Chapter 93: The Fall of Shade Finale


-Shade Academy-

Night crept on the high-tension battle. Amidst the starry skies rained the coloured bullets downpouring onto the desert sand and firing off into brilliant explosions that did little to diminish the enemy's numbers. Screams and the clashing of steel mingled with the roar of guns and battle cries of the failing students. Huntsmen were not built to fight wars, the moment students ran out of Aura their strategies devolved into martial arts, though in the heat of battle and pressure of life and death made most devolved into blindly swinging. The battle had been going on for roughly six hours now, Northside Zone 3 had been completely breached and all remaining combatants had to be forced back to Zone 2.

Intertwined in a sea of black were the weary and war-torn students of Shade Academy, fighting tooth and nail just to survive against the relentless onslaught of Grimm that battered against their non-existent gates. Citrine hovered high above the academy with eyes ladened with exhaustion. With shaking hands and bitter resolve, she consumed the last bit of her stamina to summon a giant, circular stone wall that shot more than sixty feet into the air, the students caught outside were unfortunately left to the wolves while the majority were now behind a temporary shell of safety.

The Grimm now trapped within the walls were easy pickings to allow their army a moment to breathe and resupply.

"This should buy us some time," she said wearily before descending to the Academy to regroup in the meeting hall, "Commanders meet me in the conference room. We need to re-evaluate our strategy" she issued over the open coms channel.

As she crossed the grassy courtyard she felt the burden weighing heavy on her soul. Littering the lawn were the piling injured students receiving medical treatment, many covered in white sheets for those who'd succumbed to their wounds. There would be time to mourn the dead later.

Closing her eyes she entered the conference room to find Tai, Jaune, and Penny all covered in a mosaic of bruises and grime. They all looked exhausted.

The headmaster herself was ragged and tired, there were bags under her eyes and she was barely standing, cuts and bruises layered her body as she staggered across the room and collapsed onto her chair.

"What's the status on the others?" she asked, wiping some sweat from her forehead and gulping down a bottle of water.

Jaune took the opportunity to wipe the blood from his face, "Qrow and Randolf are still out there getting the rest of the students behind the wall."

His team had taken the eastern flank and was holding up better than the north where most of the focus was, but it didn't mean there still weren't losses.

She turned to Penny, "How's our artillery fire? How long can we hold?"

The android girl made a few calculations and responded seriously, "The ballistae are about half-depleted. The students are running low on ammunition and dust. I estimate we can hold out for another six hours if we use ammo sparingly."

Citrine grimaced, "Fuck, that's not good… the wall will only hold for at best an hour… we need to devise a new plan…"

"Ma'am, if I may. Let me go out there, I can…" Penny started but Citrine shut her down.

"No Penny. We need you here and fully powered as our failsafe. If you go out there and drain your resources then we have nothing to stop them from breaching the academy itself."

"But Ma'am…"

"Request denied. Remain on standby and control the artillery." She glared.

The sound of rapidly shuffling footsteps alerted them to the door as Adam stumbled into the room exhausted and covered in scratches, "We've got a problem,"

Citrine felt uneasy at his words, "What now?!"

As she spoke a loud tremor shook the earth and the walls of the academy. "What was that?!"

"The problem," Adam grimaced, "The Death Worms have begun focusing fire on the western wall, at their current rate we got about thirty minutes before they breach."

"FUCK!" Citrine slammed her fist onto the table, "WHAT DO WE DO?!" Were they seriously backed into a corner? The largest collection of Huntsmen and Huntresses was on the losing end because of the sheer difference in numbers.

At that moment there was a knock on the door, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

The door opened and Dr. Polendina wheeled himself in followed by none other than Councilman Galleon.

Citrine blinked in confusion, "Doctor? What's he doing here?"

Dr. Polendina cleared his throat, "Ahem, Ma'am, this one here has brought us a rather… interesting discovery." He gestured to Galleon who fidgeted nervously. "Tell them what you told me."

All eyes turned toward the head councilman.

Galleon swallowed hard and spoke, "The Grimm, the people turned into Grimm to be precise… there may be a way to reverse the change…"

A deafening silence flooded the atmosphere as their faces were plastered with such shock that it was expressionless.

Citrine's face should have been happy, but the look that graced her features was ashen, "...And you're telling us this now?" she said in a low voice, marching up to Galleon and raising her sword.

"Citrine what are you doing?!" Jaune exclaimed.

She glared at Galleon with intense fury and slammed her sword into the wall next to him, pinning him under the blade, "We've been taking the lives of innocent people for the last six hours and you're now telling us this could be AVOIDED?!"

Galleon shivered under the blade, "T-The one's who did this… a man named Stein accompanied by Arthur Watts…" he swallowed hard again, "And… me…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" She roared, baring the edge of her blade so it drew blood.

"IT WAS ME!" he cried in fear, guilt, and terror gripping his soul under the violent fury of Citrine Basal, "I helped them distribute the chemical that caused all of this… b-but I have a cure!" he squirmed, fishing into his pocket and bringing out the vials he'd been given.

Citrine snatched them and gave the vials to Dr. Polendina, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut you down right now…"

"Because I'm a dead man either way…" he muttered, "I… I know I did wrong…"

"Wrong doesn't even begin to cut it," Adam snarled.

"I swear it was never my intention to bring it this far… I…"

"Save it." Citrine said curtly lowering her blade before turning to Polendina, "How long until we can mass produce it?"

Dr. Polendina eyed the liquid and handed it to Penny. The robot girl then scanned it and began analyzing its contents.

"It's possible to produce it in the lab but we'll need about four hours to develop it and another six to generate enough to use on the horde…" Penny said solemnly.

Citrine grit her teeth and spat on the floor, "Fuck it, get started immediately," she grabbed her sword out of the wall and Galleon slumped to the floor.

Jaune eyed her warily, "Where are you going? What's the plan?"

Citrine let out a sad half-smile and looked at the blonde, "Plan?" she looked at the ceiling and closed her eyes, "We stall for as long as we can…"

Once she was gone, Dr. Polendina looked at Penny, "My daughter… I think it's time to activate Project Titan."

Penny looked at her father wide-eyed, "But Father that's…"

"Untested, I know… but we don't have much choice."

Jaune looked at them curiously, "What's Project Titan?"


-30 minutes later-

Right on time, the western wall had been breached as the Death Worms crashed through the stone, the debris splintering and cratering the sandy field with chunks of rock. The Grimm began pouring in like flood waters through a broken dam. This however presented a new opportunity, as the Grimm were forced through one entry point, it made focus firing on the breach like shooting fish in a barrel.

The only problem was that there were too many fish… and not enough bullets.

Team GRVE was unfortunately at the front of it all.

Gawain and Regis were doing their best to fend off the oncoming horde, carving down Grimm after Grimm while Ether recalled to Zone 1 for resupply.

"Remind you of anything?" Regis called as he and Gawain stood back to back, a glorious duo on the battlefield creating their very own smaller zone as no Grimm could get near them.

Gawain periodically launched volleys of light arrows into the sky that rained down like hail before changing back to his sword and swinging wide.

Regis was blinking around so fast that all anyone saw was his afterimage.

"Our first year?" Gawain called as he stabbed another mutant.

Regis laughed as he landed next to him again, "When we botched our first field mission and woke up a full nest of Deathstalkers."

"Man those were the days, still can't help but feel this is a lot more stressful!" the blonde leader called back.

The earth began to tremor again as a large Death Worm erupted from the ground in a violent explosion of sand, forcing them to shield their eyes. Several students went flying as Artillery immediately began bombarding the creature.

As it fell to the ground another broke through the side wall and more Grimm began pouring in. The large Death Worm towered over the army and let out a deafening roar.

"Fuck... can't these things stay burrowed?!" Regis swore as he prepared to launch an attack when something came swooping out of the corner of his eye.

Pink explosions shattered against the creature as a familiar head of orange flew into the air and slammed down onto the creature's head.

"It's team JNPR!" Regis called out smiling as he watched Nora shoot two more explosives onto the behemoth, Pyrrha was right behind her, sailing through the air spear aimed downward as it pierced through the creature's skull.

Ren was close by as the battlefield was peppered with a rain of small bullets, the green-clad man like a silent assassin with his semblance making short work of the Grimm.

"Leave this to us, you kids get the small fry!" Pyrrha yelled out as she leaped off the creature and threw her spear into a particularly large mutant Grimm.

A tiny ball of fire rocketed through the air followed by a loud "ARF!" as they watched a small corgi latch onto a mutant Grimm and tear its head off in a single bite before leaping to another. This was truly a battlefield of chaos.

Suddenly a large boulder came flying out of the stone wall and hurtled toward Gawain and Regis.

"Oh fuck…" Regis swore as he raised his arms to block. Gawain stepped in front of him but there was no need as a flash of yellow and white jumped in front of him and the stone shattered against his shield.

Jaune turned to the younger boy, "You guys alright?" he asked, dusting himself off.

Gawain stood shocked at the man's strength, "Uh… yeah… a little tired though. What's the status?"

Jaune switched to his sword, "Head back to the academy for a re-supply. Leave the rest to us."

"You sure you guys can handle this alone?" Gawain asked.

Jaune smirked, "We're not alone."

"INCOMING! INITIATING EXTERMINATION PROTOCOL!" the voice of Penny yelled as a large mech slammed onto the battlefield. It was similar to the Atlesian Paladins made of gunmetal grey steel and covered in thick-plated armor. Its torso was wide and shoulders broad to accommodate the various weapons loaded onto it.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" Gawain cried out in alarm, as more Mechs began dropping out onto the battlefield, five of them to be exact, were deployed all over the area.

"Issuing on all channels: Students get back to the Academy to resupply and for medical treatment. Providing support!" Penny's voice yelled through all the machines.

The real Penny was in a control room within the lab in the academy, piloting all the mech suits simultaneously, with her entire system wired into the mech control unit, it was a job only she could do.

"I AM COMBAT READY!" she yelled, as the mechs began their assault. Armed with machine gun turrets for hands and missile launcher shoulder pads, some even had lasers on their wrists.

The students made a mad dash for the academy.


-Outskirts of the war-

Stein and Arthur Watts stood watching the mass of Grimm storm past them from a large sand dune several acres away from the attack site.

"It's only a matter of time now before the school falls." Arthur mused as he folded his arms.

That's when the lasers of the robots went off and hundreds of Grimm were decimated.

"Wow… the old man still has some tricks up his sleeve. That being said, why are they struggling so much?" Arthur mused.

Stein chuckled, "Arthur, brilliant as you are, you lack foresight."

The man raised his eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Why do you think they struggle?" Stein asked with a dark smile, "It is because they have nothing left to fall back on."

"Well, it is fun to watch them squirm, but I am getting a little bored…" Arthur mused.

Stein cackled, "Then… would you like to join them?"

"Oh? What do you have in mind?"

Stein then snapped his Grimm arm over to Arthur and pulled him into a bear hug, as his other arm drew out a syringe filled with black liquid.

"HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Arthur cried out in alarm as he struggled against the man's monstrous strength.

Stein jabbed the syringe into Arthur's neck and then into his, "WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THE GREATEST MINDS ON REMNANT MERGE INTO ONE GLORIOUS CREATURE?!"

"YOU'RE MAD!" Arthur struggled to break free, kicking frantically before his legs began to morph and convulse.

"I KNOW!"


-Eastern Front 1 hour ago before the wall was constructed-

Qrow and Randolf were heading their squadron while Olwen, Fenrir, and the Faunus tribes were behind them. The moment the battle had begun the Faunus wolf tribe unleashed waves of cold air that covered did little but slow down their enemies. The Grimm were much too resilient to be slowed by cold air, leaving Olwen to take the main attack.

The little old wolf lady stood at the center of the enemy horde as her eyes glowed bright blue, like torrential wind currents, frost, and snow ripped across the dry desert air and froze several hundred mutants.

"Color me impressed, the old lady's still got it..." Randolf mused as he observed her in action.

"What are you two bozos doing?! GET THEM!" Olwen cried as the mutants showed signs of cracking through the ice.

Qrow and Randolf looked at each other, "Don't slow me down old man," Qrow said with a smirk.

"Maybe it's you who should learn to keep up?" Randolf got into a drawing stance and in the blink of an eye dashed through the iced Grimm shattering an entire line before sheathing his blade, "Damn, I might actually be getting too old for this, that attack was slow..."

Qrow on the other hand just laughed as he switched Harbinger to scythe mode and propelled himself forward cleaving the rest.

Thanks to the combined efforts of everyone there, the eastern front was managed fairly. At least... that was until the sands began shifting.

The earth quaked and the sand beneath their feet became unstable as a bellowing "ROOOAAAARRRR!" threatened to deafen their ears. A Death Worm almost three times the size of its other kin blew through the floor. It was covered in thick armor and its maw was practically the size of a two-story house.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me..." Qrow muttered as he regrouped.

The monster began to barrel through the army flinging Grimm and allies aside like a shark through the waters, it was heading straight for the Academy.

Fenrir joined up with Olwen, "All Faunus focus fire on the beast! SLOW IT DOWN!"

Ice and cold wind began to bombard the creature but their attacks did little but stall it slightly, ontop of that the other Grimm began to storm them in droves.

"Randolf! Keep the Grimm off the wolf tribe! I'll deal with this thing!" Qrow yelled over the roar of the battlefield.

The wolf-man looked at his friend and nodded before jumping into the fray.

Qrow readied his scythe and wiped his face, "Alright, time to dust off my rust..." with a graceful leap, Qrow launched himself at the creature and stabbed into its thick armor with his scythe, using the handle as a branch he looked up at the towering behemoth, "Phew you are a big one!"

His eyes scanned the creature for a weak spot but came up empty as all he could find were layers of hardened bone armor.

"When in doubt, aim for its head..." Qrow jumped off the handle of Harbinger before quickly grasping it with his hands, swinging around it like an acrobat he used the momentum to launch himself and the weapon into the air before spinning in a deadly pirouette that carved up in a death spiral toward its head.

The creature howled in pain as Qrow made mincemeat of its midsection, or at least that was supposed to be the outcome. Instead, the armor was shattered in several places but no real damage had been done. As Qrow neared its head the creature began to shake violently in an attempt to get him off.

"No, you don't!" Qrow dug his scythe deep into its neck and hung on for dear life as it began to thrash around.

"ROAAAAR!" it bellowed a deep cry and suddenly the mutants stopped their ground assault and began climbing the Death Worm to get to Qrow.

"Shit! Not good!" Qrow had no choice but to relinquish his hold as he unstuck Harbinger, turned into a crow, and flew down to the ground, landing next to Randolf.

"This thing's crazy tough!" he said with a grimace.

Randolf slashed a nearby mutant and glanced up at the monster, "Do you think we can take it down?"

"Distract and attack?" Qrow smirked at his friend.

Randolf readied his blade, "Just like old times."

Together the two dashed through the army of Grimm, cleaving away at the masses to arrive at the base of the monster. The mutants on its body began a suicide dive, jumping from the towering body of the creature and raining down like stones. With perfect coordination, they worked to mitigate the horde.

Qrow would cleave right and Randolf would path left, weaving in and out of the swarm as they sprinted toward its body. "I'll carve a path!" Randolf yelled as he got into another drawing stance.

Taking a deep breath the wolf-man called on his bloodline power of frost as the ice began to form around his sheath, the guard of his katana became coated in frost. "HRRRAH!" he slashed upward unleashing a wave of cold that froze the air and created a line of ice straight up the creature's midsection and freezing its base.

"Its movement is stalled, GO!" Randolf signaled to Qrow the professional Huntsman took the signal and flew high into the air as a bird. He made it about halfway before latching Harbinger into the body of the beast and began sprinting up the near-vertical Death Worm, dragging his scythe across its body and splitting its skin.

"KILL IT!"

Qrow felt the rush of energy flow through him as the inspiration took hold, his blade striking through the creature as he raced right up the middle and cleaved the creature's throat in half. Though he couldn't split its head, it left a massive gaping wound from the middle of the monster to its neck.

He was about to finish the job when suddenly the Grimm began to jerk and spasm, its black oozing blood writhed and squirmed as white spikes shot out of the liquid.

"WHAT THE?!" Qrow was pierced through his left side by the surprise attack, "AAARGHH!" he howled in pain as the spike protruded through his side, impaling him on an extended pole.

"QROW!" Randolf yelled as he watched his friend stabbed through his side. The man on the spike coughed blood as he was flung high into the air.

The mutant Death Worm was still alive...

A strange energy began to generate in its mouth, a bright orange light as the Worm's neck wound began to glow as well, it seemed to be charging a final attack intending to take them down with it. Qrow was a sitting duck...

Randolf looked around him, Olwen and the others were all busy fighting for their lives, he had to think fast... he had to do something!

Looking down at his sword, Randolf sighed, "The things I do for you..." he unsheathed his blade and let the frost energy cover his body in a thin layer of ice as he dashed into the air.

Qrow watched in slow motion as a flash of blue and grey appeared in front of his body as Randolf latched onto Qrow's front. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Qrow screamed out, looking into Randolf's eyes.

Randolf smiled, "Saving your life!"

"RANDOLF NO DON'T!" but Qrow's cries fell on deaf ears as the creature's maw exploded in a violent burst of energy that covered the entire battlefield in a blinding light. The energy ripped through the air and singed everything around it, Randolf was caught in the explosion while protecting Qrow, the latter's only form of visibility, his left eye was staring straight into the explosion as the two were flung at Mach speeds, cratering into the earth.

Qrow opened his eyes to find that he couldn't see very well, his face was searing in pain and his skin felt charred, barely registering Randolf's heavy body on him. "H-Hey! Old man?! RANDOLF?!" Qrow cried in alarm as he shook him violently.

Randolf did not respond.

As Qrow struggled to get Randolf's body off him he realized his own arm had been broken by the impact, the left side of his face screamed in pain but it was nothing compared to the state of Randolf. The wolf-man was charred to the bone, his skin a grotesque combination of burnt flesh and skin, the only indication he was alive was the rapid rising and falling of his raw chest.

"OLWEN I NEED ICE NOW!" Qrow desperately signaled to the others.

That's when the wall came up.


-Present-

The injured students regrouped in the academy while the able-bodied ones stayed to fight. With the auditorium converted into a largescale hospital, everyone was receiving treatment for their wounds.

Gawain and Regis limped into the room covered in blood and dirt. All around them lay students wrapped in bandages with blood and IV drips connected to their bodies.

"Is this all the wounded?" Gawain asked horrified as he looked around, "This can't be…" he estimated about two hundred students were laying on the ground and on various benches.

"No, this is only about half of them. The others are spread out in the grounds…" It was Qrow Branwen who spoke.

The older Huntsman was looking worse for wear, the entire left side of his face was wrapped in bloody bandages and one of his arms was in a sling, what ever happened out there had torn him up.

"Professor Qrow?! What the hell happened to you?!" Regis exclaimed as he walked up to the man.

Qrow shook his head, "I'm getting too old for this kid… at least I didn't end up like…" he cast a glance behind him. Laying on the floor wrapped in a cocoon of white cloth and gauze was the unconscious form of Randolf Wulf.

"Holy shit…" the boy mouthed again.

Qrow cast a weary glance with his single eye, "We tried to spare the kids, thought we could take the entire west wing on our own… how wrong we were…"

"You old buzzard, you look like shit!" It was a new voice, Taiyang Xiao Long jogged up to this old friend. The blonde man was also sporting a few battle scars, but he seemed to be favoring his right arm. Trailing behind him was the same corgi they saw from earlier, except he was limping as his right paw held up.

"Arm's broken?" Qrow looked him over, then to Zwei, "The mutt too? Sheesh..."

Tai laughed it off, "Oh this? Just arthritis kicking in," he flexed his fingers, and the horrible sound of crunching was heard causing everyone to wince. It seemed all the bones had been shattered. Zwei placed his weight onto his paw and did a little twirl before falling over in pain and letting out a whine.

"I let out one too many Aura punches and exhausted my supply when one of those super mutants grappled me and threw me into the stone wall. Nothing I can't walk off…" Tai tried to amend it. "Besides... had to kill the bastard that hurt my precious boy," he leaned down and picked up Zwei into his arms.

Qrow looked at him sternly, "You should take better care of yourself, or have you forgotten that you have kids to go back to?"

"ARF!" Zwei barked in defiance.

Tai had a look of worry flash over him before he darkened his expression, "I can't just sit by and do nothing while everyone else is out there fighting," he gestured around him, "Those kids have families too… even worse yet their families are probably in that army outside… or worse…"

Qrow couldn't argue with that, "Just… don't get yourself killed. I don't want to lose you either."

"Same here bird brain," Tai patted him on the back before leaving to get his hand looked at. Though, as he was disappearing into the medical tents Qrow spotted him limping ever so slightly.

Gawain and Regis had made it to the outer courtyard where they saw hundreds more lying on the grass, some… were completely covered in cloth.

"We have about half of what we started out with…" it was Ether who found them, bounding across the grass with Violet in tow.

Violet didn't have any battle wounds as she was providing support fire but Ether was covered in scars.

Upon seeing them Violet glomped them in a group hug, "I'm so glad you guys are safe!" she said, squeezing them tightly.

Regis, Ether, and Gawain awkwardly hugged back, as their injuries made it difficult.

"We lost so many out there…" Regis said mournfully. "And the battle's not even close to being over…"


-Two hours later-

Citrine flew up high above the battlefield as she took in the sight. Their numbers had dwindled significantly, artillery fire would stop soon. Penny's mechs were buying them time but it wasn't enough. They couldn't hold out.

They needed a miracle.

Glancing back at the academy from above and saw the hundreds of students lying injured on the grass, the dozens that were out there still fighting.

She couldn't send those kids back out there.

She had to make a choice.

Checking her scroll she saw a prompt from Dr. Polendina, cure development had sped up… they needed three hours. She bit her lip so hard it drew blood. Even if they got it done, how would they even distribute it? All remaining airships were grounded or transferred civilians to safe zones across Vacuo.

Three hours… they could hold for three hours… right?

Switching to the Academy communications channel on her scroll she spoke, "Attention all students! Retreat to the Academy grounds. I repeat. All students currently on the battlefield, retreat to safety. Professors, Teachers. Hold the line!"

This announcement was heard all over the battlefield.

Olwen, Fenrir, and their squad of Faunus that were holding down the now breached east flank looked up. Their team had been tasked with sealing the holes in the breach while the others pushed back, but the ice wasn't as strong as stone.

It seemed that as they sealed one hole another would take its place.

"Alright old lady, what's the call?" Fenrir shouted as he blasted an icicle into a Goliath.

Olwen smirked as she hobbled through the masses, "You heard the lady, protect those kids!"

As she yelled out orders one of Penny's mechs flew overhead and crashed into the wall, exploding into a ball of fire that broke open another chunk of the wall.

"SHIT!" Citrine cursed as she watched it happen. She would've gone to assist but as she looked away for a second, the north flank started to pile on more and more.

More than twelve hours since the battle had started, and there were still so many Grimm.

Inside Gawain, Regis and Ether were getting medical treatment when Citrine's order came through. Team GRVE shared an uneasy look, "What's she thinking?" Gawain asked.

Violet sighed, "I don't know but those Grimm aren't going to stop anytime soon…"

"I think she's trying to spare us from having to go back out there," Ether said looking up to where Citrine was flying.

"Maybe they have things under control?" Gawain asked hopefully.

As they spoke a loud explosion shook the academy as thick dark smoke billowed into the sky.

"Does that sound like it's under control?" Regis looked back dryly, before standing up and grabbing his sword.

Ether tried to reach out, "What are you doing?! We were ordered to stay here!"

Regis smirked, "Where do you think? I'm going back out there…"

"That crazy bastard…" Gawain chuckled as he too got up and grabbed his sword.

Violet just smiled and picked up her scissors, "Guess Team GRVE won't stand down huh?"

Ether sighed heavily and picked up her guns, "You three are impossible…"


-Penny Control Chamber-

Penny stood in the central control unit, her optics were wired to the different mech units, and her processor split to all cameras at once. It was a complex task that only she could handle.

Things were going smoothly on the outside, but on the inside, Penny was suffering. Her processors were heating up beyond her cooling capabilities, various hydraulic fluids leaking from her limbs and eyes, her optics were stained with the sight of bloodshed and gore.

Each Grimm her mechs cut down turned back into a human corpse, she was killing people. Singlehandedly responsible for the death of thousands… but what choice did she have?

They were playing god with people's lives, but they didn't have the luxury to decide, it was do or die. There was no way to disable the Grimm, the creatures were impervious to stuns and there wasn't enough Dust to go around.

The ice-wielding Faunus weren't powerful enough to do much, it took all of them just to seal the holes in the walls.

Tears streamed down her face as she saw the bodies fly across her optics.

"I'm so sorry…" she sobbed, willing her units to move forward.

"Penny? How are you holding up in there?" it was her father calling from outside the chamber.

"…"

"Penny my dear?" Dr. Polendina sounded worried.

Penny quickly sniffled, "I-I'm okay dad, all processes operating normally, and all units functioning optimally."

"That's… not what I meant…"

Penny swallowed the lump in her throat and didn't respond.

Dr. Polendina sighed outside the chamber and she heard his hand resting on the metal door, "Please don't overdo it…"

"Please focus on the cure Dad," Penny replied through her sniffles. She didn't know how much more of this she could take.


Team GRVE had returned to the battlefield, with the professors, there were still some students fighting outside as their path to retreat had been blocked.

Things were looking bad, all the stone walls had been breached and Zone 2 was now overrun with Grimm.

Zone 1 was the last remaining circle of defense and all they could see beyond was a sea of black.

Students were falling all around them, the bodies hitting the sand and staining it red, the mutants' corpses were piling up as well, those that reverted to their human form had become food for the others.

Penny's robots had been reduced to three.

They didn't have enough people to defend themselves let alone the academy.

Citrine took the north route, diving headfirst into the swarm, electricity crackled out of her hands that broke down their lines, in the brief moments between electric attacks she threw her sword out like a disc that sliced across the battlefield. With one gun and one hand to attack she alone was the bastion for that flank.

Amid her onslaught, the ground erupted again and another Death Worm appeared behind her, just narrowly missing her… but hit the students grouped up behind.

Rage took hold as she flew into the air, diving into the mouth of the beast and unleashing a wave of electricity that split it open, "GET OUT OF HERE! NOW! I'LL COVER FOR YOU!" she yelled to the rest.

Turning back to the never-ending horde, flexing her powers and feeling the electricity fizzle out and die in her hands, "This isn't looking good…" a nervous smile played on her lips.

Meanwhile, another one of Penny's robots crashed into the army and exploded.

"PENNY WHAT'S WRONG?!" Citrine called through coms.

"Mechs are running out of power ma'am! We don't have enough dust to keep going!" Penny responded frantically.

*THUD*

The earth shook.

"What was that?!" Citrine asked frantically on the open channel.

*THUD*

"MA'AM SENSORS ARE PICKING UP A MASSIVE LEVIATHAN CLASS GRIMM APPROACHING!" It was Dr. Polendina. "Ten clicks southwest!"

Citrine flew high into the sky and turned in that direction.

Sure enough, in the exact point Pietro said, was a gargantuan land-based leviathan, its body was long and shaped almost like a tree trunk. Giant tendrils like branches sprouted from its upper body as two large heads with humanoid skull-shaped Grimm masks bobbed atop its shoulders. Each stomp of its four goat-like hooves trembled the earth.

How were they supposed to kill that thing?

"I-It's over…" Citrine mouthed in horror. They fought with everything they had… yet fate was not on their side.

"…ORDERS!" Pietro's panicked voice came over the coms, rousing Citrine out of her lull.

"…What…?"

"WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS, MA'AM?!"

Citrine swallowed hard, "G-Get everyone out! Group up in the courtyard and… FUCK THERE'S NOWHERE TO RUN!"

"…Then we're all dead…" Pietro said solemnly.

"No, we're not." It was Adam Taurus, "Polendina, how much time do you need?"

The line was silent for a moment, "About two hours… we can rig the cure to explode into the atmosphere and fall like rain… we just need a little more time…"

"That's all you needed to say," he said in a low voice, "Citrine, you guys focus on your ends, I got the entire south side."

Citrine's eyes went wide, "ADAM THAT'S SUICIDE! YOU CAN'T TAKE THEM ALL ON BY YOURSELF!"

"Did you forget? I used to be on par with Nova, I too have the Aegis gene in my blood." Adam said quietly before cutting off the communication.

Adam Taurus jumped off the plateau of Shade Academy, bullets rained and explosions shattered around him as he marched toward the southwestern breach.

Reaching into his pocket he tied his bandana around his forehead, staring into the oncoming storm.

He crouched into a drawing stance, his eyes flashed as black sclera took over them as he called upon the power of his artificial Aegis gene. Just the act of drawing on his old power instantly caused stabbing pain in his heart.

"ACK!" he bit back the pain. He had to buy time, he had to protect them.

Casting a quick glance at the walls of the academy he closed his eyes, "I will protect them," he whispered, "I will protect her… I will protect our child."

His blade glowed bright red as he burst forward into the crowd so fast he shattered the sound barrier, a blitz of black and red that exploded Grimm.

Hordes were decimated as waves of red energy shot out like barrages.

"YOU WILL NOT BREAK THROUGH!" he yelled, his Aura flaring up so wildly the crimson color burst into the sky like a pillar of light that shot energy in all directions.


-Team GRVE Eastern Breach-

(Go for God by Autumn Kings)

Empty casings and bloodied hands, tattered clothes and broken fingers, bruised faces, and shattered ribs.

Gawain knelt with his sword supporting his weight as he tried to catch his breath, Regis was still running wild, Ether had been forced into close-quarters combat and Violet was doing her best to keep the others alive.

There weren't any more students left on their side of the field. They were the last to remain, and to the last, they would remain.

"I'm starting to see why we're called Team GRVE," Ether said darkly as she tossed her guns onto the floor. Empty and useless now.

"Fuck… are we really going to die here?" Violet was exhausted as her movements slowed down. The Grimm kept coming, and they did not stop.

Regis blitzed past them, rage on his lips and fury in his eyes as he crashed into another Grimm, "I… won't back down!" he cried, furiously fighting through with sheer adrenaline.

His movements were sloppy, his technique non-existent, and he was fighting on pure instinct.

"Is this all we amounted to?" Gawain uttered as his knees collapsed onto the sand, "I… refuse to believe that!" he cried to the skies.

As he shouted to the heavens, the shining glimmer of sunlight appeared over the horizon, bathing the once-dark night sky in a glow of orange. The morning had arrived.

The golden rays touched Gawain's skin as he felt his Aura begins to recharge, the golden glow enveloping his body renewing his energy.

"W-what…?" Gawain stuttered as he felt his body begin to heal itself.

"Dude! You're glowing!" Ether cried as she watched her friend burst into a golden glow.

Gawain stood up, gripping his sword, "About fucking time…" he muttered, closing his eyes and letting the energy internalize.

"That's not a second semblance, that's something more…" Nova's words replayed in Gawain's mind.

"For the lives we've lost…" Gawain walked forward, "For the blood we spilled… WE WILL SURVIVE!" he yelled, holding his blade to the sky it became enveloped in the golden rays of the sun.

Gawain didn't know why, but in his mind he saw the image of a taller man with a lion's mane wielding a giant buster sword, cleaving forward with the path of light… and like instinct, he did the same.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he yelled a battle cry as he swung the greatsword in a wide arc, unleashing a dazzling wave of light energy, the arc shot across the sand, rippling the earth as it melted through the Grimm army. As it detonated against the sand dune on the horizon a massive explosion of light erupted.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Regis exclaimed as he collapsed next to his friend.

Gawain's eyes were covered in golden energy as he looked at his team, "Don't stop fighting, we have no time to spare!" his voice came out layered.

Their leader stood like a bastion amidst the rays of the morning sun, his hair flowing like a golden mane with his sword held high. They could do this.

"FOR SURVIVAL!" Ether yelled as she grabbed her empty pistols and poured all of her energy into her arms, like a spark igniting a flame something clicked in her soul. The guns began to glow a bright white as her fingers slipped onto the trigger. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" firing off the empty barrels were alight with a new power, as white beads of light shot out of her gun like bullets that pierced through the armada.

"FOR THOSE WE'VE LOST!" Violet unshackled her scissors and slammed the heavy weapon onto the sand such that it sunk in with a hefty clank. "BREAK THROUGH!" she cried out, letting her artillery shots fly into the air they too became coated in a new light, hers was bright purple as the shells exploded into a bright energy swarm that rained like napalm onto the battlefield before she turned back to blade form. In her melee stance, she spun like an expert seamstress of doom that sliced and diced the enemy's numbers.

"MAKE THEM PAY!" Regis cried to the sky his semblance reignited with bright blue light that sparked like electricity, with expert precision he threw his sword at the mutants. It flew like a sniper's bullet out of the barrel of a high-caliber rifle, piercing through a line and impaling one behind between the eyes, he teleported to the hilt of the blade and upon impact exploded in a ball of blue lightning that shattered the air itself.

They could do this... they could win.


-Adam Taurus-

How long had he been fighting now?

A few minutes? Had it been a full hour yet?

His movements had become automatic, he no longer thought about what he was doing. His Aura was almost spent, and so was his mental energy.

His Aegis gene worked on overdrive, enhancing his physical abilities far beyond their original limit. Without the Kuroseki the power had been reduced to nothing more than limit breakers.

The palpitations of his heart hammering against his ribcage were the only sound he could register anymore. Sweat dripping onto his sword mixed with the crimson of his blood.

How ironic it was, the very thing his enemies created, he was the culmination of their greatest work and their greatest failures, and now his sword was aimed at their throats. It was payback time.

*THUD* *THUD* *THUD*

The quaking earth drew his attention to the now looming shadow that blocked out the rising sun. It was here.

"Well, if it isn't little Taurus, standing alone, my little failed experiment" the Grimm spoke in a familiar sequence of layered voices.

Adam stared up at the two heads, "You… really became monsters…"

Stein's head laughed maniacally while Watts' disgruntled expression glared down at Adam, the two spoke simultaneously but it seemed Stein's persona was dominant.

How such a creature was possible was beyond Adam, at this point, he didn't care.

The Grimm began to stop their assault and gather around the leviathan as a series of low-pitched vibrations echoed off the creature's branches.

"You were the first semi-successful iteration of the artificial gene," Stein commented, "But without that stone, you are nothing more than a walking corpse. Your blood is a latent cancer, it's amazing you even made it this far. Allow us to put you out of your misery."

Adam glanced around him and took a deep breath, flicking the blood off his blade before sheathing it. "I see… so this is how it is…"

"You understand your futility now, stay still… it will be painless," Stein and Watts said at the same time.

Adam closed his eyes, "I've always wondered what lead a man to become a monster…"

"We are not so different, you and I…" they spoke with a dark smile.

"No…" he responded, "There is a big difference."

"Enlighten us."

"You chose to become a monster because of your twisted ideals. I chose to forsake my path and became a hero, because…" his eyes flashed red, "I found something worth protecting!"

(Play Citizen Soldier- You are not your past)

"RAAAAAAAAAH!" The beast roared, and the Grimm around it began to swarm Adam in a concentrated point while the tendrils on the Leviathan began to arc with black electricity that shot out like tesla coils.

Adam's Aegis gene reactivated and he felt his heart threaten to explode under the pressure, but he held firm. Dashing into the swarm and dodging across the sand to avoid the arcing lighting bolts, Adam ended up in the middle of the converging army.

Silently he gathered up his energy and slashed in a wide circle, blasts of red energy fired off and massacred the mutant Grimm before he jumped high into the air.

The leviathan mutant's arms shot down at sonic speeds, crashing into the earth and rupturing its surface but narrowly missing Adam as he landed on its arm. Like an ant crawling on the body of a human, Adam sprinted across the massive trunk-like appendages.

Lightning began to arc across the creature's body as it howled wildly, sending shockwaves rippling across its gargantuan arms. The redhead man used his semblance to force the lightning onto his blade and absorbed the energy, redirecting it at the creature's head creating a massive explosion of red upon impact that caused the leviathan to recoil.

"INSIGNIFICANT FOOL! TREMBLE BEFORE THE MIGHT OF PROGRESS!" the layered voices echoed. The blackened Grimm skin began to ripple and bubble like a liquid under his feet, Beowolves and Ursa began to sprout from its body.

Adam called upon the Aegis gene once more, enveloping his body in black and red energy. He blitzed across the giant arm and generated an explosive power in the process that decimated the lines of Grimm to the top.

"NOT SO FAST!" the creature yelled again as its second appendage slammed onto its other arm forcing Adam to get knocked into the air.

While he was in the air the black tendrils on its shoulders began to strike at him, forcing Adam to enter a bullet-hell-style dodging game where every second he was forced to turn and avoid the lightning-infused tentacle.

The Grimm on the floor began to climb onto the Leviathan from its legs and flowed onto the giant arm like an oncoming wave.

"It just isn't easy is it?!" Adam roared as his attention was now split between the Leviathan's attacks and the army in front of him.

One man vs thousands of Grimm.

"I WILL NOT YOU THROUGH!" Adam roared at the top of his lungs; the air hurt to inhale as he felt his body begin to break down. His organs were failing him one by one; the Aegis gene was tearing him apart.

He needed one strike, one clean, powerful attack at its heads… he needed to taunt Stein into making a large attack that left him open.

"WATTS!" Adam roared again, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE A GENIUS?! WHY ARE YOU LETTING THAT FOOL STEIN RUN THE SHOW?!" he dashed across the arm again but slowed his pace as he neared the shoulder. He needed to get that attack out...

"The so-called great Arthur Watts! Now another madman's sidekick?!"

"SHUT UP!" It sounded like Arthur roaring over Stein now, "HOW DARE YOU?! YOU THINK THIS WAS MY IDEA?!"

"Oh wow! Going on someone else's plan?! How they might have fallen!"

The other arms seemed to wrestle with each other as the tentacles suddenly froze in the air.

"WATTS WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Stein roared.

"MOVE OVER YOU FOOL! I'LL KILL THE RAT!" Arthur seemed to physically shove Stein's head and wrenched control over the body. "LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT A GENIUS CAN DO!"

The tentacle branches retracted into the air and began to form together, black electricity began to gather in a massive ball of energy high above its head.

Adam smirked, "Sure… I'm all ears…"

He sped up his movement, and instead of killing the Grimm Adam leaped over their heads and landed on the shoulder, focusing his Aura on his muscles he jumped into the air high above the leviathan.

Now that he was far into the sky Adam caught a full glimpse of the world around him. From the Academy to the ruined battlefield, to Citrine fighting on the north, Penny's bots tackling the swarms on the left and right, even Team GRVE slashing golden light in the east. He smiled to himself, this was his stand, he would protect them all.

"You were better than this Adam! You had so much you could become!" Adam recalled Nova's words to him that fateful day at the Fall of Beacon.

Memories began to flash through his mind, recalling his painful past as a child slave, to Onyx's lab experiments at the hands of Stein. Then to Blake leaving them, to his first fight with Nova, and his anguish and torment afterward. Then to his second fight, to his first defeat.

"We aren't defined by our pasts anymore, Adam." He recalled Belle's words, "What matters is what we do going forward."

As the lightning began to finish charging, Adam's descent initiated.

"DIE!" Watts yelled as the gigantic lightning ball shot toward Adam, the black electricity dancing through the air like a serpent after its prey.

Adam unsheathed his blade and aimed it into the path of the lightning. The Crimson steel touched the blackened electricity and enveloped Adam in a bright explosion of energy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHH!" Adam howled as the power began to fry the very skin from his body, peeling away and exposing the flesh underneath, charring it.

"ACK!" He coughed up blood, his eyes, ears, and nose streaming blood as he forced his semblance to absorb the power, "TAKE IT ALL IN!" he screamed.

His Aegis gene wasn't pushing his limits enough, he needed more, he needed even more power!

"TAKE IT!" he yelled to the sky, "TAKE IT ALL FROM ME!", as if responding to his will, the Aegis gene began to flare out wildly and uncontrollably. His veins felt like they were boiling from the inside but he didn't care anymore.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Adam bellowed, his roars echoed across the battlefield as the energy began to converge onto his blade, all the electricity was being absorbed into his Aura. "THIS IS THE END!"

"W-WHAT?!" Watts and Stein exclaimed in horror as they watched Adam hovering in the air, his skin charred and burned, his sword raised high above his head.

*THWOOM* the blade erupted in a giant pillar of red and black, electric energy that shot high into the sky such that it split the clouds.

All around the battlefield everyone momentarily stopped, stunned by the tremendous amount of power rupturing in the sky that shook the very air.

The bright glow showered the sky and painted it in a deep crimson glow.

Within the academy, gazing through the glass window of the observatory, Belle and Mira stood watching the fight with bated breaths.

"Mommy? Is that… daddy?!" Mira asked in wonder and worry as her small hands touched the cold glass.

Belle reached down and grasped Mira's hand tightly, not daring to look at the child as she stared out at the scene, "Yeah… that's your daddy. The strongest, bravest, and kindest man…" she said feeling her heartbeat quicken as she stared up at Adam.

"N-NO! WHAT IS THAT POWER?!" Stein and Watts echoed as they desperately shot tentacles toward Adam in an attempt to stop him.

"The power you called a failure! With this, I will carve the way for the others, I will protect their futures!" he cried out at the top of his lungs.

The tentacles and arms shot out at Adam with blinding speeds as Adam brought down his blade to a slashing position and shot forward in a blaze of glory. The sheer power and force decimated the tentacles that struck toward him, disintegrating them upon contact, "THIS IS OUR END!" he yelled shooting his blade forward with the energy and throwing his entire body behind the slash.

The energy burst forth upon contact with the leviathan's head, a brilliant explosion of crimson and electricity erupted all around, shockwaves rippling across the earth and decimating tens of thousands of Grimm in the process, clearing the path to the south.

"N-NO! NO!" the combined Grimm screamed in pain as its body was cleaved in two splitting the heads off and falling to the ground.

Adam fell from the sky, his body torn and ragged, broken beyond repair. "Did I do it…?" he whispered, his vision fading as he plummeted toward the earth, his hands could no longer hold his sword as he crashed into the corpse of the beast, his sword stabbing into the earth next to him.

His blurry eyes stared at the sky, gazing beyond the horizon at the rising sun. In his pocket a soft sound of an alarm going off, "Two hours," he choked out with a hoarse voice, "Just… barely… made it…"

As he settled into the sand he saw something concerning flash on the horizon to the northeast, a flock of black against the rising light.


Across the battlefield felt the aftereffects of Adam's attack as Grimm was flung into the sky and thrown out of the zone, giving much-needed breathing room to the allied army.

"That crazy bastard did it!" Citrine cheered as she threw her fist to the sky in celebration.

"HEADMASTER!" it was Dr. Polendina on the coms, "The cure is done! The boy bought us enough time!"

Citrine fist pumped, "Hell yes!" things were finally looking up, "Now get it airborne!"

"Yes ma'am… WAIT WHAT?!" Dr. Polendina suddenly shouted in alarm, "N-no… this can't be…" despair seemed to overtake his voice.

Citrine felt a cold chill run down her spine, "What is it?! Doctor?!"

"Enemy reinforcements… aerial Grimm, two o'clock! ETA 5 minutes!"

"WHAT?!" Citrine flew high into the sky and shot her gaze in the direction and saw with absolute horror, a fast-approaching flock of Nevermore, Sphinx, Gryphons, and Flying Berengels.

"Y-You have to be joking…" her legs felt weak, "P-PENNY DROP THE BOTS AND FIRE UP THE BALLISTAS AGAIN! GET THE ARTILLERY RANGE ONLINE AGAIN!"

"Ma'am we don't have enough time they're already on us!" he yelled as the Nevermores were practically within firing range already.

"Fuck… we're doomed…"

*HONK HONK HONK* The sound of a loud ship's horn blaring over the sky echoed a deafening war cry.

(Play the Honkai Star Rail OST Wildfire)

"What the…?" Citrine gasped as she saw above their academy several large red portals appeared as dozens of heavily armed Atlesian ships poured out.

"ENTERING THE ATLAS MILITARY, COMBATANTS CLEAR THE FIELD! BEGINNING AERIAL BOMBARDMENT!" It was Winter's voice echoing off the ship's speaker system. "Cover your eyes, kids, it's about to get flashy!"

The dozens of weaponized ships turned their cannons to the oncoming flock of Grimm and began a glorious bombardment of lasers that shot the entire flock out of the sky.

"Winter?! What the fuck?! HOW DID YOU GET HERE?!" Citrine echoed on open coms.

"Nice to see you're still alive Citrine, sorry we're late. It took us longer than we liked to get in contact with her," Winter said from her ship.

"Her? Who are you…?"

"Hey Miss Headmaster, I don't believe we've met," It was an unfamiliar voice over the channel. "Sorry for being late, I came to help out my little brother and ex-husband."

Citrine's face scrunched up in confusion until Qrow's voice echoed over the coms, "Took you long enough…"

"RAVEN BRANWEN?!"

"The one and only. Now, let's finish this…" she said and Citrine saw a dark-haired woman fly through a red portal above the academy soon the clouds in the sky began to congeal as rain began to fall, the winds picked up as a storm was brewing.

Citrine again wasted no time, "Pietro! FIRE THE CURE NOW! RAVEN HOLD THAT STORM!"

"YES MA'AM!" Pietro answered back as not ten seconds later a missile was shot into the sky and detonated in a wild explosion that covered the atmosphere in a forest green gas that tainted the clouds.

The rain that poured down began to turn green as it struck the ground with bullets.

Every mutant caught in the downpour was stopped dead in their tracks as they began to write and contort on the ground, their skin rapidly turning back to their original forms as the blackened army of Grimm had turned into a pile of naked humans and Faunus in a flash.

The real Grimm that remained weren't given a moment to rest as Atlas troopers descended from the ships and stormed the field, protecting the remaining people.

"I-It's over…" Citrine mouthed shakily as she flew onto the cliff of the academy, collapsing on her knees, "W-We won…?! WE WON!"

Team GRVE on the opposite side of the battlefield, just barely alive looked up to the sky at the announcement.

"Holy shit… we did it!" Ether squealed as she glomped her friends in a hug so hard they all collapsed onto the floor.

"That's… great…" Regis said wearily as he collapsed onto the sand.

Gawain's power fizzled down, "A miracle…" and he too collapsed onto the ground unconscious.

Violet decided to give in and passed out in the pile of bodies.


Penny watched the reinforcements arrive just as her second-to-last mech fell to ruin, the bright red flare of Adam's attack fading into the sky.

"I-It's over... w-we won...?" she mouthed, her knees buckling under her as the android girl collapsed in the control chamber. A mix of relief and morbid horror washing over her as her sensors saw the mountains of corpses that now littered the desert, their blood leaking onto the brown sand, staining it a deep crimson.

They had won... but at what cost?

So many were dead...

This wasn't even the final battle.

How much more blood would be spilled before this was over?

Would Team ASHNRWBY's attack be successful? The future was uncertain... but for now, she just wanted to rest... she was so tired...


As the battle concluded, the Atlas military finally cleaned up the reaming Grimm and everyone was rushing onto the battlefield to recover the survivors, Belle, Tai, and Qrow swarmed the grounds to meet with Citrine, Zwei trailing quietly behind, his right paw in a splint.

"We... did it? Right?" Tai asked shakily as he gazed around at the littered field of bodies.

Citrine grimaced, collapsing to her knees, "Yeah... we did..." She couldn't look up at them.

"Why does victory taste so hollow," Qrow cast his gaze to the horizon, the droplets of rain still pouring down onto the field, splashing onto their faces and mingling with the tears they shed.

Belle feverishly looked around, "Where's Adam?!"

Citrine's eyes went wide, "FUCK! He's probably still at the Leviathan! WE NEED TO FIND HIM!"

They rushed to the location where the giant Leviathan's corpse lay splayed on the ground amidst the mountain of human bodies. Unlike the others, this creature did not dissolve after getting hit by the green rain.

There was no sign of Adam.

"FAN OUT! FIND HIM!" Belle cried as she sprinted through the sand, digging through piles of corpses. The others assisted in the search, spreading out over the field and combing it for traces of Adam.

"ARF!" Zwei barked as he sniffed the ground and did a small spin, his tail wagging, "ARF! ARF!"

"Zwei's got something!" Tai pointed out as they regrouped around the corgi, "Where is he, boy?"

"ARF!" the dog began scampering toward the giant beast and grabbed its heavy arm and began tugging.

They noticed what he was trying to do, "Everyone!" Citrine cried out, "HEAVE!"

With tremendous effort, they managed to pry the giant arm away from its body to reveal a horrifying sight. Lying in a pool of his blood, his body charred to the bone, left arm completely destroyed, eyes hazily looking at the empty sky was Adam Taurus.

(Play Don't Forget Me Pt. 1 by Nathan Wagner)

Belle felt tears springing from her eyes as she rushed to his side, "ADAM! Oh... no no no! NO!" she carefully picked him up and pulled him into her arms, "Please... sweetie please..."

Adam's chest began to shake violently as he coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as his eyes turned to her, "B-Belle...?"

"I'm here..." she said softly, tears dripping down her cheeks and onto his bloodied and beaten face, "You're gonna be okay, you hear that? We'll get you to the medics! We...!"

Adam smiled weakly and reached his good arm up to touch her face, "I-I can't see anything..."

The others wanted to move further but Citrine held them back, shaking her head silently at them. A dark look washed over their faces as they understood.

"You're gonna make it, you hear me, Adam?!" Belle cried as she clutched him closer, deep inside her she knew what was happening.

He chuckled hoarsely, "Hey... Belle... I'm sorry." he started and she couldn't bring herself to speak anymore, as her lips were smothered by her tears, "I'm sorry I can't be there for when our kid gets born..."

"Adam... no p-please...no no no..."

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise..." he continued with a raspy voice, "I... won't be able to see you with them... to see them grow up... to be there for them. I'm sorry for leaving this burden on you..."

"Shut up!" she sobbed, "Please... no..."

"This wasn't how I saw our future. If I had a chance, I would've asked you to marry me. I wish... I could have..." he began to cough violently again as she felt his pulse fading beneath her grip.

"Belle..." he continued, caressing her face and leaving bloodied handprints, "I couldn't think up any names for them... so... I guess you could name them whatever you want but... maybe Raine? Or is that too edgy?" he laughed weakly.

She couldn't help but laugh as well despite her tears, "I think it's a nice name, I'll think about it," she joked.

He nodded, "Good... hey..." he looked into her eyes but he couldn't see, "I want you to promise me something..."

"Anything," she clutched his hand that was holding her face and kissed it.

"Promise me that... you won't let me being gone affect you for too long. I... want you to live your life to the fullest... protect our child and raise them to be the best Huntsman or Huntress ever... and if you see Nova again... could you tell him that I'm sorry I couldn't be there at the end?"

She nodded weakly, "I... I will..." she choked through her sobs.

"I really would've liked to see how this all ends... I would've liked to see your face before I go..." he said softly. "Hey... Belle? Are you smiling right now?"

She was desperately swallowing her sadness so her voice could sound normal... but it was futile, "I-I am..." she lied

He smiled back, "That's good... keep smiling because it'll get better. I'll be looking out for you from wherever I end up... goodbye... my love..." and with that, his eyes closed. His breathing stopped. The rise and fall of his chest all but faded along with the beating of his heart.

Belle felt the life leave his body and she sat there, in shock and pain, clutching onto his body and pressing it to her chest, planting one last kiss on his fading lips she said, "G-Goodbye... my hero..."

Such was the fate of Adam Taurus.

Born into a life of loneliness and pain, thrust into slavery, thrown to the wolves. He fought his whole life for freedom only to end up walking down the wrong path with a man who brainwashed him. Suffered and experimented on, Adam was brought back to clarity by Nova, then spent the rest of his time repenting for his past sins. He found happiness in Belle, the one person who looked passed everything because she understood, she was just like him.

Now he lay motionless, amidst a field of corpses, fallen.


After Belle was escorted out and men came to get Adam's body, Citrine was left examining the corpse of the Leviathan.

"Amazing how this didn't disappear..." she noted, observing its mass, "Unlike anything I've ever seen..."

As she poked and prodded, a particularly large lump of flesh on its head began to sputter and writhe causing her to step back in alarm, "WHAT THE?!"

Suddenly the blob exploded in a burst of black goop as something stumbled out of its head and crawled onto the floor.

Citrine peered down to see the singed and smoking body of Remus Stein, crawling out of the body, "Well... you just can't die? Can you?" she aimed her blade at him.

Stein shot up and was met with cold steel at his neck, "H-Heheh... well... this is bad..."

"Did Watts make it out too?" she asked, glaring at him.

Stein laughed maniacally but ended up wheezing, "HAHA No! I ate that loser's life force to spare my own, not that you would understand how..."

Citrine leaned down and grabbed him by the neck, "Enlighten me... no... wait. Don't tell me just yet... let's break you first." she began dragging him toward the Academy, hellbent on making him suffer for everything he'd done. Death was too much of a mercy for a man like Stein.


And done! FINALLY!

This was exhausting to write, and honestly emotionally heavy for me. But yes, injuries aside, this was the end of our dear Adam. How will things proceed from this?