A PROMISE FULFILLED...
"I know your secret OWL, I know who you are underneath that mask."
The words that came out of Swan's mouth was ominous, yet confusing at the same time.
"News flash! The whole world KNOWS who I am."
Swan grinned sadistically before laughing uncontrollably, as our weapons grind against each other.
"It's not about knowing the face beneath the mask, it's about what it symbolizes."
I push forward and jump back, slashing with Shirayuki and summoning a gust of mist that had tiny blades of ice concealed within.
"Oooh, fancy!"
Swan tucked her whole body inside her cape then quickly swung it back open, revealing a torrent of mist of her own that collided with mine, cancelling my attack.
"How?"
What the hell was that? Is that mist? Heat manipulation!?
"Wondering why we have the same semblance?"
She ask, while dashed towards me and took a swipe with her dagger. An attack that I easily dodged despite my confusion. Back in Atlas, she never revealed her semblance. Back then, I admit I was the inferior fighter, unable to keep up with her attacks and strategies. She had an easy time with me, and all I could really do to be beat her to the punch was me giving up.
Instead of chasing after the Polendina files, I made it my goal to disrupt her attempt at claiming the files, which ended in the both of us ultimately failing. I've known that she's held that against me since, but now... I sense there's something different about her pursuit of me. Why else would she reveal her semblance now?
"Who are you?"
I ask, but Swan never let her playful demeanor drop, taunting me with that annoying giggles of hers.
"Where's the fun in that?"
She's obviously screwing with me.
"Play fair for once why don't you? You know who I am, so why don't you tell me who you are?"
But of course, she wouldn't bite at all, not that I was expecting her too.
"It's not my fault you got sloppy and revealed yourself to the world. If you wanna know who I am, you're going to have to get it the hard way."
Once more, Swan dashed towards me, forcing me to vault over her and roll, flinging a couple of feather kunai her way on the way down. She quickly raised her cape in response, blocking the kunais, and causing them to stick on a thin layer of ice she manifested out of nowhere.
"Child's play."
True, but that's not what I was going for. I rest my frozen katana on the ground, sliding it against the floor and creating a spark that quickly grew into a wall of flame.
"Better, but still mediocre."
Swan engulf herself in mist and ran past towards the flames like it was nothing. She flipped her body forward, extending her legs and swinging it downward with incredible force. I jump back to dodge, but I fail to see in time that the heel of her boot had a hidden blade that created a crescent blade of ice that chased after me.
"Damn it."
I pull my shield up and block her attack, but she was quick to follow through, and I could do nothing but keep my shield raised to block the flurry of dagger strikes she bombarded me with.
"What's wrong? This a little too much for you?"
Ignoring her taunts, I superheat my shield before punching the back of it just as she swung her dagger down, creating a fiery explosion that sent her reeling backwards.
"Heh. Creative. I'll give you points for that."
Her arrogance is her weakness. While she was so busy mocking me, she didn't realize the ice pillars I created on top of her head.
"Screw your points, I want answers!"
But even that didn't faze her. Swan simply dodge out of the way, swiftly navigating through the ice pillars as they were falling down, before backflipping on top of the ice closest to me.
It's obvious that Swan has been doing nothing but bait me with taunts and insults this entire time we've fought, and I've been doing my best not to fall for it, but my patience is running low. We still have to worry about whatever Cinder and her group is trying to accomplish underneath the school grounds. I'm quickly running out of options, so I am left with no choice but to ask.
"So what is it Swan? What do 'I' symbolize?"
Swan arrogantly sat down on top the pillar and crossed her legs. The level of confidence this woman has is unbelievable, even when battles were raging none stop all over the room, Swan didn't care. She kept her gaze solely on me.
"Snow." She whispered in a monotone voice. "What do you know about them? The Tribe..."
The Tribe?
"You're a Snow too?"
Swan dropped her smile the moment I asked her the question. Almost as if she was infuriated by it.
"Answer the question, OWL, do not run from it, do not deflect, simply answer. The. Question."
The strictness in her voice was compelling, and terrifying, so much so that I felt like my throat was dry, and the only way to quench it was to answer.
"I- uh, don't know much about it. All the Nest ever told me was that we were a peaceful tribe- a traveling caravan filled with huntsman and huntresses- mercenaries. We helped people for a living."
Swan sighed in disappointment after hearing my answer.
"I see. So you're brainwashed."
Brainwashed?
"How?"
Swan crossed her arms in front of her and began tapping her elbow with her finger, as she talked.
"The Nest, as you so fancily know them as, are defectors of the Snow Tribe. Traitors who rejected the doctrine that we've lived by for generations. So yes, OWL, I am a Snow. Not just a Snow, but a Snow of pure blood."
Defectors? The Nest? Then how come grandmother never told me? STOP Ezra, don't let her get into your head, what makes you think whatever it is she's saying is even real? But if it is, then...
"Is this what this is about then, Swan? You're angry at me because I'm not living by whatever doctrine the Tribe lives by?"
Swan began to chuckle at first, before it transformed to a full pledge maniacal laughter.
"HAHAHAHA! Angry!? I'm not angry at you. I used to be, back when I didn't know who you were."
Swan casually flicked her hair up, as she slowly controlled her laughter and calmed down.
"...but not anymore. No, you serve a deeper purpose now, OWL. A purpose that you are not ready for if you can't even connect the dots of who I really am."
Who she really is? She's implying that I already know? But how is that even possible? I barely know anybody from the Snow Tribe outside of my family, and... the Nest apparently. The only people I can think of are... wait.
"No. No... this can't be right. You're... NO! You can't be her! She's-"
The soul piercing gaze in her eyes began to loosen, the same time her sadistic smile faded. What was left behind was the image of somebody in pain, or somebody reminiscing something dear to them. What Swan had on her face was a look of nostalgia, a yearning for something that'll never happen again.
"Dead. Oh she is. Believe me, she is... Ezra."
The way she said my name. It can't be. I know her.
Before I could make sense of anything else, Swan vanished on top of the pillar. I swivel my head back and forth, desperately looking for her, but couldn't, till all of a sudden, she popped up right in front of me.
"GAH!"
Swan grabbed the side of my helmet, instantly freezing it before smashing the ice, along with parts of my helmet with the hilt of her dagger, revealing my eyes, and knocking me on the ground. She placed her foot squarely on my chest and stabbed her dagger mere inches away from my face. Swan leaned forward and looked me straight in the eye with hers.
"This proves it. Your eyes! Their silver! A trademark of the Snow Tribe."
But that doesn't make any sense, her eyes, they're brown. Wait, I feel it. It's faint, but I feel it. Her eyes maybe brown, but I can sense the power emanating from it... a power that I've only ever sensed from Ruby. Those are contact lenses, her eyes are undoubtedly silver.
"You feel it too don't you? The strength of a silver eyed warrior, but you..."
She lifted her foot off my chest slightly and slid them up to my neck, chocking me.
"YOU'RE WEAK! We have a lot of work to do still."
There was nothing I could do but struggle, as she continued to lecture me about crap I don't even know how to comprehend. All this talk about power, silver eyes, the tribe, none of it makes sense.
"Get away from him!"
Ruby rushed in, slashing Swan with her scythe that she easily avoided. With the pressure of my neck gone, I was able to slowly stand up and catch my breath.
"Are you okay?"
Ruby asked.
"I'm alright, but she broke my helmet."
I grabbed my helmet and yanked it off my head, throwing it to the side.
"Thanks, a minute and thirty seconds, Ruby."
Swan cracked her neck, none too pleased with Ruby joining in.
"Haven't you ever been told by your parents not to interrupt people when they're talking? Get out of the way child, this conversation doesn't involve somebody whose blood isn't pure! Away with you and your dirtied eyes!"
What is she talking about?
Almost as fast as the eye can blink, Swan jumped towards Ruby, kicking her straight in the chest, knocking her back. Before she could join the fray, Emerald blocked her path towards me, leaving me to fend for myself once more.
"I don't give a damn about your Tribe's teachings and power, all I care about is stopping this madness!"
I toss my katana's hilt at her, manifesting a dagger's blade instead of a katana's, right before it collided with her, forcing Swan to dodge. I pull out my scarlet blade and set it on fire, as I slash downwards at her.
"You still don't get it!? You can't beat me!"
Swan pulled out her own dagger, coating it with mist, and blocking my attacking.
"Then what do you want from me!?"
I put all my strength on my blade, trying my best to pin her down while she's kneeling, but her eyes began to glow faintly. It was barely there, but I can sense it... see it- that silver glow. Soon, Swan began to overpower me like it's nothing, as she slowly began to rise.
With our faces mere inches away from each other, Swan angrily whispered.
"You."
Soon, my grip on my scarlet blade started to soften, and Swan easily broke through our stalemate with a single swing of her dagger that sent me flying.
"I want you, Ezra! You are a member of Tribe Snow! You have potential if you can keep up with a Maiden, but associating yourself with weak minded individuals such as these fools will deteriorate your talent."
She reached out her hand as mist began to emanate around her, like an aura. With her silver eyes staring right at me, and her hand pulled out with palms wide open, it felt like she was offering me something. I can see it in how she looks at me, she's offering salvation. Just not the kind I want.
"Come with me! Find out who you really are, and find out what your destiny really is."
Destiny, huh? I look down on my golden shield and saw a reflection of myself, forcing me to contemplate the final message of the original owner of this weapon. A message that rings eerily similar to what Swan is saying right now.
"You're wrong, Swan."
Gently, Swan began to lower her hand as she tilts her head up, curious to hear more of what I was trying to say.
"The people here aren't weak minded. They're strong... because they have the courage to face people like you, even if we are meant to lose. I don't regret standing by them."
30...29...28...27...26
"Another thing you got wrong, I already know what my destiny is."
Once more, Swan sighed in disappointment.
"I guess you need a little bit more..."
She raised her blade up close to her face and licked it.
"Convincing."
15...14...13...12
I tightened my grip on my scarlet blade and rushed in on Swan, who violently swung her dagger forward. I acrobatically flipped forward and dodged her strike, and created a cloud of mist in front of me, then instantly freezing it into a thin sheet of ice that parried Swan's counter attack.
With a snap of my finger, I ignited my blade, then transformed it into a spear, flinging it towards her, which she barely dodged. Swan grinned at the fact that I missed, but hitting her was never my goal, it was to turn the broken ice shards back into mist, concealing me and my next move. With a push of a button, the shield in my left hand ejected another bladeless handle, which I effortless caught.
This is it, the moment I've been training for. Please work!
"FLOW! Ryuujin!"
The constant flow of mist and fire created the perfect environment for water to manifest. A torrent of water began to swirl around the handle of sword, making its way up and elegantly forming a blade behind its path. A blade that was so clear it was almost invisible.
"FIRST MOVEMENT: RISING TIDE!"
The flustered Swan tried her best to compose herself, raising her dagger to block my attack, but I invented this attack solely to counter blocking fighters. As soon as my blade made contact, the water on my blade began to increasing in size and pressure, till Swan was face to face with a tidal wave as tall she was.
"What the hell is this!?"
Swan tried to freeze the water, but the sheer volume rushing in at her was too much for her to freeze all at once. Soon, the tidal wave consumed her, sending her flying across the room.
"OOOOOOWWWWWLLL!"
"I'M NOT DONE YET, SWAN! SECOND MOVEMENT: SERPENT'S WRATH!"
The blade on my handle began to flow and flex like a whip, extending and coiling around me, and at its tip formed the head of a sea dragon.
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME."
Swan extended her arms outwards, and opened up her palms. She closed her eyes and pulled her feet apart, as she summoned a cloud of thick mist that rivaled the tidal wave I created earlier. I jumped as high as I could and whipped the sea serpent towards her, crashing it against her mist, but this time around, she was prepared.
In a instant, the sea serpent I created froze from the snout of the dragon all the way to the tip of it's tail. An impressive counter that unfortunately for her, left her wide open.
"Dance! Shirayuki!"
Swan's jaws dropped in shock. Finally, I've caught her off guard. With all my strength, I swing my frosted blade across her chest, knocking her down and breaking her aura, but in the process, exhausting all my energy, shattering my aura the same time as hers did.
"NO! THIS IS ALL WRONG!"
For the first time, Swan showed true raw and unfiltered emotions. She slammed her fist on the ground and pulled something out of her back pocket.
"Is that... a bladeless hilt. You don't mean to tell me, you too-"
Swan's completely lost her composure, she was tired and breathing heavy. She extended her arm out while she tried her hardest to keep her balance, but even with all that, she was still able to smile and laugh.
"Haha. Sure is. What? You think you're the only one who can use your semblance that way? I thought I told you, you- WE are from Tribe Snow!"
With her wet hair drooped in front of her face, Swan looked at me with a determined gaze, as if she was waiting to show me something that'll blow my mind. She's already surprised me enough this evening. This time around, it's my turn.
3...2...1
At the top of my lungs I yelled with such vigor that everyone around me was forced to look my way.
"BLAKE! NOW!"
Like clockwork, the front door of the auditorium exploded, and out of the smoke, came Blake with her leg stretched forward, kicking Swan straight in the face.
"Blake!"
Everyone one our side, cheered at the sight of her arrival, but I was the only one focused enough to see that Mercury wasn't paying attention.
"YANG! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"
Hearing me yell at her shook her out of her trance.
"GO!"
Yang nodded and quickly jumped down elevator.
"Where do you think you're going!?"
Hazel yelled back, sprinting as fast as he can to chase after, but just then, a white queen lancer appeared out of nowhere and bulldozed him out of the way.
"What the hell?"
We all look back to see Weiss, proudly standing on top of the stairs. So this must be the famous Schnee summoning glyph.
"Ezra!"
Blake yelled, as she rushed to my side.
"Are you okay?"
She quickly gave me a hug then readied Gambol Shroud just as fast.
"I am. What about Adam and the Fang?"
To which she smirked in response.
"See for yourself."
I tilted my head out to see the White Fang and the Menagerie Team duking it out, but Adam was nowhere to be found.
"Adam escaped, we're rounding out the rest of the stragglers now. What's the deal here?"
She asked, as the queen lancer circled back behind us with Weiss and Ruby.
"Aww yeah! We're back baby!"
Ruby celebrated as she sprinted right next to Blake. With tide slowly rising against them, Swan was forced to put away her hilt, pulling out two black feathered daggers instead.
Her katana's ability must be meant for duels then, and not team fights.
What followed soon after Blake's arrival was a slugfest, with both sides giving it everything they have. Attack after attack was blocked, and each move was countered beautiful by the other. I've never been in a fight so intense, grueling, and incredibly long. It wasn't long that we would all soon find ourselves in a standstill.
"That's enough! Just give up!"
Ruby yelled. I can tell that the other side didn't want to, but their silence almost made it seem like they were at least contemplating it. Every single one of them except for Emerald.
"It's not over! Cinder will come back, she'll have the Relic, and she'll stop all of you! She won't let us down."
Her trust in Cinder is terrifying, and I struggle to comprehend how I can justify being so faithful to someone so cruel. Before I can clear anything up with her however, the elevator suddenly started to move once more.
Everyone held their breaths, eagerly anticipating who will come out. We all desperately cling on to hope, as time seem to have stopped temporarily. How could I not feel nervous or terrified? The fate of a whole country lies on whoever will come out, but I had faith in Yang.
And my faith wouldn't be lost, as a rush of relief began to shower over me as the image of Yang's fiery blonde hair came into view. She held in her hand, a golden lamp, as she looked at us with pride in her lilac eyes.
Emerald dropped to her knees, tears flowing down her face uncontrollably.
"Emerald get up."
Mercury beckoned, as they all slowly backed away, except for Swan, who refuses to let her eyes off of me.
"Swan. Let's move."
Hazel too, begged like Mercury did Emerald, but none of them moved. He placed his hand on Swan's shoulder, which he would come to find out was a mistake. Hazel may not be able to feel pain, but even he knows what a frozen hand looks like.
"Get your hands off me."
He quickly pulled his hands away, freeing him from the frost emanating from Swan's shoulder.
"What are you doing? Don't jeopardize the plan more than it already is."
Swan smirked and chuckled mockingly.
"Plan? You seem to have forgetten that I work for that old oaf, not your master. My orders are to help clear the vault and help you get rid of these flies. Nothing in my orders says I have to keep you alive, nor does it say to help you escape."
She pulled out the hilt she put away earlier and furrowed her brows. It would seem she's determined to absolutely show me this party trick of hers.
"That doesn't matter now, unless you want to get captured or die, you will come with us!"
In a morbid turn of events, Swan turned around and placed her hand around Hazel's nose, bombarding it with mist. I've learned this trick before, but I refuse to use it. You flood the lungs of your target with mist and freeze the moisture inside their body, suffocating them or worse- killing them.
With Hazel down on his knees, Swan grinned and dashed towards me.
"Ezra!"
In the blink of an eye, Blake and Jaune jumped in front of me to intercept, but Emerald's blood curling scream stopped them in their tracks. Darkness began to flow out of her eyes, creating an illusion that engulfed the entire room.
Except for me and Swan... who was still charging at me. I raise my golden shield up, ready to absorb the impact, but what came out of her mouth next got me frozen in my spot.
"Dance. Shirayuki."
It was like looking myself at the mirror, as the mist gathered at the tip of her hilt, creating a frosted blade similar to mine. Swan raised Shirayuki high like she was about to slash me, but before she could make contact, mist engulf her entire body.
"Wha-"
When Emerald's illusion came to an end, Hazel and his group was gone... so was Swan.
Just like that, the battle ended and we could all finally breathe. It didn't take long for Blake and the rest of team RWBY to reconcile, one would image I would be there too, but I was still too stunned with what I just witnessed.
I was left with more questions than answers. The Nest, my family after the death of my original one, were from my tribe after all, which would explain why they know so much about our traditions. Like the contact lenses to hide my silver eyes. Speaking of silver, that's the other thing that bothers me, what is that faint glow that came out of my eyes- that came out of hers and how is it any different from how Ruby and I used it at Beacon.
What does she mean by destiny? My place within the Tribe, and Shirayuki... How? Is it because she's...
"Ezra."
The questions in my head began to pile up, making me ignore where exactly I was, but the beckoning of a soft and mellow voice startled me back to reality.
"Nora..."
Nora placed her hand on my golden shield. She had a faint smile on her face as she ran her fingers along it's curved surface.
"You know, gold looks nice on you."
I sheath my scarlet blade inside my shield and hung them behind my back, as Nora leaned in for a hug.
"Thank you."
Jaune and Ren weren't too far behind. The two of them placed their hands on my shoulders and patted me on the back.
"That was perfect timing there, Ez. I don't know if we would have made it out of this without you."
Jaune tried his best to compliment me, despite the visible exhaustion written on his face. Ren too, hugged me right after.
"Yup, nice save."
I place my hands on my hips and looked at the three of them with pride, though truthfully, I too had my doubts on whether or not we would make it out of this alive. I couldn't help but smile and look back at the time I met them at the port in Vale. The promise I made with them. It's been months since then, and I've lived by the words that we said to each other that day. A part of me wanted to ask them if I did good, if I upheld their expectations, and if I fulfilled my promise to them.
But looking at them know, no words were needed to know that I have. The four of us put our arms around each other and hugged while we laughed.
"Good to have you back, Ez."
It sure is. The only thing that can best this moment right now is if...
"Ezra..."
Jaune, Ren, and Nora cleared the way as Ruby timidly approached me. I confidently placed my hands on my hips and flashed a big smile her way.
"Ruby."
Ruby raised her hand to her mouth and giggled.
"I heard from everyone else how tearful... your last encounter was with everyone, but in all the time that I've known you, you've always had that smile on your face, even in our last moment together."
I- I never saw it that way, probably because...
"I knew that your faith in me would never waver. Somehow I always knew... but that doesn't absolve me of the crimes I've comitted, or the things I've done to hurt you. Ruby, I'm sorry."
Ruby nodded, as tears began to flow out of her eyes. She stretched open her arms and recklessly jumped towards me for a hug.
"It's okay. You're here now and that's all that matters. I forgive you Ezra."
F-forgive? After everything... Do I deserve such a thing from the people I've hurt the most?
"I know what you're thinking."
Weiss stood up and slowly made her way towards me, with Ruby crying in my chest.
"That you don't deserve to be forgiven, and I agree... All the lies you told, all the people you hurt, all the. I- oh gosh."
Weiss too, started to cry at the sight of Ruby sobbing.
"I missed you and Blake. Ezra, I forgive you."
My knees started to buckle with the weight of Weiss, jumping in to hug me and Ruby, but it wasn't until Blake burried her face on my shoulders that I fell flat on my butt. Ruby lifted her head off my chest and stared at me for a second. She leaned forward and touched my forehead with hers, before looking back at Yang.
"Yang...?"
This is it. The moment I've been dreaming about and dreading at the same time. In front of me stand the person that I've hurt the most, the very reason why I'm working as hard as I am to redeem myself.
If Yang doesn't forgive me, then...
"Ez, I... hate you. I hate you so much. I gave you all of me, only for you to wash it all away in one night. I've never been hurt the way you hurt me that day, and I don't think... looking at you now, I don't know if I can. F-forgive you."
I guess this was to be expected. Nothing I can do now-
"But I refuse to believe all of our memories together at Beacon were all fake. I want to believe that deep down, the Ezra that everyone knew, the Ezra that I fell in lo-. The Ezra everyone shared their feelings with was the real you."
What?
"I still need time to process all of this, but..."
Yang slowly made her way towards us and knelt down. She looked at me with her fierce lilac eyes and smiled at me gently before wrapping her hands around the four of us.
"I'm glad you're back to set things right. Welcome home, Ez."
Hearing her say that caused my eyes to flood uncontrollably. Yang squeezed all of us together in one big hug, as we all cried tears of joy.
Finally, this nightmare has come to an end. The darkness that I've started, and chased away are nothing but a memory now, and I am where I'm supposed to be. Surrounded by the people I love.