Chapter 64

"She has to be in that town...!" Yang stood up to her feet with her scroll clenched tightly in her hand.

Blake reached for her shoulder, "Yang, wait!" Her grasping hand reached nothing but air as her partner turned and ran. "Yang!" Blake called after the blonde as she gave chase, which in turn prompted Weiss and Neo to do the same as they left the comfort of the fire.

Through branches and bushes Yang soon found herself back upon the path. Her lilac eyes glanced left and right and she saw nothing. She knew the search was controlling her but she couldn't sit idly while Ruby was so near. She could be on the move, and before they knew it she would be gone again. It was the best, no, the only lead they had right now. She could hear the others following her as she turned to run down the path.

"Yang this is insane, it's dangerous out here!" Blake continued to give chase. Her eyes, as keen as they were, saw no danger in the darkness around them as of yet.

After several minutes of running Yang came to a halt. Blake caught up behind her but before she could say anything her eyes were drawn forward to what was ahead and down the small hill. It was the town of Higanbana. It was larger than the other settlements they had come across, but it was eerily silent. Not a single light could be seen; but that could simply be due to the hour.

Weiss and Neo caught up to the two and their gaze was also drawn to the village. "Is... Is that the town?" Weiss looked to Yang and Blake in a questioning manner.

Yang's lilac gaze narrowed for a moment, "See? We weren't even far, so now we can just find an inn, Ruby might be here too."

Blake turned an annoyed look to Yang, grabbing her arm tightly. "I get what this all means to you, but don't you dare do something like that again," warned the Faunus.

The blonde peered back at Blake and did not seem to heed her warning very well if her tone of voice was anything to go by, "Yeah, okay, I hear you." Blake's gaze lingered upon her for several more seconds before she released her arm and looked back towards the town.

With a heavy sigh she took a step forward, "Let's go then..."

They walked the first street of the town and the situation slowly began to dawn upon them. No door that they knocked came with a response. No person was walking the streets. No sign of life was to be seen anywhere. It was as if the inhabitants of the town had simply upped and left. Blake was leading the four with her superior sight as she turned a corner, "This... Something isn't right..."

"Shouldn't you try your scroll again?" Weiss looked to Yang who returned the glance. She nodded at her in response as she took out her scroll and called Ruby.

Neo's watchful gaze was ever vigilant as she came to a halt at the window of a building. She narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer towards it; yet inside was complete darkness. A strange sensation was flowing through her though, as if the air was still. She blinked and eventually she could only see her own reflection in the glass as she turned to follow after the others. When she left the window a single red eye opened behind it.

Yang and Weiss glanced back at Neo as she caught up to them before Yang's eyes returned to her scroll, "It's still ringing..."

"She has to be here then, right?" Weiss' ice blue eyes searched her immediate surroundings, but as had been since they entered... There was nothing that she could see.

Blake came to a sudden halt, "Stop."

The others did as told; coming to a halt. "What is it?" Yang approached with suspicion, but she didn't need Blake to answer her question as a red rose petal drifted past her lilac eyes. They all noticed it and soon enough they saw several more floating by. They turned their attention to where the trail was coming from and slowly began to follow it. Upon the ground they tread they found more petals and soon enough they were becoming many.

They turned a corner and before them they saw what seemed to be some form of church. It was large and wooden with a small door at the front. From the door fluttered more of the petals.

Anxiously Yang pressed on towards it, idly swatting the petals away from her gaze as she looked through the entrance. Inside the building she saw a figure cloaked in red with a large scythe in her hand. She had her back turned and she stood as still as a statue. Yang glanced back the others, "Keep an eye out, she looks..." Lilac eyes returned to the figure, "Afraid..."

Blake and the others nodded as they turned their back to the door; staying on guard. Weiss and Blake were at the front while Neo placed herself right in front of the door. Her mismatched eyes were glaring at the ground with conflicted thoughts.

Yang proceeded into the building itself; her steps slow and cautious as she made her way towards her sister. The rose petals seemed to blow from her cape and she noticed that it was tattered and worn, it was in similar condition to her scythe. The blade of the scythe appeared marked with dried blood. Grimm blood doesn't dry; it dissolves. Yang took note of these things as she came to a halt behind her sister and spoke in a calming tone, "Ruby...? It's me... Yang."

She received no response from her sister who continued to stand motionless.

"Ruby, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Yang reached her hand forward and grasped the shoulder of the hooded girl. She wasn't just seeing things, she was real. The head of the hooded figure moved slightly, as if trying to look back at her. The hood prevented any eye contact between the two. "Sis... I'm here, just say something to me..."

With her hand upon her shoulder she made to turn Ruby around. Her sister stumbled somewhat as she was forced to turn. Her face was finally coming into view. Yang's eyes widened as she let go of Ruby and stumbled back in horror. The face of her sister was covered with a mask of white; red lines traced it and in the centre was a glowing eye of yellow and red. The face of a Geist.

Outside the three remained, unaware of what was happening inside. Weiss glanced to her right as she heard something. It sounded like a creak of metal. She narrowed her gaze before she heard something snap along with the splitting of wood. Blake switched her gaze to the disturbance and she saw clearly in the night that a small water tower was falling towards the church. She looked back at the one in the most immediate danger, "Neo move!"

Startled by the voice, Weiss turned to see Neo as she shattered; the tower falling upon the entrance of the church and cutting them off from Yang. But Neo didn't re-appear as she glanced around with concern.

Yang saw the exit of the church as it caved in, and shortly after did Neo appear in front of it. Outside she heard the voices of her friends as they called out their names, and from behind was the sound of something slicing through the air towards her. Her metallic arm took the brunt of the hit as she was thrown across the floor; smashing through the pews before her back hit the wall. When she opened her eyes she saw Neo lunging towards her sister with her weapon at the ready. "N- Neo-! Don't!" Yang's voice cried out.

But Neo wasn't listening as she lunged her sword-tipped umbrella forward and towards the red-cloaked girl, her eyes were coloured a furious shade of red. The stabbing thrust was dodged as in a flash of red petals Ruby vanished. Neo landed upon the ground and activated her semblance as she lunged forward. Behind her she could already hear that Ruby had destroyed her clone; the scythe stabbing deep into the wooden floor. With a turn Neo thrust her weapon forward, though she was not expecting the scythe to blast the floor with a bullet as it burst from the wooden planks; sending splinters and fragments all around. The impact blinded Neo as she missed her strike. When she looked up she saw the scythe slicing towards her.

She was stronger than that.

Her image shattered as she reappeared before her target. Her leg sweeping into a kick against the side of Ruby's head as she stumbled from the impact. But she was not allowed to go far as Neo had flipped her umbrella and hooked the handle on her cloak; pulling her back as she swiped at her legs with her own. Ruby tripped, but before she could fall Neo's knee halted her descent with a blunt impact to the spine.

Ruby fell to the ground and was struggling to stand from the quick and decisive punishment as Neo pulled her blade from the umbrella sheath entirely. Her steps were brisk towards her victim. She had to kill her. Her advancement was halted as Yang appeared; blocking the way to her sister.

"We have to get inside!" Blake knelt before the rubble as she tried to clear it as fast as she could. They heard Yang yell Neo's name from inside and now they could hear fighting. Weiss was by Blake's side; assisting in removing the rubble.

"I don't get it, what are they fighting!?" Weiss pulled a large piece of wood from the entrance and threw it aside.

"You don't get it? It's clear! She finally snapped!" Blake responded in harsh fashion.

Weiss halted her actions as she stared upon Blake in disbelief; she had just accused the person she loved of turning against them. Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she withdrew Myrtenaster and aimed a thrust towards Blake. The Faunus heard movement and looked up in shock as the silver blade stabbed towards her. A loud screech pierced her sensitive ears as the blade was withdrawn from the body of a Grimm. She looked back to see the corpse of a Strigoi, dissolving into nothing.

"Where did-!?" Blake paused as she could hear it; a dozen flapping wings beating against the air. The screeches were becoming louder as she readied Gambol Shroud.

Weiss glanced around with alert as she looked for something. Her eyes paused as she saw it up high; clutching at the spire of a large clock-tower. The Sire. It was surveying the field of battle from above. From behind the tower a cloud of Strigoi appeared, they were swarming down towards them. Before they blocked the sight of the tower completely however, Blake and Weiss noticed something. There was a light growing behind the face of the clock, an orange glow as three shadows stood behind it.

"Neo you need to stop! We can fix this! We can fix her!" Yang yelled as Neo charged towards her. The blind rage in her expression was clear to see; there was no talking her down. Regrettably Yang readied her fists as Ember Celica, in their once-more complete dual set, activated. She swung her fist towards Neo; shattering her upon impact. She felt something stomp against the back of her head as she was pushed to the ground.

Neo had leapt off of Yang and towards her target as she crashed down with a thrusting stab once more. The scythe aimed up towards the woman as it fired off a shot, but it was useless as the umbrella opened and the bullet deflected from the almost unnatural fabric. Neo landed as her stab missed the mark again.

Yang stood back to her feet as she turned, but before she could stop Neo she was halted by the spectacle in front of her. Both Neo and Ruby were utilizing their semblances to their limits. All she could see was shattering images of Neo and a cloud of petals. Her eyes couldn't track either of them, and even if she wanted to intervene she was likely to get stabbed or sliced in half just from getting near. Not only that, but she could hear the fighting from outside. They needed her help, but so did Ruby and Neo.

Her lilac eyes focused. She was going to at least grab one of them, or try. She had to get them outside and to the others. Ember Celica aimed back behind her as she prepared to lunge. The whirl of petals and shattering images before her was incomprehensible but she had to try it. Her eyes flashed red as she fired her weapons; launching herself forward and towards the fight.

Cold metal reaped over her shoulder and a sting pierced her left leg, but she had grabbed something. Her momentum continued towards the rubble of wood at the exit and she braced for impact as she crashed into, and through it. Slamming and rolling against the ground, she emerged into the open air once more, but had been thrust into the thick of it as she realised the one she held in her arms was Ruby.

"Yang!" Blake called as she slashed two Strigoi from the air, she had scratches and marks across her form from the constant assault.

Weiss was quick to notice Neo emerge from the church, "Neo, are you okay!?" Her voice seemed to catch her partner's attention as she looked to her. There was a pause as the small woman thought to herself. Just why was she trying to sabotage what she had here? The blind rage and memories had overwhelmed her completely and she had lost sight of what truly meant more to her than revenge.

But this was no time for idle thoughts and feelings as more Strigoi descended from the mass above them. Yang tried to restrain Ruby as best she could be her thrashing and writhing was becoming too much as she broke free from her grasp. The blonde tried to catch her but she caught only petals in her hand, "Ruby!" She tried to stand and chase but the stab wound in her leg caused her to stumble. Her sister hadn't gone far however, as she saw her standing a few feet away from her. A black shadow blocked her from sight as something crashed into the ground before her; a single burning red eye glaring down: The Sire.

"Get away from her!" Blake hurled Gambol Shroud towards the great Strigoi as its tail flailed and coiled around before catching the weapon itself. It's burning eye continued to glare upon Yang as it tugged upon the weapon; activating the pistol built into it as it fired off a shot towards its wielder. Blake was unable to avoid the shot as she continued to hold onto the ribbon; the bullet slamming into her chest and knocking the air out of her. Thankfully her aura had been well maintained, but it was unlikely she could take another direct shot like that.

Yang turned with concern, "Blake!" It was all the distraction the Sire needed. It knew the two had a connection and it chose to abuse that fact as its long grasping claw clasped around Yang's neck, lifting her into the air before harshly slamming her into the ground. Simultaneously it pulled firmly upon Gambol Shroud with its tail as Blake refused to let go of her weapon. It swung her into the side of building as she crashed through the wooden wall. With no further use for such a lowly weapon the Sire released Gambol Shroud and dropped it to the floor as it picked up Yang by her golden hair. It's long and slender tail aimed its pointed tip towards her neck.

Amidst the fighting, Neo and Weiss saw Yang and quickly made to assist her. A great burst of flame appeared before them' halting their charge before it began. Neo stood in front of Weiss with her umbrella prepared as the flames ceased and revealed a woman clothed in red before them.

The woman had short dark hair and a patch over her left eye; a hideous scar beneath. Her voice was raspy as she spoke to the two, "Just why are you here...?" They both knew this woman as Cinder Fall; the woman who caused the fall of Beacon. Besides her were two others they knew, Emerald and Mercury.

"I should be asking that," came a voice from above. Weiss turned to see the white-vested man from the earlier town, he was perched upon a building. Cinder turned to the man with a look of disgust. Tyrian grinned down upon her, "You always were an ambitious little one, I told her to keep an..." The man paused to chuckle, "Eye... On you." His maddening gaze shifted to the Sire, it stood there with Yang still in its grasp as it stared silently upon him. Besides the Sire stood Ruby, the eye of the Geist following the Sire's gaze. "And you..." Tyrian pointed a finger at the Sire, "You shouldn't be listening to her orders, she betrayed us. She's greedy. She wants it all for herself! And you, Geist, I want that girl's eyes when you're done with her!" Tyrian glanced at Cinder, "Translate that for me will you?"

Cinder's expression was furious as her eye pierced Tyrian, "No."

From behind her she heard the low growl of the Sire as it approached her slowly, Ruby following behind it. Yang flailed within its grasp as she struggled to breath; her kicks to its body doing little to bother it.

"It sounds like it wants one..." Tyrian grinned down upon Cinder, "And don't you go lying to it... It's smarter than most people..."

Neo and Weiss watched the scene unfold before them, they were in no position to do anything as the Strigoi sat perched upon every building they could see.

Cinder grit her teeth as she lowered her gaze, her voice almost a whisper. "You dare to upset my plans now? When I am so close?" Her eye glared up towards Tyrian who grinned back at her. "There won't be anything left of you!" Cinder extended her arm up towards Tyrian as she prepared to launch an attack. A thud came from behind her as a claw grasped her arm. Accompanied with a fearsome roar the Sire swung Cinder behind itself as she crashed into the floor.

"Cinder!" Emerald readied her weapons as she fired upon the Sire.

The Geist controlling Ruby glanced around, conflicted for a moment before she readied her scythe and lunged towards Emerald. Her attack was parried by Mercury as he intervened. Neo and Weiss saw this as their chance as they moved to assist Yang. The swarm of Strigoi gave out deafening screeches as they took to the skies once more, attacking anyone that wasn't Tyrian, Ruby or the Sire.

Tyrian stood up straight as he looked down at the chaos, "What madness! What absolute madness! I LOVE IT!" He cackled loudly as he withdrew his weapons; two pincer-like contraptions strapped to his wrists as he descended into the brawl.