Rage & Hope: A RWBY Story

Chapter Fifty Four - Downfall

As the battle intensified in Haven Academy, Jaune rushes to the mortally injured Ruby and Weiss. Jaune quickly gets up and runs past Cinder. Oscar watches Jaune approach and pick up the unconscious Weiss from his position. He then looks over to the unconscious Ruby. Angered, he smacks Lionheart with The Long Memory, causing him to fall down the stairs and into Hazel, who remains unfazed as Lionheart falls to the ground. Oscar quickly runs over to Ruby, with Nora joining him.

Hazel: You're lettin' that boy make a fool of you.

Lionheart: That's not just a boy! It's Ozpin. 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. Hazel: OZPIN!!!!

Ozpin(Voice): Oh no...

Hazel: You thought you could hide from ME?!!

As Hazel charges at Ozpin, a blast of red energy blasts Hazel back. Everyone turns around to see Razer in the room. 

Aya: Razer....

Vice looked upon Razer with sadistic glee. Razer looks down to see Jaune tending to the injured Ruby and Weiss. 

Razer: Saint Walker, tend to the injured. I'm going to end this.

Saint Walker: Of course.

Razer then propels himself towards Vice and joins Aya in battling him. Meanwhile, Jaune desperately attempts to keep Ruby and Weiss alive. When a bandit was about to attack a vulnerable Jaune, Saint Walker knocks the bandit out with his staff. 

Jaune: W...who are you? 

Saint Walker: A friend. Allow me to ease your burden. 

With that, Saint Walker tended to Ruby while Jaune tended to Weiss. Saint Walker looks over to Ruby who was clinging to life. Saint Walker looks to the wound Vice had inflicted on her. Saint Walker takes a deep breath as he takes his staff and bathes Ruby in a blue light. The blue light begins healing Ruby's injury at an accelerated rate. After a moment, Ruby regains consciousness. Ruby stands up in shock, thinking she died. She then turned to Saint Walker. 

Ruby: I....who....

Saint Walker: It's okay, young one. All will be well. 

Ruby turns to see Jaune he unlocks a previously unknown ability and heals Weiss's injuries. At the same time, Blake came to the aid of Ruby's group in the fight against Cinder's allies. As the tide of the battle began to turn, Vice battled against Razer and Aya. 

Vice: How good of you to come here, Razer! I was wondering how many of your friends I had to kill to bring you to me!

Aya: Ruby...he....

Razer: Ruby is in good hands. She will live. 

At this point, Razer clenched his fists, ready to unleash his anger upon Vice. 

Razer: You have plagued my friends for long enough, Vice. 

Vice: You brought this on them, Razer. 

With that, a fierce battle broke out between the team of Razer and Aya against the Red Lantern Vice. Razer and Vice both unleashed a powerful blast of Red Energy from their Rings, but they were unable to connect. Aya then fires several green energy blasts at Vice, pushing him back. Razer then takes the opportunity to press the attack with two Red Sword Constructs. Vice quickly parries one of Razer's strikes and grabs Razer by the head. He then slams Razer to the ground. But before Vice could press the attack, Aya unleashes a powerful beam on Vice. Vice was blasted against a wall, but was unfazed. 

Aya: Are you alright? 

Razer: I'll live. 

Vice: What an impressive tin toy you have found, Razer. 

Razer: She is no mere toy, Vice. 

Vice: Then I look forward to tearing her apart, limb from limb! 

As Vice goes to attack Aya, Razer steps in and stabs Vice in the stomach with a Sword Construct. Vice groans in pain as he spits out acidic plasma blood in an attempt to attack Razer. Razer's force field projection from his Ring protected him from Vice's attack as he kicks Vice off. Razer then unleashes a powerful beam of Red Energy at Vice. Aya joins Razer and unleashes an equally powerful beam of Green Energy onto Vice. The combined power of both energy beams blasts Vice through the roof of Haven Academy. 

Razer: That should take care of him for the time being. 

As Razer said this, the platform leading to the vault is heard coming back up. Everyone stares as Yang comes 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. When Yang's sees Ruby, she runs up to Ruby and hugs her tightly. 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. Razer and Aya form a protective barrier around everyone. Afterwards, everything returns to normal, 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.

As everyone processes this, Razer quickly realized that Salem would be enemy the likes of which he had never faced before. In that moment, Haven was saved.