Amplify (A RWBY Story)

Today was the day. Ryder and the others were going to launch a raid party against the Branwen Bandit Tribe to find the Spring Maiden. Right now, they all were walking towards the main hall of Haven Academy with their weapons. Ryder even had his weapons. His gauntlets and boots, Vanguard. The weapons he started out with at Beacon Academy. He made sure he had enough Dust to use for the raiding party that would break into a battle. As they walked towards the main hall, Ruby gazed at the Haven CCT. Qrow opens the large doors to the main hall and everyone steps in. Standing on an elevator balcony with two staircases on either side was the headmaster of Haven Academy, Leonardo Lionheart. This was the first time Ryder was meeting the professor. 

"Why hello." Leonardo greets, nervously. "Thank you for uh... coming." 

The group stands in front of the balcony and look up to the Professor. 

"There... Seems to be more of you than last time." Leonardo mentioned, still nervous. 

"Well, you know what they say, the more the merrier." Qrow said. "So, what's going on with the Council?" 

Leonardo doesn't reply but eventually does. 

"Why... did you bring your weapons?" he asks. 

That was a red flag to Ryder who narrowed his eyes at the Professor and clenched his fists. It also sounded suspicious to Qrow. 

"What?" Qrow asked. "Leo, we're Huntsmen." 

Yang looked around and saw a raven sitting towards the ceiling. 

"You, okay?" Qrow asked. 

"Of course, of course!" Leonardo said. "Sorry, just haven't had my evening coffee." 

Yang locks her eyes on the raven. 

"Look it's nice to see you but, we got work to do." Qrow said. "Are we getting support from the Council or not?" 

"Mom?" Yang asked. 

Leonardo looked towards where Yang was looking before Qrow grabbed his weapon and shot at the bird. The bird dodges the shot and flew towards the Professor before it magically turns into a woman Ryder recognized from photos in the Rose-Xiao Long house. Raven Branwen. Everyone's guard was up. Ryder was ready to activate his Semblance. 

"If you're going to shoot me, shoot me." Raven said. "That was insulting." 

"What are you doing here?" Qrow asked, defensively. 

Raven begins to walk down one of the staircases, the one to the left as she talks. 

"I could ask you the same thing." Raven said. "You've been scheming little brother. Planning to attack your own sister." 

"Leo." Qrow said, sounding betrayed. "What have you done!?" 

Leonardo tried to talk but couldn't. 

"Leo did what any sane person would do in his position." Raven said, now standing in front of the group. "He looked at all the information in front of him, assessed the situation, and made a choice." 

Leonardo looked shameful. 

"And it seems you all have too." Raven said, looking at Yang. 

"You have the Spring Maiden." Qrow pointed out. 

"I do." Raven confirms. 

"Then hand her over and let's work together. We can beat Salem!" Qrow said as he put his weapon away. 

"All that time spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with." Raven argues. "There is no beating Salem!" 

"Your wrong Raven." Ryder said, stepping forward. 

This catches the woman's attention. 

"Unlike before, we actually have a clear shot at defeating her once and for all." Ryder said. 

"As if." Raven said. "You haven't seen what I have." 

"Your right. I haven't. But I have seen our path to victory, and you can still join the right side." Ryder said. "With the Spring Maiden, the Relics and our secret weapon, we can put an end to Salem." 

Raven didn't believe him and Ryder could tell. Ryder left the Dragon Balls back at the House for their own safety. He also hid them in the house so no one without the Dragon Radar could find them. Only him. 

"I don't believe you." Raven said, grabbing her weapon. 

With a slash of a blade, a red portal opened up and a fire ball shot through it. It missed Ryder and hit Ruby. 

"Ruby!" Yang cried out and rushed over to her sister. 

Ryder saw this and then glared at Raven. From the portal stepped out four people. Cinder, Emerald, Mercury and a fourth person. This forth person was Vernal, a member of Raven's Bandit Tribe. 

"Hello boys and girls." Cinder said. 

This was the first time Ryder and Cinder meet face to face. 

"Cinder." Ruby said. 

Ryder knew the name Cinder. It was the person who killed Pyrrha. Knowing this woman is responsible for Pyrrha's death makes Ryder angry as he glared at her with hatred. Everyone was shocked to see Mercury, Cinder and Emerald. They were the ones who caused the Fall of Beacon. 

"Come on guys, is that a way to great your old friends." Mercury said mockingly. 

"Everybody, stay calm." Qrow ordered. 

Suddenly the doors to the main hall open as Hazel walks into the room. He then shuts the doors. 

"The White Fang is preparing demolition and securing the school grounds." Hazel said, before turning to the group. "No one's getting in, and no one's getting out." 

"This was all just a trap?" Weiss asks. 

"It appears so." Ren said, answering Weiss's question. 

"Raven." Qrow asked, with a hidden anger. "Tell me. How long have you been with them?" 

"Aw, don't take it personally little bird." Cinder said mockingly. "Your sister was a recent addition. The Lion on the other hand." 

Everyone looked up to Leonardo. 

"Entrance into the Vytal Festival was a real treat." Cinder said. "But Leonardo's been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. Isn't that right, Professor?" 

"Stop it." Leonardo said, in shame. 

Ryder clenched his fists as he looked down. His anger beginning to boil. 

"It was you." Qrow said, realizing something. "You sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every Huntsmen and Huntress in the Kingdom and you gave it all to her." 

"I-I..." Leonardo said, trying to speak. 

"I couldn't find any of them." Qrow said, cutting him off. "Because you let her kill them!" 

Leonardo gave a look of regret. 

"Ah now don't beat yourself up about it Lionheart." Cinder said. "I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them all eventually." 

Jaune was about to speak but Ryder beat him to it. 

"You.... You're a monster." Ryder said, his voice laced with anger. 

Everyone looked at him. Ryder looked up and directly at Cinder with an undying hatred. 

"You cause all this suffering and rub it in our faces like it's some kind of achievement." Ryder said, seething with rage. "You killed Pyrrha, killed so many innocent people and you don't care!" 

His voice echoed throughout the main hall as he raised his voice. 

"You're going to die today." Ryder said with murderous intent. 

Those words shocked his friends. Weiss showed the most concern for him after he said those words. Cinder on the other hand didn't seem fazed by those words. 

"Do I know you?" Cinder asked, attempting to play with Ryder's emotions. 

"No." Ryder said. "But you will." 

In an instant, a green dragon ball styled aura bursts out around Ryder as his eyes turn green. He went straight to 10X, he wants to make Cinder regret everything she's ever done and he's going to make it hurt. 

"After I put you in Hell." Ryder declared. 

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NEXT CHAPTER: Ryder Vs Cinder