Well, the finale of Volume 3. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Chapter 51: Condemnation

Pain.

That was all I felt. Pain aching through every fiber of my body. Gently easing myself up, I slowly forced my eyes open, and heard a cascade of asbestos trickle down around the rubble surrounding me. Forcing myself to my feet and looking around, the memories returned to me.

The wrecked room that was once Ozpin's office. The broken furniture, the shattered windows. But the shadow… I looked up, and felt my heart skip a beat.

The dragon Grimm.

Falling backwards and scrabbling away, I tried to ready a blast. But as I was about to discharge, I heard a voice.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, kid."

Looking back, I saw Qrow kneeling over a comatose Ruby. Getting to my feet, I sprinted over to them, kneeling opposite Qrow.

"Is she okay?" I asked breathlessly. Qrow didn't look to me, only keeping his focus on his niece.

"She's fine. But that much power all at once…" He trailed off.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Qrow didn't respond.

"Qrow… what did Ruby do?" I pleaded. Only then did he turn his gaze to me.

"That Arcadia Fragment in your chest and the Maidens aren't the only ancient powers around here, you know. There's tales of silver-eyed warriors, said to wield unimaginable power, far beyond anything in history. Whatever she did… it did a number on that Grimm." He explained, nodding to the dragon. Looking back to it, I saw that it's colours had been dulled ever so slightly, and that it was motionless. Its mouth was open, frozen in mid-roar, but that was it.

"I need to get you two to safety. That thing could wake up any moment, and I don't want you here when it does." Qrow stated. I didn't respond, only looking down to the ground, where a familiar circlet laid.

I slowly edged closer to it, and reached out to touch it. Qrow said something, but his voice was muted. Wrapping my fingers around the metal, I lifted it up. And the memories of last night came flooding back.

The mutilation of Penny by my hands. The rampant chaos I had ordered the Grimm to cause. The White Fang terrorists I had commanded.

The lives I had taken.

Everything…

Pyrrha and I raced through the deserted hallways, which were bloodied and ruined beyond what either of us remembered. But still, we pressed on, hoping to get to the elevator which led to Ozpin's office.

"This way!"

Pyrrha skidded down a hallway, with me following closely behind. Finally, we reached the elevator, but it was broken beyond use. It rested at a crooked angle in the entryway, and the control panel occasionally emitted a small cascade of sparks, with an electrical crackle.

"Blast! Now what?" I growled. Pyrrha merely stepped into the ruined elevator, and looked to the exterior walls.

"I can use my polarity on the lift. We can ride it up that way." She explained. I shook my head, joining her in the enclosed space.

"You need all the energy you can get to fight Cinder. Let me do it." I offered, extending a hand out to her.

"Are you sure?"

"Would I ask if I wasn't?" I replied. Pyrrha looked down, and grasped my hand, allowing me to absorb her magnetic power. After a few moments, I released myself from her grasp, and raised my arms to my sides, closing my eyes as I concentrated on the metal surrounding us. Feeling the power radiate, I directed the magnetic power upwards, with the steel capsule following it. It was a slow ascent, but after a few tense minutes, we finally reached the top.

"Are you ready for this, Pyrrha?"

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, and nodded. Turning the magnetism towards the elevator doors, I wrenched them open with a crash. Pyrrha took the chance to throw her spear at Cinder, who stood in front of the perched dragon Grimm. Cinder looked back, and merely leaned to the side, dodging the javelin effortlessly. Pyrrha continued her attack by hurling her shield, then rocketing forwards to kick Cinder. But both attacks were easily blocked, with Cinder crossing her arms in front of the shield, and taking the impact like it was nothing. Pyrrha backflipped away, summoning both spear and shield to her hands with her polarity control as she did so. I unsheathed my swords, and took a place behind Pyrrha, trying to ignore the pain in my shoulder.

"The false Maiden… and the traitorous knight." Cinder hissed, her dress aglow. Pyrrha didn't respond, only adjusted her stance to react to whatever she had planned.

"No falser than you, Fall. That power isn't yours to wield." I snarled. She merely chuckled.

"The same could be said of you and the crystal in your chest." She retorted. I gritted my teeth; she had stolen her power, whereas I had been given mine. Her words wouldn't sway me.

"The difference between us is that I've earned my power."

Such a hypocrite… this would make her death all the more satisfying. Cinder hovered in the air, and began to unleash a torrent of fireballs. I dived to cover, while Pyrrha stood in place, either blocking or dodging the gouts of flame. Finally, Cinder unleashed a consistent torrent of fire, which Pyrrha blocked with her shield. Pushing forwards against the constant stream, Pyrrha closed the gap between herself and Cinder.

I, meanwhile, had elected to try a sneak attack. Staying low and moving quickly between the detritus scattered around the room, I slipped behind Cinder, ready to release a deadly blow. As Pyrrha grew close enough, she leapt into a sideways flip, slashing at Cinder as she spun. Cinder merely caught the blade, and released a gout of fire into Pyrrha's side, slamming her against the pillar on the far side of the room.

Cinder chuckled, but her advantage wouldn't last long. Leaping up, I readied my cutting blades, and prepared to strike Cinder. A blade through the head, and one through the heart. But Cinder simply twirled away, and my blades only struck the ground. Before I could readjust my attack pattern, Cinder had unsheathed her bow, and split the weapon into two sharp, curved swords. As she swung, I blocked her strikes, and locked blades with her.

"I am stronger than you could ever hope to be, child." Cinder taunted, forcing her blades towards me.

"And yet you hide in the shadows, content to let others do your dirty work until you don't need them anymore. You're a coward." I retorted, pushing back with all the energy and strength I could muster.

"Do you really believe that? If I wished to lead my armies of ruin to victory this night, not a single soul would be left standing by midnight, even without the Maiden's power. You think that this is cowardice? To watch as my enemies writhe in defiance as their inevitable doom approaches? No. To look upon my foes as they struggle for life… It is merely… entertainment." Cinder purred.

"So you have the power to kill us all, but you don't because… it's more fun?!" I asked, horrified at this monster's complete lack of morality.

"If there's one thing I despise, it's an easy victory. A swift kill… what fun is that? You don't hear their pleas for mercy, their screams of agony, and worst of all… you don't get to toy with them afterwards. Offering false promises of mercy and hope… have them watch, unable to look away, as you burn all they hold dear in their hearts to ash… force them to face their inner demons for all eternity… There's a beauty in committing such evil." Cinder purred. With a yell of anger, I forced our blades up, breaking the lock, and spun around, prepared to charge.

"You're gonna burn for this, Fall." I growled.

"You parrot the words of a thousand more before you. But they were far stronger than you could ever hope to be." She retorted. I just let out a scoff.

"Do you even know how strong I am? I could—"

"Do you really believe that your presence alone would decide all our battles in your favour? You're just a boy, ignorant to the ways of battle. You boast of your supposed strength, but I have seen nothing to prove it. All you've ever done is succumbed to whichever side tells you the most convincing story. You're not a hero. You're not even a warrior. You are, and always will be, a naive fool."

Her words cut deeply, deeper than I could have ever expected. Because as much as I wanted to deny it… she was right. I had given Cinder the Wahtani saliva, only because she had told me that she wanted to stop the Reckoning. I had never asked why it was needed, simply assuming that it would get me home, only because Cinder had said so.

While I contemplated Cinder's words, Pyrrha leapt onto Cinder's back, forcing her to her knees, and held her sword up to her neck. Cinder gripped the blade, and struggled to pull it away. Drawn out of my thoughts, I unsheathed a blade and marched forwards, ready to deliver the killing blow.

'I'm not weak, you monstrous bitch. And I'll prove it here and now.'

As I raised my blade, Cinder merely smiled, her eyes aglow. That was when I noticed that her hands were clenching Pyrrha's blade, heating the metal and causing it to melt into slag. Looking back up to face Cinder, I saw Pyrrha looking at something behind me with a gaze of horror, while Cinder glared with an evil grin in the same direction. Looking back, I only had a moment to see the Grimm dragon barreling towards the building. I heard metal snap apart for a moment, then an almighty crash, as the dragon plowed through the building. The monster's enormous wing slammed into my ribcage, and I felt myself falling. It took me a moment to realize that the beast had knocked me out of the room, and into the night sky.

Knowing that I wouldn't have enough Aura to slow my descent and fly back up to the battle, I couldn't just abandon Pyrrha either. I activated my booster jets, and flew close to the tower wall. Readying my fists, I jammed them into the mortar. It took a great deal of effort to hold myself in place, and the trickling asbestos didn't help in any way, but somehow, I held fast. Removing a fist from the structure, I punched a hole into the stone, and pulled myself up. Then using my other fist, I repeated the action, climbing higher and higher with every moment.

I felt my muscles burning with agony, but I still continued up. I wasn't going to give up. Not after all I had done.

I just hoped Pyrrha could hold Cinder off until I'd rejoined the fray.

The dragon circled overhead, but I paid it no mind. It didn't seem to have spotted me, and firing at it would draw its attention. That was not something I wanted: Grimm grew stronger with age, and this one seemed ancient. I wouldn't last a second against it at my current level. So I climbed, begging to all the deities I could recall to let Pyrrha survive.

Finally, I reached the railing of the balcony, and hauled myself up, tumbling over the metal and landing in a heap. I barely had any strength left, and every fibre of my being was screaming at me to stop. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. Not while I had this duty. Looking up, I saw Pyrrha slam into a wall, and her body shimmered with a fading light. Her Aura was depleted. Cinder strode up to her, bow at the ready, and with an arrow nocked. Pyrrha got to her feet, and threw her shield, right as Cinder loosed the arrow. Both projectiles met, and the arrow shattered into glowing fragments. Relief turned to shock, as the arrow reformed back into it's obsidian glass shape, and struck true, deep in Pyrrha's ankle. With a cry of pain, Pyrrha fell to her knees, and looked to the embedded arrow.

I had to do something. I raised my arm, trying to channel a blast at Cinder, but all that came out was a small spark. Raising a sword, I tried to swing at Cinder, desperate to save Pyrrha. She didn't even give a glance in my direction, as her hand unleashed a blast into my chest, sending me flying into a pillar. Trying to shake the dizziness away, I barely registered a shadow looming over the building. The dragon had perched right above me, watching as Cinder knelt before Pyrrha.

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours." She soothed, a mocking tone obviously betraying her sadism.

"But you can take comfort, in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never imagine." She purred. Pyrrha didn't beg, nor plead for mercy. She merely give Cinder the same hard stare.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Cinder didn't respond for a moment, only moving her lips into an annoyed frown.

"Yes."

She stood up again, and formed her bow and arrow, aiming right at Pyrrha's chest. She fired, and the arrow burrowed through Pyrrha's body, the barbed tip emerging from her spine. I watched in horror, as Pyrrha clutched at the arrow in her chest, struggling for breath. Cinder smiled, reveling in the agony she had inflicted. Pyrrha's breaths grew silent, until they halted, and she fell forward limply, her circlet caught by Cinder. The Spartan's body gave an orange flash, and with a gust of wind, she faded into a cloud of orange dust, scattering in the wind like autumn leaves.

As Pyrrha dissolved, I finally saw Ruby, a look of despairing grief on her face. As tears flowed from her eyes, she leaned back, and screamed. But as she did so, a flash of light erupted from her eyes, enveloping the entire arena. The dragon screeched one final time, before it was engulfed in the holy light. Cinder's eyes widened in shock, and she could only watch as the light swallowed her as well, her face twisted in shocked anger, the first time I had seen her calm, collected facade drop.

"WHAT?!"

Then the light swamped me, and I felt the last of my energy drain away. With no stamina left at all, I could do nothing, but let the darkness of unconsciousness take me.

Pyrrha's circlet tumbled from my grasp, as I fell to my knees. All the pain, all the horror, every life that had been lost…

All of that blood was on my hands.

All of this was my fault.

A rough hand clasped my shoulder, but I paid no attention to it. The guilt in my soul drowned all other senses.

'You call yourself a hero… you are nothing.'

'Nothing, but a failure.'

That hooded man on the train… Cinder… they were right.

I wasn't a hero. I was a failure.

"Kid, come on. That thing could wake up any moment."

Qrow's voice bled into my hearing, as he roughly shook my shoulder. If the dragon woke up, it would kill us in a heartbeat.

That was the least I deserved.

"Leave me."

"What?"

I looked over my shoulder at him.

"I said leave. I'm staying here." I repeated. Qrow shook his head.

"No you aren't. I ain't leaving you here to die. Now come on." Qrow stated firmly.

"I'm not leaving. I deserve to die." I retorted.

"If this is about what you did…"

"Every drop of blood spilled is on my hands, Qrow! I'm responsible for everything that happened!" I had begun to shout, my words echoing from the tower.

"You didn't do anything. You were being controlled. You're not guilty of anything." Qrow's voice remained low, at a soothing pitch. But his reassuring wasn't working.

"Tell that to the hundreds of people who died last night." I spat, bitterness coating my words.

"I don't need to tell them anything. You need to tell it to yourself." He responded. I didn't say anything. It wouldn't matter how often I was told that, or how much I tried to do so. My hands were stained with blood, and my soul would be marred with guilt.

"Now come on. I'm getting you to safety, whether you like it or not." Qrow turned around, and focused his attention onto Ruby. I turned back to the dragon, looking at its frozen body. Ruby had stopped it. Kimba had stopped Adam.

What had I stopped?

Nothing.

Sighing bitterly, I picked up Pyrrha's circlet and shield and placed them in my backpack. Then, turning away, I went to assist Qrow in loading Ruby, lying on a stretcher, into a waiting Bullhead.

Hours later, the jets lowered in pitch, and I felt the craft tilt as we landed. Looking out the window, I saw a two storey log cabin, located in a small clearing in the woods. As the engines whined to inactivity, the hatch opened, bathing the interior in a bright light.

"Come on."

Qrow was already standing by Ruby, ready to carry her. I exhaled, and took the other end of the stretcher, hauling it up, and matching Qrow's pace as we walked out of the jet. By the front door of the cabin, a tall, dark-skinned man stood waiting. His hair was a similar shade of yellow to Yang's, only dulled and faded over time, and he had a tattoo on his bicep, a spiked heart. His symbol, I assumed. With a dark leather vest, and cargo shorts, he was everything I imagined Yang's father to be. He ran forwards, a look of concern on his face.

"Qrow! Is she-?"

"The pipsqueak's fine, Tai. Just sleeping it off." Qrow answered the question before Mr. Xiao Long had even finished. Mr. Xiao Long breathed a sigh of relief, then turned his gaze to me, a look of anger overriding his face of concern.

"What is he doing here?" He growled.

"Hey, go easy on him. He's just as much a victim as we are." Qrow stated. Mr. Xiao Long snorted, and looked me over. I didn't meet his gaze; I was too terrified to do so.

"So. You're the one responsible for everything. Why did you do it?" He asked harshly. I didn't answer.

"I asked you a question, boy. I expect you to answer." Mr. Xiao Long's voice was acrid with animosity.

"Tai, leave the kid alone. Just help me get Ruby inside." Qrow interjected. Mr. Xiao Long didn't take his eyes away from me, as his hands wrapped around the stretcher's handles, taking the load from my arms. As the two men walked inside, I followed them indoors.

Looking around at the interior, I could scarcely believe that the exterior was a log cabin. The room was immaculately furnished, and sparkling clean. Zwei slept in a doggy bed at the end of a couch, and a television was projected onto an entertainment suite against the back wall. Qrow and 'Tai' walked up the stairs, being careful not to jolt Ruby too much. Left with little else to do, I took a seat on the couch, by Zwei's bed. He woke up, and looked to me.

"Hey, buddy. Good to see you safe." I said, grinning awkwardly. Zwei just let out a whimper, and rolled over onto his side, facing away from me. I sighed, and leaned back into the couch, waiting for word from Mr. Xiao Long.

"…ind of power? All at once?"

"Yeah. Ain't seen that kind of energy since-"

The two men stopped talking once they spotted me. Mr. Xiao Long continued to glare angrily at me, as he walked to the kitchen. Qrow sighed, and took a seat beside me.

"Don't mind Tai. He's just been worried sick about last night. He'd already lost two girls, ya know." He explained. I looked to him curiously.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Qrow sighed, and took out an old photograph, handing it to me. On it was a group of four adults, barely having left their teenage years. A woman in a white cloak, with silver eyes and smiling widely. Mr. Xiao Long, with hair a more vibrant shade of yellow than it was presently, a woman clad in red, with a black mane of unkempt hair, and a gigantic sword resting against her hip. And finally, a young Qrow, with the same shade of black hair, and clean shaven, his enormous sword resting on his shoulder. Qrow pointed to the woman between himself and Mr. Xiao Long.

"The woman between us? She's my sister, Raven. After we graduated, Tai and her decided to start a family. It was alright until… well, until Yang was born. She left her family behind, but who knows why? After that, Tai and Summer - the girl in the white hood - they had a kid themselves."

"Ruby." I breathed.

"Got it in one. But after the pipsqueak was born, she went on a routine mission. We never saw her again." Qrow sighed.

"Tai lost two wives in the span of four years. Since then, he's always been… protective of the girls." He said, patting my leg.

"Wait, if you and Raven are siblings… why don't you talk to her?" I asked.

"Because her view of the world… isn't something we agree on. We haven't spoken in ages." He answered. Looking back to the photo, I scrutinized Raven a bit more closely. She seemed familiar for some reason…

"Kid! You want a drink?"

Mr. Xiao Long's voice drew me out of my thoughts. Looking up, I shook my head. He didn't respond, only turned back to the kitchen. Handing Qrow back the photograph, a thought struck me.

"Um, sir, Mr. Xiao Long? Can I… can I see Yang?" I stuttered. He looked over his shoulder.

"Why? You hoping to hurt her more?" He asked venomously.

"N-no! I just want to-"

"After everything you did last night, you're lucky I don't kill you here and now. You're not seei-"

"Let the kid go, Tai. At least let him explain." Qrow piped up. Mr. Xiao Long let out a huff, then gestured to the stairs.

"Third door on the right. But try anything, and you'll see that her anger is nothing next to mine. Understand?"

I nodded. Getting up from the couch, I trudged to the stairs, feeling Mr. Xiao Long's angry gaze send shivers down my spine.

Gently edging the door open, I saw Yang lying on her side, facing away from the door. I couldn't tell if she was asleep, or if she was fuming. Pulling up a chair, I took a seat beside her bed. I sat there for a few moments, trying to think about what to say.

But after everything I had done, whether I had intended to or not, what could I say?

Sighing, I just spoke.

"Yang… I don't know if you're listening to me. I don't blame you if you aren't. But I just want to say… I'm sorry. About everything. For letting you get hurt. For leading the White Fang. For all of this. I don't blame you if you hate me. I just… I'm sorry." I felt the tears dripping from my eyes. I don't know when they had started, but I couldn't stop them. With heaving sobs, I just sat there, regret and grief my only companions.

Until finally, a warm hand cupped my cheek.

"I've never seen you cry before."

Blinking away the tears, I saw that Yang had rolled over, looking up to me with a tearful smile. Her arm, the one that Adam had severed, was swathed in bandages at the stump. But her remaining hand was by my face, wiping away the tears I had shed. I gently placed my own hand over hers.

"I'd always thought you were too tough to cry. But if this is a trick to try and get me to forgive you, it won't work."

My heart sank.

"I underst—"

"No. You've talked, now it's my turn." She placed a finger on my lips, and I took the cue to shut up. She wriggled out of the covers, so that she was sitting up, her eyes level with mine.

"I don't forgive you, because you've got nothing to apologize for. You weren't in control; you didn't mean to do any of this. It's not your fault." She said. A small smile crawled onto my face.

"Thank you." I whispered. We sat there for a few moments, unsure of what to say, until finally, I summoned the courage to ask.

"How's your arm?"

Yang sighed, and looked to the bandages.

"Still hurts. But the worst part is, sometimes I feel like it's still there. But every time I look… I remember." She answered. I sighed.

"I wonder how many people made it out alive. I hope Kor made it." I whispered, looking out the window.

"There's a lot of people still unaccounted for. All we can do is hope." Yang answered. As I directed my gaze back to her, the door creaked once again.

"Boy, you need to see this. You too, Yang."

Looking over my shoulder, I saw Mr. Xiao Long scowling at me. Standing up, I heard Yang throw back the covers, and get to her feet. As Mr. Xiao Long escorted the pair of us down the hallway, my stomach was performing a full acrobatic routine. What was he going to show me? As we descended the stairs, I became aware of the television. On it was a news broadcast. Qrow was lounging on the sofa, fiddling with the remote.

"…come back. Now, we have breaking news. Authorities have received footage taken by bystanders during the attack on Vale and Beacon Academy, and believe that mastermind behind the attack was posing as a student whilst the tournament was underway."

The footage played on the screen. It was blurry, and not very well lit, but I saw the focus was on a tent, quickly erected by the school's landing pad. Three teams of White Fang renegades were assembling outside. After a moment, someone strode out of the tent, and began to inaudibly bark orders at the teams, which quickly dispersed into the school. The one who gave the orders turned to look at the destruction, revealing their face.

It was mine. The image paused, and zoomed in on it. The image was still very cloudy, but anyone who knew my face could tell that it was me.

"No… no, no, no…" Yang breathed. I clenched my fists.

"While the identity of the one responsible for this attack has not yet been determined, authorities are urging residents to not approach this man, should he be spotted. A bounty has been placed for any information leading to his arrest. Any Huntsmen and Huntresses shall be greatly rewarded should they bring him to justice. While leaders have not yet decided on a definite number, rumours are circulating that it may be the largest bounty in history. Now, onto news from Atlas…"

Qrow hit the mute button, silencing the newsreader.

"This must have been why they drugged me in the first place. So I could take the fall." I growled.

"And nothing can prove that you were controlled: all of your medical records were erased by that virus. There's nothing to prove you're innocent." Qrow elaborated.

"Meaning you can't stay here." Mr. Xiao Long stated. Both Yang and I looked to him.

"Dad, no! We can keep him safe! Can't we take him in?" Yang pleaded.

"Once they come here, they won't stop at anything to capture him, sweetie. We can't shelter him."

"But we have to do something!"

"You're right." I interrupted. Both Xiao Longs looked to me. Looking directly at Mr. Xiao Long, I decided my course of action.

"Do you have any camping supplies?"

"You're just gonna run?!"

Placing the last of the tinned food into the bag, I looked up.

"Yang, so long as that bounty's up, I can't stay here. I've done horrible things, and I doubt Hunters won't stoop to the same level to capture me." I explained.

"But… it's not fair!"

Zipping the bag up, I stood up.

"Yang, life isn't fair. The best I can do is hide." I replied.

"But you'll look for evidence, right? Something to prove that that wasn't you acting?" She asked. I let out a scoff.

"What proof? Qrow said that all my medical records were deleted, and only four people can vouch for me. And of those four, one's dead, another's busy trying to stop the bleeding at Vale, and a third wouldn't lift a finger to help me. I'm on my own." I answered.

"But, can't you do someth-"

"No, I can't. No one would listen to me. Not when that kind of proof is on tape. So, I need to run."

"Where will you go?"

"Where can I go? The world's been turned against me. All I can do is keep going forward, and hope I survive long enough for something to happen." I finished.

Yang sighed.

"It's just… it's just not fair! You're a good person!"

I slung the bag over my shoulder, and prepared to walk to the door.

"Yang, bad things happen to good people all the time. There's nothing you can do about it. That's just life. I don't like it either, but it's true." I finished. I placed a hand on the door handle, only to stop for a moment. Could I really do this?

"Darrel?"

Yang's voice trembled, and I looked back to her.

"Will I ever see you again?" She asked, her lip quivering. I walked to her, and sat on her bed, our bodies close.

"I guarantee it. This isn't goodbye. It's just a… a 'see you later'. I'll return. I promise." I answered, resting my head against hers.

"Good." She breathed. We sat there for what felt like an eternity, until finally, there was a knock on Yang's door.

"Kid! You finished?!"

Mr. Xiao Long's voice. Now was the time to go. I prepared to stand, but Yang pulled me back down. Taking my arm, she forced me to flick my wrist, extending my blade. Holding the unveiled metal to her face, she pinched a lock of her hair between her teeth, and forced my blade through the strands, severing a lock of golden hair. I just watched her do this, confused. I always knew that cutting Yang's hair was tantamount to putting your eye to the barrel of a gun to see if it was blocked. She released my wrist, and I flicked the blade away, watching her with confusion. Holding the tuft of hair in her mouth, she pulled a shining locket out from under her pillow, opened it, and gently placed the hair inside. With a sad, but satisfied smile, she handed it to me. My curiosity burning, I looked at the contents.

On one half, the lid, was the newly cut hair Yang had just sliced free from her voluminous mane. The other half of the pendant had a picture of Yang and I, our cheeks pressed together as we grinned for a photo taken during our "not-date", which felt like an eternity ago. Beneath our smiling faces was a small banner, with tiny writing.

KEEP MOVING FORWARD

I looked up to Yang, tears now dropping from my cheeks.

"Why? Why give this to me?" I choked out. Yang took my hand, and looked deep into my eyes.

"So you'll always know where home is, no matter how far you go." She answered, her eyes glistening. Overcome with emotion, I wrapped both arms around Yang, feeling her warm shoulder against my tearful face. Yang did the same, as best she could with one arm. We only spent a moment hugging, but to me, even an eternity wouldn't be enough time. As we pulled away, our eyes locked, and our foreheads gently touched.

"I'll miss you, Yang." I whispered, between sobs.

"Not as much as I'll miss you, Darrel." She whispered back.

Pulling myself away from Yang took a gargantuan amount of willpower, and an even larger quantity to resist the urge to look back. If I did, I'd never be able to go through with this. Pulling the door open, I walked through with a leaden heart.

"See you later…"

I hoped I'd be able to fulfill that promise.

Oh, child. Promises are made to be broken. An inevitable truth I know all too well.

You promised to keep mankind safe, and now… the seeds of mistrust have been sown deep into their hearts.

It is true that a united mankind is a formidable adversary… but compared to the power of that wretched slime, Adam, they are mere insects, struggling against a towering inferno.

You have served your purpose well. You have done exactly as I wished. But your use to me is not yet over.

Know this, child of Adam…

My vengeance upon your filthy predecessors will soon come. And when that happens, both Remnant… and Terra…

…

will be destroyed.

Well, with the entirety of Remnant out for Darrel's head on a pike, I think I've sufficiently written him into a corner.

Now, on to Volume 4 and beyond.

I will admit, I haven't seen any of Volume 5, but chalk that up to apathy on my part. With all the horseshit that I've been dealing with lately, it just hasn't crossed my mind. But I do have some of Volume 4 planned out. And no, Darrel and RNJR's paths won't cross. Sorry!