I literally just had a heart attack because last night I had done three pages of this chapter and accidently pasted instead of copy from my gmail draft giving me a heart attack from hell. I was ready to cry no lie lol If that every happens to you, ctrl + Z and it will undo it! Just fyi.
Frank Horrigan I laughed when I read that, thank you. Lol to me Roman is a big mafia boss BUT he needed some help on reach (if that makes sense) and asked Cinder for help. Then he got sucked in because of her Fall Maiden crap.
AxDevilman, I hope normal is good lol and thank you
cipher111996, nice to see you again! Naw, Roman isn't a super big fighter but he will if he has too. I kind of imagined that he did before he became bigger in the criminal world to climb the ranks. I kind of think Summer would be a sweet person and since we don't know much, it's a shot in the dark. Like always I'm open to suggestions.
They reached the village they once went to that was half destroyed. There was smoke, ash, dead bodies and disappearing Grimm bodies everywhere. Some of the students that had arrived an hour before them were either dead or running for cover. It was definitely the most horrible thing that Raven, Qrow and Taiyang saw but Summer was unfazed by the scene before them.
Summer had seen children, women and men die before her very eyes when she was in the wilderness alone. She didn't let it show but she was hurt. She couldn't believe this many people died. They just were there not that long ago. She scanned the area hoping to see a way to clean up the horrific mess...
She squinted. There were Grimm going after a destroyed house.
Claire and Airis.
"This way!" Summer said and started running.
They didn't question her and followed.
There were Ursa and Creeps stomping and tearing at the ground. Raven grabbed her sword, her hands shaking. Her red eyes glowed with anger at the Creeps before her. The horrible memory of losing Luxury entered her mind but her concentration broke as Summer touched her arm.
"Stand back. I have this."
The ground started to shake and vines shot out of the ground grabbing the Grimm surrounding then rumble destroying them. A vine barrier surrounded them and the destroyed house. They were curious as to why she would want to look through rumble when there were Grimm to fight. Summer started digging through the wood and brick frantically.
"Claire! Airis!" she yelled and they looked surprised.
Raven started pulling the debris off with her teammate then the guys joined in to help.
We are magnets for Grimm. They follow no matter where we go. Even inside of Vale... They still appear.
"Claire!"
"Who is that?!" said a voice.
"Claire! It's Summer! Are you and Airis OK?!"
Raven looked around uneasy.
"Summer you might wanna hurry."
Suddenly rubble went flying into the air and Claire emerged with a lifeless Airis.
"Claire-
"She's dead. What do you want?" she spat looking angry.
Summer's heart almost stopped.
"I-I-
"Calm down," Qrow said taking her hand.
She took a deep breath.
"Do you want to save yourself or your village?"
"I have ten kids down here."
Summer looked surprised.
"I do actually. What did you have in mind?" Claire answered, her attitude melting away.
"You and me run to the center of this place and we draw in the Grimm. We will have everyone else fight them as they come in towards us."
"So… we are bait then?"
"No! I refuse to let you do that!" Qrow yelled.
"You're stupid aren't you?" Claire asked, "Do you realize how unavoidable her death in battle is? She is doing what she was destined to do. Your feelings mean nothing in the heat of battle!"
"Listen here you bitch-
"Qrow. Silver eyes or not it's our fate too. Summer is our leader now not your girlfriend. Have some respect."
"I think that would work."
Summer smiled.
"I'll leave my barrier up. Once we diminish most of the horde then you return here understood? Whoever is left and are up for the fight can help us OK? Taiyang, Qrow and Raven get out there and tell them about the plan BUT if they refuse time them to leave because it's about to get dangerous."
They nodded.
"Guys."
They looked her in the eye to see fear, sadness, tears and happiness.
"If this is our last mission together... I want to go out with a bang. Let them know that team STRQ was fearless until the end and that we take shit from no one. Until the end," she said grinning with her hand out.
Raven grinned and slapped her hand on her friend's, "Until the end because we kick ass."
"Until the end because we are crazy," Qrow said with a smile placing his hand on top of Raven's.
"Until the end because we want it no other way," Taiyang said placing his hand last.
Claire snickered like a child and placed her hand too, "Until the end because saving others is more important."
Team STRQ and Claire jumped out of the barrier. Summer resealed it and created an extra barrier to protect the kids.
"Go!" she yelled and her teammates took off.
"How good is that semblance?" Claire asked.
Summer grinned, "It's good but it's draining. I have a sword. And you?"
Claire grinned, "Watch this."
She raised her hand into the air and water started swirling around her hand then it turned to ice making giant needles. Summer watches in awe as they went towards the Grimm Klingon them on impact. Claire was so precise with her attack she took out ten at one time striking them the head. There was something old about her power but what was it?
After ten minutes of defending themselves, Summer created a low barrier. It was enough to make the Grimm still want to go after them.
Summer waited for her teammates to let them know that they were going to get help but she could see Raven fighting with a group two hundred feet away.
"If they don't want to help them let them be!" Claire yelled, "We don't need help from cowards!"
Raven gave her the thumbs up.
"Ready?!" Summer asked and her team yelled "Yea!"
Summer let the barrier drop as she got her sword ready. She had allowed Claire to kill the Grimm who got through. Claire was much more experienced than Summer, there was no denying that. Though, she couldn't shake the feeling there was something magical-perhaps just strange about the cold woman.
It was almost like a flood. All kinds of Grimm coming at them, it was like they were lost in a sea of black. Qrow wanted to make sure she was OK, but he had to force himself to trust Summer's judgement. She had been dealing with Grimm and death all her life.
Raven could only think of Lux. One day he would have a sibling and she needed to protect that child. She wanted to make sure they were safe no matter the cost. Her heart was heavy but it fueled her need to defend her team, the kids and her life until she was gone.
Taiyang kept a close eye on Raven. He was afraid she would falter after everything she had been through lately but she held on strong. She was an unstoppable blur of red and black. He knocked out a couple of Creeps with a grin. He was confident they would make it.
Though that confidence was short lived when five Goliaths came into the battleground.
"Claire... "
"I see them."
"I know. I have a question."
"An odd time to ask but go for... " Claire said creating giant blocks of ice.
"Do you still want your village?"
"More than anything."
"I can create a big barrier to keep you and everyone else safe."
"You would be out of aura to protect the yourself."
Summer smiled, "I know but I have this feeling you have more than just silver eyes."
"Ah... You are correct. Though, once you spend all your power I'll encase you in ice but after that you're on your own."
"Agreed."
Claire took out two Goliaths on her own as Raven, Taiyang and Qrow took out the other three.
"Raven!" Summer yelled and she came running.
"What's up fearless leader?" Raven asked with a smile.
She was covered in cuts, blood and a few bruises.
"I'm building a wall."
Raven's expression became dark.
"I'll be fine. Just don't say anything to Qrow."
She gave her a quick unsure nod and headed back into the mess of Grimm.
"You sure you can do it without killing yourself?" Claire asked.
"No."
Claire stared at her.
"If everyone else is fine then that's enough for me."
"You're a stupid girl."
Summer smiled.
The ground shook some and Summer shot into the air on a vine. She raised her hands up and took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. This was it- this would a test to see how far she had come after all this time.
The ground began to shake violently even scaring the Grimm within the immediate area. Taiyang and Qrow looked confused as to what she was doing. The vines shot out of the ground and began weaving with each other. She only had half of the circle up and it didn't seem like any big deal.
When she went to do the second half, she wobbled feeling woozy. Her eyes started to hurt but she didn't care. A fourth of the circle popped up connecting to the rest and the last fourth started to rise but Summer felt herself almost fainting. She rubbed her face but realized her nose started to bleed badly.
"Ugh... "
"If you push too hard bad things will happen! You'll lose control!"
It was Claire's voice.
I have to do this...
Summer stood back up and tried again. She raised her hand and the last bit of the wall shot up, linking itself with the rest.
I did it...
She passed out and started falling.
"Summer!" Qrow cried but she didn't respond.
Raven pulled out her blade, slashing the air. She disappeared and reappeared by Summer's falling, unconscious body. She grabbed her with one arm and they disappeared. Qrow was doing his best going through all the Grimm to get to his sister and girlfriend.
Please be alive... Please be alive...
Raven landed on top of an Ursa killing it from the impact of her landing.
"She's alive," Raven said, "Give me a minute and I'll replenish some of her aura."
"Let me-
"No! Remember what happened last time when you did that for me?!"
Qrow snapped his mouth shut.
"She OK?!" Taiyang yelled.
"Yeah!"
Claire was in the distance checking on the children.
"Damn that was a stupid move..." Qrow said looking upset.
"Actually it wasn't. She saved everyone by creating a natural barrier. If she were to die I think this is how she would go out," Taiyang said and Raven smiled.
"It smells a lot like roses now," Raven said closing her eyes.
"It does."
Everyone closed their eyes just for a moment.
"BLACK WIDOWS!" Claire screamed.
They were coming slowly down the new walls.
She encased the trap doors with ice protecting the kids. Very few Grimm in Remnant were extremely dangerous and needed caution when fighting them. Claire ran for team STRQ because she would just attract them to the children she was trying to save.
"Give me the girl!" Claire screamed.
"No!" Qrow yelled.
Raven paused and handed Summer over.
"What the fuck Raven?! Have you lost your mind?!"
"Your bad luck is enough! Shut up Qrow! This is the best way! Claire can do things no one else can!"
"How the fuck do you know-
Raven locked eyes with Claire.
"Come back for the kids and make sure they're fine OK? I already lost Airis, make her death mean something... Please."
Taiyang nodded, "Sure thing."
Claire took off to the wall and ice stairs began forming as she ran up the wall. The spiders weren't after them they were after Summer and Claire. Without even asking, she had decided their fate for them. They would be alive while Summer and Claire would be dead in the woods.
Qrow glared at his sister.
"What right did you have to decide that for her? For me? " he screamed.
"I just know she'll be fine-
"You can't tell me she will be if you aren't with her!" her brother yelled turning red in the face.
"Qrow… She'll be fine. If anything one of us can stay here for the kids and the other two run after Summer," Taiyang said, "What do you think Raven?"
"I think Qrow should stay here."
"REALLY-
"It would be for the best."
"HOW-
"Because you're emotionally overloading right now," she answered.
His mouth snapped shut.
"You're great with kids anyways…" Taiyang said grinning, patting him on the back.
Qrow said nothing as Raven got up pulling her red sword out.
"Qrow… one day… you'll understand why and you won't be able to forgive me for a really long time but… Remember you're my brother and I love you. Which is why you are staying here."
The red and black portal Raven always used appeared and she grabbed Taiyang's hand taking him through.
X
X
Claire collapsed against the tree looking at the sky. The sky was distorted through the ice she had set up to protect them while she rested. Summer was still out. The Black Widows were waiting patiently on the outside for them to come out. She knew no one would be able to help against these kind of Grimm. They were thinking creatures, like the Goliaths.
"I guess this is the end Summer."
Summer didn't answer.
Claire's silver eyes filled up with tears.
"Even with my Winter Maiden powers I can't stop them all. There's at least twenty now and probably more on the way."
She shivered from the red eyes peering at her through the ice barrier.
"Summer, there's a lot in this world you don't want to know about. There's lots of horrible people and you are probably one of the nicest ones there is. Silver eyed people aren't nice and they were never made to be but we have all one thing in common: we care about the lives of others even if they despised us. All of us were thrown to the side by our families out of fear but me. My sister took me somewhere safe and took care of me.
"It's laughable really. We are twins… Airis was bestowed the Maiden power out of chance and I had eyes that would attract the Grimm. Do you know why they come after us? We smell like sweet flowers maybe sugar… We smell of sweet death even though people can't smell it. There was rumor we smelled different and the creatures of Grimm could smell it."
One of the Black Widows started tapping on the ice, testing its durability. Claire wiped away her tears but they kept coming anyways.
"I regret lots of things. I regret not getting you when Airis dropped you in the woods. She was only fifteen. The dad didn't want you and I beat his ass. He cried like a baby after I was done with him but after that… Airis took off in the middle of the night. She dropped you in some abandoned house. She had no idea if you would live or not but the amount of Grimm they kept attacking our village was so bad.
"My own sister loved me more than anything but she couldn't bring herself to love you. I wish she did, I never wanted that kind of life for my own niece. That night that you showed up with your team I never thought you were my niece. After you left… Airis cried, telling me you were her baby. She remembered everything about you. The shape of your face and the color of your hair… But the one thing she remembered the most was how kind your eyes looked."
Claire's face was covered in hot tears.
"This isn't the life I wanted for you or her. The self-sacrifice you have instilled within you… I admire you. I am glad through everything… You have family. A team. Friends. I envy you."
She looked down at Summer's resting face.
"If I can do anything to make up the mistakes Airis did. That I did, it will be making sure you make it out alive. It's stupid to mention this but there's legend that if one of us dies from old age… the curse will be broken. Stupid huh?"
The ice started to crack.
"I need you to wake up now…" Claire said slapping Summer's face lightly.
"Ugh…"
"Please wake up."
"Let me sleep Qrow…"
"It's Claire. We are in the woods."
Summer opened her eyes looking up at Claire.
"What?"
"We are surrounded by Black Widows."
The color drained from her face, "What?"
"I see you have experience with them then."
Summer sat up and looked around.
"Oh no! Where are the others-
"Safe and sound."
Summer stood up and looked around. They were indeed surrounded.
"Why didn't you run?!" Summer asked.
"Because they were after us but I did run. I can't do this alone."
They just stared at each other.
"I can blast away those closest to us but that doesn't count for the ones in the back. So I waited."
Summer bit her lip.
"It's do or die now. Are you ready?"
"Where's my sword?" Summer asked.
"It got left behind. I got distracted because your boyfriend wanted to argue."
Her face heated up.
"Don't overdo it and just do what is necessary. I would prefer to die another way. Black Widows are horrible Grimm."
"Agreed."
Claire stood up and smiled, "Let's make it out alive."