Yang
Her lilac eyes meet the glowing gold eyes of the Knight of Fear, who stares straight into her eyes, taking a few steps back from her as he begins to walk around. Yang stares at Emerald and she is looking at her in return. "We trusted you..." Yang hisses, but Emerald just looks away. The three of them were more confident with themselves before Salem, before the Fall of Beacon for that matter. Fear looks at them as he paces around with his scythe in his hand, dragging it into the grass. His very presence causes the once calm birds to fly from their homes in the trees, abandoning the Emerald Forest.
"Seems like we were not the only ones who came here, seeking the secrets of the Visionary Book." Fear chuckles as he walks, and Hazel pushes away from the tree to approach them all.
"What did you see?" Hazel asks them. Everyone looks around, staring at the many enemies that surround them.
"How did you get here?" Yang asks them.
Fear chuckles. "Well...when we figured out that you had met dear Kragen, we realised that he would have told you about the Visionary Books." He explains to them, his hands moving around as he speaks. "I felt...since we asked them to find you, I would lend them a hand." He says to them as he shrugs his shoulders. Jaune looks around, because he knows that if they are here, then so must the Onyx Phantom.
"What about the Phantom?" Jaune questions.
"Oh...she's around." He assures with a smirk.
That adds a new level of fear to their situation, realising that they are not alone here. That the Phantom is likely to be around here, in the forest with her orange eyes watching them all. Loss paces around them with her Bow drawn, aimed straight at all their heads and ready to release the arrow when needed. Qrow stands behind Yang with his hand near her, because he knows what Fear is capable of. Fear looks at Qrow and he smiles. "Look who it is...it is Mr Branwen." He announces with a smile.
"Fear." Qrow greets as he stares straight at the hunched over Knight as he walks around, spines protruding from his back as he walks, the cowl pulled over his head, concealing most of his head in shadows, his eyes glowing through the dark layer.
"Hope our last meeting didn't give you any bad memories." He hopes as he walks towards them all with his scythe in hand, flies surrounding both him and the weapon itself. Qrow looks at the Scythe and Fear immediately notices it and he holds it up with one hand as he points at it. "Oh, you like this?" He asks as he walks towards them and he holds it up to them, showing it before them all. "Say hello to Formido Falcem!" Fear says extravagantly.
"Hello." Neptune greets and Weiss rolls her eyes as she looks at him and he just shrugs.
"How polite." Fear snickers as he stands upright again, which is odd since he is usually hunched over. Only now do they realise that the hunched over side to Fear is just an act, one that he does to create more dread from his form, to make himself look more disturbing as he walks. "This baby has served me well, I'm sure your daughter would greatly enjoy looking at this scythe." He says.
Everyone gasps in confusion when he says that and he stops when he notices it and he sees the anguish on Qrow's face, his eyes shut and his realisation that they all now know the truth. He looks at them and then at Qrow and he covers his mouth in shock. "Oh..." He drags out from his rotten lips, walking around, waving his arms around like a bird from excitement. "Wow, what did he tell you guys?" Fear asks him with a laugh.
Yang looks at Qrow and she can see the legitimate defeat in his eyes. "Uncle Qrow? What's he talking about?" Yang asks him with real worry in her eyes, Raven and Winter stand there and they know what Fear is about to bring up, but they can't stop him.
"Qrow!" Fear gasps as he walks towards them all, Qrow in particular. "What stories have you been cooking up, good old Uncle? You lied? You lied to your niece? To your own daughter?" He chuckles as he looks at him.
"Uncle Qrow? What is he talking about?" Yang questions again, but he doesn't answer from regret of not telling them sooner now.
"I didn't want it to come out like this." He says to her and Yang gasps in disbelief at this.
"Ooh...oh dear...what can of worms did I just spill?" Fear wonders as he places his hand over his mouth again as he walks around.
"You're...you..." Yang stammers.
"Oh...I like this." Fear says with a smirk on his face, and then Cinder chimes in.
"We're wasting time!" She calls from the trees behind him. He turns and stares at her, pointing his Scythe at her.
"Just a second." Fear commands and she backs down, and Fear turns to face Yang again. Yang is in dire need for answers. "Well, Qrow – shall I tell her or shall you?" Fear asks him, even giving him the chance for redemption and he looks at Yang.
"Yang..." He quietly says and she takes her hand away from him.
Fear groans. "Get on with it; we're on the edge of our damned seats here, Qrow!" Fear mockingly exclaims as he arches his functioning spine back with vigour. Qrow glares at him and then he looks right at the blonde girl.
"Summer and I...we were always together when we were young. Tai was always with your mother, she and I were extremely close...and I loved her...so much." Qrow explains with pain in his voice when he explains the truth to her. "One night, we wanted to start a family and we did...but...my semblance..." He stammers as he thinks back on that night.
Yang listens to every word that he says and everyone else cannot help but feel like they are intruding on this extremely personal moment that Fear has just blabbed about. "I was putting her and Ruby at risk, she was already developing problems because of it...so..." Qrow explains, Fear stood there with a smirk on his face as he watches; his plan to tear them apart is beginning to work. Loss stands tall with her bow aimed at them. "...I asked your father to help her, to help our little girl...I couldn't risk their safety because of my semblance, so I asked him to look after them both." Qrow explains and Yang can't help but feel betrayed from this news.
"You're...Ruby's father, she isn't my sister?" Yang questions.
"She'll always be your sister, Yang." Qrow tells her. "And I am the reason your mother is dead, because we were out on a mission, and your friend killed her." Qrow snarls, his attention returning to the smirked face of Fear who stands tall.
Fear laughs, clapping his hands. "Isn't this great? Families bonding!" He cheers, walking around, and Mercury clenches his hand into a fist. Nora clutches Magnhild tightly and Sun's eyes glare straight past them all.
Meeting Hazel.
Hazel recognises Sun in return and Sun wants to run out, but that is what they would want him to do. And Blake is holding his hand, since she can sense his anger, the man who murdered his parents is right there. Sun looks at Blake and she just nods at him. He exhales and nods back to her. Yang stares at Qrow in shock of this news; she has not even looked at Fear yet, just shocked from this revelation.
Qrow reaches out to her but Yang pushes him with both hands and she points her cybernetic finger at him. "I have always trusted you!" She snaps at him with fiery red eyes. "Why couldn't you trust me?" Yang shouts.
"Because I was afraid..." He says to her.
"Oh what?" Yang questions.
"Of losing my family because of my lie...of my curse." Qrow tells he as Raven helps him back up to his feet.
"Hey, Yang, if it's any consolation, he duped Ruby too." Fear says as he shrugs his shoulders. Yang stares at Fear now, looking right at the Knight that stands tall, his cape of rotten skin blowing in the breeze. "Made her believe that he was her uncle, and he even lied to me about his reasons, and Qrow, old boy, that really – pissed me off – but all behind us now." Fear says as he sways his arms around with a smile on his face.
"What business are you talking about?" Ren asks, trying to get this to stop.
"I want to know what you saw in that Book." He answers.
"You know, don't you?" Neptune asks him, walking past the shell-shocked Yang and to confront Fear himself. The blue haired boy stares straight at him and Fear chortles.
"I remember you...you're the Schnee Girl's squeeze!" He charismatically says, patting his cheek with his skeletal hand. Weiss scowls at the Knight of Fear, wanting nothing bad to happen to her boyfriend. "Good looking guy, too...kinda making me jealous." He whispers in his ear as he walks around him, dragging the scythe into the soil.
"Answer the damn question." Neptune snarls.
"What question?" He asks.
"You know what question." Neptune sighs.
"I've forgotten." Fear says honestly and Neptune rolls his eyes.
"You already know what was in that book, right?" Neptune asks and Fear smiles.
"He's a bright one." Fear chuckles.
"Then why are you even here?" Nora questions.
"To make sure that I didn't come here for nothing." He says, pouting his damaged lips as he paces before them. "So I presume the one who read the book saw the Volcanic Chain Islands, correct? The inaccessible land, surrounded by a Storm-Barrier?" He guesses as he flings his hand before them all, as if he is seeing it before his very eyes.
"Sounds about right." Yang answers, still coming to grips with what she has learned.
"Called it!" Fear cheers.
"So if you knew then why bother? Other than to kill us?" Neptune questions.
"Well, I have not come to kill you, they have." He says, highlighting the others with his hand with a smirk on his torn open face. Yang stares straight at Cinder with angry eyes and she glares right back at the sister of the Silver Eyed Rose. Jaune is still looking around for wherever the Onyx Phantom could be hiding from them. Waiting to pounce at any moment. "But...I am here to offer a potential deal." He says, and Cinder's hand clenches into a fist.
"Fear!" She shouts, terrified of failing Salem again. Fear just holds his finger up to her to shut her up.
"I am a professional." He says with a smirk. "So he is my offer: you drop everything, go out there and let the laws of nature take their course...I'm willing to forgive and forget." Fear tells them, offering this deal to them.
Yang scoffs. "I will never give up on my baby sister, no matter the heritage." Yang promises with a scowl on her face. Fear sighs, shaking his head.
"Oh, Draco Parum Serenum..." Fear sighs with disappointment. "You're gonna break this old man's heart." He says, gesturing to himself. Now the entire group stands ready to fight, Qrow holds the hilt of his sword carefully, not drawn yet. Yang is ready to fight with her fists clenched.
"If I have to." Yang assures, but Ren steps forward, hoping to defuse this situation while they still can, for it seems like that Fear and Loss can be reasoned with, unlike Death and Fury.
"There doesn't have to be any bloodshed." Ren attempts.
"Clearly you've never had to shave." Fear says, using an odd analogy for the situation right now, but with Fear that has come to be expected with him.
"He beat me by one second." Sun says as he taps Ren's shoulder, making Ren just look at him with a bizarre expression.
Jaune looks at Cinder with anger, but Ren yet again attempts to stop all of this from escalating into something much worse. "You can still walk away from this." Ren offers and Cinder scoffs with a smirk.
"Oh, don't you worry, we will." Cinder assures.
"I know you've suffered." Ren adds.
Fear mimics the sound of vomiting extremely loudly and the sound turns into a menacing laugh. "Lie Ren..." Fear says with his head shaking as he stares at the young Kuroyurian Boy. "Kuroyuri's righteous son...pretending you can live without the fear of the Nuckelavee..." Fear says and the mere mention of the beast makes Nora and Ren scowl at the Knight. "I can't physically throw up in my mouth because there is nothing in me to regurgitate." Fear states to them all with a smirk.
Cinder stares right at Jaune, seeing the hate in his eyes for what she did to Pyrrha and inside she can feel the self-hate, but on the outside she is just staring straight back, fire burning around her black Fall Maiden Dress.
"If you know what we know then why waste your time with us?" Winter questions.
"Well I need some fun in my never-ending existence." Fear says with a chuckle. Yang glares at the Knight and she has one last question for him, one that they have been holding back because they know that he will not actually answer said question.
"Where is my sister?" Yang demands with a constant stare.
"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain our evil plan!" He sarcastically says as he waves his skeletal rotten hand around before him. Qrow notices the flies and the toxic deep green gas beginning to ventilate from his forearm. He is about to use his Fear Toxin on them to try and show them their worst fears. Blake notices that Loss is getting ready for combat and then Sun sees Hazel getting his knife ready to fight. They are getting ready to battle.
Qrow gasps, grabbing Yang and he pushes her down just as Fear pushes his hand towards them, blasting a constant spray of gas straight at them all, carrion flies buzzing and swarming with the cloud that comes for them. They all duck and get out of the way just in time. Qrow grabs his sword and he draws it and he jumps straight at Fear. Fear leaps at him and they both start to attack each other. Cinder, Mercury and Emerald start to fire at them with their weapons, Mercury kicking shells towards them. Fear slashes his Scythe at Qrow with speed and force, leaving deep green trails behind the blade as he moves it, similar attacks to Ruby but he hits much harder. Qrow swiftly deflects the attacks with the long blade of his sword and he fires his shotgun inside the sword directly into Fear's chest the impact sends him crashing into one of the stone pillars, knocking it over with a loud bang. The rotten bat wings fold out from his cape and he starts to fly after Qrow, swinging his Scythe directly at him as he glides by. Qrow yells as he slashes his sword straight across the Knight's chest, the impact knocks the Knight of Fear straight into the ground with enough force to tear the ground up from underneath him. He drags his Scythe into the ground and he immediately gets back up, swinging Formido Falcem straight at him. The cogs in Qrow's sword start to whir and spin round, making the pieces of metal shift and transform, and the blade extending into Scythe form. They both slam their Scythes into each other, creating one extremely loud metallic crack that blows the grass from underneath them all over the place.
Sun yells in anger as he charges straight at Hazel, and the huge brute of a man spins his knife through his fingers, slashing it straight at the Blonde Haired Faunus. Sun jumps into the air and smashes Ruyi Jingu Bang into the hand of the muscular man and he kicks him in the back. Hazel staggers and Sun lands behind him, swinging the staff at him once more but Hazel grabs his wrist and lifts him off the floor. "Should have stayed out of this, boy!" Hazel growls, holding the blade of the knife towards Sun's stomach and he pushes forward to stab him. Suddenly a pair of legs wrap around Hazel's neck and she pulls down, yelling as she manages to launch Hazel away from Sun. Sun grabs his wrist and he grits his teeth, staring at Hazel as he gets back up. Blake helps Sun get back up, drawing Gambol Shroud and she holds both weapons in her hands. Hazel stands tall, his hulking mass blocking out the sun as he stands there. Blake smiles to her boyfriend.
"Together." Blake says.
"Or not at all." He finishes with a smile that connects with hers. They both turn to the man and he reaches into his coat, pulling out a meaty revolver and he aims it straight at them, firing a round at them. Blake slashes her sheath at the bullet and she manages to deflect the bullet from hitting either of them. The two of them sprint at the titan and they both jump into the air. Blake thrashes the Katana at him and he swings his massive knife at them as well, the long serrated blade as jagged teeth on the metal blade and he manages to scrape across and even hit her aura. Blake hops back, performing a double back flip which ends with her gracefully landing on both feet. Sun batters his staff at the man with force and speed, dodging the attacks and hitting him in the places where he is weak.
Which isn't many.
Cinder flies straight at Yang and Yang yells, punching directly at her which crashes Cinder into the soil. Cinder slides through the soil, tearing the ground up with roots sticking up from the ground. She rolls out with dirt over her skin, hair and dress. She gets back up and she floats into the air, her eyes billowing with flames, she holds her hands out, the clouds begin to transform above her head, becoming storm clouds that have golden lightning strikes that bolt down from the sky. Yang's eyes widen as she sees the power of the Fall Maiden first hand, last time what she fought was nowhere near what she has become now. Cinder smirks and she points her hand towards her, sending lightning bolts sparking down towards her. Yang closes her eyes to look away, waiting for it to hit her, until there is a metallic bang. Yang opens her lilac eyes to see that Jaune is covering her, using his shield to protect her from the storm above them all. Rain starts to fall around them as she uses her power. The trees start to turn into autumn trees as her hand is held out towards them, the green leaves turning orange and they all begin to fly away from the trees, leaving the trees bare and naked. She makes them orbit around her like the rings of a gas giant and then they all freeze over and she points her hand straight at them beneath her. The frozen leaves become shards and they all shoot down towards them both and Jaune holds his ground, using the shield to protect them both from her power, and he is being pushed into the ground as he tries to stay there. Yang is getting ready, pumping Ember Celica to fire rockets directly at her. Cinder grits her teeth together as she launches the hail down onto them, but eventually she runs out of leaves, bequeathing scars across the white and gold metal that his shield is made of.
Yang rolls out from where she was protected and she yells, firing the missiles up at the Fall Maiden and she deflects them with her fire abilities, causing them to fly off course, until one manages to hit her straight in the chest, knocking her from her hovering pattern. Jaune tightens his grip on Crocea Mors and he sprints straight at the Fall Maiden, jumping at her with an enraged scream, swinging the sword downwards at her with all his might. Cinder turns to see Jaune as he jumps at her and she rolls out of the way just in time as the blade of Crocea Mors stabs into the soil forcefully. She kicks Jaune in the side of the head to make him stagger and then stands tall. Her hands are held out and the markings in the black dress glow deep red as the embers form and she catches her two swords, spinning them both through her fingers, staring at her enemy. Jaune grits his teeth in anger at her. "You killed Pyrrha." Jaune growls.
"She should have stayed with you." Cinder says.
Yang appears behind her with her cybernetic arm clenched and eyes red as she walks around her. The two of them attack Cinder aggressively.
Neptune and Kassius stand tall, and they both turn to see Mercury and Emerald. They are both walking towards the two of them but they also turn to see Weiss and Winter struggling against Loss with Raven as Loss is moving fast and using her Tonfas against them. "Help her." Kassius tells him, and Neptune looks at him with a confused look.
"What about you?" Neptune questions.
Kassius smiles. "Please...I got this." He assures, and Neptune nods, running over to the other fight across the way. Kassius tilts his hat as he faces his two adversaries.
Kassius stands there and he looks at Emerald and Mercury as they get ready to fight him. Emerald flicks her mint green hair back and she sneers at Kassius as she holds her Revolver Sickles in her hands, ready to fight him. Whilst Mercury stands in a boxing position to fight him, kicks ready. Kassius smirks at them as he sees them. "Aren't you kids a little young for these rides?" He mocks, despite being the same age, more making fun of her height and his look.
"I don't know, are you?" Emerald challenges.
"Never been one for following the rules." Kassius says as he winks at her, which really agitates Emerald.
"You're a cocky one." Mercury chuckles, a hint of admiration in the way he says that.
"What can I say; I'm a natural at it." Kassius says as he holds out his hands, grabbing the two Lash Equinox Swords that are not yet activated.
"I'm sorry; I thought we would be fighting around now?" Mercury presumes.
"Well...you asked for it." He says, flicking his wrists up and making the blades fold upwards into position. He cocks his head as he smirks at them both. "Let's tango." He challenges, Mercury attacks first with a sharp kick towards his head. Kassius ducks down and immediately swings his sword at him, making Mercury duck down to avoid it. Kassius lifts his other sword up to repel the two sickles of Emerald and the blades scrape across one another. Kassius kicks her in the chest and immediately jumps in the air and slashes his sword down at Mercury who stands behind him. Mercury starts to kick over and over again at Kassius, firing shells straight at him, but Kassius moves extremely quickly. He throws his sword into the ground and he grabs onto the hilt with his cybernetic hand. The hilt grips to the metal with magnetic capabilities, allowing him to spin round with great speed. He kicks them both in the face with force and knocks them onto the ground. Kassius rips the sword from the ground and he slashes the sword up Mercury's chest, making him grunt in pain. Kassius kicks him in the chest and he is sent tumbling across the area.
Mercury rolls across the floor, groaning in pain. Neptune is launched back from Loss as she kicks him straight in the face. Weiss and Winter are both swiftly using their glyphs to combat the Knight of Loss. She holds her razor sharp Tonfas and lunges right at Weiss, hacking the curved blades at her with speed and force, spinning round as she attacks to build up the strength of her attacks more and more as she fights them. Winter forms a Glyph that launches a storm of ice at her but Loss forms a barrier before her, made from water, and as the ice impacts it freezes the water to make a shield. She throws the block of ice directly at them and Raven slashes her Odachi directly down the middle of the ice, cutting it clean in half. The chunks of ice shatter as they pass by the three individuals and Raven immediately attacks, bringing the long red blade of her sword round with force. Neptune picks up his weapon and he transforms it into Trident Form, slamming it into her side with enough force to actually weaken her stance. Loss grunts in pain but she immediately connects the two Tonfas together, the curved blades form the shape of her Bow and she forms a glass arrow, pulling it back and launching it at him. Neptune spins his Trident round with great speed to cut the arrow down before it even gets close to him. The shards of glass bounce against the floor and he transforms the weapon back into Rifle form, firing blue dust bullets straight at the Knight. She jumps into the air and her long dark grey wings spread out and she swings them downwards as she holds the Tonfas in her hands. She immediately launches them all back from the shockwave. Loss grabs Neptune by the heel and she throws him straight into the ground, the dirt exploding underneath him as he hits the ground.
Raven jumps straight at the Knight and Loss crosses the two Tonfas over each other to block the Odachi from hitting her, and she kicks Raven Branwen in the chest, making her roll backwards. Winter takes her sword and pulls the other sword from its internal, jumping right at her with Weiss zooming around her to attack from behind. But Loss sees Weiss attempting to flank. She takes both Tonfas and holds them both up to block both attacks, her blue eyes staring into their eyes.
Fear and Qrow crash into the ground and the Knight grabs him by the neck and he smashes him against one of the tall most coated stone pillars. He chokes him against the wall, his eyes glowing bright gold. "The time is coming for all life of Remnant to cease to exist, even you can't stop that!" Fear says to him with a mad smile on his face.
"You wanna bet?" A squeaky voice wonders, making Fear's face change to utter bewilderment and he turns to face the direction that the little voice came from. He turns and meets the force of Magnhild smashing straight into his face with force. There is a cataclysmic boom from the impact, launching Fear straight through a stone pillar.
"Aaaahh!" Fear screams as he is thrown away, his voice getting fainter as he disappears into the trees. Nora smirks as she looks at what she accomplished, and then she stands on one toe like a ballerina.
"I'm Queen of the Castle, I'm Queen of the Castle!" She sings with an elegant tone.
Ren sighs, face palming from how she handled that and Qrow coughs. Ren helps him back up and he slams his sword into the floor as a support for his weak body as he looks around. "Thanks." Qrow says to Nora and Ren.
"Anytime." Nora says with a big smile on her happy face.
"We can't keep this up against them." Qrow coughs and they both look at him.
"Really?" Nora asks with wonder.
Blake and Sun are winning against Hazel, she is using her lethal combination of illusions with her Shadow Clones and Sun's speed and skill combined is making their enemy lose. Blake darts around, every time that Hazel swings the huge knife it only hits a Shadow and she manages to get another hit in as she slashes Gambol Shroud at him. Sun then chimes in with fast and angered attacks with Ruyi Jingu Bang, firing the shotguns as well when battering him in nun-chuck form. The only ones that are struggling right now are the ones fighting Loss and Cinder. "The Knights are smart, especially these two...they might not be as strong as Death and Fury...but they are lethal in a different way." Qrow says to them.
"How?" Nora asks.
Qrow looks at her and he points to his own temple. "They mess with your minds."
Weiss manages to send a powerful hit into Loss, sending her tumbling backwards across the ground, dragging her Tonfas into the floor to slow herself down. She stands back up and she turns when Fear emerges beside her. He leans over to her hidden ear in the veil. "I think it's time for some mind games..." Fear whispers, smirking maniacally as he continues on.