Cassiel POV
Time passed and the splinter group made their move finally. Blake wanted me to stay out of sight and wait to attack if it was a trap the night they started the attack while she went to meet with Ilia. I came VERY close to painting that entire street red when a bat winged Faunus dived down and pinned Blake to the ground, even closer when the spider Faunus restrained her. I slowly pulled out Lionheart and aimed for the bat while keeping an eye on Ilia.
"I am sorry it has to be this way, but you and your family are holding the Faunus back!" Ilia said in an aggressive tone.
"Because we're trying to protect people? In what world do you live in where attacking the innocent is the right thing to do?" Blake asked like Ilia was insane.
"The same one as you!" Ilia answered. "There's no such thing as innocent, no right thing to do, only what's best for us!" She stepped closer to Blake. "There's the humans that still hate the Faunus, and there's the others who stand by and let the hate happen! But do you know what snuffs out hate?" She held her weapon to Blake's face. "Fear!"
'I can't even begin to explain how wrong and contradictory that is. Fear tends to breed Hate, I thought that was common knowledge by now.' I thought to myself as she continued on. After she told Blake that her family was about to be killed, she left with the bat and left the other two here to deal with Blake.
"NOW!" Blake shouted. I shot the spider in the shoulder, I was aiming for the head, but it's dark out. She fell down and lost consciousness as I bashed the other one in the back of the head and shot his foot before blasting him away with Aero. After setting Blake free, I casted Cure on her.
"Call the police?" I asked.
"Yes!" She started calling Kali as we ran back. I would have opened the SR, but it goes without saying that you can't get a signal in there.
One we arrived, to put it simply, it was chaotic. I don't know when they arrived, but Sienna's faction (no, she wasn't here) was helping to deal with the splinter group. I blew open the front door, sending pieces flying into one of the Albains and knocked out another guy who was about to shoot Ghira in the back. Once the Albains recovered, they used their weapons go send a cyclone of fire and wind my way. Something weak like this? I just held out my hand with Aero held in it until Blake caught their attention, jumped down, and trapped their hands in ice by using her Semblance with Dust when they tried to stab her.
"Dad, where's mom?" Blake asked.
"Not sure, I was ambushed right away!" He answered.
"One we take down Corsac and Fennec-"
"No! Go now! Cassiel and I can deal with them!" He interrupted Blake.
"Save your mother, we can deal with the rest afterward." I told her. "Permission to kill them?" I asked Ghira.
"Denied."
"Uugghh... I hate holding back against enemies trying to kill me."
Blake left to search for her mother while Ghira and I dealt with the brothers. I switched out Lionheart for Exile just kept on the defensive. I want to wait this out, either Blake saves Kali, encounters Ilia, or both. I'm sure Kali is safe thanks to the combined efforts of the police and the true White Fang. The fight moved into the hallway, while I was toying with Fennec, Corsac got thrown through a wall by Ghira. Something shot me, causing me to be distracted long enough for Fennec to shoot me in the face with fire. I am glad I have aura, he regretted that though when I retaliated with my own Fira. I took a moment to let my eyes adjust before following him.
The next room was in flames, Blake was on the ground, and Ilia was just standing around. Ignoring the stab wound on his back, Ghira was holding his own just fine against the brothers. I turned my attention to Ilia, who's weapon was frozen, it's not a threat at the moment. I turned Exile into a twinblade and rushed her. I casted Blizzard on her weapon just before Exile hit it. She tried to fight back, but with a deformed weapon while fighting me, it wasn't even worth calling a fight. Once I had her pinned to a pillar, I summoned Nightfall and was ready to finish her.
"STOP!" We both turned to Blake, who had tears in her eyes. "Please?" She pleaded. Ilia pushed me back and tried to get away from me. Before I could stop myself, I fell towards the pillar, causing it to break and the walkway above to fall. Ghira caught it, allowing her to get away, but he won't be able to hold it for long. I casted Barrier underneath it several times, and even that quickly had cracks forming. I was too focused on keeping it up that I didn't notice Fennec rushing towards Ghira. Blake pulled Ghira away just before Fennec could attack him, the Barriers broke and Fennec was crushed, his weapons exploded a second later. The main door opened, Kali walked through, dragging the bat with her.
'So she can fight too? Okay then.' I thought as Blake ran over to embrace her.
"What have you done?" Oh! I forgot Corsac was here still. "You've ruined everything... EVERYTHING!!!" He shouted. I changed Exile into a scythe.
"All we did was try to preserve peace, you're the ones who betrayed your own ideals and look where that got you." I started channeling Dark Fire into Exile. "All your men beaten, broken, chained, and dead, even your dear brother. Was it worth it? All this, and still no closer to your goal? Don't bother answering, you'll be joining him in Hell soon enough." I was about to lunge at him, but Ilia struck him when he started running towards us before breaking down herself.
Once we were outside, more of the police went in to look for any stragglers. A member of Sienna's faction came up to me to inform me that Sienna is ready for the defense of Haven and waiting for the enemy to make a move. I'm more surprised that people are still going through with the attack, it literally is nothing more than terrorism at this point. I looked towards Blake as she walked down the stairs to address the crowd in front of the building.
"Humans didn't do this!" She pointed behind her.
'Really? I'm pretty sure I destroyed a door and the pillar that got Fennec killed.' I thought.
"We did this! Faunus! We did this to ourselves!" She put her hand to her chest. "We're just as capable of hate and violence as the humans, but I don't think any of us would jump at the chance to point that out! So why are we letting Adam's followers do it for us?" Her ears fell forward. "By doing nothing and staying silent, we let others speak and act in our place! And if we're not proud of the choices they make, then we have no one to blame but ourselves!"
'I swear to Raven, if she doesn't unite these people, there is officially no hope for this world.'
"This is the message they will bring to the world if no one stops them, but we can stop them! You have to understand that all of you are looking for simple answers to a very complicated problem, and I can't give that to you. I don't know how to make hate go away, I don't. But I know that this kind of violence is not the solution! I understand that to ask you to leave your homes and defend Haven academy is asking you to put your lives at risk, but that's what's at stake! So I'm going, I'll stand by myself if I have to." She said.
"You're not going without me, that's for damn sure." I said as I walked down the stairs to her.
"And I'll stand with you!" Ilia said, having finally chosen a side. "If... If you'd have me." She took a step forward, but was stopped by I think... I just remember he had 'Rat' in his name, we'll call him captain until I remember.
"You're not going anywhere!" He told her.
"Let her come." Blake told him, he looked at her like she was insane.
"You're just going to forgive her? After everything she did?" He asked.
"I am." She answered. He looked at Ghira and received a nod.
The crowd started volunteering after Ilia reached Blake. I still don't trust her, but I do trust Blake. Ghira and Kali started going over everything we'll need to prepare for the defense in two weeks. Weapons, shields (or they can just dodge), training, and transportation. Good thing a boat captain owes us a favor on top of Sienna's White Fang being here.
(2 days before the attack, Sienna's throne room)
"I just need you to keep everyone in the building and everyone else out. Blake and I have already gotten Menagerie on our side, they'll be taking orders from her and probably her parents. Do you think you can play 'Sentry'?" I asked her.
"I'm sure we can, but the real question is, can you get the job done?" She asked in turn.
"I'm certain I can, and I'll do what I can to uphold my end of the bargain."
(1 day before the attack, with Neo in the SR on Haven campus)
"Do not try to attack Cinder head on." I warned. "The only three people with any chance against her that I know will be there are me, Qrow, and Spring if Cinder hasn't killed her yet, though it's possible Spring is on her side. Anyone else on her side is fair game." I warned her.
"If I see the chance, I'm taking it." she responded.
"Trust me when I say that your 'chance' more than likely won't yield results. The best time to strike would be when her aura is broken. Play with Emerald and Mercury until then, but the Maidens are off limits, especially if they're together! Revenge is not worth dying for in your case."
"Then what about you? Do you intend to fight both?" She asked.
"Nope. Qrow, Oscar/ Ozpin, Ruby, Jaune, Ren, and Nora should definitely be enough for her pets, probably for one Maiden too, especially if I electrocute Nora and silver eyes affect magic like I think it might, though it might hurt me as well. It's a price I'm willing to pay. I might 'run', I might do a lot of crazy shit, but remember that I will still be there to fight."
"If not by me, you'll make sure she dies, right?"
"The only way she'll survive is through the impossible. Now wait around here until you hear fighting. It will most likely be in the main hall where that statue is. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to let Ruby and the others know not to shoot you." We both exited the SR so I could send the text.
(Day of the attack, short distance away)
I received a text from Ruby.
"Cinder."
"Be right back! Bitch to brutally murder!" I told everyone around me. I waisted no time opening a portal and throwing Nightfall and Exile as shuriken through it before passing through. I saw Cinder and her pets, the woman that saved me, Blake, and Yang at Beacon, but without her mask, and two new faces.
(Vernal)
(Leonardo Lionheart)
"God fucking damnit! I missed!" I shouted. "So Cinder..." I threw my mask behind me. "Ready for round 4?" I activated my armor, recalled Nightfall and Exile as scythes, and started channeling Darkness through me.
"Cassiel... I've been wa-" Cinder started.
"Shut up!" I looked towards Raven and the other girl, the former looking at me, shocked. "I owe you my life as well as two members of my team, so I have no interest in you for now."
"Kid, it would be in your best interest to back off now." Raven warned.
"I killed Adam, I would have killed Cinder at Beacon if Pyrrha didn't act against my better judgement, and I killed Hazel. I'm pretty sure I can deal with a handicapped Maiden." I responded. Emerald and Mercury looked at me fearfully as I looked to the middle aged man above. "As for you, you're going to die tonight!"
"You're-" Mercury started.
"Unless you want me to fly to the nearest desert and bring back a cactus so I can impale you with it, wait your turn!" I threatened him. "The same goes to you, Emerald!" I looked towards Cinder. "Tell me, how are the eye and arm treating you?" I mocked her.
"No worse than yours by the end of tonight?" She answered. I saw her left arm shaking under the long sleeve she's wearing. I laughed.
"You're shaking! You actually fear me! Now that's good to know! Unfortunately for you, you've seen nothing of what I can really do. Before we start, I'd like to have confirmation to decide who dies first. What happened to all the Huntsmen and Huntresses in Mistral. Sienna told me no one knows where they are."
"Why... Leonardo has been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. He's actually the reason we got into the Vytal tournament, isn't that right, professor?" She asked him, enjoying this more than she should.
"It was you." Qrow spoke up. "You sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every Huntsman and Huntress in the kingdom, and you gave it all to Her!
"I-" Leo tried to respond.
"I couldn't find any of them, because you let Her kill them!" Qrow continued, Leo had nothing to say.
"Aaww, don't feel bad Lionheart, I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them on their own eventually." Cinder told him. I really don't like the fact that he and my weapon share the same name.
"What is wrong with you??" Jaune started in a shaky voice. I'm just now noticing Yang and Weiss are here too.
"Would you like a list?" I asked him honestly.
"How can you be so broken inside. To take so many lives, and come here to rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of..."
"...Jaune?" Nora said.
"ALL WITH A DAMN SMILE ON YOUR FACE??!!" He shouted, and he's crying now.
"Everybody, stay calm!" Qrow said as everyonw drew their weapons.
"I'M GONNA MAKE YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID!!! DO YOU HEAR ME??!!"
"Kid!"
"Get in line, I already have first dibs." I told him.
"WELL??? SAY SOMETHING!!!" Cinder looked at him unimpressed.
"... Who're you again?" Cinder asked Jaune. He charged at her, she created a horribly made scimitar to block his attack.
"Barrier!" He ran into it before he could stop himself.
"Forgive the meat shield, he knows not what he's doing." I walked up to him and threw him back "But I do." I shot behind me on the floor above to give Neo the signal, as I was about to start the incantation to remove her aura, the voice spoke once more.
As the Cursebearer, source of thy power, I offer thee this gift of Life Essence.
"As the Cursebearer, source of thy power, I offer thee this gift of Life Essence."
Grant me the power to rend my enemies asunder.
"Grant me the power to rend my enemies asunder."
Through Blood, may Retribution be found.
"Through Blood, may Retribution be found."
Blood Thorn.
"Blood Thorn." Seconds passed and nothing happened.
"Was that supposed to do something?" Cinder asked. I collapsed almost immediately after, blood dripping from several locations on my body that felt no pain beforehand. I deactivated my armor and let the upper half of my cloak fall so I could examine my chest and arms. Those cuts weren't there before, but I paid them no mind, paid no mind to my Darkness flowing into the wounds and turning the blood black as it exited the body.
"Cassiel?" Yang said, concerned. I dashed foward toward Cinder and she blocked my attempt to cut off her head.
"I'm going to enjoy this." Cinder said as she pushed me back. She dashed toward me and I let her graze my chest, blood shot out and struck her immediately after her blade connected with me, forcing her to back away. "What was that??!!"
"There's a reason I'm called the 'Cursebearer'. Now here is where you'll die." I imbedded Nightfall into the ground and aimed Lionheart at her.