Third Person P.O.V.
Charugna is in a large, empty room, training with her purple fire. Behind her is a darkened arched hallway. On either side of the arch, the walls of the room have a low ledge the bear several burning white candles. Four Beowolves approach Charugna, moving in a semicircle formation. Charugna swings her left arm at them, sending another slash of fire. It cuts through the middle of all four Grimm and they disintegrate away.
Charugna pants again, still upright yet taking a breather. She does not get long, as heavy footsteps approach from her left. She gasps and looks in their direction. A Beringel leaps into the air, ready to deliver a blow to her with its fist. Charugna, however, pulls back her right arm and pushes a ball of flame right at it. It, too, disintegrates.
As its body disappears, Charugna falls to her knees, breathing heavily.
"Enough." Salem walks forward while Charugna catches her breath. "I thought you were the girl who wanted to master the power to serve me. Did you lie to me?"
Charugna looks up. Turning to face Salem, she clearly shakes her head negatively.
"Then stop holding back. If you wish to master your new powers, you must -"
Salem is cut off by the sound of heavy doors opening. On the opposite end of the stone hall, Tyrian, who is sobbing, enters. He falls to his knees once in the room, both hands flat on the floor and his head bowed.
"I'm sorry. She'll forgive me. Pleeeease." Tyrian bows again on the last word. "Forgive me..."
"Tyrian!"
Salem stands before him. He raises his body but remains sitting on his legs while Charugna rises from the stone floor behind Salem. Salem holds out her arm imperatively.
"Your task - were you successful?" Tyrian bows his head.
"N-no."
Charugna's eye widens. Salem also looks surprised for a moment before narrowing her eyes and walking away. Charugna watches their leader for her further reaction without looking at Tyrian.
Tyrian begs, turning his body to remain facing Salem.
"But-but hope is not lost! My tail, my stinger... I-I poisoned him, Qrow! He will not be a nuisance to you any longer, no... no longer! I've done that... have I done well? Have I pleased you?"
"The last eye is blinded... you disappoint me."
Salem leaves. Tyrian falls forward, wailing. A Beowolf approaches, all focused on Tyrian's negative emotions. It ignores Charugna and leaps upon him. Tyrian sends it away with a single blow and it lands on its back. Still wailing, Tyrian opens his weapons and leaps atop the Beowolf. He slashes at it repeatedly, tears streaming down his face. His wails gradually turn into laughter as he vents his grief into the butchering of the Grimm. Charugna grimaces.
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Outside of her home on Patch, Yang spray paints her robotic arm and half of Ember Celica bright yellow and nods.
She goes into a tool shed and takes the tarp that had been covering her motorcycle, Bumblebee, off and smiles.
"I don't remember saying that you were ready." Taiyang is leaning against the frame of the open shed door, arms crossed. Without turning around, Yang scoffs.
"Oh yeah? You're gonna try and stop me?" Taiyang chuckles.
"No. I think I'm still too sore after our last fight. I just wanted a better goodbye than a letter. And, I also have a question for you." Yang turns around. "Where are you going?"
"What do you mean?" Taiyang moves into the shed.
"Well, despite asking him numerous times not to, I know that Qrow told you where your mother's been at these days. I know how much you wanna see her. I've stopped you in the past, but I won't anymore. And we both read the note. We know your sister's headed to Mistral. So, where are you going?"
Yang looks down at the tarp as Taiyang makes his point. She remains gazing down for another couple of beats before looking up at her father. Her eyes narrow in determination, her decision made.
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Weiss steps out of her bedroom, carrying a white suitcase and Myrtenaster. She looks around cautiously, her footsteps loudly resounding in the ornate hallway. She jumps and gasps when Klein walks right behind her. He puts his finger to his lips and shushes her before smiling.
Klein whispers, "Let's go."
The two move quickly across the carpet, their footsteps muffled. Side by side, they go down the staircase and clickety-clack their way across the entrance hall. They are moving down another hallway until Klein's Scroll buzzes. They both look at it with squinty eyes.
"Master Whitley. I... um... yes, of course. I'll be just a moment." He clicks his Scroll off and tucks it away, whispering to Weiss, "Head to the first floor library. I'll meet you there."
They separate, going in opposite directions. Weiss is soon creeping outside Jacques's study door when she hears a glass crash followed by the rising voice of Ironwood. She crouches behind a cushioned chair against the wall.
"You need to control yourself!"
Jacques retorts, "You're talking to me about control? Do you even hear what you're saying?"
"I am basing everything on my reports from your daughter."
"A daughter you stole!" Weiss moves closer to the door to listen.
"Oh, we are not getting into that again."
"Oh, yes, we have far more pressing matters to discuss, starting with your apparent lunacy!"
"Jacques!"
Inside Jacques's study, he is seated at his desk while Ironwood has both hands on it, leaning over him from the other side. Ironwood sighs.
"Winter is one of my best. If she's telling me there's a threat in Mistral then I am not going to take that news lightly. She's been there for weeks, people are mobilizing, sudden spikes in weapons and Dust trades. Someone is about to make a play and I do not trust Leo to stop them."
Weiss is listening outside.
"You've never trusted anyone other than yourself!"
Ironwood shouts, "And for good reason!" Weiss covers her mouth with her hand as she gasps at the sound of Ironwood slamming his fist onto the desk. "If Oz had just listened to me from the start..."
"You need to get a grip."
"That's exactly what I'm doing. Our people need protection. By this time next week, the Kingdom of Atlas will be officially closing its borders. No one in; no one out. Without the council's permission."
"You mean, without your permission?"
"And if that becomes the case, I would think you'd want to be on my good side."
Ironwood walks away from the desk, leaving Jacques to sigh and fold his hands. Outside the door, Weiss hears him coming and uses Myrtenaster to cast a black Glyph onto the handle. When Ironwood tries to leave, the handle turns but the door will not open, despite him shaking it.
"It's locked."
"What are you talking about?"
Ironwood steps back and slams into the door, shoulder first. It does not budge. Weiss turns and makes her way down the hall across the carpet while a couple more bangs come from the door.
She reaches the library, but it is empty.
"Klein! Klein, where are you?"
A hidden door in the corner opens, revealing Klein.
Klein is red-eyed and speaks with an accent, "Keep your voice down, I told you I'd be here." Weiss rushes over, dropping both sword and suitcase in order to hug Klein with both arms. He returns the hug and his eyes turn back to normal. "Are you sure Mistral is safe?"
"No, but it's where I'll find Winter to meet up with Y/N."
"I suppose she'd be the only family you have left after tonight." Weiss puts her hand on Klein's shoulder.
"I'll always have you."
"You most certainly will."
A loud bang from further in the house makes them both look. It is clear that Ironwood has gotten finally out of Jacques' study.
"Klein?! Klein, get down here this instant!"
Klein's shoulders slump.
"Go, now."
Weiss grabs her things and goes through the secret passage in the corner of the library. She pauses to turn and look at the butler one more time.
"Thank you, Klein."
He nods and shuts the door.
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It is daytime in Menagerie, birds tweet in the trees around the balcony outside Ghira's study. Blake and Velvet are hugging Y/N's arms.
Kali eavesdrops and walks in. Behind her, Ghira looks down at his wife on the ground with his hand on his hip. Kali pops upward again.
"Hey, sweetheart, your father needed to speak with the three of you." Blake tilts her head.
"Huh?"
A Scroll is set down on the coffee table. It shows a master folder labeled W. F. with six subfolders inside. The subfolders are labeled: Assignment, E.L., P.R., E.W., S. F., Untitled.
Ghira crosses his arms.
"I'm afraid you were right to be suspicious."
"What do you mean?"
"Adam Taurus is planning to overthrow the leader of the White Fang, and stage a full-scale attack on Haven Academy. It would be the Fall of Beacon all over again. He's also worked with someone named Cinder Fall and from the Fall of Beacon, no one knows about Black Tyger, but it's assumed she died at the Fall of Beacon."
Y/N nods.
"We're going to bring the White Fang back to its original path."
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Nora, Cinder, and Neo run down to Kuroyuri. Nora panics.
"Not again, not again..."
They come to a stop after passing under an arch leading to the center of town. Neo and Cinder are panting, but Nora is hardly winded. Nora lifts her head and her worried eyes change to ones smiling in relief.
In front of them, M/N, Ruby, Coco, and Pyrrha face the other way, but abruptly turn, Pyrrha putting her hand on her weapon. Qrow is propped up against the tree.
Ruby asks, "What are you guys doing here?" Pyrrha nods.
"Did you hear that noise? What was that?!"
Nora's eyes grow wide and she falls to her knees, clearly alarmed.
"No..." Ruby looks around.
"Nora! What is it?!"
The sound of plodding footsteps can be heard coming closer.
Coco takes her sunglasses off.
"Wait, you guys hear that?"
The footsteps come to a stop. A bone horse head breathes loudly, exhaling black smoke. Within the bones are glowing red lights and around it is the black flesh of a Grimm.
Nora lifts her head.
Weapons can be seen stuck into a body that has bones sticking out perpendicular to its spine. Slowly, a torso raises, revealing a horned, humanoid Grimm. The horns and front part of the face are bone while the mouth is merely thin strips of Grimm flesh stretching across an opening. The mouth, the bones, and the eyes all glow red.
Cinder growls.
"The Nuckelavee."
The Nuckelavee twitches its head and roars. As it reaches towards them, several sniper shots hit the Nuckelavee on the horse's head, then shred the left then right arms, then on the flailing torso, and finally imploding the head.
Ruby looks at M/N.
"Nice shooting!" M/N gulps.
"Uh... that wasn't me."
"Then... who was it?"
"That would be me." London walks up and steps on the Grimm's corpse as it dissipates. She smirks as she lifts her head to reveal her eyepatch. Their eyes widen as London places her rifle back on her back and draws Narcissus and Echo, spinning them in her hands. "Surprised to see me? Especially you, Ruby Rose? After what I've gone through? With you throwing me off that ship and making me look like a fool?"
London shakes her head.
"If you thought I was dead, you were surely mistaken. I've come to have my revenge. All of you will fall by my hand."
They glare at London as she snarls.
The sounds of thunder and gunfire are heard as the fight in Kuroyuri commences. A billowing cloud of dust and pieces of wood rise in the distance around the top of a tree that is barely visible above the town rooftops. Ruby, Coco, Cinder, Neo, Pyrrha, M/N, and Nora all fall back by the dead cherry tree. Qrow is still unconscious and propped against it.
London approaches, firing Ice and Burn shots at the group. The tree starts to get shredded by the shots, causing all active combatants to flinch. London looks at the combatants and turns her head to look at Qrow and begins running toward him.
Pyrrha slings her sword and shield to her back and makes a run for Qrow. London fires a Burn shot at Pyrrha. Pyrrha avoids it and gets Qrow upright, but London is heading right for them.
M/N jumps in front of London with Oni's Club in its tetsubo form as London growls and spins her machete in her hand, putting Echo back in its holster.
M/N looks back at Pyrrha.
"We need to get him to safety!"
Pyrrha walks away with Qrow while the battle resumes. She sets Qrow down behind a building and narrows her eyes at the wounded man before turning to leave. Qrow grabs her by the hand, but falls unconscious before he can say anything and M/N nods to Pyrrha as she runs to Qrow. Pyrrha gives Qrow another look before rejoining the fight.
London is parrying attacks with her machete and firing Narcissus, shooting both Ice and Burn shots at Pyrrha's teammates. Coco looks to everyone.
"Keep moving, go in a circle!"
The team follows this plan, and Ruby gets distracted when Coco starts adding fire to London with her minigun and Cinder shoots an arrow and Neo shoots darts, but London jumps over and flips around the shots, firing at the feet of everyone.
The fight continues and London kicks Coco in the gut, sending her flying at the building. London fires at the building, causing it to begin collapsing. Nora panics.
"Ruby!"
Ruby nods, and she uses Crescent Rose to launch Nora in to get Coco out of the way of the falling debris.
Cinder lifts Midnight and heats up an arrow. London growls at her.
"You! You have the nerve to involve me in your damn plans, then you switch sides?!"
Cinder releases the arrow and London shoots the arrow with Echo, causing an explosion of ice and heated metal to knock Cinder to the ground.
London flips out of the way of Pyrrha's shield being thrown at her and smirks as she slides in between Pyrrha's legs and kicks her up before standing back up, sending Pyrrha to land on her stomach. Pyrrha tries to get up, but London runs up and kicks her side, knocking her on her back.
Smirking, London catches Nora's hammer behind her by the pole and she kicks Nora back as she loads a bolo round into Echo and fires it at her feet, tying her down. London sniffs the air and sees Neo. London fires darts from her wrist panels at Neo only for her to shatter. London's ear turns and she grabs Neo by the neck behind her and throws her at Coco trying to get up, knocking them both down.
Ruby rushes towards London with Crescent Rose in its sword form and London sidesteps. Ruby tries again, but London activates her jet pack to fly to the top of a building while firing down at Ruby. Ruby dodges Ice and Burn shots as she rolls herself up in her cloak and flies at London, leaving petals behind.
Ruby lands on the roof in front of London and runs at her with Crescent Rose's sword form and London lifts her guns up to block. Ruby jumps back and flies around with her Semblance as London fires all around her with Burn and Ice shots. Ruby flies at London, preparing to swing her sword, but London jumps up and activates her jet pack, then kicks Ruby's face, sending her down to the floor.
London smirks as she jumps down and aims Narcissus at Ruby.
"Now. You shall pay with your li-"
M/N interrupts her by shooting a rifle round at her, but London moves her head back to narrowly avoid the shot. London's ear flicks to the sky as she growls.
"How unfortunate. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
London uses her wrist panels to spew flames from her wrists at the ground in front of her, obscuring M/N's ability to spot her as she runs out of the village and into the forest.
Ruby runs into the alley where Qrow was left during the fight. She breathes a sigh of relief that he is still alive. Qrow smirks.
"It's quiet. Good job, kiddo."
Coco and the others get up as she points up.
"Everyone. You might want to look up."
In the courtyard two wood and metal airships are coming in to land; Nora points in Qrow's direction.
A man in a brown flight suit with an air tank on his back carries Qrow on a green stretcher with Ruby walking alongside them, her hand on Qrow's shoulder.
The two rescue ships take off, everyone on board.
Pyrrha asks, "How did you find us out here?" The Mistral Pilot smiles.
"We were on patrol and saw the smoke. Nobody's been out here for years, thought something might be wrong."
Ruby crouches by Qrow, holding his hand.
"What if we don't make it in time?"
Coco points at the view and Ruby looks up and sees the flourishing city before them.
"Ruby."
"We made it, Uncle Qrow."
Nora and Neo sit on the edge of the open rescue airship, their legs dangling. Nora is looking out at the city, feeling happy.
Coco stands up with Gianduja on her side in its purse form, Cinder is holding the ceiling handles, and Pyrrha sits with Ruby.
The airships fly in to the city.
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Ruby walks into a triple bed accommodation she's sharing with M/N and Qrow. It has barren furnishings: three beds, a large desk and a nightstand. M/N sits on Qrow's bed as he sleeps under the blankets of one of the beds as Ruby sets the collapsed Crescent Rose on the empty bed and looks over at Qrow sleeping.
She walks over and sits at the desk, picking up the pen and writing on the notepad.
"Hey sis, I hope my letters have been reaching you and Dad. Hand-written stuff's never been super reliable, but I guess it's all we've got these days. Anyway, in case you haven't been getting them, I want to say I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I know you told me it was a reckless idea, and after everything I've been through, I can definitely say you were right. It's been hard, on all of us, and I'm not just talking about the monsters we fought out here."
An Atlesian Pilot counts Lien.
"Okay, you can hide out back in the cargo hold. I'll take you as far as I can, but if we get caught, you're on your own. Understand?"
Weiss nods affirmatively and begins walking forward as Ruby's narration resumes.
"Every step we made took us further and further from the things we knew. And every morning we woke up wondering, if just over the next hill would be something good or something terrible."
The Airship takes off, and Blake is in Ghira's office. She places a small chest on the desk and opens it. Inside are various objects, including a flag with the new White Fang emblem, a spiral notebook and a book.
"It's scary not knowing what's going to happen next. And the things we do know now—just how bad it can get—it almost makes it all worse."
Yang is on the same ship Y/N, Blake, and Velvet took to Menageries and Yang looks at a ticket and a photograph of Team STRQ, with Bumblebee next to her.
"You told me once that bad things just happen. You were angry when you said it, and I didn't want to listen."
Taiyang stares at a framed photo of Team STRQ.
"But you were right, bad things do happen, all the time, every day. Which is why I'm out here, to do whatever I can, wherever I can, and hopefully do some good."
Zwei barks at Tai, and he smiles, looking across the room at a framed photo of Team RWBY, with Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. On the photo, 'New Friends!!!' is written with a heart shape drawn near the writing.
"We've all lost something, and I've seen what loss can do to people."
Pyrrha is in her triple accommodation she's sharing with Coco and Nora, sitting with a frustrated look on her face as she stares at Miló and Akoúo propped up against the wall.
"But if we gave up every time we lost, then we'd never be able to move forward."
Nora, Coco, Neo, and Cinder open the door. Pyrrha smiles as Cinder and Neo set Midnight and Hush next to Pyrrha's weapons and Coco sets Gianduja next to the parasol and bladed bow. Nora sits beside Pyrrha and leans on her, while Cinder sits on the bed behind them and Neo rests her hand on Cinder's shoulder as Coco smiles and sits next to Pyrrha.
"We'd never have a chance to see what beautiful things the future might have waiting for us. We'd never have the strength to change; whether it's ourselves, or the world around us."
Weiss, sitting on top of her suitcase in the airship's cargo hold, gazes out into the sunset and smiles as the airship flies over the Atlesian mountains.
In Menagerie, Blake puts down the current White Fang flag and picks up the old white and blue flag. She lowers it and smiles at Y/N, still glum, and Velvet as Blake walks over and kisses Y/N and Velvet does the same.
"And we'd never be there for other people who might one day be lost without us. This is what we were training for, Yang, to become Huntresses, to be the ones to stand up and do something about all the bad in the world."
The Captain and First Mate smile and wave goodbye as Yang drives Bumblebee with away from the port, headed toward Mistral.
Elsewhere, Oscar sits in the dining car of the train as it crosses a bridge surrounded by mountains and water. He is staring at a poster advertising Haven Academy. The poster shows two figures: a female with an axe and a male with a rifle. The poster reads: 'HAVEN ACADEMY: BE A HERO'.
The train announcer announces, "Approaching, City of Mistral."
"Because there are plenty of people out there who are still lost and even more who will try to gain everything they can from their sorrow."
Ilia lands on a rooftop in Menagerie in the night, as Corsac and Fennec wait for her. Ilia gets on one knee and lowers her head after they turn to face her.
"Believe me when I say, I know it can feel impossible, like every single day is a struggle against some unstoppable monster we can never hope to beat."
In the Land of Darkness, Charugna snaps her fingers, having defeated at least the two Beowolves disintegrating on the ground in her continued training. Mercury is leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. Emerald puts two fingers on her head, concentrating as she generates a hallucination of Ruby begging for mercy. Charugna focuses a large stream of purple fire on the hallucination from her right hand, glaring at it with her eye glowing. Nearby, Salem is watching, looking pleased.
"But we have to try, if not for us, then for the people we've already—"
Ruby stops and crosses out the last few words as she alters her statement.
"Then for the people we haven't lost yet."
As Ruby finishes writing, the note is shown and two tears fall on the page.
"I miss you so much. I miss Weiss, Blake, Y/N, and Velvet too. But I think you'd all be proud to know that I made it to Mistral. All of us did and Cinder did not betray us, and Uncle Qrow and Ms. L/N joined along the way."
Qrow pushes himself over with one arm and grunts while propping up his head with the other hand. Ruby hears a knock at the door and sees Qrow as she smiles.
"Hey, aren't I normally the one saving you?"
Ruby wipes tears from her right eye and both her and M/N smile down at Qrow. The narration of Ruby's letter resumes as she looks at the corner where Qrow and M/N's weapons and Ozpin's Cane are resting.
"They're going to take us to see Professor Lionheart, the Headmaster of Haven Academy. And they told us some things that you're gonna wanna hear, things I can't trust will make it to you in this letter. But maybe, if you join us, Uncle Qrow could tell you himself. With Beacon gone they'll need Dad at Signal more than ever, and I know you need to focus on yourself before I can expect you to come out with me. But it sure would be great to get Team RWBY back together again."
Yang and rides down a path on Bumblebee, before coming to a stop at a crossroads and looking at a sign post. The signpost points right for Mistral and left for Kuroyuri, and the sign for Kuroyuri has 'BANDITS' spray painted across it in big, red letters.
"You are in so much trouble when I find you."
"Until next time, your loving sister, Ruby Rose."
Yang smiles as she continues to ride the motorcycle.
"Oh! Uh, PS. I'll be sure to give you the address of where we're staying in Mistral! I'd love to hear back from you and Dad, and I can't wait to fill you in on whatever's going to happen next! Now that we've made it across Anima I really think things are gonna start going our way."
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In Lionheart's office, a ladder leans against a bookshelf with a few books taken out. The previously described mahogany desk is seen along with a plaque and loose papers. On a small table lies a tea set, with gray colored teapots and cups decorated with green accents. Watts is sitting at the table together with Lionheart. He picks up a tea cup and puts his feet up on the table.
"Why thank you, Professor. Salem always did say you were..." He sips his tea and sighs. "quite hospitable."
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A/N: This concludes Volume 4. It's completed earlier than I thought, but Volume 5 will be worked on, but I have two questions.
What do you think of London Néger (Black Tyger) as an antagonist?
Is there anything you like/not like about this book? I want to know if there's something I should keep/stop doing to make this story break the mold a bit before I continue on to Volume 5.