Swords of Intent (sequel to Rose of Titanium)

Chapter 12: Secrets Revealed

POV: 3rd

Qrow called everyone together and told them to gear up. They gathered up in the living room where Qrow told them of the message that Leo sent them. They got ready for a worst case senario and began to head to the academy. Rtas kept his hand on his sword the entire time as they walked. "What's up with him?" Yang asked Ruby.

Ruby looked to Yang. "Well, he didn't trust Lionheart from the start. I guess he's just mad that he's right."

"I would be too" Weiss said. "If we had known, we could've ended things right then and there."

"Alright, enough back chat. We're here" Qrow said as they walked onto the campus.

The group walked into the headmasters building as he greeted them from a balcony. "Why hello, thank you for coming. There seems to be more of you then from last time."

"You know what they say, the more the merrier" Qrow answered. "So what's going on with the council?"

"Why... Did you bring your weapons?" Leo asked

Qrow rose an eyebrow. "Wha? Leo, we're huntsmen. You okay?" Rtas ever so slightly slide one foot behind him as he slightly crouched, ready for what seemed to him as an obvious ambush.

"Of course! Of course... Sorry, just haven't had my evening coffee" Leo replied

"Look, it's nice to see you bud so we got work to do. Are we getting support from the council or not?" Their conversation was interrupted by a raven flying to Leos side and turning into Yangs mother. Everyone readied their weapons, knowing a fight was about to ensue. "What are you doing here?!" Qrow asked his sister.

Raven walked down the steps to stand in front of them. "I can ask you the same thing. You've been sceeming little brother, planning to attack your own sister."

"Leo, what have you done?!" Qrow yelled

"Leo did what any sane person would in his position" Raven answered for him. "He looked all the information in front of him, accessed the situation, and made a choice. It seems you all have too."

"You have the Spring Maiden."

"I do."

"Then hand her over." Qrow put his weapon away. "If we work together, wr can beat Salem."

"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with! There IS no beating Salem!"

"You're wrong" Ruby said calmly, getting her attention. "We've done things most people would call impossible, and the only reason I know we were able to do it was 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." Ruby offered her hand out to Raven.

Raven glared at it before looking her in the eye. "You sound just like your mother." She quickly unsheathed her blade and opened a portal, shooting a fireball straight at her.

The cloaked person dropped from a beam near the ceiling and opened the cloak just long enough to take the attack instead of Ruby before closing it again, preventing anyone from seeing anything. Cinder walked out of the portal with her two servants, as well as Vernal. "Hello boys and girls."

"Cinder" Ruby growled in anger as the four stood with Raven.

"Come on guys, is that anyway to greet your old friends?" One of them joked.

Yang was about to pummel the guys face in but was held back by the cloaked figure. The doors behind the group opened to reveal the man Oscar ran into at the train station. "The White Fang is prepping demolition, and securing the school grounds" he said as he shut the large doors. "No one's coming in, and no one's getting out."

"This was all just a trap?" Weiss asked, earning a nod from the mystery person.

"Raven, tell me. How long have you been with them?" Qrow asked

"Aw, don't take it personally little bi-" Cinder was cut off by the cloaked figure rushing her, sending the Fall Maiden flying across the room from a massive blow. Rtas rushed Raven and everyone began to fight. Raven went for an overhead slash, so Rtas used the opportunity to fit the blade between the two blades of his energy sword. With a simple turn of the wrist the elite shattered his opponents sword before he kicked her toward the cloaked person. The figure struck Raven with the flat end of their scythe, sending her into Cinder. The two stood side to side as their opponents did the same. The four charged at each other. Cinder used her magic to create a sword for Raven, letting her take a slash at the cloaked figure while she shot a fireball at Rtas. Rtas simply took the hit with no damage and grabbed Cinder by the face. As the sanghili dragged Cinder across the wall while running, Raven was locked in an intense duel with the cloaked figure. The bandit leader went for a stab but was parried, giving the cloaked person a free shot that she narrowly dodged.

Cinder used her power to fly up and kick the elite off. Rtas grabbed his second energy sword as Cinder conjured dual swords. The two began to trade blows, blocking each others attacks. Rtas was able to get a few hits in, which angered the woman. Cinder shot Rtas with a powerful blast of fire, sending him skidding away before she blasted a pillar to drop the floor above on him. The elite caught the rubble and was able to hold it up, but now stuck and free to struck.

However, Cinder instead chose to look around and found Ruby. She let out a chuckle that grew into a sadistic laugh before firing a stream of fire at the girl. "RUBY!!!" Qrow and Yang shouted, causing Ruby to turn to her inevitable fate.

The cloaked figure rushed over and shielded Ruby with themself, protecting the girl as the cloak burned in the stream of fire. Once Cinder relented, everyones jaws hung open seeing who it was.

A spartan in black armor took Crimson Light from Ruby and gave her the scythe he was using. Ruby was too shocked to do anything other than shead a tear. "Thanks for taking care of my weapon sis" he said before rising up and turning toward Cinder. "Your fight's with me, you one eyed bitch!"