"WHERE DID THEY GET A DRAGON!?" Roman yelled, holding on for dear life to one of the many grooves on the Atlas Battleship. Said battleship was now pointing directly to the stars. The Dragon in question that Roman was yelling about was currently perched on the opposite end of the ship, its weight causing the ship to bow.
"WHY IS IT CALLED KEVIN!?" Ruby screamed; the fact she was facing a real-life Dragon overshadowed by the fact said Dragon was snapping its massive jaws at them. Crescent Rose had embedded itself into the battleship, as Ruby was desperately clinging to its shaft.
Atop the blade, Neopolitan balanced precariously, only now wishing she had put some form of firearm into Hush. "It was quite a popular name centuries ago." Solaris answered with a smile, as if she wasn't standing on the maw of the beast.
Roman tried to pull himself up, but cursed as one hand slipped. Left hanging with a single hand, he allowed his cane to slide from the crook of his arm into his grip. He aimed it downward as a reticle flicked upward.
His weapon wasn't meant for a foe this large. Hell, it wasn't even meant for Grimm in general, it was for fighting off pesky Hunters and Huntresses, like the one in red dangling to his side. However, Roman was a firm believer of the 'It's not the size it's how you use it' School of thought.
He checked his aim, not at the Dragon, but to the blonde standing atop it. Solaris grinned madly, stretching her arms out wide. Roman cursed the day that damn Wolf had shown up and somehow wormed his way into Neo's heart.
He didn't trust Red's naivety, but if Neo believed that he could beat Cinder… He'd take that bet. Roman fired, and the world lurched. A roar boomed all the way from Beacon, somehow heard all the way up on the battleship.
It caught the Dragon's attention almost immediately as it dismounted, flapping its mighty wings and taking to the sky, accidentally dislodging its passenger. Solaris let out a yell of surprise, before Roman's shot struck her mid-air. The woman gave a scream of anger as she was sent careening into the sky.
Anti-climactic though it was, her opponents were glad she was gone. Regrettably, the three who faced her could not revel in their victory just yet, as the battleship they were on rocked dangerously. The stern of the ship rose with startling speed, now that the massive weight of the Dragon had gone.
Unfortunately, it caught several Griffons on the way up, the Grimm crashing into the ship and destroying several important systems. Several explosions riddled the ship, as Roman, Ruby and Neo began to quickly run to the bow.
"GREAT! ALL THAT JUST TO BE BLOWN TO BITS FROM ATLAS!" Roman yelled, having reached the end of the ship. "HOW THE HELL DO YOU PLAN TO GET DOWN FROM HERE?!" His answer was a something pink and frilly being shoved into his hands.
He looked down to see Hush in his grasp, before his head snapped back up to Neo. She gave him a look that suggested he better take care of her weapon, before disappearing in a shatter of glass. "I'm so confused!" Ruby yelled, looking to where Neo had vanished. "Does she have two Semblances?!"
"Not sure on that myself, Red. Neo's Neo." He answered, as if that explained everything and ignoring the fact he was having what might be considered casual conversation with the Huntress in training. He held the pink umbrella by its handle and held it aloft, before sighing. "This is the least dignified way to escape an exploding battleship."
Regardless, the thief jumped and opened the umbrella, the blustering winds carrying him away, as he desperately held onto his bowler hat with his other hand. Ruby grumbled as she watched Torchwick flee, before looking to Beacon.
The Dragon had taken off in the direction of the school, where the roar had come from, which worried Ruby greatly. What was over there that caused it to leave? She didn't know, but she was going to find out. With a quick burst of her Semblance she leapt from the falling ship, firing Crescent Rose and using the momentum to carry her to Beacon.
She just hoped everyone else was alright…
…
"DUCK!" Yang cried, to herself more than anything, as Adam's blade severed one of her hairs. Her eyes flashed red as she tried to deliver an uppercut into her opponent's jaw, only for it to be parried as she was ruthlessly kicked back.
Even three on one, Adam was keeping up with them. His rage only lasted for so long, and Weiss couldn't think of any more insults that would also spare Blake's dignity. Yang landed with a grunt between Blake and Weiss, who were both panting for breath, the Faunus clutching a nasty gash on her midriff.
"And here I thought your time here would make you stronger, my love." Adam said, swinging his sword once and sheathing it. "But you ran. How can you hope to take what you want, when you are still weak."
"I-" Blake attempted to stand, but remained on her knees, clutching her side. "I didn't want this! I wanted equality! I wanted peace!"
"How can you say that with a Schnee next to you!? Do they want peace?! Equality?!" Adam exclaimed, hand going to the hilt of his sword as he turned his head to face the Heiress. "The Schnee have been our enemy since the White Fang began. And I intend to give them the justice they deserve."
Weiss stood shakily to her feet, leaning on her rapier for support. "Then take me." She said, causing Yang and Blake to look at her with wide eyes. "You want a Schnee? You have one. Take me, and leave the school. Leave my friends alone."
"Weiss-" "Don't-" "This is my family's fault." The Heiress cut across her teammates, her pale blue eyes locked on Taurus. "My father's fault. And I refuse to let anyone else, Faunus or otherwise suffer because of his idiocy."
"Well, what do you know. It is possible for a Schnee to admit their wrongs. A shame it won't save you." Adam burst forward, as he shot his weapon out and swung the blood red blade down. A shining white sword stopped it in its tracks.
"WHAT?!" Adam exclaimed, before a pain exploded in his gut and sent him flying through the cafeteria doors. Yang cocked Ember Celica back, as she turned to stare at Weiss. Behind her, an armoured and glowing arm grew out of a glyph, wielding a massive claymore.
"Damn it Weiss." The brawler sighed. "Couldn't have let us in on your plan? I thought you were actually going to die!" She glared at the girl, but there was no heat in it.
"I can't very well change the SDC if I am ten feet under, now can I?" Weiss asked, though her voice wavered as she spoke. She had come so close to death, and all to protect her teammates. Her friends. She swallowed, the lump in her throat dying as her summoned weapon dissipated.
"We need to leave. Now." Blake said, managing to stand to her feet. "Adam doesn't go down easily- not the time Yang- and we still need to find Ruby and Crue." She pointedly ignored Yang's snigger, but the blonde agreed.
"Right." The three turned, about to head out of one of the many broken windows, where they could still hear fighting from outside. "We need to-" "SCHNEE!"
A voice roared, as the doors to cafeteria were shredded in a series of slashes, and Adam Taurus rocketed forward. Weiss turned, immediately bringing Myrtenaster up to defend herself, before her body froze.
Adam's mask was missing. And there, branded across his left eye was a mark the Heiress recognised all too well. 'SDC' was burned into the man's face as a grisly scar, the eye it covered bloody and grey. Weiss was rooted to the spot as Adam advanced, his mouth peeled back in a rage filled snarl as he swung his sword down.
Weiss moved. Not by choice. Something pushed her out of the way of the glowing crimson blade, and a sickly thump sounded out, followed by a scream. The Heiress' head turned, seeing Yang slumped to the ground, her arm… her arm…
Bile rose in Weiss' throat, as she looked at the severed limb. Blood began to pool, as Blake hit the ground and tried to shake Yang's prone form. "How like a Schnee. Sacrificing those around you for your own benefit."
His words caused Weiss to shake as she stared at the growing puddle of blood. "This is what happens, to the ones you love, Blake. You hurt those around you." Adam said, swinging his sword free of blood, before holding it back behind him, as he looked to Blake.
Blake remained crouched protectively over Yang, her amber eyes brimming with tears and staring defiantly up at the Faunus. "Goodbye, my love." He said as he swung. Weiss tried to move forward, to throw herself in front of the blade. She didn't need to.
The world shook, as a roar that rocked the very foundations of Beacon echoed around them and halted Adam's swing completely. His one good eye darted back and forth, the roar sounded close. Much too close to be safe.
Something approached him rapidly, and he jumped back as a grey blur shot by, impacting the wall with a scream of agony. Adam turned, seeing one of Cinder's minions landing in a crumpled and bloody heap, before his head shot up. He briefly recognised him as the one who told him of the revulsion between Blake and the Schnee.
His eyes were filled with fear, and he didn't seem to care who was in front of him as he screamed. "RUN!" His legs crackled and sparked as he tried to stand, while Adam had a brief moment to wonder what he was meant to run from.
The gush of hot, fetid air blowing on his neck answered his question. The Faunus' hair stood on end as his body froze, goosebumps erupting throughout his skin as out of the corner of his eye he could see the Blake and the Schnee looking behind him in abject terror. A familiar wave of complete and utter peril washed over him as his instincts screamed at him to run. To flee.
Slowly, he turned around.
To compare what he saw to a Beowulf would be a disservice. A monster, easily twice the height of an Alpha, stood before him, dark brown fur covering its body. Its arms were long, spindly, yet undoubtedly brimming with muscle.
An elongated, fang filled snout bared its teeth at him, as eyes like molten gold stared into Adam's very soul. Two large ears suddenly flicked, as the monster's gaze turned towards the three Beacon students.
It sniffed, as it looked directly to the unconscious and bleeding blonde. Weiss and Blake moved their bodies in front of Yang, but it was for naught. Instead of going after wounded prey, the beast's gaze turned back to Adam, hatred and fury burning in those golden eyes.
"Ahhhhhhh…" The growl was a deep, guttural thing that sounded like a landslide given voice, as razor sharp claws sunk into the stone. "Daaaaaaaahm." The Faunus' blood ran cold, as the monster before him growled out his name. Its arm swung, and Adam brought his sword up to protect him.
It wasn't enough, as the claws carved into Wilt and sent him flying back into Mercury. The beast did not let up, charging with a roar like thunder that shook their very bones. The monster crashed through the solid wall like it wasn't even there, bringing Mercury and Adam with it, as the Beacon students took the opportunity for what it was.
"What was that thing?!" Weiss hissed with a crack in her voice, picking up Yang as Blake grabbed her by the other side.
"I-I don't know." The Faunus stuttered out. Her side was slick with blood, as Weiss ripped off some of her combat skirt to wrap around Yang's bleeding arm. "This-This is my fault. Adam came looking for me."
"Do not blame yourself for this." Weiss hissed. "You, you saw his face. It was my family. My fault. I-" The Heiress' breath suddenly caught, as she came to a sudden halt. Blake stopped as well, turning to where her teammate was looking, and felt her heart sink.
A body lay. Still and cold next to a damaged wall. Lifeless green eyes stared at them, framed by bright ginger hair. "Penny…" Weiss breathed out. She took a step toward the remains, before her foot kicked something metal.
She glanced down and felt her heart stop as she fell to her knees. "No." A broken sob came out. Her hands reached out to hold the cold blue metal, before bringing it up to her chest. She gripped Setanta tight, as tears began to build up in her eyes. Next to her, Blake couldn't bring herself to speak.
Crue, he wouldn't leave his weapon lying around. And he would never leave Penny… "That thing…" Blake swallowed. "You don't think…" The Faunus didn't want to think of the possibility but looking around the area, she could see signs of battle.
Penny was dead. Crue was nowhere to be found. And that monster had come from where they were. A soft groan came from her side, as she began to lose her grip on Yang. "Weiss. We need to go, quickly. We need to get Yang somewhere safe." Tears stung at her own eyes, as she tried to carry the brawler under her own power.
She got a few feet, before the weight eased. Glancing to the side, she saw Weiss carrying her unconscious teammate, her normally pristine white dress stained red. On her side, opposite her rapier, she hung Setanta from her belt.
Her pale blue eyes were close to tears, and some fell as they trudged onward, determined to get Yang to safety.
They couldn't afford to lose another friend.
…
Hatred and Wrath fuelled the Monster as it gave chase to its prey. There were no thoughts behind its golden eyes, only instinct and unbridled rage. It could not differentiate between them easily, its mind too far gone to tell anything apart properly. But in the beast's head, it knew one thing.
The Bull had hurt Yellow, and he was meant to stop that. Grey brought him into being, destroying that which had kept him at bay all this time. The monster roared, swiping a massive claw that churned through dirt and stone, pelting those running from him.
More prey appeared in its path, some matching the appearance of the monster and looked eager to join on its hunt. Claws and teeth tore them to shreds, black blood flying as the Monster ripped those who dared intrude on its pursuit.
The Monster leapt forward, its jaws slamming down on Bull's leg, as it gave a shriek of pain that only further enticed the Monster as it shook its head wildly. A searing pain suddenly tore up its chest, as Bull swung his sword.
Bull went flying into Grey as the Monster released his prey, snarling madly as it crashed through the stonework. More prey got in its way, the same black shaped beasts as before. They thought they could steal what was so rightfully belonged to it?
A deep howl reverberated through the night, challenging the strongest beasts present for the claim of the prey. Several responded, alike to the Monster in shape only, for nothing could dwarf its size as it tore into the throat of a pretender.
The black wolf fell to the ground, as a dark, spike covered bear roared in challenge. The roar died, along with the one who gave it as the Monsters claws tore through the armoured bone as if it were paper. So much carnage. So much destruction. The Monster revelled in it.
The Monster howled once more, before its snout huffed. It inhaled deeply as it focused on the scent.
Blood.
Fear.
Prey.
Its golden eyes focused on a grey wall. Its prey hid behind, catching their breath. Believing themselves safe. The Monster got down onto all fours, saliva dripping from its open jaw as it slowly let a claw edge over the top of the wall.
The Monster could smell it. The immediate dread that came from its prey as the claws scratched along stonework. And then, it dragged its claws away.
The immediate relief from Grey and Bull was palpable, even to the mindless Monster. Which only gave it all the more satisfaction as it crashed through the wall and grabbed Grey before dragging him screaming towards its open maw.
Grey kicked out, slamming the jaw closed as a snarl of rage erupted from within the fangs. In response, the Monster slammed Grey across the ground, sending him skipping like a rock on water and into Bull. Bull pushed Grey off him and brought up his blade against the Monsters claws. Long, jagged claws scraped into the metal, and ear-splitting screech coming from the contact.
Grey managed to push himself up, blood flowing from the gashes on his chest, and fired a blast into the Monster's shoulder, as Bull swung his blade. Buckshot embedded into the Monster's flesh and a thin line of red appeared along its arm. The monster snarled and swung its claws at its prey.
One sliced Bull, sending him crashing back tearing apart his attire and letting fresh blood spill from his chest. His one eye looked down in what could only be fear, as though something should have prevented that attack. The other claw grabbed Grey's leg, his face morphing into one of horror as he was slammed against the Bull.
Bull went flying, and with a dangerous growl the Monster brought Grey up and slammed again, this time against the ground, playing with Grey like the prey he was. Another slam, and Grey shrieked in agony and pain as the Monster stumbled back in surprise.
The Monster looked to its claw with a sickly imitation of childlike curiosity. Its prey was gone, and in its paw was a limb that smelled of metal and oil. Sparks rained from the tear. Not flesh. It growled and hurled the limb away. Getting down on all fours, it returned its focus onto its prey.
Grey was crawling away from him, with Bull running from the Monster, the scent of his blood fading as he left the other to fend for itself. It growled in anger, before locking its golden eyes on Grey. He seemed to sense his gaze, turning around while continuously pushing himself away.
The Monster approached slowly, saliva dripping from its open maw as a low growl rumbled from his throat. It stalked its prey, claws digging into the ground as it inhaled deeply, savouring the fear that surrounded Grey. The beast's jaws opened, as it tensed and prepared to pounce.
Pain suddenly lanced through its heart. It reeled back, gripping its head as a burning sensation ripped through him. The Monster let out a howl of pain and rage that dominated the night, its claws lashing out wildly and destroying everything around it.
Walls and buildings were knocked over in the rampage, and more fake beasts met their end due to its claws. Another howl sounded out as it collapsed to the ground and began to convulse while roars and howls shook the world around him. Claws swung and fangs snapped as it roared in pain.
It was like his very soul was on fire. Agony tore through him, as his prey took the opportunity to escape, bounding away with blasts from his boot, too afraid to even dare look back. The beast's bones shifted and cracked with a roar, as the pellets that Grey had shot him with expelled from his flesh, embedding into stone.
The Monster was gone, leaving a bloodied Crue Cullen in its place, face down in the grass. The body remained still, before suddenly lurching as he rolled onto his side. Crue vomited onto the churned-up soil, his throat burning and his muscles aching.
"Wha-What happened?" He muttered out, rolling onto his back and away from his regurgitation, his chest rising and falling with painful breaths. His blue eyes looked up to the night sky, stars shining brightly, occasionally blinking out thanks to Grimm flying by.
"Grimm… Beacon…" His mind slowly put the pieces together, before everything connected with a snap. "Penny." Something raw and broken ripped from Crue's throat as he let out a scream of anguish. Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he brought his palms up to cover them.
He failed. Again. He lost another he cared for. Again. Because of his own inability to protect them. Again. He slammed a fist down onto the ground as he roared into the night sky. Hot tears ran down his cheeks, as he tried to stand.
He had failed Penny. But that burning in his soul. He knew what it was. "Pyrrha..." He grunted out, pushing a hand into the ground and straining. The Aura Transfer machine. It didn't work. He lost Penny. He wasn't losing anyone else. He refused.
His legs protested. His entire body protested. Still, Crue stood to his feet, his chest heaving as he took in great gulps of air. He looked over his body, seeing the damage he had accrued. It hurt to breathe, as he pulled open his shirt.
A bright red mark sat in the centre of his chest, from where Mercury had attacked him. And a long bloody scar stretched diagonally across him. Crue had no idea where it came from. The Faunus' brow furrowed, as he tried to remember what happened after Mercury attacked. He remembered his Aura shattering.
He had never experienced that before. And he never wanted to again. It was like being thrown into ice cold water without any warning. A sudden vulnerability that Crue had forgotten. He had been with Aura for so long, it was hard to remember life without it.
He tried to focus on the spark. To manifest his soul. He couldn't find it. His Aura was completely drained. Panic overtook Crue, as his breathing suddenly stilled. He swallowed, looking down to his hands.
Without Aura, he wouldn't stand a chance. He wouldn't be able to protect anyone else. "No." Crue said, gritting his teeth as his hands clenched into fists. "I've lived my whole life without Aura. I woke up here without it." He looked skyward, as the sound of beating wings suddenly assaulted his ears.
A mass of black flew low towards him, headed in the direction of Beacon Tower with a screech. A spark of rage flickered within his heart. "Aura or not." He said slowly, reaching to his chest and taking his mirrored sunglasses off his waistcoat. He stared at them, steely blue eyes looking back.
"I'm not losing anyone else. I don't care what it takes." He placed the glasses on his face, before rolling his shoulders and shrugging off his leather jacket. A dark green cloak unfurled, having been scrunched up beneath the clothing, along with a collapsed helmet.
He held the helmet in his hands, taking a deep breath before putting it on. No Aura. No Semblance. No Setanta. "No problem." He cracked his knuckles together beneath the gauntlets, as the tail of the Grimm Dragon dragged across the ground, destroying everything in its wake.
"Let's see how fondly Cinder remembers me." The Wolf stated, claws shooting out as he ran and leapt toward the tail. His blades pierced the leathery skin, lacking any bone plates to give it protection on the underside. The wind was knocked out of him as he landed against it, his lungs straining to take in the great gulps of air he would need for the fight.
The Dragon roared, as it flew onward, flicking its tail in agitation. The Wolf held on, wrapping his legs around it and removing one claw to pierce further on, attempting to move up and around the tail. It was treacherous work, as lumps of what looked like tar fell from the Dragon, landing with a disgusting splash and spawning more Grimm.
The Wolf regretted looking down almost immediately. He had been this high up before, but that was when he had Aura. When he had his Semblance. Now he was several meters high, his only tether being the blades he had dug into the tail of the Dragon.
He couldn't quite say he was 'riding' the Dragon into battle. That would imply the Dragon followed his instructions and he was able to stay on it without issue. This was not riding. This was holding on for dear life and hoping that he would make it to his destination.
The Wolf dared to look forward and saw flashes of light within the Ozpin's tower. Rage filled his very being, as he realised what was happening. Pyrrha didn't listen to him. She stormed the tower. She sent Jaune away. She was alone.
Not for long.
The Dragon approached the tower and did not seem to be slowing down. That was fine with The Wolf, as he retracted one set of claws and prepared to disembark. "Thank you for flying air Kevin." He murmured, trying to allow himself to feel something other than anger. Other than rage. Than Wrath.
It didn't seem to work, as the Grimm smashed through the top of the tower, sending debris falling down. The Wolf withdrew his claws and jumped as the tail passed over the ruined tower. He was not that high up from it, thankfully, as without Aura he wouldn't have been able to survive the fall to the office.
His eyes scanned the broken remains of Ozpin's office, as his eyes narrowed. A head of red hair stood out, pressed up against one of the few remaining walls. In the middle of the floor, a bright flame silhouetted his enemy, as he himself was silhouetted by the broken moon.
The Wolf had the element of surprise. Neither knew of his presence as he began to fall. He could land on his enemy and end her. She wouldn't look up. It wasn't in her nature. He could stop her now.
Unfortunately, the Wrath that burned within refused to be silent.
"CINDERRRRRR!" He roared, bringing his claws out as he rocketed downwards. The roar caught the attention of those below, as amber eyes widened and shot backwards. Just in time for a gout of flame to rush upwards and consume the one falling.
The Wolf grit his teeth and winced as the flames wrapped around him. A feeling of surprisingly comfortable warmth washed over him, as he burst from the fire with a roar as his claws swung downward.
The Wolf hit the ground, his clawed gauntlet striking it and splintering the floor. Inwardly, The Wolf cursed himself for his idiocy. Both for giving away his position, and for thinking slamming a fist into solid stone wouldn't hurt.
The Wolf retracted his claws and stood slowly, his green cloaking billowing in the rushing winds. He angled his head towards Cinder, her amber eyes surrounded by a golden flame. And looking at The Wolf with disbelief.
The Wolf glanced to the single ember burning on his cloak. Making sure to keep his gaze on Cinder, he reached over and pinched the flame, snuffing it with a hiss.
"Cinder." He greeted, as if he hadn't just fallen from the sky through an inferno of flame.
"You." She managed to growl out, her flames glowing brighter as her teeth ground against each other.
"Me." He replied, judging his position. He landed on the opposite side of Pyrrha, with Cinder in the middle. He turned his head slightly to look at the Spartan, her own eyes wide in astonishment at the man who fell from the sky. "I told you to say no, Pyrrha." He said softly.
Emerald eyes blinked as the words sunk in. A gasp managed to escape Pyrrha's mouth, but before she could speak, The Wolf turned to face Cinder completely. "Cinder." He threw his arms out wide in faux welcome. "And here I thought we wouldn't be seeing each other again."
Pyrrha was still alive. He intended to keep it that way. Even if it meant drawing Cinder's attention away from Pyrrha. "Wolf." Cinder's voice dripped with venom, as her teeth clenched in a terrifying snarl. "You are too late." The snarl was gone, replaced with a smug smile.
"That which is so rightfully mine now resides with me." She summoned a flame in her hand, one that flickered dangerously in the reflection of her eyes. "Beacon has fallen. And Ozpin-" "Is dead." The Wolf interrupted, causing the fire to flicker out of existence.
"I know." He said, having now wiped the smile from Cinder's face. He began to move, his eyes never leaving Cinder's. "I know of the Vault. I know of the Maiden." His words caused the flames in the Maiden's eyes to flicker in shock, almost completely disappearing. Another thing he knew that he shouldn't.
"What I don't know…" He admitted slowly. "I just need to bide for time." He thought, desperately trying to keep Cinder's attention. "Is why you're still here." He ended his pacing, now stood protectively in front of Pyrrha.
"You've got what you wanted. The Maiden's power. Take it and leave, while you still can." His fists hung down, hands flexing as he prepared to unleash his claws at the first sign of danger.
"Is that a threat?" Cinder asked, her flames flickering back to life as she rose above the ground, a small jet of fire propelling her. "I've had an upgrade since we last fought, Wolf. As for why I remain…" Her amber eyes seemed to stare right through him.
"I can feel it. The smallest sliver of my power. Remaining in her." A crystal bow sprung to life in her hand, as she twirled it round, almost lazily. "And I am not one to leave things unfinished, Wolf."
"You need to go." The Wolf whispered backward, rolling his shoulders as he brought his hands up in a boxing stance towards Cinder.
"I, I can't." Pyrrha answered. She tried to stand but let out a hiss of pain. It was enough to cause The Wolf to glance back, and for a low growl to erupt from his throat as his eyes landed on her leg. An arrow had pierced the Spartans heel, rending her unable to flee.
Pyrrha's eyes widened as she let out a gasp, causing The Wolf to immediately return his attention to Cinder and shoot out his claws. The amber eyed Maiden's eyes were wide as she stared at him, and The Wolf noticed she had her bow lowered in what could only be confusion.
When he raised his arms, he finally realised what she was staring at. The Wolf reached forward with his right hand and snapped the haft of the arrow that had pierced his left bicep. He didn't feel it. And not in a 'my adrenaline and rage are too great to feel any pain' type of way.
He could feel nothing from the impact. Or the head still embedded in him. He turned his attention back to Cinder, as he clenched his fist, the remnants of the arrow falling to the ground as The Wolf suddenly rushed forward.
Cinder reacted immediately, her bow shattering as flames flew from her hands in the direction of her enemy. The Wolf slid to the ground, the flames burning just above him as he slammed his foot against Cinder's shin.
She let out an angered grunt, stumbling back from the blow as The Wolf sprung up, spinning horizontally with claws swinging wildly. Fire washed over him, burning away parts of his cloak and licking his bare arms.
Surprisingly, he didn't feel any real pain from the attack, as he burst from the flame and swung his claws down. Cinder brought her head back, the smug expression she held ripped from her face as the claws nicked a single hair, before grating down her arm as Aura flashed angrily.
A ball of fire sprung to life in her palm, and she slammed it into The Wolf's midsection. The flame erupted, the force of the explosion sending him crashing back into one of the few remaining walls with a sickening crack. Several somethings were broken within his body, as The Wolf fell to his hands and knees, coughing up blood within his helmet.
There was no shattering of Aura. There was none left to begin with.
"Get up." He yelled at himself mentally. He pressed a hand onto one leg and pushed. "GET UP!" With a concerning stumble, he stood to his feet, bringing his claws up once more. His body screamed at him to stop as he staggered. To give in and let the fatigue take him.
He refused. Cinder grew a snarl. "Still, you stand against me." Her flames disappeared as she summoned her bow, knocking an arrow, taking careful aim at The Wolf. Her eyes briefly flickered to the side, and she grew a dangerous smile and began to alter her aim. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pyrrha edging her way to her fallen shield. He needed to keep Cinder's attention on him.
"I've, stood against you, from the start, Cinder." The Wolf responded through pained gasps, sheathing his claws and reaching for his helmet. Cinder paused at the action, realising what he was about to do. She could kill him now and remove the helmet herself.
But the idea of watching the life drain from her foes eyes was too good an opportunity to pass up. "And I thought I told you…" The Wolf began, trailing off as the latch on his helmet came undone, and he removed the headpiece.
The winds blew against dirty blonde hair, as two wolfish ears sprung upward free of their confines. "It is you…" Pyrrha's voice came out as a whisper, as Crue Cullen held The Wolf's helmet in one hand.
Cinder's own amber eyes were reflected in his sunglasses as the hand that held the arrow shook with a myriad of emotions. Anger that she had been tricked. Disbelief that Crue had gotten away with it for this long.
And the smallest sliver of regret, stabbing deep into her heart. "I thought I told you to stay out of trouble, Cinder." Crue managed a smile that was stained with blood. "You're not the best at following orders, though."
"Just ask your Queen." Cinder faltered under Crue's words. Her amber eyes were wide, as her mouth almost fell open in shock. Crue didn't think he would get another chance better than this, as his hand moved. He hurled his helmet toward Cinder.
He dashed towards her, the jade helm creating a blind spot that Crue took advantage of. He kept his body low to the ground, trying to hide behind the helmet as his claws shot out. There was a sound of breaking glass, as a bright glow surrounded the helmet.
An arrow formed around it, shooting directly towards Crue. Time seemed to slow, as he raised a clawed gauntlet to slash it out of the air.
He missed.
The arrow slipped between the gap in the blades.
For less than a second, less time than it takes a butterfly to beat its wings, the arrow was one of a pair, the other reflected in Crue's glasses. Then, it was one of a dozen as it cracked the lens and pierced a steely blue eye.
Crue's legs gave out as a raw scream of pain ripped itself from his lungs as he fell to his knees and his head snapped back. His glasses fell from his face, his left eye destroyed as blood ran from the socket. Through the thumping of his heart in his ears and the pounding of his blood, he could barely make out Pyrrha crying out his name.
The Faunus nearly fell forward, were it not for Cinder catching him by the throat and raising his head so she could stare into his eye. "All this time. From the moment you saw me. You were against me." Her hand gripped his throat, heating up to a ridiculous degree as his skin turned red beneath her grasp. "Why?!"
"P-Protecting. Them." Crue's consciousness was fleeting, as his one eye looked up to meet Cinder's. A part of his mind said that there was no way out. That this was it. Nothing he could do would save him here.
Pyrrha was alive. He hadn't failed. His job was done. His one eye briefly closed, as he accepted that he was destined to die here.
An eye of blue steel shot back open, the smallest ember of anger burning within.
Destined to die here? No. Fuck that. He had so much more to do. So much he wanted to do. He wanted to see his friends. The ember grew into a flame. He wanted to see them happy. Together. Alive. The flame grew again, into a fire. He wanted to see Neo. To spend time with her. To live with her. Love her.
The fire grew once more into a blaze. He wanted everyone to be safe. To live their lives. To watch them experience love and loss and joy and sorrow. An inferno of determination burned within Crue, a refusal to die.
Crue's eye stared at Cinder. It blazed with the Wrath of a man who had been broken and beaten, but not defeated. It might have been the last dregs of his mind trying to give him something to hold onto, to believe in, but he swore he could see tears forming at the edge of her amber eyes.
"Fff…fff…" Crue tried to curse, as Cinder removed her hand and stepped back, bringing a glass sword up and over her shoulder. There was a burning sensation where his eye had been, like Hell itself opened a doorway in his skull, as tiny motes of blue began to float upward from the socket.
Somehow, he found his voice as his remaining eye hardened, steel blue boring into amber, just as Cinder swung her sword down to end him. "Fuck Destiny." The blade changed its angle at the last second, slamming down into Crue's shoulder.
Blood spurt upward, and Crue wished he could feel the pain. Feel something to let him know that he was alive. There was no such luck, as just before his consciousness left him, he heard somebody scream his name.
And then, the world turned white.
Cursing out destiny while believing if he stayed angry enough he'd stay alive. Yeah, that's probably how Crue imagined he'd go out. And what do you know.
He was right.
Until Next Time
-Friday, The Author