Raven roared as Omen cut through the legion of weak little toy soldiers that served that wretched king like paper. The red steel of her blade especially crimson in the pale light of Remnant's shattered moon.
Blood made the grass beneath her feet slick. Twice she had almost lost her footing. Smoke stacks blotted out the stars and she was not sure if it was the scent of burning flesh or the smoke itself that choked her. Gunfire and screams meshed into a nightmarish orchestra as buildings collapsed under their own weight all around her.
One soldier screamed and rushed forward, a greataxe in his hand. He heaved it over his head, aimed at her head. An act of desperation and nothing more. Raven growled brought down Omen with a savage yell tossing aside any semblance of technique. The overwhelming force from her sword shattered the wooden haft with ease while the man himself was bisected from shoulder to stomach. In death his eyes remained wide with terror and agony.
From behind came a maelstrom of lead and dust, so Raven ripped her sword from the viscera and flicked her blade. A portal took shape in front of her, a swirling mass of red and black consumed the incoming bullets. The firing squad didn't have time to react to the portal that opened beside them nor the hail of familiar munitions it spat out that shredded them into ribbons.
Raven fell to her knee, and heaved. Her body protested every movement, every swing of her blade was met with dwindling strength. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping her moving at this point.
Around was a smattering of corpses, fools who tried to stab her in the back. She had been fighting for what must've been almost thirty minutes now. Her Aura was low, and while a single Huntress was worth ten, maybe even twenty men. She was no match for a small army. They needed to leave now. This lull in forces would be the best time before more zeroed in on her.
"Summer!" she bellowed into the night. "Where are you?"
She wasn't sure when they were separated. Only that in the melee the troops had divided them intentionally. That was smart, she'd give them that. However death would have to try much harder before it could claim her.
"Raven!" a shrill voice cried out. "I'm over here."
Raven snapped to the source of the voice. The town square. Raven cursed and broke into a mad dash. Were it so that she had enough Aura to spare she would teleport to her, but she needed enough to get them both home.
So she leapt from rooftop to rooftop. The village growing quieter still with each passing moment. Once she made the mistake of looking down on the streets. They were littered with dead villagers. None seemed to have been spared from the massacre. Children laid lifeless in the arms of mothers who fruitlessly tried to shield them from execution. The sight brought Raven's blood to a boil. That king would burn for this. In honor of the slain here she would peel the skin from his bones while he still drew breath and delight their spirits with his screams. She only needed to get away to make that so.
Raven heard Summer call to her once more. There was desperation, and a fear in her voice that felt wrong to hear from her friend. She poured on the speed.
She arrived in the town square to find a warzone. Soldiers on all sides surrounded a large central building, a temple she half remembered a villager telling her, pestering it with small arms fire. In the courtyard of the temple were ramshackle wooden fortifications, manned by terrified villagers. They fired weapons blindly, not that Raven could judge them. These people were not soldiers, war and violence was not their trade. At least these people had been brave enough to fight.
It was where the fight was the thickest that she found her mark. A tattered, white cloak stained red weaved through the bodies like a torrent of gore. Raven's heart screamed, but she clamped down on the urge to say her name, She didn't dare distract her now.
Below, an engine roared as something tore through the streets. In horror Raven watched a small tank crash through the buildings, flatting carriages and vehicles alike. Its target was the temple.
"Get down." she heard Summer shout over the chaos. The villagers obeyed but it wouldn't be enough.
Raven leapt off the building and used her gift from Ozpin. The ability to shapeshift into, ironically, a raven. It was a painless process, and thankfully quick as well. In the form, she swept down into the fight and directly into the line of fire of the tank right as it unleashed with a massive boom, its explosive ordinance.
Raven drew Omen in an instant, the crimson blade streaked through the air and sliced through the shell. Perhaps it operated on a delayed charge, but miraculously it did not explode on contact. Rather it diverged into two pieces, sailing past the temple and crashing into the surrounding infrastructure instead with a fiery explosion. With luck it killed a great number of these soldiers.
Her enemies stunned and with not a moment to spare, Raven slid her fingers along her blade. Pouring her Aura into the weapon itself, a paltry amount certainly but more than enough to activate the Dust. Flames sprung to life from within the blade and in a flash of light engulfed the steel in a swirl of fire. She then raised it overhead, both hands clenched tightly on the grip, and brought it down with every last bit of rage she could muster in a single slice.
There was a flash of light, and an intense heat that seared the hairs on her face just from its proximity. Then that light and heat surged forward cutting and melting all in its path. The cobblestone roads, the soldiers without the sense or athleticism to dodge in time, and most importantly the tank itself was reduced to slag.
A silence settled over the people of the square at the display she had given. And for the briefest moment, she foolishly hoped that such a sight would have them surrender. Predictably however, they had not forgotten that they possessed the numbers to render Summer, and her own prowess as Huntressess' redundant.
Quickly the gunfire resumed and Raven was forced back to the temple's defenses. Cutting down the incoming bullets as she did. She threw herself over the barricades and hit not concrete but flesh. The ground was covered in bodies of the fallen. People who died protecting their home. Blood soaked into her clothes, it covered her face and hands. Yet, she remained for fear of being shredded by the bulletstorm above.
She looked around, villagers who never trained for something like this sat in cover like her, waiting for a lapse in the onslaught so they could return fire. Some held their weapons with trembling hands while tears rolled down bloody cheeks. Others had allowed their rage to overtake them and were little more than bloodlusted barbarians that cursed the king. Swearing much like she had that he would suffer.
She tossed her attention elsewhere and found her, Summer. She was pressed against a large stone planter that at one point may have held a tree. Her hand clutched her side, blood flowed through her fingers. Raven scrambled to her along the ground like a madwoman.
"Summer." she screamed, kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"
"Raven?" she said. The surprise wore off quickly, and Summer looked at her wound. "I'm okay. Looks worse than it is." she attempted to smile, but the pain made it a grimace. "Still stings though."
"I'll be the judge of that." Raven said. She pried Summer's hand from the wound, and it was as she said. A lot of blood, but the damage wasn't deep. Likely a bullet grazed her. Lucky, very lucky.
"We need to get out of here." Raven said. "I have enough Aura for one more portal and me and you are taking it."
"Coward," Summer said in disbelief, "you would have me leave these people to their death."
"They're dead regardless, Summer." Raven said, uncaring if anybody heard her. "You being here won't change that. You'll just be one more body amongst the dead."
"Then go if you're so willing." Summer said. "But I won't abandon them. Not while I can still fight." Summer then opened the action of Sundered Rose, a lever-action rifle with an axe head at the tip and began to load it. Blood smeared the varnished wood.
Raven seethed, teeth bared at Summer. "Godsdamnit, Summer. You're being ridiculous."
"Isn't that what you love about me?" Summer said, before she shut the action with a final click as the weapon chambered another round. A smile tugged at the corner's of Summer's mouth. Raven's heart even here amidst all this death still skipped a beat. Gods help her, for this woman was literally going to be the death of her.
Raven finally capitulated with a snarl. "Fine," she said, "do you at least have a plan?"
"Actually, I do." Summer said, with a smirk. "Can you still turn into a bird?"
Raven nodded.
"Good," she continued. "Then I want you to fly out of the city. From there open the portal, and we'll send as many through as we can."
"I won't be able to hold it open for long. Maybe a minute at most."
"I know. We'll send kids first then the women and then the men. The fighters will stay behind to keep their attention here."
"The fighters wouldn't happen to include you now would it?"
Summer gave a sheepish grin, "Guilty as charged."
"Summer, no. I am not leaving you here. What about Ruby and Yang? Or Tai? Aren't you worried about leaving them behind?"
Summer's face flashed with immense pain before it hardened with resolve. Her silver eyes, unyielding. "Take care of them."
Raven's heart sank. Her stomach twisted. "No, no don't you dare make me break that man's heart again."
"I'm sorry, feather head. But one of us has to stay behind, and we both know it won't be you."
Raven had never in her life felt so ashamed, yet so unabashedly angry at one person. She considered beating her for that, then taking her through the portal once she was unconscious. Why did she always do this? Put people in front of her own life. This wasn't a fairy tale. No one cared, and she would be forgotten and no one would be saved.
Raven stuck her finger in Summer's face "Gods, you are such a self righteous, self centered piece of shi-"
"Incoming." A man shouted.
Raven looked up just in time to see several large missiles fly right towards her and the temple. Then her vision went black.
Around her, Raven heard through ringing ears muffled orders being barked out and the sound of boots against stone, accompanied occasionally by gunshots. Her vision, when she finally managed to pry her eyes open, swam. She could barely make out charred bodies all around her, their flesh still smoking and sizzling. Soldiers walked to and fro in the square. Some of them dragged lifeless bodies, others shouldered their weapons and fired at any that still moved. They were executing the survivors, the bastards.
Then she saw a soldier dragging a short woman in a white cloak. It was Summer, she realized as she was dropped to the ground by what seemed like a commander of some kind in front of Raven.
"Commander Killian, this is the Huntress." the soldier said.
"Ahh," the man apparently known as Commander Killian said as he turned to Summer's limp body, "so this is the one that started all this mess."
He crouched down and grabbed Summer by her hair, and lifted her head up. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead and she was covered in dust, but she otherwise looked okay. Her eyes opened weekly, and her attention focused Killian briefly before she zeroed in on Raven.
"Are you okay?" she mouthed.
Raven couldn't even nod let alone speak a response. It was all she could do just staying awake.
"All this bloodshed could have been avoided, you know. If only you had just done as you were told." Killian said, planting his fist into Summer's stomach causing her to retch up spittle all over the man's arms. "But no, you Huntresses and your ego's thought you knew better than our King and his infinite wisdom." He dashed her head against the floor so hard it bounced. "The arrogance of you people is without limits."
Summer coughed, blood spattered across the floor. "These people just wanted to be treated better. You can't just-" A meaty hand struck her before she could finish. Summer slumped to the ground once more.
Raven grunted, hate billowed in her chest. It fueled her muscles to push her further still as bloodied hands pulled her across the ground with desperation.
"Treated better?" Killian asked indignantly. "Do these people not eat because of the King's benevolence? Do they not have homes thanks to the King? Do the King's forces not protect them from the Grimm? Does the King not allow them to suckle on his tit like the parasites they are without question?" He planted his boot on the back of Summer's head and ground her face in the ground. Stomping occasionally to punctuate his words. "The answer is yes. For his kindness is boundless, and yet these arrogant, greedy, peasants dare to demand more? No, they must be reminded of what gratitude looks like. And if they refuse to see the truth, then we will make examples of them and their children."
He removed his foot, and kicked Summer in the ribs. "For such insurrectionary attitudes will not be allowed to stand."
"Don't you fucking touch her." Raven said through gritted teeth as she clawed her way to Summer. It took so much just to say that.
Killian laughed, "Well look at that. I had thought you dead. I suppose that you Huntresses are truly as tough as they say." He pointed to two nearby soldiers. "You two," he said, gesturing back to Raven, "get that one on her knees. I want her to see the price of her arrogance."
Two sets of firm hands grabbed her wrists and shoulders, and hoisted her up on her knees. However she still lacked the strength to support her own head so one of the men took a fistful of hair and yanked back till her eyes were level. The feeling made her growl. She would kill every last one of these empire bastards.
"Perfect." Killian said once he was satisfied with Raven's position. "Now let's get you up." The man then grabbed Summer by the back of her neck, and walked her like a dog over to Raven. He pulled a pistol from a holster on his hip.
Raven surged forward, teeth bared in a vicious snarl, but her anger didn't change how weak she was. The soldiers had little trouble keeping her restrained. "Don't you dare." she said.
"Now, now don't be upset." Killian said in far too kind of a tone. "I am merely an educator, and today I will teach you the consequences of disobeying your King." He pressed the barrel of the gun against the back of Summer's head. Anger turned to despair. She begged her body to move. Begged the gods to help, to send Qrow. Something, anything.
"Please," Raven said, pleading, "please don't. Kill me instead. You can strut me through the streets. Make a show of it. Just please don't hurt her."
"I'm afraid that is too little too late, my dear." he said. "All there is left is for you to learn." He cocked the hammer on the gun.
"Please!" Raven screamed, voice cracking. "Summer!"
Summer's eyes opened once more. Silver orbs met Raven's red. How did they look so at peace? "Raven," she said, her words slurred, "tell the girls I lov-"
BANG!
Summer's head exploded as the bullet tore through her skull in an instant. Her brains sprayed the ground and across Raven's face. Her body hit the ground unceremoniously, as though there was never a person there in the first place. Nothing more than dressed up meat. She could feel the blood of the woman she loved, the first woman she called a friend, trickle down her face. Taste it on her tongue. The way the viscera tangled in her hair. She would puke if there was anything left in her stomach.
Raven tried to choke back her sobs, but she wasn't strong enough. Tears flowed freely and she wailed. Wailed until there was no breath in her lungs. And even then she continued to weep hysterically. Images of Yang, and Tai flashed in her mind. They were broken, and worse, angry. Raven was supposed to protect her and she failed. Then of Summer's daughter, Ruby. A girl too young to understand what she lost. All of them, She failed all of them.
The butt of a pistol brought her back to reality. Grounded her. The pain, yes pain. She wanted to hurt someone. Her eyes narrowed at the man, Killian. He would do.
"Enough of that childish nonsense," he said. "I despise those who cannot handle their punishment."
Raven studied the man, and came to find she hated everything about him. His smug attitude, and the grin of satisfaction he wore. Most of all was the kindness. He genuinely thought he was doing a good thing here. Helping them, helping her like a twisted father who thought that beatings with a belt made for a well adjusted child. Raven wanted to tear his throat open with her teeth. Rip his heart out his chest and make him swallow it.
A chasm opened in her stomach, and within it was a hatred without depth. Burrowing and growing with every breath. Embers of pain sparking a fire of ravenous anger that would never be satiated and could never be quelled. That flame surged throughout her body, like rivers of fire searing every last inch of muscle and bone. It rejuvenated her, brought new strength to her. Her eyes burned and within her breast her heart thundered.
"But worry not." Killian the smug fuck said. "You'll be joining her soon." The barrel of the gun was now pressed against her own forehead. The metal of it was still hot, and just a little wet with blood. Blood that began to steam on contact with Raven's skin. There was fire in her eyes, she realized, a literal fire.
Killian pulled the trigger, and there was a muzzle flash, but no bullet struck. Only a spark in the air as it was reduced to ash in an instant. There was silence. Then the air grew impossibly hot. Then the gun in Killian's hand melted in his grasp. He dropped it, his hand red and raw. Then the men holding her released her as they screamed, the flesh of their palms burnt. Then flames danced in the sky, swirling not just around Raven, but also the village of Greensborough. She began to float, the flames lifted her. She didn't know why.
Some of the soldiers ran, but most fired their weapons at Raven. None touched her, burnt away all the same as that one bullet. The heat only grew like the pain in her chest. Power within her swelled. Her eyes burned like a heated brand was touching her cornea. The power demanded to be released, the pain as well. And as she glared down at the man who took Summer's life she knew that was what she would do.
So with a scream that pierced even the clouds above, she released it all. Her anger, her agony, it all came together and formed a mountainous wave of scarlett flames that consumed everything. Until the entire town of Greensborough was little more than ash in the wind.
And then darkness took her.