A/N: This is definitely a more action-based chapter - but it's also a bit shorter XD So if you're here for the Qrow hurt/comfort...there's a LOT next time ;) For now, enjoy some Weiss thoughts (with a maybe hint at some WR) and some fighting!

Again, please enjoy!

Entering Evernight for the second time was somehow worse than the first.

The fear, and pure mystery of the place had allowed Weiss to focus on her aura coursing through her, the adrenaline pushing it outwards to protect her, and forward into the castle. This was their chance to really make a difference in this fight, she was ready to turn the tide and stop running.

Now, the high ceilings and hazy lights filtered through the large windows, it felt like an inverted version of the Schnee Manor. Halls upon halls that one could get lost in, rooms that were built for show more than function - and prisoners.

As bad as it was, Weiss was glad Qrow had been alone. She wasn't sure if she could handle a ship full of hurt people.

The thought made her shudder, glancing discreetly to Ruby. Her mouth was a hard line, grip tight on Crescent Rose. If they weren't within the halls of a literal incarnate of evil, Weiss' gaze would not have ever left their leader. The Grimm on the lower floors, the empty eeriness of the entire castle, and to find someone - anyone - in Qrow's state could shake any of them up. Finding him after all this time… Ruby resorted to focusing on the mission, blocking everything else out to lead her team.

Weiss didn't blame her, losing Qrow the first time had been torment for all of them - wondering if they gave up too soon. Weiss had had to push past her own heartbreak when Ironwood stood against them - refusing to listen even when Salem was right at their doorstep - after he'd been her only ally in Atlas as a prisoner to her father. But Ruby, Weiss had to listen to her doubt herself.

'We should have known something was wrong when he didn't meet with us.' 'We should have tried to look for him sooner.' 'There should have been more guards with Tyrian.' The regrets she had confessed to Weiss on the way to Vacuo seemed endless. She couldn't let her go on like that.

'Ruby, you were not in charge of him.' Weiss had snapped one day. They would mourn him, Ruby needed to mourn him - but not blame herself. ' I know you looked out for him when you could. But that was not your job. This isn't you.'

It had taken a while for Ruby to actually believe her, but at some point the guilt must have subsided into something else - it was as if she didn't change at all. The distraction of being in Vacuo, preparing for another inevitable bout with Salem, they found a new form of back to normal. They would do better, move on, and protect anyone they could.

Now, finding him again? Weiss couldn't imagine what was going through her head. All those doubts may be bubbling up again, knowing that her Uncle had not, at least, been at rest. Weiss adjusted her grip on Myrtenaster, and set a hand on Ruby's arm. Their pace didn't falter, but it did shake her from that lazer focus. "It's okay."

She couldn't say everything she wanted. Ruby was still a private person, despite her bubbliness, and would never want everyone to hear how she needed support. Not to mention they were climbing the staircase to what was probably Salem's very own throne room. But Weiss knew her message came across - they would make it out of here, back to Qrow, and everyone would be okay.

She saw the flash of understanding in Ruby's eyes and the nod of her head. Weiss watched her force a smile and carry on. She sighed, they would have to deal with this - and everything else - later then.

Despite the risk of Hazel being there, the team's steps pounded up the staircase. They echoed down the halls, the upper floor was just as expansive as the lower ones. Everyone seemed to rather face Hazel head on than be halfway out with the Relics only to be ambushed.

"Qrow said a throne room was to the east?" Jaune jogged next to Ruby, looking between her and the rest of their team. "There?"

Yang rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Where else could she revel in her success?"

Qrow's direction had been spot on, Weiss tried not to think of how that meant he was taken here often. The east corridor led to a grand doorway - a larger version of the empty rooms' they found on the lower floors. Ruby stepped right up to its handle, but paused.

Weiss watched her shoulders raise, and lower. She glanced at Yang, but she had her eyes on Ruby, too. She adjusted her hold on Crescent Rose, Weiss saw her hands were steady. She steeled herself, and waited for her leader's charge.

Ruby took one more breath, looked to each of her friends, and pushed her weight onto the door.

It groaned as it opened, showing a wide, open room, with nearly nothing in it. Weiss was drawn to the tall, boney throne in the center, and the two Relics hanging like trophies on the wall behind it.

And Hazel Rainhart sitting casually on the steps to the throne.

Weiss drew her saber, and heard everyone else's weapons being drawn. Hazel slowly looked up at them, and then sighed. As if it were a chore. Weiss watched his eyes look carefully at each one of them. "She thought you might come."

Beside her, Nora stood in front of Jaune to block Hazel from him. She spun her blaster into its hammer form. "Judging by your security, she didn't think very hard."

"The Seers knew the second you stepped foot on these grounds." Hazel just shrugged, and steadily stood to tower over them. Ruby shifted out of the corner of her eye. Weiss saw her open her mouth, but Hazel continued. "I was told to protect the Relics. What happens to Tyrian's pet is his problem."

Weiss felt anger explode from her gut, out through her throat with a yell. She slashed Myrtenaster in an arc, a blast of fire swept towards Hazel. He just set his jaw, walking through the flames without a flinch - but Weiss was already striking again.

A straight line of ice spread across the floor, Yang cracking it with a punch. Steam filled the room, and everyone scattered. Even with their advanced moves, Freezerburn was their most reliable when it came to single, large enemies. It gave Weiss a tiny pang of satisfaction as they moved on the offensive.

Weiss stayed with Yang, tag teaming her summons and Yang's brute strength for a barrage that even Hazel had to focus to keep up with. Ruby darted around him with her speed, using Crescent Rose's sniper from different vantages. Quickly, it became more of an annoyance than a real distraction.

Both Nora and Jaune made sure to take shots at Hazel - though he was smart enough to knock Jaune away before he could get close enough to use his semblance. Nora gave a concerned yell, took one more swipe at Hazel, and ran to his side.

Weiss couldn't help her smirk. She sent a swarm of baby Nevermores towards Hazel, forcing his attention back to her and away from Jaune. He swatted them away easily, and advanced. She dodged the first swing of his fist, used a glyph to shield her from the second, and let Yang jump before her to take the force of his third punch. She skidded backwards, and cocked her gauntlets. Yang fired explosive blasts, Weiss risked a glance to Jaune and Nora, sprinting to the back of the room.

Jaune held out his shield and Nora jumped, planting her feet solidly on the metal. She was launched into the air, high enough to grab the Lamp from its perch, and tugged. It came loose with some effort - Weiss saw Hazel's fist swing towards her just before she was sent sprawling across the room.

She felt her aura flicker around her, but it held on. Distantly, she heard Ruby and Yang shout her name, and the familiar shots of Crescent Rose.

From the back of the room, the Lamp dropped to the ground, filling the air with a metallic clang.

Hazel whipped around towards the sound, Nora and Jaune froze. Weiss saw a burst of red as Ruby weaved in and out between Hazel's feet. His gaze dropped, and Weiss jerked back to action, rushing Hazel with Yang beside her.

Yang's hair burst into flame, and she launched herself at his giant form. As her fist connected with his chest, Weiss stabbed Myrtenaster into the ground - a black gravity glyph forming around Hazel to keep him down.

Jaune let out a yell, Weiss froze at the orange gleam in his hands - he raised the Sword of Destruction as he charged at Hazel.

"Jaune!"

"Stop!" Hazel boomed, loud enough that everyone listened. Jaune stood with his arms frozen above him, gripping the Sword tightly. Weiss quickly focused back on maintaining the gravity glyph, Ruby pressed the barrel of Crescent Rose to his temple. "Do you even know how that works, boy?"

"The pointy end is the one that hurts." Nora deadpanned, adjusting her grip on Magnhild.

Hazel ignored her. "You want to destroy something with that, you'll destroy yourself along with it."

Weiss flinched, and felt her grip on her sword falter. Hazel didn't make a move to take advantage of the opening. She gritted her teeth, and Yang stepped up with her fist raised. "Why should we believe you?"

"Even if you don't, you won't take the risk." Hazel answered smoothly.

Weiss felt her chest tighten. Ozpin had told them to avoid using the sword if they could, but Ozpin...there's always more to what he says.

"There's no need to use any of those, things, on me." Hazel continued, everyone tensed. Weiss furrowed her brow, trying to keep her glyph steady. "You can take them."

Silence washed over the room, Weiss could clearly here the ambient noise of her glyph.

"What?" Jaune spat, ringing off the walls. "Why would you-"

Hazel looked him dead in the eye. "Salem is Grimm, she wants the world to end. The ultimate act of destruction. That's not my goal."

"Why?" Yang scoffed, but kept her fists ready. "Ozpin'll be dead, just like you want."

"I want Huntsmen Academies gone." Hazel whipped his head to her, reacting for the first time in anger. "I want him to stop feeding children to a killing machine. Everyone dead is the opposite of what I want."

Nora spun Magnhild in her hands. "I say let him act a fool, and let him deal with the consequences."

Hazel closed his eyes. Weiss frowned, if she didn't know any better, she would have said he looked sad. "I will be punished for failure, but my goal will remain."

Weiss looked between Ruby and Jaune, both staring holes into Hazel. She glanced at her Dust reserve, the black's cylinder nearly empty. "Ruby," she looked pointedly to her.

She sighed, closed her eyes for a moment, and nodded. "Jaune, take the Relics."

"But if he-"

"Yang can keep him down." She turned to her sister. "Make it so he doesn't follow us?"

Yang just shrugged, rolling her shoulders. "It'll be messy."

Let it. Weiss thought bitterly. With all that he's let happen.

"Do it." Ruby ordered.

Jaune and Nora hesitated for just a moment, each with a Relic in hand, before turning to jog out of the room. Weiss maintained her stance, keeping Hazel to the ground, as Yang's eyes began to be lit with fire.

Weiss would never get used to the pure, unfiltered power radiating off her friends when they used magic. It just felt...different. Something ancient.

Yang kneeled to the ground, touching the odd stone before pulling up her fist. The rock crackled and rumbled before being pulled from the ground, wrapping around Hazel's arm, torso, and legs. Some parts looked tight, and others loose enough to wriggle but not gain freedom. Weiss couldn't bring herself to care, the welded cuffs around Qrow's wrist were burned into her mind.

She let out a breath, her glyph dissolving into the air. Her aura felt drained after wielding such powerful Dust for so long, but she spun Myrtenaster's chamber again. Cool blue poured over Hazel, ice forming around his body. "Just for safety." She hummed.

Ruby nodded, the smallest trace of a smile across her lips. As they turned to follow Jaune and Nora, Yang was outright grinning. They had done it, really done it. Weiss didn't even let herself think of what else could go wrong. Ren could hide them on their way out, Jaune still had enough aura to recharge everyone, and Weiss was still their best pilot.

Nothing would stop her from getting them out of here.

A/N: As a person who took care of their older addict relative, there might have been a bit of me projecting onto Ruby concerning how she reacted after Atlas fell..just a bit lol but that is part of writing, right? And honestly, I just want to see more team attacks in fights that aren't just Bumblebee (not that it's not amazing every time it happens)

Blake's chapter is coming soon with a good chunk of hurt/comfort - let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading!