Halo, it's time for the newest chapter. Merry Christmas and enjoy the reading.
"My son,
we, the members of the Monroe family, have always been noble Hunters and Huntresses who do everything to protect people and peace. Our crest is the pawn because we must always be ready to sacrifice our own lives for the greater good, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Hence the motto of our family:
Better a dead pawn than a living traitor.
I hope you follow this path too,
Your father, David Monroe."
Lance replayed the words of his grandfather's last message, as it was this letter that had set him on the path he had embarked on to become a true Hunter. Unfortunately, this letter was lost forever, as he had to sell it to obtain the final ingredient of the potion that would restore his friends to their original size.
Lance just stood in the village of Paper Pleasers and looked at the corpses of paper stars lying in pieces and could hardly believe that he had done it. The sword trembled in his hand, then he dropped it and put on his helmet, which made him feel as if he had found refuge from shame.
Defeated and broken, he leaned against one of the paper houses, then sat on the ground and bowed his head.
- Lance... - Little, who came out of one of the paper houses, looked at the Knight with concern and felt how sad he was. - Are you feeling okay? - Lance didn't answer and didn't react, he just looked ahead blankly. - Maybe we should go after the others. - He suggested, but Lance still didn't answer. - You shouldn't be alone. Ruby and the others would definitely need your help. - He climbed up on his arm to his remaining left shoulder armor and knocked on his helmet. - Lance, can you hear me?
- It's okay, Lance. - A familiar creature walked into the empty village and stopped in front of Lance, causing Little to quickly jump off his shoulder and hide. The Curious Cat. - It's over. - His eyes burned with desire and his mouth pulled into a sly smile.
- You... - Lance finally spoke, but he felt weak and helpless. - I can't do anything anymore. I lost my team and my friends and it's just me left. What's the point of being strong if you can't protect the ones you love?
- Ssshhhh. - The Cat just gently stroked the Knight's gauntleted hand. - It's okay, sad knight. I can be you.
- What? - Lance looked a little confused at the Cat, who just chuckled.
- I've been trying to wear you down for so long. - Cat looked at Lance with predatory eyes and reached through his breastplate with his two front paws, causing the Knight to cry out in pain. The Cat's entire being began to spread throughout Lance's body and he increasingly felt that the Cat was taking control of him.
- What... are you doing...?! - Lance groaned in pain.
- My purpose. - Cat replied, as if it were so obvious. - If a poor little heart breaks, I can fill it with mine. I'm afraid I haven't been completely honest with you, Lance. - He smiled evilly and bared his predatory teeth. - I'm not like the rest of the Afterans. Curiosity is my curse. - His eyes, which had been purple and blue before, now turned black and white. - I need to know everything. - He narrowed his eyes. - But what I'm most curious about is why my creators left me here?! - He hissed angrily and narrowed his eyes even more. - They went and created... Ouch! - He cried out in pain after Little bravely emerged and bit his tail.
- You're not a friend! - Little didn't let the Cat grab Lance. - Friends aren't... - The Cat just pushed Little off with his tail. Lance tried to reach for it, but this time Adam appeared and trampled the mouse to death.
Another life he couldn't protect. Lance was in complete shock from the mouse's death and that was the last straw he needed to let go.
- Hurry up! - Adam ordered the Cat.
- Right away. - The Cat grew and turned black and white and dug his paws into Lance's chest again. - You couldn't protect the ones you love and you lost your will to live. You became an empty shell, which is perfect for me! - He pulled his paw out of his chest and stuck it through Lance's helmet, into his mouth, then his whole body went deeper and deeper, until his entire being was inside Lance.
The Cat disappeared into Lance's body, which still sat there and didn't move. Adam watched curiously and couldn't decide if he had succeeded.
- Ah, finally. - Lance moved, but it was clearly not him. The Cat's voice sounded and, as he stood up, he examined his new body with satisfaction. Adam saw the Cat's luminous, light blue gaze behind his helmet. - The day has come for me to finally break free. - He smiled under his helmet. - This body will do it.
- Then let's head for the Tree. - Adam was impatiently waiting for the opportunity to confront Blake and his friends. They would be waiting for him and the others at the exit of the Ever After.
- Well, that's pretty much how it happened. - The Cat told our heroes how he had usurped their friend's body. - Poor Lance simply lost his will to live after he wiped out the Paper Pleasers' village.
- You led Adam here too? - Blake's mind was coming together.
- It was a clean deal. - The Cat admitted. - I'll help him get his revenge, in exchange for a body to take me to Remnant. - He took a deep breath and you could feel the hatred in it. - Which Alyx failed to keep.
- Alyx? - Ruby asked fearfully but curiously, to which the Cat just snorted angrily.
- That cowardly, wretched girl whose story you blindly followed! - The Cat angrily paced up and down in front of the square gate. - The girl I followed because she promised to take me to Remnant. In reality, she didn't even intend to! After talking to the Tree, her conscience suddenly came back to her! She decided she had to fix everything she had messed up! Including poor Jaune! And after Lewis went home, Alyx at the last minute... - This face of the Cat was unfamiliar to them, angry, hateful and vengeful. - didn't leave!
- What did you do to her? - Blake already knew the answer, which made the Cat start laughing madly, jump up high and punch with Lance's fist on the ground, making it tremble a little.
- What anyone would do with a broken, useless thing. - He picked up some tree branches from the ground and broke them into pieces.
- Another girl who broke her promise, - Adam took out Wilt, which glowed in a worrying way and pointed it at Blake. - and got her punishment.
- You didn't?! - Jaune finally understood that everything he had believed up until now was a lie. It was all the Cat's fault, he killed Alyx and lied about her. - You... - He was shaking with anger and wanted revenge for the girl at all costs. - You monster!
The Cat took out Lance's sword and prepared for the clash. Adam did the same.
- It's time for you to know true suffering. - Adam flicked Wilt, which made it shoot a strong, red beam of energy at the group.
Ruby, Jaune and Neo jumped to the right while Yang, Blake and Weiss went to the left and fell into a pile of roots. Adam didn't hesitate to run after them.
The girls, after falling among the roots, found themselves under the cliff, but they didn't have much time to gather themselves, because another energy beam was heading towards them, more precisely towards Blake.
- Blake! - Yang didn't hesitate to push her friend aside and the beam hit her, causing her to fall backwards and into another abyss.
- Yang! - Blake tried to reach for her girlfriend in fear.
- Do you see how much suffering you cause others? - Adam just walked towards them with an evil smile. - Don't worry, you'll join her soon.
Blake raised Gumbo Shroud and prepared to fight, but Weiss stood in front of her and held up her hand to stop her.
- Go for Yang. - Weiss pinned Myrtenaster on Adam with her other hand. - I'll hold him up. - Blake was given new strength by the knowledge that Yang might still be alive and after a little hesitation she listened to her teammate and ran after her girlfriend.
- Are you tempting the fate again, princess? - Adam laughed. - Do you remember how our fight in the passage ended?
- I believe in second chances. - Weiss didn't let herself be angered or intimidated.
Wilt and Myrtenaster clashed, Adam attacked aggressively, while Weiss defended elegantly. Weiss jumped aside several times from Adam's fast and aggressive attacks, then summoned several runes around the faunus, from which icy projectiles erupted, but Adam dodged them with a throw to the ground and opened fire with Blush on the girl, who raised an ice wall to block it.
Weiss summoned a gravity rune under herself, which she used to launch herself towards Adam while pointing her sword forward to stab him.
Adam ducked away from the attack, grabbed Weiss' arm and prepared to shoot again with Blush, but she pushed it aside and the projectiles went next to her. Before Adam could shoot again, Weiss summoned another black gravity rune under their feet, which pushed them in two directions.
Anticipating this, Weiss fell to her feet and quickly stabbed her sword into the ground and freeze it. She saw that Adam was surprised when the man slipped a little on the icy floor, so she attacked now. Adam dodged the girl's first blow, then blocked the second with Wilt and another sword duel ensued between the two of them.
Adam took the initiative again and despite the slippery floor, he was able to circle around Weiss so quickly that the girl didn't even know which was the real Adam, which the faunus man knew well and tried to stab. However, Weiss jumped back, but Adam was immediately on her heels and struck her with another blow, but Weiss raised her left leg high and began to spin and slide on the ice on her right feet.
Adam tried to land a slash on the gracefully pirouetting Weiss in a wild and aggressive style, who either knocked Wilt aside with Myrtenaster or simply dodged the blows by inches.
Reaching the end of the ice, Weiss stopped pirouetting and spun into the air, but Adam got tired of chasing her and shot another beam of energy at the girl, who summoned an ice mirror in the air, which shot its own beam back at Adam.
Adam jumped to the side at the last moment and the beam hit the ice floor. The hot energy vaporized the ice and created a huge curtain of vapor, which made neither of them see much.
Weiss took advantage of the opportunity to stab her sword into the ground and tried to summon her Ice Knight, but Adam quickly caught up to her and executed the Knight with another energy beam and threw her into one of the roots of the Tree.
The girl fell to the ground and dropped her sword, and Adam stood over her with a wide smile. Weiss was confused for a while, then remembered that faunus have a much better sense of smell than humans and that's why he was able to find her so quickly.
- Don't think it's going to end quickly. - Adam prepared to inflict a painful wound on the girl, just like her family had done to him.
Blake desperately ran after Yang, who fell into the roots of the Tree and may have been seriously injured. The faunus girl jumped from one root to another, like a ninja, as she went deeper and deeper. Fortunately, as a faunus, she could see well in the dark, so the lack of sunlight didn't bother her, but she couldn't rest until she found her girlfriend.
She didn't have to search far, because Yang was lying on the ground, but she didn't move. Blake didn't hesitate and immediately ran to her side to turn her over, and a huge stone fell from her heart when she realized she was breathing.
- Blake... - Yang breathed weakly, but smiled happily at the sight of her girlfriend.
- Come on, we need to help Weiss! - Blake slowly and carefully helped Yang up, but her right mechanical arm was sparking and visibly damaged. - Your arm!
- I can't move it. - Yang found in despair that the robot arm was no longer moving and doing nothing. She took it off and hung it on her belt. - Maybe we can find someone back home to fix it.
- Are you well enough to fight? - Blake saw Yang limping painfully with each step and panting uncomfortably, which meant that the fall and the hit must have taken a lot of strength from her.
- I'll have to. - Yang tried to look strong in front of her friend, but when they emerged from the darkness, they noticed more energy beams and explosions, as well as a large cloud of steam from the cliff above them. - Weiss! Go help her! I'll catch up!
Blake quickly switched gears, took out Gumbo Shroud, took it in two and threw one end over the cliff wall, where it caught, then kicked off the ground and was soon in the air. She quickly reached the top of the cliff and saw that Adam was about to finish Weiss off or worse. She immediately put Gumbo Shroud together, turned it into a gun and fired.
Adam was caught off guard by the shot and Wilt fell from his hand, but when he saw who had fired the shot, he wasn't angry at all. He spread his arms and, still smiling, slowly walked towards Blake.
- Go on. - Adam wasn't scared at all. - Shoot me. - Blake's hand began to shake, she knew that this man could only be a threat to all her friends, since he had sworn to ruin her life and it was clear that he intended to keep that oath. - Become the cold-blooded killer you were supposed to be. - She had no choice but to pull the trigger. Unfortunately, the gun didn't go off because Adam got close enough to hook one of his fingers on Gumbo Shroud's hammer, which prevented it from firing. - Finally, we have some time to be alone.
- Just leave me alone! - Blake tried angrily and desperately to free her weapon and her hand.
- But I've waited so long for this meeting. - Adam caught the girl's other hand as well.
He yanked Gumbo Shroud from her hand, then threw it and pinned Blush to it, then fired.
Blake dodged the shot using her Semblance and quickly ran after Gumbo Shroud and as soon as it was in her hands, she transformed it into a katana and felt with her hearing that Adam was already right behind her, so she quickly spun to deliver a blow to her opponent. However, Adam blocked it with Wilt, which he took back and the two katanas clashed several times, then Blake delivered a kick to the man's face.
- Why did you have to come back into my life and ruin everything?! - Adam remembered well that he was already on the finish line in Haven and everything was ruined after Blake appeared.
- You stalked me through Anima, Solitas and the Ever After! - Blake snapped back. - I don't want anything from you!
Adam attacked again, but Blake parried it and dodged the next one with a backflip, then jumped from another shadow clone to a higher branch to get a better position. She looked back to the ground, but Adam was nowhere to be found, but when she heard the rustling of leaves she quickly looked back, but it was too late, because Wilt was already flying towards her and the sword's pommel hit her in the head.
Adam caught the rebounding sword with a satisfied smile as he walked towards the girl on the same branch.
This time Blake attacked, but Adam easily parried it, then defended the blow and an amazing sword duel ensued between the two faunus. Wilt and Gumbo Shroud clashed, then Adam and Blake tried to push the other out, but while Adam grabbed Blake's hand again, which held her weapon, Blake grabbed the bottom of Wilt's grip, but even so, Adam proved to be the stronger one and pushed the girl aside, who fell from the tree branch to the ground.
Adam fired an energy beam to finish her off, but Blake, using her Semblance again, dodged the shot and jumped onto a thick root.
When she felt that she was at a sufficient distance from her opponent, Blake hoped to rest a little, but when Adam appeared behind her and grabbed her the throat by Blush, she realized that she had made a big mistake.
Adam, as he began to strangle the girl with his sword sheath, noticed that Yang had caught up with them and limped up the cliff. Adam turned, pinned Blake to his back and, while strangling her, lifted her up.
- I cut off one of your arms and a finger. - Adam laughed. - You're still luckier than Blake will ever be.
Yang trembled, as this madman had mutilated, tortured and almost killed her twice, but all her fear disappeared when she heard Blake's desperate groans and the sight of this madman strangling her girlfriend gave her enough strength to, despite her fear, half an arm and injuries, ready Ember Celica and open fire on Adam.
Adam quickly let go of Blake and, dodging the shot and accompanied by a somersault, he was already in front of Yang. The girl quickly tried to land a punch on him, but Adam put Wilt back in Blush and blocked it, then kicked her in the stomach with his knee and hit her in the head with Wilt's pommel, causing her to fall to the ground.
Yang didn't give up, with red eyes and a shot from Ember Celica, she got back on her feet and landed a punch to Adam's face, who staggered, but then landed another blow to the one-armed girl, who parried it with Ember Celica.
Unfortunately, her injuries and the lack of an arm weakened Yang enough for Adam to easily take control of the fight and push her back further and further.
Blake was immensely grateful that Yang had saved her and gasped for breath after Adam let her go. When she saw how desperate her girlfriend was, she immediately picked up Gumbo Shroud and rushed to Yang's aid.
Adam just put Wilt away and caught Yang's fist with his right hand, but before he could do anything, Blake immediately appeared and stabbed Gumbo Shroud into his left shoulder and tried to push it deeper with both hands.
Adam still had Yang's fist in his right hand, but with his left he grabbed the blade of Blake's katana and, not caring how deep the sword cut his palm, began to pull it out.
The two girls put all their strength into defeating this madman, but despite their best efforts, Adam tightened his grip on Yang's fist and pulled Blake's sword further and further out.
As soon as he pulled the blade out of himself, he let go of Yang's fist, then quickly tripped her and drew Wilt out to fight Blake again. Wilt and Gumbo Shroud had met many times before, but this time it was Adam who jumped back to gather himself for another fight.
- Let go of the past, Adam. - Blake hoped that she could talk sense into the man she once loved one last time. - Do it for yourself.
- Just forget everything?! - Adam clutched the wound on his shoulder. - Did you do this to me too?! You just threw away our memories?!
- Adam! - Blake tried to speak.
- It makes no sense, Blake! - Yang knew that this situation wouldn't end peacefully. - He simply can't move on.
- People... have hurt me a lot in my life, even before the two of us met. - Adam calmed down a little and, not caring about what Yang said, took off his blindfold. - Many people, in many ways. - Blake remembered their time together, Adam always pretended to be rude and insensitive, because that was how he wanted to protect himself from the world. She was the only one who was able to see through that mask and see the man she once loved. Unfortunately, she saw no longer a trace of this man in this sick man, who was corrupted by hatred. - But no one has caused as much pain as you. - Blake already felt sorry for the man when she saw the SDC burn mark on his left eye and wondered if the man she loved had ever existed or if it's just love that had blinded her and Adam had always been so evil and didn't want to notice. - You didn't leave scars. - He took a deep breath and felt that of all the pain he had to endure in his life, the wound in his heart was perhaps the worst. - You just... left me alone.
- Just leave us alone. - Yang panted, already at the limit of her strength, but bravely stood by her girlfriend. - This is your last chance.
- Do you really believe that? - Adam, however, saw that Yang was barely standing on her feet and was still terrified of him. - Or are you just trying to scare me so that you don't have to die while protecting her?
Yang didn't care if her other arm was taken, or if she ended up dead, but she was determined to protect Blake from this madman.
- She's not protecting me, Adam. - Yang's trembling stopped immediately after Blake took hold of her remaining hand. - And I'm not protecting her either. - Blake looked into Yang's purple eyes, which were staring back at her, ready to confront anything that tried to come between them. - We're protecting each other.
- You knew very well that even the two of you couldn't have defeated me in Haven. - Adam still hadn't drawn his sword. - What makes you think things are different now?
- I simply have no choice. - Blake gave the answer. - I have friends who really care about me! - She stepped forward bravely, still holding Yang's hand. - And I promised them I'd never leave them! So, I'm not going to die here!
- I think I mentioned to you, Yang, - Adam looked at Yang now. - that you made a promise to me too, that she would always be there for me.
- Yes, - Yang stepped forward, still holding Blake's hand. - and I still feel like she didn't make that promise to you, but to the person you pretended to be.
- So, - Adam turned back to Blake. - I just wasn't good enough for you.
- You know that wasn't the case. - Blake shot back.
- I know you made your decision. - Adam placed his hand on Wilt's grip and prepared for the final showdown.
The two girls also realized that Adam wasn't going to give up without a fight, so they prepared for the fight as well.
- All along, - Jaune, after staying here with Ruby and Neo, fought Lance, who was possessed by the Cat. - I thought Alyx got out and lied about everything that happened here! - His own broken sword and Lance's one-handed sword clashed. - But you killed her! And you lied about it!
- You weren't that brave knight either! Another fairy tale nonsense! - The Cat was almost disgusted by Jaune's words.
The Cat raised Lance's shield and tried to push Jaune down with it, but he remembered the lessons he had with Lance and knew what to do in such a situation. He dodged the shield, landed on his left side, where he couldn't defend himself and with the broken Crocea Mors, he dealt him a blow that made him take a step back.
- You can usurp Lance's body, - Jaune realized that the Cat, if he had occupied the Red Knight's body, wouldn't be half as good a swordsman as he was. - but you don't have his fighting skills.
Ruby got behind him, but the Cat heard her and turned around in time to raise her shield and block Crescent Rose's blow, but Ruby jumped off the shield and after a backflip transformed her scythe into a rifle and opened fire. It hit Lance's remaining left shoulder armor, grazed his right thigh and fired once into his shield before hitting the ground.
- Maybe, - The Cat just chuckled evilly. - but you don't give it your all to keep your friend safe!
Boom
A fireball hit Lance's back, nearly knocking the Cat off his feet.
- Maybe they don't, - The clone Roman appeared, holding a Melodic Cludgel, its barrel smoking. - but don't expect that from Neo!
At least half a dozen Jabberwalkers appeared around her, heading for the Cat.
- Wait, - Ruby worried that Neo's Jabberwalkers were going to do serious damage to Lance. - We have to save Lance!
Neo didn't hold back, and the Jabberwalkers were already charging at the Cat.
- You damned copycats! - The Cat cut down the first Jabberwalker, then used his shield to push the second one up, but the third and fourth were able to push him to the ground at the same time. - Let's try something else!
The Cat threw down Lance's sword, but he couldn't unattached the shield, so it stayed on his arm, but he reached out his own blue-glowing clawed hand through Lance's hand and finished off another Jabberwalker, then another, after which he was able to stand up and destroy the remaining two.
Once the Jabberwalkers were out of the way, he charged towards Ruby, who quickly dodged his claws, but managed to get behind him with her Semblance and cut his back, but Lance's armor protected him.
Ruby clearly didn't want to harm Lance, so she didn't aim for his vulnerable spots, but the Cat showed her no mercy and slammed her to the ground with one of his clawed hands.
Neo, on the other hand, didn't hold back, using Hush to deliver several stabs into Lance's weak spots in his armor and the clone Roman also fired several fireballs at the possessed Red Knight. The Roman clone attacked first and tried to land more blows with Melodic Cludge, but the Cat blocked it with his clawed hands, and as the Cat began to push the clone back, Neo appeared and jumped over his shoulder to kick the Cat with both feet.
The Cat staggered back from the kick, but it didn't do any serious damage, as Lance's helmet protected him, but after Jaune was behind him again, he sent him to the ground with a gravity push with his shield.
The Cat considered Jaune the most annoying, as he always intervened at the worst possible time, so he reached out with both clawed hands, grabbed him by the ankles and threw him off the cliff, after the girls.
- Jaune! - Ruby shouted in concern, but she didn't have much time to worry about him, because the Cat was now taking care of her, but the girl just blocked the creature's clawed hands with her scythe.
Neo summoned more Jabberwalkers, which the Cat knew well how to outwit and didn't pose much of a challenge to him and within a few seconds the Jabberwalkers had already shattered into pieces and disappeared.
Neo, however, only used it as a distraction while the clone Roman fired another shot with Melodic Cludgel, but the Cat raised Lance's shield, blocking it, but Neo appeared above him and kicked his helmet again.
Jaune, as he somersaulted off the cliff, tried to grab onto several tree branches, as leaves and twigs pelted him and one leaf accidentally ended up in his mouth before landing painfully.
He spat out the leaf, but accidentally swallowed a small piece and felt a cloud of rainbow smoke surround him as he stood up. For a moment, he transformed back into his young self, but as soon as he blinked, he was back to his old, rusty armor, long haired and bearded self.
- You were never a hero. - He heard a girl's voice, which was very familiar to him.
- Alyx? - Jaune looked around curiously and began to search.
- You couldn't save me. - Alyx appeared behind him, a girl with dark brown skin and long, curly hair.
- I... - Jaune, after realizing the truth, learned that he had been angry with the girl for a long time because of a mistake and had already forgiven her. - I couldn't save many people.
- Then maybe it's time for a change? - Alyx suggested. - Become the man you've always dreamed of. - She extended her hand, which Jaune accepted, causing a yellow flash to blind him and he found himself in the Ever After again.
He heard that the clash in front of the square gate wasn't over yet and when he looked up, he saw that one of the clone Roman's fireballs had hit one of the tree branches, causing the leaves to ignite and emit the same rainbow smoke as in the vision and that gave him an idea.
- Jaune! - Weiss appeared behind him, seeing how big fall her boyfriend had taken.
- Weiss, help! - Jaune pointed his sword at the cliff where Ruby and Neo were still fighting the Cat. - I know how to free Lance! Can you get us up?!
- No problem. - Weiss had already summoned two black gravity runes, which launched Jaune into the air.
- Waaaaaiii...! - Jaune wasn't at all prepared for such a big launch and while he landed painfully on a thicker branch, Weiss landed gracefully and elegantly next to him.
- What did you come up with? - Weiss saw that Ruby and Neo were still fighting Lance, who was possessed by the Cat.
Neo didn't hold back and gave all her strength into the fight, landing several blows on her opponent, while Ruby held back because she didn't want to hurt their friend.
- The leaves! - Jaune tried to cut the tree branch in front of him with his broken sword. - If we set it on fire and Lance inhaled it, then maybe there would be a chance for him to break out.
- Wait! - Weiss stopped the Knight. - Lance has a gas mask in his helmet!
- Really... - Jaune stopped cutting for a moment and looked at his girlfriend, who understood without words that if they wanted a chance to save their friend, they would have to knock his helmet off.
- I'll handle it. - Weiss jumped down from the tree, stabbed her sword into the ground and summoned the giant Ice Knight.
- Weiss! - Ruby was relieved when she saw her teammate.
- Jaune has a plan. - Weiss pointed her sword at the Cat. - Just take off his helmet.
- We'll do it! - Ruby nodded and with her Semblance she already flew towards the Cat, but it caught her with its clawed hands.
Weiss immediately launched her Ice Knight, which hit the Cat with its sword, causing him to drop Ruby and fall to the ground. Neo's Jabberwalkers surrounded him again, four of them tried to hold him down, while the fifth started to pull his helmet, but in vain, it was stuck there and the Cat broke free from the Jabberwalkers' grip and destroyed them again.
The Cat didn't have much time to recover, because the clone Roman shot him in the head, Weiss's ice knight hit him in the head, causing the helmet to dent several times, the visor to break, the respirator to break and half of the helmet fell off in pieces and Ruby hooked her scythe into the other half and pulled it off the Cat's head.
After the helmet was successfully removed, they all got to look at Lance's face, whose eyes glowed light blue and his mouth became wide and as he grinned, a row of predatory teeth lined it.
The Cat didn't give up and was determined to finish off his opponents when a large tree branch fell between him and the girls.
- The leaves! - Jaune shouted from the tree, whose branch he cut off after seeing that Lance's helmet had already been removed. - Burn the leaves!
Neo immediately switched and the clone Roman shot a fireball at one of the smaller branches, causing the leaves on it to ignite and Weiss used a rune to summon wind to blow rainbow smoke at the Cat.
- You fool! - The Cat just laughed like crazy at their attempt, while the smoke surrounded him more and more. - You learn tricks from a caterpillar?! - He inhaled the smoke pleasantly. - The leaves don't affect me!
- Maybe not. - Jaune confidently pointed out a small mistake that the Cat hadn't thought of. - But it's not the case with Lance.
The Cat realized late when he started to feel a painful, burning sensation in his body. He started coughing, shaking and screaming in pain, then fell to his knees.
- No! - The Cat could hardly bear it, because he felt as if he was on fire from the inside and it was spreading. - This hurts! It burns! What kind of creature is this?! - Lance's mouth spewed blue and purple light, as if he was vomiting some kind of magic dust onto the ground, and the Cat left his body.
Unfortunately, just because the Cat was no longer in Lance's body, it didn't mean it wasn't a threat anymore, because after leaving the Knight's body, he took on his true form while laughing. It was a large, black and white, cat monster, which wasn't at all as cute as his previously known form. He threw himself at the group, who fell back from the shockwave, accompanied by crazy laughter.
- Lance! - Ruby dodged the Cat with her Semblance and hurried to the Knight who was still kneeling on the ground. - Are you okay?! - As soon as she got to him, she tried to touch his face in concern, but Lance only punched her in the face, causing her to fall to the ground.
- Ruby... - Lance whispered sobbing. - I... - He opened his eyes, which this time glowed red and a red aura began to envelop his body. - I'M SORRY!
Lance's body began to grow, his muscles swelled and as the red aura enveloped his entire body he stood up and let out a loud scream. His berserker form was unleashed. He stood up and towered in front of Ruby, clearly intending to finish her off.
- Lance... - Ruby gasped, her face pained and in shock as she looked up at her friend who was about to finish her off.
- Move, Red! - The clone Roman grabbed her by the hood and threw her aside, but unfortunately, Lance hit him, causing him to shatter and disappear.
Neo and Ruby were forced to face Lance's berserker form together.
- Jaune! - Weiss cried out in concern for her boyfriend after the Cat, who had taken the form of a monster, slashed him in the stomach and he fell to the ground.
- The Rusted Knight's finally coming to an end! - The Cat was about to pounce on him when a giant ice knight struck him from behind with its sword.
- What do you say to an iced knight?! - Weiss pointed at Myrtenaster after saving Jaune
After standing up, Jaune was already starting to feel that the last blow had drained his aura. Unfortunately, in addition to his aura, he was also nearing the end of his physical and mental strength, but he couldn't give up. After so many years, now was the chance to go home and his friends were counting on him. He gathered all his strength to get to his feet when he saw Yang and Blake still fighting Adam on the cliff below.
He saw that his girlfriend and the ice knight were also fighting the Cat and it didn't skip his attention that Neo and Ruby couldn't do anything about Lance's berserker form at the space gate.
There were too many enemies and there simply weren't enough of them, but he thought of something that might be the solution to the current problem. He knew that Lance's berserker form wasn't trying to kill them, but everyone who got in his way.
- That's it! - Jaune turned to his girlfriend. - Weiss, I have an idea! - He immediately started running towards Ruby and Neo. - Just hold on here!
- Don't you... - The Cat was about to start chasing him, but a black gravity rune appeared below him, sticking him to the ground and he fell.
- You're not going anywhere! - She directed the ice knight towards the Cat, who slashed at him with its sword, but the beast caught it with both clawed hands and broke the sword, then beheaded the knight.
- If one by one, but I will send you all to your next life! - The Cat was already very annoyed that not only had his escape plan ruined, but he was simply unable to finish off any of them.
Ruby felt terrible for having to fight Lance. Her friend, who had sworn to protect her, had now turned into a raging monster who wanted to destroy everything around him.
- Lance, it's me! Ruby! - Ruby made one last, desperate attempt to bring her friend to her senses, but in vain, as if he hadn't even heard her, the raging Red Knight was determined to finish her off.
Neo's Jabberwalkers didn't stand a chance either and Lance cut them down quickly and hard. The multi color haired girl didn't try to approach the raging Knight and her summoned creatures didn't stand a chance against him either.
Ruby was finally cornered and towered over Lance, covered in red aura, not a single spark of compassion in his eyes. The girl felt like she had let her friend down and tears welled up in her eyes. She would have done anything to bring him to his senses and save Lance and when she opened her eyes, they were illuminated by a blinding white light.
When the light ended, Lance was still standing over her, but he didn't attack, he just closed his eyes and covered them.
Ruby looked up at her friend with a confident smile, hoping that her Silver Eyes was the solution. Unfortunately, she was greatly disappointed when Lance opened his red glowing eyes again and slashed at her with his sword, missing the girl by just a few inches, only managing to cut off a few strands of hair.
Ruby got behind the Knight with her Semblance and when she turned around, she reactivated her Eyes, which again sent a blinding white light at Lance.
Lance covered his eyes again and backed away, but he didn't turn back, only got angrier.
Seeing this, Neo summoned three Ruby clones this time, then lifted Hush and ordered them to help the real Ruby.
- Strength in unity! - One of the Ruby clones confidently stepped next to the real one and fixed her gaze on Lance and opened her eyes wide, like the others, but nothing happened.
- Are we doing something wrong? - Another clone looked at the real one curiously.
- Do you want to use my Eyes? - The real one knew that Neo was trying to copy the Silver Eyes, but she didn't know what Roman and she knew.
- Do I need a password for it? - The third Ruby clone guessed.
- My Eyes aren't a weapon that... - The real Ruby tried to explain, but Lance, after regaining his strength, cut off one of the Rubys, which then disappeared. - I'll explain later!
Lance showed no mercy to the other Ruby clones either, cutting one in half while decapitating the third. The real Ruby grabbed her neck in horror, as her own clone's head fell off right in front of her eyes and she realized that Lance would show her no mercy either.
- Ruby! Neo! - Help had already arrived in the person of Jaune, who clearly looked like he was at the end of his strength as he ran towards them loudly and panting. - Lure him! - He raised his hands and started shouting at Lance. - Hey! Come here, you big bastard!
The two girls sensed that Jaune had some kind of plan, so they trusted him and ran towards him, then passed him. Jaune turned and followed the girls, but he was already very exhausted and couldn't keep up the pace, then tripped and fell on a protruding root.
- Jaune! - Ruby looked back in horror and saw that Lance had caught up with the Rusted Knight and was about to strike him. Fortunately, she ignited white light with her Eyes again, which made Lance retreat and bought Jaune time to get to his feet and go after them.
Lance was on their trail again and his immense rage shook even the Ever After.
- Weiss! - Jaune, who was running with Ruby leaning on her and Neo at his side, shouted to his girlfriend who was still fighting the Cat. - Move away!
- What are... - Weiss, when she saw Lance in his berserker form chasing them, understood what Jaune had come up with.
- Do you think such a transparent trick will work on me?! - The Cat just laughed as the girls and Jaune hid from Lance on the side of the road and the raging Knight charged straight at him. - I have to dissuade you! - The Cat simply hid underground when he jumped towards Lance and fell off the cliff. - Unfortunately, your plan didn't work! - He emerged from the ground again after Lance got a reasonable distance away.
- Who said... that you... were... the target? - Jaune almost spat out his lungs, he was so panting from exhaustion.
The Cat looked down curiously from the cliff, where the raging Knight was fighting another beast.
Lance's arrival was completely unexpected for Yang and Blake, but when they saw the red aura around him and his glowing eyes, they knew they were in great danger. Adam was the least of their worries now, as they saw Lance fix his red and glowing eyes on them, then he moved his eyes to Adam and just thought about which direction to go.
- Easy. - Blake took Yang's hand and began to back away carefully. - No sudden movements. - He whispered, while both his and Yang's hearts were pounding in their throats.
- I beg you, - Yang looked at Lance with a hopeful look, who still didn't move. - move in the other way.
- You're not going anywhere! - Adam, who saw the two girls trying to leave the battlefield, angrily started towards them, ignoring Lance.
That was all it took for the raging Red Knight to fix his gaze on Adam and swing his sword at him. However, Adam parried the blow and proved to be an equal opponent.
- Okay, - Adam growled at the Knight. - Then I'll finish you off first!
- Yang! Blake! - While the two beasts were fighting each other, Ruby appeared from a pile of rose petals. - Forget Adam, we need you up there! - She took the hands of her two teammates and used her Semblance to carry them up to the cliff above.
The Cat was still fighting Weiss, Neo and Jaune, whom he successfully pushed back, but as soon as reinforcements arrived, the tide turned.
- You're done for! - The Cat slashed at Ruby as she regained her human form, but the girl only repelled the attack with Crescent Rose.
It didn't stop there, because Ruby was fueled by anger at the vile creature that possessed and turned their friend against them and began to mercilessly slash with her scythe and was the only one able to repel the Cat.
The Cat didn't give up, he tried to launch another attack, but Ruby pointed her scythe forward and fired with it, then jumped into the air, swooped towards her with her Semblance, then transformed back, and landed another hit with her scythe. The Cat tried to catch the girl in front of her, but Ruby fired another shot with Crescent Rose, which pushed her back from the Cat's claws, then turned into a pile of rose petals in the air again and attacked the Cat again, who dodged her blows for a while, but was pushed further and further back.
Ruby showed no mercy, she had only one goal in mind, to finish off the Cat, the source of all their troubles. Unfortunately, at an unexpected moment, the Cat grabbed Crescent Rose with one hand and aimed at Ruby with the other, but she dodged it again with the help of her Semblance and even freed Crescent Rose and before the Cat could react, Ruby was there in front of her, transforming Crescent Rose into a rifle, which she pointed straight at her head, then pulled the trigger with a confident smile.
Ruby and the Cat both fell back from the shot, but they both stayed on their feet. Ruby transformed Crescent Rose into a scythe again and seeing that the Cat hadb't enough either, she prepared to continue the fight.
The Cat noticed unpleasantly that the entire RWBY team and Neo were surrounding her, so he gathered all his strength and summoned a purple lightning bolt in his mouth and fired it straight at Ruby.
Blake took advantage of the opportunity while the Cat was shooting lightning, to get to his side to attack from there, but the Cat turned to the side, directing the lightning towards her. However, Blake was faster, dodged the lightning and struck the Cat, but he jumped aside and rushed to attack.
Yang didn't let the Cat rest and with one hand she punched him in the stomach, then hit him in the chin and the few time bombs she had placed on him, the explosion of which pushed him back.
The Cat was still on his feet and was still determined to finish off the girls, but two white runes appeared below him and his legs froze to the ground. Weiss summoned a large ice bird, but the Cat immediately threw purple lightning at it, destroying it, but it was just a diversion. Behind the Cat, Neo appeared, taking the thin, pointed sword from Hush to attack him in the back and sending him to the ground with a single precise cut.
Ruby continued the attack and flew towards him with her Semblance, followed by Blake, Yang and Neo, while Weiss summoned a pile of runes around her friends and the Cat.
Ruby transformed into a red, Blake a purple, Yang a yellow and Neo a pink energy beam, zigzagging from one rune to the next, continuously delivering strong and fast attacks to the Cat from all sides, which he was unable to defend against and the five girls simultaneously delivered a final blow, sending the Cat to the ground permanently.
- You're broken! - The Cat, after the dust cloud had settled, turned back his small, old form. - You ruined everything you touched! - He glared angrily at Ruby, then looked at the girls who had ruined his plan and defeated him. - Humans are weak! - He could do nothing but blow angrily. - Confused! Incompetent!
- No, you're wrong! - Weiss was the first to step forward.
- We're none of us. - Yang joined in confidently.
- That's why we defeated you. - Blake continued.
- And we're going back to Remnant. - Ruby nailed it. - And you stay here.
The Cat was overcome with anger, making one last, desperate attempt to possess one of the girls, but a large hand grabbed him from behind. It was a Jabberwalker and there were three others lined up behind it. Without even hearing the Cat's pleas and screams, the Jabberwalkers cruelly tore him to pieces and devoured him. The Cat panicked and desperately tried to free himself, but in vain. Neo's Jabberwalkers finished him off.
Team RWBY looked slightly terrified at the silent girl, smiling confidently and contentedly, who, pinning Hush forward, ordered the Jabberwalkers to execute the Cat.
- What? - The clone Roman emerged from behind her. - You didn't want to spare him?
- Well... - Ruby scratched the back of her head awkwardly. - Maybe...
- It was a little unnecessarily brutal. - Weiss answered instead.
A large explosion from the lower cliff indicated that the fight wasn't over yet and everyone was surprised to see who came out of the dust cloud on the road.
- Are you leaving already?! - Adam, a mad grin on his face, his forehead bleeding, stumbling and limping on his sword, approached the girls. - The fun has just begun! - He fell to his knees and it was clear that he had little strength left.
- It's over, Adam! - Blake stepped forward while the others pointed their weapons at Adam. - You lost!
- Over?! - Adam squeezed Wilt so hard that even his hand started to bleed. - As long as I live, it's not over! - It took all his strength to get to his feet, but he still leaned on Wilt. - You can shoot me, drown me, bury me alive or burn me... - He turned Wilt over in his hands again. - but in vain! As long as I live, you'll...
Suddenly Lance appeared behind him, still in his berserker form, and grabbed the faunus man, turned him towards him and hit him with all his strength. The punch was so strong that, lacking his aura, broke Adam's jaw and lost his consciousness.
That wasn't enough for the enraged Lance, he lifted Adam up, grabbed one of his arms and legs, and started to pull him apart, until the body split in two and a pile of blood and entrails covered him.
He simply threw Adam's split, dead body aside, then fixed his glowing gaze on the terrified and shocked girls and Jaune.
- Holy... - Weiss couldn't find the words.
- Oh my... - Blake couldn't find the words either.
- Am I an *ss if I'm... - Yang couldn't help it, only a grin appeared on her face at the sight of the man's death.
- Lance... - Ruby just looked sadly at the Knight who had done a terrible thing.
- We have to stop him. - Jaune knew what had to be done.
- Or we can wait until he chills down? - The clone Roman suggested, clearly Neo's idea.
- We can't. - Ruby knew Jaune was right. - Who knows how much destruction he'll cause by then.
- Yeah. - Yang and the others agreed that Lance had to be stopped.
- I hope he forgives me. - Ruby's tears welled up as they prepared to fight their friend.
Lance was still standing before them, ready to fight to the end, he didn't care who or if it cost him his life, his cursed Semblance forcing him to do so.
Two runes appeared below him, freezing his legs, then Yang and Blake attacked him simultaneously, from both sides, Ruby in front and Neo from behind, just like they had attacked the Cat before.
However, Lance proved to be much faster and stronger than the Cat, blocking Yang's blow with his shield and pushing her back, then breaking out of Weiss's ice captivity and starting to swing his sword at lightning speed and blocking Ruby, Blake and Neo's attack at the same time. Despite his large stature, he moved quickly and managed to force all four girls to retreat.
The girls didn't stop and attacked them continuously, from all sides, without stopping, but Lance didn't get tired and didn't make a mistake in blocking a single attack. Even though Yang planted bombs on his chestplate, those explosions only damaged his armor.
Ruby realized that Lance was too dangerous to hold back. He repelled all their attacks and his defense was flawless.
- Weiss. - Ruby had to stop her raging friend and fixed her silver gaze on her teammate and understood without words with the others not to hold back.
Ruby raced towards Lance with her Semblance, then when she emerged from the pile of rose petals she used her Silver Eye again, blinding Lance. As the Red Knight was blinded, Weiss summoned a similar set of runes around him as she had around the Cat.
The four girls, Ruby, Blake, Yang and Neo, transformed back into beams of light, zigzagging from one rune to the next, inflicting dozens of blows on the Knight every second, inflicting multiple wounds on his body, and then with a final blow, which Weiss joined in, they knocked him out for good.
Lance fell to the cliff below and as he hit the ground, he kicked up a huge cloud of dust. As the dust cleared, you could see the red aura around his body begin to fade, then it disappeared and Lance's body returned to its normal size.
The girls lowered their weapons in relief, but Ruby was the only one who was more worried and without thinking, she took off towards the Knight with her Semblance.
- Lance! - The girl desperately ran to the Knight lying on the ground after she reached the ground. She looked at his broken armor lying in pieces, of which there was hardly anything left and saw the blood stains that soaked his clothes, which made her think the worst. She knelt down next to him, but when she heard Lance coughing and weak panting, she was relieved.
- Ruby... - Lance, after regaining consciousness, remembered the last thing that happened before his transformation. - what have I done...
- Don't talk! - Ruby tried to press one of the bleeding wounds with her hand. - Jaune! Come quickly!
- No use... - Lance took the girl's small hand with his large, gauntleted hand. - it's too late. - Tears welled up in his eyes when he met her worried gaze. - Forgive me...
- It's all right. - Ruby stroked the boy's tortured face and wasn't angry at him at all.
- I let you down... - Lance knew full well that he couldn't keep his oath.
- No! - Ruby didn't want to hear Lance blame himself. - You fought bravely, but...
- And against whom? - Lance didn't want to deceive himself, since he swore to protect Ruby from everything and tragically, he couldn't protect her from himself. - We both know that I failed.
- Lance... - Ruby had already realized that nothing she could do to save her friend.
- It's over... - Lance had completely lost hope. - Remnant is doomed... The world will fall... Everything will be covered in darkness and just like Atlas... kingdoms will be destroyed one after another.
- No! - Ruby's tears welled up, she hugged the dying Knight and this time she made him an oath. - Lance, I don't know if it's possible, but I swear that I will do everything I can to save Remnant. And I will not let Salem triumph.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team caught up with Ruby, but when they saw the state Lance was in and that Ruby was crying, it was clear to them that the Red Knight wouldn't survive.
- I would have followed you... - Lance weakly stroked the girl's face and wiped the tears from her eyes. - Until the end. To Salem's gate and beyond. And... - He felt that this was the last time he could tell her what he had felt for a long time. - I think... I love you... - Finally, he said how he really felt about her.
- Lance, I... - Ruby sobbed, knowing that this was the end for Lance. - I love you too. - She breathed a kiss on the dying Knight's lips before he closed his eyes for good. - Just leave the rest to me and rest in peace, heroic knight.
Ruby stroked Lance's face one last time, feeling sad that he was no longer breathing and his heart was no longer beating. Knowing that they couldn't stop, she turned to the others, who were just as sad as she was, for the loss of their friend.
- I wish we could have done something. - Jaune lowered his head, as he couldn't have saved Lance as the team's healer. Weiss just grabbed his hand and hugged him to give him a little comfort.
- We did everything we could. - Ruby remembered the lesson that had gotten her here. - And that wasn't enough.
They returned to the space gate that led to Remnant, but Ruby saw something she simply couldn't leave behind. Lance's broken, worn helmet, which they had torn off his head together. For a while, this helmet was their means of travel after the Red Prince shrunk them. Ruby picked up and dusted off the weathered, helmet that endured a lot, the visor cracked and the respirator missing. She ran her fingers through the rose crest on its forehead that Lance had placed on it in her honor and hugged the helmet tightly, the last memento of the Red Knight.
- Are these...? - Blake's words were even caught off guard when she saw two wooden statues growing out of one of the trunks of the Tree.
- Adam?! - Yang didn't know what to do when she saw Adam's wooden statue, which was just like the Herbalist's earlier one.
- And Lance? - Weiss looked at the other statue, which was of their friend who had just died.
- Do you think they can come back? - Jaune was worried.
- Maybe... - Yang guessed. - Should we wait for them?
- No. - Ruby knew very well that Lance wouldn't want them to wait because of him. - Lance will come after us when he decides what he wants. - He left the Knight behind with a heavy heart, but she knew they couldn't wait for him and she had sworn to him that she would save the world. - Let's go.
- Do you think, - Blake felt guilty as she thought about their time here. - we only made things worse in the Ever After? Like Alyx?
- I... - Ruby had no idea how to answer. - I don't know. I want to believe that we did some good. Right?
- Wait?! - Before they could go through the space gate, two people came along the road, one was Juniper, Jaune's mount and a large mouse, wearing a red cloak, brown mittens and a brown belt and panting towards Team RWBY, Jaune and Neo.
- Little! - Ruby almost jumped with joy when she saw her little friend rise and return.
- Do I know you? - Little just looked at Ruby in confusion, who understood that the mouse's memories were probably gone.
- Oh, yes... - Ruby tried to explain. - Well... I don't think we've met before. - She knew full well that the Afterans' had no names, but goals. - What are you?
- I... - The mouse that Little had become wanted to answer, but didn't know what to say. - Well... you know, I haven't thought about it yet. But it seems you know quite a lot about me. What do you think I am?
- Well... - Ruby wondered what she could call Little's new form. - To me, you're like a... friend!
- A guider. - Blake suggested.
- A protector! - Weiss joined in.
- Adorable? - Interesting, but that was Yang's first idea.
- Does any of this sound familiar? - Ruby asked.
- Somewhat... - The mouse thought for a moment and chose his name. - Yes! Somewhat! I'm not just one thing. I'm a little bit of everything!
- I'm so glad you're unrecognizable, Somewhat. - Ruby was the first to call him by that name.
- It would be an honor to serve you. - Somewhat bowed.
- You have no idea how much you've done for us. - Ruby just smiled, since Somewhat didn't remember the time when he was Little and led them.
- I feel... - Somewhat looked at Ruby's face with interest. - that you look familiar. Like a happy dream that I don't remember.
- I'm so glad we met. - Ruby's tears welled up, but this time they were from happiness that her little friend wasn't gone forever and filled her with hope that one day Lance might return in the same way. - I'm sure you'll help a lot of people. - She knelt down to hug him. - But now we have to say goodbye.
- Everything will be okay, Huntress. - Ruby was pleasantly surprised that Somewhat had at least remembered that.
- Hey, Somewhat. - Jaune remembered that beings from the Ever After couldn't cross the space gate and couldn't take Juniper with them.
- I'm at your service! - Somewhat ran to Jaune and proudly pulled himself out.
- Will you take care of Juniper? - Jaune's heart warmed by the mouse's enthusiasm. - She means a lot to me. - He stroked the faithful jackalope one last time, which had helped him for so many years.
- I will never leave her. - Somewhat understood how much the white rabbit meant to the Rusted Knight, then excitedly climbed on her back and galloped away.
Team RWBY, Jaune and Neo stepped in front of the space gate and prepared to step through it, wherever it led. They held hands and finally, they set off for the passage that would hopefully take them home.
Unfortunately, after stepping through it, they found themselves not on Remnant, but in the same dark, starlit dark place from which they had fallen. After a while, the fall began to slow down and they slowly floated down, then they landed on an invisible floor. It was impossible to see where this place began or ended.
Ruby was the first to land, followed by Blake, Yang, Weiss, Neo and Jaune, then they curiously walked forward until they found a blacksmith shop in front of them.
A female figure clad in metal sat in front of the stove, working on wooden versions of the creatures of the Ever After.
- Welcome... - The Blacksmith put the statue down and looked at the newcomers. - in my workshop.
- Um... - Ruby had no idea what to say. - Are you... the Tree?
- I've been waiting for you for a very long time. - The Blacksmith looked at Jaune, who stepped forward from the girls.
- Well... - Jaune just sighed wearily. - I'm here.
- I'm glad you're here. - That was all the Blacksmith replied.
- Could you... - Jaune had a million things on his mind that he wanted to discuss with the spirit of the Tree. - answer my questions? - He picked up the statue of Juniper and began to examine it carefully. - I want to know if the Cat was telling the truth? That Lewis had returned home and... Alyx...
- Yes. - The Blacksmith gave the answer Jaune had been waiting for so long. - Only Lewis had returned home. "The Girl Who Fell Through the World", this was the story he wanted to see. - He stood up and walked past two dragon figures that were terribly familiar to Team RWBY.
- Are those... - Weiss's words were cut off when she saw the statue of the two gods, the God of Light and the God of Darkness.
- The gods! - Ruby gave the answer.
- Yes. - The Blacksmith lifted it up and showed them the statues. - These two brothers were the very first flowers of the Tree. The first inhabitants of the Ever After. - She looked at the statue of the God of Light. - They are impressive creatures and very ambitious. The Tree didn't foresee what they would become. - She turned to the statue of the God of Darkness. - But that is the joy of creation. Thenot knowing.
- Long ago, the Ever After became very overgrown and dangerous. I created the Brothers to help maintain this land. And to build a world that would last. First, they were given the power of Destruction to clear away the excess vegetation. Then they were given the gift of Creativity, so they could imagine anything. And anyone to replace the wildlife with. The Brothers built houses and gave them roles.
- But if that was their job, - Weiss, after the Blacksmith had set down the two statues, examined them carefully. - then what does this have to do with Remnant? - She turned to the Blacksmith. - And us?
- The Brothers became curious. - The Blacksmith folded her hands. - They wanted to do more. To do this, they learned to use their abilities and tools. They began to design their own creatures in the greatest possible secrecy. They soon realized that their new creatures could do their work for them. To find the broken parts of the Ever After. - She was clearly talking about the Curious Cat, who must have been kind in the past. - After the first success, they planned a second creature to finish what the Cat had started. - The Jabberwalker was the other. - It proved brutal and effective. One Brother thought they had upset the balance, while the other condemned the creatures for their mistakes. But balance is not an endless fight between two forces. Balance is an ecosystem. An organism. A living, breathing being. Therefore, balance cannot be created by force or calculation. True balance develops by itself. It only takes love and patience to see the result.
- And... - Yang was the next to ask. - how did they get to Remnant?
- The Ever After was no longer enough for the Brothers' experiments. - The Blacksmith continued. - And so I created a door for them, into the beautiful unknown. Where the Brothers could try to create their own worlds. A door that would remain open until the Brothers returned and for any of their creatures. And one of their truly wonderful achievements, when their creation reached the Ever After. - She looked around the team. - You six have more influence than you think. Just like Alyx and Lewis before you. - She took out the statue of Somewhat, which surprised the others. - Just like those who will follow you. - Ruby took the statue and remembered how they had met Little. - A single, small kindness in the smallest situation had caused such a wonderful transformation. - Ruby understood that Little had become the Somewhat, the protector of the Ever After, because she and Lance had helped him. - Likewise, a single dishonest act, - The Blacksmith took out the statue of the Cat, whose purpose was to help those lost in the Ever After, was one of their most evil enemies. - could result in a terrible change.
- Alyx's broken promise to the Cat. - Jaune understood, the Cat lived with constant curiosity in a world where he could no longer learn anything new and the hope of entering a new, unknown world, with so many new things to learn, suddenly taken away from him, was what corrupted him.
- It's a terrible thing to live with a broken heart. - The Blacksmith felt sorry for the Cat, since he was the one who sent the beings of the Ever After to the Tree. - And there was no one to send him to the Tree to be repaired.
- What will happen to Lance? - Ruby hoped that one day she would meet the Red Knight again.
- And Adam? - Blake hoped that this place would be able to bring peace to Adam.
- They will both have a chance to mend their broken hearts. - The Blacksmith explained after placing the Cat statue on the table. - And become something new, but they both have to agree on that goal. Like balance.
- Adam and Lance need to find a common goal? - Blake thought it unlikely that the two of them would agree on anything. - That would never happen. - Unfortunately, it made it clear that they would never see the Red Knight again.
- A lot can happen between now and never. - The Blacksmith took out a weapon that was very familiar to Jaune.
- Alyx's knife! - Jaune could hardly believe his eyes when he saw the blade. - Where did you get this?!
- When Alyx was nearing the end of her life, she decided to leave a piece of herself behind. - The knife began to float from the Blacksmith's hand and was enveloped in yellow light. - A wish to fix what she ruined. - She handed the knife to Jaune, who took it as if he were holding a part of her in his hand.
The light surrounding the knife flowed over Jaune and completely enveloped his body, then the image of Alyx appeared before him, looking kindly and repentantly at the aged knight. In a flash of yellow, Jaune transformed back into his old, 19-year-old self, with short hair, a smooth face, shiny armor and even his sword, which had broken in the fight with Cinder, had been repaired.
- I... - Jaune could hardly believe what had happened, regaining the years he had lost in the Ever After. - I can't believe this! This is so... - Although with that, his youthful and slightly childish voice returned. - Was my voice like this? - Weiss just laughed, but she was very happy and hugged her boyfriend, who had regained his youth.
The Blacksmith just waved and a portal appeared in front of the team, the same one they had summoned all over Atlas.
- Where will it take us? - Ruby asked.
- Not "where", - The Blacksmith just stepped in front of the portal, the door of which turned rainbow-colored. - but "when", you will be needed the most.
The team didn't need anything more, they just held each other's hands again and stepped through the portal.
- Thank you. - Ruby looked back at the Blacksmith one last time, who returned to her workshop and waved to the girl.
Finally, the RWBY team, Jaune and Neo this time actually returned to Remnant.
A huge desert spread out before them, where the sun was already starting to set and they saw a large city in the distance. They clearly went into Vacuo and saw Shade far away.
This is where they were needed the most.
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Well, we knew that the third tragedy will come. It was Lance's turn. Rest in peace, Lance.
Volume 9 is over.