Heart's Embers

by SugarLoaf12

It's been fifteen months hasn't it? Living from day to day, moving from place to place. Looking for the next payday, the next target... the next fight. I thought living outside their war would be easier. But sometimes knowing... is all it takes to leave you wondering "What if" I think back to why I left and I know I made the right choice... Ozpin be damned.

42. The Battle For Atlas

Hey guys, glad to see you liked the last chapter! Hope you guys like it. I don't know if this is the longest chapter I've ever written, but it's definitely the longest one in this story at the moment. Took me a lot longer to iron out the mistakes than I wanted, so I appreciate your patience. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

"Speech"

Thoughts

Overlapping Speech

---

Chapter Forty-Two: The Battle For Atlas

Oscar stood looking out at the city below, watching the battle raging in the sky, storm growing ever closer. Winter's eyes were wide with fear, she'd seen the Wyvern already, but even over the camera feeds, it was a terrifying sight to behold. Her hands trembled at the prospect of facing such a powerful Grimm in combat, her breath hitching as she got to her feet. She couldn't just sit in this damn office and wait anymore, her friends needed her help, her sister needed her help, Qrow... afraid or not, she would not leave them to fight this battle on their own any longer.

"Winter?" Oscar's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"I'm going down to Mantle" she replied.

"What? But what about-"

Winter's glare made him shut his mouth "I'm certain you would like to join me, correct?"

"Well, yeah, but... the General..."

"He doesn't need to know-"

"Winter" Ironwood's agitated tone made her second guess herself "I'm being summoned by the Council" he finished.

Relief washed over her "Now? We're in the middle of a battle!" she pointed out.

"My thoughts exactly. Keep me informed of any new developments. If you need me, I'll leave immediately"

"Understood, Sir" she knew this would be the perfect moment to get away, he'd be too swept up in the meeting to notice her absence until it was too late.

"Are you sure about this?" Oscar asked concerned.

"I am" she placed her hands onto the desk, she switched off Ironwood's channel before announcing "You're going to need to keep that thing away from the crater, even a drop of that stuff gets in there, the Grimm will be everywhere in a matter of seconds. I'm on my way to you now, just keep that thing busy until I get there"

Her hand rested on the pommel of her blade, but she remained in her place "Slade? Can you hear me? Arc?" she pressed two fingers to her earpiece "This is Specialist Schnee, does anyone read? Anyone?!"

"Nothing but static" Oscar noted with a frown.

"Damn it, what is going on?!" she growled.

It would seem James' worst fears are coming true. It's time we talked...

Oscar furrowed his brow "All this time you've been silent, only coming out when I needed help. Now you want to talk?" he asked angrily.

I understand you're upset, Oscar. I don't blame you for your anger. I should not have lied to you, I should not have run from the truth once it was out in the open. I'm truly sorry.

"I don't want an apology, I want my life back! I want to just be Oscar Pine. I don't want to be you!"

I understand... I don't want to merge with you either. I would much rather let you live your own life... but that isn't possible now... and it isn't something I can change, Oscar.

Oscar sighed "What do you want?"

Salem is throwing everything she has at you, at us. Before this battle is over, our friends are going to need help. I would like to help them anyway I can

"And what about me? I can't help?" he asked annoyed.

Of course you can. In fact, I think you're about to get your opportunity

The cyan colored visors of the Knights behind Winter flickered, shifting to an ominous red. Both of them trained their weapons onto her prepared to fire. Her eyes darted across the screens in front of her, each of the feeds turning to static. Her grip on her weapon tightened, teeth clenched in anger, she understood what was happening. They were being sabotaged from within, Jaune was right. Harris wasn't the only traitor, there was another... but who? Spinning on her heel, she sliced through the necks of both Knights before they could fire, sparks shot from their damaged limb before they were cut apart by several more strikes from Winter.

Then again, maybe not...

Oscar stared "They... were ready to kill you"

"This... is exactly as he described Beacon... this can't be happening..." her eyes widened in realization "Whitley!"

She barreled through the door, leaving Oscar behind, rushing down the hall as he called after her. The further she ran, the deeper her fear seeped into her, imagining the horrible scenes she could be stumbling upon. Even more concerning, she didn't spot a single soldier throughout the entire academy as she ran, they had abandoned their posts, but why? Were they traitors as well? Or were they being tricked? That was when she realized something horrible.

"The meeting!" now using Glyphs to increase her pace, she sped down the halls before reaching her desired destination, kicking the door open, startling those inside.

"Winter?" Whitley asked in surprise, looking up from the book in his hand.

"Whitley!" Winter breathed in relief, quickly pulling him from his chair into a tight embrace, his book falling to the ground.

Willow scowled "Ugh. My dear, I did not raise you to ignore door handles" she drank deep from the tea cup in her hand, placing it back onto the saucer before adding "And is that really necessary? I know you soldiers are all about your weapons-"

"Quiet, Mother" Winter snapped with authority, releasing her brother "I'm getting all of you to safety immediately"

"Safety?" Willow hissed getting to her feet, speaking in a derisive tone "The battle is down in Mantle, those beasts will never make it through the barrier around this city. Why should we move anywhere? You sound just like your father"

Klein stepped forward "Miss Schnee, is something amiss?" he asked with a knowing look, her readied blade giving him enough of an answer.

"Someone is hacking our systems and I can't find anyone at their posts. Something is wrong, I'm getting you all out of here before-" she was interrupted as an explosion tore through the building knocking each of them off their feet.

Winter was the first to recover, using her blade to get herself to her feet. Many more explosions followed the first, she could see from the window, several Manta ships were actively attacking the city now. Her face twisted into an expression of rage, everything she and Ironwood had tried so hard to prepare for, to prevent, it was all happening. She turned back to her family when she heard the door fly open. Several Knights marched in, training their weapons on each of them. Winter moved quickly to intercept them, deflecting several rounds aimed for the shocked Whitley, she then sliced through them one by one. One of the Knights lost its weapon, the rifle sliding to a stop in front of Whitley, who backed away from it on his hands.

"Get behind something!" Winter shouted, her second blade falling into her open hand.

Willow quickly did as she was told, Klein rushed to Whitley and got him to his feet, moving him to a safe place. Winter spun and twisted with every strike, blocking rounds with one blade as she cut through the Knights with the other. One of the Knights was cut in half through the chest, dropping it to the ground. With a powerful kick to the next Knight, she tore its head clean off. Cutting through the last of the Knights, she impaled her blades into their heads, rendering them harmless as their visors dimmed. However, one Knight remained functional, propping itself up on one hand due to its lack of legs and aimed with the other. The sound of a gunshot shocked Winter, she twisted around with her weapons held up defensively, but found the Knight's visor sparking from damage.

Winter turned her gaze to the source of the gunshot and found a frightened Whitley holding the weapon on his knees. She kneeled down in front of him, speaking in a soothing tone as she took the weapon gently as he shook with fear "Hey, it's okay. It's okay"

He wrapped his arms around her "I'm sorry... I... I'm just glad you're okay" his voice was shaky, the fear clear in his voice.

She smiled, returning the embrace "Shh... I am now, because of you. I'm so proud of you, Whitley. That was very brave"

"Brave indeed" Klein agreed with a smile, his eyes shifted red as he added "Who's the real Huntsmen in the family now, eh?"

The three of them shared a laugh "I think my dear brother would make a great Huntsman"

"You do?" he asked surprised.

"Why not? Our Grandfather was a warrior, why not you?"

"What is the matter with all of you?!" Willow snapped, shaking in fear "We were almost killed and you... you're joking about this? W-why would they do this?" she asked.

Winter got to her feet, helping Whitley to his as she did "It's just like I said, someone is hacking our systems. They've taken control of the automated systems and cut off communications. I can get it back online at the CCT tower here in the academy. But first, I'm getting all of you to safety"

"What about Ironwood? Is the General...?" Whitley asked unsure.

"He was called to a Council meeting, one that was suspiciously timed. I'm certain it was a trap, but the General can take care of himself. We need to worry about us right now"

"Then lead the way, Ms. Schnee" Klein urged "Oh, I do hope your sister is alright"

Winter frowned "Me too, Klein... she's a tough girl, I'm sure she's fine... let's focus on getting out of here-"

She stopped as Oscar slid to a stop in front of her, panting "I... you... what... is happening?" he asked out of breath.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out. First, we're getting my family to safety"

Oscar nodded "I can get behind that plan"

"Good, then stick close"

Winter led the way, her brother sticking very close behind her. Klein motioned for Willow to go first, allowing him to take up the rear. She nodded politely, then focused her gaze into an empty corner of the room. Without a word, she strode out with Klein close behind her. Oscar took up behind them, The Long Memory prepared for a fight. Once the room was empty, a pale pink eye opened on the wall, revealing Neo had used her Semblance to blend into the texture. Her body didn't return to its usual appearance however, instead taking on the form of Winter Schnee, though her eyes remained clearly Neo's. She smiled, blinking one eye at a time as they changed to match her disguise. Hush shifted to appear as Winter's own weapon shortly afterward, she walked with purpose, placing the false blade on her hip as she left.

---

Ironwood and Pietro walked down the halls of the academy, making their way toward the Council chambers "I simply don't understand the rational behind this meeting, surely they trust you enough to protect the kingdom, do they not?"

Ironwood sighed "I don't know, Pietro. After Harris, I don't even know who I can trust anymore"

Pietro frowned "Well, Chimera's control chip may make trust difficult at present, but at least you have such good friends you can trust. Without them, what do we have?"

Ironwood smiled "True enough. It does help to know they've got my back, to know you have my back"

"And we always will, all of us. I trust you will see us through this storm, and if you should require anything from me, I will be happy to assist anyway I can"

He nodded "Thank you, Pietro. You've been a better friend to me than I could've ever expected of you. Together, we will see Salem pushed from our borders before you know it"

The door before them opened, revealing the meeting hall with Councilor Rawlings standing directly in front of Arthur Watts, who held a silver brief case in his visible hand "Welcome, General, Doctor" the Huntsman greeted.

Ironwood scanned the room as they entered "Where is Jacques? Is he on his way?"

"Oh, I don't think he'll be joining us tonight" Watts replied.

At that moment, two Chimeran soldiers came out of hiding, aiming for the General "What is the meaning of this?" Pietro demanded.

Ironwood's eyes widened as the realization set in, a stunned expression on his face "You... Arthur, it was you... all this time..."

Rawlings looked to Ironwood with desperation "James... you have to stop him"

Watts rolled his eyes "Oh, I think that is enough out of you Councilor" a single gunshot rang out, tearing through him from behind.

"No!" Pietro called.

Rawlings' eyes were wide, hands clutching at his chest. He dropped to his knees, then slumped to the floor "Thank you, for playing your part so well. Not that I gave him much choice" Watts sneered, weapon in hand.

Ironwood's hands closed into fists "Arthur... why would you do all this? Why work for Salem? You're supposed to be a Huntsman! My friend! I trusted you!"

He chuckled, holstering his weapon "And that trust is exactly what made all of this so easy, James" he holstered his weapon "You see, when you enlisted our help to improve Atlas... You. Didn't. Choose. Me"

"I offered you-"

"You offered me the scraps Polendina refused! Lawson may have been director, but you always looked to him! You always were fascinated by that pet of his" he hissed.

"She is not a pet! She's my daughter!" Pietro cried.

Watts scowled "It is a machine, no different from the Knights, no different from that abomination Sable has become"

Ironwood glared "That's why Salem recruited you, because you wanted to get back at me! You've been feeding her intel all this time! Doing her dirty work!"

"That's right" he placed the brief case onto the table opening it "While Sable may have become more a machine than a man, his new body does come with some key benefits. Benefits I have made my own"

Watts removed a pair of large metal gauntlets with a piston and ram built-in above the wearer's fist. He placed them on over his hands, the ram on each of them pushing forward with the force of the piston. Watts grinned, then slammed his hands into the table, breaking it in half with tremendous strength. Ironwood stepped in front of Pietro, motioning for him to get behind him, removing one of his pistols from its holster.

"You see, James, I knew I couldn't match your strength in single combat, but with these..." he smashed his fists together "Crushing you will be easy!"

"All this time... how did you pull this off? Everyone else Salem exposed to that Grimm substance, it changed them, made their eyes just like hers. But yo, there's nothing"

Watts chuckled "Ah, yes. That" he reached up to his eyes, removing a pair of contacts, revealing crimson eyes behind them.

"Such a simple solution. Contacts. I should've guessed"

"Oh, if only you had. Maybe then you wouldn't have been stuck with this. Besides, not everyone gets these eyes you know, only the ones she enhances. Those expendable fools like Harris didn't require any enhancement for their roles"

Ironwood's gaze narrowed "I'm going to give you one chance to surrender, otherwise, things will get ugly for you"

"Oh, I don't think so, old friend. You see, I control Atlas now, and there is nothing you can do to stop me"

Ironwood's eyes widened "No..." using his open hand, he placed two fingers to his earpiece "Winter, Watts is the traitor! You need to-!"

"Ah, ah, ah..." Watts wagged his finger at him "That's not going to do you any good. As I said, I control Atlas now, and that means, no more communications between you or those brats"

Ironwood growled "You bastard"

Watts sneered "Fighting off the entire Atlesian army would've been difficult, even with our advantage in numbers. Salem doesn't like to bet anything on brute strength alone, that's why she's been so careful to plan your downfall. As for me? All I want is to be the one to bring you down, to see you fall, to show you how it feels to lose everything you care about"

"Gloat while you still can, Arthur. I will stop Salem, and you will fall"

"I don't think so, James. In fact, I think it's you who is going to fall to me" he grinned.

"You sound pretty confident about that"

He laughed "Of course I am! Even if you do manage to stop me, the Grimm are going to destroy this city and there isn't anything anyone can do to stop that. Not even you and your merry band of misfits"

"Tell me what Salem is planning, what is her next move?" he demanded.

"I am so delighted you asked. Is this the part where I spill everything, then you come up with an absurd plan to stop her, and your convoluted plan somehow works? Just like in the fair tales?"

"Sounds good to me" he pulled the hammer back on Due Process.

Watts snorted "Well, this isn't a fairy tale, James. And there is no happy ending... at least, not for you. Face it, you're outmatched. Without your army or your toy soldiers, you're nothing but a man... half a man at that" he sneered "Nothing you do can stop her"

"Doctor, you shouldn't stay here. Find Winter, tell her what's happened"

"R-right..." Pietro backed to the door.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere. James isn't the only one I want revenge against. Just wait until you see what I have planned for your little pet"

Ironwood's eyes filled with rage, he turned his gun upward, firing from the hip into the leg of the soldier to his right, dropping him onto the ground with a pained cry. He then turned his attention to the second and rushed toward him, holding his metal arm up over him, deflecting each round fired at him with it. Grabbing him by the neck, he fired his pistol up into his helmet, killing him instantly. As he released him, the first got back to his feet, firing at Ironwood from behind. Spinning on his heel, he slammed his elbow into his helmet, shattering the visor. Grabbing him by the helm, he slammed his face into his knee, then kicked him away, firing into his chest three times.

Ironwood turned his head to Pietro "Go!" he nodded, not wasting another moment, rushing through the door back into the hall.

"Time to die, James"

Ironwood growled aiming his weapon to fire, but Watts moved faster, knocking the weapon from his grip with the back of his metal glove. Ironwood pulled back to swing, but Watts ducked under it, delivering a powerful strike to his abdomen with his enhanced strength. Pulling back for a second strike, his metal fist connected with Ironwood's own. With an open palmed strike to his shoulder, Watts pushed Ironwood back from him, sliding to a stop a short distance away. He lifted one side of the broken table with one hand and flung it at Ironwood, he smashed through it with a powerful strike from his metal hand. Using the distraction to his advantage, Watts slammed his metal fist into Ironwood's face just as the table shattered apart, followed by an uppercut from his opposite fist, through a failed block from Ironwood, throwing him into the pillar behind him. Ironwood bounced from the pillar to the wall behind him, slamming into it with a pained groan.

"What's the problem, James? Does it hurt?" he grinned "How does it feel to lose?"

Ironwood removed his second pistol from its holster, flipping it over in his right hand. Watts approached, swinging down toward him, Ironwood twisted on his hand away from him, Watts' metal fist smashing into the wall, denting it from the force of the strike. Ironwood struck his pistol into Watts' right hand as he moved to swing, causing him to groan in pain. Without wasting a second, he kicked the back of Watts' knee, dropping him onto his opposite knee, then pistol whipped him across the face. Watts growled in anger, getting to his feet as Ironwood moved to strike again, he knocked the pistol away. Ironwood was unable to block a strike to his face, stumbling him back slightly. His defenselessness was a ruse, however, allowing him to catch Watts' arm with both hands, bending it painfully as he turned away, wrenching one of his gauntlets from his hand and throwing it away from them. Twisting his arm back the other way as he stumbled forward, he flipped Watts onto his back painfully as he cried out.

Watts removed his pistol from its holster as he quickly got to his feet, firing at Ironwood. He stepped around the first round, then rolled beneath the second in the opposite direction. Catching Watts by his arm, he slammed Due Process into Watts' elbow, causing him to cry out in pain as he lost his grip on his own weapon. Ironwood swung his pistol for his head, forcing him to dodge as he wrenched his hand free. Watts swung for his head, only to be pushed back by his pistol smacking into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Pulling his enhanced fist back to strike, Ironwood caught it in his own metal fist, sliding back slightly from the impact. Flipping Due Process back over, he fired into the mechanism of the glove, causing it to spark as Watts pulled back, crying out in pain, his Aura completely depleted.

"You stupid son of a-" before he could finish, Ironwood stabbed a small cylindrical casing into his neck "What're you...? No! No!"

The casing quickly filled with the Grimm fluid inside him, his eyes shifting back to their original green as he cried out in anguish. Lashing out with a swing of his arm, Ironwood slammed his metal heel into the back of Watts knee, then spun as he flipped his pistol over in his hand, slamming it into the front of his knee. The sound of the bone shattering echoed throughout the room, only matched by Watts' cry of agony, he fell onto his side, holding his broken knee painfully.

"Th-this isn't the end, James! You can't stop Salem!"

"It's finished, Arthur. Your betrayal amounts to nothing more than a prison cell. I stopped you, and I will stop Salem"

Watts spit at him "Good luck, fool! You'll never stop her, not with what she's bringing with her. It'll be like nothing you've ever seen before. Nothing you do will matter!"

Ironwood planted his heel onto his broken knee, causing him to cry out in anguish "What is she planning? Tell me!"

"I already told you, it doesn't matter. You can't stop her, no one-"

Ironwood slammed his fist into his abdomen "Tell me what she is planning! Now!"

"Never. There is nothing you can do that could make me talk, not when she's still out there"

"You're nothing but a pawn to her, Arthur. She doesn't care about you. And you're a fool if you think otherwise"

"You just don't understand, do you, James? We're all just pawns in her game, and if we're not hers, we're Ozpin's. I just chose the winning side, the side that'll give me exactly what I want. Salem is going to build a new world, one where kingdoms and governments don't dictate our lives. One where Huntsmen don't have to die to protect the weak from the Grimm"

"We're Huntsmen, we're supposed to protect people. But you seem to have forgotten about that oath... the Arthur I remember cared about more than just himself"

Watts laughed "The Arthur you remember was a lie, just my way of getting to where I wanted to be"

"And how did that work out for you? Is this where you wanted to be?" Ironwood removed a bolas from behind his back, restraining Arthur "You can choose to help me, or you can rot away in a cell for the rest of your life. Either way, Salem isn't going to win"

Watts shook his head "You're just a fool, James. A deluded fool"

---

"I repeat, this is Yang Xiao Long, I'm a Huntress looking for anyone to respond. Anyone?"

"It's no use, Yang. No one can hear us" Weiss sighed.

"Have you checked all the emergency channels?" Blake asked.

"All of them, no one is responding" Yang sighed.

"Then we'll just have to get in there and figure it out for ourselves" she declared.

The Lancer weaved between dogfighting Mantas and Grimm as they approached the academy. Beneath them the could see dozens of Grimm on the streets, fighting with the soldiers. Not only did the Grimm prove an obstacle for them, but the Knights as well, attacking any who crossed their paths. Sirens blared throughout the city, absolute chaos throughout the sky and the streets. Occasionally they'd spot a Chimera soldier or two, telling them exactly how Grimm had gotten inside.

"It's like Beacon all over again..." Blake breathed out in horror.

"You think Ruby is alright?" Yang asked worried.

"She's a big girl, Yang. She can take care of herself" Weiss assured.

"I know... I'm just... worried"

Weiss placed a comforting hand on her arm "I am too, but we have a job to do" she turned back ahead "I'm dropping us at the CCT tower. If someone messed with communications, we'll be able to fix it there"

Blake nodded in agreement "Good idea, then we can figure out what's going on"

"That's the plan anyway" the Lancer swung around to the closest academy entrance to the tower and dropped them off, vanishing once they'd moved inside.

It didn't take them long to reach the tower, finding dozens of Knights and three Paladins advancing on the entry door "What're they doing?" Blake asked.

Pietro moved into view as he ran from them, they started firing on him "It's the Doctor!" Yang called.

"Argh!" Pietro cried in pain as a bullet pierced his shoulder

"Let's get down there!" Weiss called.

The three of them leapt down into the room but were surprised to find several of the Knights behind cut apart as laughter echoed throughout. Maria used her cane, now with a single curved blade exposed from the front to cut through them. She ran beneath one of the Paladins and cut through the glass to the pilot seat, slicing through the Chimera soldier inside and tossing him out. Leaping onto the head of a Knight, she decapitated it, then leapt to another and did the same. She continued this pattern until she reached a second Paladin and hung off its cannon by her blade. She laughed as she leapt off, the cannon firing into the third Paladin, knocking it over. Landing on the top of it, she cut through the glass and threw the pilot out as she had with the first. Yang fired Ember Celica, smashing her fist into the soldier as he flew through the air, dropping him painfully to the ground. Blake joined the fight as well, slicing through Knight after Knight with both blades as she used her Semblance to avoid damage and move at blinding speed. Weiss created several Glyphs over her head, launching ice crystals into the Knights that remained, clearing the room. Approaching the disabled Paladin, Yang punched through the glass, pulling the pilot out.

She removed the helmet on the pilot "What is going on here? Tell me everything!" she demanded.

The woman in her grasp looked afraid, but was unable to answer. Her right eye snapped to the right and her left to the left, both sparking a single time followed by the sclera of each eye slowly becoming red from the blood flowing to them. Yang dropped the woman with a shocked and disgusted gasp. Pietro approached her from behind, a deep frown on his features, holding his shoulder in pain.

"That's what happens when the chip terminates you" he informed her.

"But... how, how would anyone even know she was captured?" Yang asked.

"My best guess? Someone has access to our security and is watching everything"

"Salem" Weiss growled "That sadist thinks of everything, doesn't she?"

"Doctor, are you alright?" Blake asked moving to look at his shoulder.

"I'm alright, Ms. Belladonna. I'm sure it... just looks worse than it is. Thank you for your concern"

Maria hobbled over on her cane, the blade receding "Whew, that was a workout. I haven't moved like that in... well, since I still had my eyes" she laughed "Pietro, when I saw those Knights on you, I was worried you'd be done in"

"Not yet, it seems. Thanks to all of you" he smiled.

"Well, does someone mind telling me what the heck is going on here?" she asked.

"Yeah, what're you doing here, Doc?" Yang questioned with her arms crossed.

"Getting shot it seems. I was trying to get to the control terminal for the CCT tower. Ever since the attack started here in the academy, no one can contact anyone. All of our forces are flying blind without our communications network"

"How bad is the situation? Do you know if my family is safe? The Council?" Weiss asked urgently.

Pietro had a look of rage on his face "Arthur... That bastard betrayed us, he's been playing us this whole time. He murdered Councilor Rawlings and ambushed General Ironwood and I in the Council chambers. I ran when the fighting began, tried to find Winter, but all I found were two broken Knights. I assume she went to find your brother and parents, but I don't know anything for certain. But I can find out if I can access that terminal inside"

"You sure you can get us in?" Blake asked.

"As long as no one shoots me in the back this time" Pietro assured, turning toward the door. He reached the security panel and typed away on it "Damn"

"What's wrong?" Weiss asked.

"Arthur must've changed security credentials around. I don't have access anymore. This will just take a second, I should be able to-" Yang punched her hand through the console and tore out the wires.

The door opened moments later "My way is faster" she smirked.

Pietro chuckled "After you, ladies"

Yang led the way inside, Weiss and Blake taking the rear with their weapons ready. They were surprised to find the inside was sparkling clean, no sign of battle or forced entry anywhere "Uh... hello?" Yang called.

"There's no one here" Weiss lowered her blade "The CCT towers are all run remotely, even the secretaries don't have to come into the office anymore unless there's an emergency or something. Calls are just routed through to their personal lines" she explained.

"Oh..."

Pietro made his way over to the large terminal behind an equally large desk "This will only take a moment. I should be able to get full access to the security network. Then all I need to do is set up a new line of communication"

"What about the old ones?" Blake asked.

"Arthur shut down all the old channels, including the counter signal to Chimera's control chip. I'm going to get that back up as quick as I can, but we'll need a new channel that no one but us will have access to with a set of new codes. Assuming James takes him down and he doesn't hack that too, of course"

"Then we'll be reconnected to everyone down in Mantle?" Yang asked hopeful.

"No, not exactly. Until I can decode Arthur's encryption I can't restore the old channels and that'll take some time. For now, only the Scrolls connected directly can access this new... hello" he leaned in toward the screen.

"What is it?" Weiss asked.

"A call from Councilor Schnee to your sister, it was blocked but the network picked up the call all the same. Let's have a listen" he pressed to play it aloud.

"She's working with her! Salem! She wants you! You need to call James and-" the message was abruptly drowned out by static.

"She? Who could he have been talking about?" Yang asked.

"I don't know... but it was Arthur's security codes that blocked the call and deactivated his Scroll. It was just a few minutes before Councilor Rawlings called us to meet in the Council chambers... that's not a good sign" he frowned.

"My father knew something was wrong and tried to warn Winter, but he didn't go straight to her in person... is there somewhere close by he could've hidden?"

"I don't know, but I should be able to track his Scroll if I just... there!" Pietro smiled "His Scroll is in... my office? He must've tried to hide there when the shooting started. It's not a good position to defend, but he's not exactly a fighter"

"Then we'll head straight there. If you can get communications back up and running, we should be able to mount a defense, coordinate with our forces back in Mantle. If we find your father, he can tell us more about who is behind this" Blake concluded.

The building shook suddenly, stumbling each of them "What the hell was that?" Pietro asked.

"Probably that airship we took down, hopefully your plan worked Weiss, and Mantle is still standing" Yang replied.

"Let's go" Weiss turned to leave.

"Wait!" Pietro called, holding up his Scroll "I need your Scrolls"

Each of them took theirs out and waited as he went to each of them, holding his own over theirs before moving to the next "What're you doing?" Weiss asked.

"Giving each of you administrative permissions. Just hold your Scroll over anyone else's and it'll connect them to the new channel without requiring my codes. I'll get these cameras back up and update you on the situation as you go"

"Thanks, be careful, Doctor" Yang called as she turned back to leave.

"I'll take good care of him. No one is getting in here uninvited" Maria assured.

"Thanks, Ms. Calavera" Blake replied with a smile.

They all rushed out the door, making their way down the halls of the academy as quickly as they could. They came across a group of Knights and Chimera soldiers, whom immediately took notice to their presence. Yang moved faster than they could, propelled by Ember Celica, she planted her heels on the chest of the soldier closest to her, knocking him onto his back as she rolled forward. Ducking to the right, beneath a rifle as it fired for her, she caught it by the barrel with her left hand and slammed her metal fist into his chest, firing as she did. Blake rushed forward, flipping through the air as gunfire rained all around her, kicking the closest Knight in the head, knocking it clean off. Grabbing it by the shoulder, she arched its back and rolled over it to avoid the continuing gunfire, catching another Knight's rifle in her grip. She slammed her fist into its head, knocking it back as it released the rifle, which she fired into two soldiers before vanishing with her Semblance, appearing behind Weiss.

Using her Glyphs to propel her forward at great speed, she reversed her grip on Myrtenaster, spinning with a strike for their legs, knocking several Knights and soldiers off their feet. Yang sidestepped as one of the soldiers reached for her, delivering an open-palmed strike to his throat, then kicked backward into the face of another, sending him flying as the first struggled to breath. Ducking beneath a swinging club, she kicked upward into the face of her attacker, then caught a Knight's arm by the wrist, directing the rifle away from her as it fired, dropping another soldier. Flipping the Knight over, she pulled her fist back and slammed it down into the Knight's head, smashing it in. Weiss and Blake finished off their attackers moments later, clearing the hall completely.

"Found some troops here, Doc. There's too many of them to have all snuck in with the refugees" Weiss pointed out.

"I've got the cameras back up. I can see more, well... everywhere. They're all over the academy. Looks like Arthur opened some kind of portal somewhere for them to come through, them and the Grimm. Thankfully, it looks like that portal was closed, but that doesn't stop those who already came through. Be careful"

They passed through the cafeteria next, bodies were everywhere. Atlesian soldiers, Chimeran soldiers, destroyed Knights, as well as several people not in uniform. Blake moved to inspect a nearby body, ears drooping "These entry wounds are in the back. They were caught by surprise"

"We all were" Weiss frowned "We need to drive them out, and fast"

"Then we're gonna need help. If Ironwood can rally the soldiers, we can mount a proper defense" Yang declared.

Blake stood to her feet "Yeah, still... Salem left nothing to chance"

"She never does" the blonde growled.

"Did you find anyone alive? Anyone not working for Salem I mean?" Pietro asked.

"None yet" Blake replied sorrowfully.

"This is horrible..."

"Oscar? Winter? Anyone?" Yang called.

"Could you perhaps not alert everyone to our presence?" Weiss asked incredulously.

"If gunfire didn't already do that, I won't" Yang argued, pressing onward.

Weiss frowned "Well, I guess that's fair" she admitted reluctantly.

"We're getting close to your office, Doctor" Blake alerted him.

"I know, I can see you on the cameras. But the ones in that area are offline, possibly destroyed. I can't see anything, be careful"

"Any sight on Oscar or Winter? Ironwood?" Yang asked.

"I thought I spotted Winter a moment ago, but I must've been mistaken. Because, now I'm seeing her going in the opposite direction with the rest of your family. Mr. Pine was accompanying them as well, they look unharmed"

Weiss sighed in relief "At least we know they're okay"

"Now we just need to find your dad" Blake replied.

"Any idea how Watts did this? Another virus like he used at Beacon?" Weiss asked.

"No, not a virus. We would've seen that coming a mile away after last time. He's using some kind of black box from his personal terminal"

"Black box?" Yang asked.

"It's like a digital battering ram, giving him access to all of our systems. Thankfully, that doesn't include Penny or control of our airships. But it does mean they're firing with manual targeting now. They'd be at a significant disadvantage against the Grimm like that"

"Why didn't you go after that first?" Blake asked.

"I would've, had I been aware of it. I only just learned of it, nothing else could be causing this kind of turmoil from a single access terminal"

"Then we need to sever the connection, right? His office isn't too far from where we are now" Weiss concluded.

"That's true, but Jacques could still be in trouble. He's the only one who might know more about what is going on here based on that message to Winter. We can't be in two places at once"

"You can't, but we can" Yang declared "Blake, Weiss, keep going until you find your dad. I'll take care of that device"

"Are you sure, Yang? Splitting up seems like it might be a bad idea" Blake replied with concern.

"It would be unlikely for Arthur to leave the device unguarded" Pietro warned.

"I'll be fine. We need to get our network back online, right? This is the best way to do it"

Weiss sighed "Just promise you'll be careful"

"Pft. When am I not careful?"

"Um..." Weiss pointed to her prosthetic to make her point.

"It was one time" she waved off dismissively "I'll be careful, I promise"

Without waiting for an answer, she ran off toward Watts' office "There she goes again" Blake shook her head with an amused smile.

Weiss and Blake entered the hall and moved silently to the door to Pietro's office. There was fire damage along the walls, what looked to be a clear explosion leaving a hole into the office. They quickly moved inside, inspecting the room up and down for any sign of danger or their target.

"Dad? It's Weiss. Are you in here?" she called.

When they recieved no answer, they lowered their weapons "Doesn't seem like he's here" Blake noted.

"His Scroll still says he's there, keep looking" Pietro urged.

Weiss looked out the office window and saw him running along the terrace "Found him!" she smiled.

"What's he running from?" Blake asked.

Cinder strode into view, a wall of flames arcing from her in front of Jacques, blocking his escape "No!" Weiss shouted, slashing through the window with her blade and leaping down to them.

Cinder looked back with a smirk, launching herself skyward to reposition herself opposite them, trapping Jacques in the center "The Schnee heiress. How fun" she sneered.

"You're not laying a hand on my father" Weiss growled.

Cinder produced a fireball in her open palm, eyes emblazoned with the Maiden's power "So, certain?" the flames behind her died down.

Blake landed beside her friend, weapon in hand "Yeah, pretty sure"

Cinder chuckled darkly "Ah, the cowardly Faunus joins the fun" Blake growled in annoyance.

Jacques looked back to Weiss "Where is Winter?" he asked desperately.

"She's safe, she's got Whitley, Klein, and mom with her"

His eyes were wide with fear "No! She's not safe! She's going to kill her!"

"Cinder isn't leaving this spot" Weiss assured.

"No, not her. Your mother is working with Salem, she's conspired to have me killed. She's going to deliver Winter right to Cinder when she's finished here. It's a trap! She's been helping them the whole time!"

"What?" Weiss asked wide-eyed "Why would she... that doesn't make any sense!"

"Doesn't it?" Cinder asked with a mocking tone, lips turning upward "Your dear mother made a deal with Salem, all so she could rule Atlas all on her own. She's always wanted more, you see... just like your father"

Weiss glared with clenched teeth "Salem sent you here to kill him, didn't she?"

"She did" her smile widened "Ready to have some fun, kids?"

"You'll pay for what you've done, Cinder" Blake declared.

Cinder's smile spread into a sickening grin "Good. I was hoping you'd go down fighting"

"Father, stay back" Weiss warned, stepping in front of him.

"That's right, Jacques. Cower behind your little girl"

He glared at her "Weiss" he spoke sternly, she looked back at him in surprise "Teach her what it means to be a Schnee"

She smiled back, nodding "She won't be teaching me anything, Councilor. This is going to be just like Haven all over again, but this time... there won't be anyone to get in the way!"

Weiss growled, launching herself toward her with a Glyph. Cinder formed an obsidian blade in her hand, deflecting her strike, then sidestepping an attack from Blake. Weiss used a second Glyph to slice for her back as she launched herself at incredible speed. Cinder flipped back over her using flames from her heels to propel herself, then blocked Gambol Shroud as it spun through the air in pistol form with a swing of her blade. Forming several Glyphs around Cinder, ice was launched at her from all directions. Flames exploded outward from Cinder, incinerating the ice with ease, a sickening grin on her face. Blake and Weiss were knocked over by the blast, giving her an opening to strike. She pulled her arm back, preparing to impale the heiress.

"I told you... this wouldn't end any differently-"

"Don't you touch her!" Cinder turned her head in just enough time to receive a punch to her injured eye, causing her to stumble with a groan of pain.

"Oh, ow, ow, ow" Jacques cradled his hand.

Cinder growled in annoyance, a fireball forming in her hand "You just couldn't wait your turn, could you?"

Jacques started to back away, his gaze looking to Weiss as she got to her feet "I won't just stand by and watch you hurt my little girl"

Cinder scoffed "Then you will be the first to die" she held up her hand to him, he looked away, closing his eyes as he anticipated the imminent pain.

"I don't think so" Cinder's eyes widened, feeling cold metal press into the back of her head "Cinder Fall, you're under arrest"

"General Ironwood!" Blake called with a smile.

Jacques breathed a sigh of relief "Talk about timing" he quickly backed away from her.

"General" Cinder greeted with a sickly sweet voice "Not enjoying the party we're throwing for you?"

"It leaves much to be desired"

"Aw, and we worked so hard on it too... oh well" she spun as his weapon fired, grabbing him by the arm and flipping him over her shoulder.

Weiss and Blake quickly moved to get Jacques behind them, Ironwood slid to a stop, twisting around as she soared toward him with flames propelling her forward. He slammed his metal fist into her face, smashing her into the ground. From her place on the ground, she formed a blade of fire in her hand, slashing it toward his face. He blocked the strike with his forearm, headbutting her, then spinning into a kick to her abdomen, throwing her back into the air. Flames from her hands and feet kept her aloft, unleashing a fireball down at him. Ironwood flipped backward through the air, sliding to a stop beside a bench. Using his metal arm, he lifted the bench from the ground, bolts snapping out as he did. She soared back toward him, knocked to the ground as the bench broke over her head, dropping to her knees. Her Grimm hand reached up, grabbing him by the face.

"Do you really think you have a chance against me? Me?!" Cinder unleashed a blast of flame to his chest, throwing him back through the air.

"James!" Jacques called in shock.

He flipped backward, landing on his feet pulling his fist back to strike as she soared back toward him. He slammed his fist into her face, stopping her in her tracks, then struck her again with the gun in his opposite hand, before slamming his metal leg into her abdomen. Catching his next punch in her Grimm hand, she flung him backward, rolling into the landing, he fired both weapons at her. Forming an obsidian blade in her hand, she rushed toward him, deflecting each round. Suddenly, she found herself being pulled back by a black Glyph behind her. She growled in annoyance, destroying it with a blast of flames. Turning toward Weiss, she created several obsidian blades, launching them right toward her. Weiss formed a wall of ice, but the blades all exploded, knocking her back painfully. Cinder grinned, preparing to attack, but was forced to dodge when Blake struck for her head. Moving to attack Blake, she was knocked aside by a powerful strike to her face from Ironwood, throwing her onto her side, rolling back to her feet with the momentum.

He aimed Due Process right at her "You can't win, Cinder. Give up, and I will show you mercy"

"I don't need your mercy" she grinned.

Charging forward, she swung an obsidian blade for his head as he spun backward, lowering himself to the floor and using one of his pistols to deflect the blade as it came around for a second strike. Spinning with her own momentum, she swung diagonally for his head, but he managed to shift out of the way. Delivering a swift kick to her left side, then turning into a kick to her face, he dropped her to one knee. Using the back of his metal hand, he struck her across the face, sending her flying onto her back.

He aimed both pistols at her "Surrender, or I will be forced to kill you" she glared at him from her place on the floor, Weiss and Blake moving to stand beside him "I won't ask you again"

She growled, getting onto one knee. Her arm suddenly seized painfully, causing her to cry out. A moment later, she grinned "She's almost here"

Ironwood's gaze narrowed "Salem..."

"That's right. And that means I don't have time to play with you anymore. I have more important things to attend to" the ground beneath Ironwood superheated "But I will not forget this"

He looked down in surprise, but was saved from the resulting explosion when Weiss used her Glyphs to push all three of them out of the way. Using this moment to escape, Cinder used her flames to propel her through the air, soaring toward the opposite side of the school. Ironwood stared after her with a growl of annoyance, holstering his weapons.

"Thank you" he nodded to Weiss.

"Hey, you saved my dad. I think that makes us even"

He smiled in amusement "Not that I'm unhappy to see you both, but what brought you back here?"

"We saw the attack from the airship, when we couldn't get in contact with anyone..."

"We sorta rushed right over" Blake finished.

"Is the rest of your team here?" he asked.

"Just Yang, we-" Weiss removed her Scroll "Hang on. Can I see your Scroll?"

He furrowed his brow, but did as she asked. Weiss did as Pietro instructed "What're you doing?"

"Restoring communications" she answered brightly "Doctor, I just looped in the General"

"The General? He's with you? What happened? Is he injured?" Pietro asked.

Ironwood placed two fingers to his earpiece "I'm fine. Arthur Watts is in custody, I put him in the cell myself. Cinder Fall just attempted to assassinate Councilor Schnee, I barely managed to get here in time to intervene. I want a status report, now"

"Yes, General. I managed to restore access to our security network, but Arthur has encrypted all of our channels. I opened this one so I could communicate with the others. Until I can decrypt this, or Yang gets to his black box, we're in the dark"

"Black box?" Ironwood asked.

"Yes, Arthur used it to shut us out. Without it, we should be able to regain access from his terminal"

"That's where I come in" Yang proclaimed "I'm almost to his office now. Just hang on"

Ironwood nodded "Understood. Keep us posted. What about Penny? She's linked to all systems, correct?"

"Not anymore. Arthur must've severed her connection the moment he disabled security. She'd need a direct connection to regain control of the situation"

"Then we need to get her back here ASAP. Focus on restoring communications, we need a coordinated defense if we're going to stand a chance against Salem"

"Right away, General"

Jacques stepped forward "Weiss, I am so glad you're safe"

"That was really brave, Dad. Attacking Cinder like that... saving me" she smiled up at him.

"I don't know about that, dear. But I couldn't just stand by and-oh"

Weiss pulled him into a hug "You had me worried, you know"

He returned to embrace, sighing in contentment "You don't have to worry about me, dear. But Winter is still in danger"

"I heard" Ironwood shook his head "Weiss, Blake, regroup with Winter, stop Cinder and arrest Willow Schnee. Yang, once you've restored security access, link up with them. I don't want Cinder to have a chance at escaping again"

"Got it. I'll be right over, this won't take long" Yang replied.

"What about my father?" Weiss asked concerned.

"He could still be a target" Blake pointed out.

"I'm going to escort him to safety myself. I'll keep him alive" Ironwood assured "Does anyone know Oscar's status?"

"He's with Winter, they're probably still in the dark about what's going on here" Weiss answered.

Ironwood nodded "And Mantle?"

"Holding strong last we saw. Ruby went to go help them before we came here"

"Good. Between her and Penny, they should be able to handle anything they can throw at them. I just hope that Wyvern doesn't prove too much for them to handle on their own"

---

"You doing alright?" Ruby called down to Slade.

He had his arms tightly wrapped around the large tether as he slowly climbed after Ruby "Oh, yeah. I'm doing great. I just love being this high up, that's why I'm holding onto this thing so tightly..." he called back.

"There is no need for sarcasm"

"I think you'll prefer it to the alternative"

"And that is?"

"Insults!"

Ruby gave him a sympathetic look, her expression brightened when she got an idea "Tell you what, why don't we play a game of twenty questions. That'll take you mind off climbing"

"Great idea. First question, why the hell did I agree to this?!"

"Come on, Slade. It's meant to distract you from your fear"

Slade sighed "Well, since I can't stop you, might as well"

"Okay, then. First question: What is your favorite thing to do when you're not working?"

"Stand on solid ground"

"Slade..." she chastised.

"Fine, fine. Well, since I don't drink anymore, uh... reading I guess"

"Reading, huh? Got any fairy tales you like?"

Slade smiled "Well, Elise used to read stories to me whenever our parents weren't home. As Huntsmen they were always out on missions... my favorite when I was boy was 'The Hunter's Children'. It was one of the few reasons I decided to become a Huntsman, because I wanted to be a hero like in the stories... like my parents were"

"And now? You have a different one?"

He nodded, climbing further up "The Indecisive King" he answered.

"What makes you like that one so much?" she asked surprised.

"It reminds me of the lesson Yang taught me not long after we first met"

"Huh?"

"Well, in the story, the king learns of a choice he will have to make one day, one with dire consequences. Indecision crippled the king for a time, until a woman spoke to him about his dilemma. She understood that he was presented with a problem he wasn't and may never have been able to solve. Despite that, she tells him to keep living his life even without knowing what would come... and he listens"

Ruby smiled in understanding "Sounds familiar"

He nodded "Sometimes, knowing is half the battle, but knowing too much can make you feel helpless. I think maybe Ozpin understands that better than most. But Yang was the one who reminded me that I needed to keep living my life, instead of running away from it... and that's how I found myself hanging from this stupid thing"

She rolled her eyes "Anyone ever tell you you're really stubborn?"

"Not to my face. Why? Have you heard anything?"

"You're impossible"

"Hey, I pride myself on my-woah!" the tether shook with a strong gust of wind.

Ruby held on tightly as Slade lost his hold "Slade!"

He managed to catch himself by wrapping his legs around the tether as he fell, smacking his head against it as he abruptly came to a stop "Ow..."

"Slade, are you alright?!" she called.

"Terrific" he gave her a thumbs up "I am looking at the one thing, I didn't want to see" he called back, moving to wrap his arms around the tether again.

"I told you not to look down" she called with a mischievous smile.

"Ruby, you're not helping"

She shrugged "I'm just saying... I did warn him" she said quietly to herself.

"This is the last time I climb anything for you, Ruby" he called.

She smiled "Don't climb for me, climb for Yang. She needs us, right?"

His eyes narrowed "You are a cruel woman, playing with my heart like that"

She smiled mischievously "Is it working?"

"No... yes... no. Leave me alone" he started climbing once more.

After several more minutes of climbing, the two of them finally reached the top of the tethers. They converged on each other to connect to an upside-down tower with thin metal rafters around it, only big enough for one foot at a time. Slade and Ruby climbed the rafters until they reached a nearby door. Once they entered, they found themselves where all the tethers connected... as transportation tubes for Dust. Slade stared at them in disbelief, realizing they were roughly the size of an average human.

"We could've... just..."

Ruby tilted her head "Oh, wow. That would've been so much easier to do, wouldn't it?" she waved her hand in front of his face "Uh, Slade... hello? Anybody home?" she asked, knocking on his forehead.

Slade grabbed her hand to stop her "Let's just get out of here before I lose my mind"

They moved to a nearby elevator that took them to the surface. The two of them sat in silence as it took them up floor by floor. After all the time it had taken to get up there, now they were stuck in the slowest moving elevator they'd ever encountered. Ruby folded her hands in front of her, swaying back and forth on the balls of her feet. After a moment, she started whistling to pass the time. Crossing his arms over his chest, Slade began tapping his finger impatiently. Neither of them said a word, both just watching the lights blink from one floor to the next.

"I really didn't know we could just ride up those tubes"

"It's fine, Ruby. It's done now"

She nodded, swaying once more "This is the worst elevator ever" she whined.

"Yup" he popped the p on the end.

Finally they reached the top, both of them wasting no time to get out of it. They rushed through the lobby, reaching the outside. All around them, the battle raged on, Grimm, Knights, and Chimera soldiers fought against Atlesian soldiers and any local Huntsmen that remained in the city. Ruby watched in horror, torn between wanting to join the fight, or getting to the academy to find her friends.

She sighed "Let's get to the academy. Slade?" she turned to find him absent "Uh... Slade?" she called a bit louder.

"Hang on a second" Slade called back.

Following the sound of his voice, she found him laying beneath the driver seat of a nearby vehicle "What're you doing?"

"Getting us a ride"

"You're stealing a car?"

"Not stealing, borrowing" he corrected with a pointed look "Besides, your plan was to climb those stupid tubes. Could you at least humor me for a couple more seconds"

"Do you even know how to hotwire a car?"

"You do remember I used to hang around with the Roman Torchwick right?"

"Right, yeah... but do you know how to hotwire a car? Have you ever done it?"

"That's... not pertinent"

"Of course" she rolled her eyes with a soft smile.

Moments later, the car started right up "See? I knew what I was doing... mostly" he pointed out as he got to his feet.

"Well, you did start it, I'll give you that"

"Exactly. Just like I planned. Now come on, we have to get to the academy"

She shrugged with a laugh "Alright then"

They both got into the vehicle and started making their way toward their destination, passing by absolute chaos in the streets "I can hear you thinking from here, Ruby. What's wrong?" he asked not taking his eyes off the road.

"Do you think we can do this? I mean... everything is so hectic right now, we don't even know what's going on in the academy, or if Jaune's alright down in Mantle. Or-"

"Hey, easy. You're right, Ruby, we don't know. There isn't much use worrying about something we can't control. All we can do right now, is focus on getting communications restored. Once we do that, we can start coordinating between our teams again"

She sighed "Yeah, you're right"

He smiled "I'm worried about them too, Ruby. One problem at a time, trust them to do their jobs"

She smiled back "Right"

He nodded "Good. Now, we just need to-" he was interrupted when a Beowolf Alpha landed on the hood of the vehicle "You've gotta be kidding"

Ruby pointed "Look! It's got one of those plates on it's head!"

"Wonderful" Slade removed Defiance from its holster and started firing through the windshield. The Beowolf leapt onto the top of the car "I can't see it"

"It's on top of us" Ruby told him, looking through the rearview mirror.

"Ruby, take the wheel" he didn't wait for a response, kicking the door open.

"What?! But I don't know how to DRIVE!" she shouted, quickly moving into the driver seat as he hung out of the vehicle with his left hand on the top of the car, firing back at the creature.

It leapt off the car, landing on the road on all fours, chasing after them "You know where the gas pedal is?"

"Yeah!"

"Brake pedal?"

"Uh-huh"

"Then just steer and get us to the academy"

"I don't know where that is!"

Slade pointed with a look of exasperation on his face "It's the tallest thing here. Just go there!"

Ruby made a face, mimicking his voice "Just go there, I'm Slade. I yell at people"

Slade rolled his eyes "Just drive"

An Ursa and a Sabyr quickly followed after seeing the vehicle pass them. Ruby focused her attention onto the road as Slade warded off the Grimm. She dodged and sped past Grimm on her way through the chaotic streets "Think I'm getting the hang of this!" she called out.

He looked ahead, of them, smiling as he made a plan "Great. Then brake when I tell you. I've got an idea" he called, holstering his weapon.

"What?!" she shouted unable to hear him.

The Sabyr caught up to the car, leaping for Slade, he dropped his head so she could hear him "Brake now!"

Slamming on the brakes, the Sabyr sailed right over the top of the vehicle. Slade aimed both his gauntlets at the creature as he leapt out of the car, firing both grappling hooks into it's back. The open door, smashed into the Ursa as it passed by them too quickly to stop. Pulling back on the cables, he landed on the door ahead of Ruby, sliding along the street as he fired both gauntlets into the creature. Ruby used her right hand to prop Crescent Rose onto the dash, then fired through the windshield, piercing through the weakened Grimm. Slade detached his hooks as he pulled hard to the left, throwing it onto the opposite side of the road.

"Slade, look out!" Ruby called, covering her eyes.

Slade flipped back onto the top of the car, landing in a prone position. His hand reached in, grabbing the wheel through the missing door "Keep your eyes on the road, Ruby!"

She grabbed the wheel again "Sorry! I'm sorry!"

They rounded the corner, making it to the academy's lower landing as the two remaining Grimm gave chase. Suddenly, a small black bird flew right past the car, transforming back into human form and using the momentum to knock the Grimm off their feet. Qrow smirked as he spun around to face them. Ruby slammed on the brakes, stopping the car abruptly. Slade was flung from the top of the car, rolling into the landing opposite from Qrow, who fired Harbinger into the face of the Ursa, killing it instantly. The Beowolf reached for Slade, who caught it's arm by the wrist, uppercutting with the opposite hand, then kicking both heels across it's face.

"Qrow!" he called as it stumbled back toward him.

Qrow hooked his curved blade around it's neck from below, then straightened the blade as he sliced through it, decapitating the creature "What took you so long?" he asked.

Ruby shakily stepped out of the car "I... uh... drove a car..." she said in mild disbelief.

Slade smirked "Driving lessons"

"I drove a car!" she shouted triumphantly.

"You let the pipsqueak drive? You're braver than I am" Qrow chuckled "How did you both get up here? You didn't take a ship did you?"

Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly "Oh, we, uh... kinda... climbed?"

"Climbed?" his eyes widened in realization "You didn't"

"Unfortunately, we did" Slade frowned.

"You two have got to be the craziest kids I've ever met"

Slade pointed to Ruby "Hey, it was her idea. I just... didn't have a better one"

He shook his head "Look, we've wasted enough time as it is. Head up to the academy and get to work. I'm going to find Winter" he transformed into Corvid form again, taking off.

Ruby sighed "No surprise there"

Slade chuckled "Let's go, Ruby. Nice driving by the way"

She grinned with pride "Thank you. I was pretty great, wasn't I?" they made their way to yet another elevator, leading up to the academy "Not again" she groaned.

"Hey, this will be faster this time. They have better tech here" they both stepped inside and pushed the button for their destination. The elevator ascended for a few seconds, then came to a halt "Or... not"

"Did you press the stop button?" she asked hopeful.

"No..."

Ruby hung her head in defeat "Uuuuuuuuuuuuugh!" she sliced a hole in the roof with Crescent Rose, then used her Semblance to ascend quickly.

Slade stared off after her, through the hole she'd created "So much for sticking together then... That's fine, I'll just..." he leapt through the open hole "Climb... again"

He positioned himself on the emergency ladder and started climbing up "Slade, how do you get yourself into these messes?" he asked aloud "Oh, right. By listening to a bunch of teenagers... ugh"

---

Yang burst through the door to Watts' office, her arms aloft in case of attack. Stepping through the office, she made her way behind the desk. On the desk, there was a small rectangular device with a screen that flipped up, a keypad on it with a fingerprint scanner. Two wires plugged from it into the computer, data streamed across both devices at blinding speed, too quick for her to process. She lifted her fingers to her earpiece.

"Found the black box, Doc. Do I just unplug it? Smash it?"

"Feel free to do both, Ms. Xiao Long. Once that is done, I'll just need you to log into his terminal using the new set of credentials I set up. Just connect your Scroll to the terminal"

"You got it" she removed the plugs from the terminal, then smashed her fist into the device "There we go" she connected her Scroll quickly "Done"

"Alright, let's see here... this might take a moment"

"Try to be quick, Doc. I don't want to leave the others on their own for too long-ah!" she cried out in surprise as red tentacles trapped her.

"Ms. Xiao Long? Ms. Xia Long! What happened?!"

The Seer revealed itself from a shadowed corner, grip tightening as Salem's image swirled into view "You again..."

Yang's eyes widened in fear "No... not you... not again"

The Seer removed her earpiece, dropping it to the floor "You left without even saying goodbye. It's rude"

Yang thrashed against her bindings "Let me go!"

Salem laughed "No, I don't think so. I'm going to kill you, slowly, agonizingly... but first, there is something I want from you"

"You won't get anything from me! You're wasting your time!"

"No, I am quite certain you're going to give me-"

The glass window behind her shattered, something fast crashed into the Seer, knocking it aside as Yang was freed, falling to the ground. Yang struggled for breath, propping herself up on her elbows. The Seer Grimm groaned in pain as it's limbs were torn off, landing all across the room as it attacked the assailant. Getting fully to her feet, Yang's eyes widened, a sigh of relief escaping her.

"Branwen..." Salem seethed.

The Seer was killed when the blade pierced it's head, dissolving as the connection to Salem had been cut "Mom" she greeted coldly.

Raven sheathed her red blade "Yang" she replied, matching her daughter's tone.

Standing to her full height, Yang's gaze narrowed "What're you doing here?"

She scoffed "A fine way to thank me for saving your life"

She growled "I'd have been fine, I didn't need your help"

"Didn't look that way from where I was standing"

"And from where I'm standing, you didn't answer my question"

Raven huffed "I'm here to keep you from getting yourself killed"

"Oh, so now you care about me? Here I thought you'd already saved me once, that I shouldn't expect that 'kindness' again" she snapped, quoting her words back to her.

"This isn't the same. I'm not saving you from someone else, I'm saving you from your own stubborn nature. You can't really be stupid enough to think you have a chance against Salem"

"I think we deserve the chance to try"

"Take a look around you, Yang. Atlas is in chaos, Mantle is even worse, all of this destruction, and Salem herself hasn't even arrived yet. Even if you somehow manage to whether this storm, this amount of pressure is going to bend you until you break"

"I won't break" she declared with determination.

Raven exhaled "If not you, then someone else. Friends of yours are going to die today, that is unavoidable"

"We're stronger than that"

"Stronger? You lost your arm, you were captured by Salem. None of you stand a chance"

"We're doing the best we can!"

"So am I!"

Her Aura flared, eyes flashing red "Bullshit! You're just feeling guilty!"

"I... I'm not guilty" she protested.

"You don't actually care about me, you don't care about my friends. You're just trying to manipulate me, just like you always do!"

"Yang, please. That's not-"

"Why did you save Slade?"

She blinked in surprise "What?"

"You saved Slade's life. Why? What possible reason could you have to save him, huh?"

"I... you two seemed close, and I was hoping... I wanted to know what made him come back, what changed his mind. If I could understand that then... I was hoping to convince him to, well..."

"To side with you so I'd have a reason to leave?! He wouldn't do that!"

"I know, or at least... I know that now"

"So what're you really here for then? To save my life? To help us fight? Or to convince me to run away like a coward, to be like you?"

"I tried, Yang. I really tried. I left because I didn't want to die in Ozpin's war, but your father and Summer didn't feel the same, and Qrow wouldn't leave either, no matter what I said to try and convince them. I tried fighting Yang... but in the end, I learned the truth... no one will ever be able to stop Salem"

Yang sighed "I know what it's like to lose. I know what it's like to fail. I know what it's like to be afraid. But that hasn't stopped me from fighting, it hasn't stopped me from looking after the ones I care about... and I was the one who had to pick up the pieces when Mom died... because you were never there"

She scowled "That is enough"

Yang looked down at her prosthetic "I had my moment of doubt... and I've grown past it" her hand closed into a fist "But all you can think about is yourself, you're just afraid of dying alone!"

"That is enough, Yang! You don't know anything about what I've been through, what I've suffered!" she shouted.

"What you've suffered?! Qrow didn't abandon you! You abandoned him! Abandoned me! Abandoned Dad! You abandoned everyone you claim to care about! Don't tell me you know what it feels like to lose someone important to you! You never cared!"

Raven got in her face now "I know exactly what that feels like! I had to watch Summer die!"

Yang wanted to call her a liar, wanted to shout at her... but the tears in her eyes told her she was being honest "You really cared about her, didn't you?"

Raven looked away "Summer Rose... was like the sister I never knew I wanted. Summer and Tai... they were everything to me. I loved them more than I ever thought I could love anyone, they were as important to me as Qrow ever was. I would've died for them without question. But when I couldn't fight Ozpin's war anymore... none of them would hear it. They didn't care... they said it was 'necessary' that our sacrifices were for the greater good. All the while, Ozpin would just come back when we failed... I couldn't stand to watch them kill themselves back then, and I can't watch you kill yourself now, Yang"

"Then help me. Ruby is right, if we work together, we can do this. We can stop Salem"

"No... we can't" Raven turned back to look at her "Tai and Qrow have already made their choice, and Summer paid for hers. I can't bear to see it happen to you too" she finished, placing a hand onto her shoulder.

Yang had tears well up in her eyes "Mom..."

Raven sighed "Yang, I didn't come here to argue. I came to help you"

Her eyes widened in shock "Really?"

Raven nodded with a deep frown "Just... tell your father, I'm sorry about your sister"

Her eyes widened "What?"

Raven used her left hand to slice through the air, opening a portal with her Semblance, pushing her toward it with her opposite hand. Yang stumbled back toward the portal, but just before passing through, she fired both weapons, launching herself into a backflip over the portal. She fired once more, launching her out the window onto the exterior of the academy, landing a few floors down. Raven leapt down as her portal closed behind her, landing opposite Yang.

"You are the worst! You would've sent me back home?! Let Ruby die?! What about Slade?!"

"Your sister isn't my concern, Yang. And that boy is nothing but a distraction"

"He's not a distraction!"

"Because he's not afraid of you? Not intimidated by your arm?" she asked in a mocking tone, quoting her.

"Because I love him!" she shouted.

Raven sneered "You are far too young to know if you're in love. You-"

"Shut up! You don't know anything about how I feel! You were never here for me!"

"I am trying to protect you!"

"No! You don't get to decide for me! You gave that right away when you abandoned me!" she fired Ember Celica, forcing Raven to deflect it with her blade.

She scoffed "You've got guts, Yang. I'll give you that. But you can't stand up against a Maiden, fight me if you want, but you will be going back home. Conscious or not" she lowered into a combat stance.

Yang got into her own combat stance "That's not happening. I'm not abandoning the people I care about. I'm not like you"

Raven growled, firing the hilt of Omen from her scabbard at Yang. The hilt collided with her metal arm, spinning through the air back toward its owner. Catching it in her hand, she sliced the golden blade down at her as Yang leapt away, flipping backward as she soared through the air. Raven kicked off from the edge of the roof, crashing into Yang as she raised her arms to block her strike. The two crashed into a nearby wall, shattering it from the impact. She managed to hold her ground against her mother, holding the blade in her metal hand, she pushed back, but Raven was prepared for her next move. Spinning on her heel, she kicked Yang in the back, throwing her down to a lower level, skipping on the ground like a rock on water.

Catching herself on her hands, she flipped back to her feet, then fired her weapons behind her, launching herself back toward Raven. She blocked a punch from each hand, then swung for Yang's legs with her blade. Flipping back onto the wall behind her, Yang fired her weapons once more, pulling her fist back to strike her mother's face. Raven leaned back beneath the strike, barely able to keep ahead of it. Yang flipped forward through the air, sliding to a stop on her heels, then fired her weapons to her right, barely managing to avoid a strike from Raven. Yang blocked her blade with Ember Celica as it swung for her face, then turned her arm downward as she struck for her knee, blocking it once more. Spinning away from Ember Celica as it fired for her face, she thrust Omen for her back, only for Yang to block with her prosthetic bent behind her back. Gripping the blade in her metal hand, she twisted around, firing Ember Celica into the weapon as she struck, shattering it apart. Raven flipped back into a single handed backhand-spring, sliding on her heels away from Yang. Placing the hilt of her blade back into it's scabbard, replacing it's golden blade with a blue one.

"Salem killed Summer, she will kill you too"

"You won't scare me that easily. I'm not giving up. We will stop her"

"Stop her? You can't even stop me!"

Raven sliced for her head, forcing Yang to duck beneath it before using Ember Celica to block a second swing of her blade. She then sidestepped three additional strikes, barely able to keep pace with her mother's superior speed. Raven threw her blade at her, spinning through the air. Yang blocked, the blade spinning against her arm until she pushed back, throwing it skyward. Raven kicked the hilt of her blade at Yang, who punched it away with her metal fist, embedding it down into the roof. Snatching it up, Raven used a reverse grip to slice for her head, just as Yang flipped back away from it. Rushing back into the fight, Yang ducked left away from a downward strike, then ducked right away from a second. She caught Raven's arm by her wrist, slamming her fist into her side, followed closely by a second strike propelled by firing Ember Celica into the same spot. Raven wheezed, unable to catch her breath as Yang bent her arm behind her, slamming her knee into the same spot, then following it up with a powerful punch to her face. Firing both weapons, she kicked for her face before she could fully recover. Using Omen to block the strike, she found her blade shattered as her opposite heel struck her across the face, stumbling her back..

"Are we finished yet?!" she asked agitated "I've got more important things to worry about than you!"

Raven wiped the blood from her mouth with her thumb "You've gotten stronger, you fight smarter than you used to... but..." her eyes emblazoned, activating her Maiden Powers "You're still not strong enough to face a Maiden"

The air around Yang formed into a powerful current, lifting her from the ground and slamming her into the wall behind her "Ow..." she groaned out.

Raven ascended into the air, lightning coursing through her body "I don't have time for this crap! My friends need my help, and you're getting in my way!"

Raven took her place on a higher level, looking down at Yang "You want to die for your friends so badly? You're gonna have to stop me, Yang... do you think you're stronger than Summer was?" she asked with a glare.

Yang's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed as she growled, eyes flashing red "Shut up already!" she fired both weapons, launching herself skyward.

Raven's expression hardened "I didn't think so"

She held out her open palm toward Yang, a bolt of lightning launching toward her. Yang fired her prosthetic to avoid it, then fired both once more, propelling her right toward her mother. Just before she reached her, she fired both weapons to her left, avoiding a slice from Omen. Planting her right heel onto the wall, she kicked off of it, firing her prosthetic as she swung her fist down into a strike. Raven sidestepped the attack, then leaned back from a backhanded swing from Ember Celica. However, her previous attack concealed a punch to her abdomen, firing as she made contact, surprising Raven. Spinning with the strike, she slammed her heel into her chest, throwing Raven backward. Yang fired her weapons after her one after the other, forcing Raven to dodge and block midflight. Planting her hand to the ground as she slid to a stop, a pillar of earth emerged from Yang's left, smacking into her and throwing her from the academy.

Yang fell for several seconds before aiming her prosthetic downward, launching herself back to her previous place opposite Raven, who merely tilted her head in impressed amusement. Raven launched several fireballs at Yang as they rushed toward each other, Yang firing back both weapons as she did. Most were dodged or blocked, but Yang managing to land a single shot on her mother before launching herself skyward. Raven slid to a stop, a confident smile on her face. Using her Magic, she redirected the air, pushing Yang backward. With a smile, Yang fired both weapons at Raven, to her surprise. Before she could defend herself, she was struck, throwing her back into the wall a short distance behind her, Omen clattering to the floor.

Yang fired both weapons behind her several times, closing the distance between them quickly. She slammed her heel into Raven's face as she got to her knees, throwing her back into the wall and bouncing off into a punch to her face. Raven collided with the wall, then lashed out with a punch of her own. Yang easily caught her fist in her metal hand, then slammed her fist into her chest as she fired. Yang grabbed her by her clothes, lifting her from her feet.

"We're done, Mom! It's over!"

Raven glared, she held her palm up and aimed for her face as Magic coursed through it. Yang ducked away from her hand, avoiding being frozen, grabbing her arm by her wrist. She punched for her chest as Raven flipped over her head, her free hand on Yang's shoulder. Twisting away from her, she forced Yang to release her. With a powerful blast of lightning infused flames, she threw Yang backward, rolling on her back over the edge of the academy. Yang barely caught herself with her right arm, dangling below the edge. Raven smiled, approaching with a confident smile on her face.

"I told you, Yang. You're not as strong as a Maiden-" she stopped when she noticed Yang's prosthetic hung alone "What?!"

She turned to look over her shoulder just in time to catch sight of Ember Celica. Transforming into Corvid form, she sought to get some distance from her attacker. But Yang anticipated her escape, catching her by her tailfeathers, she slammed her down into the ground, transforming back into human form as she rolled painfully. Yang fired Ember Celica once more as she struck her in the chest, knocking her over the edge. Raven wrapped her legs around her back, taking Yang along with her, both of them trading punches as they fell, until they slammed down into the landing platform painfully. Raven's Aura sparked from the impact, completely depleted now. Both women prepared to resume their fight.

Yang punched her fist toward Raven, only for her weapon to click empty. She looked down in disappointment, then lowered her weapon "You've lost your Aura... and your weapon... you're done now..." Yang panted out.

Raven panted right along with her "I'll admit... I'm impressed... But you've only got one arm... and you're out of... bullets"

"Give up" she dropped onto one knee "Without your Aura... you can't send me... anywhere" she reached into her pocket.

Raven smirked "I'm a Maiden, I don't need Aura to keep fighting"

She rushed toward Yang, swinging her fist as Yang backed away from it. With the back of her hand, she stumbled Yang back with a strike to her face, then swung with her opposite fist. Yang blocked with her remaining hand, then flipped over her. Turning back to strike Raven, her mother blocked with the plating on her arm, then slammed her fist into her chest, stumbling Yang back with a painful groan. Her eyes flashed red as she growled in anger, charging back toward Raven. Surprised by her daughter's remaining energy, she was unable to stop her relentless assault. Her arms knocked aside with every attempt to block, followed by one powerful punch after another from her remaining hand. She swung her fist toward Yang in an attempt to stop her, but she easily dodged, sending her flying back into the wall with a strike to her chest. Pulling her fist back to strike, she slammed her fist into the wall as Raven rolled out of the way, freezing her arm to the wall, leaving only her hand free to move.

Raven laid on her back, struggling to catch her breath "I suppose... I shouldn't... be surprised... you're better... at hand-to-hand... than me... after all... you're Tai's... daughter"

Yang pulled hard against the ice, struggling to break free. But the mechanism of Ember Celica was frozen in place "Let me go... Now!" she shouted with exhaustion.

Raven got to one knee "No, Yang... I think... we're finished..."

"What're you gonna... do? Carry me... all the way... back to Patch?" she asked.

Raven looked back up at her, one eye bruised shut "Something like that... I told you... you couldn't... win, Yang..."

Yang grit her teeth "You're right, Mom... I'm not strong enough... to fight a Maiden..."

She started to catch her breath "Glad you're seeing things... my way for a change" she put a hand over her chest, slowing her breathing.

Yang took a deep breath "I'm not strong enough... but I am smarter than you"

"What?" she asked in confusion.

Yang opened her fist, a shotgun shell from Ember Celica in her grasp. Channeling her Aura into it, the shell exploded, shattering the ice and damaging Yang slightly. Before Raven could recover from her shock, Yang activated her Semblance, slamming her fist into Raven's chest, sending her flying back. The force of the attack caused Raven to scrape along the ground, leaving an indentation of her body as she did. She writhed on the floor from the pain, her body taking the full force of the strike without her Aura. Yang's own Aura depleted with that final strike, dropping to her knees as she struggled to catch her breath.

"You... planned... this?" Raven asked in shock.

Yang glared at her mother "I knew... I couldn't... match you... through brute force... but Dad... told me... you and I... thought alot... alike..."

Raven's eyebrows knit together "How... does... that... matter...?"

Yang got to her feet once more "Dad told me... I was predictable, stubborn..." she smiled fondly at the memory "A little boneheaded too" she stepped toward her "I used to rely on my Semblance to get me through each fight" her expression hardened "I didn't think before I acted, and I was stubborn as hell... which I can see why he said I got that from you"

Raven glared "You... planned... on... my... stubbornness...?"

She shook her head "Not just your stubbornness. Your predictability. You and I both try and go through the obstacles in our paths, but strength isn't all that matters in a fight... he taught me, sometimes, there is a way around if you take another look"

Raven frowned "I see..."

Yang stood over her now "I knew if it came to brute force, you'd win. But like my Semblance, your Magic isn't any good if you're exhausted. I knew I would have to fight differently than I normally would against you... so I planned ahead, lured you in with a false sense of confidence and security. I made you think you'd won when I still had more in the tank"

Raven glared up at her "It doesn't... matter... Salem... will... still... kill... everyone..."

Yang knelt down, getting close to her face "I will stop anyone who tries to hurt the people I care about. Even if that person is my own mother"

She recognized the guilt in Raven's eyes, the older woman looked up to the shattered moon above them "Well... maybe Summer... was right... after all..."

"What?" Yang asked surprised.

Raven smiled "The day... she died... she told me... that if we... failed... it'd be... because I... was too afraid... to stand... with my team..." she closed her eyes "She believed... you and Ruby... would succeed... where we... failed..."

"Tell me what happened. I need to know" she implored.

Raven opened her eyes once more "All you need... to know... is that everything... she did... was because... she loved you... Summer... loved you... just as much... as she loved... Ruby. She died... trying to... protect you... from Salem... both of you"

Tears ran down her cheeks "But why lie? Why keep it from us? From Dad, or Ozpin?"

She scoffed "Why do you... think? Your father... Qrow... they never... would've let... her go... without them"

Yang closed her eyes, the tears falling harder now "She didn't want us to be alone"

"Yes..." Raven slowly, painfully, forced herself to sit up "I suppose... this is... goodbye..."

Yang stood "You're leaving then?"

She nodded, groaning as she forced herself up "This fight... isn't mine... anymore..."

Yang was disappointed, but didn't expect anything else from her mother "Then go. If you ever try and do something like this again..." she warned.

"What... would be... the point?" without another word, she changed into Corvid form, slowly making her way away from the academy, flapping her wings painfully, struggling to stay airborne.

Yang stared off after her, drying the tears from her eyes. She turned back to look up to her missing hand still hanging from the side of the academy "Yep, this is gonna be a fun climb"

---

Jaune slid to a stop beside a line of Atlas soldiers, all firing at the oncoming Grimm horde "They've broken through our second line. Hold them back!" he shouted.

"Where the hell is Ren!" Nora shouted, firing several grenades at the larger Grimm.

As if on que, Ren slid down the side of a nearby building, riding on the back of a beheaded Teryx, rolling into the landing beside them "I came as fast as I could"

"What's the situation?" Jaune asked as he blocked rounds from a Chimera soldier.

Neon slid behind the soldier, smacking him with her nunchucks, freezing him in place. Nora fired Magnhild at him, shattering the ice as he was taken down "Not good" Ren answered "The automated defenses have either been shut down or started attacking people. The Huntsmen there managed to get everything under control with only a few casualties, but it is not looking good. We're only at about 40% finished with the evacuation"

Jaune groaned "Then we need to hold this spot until the other 60% gets out"

"That's insane, we can't pull that with just the five of us" Flynt argued. Penny soared overhead, lasers dropping one Grimm after another "Six of us" he corrected.

"We don't have a choice. We-" Jaune stopped when a rocket passed over his shoulder "Woah! What was that?!"

Down at the end of the road, amidst the charging Grimm lines, stood Cole Larson with his rocket launcher on his back "You've gotta be kidding me" Nora groaned.

"We're so dead" Jaune shrugged "That's just it, we're dead"

"Who the hell is that?" Flynt asked.

"Bad news" Nora answered, rushing toward him.

"Nora, wait! Don't run off on your own!" Ren called.

"Come on, Ren. You know she's not listening anyway" Jaune pointed out as he moved to flank from the right.

Nora leapt over two rockets from Cole, then fired Magnhild into the ground, propelling herself skyward as she flipped over a second set of them "Take this!" she shouted as she fired at him, rolling beneath a third set of rockets.

Before Cole could reload the weapon, Neon raced around from behind him "Never miss a beat! Never miss a beat!" she smacked the back of his knee, dropping him down onto it.

Growling in annoyance, he grabbed her by her tail, and flung her into a nearby wall. Nora fired two shots at him as he blocked with his left arm, pink dust blocking his vision, while Ren slid on his side from the opposite direction, firing StormFlower into his chest before he could harden it. While he was distracted, Jaune leapt overhead, slicing through his weapon. Cole noticed in just enough time to leap out of the way, avoiding being caught in the explosion as the missile in the chamber detonated. He slid to a stop opposite his opponents as they all moved to attack.

"Everyone focus your fire on him!" Flynt shouted, using his Killer Quartet to make each round fired hit harder.

Cole took each hit, stumbling from them before being knocked onto his back.. Even his Semblance couldn't stop the force of the attacks from knocking him off balance. The Grimm however, did not let up their attack, continuing to press their lines, forcing Flynt and the remaining soldiers to focus on them. Jaune, Ren, and Nora all moved back to help, clearing out as many Grimm as they could. Neon got to her feet and raced back into the fight, taking down one Grimm after another. Jaune sliced through the arm of an Ursa and then bisected it with a diagonal slice through it's chest. Nora smacked a Beowulf's knee out from under it, then spun behind it, slamming her hammer into it's back, crushing it to the ground. Ren leapt onto the back of an Ursa and impaled his blades through it's back, firing into the creature until it stopped moving. A Beringel swung it's fist at Neon as she ducked down on her side, sliding on her hand as she smacked her nunchucks against it's forearm, glowing red as she severed it. Spinning her nunchucks behind her back, she severed the opposite arm as it turned to swing. Flynt ran up it's back and flipped back into the air, unleashing a powerful sound wave into it from above, smashing it to the ground, killing the creature.

Cole got to his feet with an annoyed expression on his face, flexing his wrist as he began to walk toward them "Guys, he's back up" Flynt pointed out.

"Yeah, noticed that" Jaune frowned.

"Leave him to us. You and Neon stick to the Grimm" Ren replied.

"Psh! We've got this!" Neon assured, striking another Grimm as she skated by.

"You guys sure?" Flynt asked uneasily.

Nora nodded with excitement "We've got some payback to give. Hey, you! Jackass!" she shouted.

The three of them formed a line in front of him "Such childish behavior. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from the likes of you"

"Yeah, and you're a big dumb rock face!"

Jaune sweatdropped "Way to get him, Nora" he shook himself back into focus.

"We're not letting you get anywhere near those people" Ren declared.

"The people of Mantle will die regardless of what you do here today, boy. But I was not sent here for them, no... I was sent for the express pleasure of ending Huntsmen. I suppose you'll have to suffice for now"

"Yeah, that's not happening, big guy" Jaune replied.

"Why bother fighting? You cannot kill me and you cannot kill Salem, even if you were strong enough to face her. Your actions are pointless, a worthless endeavor"

"I'll show your worthless!" Nora shouted.

She rushed forward, swinging horizontally for his head. Cole ducked beneath it, slamming his fist into her face as he stood back straight. Grabbing her by the back of her clothes, he tossed her into the wall behind him. Ren sliced for his left side, but Cole stepped out of the way, slamming his fist into the right side of his face, then spinning into a backhand that knocked him to the ground. Cole lifted a ruined car with both hands and swung it for Ren, only for Jaune to moved to block it with his shield, throwing both of them back from the impact, but leaving them mostly unharmed as they rolled to a stop. Nora swung for his chest, left and right, up and down, he sidestepped each and every one of them, then kicked her in the chest, throwing her onto her back.

"What's the matter, kids? I thought you were going to show me something? Huh?" he taunted.

Nora swung high for his head, but he moved faster, punching her across the face, then smacking the back of his fist into Jaune's shield, sliding him back. Ren aimed his weapons but found himself being thrown back by a powerful strike to his face, landing painfully on his back. Rushing toward Jaune as he lowered his shield, he slammed his shoulder into him, throwing him into the destroyed car behind him painfully. Jaune recovered quickly, slicing for his head, Cole countered with a punch to his face, stopping his attack in its tracks. However, at the exact moment he struck Jaune, Nora slammed her hammer into the back of his head, leaving him completely undefended, even his Aura hadn't been raised. Cole crashed to the ground painfully, struggling to get to his feet.

"Did you see that?" Ren asked.

"I got him?" Nora asked surprised.

Jaune smiled "His Semblance! He can only focus on one part of himself at a time. If he's attacking us, he can't defend from another attack"

"Then we need to time our attacks perfectly" Ren noted quietly.

"There's three of us and only one of him" Nora noted.

"I've got more Aura than both of you. I can take a hit if it means you can land one" Jaune proposed.

Nora grinned "Let's show him what Team JNPR is all about!" she shouted just as Cole managed to recover.

Ren ran to the right, firing his weapons at him, which Cole blocked with his arms. Nora rushed straight for him, but Cole anticipated her strike and smashed his fist into her hammer, sliding them both back from the impact. Nora cried out as she leapt into the air, slamming her hammer down onto him. Cole caught her hammer by the handle, kicking her away from him as Jaune came from his right. Cole swung for his head, only for him to roll under the strike, giving Ren the opening he'd been hoping for. Ren slashed his blades across his chest, then used his arm to redirect a punch for his head. Striking outwardly once more, he forced Cole to stumble back as he pulled back to swing, throwing him off balance. Jaune sliced across his chest before he could use his Semblance, followed by a powerful upward swing from Nora's hammer to his chin, throwing him back into the building behind him.

"You're not even human anymore, why serve someone like Salem?" Jaune asked.

Cole pulled himself to his feet "She removed my weakness, she gave me purpose. That's more than I can say for anyone else in my life"

"But you died, and now you're being forced to serve her again" Ren pointed out "There is nothing for you in this world anymore"

Cole chuckled darkly "Your mistake is believing I have a choice. Perhaps you will understand, when I send you all to the next world!"

Cole swung for Ren, who leaned back away from the attack just in time for Jaune to bash the bottom of his shield into his face, stumbling Cole back. He put his fists together over his head, and swung them down at Jaune, who leapt over him. Nora smashed Magnhild into his back, followed by Jaune slicing across his side. Cole block his blade with his forearm, but Nora slammed her fist into his opposite side. Ren sliced his blades across Cole's left knee, as Jaune sliced across his opposite shoulder, causing him to groan in pain. Nora kicked the back of his right knee, dropping him onto it. Cole caught Nora's fist in his hand, standing upright, towering over her.

"Enough of these childish tricks"

"How's this for tricks" Nora grinned.

She swung her hammer with a single hand, smashing into his face. Ren followed up with a palm strike to his chest, then Jaune smashed his shield into his face. Nora swung horizontally, striking him across the face, followed by an uppercut from Ren. Jaune charged him from behind, slamming his shield into his legs as Nora grabbed him from behind, slamming him down into the ground with the increased momentum. Ren slid along the ground, slamming his heel across his face, throwing Cole to his right. Jaune leapt into a spinning kick to Cole's chest as he got to his feet, throwing him back into Nora as she wrapped Magnhild around him, electricity coursing through it, increasing her strength. Lifting him up and over her shoulder, she slammed him down into the ground, followed by Magnhild slamming into his chest, depleting his Aura completely.

"Now, Ren!" Jaune called.

Before Cole could move, Ren stabbed the cylindrical casing into his neck. Cole screamed in agony, thrashing about of the ground as the casing filled to the brim with Grimm fluid. He struggled to his feet, reaching for his neck, slumping onto his knees as his eyes returned to their natural color. His eyes then quickly changed to reflect the decay his body had gone through. His corpse collapsed to the ground, eyes wide in shock at having been defeated. He had barely been able to process the thought when he was returned to the grave, where he should've stayed. Jaune, Nora and Ren panted from exhaustion, but the Grimm would give them no reprieve, the battle raged on all around them even as they caught their breath.

"One down..." Jaune breathed out.

"There's still the Grimm to take care of" Ren noted.

"Yeah, we'll get them... together" Nora took Ren's hand in hers.

He allowed himself a small smile "Together"

Jaune removed the casing from Cole's body "Then let's go to work" the three of them charged right back into the action.

---

Ruby peaked her head around a corner, looking down the hall at a group of Chimera soldiers "They're even in the academy" she whispered to herself.

Ruby zipped down the hall, closer to them, doing her best not to make a sound. She prepared Crescent Rose to attack, taking aim. Before she could attack, a metal hand covered her mouth, stopping her for making any unwanted noise. She looked over her shoulder to find Yang silently shushing her, she sighed in relief.

"Yang, where did you come from? And what happened to your arm? Are those burns?" she whispered with concern.

"Ran into a little trouble" she shrugged "Nothing I couldn't handle. How did you even get up here?"

"We, uh... climbed..."

"Climbed? Wait, we? Who else did you come with?"

"Well, Qrow and S-" she stopped when the soldiers started making their way toward them.

Yang nodded in understanding "Later" she prepared to fight.

Ruby nodded "Right. Weiss and Blake?"

"We split up. Was headed right to them when I saw you"

She smiled "Then let's take care of business"

"That is the plan"

The first soldier made it to the wall, which Yang promptly punched her metal fist through, launching him into the opposite wall. Rolling with the momentum of her strike, she unleashed a flurry of jabs to the abdomen of the nearest thug, while Ruby fired over her shoulder into the next before he could take aim. Grabbing her opponent by the collar, she slammed her head into his helmet, cracking the visor as he fell to the floor. Ruby spun Crescent Rose, slicing through the next soldier's weapon and then elbowing her in the abdomen. Spinning on her heel, she lifted her on her blade, slamming her down over her shoulder. Suddenly, the remaining soldiers were lifted by a black Glyph beneath them. Blake sliced through them, leaping from one to the next at blinding speed.

"Weiss! Blake!" Ruby called.

"Ruby! Yang!" they both called in unison.

The four girls shared in their relief and excitement "Yang, your arm" Weiss pointed out.

"It's nothing, just some-"

"The reunion is going to have to wait" Pietro's voice interjected, we've got a problem"

The three girls nodded to each other "Ruby, your Scroll" the heiress spoke with urgency.

"My Scroll? What about-hey!" Yang pulled it out of her pocket for her, holding her own over it.

"There, now you're looped in"

"What's happened, Doctor?" Blake asked.

"Winter is taking an elevator up to the closest landing pad. Somehow, Cinder must be tracking her. She's headed to an elevator of her own" he informed.

Ruby motioned them to follow, heading toward the closest elevator "Where's the landing pad"

"Ah, Ms. Rose. Good to hear your voice. Ahem, it's a few floors up from you" he explained.

The four of them entered the elevator "Which floor?" Weiss asked.

"Not to worry, I've got it handled. Just hold on, this will be a fast climb" he warned.

The elevator jolted, nearly knocking them over as they used the walls to steady themselves "Where is Cinder?" Yang demanded.

"Just a few floors down from you, but I may be giving her an extra obstacle. I'm making her elevator stop on each floor"

Ruby laughed for a moment before clearing her throat and asking "And Winter?"

"See for yourself" he replied as the elevator came to an abrupt halt.

The elevator door opened, each of them catching sight of Oscar as he reached the outside with the rest. His eyes widened when he spotted them "Ruby?" he asked surprised.

Winter stopped, turning back to find her sister's team all rushing to catch up with her "Weiss? What're you all doing here?" she asked surprised.

"We came to help as soon as we could" Weiss answered, the door back inside locked behind her.

"Cinder is headed to you, she's blown through the elevator. I don't have eyes on her, she could be there any second" Pietro warned.

Blake and Yang pointed their weapons at Willow, prompting Winter to step between them "What is going on here? That's my mother you're aiming at"

Ruby leaned over to Yang "What exactly is going on here?" she whispered.

"Later" she whispered back sternly.

Weiss sighed "Yes, it is..." Weiss stepped forward "Winter, you need to trust us"

Oscar looked between them "Guys, we're all on the same side here. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for all this, right?"

"What reason could you possibly have for aiming your weapons at me?" Willow demanded "Winter, are you just going to let them threaten me like this?"

"We don't have time to explain. Cinder is right behind us" Ruby called.

Winter held her blade up toward her sister "And what does that have to do with Mother?"

Weiss placed her weapon on her hip "Our dear mother is working with Salem, she was behind the assassination attempt on Father, and she's promised you to Cinder in return for ruling Atlas"

Willow scoffed "Please, I can assure you I have never promised Winter to anyone. I don't even know who you're talking about? Who is Salem? Have you any proof?"

"Councilor Schnee confirmed it himself" Blake answered "Just before Cinder tried to murder him"

Winter's eyes widened "Father, is he-"

"He's alive" Weiss assured "General Ironwood is escorting him to safety, and we're here to make sure Cinder doesn't get to you"

Willow stepped forward "If anyone is the traitor here, it's that Stroud boy you've got working with you. He's worked with criminals before, hasn't he?"

Yang's eyes flashed red, but before she could interject, Winter beat her to it "No, Slade is a good friend. He's fought against Salem and her followers as hard as any of us, and he saved my life. But you..." Winter turned toward Willow with a look of anger "You've never done anything that didn't exclusively benefit you"

She scoffed "No more than your father-"

"My father is trying!" Winter argued.

Willow grunted in disgust "I will not sit here and be accused of crimes I am innocent of. You cannot charge me with anything, because you have nothing"

"You have to hurry! The security feed for your location just vanished, Cinder must've figured out we were tracking her movements" Pietro warned.

"We'll let the courts decide that" Winter stepped toward her, removing a bolas to restrain her "Willow Schnee, you're under arrest"

Oscar! Stop her!

"Like hell I am!" a pistol suddenly emerged from a concealed wrist-mounted rig from within her sleeve, aimed right at her.

"Mrs. Schnee!"

"Mother!" Klein and Whitley shouted in disbelief as the gun fired.

Oscar moved faster than they could track, blocking the round. They stared in surprise, but before Willow could fire again, a bullet tore through her from behind. She froze, shocked by the sensation as she looked down at the pooling blood on her clothes. She dropped to her knees, eyes wide in disbelief, hand pressed to the wound. Behind her, stood Qrow with his weapon aimed her way, smoke rising from the barrels. She dropped onto her back, gasping for breath. Winter glared down at her mother, she was angry, betrayed, sickened. Harbinger's blade straitened as Qrow approached her.

"You okay?" he asked concerned.

"I'm... I don't know what I am, Qrow... but thank you" she smiled down at Oscar "You to, Pine. I'm glad you were here"

Oscar breathed a sigh of relief "I'm just glad I was fast enough"

Weiss moved to Whitley's side "Are you okay?"

He looked at his mother's body with disgust "I knew she was capable of a lot, but trying to kill Winter? Why? Why would she do that?"

"Because she was power hungry" Winter answered turning back to him "She wanted to have everything, but in the end, now she has nothing"

"Well, that was awful" Ruby noted with a deep frown.

Qrow nodded "Family can be the hardest to see evil in, to face that familiarity with... well..." he looked to Willow's body "Nothing could make betrayal easy, even when we anticipate it"

Blake frowned "I'm sorry, Winter, Weiss. You both deserved better than this"

The two smiled at the Faunus "I don't think life is about what we deserve, it's-"

Pietro's voice came through on each of their earpieces now "Finally! I've broken through Arthur's encryption! Can everyone hear me?"

"Is that you, Doctor?! Man is it good to hear your voice" Jaune asked.

"Jaune!" Yang called with a smile "Are you guys alright?"

"We're holding, but the evacuation is going slower than we'd like. We managed to take down Cole-"

"Cole Larson is dead?" Ironwood asked.

"Deader than dead!" Nora replied.

"Not sure that's possible" Ren stated.

"Slade? Are you there?" Yang asked with worry "I need to hear-"

"Specialist, you need to-" Pietro interrupted urgently.

The door suddenly exploded, knocking them all to the ground. Cinder stepped through the cloud of smoke with a flame in each hand "How nice of you all to come to the same place so I can kill you all together" she grinned.

"Report. What's happening?" Ironwood called.

Winter growled "Cinder" answering his question as she got to her feet.

"No... I'm on my way. Just hold on!" he assured.

The others quickly joined her, Weiss taking a stance between the assailant and her family "You should've been right behind us. What kept you?"

She smirked "That trick you pulled with the elevators was clever. I would've been here sooner, had I not run into some... friends of mine" her lips spread into a sickening smile.

Oscar's eyes widened "Oh no..."

Everyone turned in horror as Willow got to her feet, picking up her pistol from the ground and firing at Whitley. Weiss and Blake moved quickly, but were confused when they found the rounds never struck them. Qrow put himself in front of Winter as a fireball struck him, knocking the two of them back. Ruby's eyes glistened, but she was knocked on her back before she could use them, though no one could find the source of her attacker. Yang moved to intervene, but stared in shock as Winter charged right toward her. She blocked with her metal arm, then flipped back over her blade, sliding to a stop at the edge of the landing pad walkway. Ruby looked up to find Oscar leaping right toward her, striking for empty space. A cry of pain followed, Willow's attacking image vanished seconds later, as Emerald was revealed to be the source Oscar had attacked. Emerald slid to a stop as Oscar continued his assault, forcing her to leap back away from him, while Cinder soared into the air, placing herself between the Maiden and her family.

She clicked her tongue "Which should I go for first?"

The false Winter's eyes flashed to one pink and one brown as she charged for her target "Ruby!" Yang called with concern.

Winter got to her feet "Weiss, get them out of here. Now!" she ordered, leaping up to Cinder, forcing her to dodge her strike.

"But-"

"Go!"

Blake looked to her "We'll be fine. Just get them to safety, we can take care of this"

Weiss nodded with a determined look "You'd better all be here when I get back" she turned to her brother and butler "Stay behind me"

"Of course, Ms. Schnee" Klein urged Whitley on, even as he stared back with concern for Winter.

Whitley and Klein quickly followed behind Weiss as she led them away, while Blake joined Oscar's fight with Emerald. Qrow got to his feet to witness Winter and Cinder fighting while Yang fought with Winter's doppelganger trying to get to Ruby. He looked between them in confusion for a moment before moving to assist Winter with her fight against Cinder. He pulled his fist back to strike, only to find Cinder caught it in her Grimm hand, grinning down at him from her elevated position.

"Such a weak little bird" stretching her arm, she launched him from the platform, forcing him to change to Corvid form.

Yang pulled her fist back to strike Neo, but her target shattered into glass. Looking back, she recieved a powerful kick to her face, sending her onto her back. Ruby got to her feet, spinning Crescent Rose as Neo attacked, blocking a high strike for her face, then a reverse-gripped strike for her abdomen. Neo feigned concern as she swung for her head, ducking beneath it and delivering a kick to her abdomen from behind. Ruby stumbled slightly from the strike, narrowly managing to block the tip of Neo's blade as she struck for her face. Spinning her scythe, she struck for Neo, then fired when she ducked beneath the strike, flipping over her, Neo bounced off her head with her open hand. Landing behind her, she struck for her chest, forcing Ruby to block with her weapon, then twisted into a kick to her face, knocking her back a short distance.

Cinder lowered herself to the ground to avoid ice from Winter's Glyphs, ducking back into a backhand-spring as Winter struck for her. She sidestepped a thrust for her chest, kicking the blade away from her a moment later. Before she could strike, Qrow fired for her head, forcing Cinder to lean back away from it. Forming an obsidian blade in her hand, she blocked a strike from Winter from behind. Qrow rushed toward her, thrusting his blade for her chest, Cinder flipped sideways through the air, her Grimm hand knocking Harbinger from his hand, impaling it into the wall and kicking Winter in the chest with the same motion, sliding onto her back. Neo thrust her blade toward Ruby, forcing her to sidestep it and block with the center of her weapon. Neo leaned back into a backhand-spring beneath a horizontal slice from Ruby, then used her heel to throw her off balance by kicking Crescent Rose up amidst a second strike from the opposite direction. Pulling her arm back to thrust for Ruby, Yang caught her arm by her elbow, then slammed her fist into her face, throwing her back as the illusion of Winter vanished into her true visage.

Blake sliced for Emerald as she narrowly avoided each strike then blocked with the blade on one of her handguns, kicking her in the chest. Blake vanished with the help of her Semblance, leaving only an afterimage behind as Oscar struck her in the face. Gambol Shroud wrapped around her leg as Oscar flipped over her head, dropping her onto her slide as Blake pulled on the attached ribbon. Flipping forward into a kick onto Emerald's chest, she was stopped by both weapons over her chest. Blake was suddenly bombarded with a sensation of panic, something told her to stop attacking. Emerald managed to free herself from Blake's weapon, then leapt back into a strike for Oscar, revealing the illusion for what it was, each of them trading positions as it faded. Emerald was bombarded by incredibly fast strikes to her chest, leaving green afterimages of Oscar behind. With a final powerful strike to her chest, she was sent flying back into Blake's kick for her back, flipping her through the air onto her chest.

Winter used her Glyphs to evade blasts of flames from Cinder, stopping over open air as she formed a large Glyph in front of her, blocking a final attack from Cinder. Standing on her Glyphs, she arced her blade to block a strike from Cinder as she swung a blade of flame down onto her. Winter twisted her arm slightly to get an advantage, she then punched her opponent across the injured side of her face, angering her. While she was caught off balance, Winter twirled around her midsection, planting her right foot onto her left knee as she prepared to strike. With an enraged cry, she tossed Winter aside with an elbow to her chest, throwing her backward as she rolled to a stop. Forming an amber spear in her hand, she launched it toward Winter, only for it to be knocked away by a kick from Qrow.

The Glyph beneath Cinder vanished, forcing her to use her Magic to fly, soaring toward her opponents. Cinder formed an amber blade in her hand, blocking a strike from Winter, then swinging for Qrow, forcing him to block with his blade. Curving his blade, he swung low for her left leg, but missed as Cinder lifted it just in time. Winter's second blade emerged, swinging both for her abdomen, only to find her wrist caught in Cinder's Grimm grip, pulling her forward and then wrenching her hand backward, flipping her onto her back. Qrow swung his scythe down at Cinder, who blocked with her blade, then kicked Winter's main saber away from her. Using a black Glyph, her blade came soaring back as Qrow used his strength to force Cinder's blade away. Winter severed Cinder's Shadow Hand at the wrist, causing her to cry out in agony as it painfully regrew, spreading even further up her body.

"Gotcha!" Qrow grinned.

Yang unleashed a flurry of strikes against Neo as she struggled to match her speed, with a final strike, Neo was pushed back as it connected with her open parasol, sliding to a stop. Moving to strike once more, Yang cried out in pain as Neo's blade pierced her knee, dropping her to one knee. She kicked her across the face from the right and again from the left, then slammed her heel into her chest, throwing her back into the wall behind her. Ruby charged forward, slamming into Neo as she shattered into glass, stumbling over the edge of the platform.

"Ruby!" Yang called, rushing to the edge and catching her by her heel, her opposite hand kept her on the platform as they dangled "I've got you, Ruby. Hang on!" she assured. Neo stood over them with a disapproving look, placing her heel onto Yang's knuckles painfully.

"Yang, Ruby!" Qrow moved to intervene but was stopped when he felt a sudden pain in his chest.

"NO!" Winter screamed.

Qrow looked down to his chest and saw an amber blade sticking through his abdomen. Cinder pulled it from him, dropping him onto his side. She lifted her blade, prepared to strike, only to find ice encasing her arm. Turning back to Winter as the ice melted, she grinned with excitement, her eyes full of hunger. Winter had tears streaming down her face, her eyes emblazoned bright blue with the Winter Maiden's Power. Ruby used her Semblance to soar back onto the platform, striking Neo in the chest, she was thrown back into the academy interior, where Oscar and Blake stared at Qrow's injured state in shock. Ruby helped Yang back onto the platform, then directed her attention to Cinder, eyes glistening.

"Goddammit! I'm gonna kill you!" Winter shouted as she charged forward.

Cinder formed a second amber blade in her hand as Winter struck down at her. Cinder blocked with her left blade, then struck with her right, knocking her blade aside. Flipping her left blade into a reverse grip, she sliced for her head, but Winter spun beneath the strike, swinging both of her blades into the opposite weapon to stop a following attack before delivering a kick to Cinder's face, stumbling her. Winter spun through the air, striking at Cinder twice as she blocked with both blades, the final strike knocking them back. They traded blows with each blade for a moment, then Cinder spun with both blades outstretched, forcing Winter to flip over her head to avoid them. Winter shattered one of Cinder's blades, then moved to strike with her weapon. Cinder caught her arm with her Shadow Hand by the wrist, but Winter anticipated the move, dropping it into the opposite hand as she tossed the other skyward. Cinder struck for her abdomen as Winter blocked with her weapon in a reverse grip. Flipping forward, she kicked her smaller blade into Cinder's face by the hilt, slicing through her cheek. With a cry of rage, Cinder unleashed a blast of flames to her chest, throwing Winter through the air, landing on her stomach as her blade clattered to the ground.

"You have lived your entire life as a slave, Schnee. All the power you have at your fingertips, and you won't even use it" she shook her head "You're such a pathetic waste of-"

White light engulfed her from behind, causing her to scream in agony as her Grimm hand was destroyed momentarily, leaving her writhing on the ground. Yang strode over to her, slamming her heel into Cinder's face and throwing her back through the air. Ruby wanted to go to Qrow, but was interrupted when she was attacked by her own image, forcing her to deflect the incoming blade with Crescent Rose. Cinder's arm regrew painfully, as Yang moved to Qrow's side, putting pressure on his wound. She moved to attack the blonde, but was intercepted by an unarmed Winter.

"I won't let you lay a finger on anyone else I care about" she declared "You want me, here I am"

Cinder smiled "You're a fool, Schnee"

Cinder's Grimm hand reached for her, forcing Winter to flip back out of the way. Sliding to a stop, she was knocked onto her back by a sweep for her legs. Cinder formed an obsidian blade in her hand, stabbing it down at Winter, who barely managed to move her body out of the way. Winter flipped back on one hand away from her, sliding to a stop on her heels as Cinder charged her. Holding her hands out in front of her to catch the blade, a small barrier of ice formed in front of her, surprising her. The blade collided with the ice, but Cinder's claws reached around it, slicing through Winter's shoulder as she cried out in pain. The wind around Cinder formed into a powerful current, knocking her onto her chest with a wave of Winter's hand.

Winter's eyes were wide with surprise "Woah" acting quickly, she slammed her heel into Cinder's face, throwing her back a short distance.

Cinder growled "You're like a child playing with a new toy"

She unleashed a stream of flames on the ground toward Winter, who unintentionally propelled herself backward with blue flames. Cinder crashed into her, slamming her into the ground, but Winter gained the advantage using her momentum against her, pinning her to the wall as she put her into a headlock. Cinder used her Semblance to burn Winter through her skin, forcing her to release her hold on her. Cinder formed an amber spear in her hand, smashing it into Winter as she spun, throwing her onto her back. She then slammed her heel into her face, before her Grimm hand grabbed her by the leg, stretching until she launched her back into an outcropping tower from the academy. Winter crashed into the wall of the tower, then was slammed through to the opposite side of the tower as Cinder crashed into her chest, her Shadow Hand taking a firm hold of her face. She grinned with excitement as Winter cried out, the power of the Winter Maiden beginning to transfer through to Cinder. Neo flipped back onto the tip of Hush as Ruby fired Crescent Rose, sliding to a stop inside the academy. Neo was upon her before she could react, slamming her heel into her chest, and throwing her onto her back next to the open elevator door.

"Ruby!" Oscar called.

"Oscar, behind you!" Blake warned.

He turned just in time to deflect rounds from Emerald's weapons, then moved to strike back at her with superhuman speed. Neo approached, wearing Ruby's face all the while, removing the blade from the end of Hush and directing it down at her. Ruby glared up at her, her hands up in surrender. Neo shifted her appearance to Roman Torchwick, conveying her anger in her expression. Ruby wore a sad expression on hers, looking down at the blade at her neck. She looked past Neo to see Yang dragging Qrow inside, an expression of fear on her face when she saw her sister's position below the silent woman.

"I know you hate me for what happened to Torchwick, but I swear to you, I didn't kill him. The Grimm did... because Cinder lied to you" Neo's gaze narrowed "But... I am sorry, that you lost someone that mattered to you this much. I am truly sorry, Neopolitan"

Neo pulled her arm back to strike as Yang called out to her, moving to stop her "Ruby! No!" despite preparing to end her life, her attacker hesitated, but only for a moment.

Before she could strike, she felt a strong grip on her wrist, turning her gaze toward the owner, she found a pair of emerald eyes staring back at her "Neo..."

"Slade?" Yang asked in shock, unaware he'd even been in Atlas.

"Slade!" Ruby smiled up at him.

Blake knocked Emerald aside with a kick to the chest "Slade! What're you doing!?" she called.

Neo's image suddenly shifted to that of Oscar, holding him in his grip "What?"

"Slade, duck!" Oscar warned.

Slade released Oscar, leaning back away from Neo's blade as it passed over his chest. Using his forearm, he knocked a second strike away before rolling backwards to get some distance. Neo did not give him that chance, rushing toward him to strike, but found her arm caught in his grip. He kneed her in the chest, only to find her parasol blocking the strike. Twisting her arm, he knocked the blade from her grip with a palm strike, then grabbed her over by her waist from behind, spinning as he launched her down the hall away from everyone else. She hooked her heel around the handle of Hush's blade and slid it back into her parasol, landing on one hand into a backhand-spring, sliding on her heels to a stop.

Yang and Ruby took up positions beside him "No" he held his arms out "This is between me and her"

"No way, I'm not letting you fight this alone" Yang insisted.

"Yeah, what she said. Besides, she's here to kill me anyway, right?"

"Qrow needs medical attention, and leaving Winter to fight Cinder on her own isn't a good idea. We have to fight smart right now"

"But-"

"There's no time to argue, Yang. Get Qrow out of here while Ruby gives Winter a hand. I'll handle Neo, trust me"

"Yang..." Qrow called "He's right. Winter needs help, and with your Aura as low as it is... we'll both just be in the way"

Yang fixed him with an annoyed look "Fine" she turned her gaze back to Slade "But I'll be coming right back, and you'd better still be okay by then"

He smiled in amusement "Hey, this is me we're talking about" his expression turned serious "Be careful, both of you"

"Right" Ruby nodded, the two of them moving quickly.

Ruby headed outside to help Winter while Yang got Qrow onto his feet, Oscar and Blake continued their battle with Emerald. Slade and Neo glared each other down, both of them waiting for the other to make the first move, but neither of them ever did. Both of them wanted nothing more than for the other to back down, to run away, to leave it all behind. Slade's hand moved down to Defiance, resting on the grip of the weapon. Neo narrowed her eyes, preparing to leap into action at a moments notice.

Slade sighed "You know, when I heard you saved Ruby from Emerald and Mercury, it made me wonder if there was a chance you and I might be able to get out of this without having to kill each other... but after you stabbed me in the back, literally... I guess there was really only one way this was going to end"

She frowned "If you ever cared about me and Roman, you wouldn't have sided with his killer" she signed.

He shook his head "If Ruby was truly the one who killed Roman, I wouldn't be fighting to protect her right now... but I believe her. And I know better than to trust Cinder... or Salem. And I think you do too"

"You're right, I don't trust them. But I wasn't there when he died, because she threw me from the top of that airship!" she signed angrily.

"I don't want to hurt you, Neo. I do care about you" he insisted.

She turned her nose up at him "You have a funny way of showing it"

Slade allowed himself a small smile "Do you remember when we met? The next night when Roman gambled all his money away?"

She couldn't help but smile at the memory "You and I had already stolen all of it back by the time he came to complain about it"

He nodded along "At your urging" he chuckled "Even back then, he was always betting on the wrong hand" he frowned "I miss him too, Neo. Everyday... and I don't think he'd want us to be on opposite sides, fighting like this"

She frowned "Neither do I... but you made your choice... and I've made mine" she dropped into a combat stance.

Slade sighed "I suppose we have"

Blake rolled out of the way just in time to avoid gunfire from Emerald, flipping back into several backhand-springs away from her, she used her Semblance to avoid the last of her ammunition, her guns clicking empty. Emerald groaned, quickly moving to reload them, but was stopped when Oscar landed a strike on the back of her head from above. Blake and Oscar were a blur of after images as they both continually slashed and struck at Emerald, who backed away and managed to deflect most of the attacks with the blades on her weapons. Finally managing to reload her weapons, Emerald hooked the blade around Blake's sheathe and elbowed her in the face, flipping her onto her back. She then slashed her blades at Oscar in a blind flurry of attacks, firing the opposite weapon with each strike. Oscar moved with unmatched speed, deflecting each and every strike and round fired at him without taking a scratch, before slamming his cane into her chest, throwing her back through the air.

Slade pulled Defiance from his holster and fired three rounds at Neo as she dashed down the hall to get past him. Slade attempted to stop her, but she flipped acrobatically around him as he struck with his legs. He then followed behind her, continuing to fire at her from behind. She shifted around each shot as she made it to the open elevator shaft. Slade kept right with her, moving to strike as she leapt into the air, spinning into a strike with her parasol across his face, throwing him down over the edge. Slade crashed into the wall, and slid down to the roof of an elevator, landing on his back. Neo leapt down on him from above, her blade poking through the end of her parasol as she impaled it into the ground. Slade had narrowly avoided the strike, getting to his feet. While he blocked each strike with his forearms, she struck high for his head, then struck for his abdomen with the handle of her weapon. Looping his arm with the handle hooked on his wrist, he gave himself an opening to attack, only to find Neo's parasol blocking his fist. Spinning with the movement, she kicked him across the face, knocking him into the wall beside them.

Behind them, a second elevator came screeching past, forcing Neo to move away from the edge. Flipping forward, he kicked her in the side, sending her right over the edge. Opening Hush, she turned it horizontal, each end stuck between the wall and the elevator as she looped around. Closing the parasol, she swung back up to him with the same motion, using the momentum of her fall to strike both heels into his face, knocking him over the edge of the elevator. Slade caught himself on the bottom of a door one level down and flipped up through it, kicking the doors apart as he did. Neo slowly floated down using her open parasol, joining him moments later. Her image changed to Ruby's, conveying her resentment in her expression.

"It doesn't have to be like this, Neo... but I will do what I have to, I will not let you hurt Ruby"

She narrowed her eyes, removing the blade from her parasol. Slade holstered Defiance, his wrist blades emerging as he prepared to fight. She struck for his left as he deflected, then did the same for his right as his opposite arm matched her movements. She thrust for his abdomen, then spun away as he kicked for hers, leaping up into a downward strike for his head. Slade caught her blade between his left wrist blade and his arm with, then slid his arm into the handle, restraining it as she slammed his elbow into her face. Using the same arm, he grabbed her by her shoulder, but she knocked it down by slamming her parasol down into his forearm, then swung for his head with the handle of her weapon. Smacking it away with his arm, she flipped it over, stabbing for his head as he ducked beneath it. She then spun backward, turning her back to him as she thrust her blade beneath her right arm, but Slade blocked with the armor on his boot, then kicked the blade away. Spinning with the momentum of his strike, she slashed for the opposite side of his head.

Slade blocked and fired his gauntlet at her, shattering her image like glass. Neo struck at him from behind as he avoided her strike, elbowing for her face. She blocked with her forearm, then flipped the blade into a reverse grip as she sliced for his abdomen, only for his opposite fist to find an opening and struck her hip. She swung her blade for his neck as he leaned back away from it, then grabbed her by both wrists, restraining her hands. Neo moved to kick, but each time she tried, his heels moved with hers, blocking her attempts at an attack. He slammed her into the wall, and she grit her teeth in annoyance, slamming her head into Slade's, she then forced him back with her blade across his throat, leaning as far back as he could. She had him trapped, the cold metal of her blade against his skin, Ruby's silver eyes switching to Neo's own now. Slade planted his heel on the wall, running into a flip over her arm, using his momentum to throw her down the hall away from him. Neo rolled on her shoulder into the landing, her image changing to Yang's own now, sliding the blade back into her parasol.

"There's no point to your illusions, Neo. It doesn't matter who you look like, I'm still going to stop you"

Slade fired into the lights above her, shattered glass descending onto her. Neo opened her parasol and protected herself as he charged toward her, kicking her across the face before she could block. She kicked horizontally as he stepped out of the way, then thrust her heel toward his face as he moved to attack again. He caught her leg in his grip, slamming his fist into the bottom of her thigh. Grabbing her leg with both hands now, he spun into a throw, but she recovered acrobatically using her open now parasol, flipping one leg at a time onto one knee. Using his coat, he feigned a strike for her face, concealing a kick to her abdomen as she blocked with her forearms, stumbling her back. Agitated with his trick, she rushed toward him, wrapping her arms around one of his as she hoisted herself onto his back. Rolling up to his head, she spun on one hand, then planted both heels onto his back as she took the bottom of his coat into her hands, flipping him over her head and moving to slam him down into the ground. Slade twisted through the air, taking hold of his coat in both hands, he pulled her along with him, landing on his feet as she soared over his head, crashing to the ground on her stomach as her illusion faded.

"Nice try, Neo. But I know how you fight and I know how you think" his voice lowered to a whisper "Though, unfortunately that goes both ways"

Cinder's expression became manic as she felt the first of Winter's power transfer to her "It's mine... It is all mine!"

Her eyes widened when she saw a large shadow moving on the ground, she looked up just in time to see her arm sliced off by the blade of Arma Gigas. She cried out in pain, leaping back as her arm regrew itself. Weiss landed beside her sister, directing Myrtenaster toward her opponent.

"Leave my sister alone"

"Weiss..." Winter coughed out from her place on the ground.

"Don't worry. Whitley and Klein are safe. We just have to take care of her"

Cinder gave a condescending smirk "And who's going to take care of you?" she blew a stream of flames from her mouth toward them.

Arma Gigas moved to protect them, quickly burning away from the strength of the flames "No!" Winter called out, forcing herself to her feet.

Before they could be struck, the flames broke against a spinning red scythe, revealing Ruby as they dissipated "Her BFF" Ruby answered with a grin.

Weiss smiled "Thanks, Ruby"

Ruby held her finger up to her friend "Let it be known, on the night of... tonight! Weiss Schnee did not deny her status as my BFF"

Weiss rolled her eyes "You can be such a child"

Cinder growled "I've had enough of-" she stopped when she heard a loud cry from her right, turning in just enough time to receive a metal fist to her jaw, throwing her through the air.

Ironwood landed on a Glyph provided by Weiss, then leapt over to his friends, rolling into the landing as he drew both pistols. Ruby spun Crescent Rose, preparing for a fight, while Weiss held her blade en garde, and Winter had her fists up in a defensive manner. Cinder formed two amber blades in her hands, screaming in rage as flames billowed from her lips. She soared toward them spinning her blades in her hands as she deflected a strike from Ruby, then used her left blade to block shots from Ironwood. She flipped back as Weiss slashed for her legs, deflecting the strike midair. She leaned back to avoid a jab from Winter, then blocked Crescent Rose as she slammed her heel into Winter's face, knocking her onto her side. Ironwood fired with one weapon, then uppercut her with the back of the other as she blocked the gunfire. Cinder was thrown back over the edge of the tower, flipping back to hover in the air with flames from her heels.

"I have worked too hard and come too far to be stopped by weaklings like you!"

Cinder cried out in pain when a white Lancer struck her in the side, having been summoned by Weiss while she was distracted. Rows of Glyphs formed out from the tower, offering Ironwood and Ruby a place to stand as they ran across them, firing their weapons at her. Cinder screamed with rage, propelling herself forward and snatching them both by their throats. Ironwood fired into her Shadow Hand, forcing her to release Ruby, who used her Semblance to get away from her. Turning her full attention to him now, she threw him downward, forming a flaming obsidian blade and kicking it down toward him. Holstering one weapon, he caught the blade in his metal hand and impaled it into the wall, swinging around on it to launch himself back up as it exploded, propelling him faster toward his target.

Cinder turned her attention back to the Lancer as it rushed toward her, destroying it with a powerful blast of flames. Ruby appeared above her with a burst of rose petals, aiming Crescent Rose down at her. Cinder launched a fireball into her chest, throwing her back just as Ironwood crashed into her, pinning her to the ground inside the tower once more. Winter leapt from the tower, propelling herself with blue flames toward the falling Ruby, snatching her up out of the air and dropping her off carefully on the landing platform opposite the tower. Cinder kicked Ironwood off her, blocking a downward strike from Weiss, she flipped back to a standing position with one hand. Leaping into a strike for Ironwood, Cinder was forced to the ground by a black Glyph beneath her.

"You meddlesome, little bi-ah!" she was thrown from the tower by a bolt of lightning.

Flipping back to hover in the sky, she stared in anger as Winter hovered before her, both of her blades now in her hands "I told you already, I won't let you lay a finger on anyone else I care about"

Cinder growled, launching herself toward her as Winter did the same, both Maidens clashing in a powerful blast of blue and red flames. Cinder was sent crashing into the platform beside Ruby as Winter quickly followed. Rolling to her feet, she blocked a strike from Winter, then knocked Crescent Rose away as Ruby slashed downward, stumbling from her momentum. She shot a fireball at Winter, forcing her to knock it away with her blade, then blocked a second downward strike from Ruby with her blade in a reverse grip. Weiss landed beside her sister and thrust her blade for Cinder, only to have her heel knock it to the ground, pinning her blade beneath her boot. Spinning with Crescent Rose on the edge of her blade, she forced Ruby's weapon down onto Winter's as she struck for her face, then launched a fireball at Ruby, who leaned back away from it.

Ironwood landed behind her, kicking the back of her knee and twisting the blade from her grasp with his metal arm, pressing his pistol into the back of her head "Don't make me pull this trigger"

Weiss, Winter, and Ruby all relaxed slightly, their weapons raising from the ground and directing at her "It's over, Cinder" the silver-eyed girl declared.

Cinder growled "Defeating me doesn't matter... She will still destroy all of you"

Slade and Neo struggled for dominance, each of them with the other's arm in their grasp. Kicking her leg up, she forced Slade to release her, but he caught her leg in his hand, flipping her onto her back as he used his Semblance to force the blade from her parasol, snatching the open parasol away from her and bouncing on it as he slid to a stop away from her. Closing it, he leapt into a strike down on Neo, who shattered into glass. Neo struck down at him from behind, passing right trough him thanks to his Semblance. He then ducked beneath a spinning kick for his head, knocking the back of her parasol into her face. Neo stumbled, swinging blindly for him, but he looped his arm around her own, trapping her in his grip. Flipping sideways, she forced him to release his grip and slammed her heel into him, launching him down the hall as she landed on her back.

Neo flipped back to a standing position as Slade slid to a stop on his side, leaping toward him with her blade primed to strike. Opening her parasol, he blocked the blade, then twisted with the motion, forcing her away from him. She rolled into the landing as her blade was knocked from her grasp, but she managed to spin away from him before he could strike again. She stood across from Slade without her weapons while he held them both. Tossing her parasol aside, he raised her blade in his hand, removing Defiance from it's holster and aiming it toward her. Neo rushed toward him as he fired Defiance, shattering her into glass once more. Twisting around, he swung his blade down at her as she moved for her parasol, falling for his bait. Using his Semblance, her parasol launched away from her, she turned just in time to catch his arm by the wrist and then did the same as he aimed Defiance her way, twisting his hand away from her.

Firing his gauntlet forced her to release his hand to avoid it, spinning the weapon in his hand, he pistol whipped her, then kneed her in the chest. Slicing for her shoulder, she dropped back onto her hands, flipping into a kick to his face, stumbling him back. She managed to steal his knife from him as she struck him, then attempted to stab him before he could recover. Slade blocked the blade with his wrist blade, grabbing her arm with his open hand, he twisted it behind her back, forcing her to release her hold on it painfully. She kicked between his legs, but missed when he flipped over her, twisting into a sweeping kick for her opposite leg, dropping her onto her chest as he pinned her down. She acrobatically flipped forward, over his back and slammed both heels into his side, throwing him to the ground. Neo caught Defiance in her hand as he lost his grip on it, firing at him as he twisted and spun around each shot fired.

Raising one gauntlet up to block each of the rounds fired as he slid to a stop, he rushed toward her, spinning into a slash for her arm with her own blade. She spun away from it, down onto one knee and fired for his abdomen, his Aura sparking from the damage. He grabbed her by her arm and slammed her head down into his rising knee, then kicked for her head, only for her to block with her forearm. She twisted around, slamming Slade into the wall behind her, then pulled her fist back to strike. Slade passed through her using his Semblance, then kick flipped off the wall into her as she turned, slamming her down into the floor, Aura depleted. She moved to get up but was stopped when she felt her blade poking at her chest, looking up at Slade as he looked down at her. Defiance flew from her grip into his open hand, having used his Semblance to wrench it from her, aiming it down at her.

Slade stared Neo in the eyes, panting for breath as she did the same "It's over, Neo" he was surprised to find she wasn't angry, she looked almost... relieved.

She slowly moved her hands to sign up at him, showing she was not looking to continue their fight "I know. You win" she conceded.

He lowered his weapon in relief "Good" he embedded her blade into the ground beside her head "I understand how you must feel. You believe Ruby killed Roman, and I'm working with his killer. But I know she isn't responsible for his death, and you're working with Salem, the one who is responsible for the deaths of everyone I care about... even Roman"

She frowned "You're not going to kill me?"

He shook his head "No, and I'm not going to arrest you either. But Salem will hunt you down for trying to kill Ruby, even though you weren't successful" he holstered Defiance.

Her eyebrows furrowed "You're letting me go? After all of that?"

He nodded "I'm letting you go"

She just stared at him in disbelief "How do you know I won't return to kill her again?"

He shrugged "I don't, but I won't stop protecting her, even from you"

"Why?"

He allowed himself a small smile "Because we're friends Neo, and I know you're better than this, you deserve better than this"

Neo got to her feet, taking her blade from the ground. Her parasol slowly hovered toward her, thanks to Slade's Semblance. She accepted it gingerly, inserting the blade slowly. Without warning, she suddenly crashed into him, throwing her arms around his waist. He stiffened in anticipation of her attack, but relaxed when he felt her sobs rack her body. He returned the embrace, rubbing her back comfortingly. It wasn't long before she pulled away, she kissed him on the cheek.

"You're a good man" she signed "They're lucky to have someone like you on their side" she smiled "And so am I" without waiting for a reply, she vanished in a flash of white.

He smiled, letting out a sigh of relief "Goodbye, Neo" he said with finality.

"You're going to live to regret that" Elise warned, stepping into his view.

He shook his head "No, what I would've regretted was killing her"

"You should've arrested her. She's just going to come back and try to kill Ruby again"

"I'll stop her"

"And how many times will you-"

"I said, I'll stop her" he insisted, turning away "Now, either start being helpful, or shut up" he rushed toward the elevator shaft.

Ironwood held a bolas in his hand to restrain Cinder "Salem isn't going to hurt anyone. Not if we stop her first"

Cinder shook her head "You're a fool"

She moved her head out of the way of his gun, he fired to try and stop her but was kicked back over the edge of the platform. Weiss created a Glyph for him to land on, as Cinder grabbed Winter's arm, getting behind her and placing her into a headlock with her Shadow Hand, holding her face in her hand. Winter slashed her arm over her shoulder, only for Cinder to catch her arm by the wrist, then twisted it, forcing her to drop her blade. Ruby's eyes shimmered, but was stopped when Cinder struck her in the chest with a fireball, throwing her into the wall behind her, landing on her chest. Weiss moved to strike, but was slammed against the wall by a powerful stream of flames, burning her outline into the wall as she screamed in pain. Winter slammed the back of her head into Cinder's face, distracting her long enough for Ironwood to fire into her Grimm arm as he leapt back to the platform, causing her to cry out in agony. Winter propelled them both backward with blue flames from her heels, but Cinder redirected them, crashing into the academy through a stone wall a few levels down, both of them rolling into the landing, both of their Aura's depleted.

"Winter!" Ironwood called with concern.

"General! Weiss is hurt!" Ruby called.

He turned his attention to them for a moment, then back to where Winter had been "How bad is she?" he asked, making his way over to them.

Weiss coughed roughly "I'm... okay..." she coughed once more "Really, I can... still fight..." she started to get to her feet.

Ironwood stopped her "No. You've done more than enough, Weiss. You need to rest. We'll take care of everything" he assured her.

"That's right, we'll go help Winter" Ruby added.

Ironwood placed two fingers to his earpiece "Yang, where are you?"

"I'm on my way back now. I dropped Qrow off with the Doc back at the CCT tower"

"That's right. I'm patching him up as we speak, he'll be on his feet in no time" Pietro assured.

"Good to hear. I'll be there soon"

Ironwood sighed in relief "Good, cause we could really use your help"

Without wasting a moment, Winter struck her with a blue fireball as she blocked, slamming her into the wall behind her. Cinder dropped her blade, which Winter quickly snatched from the ground, twisting into a strike for her chest, she stabbed the blade right through her. Her eyes widened at the sensation, looking down to find the blade in her abdomen, a flaming blade that had formed from thin air. Looking back up, she found the blade in her hand right under Cinder's arm, the Fall Maiden had redirected the blade at the last second with her Shadow Hand wrapped around her wrist. Winter stumbled off the edge of her blade, dropping onto her side, putting pressure on the wound as she winced from the pain.

"After months of searching, I've finally found you" Cinder planted her heel onto Winter, forcing her onto her back "That power belongs to me now" she grinned.

Winter glared up at her "Salem will never win, even without me, my friends will stop her... and you"

"Yes, your friends" Cinder laughed darkly "With the power of two Maidens, it shouldn't be difficult to destroy them... starting with your dear sister"

Cinder raised her Shadow Hand, prepared to siphon Winter's power from her, only to suddenly be restrained by a cable wrapping around her, trapping her arms to her sides "Sorry, am I interrupting?"

Cinder followed the cable to its source "You..." she growled.

"Slade!" Winter smiled in relief.

He smiled back at her "Sorry I'm late. Had a bit of personal business to take care of with an old friend"

Cinder glared "Where is Neo?"

"You really should be more worried about yourself, Cinder. After all that fighting you're left without your Aura"

Her eyes emblazoned amber "I don't need my Aura, not when I have this kind of power at my finger tips!"

The cable superheated around her body, snapping off her as she unleashed a powerful wave of flames at Slade. He leapt over the flames, then used his Semblance on a nearby door, ripping it off the doorway and launching it toward her. Cinder spun through the air over it, using flames from her heels to soar toward Slade as he landed. She launched another blast of flames toward him, but found them smothered by Slade's Semblance seconds later. She flipped forward, unleashing a powerful wave of flames from her heel, but he managed to cut through it with a condensed barrier over his head. She fired large ball of fire toward him, which he sidestepped as it crashed into the wall, creating a bigger entry point to the elevator shaft. Slade leapt back into it as she unleashed another wave of flames, he spun them away with the help of his Semblance, then ascended to the top of the elevator. As Cinder entered the shaft beneath him, he used his Semblance to send the elevator crashing down toward her. She managed to clear its path just in time, knocking Slade through the doors to the next level with even more flames.

"Man, you're really a one trick pony" he groaned out painfully.

"You want to see more of my power?!" Cinder unleashed a large bolt of lightning at him.

Slade managed to use his Semblance to create a barrier in front of him, stopping it "That... all you... got?" he asked with exhaustion.

At the rate you're using your Semblance, you'll keel over before you have a chance to strike back Elise warned.

Yeah, I've noticed. Not helping

Cinder grinned "Your family paid the price for their resistance against Salem, and now... you will join them, in death" She unleashed a powerful stream of electrified flames from her hands, forcing him to continue using his Semblance to keep them from getting to him "You can't keep this up forever! Your power can only last as long as your Aura does, mine is eternal!"

Slade's Aura broke, leaving him to the mercy of the blast of energy, throwing him back into the wall behind him "I told you, you couldn't win" Elise told him as she stepped into his line of vision.

"Not this again..." Slade groaned out, forcing himself onto one knee "Just shut it, will you?"

"You said you would stop Salem, but you can't even stop her... and no one is here to save you now. If you die, we'll never be able to use the Relic to-"

"I said shut up!" he bellowed.

Cinder clicked her tongue "Poor, Slade. You're just cursed to have someone stuck in that head of yours forever aren't you? First Salem, now your sister, when will it stop?" Cinder finished in mock sympathy.

"Yeah, I'm used to it" he forced himself to his feet.

"You don't really think you can still fight me, do you?" she sneered.

"Yes, Slade. Do you?" Elise asked.

Slade raised his hands defensively "I'm not going to let you be the one to put me down, that'd be too embarrassing"

Cinder scoffed "How unfortunate for you that you have no choice in the matter!"

She formed an amber blade in her hand, swinging down at him. Slade sidestepped the strike, then used his gauntlets to deflect two more as she swung wildly. She impaled the blade into the wall as he moved out of the way, then dropped back into a backhand spring away from her as she sliced through the wall at him. She held up her hand to launch a fireball, but was stopped when a bolt of lighting knocked it from the air. She gripped her arm in pain, then looked back to find the injured Winter leaning against the doorway. Slade leapt forward kicking Cinder across the face, then he flipped back as her Grimm hand reached for him. He planted his heel onto the wall, and leapt to the opposite wall, then flipped backwards over Cinder as she swung for him, receiving a powerful kick from his heel, throwing her back away from him.

"All of you... you insects... you're just so stubborn..." she growled out "That power belongs to me!" she screeched "You're just a failure, you could never be the heroes your family was, you lost everything because you're weak! You think someone like you can stand against me!"

Cinder created an electrified mass of molten earth in front of her "That doesn't look good" Winter noted.

"No, it doesn't" he agreed.

"Can you stop it?" she asked.

"Not without my Semblance" he answered quickly.

She nodded "Then I'll-ah!" she groaned, falling to her knees from the pain.

"No, Winter. Stay back, you're hurt"

"We need backup" she breathed out.

Slade frowned "We don't have backup. We just-"

"Yes you do" Elise told him.

"What?"

"This time, just stay down!" Cinder shouted, launching the projectile toward them.

He quickly put himself between Winter, trying to protect her from the blast. It crashed into him, exploding into a mass of smoke and dust, filling the hall and concealing them both. The electricity burst out into the air, destroying the lights and leaving half the hall completely dark, save for the red flashing emergency lights. Cinder grinned, making her way toward the aftermath of her attack. She flexed the fingers on her Shadow Hand as she entered the cloud of smoke.

What's going on? Slade asked.

"You told me to help or stay out of your way. Well, I'm done listening to her walk all over you. It seems I've decided to help your foolish endeavor after all" Elise answered.

About time...

"How unfortunate neither of you could see the futility of your situation. Your power now belongs to me-" Slade's hand grabbed her by the throat, lifting her into the air as she struggled against it "How? How did you...?"

Cinder froze at the sight before her. Slade was coated with a protective green Aura, distinctly not his own, his eyes brightly glistened, even in the dark hall. Slade's grip tightened on her throat, causing her to gasp for air. Cinder's hand swung toward his head, flames forming in her palm. His opposite hand caught her hand by the wrist, forcing it up as the flames expelled out, blowing through several levels of the academy. Slade's eyes suddenly were emblazoned green to reflect the power of the Summer Maiden. Cinder's eyes widened, wearing the same shocked expression as Winter, looking on the scene before her.

"How... that's... impossible..." she choked out.

"Slade?" Winter asked.

Slade smiled back at her "Not quite" he answered, his voice overlapping with Elise's own.

Elise released her hold on Cinder, spinning into an upward kick to her chest, she launched her up through the hole in the roof. Condensing the air around her into a powerful current, she launched Cinder further up, smashing through two levels more than her flames had previously, stopping as she cracked a third ceiling. Elise created a powerful storm of wind and lightning around her as she ascended, slamming her fist into her chest and crashing through to the next level. Cinder managed to get away from her, standing opposite her with an enraged expression on her face. Oscar and Blake stopped their fight, witnessing the power of the Summer Maiden manifesting from Slade.

"Is that?" Blake asked shocked.

"He's... using the power of the Maiden" Oscar breathed out in disbelief.

Not him, Oscar. Elise Ozpin clarified.

"Cinder..." Emerald breathed out in fear.

Ironwood and Ruby carried Weiss on their shoulders, sharing in the shock of their friends "Well... that's new..." the heiress noted with humor.

"Glad he's on our side" Ironwood added.

"You said it" Ruby replied in awe.

The two Maidens clashed in an explosion of red and green flames, blowing the ceiling and floor apart, forcing the others to back away from the destruction. Using the wind around them as the flames battled for control, a bolt of lightning curved around the flames, striking into Cinder painfully, causing her to lose control of her flames. Green flames enveloped her, causing her to scream in anguish, expelling flames from her entire body, sending them in all directions. Before anyone could move to avoid them, a wall of ice formed, protecting the onlookers. Cinder formed flaming obsidian blades all around her, launching them toward Elise. In turn, Elise formed large shards of ice, launching them back, knocking each blade away with ease.

Cinder wore a look of fear at such overwhelming power, she obliterated the wall of ice and quickly tried to retreat outside. But Elise moved faster, smashing through the wall as she struck her, both Maidens hovering in the air outside the academy now. Each of them watched in awe as the battle raged on outside. Cinder would try to retreat, only for Elise to intercept her, Cinder would lash out with her power only for Elise to overwhelm her with her own. Emerald used her Semblance to make Cinder vanish from sight, hoping that would give her the opportunity to escape. Elise took a moment, looking around as she had lost sight of her target. Before anyone could question what was going on, Emerald was knocked aside by a powerful punch to her face.

Yang planted her boot onto Emerald's back "Oops" she grinned.

She stabbed a cylindrical casing onto her arm, painfully removing the Grimm fluid from within her as she writhed in agony beneath her boot. Once the casing was filled, she removed it, placing it into her pocket. Having regained sight of Cinder, Elise gave chase to her rapidly retreating form. She quickly caught up to her, catching her by her heel and launching her back to the landing platform with the onlookers. Crashing down on top of her ferociously, Elise used her Magic to bind her arms and legs to the ground with ice, then compounded earth onto her chest to keep her completely restrained. Elise hovered over her, amidst the storm of wind and lightning around her.

"Cinder Fall, you grasp at power you fail to understand, you pervert the gift of Maidenhood. Ozpin gifted these powers to humanity in the hopes of protecting them from the evil Salem represents. Yet you seek to claim these powers as your own and abuse them for your selfish gains. For these crimes, you shall be punished"

Cinder growled "I won't let you take my power from me! If you kill me, it will just go to someone else!"

"Who said anything about killing?" she asked.

Elise placed her hand over Cinder's chest, reflecting a white Aura onto Cinder's own amber colored Aura. Cinder's emblazoned eyes faded, an orb of amber colored light left her body, passing through Elise's hand into the center of her chest, her eyes emblazoned amber for the briefest of moments before returning to green. With this done, Cinder's restraints were lifted, leaving the girl powerless.

"What... what did you just do?! Where did it go?!" she shouted.

"You are no longer the Fall Maiden, this power shall remain with me, until such a time that a new Maiden more deserving of the title is chosen" she answered.

"Chosen? By who? You?!" Cinder growled.

Elise shook her head "By the Professor, of course" she answered, gesturing to Oscar with a knowing look.

Ironwood stepped past her, using a bolas to restrain the erratic Cinder, who thrashed against him "This can't be happening! It's my power! Mine!"

"Not anymore" Ironwood replied with finality.

Yang stepped outside with a look of concern "Slade?" she asked timidly.

Elise turned toward her with a small smile "Don't worry, he's still present"

"How... how long have you been able to do this?" Ruby asked.

Good question Slade replied irritably.

"Not until recently. Expelling Salem from his psyche has made conversing with my brother much less taxing. However, I would not expect this to be a usual occurrence. Using this power seems to strain both his body and his Aura quite a lot. He will require rest"

Well, that's... annoying

"How did you take Cinder's power away?" Blake asked.

"The same way Professor Ozpin once gifted these powers to the original Maidens. I merely traced the connection back to my own source of Magic and brought hers into mine. With instructions given to me by the Gods themselves, I have maintained the separation of power between the Fall and Summer Maidens. Should the Professor choose another Maiden, I will gladly transfer the power to her"

"How often do you speak to them? What have they said?" Ironwood questioned.

"Too much to answer now. But I would be happy to explain everything later, though I am certain Slade would be happy to convey the message for me" she cleared her throat "Allow me to say this before I relinquish control back to my brother. Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long, Oscar Pine, Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Winter Schnee, Qrow Branwen, and of course, James Ironwood. Each of you have become a part of his family now, and he will do anything to protect you, even against my advice. Do not abuse that level of trust... or it may break him"

Well, that's one way to put it Slade grumbled.

"We won't. I swear" Yang assured confidently.

Elise smiled at her "Thank you, Yang. For your help against Salem and for being the one to give him your heart. Were it not for you, he would still be lost amidst his grief. Look after him for me, will you?"

"We all will" Ruby assured.

She nodded, deactivating her Maiden Power, her eyes stopped glistening, a green Aura enveloping him as it returned to his natural color. He dropped onto his knees, panting from exhaustion as Yang rushed to his side "Slade!"

He looked up at her with a smile "Okay, I can understand why Oscar is not a fan of trading places with Ozpin"

Oscar chuckled "It isn't exactly the most fun"

Yang turned his head toward her, planting her lips on his for a quick kiss, allowing him to catch his breath a moment later "I'm just glad you're alright"

He smiled "That goes double for me"

"Aw!" Ruby gushed "You two are so cuuuuute!"

Yang scowled "Ugh, now I understand how Winter must feel"

They all laughed, much to Cinder's growing irritation "Where is Winter?" Ironwood asked.

"A couple floors down, she's injured, but she should be okay" Slade answered.

"Uh, guys?" Jaune called through their earpieces.

"What is it, Arc?" Ironwood asked.

"It's the Grimm, they're... retreating"

"They're what?" he asked in shock.

"He's right, General" Penny replied "All Grimm units are fleeing the area, they're in full retreat"

"Even the Grimm in Atlas are leaving, only the flightless Grimm remain. They're being picked off by our remaining forces, as we speak" Pietro added.

"Does that mean... we won?" Nora asked.

Cinder laughed with a shake of her head "No... it means she's here" she grinned.

Ironwood glared "Arc, don't let your guard down yet. It sounds like we might just be in for another round of trouble"

"Yes, Sir" Ren replied.

"Ruby, Blake, take Weiss and Winter to medical immediately. Oscar, go with them" he ordered quickly "Slade, can you stand on your own?"

"I can try" he started to get up, but teetered a moment later, falling into Yang's shoulder as she caught him.

"I've got you, don't worry" she assured with a smile.

He smiled back at her "Thanks. Ahem, no, General" he answered turning back to him.

Ironwood sighed "Yang, can you help him along? I'd like to speak with him in private once we've dropped these two off in their cells"

Yang nodded "I can do that"

"Good" he nodded back to her "Get going. Quickly. We can't afford to waste time"

"Yes, General" Ruby and Blake answered quickly.

"Yes... Sir" Weiss forced out with mock enthusiasm.

Ironwood made sure to place Cinder and Emerald ahead of him as he pushed them forward "I can't believe it... we lost" Emerald said in disbelief.

"Believe it, Emerald. We just kicked your butts" Yang taunted with a smirk.

Cinder growled in annoyance, looking back at Slade "I will reclaim what you've stolen from me"

He sneered "Well, technically it wasn't me, so... take it up with my sister"

"Believe me, I will"

Ironwood suddenly froze in place, hand moving down to his white pistol "General?" Yang asked.

He turned toward them abruptly "Stop, now!" he shouted.

"What're you-" Yang was knocked to the floor as a single gunshot rang out.

After a moment of silence, Ironwood's eyes widened in shock "What did you do?!" Cinder bellowed.

"James?" Slade asked.

Ironwood stared as the blood rushed over Slade's gloves, firmly planted onto his chest. Yang stared up at them in shock on the floor, tears threatening to fall. He lowered his weapon, looking back to Emerald and Cinder, still trapped in their bindings. Cinder watched with horror, frantic at the thought of losing access to the power she once held. Emerald shared her expression, but for a very different reason. Slade fell onto his knees, then slumped onto his back as Ironwood dropped the gun in his hand.

"No..." he breathed out.

"Slade!" Yang rushed to his side, putting pressure on his wound.

"I... I didn't..." Ironwood stuttered out, looking down at his hands in horror and disbelief.

"No, no, no, no! This can't be happening! This is a nightmare, one of Emerald's illusions again! You... you can't be! You can't die like this, Slade! You can't! You can't leave me like this!"

"Yang, I..." he put two fingers to his earpiece "I need a medical team to my position ASAP!" he commanded.

Yang looked down at her hands, his blood covering them now "No... no, no, no..."

"Yang, a medical team is on their way-"

She got to her feet, turning on her heel, she slammed her metal fist into Ironwood's face with a shout "You bastard!"

He stumbled back from the strike, catching her fist in his hand as she tried for a second "Stop! This isn't helping him!"

"You shot him! Why would you shoot him?!" she demanded in a fit of rage.

"I didn't... I didn't mean to-"

"You killed Slade!" she pulled her opposite fist back to strike.

Ironwood's eyes glazed over, all emotion seemed to leave him as he pulled his fist back to strike. He slammed his metal fist into her face, knocking her to the ground. She struggled to get up, but a swift kick to her face knocked her out cold "You" he turned toward the horrified Emerald.

"I didn't want to, I... I just... Salem, she made me-" Emerald stuttered out in fear.

He lifted her by her throat "If he dies, so do you. Am I understood?" he spoke without emotion.

She forced a nod "Perfectly..." she rasped out.

Ironwood dropped her to the floor "Good" he turned to Cinder "That goes for both of you"

"But I didn't even-"

"Both of you" he insisted. Ironwood fired a shot from his black pistol into one of their legs, dropping each of them to the ground as they cried out in pain.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Cinder shouted.

"Now neither of you will be going anywhere" he turned away from them "Pietro, send Ruby and her team to my office right away. I need to debrief everyone immediately"

"Of course, General. I will see to it they report to you as soon as-"

"Now, Pietro. I need you to report to medical immediately, there's been an... incident with the prisoners"

"An incident? Oh, well... I'll be there right away" he replied with concern.

Ironwood kneeled down next to Slade, quickly applying pressure to the wound he'd inflicted "Stay with me, dammit. Stay strong... please... please..."

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Cliffhanger, I know! Or is it? Thanks again for all your kindness and support, you guys are the best. The next chapter will be coming out soon. Until next time!