Chapter Six: My Brother
Theodore stormed out of the guardroom, following Yatsuhashi onto the walls. He feared first some Grimm attack, and yet it seemed like there was a lull on the wall, with the Grimm some distance away. Nearby he could see the rest of Team CFVY, alongside some of his other students and the motley assortment of low-rent huntsmen and militia that made up his forces, but none turned to look at him as he appeared. Their attention was held by the wall itself, the entire stretch of which was shimmering with some mystical energy.
"What's going on?" Theodore demanded.
"We don't know!" Coco Adel replied. "This part of the wall just started lighting up and…"
She fell silent as the light twisted, and the wall changed. Within seconds, this entire section of the wall had been fundamentally altered. The guards still remained upon its top, but the base of the northern wall had been transformed into row upon row of open gates.
The city was open. No barrier now kept those within from those without. And the hordes of Grimm roared and charged.
"Everyone off the wall!" Theodore bellowed. "Defend the gates!" He made sure his instructions went up and down the line as he triggered the Grimm alert sirens from the guardroom, and leapt down himself. Once on the ground, he was horrified to discover he could see clean through the new gates to the black tide approaching fast from beyond.
His forces looked uncertain. "I don't think we can hold the gates!" one cried.
"We can't," Theodore replied grimly. "We need to delay them as long as possible, and then do a fighting retreat. You lot," he pointed at Team CFVY and his other students, "rouse the civilians! Get them out their homes and running south, or they'll all be Grimm-bait!"
His students didn't hesitate, immediately moving to spread word, hollering and banging at peoples doors. Theodore turned to those who remained around him. "As for us, we'll slow the Grimm as best we can. We'll give ground when we have to, but we have to give our people every moment they can get."
He hoped it would be enough. He needed a plan, a new place to hold the line. And the alert needed to go out across the whole city. He pulled out his Scroll, calling Ozpin Pine.
"Hello Theodore," an unfamiliar voice answered, sultry and mocking.
"Who is this?" he barked. "Where's Oscar?"
"He can't answer you right now," the voice taunted. "As for me, well we've never met, but I'm sure you've heard of me: I'm Cinder Fall."
And she hung up.
-000-
Get down! Ozpin snapped in his head. Oscar ducked below the fireball that flew from Theodore's office. The office they'd been working in until Cinder Fall had descended from the sky and smashed her way in through the ceiling.
I'm trying! He mentally replied, feeling the heat pass over him as he scuttled down the stairs, trying to avoid being fried. He could see some of the students in the meeting ground pointing and yelling in his direction, as some pulled their weapons. That was good, he thought, with their help perhaps they could…
Whatever you're thinking of, Oscar, Ozpin voiced, it's not worth it. This is the woman who killed me.
But Theodore's office, my Scroll, we can't call for help!
We can use someone else's, Ozpin replied. Those are useful, but not essential. Not worth getting yourself and these students killed over. Think. What is here that Cinder Fall would be after?
The nearest students ran up to him, meeting him at the bottom of the stairs. Team SSSNN, he recognised, as he looked up at the five boys. The blond in the lead held out his hand and helped Oscar back onto his feet. "What's going on?"
"It's Cinder Fall," Oscar breathed out, "she's attacked Theodore's office."
Sun's face turned uncharacteristically sober. "Then we'll have to take it back."
"Wait!" Oscar said, as he realised what Ozpin was warning of. "We can't take her on, not just us. And… she's not after his office. Winter's here, injured down below, and there's another Maiden here too. Cinder's after them. We need to regroup, gather everyone here, and defend the rest of the academy."
Sun looked a little doubtful, and looked towards the rest of the team.
"It sounds possible," Neptune offered. "He does work with Theodore."
Sun nodded, apparently making up his mind, and catching sight of other students responding to the blaze in the offices above. "Okay, we'll do it your way buddy. Let's get down and hold the fort."
Good work, Oscar, Ozpin told him. Fortify the way down, and then perhaps we can see if Qrow's able to be up and about. We'll need all the help we can get if we're to take both Maidens away from here.
-000-
It was the sirens that warned them something was up. Team JNPR had been on their way to the northern wall when the sirens started, first in the north and then slowly around the entire city. Theodore's call to Nora arrived on their heels.
"It's Salem," he told them. Every now and then he paused, as if short of breath, while snarls and weapons fire peppered the background. "She must have used the Relic of Creation. She changed an entire section of the northern wall into open gates, and the Grimm are in the city. We're trying to buy as much time as we can as the civilians flee south."
Nora felt dread pool in her stomach as mounting horror dwelt upon her. It's happening again, she thought. Kuroyuri, Beacon, Atlas… now Vacuo.
"I'm hoping to create a new defensive line," Theodore continued. "I'm ordering what forces we can spare to regroup along the main thoroughfare and the Malik parade."
"That gives up a third of the city!" Ren cried.
"We've already lost it," Theodore flatly replied. "We have to try and save what's left. Save who we can."
Nora pushed her fears aside. "Where in the line do you want us?"
"Nowhere. I have a special assignment for you. I tried to call Oscar, and got Cinder Fall on the line." The headmaster fell silent, and this pause seemed no artifact of his ongoing fight. "You may tell me you told me so, Mister Arc."
Nora was almost distracted by worry for Oscar, but then saw how Jaune started, having seemingly been lost in sudden thought. "Not my intention," he said, before his gaze drifted aside again, as if running over some unknown thing. "Is she still there?"
"I don't know," Theodore replied. "I'm trying to contact people, but I have to be a little careful with what we share. But I need your team to get to the academy, and get my niece away from there. You understand? You need to save my niece."
"We're on it," Nora said, knowing of who he was truly speaking of. Dawn the Summer Maiden would be right at the academy, in danger once more.
"Then I won't keep you any longer," the headmaster said, hanging up. Nora turned, beckoning for the others to follow her.
"Nora, wait!" Jaune said. He spoke in a different tone than the shadow he'd often presented to the world these past few days, as if he'd vocally unmasked himself. But nor was it in his old boyish tone, the one he used to have. It was reminiscent of the one he'd had in those moments he'd risen to command, but flavoured with greater experience and zeal. "Go to the academy, find Dawn. Hide her, take her to the lowest levels, but do not take her away!"
Emerald. "Wait, what?! But Theodore–"
"…Is falling into the same trap Ozpin and Ironwood fell into," Jaune said, cutting her off. "Cinder strikes, and in their panic they lead her right to her target. She's not going to take on the entire academy. She will be watching for anyone to take Dawn away, to flush her out. It's what she does."
His voice carried a note of conviction, and it all fit, all too well. Nora believed him, and yet… "Wait, you want us to go? What will you be doing?"
"I need to check a few things, fetch something I prepared a little earlier," he replied. "We've got to stop the Grimm bearing down on us as well as deal with this. I'll get back to you when I can."
She looked at him suspiciously, but he gave little away, and as he looked back at her, she couldn't fathom it. After all, her principal worry was he'd try something with Cinder, but that's where they were going, not he.
"Okay," she nodded, "but don't take long. Don't try and save the whole city yourself."
"Little chance of that," he said ruefully. "Now go!"
They turned once more to leave and Nora ran, her duty sending her towards the academy, a seed of worry drawing her back. But she ran anyway, anxious for the little girl too. She could barely make out Jaune's last words which he muttered to himself, nor could she make anything of them.
"But with a little luck, one string will pull the whole knot free…"
-000-
They arrived at the academy quickly. Even from the bottom, they could see the peak was aflame, where the offices at the top had been set ablaze. Their way was barred by walking wounded, who'd been roused into defending the academy, but they were swiftly admitted as their identity was confirmed.
It did not take them long to find their target. She was deep within the ground floor of the academy, past the outlying trainees and huntsmen, and was sitting with Team SSSNN. They were keeping her entertained as Oscar and Qrow stood and spoke nearby.
"Oscar!" Nora cried in relief, grabbing the boy before he could protest. She pulled him into a tight hug, brushing aside his protests. "I'm glad you're alive!"
"So am I," the boy said with a weak chuckle as he greeted Ren and Emerald. He then turned to business "Sun managed to get in contact with Theodore, and he told us he was sending you."
"The nurses tell me Winter should be coming around any minute," Qrow added, seeming only a little the worse for wear after rising from his own hospital bed. "I'll see to her while you…" he trailed off. "Wait, where's Arc?"
"We have a change of plan," Nora explained. "Jaune said Cinder's trying to flush Dawn out, that she always does this. She's looking for us to take her away so she can follow."
Qrow narrowed his eyes, but then glanced at Oscar who'd fallen silent. His eyes had that strange unfocused look that they often held when he was in deep conversation with Ozpin.
"Oscar?" Qrow said, lowering his tone so they wouldn't be overheard. "Oz?"
Oscar looked up, shaking his head. "He was wondering whether we so predictable. He thinks Jaune has a point."
"So what do we do?"
"Jaune said take Dawn down," Nora said. "Into the lower levels and keep her hidden."
"That won't work forever," Qrow replied. "If her plan doesn't work, sooner or later Cinder's going to start looking. And with the Grimm in the city, we don't exactly have forever as it is."
"We don't but maybe we can work up a decoy," Oscar said. "Ozpin agrees: let's hide Dawn in the library for now. He suggests you see to Winter, Qrow: she'll doubtless have her own thoughts as to her disposition."
"Ha, I'm sure she will!" Qrow scoffed. With a nod he walked away, his gait less steady than it had been before he was injured but determined nonetheless.
"Hey, little one," Nora turned towards Dawn, dropping to one knee. The girl's eyes lit up to see Nora and she rushed over, taking her in a hug. Nora scooped her up. "We're just heading down to the library and we're going to stay there for a while, okay?"
The girl nodded as Nora caught Team SSSNN's eyes. Sun caught her look and gathered his team. "Sounds like a great plan," he said reassuringly. "Neptune's always pestering us to spend more time in the library."
"But we–" the blue haired boy began, before he was cut off by a jab of Sun's elbow. "I mean, sure, I always like to spend time in the library at times like this."
"I'm glad you agree," Ren said with a wintery smile, falling in beside Nora as she lead them away.
The rest of the boys exchanged confused glances, but followed Sun, Oscar and JNPR as Nora led them down towards the library, fanning out to guard their charge. They descended several levels, placing themselves well and truly in the basement, before entering the library itself. No librarian was present this time but they proceeded within, following Oscar's (and Ozpin's) lead until they found some out-of-the-way alcove.
There they ensconced themselves, Nora making sure that Dawn was calm and comfortable. Fortunately Neptune and the others seem enamoured of the little girl, and strove to keep her happy in these otherwise grim circumstances. Nora made her way back over to the alcove's entrance, keeping her voice hushed as she spoke to Ren and Oscar.
"Do we know what's going on outside?"
Ren shook his head. "The picture's too confused. I'm sure Theodore's doing as he said, but…"
"Will it work?" asked Nora.
Oscar looked uncertain. "Ozpin won't hazard a guess. Too little information, he says, but I can tell he doesn't feel good about it. And we don't have any plan this time."
No way to get everyone out. There was every possibility that this would be far worse than Atlas. And as important as Dawn was, they couldn't do anything else while they were down here on guard duty. Nora ground her teeth in frustration, before she settled to watch the entrance. All they could do was wait.
-000-
"Hey, Ice Queen, wake up!"
Winter's eyelids fluttered as she stirred upon the hospital bed. They opened, and then suddenly focused on the sight in front of her.
"Not exactly the fair prince I'd want to see upon awakening," she declared.
"Well, you're not exactly my idea of a sleeping beauty either," Qrow growled. He held himself back from saying more. He'd been getting on surprisingly well with Willow, bonding over their emotional scars and their mutual desire to heal and do better, and he had no wish to jeopardise that. Though he better keep that to himself too: He needed Winter up, not trying to murder him over her mother.
"How long has it been?" Winter asked, cutting straight to business.
"You've been out a few days. And in the last hour, Cinder Fall's attacked the academy, and Salem opened up gates in the northern walls, letting a horde of Grimm enter the city."
"What?!" Winter cried, jerking up and wincing as she did. Qrow moved to her side to support her, helping her sit upright.
"Easy! The docs have mended you best as they can, but you're still not up to scratch. You won't be able to put much weight on that leg, and the nurses tell me any overexertion is likely to tear open your other wounds."
"Great," Winter muttered. "But I've got to get up."
"Indeed you do," Qrow agreed. "I'm meant to get you out of here in case Cinder comes to finish the job."
The Ice Queen uttered a most unladylike curse, leaving him in little doubt of her opinion as she continued to push herself up, swinging her legs out of bed.
"You're in no condition to face Cinder right now," he bluntly told her. "Don't let pride force a rematch you're not ready for yet." Advice he wished he'd been offered and willing to heed when it came to Tyrian. That smarted, though at least the scorpion got what was coming to him.
She glared back at him, and then looked away as she regretfully nodded. "You're right. I wish you weren't but you are." But she then looked back at him with her former fire as she grabbed her Scroll from beside her bed. "But I can still do something other than be ferried as baggage! Get Theodore on yours."
Qrow called up Theodore as Winter made a call on her own Scroll. She got through first.
"Marrow…? Yes, I'm up, don't worry about that. Assemble a force; peel off one squad in every two from our position on the south wall, and have them ready to move to…?" she looked at Qrow.
His own call connected. "Qrow? You're up?" answered Theodore.
"I am, and so is Winter," he said, divining her purpose, and holding his Scroll towards her.
"Theodore, what's your plan?" she asked. "I can put half of our forces wherever you need them"
"We're still retreating," Theodore panted, apparently leading from the front. "I need a line along the main thoroughfare and Malik parade. Put your troops in the centre, around Sunderer Square."
"Got that Marrow?" Winter said into her own Scroll. "Good, array in a defensive line on that location. Get it done." She ended her call and turned back to Qrow's "We'll be there, Theodore."
"Good. Theodore out." The headmaster ended the call, evidently having little time for pleasantries. Qrow slipped his Scroll back into his pocket, before turning to Winter, who was shrugging on what she could of her uniform from her seated position.
"We'll be there?" he asked.
"I need to lead my troops."
"Winter, you can barely stand!"
She finished strapping on her boots, then looked up at him with blue fire streaming from her eyes. "Then it is fortunate that I won't need to." With a gesture from her hands, she rose into the air from the bed, before assuming an upright position, hovering just a little above the ground. "Lead the way, Qrow."
Qrow huffed. "Show off."
-000-
Ruby plowed into the Grimm, reforming from her rose petals to carve her scythe through the Death Stalker's shell. It began dissolving into smoke but Ruby didn't pause to watch; she was already moving to her next target.
"Keep them back!" Theodore ordered. They'd been forced back every step of the way from the walls, desperately trying to buy time for the civilians to flee. Occasionally they had to try and make a stand, like here, where dense apartments made it harder to evacuate everyone in timely fashion.
And of course, all too often they hadn't been successful. She could hear the crowds running crying and screaming, but there were all too many who'd be forever silent. She pushed that thought aside; she couldn't think about it now, about yet more people they'd failed to save. They could only try their best for those who remained.
She cut a Ravager in two as she leapt between the buildings, always moving to meet the latest threat. She glanced around: Team CFVY were here, forming more of a moving redoubt as they blocked the main thrust. Weiss was trying to use her glyphs to disrupt and slow the Grimm advance. And Yang… Yang was pulping a succession of Sulfur Fish, preventing a swarm from assembling together… but other Grimm were pushing past her, threatening to cut her off.
"Yang!" Ruby cried in alarm. She looked, and gestured for Blake to help, but Blake was already moving. She jumped up onto a roof, then flung half of Gambit Shroud down. Yang caught it, as Blake used the connecting ribbon to swing Yang back to their own lines.
Yet the tide of Grimm did not halt, and these narrow streets provided little room for an effective defence. She saw Theodore and Team CFVY being slowly forced back, step by step, though any Grimm that reached them received a swift death. She moved to join them, to perhaps relieve the pressure. She cut her way past a Dromedon, using Crescent Rose's recoil to slice the beast in two. Just as she rendezvoused with them, she saw Theodore check his Scroll again: he'd been using the device to coordinate the defence even as he fought. There was a play of emotions on his face: first relief, but then increasing doubt and worry took its place.
Her own Scroll buzzed in her pocket. With a moment to breath, she checked it. It was a message from Jaune.
Theodore, Summer Maiden is secure, in the old Sirocco Merchant House.
"It's south of the thoroughfare, but why'd he send it all plain like that?" she heard Theodore mutter, as she realised he'd received the same message.
"Is this about Jaune's message?" she asked, and she saw his face pale.
"Who else did he send it to?" he demanded. Team CFVY looked at him blankly, but as Weiss approached they asked her.
"Yes, I've just received one," Weiss replied as she checked. "About–" she cut herself off as she saw the subject, knowing to be circumspect.
"He must have sent it to our entire friends group!" Ruby realised.
"Your entire friends group including Oscar Pine?!" the headmaster growled, and Ruby's heart sank as she knew his fear. Cinder has Oscar's Scroll. Cinder knows where the Maiden is.
"It must be an accident!" Weiss gasped.
"I wonder," Theodore said in a dark tone. "He seemed all in favour of bait."
"He wouldn't do that!" Weiss argued, but Ruby shook her head.
"I don't know, Weiss. After Penny, I don't know…" She turned to Theodore. "I'm fastest, I can go and check it out."
"Go, please go!" Theodore said with the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "Make sure my girl is safe!"
-000-
Down in the alcove in the library, Nora felt her Scroll buzz in her pocket and swiftly pulled it out, eager for any news from above. She looked down at the text.
Theodore, Summer Maiden is secure, in the old Sirocco Merchant House.
She glanced across the alcove, to where the young Summer Maiden was busily playing a game with Neptune and Sage as she giggled happily. She caught Ren's glance as he looked up from his own Scroll, dread written on his features.
How could she be so foolish? How could she not have seen this?!
"Sun, guard the fort!" she cried as she ran from the room, Ren and Emerald running after her.
-000-
Ruby reached the old Merchant house swiftly, using her semblance to run faster than the wind. She barely noticed anything as she entered, running past the dusty, unused desks on the ground floor. She reached the stairs running upward when she realised how quiet it was.
They must be keeping a low profile, she thought. And with any luck, perhaps I'm here before Cinder.
She began rushing up the stairs, past successive empty floors, until she reached the top and saw Jaune. He appeared to be doing something to one of the wooden posts that supported the building.
"Jaune, what are you doing?!" she demanded, running over to him.
His eyes had flicked over to her before she made it far, but he seemed a little surprised. "Ruby?!" He then hit his own thigh, as if realising something. "Damn! You need to leave now!"
"No, Jaune, you need to explain!" she pressed, angrily pointing at him. He backed over to one of the windows as she advanced. "Are you trying to use the Summer Maiden as bait? We need to get her out of here!"
As she yelled at him, it dawned on her that he was the only one here. No Team JNPR, no sign of any Summer Maiden. She looked round in confusion as she neared the window. "Wait, what's going on?"
It was at that moment that, with a crash, part of the ceiling was smashed in, splintered timbers and stucco fragments falling from a new hole in the roof. Through it descended a dark-clad woman, with dark hair, a once-beautiful face and a single burning amber eye. One Ruby knew well.
"Hello, boys and girls," Cinder purred, clearly ready for a fight.
Ruby looked towards Jaune, and saw him looking at her, sad blue eyes glimmering from behind his helmet.
"Sorry, Crater Face," he said, and shoved her out of the window.
-000-
Cinder almost laughed to see such a foolish gesture. She slowly advanced towards Jaune, conjuring a sword in her hand with her Maiden powers, feeling the smooth obsidian blade take shape.
"What a strange act," she said, smirking. "Are you that eager to keep her out of this, or is it from desire to face me alone? Does she know you killed her friend?"
"She knows," the knight said flatly, his voice deeper and rougher than she remembered. An improvement, she thought, if she had the luxury to enjoy such things.
"You might as well tell me where the Summer Maiden is." Cinder bared her teeth a little. "Spare any more of your friends from paying the price. Or do you really think you can face me alone?"
His helmet tilted then, azure eyes looking at her with some unknown merriment as he pulled his Scroll from his pocket, opening it as a blinking button appeared on its screen. "Yeah, about that."
Her senses then took it all in: the quietness, the fact no one else was here, the fact he'd shoved Ruby Rose out the window, and the blinking bundles that were strapped to every support and post in this place. "NO!" she screamed as she lunged towards his now shimmering form.
He pressed the button.
-000-
The old merchant house was just ahead, almost within reach. Nora had neither stopped nor hesitated since she'd seen that dire message. Her lungs burned but she dared not halt, and desperately hoped they'd be there in time.
"It's Ruby!" Ren called out, and Nora saw to her shock that Ruby, clad in her distinctive red cloak, was falling from the uppermost windows. She broke apart into a mass of rose petals that descended more gradually until it hit the ground, reforming into the girl just as they reached the building.
"He pushed me!" Ruby cried with indignation.
"What?" asked Nora in confusion.
"Jaune pushed me!" Ruby repeated, before worry crossed her face and she suddenly looked up in horrible clarity. "And Cinder's in there!"
Nora looked up. She never knew what she was going to say, or do. She'd have likely plunged into the building, for she couldn't let him down again. And yet she had no chance, for at that very moment a bright flash filled their eyes, and a roar of thunder their ears. All the uppermost windows were shattered as great gouts of fire erupted from them. The roof of the building blew into the sky, it's fragments carried aloft by a billowing pillar of flame. A vast shockwave hit them, sending them reeling and seeming to send the whole world into muffled silence. And then what was left of the uppermost floors began collapsing down, as the remains of the building fell upon itself, crushing the lower floors.
Nora saw all this, and scarcely realised she'd fallen to her knees. She couldn't even hear herself scream.
The building continue to collapse as it smouldered and burned with many fires. Nora could barely perceive those close to her, so filled was she with the horror of the sight before her. For a while all she could do was continue to kneel, her heart ripped out by the ruin before her.
She felt Ren's hand on her shoulder, heard him speak as if from a great distance, though she had trouble focusing on it. He tried speaking to her first, but when she didn't respond, he squeezed her shoulder.
"Ruby," he said, "you'd better get back to your team. They need you."
The girl looked at him, ashen-faced and in tears, and couldn't say anything.
"The Grimm are still attacking," Ren reminded her gently. "Take Emerald with you, she can help."
Emerald looked at him, seeming a little dazed, before she began shaking her head. "N-no…"
"It's okay," he told her. "I know you don't want to be here for this. Go do some good."
Persuaded, Ruby and Emerald departed, leaving Ren and Nora in front of the burning remains of the old merchant house. With a crash, another part of the second floor fell onto the floor beneath it. The doorway had collapsed and been filled with debris, and it seemed like what was left of it would soon fall under the weight. Step by step, it was if the building were subsiding into the fire.
"Nora," Ren said softly, but she still couldn't answer, all her focus on the scene before her. He waited another moment, before speaking again. "Nora, we probably don't want to stay here."
Part of her heard him, part of her acknowledged that there were people still alive she hadn't let down yet, that the battle still needed to be fought. But she couldn't shake her gaze. And then… what's that?
"I'm sorry," Ren said, but Nora's attention was now wholly elsewhere. There was some noise… she was surprised Ren couldn't hear it, he usually noticed these things first, but maybe his attention was elsewhere.
"Listen!" she suddenly said, catching him by surprise, as she followed her own counsel. There it was again… scuffling… not the sound of the burning building, nor structural collapse. No, now there were sharper clangs, the sound of weapons and armour, the sound of battle! "They're alive in there!"
She leapt up, and Ren seized her.
"Nora, the building's on fire!"
Nora tried to push herself out of his arms. "I don't care! I can't leave him! I won't abandon him! Not again!"
"And if you smash your way past that doorway, you risk bringing down all that's left!" Ren said. "You're right, I can hear it now. But it's fading, moving to the other side of the building. If we go round, we might be able to help."
Nora took a breath, trying to calm herself, recognising the wisdom of Ren's words. They'd had their differences, but she knew they were at one in this. She knew his sense; she loved his heart. She'd trust him in this.
"Okay," she said. "Let's do it."
-000-
Cinder came to, coughing as she pulled herself up. The atmosphere was thick with dust and blackening smoke. Around her was a maze of half-collapsed walls and the strewn remnants of the upper floors. She felt battered all over, and throbbing pain down her side told her she'd fallen several floors at least. She snarled in anger. What had driven that fool to blow up the whole building with them both inside?!
Sudden instinct blared at her. She ducked, and a silver flash passed overhead. A broken, shimmering blade cut through the air where her head had been, cutting through some idle strands of hair.
She launched herself to the side, backing off from the armoured figure that emerged from the smoke. With a gesture, she used her powers to create a sword of her own.
"Are you crazy?!" she screamed. "Or do you really seek death?"
Jaune didn't answer her, instead striding forward, his aura visible as he advanced through flame.
She refused to let this boy have the initiative. She launched herself forward, smacking his sword aside. Yet he seized her second stroke with his free hand. She tried to pull her sword free but it was like a vice as his gauntlet shimmered. Suddenly her glass sword shattered, and she reeled. She couldn't dodge the next blow, as Jaune brought his helmet smashing against her skull, sending her stumbling. And she felt it then: not just the pain (for aura could never entirely block that), but the ebb. What remained of her aura after the blast and fall was dropping still further.
She formed another sword, her magic not being limited by anything as petty as aura, and attacked again, but this time with careful, swift strikes. She probed his defences, being wary not to overextend. He was far faster than he had been, far more skilled; she recognised facets of the boy he had been, but they'd evolved somehow. She turned to her magic, causing the ground beneath him to erupt into a blast. He lunged forward, but few were quick enough to avoid her Maiden powers, and he was no different.
And yet he shrugged it off. His aura shimmered again, but not the flicker of damage. It was almost as if he were recharging himself. He then threw himself forward, his shield opening, and the emblem was his. But she couldn't avoid it in time and was bodied by the blow and sent smashing back through the remains of an old desk.
"Is this some sort of revenge?" she asked, seeking to unnerve him. "Blaming me for the android girl?" But his blue eyes remained fixed upon her, and they didn't seem clouded by anger or grief as they had been in prior encounters. They were cold, and hard, and he did not answer.
This didn't make sense. This wasn't like fighting the boy she'd fought before at all. This was a monster. It was like fighting Hazel. Fighting someone who just wouldn't stop. She knew she had to uncover this; this puzzle gnawed at her. It could mean the difference between life and death. She danced closer, feinting this way and that, using the fire of her magic to stop his press and allow her close enough.
She ducked a sweep of his blade and ducked to his right. She brought her own left hand round and into contact with his helmet. She had to conserve her aura, but it was worth it for this. Rather than use her magic, she called upon her semblance, superheating her hand and melting his helmet beneath her touch.
She ducked back, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the return blow, which took her in the torso and knocked her across the room. She'd gotten her target though, his now heated and malformed helmet a hindrance not a help. He tore at the straps beneath, and ripped the helm from his head. And she looked in surprise at what lay beneath.
This wasn't the boy she'd known before, though it clearly was the same man. His face was lined, his blond hair long and riven with white. He was older, much older. One might even say mature, and yet there was a weight of grief and pain etched onto his features, most especially in his eyes.
"What happened to you?" she gasped, despite herself.
"You did." And his eyes didn't waver.
"I?! I didn't do this!"
He seemed to hesitate for a moment. "No, not all if it," he admitted. "But you were the start of it. And I will be the end."
He charged forward then, but Cinder had already prepared, launching a fireball behind her in an effort to blast her way out. She thought she saw a route clear, and threw herself into the air, using her fire to propel herself. Yet she did not get clear: with horror she realised his hand had closed tight around her foot. She twisted round, trying to fight back, but he spun and threw her aside. She rolled in the air and crashed through one of the remaining wooden supports as it shivered under the impact.
Cinder have fought many enemies. She'd managed to triumph over Ozpin, by no means any slouch. She faced Winter thrice, and while she'd come off best, knew the white-haired woman wasn't to be underestimated. And Raven… Cinder had misjudged that one. But she'd never suspected the most desperate fight of her life would come here, in a burning wreck, against this once-boy. But she dragged herself up, fire blazing in her hands. "So be it, then."
-000-
The defenders of Vacuo were still falling back, quicker now in the face of the unrelenting tide of the Grimm. They could only hope most of the civilians behind them had run for it. Many had… but Velvet was all too aware of some who hadn't. She blinked her eyes, clearing them of tears. The time for mourning would come later, if there were a later.
Theodore had kept tight control of the huntsmen and students with him, whilst coordinating an extended line that was gradually retreating through the city. For most of their withdrawal they'd been in constant contact with the enemy, though the odd ebb and flow led to occasional breathing spaces. There was one now, though the Grimm were once more closing the gap.
Velvet took aim through a hard-light version of Crescent Rose. Yatsuhashi could handle the close work, while Coco the heavy firepower. For these odd gaps, Velvet liked the reach and accompanying skills of the Sniper-Scythe, not least for seeing what was coming.
Through the scope she saw an odd, bulbous head, almost smooth like glass, floating in the air while tentacles drooped beneath it. A Seer, she realised; those creatures of Grimm that served as Salem's eyes and ears, and even a way for her to speak. A worthwhile target, if Salem were using such to coordinate this horde, and she took aim. But for a moment she caught a glimpse of goggles and red hair with a silver streak. Carmine Esclados? She took the shot, nailing the Seer, but as she swept the scope around she'd lost sight of the woman. She'd caused Team CFVY much trouble even before recent events, and Velvet wondered what business the woman had with a Seer and where she was off to now. But then the Grimm were upon them once more, and she had to cast such questions from her mind.
-000-
Jaune cursed again as Cinder ducked the blow. He'd set the scene, placed both of them at a centre of an explosion he knew he was best placed to handle, and trapped her in a confined arena in which her mobility was diminished and he could get close. Yet even with his ability to diminish aura, she'd proven resilient. He expected it, of course: she'd managed to mortally wound a Maiden even before she stole the power. And her magic was something he couldn't take away. But so much rested on this fight. He couldn't risk letting everyone down again.
He struck a blow again, using his shield to bash her back, stepping swiftly forward with a sweep of his sword. But she managed to avoid the swing, and blew fire in his face. Fire that not even he could endure forever. His aura too was gradually dropping, taxed as it had been as never before. He'd recharged it several times in this fight, but even he had limits, even holding nothing back.
And of course, she wouldn't shut up.
"Can't finish the job, can you?" she taunted him. "All this time, all these new skills, and while you can best others, there is always me!"
He felt a surge of anger blaze within him. He tried to hold it back, but it was hard, so impossibly hard. Seeing her again, after all this time. This woman who'd caused so much misery and death, who'd hurt and hunted his friends. It was too much. It was she who'd killed Pyrrha... and put him in the position where he'd murdered Penny.
No. FOCUS! His anger had cost him before, had cost dear others before. And as tempting as it would be to cast all responsibility for Penny at her feet, he meant what he said to Nora. He was the one there, it was his choice. And he couldn't hate Cinder as much as he hated himself.
He steeled himself as he took a fireball in the face and charged forward, stabbing forward with the broken edge of Crocea Mors. This wasn't to be about hate or anger, as much as he had cause. No, this was about his failures. He'd failed to die for his friends. He'd failed to heal them. So if his only talent was getting people killed, he'd kill for them.
And they, and Vacuo, would be immeasurably safer if this one was dead. If Salem's main Maiden candidate were dead, it'd put a crimp in her plans that'd take even her time to smooth out.
Cinder lunged forwards then, with fire and sword. He ducked out of the way of the fire, blocked the sword, but then the claws of her Grimm arm came at him, scraping against his armour. Collapsing his shield, he grabbed hold of that wrist with his now free hand, holding it tight. There was no aura to drain on this arm, but then no aura to block. He brought Crocea Mors down, carving the limb off.
She cried out as she lurched back, dark smoke billowing from the black stump. He moved forward but she had the presence of mind to roll back out of his reach, and cast a wall of fire in his way. She clenched her teeth as she arose, her amber eye burning with undiminished power, and conjured another glass sword into her human hand.
"No, you don't lack the ability," she admitted, groaning with pain as another Grimm limb formed from her stump to replace that which had been lost. "But maybe it's the will? Maybe you don't want to kill me? You've grown, but maybe you realise how little you'd be without me?"
Jaune growled in anger then, charging forward through the fire without care for the cost in aura. But Cinder did not stand against him; she ducked under his renewed attack and used the chance to dart past him, opening up the space he'd fought so hard to deny her. She threw another fireball, not at him but at some weak spot in what was left of the outer walls of the building. Jaune turned, but was too slow to stop her making for it, pushing herself out as other parts of the building collapsed around them. Jaune smashed through the remainder of the walls, but it was too late, she was out into the courtyard beyond. His plan had failed.
She turned then, giving him a smirk as he crashed towards her. Fire emerged from her limbs as she started to rise in the sky…
And then she was hit by two grappling hooks, which wrapped themselves around her legs. In a moment she was pulled down and smacked against the floor. Then a grenade with a distinctive pink blast hit her, knocking her some more. And a second later, Jaune was on her, bashing her back with his shield as she tried to rise again.
"Sorry, we'd have got here sooner, but someone blew up the building!" a voice said in rebuke, and yet in that moment Jaune thought he'd never heard so lovely a voice. Tears came to his eyes as he saw his teammates, Nora and Ren move to his aid, cutting off Cinder's escape.
He saw the woman look round wildly, looking for an escape. She glowered at Ren and Nora, then looked beyond them, to where a stream of people were running past the fountain in the middle of the courtyard. Some clearly lacked the sense the Brothers had given them, as they gawked at the sight of the fight. But Jaune would allow Cinder to take no hostages, no matter how foolish.
"Thanks guys," he said, and his voice almost failed with the weight of what he felt. "Keep her boxed in and let me get close." Cinder ran for it, but triggering a blast of gravity dust from his shield, he sent himself flying in an arc, crashing down into her, battering her to the ground. She crumpled, then rolled, but as she stumbled up and he advanced, he thought he saw fear in her eye.
-000-
Ruby had rejoined her team, and it was as desperate as Ren had warned. They were close now, ever so close, to the line Theodore had drawn, but who knew if there were any defenders along it? She fought with desperation, putting her fears and griefs aside, but could see all her team were worn down, as were all the huntsmen, huntresses and whoever else was fighting alongside them. Even Theodore himself seemed to be running out of steam.
"We've gotten as many out as we can, and Sunderer Square is just over there!" he bellowed. "Just a little further!"
They continued to retreat, team by team, almost too slowly, for more than one died in this final stretch. But Ruby knew if they'd all turned their backs to flee, many more would have been lost. They backed into the square, and then Ruby heard voices behind her. No, a voice… Winter's!
She turned then, as others did, and saw the serried ranks of the Atlesians and Theodore's reserves drawn up on the far side of the square. She saw Uncle Qrow too, standing beside the floating figure of Winter Schnee, and he beckoned to her as Winter kept speaking.
"We know what it's like to lose our homes," she cried to her troops. "Never again! The line's drawn here, and no further! Not one step back!"
"NOT ONE STEP BACK!" they roared, and as the last of the line ran for safety, the Atlesians started shooting at the following Grimm, sending a cavalcade of fire at them. The creatures recoiled at first, but then pressed onward in even greater numbers. Ruby turned as she joined the line and added her firepower to the mix, the rest of her team and others beside her.
Yet the Grimm continued to move forward, the ranks of black and red and white seemingly an unstoppable swarm, and then the temperature began to drop. Swirls of ice and snow began to form around the middle of the square, as the Winter Maiden added her own powers to the fight. Renewed, the defenders of the city stood fast and fought, as the Grimm endured fire and blizzard.
-000-
"You've done enough, Ren! Get back!" Jaune called. His teammate fell back, aura flickering, as Nora had done earlier when her own broke. It was enough, for Jaune saw Cinder's own aura sputter as he smashed into her again. She caused the ground beneath Jaune to burst in an explosion, but his own weakening aura only caught some of the blast as he swept forward, cutting into her again with Crocea Mors. She'd ceased taunting him by now, only shrieking as he smacked her face with his shield and kneed her in the gut.
She fell back, more fire in her hand, though even her magic seemed tired at this point. She bounced against one of the columns that surrounded the courtyard, right into Jaune's thrust with Crocea Mors. Her aura shattered as she was knocked off her feet and crashed to the ground. Her solitary eye widened as she realised her predicament.
Careful now, he told himself, trying desperately to calm himself. Don't get overconfident. This isn't over till it's over. He braced himself as he advanced slowly towards her.
"Jaune, look out!" Nora cried from where she sat on the ground behind him. He twisted, as his own instincts flaring up, and brought his shield up. One Sai smacked off it; the other struck home, hitting his torso and knocking him off his feet. He scrambled up behind one of the other columns, getting out of the line of fire, and scanned the area for this latest threat. A redhaired woman with a silver streak ambled slowly past the fountain, and he chided himself. It was the one he'd fought before, this Carmine Esclados. Theodore had warned him too.
Her blades flew back to her hands, as she directed a seemingly mocking look at Cinder. "Oh Cinder, you seem to be in a spot of trouble?"
"Very observant," the Fall Maiden growled, trying to pull herself up with little success. "Get on with it!"
"Where's the Maiden?"
"It was a trap, you fool. She's not here!"
At this a sly smile crossed Carmine's face. "Oh, I beg to differ!" And her daggers flew out once more, not at Jaune nor his downed friends, but directly at Cinder herself.
-000-
Cinder saw the daggers coming at her, saw the triumphant smirk on her rival's face, and spat her hatred at her. But she couldn't move; all was vain. And she railed at her ignominious end.
-000-
Jaune saw Carmine launch the blades, and for the barest moment was tempted to let them strike home. But with sudden calculation, he knew he couldn't risk it. He couldn't handle a fresh new Maiden, not in his weakened state. And it'd ruin his plan, for Salem would still have a Maiden and still press her attack home. Cinder would be dead, but the city – and his friends – would still fall.
He flung himself out, throwing himself in their way just in time. They struck heavily, finally causing his weakening aura to flicker. He clambered to his feet as the Sais went back to their mistress, and rushed towards her
-000-
Nora saw Jaune inexplicably take the daggers for Cinder, and saw his aura flash. She knew not why Jaune had done it, but she knew he likely couldn't take another hit like that. She saw the blades fly back to Carmine, and launched herself off the ground, throwing herself up and in the way.
-000-
Carmine saw the knight, now without his helmet, take the blows meant for Cinder. It mattered little: she saw his own aura give warning of its last, and called her weapons back to her with her semblance. Another strike should knock him down, and then Cinder and her Maiden powers would be ripe for the plucking.
She flung them out again as the knight began charging at her. Then her satisfaction turned to shock as suddenly the short redhead, the one who'd frustrated her aims before, leapt up in the way of her daggers. She must have had no aura left: they cut deep into her with a slash of red as they flung her down. And as she fell, Carmine saw the knight's face transform with rage, and realised all too late than an armoured juggernaut was still bearing down on her. She yanked her Sais back to her just as she was struck by an avalanche of steel.
-000-
Jaune howled with rage as he smashed into the Vacuan huntress. Fury filled his veins, driving out all thought as he struck the woman again and again. For a moment she was stunned, and a moment was all he needed as he grabbed her, and shoved her head first into the fountain and held her down. She struggled desperately: aura could protect against much, but it couldn't protect someone from drowning.
Somehow she had the wit to telekinetically fling her daggers against him, a weaker blow than it might have been, but enough to break his grip. She twisted from his grasp, taking a breath of air as she took one of her weapons with her left hand. She turned, jabbing it at his shoulder, and it slid past his weakening aura into the joints between his armour. He ignored the pain in his wrath, taking hold of both her arms and flinging them back, smashing both back against the stone rim of the fountain. His hands shimmered, as he frantically tried to amplify what was left of his aura and cut hers down.
Carmine kicked her knee up, but glanced off armour. She then turned and wrenched herself free again, pushing herself up and him back, before she thrust her dagger at him. He blocked the blow with Crocea Mors, but the sword was knocked from his hands. She stabbed at him again but he took hold of her wrist with his right hand and twisted, as he used his left to punch her face with his mailed fist. He struck her again and again, pushing her back towards the fountain as he pummelled her. She appeared to stumble, but he caught the feint: twisting, he grabbed her other Sai that had been flying at his back and swung it round into her, knocking her back into the fountain. He leapt forward, climbing to pin her down underwater with his knees as he knocked aside the dagger she held. She thrashed and strained upwards, desperate for air, but he took her head and slammed it against the bottom of the fountain. He repeated the deed, and then again, and so on and on until at last she weakened and then finally stopped moving. And as she fell still, the red mist that had filled his mind dispersed.
-000-
Ruby kept fighting, though Grimm kept coming, driven onwards by more than their normal bestial instincts. It was as if some will pushed them on, and maybe that was so, for this was Salem's own work.
Many beside her were wounded, others had fallen. Her own team had been struck too, and Yang had needed to retreat with Blake, who'd been too deeply injured to fight at this time. Weiss seemed hurt too, and Ruby would have advised her to withdraw too. But if the line fell here, where would they retreat to? Nor could she see Weiss run while Winter was still in the field. The Winter Maiden was now clearly flagging, her powers overtaxed in her unrecovered state. Qrow had been covering her, but was now practically supporting her, as Winter continued to try and throw her magic to slow down the Grimm.
Others too were still in the field: most of CFVY were still fighting, as were many of the others Theodore had pulled back on their retreat from the wall. The Atlesians were still holding the line, though not without significant casualties. These all fought, not knowing how they could win, but not having any alternative. Their energy and their ammunition was now running low in earnest, but all they could do was hold on and hope against hope for some sudden change.
-000-
Jaune rose stiffly from the fountain, barely able to look at Carmine's corpse. He felt exhausted, a deep weariness set into his very bones. The wound in his shoulder stung, and he felt the dull spark of his own battered aura. Not down, not yet, but so little was left. He stepped out of the fountain, crouching to pick up Crocea Mors. He had to see to Nora and Ren, who he was dimly aware was by the side of the stricken girl. And then there was… CINDER!
His eyes darted to her last position, and she was there, back by the pillars that ringed this courtyard. Gradually pulling herself to her feet once more, she looked as tired and worn as he was. Yet the fire licking around her fingers showed her magic had regained some potency.
Two blue eyes met a single amber eye. Jaune dared not turn aside his sight, as worried for his friends as he was. He couldn't let his attention lapse, not even out of concern, for he remembered his fateful turn in that basement, at Pyrrha's scream.
She looked at him, and Carmine, and back again. "I suppose I should thank you."
"I'd rather you didn't."
She looked at him then, deeply, as he slowly made his way towards her. "We don't have to be enemies, Jaune."
He scoffed incredulously. "Really?!"
"Yes, really," she said, sounding almost sincere.
"You're the one who chose that," he told her. "You're the one following the woman trying to destroy the world!"
"Destroy the world?!" It was Cinder's turn now to snort in disbelief. "Is this what that parasite has been telling you?"
"It's what we've seen," Jaune replied. "Why do you think Salem wants the relics? She wants to summon the gods, cause them to destroy the world, and her along with it!"
Cinder stared at him for a moment, then gradually shook her head, as she chose to dismiss the idea. "No. I don't believe it. It's nonsense, it has to be! No one with that much power gives it up!"
"Live long enough, and you begin to crave escape," Jaune said, as fatigue seeped into his voice. "You long for any release or peace that may lie beyond."
"So why haven't you?" she bit back
"I couldn't. Not so long as…"
"Oh, for little old me?" Cinder smirked in an almost coquettish manner.
"Don't flatter yourself," Jaune growled as he stepped forwards. "If not you there'd be others. There were others. But if I can protect people, if I could just do some good for once… then I had to try, to protect them from people like you."
"From people who would kill them?" Cinder turned, giving a meaningful look at Carmine's body. "And yet you're a killer too. Just like me."
"I'm nothing like you."
"Really?" Cinder replied. "Maybe she had it coming, but we both know there've been others. The first."
"You were there."
"I was. And I know what it's like. Do you truly think I'm without any regrets?"
"Yes?" Jaune offered.
She huffed. "Most, no," she conceded. "But there are… some. So I understand when there is little choice. When one is weak and powerless, and must kill to become strong. Do you think your friends will understand? That they'll accept you? They'd turn on you like the world did me!" A sudden and strange earnestness entered her tone. "But we… we could be useful to each other… helpful. You've come on a long way since Beacon!"
Jaune laughed then, bitter and long. At his rebuff, what seemed like impatience crossed Cinder's face.
"Is this because of Pyrrha Nikos?" she asked.
Jaune was silent for a moment. "I'll always hate you for that," he admitted softly, before he paused again. "But no," he eventually said. "Pyrrha's beyond your reach, and killing you won't bring her back. I do this for the same reasons she would: for them." He nodded in Ren and Nora's direction, though he did not risk looking away from Cinder. "And for others. You delight in pain. You take pleasure in it. So long as you can, you'll kill and torment those around you. The only way anyone could trust you is if your power was taken away."
"Then just try and take it!" she screamed, flinging her arms up, sending a blanket of fire towards him.
It was too late to dive aside. Jaune sprang forwards, charging into the fire as he sought to cover what was left of the distance between them. He was buffeted by the heat, the pressure of the blaze almost shoving him back, but he forced his way forward. He felt the flames lick around him. His aura was weak enough that it couldn't shield him from all the pain nor the damage, and so he felt the sting and crackle as the conflagration lashed against his skin and scorched his lungs.
Yet he gritted his teeth and pressed forward, pushing through the pain. It's what he did, what he'd always done. After all, he'd been burning for decades.
And so he burned now.
He burst from the flame, grabbing her throat with a steel grip. She clawed at his side, raking his armour and the flesh beneath, but couldn't break his hold nor stop him as he placed Crocea Mors just under her ribcage.
"Whatever you do, don't think of Ruby Rose," he rasped. And shoved the broken blade into her heart.
-000-
Ruby had been fighting the Grimm, growing increasingly despondent, when everything went black. One moment she was in Vacuo, and the next she found herself standing in a featureless world. There was no sky, no horizon. All was flat, and dark, in some strange way whereby she could see, but had no illumination.
"Where am I?" she asked out loud.
"In my head. Or yours," Ruby heard a voice say, and whirled around. Cinder was standing there, looking strangely as she had back at Beacon, with eye and hand restored. And yet she had a hunted look as she kept glancing over her shoulder, as if expecting to be swept away at any moment.
"What did you do?"
"What did I do?! It was him! He made me think of you. So here we are!" the amber-eyed woman snarled.
"He…?" Ruby said, confused.
"Who do you think! Arc! He killed me, and made me think of you. And so you take a power you never deserved."
"Power?" Ruby said softly to herself, then remembered what Winter had told her. Of Penny's last words, of the space they met in. Yet this seemed a far darker and more threatening place. As she looked, the shadows around Cinder appeared to grow and lengthen, despite there being no light to cast them.
"I'm the Fall Maiden?!" she realised, with shock and apprehension.
"Yes!" Cinder snapped. "What do you think I've been saying?!" She shivered then, as if she were cold. "At least I left my mark upon him too."
Fear crossed Ruby's heart. "What mark? What have you done to him?"
"What have I done to him?! He's the one who killed me! If only I'd known…" A strange look crossed the former Fall Maiden's face, almost of regret. "If only he'd said yes… Damn you, and damn him."
"You're the one who kept attacking us! If you'd just left us alone..." Ruby trailed off.
"I am what the world made me."
"If the world made you, then you made us."
Cinder laughed then, a laugh utterly without humour. "Then the world is not without a cruel sense of irony." A strange wind seemed to pick up around Cinder, one that Ruby could not feel, but which blew fiercely upon the former Maiden's clothes and hair, somehow rising to a shriek even as it left Ruby untouched. "I hope Salem finishes you all!" she screamed.
And Ruby opened her eyes back on the real world. The Grimm were still attacking, but Weiss had turned to look at her in shock, and Qrow was staring with fearful eyes.
Ruby realised she was hovering above the ground. And then her eyes burst into flame.
In an instant, she added her powers to Winter's own, her fury sending fire and wind to scatter the hordes assailing them. Some fighting later reported that some of the Grimm seemed to turn and flee even before her assault was fully underway, as if called back by their mistress. But it mattered little: as Ruby's magic joined with Winter's own, the back of the attack seemed to break, as the enemy seemed to melt under her and Winter's combined wrath. With scythe and the power of the seasons and silver eyes, Ruby stormed into the foe, leading the ragged defenders of Vacuo in their attack. But Ruby was in great haste, for she feared now she had an errand that could not wait, and she wept as she slew. And as the defenders cheered and triumphed and began their victorious march to reclaim the walls, she did not linger but left the battle swiftly.
-000-
Jaune stood above the body of the Fall Maiden as he gasped for air through his ravaged airways. He could feel the blistering of his skin, and almost blacked out from the pain. Yet he forced himself to stand. He was severely burned, but he felt a remaining smidgen of aura within him. Enough to live, he reckoned. Healing would take time, and he'd bear heavy scars, but he had just enough to keep himself alive.
And then he heard Ren's cries.
He turned, slowly and stiffly, and began stumbling over to where Ren sat by Nora's body, sobbing over her. The girl was bleeding profusely, and Ren was trying to treat her, but Jaune saw what Ren did too, that it would not be enough. Her wounds were mortal, and swift. The boy looked up as he approached, his pink eyes wet with many tears.
"Please!" he begged. "If you can do anything…"
Jaune looked down as tears stung his own eyes. His teammate, his sister, looked so pale beneath the blood. She was barely breathing, and yet her face looked at peace. But could he let this happen? Did he have any choice? He knew what Ren was asking, but he hadn't been able to heal anyone in decades. Could he suddenly do so now?
But she'd never given up on him, not once, ever since he'd returned. He'd been able to do this once, could he do so again? Could he give of himself to amplify of aura, not diminish it? To be a healer, not a killer?
He didn't know if he could, but he knew now he had to try. He slowly knelt by her side, as Ren repositioned himself, and extended his hands. He paused in doubt, not even sure how to start this process anymore. He couldn't remember. He tried extending his aura over her, but felt at first it try and grab and weaken as it become accustomed to. He resisted it, refused it. He wanted to give, not take. To heal, not destroy. Instead he let his feelings flow towards this woman, his found sister who'd saved him again and again, and never forsaken him. How could he give up on her? She'd offered up everything. How could he give anything less?
For that was what was being asked, he knew, even if Ren could not. His aura was down to its last embers. What little was left was all that was keeping him alive. If he gave of himself, he'd give everything.
And so he'd give everything. His hands shone. He felt his love and concern for her flow into her as a shimmer passed over her. For a moment, he didn't know if he was having any affect, and then she gasped. First in pain, but then again in relief as she began to take breath. Her wounds began to close, near miraculously, as her aura sparked into life and began healing her at a super-charged rate. He ignored the pain in his own body, the agony that raced down his nerves, as he continue to pour his soul into his fallen friend.
Her wounds had closed as her eyes fluttered open. She looked, at first in bewilderment, and then focused and smiled as she saw them both. Jaune stood to get out the way as Ren took Nora in a fierce hug, weeping over her for joy. Jaune got to his feet, and teetered. His breath became more ragged, his skin aflame. Unable to hold himself, his legs collapsed, sending him to his knees and then to the ground.
-000-
Nora could feel Ren's tears, as he begged her not to leave him, when they heard the thud,
"Jaune?" Ren turned. "JAUNE?!"
In panic, he lunged away from her, and Nora pushed herself up. Ren was now beside their friend, who was sprawled upon the ground. Nora crawled, wincing as she saw how injured Jaune was, as she heard the roughness of his breath.
"Jaune, we'll try and get help!" Ren began.
Jaune cut him off. "There wasn't enough for both of us."
"What?" Ren said, and then his face paled. "I didn't mean…!"
"It's okay, Ren," Jaune rasped. "I knew what this meant, even if you didn't. It was willingly offered."
And Nora realised with awful dread what Jaune was saying, what he'd just done.
"No!" she cried, as she took hold of her brother. "I was supposed to save you!"
"You did." Despite his difficulty in breathing, Jaune smiled. "You helped me to believe I'm not just a killer."
Another voice cried. "Jaune?!" Nora turned and saw Ruby enter the courtyard looking around. She caught sight of them and dashed over, and for the first time since Atlas fell, saw Jaune's face.
She burst into tears.
"Jaune, you're old!" she cried.
Jaune tried to laugh but couldn't, as his breathing grew laboured. "I was down there a lot longer than you, Ruby."
Still weeping bitter tears, Ruby approached. She knelt beside him too, joining Ren and Nora as she reached and touched him.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"You were hurt… Ruby, I'm sorry."
"Jaune," the girl cried in pain. "I didn't know what to do, I can't forget what happened. One friend killing another… but I never wanted this. I don't want to lose you too! You're still my friend!"
"Thank you," he said.
"I mean it! Don't go!"
Jaune tried to speak, but his airway seized up. Nora gripped tighter, fearful they were about to lose him, but he forced some more rough breaths. "I don't think I have a choice. Make it mean something."
Nora lay her head on top of Jaune's body as she sobbed.
"The meaning of life and death!" Ruby cried in realisation. "That's what Salem never learned, what keeps her cursed. Maybe that's what we need to learn to stop her." But then she shook her head. "But I don't want to! I didn't with my mom, I didn't with Penny. I don't with you!"
"But you must!" Jaune croaked. "Make everything worth it! Death can't be avoided, we can't escape it. So we mustn't fear it, and meaning we must find. And I'm glad I did some good with it. At least now I can go to those we've lost without fear. Now I can look them in the eye and not be ashamed."
"Because you killed Cinder?" Ruby asked.
"No." And Jaune tilted his head towards Nora, lifted his hand towards her. She turned to look at him. "Because I helped you."
Water flowed from her eyes as she held his hand. Ruby took it also, and Ren took the other, as all wept.
"I'm sorry you grieve," Jaune gasped out.
"I'll miss you," Nora replied, unable to say any more.
His breathing seemed to break again and grow more ragged and shallow. As they watched and tried to comfort him, the wind around them seemed to pick up. A red leaf blew across, and landed briefly on Jaune's body. His breathing ceased, as his eyes lost focus. And yet peace seemed filled his face as he began to smile. Then the light left his unstaring eyes, and the leaf blew away, carried into the heavens. And the friends wept. As elsewhere the defenders of the city celebrated survival and victory, this small cluster mourned, as a new Maiden and a small family cried over the broken body of their friend.
-000-
The Grimm assault on Vacuo ended that day. The horde within the walls was defeated, and those without ceased their assault and seemed to melt into the desert. Salem had retreated, not even leaving a parting gift courtesy of the Staff of Creation, save of the ruin that had been the northern walls. Why was not entirely clear. It was possible that, with the loss of the servants she need to open the vault and obtain the relic, that she'd chosen to leave Vacuo intact for a later opportunity. Perhaps she'd turn elsewhere, or maybe the reprieve would be short-lived, with some act of spite to come. None, not even Ozpin, could predict what the Grimm Queen was planning. All that seemed sure was that she would return: she had likely not yet given up on her quest for oblivion.
But for the time being they lived, and while the city had taken many casualties, many were able to rejoice in surviving for another day. Others threw themselves into repairing the city, in trying to make right that which was torn down. And others grieved for their loss, even as they knew they that little time to mourn. For the battle was won, but the war was not over.
Salem still had two relics, was still halfway to the destruction of the world. It seemed all but inevitable that she'd seek out new servants prepared to damn the world to gain a little power, above all by opening the vaults for her by stealing the Maiden powers. And even if she were becoming increasing desperate, Salem still had time mortals did not.
There were no vain hopes of keeping the status quo this time, not like Ozpin had done for many years before the fall of Beacon. They needed to act, before Salem struck back at Vacuo or turned elsewhere. Perhaps there was some hope of overcoming this threat for good; at the very least they needed to guard against her next move. They needed to open lines of communication. Repairing the full reach of the CCT system was likely impossible with Atlas in ruins, but they could still send messengers. And so they'd go: some to Mistral, some to Argus, where it was hoped what was left of the Atlesian Air Fleet had regrouped. Blake and Yang, now recovered, would lead a team to Menagerie to coordinate with Blake's parents and the reformed White Fang.
And Nora, and Ren, and Emerald would accompany Oscar and Ruby to Vale, where it'd all began. They needed to contact Miss Goodwitch, and coordinate with what was left of the forces of Beacon. And the time had come, Ozpin had suggested, when they need to call upon the relics themselves. The Relic of Destruction would remain safely sealed in Vacuo's vault, locked away, but with Ruby as the Fall Maiden, they could open the path to the Relic of Choice. Here, they felt, was some hope.
Not that this was on Nora's mind at this time. They also had a far more personal errand to run, one that weighed heavily upon her as she, along with Ren, and Ruby, and their other friends, stood before a plain, white grave marker.
JAUNE ARC
BELOVED LEADER
FRIEND
BROTHER
Nora knew the legend was already spreading, of the knight who'd arisen to cast down the dark Queen's champions. The hero with the broken blade. But wasn't all Jaune was. He was more than a hero. He was her family. And she'd rather have the man than the memory, let alone the myth.
Not so lonely on that pedestal after all, huh, Pyrrha? Nora thought, as she gazed and wept.
"We lost him after all," Ren lamented
"We did, and we didn't." Nora answered. She missed him, but she knew he'd found peace. And she thought of all the others they'd lost. Jaune was right, death was an inescapable part of life. But not a permanent one, she hoped. Jinn's vision had spoken of an afterlife, and she hoped it was true. No one could avoid death forever, not even Salem or so they hoped. It'd be nice to know that those they'd lost weren't lost forever; that they'd see them again. She felt in her heart there was something to it. But she was in no rush to find out. She wouldn't waste Jaune's final gift.
She deliberately extended her hand, taking Ren's into her own. He shot her a silent glance, and she nodded. It was time. She wouldn't waste the time Jaune had given her, and she now knew who she was. She was ready, in more ways than one.
They remained standing there as others departed, some stiffly stoic, others shedding many tears. Even Winter had shown, who'd barely known him, and Theodore seemed strangely affected, crying freely as he'd done for many of his own students. One of the last to leave was Ruby, who turned, her own silver eyes filled with sorrow. Nora extended her other hand as she passed, clasping Ruby's shoulder and giving her a comforting squeeze. Team RNJR would ride again, but like JNPR before it, now carrying some members only in spirit.
They turned to leave themselves, Nora's hand brushing against the red sash that was now tied round her own waist. "Look after him, Pyrrha," she said. Then she added, "Look after each other."
Her hand fell from the sash, to the other burden strapped to her side. The errand that needed to be taken back to Jaune's family. Crocea Mors had been a sword surrounded with history, one that young Jaune had felt such a burden to live up to. But now, she fancied, it glittered with rather more glory, even in its broken state, far beyond what it had once borne. It had been his, and a symbol of him: a symbol that, no matter how broken they might become, no matter what they might go through, that they need never give up. A sign that, even if Salem or their other trials should break them, that they could choose to never bend: that they could continue, no matter how worn down, to persevere and be true to each other, and so conquer and never be defeated.
– FIN –
Author's Note:
First things first, I guess: this was always going to be the ending. What Are You? was always going to be bittersweet. There were times I wondered if there was some way for Jaune to survive this story, but the story insisted otherwise. But while he may have lost out in happiness in life, he triumphed, and I think there's some things (because I left them deliberately), where one can read between the lines.
If it makes anyone feel better, I was weeping through parts of this last chapter. And once I start revising A Semblance of a Team, there's a least one story in which I hope to give him happiness while he's still alive. It's possibly a little strange that he's one of my favourite characters, and yet in my two completed full length RWBY stories, I've killed him both times (Fallen Maiden at the beginning, here at the end).
One reader on AO3 happened to remark that after reading chapter four that this looked like fitting as a prequel to one of my one-shots, by which I suspect they meant Communion. That wasn't the intention, but indeed, now I can see it does, aside from a few details. Sometimes one never quite knows what will arise from a story. I'd originally envisaged this as just a long one-shot. By the time I'd committed to writing, I thought be a short story of 20,000 words. Instead it became a novella, six chapters and 50,000 words long, without any changes in the key plot points at all. But while it took longer than I'd planned (especially due to some delays from real life), I couldn't drop this. Like Fallen Maiden, it insisted on being written, and I couldn't gainsay it, not after I saw that original artwork that inspired the piece.
