Chapter Text
Back outside, the terrorist White Fang were fighting a losing battle against the combined forces of the Menagerie White Fang Resistance and the Mistral Police Force. Only a few of the terrorists stood their ground with their guns up. A searchlight appeared over them from one of the Mistral Airships and a male police sergeant shouted to them, “Cease fire, immediately!”
They tried to run away, but they were suddenly blocked by Ilia and a few Menagerie White Fang and police officers. They continued to point their guns at them, but soon more police and Menagerie White Fang surrounded the terrorists, making two of the three drop their guns, and holding their hands up to surrender, with one of them still holding his pistol. The one with the pistol aimed it, but it was knocked out of his hand by Ilia’s whip, Lightning Lash, before he was tackled to the ground and restrained by the chameleon Faunus.
A female rabbit Faunus then said, “Thank you.” to Ilia, who looked back and nodded before she continued to restrain the White Fang soldier.
Adam got up from the ground in front of Elton and Blake as he said to the cat Faunus, “I’m going to make you regret ever coming back…”
“More police are on their way, Adam. Huntsmen too.” Blake said.
Adam let out an evil chuckle before saying, “Still too afraid to face me on your own.”
“I’m here for Haven, not you.” Blake said.
Adam then let out an angry growl before he took out Blush, his sword’s scabbard/short-barreled rifle and aimed it at Blake in its gun form while Blake drew the katana part of her weapon, Gambol Shroud, and Elton readied Fate in its dual blades form.
“Heh, you are still afraid, and you should be. I've made powerful friends while you've been away.” Adam said, pointing Blush at Blake.
“Oh yeah?” The monkey Faunus said from almost behind Adam. He walked up behind him with his bo-staff in his hands and asked Adam, “Where?”
Adam then pointed his sword, Wilt, at the monkey Faunus and asked him, “Tell me, does Blake make all of her classmates fight for her?”
“Nah, it's a volunteer gig.” The monkey Faunus said as he twirled his bo-staff and planted it into the ground next to him. He followed up with, “I'm just sayin', for someone who claims to have such great friends, there doesn't seem to be a lot of people here willing to fight for you.”
Adam looked around and saw that all his fighters and followers were either dropping their weapons and surrendering or had already surrounded and were on their knees with their hands behind their heads. A searchlight then appeared on top of Adam himself. Blake then said, “You can try and make me regret coming here, Adam. But honestly... I've got more important things to deal with.”
Adam then let out an angry growl before he swung his sword at the monkey Faunus, who split his bo-staff into a pair of nun-chuck lever-action shotguns and deflected the attack. The monkey Faunus did fire off a few shots of his shotguns at Adam, but the enraged bull Faunus deflected all the shots with his sword. Blake then came in and tried slashing at Adam with her katana, but Adam deflected the strike with his sword. Elton then jumped over Blake from behind her and came down on Adam with both of Fate’s blades, but Adam deflected the strike. Elton bounced off to the side and landed on the ground before he tried lunging at Adam again, but missed as Adam then began running off, to which all three of them gave chase to him. Adam soon disappeared into the nearby trees and bushes and Blake yelled, “Sun! Guys! Stop!”
Elton and Sun, the monkey Faunus, stopped and Elton turned around and said to Blake, “But he’s getting away! We can take him!” Elton then tried to run after Adam, but Blake grabbed his arm. Elton looked back as Blake sheathed her katana and said, “No, we can't. He wants to lure us away so he can pick us off. We need to protect the school and the people here. Besides... now he can see what it feels like to run away.” She then smiled and looked at Sun and said, “Thank you.” before looking at Elton and saying, “Both of you.”
“Eh, we all need help sometimes.” Sun said.
Elton then realized who Blake was upon getting a better look at her, as she was the girl Adam stabbed in the stomach area during the Fall of Beacon. He then asked her, “You’re seriously gonna let him get away, after what he did to you and your friend during Beacon’s Fall?”
“Did what? What’s he talking about Blake?” Sun asked her.
“Wait… you saw…” Blake was gonna say to Elton.
“That psycho stabbed you and cut off your friend’s arm. I saw it happen.” Elton said.
“Wait, Adam is the one who cut off Yang’s arm?!” Sun asked, completely surprised.
Blake responded by nodding, as painful as it was for her to remember that night.
She didn’t say anything for a moment. She eventually said, “As much as I want to bring justice to all that night, we can’t. Like I said, he’ll pick us off.”
Elton didn’t like hearing the fact that they weren’t going after Adam, but Sun put a hand on Elton’s shoulder and said, “Listen dude, she knows him better than anyone.”
Elton thought for a moment before sighing and saying, “Alright.”
“By the way, who are you?” Sun asked.
“Elton. I came here with my team to…” He was about to say, but made up a slight lie and said, “To stop the people who are working with the White Fang with destroying the school.”
“Alright. Well, we’ll handle things out here. You go back and help your friends.” Sun said.
Elton nodded before he ran towards the main building again while Blake and Sun went to help with rounding up the remaining terrorist White Fang in the area.
Inside the building, Hazel, Bylarant, Emerald, and Mercury had all bunched themselves together closer to the front entrance, firing off shots in three different directions as Bylarant didn’t have a weapon, so he acted as more of a shield for his allies. Lionheart was situated near the top of the terrace, firing off flaming rock projectiles at Ozpin, who deflected them away with his cane. Theo ran along the ground floor to get a shot on Lionheart’s side and fired shots from her clawed gauntlets at him, but Lionheart kept blocking her shots with Stalwart, before he fired more projectiles at her, and then at Ozpin again.
Crimson fired shots from Rorshak’s GPMG form at Hazel, but the giant’s Aura protected him and the shots didn’t cause him any pain because of his Semblance. Aryl had turned his shield into its repeater rifle form, and fired it also towards Hazel, but nothing seemed to affect him at all.
Rez and Scab were standing underneath the terrace, firing towards Emerald and Mercury, but they kept either dodging or deflecting the shots.
Crimson jumped in front of Aryl and held out his shield and deflected some shots Emerald fired at them. He then asked Aryl, “How you holdin’ up?”
“Surviving, but I don’t understand how that big guy is still standing.” Aryl said.
Theo did a roll to dodge one of Lionheart’s attacks before saying, “It’s insane how fast he recharges his Aura.”
Ozpin then hid behind a pole to dodge an attack by Lionheart before saying, “We just need to get him to his limit!”
Suddenly, Elton appeared from behind Salem’s followers and jumped towards Hazel, hitting him in the back of the head with a kick, knocking him to the ground, before jumping forward and off of the giant and flipping through the air, connecting his blades together, which then a Hardlight Dust twine appeared and connected to the tips of the blades, turning Fate into its bow form, before landing next to Rez and Scab. Elton then looked over to them and asked, “Are you guys okay?”
“Y-yeah. Where have you been?” Scab asked.
“Had to deal with some personal business.” Elton said.
Hazel was then seen getting up before he, as well as Bylarant, Emerald, and Mercury began walking closer towards the students.
“Alright. So, does anyone have a plan?” Scab asked.
Rez then looked back and noticed Lionheart was taking aim at Ozpin again. She then quickly drew Kamata with a twirl and used her Semblance to aim her revolver to her left and behind her, horizontally, before firing off a shot which hit Lionheart in the chest. His Aura may have protected him from the shot, but he held his chest from the impact and recoiled back from the hit. He looked back to see Rez looking at him with a smile, before she used her thumb to pull back the hammer on her revolver, readying another shot. Lionheart then had a scared look on his face before he ran through the doors behind him and down the hall towards his office.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Mercury said in response to the Headmaster fleeing.
Hazel then let out a roar of anger.
“Go!” Rez said, to which Elton and Scab ran forward, weapons at the ready, followed closely behind by Rez.
“Guess he was a cowardly lion after all.” Aryl said.
Crimson laughed before he said, “Yeah. Guess he was.” He then readied Rorshak again and charged into the fight, with Aryl not far behind him as he turned his repeater rifle back into its shield form.
Down in the vault, Jayvee began walking up towards Raven and saw Vernal’s dead body laying on the ground by her. The leader of the bandit tribe then said, “Jayvee! I’m warning you!” She grabbed the hilt of her sword.
Jayvee continued walking closer.
Raven then brought out her sword and pointed at Jayvee and said, “That’s far enough!”
Jayvee stopped walking and looked at Raven.
“You know, you had every opportunity to walk away from Oz and the others. So you can believe me when I say this wasn’t personal.” Raven said.
“You opened the vault.” Jayvee said.
“Thanks to the chaos you and those brats caused upstairs.” Raven said, walking to the side and looking away from Jayvee while sheathing her sword.
“The girl you found, Spring. She must’ve trusted you a lot for you to be in her final thoughts when she died. So, tell me, how DID she die?” Jayvee asked.
“What does it matter to you?” Raven asked, looking back at Jayvee.
Jayvee didn’t say anything for a moment. He then broke the silence with, “You killed her. Didn’t you?”
“She was scared when we found her! Weak. No matter how much training I put her through, she never learned! She wasn't cut out for this world! And with those powers, she would've been hunted her entire life! What I did-“ Raven said before Jayvee cut her off by quoting her with, “’Wasn’t personal.’”
“It was mercy!” Raven said.
“Which is it, Raven? Are you merciful, or a survivor? Make up your fucking mind. You know, while you’re here, did you have me and those so-called brats walk into that trap because you knew we could handle it, or so you could get what you wanted?” Jayvee asked her.
“It's not that simple. You don't know me, you don't know what I've been through, the choices I've had to make!” Raven said.
“You’re right. I don’t.” Jayvee said. “The Raven I know about is the one Qrow and Tai told me about. A troubled and complicated mess who fought for what she believed in. Whether it was for her team or tribe, it didn’t matter, she fought till the end.” Jayvee followed up with.
“I’ll have you know, I’ve stared death in the face over and over again!” Raven said in an enraged voice. She also had activated her Maiden powers as fire trailed from both of her eyes as she said, “And every time I've spat in that face and survived, because I'm strong enough to do what others won't!”
“Oh please. You don’t know the first thing about strength. Look at you, you turn your back on people and run away when things get too hard, and you put others in harms way instead of yourself. You may be powerful, but that DOESN’T make you strong. Not one bit.” Jayvee said.
“Who do you think you are, lecturing me?!” Raven yelled. “Standing there like the scared drunken mess you are!” She followed up with.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. But at least I’m still standing here and doing the right thing!” Jayvee said. He then walked up towards Raven and said, “I’m not like you at all, as I don’t run. Which is why you’re going to hand over the Lamp to me.”
“And WHY would I-“ Raven was about to say, but Jayvee cut her off with, “Cause you’re scared of ‘Her’. Salem. And if you think having the Maiden powers didn’t put you on her hit list, imagine what she would think when she learns you also have a Relic.”
Raven turned around and started realizing the severity of the situation as Jayvee then said to her, “She’ll send everything she has after you. Or… I take it and she comes after me, and she’ll leave you alone. At least, for a while. But I, as well as those kids, will be waiting for her. Ready to fight till the end.”
Raven then deactivated her Maiden powers before saying, “Jayvee… you don’t want to do this.”
“But I’m gonna anyway. Like you and Summer once said: my brain works a little slower than the rest of my body.” Jayvee said, walking towards the open Vault door.
“I…” Raven said as she tried holding back her tears but couldn’t. She then said with tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry…”
“You should be. To your daughter and everyone else. Now that I think of it, I wonder what she would say if she knew about all this and what you’ve done.” Jayvee said.
In response, he heard the sound of one of Raven’s portals closing. He looked back and saw that she had disappeared. The feather of a raven fell towards the ground. Jayvee scoffed at this, thinking of how he just schooled her. He then walked through the open door of the Vault and stepped into the sandy desert on the other side. He walked towards the Lamp which floated just above a small rock pedestal. He then grabbed the ring on the top of it and lifted the lamp with his right hand. He looked at it for a bit before he walked back towards the elevator and used his left hand to draw his hand cannon again. He stepped onto the elevator, and it began rising back up to the school.
Everyone was exhausted from fighting, on both sides, but Crimson, Scab, Theo, and Elton had their weapons pointed at Hazel, Bylarant, Emerald, and Mercury.
“That’s enough! Just give up!” Scab said, pointing Sherwood at Emerald.
Mercury yelled before he hit the ground with his fist.
“It’s not over! Cinder will come back, she’ll have the Relic, and she’ll stop all of you! She won’t let us down.” Emerald said.
The elevator was heard coming back up, so everyone looked over and they saw Jayvee holding the Lamp in his right hand, while pointing his pistol at Salem’s followers.
All the students looked up to Jayvee, happy to see he was ok and that he had the Relic in hand.
“Uncle Jay.” Scab said.
Crimson looked back towards Emerald and wittingly asked, “What was that about Cinder having the Relic?”
Emerald started to tear up as Hazel growled in anger. Emerald then collapsed to the ground, panting and tearing from the loss of Cinder.
Hazel, Bylarant, and Mercury started to back up as Mercury said, “Emerald, get up, we need to go.”
Emerald then looked at Mercury, still with tears in her eyes.
“Emerald!” Mercury said.
Emerald looked around while breathing heavily before she held her head with both her hands and let out a loud scream.
All the students, Ozpin, and Jayvee then noticed the room get darker with a washed-out red tint, with red balls of light surrounding the room, and black smoke rising from the floor. The smoke then turned into a giant woman in a black dress, probably thirty feet in height, with deathly white skin, bleached white hair, dark purple veins going down her arms and near her eyes. Her arms looked deformed and were wavy as if they were made of pasta. When she opened her eyes, which had black sclerae and glowing crimson irises, she let out an ear-piercing screech and jumped towards everyone. Everyone raised their weapons and looked away to defend themselves, but when they looked again, everything had returned to normal. Hazel and his allies had also disappeared from sight: they must’ve made their escape.
“What in the fuck was that?!” Crimson asked.
“An illusion. But an accurate one. That... was Salem.” Ozpin said.
Elsewhere, Hazel was carrying an unconscious Emerald over his shoulder while Mercury and Bylarant followed behind him as they all ran through the forest, trying to get back to the ship. Unbeknownst to them, Adam watched them from a nearby hill before he too ran off, knowing he was being hunted down as well.
Suddenly, Blake, her parents, and Sun ran into the Academy. Blake then asked all the students, “Are you all ok?”
“Yeah. We’re fine.” Elton said.
Kali, Blake’s mom, said, “The police rounded up the remaining White Fang members. Haven is safe.”
“Unfortunately, it appears that Adam escaped.” Ghira said.
Elton looked down and growled in anger.
“It’s okay.” Ilia said walking into the building. She then said, “He was the only one to escape tonight. Those in the White Fang that followed him? Won't support a leader that abandons his people. He won't have their help after this. He'll have no one at all. And the White Fang will be left divided.”
“We've been fighting amongst ourselves for too long. Perhaps it's time for a new brotherhood. A new family for Faunus truly working towards a better world.” Ghira said.
“And they’ll need a new leader.” Kali said, putting a hand on her husband’s metal abdomen piece.
Sun then looked over and saw the other students and waved towards them.
Crimson, Rez, and Scab waved at Sun as they recognized him from the Fall of Beacon.
Jayvee then walked downstairs with the Lamp in his hand and holstered his pistol. Scab then ran up to him and asked, “What happened down there, Uncle Jay?”
“Don’t know, other than Cinder was gone, Vernal was dead, and I sassed Raven after SHE opened the vault since SHE was actually the Spring Maiden.” Jayvee said.
“Glad you’re still here, Uncle Jay. I knew you could do it. You are the best Huntsman ever.” Scab said, smiling at him.
Jayvee chuckled before he ruffled his niece’s hood and said, “Thanks.” He then walked over to Ozpin, who was on the ground, holding his side and breathing heavily. He kneeled down to him and said, “I don’t know how… but we fucking did it, Oz.” He then asked, “You ok, Old Timer?”
“I’m alright.” Oscar’s voice said. Ozpin wasn’t in control right now.
“Wait, kid?” Jayvee asked.
“He’s resting. Too much energy fighting.” Oscar said.
“Hey, don’t strain yourself kid.” Jayvee said.
“No! He had a message.” Oscar started with. He took a few deep breaths before saying, “We must… get the Lamp to… Atlas.” He then collapsed to the ground, but Jayvee caught him and carefully set the farmboy down. Clearly, with how much Ozpin had been fighting today, this must’ve been more than what Oscar’s body could handle after Ozpin handed back control.
Jayvee then looked at the Lamp before he noticed that Lionheart wasn’t anywhere to be seen. He looked over to Scab and asked her, “Where did Leo go?”
“I think he ran to his office. He hasn’t come out of there yet.” Scab said, pointing to the door Lionheart went through earlier.
Jayvee looked towards it and handed the Lamp to Scab and said to her, “Hold this. I’ll be back.” He then got up and ran up the stairs and towards the Headmaster’s office. He kicked the doors open to find the lights off, Stalwart thrown to the side of the room, and Lionheart’s dead body on the ground, with blood coming from two stab wounds: one on the back of his neck and one on the back of his head.
He looked around for any clues of who could’ve done this, but already had a pretty good idea it was Salem, or one of her other followers. He didn’t find any hard evidence though.
A couple policemen ran inside from the hallway and saw Jayvee looking at Lionheart’s body.
“What happened here?” One of the officers asked.
Jayvee turned around and said, “Before you jump to any conclusions and think I killed him, I didn’t. I’m a licensed Huntsman after all.” He then showed his license to the officers. He then said, “As for what happened, I’m not sure. I just found him like this. Looks like some kind of struggle happened here, but that’s only a guess.”
“Alright. Well, we’ll take over from here, sir.” The other policeman said.
“Fine by me.” Jayvee said as walked back towards where all the students were as the police officers began their investigation into the Headmaster’s death. He then started to think of a plan from Ozpin’s message about bringing the Lamp to Atlas. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was their best shot at keeping the Lamp safe. There were only two problems in the way though: How to get to Atlas when their borders were closed, and having to talk to General Ironwood about all this when global communication was almost impossible right now, except by letter, and even that was totally reliable. As much as Jayvee disliked James, he knew what he had to do, so he started thinking of what to put in his letter to send to the General, if it would even reach him all the way in Atlas.