Hey! Author's notes are at the bottom this time

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or League of Legends, as Riot Games owns League. RWBY ownership is TBD I think.

The sound of quiet sipping filled the room as Ozpin lowered the mug from his lips. "Team RWBYS. Team JNPRS. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I trust I did not interrupt anything important?" The headmaster turned, having heard the elevator doors sigh open.

From them the motley crew ambled out, the team leaders at the head of the crowd. "Nope! We were only eating breakfast, no biggie." Ruby brushed off, plopping down into a chair as the others followed suit.

"That's pretty important if you ask me." Sett grumbled, frowning further as he felt a sharp kick to the shin.

"I'm sure there will be food to return to afterwards." Glynda sternly affirmed.

Amusement twinkled in the headmaster's eyes. "I apologize for disturbing your meal, but I can assure you that it was done for a good reason." The man's fingers quickly flashed across an interface, bringing a holographic map of Vale into existence. "Tell me, are any of you familiar with the town of Ceniza?" He asked, gesturing towards a highlighted section of the map.

His question was met with silence, until recognition flashed within a single student. "It's a frontier settlement, located close to the edge of civilization. I visited there for a tournament once." Pyrrha casually mentioned, recalling her trip to be much like the rest of her competitions: unchallenging.

Weiss raised her brow a smidge, intrigued. "I didn't think a frontier settlement was even capable of hosting a tournament. What makes this one different?" She asked, at which Ozpin discreetly glanced at his fellow professor.

"The short answer is its location." Goodwitch stated, fiddling with her scroll before additional text and images materialized over the map. "Most settlements rely on imports to survive, whether they be of food, dust, or some other essential resource."

"Ceniza, however, is surrounded by fertile soil, forests, and rich mines, making it not only self-sufficient but also a major exporter of a variety of goods. This is how they obtain their capital for funding these events." And with the comparably honest local government, it was no wonder why the quality of life in the city was among the best in the kingdom.

"That would explain the exorbitant wealth they seem to have." Weiss murmured, eyes glued onto the projection as she processed the plethora of information. From what she had gathered so far, the location of the settlement could not have been any better.

"Yea. Looks pretty lavish for a settlement. Any chance you're sending us there for vacation, Headmaster?" Yang asked, her eyes set on an image showcasing the city's nightlife.

To her disappointment, Ozpin shook his head. "Unfortunately not." In a flash, the information was replaced with a variety of mission briefings. "Recent Grimm sightings have increased in the area, more so than what's considered typical. Nothing the current huntsmen there can not handle, but it does present an opportunity nonetheless."

The team leaders shared a puzzled glance, before Jaune decided to speak his mind. "An opportunity for what?"

"For our students to obtain more hands-on experience."

The boy blinked, before realization dawned on his face. "You want us to deal with the Grimm."

The headmaster nodded. "Precisely. Professor Goodwitch and I have studied the current Grimm postings, and given the specific nature of the threat they possess, we agreed that a first year team is best suited for the task at hand." As he spoke, he carefully gauged the reactions of the room. There was plenty of surprise, a healthy amount of interest…and a single case of indifference.

"I don't know, I think we've already shown we can handle some Grimm." Sett said, looking rather unimpressed with everything so far.

A burning glare zeroed in on him no sooner had those words left his mouth. "Is that so, young man?" Goodwitch sharply intoned.

The pit fighter smirked, bringing his hands together and cracking his knuckles. "I'm just sayin' I'd like a real challenge."

Hearing that, Lee Sin could only shake his head. "Arrogant as always."

"Hey! I mean, you're not wrong, but-"

"You have proven yourselves capable during initiation." Ozpin interrupted, the slight firmness in his tone bringing things to a halt. "But being a huntsman is more than just fighting Grimm. Not every job you do will be as straightforward, nor will they always be exciting, but that does not detract their importance. This is something we intend for you to learn and understand during your time at this academy." The sound of soft shuffling could be heard as people sat straighter.

"As defenders of civilization, it is your duty to protect those that can not protect themselves. Their safety is your responsibility: a burden you must learn to carry well." He finished, making sure he met each student's gaze as he did so.

"..."

Glynda quietly let out a sigh of relief. While she didn't expect the headmaster to lecture them, she was glad it was done. These freshmen were skilled, especially for their age, but they had to be reminded that this wasn't some sort of game.

Though, she would've liked to grill Sett herself…

'Still, it's good that they are taking this more seriously.' She mused, as the levity in the room dimmed to a simmer.

"Umm. Headmaster?" Jaune asked, breaking the growing stillness.

"Yes?"

"You said a first year team is best for this. If that's the case…Why summon both teams?"

"Because, Mr. Arc, there are more than enough postings for a single team."

"...Oh." He muttered, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"As for the matter of why we selected your teams in particular," he continued, anticipating the next question, "it is simply because you have shown the most promising levels of cooperation and trust in one another, more so than any other first year team. Out of your entire cohort, you are the only ones we believe are capable of this assignment."

Having said his piece, he once again deferred to the assistant headmistress. "Do you have anything final to add, Professor Goodwich?"

She nodded. "I would like to remind you all that this is not mandatory. This is your first semester at Beacon, so it is understandable if you would rather spend your semester break resting for the next semester."

"However, this opportunity is time-sensitive, so please take some time now to come to a decision." And so, the teams began to discuss amongst themselves what they should do.

Jaune glanced amongst his team. "What do you guys think?"

"So, thoughts?" Ruby asked.

"I think it's a great idea. It's a good chance to get some real world experience."

"I'm game. I've always wanted to travel the kingdoms: might as well get a head start now."

"Agreed. It could be useful in the long run."

"While I would not have minded a chance to relax, I am curious to see what else Vale has to offer."

"Sure, why not? I dunno what I was gonna do over break anyways."

"Ceniza has a few well-established libraries." Blake mentioned. "I can find something while we're there."

"How about you Lee? This is all probably a bit fast for you, but I want to know how you feel. N-Not that I'm saying you're overwhelmed or anything!"

"What about you, Sett?"

"Your concern is appreciated, but I assure you that I am up for the task and whatever challenges may arise."

"Gimme a sec. Hey, teach-uh, Professor Goodwitch?"

The professor felt a flare of irritation come over her, before exhaling forcibly. "Yes, Sett?"

"Do we get paid for this?" He asked, a solemn look on his face.

Goodwtich blinked, a tad surprised by the sudden shift in attitude. "Of course. Upon completion of a mission, you will receive its associated payout, all of which would be yours to keep."

Sett broke out into a smile, having made up his mind. "That's all I needed to hear." He said, giving Ruby a thumbs up.

And with that, the two leaders turned to the Headmaster.

"We're in."

"Ceniza Control, this is Bullhead unit A-497, requesting permission to land, ETA ten minutes."

"."

".."

"..."

"Ceniza Control, this is Bullhead unit A-497…"

"."

".."

"..."

"Ceniza Control, do you read?"

"."

".."

"..."

"Hey, I'm only getting interference on the comms."

The pilot shrugged. "Probably something on our end, could be a faulty transmitter. It's been a while since this bucket was inspected." He shifted slightly, staying on course.

"Well, bad transmitter or not, we need to follow protocol." The co-pilot insisted, activating the intercom.

"Passengers aboard, this is your co-pilot speaking, may I have your attention please. We are currently experiencing difficulties establishing communications with Ceniza air traffic control, and our current ETA is nine minutes. We'll keep you posted."

Deactivating the intercom, the copilot couldn't help but worry. "Maybe the navigation system is also on the fritz? You and I both know how unreliable these older models are."

The pilot raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly does navigation affect communications?"

"Hey, all I'm saying is…"

"Hey, big guy. We're almost there."

With a slight nudge from his side, Sett's eyes creaked open. "Bout time. It feels like I've been cooped up in here for ages." He grumbled.

"We've only been flying for a few hours-and you even slept through most of it!"

'And snored.' Much as Yang would've liked to nap as well, she couldn't with the living engine revving in her ear.

Soon after teams were formed, it was basic knowledge that if you wanted to sleep, you had to do so before the guy with sleep apnea. The team learned that quickly after an early crash from Sett filled the dorm with a thunderous rumble.

It didn't help that she'd forgotten her ear plugs.

"Exactly, and we're still up in the air." He yawned, expelling the last of his drowsiness from his system. "At least on the air bus you can stretch your legs a bit."

Yang couldn't argue with that. "Well, we're only a few minutes out now." She smirked as Sett groaned in exasperation.

Throughout the bullhead many others were similarly coming about, quietly conversing amongst themselves.

Ruby chatted away, excitement palpable that they were about to go into the field. Weiss quietly listened as she continued to read up on the settlement.

Jaune had a bag in his hand, face tinged with green.

Lee Sin remained quiet. Yang still found it interesting that he and Sett were so different, yet remained fast friends. The monk was still and silent, like Nora-

Oh wait.

Nora was still fast asleep.

She smirked, glancing to her side. "So, you got any plans once we get to the city? Besides the assignments, I mean."

Sett scratched his chin. "I didn't think that far ahead for this trip, so no." He also didn't do much thinking if he didn't have to. "Why?"

"I'm just curious, that's all." She looked away. "Just trying to figure that out myself."

"Didn't you say you wanted to check out the entertainment districts?" Silence. Then, out of the corner of his peripheral, he saw Yang bouncing a knee.

She only did that when she was nervous.

He paused. This wasn't new: Sett had seen the girl be unsure of herself before.

But this time felt different.

Any words he had died in his throat, as he waited for his friend to respond.

Before the silence dragged on too long, the blonde pursed her lips. "Well I did…but I feel like that'd be boring to do on my own…" She tilted her head, pushing her hair away from her face.

What was up with her?

With their attention so fixated on each other, neither noticed that ambient conversation had dimmed, and several pairs of eyes and ears were directed at them.

"Maybe when we've got some downtime, we could walk around the city together?" Lilac eyes connected with blazing red ones.

Oh.

"..."

Oh-

"EVERYONE STRAP IN, WE'VE GOT INCOMING GRIMM, INCOMING-"

The aircraft shook violently, startling its passengers.

The shaking continued to grow-

THUMP.

-until it stopped.

Those within suddenly felt weightless, which could only mean-

"WE'RE LOSING ALTITUDE, I'VE LOST-"

BOOOOM!

"-S DOWN, BRACE FOR IMPACT-"

"Everyone hold on!" Someone yelled.

The feeling of weightlessness instantly vanished, as they were yanked back into their seats, gripping their harnesses with a vice.

The sound and feeling of impact reverberated throughout the hull, each instance less frequent than the last until only silence reigned.

.

.

.

.

.

"Wha…What happened?"

Ruby groaned, rubbing her head. "Is everyone ok?"

To her relief, everyone was in one piece. Granted, everyone's auras had seen better days, but no one was out of commission.

"Welp, you got your wish. No more flying for us." Yang grumbled.

"Forget what I said, I'd rather be cooped up than go through that again!"

The young leader's eyes widened. "The pilots!" In a flash she was at the cockpit entrance, palming the controls which blinked red in response. "The door's jammed." Yang quickly grabbed the malfunctioning bulkhead, grunting as she shoved it to the side.

Ruby zipped in. "Hey! Are you two…"

She froze.

"..."

Her mouth was dry-the room started to spin-

Sharp coughing brought her back to reality. She forced herself to inhale.

'breathe.'

Ruby reached out, gently grabbing an arm. "Easy, you probably shouldn't be moving right now." She swallowed hard. "H-how badly are you hurt?"

The pilot shifted, wincing. "Think my leg is broken. And my other shoulder is dislocated." Despite everything, he let out a gruff laugh. "Another happy landing, right-?"

His voice faded as he stared at his motionless co-pilot, the younger man's neck dangling at an abnormal angle.

"There wasn't…I…" The young huntress hung her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." He gently yanked something off the pilot's neck. "This is our job. We know the risks." He murmured as he stared at his hand.

He squeezed.

"Yea…"

As the collective disorientation finally began to pass, Ruby emerged from the cockpit, eyes downcast.

"One of the pilots…he didn't make it." She muttered.

Yang pulled her sister in a tight hug. One that wasn't reciprocated.

Some hung their heads, despondent. Others scowled and frowned as the atmosphere darkened.

What do we do now?

Ruby lightly tapped her sister, who released her without a word. She took a breath before straightening up. "The surviving pilot said he saw a massive pall of smoke in the direction of the city before we got hit. We have to assume that Ceniza is under attack."

The sound of metal unfolding filled the room as Jaune pulled out Crocea Mors. "Then that's where we should go. Agreed?"

"What about calling for help?" Blake asked. "We didn't hear any distress signals on our way here. That probably means no one else did either." Who knows how long Ceniza had been under attack.

Ruby gestured to the cockpit. "The communications equipment here is busted. If we want to get reinforcements, we need to do so in the city. There's a chance they've got working equipment there."

"And if they don't?" Weiss asked evenly. It wasn't a possibility they wanted to consider, but they had to be realistic.

Ruby dropped her gaze. "We make it to the closest town and get help there. But only after we investigate Ceniza." She affirmed, meeting her partner's gaze steadily.

JNPRS' team lead swept his gaze. "Anyone else have ideas?"

"I think that's the best plan we've got at the moment." Pyrrha said.

Ren nodded in agreement.

"A sound course of action." Lee agreed.

The sound of weapons being brought out filled the cabin. "Then let's get out there." Ruby pointed at the jammed exit. "Sett?"

The brawler lumbered over, rolling his shoulders before smashing the bay doors off. It didn't take long for the first-years to get a hold of their surroundings afterwards.

Deep dirt impacts trailed the now-broken aircraft, destroyed shrubbery and trees left in its wake. The thick canopy above prevented a clear view of the sky, but the unmistakable stench of smoke was quickly registered.

Wasting no time, Jaune pointed in the general direction of the city. "Ren, you and Blake take point. Scout ahead to see what kind of threats we're dealing with."

Ruby turned to her partner. "Weiss, stay with the pilot." She said, her voice lacking its prior quiver-and usual spark. "If any Grimm show up here, you're best suited for getting the pilot out quickly and safely."

The heiress paused, frowning, before turning to inform the pilot of the situation. She didn't like the idea of staying behind, but knew someone had to.

The young leader turned to address the recon team. "The rest of us will be right behind you two."

The first-years moved cautiously. They were in unknown territory and could practically taste the hostility in the air. It didn't help that they could be all on their own either.

But they knew every second could make the difference for the people of Ceniza. So they moved as swiftly as caution permitted.

Eyes scanned surroundings, weapons were held ready, and not a word was uttered.

Ruby signaled for the group to halt.

She pulled out her scroll, showing it to Jaune as they read a message.

"They're coming back."

Not a moment later, the two scouts silently moved into view.

Ren's expression was unreadable. "A lot of Grimm up ahead."

Belladonna grabbed a twig at her foot. "There's at least a few dozen beowolves, alphas, and four ursa majors." Blake detailed, drawing a crude map in the dirt showing relative locations. The two species of Grimm seemed to be separated, keeping to themselves.

It was a lot of Grimm to take on at once, but nothing their numbers and skills couldn't handle.

The gears were turning in the team leaders' heads as they began giving out assignments. "Sett, Yang, and Nora will keep the ursa occupied."

Sett cracked his knuckles. "We'll do more than that." Nora nodded fervently as Yang's eyes gleamed, eager for some action. And payback.

Jaune looked at his team. "Pyrrha and I will be running interference. If someone needs a hand, we're there."

"Got it."

Ruby glanced at the remaining fighters. "The rest of us will take on the beowolves. The faster we do that, the faster we can focus on taking down the ursa together."

With roles assigned, they began to creep forward, carefully maneuvering around fallen branches and flora.

Lilac eyes flickered to the side as the heavy hitters split off from the main force. As she edged through the forest, the older sister would be lying if she wasn't worried. Like the others, Yang was upset with the loss of their pilot, but she knew her little sister was taking it much worse-

Suddenly rustling was heard as Yang tripped, and was racing towards the ground when Sett quickly snatched her wrist.

He slowly pulled her up, letting go when she gave a thumbs up.

No more distractions. There would be time to fret later.

Soon the two teams happened upon their targets, milling about just upwind of their position.

"Everyone moves on my signal." Ruby said, her gaze fixed upon a single beowolf.

Weapons were readied as positions were taken.

She lifted Crescent Rose up as the Grimm raised its head-

BAM!

-and suddenly they had one less to worry about.

In the split second it took for the monsters to realize what happened, several more were gunned down with brutal efficiency. One of the alpha's spotted their assailants, letting out a guttural roar before leading the remaining horde in a thunderous charge.

The first-years met this rush head-on, working in tandem as they rapidly cut down the Grimm.

Ren threw StormFlower, impaling a beowolf's chest, before engaging another in hand-to-hand combat.

A strike connected with Blake before the false-image shattered, revealing Ruby as she propelled herself into the air, beheading two as she sailed above.

Jaune winced as an alpha pummeled his shield, before suddenly shoving it forward as the Grimm struck, surprising it. He rolled to the side, stabbing its thigh and bringing it onto a knee. The alpha looked up just in time to see a bronze spear stab its jaw, coming out the back of its head.

Pyrrha was already on the move, hurling her shield at a beowolf that escaped Ren's notice, throwing off its aim as it swiped. She extended her arms, recalling her weapons as she sprinted to aid her lone teammate.

A flash of lightning cut across the clearing, as Lee sent several flying with a powerful roundhouse kick. Ducking a blow from behind, Lee remained bent before connecting a heel with the chest of his attacker as he kicked behind.

Soon, the Grimm were cut down to no more than a dozen, which was nothing more than clean-up for the combined force.

As the last beowulf collapsed to the ground, some were already running towards the edge of the clearing, towards where the ursa were-

-right as Sett flew past them, tumbling on the ground. Before they could see if he was alright, he scrambled to his feet-

-just in time to get body slammed by a flying ursa major, both of them tumbling across the clearing.

This time Sett rose without issue, coming around to the front of the badly wounded Grimm. He cupped a fist, raising it before bashing the Grimm across the face, its head going limp at an unusual angle as it ceased its struggle, beginning to fade soon after.

Yang and Nora strolled out into the area, still looking relatively fresh after their skirmish. Even Sett seemed rather pleased with how things turned out.

With all heads accounted for, they regrouped at the center of the clearing. "Good job. Everyone alright?" Ruby asked, taking no chances as she glanced around. Satisfied after a round of negatives, she nodded. "Let's go-"

"Wait. Do you hear that?" Blake's ears twitched, eyes widening as Sett perked his head up. "It sounds like-"

Sett's gaze whipped towards the massive pall of smoke. "Survivors! But they're being attacked."

Ruby gripped her weapon tighter. "We need to hurry. Forget scouting, we need to get there now!" The team leader disappeared in a blink, the rest of them having little choice but to follow.

As they blew past the trees, the air began to thicken considerably, the stench of smoke permeating throughout the air. It only hastened the two team's movements.

The minutes spent rushing through the forest felt like hours, but eventually they reached the edge of it.

That's when they saw the city.

"By the brothers…"

Or, that's what they should've been looking at.

In front of them was smog, far more dense and spread as far and as wide as the eye could see. Further above, the sky was choked with dark smoke, billowing upwards and outwards across the horizon. The unmistakable roar of massive fires could be heard, but not seen through this unpartable haze.

Ruby turned to her side. "Blake, do you hear anything?" She asked, dread gripping her heart as Blake shook her head.

"Sett?"

"Not anymore." He muttered, eyes never leaving the toxic barrier.

Suddenly Lee moved to the front of the group, tensing up.

"He is here." Unbridled fury replacing his usual stoicism.

The Remnants shifted in confusion, a single word occupying their thoughts: 'who?'

Sett was the first to catch on, eyes burning in realization.

Before anyone could voice their confusion, the silhouette of a person faded into view. It began to grow in clarity…accompanied by a faint purple hue.

Nora tightened her grip on Magnhild, quietly breaking the silence. "Is that…"

"Yes. Brand."

Stepping into view was a man clad in dark clothes adorned with gold, his hair a stark white and eyes a blazing amethyst. One might have assumed him sickly, given his faded-violet colored skin and slightly hunched posture.

But it was his voice that unnerved the Remnants.

"If it isn't the dragons' little lap dog." It was as if it was distorted. Garbled.

Lee remained undeterred, glaring at his quarry. "Better a vassal than a murderer." He spat.

Brand only laughed. "So righteous. So fiery." He shifted his gaze to Sett, who had slowly stepped in front of Yang. "And it seems you've brought another slave with you. More kindle for the fire." At that, small flames flickered into existence in his hands.

"Kindle?! Is that how you see people?" Ruby shouted, fully bringing Crescent Rose to bear.

Jaune paled as he processed what he'd heard. "You're burning an entire city…Why?"

"You are incapable of understanding." He dismissively said, eyes having never left the dragonmancers.

The boy felt his mouth dry up. "Try me."

He laughed, finally shifting his gaze. "Very well. You wish to know the reasoning behind my actions?" He held his arms out, presenting the scene at his back like a proud artist would a finished piece. "I erased them, because inferior beings don't deserve to exist in a perfect world."

The handheld flames grew, encompassing his entire palm.

"My world." He smiled, satisfied with his work. At last, he finally had the means to achieve his destiny-

"Y'know, I'm kinda disappointed." Sett drawled. "For someone causing so much trouble, I was expecting more than just a psycho." He reached a hand up, feigning a yawn…the other clenched with a vice.

A twinge of annoyance flashed across the hostile dragonmancer's face. "Your bravado will only make your demise all the more gratifying."

"Big talk for someone outclassed." Sett said, smirking as he sized up the smaller man.

The sound of footsteps filled the air as the team spread themselves. "And outnumbered." Between him and Lee, Brand was in over his head. With everyone together, the prospect of a fight was almost a joke.

The pyromancer merely shook his head. "The only thing I'm outnumbered by are ants. Regardless." He pressed his middle finger against his thumb.

Snap!

"I have cannon fodder of my own."

It was then that Grimm silhouettes began appearing in the smog. A lot of silhouettes.

A dozen quickly materialized. Then two dozen. Three. Five.

Soon they were outnumbered ten to one. And the Grimm continued to come.

But as much as they were bunching together, they also seemed to be making space-a path.

Thud…Thud…Thud…Thud…Thud

A crazed smile tugged at Brand's mouth, the looks of alarm bringing him immense delight as a behemoth of a man lumbered to his side.

"I should tear you a new one for that, you twat."

At Brand's side was a figure that towered even over Sett, covered in a crimson, more armored iteration of Brand's attire. Where his skin should have been was replaced with molten metal, heated to a dull orange at the extremities. One of these extremities was a massive horn, protruding from the top of the head-which appeared to be perpetually aflame. One might've assumed that a corporeal form was absent underneath that hulking exterior.

Whatever he was, it was clear he was no longer a man.

"Jack?" For a brief moment, Lee's rage gave way to shock, before returning in full force. "You should not be alive. You sought out Karma, and she put you down." Sett scrunched his brow: he had remembered Lee delivering the news the last time they had met…

The man shrugged. "Welp, she clearly didn't finish the job, now did she?" Amusement dripped from his words.

Yang nudged Sett, eyes never leaving the two killers. "Who's that? Another dragonmancer?" She whispered. Apparently she wasn't quiet enough, as Jack's gaze panned over.

"The best one, lass." Jack grinned, showing his extended canines in full. "You're about to find out why."

Sett opened his mouth to retort, but was beat by Lee Sin. "Do not be fooled by his attempts at amicability. He is just as depraved as his ally." This only elicited a laugh from the killer in question, flames spewing from his mouth.

"And wouldn't you know it-"

"Enough prattle!" Brand shouted, having also tired of Jack's rambling. His hands disappeared as the violet flames quickly engulfed them. "Purification awaits you and your lessers."

As Ruby took a step forward, she felt a rough hand pat her shoulder. "Ruby, d'you mind dealing with the Grimm?" Sett asked, his casual tone strained as he stared a hole into Jack.

Lee Sin nodded, his attention set on his long-awaited target. "This is our fight."

Ruby looked ready to object, before pursing her lips. "You heard them. They'll handle the dragonmancers while we take care of the Grimm." The Remnants paused, hesitant about leaving their allies on their own. The hesitation was momentary, as they all knew they couldn't afford to falter now.

Yang was the last to linger, quickly gripping Sett's wrist. "Kick his ass." Sett looked down, flashing a confident smirk before Yang moved to group with the rest.

Blake wearily eyed the horde that was amassing in front of them. "That's…a lot of Grimm. There's still more coming from the smoke." The majority were small fry, but there were a substantial number of alphas and larger Grimm.

"Then we'll just have to fight through all of them. The townspeople are counting on us!" Ruby firmly stated, undaunted as she stared ahead.

And the battle of Ceniza began.

Gritting his teeth, Sett raised his arms in time to block a staggering blow, sliding in the dirt from the exerted force.

Keeping his hands up he shifted an arm to his left, shielding his skull from a followup hook, grunting from the effort as he returned a swing of his own.

Satisfaction flared within as Jack was left winded, the punch going straight into his gut. Hitting the big bastard felt like punching a wall, but the dull pain was worth the seconds bought as Jack hunched over.

Grabbing him by the shoulders, Sett heaved as he threw Jack in the air, hitting a tree and lodging his horn into the trunk. With a violent thrash he freed himself, nearly uprooting the tree in the process.

Jack gripped the damaged tree before tearing it out of the dirt, swinging and connecting with the rapidly approaching pit fighter, who careened through the air before tumbling through dry foliage.

Rising to a knee, Sett spat, barely registering the metallic taste in his mouth.

As much as Sett didn't want to admit it, this fight was going poorly. The pit fighter had fought larger opponents before-but none with strength that easily matched his own, and certainly none that could endure as much as he.

But that was irrelevant: he couldn't lose here, lest Jack direct his violence towards anyone else. Lee already had his hands full with Brand, and the others were bogged down by grimm.

Scraping his hand across the grainy soil, Sett readied himself as the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer. The instant Jack burst into view, Sett broke out into a sprint, hurling the sand-like dirt at his opponent's face.

As Jack brought his hands up to shield his eyes, Sett threw an uppercut, snapping his head back and causing him to stumble a few steps. The pit fighter pressed forward-

-as Jack braced himself before shoulder charging into Sett, sending him tumbling onto the ground.

Angry for falling for the bait, Sett scrambled to rise from the ground. But as he snapped his eyes up, a two-handed slam was already on its way down.

His body moved without thought, catching the crushing blow with open palms-

THOOM!

-as he remained kneeling on the now-cracked earth.

Sett ground his teeth. He hoped the others were doing better than he wasT.

Sickly flames erupted from the ground as Lee Sin rolled away to safety, throwing a pulse of lightning as he sprung to his feet.

Ducking the projectile aimed at his head, Brand directed a conjured ball of flame back at Lee, which was dodged in kind.

The two had been trading blows from afar, a considerable distance separating the dragonmancers. Brand had been inching closer, maneuvering whenever he could to close the gap. Lee Sin however-

"I did not take the storm dragon's chosen for a coward!" Brand shouted as he continued his assault.

-the monk had been maintaining the spacing since the start of their fight. For every step Brand took forward, Lee took one back, never allowing the pyromancer to get too close.

There were two crucial reasons for employing this strategy. As confident as Lee was in his superior martial prowess, he acknowledged Brand's fire had significantly greater destructive potential. But by keeping his distance, the agile warrior was able to avoid the worst of the flames and negate Brand's power advantage.

Which was connected to the second reason: by skirting the edges of the fight, Lee was able to wear down his opponent. The pyromancer was already fuming, and it would not be much longer until-

Brand spread his arms, slowing his movement as he focused on channeling his power.

-an opportunity arose

Twisting a foot, Lee pivoted toward the pyromancer and began to bolt towards his target, the gathering flame growing with each step. He would be unable to dodge an attack this close, but it did not matter as long as he got close enough.

The pyromancer grinned.

Sucking in a breath, a stream of fire jetted out from his mouth, splashing over Lee's face. He grunted in pain, his sprint slowing to a stumble.

It wasn't enough to cause serious damage, but just enough to disorient the rapidly approaching monk.

With a heave, the ball of flame shot forward, expanding rapidly until it engulfed the monk and his surroundings in a bright flash.

Wait.

Brand's gaze narrowed. There was a faint silhouette of an orb-

Lightning burst out from the flames, crashing into the center of the pyromancer's chest. Stumbling back from the impact, Brand was quickly pushed back even further as Lee Sin flew into him, fist connecting with his nose.

The monk's skin and clothes were singed and torn, but that didn't matter as Lee's focus was fixated solely on the villain in front of him. The monk had caught Brand by surprise, and he would not waste this chance as he landed blow after blow, his relentless onslaught of kicks and strikes giving the pyromancer no breathing room.

A purple glow began to emanate the pyromancer.

With his stance set, Lee Sin spun on a leg, driving a roundhouse kick into Brand's gut, sending him careening through the air before landing on his front. The glow dissipated as Brand slowly rose to his feet.

"Hmph. For a blind fool you are more perceptive than I-Ooof!"

A large object collided with Brand from above, smashing him back into the ground and kicking up dust. When the air cleared, Jack could be seen pushing himself off of Brand as he stood up.

"You make a pretty good cushion for a skinny tosser, mate."

"Ack-You insolent-!'

The monk heard familiar footsteps approach, accompanied by heavy breathing."You are wounded." He said.

"And you look like shit." Sett grumbled, wiping his mouth. His hand came away red. "But I'd say they look a little worse."

"Do not lower your guard. The battle has not been won yet." Lee cautioned, as he and Sett readied themselves to square off.

"…"

Something was off.

Jack should've charged by now. Brand should've been trying to get closer.

Instead, the juggernaut was unmoving, a wall of metal in front of Brand, hiding him from view. Which meant that he was either preparing to attack them, or-

Grimm soared through the air as explosions and blunt force impacts rang out across the area.

A purple glow emanated behind Jack.

Something was off.

A beowolf slammed into a group of its brethren, twisting limbs into unnatural angles and bringing them all to the ground. Some struggled to get back up, while others didn't move at all.

But just as quickly as they fell, a greater number of Grimm took their place.

Normally Yang would've savored this kind of action. But as she brutalized yet another monster, she quickly reassessed her surroundings…and a sea of Grimm was all she could see.

Between the combined might of the two top first-year teams, countless dozens of Grimm had been shot, stabbed, punched, and ultimately brought down. The only issue was that there seemed to be a limitless supply of Grimm emerging from the smoke.

It didn't help that Yang was starting to feel her muscles strain, a surefire warning that she was starting to run out of gas.

The good news was Lee and Sett seemed to have their fights under control, as she'd seen Jack cannon into Brand not too long ago. Punching away the nearest grimm, she used the second of time to glance over again-

Her eyes widened.

-only to see a rapidly developing purple flame, its wielder aiming it towards an oblivious Jaune.

"Jaune look out!" She cried out, desperately trying to be heard over the din of combat.

But Jaune's focus was elsewhere: he was in deadlock with a beowolf.

A stream of flame tore across the field, torching any and all grimm in its path until the only thing left to hit was-

Jaune was sent sprawling as Pyrrha shoved him away.

She had noticed the impending attack as well, but unlike Yang, she was close enough to act.

Ducking behind her shield, she braced as the flames splashed over the metal barrier, holding her ground with gritted teeth.

But the shield could only do so much to protect its user, as the abnormal fire proceeded to alarmingly drain the champion's aura.

Jaune shook his head, flipping over onto his back, eyes panicked as he realized why he'd been knocked down.

"Pyrrha!"

The sound of shattering glass broke through all else.

With a shattered aura, the flames were sure to burn Pyrrha-until the stream of fire abruptly ceased to exist as Sett tackled Brand while Jack was busy trying to swat Lee.

The champion of Mistral took a shaky breath…before collapsing onto the ground.

"NO!" Her team leader was at her side in an instant, emotions threatening to spill over as he lowered himself to check on his partner. A swath of ursa began to lumber over, and were pelted by a barrage of explosives and gunfire as Ren and Nora moved to cover their teammates.

"Pyrrha! PYRRHA!" Guilt welled within Jaune as he frantically grabbed her wrist, checking for a pulse. Thoughts raced in his mind, paralyzing him as he stared. If he'd been paying attention he could've moved out of the way in time, and Pyrrha wouldn't be-

The imperceptible movement of her chest rising and falling snapped him out of it. "She's alive! We need to get her out of here!" He shouted, the non-dragonmancers having made their way over at this point.

Ren fired StormFlower, only to hear empty clicks with each trigger pull. "Agreed. We can't keep this up for much longer."

Ruby's eyes widened as she paused for a mere moment. "But the city-!"

"We can't help them if we're dead!" Blake shouted as she cut another beowolf in half.

"There's gotta be…" Ruby's voice trailed off.

Pyrrha was down and needed to be brought to safety. Ammunition was running low. And the strain of non-stop fighting was showing all around. Ruby racked her brain for an idea, but everything pointed to the same conclusion.

They couldn't win.

She tightened her grip on Crescent Rose. "Everyone fall back! Protect Jaune and Pyrrha and fall back to the forest!"

The other team leader carefully picked up his partner before breaking out into a run as a path was carved for them, taking them closer to the edge of the forest.

At the same time, Lee Sin delivered a roundhouse kick to the back of Jack, sending him tumbling away as Sett threw an ursa at Brand, smothering him momentarily.

"Now's our chance, let's go!" Sett shouted, turning to regroup with the others as Lee did the same, doing their best to avoid being slowed down by grimm.

By the time they regrouped as one, the combined teams were well beyond the clearing of the forest. The terrain was too dense for grimm to follow with uninhibited speed, but they were still moving at a pace too fast for Sett's liking.

The pit fighter skidded to a stop, turning around. He pulled a fist back-he'd have to thank Jack and Brand for giving him the power to do this…

With a grunt of effort, Sett swung his haymaker into the ground, shattering it and shaking the surrounding area.

The landscape quickly became uneven, tree's began to splinter and fall, and grimm who had entered the forest quickly became buried beneath it.

'That should buy us some time.' He could only hope it was enough to get to a safe distance.

Sett turned around to run and catch up-and nearly ran right into Yang.

She looked up at him, her expression concerned as she noted the blood on his face. "I saw you stop running with us. Figured you were up to something." Yang said, glancing at the land behind him.

Despite everything, Sett managed to crack a smile. "If I knew you were watching me, I'd have tried harder." He teased.

That was all Yang needed to hear, her worries easing slightly as she visibly relaxed. "Trust me, I've got my eyes on you." She smirked, before jutting her head. "Come on, we need to catch up."

The two broke out into a run as blackened smoke poured into the sky at their backs.

Hard to believe it's almost been a year since my last update. Or two years since I began.

I can't promise future updates will be timely, since other things in my life take precedent. But I hate it when fanfics are unfinished, so I'm gonna finish this even if it takes me years :P

I also want to note that I've updated every chapter so far. Most updates were formatting adjustments, but there is one retcon worth mentioning:

Sett (and by extension anyone from Runeterra) can not use aura. Reason being that I don't want to come up with writing for aura and semblance development for Runeterrans (Essentially: Sett, Lee Sin, Brand, etc., no aura because I'm lazy).

Anyways, I appreciate you guys for coming by and for any feedback or comments you may have. Thanks for reading, and I'll see y'all next time!