Blood.

Fire.

Death.

Destruction.

That was what Yang saw all around her as she rushed to go help the main force. Peter Port and James Peach were covering each other's backs and clearing out the Grimm in the central boulevard, while Oobleck, Roman and Neo tried to reach the main gate. It had been forced open by something that definitely wasn't Grimm, judging by the scorch marks that covered the ground nearby. It seemed that some kind of explosion had broken the locks, so it would take some time to fix them and close the gates again.

Yang joined in the fighting, killing several Beowolves and Ursa before she was attacked from behind by another pack of Beowolves.

What the hell? They're using strategy...? This isn't like the Grimm at all... how can this be happening?!

'It's really quite something, isn't it?' a sultry voice said to a large, fire covered Grimm.

'Yes, it's quite the show,' he responded in a deep, victorious tone. 'I never knew you were so good at strategy,' the Grimm complimented.

'You don't lead the White Fang by being a pretty face,' she responded, her eyes burning with passion for the events that were unfolding before her eyes, her two subordinates watching onwards with fascination.

'With my influence over the lesser Grimm and your ideas, we'll do great things together,' the Grimm said, a pleased expression on his face. 'First, we destroy their 'safe haven.' Then we destroy the White Fang hideouts spread around the land. Finally, we'll destroy her...'

'I assume you're talking about Yuki?'

'Yes. The only X-Class to ever challenge my power. How dare she defy a perfect being such as myself? I am the only one fit to rule this world,' he said, a malevolent grin taking over his face.

'You,' he said, pointing to an SS-Class Ursa that was standing guard nearby, 'take some of the more powerful Grimm and raise hell. I don't want any survivors.'

'Understood,' the Grimm replied, leaving immediately to gather reinforcements and launch the second stage of the assault.

'My plan has only just begun,' he said, laughing to himself at his success.

After avoiding several attacks from the Beowolves, Yang nimbly dodged in between their claws, systematically planting shotgun shells into each of their heads, one by one.

'Yang!'

The familiar voice of her sister called after her, and she ran over to give her a hug. She was just glad Ruby was safe.

'Have you seen Velvet?' the redhead quickly asked, in a frenzied state as she fretted over their missing friend.

'No,' she said, clearly troubled by the fact that her sister had no luck either. 'Keep searching,' Yang told her. 'I'll help keep these guys away. When you find her, protect her with all you've got,' Yang encouraged, to which Ruby nodded and smiled.

'I will, sis. You can count on me!'

Leaving again, Ruby's enthusiasm never failed to amuse Yang. She cracked a small smile before returning to the others, clearing out wave after endless wave of Grimm. They weren't all that strong, but they were employing tactics that the Grimm had never before been seen to use, so it caused quite a bit of commotion. The Atlesian soldiers shot as many down as they could whilst perched atop the wall just around the entrance, but several still managed to sneak their way in.

Even Roman and Neo seemed to be struggling, and Yang remembered her previous encounter with Neo being quite the one-sided battle.

Where are you Velvet?!

Ruby sprinted through the back streets while Fox searched the rows of houses, desperately trying to locate their rabbit-eared friend. No such luck. What Ruby did find, however, caused fear to course through her body. She kept coming across the occasional Grimm that had somehow managed to sneak past all the carnage at the main entrance.

She couldn't have... no. Stop thinking like that, Ruby.

Shaking the thought from her mind, she desperately sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her, praying that she could find her in time. Fox was also having no luck in his search, finding only empty houses and furniture strewn about the place as people tried to flee in a panic.

The defence would not hold for much longer. Yang knew it, and the others all knew it too. Roman, Neo and Oobleck were doing their best, but they were being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Grimm that were invading. It didn't help that several of the Atlesian soldiers were beginning to fall prey to the Grimm who feasted hungrily on their corpses.

Then, all hope of protecting the main entrance crumbled as a horde of S-Class Grimm and above began to storm through the gates, decimating all opposition that stood in their way.

'What the hell is happening?!' Yang cried out in frustration, seeing the unbelievable numbers that were beginning to push through. They had to retreat. There was no other option. Even with the teachers and a handful of other powerful Hunters there, they stood no chance against the overwhelming odds they were faced with.

They turned and ran, and Yang watched people be brought down left and right. This wasn't a battle. It was an extermination. An assault of this magnitude had obviously been in planning for a while, and the preparation that had gone into it was bearing ripe fruit.

'Go! Now! We'll cover your retreat, just get as many people away as you can!'

Professor Port's words sent a solemn chill down Yang's spine, as Peach and Oobleck both stayed with him, fending off the Grimm to the best of their ability. As Yang, Roman and Neo powered down the streets, she heard the painful screams of first Port, then Oobleck, and then Peach. She didn't have to turn around to know what had happened.

'You guys! This way!'

Looking for the origin of the voice, her eyes met Raven's for a fleeting moment as she passed by an alleyway, which she quickly turned down to head after her sister, Roman and Neo in tow.

Following her into a large building which even in the dim light Yang recognized as Central Hall, the place where all the major decisions happened, they headed into the cellar. The door had several regular locks and dust seals that had to be opened before they could gain access, making it perfect for staking out.

The cellar was as large as the ground floor above, which had more space than several houses combined, so there wasn't a capacity issue. What Yang had a problem with; however, was the distinct lack of her sister. Or Velvet or Fox, for that matter.

'Where... where are my friends?!' she managed to blurt out in between strained pants, before Raven took her shoulder in her arms.

'I don't know. Adam's out looking for more survivors now, and I'm going back out to search for them in a second. I will come back with them, I promise you.'

Raven's reassuring words gave Yang some comfort as she let herself fall to the floor, too exhausted to move another inch.

'Should we pay them a little visit?' the woman asked, her clothes flaring with embers as she and her two allies impatiently tapped their feet behind her. They wanted something to do, and they didn't care if that something was to kill humans or Grimm. If their leader gave the order they would comply, no matter the request. The Grimm smiled to himself before replying.

'Very well. Show those pitiful enough to run away just how terrifying a Grimm-human alliance can be.

Signalling to the two stood beside her, she said two words that made them unbelievably happy.

'Let's go.'

Desperately panting, careful not to strain the woman attached to his hand, Perry led Velvet far away from the chaos that had consumed the Central Boulevard.

'Here,' he spluttered, leading her indoors, 'we should be safe here,' he informed her.

'Where are we?' she asked, heavily out of breath due to the child inside her.

'This is my home,' he proudly responded. 'We need to go down to the basement,' he told her. 'Go. There's a tunnel down there that leads outside the walls. I built it myself, so I know it's safe. I'm going to gather some food and supplies to take with us; you go get a head start in that tunnel. Make sure you wait for me before you get out, though. God knows what could be on the other side, what with all that's going on in the city.'

Whilst gathering food, Perry soon felt fear creep through his body.

'So, the basement, huh?'

Turning around, he saw a White Fang member stood there in front of him, arms crossed leaning against the stairs. He slowly reached for the weapon at his side, a pickaxe with the underside of the pick sharpened to the point where it could probably cut through steel with ease.

'Tell me Perry, why did you betray us? Why did you run off with these cunts? It was almost like you never wanted to be one of us in the first place. Did you think you could just leave the White Fang and we wouldn't come for you?'

'No,' Perry sternly responded. 'I knew you'd come for me. I just didn't know when,' he answered, his eyes full of determination. Slowly raising his pickaxe, the White Fang member laughed mockingly at him.

'You call that thing a weapon? No, no, no, Perry. THIS is a weapon.'

Revealing the large battleaxe he had kept behind his back, he held it in his hands, swinging it intimidatingly.

'You'll pay for what you did, Perry.'

As the White Fang charged at the wolf Faunus, Perry pressed a button on the bottom of the pickaxe, causing the head to fly forward attached to a chain.

The pick itself narrowly missed the White Fang, his head moving just in time to dodge before he swung his battleaxe at Perry who leant backwards, feeling the rush of air as the axe missed his face by millimetres. Perry smiled to himself as he pressed the button again, immediately retracting the head of the pick, causing the bladed edge to cleave straight through the White Fang's neck.

'I'm not the same Perry I was back then,' he said to the dead man lying in front of him, blood still shooting from the severed arteries where his head had once been.

I have to go, now. There'll be more of them coming after me.

Sorry, Velvet, but you're gonna have to make it on your own.

This is for your own good.

Locking the basement, he exited the entrance to his house. The familiar smell of burning filled his nostrils immediately, and he quickly set out, causing as much commotion and making as much noise as possible. Soon after, he had caught the attention of several White Fang and Grimm alike, all of which he dispatched with ease. It wasn't enough. There were still countless numbers in the area. He had to find some way to draw them out, or Velvet would still be in extreme danger.

Looking up at the church nearby, the time read 11:17. It was getting extremely late, and soon he knew the fighting would slow to a halt once the stragglers on the street had been wiped out. He had to find a way to attract attention before then, and fast. And that's when it hit him.

The church! There's a giant bell in the clock tower!

Immediately changing his destination, he headed straight for the bell.

If I can reach it in time... I can save everyone else!

Not even bothering the enter the Church, he simply used his superior Faunus agility to scale the church walls at incredible speed.

Sorry, God, but your church is gonna have to take a few scratches. Forgive me when I get up there, OK?

As he reached the bell, his blood raged through his body. This is it, he thought. Shedding a few tears, he knew what ringing the bell would entail for him. It was a suicide mission. As soon as they swarmed the church, he would have no escape. But a heroic smile crossed his lips.

I can at least take as many of those fucks out with me.

DING-DONG. DING-DONG. DING-DONG.

The three gongs that resonated through the city drew the attention of every White Fang and Grimm in its borders, and every last one rushed over to go investigate. Perry soon saw the onslaught of enemies that were quickly approaching, and staying in the tower, he decided to try and kill as many as he could while they scaled the building. As Grimm and White Fang rushed up to his location, he began his attack. Firing his pick to knock them off the walls, breaking the stairs so they'd fall to their death, he used every trick he could think of. Eventually, he even cut the rope that the bell was attached to, crushing several of them who were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He must have killed upwards of 30 before they finally reached him, first clawing his legs so he was rendered unable to stand, but that didn't stop him. Using his Faunus claws, he slit the throat of one Grimm that attacked him, and sliced the knees of another White Fang before feeling the violent wave of attacks ripping through his system. He was beaten, ripped and sundered, before finally being shot and eaten by the Grimm. His last thoughts were the words he could never say.

I'm sorry, Velvet.

I love you.

Live, for me.

Raven, Ruby and Fox all turned the instant they heard the bell chime. Realising the Grimm would congregate there, Raven rushed for the entrance, knowing is she could secure it maybe they could keep the Grimm inside. She'd been inside the Central Hall cellar enough times to know that the sound of the bell reached even there, and knew they would all come pouring out soon enough, but as she approached the entrance, she saw an all too familiar sight that she rather wished she hadn't. She had suspected that the woman before her had something to do with the attack, but she hoped she was wrong.

'Cinder...'

The ember-adorned woman cockily smiled at Raven, Mercury and Emerald standing either side of her.

After waiting near the end of the tunnel for at least 20 minutes, Velvet realised something.

Perry wasn't coming. He had intentionally stayed behind to ensure her survival. He knew she wouldn't let him go without her, so he cleverly persuaded her to go on without him. Her heart sank, as one of the people she dearly cared about gave their life for her yet again.

When will it end? When will people stop dying for me?

Silently grieving inside, she exited the tunnel, but what greeted her was far from friendly.

'Hello, little rabbit,' a White Fang said, surrounded by several others.

'I'm here for revenge,' he said, a twisted smile contorting across his face. 'You killed my brother when you destroyed that facility. He told me so himself with his dying breath. And I'm going to make you suffer hell for it.'

Rendezvousing with Ruby, Fox shared his intelligence with her.

'So, wait. We've searched everything, and she isn't here? You don't think she's...' Ruby exclaimed, growing more worried.

'No way,' Fox replied. 'It's far more likely she escaped the city somehow. There must be another way out that we don't know about. For now, we should go secure the entrance at least. I'm sure the others will have heard the bell, and they'll make their way out as we speak.'

'You're right,' Ruby answered, still not completely convinced, but it was all she could do to keep herself from falling apart.

Everyone in the cellar heard the bell as well, immediately understanding what it meant. It meant someone was luring the enemies away from the entrance, and that gave them a short window of time to escape. All of them quickly gathered their things, Yang included. Despite the fact she was exhausted, she wanted to survive. She wanted payback.

This time, it was their time to attack.