Chapter 38

The elevator ride was dead silent. Raven stood in the centre with Vernal off to the left. That left Cinder to the right. Cinder had a smile on her face the entire time. She could feel the unease in the other two, like they expected a betrayal.

They were right to be afraid of course, but it wouldn't do them any good.

Soon enough they reached their destination. The golden gate clanked open, letting them out into the massive space. A gigantic tree, taller than many buildings, stood in the centre of the room like a pillar. Glowing golden leaves gently waved in the non-existent wind. They walked along the great bridge, stunned as the floor lit up beneath them.

Vernal gulped and moved forward, inching closer to the massive metal door set into the tree. It looked like a series of metal leaves, layered on top of each other to form an impenetrable entrance. Only the Spring Maiden could open it. Foolish Ozpin. You should have realised we would get here eventually! Did you really never think we couldn't convert one of your precious allies?

Raven halted halfway across the bridge, waiting back. Cinder rolled her eye and moved forward, giving Vernal an encouraging nod. The tribal girl swallowed and walked right up to the door. She reached out a hand-

And gasped as Cinder flung her Grimm arm forward, impaling the girl in the chest with her clawed hand. Cinder turned and with but a flick of her hand ice formed over Raven, trapping the woman in a shell of frost. I'll deal with you in a moment, for its time I take what I deserve!

Cinder stalked forward. She tore her hand free of Vernal and then struck again, bearing the girl to the ground and tearing into her stomach. Cinder focused and pulled in her mind, causing her arm to begin draining Vernal. First came the pitiful remnants of her Aura, and then came-

Nothing!?

"What!? But you're the Maiden! Where is my power!?" Her demand was punctuated by the cracking of ice as Raven broke free. Cinder turned and her blood went cold.

Red flame burned from Raven's eyes. "You got it wrong Cinder. I'M the Spring Maiden!" She roared as wind and ice gathered around her. Cinder stumbled back as Raven rocketed towards her.

A golden-red version of Midnight formed in Cinder's hand, barely coming up in time to block Raven's crimson red sword. For a brief moment, their blades locked, but Raven would have none of it. She twisted her weapon, forcing Cinder to lurch forward as her resistance was suddenly removed, and then slashed upward. Cinder grunted in pain as her face was cut into again and her Aura flickered violently.

Jets of flame pushed Cinder away, but Raven wasn't going to allow her foe to escape that easily. She followed relentlessly, wind and ice coming to her aid. Shards of crystalline ice formed in the air and were sent rocketing forwards, slamming into the ground around Cinder, cutting off her escape for a moment. Raven smiled as she fired a massive blast of pressurised air. It slammed into Cinder and flung her off of the bridge.

Her talent for using her power to fly is the only thing that saved her from a long plummet to the bottom of the cavern. Sadly for her, Raven knew how to fly as well and was far more graceful. No jets of flame, just the manipulation of wind holding her aloft as she flew after Cinder. Worried she jetted herself under the bridge and to the other side, turning to throw blasts of fire back at her pursuer.

Raven's blade turned into a blur as it cut down each of Cinder's attacks with a speed that had to be enhanced. This is the strength of a full Maiden!? She's far more powerful than Amber was! She's… she knows this power better than I do! Better than Amber! If Emerald and Mercury were here we could take her! But… Cinder dropped, narrowly avoiding a massive lance of ice. I'm alone against her. How can I win this!?

Her mind whirled, searching for the answer as she continued to dodge each of Raven's attacks. The cavern began to quake as their attacks flew past each other to slam into the walls. Cinder, in her desperation, flew back to the entrance with Raven hot on her heels.

She flew into the elevator shaft and twisted around, firing a massive jet from her feet to stop her momentum. As she turned she reached out with her Grimm arm, which extended itself out. Raven was moving too fast and didn't manage to avoid the arm. Cinder laughed in triumph as her clawed hand wrapped tightly around Raven's throat.

Reddish light began to travel down the arm and into Cinder. Raven's Aura was slowly being drained and once it was empty? The powers of the Spring Maiden would be hers!

"Hahaha! Finally! I got you!" Cinder floated down to the floor and walked up to stand over Raven. She looked down, watching in pleasure as Raven's very essence was drained from her.

"B-bitch!" Raven gasped out.

"Oh, poor Raven. Your pawn is dead but don't worry. You'll join her soon enough!" She leaned down to watch the life drain from her eyes. Raven smiled. Cinder cocked her head to the side.

A bright yellow laser struck her chest, sending several thousand volts of electricity through her body. Her arm spasmed and released Raven who jumped to her feet. With a righteous roar, she formed a blade of ice in her hand and swung.

Cinder screamed as pain tore through her body. Her left arm fell to the ground and dissolved. In moments a new one grew but it was too late for Cinder.

Raven grabbed her by the throat. Ice began to cover her body. Cinder struggled, desperately trying to get free but Raven's grip was unrelenting.

"Vernal was no pawn. Unlike you, I make sure my allies are loyal. You won't get a chance to rectify that mistake." With nary a care, she let go of Cinder. It was only now that the servant of Salem realised that she was being held over the edge.

As she fell the ice grew to cover her, encasing her like she had done to Raven. Cinder screamed but none could hear it through her new shell.

Cinder plummeted down the cavern to whatever lay for her beneath.

Raven exhaled as Cinder fell from view. The battle was over. She walked over and knelt beside Vernal as the younger woman coughed up a large glob of blood.

"... I… helped…" Vernal gasped out.

"You did. Cinder is dead. You saved my life." Raven said with a smile.

"I'm… gl… glad…" She coughed again and Raven watched as the light left her eyes. Vernal was gone. Dead. Raven sighed and stood. No point letting her death go to waste.

The tree released a sound like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. It felt calming after the battle. Raven reached out a hand and touched the metal door. It was quickly covered in glowing symbols, like that of vines growing up the metal. With a loud clunking sound the door began to shift. Each of the separate leaf-shaped parts folded into themselves before they pulled back into the sides of the door. How it worked Raven didn't know. The only answer she had was a vague 'magic'.

Even her eyes widened in awe at the room beyond. Despite being inside a tree the space inside was a vast desert. Three large slabs acted like stepping stones towards the plinth, upon which floated the lantern-like Relic. Everything looked just slightly off, like the edges of everything were blurred and vaguely misty. Ozpin's magic. Continuing to be strange and inhuman, as anticipated I suppose.

She half expected some form of barrier or large change as she stepped through the open doorway, but there was none. It wasn't as though she travelled from one part of the world to another. There was no change in temperature or anything like that. It was the same, the only difference seemed to be cosmetic and there was the vague feeling of magic around her. A normal person, who hadn't encountered any magic, probably wouldn't be able to feel the energy in the air.

It felt unnatural.

And yet the stones were stones and carried her weight easily. The Relic of Knowledge was light and easy to hold. She glanced around as she lifted it away from the plinth, but no traps activated nor did the pocket reality begin to collapse. Raven let out a sigh of relief and turned to make her way out. She stopped at the door as a bullet whisked passed her ear.

Ruby Rose pulled the bolt back on her rifle, another shot aimed right for Raven's head. "Put the Relic down."

Raven almost laughed. "And what are you going to do if I don't? I defeated Cinder, which as I recall you couldn't do even with back up. Do you believe you can win?"

"Yes. I do."

Raven laughed. "And how do you figure that?"

"You're a coward. You can't commit to killing me. And I'll hunt you down no matter where you go." Ruby replied, her voice cold.

"A coward!? Really now? That's what you think? That I won't kill you?"

"Yes. You couldn't commit to your 'one-time' rule and tried to save Yang. You couldn't commit to your heartless persona because you kept Yang's weapons away from the tribe, even though they could help in your raids. You cremated Yang, despite that it made you look like you actually care about the people you abandoned! You won't kill me." Ruby growled and stepped closer, hand still on the trigger. "I know the exact kind of person you are."

"And that is?"

"The worst type of coward," Ruby said, stopping in front of Raven and looking up at her. Raven swallowed as she stared down into those uncaring silver eyes. "You trained Vernal so that she would give her life for you, because you are too much of a coward to own up to your power. She's over there dead, because you wanted to hide!"

"How did you-"

Ruby cut her off with a laugh. "Really? How about the fact that she's lying over there dead and you're alive without a scratch on you while Cinder is nowhere to be seen! If you are going to tell me that you killed her without the power of a Maiden I'll laugh in your face!"

"I'm not the Spring Maiden," Raven growled. "Vernal was."

Ruby was true to her word and laughed in her face. "See what I mean? Ultimate coward. You won't even admit that you're the Maiden! You keep trying to hide, to escape from owning up. Vernal is dead! Because of you! You ran! You made her your scapegoat! You let Cinder and her allies do all the work of keeping us busy! Even your Semblance is based around it!"

Raven narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that!?"

"Your Semblance. You can open portals to those you have a deep emotional bond with! Dad told me all about it. You know what I realized though? All you do is use it to run away, to run to people who will cover for you, who will hide you! You don't want to use it to help anyone but yourself! I despise you! You flee from the people that care about you because you aren't willing to do anything to help anyone but yourself! People have died for you! People have died because of you! You are a coward and you can't even admit it."

Ruby took a breath and went in for the kill. "Leave the Relic. Show how much of a coward you really are. If you take it with you then you will be a target. Mine and Salem's. She'll come for you, over and over, she won't stop, it's far too important. She won't rest until you are dead and the Relic is hers. But you'll protect me and Tai and Qrow from her wrath. At least for a while. But if you leave without it you get to abandon this fight and live like you always have. Show me how little you care about your brother, your husband or your step-daughter! Show me how little you care about anyone other than yourself! SHOW ME WHY I HATE YOU!" She roared the end of it and lowered her rifle. Ruby held out a hand and waited.

Raven swallowed and handed it over. Ruby scowled. "Run along now. If I ever see you again, know that I won't hesitate to take the shot and put you down. For all that you out my father through. For all you did to Qrow. And for everything Yang missed out on because of you. Go. Run."

Raven walked past the younger girl and flicked her wrist. The blood-red vortex welcomed her as she ran away.

Ruby felt nothing as the portal closed. She thought she would be disappointed or angry, but there was nothing. Raven was a coward. Ruby knew this was the choice she would make.

She just felt empty.

Ruby made her way over to Vernal to confirm her death. I pity you. Raven never once cared for you. She thought as she closed Vernal's eyes.

It was time to return to the surface, Relic in hand. She took a more detailed look at it. It was… beautiful. A great lantern. It seemed filled with some kind of blue fog or smoke. Question for another time.

The elevator groaned for a moment as it took her back up. It was time to finish this.

I wish I'd gotten to kill Cinder myself.

Jaune grunted as he took another heavy fist to his shield, sending him skidding along the floor away from the hulking mass of muscle that was Hazel. He'd been yelling something about his sister dying on a training mission as a Huntress and how he blamed Ozpin.

At any other time, Jaune would probably take an interest in finding out more about that, but right now he was in a fight for his life and his stamina was waning. They all were. With the police arriving and Team SSSN, they had a good chance of winning, but it wasn't going to be easy on them.

The battle began to slow however as they all heard the sound of the elevator rising. They all stilled, waiting to see who had claimed victory in the Vault.

Jaune let out an explosive sigh of relief once he saw Ruby. He heard Emerald scream in distress. Adam laughed while Hazel sighed. Ruby, taken up to the second floor, held out the Relic. "Victory is ours! Flee! Surrender! Or face the same punishment Cinder did!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Emerald screeched, clutching her head. Within a moment a giant, broken form of a human slid from the ground with a screeching roar. White hair and skin, red eyes with black sclera and inky veins that stood out. The monstrous creature let out a crazed scream before diving towards them. Jaune raised his shield to defend and-

It was gone. Vanished. Wood cracked as Hazel jumped through the ruined door, Emerald carried in his shoulder. Mercury was right behind him. Adam and Ilia stopped in the doorframe.

"Ruby Rose! I'll kill you for what you did to Blake! But for now!" He held out his fist, a small device grasped within it. Jaune's eyes widened in horror as he pushed down. The ground immediately shook as explosives detonated all over the school. "Enjoy the destruction and remember! This is all your fault!" Adam cackled as he ran. Ilia waited for just a moment, her expression unreadable due to her mask, before she followed.

Jaune ran after them, with Qrow, Tai and Pyrrha on his heels. As he came out into the courtyard he gulped. The CCT Towers were in ruins, having been obliterated by the explosives. Debris rained from the sky, from the towers and the airships that had been hit by the initial detonations and debris. The main building was mostly unharmed, but the rest of the school was demolished.

"By the Brothers…" Qrow whispered.

As they looked on in horror and shock Pyrrha turned and held out a hand before yanking it back. Leonardo let out a yelp as he was pulled from across the room and flung to the floor in the middle of the foyer. "He was trying to escape towards his office while we were distracted." Pyrrha answered his confused look.

"Okay. Ren, Nora. Could you two keep him contained? Take his weapon away too." Jaune called out. The pair nodded and set out to restrain the Headmaster. Sage and Neptune rushed out to find their teammates. Jaune sighed. "Let's see if we can save anyone."

He ran out into the destruction.

Oscar slumped against her with a groan. He hadn't intended it, that much Ruby could see. The boy was tired, not that she could blame him, they all were.

"You alright?"

"He… he said to take the Relic… to Atlas…" Oscar gasped out before falling unconscious. Ruby rolled her eyes. Of course he told us to go to Atlas. Where else would we take it, Vale? Vacuo? Put it back in the Vault?

She laid Oscar down to rest and walked over to the restrained Leonardo. She knelt in front of him and pulled his face up by his hair. "We have a lot to talk about, Leonardo Lionheart."

"I… I'm willing to cooperate!"

"Well, that's good. How did you communicate with Salem?"

"I've been approached by many of her servants! Most are dead now but the last two aren't! Well, last one."

"Explain."

"Cinder! She approached me to get her into Beacon for the tournament! After the battle of Beacon, she was replaced by a man named Arthur Watts! He was some scientist from Atlas! He brought a Grimm with him, it's in my office now! It lets us communicate with Salem directly!" Leonardo quickly made his way through the explanation.

"How dangerous is it?"

"I don't know. I've never seen them before he brought it, but it doesn't seem to be built for combat!"

"I'll go. Stay here and keep him contained." She said.

Ren spoke up as she walked away. "Are you sure?"

"I am." She said confidently. She clipped the Relic to her belt, where it seemed to shrink to a smaller size.

The halls were quiet compared to the fire and anguish outside. After so long fighting for her life it felt like she was about to be ambushed. The heavy doors of Lionheart's office creaked as she pushed them open.

Floating atop his desk was a Grimm that reminded her of a jellyfish. A ball for a head with long tentacles dangling below. Its head looked to contain a reddish cloud of fog.

"So. I hear that you let people communicate with Salem. I have a couple questions for her, if you don't mind."

Silence reigned for a few moments. Ruby was about to draw her weapon when finally a voice responded. "I suppose this means that Cinder has failed?" The voice was cold and sounded disappointed. The fog within the Grimm's head shifted and swirled and a face appeared. Pale skin with blood-red eyes and black sclera with inky veins that popped against the cold skin. Salem looked bored and detached.

"She did." Ruby replied.

"I see. And who are you, my dear?" Salem asked with a raised brow.

"Ruby Rose. But you'll know me by another name soon."

"Oh? What would that be?"

"Your death."

Salem didn't respond for a full minute, before she burst out laughing. "Oh! Oh, it's been a while since I've been threatened by someone like that! Ask your questions girl, I'll give you that much for amusing me so."

Ruby scoffed. "Well let's start off strong then." Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again they were steeled. "Why!? Why cause all this death and destruction!?"

"Why?" Salem smiled. "That has a very long answer. But let's just say that once upon a time there was a girl. A girl who lost everything she cared about. The Gods denied her a chance to get them back and when she grew angry and frustrated, they cursed her. Now here she sits, looking to take the Relics and change this world forevermore. Happy?"

Ruby clenched her fists. Gods? Really? She's going that angle? Fine, whatever. The more important question… Ruby glared at the strange Grimm and the monster reflected within.

"Next question. Did you do anything to my mother!?"

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay, my computer has been having several issues atm. It's hampered my productivity a lot. So there won't be a chapter next week while I get it fixed. Which is a great time to do it after this cliffhanger! Ah if only I'd planned it. Anyway. Ruby's insults towards Raven were fun and an expansion on canon's criticisms of her. Plus something I feel with her Semblance. She doesn't use it to save people. She could go to a village in danger and save everyone by teleporting them out. Instead she never really uses except for her own gain. Ah well, she lost her pawn and ran away. But hey, at least Leonardo survived! Just pulled around by Pyrrha's Polarity. Which leads to an early conversation with Salem. Ahhh, that will be fun.

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