Third Person POV
The shattered moon illuminates the night sky above Haven Academy. On the school ground Qrow, and Mystogen take the lead as the currently present members of Team RWBY, the remaining of team JNPR, and Oscar follow close behind. Ruby stops and looks up to admire Haven's CCT tower, before following the rest of the group to a nearby building. They enter the building and are greeted by Leonardo Lionheart himself, who is standing on a terrace at the top of the stairs that is being held up by a statue.
"Why hello. Thank you for... coming," Leo greets nervously, "There... seems to be more of you than last time,"
Qrow and the rest of the group stop to look up at him, Mystogen spoke, "You know what they say, 'The more the merrier'. So what's going with the whole council deal?"
"Why... did you bring your weapons?" Leo asks.
"What? Leo, we're Huntsmen. You okay?" Qrow asks.
"Of course! Of course, sorry. Just haven't had my evening coffee.
Summer tapped Mystogen's shoulder, "Look up there," Summer pointed to a raven perched on a balcony railing, which Mystogen looked at it with curiosity.
Yang looks at Mystogen and follows his stare to the raven as well, which she knew exactly who that was, "Mom?"
Everyone else's attention is turned to the Raven. It flies away just as Qrow shoot at it, but he misses. The Raven flies behind Leo, transforming into Raven Branwen, donning her mask. Everyone glares at her.
"Raven," Summer says.
"They... they really are magic," Nora says shocked at this.
Raven takes off her mask, "If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. That was insulting,"
"What are you doing here!?" Qrow asks slightly angered by her unexpected arrival.
Raven walks down the stairs, "I could ask you the same thing. You've been scheming, little brother. Planning to attack your own sister,"
"Leo... what have you done?!" Qrow says.
"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,"
"You have the Spring Maiden," Mystogen spoke up.
"I do," Raven says.
"Then hand her over and let's work together! We can beat Salem!" Qrow offers.
"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with. There is no beating Salem!" Raven says.
"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 says holding out her hand.
Raven glares at it, "You sound just like your mother," Raven suddenly draws her sword and creates a portal with her Semblance. From the portal, a fireball is launched and hits Ruby square in the torso. She lands several feet back.
"Ruby!" Yang yells as she runs to her little sister.
Cinder steps out of the portal, "Hello boys and girls,"
She is then joined by Vernal, Emerald, and Mercury as they too step out from the portal.
Ruby glares at her, "Cinder,"
Cinder and her group lineup alongside Raven.
"C'mon guys, is that any way to greet your old friends?" Mercury says which Yang growls at him.
"Everybody, stay calm," Qrow said. Suddenly they hear the doors behind them open.
"Oh no," Oscar says.
Hazel is seen closing the door 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," He slowly approach them.
"This was all just a trap?" Weiss asks.
"It appears so," Ren says.
"Raven, tell me... how long have you been with them?" Qrow asks.
"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?" Cinder says in a mocking tone. Mystogen took hold of Penny's sword's grip.
"Stop it," Leo said says shamefully.
"It was you... you sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every Huntsmen and Huntress in the kingdom, and you gave it all to her?" Qrow says.
"I--"
Mystogen's anger grew, "None were found because you let her kill them! Huntsmen and Huntresses with families!"
Summer looks at Mysotgen with slight shock, this being the first time seeing him angered. Leo doesn't say anything, only still having a sad expression on his face.
"Aw now, don't yourself up about it, Lionheart, I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them on their own eventually," Cinder says.
"What is wrong with you...?" Jaune spoke seething, "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 says.
"All with that damn smile on your face!!" Jaune yelled enraged with tears streaming.
The rest of the group draw their weapons besides Mystogen he kept his hand on Penny's sword's grip.
Qrow tried to defuse this situation, "Everyone, stay calm!"
Cinder glares, Jaune yells, "I'm gonna make you pay for what you did!! Do you hear me!?"
"Kid," Qrow says.
"Well?! SAY SOMETHING!!" Jaune yells at Cinder.
After a short pause, Cinder says her response, "Who are you again?"
At this, Jaune gains a look of shock, and then anger. He transforms Crocea Mors to its two-handler form and advances forward. Cinder summons an obsidian scimitar and blocks Jaune's attack.
"Jaune!" Ruby yells out. She leaps into the air, but a chain wraps around her and she is pulled to the ground by Emerald.
"You're not getting near her," Emerald says.
Jaune is then pushed back by Cinder and the two began their duel. Yang runs forward to join the fight, but Mercury lands in front of her, "Hey there, Blondie. I'm thinking you owe me an apology for my leg, don't ya think?"
Yang growls and uses Ember Celica to project herself forward.
Raven looks at Vernal, "Take out the heiress. Don't bother wasting your power, she's not worth it,"
Raven then draws her sword as Qrow uses Harbinger to lock blades with his sister, "Running away was one thing, but this... you've crossed the line!"
"Sorry, brother. Sometimes family disappoints you like that," Raven says.
"We're not family anymore," Qrow says.
"Were we ever?" Raven asks.
"I thought so, but I guess I was wrong," Qrow says. The two proceed with their fight.
Vernal confronts Weiss, "Let's see what the Schnee name really means," She draws her weapons.
Weis holds Myrtenaster en garde, "I'm more than a name,"
"Hm, prove it," Vernal says.
Weiss activates a glyph below her and projects herself forward to fight the Spring Maiden. Meanwhile, Oscar sneaks up the stairs to Lionheart while Hazel confronts Ren and Nora, who hold up their weapons defensively.
"I don't wish to fight either of you," Hazel says.
"Nor I you," Ren says.
"But we will if you're with her!" Nora says.
Hazel cracks his neck and knuckles, "Very well then," He proceeds forward.
Mystogen looked at everyone who were in their own fights, He looked at Cinder and Jaune who were in their duel and ran at them before a figure broke through the window and pinned Mystogen against a pillar, this was the same Taken who bested him.
"Thankfully, I made it just in time huh?" The Taken says.
"You," Mystogen says with anger in his voice.
"Missed me Mystogen? Ready for round two?" The Taken asks.
"Gladly!" Mystogen placed both of his feet on the Taken's chest and pushed them off of him and drew Penny's sword.
As Leo nervously watches the fights going on, he then notices Oscar walk up behind him, "Young man, I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but for your sake, I suggest you leave no. Now," Oscar defiantly remains stationary before taking a few more steps toward Leo, "I'm warning you!" Leo holds out his wrist-mounted weapon, while Oscar prepares to draw something behind him, "That enough!" Lionheart rotates his weapon, having a glyph appear above it which then conjures a flaming rock that launches at Oscar, who holds out his arms in front of him defensively as the attack explodes. Oscar is unscathed, though his Aura shimmers. He continues to proceed up the steps and draws his cane.
Leo looked at Oscar, eyes widened, "Ozpin?"
"Not quite," Oscar says as he proceeds forward as his attack force Leo on the defensive.
Mystogen and the Taken locked blades, looking at one another.
"You can actually keep up with me better than when Beacon fell," The Taken says.
"Well, I have the intent of killing you," Mystogen says.
The two began to trade blows both blocking the other's attacks. The Taken backs up and flew up in the air and drew his gun and fired at Mystogen. Mystogen ran around dodging the shots and skidded to a halt, he was enveloped into white rose petals and flew towards the Taken grabbing him, then using his semblance again tackling him to the ground causing a small crater. Mystogen brought down Penny's sword only for his arm to be grabbed and thrown out of the crater into another pillar with a sickening thud that cracked the pillar in multiple places, he slid down the pillar, and to the ground breathing slightly faster than before. Summer looked at Mystogen in worry but he rose from the ground, pointing Penny's sword at the crater.
The Taken rose from the crater and looked at Mystogen, "Now that is something I wasn't expecting, it looks like you have some new tricks up your sleeves hunter,"
Weiss lets out a pained causing Mystogen to turn his head towards her, The Taken took this chance and dashed at Mystogen which he turned back to the Taken and narrowly blocked it, pushing Mystogen's back into the pillar once more, it began to creak because of the damage done to it.
"Did you not learn from past experience!" The Taken says pushing their blade causing Mystogen to struggle to hold the lock, "You will die if you don't pay attention to the enemy!"
"NOOOOOOO!!!!" Ruby yelled as a bright light engulfs the area, which causes the Taken's grip to weaken.
Mystogen used this moment and grabbed one of the Taken's horns, and stabbing them with Penny's sword through the chest. Mystogen whispered in the Taken's ear, his words seething and filled with venom, "Doesn't feel so great huh?" He pulled the blade out causing the Taken to stumble back.
The wound in the Taken's chest spewed a black mist, they looked at their hands and clenched them, black lighting formed in their right hand which they ran at Mystogen. Mystogen knew there was no dodging this so he crossed his arms in front of his face and waited for the impact, The Taken slammed his fist into the ground in front of Mystogen causing him to get thrown off his feet and through the weakened pillar into a wall with a satisfying crack for the Taken. Mystogen laid on the floor painting, the Taken walked up to Mystogen and grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the wall.
"I'm going to kill and your little light," The Taken summoned his sword, "But I want to watch you suffer," They drove it through Mystogen's shoulder and pinned him to the wall. They walked towards the others.
He watched as Cinder slowly proceed towards downed Weiss and conjures an obsidian spear. Images came to his mind.
Cayde.
"No," Mystogen began to pull at the sword.
Penny.
"Not again," The sword loosened.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Jaune yells. Cinder throws the spear and it impales Weiss through her abdomen. She gasps in shock as everyone stops their fighting and stare in shock as well.
(Hello everyone! So it looks like I'ma be splitting this into two parts because this took way longer then I expected and I want to have something up, so this is going to be a cliffhanger! Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter, so goodbye and take care!)