Dedicated as belated birthday gift for Jon (Blackened Hearts), the first writer whose things I read when joining the RWBY fandom many months ago, and one of the few writers I still continue to read from. He likes angst, so my apologies in advance.

This idea was one I got half a year ago, but finally got around to putting into words. Not shipping (unless you wanna squint).

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Howl

The battle consumed them.

All of Beacon's finest hunters and huntresses - students, staff, headmaster – none could escape the tendrils of the most terrifying fight of their lives.

Their sources had led them on a harrowing journey, and after nearly three days, they had finally found it: the residence of the Ultimate Grimm.

Through the Emerald Forest and past the deadly Chasms, they had followed their instincts above all else to arrive at the caves of the oldest volcano left on all of Remnant. The wind conditions and toxins in the air dissuaded the use of Air Ship travel, so the school had collectively made the trek on foot.

They had lost many along the way, be it to the beasts in the forest, the unsteady rocks of the cliff faces, or the sweltering, unpredictable explosions of magma from the shifting grounds of the caves.

And then, upon arrival at the great monster's dwelling, dozens more had fallen victim to its ruthless bloodthirstiness within the first few minutes of battle.

Only three fourths of their numbers still remained.

Fallen comrades lay all around those who could still fight in the massive clearing beneath the volcano. Molten rock towered all around them, impending stalagmites dangling precariously over their heads, aimed to fall at any second and drop down to impale several students.

It was the fight of their lives, and many were paying the ultimate price.

Teachers had fallen prey to the beast as well, and some of the most skilled fighters and brightest futures had had their lights cut short and blacked out by the demon.

It was a grotesque thing, a deformed hybrid of all known-existing Grimm. It had the body of a massive Ursa, the head and claws of a Beowulf, the hide and tusks of a Boarbatusk, the fangs and speed of a Taijitu, the tail and sting of a Death Stalker, and the wings of a Nevermore.

By some horrible, accidental twist of nature or by the hand of mankind itself, no one knew how the beast had come to be. But the hunters and huntresses of Beacon had swiftly discovered its near indestructibility. Even the most exquisitely crafted of weapons had been ineffective, many blades shattering upon contact.

Already drained of energy from the journey to reach their destination, the students' ranks had not lasted more than ten minutes against the raging beast. Many were slain, and none were uninjured.

And now, the monster blocked the only exit, and whichever hunters it did not swat away like insects were slowly suffocating from fumes and the steadily-increasing heat.

The current plan was a cruel one, decoys and sacrifices as Ozpin and the other professors readied their own final attack. In the meantime, the students had to defend them at all costs. If the plan failed, they would all die anyway, so the thoughts of those who were already fatally wounded was to die for that slim chance it would work in Beacon's favor.

It was gruesome.

Blood splattered the walls of the massive cavern, making slick the rocky floor, the pungent stench burning lungs that were already gray from the smoke of the flames around them. The very air they breathed was death.

Above the vicious roar of the mighty Grimm - the flapping of its colossal wings, the swishing of its tail that had struck down dozens - rang the battle cries of their friends and classmates. There were shouts that could not be clearly defined as prideful declarations of victory, or hollers built on hopelessness. Either way, they were all reduced to screams and wails as bodies crumpled to the cavern floor, mangled and lifeless.

The only splash of red on the ground that was not from bloodstains was from the fabrics of a crimson cloak.

Ruby had put up a phenomenal fight for the student she was; leader or not, she was still a young girl. Arguably, she had dealt the beast as much damage as thirty students could have, managing to sever one of twenty spearlike claws with the blade of Crescent Rose.

However, in an effort to save a fellow student trapped between the monster's clamping jaws, Ruby had sacrificed her beloved scythe to spare her companion's life. The price she paid was the destruction of her weapon, and a deep gash to her right leg that bled profusely even now.

She lay presently where she had fallen then, helplessly on her stomach as she was forced to watch the devastation around her. The boy she had been trying to save had bled out soon afterward and perished before her eyes, making her sacrifice almost meaningless.

She was sobbing, crying out the names of her companions as they leapt into battle, only a few managing to retreat with their lives. There were many screams echoing throughout the caves, but Ruby's were some of the most heartbreaking to listen to. She cried everyone's names, trying to warn them of an impending strike, but her words were always drown out by the deafening howl of the demon Grimm.

Tiny pieces of Crescent Rose still lay scattered around her, and she could not help but think her weapon had shattered not unlike the ranks of her fellow students; not even organized attacks were yielding results.

The pain in her leg was excruciating, though the bleeding was staunched for the most part now. Her weapon and leg could be fixed if she could get out alive with no further injuries, but only if she escaped.

By the second, that was seeming more and more unlikely.

She had wanted to be used as one of the many sacrifices in order to buy the others time.

But there was someone who simply would not allow such a thing.

Weiss.

Her faithful partner for over a year now had made a barrier of ice around Ruby, sharp spikes that fended off any oozing lava, and even made the Grimm keep its distance. The students with ice elemental abilities had quickly followed the heiress' tactics and formed as many barriers as possible, shielding their injured teammates and blocking them from view.

Whomever was capable of sharing their aura did so, the medical teams frantic and already short of supplies. The heat of the cave threatened to melt the ice, but not Weiss'. She continued to replenish it despite her obvious exhaustion. She had been casting glyphs and spells nonstop in an effort to distract the Grimm's attention away from her teachers as they prepared, but most of all, away from Ruby.

Weiss had thrown herself between the horrifying claws to intercept a blow to her partner more than once, and her left side was smeared with her own blood.

But despite the red trickling down her legs, she could still use them, and so she did, leaping through the air still with every ounce of grace she had ever utilized before, twisting and angling herself to aim blows of ice at the beast.

She would work together with many others, freezing one of its feet or wings to hold it in place temporarily, just long enough for a few blows to be landed on it.

But she made sure to stay by Ruby all the while, constantly retreating back to her side, standing above her protectively, rapier always at the ready. She had not let up even for a second, especially not since Ruby had been injured.

It's my fault that happened, she told herself. I should have been watching her more carefully. I could have prevented it...

"Ah-! Ow..."

At the sound of Ruby's pained groan, Weiss tore her eyes from the Grimm momentarily to kneel at her partner's side, avoiding the ice. She placed her right hand on Ruby's injury that was still leaking blood and emitted her aura. Ruby gasped, protesting weakly.

"Weiss, no..." She whimpered, wiping the tears and grit off her face with her sleeve. "You-You've already used... so much of your aura. Don't waste it on me. I have my own, y-you're hurt really bad..."

"Hush." Weiss concentrated past the screams that filled the air, ignoring everything but the flow of her aura, pouring it into Ruby's wound until it was sealed completely. "There." She sighed, cutting the flow of healing power short; Weiss knew she needed to keep some for herself if any of her team was going to make it out of this alive. "Just don't move, am I clear? If you do, you'll reopen it and only be a bigger burden on me."

It was harsh – she knew it was – but it was the only way to keep Ruby from hurting herself further.

The young leader saw through Weiss easily; she knew the older girl was just saying that to spare her from more agony.

Ruby could tell more easily than anyone that - despite her composed expression - Weiss was frightened and in immense pain as well. And yet, she continued to fight relentlessly, viciously even, for her sake.

Ruby wanted to fight for Weiss, too. But her blind heroism had cost her both her weapon and her mobility, and now all she could do was lie limply in the pools of her friends' blood as the remaining shreds of her aura floundered amongst Weiss' to mend her marred flesh.

Ruby did not know how long they had been here for, but she was starting to get dizzy. Despite the ice surrounding her, she felt hot and her body was heavy like it was made of boulders. Her vision blurred just as she caught Weiss' mist-blue eyes, and the heiress felt a twinge in her heart as she saw how weak her partner was becoming.

She put Myrtenaster down for a second to place a hand on Ruby's forehead, emitting a cooling sensation with her aura. Ruby closed her eyes and let Weiss' presence wash over her, calm and reserved even amongst the chaotic fray. She breathed deeply, feeling Weiss' pulse overlap with her own, fast and scared, but alive. She willed the scenes around her to disappear, wanting to wake up in her dorm room with Weiss shaking her awake for class...

"How-" Ruby coughed once before trying again. "How's Blake? I saw she... she got hurt before..."

The mention of the Faunus girl seemed to remind Weiss how long it had been since she had last seen her other two teammates.

With one eye on the Grimm to make sure it was preoccupied for the time being, Weiss cast her gaze around the cave. Her stomach flipped as she noticed the amount of motionless bodies had increased since she had last checked, and more and more students were taking shelter behind the ice walls.

Only when she saw the familiar form of her teammate did Weiss stop searching.

Blake lay crumpled on her side only a few meters away from Ruby; a hit from one of the beast's paws had slammed her back against the rock walls where she slid down and was still.

Likewise, Yang stuck close to her partner, finding it difficult to keep her safe and still assist those around her.

Weiss was about to call out to them, but an ear-shattering roar stopped her. She flinched reflexively, quickly ducking down again to cover Ruby with her body as the entire cavern shook.

More rocks hanging overhead were loosened and collapsed to the ground, shaking the entire volcano. More screams erupted as the Grimm flapped a tornado of wind with its powerful wings, knocking dozens of fighters back. Some were propelled into the streams of lava, others pushed directly underneath the paths of the falling rocks.

Weiss quickly cast a glyph above Ruby and herself, effectively shielding them from the debris. Ruby could feel her consciousness slipping in and out of clarity. She could feel Weiss shaking as she held her close, felt her partner's breath short and clipped against her ear. She was trying so hard for Ruby, to keep her safe, meanwhile Weiss was losing strength by the second.

"Weiss..." she mumbled. "Leave me..."

The heiress snapped her eyes open and squeezed Ruby tighter.

"You dolt. What would you say... if I were the one asking that of you?" she demanded.

"I..." Ruby hiccuped, sniffling pitifully. "I'd say no... n-never..."

"And that's exactly what I'll tell you," Weiss growled defiantly.

Once the miniature earthquake had subsided, she lowered Ruby back to the ground and looked up.

The tumble of rocks just now had lost them another handful of fighters, and Weiss felt sick. Even after engaging in battle for over thirty minutes, with all of Beacon's most skillful fighters, the Grimm was still majorly unaffected. It was missing four of its front claws, one of which was courtesy of Ruby Rose herself, but other than a few missing feathers and some scratches past the cracks in its armor, it was unharmed.

As the dust cleared, Weiss caught sight of several familiar faces not far off.

Pyrrha and Jaune supported one another woozily, but were too injured to stand. Ren held Nora in his lap, brushing fingers through her hair as she reached up for him quietly. Velvet's team was one of the only full groups left, but had to dedicate their efforts to healing others rather than fighting.

The Grimm screeched again, bashing its tusks against the rock walls, causing another tremor, the lava flooding the floors increasing. A steady flow of molten orange was headed for Weiss now, but she had no time to move Ruby and herself.

Desperately, she cast a block of ice to intercept it, but it was not long before it melted.

"No, no!" Weiss cast another spell, dropping Myretnaster as she tried to gather Ruby in her arms. She struggled to stand, but lost her footing under her leader's weight and the throbbing pain of her own wounds. "R-Ruby!" Weiss panted. "Ruby, listen to me! You've got to try to- ah-!" Searing agony shot through her left side, and Weiss collapsed back to the ground, cursing under her breath as she heard Ruby whimper as well.

"W-Weiss?" she yelped. "Weiss, you h-have to run y-you're gonna get burnt!"

"No!" she snarled. "I'm not... leaving you!" Weiss dragged Ruby into her lap, keeping her off the molten floor. "I promise I... I won't let you die here, Ruby!"

The river of lava reached them, and it slipped along Weiss' left leg.

She screamed.

"W-Weiss!" Ruby choked, clutching onto her, hiding her face in her collar.

But just then, a flash of gold came into view. An explosive impact ruptured the ground before them as Yang thrust her fist into the cave floor, indenting a long crack. The lava flowed directly into it, channeling it away from her teammate and sister. The second she was certain they were out of imminent danger, Yang whipped around to face them.

"Weiss! Ruby!" She fell to her knees, using her own gloved hands to wipe the last of the blazing liquid away from Weiss' skin, her aura able to cancel out the heat.

"Y-Yaaang!" Ruby lifted her head from Weiss' shoulder and wailed as she caught sight of her sister. "Ya-ng...! Weiss-Weiss is hurt-!"

"I know, Ruby. I know..." She quickly placed her hand on Weiss' burn and emitted her aura to stop the bleeding. Weiss clung tightly to Ruby, hissing out pained breaths between her teeth. Ruby could tell by the way her partner was shaking now that she was crying, and she hugged Weiss tighter.

"S-Shhh... hey, hey i-it's okay. You're gonna be okay, w-we're all gonna be..." She cast her silver gaze down again to witness Yang finish healing the burn on Weiss' leg. But there was still a large stain of red over her light blue dress, and Ruby sucked in a sharp breath. Yang noticed it too, and sent a quick glance over her shoulder at the Grimm.

Presently, it was frozen in place, its wings having successfully been pinned to the walls as well as its front paws to the ground. Swords and clubs sliced at its throat, sprinkling more drops of blood than any previous attack had elicited.

But it was only minutes before the snakelike tail struck forward, the stinger plunging directly into one boy's armor, piercing through until he fell to the ground. It was not long before the strategic formation was broken, and the students were forced to retreat once more.

"What the fuck is Ozpin doing?!" Yang cursed, abruptly turning to seek out Blake. Her partner was still unconscious where she had left her, hidden behind a fallen boulder with a similar mote Yang had made around her to deter the flow of oncoming lava. She was safe for now.

Directing her attention back to the heiress, Yang cautioned her: "Brace yourself, princess." She muttered. She placed a hand on Weiss' side, directly over her wound. The white-haired girl cried out in pain, clutching Ruby's back with a gasp. She held her breath until the pain gradually began to subside, and Yang stood again.

At last, Ruby let go of Weiss, and the heiress gently laid her back down onto the ground.

"Bring..." Weiss wheezed, looking up at Yang sternly. "Bring Blake here. I can... keep her safe. The ice... it's avoiding the ice..."

Yang cast her lavender gaze about and realized she was right; the Grimm was solely focused on guarding the exit of the cave, only attacking students who had no form of cover and attacked it.

Yang nodded down at Weiss. "Sit tight." And with that she dashed off to retrieve Blake, lifting her partner carefully into her arms. She brought the Faunus girl back to Weiss, laying her down on her back beside Ruby.

"Is she okay?" Ruby asked her sister, noticing Blake's eyes were closed.

"I hope so." Yang gave an unconvincing smile. "She just got knocked out. But at this rate..." She looked back up at the massive Grimm. "God. How many more are we gonna lose?" The blonde wiped an arm across her eyes. "Ah, fuck. What the hell is happening..." She knelt down, wrapping an arm around Weiss briefly. "How you holdin' up, lil sis?" she asked, petting through Ruby's hair.

"I'm fine..." Ruby sniffed. "Weiss healed me. She's... she's..." Her voice cracked as her eyes flashed from her sister to her partner and back again. "Oh god, Yang why... why is this happening...? Everyone's hurt... people are dying... Why...?" She buried her face in her elbow and wept brokenly. Weiss' heaving breaths slowed as she looked at Yang helplessly.

None of them had answers. They had all been training together for over a year now, and their partnerships and abilities were some of Beacon's strongest and finest. But when faced with this monster of a Grimm, they were almost helpless.

Yang looked Ruby and Blake over again, noticing the sweat on their foreheads. She could not feel the heat so much due to her semblance, and evidently Weiss was the same with her ice, but to all the others, it was getting far too heated.

They needed fresh air. They needed out.

Yang rubbed her palm up and down Weiss' arm and ruffled her sister's hair softly, trying to force her brain into action.

However, just as the beast gave another bellow of rage, a new sound echoed through the caves.

The three girls looked up past the blocks of ice surrounding them, and saw a hopeful sight.

The professors were finally ready with their plan of counterattack.

They charged in unison, Ozpin and Glynda at the head of the battalion. The speed and accuracy with which they worked was almost terrifying. It was clear they were aware of the sacrifices their students had made in order to give them time, and they were intent on making it worthwhile.

All sorts of weapons were revealed, swords and hammers and spears and chains. Two went to each of the beast's feet, pinning down the claws and heels. Five leapt up to each of the wings, immobilizing them against the hard rock walls. Three secured the ghastly tail against the wall, and all others charged in coordination at the throat and stomach. Axes and tridents and all forms of weapons cut through the thick hide and sprayed blood.

Yang finally understood why they had needed so much time to prepare for this charge. All of her professors were using up every last scrap of their auras in this attack; if it failed, not a single one of them or their students were going home.

But even as she watched in anticipation, the hope soon faded from her eyes.

They were not going to make it. She could tell.

Despite the sheer power that was going into the attack, the Grimm was simply far too powerful. The monster screeched and thrashed beneath the weight of in constrictions until finally it tore one wing free and then the other. It used them to swat away the people at its feet and tail, once more bashing its tusks against the rock walls with a roar. It was covered in wounds now, but none were significant enough to be called fatal.

However, there was something different about it now.

Past the holes of its bone mask, its eyes gleamed red with rage, ravenous for blood.

Relinquishing its position of guarding the exit, with a screech it took flight, charging forward with claws outstretched. Whatever students were not lucky enough to be knocked aside were punctured by its poisonous fangs.

Yang panicked as it headed for them, quickly tucking Weiss to her side as she leaned over Ruby and Blake as best she could. "Shit!"

Ruby cried out in fear and shouted something meaningful to them all.

But just before the twisted claws reached them, the barrier of ice surrounding them thickened and widened. Weiss built it up as best she could in such a short amount of time with so little aura remaining. The barricade managed to deflect the beast's attack, and it veered off to the other end of the cave.

Yet the impact caused the ice to shatter on top of them, a large chunk colliding with Yang's shoulder as a loud crack was audible past her cry of pain. Another piece of ice scraped over Weiss' wound and reopened it, letting the blood flow freely again. Ruby choked back another sob as she witnessed the agonized looks on their faces.

"Yang! W-Weiss!"

It was when the giant Grimm returned to its previous perch in front of the exit when their final hopes for escape began to die. The floor inside was already slick with blood and lava, and those who had climbed up the walls to avoid it were easy targets to pick off.

Slowly, Ruby looked up into Weiss' eyes, her face flushed from the mounting heat. "Are... are we... gonna die here...?" she asked. "Is this really h-how it ends? I didn't even get to s-save anyone... I couldn't do anything..." She crawled over to her partner's lap and buried her face in Weiss' knees.

"Don't talk like that, you dunce..." Weiss scolded her gently. Her voice was raspy from the combination of shouting and smoke inhalation she had endured up until this point. She brushed her fingers over Ruby's forehead again and cooled her down. "I... I promised you I... wouldn't let you die here, didn't I?" Her lip began to tremble uncontrollably, and within seconds the tears were overflowing, seeping into her dress. "I promised..." she gasped.

Every breath hurt, straining at her injury, expanding it as she inhaled. Yang's good hand was still wrapped around her waist, covering the wound as best she could manage.

"Hey now," Yang mumbled. "Don't... Don't let a lie be the last thing Ruby ever hears from you, princess." With every fiber of feeling left in her other arm, she forced it to move until she could touch her sister's shoulder. "I'm... heh..." Her eyes stung and her vision became blurry with water. "I'm a failure of a big sis, huh? Letting you... in a place like this..."

Ruby pushed herself up, looking desperately to Yang.

"No! I'm a failure as a leader! We're all gonna die here a-and I-"

"Ruby..."

When Weiss spoke, the younger girl directed her silver gaze to hers. Ruby felt her throat constrict when she finally got a good look at her partner.

There was so much blood leaking from Weiss' wound, despite Yang's efforts to heal her. The light in her eyes was filmy, and her breath was hardly coming to her anymore.

Ruby's mouth hung open in a silent wail as she shook her head. Weiss leaned forward to embrace her for what she knew to be one of the last times she would be able to.

Blake awoke to the sounds of her teammates' suffering, head still throbbing from the direct blow she had received earlier. It was a miracle the claws had only hit her bluntly, and not enough to cut, and even more so that she had not been paralyzed when her back had hit the wall. She coughed harshly as she opened her eyes, bearing witness to the heartbreaking scene before her.

Ruby was immobilized, Weiss was bleeding out, and Yang's right arm was all but limp at her side. When she looked to their enemy, Blake could see it was still wrathful and hungry for more deaths. Her ears swiveled, and she could hear every scream of a friend's name, every sob and cry of pain, every hopeless declaration of heartfelt words.

Yang lifted her gaze just in time to meet Blake's.

"Heya, partner." Yang greeted her with a lopsided grin. "How's your head?"

Blake did her best to prop herself up onto her elbows, the charred and tattered remains of her scarf falling to the ground beneath her. She tried to sit up, but the rush of motion was too overwhelming, and Blake fell forward again before she could speak so much as a word.

"Blake!" Yang tried to reach out for her with her fractured arm, as her good one was still making an effort to keep Weiss' blood inside her body.

Panting, Blake pushed herself up again, rolling onto her side next to Ruby to face them. She slipped one hand across her young leader's shoulders to entwine her fingers with Yang's limp ones.

"Are..." she coughed. "Are we..."

Gonna get out of here? She meant to ask. But the look in Yang's eyes already told her the answer.

Blake could feel the sweltering heat clogging the atmosphere, and when she looked around, she felt nauseous at the devastation her side had suffered.

We're not getting out of this...

The cavern shook as the Grimm howled again, and a fresh tumble of rocks rained down.

Weiss could feel her strength dripping away every second, and she would be damned if she did not get up and make one final attempt to get them out of here. Likewise, Yang could still use one of her hands and wanted to go down fighting. Blake was majorly unharmed other than her throbbing headache, and Gambol Shroud was still intact; if only she could get up and find the sense to draw it. Ruby felt utterly useless, her gashed leg keeping her down no matter what. She was a burden...

As if she could read her partner's thoughts, Weiss ran her fingers through Ruby's hair as she gently laid her down again.

"Don't think like that," she huffed. "We fight for each others' lives before our own. We're a team. Thinking you're a burden is an insult to the rest of us."

Ruby blinked up at her past the tears, giving a small, resolute nod.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Weiss."

"Dunce..." Weiss flicked her forehead lightly, her cracked fingernails leaving a speck of blood on Ruby's skin.

Before they could decide what action to take next, a familiar voice rang out from the other side of the cave. The four of them looked up when they heard Glynda's voice.

"Miss Schnee! Miss Long!" The professor was disheveled as she reached the four girls, her glasses missing and her clothes tattered, various scratches covering her person. Her eyes traveled over Blake and Ruby as well, and she was clearly relieved to see they were still conscious, still alive.

Many of her students and comrades had died in this battle, and the grief and guilt was clear in her eyes.

But there were still lives that could be spared, and for that to happen, she needed to ask something horrible.

"Miss Schnee. Miss Long." Her eyes traveled over each girl individually as she addressed them. "Might I have a word?"

Yang had to wonder how she could be speaking so... calmly, almost.

When she looked toward the exit, she received her answer.

The Grimm had curled in on itself, wings folded, tail down, almost as if it were sleeping. Her lavender eyes widened instantly, heart pounding with excitement. Was this their chance?

Yang scrambled to her feet, clutching Weiss close to her side, leaning on her for support. Weiss struggled to support Yang's weight, simultaneously clinging onto her to stop herself from collapsing. Glynda placed a bloodied hand on the heiress' back until both girls were steady before ushering them a few steps away.

Blake watched them with frightened eyes; clearly she was the least wounded of the four of them, so why had Glynda chosen Weiss and Yang?

Ruby managed to turn on her side to face her then, and Blake offered a small smile.

"Do..." Ruby sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Do you think we can... we can get out?"

Blake drew her close and sighed.

"I'm really not sure. But I sure hope so..."

A moment passed before Glynda and their partners returned. Blake and Ruby looked up anxiously, almost hopefully-

-until they saw the melancholy look in their teammates' eyes.

Their expressions were solemn and unreadable, and Glynda was unable to look any of them in the eyes.

"Professor...?" Ruby whispered. "What's going on?"

Glynda refused to look at her, instead training her eyes on the beast that was strangely still.

"Professor Ozpin and the others recognize this as a state of preparation. You can think of it as the charge before an explosion," she explained. "When it took flight before and left the exit unguarded, a handful of students actually managed to escape. But it won't be moving from that spot again. It's gathering its energy for a final attack."

Ruby and Blake listened in stunned silence while Weiss and Yang continued to lean on one another, gazes focused on the ground. Glynda paused, and Ruby looked at Blake, then to her partner and sister, and back up at the professor.

"I don't understand. What does that mean?"

Glynda met her gaze then, but her eyes were hollow and ridden with guilt and unspoken apologies.

"It means none of us will be escaping this cave if the Grimm can make its final attack."

A whimper worked its way up from the back of Ruby's throat and she shook her head defiantly.

"No... no way..."

"I'm afraid so." Glynda nodded.

Blake looked up at Yang and Weiss beside her. Something was not right.

"Is there... any way to stop it?" she asked quietly.

Glynda met her eyes, and she knew she had been found out.

"There is," she confirmed. "If there can be an attack powerful enough to stop it."

Blake could tell there was still something major Glynda was refusing to tell them. A pang of fear traveled through her heart with every beat as she asked.

"It is... possible for us to create such an attack?"

Glynda blinked down at her. Never before had Blake seen a look like the one in her eyes now, as though she were about to cry.

"Yes..." The professor nodded. "Such an attack is possible if we can form a certain equilibrium between the elements. The sheer force of aura released after a person's demise could cancel its attack and kill this Grimm once and for all."

Blake was confused, her puzzled gaze ghosting over her teammates again.

Elemental equilibrium.

Sheer force of aura.

A person's demise...

It clicked in her mind, and comprehension slowly flooded into her eyes, coursing through her veins.

"No..." she choked. Teeth tore into her bottom lip as she glared furiously up at Glynda. "You're a professor! How could you even think to suggest such a thing?!" she accused.

"Blake?" Ruby cried. "What is it? What's going on?"

Blake snapped her head to the side to look at her leader, feeling the tears already slipping down her cheeks, sticky and wet against her hot skin.

"She wants them to-!"

"Blake." A quiet, familiar voice cut her off, and Blake looked up to its source. Her partner of more than a year. Her closest friend. Yang looked down at her, and her eyes told her she had already decided. "It's okay."

"It's not okay, Yang!" Blake shouted. "You think you can just-"

"I know we can," Yang stopped her. "Professor Goodwitch explained it to us. If my fire and the princess' ice clashed, they'd cancel one another out in a major explosion. So long as we aimed it properly, we could kill that thing."

"And," Weiss added. "Considering it's in a dormant state right now, there's no way we could miss. We'd just need to attack before it wakes."

"We've only got a few minutes left," Glynda finished.

Ruby kept flashing her gaze between her sister and partner. She had heard their words, but she did not want to accept the meaning behind them.

"Wait..." she rasped. "Wait, w-wait, wait, wait! T-That means you... you guys-!"

"We had a good run, lil' sis," Yang sighed. "This is the only way."

"No..." Ruby shook her head. "No, Yang, no. Weiss, you can't. You can't do this you guys, you can't!"

"We have to, Ruby." Weiss kept her eyes on the ground. "Professor Goodwitch already gave us the option to back down. But then all of us would be killed. It's better this way."

"NO!" Ruby screamed, feeling the tears pouring down her face, drenching her neck. "No, no, no! I won't let you two kill yourselves! If we die, we die together! You can't just sacrifice yourselves like this! As your leader I-" Her voice failed her, and she coughed, sputtering grit and water.

"Yang, you can't do this." Blake growled in her leader's stead. She flicked her gaze to the heiress. "Weiss, please. You know none of us would ever want this. You both know we... we could never want it to end this way... Please don't do this."

Yang could not bring herself to address her partner, so Weiss inhaled a shaky breath, leaning against the blonde as she replied to the Fuanus girl.

"And you know... that if our positions were reversed, I'd be saying the same thing you are. And you know you'd be taking the same actions I intend to take," she reasoned, voice level now. "It's just got to be this way. Ice and fire are mine and Yang's elements. There's no other way. I'm sorry..."

"No. Weiss, Yang..." Blake looked back to Glynda. "You can't do this. You can't let them-!"

"Do you-!" Glynda snapped a harsh cry in a voice that echoed around the caves, causing Blake's Faunus ears to flatten. "Do you... honestly think I'm okay with this decision? That the rest of the staff isn't distraught over this being the only feasible option remaining? Do you think any of us will ever forgive ourselves for the lives we've lost today because we decided to embark on this mission? Do you honestly think we're eager to sacrifice more of our own students?"

Silence ensued, save for Ruby's resonating wails of anguish.

Glynda wiped her face before meeting Blake's eyes once more. "The last thing I wanted to do was ask your teammates to do this. But you can believe me when I say there are no other options."

Yang stepped forward, still holding Weiss to her side.

"We've already agreed to it," she announced. "If all of us die here, then everyone who's died until now will have lost their lives for nothing. It's our job to get as many of our comrades out alive as possible, even if it means we don't make it."

"And besides..." Weiss spoke up, flashing a glance to her blood-soaked dress. "I won't be... making it back to Beacon anyway... So I might as well do something useful."

Blake could find no words to refute them anymore, and Ruby was beyond help.

Glynda was disgusted with herself as she turned to face the two girls who were to become Beacon's martyrs.

"Miss Schnee... Miss Long..." She swallowed, trying to keep some ounce of composure. "It has been... an honor to be your professor over this past year. You are both exceptionally-skilled huntresses, and you have done many great things. Just know that I speak on behalf of all of Beacon when I say I am so... unspeakably proud of you two."

She stepped forward and embraced both girls tightly. "We are all grateful beyond expression. Today, you will make the ultimate sacrifice and be upheld with the highest of honors. Thank you, for saving our lives."

She pulled back, looking them each in the eyes. "And I must offer... my humblest and sincerest apologies... that our powerlessness has let it come to this. There is nothing we can ever do to repay you." She stepped back fully and lowered her torso into a sincere bow of the utmost respect. "Thank you."

Yang and Weiss had no words to offer in return, and so closed their eyes and bowed their heads to her.

Then, Glynda stepped away. "I must... report to Professor Ozpin. We have to clear all the students away and out of the path of the blow." As if she could not bear to stay before her students another second, Glynda whipped around and tore off across the burning cave floor.

Yang and Weiss turned back to their partners, looking down at them with dull eyes.

Blake was the first to recover her voice enough to speak.

"Like hell..." she grunted, pushing herself up, ignoring the concussive throbbing that rang in her skull. "Like hell I'm letting you guys do this."

But before she could sit up, Weiss promptly slipped away from Yang, consequently letting her wound drip more blood. She dropped to her knees and placed a hand on Blake's leg, emitting a sheet of ice to freeze her to the ground. Blake tried to twist around, snarling at her. "What are you doing?!"

Weiss staggered back to her feet and returned to Yang's side.

"I'm not letting either of you stop me," she declared quietly.

"Damn it, Weiss! Let me go!" Blake kicked and thrashed, but the ice never gave. She glared furiously up at Yang. "You're really going to do this?! You're going to leave your little sister behind all alone like this?! Yang, you can't!"

Yang stepped in front of her partner and knelt down, then crossing her legs. Weiss settled beside her.

"It's a hell of a lot better than letting her die," Yang answered. "Plus, she won't be alone. She's got you, Blakey."

Her partner winced when she called her the playful nickname, her golden eyes stricken with pain.

But Yang's resolve wavered, just a bit, when she felt the hands clutching at her leg. She looked to the side and lost herself in her sister's desperate eyes.

"Yang, no... noooo..." she begged. "Y-You can't. Don't... don't leave me... I need you..." Her voice cracked and slurred under the weight of the tears she had to swallow. "You-You know this isn't w-what I want..."

Yang reached her good arm down and pulled Ruby into her lap as best she could manage. She could feel Ruby's embrace in return, shaking but strong. Ruby was going to be okay, and that was all Yang needed to know.

"I know this isn't what you want. But since I'm the big sister and this is the position I'm in, it's the only thing I can do. You can't understand that cause you're the little sister." Yang kissed the top of her head, then her forehead. "I love you, Ruby. And I always will. Don't you forget it."

The only response she received was a overwrought cry of her name as Ruby broke down in her arms.

Blake clenched her fists and cursed under her breath as she continued to writhe in an effort to free herself from the ice. But the girl who had cast it there appeared before her, and Blake looked up into her clear blue eyes. Weiss leaned down and pulled Blake into her arms.

"I'm sorry... for all the things I've done to hurt you. All the things I've said about the Faunus. All the rotten thoughts that have passed through my mind since then..."

"Weiss..." She could feel the warmth of the heiress' blood pooling onto her stomach. Blake crushed the girl to her with everything she had, refusing to let go. "I won't let you go. I won't let either of you..."

"Blake..." Weiss wheezed her name, and the Faunus girl knew. She knew Weiss was fading fast, and intended to use her dying breath to save them. She had to let Weiss go.

But not before she told her a few things as well.

"You don't have to apologize. I forgive you. I forgave you so long ago... I'm sorry too, Weiss. I don't want you to go..." She held Weiss close, already able to feel the heiress' pulse weakening with each passing second. "Weiss... I'll-! ...I'll never forget you..."

"That's all I ask," she sighed.

When she finally released Blake, and Yang did the same for Ruby, they dragged themselves before their respective partners.

"Blake..." Yang sniffed, seeking her eyes. "Blake. My Blakey..." She gave her one-armed embrace to her partner as well, feeling Blake's fervor as she squeezed her tenfold. "What can I say? You're the best partner anyone could've asked for. We had a damn good run." She slid back, reaching to her neck to unravel the orange scarf she always adorned.

"Yang..."

The blonde carefully wrapped her scarf around Blake's neck and grinned.

"Yours got ruined. So I'm giving this to you." She leaned in one final time and kissed between her partner's Faunus ears. "Take care of Ruby for me."

"Yang..." There were so many – too many – things Blake wanted to say, and in the end, she could only manage a few of them. "Thank you. I-I won't forget you. I'll take... care of her..." Her hand went to the orange scarf now resting on her shoulders. "You were... my best friend..."

She slumped into Yang's shoulder and wept freely, savoring the last moment she would ever get to feel that comforting warmth. "I'll treasure the things you taught me... I'll always... Yang..." Her words were drowned out by the sobs, and Blake said no more.

Ruby could hardly keep her head up anymore, but when she saw Weiss was before her, she lifted her face.

"Wei...ss..." She pulled herself into her partner's lap, sitting up as best she could. "You're buh-bleeding really bad. You..." She crumpled, shuddering as she threw her arms around her. "Weiss you can't go! You can't leave me!"

Weiss ignored the pain that shot through her left side as Ruby locked her arms around her. Weiss returned the action, rubbing her leader's back slowly.

"I'm sorry..." she murmured. "I wish I could've... stayed with you longer. Trained beside you. Played more games with you on movie night, helped you study..."

Ruby wailed incoherently into her collar, her own tears mixing with the warm wetness that already existed there. She wanted to speak, but could not find the words just yet.

So she listened to Weiss, engraving her voice into her heart for the last time:

"I'm sorry for all the times I've yelled at you. For how I doubted your skills and abilities. You've more than proven yourself to be one of the best huntresses and leaders in all of Beacon. You've still got so much left to do, Ruby. And I won't let that go to waste. Which is why I have to do this now."

"Weiss, no... don't apologize, d-don't go..."

The heiress pulled back, smiling fondly down at her, contrasting her usual hard and bitter mask. Ruby had always known Weiss was soft at heart, and she was thankful she was getting to see that side of her one last time.

Weiss reached up to her hair, working her bruised fingers until she had pulled her tiara free, letting her ponytail cascade down into a long, full tumble of white. Weiss slipped the trinket into place in Ruby's hair, smoothing her bangs out of her eyes. She then leaned down and kissed her cheek, not knowing what else she could do.

"Thank you for everything, Ruby. Thank you for all the things you've taught me, for letting me be myself."

"Weiss..." Ruby hugged her neck and shoulders, telling herself Weiss' heartbeat was not getting slower by the second. "I-I know I said a while ago t-that you're a big, stupid jerk and I hate you, bu-but it's not true, okay?! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I never-!"

The hiccups kept interrupting her, popping into her speech like bubbles. "I-I don't hate you, Weiss. I love you, a-an' I'll ne...ver forget w-what you've taught me an-an' all the things we did together an' I'll always love you, y-you're... you're my best teammate, Weiss..."

Her words were what lifted the barricade for Weiss' own tears, and she cried quietly into Ruby's cloak, each jolt sending new waves of pain through her body.

"Thank you, Ruby... you don't know... what those words mean to me..." Her heart felt light, and she felt complete. "I couldn't have asked for a better leader, a better partner... a better friend. You made me proud every day. You're so wonderful and caring. And no one else could ever take your place in my heart."

She felt Ruby nod against her chest.

"Me-Me too, Weiss. No one could ever take your place... you're s-so special to me, Weiss. I'll never forget you-!"

"Thank you." Weiss pulled back, slipping one of her hands down into her lap to find Ruby's. She curled her pinky around her partner's. "I promised I'd get you out of here. And I'm going to. No matter what the cost."

"Weiss..."

One last time, they came together.

And one last time, they parted.

It was time.

Yang stood first, a final whisper of something between only Blake and herself on her lips as she got up. She offered her good hand to Weiss. The heiress gently tugged her pinky from Ruby's and took Yang's hand.

Ruby reached out to them, but brought her hand to her mouth instead, curling in on herself. Blake sat the both of them up, and took Ruby into her arms, burying her own face into her leader's hair.

Yang carefully pulled Weiss into a brief hug, firm and resolved. They both knew it would take the heiress' final iota of strength to make this happen. Yang could feel the tips of Weiss' nails dig into her back before she stepped away.

Weiss looked to the ground, seeking her rapier. With great care, she pushed it over to rest beside Ruby. Likewise, Yang slipped her right gauntlet off of her useless arm and let it fall at Blake's knees.

"You ready?" Yang asked as she looked to Weiss.

"Yes."

Yang nodded, and with decisive steps, began to lead the heiress away from their teammates.

Ruby could hear their footsteps fading, and she called out their names into Blake's shoulder. The Faunus girl held her tightly and ran her fingers through Ruby's hair. She could feel the cool hardness of Weiss' tiara there, and the warm fabrics of Yang's scarf nuzzled against her neck. Blake murmured her own helpless apologies to the girl in her arms before she was finally unable to keep her eyes open anymore.

With the final image of her partner and teammate sketched into her heart, she closed her eyes and wept, one final plea escaping her lips:

"Don't go..."

Her voice must have carried between the cave walls, because Weiss paused a moment, tugging on Yang's arm to have her do the same. The blonde girl looked back at Blake with Ruby slumped into her arms.

It was the most difficult thing she had ever decided to go through with.

And yet, in knowing they would make it out alive, it felt so simple.

"Take care." Yang gave a thumbs-up as Blake reopened her eyes. "I'm gonna miss you guys. But at least I'll have Weiss with me!"

"We'll always be with you," the heiress added solemnly.

She offered one last smile before she turned away. There was another scream of her name from behind her, but she refused to look back again.

Her body felt light from its loss of blood, and yet heavy from exhaustion. With her final supply of energy, she followed Yang into the dozing Grimm's shadow. When they came to a halt, Weiss swayed, and Yang quickly lunged forward to catch her.

"This sucks..." Yang cursed. The tears were spiraling down her cheeks in rivulets. "This really, really sucks. Damn it all..."

"Oh, come now..." Weiss huffed. "Are you scared, Yang?"

The blonde girl gave a weak, lopsided grin as she helped Weiss find her footing.

"Yeah. Kinda," she confessed. "I don't wanna die." With a brush of her fingers through Weiss' long, loose tresses, she returned the question to her. "What about you, princess? Are you scared?"

A small chuckle tumbled past the girl's trembling lips.

"Terrified."

"Man, this really sucks." Yang wiped her eyes with her good arm before she brushed her thumb over Weiss' cheeks as well. "We've gotta... be sure to meet up on the other side, okay? I don't want you to be all alone."

"Sounds like a plan." Weiss gave a small smile. Yang could tell it was her last.

"I'm... I'm gonna miss them..." Yang whispered.

This time it was Weiss' turn to reach up and dry her tears for her.

"Show some dignity, Yang." Even now, she was scolding her. "But... I am, too. More than anything."

"We'll..." Yang pressed a light kiss to Weiss' forehead. "We'll watch over them... right?"

Weiss rested her head against Yang's collar, savoring her last bit of warmth.

"Of course we will."

For a moment, all was still, and even the reverberations of Ruby's sobs had subsided.

Then, a haughty sound broke the silence as the mighty Grimm twitched in the beginnings of waking.

Yang let Weiss go.

"Let's do this."

Weiss nodded.

She managed to keep herself on her feet as she turned to face the Grimm. They both did as Glynda had instructed them, pulling their auras from every crevice of their being and gathering it at their cores.

An orange glow enveloped Yang, setting her hair aflame, eyes crimson. Weiss was misted over in a shroud of blue, and a cool breeze flowed about her.

They channeled their life energy – one impossibly hot, the other unimaginably cold – and prepared for their final attack.

But just before they could act, Yang felt a tug on her arm, and looked down. Weiss was smiling up at her again with a tearstained face.

"Yang..." she breathed. "It's really nice to know... that I won't be alone..."

The brawler grinned cheekily, and took the heiress' hand.

"I'll be right there with ya, princess."

The flames and ice built up, boiling in anticipation until finally they overflowed.

The contrasting elements clashed, and all eyes were upon them.

Blake and Ruby cried out their names one last time, and in the end, one word resonated throughout the caves:

"Goodbye..."

There was a blinding white light and a rush of air.

And then all was still.

. . .

A/N: Thank you for reading. This idea came to me months ago, and I've only now gotten the opportunity to post it. I hope you enjoyed.

Please review!