I do not own RWBY, which is the property of Viz Media, or Destiny 2, which is owned by Bungie. All characters, locations, and lore from these franchises belong to their respective creators. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and not for profit.
Chapter 7: The Echo of Shadows
The golden mist of Venus clung to the ruins like a shroud, wrapping everything in a strange, oppressive heat. Blake's eyes narrowed as she took a cautious step forward, Nikko hovering silently at her side.
The figure standing before her emerged from the shadows, his weapon trembling slightly in his hands. His dark hair was tousled, his eyes wide with disbelief. There were no Grimm-like horns, no glowing red brand—just a man, flesh and blood, the weight of confusion etched onto his face.
"Blake?" the man's voice cracked, his eyes searching her face desperately. "Is that really you?"
Blake's heart skipped a beat. "Adam…?"
His eyes darted between her and Nikko, uncertainty clouding his features. "This can't be real. You can't be real."
He took a step back, his weapon wavering. Blake clenched her fists, her mind spinning. The memories of their past—the friendship, the betrayal, the pain—all came rushing back, a tidal wave of emotion threatening to drown her. But this wasn't the same Adam. This was a man lost, a man without the monster's mask.
"Adam, it's me," Blake said, her voice steady, though her fingers trembled. "I don't know how we're here, but—"
"You're lying!" he snapped, his voice raw. "You're just another illusion. Another trick."
His finger tightened on the trigger.
"Blake, watch out!" Nikko shouted.
Before Adam could fire, a golden blur crashed into him. Yang's fist, blazing with Solar Light, connected with his chest in an explosion of heat and force. Adam's eyes widened in shock and pain as the impact lifted him off his feet. He hit the ground hard, the light in his eyes flickering out instantly.
Silence fell.
Yang's chest heaved, her eyes wild with fury and adrenaline. Her fist still glowed with residual Solar energy, small flames flickering along her knuckles. She stared at Adam's still form, her expression hard and unyielding.
"Are you okay?" Yang asked, her voice strained, the heat of battle still simmering beneath the surface.
Blake's eyes remained fixed on Adam, her heart pounding. The man who had haunted her nightmares lay motionless before her—a twisted echo of a past she had tried to leave behind.
"I… I think so," Blake whispered.
Nikko hovered close to her. "He's gone," the Ghost said quietly. "He's not getting back up."
Blake swallowed, a strange mix of relief and sorrow swirling inside her. "Thank you, Yang."
Yang let out a shaky breath, the flames around her knuckles finally extinguishing. "He was never going to change," she muttered. "I couldn't take that chance."
Blake nodded, the weight of the moment pressing down on her shoulders. "I know."
Flare floated beside Yang, his bright red and yellow shell pulsing softly. "We should keep moving," he said gently. "The outpost is close. We'll be safer once we're inside."
Suddenly, a spark of red light flared beside Adam's lifeless body. A new Ghost materialized, its shell a deep crimson with streaks of black. The Ghost's eye shone with an intense light.
Blake and Yang froze as the Ghost hovered over Adam's body.
"No, no, no," Yang muttered. "He's not—"
The red Ghost's eye pulsed as it spoke, its voice laced with exaggerated drama. "Really, Adam? You couldn't go five minutes without getting punched into the next dimension?"
Blake blinked, stunned by the tone. Yang's fists clenched tighter.
The Ghost floated down, letting out a theatrical sigh. "Alright, fine. Let's get this over with." The light around it shimmered. "Rise and shine, drama king."
A pulse of Light spread out, and Adam's body twitched. He gasped, his eyes snapping open. His breath came in ragged bursts as he stared up at the sky, confusion and disbelief in his eyes.
He sat up slowly, his eyes locking onto Blake. His weapon was gone, his expression raw and exposed. "You… you're real," he whispered. His voice was shaky, vulnerable. "You're really real."
Yang's fists clenched. "Blake, we can't trust him—"
Adam's Ghost bobbed in the air, its voice now tinged with genuine curiosity. "Hey, maybe we should start with names instead of Solar punches. I'm Blush. And, uh, sorry about the dramatics—it's kind of my thing."
Before anyone could respond, the air around them shimmered ominously. A chorus of mechanical whirs and clicks filled the air as dozens of Vex began to teleport in, their glowing eyes flickering to life.
Adam's eyes hardened, his expression steeling as he reached into a pack and pulled out a pump-action shotgun, the dull blue finish glinting in the dim light. He tossed it to Yang.
Yang caught it, frowning. "A shotgun? Seriously?"
Flare hovered beside her, his voice reassuring. "It's not flashy, but it'll get the job done. Trust me, you've got this."
Yang sighed, racking the shotgun. "Alright, fine. Let's do this."
Adam turned to Blake, pulling out a simple sidearm and handing it to her. The blue finish was plain, but it was reliable.
"I figured you might need this," he said.
Blake accepted the sidearm with a nod. "Thanks."
Adam drew his own weapon—a sleek hand cannon with a black finish and delicate rose engravings along the barrel. He took a breath, the weight of the moment settling over him.
"Cover me," Adam said, his voice determined. "I'm finding the teleporter ring."
He charged forward, his hand cannon barking as he gunned down Vex Goblins in his path. Two towering Minotaurs materialized before him, their shields flaring with Arc energy. Adam ducked low, firing precise shots that shattered their shields before delivering fatal blasts to their cores.
A Hypra hovered into view, its rotating frame glowing ominously. Adam gritted his teeth, dodging a barrage of Void energy. He raised his hand cannon and fired a shot straight into its center, cracking its core and sending it crashing to the ground.
The teleporter ring flickered in the distance, its portal pulsing with unnatural energy. Adam's eyes blazed with resolve. He felt the Light surge within him, a searing, righteous power.
Flames erupted along his arms as he summoned a single, blazing blade—a weapon of pure Solar Light. Unlike a typical Dawnblade, this one pulsed with concentrated power, a single devastating force.
"Let's end this!" Adam roared.
He hurled the blade with all his might. It streaked through the air like a comet, searing a path of flame and light before slamming into the teleporter ring. The portal exploded in a brilliant burst of fire and molten metal, Vex parts scattering in all directions.
Adam dropped to one knee, his breath ragged but victorious. The battlefield fell silent, the last echoes of the explosion fading away.
Blush hovered beside him, his eye glowing with a smirk. "Well, that's one way to clear a path."
Adam stood up, turning back to Blake and Yang. "Let's keep moving. We're not done yet."