VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Hello there! First of all, thank you to everyone who is reading and everyone who has shared kind words about the story. As always, I greatly appreciate it. Secondly, an important update on the future of this story. Let Us Dance in the Flames has crossed over 500,000 words, and this particular story arc is going to come to a close in a few chapters. A few days ago, I decided that was more than enough. There will be one small mini-arc to follow, maybe three chapters in length, but the plan right now is to finish Let Us Dance in the Flames at Chapter 100. Yes, you've read that right. Chapter 100 will be the last.

Gasp! Okay, not really a gasp. One of the reasons I decided to return to writing this series was I really wanted to try my best at writing the Vytal Festival. LUDITF existed pretty much as a setup for me to do that. But like always, I went into way too much detail on everything and spent like a dozen chapters doing a beach vacation arc and all that nonsense, and now 500k words later, Vytal hasn't happened yet. Instead of Vytal being the final arc of Flames, I am separating it out into its own story, so I can give it all the proper attention it deserves. That's right: THE SERIES IS CONTINUING. Just not this particular story. See? Not really a gasp.

As for Vytal, I have some very big plans for that. Verrrrrry big. More information will come when the time is ready, but I do hope everyone will continue to read and participate in what comes next. Updates come constantly on my discord server, so if you haven't joined, definitely do so. So, TL;DR. Flames is ending, next book starts immediately after. Join my Discord to learn more lol. Now, story time. Enjoy!

Discord link: /3FdZCcZefc

Ruby barked her next order. "Penny, open the fucking door!"

Penny did not protest. In fact, Ruby's request suddenly seemed incredibly reasonable. She flew over to the door and placed her hand upon the large, flower-printed structure. It reacted immediately, and as it had done before, it slowly opened. Team NYBF moved in toward her, eager to escape. The Maiden had only crawled halfway across the room when the Vault door cracked open.

Then, it stopped—and immediately slammed itself shut.

"What?" Penny gasped. She pressed her hand against the door. She could feel it pulsating, responding to her touch, and then resisting her. It remained shut.

"Penny, stop screwing around!" Ruby ordered.

"I'm not!" Penny cried. "It won't open!"

"What do you mean it won't open?" Blake snapped.

"It does not want to open!" Penny repeated.

Ruby felt her stomach drop. The Vault was fighting them. No… the Maiden was fighting them. She turned back toward the lumbering sentry. Its stone-cold gaze had turned toward the entrance. It would make some sense for the sentry to be plugged into the Vault's overall security systems. It would also make sense if it didn't want them to leave. They were its prey. To allow them to escape with the precious secrets of the Vault in their possession would be foolish. The situation was painfully clear. They were trapped with the Maiden until one party fell.

"We… we have to fight that thing to get out," Ruby said fearfully.

"Are you certain?" asked Pyrrha on behalf of the team. Ruby nodded. A horrid stillness came over them, realizing the task ahead of them.

"I don't have enough power to use my Eraser Cannon," Penny explained. "Most of my swords were lost in the landslide as well."

Penny's report was dire, but it wasn't the only problem they had. Ruby looked to her teammates, taking stock of what she had to work with. Weiss: concussed. Yang: body hanging on by threads and gauntlets smashed. Yatsu: injured leg. Velvet: half blind and missing weapons. Coco: out of ammunition. Jaune: injured shoulder. Nora and Ren: bruised. Penny: missing leg, several swords, low on power. That left her, Blake, Fox, and Pyrrha at full capacity against a nearly indestructible giant. It was wounded as well, of course. It barely seemed to be moving, dragging itself across the chamber almost pitifully. But there was no denying their severe disadvantage.

Still, they readied themselves for battle. All of them. No matter how hard they struggled to their feet, whether they raised their weapons weakly or couldn't use them at all, her allies stood their ground. They all understood that their only path to salvation was through the Maiden. They had pulled themselves from the brink, reunited when they thought the others were lost, and had nearly escaped. To give up now would be shameful.

Yang took a step forward, clenching her fist. If the Maiden had appeared just a few minutes earlier, she would already be sprinting at it, eager to punch its stupid face off. She would be laughing uncontrollably as she enacted her vengeance. Even now, the thought of payback tickled the back of her throat, urging her to lunge at the monster that nearly killed her. But Blake's cries had soothed most of the fire within her, and now amongst the embers, what remained was the sensation of being crushed within its grip, the memory of Blake's fear as she failed to rescue her. A single glance at the Maiden was enough to remind her of every one of her weaknesses. Blake felt it too; when Yang tried to approach, Blake held out Gambol Shroud and blocked Yang's back, keeping her safely behind her.

"Don't," Blake warned. "I'm not letting anything happen to you."

It was an impossible promise, no matter how honest Blake was. Against the power of the Maiden, Blake was just a girl with a sword and too many attachments for her own good. But she intended to go down swinging, and grit her teeth and snarled at the Maiden, flashing it the remnants of her fangs. However, she wasn't able to attack. None of them were. Ruby refused to give them the chance.

"I'm gonna distract that thing," Ruby declared. "I'm the only one who can consistently outmaneuver it."

Blake tried to protest. "Ruby, you can't fight it alone, that's—"

"Penny, Weiss, Yang, Nora—do whatever you can to get that door open!" Ruby ordered. "Everyone else, get ready to move!"

"But—"

There was no more time to argue. The Maiden had crossed past the reception cube and was closing in toward them. Sensing its moment of victory, it dragged itself even faster. Ruby suddenly burst into action, leaving behind her team in a cloud of rose petals.

"Go!"

Ruby took the most direct path she could toward the Maiden's head. She swooped into its face, consuming its vision, and the Maiden took the bait. It reached up toward her, but within a flash, she was gone. She flew in a figure eight around it, circling between its grasp and its clattering legs, making sure to annoy the guardian as much as possible. When its attention had sufficiently been drawn to her, she flew toward the reception cube and landed atop it. She knelt down, pulled out her sniper, and shot the Maiden in the face.

"Over here!" she called to the Maiden. Her gambit worked. The Maiden's guttural groan became directed exactly toward her.

"In… tru… der…"

Its glowing eyes burned intensely.

"Intruder!"

The Maiden screeched. It clamored toward the reception cube, lunging at its prey. Ruby fired another shot that deflected off its dome. It raised itself on its hind claws, rising high vertically in the air, and then slammed itself upon the cube. Ruby was gone seconds before it made impact. The cube was crushed under the Maiden's attack, crumpling like cheap metal. The Maiden's many legs became tangled in the debris, and that gave Ruby additional time to land in front of it, safely out of reach.

She fired another shot at its brain and then flew away.

Penny watched Ruby fight hopelessly against the Maiden, uncertain of what she was trying to achieve. While the actions felt desperate, she was unable to challenge it like the rest of her peers. As Ruby waged war against the Maiden, Weiss suddenly pushed past her, running at the door.

"Weiss, what are you doing?" Penny asked. Weiss's head was killing her. Moving too quickly made her queasy. But she still spoke with fire.

"You heard Ruby. We're getting out of here." She planted her feet and concentrated. She let out a pained gasp, and she nearly collapsed, but within moments, her golden chains were able to materialize, breaking through the Vault floor. They seemed hesitant, shaking and struggling to hover around Weiss's body. Yet, using nothing but her sheer will, she drove them into the Vault door. The entrance glowed, recognizing their presence, yet refused to budge again. Weiss strained as she felt the door fighting her. Soon, she wasn't alone. Penny pressed her entire body against the massive doorway, attempting to override the commands. Nora and Yang quickly figured out their purpose as well. They attached themselves to either side of its large seem, and digging their fingers in, the two Aura-enhanced warriors tried to manually pry the door apart.

Ruby continued avoiding the Maiden, trying to be as pesky as humanly possible. She thought of her childhood, training with Crescent Rose in secret on hot, summer days. The gnats and mosquitoes would fly around her, annoying nuisances that always seemed to slip away from her attempts to protect herself. She mimicked them. She would land on the Maiden's back, tickle its exterior with gunshots, and then fly away before it was able to retaliate. She couldn't land any significant damage or even a visible bruise. It didn't deter her. Any second she drew the monstrosity's attention was a second longer her team had a chance to escape.

As she flew around the Maiden's head, avoiding another swipe, her gaze was cast onto the rest of her team. Weiss, Penny, Nora, and Yang were trying their hardest to open the door to no avail. The others were merely stuck watching her, standing guard for a battle she hoped would never come their way. She could feel their frustrations, their helplessness. Against the Maiden, they were merely fodder. It was her responsibility to keep them safe. This was her mess to fix. If she could hold the Maiden off just a little longer to see them slip away, all of it would have been worth it. She wondered if they would ever forgive her for her foolishness, or if she even deserved that at all.

She shouldn't have slipped into thought. It was another mistake of her youth. She lost focus for just a flash, a mere microsecond, and that was enough. Her petal form careened too closely to one of the Maiden's legs, and while she tried to pull away, the blade clipped through her. She spilled onto the ground, rose petals breaking apart into a bouncing, human body, Crescent Rose tumbling away from her. Ruby slid to a stop on her back and immediately felt a pain shooting through her arm. A gash had formed straight along the indent of her inner elbow, and at the slightest bend, a venom coursed through her. Blood seeped into her sleeve as she clasped at the injury. The Maiden turned toward her, realizing it landed a blow, however accidental. Ruby didn't have time to get to her feet before the Maiden was on top of her.

Stupid. So stupid. Of all the little mistakes to die on.

Ruby attempted to transform again as the Maiden pulled back its hand. It was going to stamp her out, squish her like the little irritant she was. Neither occurred. Instead, a scythe flew suddenly into the Maiden's hand, the blade looping around its fingers. The Maiden was confused and paused for a moment to stare at the thing dangling from her hand. It shook Crescent Rose off with little effort and turned back to its prey. She was already gone.

Ruby had been dragged to her feet by her knight in shining armor—the armor taking the form of a beret and suave sunglasses.

"Coco, I—"

"No time! Run!" Coco's words were frantic, and she dragged Ruby into a full sprint as they led the Maiden toward the corridors, away from their teammates. Coco was never one to follow orders, nor was she one to let someone fight a battle on their own, and if Ruby hadn't been distracted when flying, she may have noticed the CFVY leader sprinting after her, ready to lend a hand before Ruby knew she needed one. Ruby could have protested, but there was no point. She wanted to scream at Coco to stay by the entrance. She wanted to apologize for being such an idiot. But Coco, with one silent, cool gaze, was able to quell all her concerns. Ruby felt it reach through her Soul. Coco was going nowhere. Their best chance of escaping was with each other.

"Plan! Need a new plan!" Coco screamed, breathless with each footfall. She tried to carry Ruby closer to the corridor, but as they ran from their allies, the Maiden slowed. It looked behind. It wouldn't be taken away from its foes that easily.

"The old plan was working!" Ruby explained. "I just slipped."

"Then refocus and let's bother the fuck outta that thing," Coco stated. "Split its attention, give 'em space. You take above, I'll take below." She locked hands with Ruby and gave her an affirming nod. Animosity didn't matter when chased by a giant, killer robot. They were gonna get their friends out of here, come hell or high water. Ruby nodded in return. Just as the Maiden turned its attention back toward the entrance, it was bombarded—not by bullets or bombs, but by a flurry of red and brown rose petals.

Ruby and Coco flew together in harmony, swarming the Maiden's face and drawing it around the room, leading it like a dog. When it swung at them, the pair splintered. Ruby continued to circle it, while Coco landed stylishly on the ground and drew its attention. She screamed at it, waved her arms, and threw whatever she had. Her weapon was out of ammo, but she could chuck her briefcase at its face, and she did just that. Afterward, she threw her beret. Her sunglasses. Her scarf, wadded up into a ball. Her earrings. Her shoes were next, and she landed one on each giant, glowing eyeball. She even ripped off a piece of her sleeve and hurled it at the robot's head as well. None could damage it, but she didn't need to kill the Maiden. She just needed to be a bitch, and she excelled at that. The maiden stomped toward her, trying to spike her down with its legs, but with Ruby constantly flying around its head, it could not concentrate. Coco slipped around the legs, gracefully sliding and backstepping out of danger. When the Maiden drew too close for comfort, Ruby flew in and collected Coco. The two flew around the Maiden's head, and soon, they would start the process over again. They would delay. They would annoy. They would do whatever they could to give their friends a few more precious moments to escape.

"It's… not… working…" Nora gasped. Her fingertips started to bleed. No matter how hard she pulled, the door refused to cooperate.

"Just a little… more…" Weiss gasped. She looked over her shoulder. Ruby and Coco swirled around the beast. It swatted at them, and every time its blades came within inches of hitting its target, more and more of Weiss's strength faded away.

Yang suddenly slipped, falling onto her ass. "Argh! This isn't working! I can't get a grip."

"We need more power," Penny grunted. "Or a way to better override its systems."

Yang didn't hear any words after power. She looked at Nora, feebly trying to wedge herself into the gap in the door. They needed more strength. Yang now knew of a surefire way to get some.

"Nora, hit me again!" Yang said.

"What?"

Yang frantically rose to her feet. "Punch me in the face! It'll make me stronger!"

Nora rolled her eyes, continuing to struggle against the door. "Last time I hit you, you punched me! Not that I'm complaining since it worked but—"

"I promise I won't hit you again!" Yang said eagerly. "Just hit me! Hit me as hard as you possibly—"

Nora was a bit too quick on the draw. She released her hold on the door and walloped Yang straight in the jaw, solid payback for being thrown across the chamber earlier. Yang took a few steps backward but caught herself before she stumbled completely. Her head hung back and her eyes flickered into her skull. Nora braced for a retaliatory strike, but it didn't come. Instead, Yang walked back to the door and shoved her grip into the creases. Nora could see the veins bulging out of the back of her hands. Yang grunted under her breath.

"Do it again."

Nora did as she was told. The others watched. It was an insane sight, Yang actively begging Nora to punch her in the face. Every blow sent little sparks of Aura flying off Yang's face, and it was instinct was for those less informed to put a stop to the madness. Jaune in particular cringed every time he saw Yang take a punch, and even as her grin widened with every attack, he couldn't help but worry at the blood trickling down her face. He tried to look away, but that only drew his gaze to the battle happening nearby between Ruby, Coco, and the Maiden. Unfortunately, it would suddenly become a greater concern when Pyrrha grabbed onto his shield.

"Jaune, stay here and give me this," she instructed. "I need to help them." It was a decision she came to quickly, though, like every other time Pyrrha had ever faced combat, she seemed to know exactly what to do.

"Pyrrha, you shouldn't," Jaune said, distressed. She gently lowered her hand on top of his, both gently gripping the shield that he could not use.

"I'll be okay. If that thing comes toward you, run as fast as you can."

"But I—"

The Maiden screeched. Out of the corner of her eye, Pyrrha saw Coco and Ruby struggle. The time for reason was over. She grabbed the hilt of the shield tightly.

"I'm helping them. That's final."

Jaune sighed. He could never challenge Pyrrha. Not like this. He gave her one final hug, hoping he wouldn't lose her again. "Good luck."

Pyrrha hugged him back. "I'll use some of yours."

The shield slipped out of Jaune's grip, and Pyrrha suddenly barked orders, her commanding presence taking charge of the situation. "Ren, Fox! On me! Velvet, Jaune, help Yatsu move the instant that door is open. Blake, you're on defense."

"Yes, ma'am!" said Ren.

Blake looked over her shoulder at Yang. "Gotcha."

Only Fox showed any hesitation. "Uh, we were specifically told to stay right here."

"And I'm telling you to fight," Pyrrha ordered.

"With what? Our weapons don't do anything."

"Then grab something better," Pyrrha said determinedly. She didn't want to waste another second arguing. She turned and sprinted into the fray, her javelin in one hand and Jaune's bulkier, more effective shield in the other. It had saved Jaune's life during a landslide. She had confidence it would protect her here.

Fox felt her leave in disbelief. Apparently, everyone on his team had lost their minds. They were given the assignment of guard duty, and he guessed that was just out the window. He knew the best defense was a good offense, but that meant nothing when the offense didn't actually do anything. He was about to protest when Nora suddenly called to him.

"Think fast!"

He turned and something was slugged into his chest. He looked down in shock. He was holding a grenade launcher. Nora, in between beating up Yang, just gave him her weapon.

"I ain't gonna need that!" she declared. "And my fists got more than enough power in 'em for what I need."

Nora went right back to attacking Yang, striking the blonde in the back as she strained against the door. Fox opened his mouth, but Ren suddenly sprinted past him.

"What are you—"

"Making myself useful," Ren stated. "I suggest you do the same."

Ren hurried after Pyrrha, and within moments, the two were at the feet of the Maiden. They took potshots at the Maiden, and though it did not immediately draw its attention, the mere additional presence was eventually enough to summon its fury. Pyrrha wasted no time parting with the shield, throwing it into the mess of limbs at the Maiden's base. The shield wedged into its joints and caused it to stumble; as it tripped, Ren focused his fire on the Maiden's hind. There, where several of its legs had been removed, bits of exposed wiring served as an easy, open target. The bullets that landed were enough to send the beast shuddering. It refused to stay dormant for long. Recovering, it noticed Pyrrha by its side and swiped at her with its feet. She dodged away from its piercing blows, weaving expertly around the falling blades. One attack came particularly close to hitting her, though the Maiden's attention was turned away as Ruby flew through its field of view. It reared back, trying to follow the rose petals, when another disruption came: a grenade to its jaw.

"Over here, scrapheap!"

Fox took a wider berth than the others, keeping a healthy distance between himself and the Maiden. The grenades from Nora's weapon flew in large arcs, and though they could not injure the Maiden, they did enough to keep its focus separated.

Five Huntsmen on the attack. Above. Beneath. Explosions and bullets everywhere. The Maiden almost could not react, circling itself like a dog chasing its own tail. Its sluggish movements left it defenseless, and even when it swatted at a lower-moving target, they were usually able to jump out of the way with half-seconds to spare. It was a brutal, blistering sight. Jaune, Velvet, Blake, and Yatsu watched with astonishment as the Maiden was held back. However temporary their victory might be, for this moment, working together, and utilizing each other's weapons and talents, they were winning.

At the door, Weiss fainted. She fell to her knees, clutching her head. Her chains evaporated. Penny groaned as the additional force of the door was redirected towards her.

"I'm sorry… I can't…" Weiss's vision was hazy. The sounds of clanging, clashing metal were distant, and yet they screamed in her ears. She felt like a failure. This was her mission, using a talent only she possessed, and a stupid headache was failing her team. She didn't have time to mope, however. Before she could even think of feeling sorry for herself, Blake hoisted her back to her feet.

"Get a grip, Weiss," Blake instructed. Her gaze did not leave the battle in front of her. "Go smack Yang or something. Apparently, that works!"

It was more than working. As much as Blake hated to admit it, the constant punishment was pushing Yang beyond her limits. The dragon had sunk her fingers firmly into the crease of the giant door, and the metal groaned loudly as it struggled against her sheer will. Nora was unloading on her, pounding on her back and arms with everything she had. The electricity-powered redhead was throwing haymakers, and the two shared a jolt whenever their flesh connected, each relishing in the limitless power they could dish and receive. Blake didn't want to look at Yang being injured. But she could hear the blows connecting—and hear her laughing them off.

"Come on, Nora! A bit more!"

"God, you're tough!" Nora cried. With every attack she landed, Yang's muscles tensed. The door seemed to budge another centimeter. And yet, Nora could feel her own power start to fade. "How much longer… is this gonna… take?" She wailed Yang on the shoulder, and Yang suddenly planted her feet and pulled even harder at the door. It was as insane as it was admirable. The pain from before hadn't faded. She had no idea how many bones were broken or if she would ever be the same fighter again. But she was giving every last ounce of strength that she had. If it took breaking every bone in her body, she was going to get her friends out of the Vault. Maybe she wasn't strong enough to face down the Maiden again, but she knew she was strong enough to do this. She just had to give more.

Constantly more.

More.

Blake checked over her shoulder. "Come on, Yang! Almost there!"

That was the last bit of motivation Yang needed. She screamed, throwing all of herself into the doorway, forcing it to come apart at its seams. The security systems resisted her. It tried. Locks constructed with unfathomable technology, that had withstood thousands of years of decay and were built to withstand the wrath of demons, were crumbling under the determination of Yang Xiao Long. She just had to push and push, and fucking push, until finally, with everything she had, she had pushed it to its breaking point.

The door cracked open—and the Maiden noticed.

Whatever programming ran through its ancient mind seemed to change. Its focus, a moment prior splintered into a half dozen components, all centered on one ultimate goal. Its gaze turned toward the door, glowing eyes focused on its enemy. Yang was inching the door open, cheered on by Nora, but it was a slow process. She forced it inch by inch, and every fraction that gate opened sent the Maiden into a rage. It would not allow anything to escape. It could not. It had its mission, one cherished through loss and decay. The Maiden looked past Ruby flying toward it. It ignored Ren shooting at its legs and Fox blasting away its hand. It pushed away its damaged programming. It charged.

Blake screamed at the others as she noticed the Maiden approach them. Its cluttered legs moved synchronously, pushing the Maiden at a distorted gallop. The group by the door noticed, and they scattered. Penny stopped focusing on the door and flew away, snatching Weiss in her arms to assist the concussed heiress. Nora took off sprinting, dashing around the perimeter to the Maiden's left. Jaune did as instructed, helping Yatsu to his feet. He and Velvet helped Yatsu stagger away; though they moved sluggishly, the Maiden did not care. It charged directly toward the door, uninterested in any prey in its peripheral. Velvet noticed why it wasn't changing trajectory. Blake and Yang weren't moving.

Yang struggled, pushing her leg into the doorframe to prop it open. It wasn't large enough to squeeze through, but it was close. The door resisted hard, and it took everything she had not to lose her grip. One slip, one failure, and the door would shut again. She didn't know if she would have the strength or time to force it open again. She needed to get through now. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blake standing her ground.

"Blake, move! I got this!"

Blake did not budge. She only gripped Gambol Shroud more tightly.

"Run!" Yang shouted at her.

She wasn't running.

"Dammit, Blake, now's not the time to be a hero!"

Blake just smirked to herself. A hero? Like this had anything to do with heroics. She wasn't leaving Yang's side. She didn't care if the Maiden cut her into ribbons, crushed her organs, or squashed her like a bug. As long as Yang was there, she wasn't going to leave. She knew what losing Yang felt like. That wasn't happening again. Blake squared her feet, raising her weapon close to her face, golden eyes staring down the Maiden charging her like a raging animal. If it was going to hurt Yang, it would have to do it over her corpse.

It all seemed to happen so quickly, and yet the moment itself was also stretched into an eternity, all eyes falling upon it. They all saw the Maiden close the distance. They saw Blake defiant as Yang screamed for her to get to safety. The Maiden screeched, raising its massive, seven-fingered hand above its head. It was impossible to tell what was going through Blake's head as the hand came down toward her. She didn't seem afraid as she stared the monster down, nor was she self-pitying. Maybe she thought she deserved this punishment like she thought she had deserved everything else. Yet, there was something on her face that told the world this was bigger than herself. This fate had nothing to do with her past, her sins, her failures. This was about protecting someone close to her. Perhaps she didn't deserve the death of a hero. If someone asked her, she would have said she didn't. But Yang was worthy of being shielded behind a hero's desk. And it clicked, to all, but especially, to her, in those final moments, who Blake Belladonna was.

Blake stood her ground as the hand was brought on top of her—only for Velvet Scarlatina to dive into her, shoving her to safety. Blake fell to the ground, looking back in shock, but she couldn't see Velvet's face before it was crushed beneath the Maiden's palm.

A horrible scream filled the room. Coco cried Velvet's name, her voice tearing apart. Fox went silent, turning away from the sensation, overcome by shock. Yatsu did not move, too stunned to even breathe. Blake watched with wide eyes as the Maiden lifted its hand off the ground, revealing a body lying in a crack on the shattered, white floor. Velvet may have coated herself in as much Aura as she could, but it mattered little. What lay on the floor was a quivering, twitching mess. A disgusting gurgle came from its crushed throat. Coco's screams turned rancid. The others, far away from the carnage, could only make out a rough shape on the floor that seemed like it could once have been a Huntress.

Blake just watched.

Why… why did she do that?

She didn't have time to process. The Maiden turned its wrath back upon her. With its great hand now smeared in blood, it swung toward the young assassin. She found herself saved once again; Yang spurred to action, grabbed her by the arm, and carried her out of the Maiden's path.

"Y-Yang—"

Yang's eyes were full of tears. She did not respond. She pulled Blake away from the Maiden, desperate to save her from a similar fate. In doing so, she abandoned her post, and the door slammed closed. Their chance to escape was gone.

The Maiden gave chase around the room, and its sense of urgency diminished. It lumbered after Blake and Yang, and those who were not too shocked to react tried to keep the Maiden's attention diverted. Team JNPR attacked it ferociously, their assault fueled no longer by survival, but revenge. Jaune and Nora joined Pyrrha and Ren in picking at the creature's legs, though it did its best to ignore them. They chased it around the room, circling the boundary of the chamber, running past visages of shooting stars and collapsing worlds. Penny and Weiss did not engage, each too wounded to put up a fight. Weiss, still groggy, could not take her eyes off Velvet. Seeing her body sent a jolt of lightning through her senses. That was the same girl she worked at a food kitchen with, who she played volleyball with, whose past was confessed under the promise of forgiveness. Now, she was just a heap of bones and ruptured organs, everything pure and good about her smashed into the pavement.

And like Weiss, Ruby had stopped fighting. She landed in the center of the room, unable to turn away from the grief. She had fallen to her knees, broken by another loss.

The rest of Team CFVY abandoned the battle. Discarding whatever weapons they had, they sprinted toward Velvet, crying out her name. Yatsu leaned down over her, hesitant, afraid to touch the twitching remnants of his teammate. Coco shoved past him, sliding to her knees and grabbing at Velvet's body.

"Velvet… Velvet, no…" Coco could barely hold back her sobs. She picked up Velvet's body and turned it around. Despite its limpness, Coco prayed that by some miracle, Velvet had survived. Her call in the dark was answered… barely. When Velvet was flipped onto her back, Coco released an anguished moan.

Velvet's face told the story: her nose was sideways, and disfigured, her jaw and cheeks smashed, bleeding profusely from her mouth, teeth cracked open. The real damage was inside. There was nothing left intact. Her chest was filling with blood. Yet, there was still a light flicker in her eyes, darting around her teammates. It wouldn't last.

"I… I…"

Her words were little more than a gasp, forced through a closing airway. Coco cradled her in her arms.

"You're so stupid…" Coco cried. Her tears rained down on Velvet's face. "Why… why would you do something like that?"

The corners of Velvet's mouth turned upward. It was the closest thing to a smile she could muster.

"Thought… should be…"

"Stop. Stop fucking talking," Coco begged.

"Selfless… for once."

Coco squeezed Velvet into her chest. The blood from Velvet's mouth stained her shirt. The two boys were too horrified to provide comfort; Fox left in denial, turned away from the hideous sight, and Yatsu's emotions constrained inside. Coco felt Velvet grow weaker in her arms, and that made her squeeze even tighter as if she could somehow keep Velvet's life within her if she just held on. Velvet's gasps began to slow. Her legs stopped twitching, and so did her fingers. She relaxed herself into Coco's embrace. It felt really nice. Nicer than she deserved. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to hang on a little bit longer.

But time wouldn't wait for her. The Maiden sensed more intruders by the doorway. It stopped suddenly, shocking the members of Team JNPR and causing them to nearly crash into it. It turned on a dime and began to reapproach the entrance. Team CFVY didn't seem to notice. If they did, they did not care.

Ruby did not care either. For a brief moment, it seemed that she had really cheated fate again. She had been stupid enough to think they could leave without consequence. But their best chance at escaping the Vault had gone up in smoke, and now, she was going to watch even more of her allies die. When Coco agreed to join the mission, she made Ruby promise to keep her friends safe. That promise had broken as easily as Velvet's body. Time seemed to slow again. It was always slow, watching the precious things go away. Ruby's gaze wandered around the room, and all she saw were broken things.

Weiss's mind.

Yang's ribs.

Blake's spirit.

Penny's legs.

Jaune's shoulder.

Nora's lip.

They were people, theoretically. Those who wore the scars on their mission all reacted differently of course. Some watched in fear, others focused only on themselves. Yang and Blake, running away, desperate to save each other. Penny wished she could do more with her useless, artificial body. They all had their desires, but none of them would matter. Ruby saw them only as broken things, destined only to be broken even further. And that was what the Vault was, in its pure, distilled essence. Humans—Deviants—crawled out of this underground hell not as a chosen race, but as accidents, stripped of everything that made them pure. The Vault absorbed the Fables' hopes and consumed them, throwing them onto the sacrificial pyre to use as fuel. Ever since the beginning, this Vault made broken things—and somehow, she was always left behind, forced to put them together.

Everyone was dying. Yang. Velvet. Ruby pounded her fist against the floor. They all had to go and die and leave her picking up the pieces. They had to fail and blame her for their shortcomings. They would never forgive her.

These stupid broken things.

"Ruby! Help them!"

Pyrrha screamed an order at Ruby, but it barely registered. Ruby's Semblance was the only thing fast enough to swoop in and rescue Team CFVY, though that wasn't going to happen. That Semblance was a shadow of what it could be.

"Ruby, please! Do something!"

Pyrrha's voice turned to nothing. Ruby closed her eyes as the Maiden approached Team CFVY. The screams of her teammates, desperate for her to help, seemed so far away. They would not resist as it reared back to crush them as well.

They had accepted her fate… so what? Did that actually change anything? If they had fought back, it would just delay the inevitable. Rebellions were always put down, one way or another. Let them surrender, and be with their lost loves. Let them all die. That was the way it was meant to be. Everyone she knew, crushed under the palm of the inevitable, until only she was left to watch the carnage.

It was always her left behind. Always her fault.

"Ruby!"

They needed her, but she couldn't help them.

"Ruby!"

Whatever this was, it wasn't enough.

"Ruby!"

What made them depend on her anyway? What had she ever done that was so goddamn perfect?

"Ruby!"

They acted like she had all the answers. They always did. Never capable of solving anything themselves. Never capable of picking themselves off the damn floor when they were battered.

And did she ever ask for any of this? Did she demand their loyalty, their respect? She accepted power because they were desperate for her. They begged for her wisdom, and she just led them here, to this goddamn Vault.

To waste away.

"Ruby!"

To rot.

"Ruby!"

It was her fault. But it was also theirs. So much of this could be placed on them, all of their awful decisions, their shortsightedness. But she took that burden as well just like she took every other thing that had ever been thrown her way.

It made her so…

"Ruby!"

Fucking…

"Ruby!"

Furious.

"RUBY!"

Ruby's eyes shot open—and she was elsewhere. Team CFVY was directly in front of her, staring at her with bewilderment. All of their mourning, their grief was still fresh, but there was something new glistening in their faces. Ruby heard the Maiden behind her groan, metal rapidly clanging, uncoordinated movement. Ruby was braced on one knee as if she had just recovered from a fall. She felt heavy. The screams from her teammates had fallen silent. Coco, tears still in her eyes, mouthed slowly.

"What… what did you do?"

Ruby didn't know how to react. Then, she noticed the rose petals falling around her feet. She glanced behind her and was overcome with terror.

Her vision of the Maiden was obstructed by two angel wings that had sprouted from her back.

Millions of rose petals clustered together to form them, each wingspan twice as long as she was tall. When she flinched, they reacted to her movements, curling around her body, sheltering her from harm. Every second, petals were discarded from the wings, cast off into the breeze, and thousands of petals whipped around her and Team CFVY in a whirlwind, a mighty, flowering storm that swept through the chamber. A long trail of petals formed back to the center of the room, cutting through the Maiden and coating it in delicate red. And when it cut through, it was a true cut. Ruby gasped as she saw the Maiden's severed arm lying on the floor next to her.

The wings had clipped through it with ease.

Coco, still cradling the fading Velvet in her arms, called out to her. "What the hell did you just do?"

Ruby couldn't answer. She didn't have the slightest idea. She could feel the wings connected to the muscles on her back, reacting to her every command. They shed their petals upon her like a waterfall, yet they never seemed to fade in size or strength. They did not hurt. In fact, they felt like they had always been a part of her. Ruby clasped one of the fallen petals tightly in her fist. Coco, Fox, and Yatsu looked up at her like she was some sort of god. She had no doubt the others were looking upon her as well with the same awe, the same fear. She was afraid, too. Both for herself and for what she was about to do next.

She turned toward the Maiden, the recoiling, struggling thing, backing away from her. Perhaps, somewhere in its programming, it recognized her now and understood the foolishness of challenging her. Funnily enough, she now recognized it. She didn't know where the truth came from—like the rest of her dealings with the Fables, it simply drifted out of her subconscious, a memory she didn't know she had. The words, that of a foreign language whose name had been lost to time, slotted firmly into her tongue. What they had called the Maiden was MBR Model-5, an advanced security drone provided by the Fable Empire. It had five "sisters", all of whom had been lost to age and wear. Their corpses no doubt littered the halls, likely stored away somewhere safe by the Maiden's own hand. They were designed to roam the halls together, but a broken circuit here and a damaged ligament there, and eventually, this pitiful thing was all that was left. Encouraged to continue its mission, it likely scrapped whatever parts from its sisters it could, repairing itself far beyond its expected lifespan. It needed to live to carry out its final order: protect the Grail at all costs. A mission that no longer needed to be served.

A mission that had cost Ruby a friend.

Ruby's gaze narrowed upon the Maiden, which in rage at its own loss, charged back toward her, eager to stomp her out with its remaining blades. She raised her arm. Her right wing reacted like a shadow, straightening and expanding to reveal its full glory. The petals, loose and fragmented, quickly tightened and wove together, forming a substance stronger than any metal and sharper than any blade. Her teammates could barely process what they were seeing as Ruby suddenly swung her fist and brought down her wing on top of the Maiden. The Maiden leaped toward her before the wing collided with its head—and effortlessly split the great protector in two. Each half fell beside Ruby, and as her wing hit the ground, it exploded into a cloud of petals.

As the Maiden died, a new wing formed along Ruby's back. She stared quietly at the sea of petals which now took up a large portion of the chamber. They had covered everything nearby, including some of Team JNPR, Weiss, and Penny. Weiss wiped the petals out of her hair as she stared at her girlfriend, wonderstruck at what she had become and fearful for what would come next.

"What did she just do?" Weiss asked aloud. Penny, supporting her weight, offered her own explanation.

"I believe she just saved our lives."

Ruby looked down at her hands, taken aback by her own power. This… this was all Rosaline's doing? This is what her mother had in her possession all along. It was mind-blowing. She never could have foreseen the power manifest like this. She reached up toward her wings. Could she fly upon them; not just glide around, but truly forever fly? Could she slice through a Grimm as easily as she sliced through a Maiden? She had so many questions—and unfortunately, no ability to answer them. She suddenly heard Coco gasp behind her.

"Velvet!"

Ruby turned around. Velvet's eyes were closed. The last of her strength was gone. She had given everything she had to protect Blake, and now, she had paid the price for it. There was no way to get her to safety or to resuscitate her. Not by any means Ruby knew. Unlike Yang, Velvet's Semblance couldn't revive her, and Ren's Semblance wouldn't work with such dire injuries. The most Ruby could do was honor her sacrifice. At least, she thought so… before a new thought crept through her mind.

"Let me see her."

"What?" Coco stammered.

"Let me see her!" Ruby quickly knelt down by Velvet's side and took the wounded girl away from Coco's hold. Coco didn't want to let her go, but Ruby encouraged her. She checked over Velvet's wounds. They were far beyond what Aura could normally heal, and she wasn't even sure what she was doing. She was guided less by knowledge and more by instinct, some primal part of her that knew exactly what to do. She pressed her hand against Velvet's mouth, closing it tightly over the opening. Some part of her told her this was a terrible idea, that this power wasn't meant to be used like this. She wasn't sure what part of her gave that warning, but she ignored it. As the rest of Team RWBY and Team JNPR surrounded her, surveying the aftermath of the battle, Ruby closed her eyes and concentrated. Her wings condensed, closing in around her, and a stream of rose petals suddenly shot down her arm.

Coco was horrified, traumatized, and above all, deeply confused why what she was seeing. Ruby strained as a rush of petals flooded into Velvet's throat, cascading through her body. They dissolved through her muscles, into her blood, and laced into her bones. A soft, red glow began to emanate from Velvet's skin, dark veins sticking out against her translucent flesh. There were cries for Ruby to stop. Nora screamed and asked everyone what the hell was going on, to which no one could provide a decent answer. Penny tried examining Ruby's wings, only to be pulled away by Weiss. Yang looked nervously at the corpse of the Maiden, expecting it to come back to life. Blake and Team CFVY kept their focus on Velvet, waiting impatiently. There was a long period of stillness, Ruby not responding to their requests, her focus purely on the victim beside her.

It might have taken a minute. It might have taken five. Time really seemed to stop mattering. All Ruby knew was when it was time to stop. She pulled her hand away from Velvet's throat, and the young activist suddenly sat up straight, coughing out rose petals.

"What… happened?" Velvet gagged. Bright red petals spilled out of her busted lip. From the outside, her wounds hadn't healed, but she could feel the life restored to her. She turned toward Ruby, baffled as to where she was when a tearful Coco suddenly pulled her into a massive hug.

"Oh my god! Velvet!" Coco sobbed.

"I'm… I'm okay…" Velvet said. She couldn't believe her own words. She sank into Coco's grip, and suddenly, Fox and Yatsu joined in on the pile, squeezing Velvet closely. All four were crying within seconds, and soon, their contagious tears had spread around the group.

"That's amazing!" Nora bawled. "You're alive!"

"How is that even possible?" Pyrrha asked in disbelief.

"I'll second that: what the hell was all that, sis?" Yang asked pointedly. Ruby just shook her head.

"I wish I knew." She looked down at her hands. She couldn't believe what she had just done. Killing the Maiden. Saving Velvet. Rosaline's power coursed through her. She had no idea what power that she possessed. She did pause when the shock wore off and she looked more closely at her right hand. Her fingers had turned black. Like the wings, they did not hurt, and as she flexed them, she didn't notice anything different about them other than their color. But they had been stained at some point during her display of power, and they refused to return to their normal hue. Ruby put it out of her mind for later. The wings on her back vanished soon after, dissolving into a beautiful, hazy, red mist. There were no scars remaining, no damage to her clothes or cape. It was as if they were never there at all.

With the wings gone, Weiss immediately pulled Ruby into a hug. In fact, a giant group hug was very much in order. All the members of Team NYBF collapsed into each other, letting all of their worries melt away. Somehow, they achieved the impossible. The Maiden was defeated. They had reached the exit. They were safe. Despite all their internal differences and the many, many lingering questions around Ruby's sudden new abilities, that was the most important thing that mattered to them.

But only to them. To Penny, hugs were meaningless. So was their safety. She stood apart from the group, giving them the moment they desperately needed. But her gaze eventually returned to the corridors. The Maiden was defeated. The Vault was defenseless. She still had a mission to fulfill. Hovering on one leg, she began to fly toward the innermost chamber of the Vault.