The moon illuminated the night sky above Mistral.
Qrow was leading you, Zacharias, JN_R and RW_Y towards Haven Academy.
You enter the building and are greeted by Lionheart, who is standing on a terrace at the top of the stairs that is being held up by a statue of a woman in chains.
"Why hello. Thank you for... coming." Lionheart chuckles nervously. "There... seems to be more of you than last time."
Qrow and the rest of the group stop to look up at Lionheart.
"Eh, you know what they say, 'The more the merrier'. So what's going on with the council?"
"Why... did you bring your weapons?" You grew skeptical at Lionhearts nervousness. Qrow was definitely right.
"What? Leo, we're Huntsmen. You okay?"
"Of course! Of course, sorry. Just haven't had my evening coffee."
"Look, it's nice to see you, but we got work to do. Are we getting support from the council or not?"
While the two talk, Yang notices from the corner of her eye a black bird perched on a balcony railing.
"Mom?"
Everyone's attention is turned to the bird. It flies away just as Qrow shoots at it, but he misses. The bird flies down behind Lionheart, transforming into Raven Branwen, donning her mask. Everyone glares at her.
"Raven..." Ruby mumbles.
"They... they really are magic!" Nora gasps in shock.
Raven takes off her mask. "If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. That was insulting."
"What are you doing here?!" Qrow calls out.
"I could ask you the same thing. You've been scheming, little brother. Planning to attack your own sister." Raven says as she walked down the stairs.
Once she reaches the bottom, she locks eyes with you. "Y/n...? What are you doing here?"
"Raven... what are you planning?!" As you call out to Raven, Qrow turns toward Lionheart again.
"Leo... what have you done?!"
"I..."
"Leo did what any sane person would in his position - he looked at all the information he had in front of him, assessed the situation, and made a choice. And it seems you all have too." Raven looked through the group, resting her eyes once again on you.
You weren't sure if she was genuinely shocked or just wants to see your growth.
"You have the Spring Maiden." Qrow yells at Raven.
"I do."
"Then hand her over and let's work together! We can beat Salem!"
"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with. There is no beating Salem!"
Ruby steps foward. "You're wrong. We've done things that most people would call impossible, and I know the only reason we were able to do it is because we didn't do it alone! We had people to teach us, people to help us, we had each other. Work with us. At least I know we'll have a better chance if we try together. Please."
Ruby holds her hand out. Raven glares at it.
"You sound just like your mother."
Suddenly, Raven draws Omen and creates a portal with her Semblance. From the portal, a fireball is launched and hits Ruby square in her torso. She lands several feet back.
"Ruby!" Both you and Yang cried out.
While Yang runs to her little sister, Cinder steps out of the portal.
"Hello boys and girls."
She is then joined by Vernal, Emerald, Mercury, Sol and Mira as they too step out from the portal.
"Oh, look what we have here! If it isn't little Y/n..." Mira said with visible anger.
"Mira!" You look at his arm, which is replaced with a mechanical one. "Heh, hows your arm?"
"You rotten bastard!"
"Hold yourself Mira." Sol put his hand on his shoulder. "Wait for it."
You quickly shoot a lighting at Mira, who barely managed to dodge it.
Raven turns to you with a confused expression.
"That semblance..." She looks around your crew. "Y/n. Where is Hugo?"
Mira bursts into a fit of laughter as you clench your fists.
"Raven... I'm grateful for your training... and everything else you've done for us. But..." You grab your Scythe and take a stance.
"If you side with Mira, I WILL cut you down!"
"Heh, just like i did Hugo... you know, he'd still be alive if he just decided to stand aside..."
"Uncle! I won't let you get away any longer! You'll pay!" Zacharias calls out as he takes a stand next to you.
"Tch, little pest."
As you continue your stare down with Mira, you start feeling Cinders gaze on you.
"Y/n." Everyones attention turns toward Cinder. "How about an offer?"
"What's that?"
"Your power is one of a kind. It'd be a waste to let you die here. So, how about this: I'll give you Mira, and you join us. And in return, I'll keep your little friends alive too."
"You're a fool to think I'd let you kill me, Cinder!" Mira yells at her.
"Over my dead body!"
Cinder let's out a sigh. "I can arrange that!"
She hurls a fireball at you, which you catch and send back to her.
She catches it and crushes it in her hand.
"Everybody, stay calm." Qrow pulls you backward.
Suddenly they hear the doors behind them open up.
"Oh no..." Oscar mumbles to himself.
A big, buff man is seen closing the doors behind him as he enters.
"The White Fang is prepping demolition and securing the school grounds. No one's getting in, and no one's getting out."
"This was all just a trap?" Weiss asks in disbelief.
"It appears so..." Ren confirms.
"Raven, tell me... how long have you been with them?" Qrow asked his sister.
However, Cinder decided to answer instead. "Aww, don't take it personally, little bird. Your sister was a recent addition. The lion on the other hand... Entrance into the Vytal Festival was a real treat, Leonardo's been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. Isn't that right, professor?"
"Stop it..." Lionheart was visibly ashamed.
"It was you... you sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every Huntsman and Huntress in the Kingdom, and you gave it all to her?"
"I--"
"I couldn't find any of them, because you let her kill them!"
Lionheart doesn't say anything, only still having a sad expression on his face.
Mira giggled to himself. "My treat!"
You clenched your fist harder, visibly shaking. "You monsters..."
"Aw now, don't beat yourself up about it, Lionheart, I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them on their own eventually." Cinders smile grew even more sadistically.
"What is wrong with you...?" Jaunes anger took the best of him. "How can you be so broken inside... to take so many lives, and then come here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of?!"
"Jaune..." Nora said in a small voice.
"All with that damn smile on your face!" Tears start running down his face.
The rest of the group draw their weapons.
"Everybody, stay calm!" Qrow tried to defuse the situation.
Cinder just glares.
"I'm gonna make you pay for what you did! Do you hear me?!"
"Kid!" Qrow called out to Jaune.
"Well?! SAY SOMETHING!"
After a short pause, Cinder says her response. "Who are you again?"
Jaune starts looking shocked, but quickly switches to anger, as he let's out a scream.
He dashes at Cinder, ready to strike.
"Damnit, No!" Qrow calls out.
Mira takes this chance to lunge at him. He aims his sword at Jaunes head.
Before Jaune can react, Miras blade is inches away from his head.
Miras smile grew sadistically wide.
"Uorgh!" He dropped his blade as you landed your boot in his face. He flies back several feet as you drag Jaune back a bit.
"You can't fight Cinder head on! Let someone else do it!"
"But-"
"Please..."
"... Alright. Alright."
He steps back toward the others.
To your dismay, you're now in the middle of the enemies.
To your left, Cinder, Raven and Emerald.
In front of you, Mira and Mercury.
To your right, Vernal and Sol.
Zacharias joins you and brandishes his sword.
"Y/n! What now?!"
You take a deep breath and set your eyes on your target.
... Cinder!
... Mira!
... Sol!
... Raven!