Fangs of the Exiles

Rated M

Rwby

Summary:

Life is not about what happens to you, but what you make of it... At least that's what everyone says. Two faunus will answer whose way is right, carrying the will of a titanic kingdom while the other, the spirit of one who shouldn't exist. Forgotten, their paths will cross, for better or worse.

A/N:

I just want to briefly say that this chapter is the final chapter of the Mistral arc and we'll be going into the Atlas arc (vol. 7) in the next chapter. I'm stating this now because there are two important battles taking place in this chapter, though only one will be concluded. The other fight will conclude in the next chapter to kick off the new arc.

Also, I'm predicting a lot of major changes to the predecessor, Bound by Shadows. For starters, Sango and the others will be back in full swing, but there will be new characters and plot points moving forward. Some things will remain the same, but it'll hopefully be more differences for the better. I'll touch on some of those differences in the upcoming chapters.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll see you guys, next time!

Chapter 22: Return to Argus-3

Do you have my information?"

The trio of Little Miss Malachite and her two goons looked on, the former wearing her signature smirk.

"Of course, I do, darling. Lil Miss always delivers," the woman lightly tapped her cigarette against the ashtray. Her entertained behavior didn't last though as she stared at the table. "Although, I can't promise that you'll be pleased."

That familiar dread resurfaced, causing Cinder to groan softly.

"Word is that they were seen boarding the Argus Limited a few weeks back. While that isn't exactly far from here, Argus is rarely a destination for most. Chances are they'll be going straight-"

"Atlas!" Cinder interrupted, eager to leave for her new goal.

As she turned to leave, the rotund woman's grin returned.

"You know, you turned out to be an interesting customer, Cinder."

Frozen.

Cinder Fall ceased her departure upon hearing her name. That dread soon evolved into full-out fear; a serpent winding its way around her very core. This shouldn't have come as a surprise though, Malachite was a top-notch information dealer. It was only a matter of time before her identity was exposed. Cinder knew this. She expected this.

So, why was she afraid?

"It's not often that a single client brings me triple the business."

Triple?

An amber eye turned to see the answer to her question. That fear, initially a ripple, had turned into a tidal wave of terror. Little Miss and her associates watched as two figures stepped into the tavern. The first was a whitetail jacket with a pink interior, button, and one wide broad tail, brown pants, black gloves, and black and white boots with very high heels and multiple buttons on each side. Under her jacket is a brown corset, curved in the middle and at the bottom, exposing her hips. She also wears a multitude of necklaces, which hang haphazardly around her neck.

"Neo?"

A trembling Cinder didn't get a chance to ponder the girl's sudden appearance though. Footsteps tore her eyes from the focused and silent young woman upon hearing footsteps. Looking at the front door, the maiden was introduced to another familiar face. Though his face was shielded by a mask, she could make out the reptilian horns that stuck out like sore thumbs on his forehead.

"Dragnus?" she watched as he silently nodded. "I thought you were supposed to be at Atlas by now?"

"I was..."

"And?" Cinder watched as Neo flipped off of the banister, landing beside Adam.

"We're here for you, Cinder..."

The pair pointed their weapons toward her, prompting Cinder to ready herself for an all-out brawl. Was this Salem's way of finally being done with her? What came next was truly unexpected to the despairing woman. Instead of an attack though, both Adam and Neo withheld their assault with smug grins.

"To what end?"

"We're not here to kill you. We're here to have a little chat," the larger male replied casually, pausing when the young woman elbowed him in the ribs and pointed to her mouth. "Right. We're here with a proposition."

"Proposition?"

The two unlikely allies faced one another before turning back to Cinder.

"We heard you're planning on heading to Atlas."

"What about it?"

"I have a way... We can hijack an airship, but our timing must be perfect."

Cinder contemplated what she was hearing for a moment, recalling what she'd been told several months prior by Salem. Combine that with past experiences and it was a win-win situation. Why bother forcing submission, when one, or in this case two, are willing to join forces willingly? She knew that she was in no condition to fight as she was still recovering from her defeat at the hands of Raven Branwen.

Still, there was something that concerned the fallen maiden.

"What's the catch?" she placed a hand on her hips, mustering up as much cockiness as she could. "If I'm not mistaken, Neo is probably looking for vengeance against Ruby for the death of Roman Torchwick but you? Forgive me if I'm not entirely convinced that you truly wish to establish a partnership, especially after our recent history. What proof can you give me that your word is truly valid?"

"Salem warned me that Adam's plan could potentially lead to failure, and she was right!" he removed the mask, revealing worn eyes with dark spots underneath. "With Adam all but vanished, there's no reason to fight with the White Fang anymore. My allegiance is to her. You are still valuable, so long as you have the Maiden's powers. What other reason would I need?"

"You're hiding something."

"Believe that if you must, but know that it would be beneficial for us to join forces rather than struggle individually. But, you can stick it out on your own if you'd prefer."

Esu turned to walk away with Neo in tow, leaving Cinder to ponder his words. It wouldn't take long before she let out a cocky chuckle.

"Why should I trust a former member of his group?" This stopped the faunus in his tracks. "Don't forget, I gathered intel on everyone at Beacon so I know what you're all about, Esu... You've been lying low after you killed your partner and betrayed not just your friends and school, but the entire kingdom. How do I know that you won't turn on me once I step out of this building?"

Cinder felt proud of what she said, especially when she noticed Neo's worried glance pointed at the shuddering male. His frame, while smaller than Hazel's was still sturdy like a wrecking ball. If he were to erupt, she'd gladly finish him if needed. Her confidence could use a boost anyway.

But, he didn't attack.

He didn't even refute her claims.

Esu merely laughed, putting back on the mask that hid most of his features.

"Even I know better than to fight with a maiden," he quipped. "My sins are none of your concern. Just know that I will always do what I believe is right for the sake of justice and equality."

The faux confidence soon gave way to the gleeful wickedness behind Cinder's emerging smirk. If his main mission was to kill the girl then she'd be happy to oblige. But, there was still the matter of Neo.

"And what of you? Are you seeking vengeance against 'Little Red?'" The girl's pink/brown eyes darkened at the mention of Ruby Rose, nodding in favor, yet hiding something much deeper. "Very well. I have my vendetta with another member of that wretched group as well. Perhaps we should discuss this in a more private location?"

Adam and Neo smirked in approval, each eager to enact their brand of justice for the one thing they'd lost due to Team RWBY. Three selfish desires. Three personal wishes of hate and spite were brought together for the sake of a larger mission.

[Outskirts of Argus]

Operation Stolen Atlas Airship, or O.S.A.A. as Jaune put it, was a colossal mess.

At the moment, Team RWBY, JNPR, Oscar, Maria Calavera, and Qrow were all fighting against a giant mecha suit under the control of Special Commander Cordovin. Though giving their best efforts, it seemed that the more experienced woman had the upper hand. The plan was simple; Weiss would trick Cordovin into 'escorting' the former heiress back to the kingdom, allowing Maria the access needed to pilot the airship for the others.

On the other end of the scheme, Blake was to be escorted by Yang to the central control tower to temporarily disable it, thus granting them the ability to hide from the Mistral forces monitors.

However, something wasn't right...

What was supposed to be a quick 'in and out' job, had taken far too long. After some banter with the control base, including an admittedly hilarious back and forth between the elder women, Ruby, and the others wasted little time in seeing what was going on; preferably two souls with worry and determination in their hearts.

"Why is- the- still up?" the garbled voice of Weiss reverberated on Blake's scroll.

The feline didn't have time to respond as her heart succumbed to panic. Bodies were skewed all over the many levels of the tower, unmoving yet cleanly assassinated. She wanted to scream but held what little composure remained when a shot ricocheted nearby.

This isn't supposed to happen! She mentally cried.

"It's nice to finally have time to ourselves, don't you think?" that cold and taunting voice made her blood boil.

Adam Taurus sheathed his katana, gazing up at the former object of his 'affection'. Blake thought she'd been rid of the infernal man-child. How foolish was she to wish upon such a fantasy?

"Leave me alone!"

Gambol Shroud was turned into its gun form, allowing Blake to fire off a few warning shots. It did little good as Adam simply deflected the rounds, thus charging his blade.

"But, I've waited so long for you to be away from them..."

Run!

It was the only logical thing to do at this point. Blake knew that she was incapable of defeating the bull in one-on-one combat.

He was far too strong and knew her semblance's weakness all too well. Though she rid herself of his influence long ago, it didn't change the fact that Adam could read her like a book. Flipping down to the lower levels, the game of cat & mouse persisted with Blake Belladonna ironically playing the latter's role.

There was no way out of this; it had to be a nightmare from which she wished she could awaken! She wasn't asleep sadly. She was being approached by the creature she had previously looked up to and revered as a symbol of power. She would gradually lose energy, which would give him one extra second to capture her or worse.

After another brief exchange, Blake managed to channel her fear of the young man. She'd managed to stall him just enough to catch her second wind after falling to the earth below. Thankfully, their aura took most of the blow. As the two staggered to their feet, Blake finally spoke to the struggling male.

"Let go of the past, Adam!" she pleaded through burning breaths, her words meshing with the crisp winter air.

"Just forget it all? Is that what you did to me?; You just threw our memories away?!"

"Adam!"

"I let you go once before, Blake," Adam reached for Wilt & Blush once again. "I'm never making that mistake again!"

The sound of sharpened blades colliding soon rang across the otherwise peaceful and calm wooded area. With each blow, Blake and Adam, once comrades now adversaries, emitted grunts and cries of rage and worry. However, this was different. Before Beacon, Blake would have simply fled, hiding in the hopes that Adam would lose sight of her and leave her alone. This time, she began fighting back, taking advantage of the chaotic and unstable behavior of the formerly calm High Leader of the White Fang.

Adam stood across from her, clinging to something he knew was long gone. Despite losing Blake a while ago, his mind refused to accept the truth.

He couldn't bear the thought of admitting defeat as it would only lead to his downfall. Since she left him back in the Forever Forest in Vale, he had lost so much. First, it was her departure, followed by his loss of command upon encountering Cinder Fall and her gang. He then lost his men during the Fall of Beacon, Sienna's trust, along with her life. He even lost his position as the High Leader and the support of his former followers.

All gone...

...and it was all her fault...

It all started with her! Everything fell apart when Blake hurt me...

In all honesty, his soul knew what the greatest loss was; there was no denying such an obvious reality. Deep down, it wasn't her love that he missed. No, Blake was just the one who brought out a new form of control for him. He never loved her! One would wonder if he liked her... She was just the main tool for Adam to use in his bid for conquest and power.

Adam had lost his victim.

With rage welling up, the stubborn bull refused to add another loss to the list. He would take Blake back by force if necessary. No longer would he suffer another setback.

Why won't she give in to me?! Why must she still resist?!

As he mentally processed his next move, Blake had an advantage over Adam. She managed to dodge a potentially harmful attack that only managed to slice her jacket in half. Blake then retaliated by knocking the sword back, stunning Adam long enough for her to land a few successful shots. As Adam regained his composure, Blake focused on reading his every move, which she could anticipate as well as her own.

They reached a clearing near a waterfall where it seemed their final conflict would reach its conclusion.

"I wouldn't have to do this if you'd just behave!" he screamed, rushing into a grappling contest with the girl. The intensity of his tone only served to confirm what Blake had already recognized too late.

Adam was a violent abuser masquerading as a noble person. He promptly recovered his sword after she managed to enclose it in her sheath. Adam threw the cover aside after spotting a tiny opening in Blake's defense. He used all his might to knock her to the ground with the hilt of his blade as she gazed in despair at her second line of protection.

"But you're selfish!"

He charged again, exerting all of his stewing anger into every strike. Blake tried to fend off his attacks but, she was still too disoriented and was knocked back to the ground.

"You're a coward!"

"You're delusional..." she spat in defiance.

Slowly she sat up, giving Adam a clear view of the scar he gave her all of those months ago. It was a fitting symbol of his dominance as he peered at the injured spot with bemused wrath. Unable to contain it, he swiped the sword at her stomach, only to meet Gambol Shroud, snapping it in half.

Now, Blake had nothing to defend herself with, and more ominous, Adam knew this.

When it looked as if he'd go in for the kill, suddenly, he stopped. Confusion washed over Blake's face as he abruptly reached for the black cloth covering his eyes. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was her old ribbon, the last remnant of her old ways; hiding and running. Slowly he removed the fabric, showing her a shocking visual.

"People hurt me long before we met. All sorts of people in all sorts of ways. But, no one hurt me quite like you. You didn't leave scars, you just left me alone."

His right eye was as blue as the sky above, a beautiful pool of calm serenity. However, his left eye forced her to look away as a grotesque truth made the girl want to vomit. A blood-red sclera surrounded the greyed pupil but, it was the stamp around it all that made her tremble slightly.

SDC.

The Schnee Dust Company!

The cruel brand that caused so many deaths and injuries to their kind had been firmly etched on his face. He'd been a part of that labor force; he didn't just hear of the horrors, he lived it. It was almost enough for Blake to understand why he was the way he was.

"So, tell me, Blake, How does it feel... to be alone?"

Unbeknownst to Adam Taurus, Blake picked up a peculiar sound off in the distance.

Motors.

Engines revving from far off but, growing closer by the second. Unlike her though, Adam's trait didn't include animal-like ears so, he was deprived of hearing the noise. All he cared about was completing his main objective before moving on to the next.

He raised Wilt & Blush and drove the point into the same location with a hate-filled roar. The image vanished before his eyes with no sound other than the sword cutting into the stone bridge. Adam was astonished and questioned what had occurred; after all, he had stabbed Blake. Although he was aware that he hadn't, he had desperately hoped that his desired outcome would come to pass.

He finally turned to where his 'beloved' really was only to see the fire flaring behind her golden orbs once more.

"You're wrong. I'm not alone!"

Her declaration was followed by the sounds of two motorcycles, Bumblebee and Ares, flying over the edge of the waterfall, revealing three figures riding. The sun above blinded him from seeing them allowing the trio to jump off, letting the vehicles collide with the faunus before falling off into the raging waters below.

Blond, Auburn, Raven.

Three differently colored hair but all recognizable to Blake.

Adam looked up, noticing the three but, two stood out the most.

"You..."

He didn't get to make much of a speech about their appearance before absorbing a shot from a yellow gauntlet.

"Yang? Roxanne? Aganju?" Blake smiles eagerly before dropping to one knee, clearly showing signs of exhaustion.

"It's okay..." the blond returned the gesture. "Catch your breath for a second then head back to the tower."

"But... Ugh!"

"No buts..." Roxanne stepped in. "We have a mission to complete and you're the only one who can do it."

"I'll go with her," Aganju offered, noting the now irate Adam. "You sure you both got this guy?"

Roxanne and Yang turned their attention to the male across from them.

Though he was still considered to be a tough opponent, both could tell that he wasn't 100%. Yang's left arm shivered while Roxanne subconsciously looked at her burned limb, recalling the traumatic experience he'd put them both through during the invasion of their school.

"We got this."

"They're right, Blake. We have to get to that tower or we're screwed!"

Without another word, Aganju steadily helped Blake to her feet before draping her arm over his shoulder. As they slowly limped away from the scene, Adam didn't waste any time lunging at the two. Though he'd had the least amount of hatred for the vulpine, Adam remembered he, along with Sienna Khan was partially responsible for stopping his forces.

That was enough reason to attack. Aganju saw the attack coming but was unable to dodge or attack while assisting Blake. They were sitting ducks for whatever came next. Thankfully, both girls were able to block the attack from ever getting close to them when Roxanne shot a blast of fire in between the pair and their aggressor. Using her semblance, the flames grew to a wall that burned brightly in front of a now floored Adam Taurus.

This gave the fox and the cat enough time to escape into the forest.

"Your fight is with us, asshole!" the ram shouted.

Instead of some form of an angry comeback, Adam Taurus simply chuckled darkly as he picked himself up. Interestingly, neither Roxanne nor Yang engaged him just yet; a sign that they'd both learned from their previous encounter.

"Do you little girls think you can take me on? Don't make me laugh."

Neither woman replied, just a focused glare pointed at the man who they'd indirectly credit for their current connection. This was it; the monster that haunted their dreams now stood before them. The man responsible for Yang's missing limb and Roxanne's missing horns readied himself. In an instant, he used his speed to close the gap between them slashing and swiping wildly yet, with precision.

Thankful for their training with Tai Yang Xiao-Long, the two ducked and dodged, expertly avoiding the furious attacks. When avoidance wasn't an option, they'd block the swords perfectly. Yang still had the superior strength between the two so she did her best to deflect more of the blows while Roxanne would carefully counter with lightning-fast strikes of her own.

Yang blocked a vertical spinning slash, opening Adam up for a four-hit combo.

Jab.

Straight left.

Uppercut.

Spin Kick.

Each attack staggered the bull.

He charged up his semblance just a bit to knock them both back. They didn't falter though, rolling backward and leaping to either side, causing his thrust to hit nothing but air. This would continue, only serving to infuriate the bull faunus more and more by the second. No matter what he did, his strikes would do little to no damage.

"Why won't you go down?" he growled.

Yet another question crossed his mind; One that made him more frantic than before. There was supposed to be some form of backup. Cinder or Neo should've been around to aid. This was a part of the plan, and yet, they were nowhere to be found.

Where are they?!

[Argus CCT Tower]

Aganju quickly rushed through the cold and eerily silent forest with an exhausted Blake now on his back. He filled Blake in with all of the details of what was going on with Ruby and the others, making the feline's ears drop in shame. She had to admit that while it was a little embarrassing to have someone carry her, it also felt right as well. She'd never admit it, but she had a little thing for Aganju during their time at Beacon and even with her relationship with Sun, she couldn't deny that there was something about him that intrigued her.

Pyrrha's a lucky girl... she smiled into his back.

That's right! He and Pyrrha were an item, and Blake wasn't about to interfere with their happiness.

There are still HER feelings about... No! Bad Blake... Don't go there! Pyrrha would kill us both!

"...alright?"

"What?" she blushed, thankful that he couldn't see it.

"Are you alright, Blake? You didn't pass out on me, did ya?" he chuckled in between puffs.

"Oh! Uh... No. I was just thinking is all."

"Well, we're almost there. The sooner we disable this thing, the sooner we get back to the others."

Indeed, the central communication tower was once more in view. The duo finally stopped, permitting Aganju the chance to lower Blake gently.

"Once I finish here we can-"

Blake never got to finish her instructions as a massive wave of fire forced the two onto the ground. Stinging a bit, both Aganju and Blake looked on in horror as the wielder of such power made their presence known. Short black hair that hid an X-shaped scar and missing eye. A wrapped left limb. A dingy cloak covered her slender form.

There was no mistaking it; How could anyone forget the dark golden orb of this beautiful monstrosity?

"You again?!"

The two remained in shock, looking on as the arrogant grin of Cinder Fall approached them from the wooded area.

Neither faunus knew what to make of the situation though; the common thought being that she had died back at Haven. Yet, yer right eye gleamed with a corrupt thirst for vengeance, only quenchable by the taste of blood and death.

She didn't say a word either, the sinister frown on her lips spelling out her true intent. It'd been nearly a year since their last encounter, yet the two eyes revealed enough hatred for the other.

"Blake, get to the tower."

His voice was low and still, yet, there was no shortage of malice there as well.

"You can't be serious!"

"There's no time to argue!" he growled back. "We need that tower disabled or our efforts will have been for nothing!"

Concern morphed into worry as the feline turned toward her canine partner in shock.

"I can't leave you behind!"

He shot her a glare so dark and demonic, it made Blake shiver in fear.

The amount of rage flowing from just a straightforward look was enough to force compliance. Without any more protest, Blake rushed over to the tower to complete her mission, leaving Aganju to face the woman who was largely responsible for the destruction of the school and the death of his friends and allies.

After the girl was gone, Aganju could finally focus on his opponent; It was rather unusual that he found himself grinning nervously at the approaching woman, a bead of sweat trailing down his face. In truth, he never forgot the night she left him for dead. Had it not been for Glynda and Qrow, he would've died from that fall.

He had hoped that Raven had finished her back at Haven Academy, but it seemed she was far more durable than he gave her credit for.

Round 2...

Outnumbered, Adam did his best to block and parry the multitude of blows raining down on him from the two girls. While it was relentless, they were smart enough to use their ammunition sparingly given their opponent's semblance. Even when they did use the rounds, he was crafty and skilled enough to absorb a small amount of energy to charge his blade.

Yang, realizing she had the largest disadvantage, did her best to utilize a support role during the battle while Roxanne took the lead. Still, that didn't mean that the ram didn't have her flaws. Though she was holding her own, she still had openings that Adam could exploit; That fact was evident to the male who sought to employ this benefit.

Growling in anger, Roxanne was left wide open as she threw a wild, fiery right hook. At that moment, he slashed at her exposed midsection. However, what he thought was a reckless act turned out to be a farce as her punch turned downward, connecting with the point of the sword. This set Adam up, allowing the ram to land a well-timed uppercut to his sternum, driving out much of the air in his lungs.

Before he could recover, blue/grey eyes watched as the blond spun over Roxanne's back landing a solid hit on his jaw. He slid on the ground, giving the girls a chance to catch their breath. It didn't take long for an angry Adam to regain his footing once more, carefully assessing the situation in front of him. This did little to calm his agitation though as he yelled out, his frustrations echoing into the endless sky.

"This isn't possible...!" he snarled.

"Give it up, Adam. You've lost..."

He looked over at Yang Xiao-Long, insanity dancing an unrestrained masquerade behind his optics. He noticed her calm visage, no trace of fear, and trepidation anywhere on her features. Even Roxanne, though she was still breathing heavily from her barrage, lacked any real indication of being rattled. They were an impenetrable fortress, united and unwavering in their resolve.

But, even a fortress had one or two blind spots, if one only looked carefully.

It came in the form of a shaky left hand.

"Big talk coming from two scared little girls."

"This is your last chance," Roxanne locked eyes with the bull.

Adam simply chuckled, his mask of confidence once more assumed.

"Do you believe that, or are you just trying to scare me away so you don't have to die protecting her?"

Yang nearly took the bait but ceased her attempt to rush in once she felt her quivering limb taken into her partner's. Looking over, Lilac locked onto fiery orange followed by a defined grin. It was here that Yang finally understood the full extent of the girl's time with her back on Patch. She understood how far Roxanne was willing to go to ensure her safety while still allowing her autonomy.

"I'm not protecting her and she's not protecting me." Adam raised an eyebrow that quickly lowered in disgust once he noticed the two interlocking fingers. "We're protecting each other! More importantly, neither of us is afraid of you anymore, Adam."

"You couldn't win three-on-one at Beacon! What makes this time any different, aside from the fact that there's one less bitch to kill here?"

Both girls, the fiery dragon, and the smoldering ram remained calm despite the taunts.

"We have no choice. It's either we stop you, or we die trying," Yang spat. "...and we have no intention of dying today. We have people that care about us waiting for us, and we promised to return to them. That goes for Blake too!"

Blake.

Adam nearly forgot his main purpose for being here.

"You know, Blake made a promise to me once; that she'd always be by my side. Look how well she's kept it."

Says the guy who lied to his kind just to feel more of a man, Roxanne scoffed to herself.

"Did she make that promise to you or to the person you were pretending to be?" Yang countered.

So I just wasn't good enough for you, Blake?

Adam still couldn't see that it was not his worth that was in question but his choices in who he'd become.

The cold truth of his present just extended out of reach for his understanding. He saw nothing wrong with his approach.

His treatment of Blake.

The killing of humans at Beacon.

Usurping the throne from Sienna Khan.

Killing his kind just to retain his pseudo-opulence.

Even now, his grudge with two young women never once opened his eyes to the truth; an unfortunate fact buried under one's ego.

"I see you've made your choice, and I've made mine."

Reaching for Wilt & Blush, Adam took a low stance. The time for talking was over; There was no more room for chances, pleas, or threats. All that mattered now was who would stand and who would fall.

Adam vs Yang & Roxanne.

A will to be lionized challenging the will to overcome a haunting past.

This time, both females took their chances and sprinted ahead rather than giving their opponent the chance to strike first. Adam used this to his advantage as he swung his blade in defense. When Roxanne flipped over them both, the blade made contact with Yang's gauntlets while the ram struck him in the back with a searing heel kick. When he turned to retaliate, he was met by a blast of flames that nearly scorched his face.

He turned, eating a spinning back elbow from Yang, sending him staggering backward. Unlike during their fight at Beacon, it was clear that the two were much more in sync. Little by little, they wore down the once-proud Adam Taurus, forcing him to make sloppy counters that hit nothing but air.

It seemed that the pair could do no wrong as Roxanne rushed once again at her fellow Faunus only to slide underneath his legs. She quickly stood up, twisting her body to land another kick that sent him flying. Yang followed this up by using her gauntlet rounds to propel her forward, giving her more momentum to land a powerful punch.

What she didn't count on was Adam recovering fast enough to attempt a desperate but accurate thrust.

This forced Yang to try and maneuver out of the way, causing her to land awkwardly on her side in the process. Adam seized this window of opportunity and lunged at the blond only, he sheathed his blade and settled on soccer kicking the girl into the rockface, shattering her aura in the process. As she slid down the jagged terrain, her body bounced hard upon landing on a small ledge, semi-conscious.

"Yang!"

[CCT Tower]

Cinder rushed in, flaming swords in hand. It appeared that whatever her reason, she was content with letting her actions speak this time around. While Aganju didn't complain, he found that a silent and focused Cinder was a much more dangerous foe than an arrogant and vocal one.

Each time he raised his weapon to attack, she'd find some clever way to avoid the hit.

He chalked this development up to her athleticism and tried a new approach. Recalling his battle with Pyrrha, Aganju transformed the weapon into its bow form and fired a series of black dust bolts at the woman, shrouding her in a cloud, giving him enough cover for the time being.

In truth, he only needed to hold her off until Blake returned.

However, the woman rushed out of the fog, seemingly unaffected by the gravity dust.

As he didn't have enough time to switch back to any other sort of weapon, this caught the fox by surprise. He had no choice except to dodge, barely escaping the brutal blows. He avoided being struck by a cutting swipe that would have undoubtedly severed his skull. The woman gracefully flipped backward as he then swept her legs, which was a characteristic he had never consciously connected with her.

What the hell?

Still, he wouldn't waste time pondering such a trivial detail, opting instead to reform Nguangus' glaive configuration.

He was now in a position to attack. Aganju drove the woman back while thrusting and cutting in every way he could, but he couldn't get rid of the uneasy sensation he had. He would pay a price for this as Cinder unleashed more fire blasts.

After rolling out of the path, he was hit in his abdomen by a ball of fire. When he attempted to rise, someone else knocked the blade out of his hand. Aganju couldn't help but feel the small itch in his head becoming larger by the second as he was disoriented and now helpless.

Back in the forest area, things were slowing down.

Roxanne, while a capable fighter, still appeared to be one step behind the lionized faunus, much to her dismay.

"Moment of truth!" Roxanne turned back to face Adam, that insufferable snark in his tone. "You think you're stronger than you were at Beacon? Think you're braver than you were in Vacuo? Do you believe that you can defeat me without her help?!"

That was enough to make her pause.

Immediately, her mind returned to that horrific day when she was humiliated by Adam and his henchmen. She thought she was protecting her mother, and that her actions would prove that she was strong enough to protect others. Instead, it brought only a sense of cynicism and fear that wouldn't be broken until the day Yang and Blake talked with her.

Even when she saw him again in that cafeteria, she only survived due to a reckless act that resulted in her arm being burned. So, it was safe to say that his inquiry carried weight.

"Heh, me neither."

Adam withdrew his weapon with a triumphant smirk.

Suddenly, he completely changed his approach and started playing with Roxanne, skillfully switching their roles from their previous encounters. With Yang out of commission for an unknown amount of time, the faunus' imperfections and vulnerabilities were now fully exposed. Although they had made significant progress, it was clear that they still had a long way to go before reaching the level of training and expertise possessed by Adam.

He was like a beggar, feasting on everything that he could get his hands on at this point; a buffet of openings to counter and exploit to his insatiable delight. No matter what she did:

Block.

Duck.

Stumble away.

It was never enough as he'd always close the distance and wear Roxanne down with blunt strikes and kicks while she staggered.

Adam Taurus was enamored by it since it was similar to a cat toying with a mouse before eating it. Roxanne would show to be no exception to that aspect of him, the dark and twisted side, which lusted for inhumanity towards his foes. He did it because she dared to refuse his invitation to join the White Fang, as well as to defy his soldiers and, thus, himself.

"Your Aura's bound to be running low."

He wasn't lying.

Roxanne could feel her aura deteriorating with each blow. It would only be a matter of time before it was entirely exhausted, leaving her defenseless and vulnerable to a possibly lethal attack. Even at that point, she shot a rebellious gaze in Adam's direction with a smirk on his lips.

Unbeknownst to them, Yang had begun to stir.

She thankfully had enough aura to avoid passing out, but, instead of rejoining the battle right away, she opted to climb the rocky wall. Tired and aching, she spared a glance over her shoulders to find both parties were still fighting. Back on the natural platform, Roxanne took deep breaths showing that even her impressive stamina was beginning to give in to the chilly air.

"Hit me already!" Adam taunted, launching more sword swipes.

The ram simply evaded again, even flipping over a diagonal slash. She noticed Yang climbing in the distance but she also knew that she'd need more time. So, Roxanne stalled. Choosing a boxer's stance, dancing on her toes while forcing her opponent to miss wildly. It was a chess match in terms of the mental war, shifting back and forth between the two opposing forces.

Growing impatient with her resiliency, Adam would resort to more personal measures.

"What do you even see in each other?!"

Fed up with the games, Adam flung his blade downward, causing it to spin like a buzzsaw.

The assault was easily intercepted by Roxanne, causing it to ricochet back to Adam. The girl had a chance to jump back when the metal reached the ground at this point since his speed was also fading, but he was still swift enough to trip her as she landed.

While this went on, Yang ascended as fast as her body would allow while Adam, in his unquenchable fury, hurled an enormous portion of his semblance. The blast made contact, creating a dust cloud large enough for him to end things while avoiding detection. He gladly took the chance, leaping high in the air, ready to finally sate his bloodlust.

"It's over!"

The sounds of pained grunts filled his ears, delighting the bull. But, that grunt would soon give in to light chuckles.

His eyes began to widen in shock as the dust settled around them. He knew that he'd made contact and yet, what he saw was not something he wanted to do. Adam tried to pull back his sword but, something held a firm grip on the hardware. Upon closer inspection, he found that Roxanne herself was holding the weapon.

Using the fire Dust at her disposal, she'd been able to make a blast powerful enough to soften the blow of the attack, making it easier to hold in her now slightly bleeding hand.

"Gotcha..."

Roxanne winked before yanking Adam closer and landing a devastating, fire-packed punch to his gut that knocked him several feet into a makeshift crater. His aura flashed several times before vanishing, though it did little to stop his temper.

Slowly, he dragged himself to his feet, doing everything in his power to ignore the aching that shot through his body. The visual of his flickering aura was daunting, but he remained rebellious. He couldn't lose...

He wouldn't lose.

Flinging his arm to retrieve his sword, Adam found it nowhere in sight.

"Looking for this?"

Through his only good eye, he finally noticed that Wilt & Blush were in the hands of his former victim. The only thing he could do was shake his head in disbelief, growling at her.

"I may not be faster than or as skilled as you, but, I'm smarter."

At that moment her maroon aura fractured and broke, leaving her imperiled to any threat as well. Worn and pained, she tossed the infernal sword over the side of the rocky bridge to a cry of 'No' from Adam, who futilely chased after the weapon. When he reached the edge, however, he was greeted by a jaw-rattling uppercut from Yang Xiao-Long.

He rolled backward, dragging his boot against the broken halves of Gambol Shroud.

Upon realizing this, he rushed over to the larger portion. Yang looked as if she was going to mirror his action but, she knew that she wasn't fast enough to grab it. Instead, she tightened her cybernetic fist and, with crimson eyes, as he came within inches of the tool. Behind him, Roxanne cocked her right hand back as well bringing it down like a mighty hammer.

Three screams echoed throughout the woods followed by a small explosion.

Slowly the dust settled. Inside, three forms steadily became apparent once again. When their images were visible, the scene showed Adam with a shocked expression while two fists, one buried in his stomach and another digging into his back. The sound of crunching ribs became overshadowed by the gurgling noise that followed close behind.

Yang and Roxanne ripped their hands from the male's midsection and back, observing as he plodded past the blond.

His body was now covered mostly in third-degree burns and the blond knew that she'd broken several ribs from just the sheer force of their combined attack. Each move seemed random like he was a zombie before he collapsed on his knees just before reaching the edge. Soon, he regurgitated blood, the sanguine fluid creating a crimson waterfall before his eyes rolled back.

Adam was dead, a victim of his hubris.

If one wanted more proof, it appeared when his form leaned forward, descending and crashing down on several stone ledges before landing in the raging river, soon to be forever lost in the current. The one who sought to be lionized would only be a footnote to the overall story if even that. His name would live on only in the stories told to scare little children.

Meanwhile, Roxanne and Yang could only stare at the last spot his body hit before vanishing under the raging current. No doubt, they would need time to adjust to the reality that was before them, yet one thing was certain.

They had won.

Yang dropped to her knees, shaking violently while Roxanne rushed over. The faunus swiftly wrapped her arms around her companion, both shedding tears.

Joy.

Relief.

Redemption. All of these things and more began to swim within the two but, there was also something that threatened to destroy the feel-good moment.

"He's gone..."

Yang's voice was but a whisper, yet the gravity of her words felt just as heavy had she screamed them instead.

"It's going to be okay..." Roxanne tried to comfort her.

"We killed someone, Roxie!"

Yang clutched at the girl's jacket sleeve, sobbing at what she'd done. Sure, they've killed countless Grimm on their adventures both during and after their time at Beacon, but... a person? Yang couldn't help but feel lower than Adam, even with his presence no longer there to frighten them.

"Blake... She won't... Forgive. She'll hate us!"

"No." Roxanne pulled away, allowing the tearful blond to see her face. "Blake knew what Adam wanted. I'm not saying that she'll be completely happy, but, I know that she won't hate you, nor will she leave us behind..."

"But... mmph!"

Yang wanted to object but found that impossible once Roxanne latched her lips onto hers. Any attempt to mumble anything close to a rebuttal was silenced as they eventually deepened the liplock until they both began to relax.

"...Neither will I, Yang." the ram whispered/giggled nervously.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, just like I risked my life for you, I'm willing to move past this. No matter how long it takes, we will get through this together."

Feeling a little better, Yang allowed a feather-like chuckle to escape her throat.

"I guess you do love me, huh?"

"Always willing to start my day with a Yang..."

The two shared a gentle laugh at the admittedly horrible pun before sharing another quick embrace in front of the falls. This time, however, the tears that accompanied the gesture weren't of pain and anguish, but of love and gratefulness for one another. It was a hard-fought battle, but it ended this personal war.