RWBY: Moon Reflection

From her vantage point, Cinder scowled at the battlefield. Crimson was still standing strong, his blade carving through the chaos around him with terrifying precision. No matter how many of their forces fell, he showed no signs of slowing. Frustration gnawed at her. This battle had gone on far too long.

"Emerald!" she barked, her voice sharp and commanding. "Use your Semblance. Distract him."

Emerald, standing nervously at her side, nodded. Her hands trembled slightly, but she focused her aura, casting her illusion. 

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Crimson's weapon felt strange in his hands. He glanced down and saw its edges warping, twisting unnaturally. His grip tightened as his sharp eyes scanned the area, quickly piecing together what was happening. Memories of Pyrrha's experience during the Vytal Festival tournament flashed in his mind.

[An illusion,] he realized. [Similar to what Pyrrha experienced back then. It forces images and sounds upon you, but it doesn't block out the real world entirely.]

He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on his breathing to separate the real from the fake. When he opened them again, the fight continued, his movements sharp and deliberate despite the disorienting visions.

Emerald's illusions didn't slow him. Crimson danced between Vernal, Raven, Hazel, Mercury, and Tyrian, who had joined the fray. Their strikes came from all angles, but he countered or dodged with uncanny precision. Even with Emerald's influence, his performance remained almost superhuman.

Cinder's teeth clenched as she watched her carefully laid plans unravel. They weren't making any progress. Her fists tightened as fiery resolve burned in her amber eyes.

"Enough of this," she muttered, rising into the air using her Maiden powers.

Flames coiled around her arms before forming into spears. With a guttural cry, she unleashed a barrage of fire down upon Crimson. He dodged with remarkable agility, his blade deflecting several of the fiery projectiles. The battlefield lit up with explosions, forcing his adversaries to retreat to avoid collateral damage.

Raven watched the devastation for a moment before leaping into the air, her own Maiden powers activating. Ice shards materialized in her hands before being hurled at Crimson. From the ground, bandits and White Fang operatives opened fire, filling the air with bullets and projectiles.

Crimson's options narrowed. He darted across the battlefield, deflecting what he could and dodging the rest. His blade moved like a blur, but the sheer volume of attacks was overwhelming. Spotting a discarded shield, he snatched it up, using it to block some of the onslaught as he was steadily pushed back.

Above him, Cinder's fury boiled over. She glared at Emerald, who stood pale and visibly shaken.

"Why isn't it working?" Cinder roared.

Emerald's voice trembled. "It is! I'm using my Semblance, but... but he's not reacting to it!"

Crimson, catching the exchange, smirked despite the chaos around him. "Is this your grand trick?" he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "A third-rate illusion? Pathetic. It's easy to tell what's fake and what's not."

[Her semblance is an inconvenience, it will help if she stops the annoying illusions] Crimson thought to himself as his sinister grin sent a shiver down their spines, though Emerald's face turned ghostly pale.

Cinder and Raven exchanged a glance, their frustration evident. They stopped their aerial assault, realizing it was draining their energy without yielding results. Landing gracefully, they prepared for a more direct approach. Their eyes locked on Crimson as they charged, determination etched into their expressions.

The battlefield shifted. Adam, Sienna, Mercury, Hazel, Tyrian, Neo, and Vernal closed in from all sides. The best fighters among their forces coordinated their attacks, leaving Crimson no room for respite. Blades clashed, fists struck, and the air shimmered with deadly aura-fueled attacks. Crimson's enemies moved as one, pressing him harder than ever before.

The intensity of the fight escalated. Crimson's adversaries grew desperate, fear lacing their every strike. They couldn't allow him to escape—not after all of this. There would be no second chance.

Originally, the forces they had prepared were to fight Ozpin's allies along with Crimson. But the so-called allies fell quite easily to the entrance trap. They thought dealing with Crimson would be quite easy with how many people on their side. But he proved them wrong, he fought all of them on equal footing and even killed dozens of them. 

If they don't kill him today, they will be wiped out tomorrow. They knew if he comes after them, death will be the only outcome. He was way too strong, strong that they in this moment were truly united. It was a fight for survival, their only thought was to end him here.

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Blake and Sun moved silently through the shadows of the back entrance to the school. The cacophony of battle—the clash of metal, the crackle of fire, and the echoes of shouting—reverberated around the courtyard, urging them forward. They kept low, eyes sharp and ears twitching at the faintest sound.

Ahead, two White Fang members stood watch, their attention split between nervous glances at the chaotic scene outside and hushed murmurs about the ongoing battle. Blake and Sun exchanged a glance, wordlessly communicating their intention, a plan to attack.

Blake darted forward, Gambol Shroud extended, and with fluid precision, she incapacitated one guard before he could react. Sun, close behind, used his staff to trip and knock out the second with a single sweeping motion. The two Faunus quickly dispatched the guard and threw the bodies to the side.

Blake exhaled softly, her golden eyes scanning their surroundings. "Let's keep moving. The longer we wait, the harder this will get."

Sun nodded. "Yeah, and it sounds like Crimson is still going strong outside, keeping the entire army busy by himself."

They sprinted through the dimly lit halls of the school, every second a race against time. The sounds of the battle outside grew louder with each step, a grim reminder of what was at stake.

As they rounded a corner, a low growl froze them in their tracks. Emerging from the shadows was a Grimm Seer, its grotesque, its body floating body moving towards them. The creature glowed sinisterly, its elongated limp reaching for them.

"Not now," Sun muttered, his staff spinning into position.

Blake and Sun worked in tandem, their attacks swift and deliberate. Blake's precise slashes disoriented the Seer, while Sun's clones distracted it from landing a direct hit. After a fierce minute, Blake drove Gambol Shroud into the creature's core, and it dissolved into black mist.

Blake sighed, her chest heaving. "Let's hope no one heard that."

Sun smirked, though his eyes remained wary. "If they did, we will deal with it. Come on."

They continued, reaching the front gate of the school. Through the partially opened door, they saw the chaos unfolding. Crimson was a blur of motion, holding his ground against an onslaught of enemies. Their friends remained trapped in the glowing cage nearby, their faces a mix of fear and frustration.

Blake pushed the gate open just enough for them to slip through, praying the noise would go unnoticed. Miraculously, everyone was too focused on Crimson to pay attention to the two Faunus sneaking in.

"Yang!" Blake called out, her voice a whisper but sharp enough to grab attention.

Yang's head snapped toward the sound. "Blake?! What are you doing here?"

Blake offered a small, reassuring smile. "Saving you, of course."

Before Yang could reply, Qrow's voice cut through the air. "No time for the reunion. Get us out of here—now!"

As Blake and Sun hurried toward the cage, Pyrrha's voice rang with urgency. "Something's wrong with Crimson!"

Blake and Sun froze, exchanging worried glances before stepping closer. They reached the cage and attempted to break the walls, but their weapons bounced off with a crackle of energy.

"You idiots!" Qrow growled, his frustration palpable. "There's a shield generator nearby. Find it and smash it!"

Blake's sharp gaze darted around searching for the generator, While Sun said "I think we just ran next to it" as he entered the building again. to the side near the stairs the said generator sat glowing silently, Sun pointed and said "There!"

He and Blake aimed their weapons, unleashing a synchronized barrage. Sparks flew as the machine shattered under their assault, and the shield flickered before vanishing entirely.

The cage's occupants stumbled out, but before anyone could celebrate, Ruby's cry pierced the chaos.

"CRIMSON!"

It wasn't a shout of triumph or hope. It was broken, raw with fear and anguish.

Everyone froze. Blake and Sun turned toward the battlefield, their eyes widening in horror. A building near the courtyard collapsed with a deafening crash, sending up a plume of dust and debris.

The battlefield stilled. Enemies and allies alike stopped mid-motion, their attention drawn to the source of Ruby's cry. For a moment, the only sound was the crumbling remains of the building as it settled into silence.

Blake's heart raced as she stared at the dust cloud. "What... what happened?"

Sun swallowed hard, gripping his staff tightly. "I don't know, but I don't like it."

Their enemies seemed just as stunned, their earlier determination replaced with shock and unbelieve. The tension hung thick in the air, a fragile thread ready to snap.

The dust began to settle, no more screams or voices could be heard. Just the sound of Ruby crying.