Ryder, Kairos and Pyrrha were making their way to Atlas before they could hear and see sirens going off in Mantle as they got closer. They also saw a huge horde of Grimm heading for Mantle. Seeing this gave Ryder a flashback to the Fall of Beacon. The chaos, the death, the violence. He hated it back then and he hates it now. He didn't want another Beacon to happen again. He didn't want any of his friends to die this time. He then hears his earpiece crackle to life before he hears the voice of Ironwood.
"Ryder! Please tell me the wish succeeded?" Ironwood asked.
"Yes, it did. Salem's immortality is no more." Ryder said.
"Thank heavens." Ironwood said, sounding elated to hear that. "Where are you?"
"Not far, Kairos and I can see the chaos unfolding in Mantle." Ryder answered.
"Get to Mantle and help the others out in protecting the city." Ironwood ordered.
"Will do, oh and I have a plus one." Ryder mentioned.
"A plus one?" Ironwood asked, confused.
"Goes by the name of Pyrrha Nikos." Ryder said with a smile.
"What? How?" Ironwood asked, surprised to hear this.
"I'll tell you once this all calms down." Ryder said.
"Very well." ironwood said, accepting it. "Good luck."
After his comms fell silent, Ryder and Kairos dove down towards the city of Mantle. Pyrrha held on tight, so she didn't fall off. Ryder then focused and tried to sense where everyone was. He decided to send Pyrrha to Jaune, Ren and Vine whom he sensed in one part of the city.
"Pyrrha! I'm going to drop you off at Jaune's location. Help him out in any way you can." Ryder informed.
"Will do." Pyrrha said with a nod.
Ryder then attempts to contact Jaune via telepathy.
{Jaune, can you hear me?} Ryder asked in his mind.
{Yeah, need something?} Jaune asked.
{I'm bringing you an additional ally, someone you'll be elated to see.} Ryder informed.
{Great. We could use the help.} Jaune said.
With Jaune, Ren and Vine, they are escorting a group of civilians in a line formation while Ren uses his semblance to mask their presence. After Jaune heard what he needed from Ryder, he turned to Ren and Vine.
"Alright, Ryder is sending us some reinforcements." Jaune said.
"We could use it." Vine comments.
Ren looked to the sky above and saw both Ryder and Kairos approaching.
"Here he comes." Ren said, pointing to the sky.
Jaune and Vine look up. Ryder and Kairos fly past them form above as Pyrrha lets go of Ryder and fell to the street below. She lands safely in front of Jaune, Ren and Vine before grabbing her weapons.
"P-Pyrrha?" Jaune asked in utter disbelief.
Pyrrha turned around and smiled at Jaune before waving.
"Hello!" Pyrrha greeted.
"How... how are you here?" Ren asked, in disbelief as well.
Pyrrha hears growls.
"More on that later, we need to get these people to safety." Pyrrha said.
"Right!" Jaune said, agreeing with her.
Pyrrha then looks at Jaune's new outfit and hair. She gets a blush on her face.
"I... like the new look Jaune." Pyrrha said.
Jaune blushed.
"Thanks." Jaune said.
Back with Ryder and Kairos, the two of them fly around Mantle looking for people to help. Kairos sees a group of people running from several Beowolves.
"I'll handle this group." Kairos said while looking down at the street below.
"Good luck." Ryder said before he speeds up and rushed off to another part of the city.
Kairos dove down to the street below as he conjured seven violet energy spears around him. He then threw them at the Beowolves and all the spears find their mark. Kairos then lands before the group of civilians. Kairos then turns to the civilians.
"Get to the nearest shelter, I got you covered." Kairos tells them.
"Thank you!" one of the Civilians said.
Kairos heard more growling and turned to the noise and saw a familiar Grimm. A Warden.
"Wonderful." Kairos mumbled as his eyes glowed a violet color.
Ryder continued to fly above the city until he saw the world around him darken. Confused, he stopped flying and floated in the air for a moment as he watched the world go black and white. He decided to land on the street below, so he descended from the sky and lands on the street. Once he landed, he looked around before he noticed a buildup of black smoke. He stepped closer to it with curiosity before a figure emerged from the smoke and walked towards him. He stepped back and clenched his fists.
"Salem." Ryder said with a venomous tone as he glared at her.
"Ryder Falcone, Ozpin's little champion." Salem greets.
Ryder activates his Semblance's First Stage and goes to 10X.
"Now, now. There's no need for violence." Salem said calmly.
"Says the person who leads the Grimm." Ryder countered.
"I keep them in line. Without me the Grimm would be wild, lawless." Salem said. "Easily defeated by Mankind."
Ryder's glare hardens.
"What do you want?" Ryder asked.
"What I want is the Staff of Creation." Salem said. "Hand it over to me, and no one from either Mantle or Atlas has to die."
"The only person who's going to die is you." Ryder declared.
Salem let a moment of silence pass before speaking again.
"Your foolishness will only cost the people of Atlas their lives." Salem said, trying to convince Ryder to hand over the Staff.
"I'm not the fool here." Ryder defended.
"Believing you can defeat me is a key to your foolishness." Salem mentioned.
"You think I don't know?" Ryder said.
Salem raised a brow, curious as to what Ryder was referring to.
"You think I don't know that your immortal... or well was." Ryder said with a grin at the end.
"What are you talking about?" Salem asked.
"Oh nothing, nothing." Ryder said, casually. "Just the fact that I did a little something to remove your immortality."
Salem had a humored smile on her face.
"You really are a fool." Salem said, humored.
"Am I?" Ryder asked.
Salem was then suddenly right in Ryder's face as she looked directly into his eyes. All Ryder did was glare at her as he looked into her eyes defiantly.
"I'm not afraid of you." Ryder stated.
"For now, maybe." Salem stated as she backed up. "But once I'm through with Atlas, you'll fall in line like all those who dared to stand in my way. Just like Ozpin."
"Well, I'm not Ozpin." Ryder countered.
"Then what are you, Ryder?" Salem asked.
Ryder simply smirks.
"Your executioner." Ryder said. "You can send whatever Grimm you want, but as long as I stand. Atlas will never fall, the Staff will never be yours, and victory will be mine."
Salem let another moment of silence pass.
"Very well." Salem said. "If you're so confident, then prepare your forces."
With that Salem's figure turned into black smoke and faded away. The black and white effect on the world around him subsided as color returned. Ryder let go of the breath he was holding. He then realizes something. Is Salem went through the effort to contact him, then that means she has to be coming to Atlas. It has to be. Knowing this, he needs to tell the others. He needs to get them ready for the final confrontation.
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Author's Note: The Final Battle is coming.