Halo, it's time for the newest chapter. Enjoy the reading.

The White Fang militia, if wasn't as well trained and well equipped as the army but outnumbered and supported by the Mistral police helped compensate for this deficiency and instead of a protracted firefight, the White Fang soldiers felt outgunned and cornered. They were seen surrendering.

Luna and Ilia helped to disarm those who still did 't surrender easily and the members of the militia were grateful for it.

Mandy teleported away instead because she had no desire to be captured or fight till the end but before she left the academy for good, she smelled familiar smells from the great hall. The smell of Mike and Lance.

She thought that maybe she should go to them but after what she had done and what she wanted to do, she thought it was impossible that they would talk to her at all, so she decided to run away.

- I'll make sure, - Adam was the only one left who still wanted to fight and, mad with anger, made an oath to Blake. – you regret that you came back at all!

- The police called for reinforcements. - Blake warned. - Hunters, too.

- You're still scared, - Adam laughed wickedly. – to stand against me alone?

- I'm here for Haven. – Blake nailed it and with her next words she inflicted such a wound on Adam's honor that he could never forget. - Not because of you.

Adam aimed with Blush and Blake took out Gumbo Shroud but Adam didn't fire.

- You're still afraid! - Adam found out. - And you're doing it right! I've gained powerful allies while you've been gone!

- Yeah?! - Sun approached him from the side, holding his battle stick. - And where are they now?

- Tell me, - Adam pointed Wilt at him. - does all of Blake's classmates have to fight for her?

- No, - Sun just shrugged and twirled his stick. - we do it voluntarily. I'm just saying that if you're nice, it could happen. On the other hand, it doesn't seem like many people want to fight for you.

Adam, as if he had only just realized that his men had all surrendered and Mandy had cowardly fled. It added to this with a shovel that the light of a searchlight that came from a Mistral police plane shone on him.

- You can try, - Blake continued. – and maybe I really regret coming here, Adam. But honestly, - She still didn't stop trampling his pride in the mud. - I have more important things to do.

Adam angrily slashed at Sun, who blocked the blow by turning his stick into a nunjaku, then Blake attacked from the side, which Adam blocked but Sun hit him in the face with his stick, causing his mask to crack and causing him to stagger backwards.

Adam had no choice, he had to run, the searchlight followed him but only until he ran into the trees, jumped over the wall and down the side of the mountain, heading straight for the lower parts of the city where he could disappear.

- Sun! - Blake stopped him in his tracks. – Let him!

- But he's gonna escape! - Sun definitely wanted to catch Adam. - We could beat him!

- No. – Blake knew Adam and knows that it would cause a lot of trouble if they tried to track him down. - We couldn't. He wants to separate us so that he could hunt us down one by one. - Blake focused on the point. - We have to protect the people and the school. Besides, - Blake still looked in the direction Adam was running. - now he can feel what it feels like to run away. - She turned back and smiled at Sun. - Thank you.

- Sometimes everyone needs a little help. - Sun just shrugged but saw that the others including team RWBY at the school were still fighting Salem's people. - Speaking of which, they wouldn't mind yours. – Sun started to take care of the remaining White Fang soldiers but Blake grabbed his shoulder.

- Be careful.

- No promises.

The battle in Haven was still going on because Neo was holding her own against the entire RNJR team and Ruby, Nora, Jaune and Ren just couldn't handle her.

- Are you okay?! - Jaune worriedly ran over to Ren, who received another beating from the girl.

- We're holding... - Ren panted.

- I don't understand, - Nora was also at the end of her strength. – how can this little girl be so strong and fast.

Neo was now fighting Ruby, she quickly swung her scythe around trying to slash at Neo but she easily dodged or parried all of her blows, hooking her and kicking her in the side, causing her to roll to the entrance of the chamber.

- Maybe it was a bad idea to use the remote control! - Qrow, still helping Ozpin against Hazel and Leo, was already regretting stopping Lance.

- I think you did well. - Ozpin less so. - Mr. Monroe's power is unpredictable and dangerous, which could have harmed us.

A shot came from Leo, causing them to hide behind a beam. Hazel attacked again and they jumped in two directions.

- And what should we do with him?! – Qrow delivered a blow to Hazel, who parried the attack and knocked back Qrow, who fell to the ground.

- We have to get him to reach his limit! - Ozpin suggested, then another shot came from Leo.

- Would someone take care of him?! - Qrow pointed angrily at Leo.

Weiss switched and directed the ice Lancer queen at the headmaster, which fired a dozen icy stingers at him that his aura could barely block, then fired a fire projectile at the giant ice bug causing it to stagger back, then Hazel with a fire and an electric projectile executed it.

Weiss watched in frustration as her creature shattered into tiny shards and evaporated into nothingness and quickly ran over to Ruby.

It wasn't over yet, as the long-lost member of team RWBY, Blake, appeared and jumped into the air, kicking Hazel in the face and jump away, right next to her friends.

- Are you injured?! - She asked, worried about her team.

- No! - Weiss and Ruby were completely taken aback by Blake's directness. – I just remember you were a little more reserved.

- This union warms my heart, - Roman stood next to them. – but now you should focus on something more important!

- What are you doing here?! - Blake was about to point her sword at her.

- Wait, Blake! – Ruby immediately stood between her and Roman, preventing them from harming each other. - He's with us!

- What?! - Blake couldn't believe her ears. - Why?

- Listen, kitty, - Roman stepped out from behind Ruby. - let's make a deal. - He looked ahead to see Hazel, Emerald, Mercury and Neo coming towards them. - Let's get out of here alive and I'll answer all your questions.

- Well. - Blake redirected her weapon at the enemy coming from the eye. - What's the plan?

Ruby sighed after Blake and Roman made a temporary truce, she fired a shot at the podium, towards Leo, who was stealthily trying to shoot them, then after his aura was completely drained, he ran for his life.

- Hm. - Ruby smiled confidently.

- Oh, you have a plan! – Roman immediately recognized the smile on the girl.

- Checkmate! – Ruby shouted, by the time Blake and Weiss were already in a fighting stance and headed towards their opponents, followed by Ruby.

- Huh, - Roman was well aware of this tactic from team RWBY. – it's almost a pleasure to watch when they're not fighting me.

Meanwhile, miles underground in the Spring Maiden's Vault, Yang successfully confronted her mother, Raven, who was revealed to be the Spring Maiden, defeated Cinder and opened the chamber's door. Unfortunately, it wasn't clear, at least to Yang, exactly what her mother wanted.

- I warned you, Yang. I gave you every chance to shake off Qrow and Oz. So, you can believe me it really wasn't personal. - Yang just looked at her mother with contempt and anger and then spoke after a short silence.

- You opened the chamber.

- Thanks to the chaos, - Raven summed up part of her plan. – you and your friends caused up there. - She started walking up and down. - I knew you would handle it, after all, you are my daughter.

- Qrow and Ozpin told how to get the power of the Maidens. – Raven began to worry about where her daughter wanted to get pierced. - The girl you found… she must have trusted you if you were the last person on her mind. She must have trust you.

- I'm sure, - Raven just angrily gripped the hilt of her sword and took a deep breath. - they said a lot of things while you just sat and obeyed them.

- No. I started asking questions like you said. - Raven was getting more and more angry that her own daughter wanted to delve into her past so stubbornly. - Tell me what happened to the last Spring Maiden? Did she die in battle? Was she sick?

- What does it matter? - Raven tried with all her strength to hold back her tears and show her strong face to her daughter. She did this well but her daughter saw through her and her eyes widened in horror.

- I already know the answer. - She shook her head in disbelief, as if she didn't want to accept reality. - It's written on your face. How could you?!

- She was terrified when we found her! – Raven crossed her arms and regret sat on her face. - She was weak! – As she recalled, she was filled with anger. - No matter how much training I put her through, she just never learned! She wasn't born for this world and with her strength, she would have been hunted all her life! What I did was…

- Wasn't personal? - Yang interrupted, suspecting she knew the answer.

- It was a mercy! – Raven clearly cared about the previous Maiden and it made her angry that Yang didn't understand that.

- What are you now?! - Yang demanded the answer angrily. - Merciful? Or a survivor?! Did you let me walk into that trap because you knew I would be okay or just because you could get what you wanted?! If Roman, whom you betrayed, hadn't warned us, who knows what could have happened

- It's not that simple! - Raven, even if she was upset, didn't reveal the other part of her plan, in which Roman still plays a major role. - You don't know me! You don't know what I've been through! What decisions I had to make!

- Yes. - Yang was still disappointed in her mother. - You're right. I don't know you. I only know the Raven that dad was talking about. She was a bit messy and complicated but she fought for what she believed in. Either for her team or tribe. - Yang looked at Vernal lying behind Raven. - Did you kill her too? - Raven looked back at Vernal, ashamed of herself and became angry at her daughter again.

- I keep facing death, again, - Her eyes began to glow red as he began to shout. - and again! And I always laugh at its face because I'm strong enough to do what others can't! - She remembered the weakness that caused Summer to die, Ozpin who was weak and couldn't stop Salem for so many years because he was weak, Qrow who still trusted this weak man. For a very long time, she felt like she was the only one strong enough to do what had to do.

- Oh shut up! – Yang wasn't convinced about that and started walking around. - You don't know anything about strength! You turn your back on people, run away when things get too difficult and endanger others instead of yourself! - She clenched her trembling, human hand. - Maybe you are powerful, - She pointed at her mother condemningly. - but that doesn't make you strong.

- Who do you think you are to educate me?! – Raven screamed after her daughter said so many things to her head without knowing exactly what she was talking about. – You're standing there, trembling like a frightened little girl!

- Yes, I'm afraid. - Yang didn't look back, she went towards her mother. - But I'm still standing here! I'm not like you! I won't run away and that's why you're going to give me the relic.

- And why would I...

- BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF SALEM! - Yang knew that one thing. - And if your Maiden power wasn't enough to put a target on your back, just imagine what will happen if she finds out you even have a relic in your possession. - Raven admitted this one thing. - She will chase you with all her might, until she gets it from you. Or she could come after me. – She couldn't decide if her daughter was serious now but as soon as she turned back to her, seeing her face, it was clear that she was serious. - And I'll be ready and wait for her.

The red light faded from Raven's eyes and she was amazed at how much braver her daughter was than she was. In this, she was very similar to her father, she reminded her to the man she fell in love with and could hardly believe that she saw her own daughter in front of her.

- You don't want to do that, Yang. - In Raven's voice now, perhaps for the first time, she could hear the voice of a mother who was worried and afraid of her child and her face was full of love and tenderness, which she had only revealed to one person in her life.

- No. - Yang just answered indifferently. - But I'll definitely do it. - Disregarding his mother's concern and love, she just walked past her, shoving her with her shoulder to show how much she despised her.

Raven, though she recognized Tai's traits in her, the true strength and courage she had shown her so many years ago, unfortunately also saw her owns in her daughter. Now she understood what it was that she had thrown away so many years ago. She left the man who loved her the most in her entire life, unconditionally. The love that she believed to be weakness for so many years actually hid a strength that she didn't even know existed.

This was the true power that Summer had been talking about for so many years. A power found not in magic, Semblance, or even physical strength but in the heart. This was the lesson that she learned so many years later and maybe too late, since her daughter doesn't want to see her anymore and Tai wouldn't forgive her for leaving him and not visiting at him for so many years.

- I'm… - She sobbed and tears started coming from her eyes. This was probably the first time in her life that Raven cried. - I'm sorry.

- Yeah. – Yang was angry with her mother and couldn't forgive her but she could hear in her voice how sorry she was. - Me too.

By the time she turned around, there was no sign of Raven, only a black raven feather that slowly and gently descended to the ground. Yang still looked towards the ceiling of the cave to see if she could find her mother but she was nowhere to be found, simply as if she had been swallowed up by the earth.

She started towards the open chamber, she also found herself facing the endless desert, she stepped through the gate, her boots left a mark in the sand, but as the wind blew, her marks and the evidence that she had been here disappeared. She got closer and closer to the pear-shaped lantern floating on a stone platform, grabbed its hanger and took it.

It was what her mother had left for her as a goodbye gift. A target that would make the most evil and fearsome creature on this planet hunt her down. Nothing else. Knowing this, she fell to her knees and began to sob.

Seeing how the outcome of the fight had changed, Leonheart ran for his life to his office, where it was silent and dark, and everything was just as he had left it last time. Although the danger didn't go away, it gave him some false sense of security but he quickly ran to his desk and frantically searched for the keys to his private jet that would allow him to leave Haven and Mistral once and for all.

He opened the drawer where, according to his memories, he kept the key but he couldn't find it anywhere and when he started to look around the office in terror, he turned pale and realized in shock that he wasn't alone.

The black, spiky, skull-shaped crystal ball with red tentacles was hovering in the front door and it felt like a big eye was watching him.

- Where are you going? - Salem spoke through the crystal orb.

- Um... - Leo slowly straightened up from behind his desk, forcing calmness and innocence upon himself, unsuccessfully. – Mistress… I was just… looking for something. – The crystal ball just floated in front of him and came closer and closer to him, raised one of its spiked tentacles and Leo turned pale white when he saw that the key to his plane was hanging there.

- Leonardo, is there something you want to tell me? - Leo knew it would be pointless to lie because his mistress probably knows everything that happened in Haven tonight.

- Cinder... - He immediately broke and began listing what happened in horror. - she changed the plan! Hunters have come! Qrow! A few students, one with Silver Eyes and one of her men, have deserted for them! The White Fang was stopped and… I don't know what happened to the relic. – There was no response from the floating crystal ball. - Mistress... I can still help you! - He stepped out from behind his desk. - If I leave now, I can still avoid the authorities and find you! - He reached for the key but the tentacle of the crystal ball pulled him away. - I'll do anything! – There was still no answer but Leo felt that Salem was disappointed in him and no longer considered him useful at all.

Leo sensed that Salem was no longer useful and following his instincts, he aimed his weapon at the crystal orb but one of its tentacles cut the straps from his arm and tossed the weapon aside, leaving Leo defenseless. He tried to run away but another tentacle wrapped around his ankle, causing him to fall.

- Please, Mistress! - The lion faunus begged. - I'll do anything! I can still be useful! – The other tentacles of the crystal ball rose and wrapped around Leo, who was desperately trying to escape. - Please! - They started pulling, straight towards the sphere. - PLEASE! - One stab and Leo breathed his last. - Please…

Leonardo Leonheart, headmaster of Haven Academy, died begging for his life. He betrayed the kingdom that put its faith in him, the students he taught, the friends who trusted him just to save his own rag's life. With no one left to betray, Salem didn't find it useful, since he can't get information from Ozpin and the students, he doesn't know where the relic is and Spring Maiden either. Salem had no further intentions with him, so she put him away.

- Coward. – These were Salem's final words before she cut the connection and called the crystal orb back.

As the fight in Haven drew to a close, after Leo left Salem's men were clearly outnumbered by our heroes, Hazel, Emerald, Mercury and Neo, 4 against 10. No matter how strong they were, even they didn't stand a chance with those numbers and the Mistral police and the White Fang militia were waiting for them outside.

- That's enough! - Ruby pointed Crescent Rose at them. - Just give up!

Mercury slammed into the ground angrily, Neo looked at Roman like a predator but Emerald only defiantly objected.

- It's not over yet! - Emerald said as if they still had a chance. - As soon as Cinder comes back with the relic, you'll be done! - She desperately wanted to believe that. - She won't let us down.

They could hear the elevator rising from Spring Maiden's Vault and it soon reached the top. To Emerald's dismay, it wasn't Cinder who came up, it was Yang, holding the relic, which could only mean one thing. Cinder fell and Emerald burst into tears.

- Yang. - Ruby looked at her sister, relieved and smiling, and she proudly smiled back at her and her friends.

- No… - Emerald fell to the ground in frustration and even dropped her weapons.

- Emerald, - Mercury tried to speak to her, as he, Neo, and Hazel realized that they had lost this fight and had to retreat. - pull yourself together! We need to go! – Emerald raised her head, looked around and the grief caused by the loss of Cinder turned into anger and shouted angrily.

The lights went out, there was almost total darkness in the great hall and a dark cloud of smoke arose in the middle of the hall, from which a huge, 5-meter-tall illusion of Salem was born and screamed in such an inhuman and unearthly voice that it put frozen terror in the hearts of all of them, they froze in fear and couldn't move. It was as if a ghost was heading towards them.

The next moment the lights returned, the ghost disappeared as if it had never been there and everyone shuddered to realize that the danger was over but so were Hazel, Neo, Emerald and Mercury.

- I'll be honest, - Roman's voice also trembled and he could only slowly lower Melodic Cludgel. - now I was scared to death.

- What was that?! - Blake asked, confused and horrified.

- Just an illusion. - Ozpin replied but he looked terribly exhausted. - But a very accurate one. - He stumbled, leaning on his cane. - That was Salem.

- I… - Mike stood there, still, as if he had been struck by lightning. – cr*pped myself.

- We were scared too, Mike but... - Jaune just lowered his sword.

- No! - Mike admitted awkwardly. - I really crapped myself! I sh*t in my pants, literally.

The stench revealed that Mike wasn't joking, he was so scared that he literally cr*pped himself, the others, although the shock hadn't yet passed, started to laugh slowly but loudly.

- Mike… - Blake's good mood was spoiled by a terrible thing. - I have a... very bad news.

- Can't you wait while I change my pants? - The fat, self-deprecating boy looked towards his team captain, who was still lying unconscious on the floor. - And we'll find out about Lance if he's still alive?

- Well... - Before she could answer, her parents came in and hugged their daughter.

- The police caught all the White Fang soldiers. - Blake's mother said. - Haven is safe.

- Unfortunately, - However, her father had some bad news. - Adam escaped.

- Don't worry. – Ilia came in at the entrance, with Luna by her side. - Only he and Mandy got away. The White Fang won't follow a leader who leaves his men to their fate.

- In short, - Luna walked in confidently. - it's bad for him.

- Yes, and it divides the White Fang.

- We fought among ourselves for too long. - Ghira was sure that the faunus could look to a better future. - Perhaps it's time to start a new brotherhood, the purpose of which will really be to allow faunus to work for a better future.

- Then we need a new leader. - Khali put her hand on her husband's shoulder encouragingly, clearly indicating him.

Sun, who had just noticed his old friends gathering up after the battle, started towards them, dragging Blake with him. The danger was over, Haven was safe, the relic had been obtained and they don't have to fight anymore. It was time for team RWBY to reunite.

- What happened down there? - Qrow asked after Yang gave him the relic.

- I don't know exactly. - Yang replied. - By the time I got down, Cinder was gone and Vernal was dead.

- And Raven? - Yang didn't want to talk about the emotional conversation that happened down there.

- Went.

- Well... - Qrow understood that Yang didn't want to talk about it and respectfully put his hand on his niece's shoulder. - we're glad you're here, Firecracker.

- Then, - Roman just dusted off his gloved hands. - we have the swag and we won. If you don't mind, - He reached for his hat to pick it up, completely forgetting that Neo had taken it from him. - I would stay with you for a while.

- Well… - Ruby fell to her knees from exhaustion. - we would be happy if you continued to help us.

- Speak for yourself. - Yang didn't like Roman but now he helped them, so she could give him a chance.

- Anyway, - Weiss worriedly sat down next to Ruby who was kneeling on the ground. - are you okay?

- I should ask you this. – Ruby looked up at Blake, who awkwardly returned to her team, Yang walked by, kneeling next to her sister. - Then Blake… - Ruby continued awkwardly, not knowing what to say. – what are you doing around here?

- I… - Blake had no idea what to say. - I could ask you the same thing. – Ruby just looked at her other two teammates.

- It's… a long story.

- Well… - Blake just smiled and spread his arms. - I'm not going anywhere.

- And that's what matters. - Ruby forgave her. - That we're all here, together. Right?

- Yes. - Weiss took it back as well. - Yang? - They turned worriedly to Yang, who had stated a few days ago how angry she was at Blake for leaving without a word but now that she was back and knowing how much she had helped them, it made it easier to forgive.

- Yes. - Yang also forgave her.

The four girls greeted each other with a big group hug. Team RWBY was complete again.

- I don't know how, - Qrow just went towards the panting Ozpin who was about to spit his lungs out. - but we did it, Oz. - Seeing how weakened he had become and puffing as if he had run miles, he began to worry. - Are you okay?

- I'm fine. – His tone changed, Oscar was clearly in control.

- Kid?

- Resting… - He panted. – He used… too much… power…

- Hey, - Qrow was a little afraid that Oscar might even have a heart attack. - don't push yourself too hard.

- No... - It was clear that Oscar was on the verge of exhaustion. - he has a... message... - He looked at the relic that Qrow held in front of him. - We have to…take the relic… to Atlas. - That was the last word before he passed out.

- Hey! - Qrow caught him and laid him on the ground.

He held up the lantern, which began to pulsate ominously. Although they won this battle, they were worried in advance about what dangers they would have to face in the future, one of the causes of which would be this lantern.

They all stared at the ceiling as if they were seeing a ghost and paled in fear, Emerald used so much aura to control Ozpin and the others with her illusion that she couldn't move and passed out. Hazel picked her up at that moment and headed for the exit.

- Come while there's time! - He ordered Neo and Mercury who followed him.

By the time the illusion ended, they were already outside of Haven, but they couldn't leave Mistral yet, as they still had to find out what Ozpin's plans were and for that they had to search the Mistral underworld.

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