Chapter 12

"Damn it Roman, you know what she'll do to us!" Junior yelled from his corner on the bridge. He, along with his twin enforcers struggled against their restraints.

"Yea, yea I know Junior. That's why I'm here, doing what I'm doing. I need her dead. If I stuck around with her I'd be dead sooner or later. The same goes for you." Roman replied as he took the captains seat. He put his feet up on a pile of unconscious goons. All Junior's, of course.

"You really think the Huntsmen can kill her Roman? You've seen how strong she is, there's no way!"

"I have. That's why I'm not the one fighting her. Whether they win or lose doesn't really matter, either way, I have an Atlesian cruiser under my control and access to an army of robot warriors. She'll have to work to get me now."

"You think that either of those will really slow her down?" Junior tried to break free yet again, but the bonds held strong, Neo was so good at tying people down it was scary. "Look out that damned window and tell me you don't think that fucking beast will kill us all!"

Roman lit a cigar and leaned back in his chair, pulling his hat down over his face. He took a long drag and sighed as he felt the tension drain from his body.

"God damn it Roman!"

"Neo… would you kindly shut him up. He's beginning to sound like Red." Neo complied quickly and knocked the wind out of Junior's lungs with barely a sound and doing the same thing to the twins when they started complaining.

"Thanks, Neo. I can always count on you." He smiled and closed his eyes, he lost himself in the slow beeps of various instruments and machines that were housed on the bridge.

He tried to ignore the screeching of Griffons on the hull and the roar of that strange flying monster currently holding onto Beacon's main tower.

It didn't work as well as he had hoped. He took another long drag. He wasn't going to get involved. Not at all! He had done his part!

Getting involved would just get him killed! He was a thief, not a hero! He was a criminal, not a Huntsman! Huntsmen got themselves killed because they jumped into a fight! But he didn't! He did what he did best!

He would lie, cheat, steal and survive!

It didn't matter how many people screamed for help. How many people died. How many Grimm came. It didn't involve him!

"Damn it…" He mumbled before taking a deep breath and putting his cigar out on the chair's arm. "Neo. Free our friends over there." She gave him a perplexed look as he stood up.

"Neo. Junior. Melanie. Miltia. We may be criminals, but Vale is just as much our home as theirs." He turned to them, pushing his hat up. "We all helped Cindy do all this, so let's make up for it. We have a whole cruiser to ourselves! Let's use it!" He smirked.

"You want us to help you stop Cinder?"

"No. That's Red's job. We'll just make it a little bit easier on her. Man the guns and get ready to take down a God damned dragon!"

They looked between each other for a minute before Junior sighed. "Don't have much of a choice… fine! Let's kill a dragon!" They moved to the interfaces and started to get their bearings and figure out what the hell everything did.

Roman smiled, despite his internal dilemma. Him! Of all people! Risking everything to help out some damn kid! Neo poked his side and showed her scroll. He took a look.

"Technically it would be called a Wyvern due to the type of wings and the amount of legs."

"Since when did you get so pedantic?" She just shrugged and smirked at him. "Fine fine, let's go kill a wyvern. Happy?" She nodded and skipped away to another console.

"Alright then, criminals. Let's show them all how much we care about our home!" He channelled what he could remember of the enthusiasm Red had shown at the start of the year and before the train, giving the biggest smile he could manage.

"Fire!"

The great beast screamed in pain as Dust based artillery slammed into it from one of the Atlesian vessels. Cinder screamed in rage. Jaune took advantage of the moment and charged her. His shield slammed into her midsection and sent her skidding across the ground.

Cinder grunted and sent a blast of concentrated fire at his shield, which caused it to begin glowing a hot red. Luckily his aura managed to eat the damage it would have otherwise caused. She pulled her arms in and thrust them out around her, causing a wave of wind to throw them back.

Pyrrha blocked it with her own blast of wind and charged through, meanwhile, the rest of her team were sent flying. Agh! She's way too strong! We're not strong enough!

Nora ran back in and swung. Cinder created a pair of swords and blocked it. A pink explosion sent her flying across the room. Pyrrha followed and leaped at her and brought the tip of her spear down upon the woman.

Cinder righted herself and just managed to dive out of the way and counter-attack while Pyrrha was removing her spear from the floor. The pair traded blows in a fast past dance of death. Jaune gulped. It was like nothing he had seen. He felt frozen as he watched.

Cinder jumped back and sent a blast of flame at Pyrrha who was forced to block it. She summoned a crystalline bow, and let loose with a barrage of arrows to stop Nora's charge in its tracks.

And then she came for him. He barely got his shield up in time as her bow separated and reformed into her twin blades. Blow after blow rained down on him as he tried to hide.

Terror gripped him. There's nothing I can do! She's too strong! I'm sorry Pyrrha…

Cinder pulled back a moment before Pyrrha could attack her from behind. The pair fell into another dance of blades. Nora tried to keep Cinder pinned down with her grenades but wasn't very effective for fear of hitting Pyrrha.

Jaune just breathed. It was all he could do. He couldn't keep up with Cinder and he didn't have any ranged option.

He was useless.

He was dragging them down.

Tears stung his eyes. He couldn't just stand around! He had to fight! He came in from the side and tried to impale Cinder with his blade.

The woman seemed to flow around his sword. He could see her smirk as she danced around him, using him as cover so that Pyrrha would hesitate which would allow her to blast Nora.

She screamed in pain as she was thrown against Ozpin's metal desk. Jaune's eyes widened in horror. He felt his armour lighten for a moment before it yanked him to the side, letting Pyrrha get back into the fray.

Jaune stumbled as the pull on his armour ceased. I caused more problems! What can I do!? What can- He stopped. Metal?

The room was filled with metal. The gears on the sides and ceiling of the room. The desk. The chairs!

He had it!

Just in time for the room to explode as the wyvern crashed through it.

"Qrow! The tower!" Qrow fired his gun into another idiot who came charging him and turned in time to watch the top of the CCT tower explode.

"Shit."

Tai growled. "Move it!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" He responded as the pair of old teammates ran through the chaos. Students and Huntsmen were pulling back now, taking who they could and escaping. They were ceding ground and it showed when a massive Deathstalker burst through what was once the cafeteria.

"Qrow, go on ahead! Your luck is just slowing us down! I'll catch up!" Tai yelled as he took the Deathstalker charge head-on.

Qrow nodded and took flight. He didn't like it, but Tai was right. His Semblance always did this. It just made every situation worse.

But he could still get there!

Adam Taurus. Member of the White Fang. Linked to several dozen crimes. Believed to be a leader in the White Fang.

Penny had gone over all known information on her opponent several times now. She was annoyed at how little they had. He had been thorough in staying an unknown. Standing orders were to avoid combat wherever possible. However, that wasn't an option here. Ruby and her friend were in danger!

Adam Taurus must be dealt with quickly and effectively! Penny sent several swords flying, keeping Adam off-balance and on the defensive. She was aided by Ruby's gunfire and the odd boulder thrown by Professor Goodwitch.

Sadly, he was good on the defensive. He deflected each sword she sent, no matter the direction. Every bullet was cut down and every rock shattered against his obscene defence. Semblance? It appears as if there are shadowed versions of himself. He tried to cut the cable holding her sword but she had learned from her battle with Pyrrha Nikos. He was fast but it all depended on his reaction time.

And she had him beat there.

She couldn't hit him because of his defence, but he couldn't hit her because of how many blades there were and he couldn't take out the blades thanks to her superior reaction speed.

It was a stalemate.

And yet his smile never faded. In fact it seemed like it only became stronger as time passed. Penny's eyes narrowed. He was planning something, but what did he have that could turn the tide back into his favour?

Penny's head snapped up as the wyvern slammed into the tower, sending rubble everywhere. Tracking their trajectory… incoming! Ruby is in danger! Penny jumped backwards, pulling several blades with her and sending them spearing upwards, cutting down or moving the incoming rubble.

Ruby is saved! Now for-

"That was a mistake!" Adam had moved with a speed greater than previously. His blade had been sheathed but was now being drawn again. Penny wondered at the reason, even as she realised that her body could not move in time to dodge.

She would just have to take the hit. She pulled on her swords and sent them directly towards Adam. He might hit her, but she would just as hard back!

Adam laughed as the world drained of colour. Penny was confused. Why was the world suddenly only in black and red?

Why was her body standing above her?

And why was the world going completely black?

"Agh!" Jaune cried out as he pushed the rubble off of him. He'd run to protect Nora. She was unconscious now, however. He was feeling weak as well. His Aura was nearly gone. He gazed out across the broken room and watched as Pyrrha began to throw all manner of metallic objects at Cinder.

Gears, chairs and a desk pinned the raven-haired woman to the floor. It was barely half a minute before the metal glowed white-hot and exploded outwards showering the surrounding area in molten slag.

Jaune blocked the molten rain and winced as a few stuck to his unprotected legs. A part of him cried when he saw the front of the shield had over a dozen grey metal shards cooling into it.

He pulled himself out of the rubble. He had to get back into the fight somehow! Cinder has a lot of power at her disposal, but she looks to finally be losing steam. Pyrrha will probably give out first though. I could enter the fight now or wait for Cinder to weaken and strike then.

Jaune clenched his fists and crouched down, and tried to conceal himself as best he could. He hated it, but his best chance was to wait. Even if it left Pyrrha fighting alone. He watched as the battle continued without him.

Pyrrha fired several shots from her rifle to keep Cinder in the back foot but the woman simply raised her hand and melted the bullets the moment they came close. Cinder then sent a blast at Pyrrha, who ducked under it and sent several of the now cooled shards at Cinder.

The woman curled into a floating ball and suddenly threw her limbs out. Heat exploded from Cinder and melted the metal shards until they were naught but puddles on the ground and the glass floor was turning to slag.

Pyrrha slashed the air with Miló and created a spinning blade of wind that flew straight at Cinder. The blade crashed into Cinders twin blades. When did she summon those!? This is insane!

Cinder blasted flame from her feet which caused her to rocket at Pyrrha once more. Pyrrha switched to her spear and lanced out, trying to skewer Cinder.

Cinder lashed out with her blades, diverted the spear and cut into Pyrrha's arm in the process. Cinder spun and came in from the other side, slashing down with her swords. Pyrrha barely blocked them with her shield. She parried the next attack and lashed out with her own.

Cinder dropped her blades and grabbed Pyrrha's sword. Within seconds the blade melted and cracked, splitting in two. Cinder ducked as Pyrrha used her shield as a weapon.

Cinder fired a massive blast of flame into Pyrrha's stomach causing the amazon to rocket off into a pile of rubble. Jaune clenched his teeth to stop himself from calling out.

Cinder stood with a confident smirk. Pyrrha stumbled to her feet, she clutched the shattered remains of her sword.

Cinder summoned her glass bow and fired

Pyrrha threw Akoúo̱. The shield flew through the arrow, which broke apart and reformed on the other side.

Pyrrha cried out as the arrow pierced her leg and sent her to her knees. The golden shield flew off of the tower and was long gone.

Cinder stalked forward. "You sought to use a power that was never meant to be yours in the first place and now you shall pay for it."

Pyrrha gazed up at the monster before her. "Cinder Fall… do you believe in destiny?"

"Yes, I do." Cinder raised her bow, pulled the string back and was launched back with a grunt of pain as Jaune charged her and pinned her to the remains of a wall. She glared at him over his shield and he smiled back.

Her strength surprised him as she pushed him away. She clutched her stomach for a few seconds, blood dribbled out. The shards stuck to his shield had pierced her Aura. She didn't expect that!

Cinder roared and charged him, smashing her glass blades into his shield over and over again. Shards of glass filled the air as each pair of swords shattered upon his shield. He held onto it with all his might, keeping it between them. His arms shook as his strength began to wane.

Cinder grabbed the edge of his shield and shoved it to the side. He was completely open. Jaune cried out as a blade sank itself into his stomach. She pushed him away as she ripped her sword out of him.

He coughed blood as he crumpled to the ground. Jaune's eyes were wide with fear. He watched his life flash before his eyes.

There was so much fun… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… Dad… Mum… Pyrrha… Ruby… everyone…

Jaune's vision grew dark…

He felt so very cold…

Ruby gazed in horror at Penny's severed head, lying on the open ground. It had been so quick. Nobody could have reacted in time, right? Penny's blank eyes offered nothing.

Adam was laughing. She knew it, but the sound was distant. She was in danger but it was hard to concentrate. How many people are going to die protecting me? How many will I watch sacrifice themselves for me?

She could feel something inside her. Anger. Rage. Sadness. No… it's a desire… a desire to kill… She stood on shaky feet, pulling her scythe up with her. Tears poured down her face.

"Don't you see now, Ruby Rose? Everyone around you will die! Your teacher is next!" He walked past her. He was ignoring her!

Goodwitch stood as strong as she could with Adam bearing down on her. She couldn't move with her injuries and Ren behind her. Adam would kill them both in short order.

And Ruby was too weak to stop him! She growled. "I won't let you touch her! You aren't taking anything else from me!"

Adam's maniacal laugh grew. "You can't stop me!"

"But I can!" Adam turned and barely brought his blade up in time to block Qrow's sword. "In fact, I'll do more than stop you! This is your last day on Remnant, so say your goodbyes!"

"Ha! I'll just have to gut you first then!"

The two parted and then clashed once more, faster than Ruby could process. A flurry of slashes that cut the air and sent shivers down her spine.

Adam wasn't smiling any more. Qrow was far too skilled for that. Their duel was enthralling. Fast-paced and exceeding everything Ruby could do. They were the pinnacle. At least as far as Ruby could tell.

They were going to win this.

A/N: O_O Soooo... I did that. Penny is dead and Jaune's bleeding out. Nora and Ren are both out and Pyrrha and Glynda are real low. Thankfully Qrow is on the scene! But can Pyrrha survive? Will they defeat Adam? Oh and Roman makes a choice. We are near the end of the Battle of Beacon now. It's still so strange writing Adam as a crazy murderer.

I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next time!