Neela moved to the cafeteria, stumbling over the body of a White Fang member who laid feet away from one of the graduates and she paused for a moment, staring hard at it and wondering if the masked woman beneath her feet had killed him, or Athena. She worried that it was the latter and she took a deep breath in, using her semblance briefly to spot the woman in the lunchroom, standing alone at the far end, simply waiting for Yang or Blake to get to her. They had undoubtedly been slowed by the tidal wave of White Fang that had shown up. Neela's body quivered. Should she wait for Yang and Blake? Was this something that she could do on her own?

Rage replaced the doubt and she found herself heading in, remembering the pain that Athena had caused them and wanting nothing more than to get it all over with.

"Athena!" Neela shouted out from the opposite end of the cafeteria. The tables were smashed and thrown about, scattered in some sort of rampage, the sudden realization of the attack had no doubt created enough fear to summon a few large Grimm that must have made their way through the building trying to attack White Fang or anything else that they could get ahold of. A few bodies of Vale police laid strewn about, she assumed that one of them had a semblance that had allowed them to make it to Beacon, but it would have been better had they stayed put. Athena glared at Neela from across the room, sheathing her sword and discarding her tattered cape.

Neela had saved Eliana from the Chameleon in a fight that almost cost them both their lives and had fought through several White Fang to get to Athena, both of her mothers preoccupied with protecting Shadow and other fights. Blake had told her to leave and she had intended to, but now she found herself facing the biggest threat to them all. Athena Taurus. The woman had made Blake's life a living hell and put Eliana through the same. Neela wiped her mouth, blood dripping from one of her knuckles. Her aura had just returned, healing her prior wounds it had maybe returned to half of its completeness. Her teammates couldn't help her this time.

"Neela Jaeger," Athena said astonished. "You were the entire reason that I came here." Neela stared at Athena in silence for a long moment, checking her wristband and changing it to lightning Dust. "You must have felt it long ago. Your parents taught you well to fear humans. They are not to be trusted, Neela, and I know that deep down it's an instinct for you as it is for me. The awareness that one day they'll all turn on you just because you have different eyes. How petty." Neela walked slowly towards Athena who waited patiently for her, it seemed as though the girl was short on strength and Athena humored her.

"You were supposed to be my apprentice, Neela. We could have ruled Remnant side by side, a semblance like yours shouldn't be wasted on the pointless affairs of the council and academies." Neela stopped a few feet from Athena and looked at the floor, giving off the impression that she was struggling to maintain her balance from the fatigue. "It's not too late, Neela." Athena was caught off guard as Neela's right fist smashed into her jaw and sent her reeling. Athena laughed as she planted her feet.

"That's not me anymore. I'm a Xiao Long. I am not White Fang. I am a huntress in training at Beacon, and I will do whatever it takes to protect those I love, Faunus or not," Neela said.

"Then you will die with them," Athena told her. Both women drew their swords at the same time, clashing against each other as they both leapt back. The hunt was on, but it was one in which Neela didn't have the luxury of knowing how Athena worked. Neela drew an arrow and fired it, watching as it passed through the space that Athena had been standing in as she disappeared. Neela activated her semblance, forming her sword and spinning around to block an attack from Athena. Neela drove her back hard and Athena disappeared once more. Neela's nerves bit at her as she slid out of view behind a table that had been flipped onto its side. She took a deep breath as she shook.

Her training rushed back to her. Stalking with Yang. Learning to mind her surroundings with May. Adapting to the situation with Coco. She had to be perfect and she needed to figure out how Athena was doing what she did. Was there a pattern? Did she favor teleporting a certain distance? Neela activated her semblance, noting Athena exploring the lunchroom behind her, peering around the table. Athena had lost her, but she couldn't let the woman get away. Neela waited for Athena to move down the row behind her, leaping over the table and attacking but Athena was fast and had no trouble countering her, shoving her back into the table.

"Do you think that you can defeat me?" Athena asked. "I've fought to survive my entire life, you're just a child, training to kill Grimm. You can't hope to best me." Neela held her ground, grunting as they pushed against each other, neither of them gaining any ground.

"If I have to die to protect my family, then so be it," Neela told Athena. She managed to push back Athena, leaping in the opposite direction and using her grappling hook to put distance between them, firing a lightning arrow which once again passed through Athena's previous position, striking the floor behind. Neela had expected as much and used her semblance to determine where the woman ended up, noting that a small wooden object had been left behind and that Athena had teleported to the last place she'd vanished from. It was the object, it either allowed her to teleport, or she was teleporting to it. Neela equipped a flashbang arrow tip and fired it in the opposite direction of Athena, moving in as the woman turned to find it. She was several steps away when she fired another arrow and Athena tried to teleport.

She failed to do so and brought up her sword to block at the last moment, Neela knocked it away with one hand and drove an arrow into Athena's right shoulder, the ice Dust erupting and freezing her arm for a moment. Athena threw the dead weight at Neela who batted it down, leaping and kicking Athena in the chest with both feet. As the White Fang leader stumbled back, Neela grappled her, pulling her back in and knocking her sword away. Upon releasing Athena teleported, her sword clattering on the floor where she had stood. Neela held the anchor up in her hand, admiring the wooden carving.

"Looking for this?" Neela asked. Athena pulled the arrow out of her shoulder and threw it to the floor.

"I made a mistake underestimating you," Athena told her. "It won't happen again." Athena tossed out two more trinkets, they scattered and Neela grappled one that landed beside the sword as Athena rushed to the other, swapping places with her sword. Athena sacrificed part of her aura as Neela landed a blow before she could teleport away, picking up her sword and tossing two more of the small wooden idols from her pockets. Neela activated her semblance one more time, as long as she could focus on her enemy, she'd be able to take her, right? Neela fired an arrow, quickly drawing another as Athena teleported and released it. Athena teleported once more, making it apparent to Neela that her only true option would be close combat.

"I will not die here," Neela told her. Neela rushed for her and she teleported, coming at Neela from behind and attacking. Neela spun around at the last moment, blocking as Athena teleported to the mark behind her and getting a clean hit on her aura. Neela's back arched in pain as she stumbled forward, the initial adrenaline of the fight had let her forget the pain of the previous battles she'd fought but it returned with the blow and she grunted. Athena swung again but this time met Neela's sword. Neela tossed out a flashbang but Athena teleported rendering it ineffective as Neela tried to focus and ignited one of her smokescreen tips.

"Afraid?" Athena questioned. Neela composed herself quickly, shaking off the last few blows and gripping her weapon too tightly. As her cover dissipated, Athena was there waiting, she clumsily deflected the next few blows, taking a hit here and there, Wilt appearing as though it was beginning to glow as Athena quickly aimed the rifle sheath at her side, blasting Neela back. Neela toppled over a table as she caught her breath, Athena walking slowly around as Neela scrambled back.

"I could have taught you how to survive, Neela," Athena reminded her. Neela blocked with what strength remained within her, growing frantic in order to hold on to what aura she had left. She should have run for help instead of engaging Athena, but it was too late to turn back now. "You could have been an amazing warrior, you could have made the White Fang proud and been my successor." Neela grappled her, drawing her in and kicking her in the chest. Athena stumbled back with a grunt, impressed with the girl's desire to fight despite having her on the ropes. "You'll just be another Faunus that fell prey to a human race that doesn't truly care about her."

"You're wrong, Athena," Neela groaned as she reached back for an arrow. "They do care about me." Athena took a step forward, stepping on a device that Neela had rolled out while Athena had her eyes trained on the arrow. It exploded, coating Athena's leg in stone as Neela leapt to her feet and shot a fire arrow at Athena. It exploded as the woman tried to slice through it, freeing her but sending her soaring backward through the air. Athena slid to a stop as she knelt, teleporting to Neela and taking another swing, slicing through Neela's aura once more. Neela cried out and dove away, falling onto her side. Her aura was incredibly close to giving in.

"Once I kill you, I'll make sure that all of the humans that would have hurt you suffer the same fate," Athena told her. "You see the difference between you and me is that I know what I want and I'll do whatever I need to in order to make it happen." Neela stared up at Athena, her body shaking, she was unable to move her weapon. Lightning flashed before Neela, the cafeteria disappearing and becoming her childhood treehouse. Neela drew the sheets up over her head, screaming as the door on the floor was thrown open and Yang watched her quake in terror under her covers. Yang closed the door behind her and watched Neela peek out at her.

"Neela, are you okay?" Yang asked. Neela shook her head, stumbling out of her blankets and clinging to Yang.

"I had a bad dream," Neela told her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Yang asked. Neela shook her head, laying it on Yang's shoulder.

"Do you think that I'll get adopted soon, Yang?" Neela asked. The scene faded, returning the girl to Athena looming above her.

Of course Neela, why would you ask such a crazy thing? Neela slowly stood, clenching tight to her sword.

"Accept your fate Neela," Athena told her. "Admit defeat and die with dignity."

If I'm not adopted soon, you'll have to give me back to the Fang, won't you? Neela gritted her teeth, her trembling from fear evolved into a quaking rage.

Neela, no matter what happens, you will not go back to the Fang. They don't exist anymore, they can't hurt you. Neela's eyes lit up and she reached back for an arrow, flipping her bow out. Athena laughed as she held her sword in front of her with both hands.

"Look at you!" Athena yelled. "Your aura is nearly depleted. Your strength is all but gone." Athena sneered. "I'll finally have my revenge!"

What if they come back? Neela trained her arrow on Athena, holding it in place of a long moment as she pushed herself harder than ever, her eyes glowing more intense by the moment.

I'll train you and I'll protect you. They won't hurt you again, Neela. Neela fired at Athena, her mind pushing past the breaking point and her power focusing into a single burst. Athena sliced through the arrow, cutting it in half and teleporting but as she did, time stopped in Neela's eyes. Neela turned, grappling Athena and pulling her in, blocking two blows before returning with an unexpected flurry. Would you like that, Neela?

If it means that I'll get to spend more time with you, Yang… then yes.

"What the hell is this?" Athena asked with a grunt. She slid back, teleporting randomly around Neela, striking out but having every attack blocked, unable to get anything past Neela. One moment the girl was helpless, the next… flawless. "Impossible!"

"This is for all of the fear and pain you caused Blake!" Neela screamed out. She took a long, solid stride forward, knocking Wilt out of Athena's hands and grabbing Blush, snatching it away after they both held fast to it. Athena teleported away to her sword, receiving an arrow to her back, the first rippling her aura followed by a second that pierced her skin. Athena crumbled to the ground and crawled for her weapon, Neela firing it away. The Fang leader turned back and teleported, the hook grabbing her the moment she appeared and reeling her in. She caught Neela's hand.

"This is not how it's supposed to happen!" Athena shouted.

I'd like to spend more time with you too, Neela. Neela kicked her back, Athena teleporting away and blocking the grapple this time, snatching her sword and rushing in.

"This is for the pain and fear that you caused Elli!" Neela yelled at her. She blocked Wilt, catching Athena's wrist and slicing her in the back, her aura taking another massive hit. As she stumbled past, Neela removed her arrow and fired it again, watching it fly through Athena's hand and forcing her to drop her sword once more. Wilt slid across the floor as Athena pulled the arrow out, the removal drawing a significant amount of blood. She swapped spots with her blade as she felt Neela's hook drawing near behind her. She skidded across the floor, lifting Blush and firing at Neela several times, the girl blocking each shot.

"No!" Athena screamed. "No!"

"This is for the pain and fear that you caused me," Neela said. Neela fired an arrow past Athena, it latched into a table behind Athena, another on the opposite side. Athena chuckled as she charged in, throwing her gun at Wilt and using it to teleport to the sword.

"You miss-" Athena began to gloat but was cut short as she noted the thin Dust strands that connected the two arrows to her grapple tow. Neela planted her feet, reeling them in, the tables crashing across the room towards them. Neela leapt up, an earth Dust arrow split the tiles at Athena's feet, holding her there as Neela unlatched her hook, the object crashing into her and pounding her into the floor. Athena groaned as her aura crackled, one solid hit away from shattering entirely and possibly killing her. Athena stared up at the girl crazed as she lifted Wilt, but Neela kicked it out of her hand. "No…"

"This is where you find your peace," Neela said.

"You're wrong," Athena said. "I will have no peace. Only strength can give me peace, and it would seem that I was weak after all." Athena barely found her feet, wavering as she stared Neela in the eyes. "Finish me then." Neela looked at her sword, looking back up at Athena who could barely stand, her rage subsiding.

Eliana, don't. We're no better than him if we kill him. Neela shook and Athena groaned as she glanced back towards her weapon.

"Too afraid?" Athena asked with a smirk. "If you don't kill me here, Eliana will suffer. Your mothers will suffer. Shadow will suffer." Neela stared into Athena's eyes, a flare of hope lighting as she sneered. Athena tried to glance back without turning her head, her intentions obvious to Neela who was on edge and Neela knew she had no other option. Athena was right. She was far from giving up. She would hurt everyone she loved. Neela had to kill her. As Athena teleported, Neela grappled her, drawing her in and closing her eyes as she swung her sword up to impale Athena, the blade sinking deep in.

"Goddess…" came a groan. Neela opened her eyes to find Crimson on the end of her blade, her back to Neela as blood trickled down the sword from her body. Athena stared at her handmaiden wide-eyed as they searched Crimson's. "I smelt your blood… it took the rest of my aura to get here in time..." Neela's rage exhausted in an instant, her semblance deactivating as she crumbled in a heap. Neela coughed up blood as her vision blurred, staring at the two Fang above her. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."

"Crimson," Athena muttered as Crimson collapsed into her arms. She stroked the girl's cheek as Crimson looked up at her. "Why? Why would you do that?" Crimson chuckled as she cried out in pain.

"Since you saved me, you're all that mattered to me, Athena," Crimson gasped. She looked at her chest, blood soaking into her wrap bra. "Use Wilt to finish me, Mistress. Use my power."

"Crimson, I…" Athena stammered. Crimson reached up and brushed her cheek.

"Your dream has always been my dream," Crimson replied. Athena's anger was beginning to fill her, she gently placed Crimson on the floor as her eyes found Neela, never leaving her as she gathered her weapons back up, kneeling above Crimson.

"Our dream will not die here," Athena said. She kissed Crimson deep on the lips as she ran her sword through the girl, Crimson wrenching for a moment before her life left her body, falling lifeless to the floor. Athena held the kiss, her eyes becoming dark as she released and watched Crimson's body turn to glass as her aura and semblance visibly transferred through the blade into Athena. She shattered, the fractals spreading out in an explosion and drifting away. Silence. "I smell blood…" Athena looked up at Neela, her eyes filled with a red light that burned into Neela's soul. "I need more."

"You," Ebony interrupted, standing in the doorway out of breath and pointing at Neela. Athena paused for a moment, watching the panther. "If this isn't convenient. I've had it up to here with you and your teammates, always getting lucky and beating me. You've embarrassed me for the last time." Ebony looked at Athena, acknowledging her as she walked across the cafeteria to Neela who placed an arm under herself trying to move, but it ended in failure and she fell onto her face. She was in too much pain and fatigue overwhelmed her. Until her aura returned she'd be helpless. She lifted Neela by the neck and prepared to plunge her claws into the girl's chest. "I'm going to enjoy…" Ebony was cut short as Athena appeared behind her and removed her head in a single swipe, her blade glowing red as she ended in an extended pose.

"You should know better than to interfere with my kill," Athena spoke. She sheathed her blade and turned to Neela. Her eyes changed again, filling with shadows as she smiled, her aura flashing to reveal it had been replenished or extended even further. "The more semblances I take, the more my aura grows." Athena inhaled deeply as her fingers played with her blade hilt. "I look forward to adding yours."

"I'm... not afraid of you," Neela managed.

"I never expected you to be," Athena informed her. "I only aim to make things right." She gripped the hilt, preparing to attack as she savored the moment.

"Get away from her!" Yang shouted from the doorway. Neela's mind lit up but was unable to find her mother. Athena sneered, well aware that her blade was ready to strike again. Yang dashed across the room, catching the blade as it struck out and grasping it hard. Athena's smirk disappeared as Yang's eyes flared red and slammed her free fist into Athena who crashed through several tables and the back wall of the building, tumbling out into the walkway between the lunchroom and the school building. Yang was pleased with herself before quickly moving to Neela. "Little Bird, say something."

"I think I pushed myself too hard," Neela groaned. Yang chuckled under her breath.

"You did good, Neela," Yang assured her. Athena appeared above them, swinging in attack but having her arm caught by Blake's gun and ribbon, pulling her away and clashing with her cleaver.

"Athena," Blake said.

"Do you regret the way that you let Adam treat me yet?" Athena asked, trying to break free.

"I think they were a bit too drastic, but all you're doing is justifying his actions. I won't let you hurt my daughter," Blake replied. Athena frowned and cut the ribbon.

"She's not your child!" Athena shouted. A blast of dark energy threw Blake back and Athena slid back to be greeted by Yang's fist. She absorbed the first blow with Wilt but the second landed once again, she slid back across the floor as Blake joined Yang. "Well this is adorable, the whole fucking family is here!" Athena raised the sword above her head and black energy flowed into it. "You three are nothing compared to me. I'll wipe the floor with your dead bodies, and then I'll bring Shadow in here and show her what it looks like when I don't get what I want." Blake's eyes narrowed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt her. I just want her to replace what you stole."

"They didn't steal me," Neela moaned. Blake glanced back at her.

"Don't move, Neela," Blake told her. Athena laughed hysterically.

"You don't know?" Athena asked. Blake rushed in with Yang on her heels. Two clones leapt out from Blake, both of which Athena dispersed with precision. She blocked Blake, knocking her sword to the side as she batted Yang fist out of the way. Athena maneuvered quickly, gripping Blake's gun as she attempted to fire at her. Athena redirected the gun, Yang letting the bullets ricochet off of her robotic arm. Athena nailed Blake in the jaw causing her to stumble past Yang, swapping places with Blake with her powers and jamming Yang's arm with Wilt. "Your parents were going to hand you over to me. You were supposed to be my successor."

"What?" Neela asked.

"Neela," Yang grunted as her arm constricted, her servos straining against the blade. Blake attacked, forcing Athena to teleport and freed Yang.

"Let her finish," Neela said as she managed to make it to her knees.

"The sole purpose of your birth was to produce a child worthy of being my protege. You were selectively bred. As I told you before, you were meant to be my successor. Your parents had you to save the Faunus race, we were absolutely certain you'd be stronger than any other Faunus of your generation, perhaps even myself," Athena said. Yang was thrown forward by Blake's clones, coming in quickly and smashing both fists into Wilt. It was thrown from Athena's hands, a shadow stretching quickly from her and snatching it out of the air as Athena blocked a few blows from Yang before being thrown back. Neela struggled to her feet as Athena took on both of her mothers. Athena landed a hit on Blake, forcing her away, her clones rushing in as Yang blasted herself back. They stood beside Neela who glanced at the two of them.

"I loved my parents and no matter what choices they made I can't let their misguidance influence me anymore. I am a Xiao Long, and whether or not I'm remembered simply because of my mothers no longer matters. What matters is that I protect the people I love and that I stop you," Neela told her. Yang punched her fist against her palm. Neela's aura fizzled, restoring just enough that she could assist them if only a little.

"That's our girl!" Yang said with a grin.

"Neela, I want you to stay out of this," Blake told her. Neela removed an arrow from her quiver.

"You can't stop me," Neela said. Blake looked back at her, staring at the girl for a long moment before glancing at Yang who shrugged, causing Blake to smile. Blake shook her head, chuckling as she prepared herself.

"I know I can't," Blake noted. She turned her attention to Athena. "Thinking what I'm thinking, Yang?" Blake asked. Yang nodded.

"The old wind up special?" Yang asked.

"With Neela added, of course," Blake replied. Athena destroyed the clones and swiped at the air, a rush of dark energy threatening to take them out and they dove for cover.

"Enough talk," Athena said. "Let's fight."

"You got it!" Neela responded with a smile. She fired a volley of arrows as Yang grabbed Blake's gun, Blake pulling her along as Yang blasted through her circular arc, Neela ducking as Yang leapt over her, making a second round. Athena sliced through Neela's attack, cutting the arrows in half as she teleported closer, Neela occupying her with every shot. Athena rushed in, a few feet from Neela as Yang reached the end of her cycle.

"Now!" Yang declared. Neela released the arrow, pulling her hand back quickly as she flipped her sword down, Yang's fist blasting the end of the arrow, propelling it forward at an absurd speed and setting it ablaze, forming into a large fireball of sorts. As the tip made contact with Wilt the arrow exploded, the force too much for Athena to handle. She crashed across the room on the floor, her jacket tattered.

As Athena found her feet, Yang's fist crashed into her gut, forcing her to cough up blood as she flew into the air. Blake's clones tossed her into the air, she clashed with Blake as an arrow crashed into her right shoulder, throwing her off and allowing Blake to overpower her, planting her in the wall. Neela collected the last of the wooden anchors and shoved them into her sack as Athena hit the wall, firing two arrows at once and pinning her arms to the wall, holding her there. The clones assisted again, tossing Yang up, the woman's eyes red as she laid into Athena, sending her through the wall and crashing into the next building.

"Enough!" Athena shouted. The darkness blasted from her, shrouding all of them and she cackled. "My blood. The blood you've drawn, it allows me to focus." Yang and Blake scrambled out quickly, Blake was batted away with a slice from Wilt that seemed to be charged with Ebony's darkness and Crimson's speed, shattering her aura as she flew through the air past Neela who managed to grapple her and pull her in, catching her quickly.

"Mom," Neela spoke. Yang deflected several blows before an ungodly amount of shadow veins reached up and held her in place.

"It's time to get even," Athena informed them as she entered the room. "I want the two of you to suffer like I did when you took Neela from us." Neela stared at Athena, setting Blake down gently before moving to defend Yang but found herself tangled in the same shadow trap, unable to move. "Killing Adam was doing me a favor, but taking her was unforgivable." Neela glared at her as the shadows covered everything but her eyes. Was I really that important to her plans?

"You'll be stopped," Blake coughed, unable to move from the pain.

"Who will stop me?" Athena asked. "Besides, I don't want you dead… I want you to suffer." Athena impaled Yang, making sure to miss any vitals as Yang's aura shattered and she cried out in pain. "Now. Where is Shadow?"

"No!" Blake screamed, finding her feet immediately and charging Athena who disappeared into the shadows beneath her with a smirk. The traps released Yang and Neela, Neela staying on her feet as Yang fell onto her chest, breathing hard. "Yang!" Blake sprinted to her wife, checking her over.

"I'll live… I promise. Go save Shadow," Yang begged her. Neela was already on her way out the door, using her semblance in bursts to try and find the woman before there was a scream that came from the area of the cliff. She moved as swiftly as she could with Cobalt and Titus on her heels.

"Where are we going?" Titus asked, his one blade that was still intact gripped tightly in his right hand as they ran.

"Athena is going to take Shadow!" Neela screamed in a panic.

"Why?" Cobalt inquired. Neela ignored the question, placing all of her focus on pushing her body as much as possible. They came up short, Tawney covering Lykos's body with fear in her eyes as Mattachanna lay motionless close to them, covered in blood. Titus held Neela back as Athena looked back to face them, holding tightly to Shadow's arm.

"Stay back, Neela! I'll kill her and then I'll really be pissed off!" Athena informed her as an airship slowly approached from the woods the opposite direction from Vale. They had saved one airship for escaping!?

"What's the plan, Neela?" Titus asked. She glanced at him. He didn't know how to get them out of this situation, which caused her to become more nervous. Was this something she could think her way out of?

"This is the reality you've been sheltered from!" Athena called out. "This is how your 'parents' tried to protect you, by lying to you and telling you that everything would be okay, but it won't be!" Athena sneered. The airship came closer, Neela's mind relentlessly turning options over in her mind before coming up with an idea.

"Cobalt, take out the closest engine on my signal!" Neela shouted at him.

"Your sister is right there!" Cobalt yelled. Neela took off for Athena, noting the woman throwing out another wooden totem. It rolled to a stop a few feet from the cliff's edge.

"If you come any closer, I'll kill her!" Athena yelled.

"Titus! Earth Dust!" Neela commanded. Titus slammed his blade into the ground, the earth being forced apart until it reached Athena and threw her off balance. Neela grappled her sister, managing to pull her in and diving as Titus's rock wall shielded them, Cobalt firing his laser and destroying the engine, sending the airship careening into the cliff and crashing into the water below as it was torn apart, the explosion helping to tear through a significant portion of Athena's supernatural aura reserves.

"I said not to piss me off!" Athena bellowed, a wall of darkness rising up and separating everyone else from Neela and Shadow who was crying in her sister's arms.

"I'm scared!" Shadow exclaimed, hiding her face in Neela's chest.

"I won't let her take you," Neela assured her sister as she stood. Athena's eyes were filled with darkness, rage filling her as she threw her arms out and a wave of shadow pikes raised up from the earth to impale her and destroy her body. She closed her eyes, she wasn't sure that she could evade, but she knew if she didn't move that the attack would miss Shadow. She kept them closed, opening them a few seconds later when she was sure that it should have arrived, finding Raven standing between her and Athena.

"You again?!" Athena growled.

"Raven?! How did you know that we were in trouble?" Neela asked.

"Call it mother's intuition," Raven informed her, never looking away from Athena. Neela knew that Yang had once been saved from Neo when her aura had been destroyed on a train beneath Mistral. Did it have something to do with that? "You did well, but you and Shadow should get out of here." Raven opened a portal beneath them and they were dumped out in the cafeteria with Yang and Blake.

"Shadow!" Blake exclaimed. Yang tried to sit.

"She got there, huh?" Yang asked.

"I need to go!" Neela yelled. Blake grabbed her arm.

"If Raven can't handle it, none of us can," Blake informed her.

"I need to help her!" Neela shouted, breaking free. "There's something I need to do!" Yang stood up, stumbling for the door.

"Sit down!" Blake demanded. Yang looked back at Blake, her eyes flickering.

"Watch Shadow," Yang instructed.

"So you've finally accepted the fact that this is where you die?" Athena inquired.

"Your father was right to fear you," Raven informed the girl as her sheath changed to ice and she prepared to attack, remaining motionless.

"Perhaps he should have feared me more and killed me before I killed mother," Athena explained. "Besides, he was weak."

"You don't think that Ruby will stop you?" Raven asked.

"She hasn't caught me yet, and once I add your semblance and a few more to my arsenal, who will be able to stop me?" Athena noted.

"Someone will," Raven offered. "Perhaps not me, but someone."

"I can promise that it won't be you," Athena smirked. Raven pulled the trigger on her sheath, her sword ejecting and flying towards Athena who moved to deflect it, Raven portaling behind her and removing her feet from beneath her, catching the blade and swinging down, freezing the ground where Athena disappeared into it. Raven quickly chose fire as she resheathed, setting the area around them ablaze to prevent Athena from using the shadows to move.

"I know better than you do how Ebony's power works, it won't be effective against me," Raven assured her. Athena leapt up from the earth, her eyes now filled with Crimson's carnal rage.

"Then perhaps I will see what I can do with her's," Athena offered. Three quick swipes took Raven off guard, tossing her back as Athena fired Blush, planting Raven against the barrier, tossing the gun at her feet and swapping spots with it, her blade coming up to meet Raven, but she managed to block. "You're not a maiden anymore. You know you can't win against me. Give in to your fear and run away the same as you always have!"

"Not this time," Raven grunted, managing to push her back for a moment. She sheathed her blade and chose gravity, blocking the next attack with the sheath itself and kicking the woman away. Wilt glowed red and Athena moved back in before Raven could blink using Crimson's speed and strength, cutting the Dust chamber open as Raven removed the blade, the Dust spilling out around them. Worst case scenario. "Dammit!"

"You really have no idea what kind of power I wield, do you?" Athena asked. Athena slashed through her defenses, hit after hit landing as Raven attempted to catch back up, finally falling through a portal to the other side of their makeshift arena but before she could exit, Athena was already greeting her, Raven noted the blood dripping from a cut on her arm. She was just delaying the inevitable. "You were never really powerful, to begin with, and that's the thing that you feared most. That's why you always ran!"

"You really get off on that idea, don't you?" Raven exclaimed between glancing blows. She needed to stay ahead of her, but every slip up took another piece of her aura. The fire was coming dangerously close to the Dust that had spilled and Raven came up with an idea. She activated her blade, throwing Athena away from her as she noted Blush beside her which Athena was watching, preparing to teleport to. Raven threw her sword at Athena who stood in the midst of the Dust, dropping the gun through a portal as Athena swapped spots with it, landing her in the Dust pile as it erupted and threw them both away, destroying the shadow barrier and putting out the fire, Raven's aura barely left intact as she slid across the earth and came to a stop after some time.

"I have the aura of four people!" Athena laughed. "Did you expect that to work?!"

"It bought me some time," Raven grunted.

"Once I'm finished with you, I'm going to take that girl again," Athena informed her as she slowly made her way over. "And as I've said before, no one will be able to stop me." Raven laid still, looking up at the stars and sighing. Did she think that she could win? What was her goal exactly? Maybe it was better if she ran now and saved face…

"Raven!" Called a familiar voice. Raven looked up, swearing that Summer was standing above her. The girl reached down to help her up.

"Summer?" Raven spoke.

"We can't give up yet!" Summer told her with a smile. "Tai and Qrow are counting on us to do our best to win the Vytal Festival!"

"Vytal Festival?" Raven questioned. She looked around, she was somehow in the Amity Colosseum, fans cheering for the two of them as Raven found her feet and stood next to Summer. "Did I die?"

"Of course not," Summer told her concerned. She grabbed Raven's hands and looked her in the eyes. "You've had it rough, haven't you? Always running? Haven't you found something to fight for?"

"I fight to live," Raven informed her. Summer smiled and shook her head.

"You always ran to live," Summer informed her. "Tai fought for the kingdom because he thought that was all he would amount to, Qrow found a reason to fight in me before Ruby and Yang came along, and I fought for the three of you." Summer looked her in the eyes. "Did you ever find something to fight for?"

"I fought for you before you died… but if someone like you could die, what was the point in fighting?" Raven asked her as the colosseum faded.

"You're avoiding the question," Summer scolded. Raven chuckled.

"Didn't I always?" Raven noted.

"Maybe it's time to put the past in the past and stop denying what's in front of you," Summer told her.

"Raven!" Neela shouted from the distance snapping her out of it.

"Here they come," Athena laughed. "I guess I can kill her too, if there's no changing her mind, there's no reason to leave her alive."

"I won't let you do that," Raven managed. Athena looked down at her and shook her head.

"You still think you stand a chance?" Athena asked. Raven smirked.

"I can't give up yet," Raven noted feeling Summer's warmth. She couldn't explain it, but she knew Summer's spirit was with her at that moment. She snatched up Blush which had landed beside her, blasting Athena away as she leapt to her feet, using a portal to pull her sword from where it had landed back into her hands, defending two blows from Athena before attacking herself, managing to hit the woman once.

"Catch!" Neela yelled. Raven put her hand up, snatching the arrow tip out of the air and running it along the length of her blade, striking back against Athena with the lightning coated blade, the sparks dancing around and across them before running the length of Athena's sword and bringing her to her knees. Yang charged in, slamming her fist against Athena's jaw, drawing blood which seemed to be a mistake. As Yang glared at her with a grin, the shadows swallowed her up, trapping her in the same dome that Ebony had captured Neela inside of. Neela froze.

"I've had enough!" Athena shouted. "I'll crush her!" Raven glanced between her daughter and Athena, praying that Neela didn't do anything rash. Neela drew an arrow, shaking as she pointed at Athena. "Do you find my threats to be empty?!"

"Don't, Neela!" Raven demanded.

"Listen to Raven," Athena laughed. "She's always known what's best for Yang!"

"Let her go!" Raven shouted at Athena. Athena laughed harder, tears filling her eyes.

"Yes! That's it! Despair! The pure fear and desperation in your eyes! The idea that half of RWBY and the great Raven Branwen couldn't defeat me! Nothing could be greater!" Athena cackled.

"Neela," Raven spoke as a tear spilled from her eye. This was the only way to win. She saw it clearly now. "Fire Dust."

"What?" Neela inquired confused.

"Use what I taught you," Raven instructed her. "I know you'll surpass my abilities in no time."

"I don't understand!" Neela shouted.

"Now, Neela!" Raven demanded. Raven used her semblance to remove Yang from the trap as Neela activated her own, immediately pushing it to its second ability as she fired at Raven, the fire Dust exploding as Athena reached Raven with intent to kill, her blade running through the older woman as Raven clung as tightly as possible to her neck. Raven took off at full speed with assistance from the explosion, her last burst of energy almost seeming inhuman as she clung to Athena and threw them both off of the cliff, Neela firing the anchor off of the edge of the cliff.

"Mom!" Yang called out as she slid to a stop at the cliff's edge. Neela stood in stunned silence for a moment, her bow still trained on where the anchor had been.

Raven sat in the kitchen alone as the door opened behind her and she moved to her feet. It wasn't Yang as she'd hoped, but Summer… Ruby rather, holding out an envelope towards her. Raven looked at her with wondering eyes and stepped across the room to take it. She couldn't take her eyes off of the huntress, even after snatching the letter away. It was simply uncanny, overly surreal how much the girl looked like her mother. Raven had seen Ruby a few times before, but every time it gave her pause. She nodded lightly.

"Thank you," Raven said. Raven turned away.

"What was my mother like?" Ruby asked. Raven's mind turned the words over and she smirked slightly.

"Just like you," Raven replied. Ruby sighed thoughtfully and smiled as she left the room and Raven sat down, opening the letter gingerly.

Dear Raven, it would seem that my death is at hand and is most untimely. You were the only one that I thought about for the last several days and I've started writing and restarted this ledger repeatedly, unsure of what exactly I needed to say, but knowing that there was something burdening me and that you were the only one who could fix it. You were always there after your father died, you and I were quite the force to be reckoned with and we shared everything that we knew with each other. I guess this is the last thing I have to share. It took me until a few days ago to realize what mistakes I had made, and I didn't have the time to fix them. You still have time, Raven. With Team RWBY around you now that you've managed to mostly settle in, you'll be safe from Athena.

Make amends with Yang as soon as you can. I showed Athena only disdain after she reformed the White Fang despite the fact that I still loved her entirely. I met her with indifference, I refused to tell her that I still loved her even though I did. I know that Yang hates you for what you did, but you will not be able to find peace at the end unless you can forgive yourself and she forgives you as well. It's not too late. She's cautious, but I know that deep down Yang still wants to love you and you want to love her. You know that your father was wrong, everything that happened to you was his fault, not Yang's. You can still fix this.

Show her that you care, don't try to strong-arm her like I know you have been. Yelling will not solve anything. Help her. Guide her. Be her mother. Show that you care about her daughters. Show her you find value in her life and the things that she lives for. Meet her wife and get to know the woman from the best source possible. At least you'll be able to say that you tried if she doesn't forgive you. But if she does, nothing will be more rewarding than the moment that she acknowledges you.

I hope that I have apt time to finish this as I fear that I will be killed at any moment. My men have all left. I am alone. Soon I will die. It's not something that I ever wanted to think about, but perhaps I will finally be able to be at ease and find rest. I pray that you'll tell me of your success once we are reunited in the afterlife. I'll still be there for you once you pass. Benjamin.

"Mom!" Yang's words carried down the cliff to Raven as she grappled tightly to Athena. Euphoria washed over Raven as another tear escaped her eye.

"You don't have to die like this, Raven!" Athena yelled frantically. "Let me live and you can save yourself!" Raven head-butted Athena and snarled.

"I'm protecting my family!" Raven shrieked. They crashed violently against the rocks and Neela watched in horror before covering her eyes. Yang fell to her hands and knees and screamed out to the ocean.

"Mom! Mom! No!" She called out in anguish. Yang's hair burst into flames as she wailed

"She saved Shadow," Neela told Yang in slight shock as she turned back towards the school, tears slipping down her face. Raven did it, she redeemed herself. Neela spotted Eliana who had caught the end of the battle, fear and disbelief distorted her face as she covered her mouth and shook her head.

"Elli…" Neela said softly. Eliana took off running.

"No… No. No! No!" Eliana screamed at herself. She'd hurt Neela. She tried to steal Shadow. She'd aided that psychopath. Eliana felt sick and she knew she couldn't face Neela. Neela watched as she ran into the woods and glanced back at her mother for a moment before feeling her world collapse. The stress was relieved but replaced by pain as she grasped at everything that had happened in the last week. Why can't you see it, Elli!? Everyone else can! Why can't you see that I love you?! That's what Neela had confessed to her, even after she knew what Eliana had done. Yet, Eliana ran. I drove her away.

Next week, Chapter 140 - Aftermath