The full moon illuminates the night sky above Haven Academy. On the school grounds, Qrow Branwen takes the lead as the currently present members of Team RWBY, the remaining members of Team JNPR, as you had ask Pyrrha not to participate in the fight, and Oscar Pine follow close behind. Ruby Rose 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, who is standing on a terrace at the top of the stairs that is being held up by a statue.
Lionheart: Why hello. Thank you for... coming. (nervously) There... seems to be more of you than last time. (nervous chuckle)
Qrow and the rest of the group stop to look up at Lionheart.
Qrow: Eh, you know what they say, "The more the merrier". So what's going on with the council?
Lionheart: Why... did you bring your weapons?
Qrow: What? Leo, we're Huntsmen. You okay?
Lionheart: Of course! Of course, sorry. Just haven't had my evening coffee.
Qrow: 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 Xiao Long notices from the corner of her eye a black bird perched on a balcony railing.
Yang: 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.
Ruby: Raven...
Nora: They... they really are magic...
Raven: (taking her mask off) If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. That was insulting.
Suddenly a shot rang from Fell Cyclone as she jumped and you smiled as everyone looked at you.
You: Still insulted?
She growled at you.
Qrow: What are you doing here?!
Raven: (walking down the stairs) I could ask you the same thing. You've been scheming, little brother. Planning to attack your own sister.
Qrow: Leo... what have you done?!
Lionheart: I...
Raven: 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.
Qrow: (angry) You have the Spring Maiden.
Raven: I do.
Qrow: Then hand her over and let's work together! We can beat Salem!
Raven: All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with. There is no beating Salem!
Ruby: 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.
Raven: 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 was about to hit Ruby square in her torso. A silver Rose symbol appeared as the fireball dissipated as Summer Rose walked out holding
Cinder Fall steps out of the portal.
Cinder: Hello boys and girls.
She is then joined by Vernal, Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black as they too step out from the portal.
Ruby/Y/N: (glaring) Cinder...
Cinder and her group line up alongside Raven, while the rest gasp.
Mercury: C'mon guys, is that any way to greet your old friends?
Yang growls at him as you flip him off.
Qrow: Everybody, stay calm.
Suddenly they hear the doors behind them open up. You then lean back to Jaune.
You: Watch out for Cinder and stay back and help those who like they need help.
Jaune: Got it!
Oscar: Oh no...
Hazel Rainart is seen closing the doors behind him as he enters.
Hazel: The White Fang is prepping demolition and securing the school grounds. No one's getting in, and no one's getting out.
Everyone watches Hazel slowly approach them. They turn their attention back to Cinder.
Weiss: This was all just a trap?
Ren: It appears so...
Qrow: Raven, tell me... how long have you been with them?
Cinder: (mocking) 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?
Lionheart: (shamefully) Stop it...
Qrow: 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?
Lionheart: I--
Qrow: 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.
Cinder: Aw now, don't beat yourself up about it, Lionheart, I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them on their own eventually. And I have to ask Y/N how did you survive that stab.
You: Much Training and Calcium does a lot for the body.
Cinder: Bullshit you can't just survive that kind of power. Especially after being stabbed in the chest.
You: Aww is the little fire bitch mad?
Cinder: Stop bullshitting me and act serious already
You: Why should I when you aren't a big threat to me.
Cinder just glares. As she summons Midnight and charges at you.
Ruby: Y/N!
Ruby leaps into the air, but a chain wraps around her and she is pulled to the ground by Emerald.
Emerald: You're not getting near her.
You and Summer charge at her as she spins her scythe and jumps at Cinder as she ducks and blocks yours and Summers blades. Yang runs forward to join the fight, but Mercury lands in front of her.
Mercury: 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: (to 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.
Qrow: Running away was one thing, but this... you've crossed the line!
Raven: Sorry, brother. Sometimes family disappoints you like that.
Qrow: We're not family anymore.
Raven: Were we ever?
Qrow: I thought so, but I guess I was wrong.
The two then proceed with their fight, while Vernal confronts Weiss.
Vernal: Let's see what the Schnee name really means.
Vernal draws her weapons, while Weiss holds Myrtenaster en garde.
Weiss: I'm more than a name.
Vernal: Hm, prove it.
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.
Hazel: I don't wish to fight either of you.
Ren: Nor I you.
Nora: But we will if you're with her!
Hazel: (cracking his neck and knuckles) Very well, then.
Hazel proceeds forward. As Lionheart nervously watches the fights going on, he then notices Oscar walk up behind him.
Lionheart: Young man, I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but for your sake, I suggest you leave. Now.
Oscar defiantly remains stationary before taking a few more steps toward Lionheart.
Lionheart: I'm warning you!
Lionheart holds out Stalwart, while Oscar prepares to draw something from behind him.
Lionheart: That's 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 The Long Memory.
Lionheart: (eyes widening) Ozpin?
Oscar: Not quite.
Oscar then proceeds forward as his attacks force Lionheart on the defensive. He manages to whack Lionheart back a few steps.
Lionheart: This can't be... I knew you would be back, but... you made it here! You found Qrow! How?
Ozpin: (mentally) Leo... what happened to you?
Lionheart: Wait. You can't have had this form for long. You're... not really Ozpin right now. Boy. Child. If I deliver you to Salem, she'll have to be pleased with me, and I can finally get out of all of this! I can finally be free!
Lionheart, now determined, preps his weapon again.
Oscar: What do I do?
Ozpin: (dryly) Fight.
Oscar proceeds forward.
Meanwhile, Weiss leaps around on her glyphs, dodging Vernal's weapons as she throws them like boomerangs. Weiss is then forced on the defensive and creates a large ice wall. She then stabs Myrtenaster into the ground as her Arma Gigas summon crawls out of her glyph. Suddenly, a large beam destroys the ice wall as well as the Arma Gigas before it could be fully summoned. One of Vernal's weapons knocks Weiss back several feet.
Vernal: (catching her weapon) Don't think I'm going to let you take the easy way out.
Elsewhere, Jaune is knocked to the ground.
Cinder: (chuckling) I'm starting to remember you, you're the dense one that can't tell when he's out of his league.
Jaune gets back up and clashes blades with Cinder again. Ruby watches them fight but is snapped out of her distraction by Emerald. She then transforms Thief's Respite into its revolver forms and fires at Ruby, who twirls around Crescent Rose blocking Emerald's shots.
Ruby: Why are you doing this?! Salem's--
Emerald: I don't care about Salem! But I owe Cinder everything. You want to fight her that bad? Be my guest.
Emerald then activates her hallucination Semblance, creating a wall of fire which Cinder emerges from and charges at Ruby. Suddenly, Cinder's form disappears, while Emerald trips Ruby. Ruby fires a bullet that narrowly misses Weiss, who is blocking Vernal's shots with Myrtenaster. Weiss attempts to summon, but Vernal is too quick and prevents her from doing so. Eventually, Weiss manages to launch Vernal out of the way and prepares to summon again. Suddenly, Vernal appears in front of her and lands an attack that depletes Weiss' aura. Weiss lets out a pained scream. Jaune hears this and looks in her direction as tears well up in his eyes.
Cinder: Are you going to let her die too?
You: No but you will!
Cinder: Fine then be that way...
Cinder then ignites her scimitars, which are both now fully coated in flames. Cinder, you, and Summer proceed forward to clash. Ruby looks behind her and notices this. She briefly thinks back to the moment when You nearly died, and her eyes start to shine bright again.
Ruby: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
A bright light engulfs the area but dies down when Ruby is knocked unconscious by Emerald. Suddenly, Cinder falls to her knees, holding her arm in pain. She looks up, and barely misses Summer's attack as it chips her mask that conceals the left side of her face. As Cinder moves out of the way, you fall to the ground in pain. Cinder gets back up enraged, activating her Maiden power while doing so. She then steps on top of You to hold you down.
Cinder: Did you think you actually had a chance against me?! You?!!
You ignite your eye with both maiden powers and you Silver eyes as they shift from e/c to silver shocking her as she then says.
Cinder: You're just a failure with a death wish.
You: (struggling) If I die buying them time, then it's worth it. They're the ones that matter.
Cinder looks to Your comrades as they fight against their respective foes, before smiling evilly back down to him.
Cinder: You think so?
She then notices Weiss get knocked back several feet away, and begins to slowly proceed toward her while she conjures an obsidian spear.
Jaune: No... (watches helplessly while Cinder continues to advance towards Weiss) NOOOOOOO!!!
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. The spear then disintegrates as Weiss goes motionless and slumps forwards
Jaune: WEISS!!!
You: NOW JAUNE!
Cinder Fall is shown smirking You eyes fully Ignite as a Silver Flaming sword appears along with armor. Jaune quickly gets up and runs to Weiss's aid. Oscar Pine watches Jaune approach and pick up the unconscious Weiss Schnee from his position. He then looks over to the unconscious Ruby Rose. Angered, he smacks Leonardo Lionheart with The Long Memory, causing him to fall down the stairs and into Hazel Rainart, who remains unfazed as Lionheart falls to the ground. Oscar quickly runs over to Ruby, with Nora Valkyrie joining him.
(Your Armor and weapon)
Oscar: Ruby, get up! Get up!! We need you!
Hazel picks up Lionheart by his collar, lifting him off the floor.
Hazel: You're lettin' that boy make a fool of you.
Lionheart: That's not just a boy! It's Ozpin. (Hazel's eyes widen when he says this) He's already reincarnated!
Hazel drops Lionheart and looks over to Oscar, who is still trying to nudge Ruby to wake her up. He then notices The Long Memory being held in the young farm boy's hand.
Hazel: Ozpin?
Suddenly, the usual calm demeanor of Hazel slowly turns infuriated. Ruby stirs for a bit.
Oscar: Ruby! You--
Hazel: OZPIN!!!!
Oscar looks up.
Ozpin: (mentally) Oh no...
Hazel: You thought you could hide from ME?!!
Hazel rips his coat off, and then grabs a pair of lightning Dust crystals from a couple of pouches on his legs.
Hazel: You'll pay for what you did! You'll die over and over again!!
He stabs the lightning Dust into his arms, with his blood vessels turning yellow and popping out from his skin as well as having some lightning coat them. His eyes glow yellow, and he lets out an intimidating roar. Oscar slowly backs away, holding his cane up cautiously.
Oscar: Do-- do we fight?
Ozpin: (afraid) No, run!
Hazel leaps forward to charge into Oscar, but Qrow Branwen gets him out of the way in time. Qrow transforms Harbinger into its scythe form while Cinder watches. Raven Branwen and Vernal walk to her sides.
Cinder: (angry) Ozpin is here?!
Raven: Is that a problem?
Cinder: I'm not sure, but right now we got the upper hand. Let's not waste it.
Lionheart is shown on his knees when Cinder's voice gets his attention.
Cinder: Leo! Open the path to the vault!
Lionheart gets back up and approaches the statue in the room. He takes out his pocket watch and places it in a small niche on the statue. The hands on the watch gradually spin faster and the statue lowers. You and Yang watch the situation in front of you two. She looks to Jaune and Lie Ren as they tend to Weiss and then looks over to Nora who is still trying to wake Ruby up. Nora looks to Yang and you.
Nora: Stop them! We've got your team covered!
Yang lingers a bit before heeding Nora's advice, but she gets kicked to the ground by Mercury Black. He is then joined by Emerald Sustrai. You then use Petal Dash along with Illusion to run to the vault.
Emerald: You wanna get to them? You're going to have to get through all of us.
Emerald uses her Semblance to create multiple copies of Mercury, which surround Yang. Meanwhile, Jaune uses his hands to apply pressure on Weiss' wound, while Ren holds her wrist checking her pulse.
Jaune: Ren, talk to me!
Ren: (sadly shaking his head) This is bad.
Jaune's eyes widen in horror.
Jaune: No, no, no, no, not again! Weiss, c'mon, please!!
Meanwhile, Vernal steps onto the platform leading down to the vault.
Cinder: (to Lionheart) Make sure they leave Ruby alive. This won't take long.
Cinder steps onto the platform. Raven looks back a bit as she hears her daughter fighting vainly, shaking her head before she steps on the platform too. The platform then lowers down. Oscar is then shown dodging out of the way as Hazel slams his fist into the ground.
Ozpin: Oscar.
Oscar: No!
Oscar dodges another attack from Hazel.
Ozpin: Oscar!
Oscar: I told you, no!
Oscar gets punched back by Hazel several feet into a column.
Ozpin: Please, let me take over! I can handle him!
Oscar: You told me I needed to fight for myself! (standing back up) So I will.
Ozpin: This is not your fight!
Oscar: What does that mean? Why is he so upset with us?
Hazel: He didn't tell you my tale, did he, boy? (he approaches Oscar menacingly) I thought you looked familiar, to think that evil was inside you when our paths first crossed. (he holds his fists in the air) Your blood won't be on my hands, it'll be on his.
Qrow jumps in the way to block Hazel's attack, but he slams his fist into the ground, the shockwave knocking both him and Oscar back. They both get back up as Qrow engages Hazel.
Oscar: What was he talking about?
Hazel: Tell him, Ozpin! Tell him how you KILLED HER!!
Oscar: Her?
Ozpin: Gretchen Rainart was Hazel's sister. Despite her brother's wishes, she enrolled at Beacon Academy to become a Huntress and tragically lost her life on a training mission. Hazel... holds me responsible. Please, let me fight. I know Hazel. He's wounded in a way that cannot be healed.
Hazel: (off screen) You know now! (tossing Qrow aside) You can forgive me for what I'm about to do. (begins approaching Oscar)
Oscar: Did she know?
Hazel stops in place at his inquiry.
Oscar: Did she know the risk of being a Huntress?
Hazel: She was only a child! She wasn't ready!!
Oscar: She made a choice! A choice to put others before herself! (holding his cane up defensively) So do I.
Hazel just glares at him.
Hazel: Then you've chosen death!
Oscar glares back, determined.
Ozpin: I'm sorry.
Oscar: What?
Oscar's eyes glow and his body falls to the ground as Ozpin takes over him. Ozpin looks up, and Hazel looks back at him, enraged.
Hazel: OzzzzPIIIIIIIIN!!!!
Meanwhile, Jaune and Ren continue tending to Weiss.
Ren: She's hardly breathing. I... I don't know what we can do...
The both of them look down to Weiss as she struggles to breathe, before suddenly stopping.
Jaune: No, it wasn't supposed to be like this! Please! (voice breaking) We can't lose anyone else...
Jaune sadly closes his eyes. Suddenly, a faint shimmering sound is heard and a white aura starts to coat over Weiss' body. Weiss suddenly gasps for breath again.
Hazel and Ozpin fight each other intensely. Lionheart tries to intervene by launching another attack from Stalwart, but is stopped by Qrow. The two of them fight each other, with Qrow blocking Lionheart's projectiles. Ozpin and Hazel engage against each other again. Hazel tries to smash him with his fists, but Ozpin is too fast for him. Eventually, Ozpin manages to knock Hazel down on all fours. Ozpin then twirls his cane and prepares to deliver the finishing blow, but Hazel roars and smashes his fists into the ground, creating another lightning shockwave. Meanwhile, Weiss starts to gasp and breathes normally again as the white aura encoating her continues to glow.
Jaune: Huh? Wha- what's happening?
Ruby: Weiss!
Nora helps Ruby up on her feet, who then quickly runs over to her teammate's side.
Ruby: What happened? What's going on?!
Ren: (smiling) I think she's going to be okay! She seems to be stabilizing.
With Weiss breathing again, Ruby smiles, relieved that her friend's life is not endangered anymore. Ruby then hears her sister struggling, she looks over her shoulder to see Yang getting knocked back by Mercury. Yang charges forward, but Mercury's form disappears as a result of another one of Emerald's Semblance hallucinations. Emerald then creates an image of Raven, which Yang is hesitant to attack. Yang then blocks another attack from Mercury, but she is then knocked down again. Ruby then looks over to Oscar fighting Hazel, with the latter's attack becoming too wild and unpredictable for the young boy. Oscar is then hit by one of Lionheart's projectiles and holds his shoulder in pain. Hazel is about to punch at Oscar again, but Qrow pushes Oscar out of the way and takes the blow in his back, launching him upwards. Ruby then lifts Jaune's hands up to see that Weiss' wound has closed.
Ruby: Whatever you're doing, don't stop!
Jaune: I won't.
Ruby: Good. Oscar needs help.
Ren: I'm on it.
Ruby: Jaune and Weiss still need cover!
Ren takes out StormFlower, while Nora approaches his side holding Magnhild.
Nora: No one's gonna touch 'em. (smiles)
Ruby: (smiling) Okay, make it happen, RNJR! Hey uh where's Y/N?
Nora: He ran to the vault and He looks pissed.
Ruby stands back up, transforming Crescent Rose into its scythe form and flips over. She lands to her sister's side, knocking Emerald back. Emerald's Semblance copies of Mercury then disappear, reforming back into the main Mercury.
Yang: Thanks, sis. (standing back up) You okay?
Ruby: No, I'm angry.
Ruby proceeds forward.
down in the vault, Vernal, Cinder, and Raven walk towards the Relic chamber. Suddenly, a symbol on the ground glows bright, as well as the circle enclosed around it. Similar circles with symbols in them also glow leading up to the Relic chamber's door. The tree's flowers then glow even more, and it's petals gently fall and float around the vault. One petal falls into Vernal's hand. You then turn invisible and sneak around getting ready to jump in and kill Cinder.
Cinder: Having fun?
Vernal glares back at Cinder as the petal in her hand dissolves into particles.
Raven: Vernal, stay focused.
Cinder: Oh, come now, Raven, let her enjoy this. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Vernal: How does this work?
Cinder: Once the Spring Maiden places her hand on the door, it will open. For you - and only you. Then I will walk into the vault, and retrieve the Relic. No one else. Is that clear?
Vernal: Yes.
Raven: It doesn't matter to us. Let's get this over with.
Cinder: Alright then. Vernal, when you're ready.
Vernal approaches the door. While she does so, Raven slowly reaches for the hilt of Omen, but stops when Cinder speaks.
Cinder: You know, I've heard so many stories about you, Raven. They say you're a cunning leader, that you're strong, that you're clever.
Vernal hovers her fingertips close to the door.
Cinder: It's a shame that they're wrong...
Cinder then lets out a blue, frost-like projectile from her hand.
Raven: VERNAL!!
Raven reaches out, but she is too late as she is frozen in place from Cinder's attack. Vernal takes her hand away from the door and takes her weapons out on Cinder, but she is stabbed by something in her stomach. She looks down and notices an elongated Grimm hand coming from Cinder's left arm. You then ignite your eyes as she dies.
Cinder: It's nothing personal, dear. (she approaches Vernal) You're just not worthy of such power. (face to face with Vernal) But I am...
Vernal is then pushed to the ground, and she screams out in pain as she struggles to get the Grimm hand out of her stomach. The ice coating Raven is shown cracking.
Cinder: So I will take... what is mine...
Eventually, Vernal stops struggling and goes motionless and quiet. Cinder smirks as she looks down on Vernal's body, but then realizes that something is wrong.
Cinder: Wha-- what is this? Where's the power?!
Cinder hears ice crack from behind her and sees you free Raven from her frozen prison.
Raven: You won't find it, because Vernal isn't the Spring Maiden... (she takes her mask off) I am!!
Raven opens her eyes, with a red flame-like effect glowing and trailing from them
Cinder Fall looks to the motionless Vernal.
Cinder: Vernal was a decoy the whole time. (turning her attention back to Raven Branwen) The last Spring Maiden must've trusted you a great deal before she died. I bet that was a mistake...
Raven growls and shoots Omen out of her hilt, and the two Maidens begin their battle against each other. They strike at each other with a flurry of vicious sword strikes. The two eventually clash, the strike breaking Midnight and the shrapnel hurting her Grimm arm. She holds her arm in pain.
Raven: Aura can't protect your arm, it's Grimm.
Cinder pulls the shrapnel out of her arm and faces Raven again.
Raven: You turned yourself into a monster just for power.
Cinder: (conjuring another weapon while glaring) Look who's talking...
The two proceed forward to clash again. During their bout, Raven quickly switches between the various colored blades in her hilt to counter Cinder's various weapons that she conjures. As their battle intensifies, Cinder conjures a giant flaming sword while Raven uses her Maiden powers to create a massive ice sword. Their clash creates a massive shockwave that shakes the cavern, with the combatants above ground also feeling the tremors. Due to their battle, the giant stalactites hanging from above start to drop. You dodge them as both Maidens also jump back to dodge out of the way. As Raven prepares for her next strike, Cinder's Grimm arm elongates through the dust and grabs Raven's neck. As the Grimm arm slowly drains her powers, Raven notices something and smirks. She sends out a frost-like attack from her palm and freezes Cinder's feet in place as more boulders from the cave in crash down on her. Raven, now free from her grip, does a massive leap into the air and lands on top of one of the falling stalactites. She looks down and notices Cinder survived the cave in, using her fire powers to fly up to her. The two fight their way around the falling stalactites. Eventually, the stalactites land back on the ground, and both Maidens are on their knees, panting in exhaustion while their Auras shimmer as they are about to break.
Raven: (standing back up) Had enough yet?
Cinder: Shut up!
Raven: If you were stronger or more clever, then maybe... you'd remember to watch your back!
Cinder glares at her, wondering what the Spring Maiden is talking about, but then gasps as she looks behind her. She notices the dying Vernal aiming one of her weapons at her and fires. Cinder blocks the attack, but Raven quickly dashes up behind her and lands a devastating lightning attack on her face, shattering her mask and revealing the heavily scarred left side. The sheer force of the attack sends Cinder over the edge of the vault's walkway and above the abyss. She stares back up at Raven, who uses her powers to freeze the Fall Maiden into an ice statue. Cinder's frozen body falls down into the dark depths of the abyss, fading from view. Raven looks down as she watches her enemy continue plunging, before deactivating her Maiden powers and sighing. You stood their awaiting for a power that you sadly knew wouldn't come.
Raven: (solemnly) Thank you, Vernal.
Raven sadly looks over to the now-deceased Vernal, whose eyes remain open on her lifeless body. Raven walks over to Vernal's corpse and gently closes her eyes. Raven then proceeds to the Relic chamber's doorway. She activates her Maiden powers again and begins the process to unlock the chamber. Eventually, the door opens up, and on the other side, a massive desert is shown with a path leading to the Relic of Knowledge, which rests on a stone pedestal. Just as she's about to enter the chamber, Raven hears your footsteps behind her.
Raven: Why are you here? To steal my powers, I assume?
You: Yes and No, what I am here for is to remove not one but two targets on your back. The Relic and the Maiden Powers.
Raven widens her eyes at this as she looks at you menacingly.
Raven: and how would you do that?
You: With my Silver Eyes combined with a few of my abilities I can take your powers and not kill You. All you have to do is lower your head down and let my Powers do the work.
Raven: how do I know you won't kill me?
You: Well First Summer would stop me and knock me out as would Yang.
She then hears the sound of Ember Celica and turns around to glare at her daughter landing behind her. Yang is shown doing a three-point landing pose and stands back up to face her mother.
Raven: I warned you, Yang. I gave you every opportunity to walk away from Qrow and Oz. So you can believe me when I say this wasn't personal.
Yang: (glaring) You opened the vault.
Raven: Thanks to the chaos you and your friends caused upstairs. I knew you could handle it. You're my daughter after all.
Yang: Qrow and Oz told me how the Maiden powers are transferred. The girl you found... she would've had to have trusted you if you were in her final thoughts - cared about you a lot.
Raven: I'm sure they told you plenty, and you just sat and obeyed.
Yang: No, I'm starting to ask questions like you said. So tell me... what happened to the last Spring Maiden? Did she die in battle? Was it sickness?
Raven: What does it matter to you?
Yang: (eyes widening) I can already see the answer. It's all over your face. How could you?!
Raven: 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--
Yang: (quoting her mother) "Wasn't personal."
Raven: It was mercy!
Yang: Which is it, mom? Are you merciful, or are you a survivor? Did you let me walk into that trap because you knew I could handle it, or because it meant you could get what you wanted?!
Raven: 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!
Yang: You're right. I don't know you. I only know the Raven dad told me about. She was troubled, and complicated, but she fought for what she believed in, whether it was her team or her tribe! Did you kill her too?
Raven eyes widen and looks away, before turning back to face her daughter again.
Raven: I've stared death in the face over and over again! (in her anger, her Maiden powers activate) And every time I've spat in that face and survived, because I'm strong enough to do what others won't!!
Yang: Oh, shut up!! You don't know the first thing about strength! You turn your back on people, you run away when things get too hard, you put others in harm's way instead of yourself!! (she balls her hand into a fist, shaking) You might be powerful, but that doesn't make you strong.
Raven: (enraged) Who do you think you are, lecturing me?! Standing there, shaking like a scared little girl?!
Yang: Yeah, I'm scared. But I'm still standing here! (begins approaching Raven) I'm not like you, I won't run, which is why you're going to give me the Relic.
Raven: And why would I--
Yang: Because you're afraid of Salem!!! And if you thought having Maiden powers put a target on your back, imagine what she'll do when she finds out you have a Relic. (Raven turns away, seething) She'll come after you with everything she has. (Raven's expression then turns solemn) Or she can come after me. (Raven's eyes widen when she hears her daughter say that, before turning back to her.) And I'll be standing there, waiting for her.
After a tense moment, Raven deactivates her Maiden powers.
Raven: (somber) You don't want to do this, Yang.
Yang: Nope. But I'm gonna do it anyway.
Yang walks forward, bumping her mother out of the way as she passes her. Raven looks down before turning to see her daughter approach the Relic chamber. A tear drips from Raven's eye.
Raven: I... (holding her arm as tears well up in her eyes) I'm sorry...
Tears well up in Yang's eyes as well.
Yang: Yeah... Me too.
She lowers her head to your hand as you copy her powers. You and Yang then hears the sound of one of Raven's portals as well as the sound of flapping wings from behind her. She looks behind her and sees a black feather fall gently to the ground. Yang then proceeds forward and enters the Relic chamber. She approaches the Relic of Knowledge - an ornate, gold and cyan lamp - as it rests on the stone pedestal. Yang grabs the Relic by its handle, and small, indistinct whispers can be heard when near it. Tears then stream from Yang's eyes, before she falls to her knees as she breaks down crying. You then go to her and hug her as she cries.
Back at Haven, Oscar is seen defending an exhausted Qrow while Ruby and her friends hold off their opponents, who are all exhausted as well.
Ruby: That's enough! Just give up.
Mercury snarls and yells in frustration, slamming his fist into the ground.
Emerald: 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.
The platform leading to the vault is heard coming back up. Everyone stares as You and Yang come back up with the Relic of Knowledge in her hand. Emerald looks in surprise as Cinder didn't come back up. All of Yang's friends look up to her and smile.
Ruby: Yang...
Hazel seethes while tears stream from Emerald's eyes. Yang smiles back down to her friends and shares a brief glance with Blake, who looks down for a bit before looking back up to her. Emerald falls to her knees and begins to sob. Mercury and Hazel slowly back away.
Mercury: Emerald, get up, we need to go.
Emerald shakes her head and remains stationary.
Mercury: Emerald!
Emerald looks around as her breathing gets frantic. She holds her head and lets out a loud scream, activating her Semblance. Suddenly, the room turns dark as black smoke rises from the ground nearby. From it, a giant effigy of Salem, limbs bent and deformed, towers above everyone in the room. The giant Salem opens her eyes, and lets out an ear-piercing scream as it swoops down over everyone. Ruby shakes in fear as she comes to terms with what she had just witnessed. Everyone in the room is still present, with the exception of Emerald, Mercury and Hazel, who have disappeared.
Blake: Wha-- what was that?
Ozpin: An illusion. But an accurate one. That... was Salem.
Blake sighs in relief now that the battle is over, before she hears the sounds of her parents and Sun run into the great hall. The Belladonnas share a hug together while Sun looks on.
Kali: The police rounded up the remaining White Fang members. Haven is safe.
Ghira: Unfortunately, it appears that Adam escaped.
They all look down.
Ilia: It's okay. (walking into the building) 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.
Ghira: 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.
Kali: And they'll need a new leader.
Ghira nods in acknowledgement. Sun peeks behind Ghira and notices his old friends from Beacon, waving to them. He then wraps his tail around Blake to turn her around and have her see her old friends too. She slowly walks towards them nervously while Sun and her parents smile. Yang walks down the stairs and hands the Relic to her uncle.
Qrow: What happened?
Yang: I don't know exactly. When I got down there, Cinder was gone, and Vernal was dead.
Qrow: And Raven?
Yang: Gone.
Qrow: Well, we're all glad you're still here, firecracker. (placing an assuring hand on her shoulder)
Suddenly, Ruby groans and falls to her knees. Weiss catches her.
Weiss: Are you okay?
Ruby: (sighing) I feel like I should be asking you guys.
They both look up to see Blake approaching them. Yang walks over and drops to her sister's side.
Ruby: So Blake, what're you doing here?
Blake: I... I was gonna ask you four the same thing.
Ruby, Weiss, You, and Yang, share glances with each other.
Ruby: That's... a looooong story.
You: Super long and confusing as can be.
Blake: Well... I'm not going anywhere.
Ruby: That's all that matters. (giggling) That we're all here together. Right?
Ruby looks to Yang as she says that. Blake briefly looks away with a sorrowful expression on her face. Yang looks up at her and smiles.
Yang: Yeah.
Blake looks back over to them and smiles. Weiss offers a hand out to her, and the cat Faunus eagerly joins in to Team RWBY's first group hug after a long time of being apart. The four girls and you embrace each other while their friends look on smiling. Qrow, still holding the Relic, then approaches a panting Oscar, who is kneeling on the ground.
Qrow: I don't know how, but we did it, Oz. You okay?
Oscar: I'm alright.
Qrow: Kid?
Oscar: He's resting. Too much energy fighting.
Qrow: Hey, don't strain yourself!
Oscar: No! He had... a message... (taking a few more pants) We must... get the lamp to... Atlas.
Oscar groans and falls, but Qrow catches him. He lays the exhausted farm boy on the ground and looks over as Team RWBY finishes their embrace. Qrow then stands back up, and looks to the Relic he holds in his hand. The lamp is seen glowing brightly as the indistinct whispers are heard again. He then notices your eyes as you look to him and walk over.
You: I guess we are going to Atlas?
Qrow: Yeah, What happened to Raven and Cinder down there?
You: Cinder basically got shot off the edge and Raven gave me her powers as Vernal was a Decoy.
Qrow looked in shock and surprised.
Qrow: How did you steal her powers.
You: With combining a lot of semblances and powers that I have gained over the years.
Qrow: So how much more of the future do you know.
You: Tonight is where it ended, sadly.
Qrow: Well then we need to prepare for what's to come.
You: Indeed