with a smug smile on her face as she headed to the window, looking down at the carnage that'd been wrought upon Beacon Academy.
Carnage that had been wrought by her doing.
She smiled as the Wyvern that'd joined the fray what felt like hours ago came up to the window, one eye glaring back at her as the creature roared.
"Ssh…" Cinder exclaimed, as if she were soothing a squalling infant. "This is your home now." Stepping back, Cinder conjured up a small fire in her right hand, looking at it with a triumphant smile. This was the power she'd yearned to have for so long. And now, she-
Cinder turned and scowled at the sound of screeching metal emanating from the elevator. Had that old man Ozpin somehow survived his battle with her and was attempting to finish the battle?
Cinder scoffed. It was impossible. Whoever was coming through that door was either one of Ozpin's lackeys, or-
The doors were hurled open as a sword came spinning towards Cinder, which she dodged easily.
Following that was a shield which she blocked, though some additional force came from an attempt by the shield's wielder to stomp it into Cinder's face.
Cinder shoved both away, before finding herself smiling at who stood before her:
Pyrrha Nikos, the girl who would have taken her rightful power from her, was stood, seemingly intent on taking that power herself still.
Pyrrha called Miló and Akoúo̱ back to her hands, preparing herself for combat.
Cinder just said: "Do you honestly expect to take this from me? All by yourself? Ozpin's not here to save you anymore, girl. And to think I would have spared you if you'd actually ran."
"What makes you think she's alone?" A voice from within the elevator said as an unfamiliar snap-hiss emanated from the elevator. A bright blue blade emerged from within soon after, followed by someone who made Cinder scowl.
Nathan Phoenix; a rogue element in her plan joined Pyrrha's side.
Cinder hesitated. She'd been unable to find out anything about Nathan's abilities other than what she had seen during the tournament in his and Pyrrha's frustratingly short doubles round match. And even then, there was very little she could discover. She would have to take him out quickly, or keep him as far away from her as she possibly could.
She then noticed the makeshift bandages surrounding Nathan's abdomen, and a smirk crossed her face. He was wounded, meaning he clearly had no aura. And no aura meant that she could take him out of the fight without much issue.
All that remained was to actually take him out and kill him. And then take care of Pyrrha.
With that, Cinder raised her hand and brought it down, unleashing a torrent of fire at her foes.
With Nathan and Pyrrha…
Nathan felt an intense heat cascade over his head as Pyrrha leapt in front of him to block the fire being blasted at them by their opponent, before he jumped up and lashed out with a Force Push that shoved her away from them.
The woman recovered quickly and shot two large jets of flame towards them, which Pyrrha and he both dodged.
The woman focused on Nathan and blasted a massive torrent of fire at Pyrrha.
Seeing his chance, Nathan charged the woman and slashed at her with his lightsaber, cutting her across the back.
Shouting in pain, the woman whirled on Nathan and made to attack, only to find herself grabbed telekinetically and hurled backwards into the window, causing it to crack.
"Pyrrha, NOW!" Nathan shouted as Pyrrha rushed towards the woman, switching Miló into a reverse grip and stabbing down at the woman.
Only for said woman to grab her weapon mid-swing and blast her at point blank range with fire.
"Pyrrha!" Nathan shouted, rushing towards the woman and dropkicking her away from Pyrrha as the woman surged towards Pyrrha, her hands alight with fiery energy, but grunting with pain as his injured ribs flared up.
He watched as Pyrrha took that as a cue to grab their opponent by the arm and throw them further away to create distance before dashing towards him. "Forget me, Pyrrha, focus on her!" He shouted at Pyrrha as he forced himself to his feet.
Pyrrha nodded, and summoned Miló and Akoúo̱ back to her hands as she charged their opponent, crashing into them as hard as she could muster before turning around and slashing at her with Miló.
The woman avoided the attack, kicking off a series of counters and attacks that ended with the woman sending Pyrrha flying back.
Recovering, Pyrrha switched Miló into javelin form and hurled it at her and Nathan's opponent, tossing Akoúo̱ at her shortly thereafter.
This had the desired effect of stopping any attacks their foe was about to launch upon them, enabling Pyrrha to shout: "Nathan, now!"
Nathan charged with his lightsaber raised, slashing the woman across the abdomen before raising his lightsaber high and preparing to bring it down upon her.
The woman caught this attack before it happened and shot fire directly into Nathan's makeshift bandages.
Nathan cried out in pain and staggered back, ripping what remained of his bandages off, thankful that no burns covered his body as he had feared. Sensing Pyrrha about to launch her own attack, Nathan kept the woman distracted by dodging and ducking her attempts to hit him. Adrenaline was starting to pump through his system now, for which he was grateful. "Pyrrha; take her!"
Pyrrha rushed towards the woman and leapt towards her, grabbing and slamming them down to the floor, sending up a wave of dust.
Nathan got to his feet, and smiled as the smoke cleared, seeing Pyrrha having the woman restrained with Miló at her throat.
Igniting his lightsaber, Nathan pointed it at the woman as well, saying: "You know… I like to know who it is I just took down."
The woman smirked smugly. "In these final moments… you may call me… Cinder."
Pyrrha then looked behind Nathan and her eyes widened. "Nathan!" She shouted.
Nathan barely had time to see the massive Grimm he'd seen burst out of Mountain Glenn earlier flying towards them before everything went black for him.
Pyrrha's POV…
Pyrrha groaned as she woke up, looking around her to see the office formerly belonging to Professor Ozpin in ruins.
The cogs that had once constantly turned and spun in the ceiling were now strewn across the area, and stood there in the middle of it all was Cinder, hovering above Pyrrha with a smirk on her face.
Then, Pyrrha saw Nathan.
He lay prone on his front a few feet away, blood gushing out of a nasty gash in his head.
"Nathan!" Pyrrha shouted, scooting over to him and turning him over onto his back, seeing he was completely unconscious. Cupping his face in her hands, Pyrrha said: "Nathan, hey… wake up. Come on, Nathan, you can do this…"
"There's nothing you can do, Pyrrha." Cinder said from above. "He's unconscious. It's actually a pity. It means there will be nobody here to watch you die."
Pyrrha's fists clenched as a rare emotion broke through her normally calm and collected exterior: Rage.
Thankfully, a lot of stuff around her was made of metal. And her semblance meant she could use all of it as her weapons.
Reaching out with one hand, she used her semblance to lift a piece of clockwork and hurl it at Cinder, letting out a cry of rage as she did.
The piece of heavy metal struck Cinder hard, pinning her beneath it for a moment.
Seizing it, Pyrrha rushed towards Akoúo̱ and grabbed it just as Cinder blasted the clockwork off of her, glaring daggers at Pyrrha.
Cinder started firing blast after blast of fire at Pyrrha, who promptly moved out of the way of most of them before one knocked her back, creating a wall of flame separating her from Pyrrha.
Pyrrha used that as a camouflage to then hurl Akoúo̱ towards Cinder.
Predictably, Cinder cast it aside, before Pyrrha revealed her master plan:
Pin Cinder under EVERY piece of heavy metal surrounding them.
Cinder was soon driven into the ground by one that pinned her there, followed by the rest of the ridiculously heavy cogs and other metal things that were available.
Pyrrha summoned Akoúo̱ back to her hand as she kept one hand outstretched, in an effort to maintain Cinder's predicament.
Then she saw Nathan start to stir. Relief broke through her exhausted psyche, but at a huge cost.
At which Cinder burst out from beneath all the metal and the like, sending it all flying away from her in random directions.
One came straight towards Pyrrha, who instinctively raised Akoúo̱ to stave off the attack, only for the cog to smash into her shield and send her flying hard into the wall.
Pyrrha cried out in pain as she felt something in her arm break under the sheer force of the collision, as well as seeing her aura flicker and die. For once in her entire lifetime since she was a child, Pyrrha was no longer invincible. Forcing herself to her feet, Pyrrha watched as Cinder brandished a bow, an arrow forming. Ignoring the pain in her arm, Pyrrha threw Akoúo̱ at Cinder in a last-ditch effort as Cinder fired the arrow.
Much to Pyrrha's horror, the arrow broke apart so that it completely passed over and under Akoúo̱ and continued its course towards Pyrrha, hitting her directly through the right heel.
Crying out in pain, Pyrrha sank to her knees. Gritting her teeth, the four-time Mistral Regional Tournament Champion tried to get up, only for her right foot to give out beneath her completely, causing her to topple onto her side with a groan of pain. Pyrrha found herself on her hands and knees, wincing as her left arm injury caused her to falter, clutching her left arm to her chest as she forced herself up using her right arm. She had lost.
With Cinder…
"It's unfortunate that you were promised a power that was never truly yours." Cinder said as she circled around Pyrrha so that they were facing one another, kneeling down and lifting Pyrrha's chin up so that their eyes met.
Fear was there in Pyrrha's eyes, but also acceptance, knowing that she was about to die and accepting it. But most of all, there was a defiance there, one that promised Cinder that her friends would not answer for this.
Cinder paid this silent defiance no heed, instead saying: "But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never have imagined." A triumphant smirk on her face.
Pyrrha shook off Cinder's grip, staring defiantly into Cinder's eyes. "Do you believe in destiny?" She asked, her face tight with pain.
The question gave Cinder pause, but she scowled. "Yes." She snarled, before stepping back and preparing to kill Pyrrha for good.
Pyrrha remained defiant, staring into Cinder's eyes resolutely, knowing she would be avenged.
Just as Cinder fired though, the arrowhead stopped straight before it struck its intended target. "What?!" She spluttered.
"You wanna hear something I believe in?" Said a voice from nearby as the arrow moved away from between Pyrrha and Cinder, as if by an invisible force.
Cinder followed the arrow right up to where it found itself in the hand of the only person on the tower besides her and Pyrrha: Nathan Phoenix.
With Nathan…
"I've never believed in anything but two things:" Nathan said, the arrow that had been about to kill Pyrrha still in his hand. "The Force, and the God of Death. Wanna know why that is?" He asked, taking in the relieved visage of Pyrrha.
"Enlighten me." Cinder snarled, glowering at Nathan with a fury barely seen or known.
"Because there's only one prayer you have to say to the God of Death… per day, every single morning when you wake up." Nathan replied, before crushing the arrow he had in his hand in his hand, grimacing as it cut into his skin, drawing blood. "Not today." He finally said, reaching out with the Force and summoning his lightsaber to his hand. Igniting it, he spun it around before holding it aloft, prepared to battle. "Let's finish this, Cinder."
Cinder promptly separated her bow into two separate swords and charged Nathan with a cry of rage, leaping towards him.
Raising his lightsaber to absorb the blow, Nathan spun out of the blade lock and slashed at Cinder's exposed left flank.
Spinning around, Cinder parried with her right hand sword, countering with a jab at Nathan's face using her left hand sword.
Dodging, Nathan thrust towards Cinder in a feint, and when that was blocked as he hoped, slashed down and across Cinder's chest, before using the Force to hurl Cinder backwards across the ruined floor.
Cinder then launched herself at Nathan, swords at the ready as she lunged at him with both, hoping to plunge both into his chest.
Parrying both, Nathan dodged a wild slash at his face from Cinder and parried a slash meant for his neck, countering with a bicycle knee strike that sent Cinder staggering back.
As he dropped back to his feet, Nathan grimaced as his ribs flared up, pressing a hand to the affected part. He almost didn't spot Cinder charging up to him and quickly blocked her blow, before a sharp pain flared up as he felt Cinder's knee strike his injured ribs. "Ugh!" Nathan groaned as he backed up, coughing a little bit before ducking Cinder's attempt to behead him, blocking another attack and countering with a high kick to Cinder's face, once again sending her staggering back.
Unfortunately, the movement once more caused pain to flare up in his ribs, which left him unable to press his advantage.
Allowing Cinder to strike back.
Surging forward, Cinder drove a vicious fist hard into Nathan's injured ribs, where a nice red blotchy bruise had formed, presenting her with the ideal target for her attacks.
Nathan cried out in pain at that, backing away with his lightsaber raised defensively in front of him as his hand went to his ribs.
Cinder grinned sadistically and jabbed for Nathan's belly, and when that was parried, revealed it to be a feint and spun around, landing a nasty kick to the injured area, feeling something more break beneath her heel.
Nathan yelled in pain and fell to one knee, clutching his injured flank.
Raising her swords to finish him, Cinder brought them down once again.
Only for Nathan to block Cinder's strike and somehow force himself back to his feet, before yelling defiantly in Cinder's face.
Cinder let out an enraged scream right back at Nathan before driving a knee into his injured ribs, staggering Nathan just enough for her to drive one of her swords straight through Nathan's chest.
"NO!" Pyrrha screamed at the top of her lungs as Nathan finally sank to his knees, defeated.
Cinder took a deep breath and jerked the sword free, connecting both swords back into her bow. "I… am going to take great pleasure in making Pyrrha watch you die, Nathan. But don't worry… I'll make sure Pyrrha joins you soon enough."
Nathan responded by spitting in Cinder's face.
Cinder felt something hot catch her in the face, reaching up and swiping it off, seeing bloody spittle dangling off her finger before looking down at Nathan.
Nathan was flipping Cinder the bird, one final act of defiance as he prepared to die.
Cinder immediately nocked an arrow and prepared to fire, saying: "I hope this hurts."
But just as she was about to fire, a shrill voice filled the air:
"NO!"
The last thing Nathan saw before everything went black was a bright flash of white. At least Pyrrha would be alright.
This chapter was a hell of a lot of fun to write; showing Nathan's toughness, and his sheer force of will in the face of certain death.
And yes... Pyrrha survived! I was always planning for Pyrrha to survive, as she is my favourite character in RWBY, and get that happy ending with Jaune she so rightfully deserved.
Anyway; thank you all so much for reading this chapter. If you enjoyed it... you know what to do.
I will see you all tomorrow for the final chapter of The End of the Beginning.
T-Rock14