Nix turned back slowly to Ami, who was still lying on the ground. The girl smiled at him as he approached, his shield now replaced with his revolver. Nix looked at her coldly, his face contorted in fury. "Where is my sister."

The girl scoffed, a trickle of blood coming out of the corner of her mouth. "It doesn't matter where she is. You can't stop us now. Our forces are flooding through your city walls as we speak, your communications broken to only inside the city, and your precious school has been destroyed. Face it, you've failed."

Nix could barely contain his anger. "You underestimate us Hunters. You made a big mistake by coming here." He raised his revolver. "Any last words?"

Ami smirked. "Go to hell."

"You first." And with that, Nix pulled the trigger, putting a round straight through her skull. He let the weapon disappear as he walked back toward the elivator, when suddenly Hack jumped on his back, one of Amis daggers in his hand. "You forgot about me, stupid!" Nix struggled to get him off and slammed his back into a wall, lasting the air out of Hacks lungs. He gasped and dropped the dagger, Nix now turning and crashing his fist into his nose. Hack staggered but blocked the other punch, slamming his own fist into Nix's old wound. He kicked the boy back and grabbed him by the throat, choking him.

"You killed Ami!" Hack cried in rage. "And now, I'm going to kill you!"

Nix fought to get Hack off of him but couldn't break his hold, the Defender stronger than he looked. Nix reached for anything that could help him and grabbed onto something, bringing the object around and against Hacks head hard. The boy let Nix go an held his head, the wound bleeding profusely. Nix got up and ran at Hack, tackling him into a window. The glass cracked and Nix grabbed the dazed boy by his shirt. "Better luck next time." He flung the boy around and threw him at the widow, the glass shattering and sending the boy to the street below. Nix stood there for a moment before walking back to the elevator. He could hear the battle already raging outside, and prepared himself for the hardest fight of his life.

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Yang looked up at the sound of a large explosion, followed by a massive crash. The building shook and Axel laughed, putting his hands in the air. "Ah! There it is! The tower has fallen!" He turned back to the girls and walked over, Yangs face purple and blue. "Had to say, Io have a great speech, but I like the fireworks way more. Yang stared at him coldly as he spoke, her teeth grit in fury. "You're sick Axel. And you're going to pay for all of this."

"Is that so? And how exactly is that going to happen?"

Yang gave him a knowing smirk, her eyes turning red. "Like this." She jerked her arms as hard as she could and broke the ropes holding her, her semblance giving her extra strength. She had been letting them hit her in order to store as much power as possible, and now she was ready to return the favor. Axels men quickly ran up to stop her, but she was beyond angry now. She punched the first in the jaw, sending the man into the wall with enough force to crack the brick. Th second tried to kick her, but she caught his foot and flung him to the back of the room, breaking a table as he landed. She turned to Axel last, who was trying to unlock the door. She grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him against the side wall, her red eyes blazing as she walked toward him.

"Y..you really think you can stop this?" Axel said as Yang picked him up with one hand.

The girl smiled. "We're Hunters. Of course we can." She punched him as hard as she could right in the chest, breaking the brick wall behind him and sending him into the street, his bones shattered. Yangs eyes went back to normal and she quickly ran to her team members, untying them. Ruby hugger her sister close, scared out of her mind. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine Rubes. Guy hits like a girl. And by that I mean one who's not a fighter. Can you all fight?"

The girls nodded. "Alright, let's go save our city."

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Terrys ears rang as he slowly got up, the whole dining hall covered in white smoke. The windows had shattered and tables were thrown everywhere, but the building was still intact. He looked around at his team mates and helped them up, the other students inside getting up as well. "Everyone OK?" Terry asked as his team dusted themselves off.

"I'm good. What was that?" Ellie asked.

Terry moved to one of the windows and looked outside, the dust now starting to settle. He almost threw up as he saw the carnage outside, the bodies of students littering the grounds. The wreck of Beacon Tower was everywhere, but it seemed the tower had fallen away from the school and city, instead falling toward Beacon Cliffs. The shear power of the wreak must have killed anyone outside as it fell, which explained the students. The other students inside the dining hall looked at the scene in shock, many gasping and hurling.

"How could this have happened?" Nora asked as she stood next to Terry. Pyrah looked away and put her head in Jaunes chest, the boy holding her closely. Students began to walk outside, the dust now settled completely. Xenia spotted movement in the rubble and pointed it out, her team and friends running over to help clear it. They were greeted by Professor Goodwitch, who was holding a battered Headmaster Ozpin. She held her riding crop over her head, the force field she created finally dropping. She helped the Headmaster up as students crowded around them. He coughed but stood up straight. "Students, our fair city is under attack. We must do whatever we can in order to save it, as well as preserve our school. For all of you here today, this will be the hardest thing you will ever possibly do. But all I have to say is this. We may be wounded, but we are not broken. Now go, fight!"

  The students nodded and shouted, now scrambling to get ready. Terry hit a button on his Scroll and called his battle locker to him, the metal storage unit digging into the ground as it landed moments later. He opened it and grabbed his bow, strapping his quiver to his back. Other lockers all rained from  the sky an students grabbed their gear, his team now suited up. "Alright, let's get to the city."

  Jaune looked toward the entrance of the school and frowned. "That may be a bit complicated."

  The students all looked on as hoards of Grimm flossed through the broken gates, Ios men mixed in with them. The students readied themselves as they approached, Terry knocking an arrow with his team by his side. He took aim at the nearest Grimm. "For Beacon!" He cried and let the arrow fly, the other students rushing into battle.

  -------------------------------------------

  Nix slashed his sword through another Grimm, blood flying from the cut in its neck. The battle raged around him now as Hunters and Grimm battled throughout the whole city, Ios men getting beaten back by the more experienced Hunters. Gunfire and clashes of steel mixed with the roars of the Grimm and cries of pain from both sides in a torrent of carnage, the city now fighting for its very existence. Nix rolled under a sword swipe from a Haven solider and summoned a pistol, putting two rounds in their chest.  He quickly got back to his feet and moved through the battle, praying that he could find Yang and the others. His prayer was soon answered as he ran through the bloody and battered streets, catching a glimpse of team RWBY battling a mob of Grimm. He quickly ran over to reach them, slashing and cutting anything that got in his way. Yang tuned to him as he ran forward and quickly stopped fighting, her team keeping her covered. The two met and embraced, the two of them holding each other at long last. Yang kissed Nix for a long moment before breaking it. "I missed you so much."

  "I missed you too. But we have a battle to win before we can celebrate."

  "Right." Yang and Nix rejoined the rest of team RWBY as they finished the last remaining Grimm, hugs and happy greetings going all around. "Alright, we need to get back to Beacon, regroup with the others."

  "I don't think that's an option." Blake said as another group of people approached through the smoke of battle. There were three of them, and Nix knew exactly who they were. Smoke, Barrel, and Widow stood in their way now, and by the looks of things they weren't here to talk things over. Ruby stood next to Terry, her weapon ready. "Who are they?"

  "Defenders, Ios elite. Don't take them lightly."

  "Wasn't planing on it." Weiss said as she loaded a Dust cartage into her swords hand guard. The groups looked at each other in silence for a moment, no one daring to make a move. Suddenly Barrel drew her revolver in a flash, the others moving into battle. "Attack!"

  The groups attacked each other, Blake and Ruby engaging Smoke while Weiss blocked a sword strike from Widow. Yang and Nix took on Barrel in a vicious gunfight, the two of them exchanging fire with the cowgirl. Ruby went high as Blake went low on Smoke, but the girl was fast. She blocked Blakes sword strike and dodged Rubys downward swing, kicking the younger girl in the gut and sending her flying across the battlefield .Blake pressed the attack, her sword and sheath swirling in a deadly storm of steel. Smoke flipped backwards and tossed something down on the ground, the area shrouding in thick black smoke. Blake steadied herself and looked around, her sword up in a medium guard. Suddenly she felt a pain on her arm, a cut seeming to appear out of nowhere. The girl seethed and spun, trying to find her attacker. Another cut opened on her leg next and she spun again, still unable to spot the assassin. As long as this smoke was blinding her, she wouldn't last much longer against this form of fighting. The girl took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting her other senses take over. The sounds of battle began to dull, Blake focusing her hearing to only the area around her. She heard a whoosh of air and quickly spun, bringing her sword down in an arch. She felt the blade make contact and Smoke cried out, the girl crashing to the ground as the smokescreen cleared. Blake had slashed the girl deep across the back and she struggled to her feet, her breathes ragged and painful. Smoke slowly sheethed her sword and moved it behind her back, her hand on the hilt as she dropped into a fighting stance. Blake recognized the move and did likewise, the battle now coming down to one final strike. They stood motionless for a few moments before dashing towards eachother, the two girls drawing their blades at the same time, both of them passing each other by as they struck. They paused for a moment, the world seeming to stop. Blake felt a stinging pain on her cheek as she realized that Smoke had cut her again. But the other girl was not so lucky, dropping her sword before falling to the ground, a large slash across her chest.  Blake looked at her fallen opponent for a second out of respect and ran over to where Ruby had been launched.

  A few yards away, Weiss was deeply engaged in her battle against Widow, the sound of their clashing steel ringing loudly as they fenced. Weiss slied back as she blocked a heavy slash, the force of it almost knocking her sword away. Widow laughed and twirled her sword, her brown fur coat blowing in the wind, revealing her black battle suit. "Come now child, is that the best you can do?" Weiss made a frustrated face and readied her sword in front of her, her Dust cylinders rotating as she selected the one she wanted. "Come get me and find out." She taunted back.

  Widow smiled cruely. "With pleasure." She thrust her open hand forward and a thick spiders web shot out of her hand, the strand hitting Weiss in the chest. Caught off guard, she staggered back a step before Widow yanked her forward, pulling her off her feet. Widow sneered as she reared her sword back, ready to run Weiss through as she flew toward her. Weiss twisted her body and brought her sword down, cutting through the strand just before she reached the other woman and flew over her head, shooting a ice Glyph at Widows feet as she landed. Widows face went wide in surprise as the ice started to climb up her legs, quickly freezing her in place. "Wha..what is this?" She roared as the ice climbed to her chest. Weiss walked over and stood in front of her now frozen opponent, a small smirk on her face. "Its what happenes when you mess with a Shnee, that's what." Widow gasped as the ice moved up her neck, soon her whole body encased in the ice. Weiss cocked her head a bit and gave the ice a push, the block falling over. "Really now, was that the best you could do?" Weiss looked over to see Blake helping Ruby out of some rubble. Quickly running over to help. The two girls took an arm and lifted their young team mate out of the wreak, Ruby coughing as she stood. "What I miss?"

  "Took care of two of those Defenders, they shouldn't be bothering us anymore." Blake said as she helped Ruby regain her balance. "Nix and Yang are still fighting though, looks like the last one is giving them more trouble than they thought. The girls looked over towards the sounds of gunfire, the battle still raging.

Barrel stood behind a damaged building, her spent shell casings tingiling to the ground as she reloaded. This was her last set, and she knew that the odds were aganst her. Her other team mates were down, including her sister, but she couldnt think about that now. She had never given up on a fight before, and she wasnt about to start now.

Nix hid a few feet away, sliding a new magazine into his rifle. Yang stood beside him as she reloaded her gauntlets, the shotgun shells dropping to the floor. Both were breathing heavy, the rush of battle taking a lot out of them. "Come on out Vixan;" Nix called from behind his cover. " its over! Just surrender now and we can settle this without more bloodshed."

The girl looked at her pistol, a sad look on her face as she admired the craftsmanship. "Surrender? Yeah right." She took a deep breath and burst from cover, with Nix and Yang doing the same. The world moved slowly as Nix aimed his rifle, the only thing he could hear was his breathing and heartbeat. Barrel raised her weapon and snapped off a shot, the round flying past his head in slow motion. The second flew a bit closer, but Nix didnt flintch, not letting his aim falter. He lined up his shot and let a burst fly, the rounds spewing from the end of his rifle. Barrels body jerked as the bullets struck home and the girls run slowed to a walk, taking a few more steps before falling to her knees. She put a hand to her gut and pulled it away, seeing it now covered in blood. She coughed once and looked at her fallen team mates one last time before looking at the sky, the blue sea looking peaceful despite the battle below. Barrel smiled lightly, her breath slowing. "Looks..like I lost..this one.." THe girl fell backward and took her last breath, her eyes open as she looked up. Nix lowered his weapon and sighed at the battles end. The others came over to where he stood, each of them wounded one way or antoher. "Come on, we need to get to Beacon. This isnt over yet."