Shirou and Velvet arrive in the Vale Countryside, pursuing the seemingly endless path of the sword. Unknowingly, they stumble towards the previous…and among the most terrifying of the blade's previous holders…

The innkeeper continued to clean the recently-used mug, glancing up absentmindedly while pondering the question given to him. The inn was very quaint, a rustic, old fashioned feel emanated from every part of it, be it from the creaking boards to the chandeliers above seemingly made out of various antlers. Business must have been slow for that time of year as only a handful of patrons were present in the common area, each busy with their own matters scattered around the breakfast tables and hearth.

"Red dress and black hair you say, hmmmm. I do recall a young woman and her friends stopping by the other day…didn't mention names though."

"We've been looking for them," Shirou explained, having concocted the ruse with Velvet since parting ways with Blake on the train the previous evening.

The two were wearing dull beige hooded cloaks under the excuse of preparing for rain. In actuality it was to hide Velvet's Faunus heritage, a trait that was apparently unwelcome as evidenced by the 'Faunus Need Not Apply' sign nailed to the wall. Shirou had zipped up his red and black jacket to hide the dried blood stains on his shirt beneath; he'd had no chance to acquire a new one.

"We were hoping to meet up with them but were delayed."

The innkeeper laughed, his bushy brown beard rippling as if it were alive. "You all should coordinate better; they were looking for an acquaintance too. A young woman who stayed here and left before them…is she a friend too?"

"Yes," Velvet spoke up. "We are new to the area and got separated."

"Then you are just in time. Those three set off after her not long ago, she was taking the main road thataways. Something about helping out the farmers in this area before moving on, very sweet girl she was, I wish her all the best. If you set off immediately, you might catch them before then."

"That is a big help, thank you," Shirou concluded, placing a bit of lien on the table for the food they had purchased for the road. Were it not for the sign on the door, he would have left a little extra for the information. Adjusting their hoods, he and Velvet made their way outside, he did not notice his partner fiddling on her scroll while he was paying. It was not the first time she had slyly peaked at her device since the train.

The Vale countryside was beautiful, rolling green hills stretching in each direction. Every few miles a farm could be spotted with its occupants toiling in the fields. Despite the hard work, they seemed happy and content. Each one they passed had a similar story. A young girl with short brown hair atop a white steed had come by; she did not stay long, yet shared supplies and wished them well in their endeavors. Several were certain their crops looked healthier than they had in days at her approach, but laughed it off as utter nonsense. If Cinder was following this girl as seemed to be evidenced, following her trail could lead them to their goal.

As they went from farm to farm down the path, Shirou remained unusually quiet. He wouldn't tell Velvet, but he was worried, truly worried. The unknown force within him that had healed his injuries had consumed a small amount of od. It seemed to have been just enough to jump-start whatever power it had utilized, but it was noticeable. It was the first time he had used od over aura since arriving in Remnant. Despite the time that had passed since the battle with Adam, not a single bit had regenerated back.

That should be impossible, he thought as they continued in silence. Even if od isn't native here…it's my body, it should replenish on its own, could something be draining me, or maybe be preventing it from regenerating? Whatever the case, Shirou resolved to use aura as much as possible lest he deplete his od before discovering the means to recover it.

The two proceeded at a brisk pace throughout much of that day. The young man realized that it was their last day to seek Gilgamesh before their absence would be noticed. If they were not back by the next morning, Coco would go to Ozpin and start searching for them…if they hadn't already out of worry. Velvet had been eyeing him since they left Blake.

"Shirou," she finally spoke up as the sky started to grow overcast. "Didn't you like your time at Beacon?"

Shirou continued walking, but glanced back with a curious expression on his face, uncertain where her question had come from.

"How couldn't I have liked it?" He replied from his gut. "We may have been busy with classes and training, but it was...peaceful. Why do you ask?"

"You've been doing everything to avoid going back; we could be there now training to fight Grimm and protect people. This path we've been following seems to have no end. Each person got the sword from someone else, and they got it from another."

"It couldn't have been here longer than two weeks," Shirou asserted. "We'll find the source soon enough, and when we do we can ensure Gilgamesh never harms anyone."

"But what if we don't?" Her tone became sterner, the frustration in her voice apparent. "Are you going to run across all of Remnant?"

"We will, and then…"

"If this clue isn't him…!" Velvet interrupted with a shout. "Promise me you'll come back home…to Beacon!"

"But if he returns…"

"Then WE will deal with him!" Velvet berated him. "Just…tell me, truthfully this time...please...that if this latest clue doesn't pan out, that you will return with me…I, I mean return…to Beacon." She corrected herself at the end, blushing furiously, her ears shirking down in embarrassment.

Shirou stared blankly at her, she was so serious and adamant to hear his answer, despite the fact he could easily lie again.

"Okay," he relented at last. "You have my word that if the next owner does not pan out, I will return to Beacon."

Velvet's scowl lessened, though she held another finger out at him threateningly.

"Just know, that if you are lying again…and you try to leave without coming back, I won't forgive you a second time."

"Well," he started scratching the back of his head nervously. "I suppose with that ultimatum I dare not refuse."

For the first time that day, the rabbit-girl's genuine smile returned, he may have said it in jest, but Shirou dared not cause it to fade again.

The two did not get much further before a massive gale was suddenly upon them, forcing them to grip their cloaks to prevent them being whipped away. The clouds had been darkening the last several hours, but the freak wind came out of nowhere. Velvet held her ground, Shirou doing the same, lowering down into a crouched position to withstand the worst of it.

The miniature squall left as quickly as it came, leaving them frozen on the spot, worried another may take its place. After several tense moments they got back to their feet, cautiously taking in their surroundings.

"That…was weird," Velvet remarked to a nodding Shirou.

A crack of thunder drew their attention, in the distance not too far ahead they witnessed a lightning strike, then another, and another all centered in the same general area. Without a word, Shirou took off running.

"Wha…are you mad!?" Velvet shouted as she gave chase. "You want to run TOWARDS the lightning?"

"That isn't natural," Shirou explained, sensing something off about the bolts emerging from the clouds. "They are striking consecutively on that hill."

"So? Contrary to popular belief, lightning can indeed strike more than…"

"That FLAT hill with plenty higher points in the area," Shirou pointed out, motioning ahead. "I would love to hear what you think could be up there drawing it in."

Velvet had no answer. A knot had tied her stomach, after how close a call Shirou had on the train, she dreaded who or what they would discover on the hilltop beyond.

Further ahead…near the hill…

The freak storm seemed to have dissipated by the time they came across the scene of the lightning strikes. Charred terrain could be seen every few feet, the paths of damage strangely concentrated as they had noticed from afar. And then they saw it, just ahead beyond on the path were four shapes. Velvet gasped and sprinted ahead, allowing her cloak to fly away after having seen what was going on.

It was clearly the aftermath of a fight, kneeling on the ground was a young woman with darker skin and brown hair matching the farmer's descriptions of the generous traveler. Her right arm was being restrained by a young man with silver hair in a black and gray vest. His brown pants were burned away below the knee, revealing highly advanced mechanical prosthetics. Her left arm was similarly being held by an emerald-haired dark-skinned girl in a matching top that left her arms and midriff bare. An arrow protruded from the defeated girl's lower back, her aura obviously gone.

Standing before the battered wanderer was another woman, even from a glance Shirou felt a cold, sinister presence. She had dark hair and a short red dress with intricate gold designs that did not reach her knees. She was holding her hand several inches in front of the beaten opponent's face, a strange black substance connecting it to her. It almost looked as if her right eye was…glowing?

Velvet's hand moved in a flash, a simple hard-light dagger forming in tandem with her movements, being thrown an instant after being created. The girl in the red dress noticed her presence too late, the dagger slicing clean through the black substance and freeing their captive. The terrifying woman's amber eyes flared in utter rage. Kneeling down she scooped up a pair of matching long, curved blades clearly ready for a fight. Based on the chill that ran up Shirou's spine at her gaze, she could be none other than the Cinder Adam had so feared.

Is that them? No time to waste now.

"Trace…ON!"

A pair of longswords appeared in each hand, lesser Noble Phantasms he had glimpsed within the Gates of Babylon. Velvet reached them first, a copy of Durandal in one hand, and Crocea Mors in the other. With a vertical slice aiming for the man and a horizontal one for the women, Velvet forced the three to leap away. The wounded traveler slumped to her side, free from her captors but clearly unable to move. Her palate was gray; a discolored scar had appeared where the black sludge made contact with her face even after disintegrating once cut off from the woman in red.

She made two at once? Shirou surmised at Velvet's dual handling of Noble Phantasms, it must be due to the upgrades she mentioned having worked on the last several weeks. The box on her back shimmered blue, keeping up with her request.

Shirou clashed with Cinder, perceiving her to be the greatest threat among the three by far. Velvet put herself between the other two and the wounded girl, protecting her from them while Shirou shielded her from the third.

"Oh?" Cinder asked upon noticing the sword in Velvet's hands, recognizing even the shimmering blue copy. "Now where did you find that beauty I wonder?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing!" Shirou shouted with a final grunt, pushing her back. Cinder was agile and skilled, after the first clash she never confronted his blades head on. Instead, she would parry them from the side, pirouette around or dodge Shirou's attacks completely. From a single glance she knew full well her own weapons could not compare in craftsmanship.

Something had changed in his sinister yet enchanting opponent, Shirou could feel an unnatural heat emanating off her body, and from so close he could confirm that her right eye was wreathed in flames. Each time their weapons touched, his would glow bright red as if hers were searing hot. He dared not get near her blades. With a graceful spin ducking low to avoid his strikes, she struck, yet Shirou was already aptly leaping over her twin swords. He was a hair faster, kicking her in the chin with a solid hit.

The crimson woman fell backwards, turning the blow into graceful backflips for distance. She twisted her swords, but Shirou already knew what was coming. She slammed the hilts together, forming them into a longbow. A pair of arrows seemed to appear from particles in the air, already nocked and ready.

"How ironic, that an insignificant trophy from an ancient conflict with her Grace would come full circle."

Ancient? Shirou thought, his mind racing at her statement. That's…impossible, I…we only arrived two weeks ago, how can it be considered ancient?

"What are you talking about?" Shirou asked, hesitating on his follow-up strike. "The sword can't be that old!"

The mysterious woman just smiled at the look of twisted confusion on his face, she was enjoying every second of it.

"You actually care about that relic? You have no idea what is even going on here do you?" With that final word she loosed her arrows, Shirou's window to stop them gone.

Shirou crossed his weapons, prepared to deflect them. To his horror, a fraction of a second before he would have shattered them, the projectiles suddenly scattered on their own, disintegrating into the particulates they had started as. Shirou tensed up, he did not see such a technique in the history of the bowblades she wielded, could this be the first time utilizing such an ability?

The dust motes in the air danced around his blades, even Shirou himself, passing through him harmlessly. As the young magus turned he realized they were reforming behind him…aimed squarely at the wounded traveler lying prostrate on the ground.

"NO!" Shirou screamed, swinging his blades to catch the arrows before they continued their course. His swords barely clipped the closest in time, causing it to explode, engulfing his vision with smoke. The second sped away, flying just beyond his reach before he could catch it. His attack had been thrown off by the explosion of the first, there was nothing he could do.

He stared on helpless as the arrow continued, burying itself deep in her chest. Even as defeated as she was, the young girl shot up, gasping in pain. Shirou abandoned his struggle with Cinder, rushing to her side, but it was too late. He caught her as she slumped back down; feeling her neck and wrist, but there was no pulse.

"No…NO!" He roared, shaking her slightly as if to try and wake her. With the arrow in her chest, he had no way to help. He'd seen the barbed arrowhead as it sped past; any attempt to pull it free would only succeed in causing even more damage.

As anger and frustration, both at himself and Cinder bubbled in his chest, he punched the ground hard, he had been so blind!

What have I done? Shirou's heart fell into his gut. I shouldn't have spoken with her; I should have stopped her from firing the bow. But I was so…obsessed with locating Gilgamesh that, for a moment, I prioritized the information, and it had cost this young woman her life.

As Shirou lamented, a flash of orange light suddenly leapt from the body cradled in his arms. Passing through him, it rippled through the air like a wave, finally disappearing into the chest of the one who had slain her. During the brief moment of contact, Shirou caught a sense of something he hadn't felt since arriving in Remnant.

Impossible, that…that was mana! A forced mystic pass?

The feeling was unmistakable, the energy that ejected itself from the murdered girl, it was not aura...but magic! A force so alien to Remnant that no one even believed its existence, and yet here it was.

Cinder clutched her chest as the orange light disappeared within, arching forward as if in pain. It must have passed quickly as she stood back to her full height, and then she started to rise into the air, able to levitate by her flames alone. The wreath of fire now encircled both eyes, spearing outward menacingly. Around her, a shifting sphere of fire formed like a protective bubble.

"Finally," she released a sigh of triumph. Waving her hand in an uncaring, almost bored motion, a swarm of black javelins appeared before her. In a flash they rocketed towards him driven by her will alone.

Shirou thought fast, his arms swinging on instinct, his twin Noble Phantasms cut through the projectiles one after another at incredible speeds. Not a single one reached him. He spotted movement out of the corner of his eye; Velvet bounded backwards, no longer limited to shield the fallen girl. She took up position beside Shirou, the last copy of Coco's gun in her hands.

"They are strong," she panted. "Watch out for the green-haired one, she can disappear somehow."

The two partners glanced around for options; the terrifying maiden before them was not the only threat as her two followers had taken up positions surrounding them. The green-haired accomplice looked untouched, but Velvet must have done some damage to the man with the prosthetic legs. One was releasing sparks of static and he was limping slightly, a look of restrained rage focused squarely at the rabbit-girl.

They were trapped.

"Kill the rodent," Cinder commanded with a smile. "The interesting one is mine."

Damn, Shirou grunted as he glanced around, there was no way out. With the open terrain they couldn't retreat. In his current state he didn't have enough od or aura to create his reality marble.

The female disciple smiled as she suddenly shimmered out of existence, just as Velvet had warned. Shirou braced himself for an attack. He had to determine where she would come from before she had a chance to…

A gasp of pain drew his attention as the vanishing girl suddenly reappeared, sailing through the air away from them. She had been right behind him moving in, he could never have spotted her in time. A newcomer to the fight had kicked her in the side of the head, sending her flying through the nearby fence posts lining the road. Shirou's eyes were immediately drawn to his rather impressive weapon.

"Harbinger…"

The new fighter was older than all of them, judging by the gray hair mixed with the black he guessed him to be in his forties. Shirou imagined fighting in an untucked gray suit shirt could not have been comfortable. And how did he keep that tattered red cloak from getting in the way? Based on his movements he was quite skilled, his weapon was a large single-edged Greatsword, though Shirou could see it was far more than that. Like the fascinating Crescent Rose he had spotted back in Vale, it could transform into an impressive scythe complete with hidden shotgun barrels hidden within. Truly it was a versatile weapon.

The young man with the mechanical legs turned, delivering a thunderous high kick which the newcomer parried with seemingly little effort. A shockwave was produced by their clash felt by Shirou and Velvet.

Cinder growled, clearly she viewed the new opponent as a credible threat. Holding out her hands, a pair of blades made of the very fire that engulfed her burst to life. Shirou looked to her new weapons, relieved that she had chosen that particular form, allowing him to study their structure more closely.

No doubt about it…that is mana holding the fire in its current shape.

The woman rocketed towards him without moving her legs, the newfound power open to her allowing such feats. Shirou raised his Noble Phantasms, blocking her attack.

A wave of heat assaulted him more than he had ever felt before, he felt it though his very aura. Even his weapons, copies of Noble Phantasms from Gilgamesh's treasury started to melt before his very eyes. The fringes of his sleeves catching fire along with them.

"Shirou get away from her!" Velvet cried out, her gatling gun already spinning to fire.

Her partner complied as a hail of fire rained down on Cinder, each shot dispersing harmlessly against the infernal shield that encompassed her body. As the last of the energy ran dry, she replaced it with Junior's bazooka, firing a half dozen hard-light rockets right into her back. The explosions enveloped Cinder in a cloud of smoke, in the confusion the rabbit-Faunus bounded towards her partner.

"What is that power?" Velvet asked as she met up with him. Shirou allowed the remains of his weapons to disperse, melted almost down to the hilt. Quickly, he ripped off his jacket and threw it aside, the sleeves still aflame and slowly burning the clothing away.

"That is magic from my worl…from my people," he corrected quickly, fully aware Velvet's barrage would be insufficient to stop her. "I don't know how…but that is fueling her abilities."

"Any method to bringing it down?" She quickly asked. The smoke was already starting to clear, it was obvious Cinder was still standing.

Shirou could only shrug; he was no expert in counter-magic, and the heat emanating from her was the real problem. "Don't get near her; this magic is what is allowing her to mold and augment the flames. If we can deplete it, she'll be vulnerable."

"So," Velvet started, ensuring she knew what Shirou meant. "We hit her as hard as we can while TRYING to get her to throw everything at us?"

Kanshou and Bakuya materialized in his hands as Cinder continued to stare at them. She was giving them all the time they needed on purpose, such was how high above them she considered herself. Behind them, the newcomer was busy facing her disciples, he seemed to have the upper hand, but for the meanwhile they were on their own against her.

"Precisely!" He shouted, hurling his twin weapons squarely at her as he and Velvet scattered to split her focus. Impossibly, both swords were reduced to ash and slag long before getting near her.

Cinder had finally grown bored of waiting. Holding out her hands, a burst of flame erupted forth that the two of them narrowly avoided. To Shirou's horror, twin orbs of fire appeared over her shoulders. They were rotating about, clearly attempting to lock onto him. Finally locating their target, a funnel of lava erupted from it towards them with pinpoint accuracy.

"Trace!" Shirou shouted at the last moment. The colossal blade of Berserker acting as a shield to block the magma as Velvet had done in her match in the classroom. Planting the harsh blade into the ground he leaned against it, freeing his hands to choose another weapon.

Can't get close, but if we keep up this rate we won't last.

Cinder kept up the pressure, her energy seemingly inexhaustible. The smile on her face grew wider and wider bordering on mania as she rode out the high of her new abilities. Shirou would have to trace a new weapon soon; even Berserker's axe-blade was melting before his very eyes. He just needed a moment to focus.

The orb of fire targeting him popped like a bubble as a hard-light copy of Gáe Bolg blasted through it, imbedding in the ground not far from him. Cinder turned, having seemingly written off the Faunus-girl as a non-threat. Focusing the last orb on her, she did not realize that Gáe Bolg was shifting in the ground. Unexpectedly it ripped itself free, obliterating the 2nd orb as it returned to Velvet, the light disappearing back within her box of tricks.

"How many people are in a rush to die today?" She sighed. Holding open her palm, a spear comprised of fire formed within it. With a grunt, she launched it directly towards her.

Velvet dodged to the side, yet the spear followed her movements. Only quick thinking to narrowly deflect it with Yatsuhashi's blade saved her life, though the molten javelin shattered her right bracer on its way past, scorching her arm. Cinder was already preparing another volley as she recovered.

She did not get the chance, staggering as a hail of gunfire rained down on her back, battering her fire bubble. Turning, her face awash with rage, she looked upon who else dared to challenge her new powers.

"Get away from Velvet you bi-" Coco's last words were drowned out by her gunfire. Behind her, Yatsuhashi rushed in to assist the other fighter. Not far past them, Professor Ozpin himself ran in, cane drawn and ready to fight. He would be upon the battle in a matter of moments.

"Coco! Yatsu!" The Faunus girl called out, her ears perking up higher than Shirou had seen them since setting out.

Coco, Yatsuhashi…Professor? How did they…?

Shirou knew the answer before he asked the question. Velvet must have called for backup early back at the train before they reached the inn. It was the only explanation for their timely arrival. With some breathing space, Shirou formed his next weapon, the plan already in place.

Cinder lashed out with her fire, forcing Coco to roll backwards further away, Velvet raised her hands, a hard-light copy of the strange weapon of the red-cloaked girl appearing within them...Crescent Rose. She had not witnessed the young girl fight with it, but from the photograph captured by her auto-clicker, it was easy enough to see how it was meant to be used. The weapon unfolded into a massive scythe, the blade doubling as the barrel of a high-impact sniper rifle. Taking aim, she unloaded into Cinder.

The replicated armor-piercing bullets impacted her fire shield to no effect, but it kept her attention, which was all Shirou needed.

Cinder turned too late to witness him rise up from behind his smoldering makeshift bulwark, black bow in hand. This time, however, he did not have simple aura-arrows. Nocked within the bow was a Noble Phantasm more akin to a drill than a blade, Caladbolg II. The legendary sword, turned arrow by Archer, was aimed straight for Cinder's center of mass. Pulling back, with great effort and pain, as far as he could, Shirou loosed the devastating attack. The tip of the projectile started to rotate and drill as it flew straight and true towards the murderous maiden.

Cinder's eyes widened, clearly sensing the tremendous threat barreling towards her, she held up her hands. Twisting them sideways, she manipulated the wave of her flames, creating a draft of hot air around her. As Caladbolg II entered range, it became caught up in the magically manipulated currents. Somehow, she skewed its course just enough, causing the weapon to miss her by the smallest of margins, chipping away at her aura as it buried itself in the ground behind her.

Shirou rolled to the side, Velvet following suit. Even Professor Ozpin grabbed Coco and pulled her to a greater distance from what he knew was coming. Cinder had no time to react as the Noble Phantasm exploded, encompassing her in a great plume of fire, earth and shrapnel. All were quiet as the dust settled, uncertain what would greet them on the other side.

Their question was soon answered as a shockwave of fire dispersed the dust and fragments. After a twenty-foot distance the wave vanished, revealing the woman known as Cinder standing tall. Her aura was flickering and her fire shield was noticeably diminished, yet her powers remained. She was gritting her teeth in absolute rage.

How much mana did that transfer give her? It should be impossible for someone who has never used magical circuits before to harness so much.

"YOU ACTUALLY THOUGHT YOU STOOD A CHANCE…YOU?" She roared, her previous calm, superior demeanor shattered by the certain defeat only narrowly avoided. She raised her hands in both directions, releasing a surge of energy from each.

Shirou dodged once again, redirecting the attack somewhat at the cost of his bow. Ozpin raised his cane, splitting the molten fire down the center, protecting Coco and the others behind him. Velvet had not been so lucky. Her copied scythe was gone, blasted out of existence along with part of her armor exposing her shoulder. She lay on the ground, struggling to stand.

"Velvet!" Coco and Shirou called out simultaneously. Cinder noticed their cries of concern, Shirou's heart dropped into his gut at the familiar sneer of spite on her face as she turned towards the beaten girl.

Most of the remaining flames coalesced around Cinder, meeting as a single sphere in her hands. Arching her back, the twisted maiden pointed forward, releasing a colossal tunnel of fire towards her…Velvet was still not back up on her feet yet. Shirou moved as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Wait Shirou!" He heard Ozpin shout behind him. "That's your death you're running into!"

That's hell you're walking into…a familiar voice echoed behind him.

Velvet noticed the flames as they approached, with no time to think or run, she threw her arms up holding the first weapon she could think of. The twin short swords she had fallen in love with shimmered in her grip, awaiting the impact.

Velvet could feel heat swirl around her, yet was not accompanied by the expected pain or death. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

"Rho Aias!"

Shirou Emiya, her partner and friend...the man who had given her such confidence and taught so much in so short a time stood before her, having erected a barrier of rose colored energy. Five layers matching the number of flower petals had burst to life as he dove to protect her, though one had shattered instantly on contact with Cinder's attack, the next layer already cracking. The flames bent around them from his shield, yet reconvened behind them. They were safe within its confines, but could not escape.

Damnit! I have to be able to do SOMETHING. Shirou roared as the second layer shattered, the third starting to buckle. I don't have enough aura or od to…

The roaring maelstrom in Shirou's mind parted, unclouded by his search for Gilgamesh, questions of the world or thoughts of the future. He no longer focused on them, in that moment, all he cared about was protecting everyone, protecting Velvet behind him who had grown so much in the short time since he'd met her…and that thought led him to the sole conclusion.

I've used both od and aura to construct my weapons whether it was back home or here. If either can be used for the same thing, they must become a mutually usable power source within me. I have neither enough od or aura to do it…but together…

Shirou gritted his teeth, his arm straining and discoloring up to his elbow from maintaining the crumbling defense. If he was to act, now was the last chance. Focusing, he delved into the new well that had sprung within him in the Emerald forest as well as the magical circuits of which he was already familiar. Breathing heavy, he pulled as much as he could spare of each toward a singular purpose. An image of parallel rivers materialized in his mind, that base was all he needed. It took but a few thoughts for the two streams to converge...meeting in the middle of a vast lake.

"I am…the bone of my sword!" He groaned, struggling to focus on the words and maintain the barrier.

The third layer started to crack; the pain escalating with each moment, he had to be fast if he was to…

A blue light burst forth before him as three azure layers overlapped those of Shirou's remaining, petals matching in color joined his own, creating a captivating effect as the two meshed together. The pressure lessened considerably as they took the renewed brunt of Cinder's assault, her attack not diminishing in the slightest.

Velvet stood behind him, her hands pressed against his back, helping to keep him on his feet. A stream of light was being emitted from the box at her hip, generating her own Rho Aias for support. It was holding, though hers was already cracking. Shirou had no time to be impressed by or compliment her invention.

"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood,"

Cinder's face could barely be seen through the flaming maelstrom, the fury and effort warping her features. Despite the appearance, her reserves were not limitless, but how much longer could she last?

"I have created over a thousand blades,"

Velvet's first layer shattered into nothingness, the next coming under fire.

"Have suffered loss unaware of the pain caused to what I've gained,"

Velvet looked on at her partner, clearly he was doing something, and she had to help him finish no matter what. She could feel the pressure from the attack through Shirou's body; she braced his with her own, neither giving an inch.

"My home is where I make my stand, wherever that may be,"

Velvet's second layer was obliterated.

"My path is true, and my life will forever be,"

"UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!"

Cinder roared in tandem with Shirou's final verse as his chant concluded. A new fire was formed beneath their feet in counter to Cinder's, though neither he nor his partner felt any heat from the licking flames. The light snaked outward in an instant, giving an illusion that the ground was shattering underfoot. Cinder's attack sputtered as she stopped to prepare for the counterattack she did not recognize. Her bewildered face was the last thing Ozpin, Coco, Yatsuhashi and the grizzled huntsman known as Qrow saw before the three combatants disappeared in a blinding white light.

The final battle between Cinder, Shirou and Velvet concludes next time, the battlefield shifting to a realm beyond Remnant…a place where the fate of our heroes will be decided. As always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :D