Chapter 44

Neo was unpleased. She was in the middle of her fun, when a dragon wing swept through the castle and took her away.

She wasn't done yet! Not even a quarter!

But all she could do now was pout. At least she got the railgun.

She did have a good view, wait... why was Hans in Summers arms? That irked her...

Carefully, Neo climbed the dragon, up its scales and towards the head. Each of its black scales were sturdy, and firmly implanted, yet Neo felt she had to be careful. Her arms felt like they might rip off the scales if she pulled too hard.

'It seems they won... but from my quick glance, Hans doesn't look too good.' Almost there, Neo glanced down, staring at the horrific drop. Something about it seemed so serene...

Being high up like this was euphoric, in a strange way, she felt everything was over. All of it was at peace.

But that was only a lie she told herself...

As nice as it would be, conflict will remain. It won't ever part from humanity. It was simply in their nature. Humanity would never be truly united, there was no clear, moral way of uniting the world.

Finally I'd made my way up, and I felt like I was going to pop a blood vessel for a moment. Until I saw her face, such a sad smile on her face. His head in her lap, stroking his hair. Despite such a tender scene, the mother was the most miserable I'd ever seen.

"If only I'd met a man like you... I could've lived happily with you and Ruby. Congratulations... you stole my heart..." Neo couldn't believe it... some part of her was jealous, yet more of her was happy at the prospect.

But another part of her was worried... what if he didn't want a harem? What if he vehemently refused? Hans was no cold man, but even a normal man would be perplexed at such an unnatural situation.

I... Guess I'll just have to take it up with him.

'You too...' the sign appeared in front of her, Summers head snapped to me, redder than a tomato.

"I... I...I..." I just held my finger up to her lips.

'I don't mind, but its up to him.' She read the card in my hand, a conflicted expression on her face.

"I... don't want to get in between you two." I shook my head.

'And I'd rather not crush your feelings under my heel, as selfish as I can be at times. I'm not one for crushing feelings.' Umbrella in hand, I almost popped it open out of habit.

"I... alright." And from that point on, we were silent. I stood as she cradled my lover. All the jealousy was gone as I saw how adorable he looked like that.

Let's get a picture.

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Ozpin crushed the head of a grimm, looking to the side, he noticed the panting soldiers, the exhausted students, the wounded huntsmen.

All of it, was worth it. Finally, the grimm pools were gone, Salem was gone, so long as the relics weren't united, everything would be fine. Everything could continue in peace.

"Seems that he's on his way back." Ozpin looked to where the Atlas specialist in Training was staring, a massive dragon.

Yet its colour scheme gave away the owner. Ozpin braced himself, the ground shaking upon the great dragons landing. The earth shattering to make way for its might and majesty.

Summer slid down the dragon, and Ozpin didn't know how to feel. Her presence along with Hans confirmed that they'd won. Yet, the woman he had loved so dearly is now gone as well.

To everyone else, it was a total victory, and in some ways, it was a victory for him too, just how it was a loss.

Neo came down too, it was surely strange to see the tiny woman Princess carrying the considerably larger man. Yet there was something off about Hans, as he slept, it was clear he was pale, Ozpin knew why. No, the strange thing, was his shadow.

All of his soldiers had sank into the shadows, likely returning to him once he lost consciousness.

But his shadow jittered, much like the twitching of a corpse. It was a disturbing sight and most certainly unnerving to the naked eye. But the hero's well honed instincts didn't trust it.

It twitched in an unsettling manner, as if snapping itself into different places...

And for a split second, Ozpin was horrified. Leaping into action, Ozpin ran forward without a word. Summer wasn't looking his way, and Ozpin carelessly took the man off of her hands, much to the shock of both her and Neo.

Because in the next moment, a scythe had rammed through the Old hero's chest.

"Ah... I... did it..." blood leaked from his chest, the scythe was viciously ripped out with all the brutality of a sadist. The oldest hero of Remnant, had saved a life... all in exchange for his own.

"Ah... Miss Rose... how nice... it... is..." Ozpin feel to his knees, the captain in hand as a familiar figure loomed above the headmaster.

"Ruby... I... I thought you were dead!" Summer was about to rush at her daughter, but Weiss stopped her.

"Look at her eyes. She's not entirely conscious." Ruby stood there, pale white skin, devilish horns popping out of her head. She wire a black dress with red fur around her biceps, black tights with torn holes. In her hands, a... biological scythe. Her weapon was black with orange slit eyes on the head of the blade.

Raising her scythe up, she prepared to strike down on the captain. Neo was ready to jump in, yet someone held her collar.

"Ah~ don't worry..." as Ruby slashed down, both the headmasters corpse and Hans unconscious body fluttered away in a spiral of petals. Neo stared at her, utterly baffled and in a state of shock, Neo bear hugged the taller woman with immense strength.

Summer was about to move forward again, but Weiss wouldn't let her.

"I can't let you do that. She's clearly hostile." The mother rose couldn't believe what she was implying, and felt enraged at the idea. That was before she saw her eyes. Not a single lie was held in those eyes.

They were compassionate.

"Miss Rose, you and I aren't very acquainted, but your daughter is a good friend of mine. Honestly... I'd say she's... my bestie." A tear ran down her eye, pulling out her scroll, it began to ring. It wasn't long before he answered.

"Lieutenant schnee, report."

"General Ironwood, there's a large threat here. Salem was defeated, pull back our troops. I'll be fine, I'm here with Summer Rose. We'll deal with it and get back to you." The line went quiet for a moment.

"Very well, report back in an hour." Weiss smiled, cutting off the call. "I'll do my best Miss Rose. I wouldn't dare force you to fight your own daughter. Nor would I want you to feel that pain."

Weiss smiled, rapier at the ready.

"I only need you to be ready. I'll wear her down, then the rest of you can incapacitate her." A glyph appeared on the ground, quickly, they multiplied, creating a domed arena around the two opponents.

"My~ what a bold girl."

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Inside the dome, it was far larger than the initial distance between them. About the size of a football field.

"Well Ruby, I don't think you and I ever scarred before, did we?" Her tone was jovial, yet her friend didn't respond.

"I... don't think I ever got to tell you about this... I care for you Ruby. You're like a sister to me, so if I die today, then... no hard feelings?" The grimmified girl didn't respond, causing weiss to sigh.

"Still aren't awake? I... Guess we've gotta fight...." tears streamed from her eyes, yet Weiss smiled.

"We might die today, but its fine. I won't hold anything against you." Holding the rapier high, everything slowed as the monster rushed at her friend.

Her scythe ready to cleave through the Lieutenants flesh.

"Ah, I guessed right." The grimm tried to swing her scythe, yet something was pulling it back. Which made way for the perfect opportunity, to stab Ruby.

"I... hope that enough pain will wake you up..." something was off with her thrust, it felt like it went through, but it felt too light. Not enough resistance. Looking down to the point of impact, a small isolated part had become petals.

As weiss was processing, Ruby's free hand shifted into a spike. It met her dear friends flesh with complete apathy.

A grunt of stifled pain was the auditory response, Weiss struck back with her own free hand, punching Ruby in the cheek, making a bit of distance. Weiss dropped myrtenaster, using her dominant hand to staunch the bleeding of her side.

"So you can use your semblance still? That's... Good..." blood leaked from her mouth. "Grimm are said to be soulless creatures, so the fact you can use your semblance is good." Her body already felt heavy.

'Must've hit something vital. It's unfortunate, I might die here. But if I save Ruby, then it's fine.' Now, with only her non-dominant hand free, she was at a severe disadvantage.

"Even with all my training, I'm still so weak. Usually, my Aura would block that. Why... why didn't it?" Weiss could only make assumptions, but there were two in her mind at this moment.

A: the bullet her father shot her with had some adverse effects on her aura.

B: Ruby had some form of aura piercing.

Both were very bad for Weiss' health.

And for now, caution was advised. Piercing the floor with myrtenaster, a glyph appeared that summoned two knights.

Ruby looked up at the two knights, and just as she readied herself to move, a crushing weight pushed down on her. Yet unlike Winter, Ruby wasn't crushed. Ruby was simply on all fours. As the knights approached, the ground shattered from the weight placed upon Ruby.

Ruby got one foot on the ground, as the knights raised their blades, prepared to slam down with the flats of their swords.

A burst of petals avoided any impact, the knights were slashed to pieces.

Weiss was aware that gravity couldn't hold her for long, and instead used a small glyph for a more precise goal. Flicking it towards Ruby, she blocked with her weapon.

"Just as predicted..." Upon contact, a large pull occurred, snapping her scythe at an unusual angle. Ruby looked at crescent rose, tossing it aside without a moments notice.

"How... could you toss crescent rose... aside?" Her breathing was getting off beat, but it seems her words weren't wasted. Looking back at the scythe, Ruby couldn't leave it there.

Something was nagging at her.

Picking up the two pieces, the broken parts seemed to writhe and wriggle uncomfortably. A vision flashed through her mind, a pretty red scythe.

Something was wrong.

The grimm gripped the scythe... there was something wrong here. And so she crushed it with her grip.

Looking to the girl, something was familiar about her. She needed to stop  her from running...

Weiss noticed her cloudy eyes, but with the state she was in, the Lieutenant couldn't defend herself.

And was helpess to the spike now in her knee.

A cry of pain echoed through the isolated arena, her opponent approaching to end her dwindling life. The monsters arm reached out, preparing to carve her throat open...

A hand gripped her wrist, her own hand in fact.

As the dome made by Weiss shattered, she saw a figure, and couldn't help but smile.

"Ah... you're... awake..." The mam stumbled over, Ruby stared at him fearfully, a whirlpool of emotions running through her spotted mind. All he did, was slowly walk towards her. His body was heavy, his mind filled, but his goal clear.

Fear ran through the being, the very emotion that embodied it, now filled it. Preparing to leap, Hans held his arms out wide to each side.

Aiming for the jugular, Ruby went in for the kill.

But a single step forward disrupted her aim, before two arms embraced her, one going around her waist as the other held her head tenderly.

"Sleep now..." His voice came out, but his mouth didn't move. And from those words alone, something seemed to echo through her entire being. A kaleidoscope of memories.

Before she succumbed to slumber.

Laying the girl down, he looked over to weiss, a standard sewing kit appeared in his hands.

"You'll make it...."

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Hope you boys like that, i feel like I did good with the emotional shit, considering i teared up at some bits.

Anyway, join the discord, it's in the bio.

See ya