Omniscient POV
-----
Out and about along the rolling hills in the city of Mistral, citizens gathered below the falling sun and the rising night's twilight waltz across the sky.
Lanterns followed the winding cobblestone paths, vendors of all kinds called out to any of those willing to lend an ear, the laughter of children and adults, indulging in their snacks or prizes, sang from corner to corner.
At the very apex of the twin mountains overlooking the entire city, Haven Academy rested, and flowing out from directly below was a waterfall passing behind a large, stone bridge, where a certain person in particular leaned against the wooden rails.
Garbed in a long, deep red peplos dress with bronze accents made from the finest linens, Pyrrha Nikos adjusted the newly gifted circlet on her head and spun a red anemone flower between her fingers.
"Hey, Pyrrha. You hungry?"
Coming up behind her with a box of donut balls was Roderick Hill, fashioned in a rich violet tunic falling to his knees while a red fur lined cape draped over his left arm.
She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Starving."
"Man," he picked his clothes and set the box on the rail, "I know it's tradition and all, but I can never get used to this thing."
"Lucky for you, the festival's ending tonight." Pyrrha bit a donut and indulged in his appearance. "Besides, it suits you rather well."
"Could say the same about the circlet." Roderick dinged his metal finger on it. "Does it fit?"
"Like a glove."
They laughed and stared off in the distance.
"Four years already, huh." He exhaled disbelief. "Can you believe it?"
"Honestly, it feels like we just met yesterday." She basked in nostalgia. "Where'd the time go?"
"You can say that again." He snorted and shook his head. "What I wouldn't give to get a chance at you again in the tournament."
Pyrrha cradled the anemone and raised it to her nose.
"Have I ever told you about the legend of this flower?" She watched him through her lashes. "I can't recall."
"I think so." Roderick put a finger on his chin. "The one about the two lovers, right? The boyfriend dies and girlfriend cries over his body, her tears mix with his blood, and the flowers spring out from that."
"That's exactly it." She motioned the flower to him. "And if you listen closely, you'll be able to hear a woman's voice when the wind blows. Want to try?"
Roderick leaned and so did Pyrrha.
They listened for a short while, wind swept petals tickling the tips of their ears.
Pyrrha pulled away first, disheartened. "Did you hear anything, Roderick?"
"No." Roderick frowned. "What were we supposed to hear?"
" 'I am with you, now and forevermore.' " She tucked the flower in her hair and exasperated over the rail. "Only those who are truly destined to be together can hear it."
A chord of understanding struck within him.
Pyrrha flushed at the realization growing on Roderick's face.
"That's how I truly feel—so much so that it actually hurts." All the affection she withheld burst out of a gentle smile, brighter than the horizon set ablaze. "I was afraid of ruining what we had, so I settled with just being happy for being a part of your life." An unbearable ache choked her. "But now that you're leaving for Beacon, I. . . I can't let you go. Stay with me. Please."
Roderick lowered his head and fought the guilt consuming his heart.
"Sorry, Pyrrha," he said as softly as he could. "I really am."
Beads of her tears welled. "Why?"
"I can't deny that we have something really special." He rubbed the back of his head and tried to figure it out. "It's honestly unlike anything I've ever felt before."
"Then you understand how I feel, don't you?" She linked her arms around his neck. "I can't stand being apart from you."
"I do, too." His hands automatically went to her waist. "But the thing is, I. . . I'm not so sure that this is what you think it is. Don't get me wrong. I love you with everything I have as well. Just in a different way."
"A different way?" Her head tilted. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure how to explain it." He chose his next words carefully. "I just can't imagine us being anything other than what we have now."
She drew closer, ears wide open.
"We're connected in a way," he said. "Like a part of you is in me and a part of me is in you, and no matter how many stars come between us, we'll always be bound by it. I'm sure of it."
"So, in other words," Pyrrha struggled to grasp the elusive concept, "it really is our destiny to be together?"
"No, not destiny." Roderick gave his best smile. "It's fate."
-----
Roderick Hill
-----
Roderick was at a loss.
The sudden rapid jump in his heart rate made it hard to breathe, and the mounting pressure inside of his skull left no room to process anything, suffocating his very own thoughts.
"Y-you're lying." Roderick cleared his throat and swallowed the shock. "There's no way that's true."
"Come now. It's not that hard to believe." Cinder twiddle the tips of both their ashen black locks and gave a good view of her twinkling golden eyes. "From what I can see, it's almost as if I'm staring at a mirror."
Denial roared within, but now that she mentioned it and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he couldn't stop himself from seeing the same thing.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. Big sis will take care of you." She lent a hand and sweetened her offer. "And if you still want to learn, I can teach you so much more than any school could ever hope to do."
As much as he wanted to swat her hand away, it would be a bad move since he was at her complete mercy.
He needed to get out, but how?
A nearby pile of debris rumbled.
Cinder's face scrunched before she looked back and ate a flying block of metal, knocking her close to the edge of the tower.
The pile erupted, and Pyrrha leaped free.
Roderick snapped out of it, and even if it was for a brief moment, the sight of her alone poured a shower of relief over him.
"Roderick!" She magnetically tossed away the gear on him and held him close. Complete and utter worry ravaged her face. "Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?"
"It's Cinder." He closed his eyes and took a second to collect himself. "She said that I'm her brother."
Her brow wrinkled like she misheard him, and then it slowly sank in and dawned clear as day on her face.
"She's only trying to get in your head; don't listen to anything she has to say." Pyrrha pulled him to his feet. "Right now, I need you to focus."
Taking a long breath, he nodded.
The clinking of glass heels grabbed their attention.
Moving towards the center of the destroyed office, orange flames expelled from the corners of Cinder's eyes as she rose to the sky and conjured blades of rock, lighting them aflame.
More and more flaming rocks continued to form above Cinder, and the cold night grew hot beneath the miniature sun rising above Beacon Tower.
Pyrrha magnetically retrieved Tyrannus and Rex and passed them to Roderick.
"Roderick!" Pyrrha raised her shield and sword. "Get Ready!"
"Yeah!" Roderick did as told. "Let's do this!"
Cinder pointed.
A rock flew at them. Rex swatted it. Another came. Milo smacked it. A couple more rocks zoomed at them, followed by a third, fourth, fifth, and soon after, the onslaught of rock and fire tried to devour them alive.
All Pyrrha had to do was stay behind Akouo while Roderick ducked and dodged, swiped and swung, and did everything in the book to survive.
"Roderick," she tossed him her shield, "here!"
He took cover behind it and held his ground at the storm pummeling the shield, using the small break for all it was worth.
Pyrrha dove and did acrobatic flips while slicing up anything that so much as came close to touching her.
"Pyrrha," Roderick tossed the shield, "your turn!"
She caught it, and he went back to hopping and flailing around like a madman.
Damn it!
Roderick slashed several rocks and tried to catch his breath as sweat smoked from his skin.
There was no end to this!
"Roderick!" Pyrrha passed over Akouo again. "Catch it!"
The moment it left her hands, every single flaming rock in the sky suddenly swarmed the shield and knocked it away.
Roderick could only stare before a spike stung his side and dropped him.
Pyrrha cried out to him and got hit square in the back, shoving her over, and when she tried to stand, Cinder propelled straight at her.
Roderick reached for her. "Watch out!"
Pyrrha turned just as Cinder grabbed her skull and cracked it on the floor.
Red shimmered around her body, and the Invincible Girl was invincible no more.
Roderick's fears rattled his bones, and a shiver of dread rolled down his spine, making him sick to the stomach.
The golden designs of Cinder's crimson dress ignited, and an obsidian sword appeared in her hand.
Cinder held the sword tip above Pyrrha's unconscious body.
No, no, no, no, no!
Roderick whipped Rex, striking the sword from her grasp.
Cinder nonchalantly conjured two more blades, kicked Milo towards him, and sauntered to the space where Ozpin's desk used to be.
Instantly understanding what she was getting at, he picked up the sword with his other hand, and followed her.
Cinder chuckled and Roderick glared as they walked circles and sized each other up.
"Show me what you got, Little Eagle." She gestured for him to come. "We're long overdue for some family bonding."
He charged.
Their swords locked, blades scraping for dominance.
"Quit it, already!" Roderick wanted nothing more than to wipe the high and mighty smirk off her face. "I'm not your brother!"
"You really still don't believe me?" Cinder clicked her tongue. "I tried to do it the nice way, but if that won't cut it, then I guess I have no other choice."
He screamed and went wild.
They exchanged blow for blow, swords clanging and sparking after every strike, and she smiled as if she were playing with a child.
Was she toying with him?
Roderick saw red and pushed harder.
Cinder parried his swords upwards and shot out a kick that cracked his ribs. "That's enough."
Arms crossed, she slashed Rex and Milo away, and she backflipped, nailing the point of her toes in his chin. He buckled and fell to his knees.
"When will you learn?" She levelled the tip of her blade at his throat. "I always get what I want."
Roderick grabbed the sword, tugged her forward, and drew Tyrannus, pressing the muzzle against her gut.
Cinder's visible eye shot wide open.
A squeeze of the trigger blasted and sent her bouncing off a broken wall, causing her Aura to shimmer orange and disintegrate.
Every shred of doubt and worry he had was instantly erased, and the pressure of what was at stake lifted off his chest, which made it easier to catch his wind.
"It's over, Cinder." He soaked in the victory and relaxed. "You're Aura's—"
Cinder connected her swords together to form a bow and conjured an arrow made of glass.
What?
The arrow sniped Tyrannus.
He stared at his empty hand and then at the second arrow she already had nocked on her bow in awe.
Diving away, the arrow zipped past him. He scurried behind a broken column, the thwacking and whizzing of more arrows rained all around him.
How in the world was she doing that?!
Cinder had no Aura left; that means no more using Dust or whatever her Semblance possibly could be, yet here she was, doing the impossible like it was nothing.
Roderick discarded the questions plaguing him and got his head back in the game.
Think about it later. Fight now.
Since Rex and Tyrannus were gone, it meant he only had one last option left, so he loaded an ice vial of Dust into his prosthetic.
Roderick rolled out of cover, forming a shield of ice on his arm that was quickly pin pricked by arrows, and raced forward. Cinder threw her bow and spewed a torrent of flames that melted the ice shield.
Whatever Aura he had left was dumped into his arm, countering her flames with his own jetstream of ice.
The temperature spiked all over the place, from downright cold to scorching hot. Heck, he couldn't even see anymore thanks to the steam cloud blanketing them.
There was at least one thing he did know: he had to give it his all.
Come on!
"Where do you think you're looking?"
Roderick's heart skyrocketed at the voice directly behind him.
Whirling, he swung his metal fist, but Cinder caught it and wrapped her other arm around his neck.
He did his best to break free, only to find out that the harder he struggled, the tighter she squeezed.
The hand she had on his metal hand flashed hot, and the way the rest of his prosthetic began to glow slugged terror into him.
"Wait!" He wrestled to no avail. "Stop!"
Cinder ignored his pleas and continued melting his arm.
There was no other choice.
Roderick twisted the locks and detached himself from it, which surprised Cinder enough to loosen her hold and let him run free.
Cinder tossed the remains of his molten prosthetic. "Now, it's over."
One arm and no weapons. He really was in deep trouble. What was he supposed to do?
Right behind Cinder, Pyrrha rose, and despite how thrilled he was to know she could get him out of this, Roderick did his best to pretend nothing happened so Cinder wouldn't notice.
Pyrrha flung Akouo.
However, Cinder spun to the side and conjured another bow at the same time.
Time slowed.
Cinder shot an arrow through Pyrrha's ankle, and before Roderick could even make a sound, Akouo smashed him in the chest.
Wheezing, he crumpled in a heap.
Pyrrha yelped and tumbled on all fours. Slowly raising her head, those shining eyes of confidence and determination Roderick's come to know were cracked and smeared by shattered hopes.
Cinder donned an all too victorious grin.
Ruby suddenly jumped up over the edge of the tower and charged Cinder with Crescent Rose. "Get away from them!"
Roderick's distress amplified.
Cinder took a big step forward as the scythe descended, letting it safely go past her shoulder, and crushed her palm into Ruby's abdomen. A burst of fire sent her flying, but Cinder reeled her back in by the scythe's shaft and kicked Ruby out cold beside Pyrrha.
"Ruby!" Pyrrha teared up and shook her. "Please, Ruby, wake up!"
"Hmm." Cinder tapped her chin and stood between Ruby and Pyrrha. "I have an idea that I know you'll love."
Positioning herself behind them, she made an arrow and drew it back.
"I'll only spare one." Cinder drifted the arrow between the girls and stared Roderick dead in the eyes. "You have ten seconds to decide."
Roderick's entire world crumbled.
"W-wait." He barely had the strength to get the words out. "Hold on."
Cinder sharpened her gaze. "Nine."
Roderick crawled forward. "Stop!"
"Stay right there. Not one step." She spat the warning, and the ticking creaks of her bowstring became the loudest thing here. "Or else neither of them will be spared."
He froze.
"Good." Her smile lasted for hardly a second before it dropped. "Eight."
Pyrrha's entire body quivered, and she could do nothing except wait in horror.
Roderick's rage hit the limit. "You can't do this!"
"I can, and I will." Cinder shrugged. "Seven."
Gripping his hair so hard his scalp hurt, he punched the floor, the throbbing in his knuckles were nothing in comparison to the soul crushing vise of failure and mediocrity clamping his skull.
How could this happen? What did he have to do to get out of this giant hole they were stuck in?
"Six," she said boredly.
There's no way that this was really happening. This had to be a nightmare he would soon wake from in the dormitory. But it was real. The only one living in a fantasy was himself and the belief that they could do this alone.
Help.
He needed help. Someone help! Where was his team—all their friends? Reynold, where are you?!
Cinder yawned. "Five."
Roderick let out his frustrations in a single cry of defeat and slumped.
There was a way out of this. He had to do it, the only thing left that he could possibly do, and he prayed with his entire being that somehow and someway that it would be enough.
"You win!" Letting those words out scorched his tongue and left a bitterness in his mouth. "Take me instead. Let Pyrrha and Ruby go, and I'm all yours."
Pyrrha gasped. "R-Roderick, you can't!"
"That's a nice offer." Cinder chuckled and stopped her bow on Ruby. "But it's too late. You had your chance."
Just like that, his last resort became ash, and despair strangled his heart.
"I'm begging you." He forced himself to talk. "Not her."
"Nice choice." Cinder shifted the bow over. "Zero."
The arrow punched out of Pyrrha's chest, blood splattering Roderick's face.
Pyrrha scratched at the arrow, gagging on the rivers of blood leaking down her chin, and she fell flat on her face as she reached for Roderick.
Something broke inside him.
It was only after he grasped Pyrrha's hand and pulled her into his lap, he realized he moved, yet he couldn't feel a thing.
Moaning and stretching her arms like she finished taking out the morning trash, Cinder spoke but her voice was muffled by the deafening ring in his ears.
A golden light flared from Roderick's arm, and red wisps like smoke from a fire arose from Pyrrha's body, flowing to his arm, melding with the golden light, and pulsing brighter the more they swirled together.
Roderick simply watched until the golden light and the red wisps went away.
Hands on her hips, Cinder gave him a perplexed look, said something he couldn't hear, and then approached him with her hand out the same way a friend would to another friend in need.
Everything spun into a blurry mess.
Something whizzed through the air. An unbridled shriek loud enough to make out drummed him to the core. From the corner of his eye, something else zipped by, and the shrieks vanished.
Roderick wanted to puke.
It was his fault. How could he be so weak? If he was smarter, stronger, better, then he would've been able to stop this before it was too late.
Now here he was, left with only an apology.
Pyrrha's eyes fluttered open, and her mouth moved.
Sound rushed back to Roderick like air hissing into a vacuum, and he shot upright, gasping as if he'd been drowning. Looking around, the fact that he zoned out in the middle of a fight hit him like a freight train, and he raised his guard but dropped it just as quick.
Where'd Cinder go?
He checked the spot where she was before and caught his breath.
All that was left of Cinder was her severed arm on the floor.
"Rod, w-what happened?"
Next to them, Ruby was awake, dumbfounded and brimming with tears.
He had no words.
"I think," Pyrrha barely had the strength to speak louder than a whisper, "round five. . . will have to wait."
Roderick clamped his eyes shut and bit down on his shivering lips.
"I'm so sorry," she continued, "for losing. . . to someone. . . else."
Baring his teeth, he did his best to restrain the sobs pleading to be set free.
"C-could you. . . tell everyone. . . how much I'll miss them." Pyrrha coughed blood that flowed down and pooled on her neck. "Tell Jaune. . . to keep training. . . and that I'm sorry. . . for not being able. . . to be with him. . . anymore."
The dam holding back Roderick's tears burst open.
Pyrrha touched Ruby's fingers. "I'm glad. . . we met."
Ruby whimpered and laced their fingers together.
"Thank you. . . Roderick." She slowly did her best to raise her hand and cup his cheek. "I'm looking forward. . . to meeting you again."
He laid his hand on top of her own.
The Wyvern flew by and latched to the side of the tower, causing a strong breeze to hit them, yet Roderick couldn't care less about it and held onto Pyrrha as tight as he possibly could.
Roderick's tears splattered onto Pyrrha, mixing with her blood.
A certain phrase echoed in his ears, calling out louder than a beacon on a stormy night, and all of sudden, he found what he wanted to say.
Inhaling the remembrance of those words, he battled the grief wrecking havoc inside him, and got a grip on his voice.
"I. . ." Roderick gave it everything he had. "I am with you, now and forevermore."
Pyrrha's eyes shimmered, brighter than the stars themselves, and she relaxed, absolute joy caressing her weak smile.
"Did you hear that?" She gazed at the night sky, relief and satisfaction soft on her tongue. "How lovely. . . The flowers."
Soon after, Pyrrha went limp, releasing the last bit of air she had left, and a part of Roderick died alongside her.
Ruby screamed.
A blinding white light erupted from her silver eyes, completely engulfing the entire tower.