In the confusion of the Grimm showing up at the tournament, Nico had gotten completely separated from her team.

She could barely see, her tears obscuring her vision, but she also couldn't hear them either. There was no trodding of ballet shoes against the concrete, no quiet rhythms of arm braces against a dress, no frantic arm motions everywhere. They didn't seem like they were in anywhere near her.

Everything had turned into chaos. Nico had gotten completely out of the arena, and she roamed Beacon, looking for either her team or Penny's..remains...

This couldn't be real. Penny...Nico swallowed the lump in her throat as she choked out a sob. Penny was gone, ripped apart...her first friend since captivity was now completely gone, forever...

She couldn't help but hope Penny could still function. Maybe...maybe even though she was in pieces, maybe Penny.. maybe...

No. She knew it was pointless to think like that.

Penny was gone.

Penny had died...she was dead...

Nico's ears suddenly stood up in attention as the sound of rustling clothes rushed toward her, and she instinctively moved to the side. She dodged the slice of a sword, and as her eyes shifted to her attacker's face, Nico froze once more in horror.

Flaming red hair.

Tiny white bull horns.

Black clothes.

White Fang Symbol.

White Fang mask...

Adam Taurus.

Immediately, Nico began to speed off in the opposite direction.

Adam didn't waste any time in dashing right after her, easily catching up to her as he skillfully swung his blade quickly. Nico's heart pounded in her chest as she barely managed to block his quick and skillfully placed blows.

His sword swung under hers, and the blade passed through Nico's body as she activated her semblance. As she shaped back into reality, Adam reached forward and grabbed her by the neck, stopping her in her tracks as she gasped loudly, her free hand clawing at his hand.

"I studied you for years, do you really think I don't know every move you're about to make?" Adam sneered before he sliced his sword into her, sending her across the ground. She clumsily got to her feet before she attempted to run once more, Adam easily catching up to her. Nico split her sword in two, her blades swinging in a rapid fashion, though he blocked every blow of hers before he swung his blade before kicking outward, his foot phasing through Nico's shadowy form. As she came back to reality, Adam suddenly unleashed a flurry of attacks, his sword flying at her from so many directions. She cried out his sword jabbed her, her aura breaking as she stumbled backward.

His sword slashed into her, slicing a bloody wound into Nico's abdomen. Nico fell to the ground on her stomach, her scroll falling out of her pocket. She feebly reached her hand toward her scroll, hoping she could call someone for help...

She screamed, pain exploding through her hand as Adam stomped on her fingers. Tears gushed from her eyes, and she could just barely make out Adam's red sword crushing her scroll. Nico's non-mangled hand clutched at her wound as she sniffled, Adam laughing above her.

"It's a shame. You had so much potential...much more than your pathetic siblings," Adam scoffed as Nico growled at the mention of her deceased loved ones. She tried to reach for her sword, and Adam laughed. "Instead, you're just a failure...and failed experiments die!"

His sword swung once more, intending to stab through her chest. Instead, a bullet knocked into his hand, knocking off his aim. Ironwood appeared, his gun firing rapid shots toward Adam, who used his sword to block each one. Ironwood ran, his gun shooting bullets out at a rapid speed before he kicked outward.

Weapons flew between the two, and for the first time, Nico was actually grateful for Ironwood's interference.

Both Ironwood and Adam flew backward, and they both glanced toward Nico. In an instant, Adam flew for her...but so did Ironwood.

General Ironwood made it to her before Adam did, and he swept her away. With her in his arms, he hesitated, looking at Adam...before he shot a bullet and began to run.

"Y-You...l-left...?" Nico could barely begin to comprehend why he had walked away from fighting the White Fang leader. Her vision was beginning to fade.

"Make no mistake, I will be heading back to hunt him down the second you're safe. But...the future is to come to pass, and you play a part in it. But more importantly...you are one of my own, and I will never abandon anyone in need of aid."

"B-But...I-I'm not even part o-of your military..."

"I never said you were," Ironwood gently placed Nico down on the ground of an airship, where medicals rushed forward to aid her. Ironwood sighed, "rest well."

"W-Wait-" Nico tried to reach out for him, but he was gone. Her vision grew blurry from the movement, and soon enough, everything went black.

<><><>

"Hurry, Miss Ng-Nikos, Miss Nikos!"

Ozpin hurried them all into the Beacon vault, the elevator taking them straight down hurriedly. Everyone was silent, the normally lighthearted atmosphere completely gone. As the elevator hit the ground, the doors opened, and everyone rushed out to Amber's chamber.

"...Have you both made your decision?" Ozpin asked, and Pyrrha took a deep breath before she nodded. Lyra eyed her before she clung to her sister.

"Wait. Pyrrha, I should do this," Lyra said quietly. "You have people to live for, people to protect. People that depend on you more than they do me. You're a hero. I'm not. I'm just...a monster. Let me do this, so that there's no chance of you having to give that up."

"...Lyra, I killed someone," Pyrrha choked out a sob. "I can't...I can't say I'm a hero when I've done that."

"It wasn't your fault. You're still a good person, your mishap was an accident, Pyrrha-"

"I still did it...and I...I have to protect you, Lyra..I'm not letting you go in. I'd rather have it hurt me than you."

"I'm not worth your protection! My behavior needs to be overridden-"

"Stop and listen to yourself! Please!" Pyrrha raised her voice at her sister for the first time, stunning Lyra into silence. "Your friends are sorry. They don't want that for you either, if you would just listen to them, then you would see. You need to listen, just...listen! Okay? This isn't about the override anymore. People are in danger out there...and I'm going to help them with this power. Okay?"

"...Okay," Lyra conceded quietly, her golden eyes directed to the floor. She reached for a quick hug, and then Pyrrha stepped into the chamber without another word, the door closing.

Lyra watched as the process began, everyone stony-faced. Pyrrha gasped out in pain as they could visibly see Amber's aura seeping out to Pyrrha. Was it done-?

A stream of fire shot out, hitting against the equipment. Everyone turned toward the elevator, seeing a smug woman with side swept black hair a a short red dress. The clink of her black glass heels thudded against the ground. Her name was Cinder Fall.

Ozpin didn't waste a second.

He shot out like a bullet, his cane smacking against one of the woman's arms. Lyra brandished her axe, ready to jump in, but Ozpin's answer was immediate.

"You need to leave. Now! Go!" Ozpin ordered. "Get out of here, Lyra!"

"I-"

She was interrupted by Pyrrha banging against the glass, the machine stopping it's aura replacement. All of a sudden, Amber took her final breath...and the remainder of her power seeped to Cinder.

Ozpin was thrown backward, and Lyra made a decision.

She hurried toward her sister, helping her out of the glass as the fight took place behind them. Ashes fell past them as her as Lyra helped Pyrrha out. Pyrrha took out her blade, tears in her eyes.

"Lyra..."

"...We can't leave Professor Ozpin like this," Lyra said quietly. "We can't leave. We're huntresses...and we have to fight!"

An explosion rebounded behind them as Cinder landed to the ground safely, a satisfied look on her face. Ozpin was nowhere to be seen.

There was no time to think about what might have happened to him.

Pyrrha immediately threw her spear forward, lunging towards Cinder with her shield.

Cinder dodged the spear effortlessly before holding her arms up to block as Pyrrha kicked her shield toward the black haired girl. Lyra swung her axe towards Cinder as Pyrrha flipped away to pull her weapons back toward her. Cinder was able to block Lyra's axe with just her aura protected arms effortlessly without even feeling the massive amounts of strength behind Lyra. The golden eyed warrior flipped away as Cinder kicked outward, rising into the air.

Cinder began to shoot slices of fire toward both of them, her eyes glowing a fierce orange. The two of them rolled under the first one, splitting onto each side of Cinder as the woman continued to fire at both of them. She swung a quick bolt of fire in Lyra's direction to deter her before concentrating both of her hands into an intense stream straight at Pyrrha.

Pyrrha held her shield strong, enduring the heavy fire. Whilst holding her shield, she charged straight at Cinder, swinging her javelin right at Cinder.

Much to her surprise...Cinder grabbed her javelin, moving it slightly to throw Pyrrha off balance. Before Cinder could move to blast Pyrrha backwards, Cinder was forced to instead dodge the deadly bullets from Lyra's sniper rifle. Pyrrha regained her momentum, swinging her leg out to try and trip Cinder. The red clothed woman sidestepped and materialized a dusted sword, blocking each of Pyrrha's blows. As Lyra lunged forward, changing her rifle back to it's axe form, she flipped and then flung herself downward towards her opponent.

Cinder jumped backward to avoid Lyra's destructive blow, and Midas dug itself far into the ground. As Lyra lifted her axe out of the floor, Cinder shot both of her hands toward Lyra, who was still mid action.

Pyrrha stepped in front of Lyra, blocking the fire with her shield. As Cinder propelled herself toward them with her fire, the two girls flipped and dodged away. Cinder charged toward Pyrrha, and the red haired warrior jumped onto the wall, flipping Cinder over her shoulder and sending the woman onto the ground. Cinder didn't stay down long as she performed a back walkover to stand.

However, Lyra and Pyrrha didn't waste a moment. Cinder didn't have time to think or recover as the two girls swung their weapons toward Cinder. Lyra's axe swung sideways and slightly upward, hitting Cinder in the side and sending the woman flying into the air. Pyrrha jumped up, swinging her spear several times. As Pyrrha went to hold her javelin against Cinder's neck and flip her into the ground, Cinder swung her arms downward, creating a sphere of forceful fire. This dome hit Pyrrha with so much impact that the red haired warrior flew backward into the wall. Lyra's eyes glowed red as she jumped toward the dome, her axe splicing the sphere in two before she swung once more, her axe swinging downward. Cinder dodged easily, but she stood on solid ground now.

Pyrrha sprung off of the wall to dive right towards Cinder, and the woman dodged the javelin aimed at her. Cinder blocked Pyrrha's next blow, whirling around to elbow Pyrrha our of the air and onto the ground. Cinder flashed another beam right at Pyrrha, who was on the ground, but she instead hit a golden axe.

Cinder narrowed her amber eyes in irritation as Lyra stood. Pyrrha rolled out of danger as Cinder's fire grew stronger. The two warriors dodged the flames until Cinder suddenly unleashed an intense beam of fire right at Lyra. She held up held axe, but the fire was incredibly strong. She grunted in pain as the heat began to overwhelm her. As Pyrrha ran in front of her to take the heat, her shield held in front of him, Lyra couldn't help but grimace. That heat had to be overbearing, yet...

Pyrrha swung out her javelin horizontally at Cinder, taking the brunt of all the fire.

Cinder dodged, and an explosion of flames surrounded her. The two almost seemed to disappear in a dome of fire. Lyra tried to approach, but the flames were too overwhelming this time without her semblance.

When the two appeared, Pyrrha had her javelin held toward Cinder's neck, with the woman trying desperately to keep the blade away. Cinder was in a headlock, and Lyra quickly transformed her blade into it's sniper form. She lined up the perfect shot, shooting straight for Cinder's head.

As a last ditch effort, Cinder shot out a stream of fire at Lyra, which immediately made Pyrrha wince ever so slightly. Cinder took advantage of the distraction, breaking Pyrrha's javelin with her fiery hands and jabbing Pyrrha to the side somewhere. She moved her head to dodge the bullet, but it still nicked her ear, sending blood streaming down the side of her face. As Cinder grunted in irritation, Lyra ran forward and jabbed her rifle into Cinder's stomach before digging her weapon into the ground and roundhouse kicking the woman toward the ground.

Cinder formed a dusted sword in her hands to block Lyra's kick, shooting fire straight toward the weaponless girl. Lyra flew backwards from the impact, hitting a piece of rubble. Cinder levitated into the air, fire flowing from her hands as Pyrrha and Lyra glared her down, Lyra's axe flying toward her hand from the use of Pyrrha's semblance. Lyra's eyes glowed red. Her back was hurting, her pride felt a little damaged, and Cinder had broken Pyrrha's weapon.

The fight wasn't in their favor, but running wasn't an option.

They had no choice but to continue fighting.