Downfall

Haven Academy...

Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long are facing off against Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black. The sisters switch positions and leap forward to take on their opponents. Yang knocks into Emerald while Ruby takes on Mercury. He uses Talaria to kick Crescent Rose out of her hands.

"Uh oh, what're you gonna do now?" Mercury asked, sarcastically.

Mercury tries to throw a left cross, but Ruby ducks and headbutts him upwards - in a similar manner to what Ozpin taught her what to do. Mercury steps a few feet backwards and holds his nose in pain, before growling at Ruby.

"Whatever it takes to shut you up." Ruby said, picking up Crescent Rose.

Meanwhile, Nora Valkyrie is seen holding Magnhild up defensively protecting Jaune Arc, who is still healing Weiss Schnee and Jared Shay.

"You guys doing okay?" Nora asked.

"I- I think so. They're coming to. I just wish this would go faster." Jaune said.

"Jared's Aura level is at thirty five percent." Aqours said, it's voice over the pendant. "Weiss' Aura level is at forty percent."

"Thanks Aqours." Jaune said, looking down at the pendant on Jared's neck. "At least I know the rate it's at."

"How about you don't complain and just be thankful you unlocked your Semblance when you did." Nora said, annoyed.

"My Semblance?"

"How else do you think you're healing them, dummy?"

Jaune stares back at her in disbelief before looking back down at Weiss and Jared, "No. I don't think I'm healing them. Our Aura heals our bodies. It feels...it feels more like I'm using my Aura to amplify theirs!"

"Wait, aren't you worried about running out?"

"Pyrrha once told me I've got a lot of it. I still believe her." Jaune said.

Suddenly, Weiss opens up her eyes, stirring.

"Jaune?" Weiss asked.

Jared opened his eyes next, his eyes also stirring, "Jaune? Is that you?"

Nora smiles before standing guard again. Meanwhile, Lie Ren is seen taking on Hazel Rainart, who punches the former back into the wall. Hazel then launches an electrical charge from his lightning-Dust enhanced arm, electrocuting Ren, causing him to scream in pain before falling to the ground.

"REN!" Nora said.

"Go! I've got them!" Jaune said.

Nora nods at him before proceeding forward.

"Jaune...what's happening?" Weiss asked.

"What's going on?" Jared asked, grabbing Weiss's hand.

"Both of you took heavy hits, you need to stay with me while the others fight." Jaune said, looking between Weiss and Jared.

"That's…" Weiss said, sighing. "...annoying."

"Really. Annoying." Jared said, sadly. "This…"

"It wasn't how it planned it." Aqours said, it's voice coming out of the pendant. "Jared had multiple plans in his head. For different outcomes. This wasn't one of them. He wanted to protect everybody."

"Heh, good to have you back, Weiss, Jared." Jaune said, smiling. "What multiple outcomes?"

"I, I wanted to protect Weiss. I knew this would happen. So, I, I tried to take every hit I could."

"That only made you get caught in the crossfire. And you drain your Aura. On top of Aqours reaching its operational limit."

Meanwhile, Qrow Branwen is getting knocked back into the wall and then falls to the ground next to the downed Ren, who struggles to get back up as well. Oscar Pine uses The Long Memory to block flaming rocks being fired from Stalwart.

Hazel charges forward and punches Oscar several feet back, "Hiding behind the face of a child? A monster like you must be stopped!"

Nora charges at Hazel with a loud battle cry. She leaps into the air, but Hazel catches Magnhild and slams Nora into the ground. Hazel then grabs Nora's head, electrocuting her with his lightning Dust-enhanced arms. She screams out in pain.

"How many more children must die for you?!�� Hazel exclaimed.

Suddenly, Nora grabs Hazel's wrist.

"Huh?" Hazel asked.

Nora, inadvertently enhanced by Hazel's electricity thanks to her Semblance, stands back up and flips him over her shoulder. He rolls back several feet away. Nora then holds Magnhild up defensively, before Ozpin gets her attention.

"His Semblance...he can block out pain. It's how he is able to handle injecting so much Dust into his body." Ozpin said, looking at Nora.

Nora stares back at Hazel, who stands back up.

"I don't need him to hurt…" Nora said, sadly.

Hazel screams and charges forward again.

"I just need him to GO DOWN!" Nora said, angrily.

As Hazel nears her, Nora preps to swing Magnhild. She then swings her hammer right into Hazel's chest, her counterattack launching him through the wall and outside onto Haven Academy's quad. Adam Taurus and White Fang soldiers look on.

"What's going on in there?" A White Fang Soldier asked, looking at Adam.

"None of your concern…" Hazel said.

Outside Haven Academy...

Adam and his followers stare in amazement as they watch Hazel get back up. He then takes out a pair of red Dust crystals and stabs them into his arms. He lets out another roar as Ruby watches from inside the building. She then looks back to her friends and allies, all of them looking tired and worn out from the battle they've endured.

"Stay focused! Our friends are almost done here." Adam said, as he and his followers get back to work, but then they hear a voice call out to him.

"ADAM!" Blake said.

They all look up and see Blake Belladonna standing proudly on top of the roof of a nearby building.

"Blake?" Adam asked.

"Who is that?" Hazel asked.

"Stand down!" Blake said.

The White Fang soldiers aim their firearms at her.

"Wait!" Adam ssid, puffing his hands up as the White Fang soldiers stand down, before laughing evilly. "To think that I went through so much trouble to find you, only to have you deliver yourself to me."

"This isn't what's right for the Faunus! Stop what you're doing and we can end this peacefully." Blake said.

"You're wrong, Blake, and you can't stop us."

"No, I can't. Not by myself."

"That's why she didn't come alone!" Sun said, happily.

Adam and his followers turn to the left in surprise, seeing Sun Wukong standing in front of a massive legion of Faunus all armed with blunt weaponry, their shields bearing the old White Fang symbol.

"What?!" Adam exclaimed.

"Who's there?" A White Fang Soldier asked.

They then turn to the right, and see Ghira Belladonna leading another massive legion of Faunus.

"Your brothers and sisters." Ghira said.

One of the White Fang Soldiers lowers his weapon, recognizing one of the Faunus in the crowd, "M...Mata?"

Mata is seen in the crowd holding a club and shield.

"Please...stop this…" Mata said, pleading.

Adam and his followers look all around them assessing the situation, "Make no mistake, brothers! These are our enemies! And we will not let them ruin…"

Suddenly, Adam is interrupted when a Mistral airship shines its searchlight down on Adam and his group. The Mistral police captain is seen on the airship with Kali Belladonna.

"Adam Taurus, this is the Mistral Police Force! Lower your weapons and surrender peacefully." A Mistral Police Captain said, over PA.

More Mistral airships arrive.

Haven Academy...

Ruby knocks Emerald back a few feet. Emerald then hears the sounds of the Mistral airships as their searchlights shine through the windows. Everyone stops what they are doing.

Weiss leans up as Jaune continues healing her and Jared, "What's happening?"

"I'm not sure." Jaune said, looking over at Jared. "Do you know?"

"Yeah. It's Beauty and the Beast." Jared said, squeezing Weiss's hand. "They're here. I have, I have to help the beauty."

"You need to rest a bit more. How are the both of you feeling?" Jaune asked, looking between Weiss and Jared.

"Better." Weiss said, sitting back up with Jared.

"Way better than I could ever imagine." Jared said, placing his free hand over Aqours. "How much is our recharge at?"

"Eighty percent for you and Weiss Schnee, Master." Aqours said, it's voice coming out of the pendant.

"Eighty percent. We need to be at a full one hundred by the end of this." Weiss said, activating a summoning Glyph in her hand. "Much better than either of us could ever hope for. Keep it up, Jaune."

Outside Haven Academy...

Blake lands to the ground from the roof.

"How?! How did you do this?!" Adam said, angrily.

"Adam, it's over." Blake said.

Adam looks around as the crowds of Menagerie Faunus get closer to him and his group.

Adam then pulls out a detonator, "Then it's over for all of us."

"Hey wait!" A female White Fang soldier said.

Adam's followers hold up their arms as they brace for the impending explosion.

Adam presses the button, but nothing happens, "Huh?"

He presses the detonator button a few more times, nothing happens.

"What are you doing? Trying to get us all killed?!" The White Fang Soldier exclaimed.

Suddenly, Adam grabs his collar.

"I am making humanity pay for WHAT THEY'VE DONE!" Adam said, enraged.

Adam let's go and pushes the White Fang soldier back when Blake speaks.

"We sent someone over to confirm your explosives, and once we did, she disarmed them." Blake said, looking over at Adam. "What's even better. Jared, he sent us an email."

Blake took out her Scroll with the letter attached, "Telling us about the explosives. Him not knowing where each and every one of them would be. We've known for a while now."

Ilia Amitola walks out from around the tower, dropping her black camouflage as she holds the wires in her hand that disabled the bombs. Adam seethes, realizing that the situation is no longer in his favor.

"What do we do?!" Adam exclaimed, turning to Hazel.

"This...is your business. Not mine. Fix it." Hazel said, cracking his knuckles.

Adam just glares back at him before turning to Blake.

"I told you, Adam. It's over…" Blake said.

Adam, not having any of it, yells out in frustration and charges forward toward Blake. He takes out Wilt from Blush to slash at her, but Blake uses her Semblance to get out of the way and she knocks him down by balling her fists together and hitting his back.

Adam falls to the ground on his knees, before yelling out to his followers, "KILL THEM!"

And thus, the battle between both Faunus groups begin. The White Fang soldiers draw their weapons and attempt to fire at the Mistral airships. Sun leaps around twirling Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in its staff form, while Ilia fights with Lightning Lash. Hazel observes the situation in front of him but is then suddenly impaled by a white, glowing stinger.

Haven Academy…

Hazel is then pulled back inside the building and sits up to see that Weiss is back on her feet with a summoned Queen Lancer flying above her. Jared has Ebb and Flow out, in dual sword form, and Aqours is fully operational again.

As Weiss and Jared prepare to fight again, they gasp as they notice someone entering the building.

"You kept your promise." Ruby said, looking back at Jared. "You said she would be coming back here for a year."

Yang and Ruby look back as well and gasp when they see Blake, her eyes widening as she sees all of her teammates and the fanboy in the same place.

"That I did." Jared said, looking at his dual swords. "I promised, didn't I?"

"Yang?" Blake asked.

Yang stares back at her in disbelief, before her sister snaps her out of her trance.

"Yang! Go!" Ruby said, pointing in the direction of the vault entrance.

Yang runs forward. Emerald and Mercury try to stop her.

"No!" Emerald said, trying to stop Yang, but fails to and falls to the ground.

Mercury grabs Yang's prosthetic arm. Yang's eyes briefly turn red before turning back to normal. She detaches her arm and continues forward, causing Mercury to lose his balance for a bit. She jumps down the hole leading to the vault. Emerald and Mercury attempt to give chase, but they are stopped by an ice wall that suddenly appears in front of them.

Jared ran towards Blake, knowing that he has to help her now, or at least see Adam get arrested, "I'm gonna help Blake. She needs it!"

"Be safe." Weiss said, looking back at the direction Jared is heading towards. "You're the heart of the Rainbow Defenders after all."

Emerald and Mercury turn around and see Weiss with her Queen Lancer summon as she prepares to fight the both of them. Jaune watches from his position and smiles.

Ruby then turns back around to look at Blake and Jared, and the three nod at each other as the cat Faunus goes back outside to join the battle with the fanboy.

"Something tells me you had to deal with something similar recently." Blake said, looking at Jared.

"It involves humans, the Silurians, and Magical Girls coexisting together." Jared said, grabbing Blake's hand. "Basically, it was similar to humans and the Faunus. Believe me, after that backfired. I sent that letter to you, Blake."

The vault…

Cinder Fall looks to the motionless Vernal.

"Vernal was a decoy the whole time." Cinder said, 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.

"Aura can't protect your arm, it's Grimm." Raven said.

Cinder pulls the shrapnel out of her arm and faces Raven again.

"You turned yourself into a monster just for power." Raven said.

"Look who's talking…" Cinder said, conjuring another weapon while glaring at Raven.

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. Both Maidens 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.

"Had enough yet?" Raven asked, standing back up.

"Shut up!" Cinder said, angrily.

"If you were stronger or more clever, then maybe...you'd remember to watch your back!" Raven said.

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.

"Thank you, Vernal." Raven said, solemnly.

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 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.