Ruby stared on in shock, unable to move as her sister hit Taiyang with incredible force. Noticing the mask that covered the left side of her face, she realised that something must have happened to her sister, and the only time that could have been possible was when she had been held captive by the White Fang before they crossed over the ocean.

So this… what happened to her… is my fault?

Ruby couldn't help but think that. If they hadn't been captured, Yang would not have endured whatever ordeal she went through.

Recovering from the strike, Taiyang wiped his lip, bleeding slightly from the force. Looking at Yang and noticing her mask, he simply said;

'I'm proud of you.'

'What?'

'You've become such a beautiful creature,' he complimented, though Yang wasn't sure it was one she wanted. Especially coming from him.

'You've become a hybrid being, just like myself.'

Cracking a nightmarish smile, he continued with a phrase that sent shivers up Yang's spine.

'I can finally go all out against a worthy opponent. Prepare to see the true power of the Phoenix Grimm.'

Outside, Raven and Cinder's battle had not halted for even a second. The relentless flurry of strikes from Raven, met with an endless series of dodges and counterattacks by Cinder, Neo and Roman could do naught but watch as their duel raged on. Eventually, they both began to tire and Cinder landed several bursts of fire on Raven, the latter battling through the searing pain that boiled her skin. Swinging her golden blade, she managed to just barely cut into Cinder's dress, releasing all the built up power that had been stored by absorbing Cinder's attacks, a power that practically exploded on contact, sending ripples of destruction shredding through the ground in front of her. Changing her blade to purple, she fired several waves of aura at Cinder, forcing the woman to retreat lest she wish to take severe damage from her attacks. This gave time for Raven to change her sword back to green and heal her wounds, while Cinder looked on in annoyance.

'You always were a nuisance to kill,' Cinder added hatefully. 'I should have finished you back at the city. I won't make that mistake a second time,' she threatened.

'Don't worry,' Raven replied, the malice in her voice making no attempt to hide, 'you won't have to. Because you'll be dead before you can get the chance to kill me.'

Changing her blade to black, Raven slowly strolled towards Cinder, the woman taking equal steps back.

'You know what my swords Eclipse form does, right?'

'The black blade? Yes, it ruptures whatever it comes into contact with when you use your aura.'

'Exactly.' Taking careful steps, she walked ninety degrees around Cinder, the fiery woman changing the direction of her retreat to compensate. 'I'm going to drive this blade into your chest. Then you'll feel the true power of Eclipse.'

'Good luck hitting me. In case you didn't notice, you've been struggling to land even a single attack, whereas I've hit you several times.'

'I don't need luck. I've already won.'

Before she had time to realise what Raven meant, Cinder had already fallen into the trap. She felt her foot firmly lodged in something, and looking down saw that she had stepped into a crack of split earth.

Her golden blade… she planned this all along?!

By the time she had managed to retract her foot, Raven's sword was already inches away from her chest.

I'm too late!

In a last, desperate attempt, she shot out a ball of fire from her hands, headed straight for… Roman?

The two had been closely watching the fight, but due to the fact they weren't expecting to be dragged into the fight they had let their guard down. On top of that, the fireball Cinder had let loose was much faster than her previous attacks. Neo had no time to guard it, and Roman had no time to dodge, taking the blaze square in the chest.

Eclipse pierced Cinder's flesh a moment later.

At least I killed one of them. Taiyang… I'm sorry, but you're on your own from here on out.

'Neo,' Roman spluttered, his vision quickly fading. 'Neo… I'm sorry, but you'll have to do without me for a while. Go with them. Live, Neo.'

By the time Raven reached his body he was already long dead, the fire completely scorching his insides. A rare display of emotion from Neo saw tears forming in her eyes. Her best friend and partner was dead. The one person who truly understood her was gone forever. It took a moment for that to sink in, but when it did Neo broke down in tears. Placing an arm around her shoulder, all Raven could offer was a simple 'I'm sorry.'

'Why won't you just DIE?'

Yang couldn't contain her frustration. She had knocked him down so many times, and he should have been killed at least 10 times. But he kept getting back up, every single time.

'You weren't paying any attention, were you? I told you what I am. I'm a Phoenix Grimm. That is my semblance, Yang. When I die, I am resurrected by using up some of my aura.'

Yang shot him a look of displeasure upon hearing this.

How many times will I have to drop him before he stays down? I'm not sure how much longer I can handle his attacks and stay in control of my Grimm side together…

'Tell me Yang,' he started again, 'do you know why we Grimm hunt and eat humans?'

This was unexpected. She had heard the answer to this question so many times at Beacon however that she was confident in her answer.

'For fun,' she replied, her hands clenching at the thought.

'Incorrect.'

What? If not for fun, then why…? The Grimm had been proven to be capable of survival without food, so if they didn't hunt for fun… what did they do it for?

'We hunt because we must.'

'That's a lie,' Yang immediately retorted. 'I know for a fact Grimm don't need to eat.'

'In a sense, you're right. Grimm don't need to eat. Not to survive, at least. But we still get hungry, and unlike others, our hunger can never kill us. Tell me, do you understand what it feels like to have an endlessly worsening hunger gnawing at you? Do you know what it's like to starve, and to have that feeling eternally growing stronger and stronger? It's enough to drive a person mad. The Grimm don't eat to survive. We eat to stay sane.'

Yang couldn't believe it. All this time… all this time they had believed the Grimm to be cruel, heartless monsters, capable only of causing suffering and pain… and all this time, they only did what they did to stop themselves from going insane... it was a lot to take in for the young Huntress.

'You know, if I had known that when I became a Grimm I would suffer through all of this, then I wouldn't have done it.'

'Why did you turn yourself into a Grimm, dad? Why?'

Looking up at her, Taiyang continued speaking.

'I was a fool… after I lost your mother, I blamed myself. When she died… when she was killed by that X-Class, moments after reporting its existence… I asked myself the most dangerous question. I asked myself; What if? What if I was there? Could I have saved her? It was a futile question. And in my naivety, I thought that if I could gain more power that I could protect everyone else.'

For the first time in her life, Yang saw a Grimm cry.

But… Grimm don't have emotions.

Which means... he's still human. At least a little bit.



Maybe I can save him.

My dad is still in there! I have to save him somehow...

'When it finally came to using that power, I didn't know what repercussions it would have. I felt the Grimm inside me taking over, and I knew at that moment. I knew how stupid I had been. The Grimm took total control, and slaughtered everything in sight. My friends, my enemies… nothing but a pile of corpses was left afterwards. I managed to take control back, and I saw with my own eyes just what it had done. What I had done. And so, I left. I left to save everyone else. In the end, my desire to protect destroyed everything I held dear, all because I was stupid.'

Then, with a piercing yet wistful stare, the words he said to Yang she almost couldn't comprehend.

'Kill me, Yang.'

Tears welling in her eyes, she didn't know how to respond. Yes, he was a Grimm, but he was still her father. He had shown that there was still a part of him inside that was still human, and while he was still conscious of himself he wanted his own daughter to put a stop to his tyrannical reign.

'That's not fair,' Yang said, her words distorting as she sobbed. 'You're still my father! How can I kill you…?'

'Yang, please. I know it's hard, but… I would much rather die while I am still in control. Believe me, it's extremely hard to stay in possession of myself right now. I feel like it could come back at any second. Please, do this for me, Princess.'

Princess…?

That old pet name he gave me…?

He… he remembered after all this time…?

Walking slowly towards him, her hands still trembling, she stood toe to toe with him, their tear-stained eyes granting each other one last fleeting gaze as he cupped her face with his hands.

'You're so beautiful. I'm proud to call you my daughter, Yang Xiao Long. Now, do it. I'm ready.'

Closing his eyes, he awaited her fist, although it never came.

Opening them again, she had tightened her grip, but she couldn't force herself to end his life.

'So, the harlot couldn't bring herself to harm her dear father, could she?'

Looking back at him, the evil smile had returned to his face. Yang realised it had to be now, so she did it.

I'm sorry, dad.

The sickening crack reverberated through the room as her fist made contact, shotgun shells splaying into his head. As he was sent sprawling across the room she quickly advanced on him, clambering over him and slamming her fist into his head, all while letting her tears stain the floor. She punched him. Ten times. A hundred times. A thousand. She didn't know. She just kept up the relentless assault, until finally started convulsing in pain, his body panicking as it sensed the strange phenomenon of death swiftly approaching. As his heart began to beat its final few beats, Yang broke down in tears over his body. And although faint, she definitely heard it.

Thank you. And… I hope you never have to follow my path.

Yang's eyes shot open in surprise as she saw the loving, peaceful smile of a man who could finally rest in front of her. Realisation dawned on her, Yang understanding exactly what had happened.

The Grimm never took control back.

He said that… to make me scared.

To make me fight back.

He knew that was the only way I was going to kill him… so he did the only thing he could.

He died as my father.

The agonizing wails that she emitted as salty tears flooded from her eyes ricocheted off the walls. It was a sound of pure emotional pain, one that would never fade.

Raven and Neo arrived in the room minutes later, seeing the two sisters, one an emotional wreck, the other a burn victim. Treating Ruby with her sword, she quickly went over to Yang, whose Grimm features had now faded, both to comfort her and check for injuries. She was bruised slightly, and Raven offered her help but she refused. Those bruises were the last physical memories she had of her father, and she intended to keep them as long as she could. After their ordeal was through, they carried Nora's body out of the castle and into the courtyard, the rest of the bodies all arranged in an orderly fashion. They decided to burn the bodies of the dead. They would waste too much time giving them a formal burial, and time was not something they had in abundance anymore.

'We're the only ones left,' Raven solemnly stated. 'Just us four.'

'Not even Fox or Roman made it…?'

That fact seemed to hit Ruby extremely hard. Roman always struck her as the kind of man who could escape anything, and Fox had always been a strong fighter.

'What about Velvet? We still don't know where she is,' Ruby added hopefully.

Raven felt as though daggers had pierced her heart. Adam had found her body the previous day. What was left of it, at least. The DNA that was left on her bones corresponded perfectly with the DNA they had of her from her time at Beacon, but Raven hadn't plucked up the courage to tell them, especially after seeing the state of them inside that room.

'I think it's safe to assume she didn't make it,' she told them, choosing to hide the truth rather than tell them.

It's better this way. They don't need to know that another person is dead.

'Come on, let's go.'

'Go where?' Yang asked, her voice full of sadness. 'Where do we have left?'

'The north,' Raven answered her. 'There's a hidden facility in the Snowpeak Valley. That's where Adam is stationed. He's been making regular trips down here to make sure everything was running smoothly. As you can imagine, those trips won't be happening anymore. The Snowpeak Valley is the last place I know of that is truly safe. There's practically an entire army there, along with some huge names in the world of Hunters, Ozpin and Goodwitch among them. It's our best shot now.'

'Alright,' Ruby said quietly. 'Let's go then.'

The four women set out on their next journey, this time heading into the frozen midst of the Snowpeak Valley. And on their way, Yang couldn't help but think.

Maybe it's better if I disappear on the way.

I'm going to end up like my father one day, unable to remain in control of the Grimm inside me. Even now I can feel it trying to take over, and it's only going to get stronger as time goes by.

Recalling Taiyang's words, she told herself;

I guess I have to follow your path, dad. I either leave them or risk all of their lives. I've been selfish enough in my life. Maybe it's time I start thinking of others for a change.