Ruby and Cole were riding about ten feet apart when a voice shouted, "INCOMING!" Suddenly, an explosion the size of a cruise ship erupted, throwing them off their bike. Cole quickly pulled Ruby into his arms and flew into a tree, knocking the air out of his lungs. As he teetered on the edge of consciousness, he saw Ruby putting on her helmet and dragging him behind a car while watching roaring flames engulf the world around them.
'Didn't see that coming,' he thought as he watched the world fade away.
Ruby was grateful for the Ironwood's armor he had given her; without it, moving Cole would have been nearly impossible. She did what she could, placing Cole in the car and then went searching for survivors. Instead of finding people, she was met with a sea of fire. Hallucination or not, she saw two white-haired individuals holding up an energy dome that acted like a thick, multicolored stream flowing from the woman's hands, while the man held his hand towards Ironwood and the council members, with a golden energy spinning and pulsing around them.
"Is everyone okay?" the man asked as he let his shield go and helped those inside the dome. He was dressed in a brown fur cloak, had two swords on his back, yellow cat eyes, and studded armor.
"We're fine, sir, but what are you doing here on a military base, and how is that girl doing this?" Ironwood inquired, assisting the others within the dome of light.
"My daughter sensed the man's presence and felt he needed our help," the man replied. He then cast a ward circle, mixing it with water and wind dust, and slammed it onto the circle, creating a field of mist. Just as the dome the woman was casting flickered away, flames roared around them for a few more seconds before dissipating enough to reveal Adam and a few White Fang members searching the burning debris.
Outside the fading dome, the entire base was destroyed; blown apart and melted in places. Alyx, Augus, the guards, and the new recruits were all dead in seconds, and she couldn't do anything about it. Shaking her head, she dashed out of the dome and into the flames, hoping Cole was out there since the explosions had ceased. She searched every car, burning barracks, tents, the pit field was barren and burning, comms were gone, and even the galley was full of charred bodies, but there was no sign of Cole. Pushing her emotions aside, she continued searching and ended up back at the parking lot, looking through car after car, desperately hoping to find Cole. In her frantic rush, she unintentionally ripped a door off and found it empty.
"No...nonononono," she exclaimed frantically, looking around. She spotted a few more cars and searched them one by one, but Cole was nowhere to be found. Until she noticed something moving in the distance.
"Cole!" she yelped, running as fast as she could toward the sight. There, she saw a redheaded bull Faunus holding a body in his arms, next to him stood a reptilian Faunus and a few White Fang members, taking them into a black Bullhead.
Ruby burst out from the bushes, utilizing her semblance to reach them faster, but a slight misstep caused her to fall into the burning embers of what used to be a wall, alerting her pursuers.
"Fire up the engines!" the man yelled over the roaring flames. "We've got unwelcome company!"
Struggling to her feet, Ruby gasped and wheezed, watching them take off in the Bullhead. "Cole... no, please don't go," she begged, though her voice came out as a desperate whisper.
Her body refused to respond to her, and her situation worsened as the bull Faunus leaped down and kicked her in the visor, cracking the glass. He grabbed her by the neck mid-fall, choking her. Desperately kicking and trying to escape, Ruby found herself unable to break free. "I sacrificed everything to rescue him," the man said, tightening his grip and choking her further. He hurled her into a burning car, shattering the windshield on impact. Coughing violently and gasping for air, Ruby found herself at the mercy of the man as he put his sword to her neck. "Follow us, and I'll cut you," he threatened.
However, the white-haired man intervened, making a sudden dash for Adam. He cut Adam's mask on the right and hit him with an invisible force, throwing him into a burning car.
"Sorry, but she's done you no harm, and I've seen how brutal you are toward people; they're monsters, and yet they insist they're heroes," the white-haired man said, looking Adam in the eye. With little effort, he pushed Ruby into Ironwood and Qrow, who were rushing towards them.
Adam and the white-haired man, Geralt, squared off as the two warriors began to circle each other. Geralt listened intently for every sound, planning out his moves. He knew he had to rely on his swords, as using his signs would tire him out quickly, while Adam had a full aura and a bit of his semblance charged thanks to Geralt's earlier strike.
Adam was filled with rage but fought to control it, remembering his training. Geralt, on the other hand, remained calm and careful. As the battle unfolded, he sensed the incredible speed of Adam's heart rate and could practically taste the negativity and rage emanating from him.
Their swords clashed, sparks flying between their blades. Glaring at each other, they blurred the world around them. Adam aimed for a deadly strike with his blade, but Geralt parried or blocked each attack, despite the difficulty caused by Adam's speed and brutality. In a powerful clash, Geralt had to parry up from Adam's quaking downswing, which struck him in the chest.
Using Aard, Geralt channeled everything he had in the sign to send Adam back, causing him to fall to his hands and knees. Ciri took advantage of the opening, vaulting over him and attempting a feint swing toward Adam's face. Adam reacted swiftly, sending her sword careening into a burning tree hilt-deep with a powerful strike. Undeterred, Ciri uppercut Adam in the stomach, grabbed his head, and forcefully crunched his mask into his face, causing his nose to bleed.
Straining his eyes past the tears, Adam struggled to stand, but it was impossible. His semblance had drained his aura, and the fight with Geralt had worn him out. Ciri's cheap surprise attack had knocked him down, leaving him a shaking and bloody mess.
Ciri helped Geralt up, allowing Ironwood to hold him. "Catch your breath, Geralt. I'll handle what's left," she said, not looking at them.
"You hit pretty hard for a rather young woman; Cole must have good taste in Faunus for you two to come help him," Adam muttered.
"I wandered for weeks looking for him after giving him to you. Why's he carrying the arm of the-"
"Ciri, focus on why we're here," Geralt interjected wearily.
"Which reminds me," she replied, looking into Adam's eye through his cracked mask. "What does Cole mean to you?"
Geralt stumbled to Ciri's side and grabbed her shoulder. "Hold on, Ciri. We should try to find him, remember?"
Seizing the prime moment in front of him, Adam lashed out in anger, knocking Geralt down and sending his sword flying. He ran toward a car with three White Fang members dragging an armored figure out and toward a black Bullhead.
"COLE!" Ruby screamed, bolting toward the group. Everyone else followed, reaching out for Cole. Ruby had gotten about twenty feet from the ship when the sides of the aircraft blew up, throwing everyone quite a distance back.
Ruby smashed into a car, Geralt and Ciri collided, Ironwood was thrown into the council members, and Qrow and the others fell on their backs.
They all watched it happen, and those who cared for Cole and Ilia now thought they were dead. Ruby's mind momentarily stopped working, unable to process that her best friend had died right in front of her. The world froze around her, and her heart felt broken beyond repair. She felt an overwhelming rage for her sister, her teammates, and everyone who had pushed Cole to this fate, a feeling that quickly morphed into despair. "This... wasn't supposed to... happen," she whispered, her body seemingly lifeless, her mind blank. "I was supposed to... save him, graduate... What am I supposed to tell Weiss now that..."
But what happened next was unforeseen by everyone. Ruby stood up as if she had no injuries, holding her scythes tightly. With determination, she merged them together by slamming the locking systems in place in her scythe staff.
The onlookers watched in awe and shock as Ruby slowly and carefully approached the burning ship and the colossal Paladin that needed to be destroyed. After the explosions and fighting, most might not have heard the sound correctly, but for those who did, they were subjected to a wail of rage and anguish that rivaled the shriek of the fabled Grimm known as the Howler. Some covered their ears to shield themselves from the vocal assault, while others stared on in deep concern.
Ruby's aura blazed like red flames from within her soul, enveloping her body as it grew in size and then slowly condensed into her. Her eyes emitted a silver, flame-like energy that engulfed them. Everyone was frozen in place as they witnessed a black and red blur tear the Paladin to little more than scrap metal the size of her body. In her rage, Ruby methodically dismantled the Paladin, starting with its legs, then its arms, the mounted guns, the rocket launchers, and every other part. The fight with the Paladin was so one-sided that it wasn't a stretch to say she wanted it stopped. Ruby had become a torrent of negativity, and even if Grimm were around, she'd cut them down too.
Ruby had lost herself to shock and grief and couldn't control her actions any longer. As she took over the main problems with the Paladin, the hatch opened, revealing a pilot inside, screaming in pain. She paused to watch the man clutching his arm, which was barely hanging on by tendons and veins. Somehow, this sight made her smile a little in her current mindset. When he looked up, his bloodshot eyes met Ruby's cold silver ones, burning with rage that seemed to bore into him from behind her visor.
Qrow rushed to stop Ruby, but he froze in horror, watching her grab the pilot's head and repeatedly bash his face into the center console, over and over and over.
"You've taken my brother from me? Then in exchange, I'll take your life!" she cried out in anger.
Geralt and Ciri watched in stunned silence as Ruby didn't stop until the man's head had been reduced to a puddle of mushy red meat and blood that now burned and boiled in the rising flames.
As Ruby finished her brutal act of vengeance and jumped back, gasping for breath, Ozpin couldn't help but think, 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' He walked over to his student, and when she finally caught her breath, she dropped her scythe staff, fell to her knees, and began sobbing while staring into the flames for a sign of Cole or at least his body.
Just as Ozpin approached Ruby, he froze as Glynda hugged her tightly while she cried for her best friend.
"Cole, I'm so sorry... I couldn't-" Ruby screamed, one arm outstretched toward what she believed to be Cole's burning corpse, the other held by Glynda. Meanwhile, Ironwood and the two white-haired saviors exchanged thanks and left the burnt surroundings.
Ozpin grappled with the knowledge that Cole was dead, various types of magic existed, dozens of people were burnt and dead, and now the leader of the White Fang was dead or missing.
"How did everything go wrong? The plan was foolproof," he muttered in frustration. He fell to the ground, punching the scorching earth repeatedly and screaming "damn it" over and over until he noticed a man approaching. He sprang to his feet and ran towards the figure but hit air as the mysterious figure blinked out of existence. "Sorry, but my fight is with Cole, not you people," a deep voice whispered into his ear. "Just remember that there are a few dozen people I'll kill, and I'll keep killing."
Lashing out, Ruby thrashed in Qrow's arms, demanding to be released, screaming, "Let me go, I said let me go, he needs me!" Her tears fell on her visor, and she tore herself out of their grasp, running toward the burning ship and throwing her helmet off. Before she could get any closer, a strong arm grabbed her, hugging her to their chest and refusing to let go.
"QROW!?" both Glynda and Ozpin exclaimed as they watched the scene unfold, just as Ruby hit the ground in her father's arms, restrained and immobilized.
Tears still fell as she continued to scream and cry, "Dad, please let me go-"
"Ruby Branwen, listen to me!" her father yelled, pulling her back and grabbing her shoulders. Both of them were on their knees, staring at each other.
"Pedal... I'm sorry, okay! I tried to save you both..." she began, but he silenced her with a tight hug.
"Ruby, I'm sorry, but that man killed Cole, not you," he reassured her, tightening his hold when she latched onto him, crying her broken heart out. "It's not fair," she wailed in anguish. "I loved him like a brother."
Glynda and Ozpin remained silent, allowing this moment of grief and sorrow for the lives lost today, with none more painful than Cole's. Glynda held Ruby and Qrow in a comforting embrace, and Qrow sobbed, holding his daughter tightly. He knew how much Ruby loved Cole, and he couldn't help but feel like he had failed her.
"To a father, nothing hurts more than a child's inconsolable heartache," he thought. He couldn't help but let his tears fall, as this scene brought back memories of how Summer had died, but Ruby's cries broke his heart even more, knowing he couldn't say or do anything to help her in this moment of unbearable pain.
"Sir, we should get everyone in the Bullhead and head to Beacon," Glynda suggested, glancing around for Ciri and Geralt, but they were no longer in sight.
"James, we need to tell the world about what happened here, and I hope you'll help us. I'm willing to overlook everything if you assist us in finding out what just happened. If everything goes as I hope, it'll strengthen the resolve of the other kingdoms, and we'll have a chance to find these people and understand why they did this," Ozpin stated, walking into the Bullhead and taking a seat near the front while nursing his broken arm.
"Qrow, collect your daughter. We have to go," Ironwood called out through the smoke and smoldering air.
Unbeknownst to the rest, Geralt and Ciri had already boarded the ship and found a quiet spot to talk privately, showing respect for the profound loss they had all experienced.
Qrow carried Ruby, bridal style, and followed the two council members, with Ironwood bringing up the rear to ensure no one approached.
An hour later, Ruby had passed out from exhaustion after crying so hard and experiencing so much pain. Qrow placed her in a seat beside Glynda and then joined Ozpin in the cockpit. They sped off toward Beacon.
"Ozpin... you realize what this means?" Qrow asked, struggling to keep the ship steady as it sped away from the diminishing inferno in the distance.
Ozpin looked in Qrow's direction and sighed heavily, trying to think without emotion but ultimately failing.
"I'm so sorry, old friend. Truly, I am. But I don't know if I can make the announcement," he replied, "We lost so much today that-"
"Some more than others," Ironwood interjected, slowing the ship down and sighing heavily.
Glynda watched as Qrow held Ruby close, who had fallen asleep from the exhaustion of her tears and pain. He cried silently for his hurting daughter and for all the painful memories that this situation had brought back, with none more agonizing than the other memories of a similar nature.
"Glynda?" Ironwood called out, and she walked into the cockpit, freezing at the sight in front of her. Haven, the jungles, slums, and even the outskirts were burning and in ruins. People all around were battling the flames and helping others exit buildings through doors and hoses.
"If it's this bad here, we need to return to Beacon as quickly as possible," Glynda stated. She grabbed the controls and pushed numerous buttons, causing Ironwood to look at her with a questioning gaze.
"Uh, Glynda, what are-"
"I'm rerouting what I can to make the most of what we have. Beacon is far enough without having to deal with the Grimm," she explained. The hull began to creak, and some parts were torn away due to the strain of the increased speed. "Glynda!" Ozpin warned, rushing in from the back after hitting the wall.
"It's fine, we've got plenty left," Glynda mused before the Bullhead lurched at top speed, reaching almost 200 mph.
For close to six hours, the craft flew on the hopes and dreams of its passengers, miraculously remaining relatively intact. The courtyard of Beacon finally came into view, but only Ironwood saw it, as everyone else was asleep. However, the violent shaking woke Ciri, prompting her to yell out in surprise. Ironwood yelled to everyone, "Tighten your harnesses and stay calm!"
Everyone followed his instructions, and Glynda took the controls on her side, pulling back with him, hoping to stabilize the situation. However, their efforts were in vain.
The ship rocked and shook before dying, plummeting down and crashing into the brickwork, shattering glass from the windshield, ripping lamp posts from the ground, and sliding all the way toward the Arc monument, stopping just in time to avoid scratching the stone.
The night was thankfully vacant of Grimm in the courtyard, but soon, everyone came to see the Mistral ship smoking and the destruction it had left behind. Glynda and Ozpin exited first, followed by Qrow cradling an unconscious Ruby, who had been crying in her sleep. Ciri and Geralt were the last to exit, with Geralt helping Ciri walk.
All occupants were bruised and bleeding, but nothing too serious, besides broken hearts and bruised prides. Ozpin looked at the two and said, "We will talk in the morning, but for now, you can go to the infirmary."
Both nodded at the man and left, with Ciri limping and Geralt patiently walking alongside his daughter.
Everyone, including other teachers, every student, and a few with their parents, watched in shock as they saw the sorrow emanating from them. They all had a vague understanding of why Ruby had returned in worse shape than when she left, wearing strange armor that made everything more confusing.
Unfortunately, Yang and the others pushed through the crowd. Yang exclaimed, "Move out of my way, damn it! Hey, whose hand was that - move!" She created a pocket for the seven to pass through. Once they were in front, Yang asked a barrage of questions, wanting to know what happened and whether Ruby was okay, but none were answered. The gravity of the situation grew clearer with each question. Yang had only seen something like this once before, when Qrow had told her, Tai, and Ruby about Summer's death.
Ruby opened her eyes and whispered, "Dad, can we go to Cole's room?" Noticing that she was finally awake, Qrow put her down and looked at Ozpin, who nodded and sent the code for Cole's room to Ruby. He motioned for Qrow to lead her away.
"I'll have food and drinks sent up as soon as-"
"Thanks, Ozzy, but I'll handle this from here. The kid had his place fully stocked," Qrow interjected, tossing him his flask. "Just filled it if you need any." With that, the two left for Cole's room, thankfully unimpeded by anyone standing in their way.
This chapter was emotionally intense, delving into the characters' grief and determination. I hope it resonated with you, and I'm grateful for your continued support and feedback. Thank you for being part of this journey.
Criticism is welcome.
I loved restarting this book after so long and I'm bringing more improvements and hopefully better than before.