RWBY: Moon Reflection

Crimson, Ruby, and Weiss arrived at the base of Beacon Tower, its imposing height looming over the chaos that surrounded them. The scene in front of them was harrowing—tens of Grimm of all kinds and sizes swarmed the entrance, their menacing growls and roars echoing into the night. The creatures formed a seemingly impenetrable barrier between them and the tower.

Crimson's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. Without hesitation, he turned to the girls, his voice sharp and commanding. "Keep moving. Don't stop, and don't engage the Grimm. I'll handle them."

Ruby hesitated for a brief moment, her worry etched across her face, but Weiss grabbed her arm and nodded. "Let's go, Ruby. He will be fine."

Crimson wasted no time. He accelerated into the horde, his blade flashing with deadly light. Grimm fell one after another, their roars silenced as he cut them down in a blur of crimson and purple. Each strike was calculated and lethal, his movements a masterful blend of power and grace. The girls dashed toward the tower, trusting him to hold the Grimm at bay.

As they reached the base of the tower, a sudden explosion rocked the structure. They looked up to see flames and debris erupting from the top, the glow of the destruction casting an ominous light over the area. Weiss immediately summoned her glyphs, forming a path along the tower's wall. "Ruby, climb up!" she called, her voice resolute.

Ruby nodded, activating her semblance. She reached the first glyph in a burst of rose petals, her momentum carrying her forward. The glyphs shimmered with magic, providing a stable path for her to run on without fear of falling. With Weiss maintaining the glyphs and Ruby's incredible speed, they climbed the tower's wall with remarkable efficiency.

Reaching the top, Ruby leaped into the office from the broken window, her eyes widening in horror at the sight before her. Pyrrha was on the ground, an arrow piercing her ankle as she struggled to rise. Standing over her was Cinder, exuding an air of smug confidence as she prepared to finish her off.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted, her scythe unfolding in one fluid motion. Without hesitation, she charged at Cinder, her weapon poised to strike.

Cinder turned her head slightly, her fiery eyes locking onto Ruby. A smile curved her lips as she raised her hand, effortlessly blocking the incoming strike with her glass bow. The force of the block sent sparks flying, but Cinder remained unphased. With a swift motion, she retaliated, kicking Ruby in the chest and sending her hurtling backward.

Ruby crashed into the office wall with a grunt, the impact knocking the wind out of her. Before she could recover, a fireball shot from Cinder's hand, hitting Ruby and slamming her harder against the wall. The heat singed her cloak as she crumpled to the floor.

Cinder turned to the two downed girls, her voice dripping with mockery. "The little girl came to help the star prodigy. How nice of you." She took a step forward, her smirk growing wider. "How noble of you, Ruby Rose. But so foolish. I'll enjoy burning you both to ashes."

Her laughter echoed through the ruined office, her confidence palpable as flames danced around her hands. Ruby's legs were shaking, and her body felt like it was made of stone. But she couldn't stop herself. She tried to push herself up, her voice breaking as she gasped for air. She needed to understand. She had to understand.

"Why... why are you doing this, Cinder?" Ruby's words barely made it past her lips. "Why bring the Grimm? Why attack Beacon and... and kill so many innocent people?" Her voice cracked, the weight of the truth settling in her chest like a stone.

Cinder's laughter rang out, cold and cruel. She tilted her head back, her eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "Oh, Ruby," she said, her tone dripping with mockery. "A little girl like you is so naive. You can't possibly understand." She stepped closer, her presence suffocating. "Power is everything. It's the only thing that matters in this world." Her eyes narrowed, the weight of her conviction behind her every word. "I want power to destroy this broken world and rebuild it—my way. A world where those who are worthy, those who deserve it, rule."

Ruby's heart skipped a beat. "Destroy... the world?" The weight of Cinder's words sank in, and the truth was so much worse than she could have imagined.

From her kneeling position, Pyrrha lifted her head, eyes fierce despite the pain she was clearly in. "We will stop you, Cinder," she said, her voice steady, unwavering, despite the odds. "We won't let you do this."

Cinder's expression twisted into an amused smile. "Stop me? How quaint." With a flick of her wrist, she raised her hand, flames igniting around her fingers. "You're already as good as dead, Pyrrha." With a swift motion, she thrust her hand forward, sending a wave of fire crashing toward the fallen girl.

Ruby's heart raced. She couldn't let Pyrrha die like this. Without thinking, she activated her semblance, propelling herself forward with impossible speed. She grabbed Pyrrha just in time, pulling her out of the flames, the heat scorching her face as she felt the fire lick at the edge of her dress. They both tumbled to the ground, and Ruby barely managed to catch her breath, still holding onto her teammate.

Cinder's laughter echoed around them, and she looked down at them as if they were insects struggling beneath her. "How futile," she sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. "In the end, both of you will become nothing but ashes."

Ruby's heart pounded in her chest. She could feel the weight of Cinder's words hanging over them, as if the very air around them had thickened with the promise of inevitable destruction. The two girls stared at her, fear creeping up their spines. But just as they were about to face their worst, a voice rang out, slicing through the tension.

"Care to repeat that"

It was Crimson's voice. Deep, commanding, and filled with fury. The world seemed to hold its breath as Cinder's eyes flickered with surprise, and she turned toward the source.

Crimson stood behind her, his expression hard and unyielding, fury radiating off of him. Cinder's lips curled into a smirk as she took in his presence. "Ah, now the prodigy brother joins the party," she mused, her tone dripping with mock delight. "How lucky for me. It seems I'll be able to rid myself of all of you in one fell swoop." Her smile widened. "I wield power far beyond the imagination of any of you."

Crimson didn't reply to her taunts. Instead, he focused his gaze on Ruby. "You won't like what I'm about to do to her," he said coldly. "Take Pyrrha and leave. Now."

Ruby's stomach churned, the fear gnawing at her. She swallowed hard, remembering the horror Crimson had wrought on the White Fang. She couldn't fathom what he would do to Cinder. But she knew she had no choice. She quickly activated her semblance again, grabbing Pyrrha and pulling her along as they made a hasty escape, she was using the last bit of her power, pushing her semblance to the limit.

As they fled, Cinder's mocking laughter echoed in the distance. "Run, little hero," she taunted, her voice dripping with disdain. "You think you're saving her, but it's all futile. It will all end in flames."

The next moment, Crimson unleashed his fury.

His Moon Breathing erupted like a storm, his movements fast and deadly. Forms one through five came one after another in a quick, relentless succession, each strike faster and heavier than the last. The air seemed to crackle with power as he attacked with a deadly aim, each slash of his sword cutting through the atmosphere with a sharp hiss.

Cinder was quick to react, creating two swords and raising them with his strikes, but the speed and force of his assault were too much. Her defenses faltered, and Crimson's strikes were crushing her aura. Each blow that landed sent a shockwave of pain through her body, and despite her best attempts to counter, she crumbled under his relentless onslaught.

When her aura finally shattered, Crimson paused, his voice low and filled with contempt. "Some people are fated to be greater than others, born to transcend the natural laws" he muttered, his eyes darkening. "You can steal, you can beg and you can trade your soul for power. But in the end you will always be insignificant because that's your place in the world"

Crimson words struck a chord in Cinder, she looked at Crimson with unmasked hatred, but he didn't care he just continued his voice laced with malice "But you will be remembered as the idiot who fought a real monster"

The hatred look on her face quickly changed to pain and fear as Crimson with a single, swift motion, drove the blade into Cinder's eye. The pain was unbearable, the force of the strike causing her to scream out, the sound echoing in the empty air. Blood poured from the wound, staining her face, but he didn't stop there.

He twisted the blade and drew it across her exposed arm, carving deep gashes into her skin. Each cut was slow, deliberate—meant not to end her suffering, but to prolong it. Crimson watched as she flinched, her breath shallow and ragged, but her screams only seemed to fuel his determination. The next strike was to her leg, cutting through muscle and sinew with cruel efficiency. She writhed in pain, unable to move, her limbs now unrecognizable from the blood and damage.

Finally, Crimson moved back, surveying the damage. Dozens of cuts, shallow and deep, marred Cinder's body. Her once-pristine skin was now a tapestry of lacerations, each one a symbol of his unwavering resolve. He had no intention of killing her quickly. No, he wanted her to feel every ounce of pain, to understand her helplessness. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her, and his voice was almost a whisper.

"You should have known your place in the world," he muttered, his tone dripping with disdain. "Now, you'll learn the true cost of power."

Not long after Ruby and Pyrrha had made it to the base of the tower they heard it—the sound of Cinder's screams. The cries for mercy that echoed through the night were enough to make Ruby's stomach turn. Pyrrha, still confused and hurt, glanced at Ruby in confusion, but Ruby just shook her head, her heart sinking.

Weiss, who had joined them, looked up at the tower, her face pale. She had seen Crimson's work firsthand and knew exactly what was happening up there. She shivered involuntarily. "I... I don't want to imagine what he's doing to her."

The screams continued, louder and more desperate, but they were cut off suddenly, replaced by an eerie silence.

Then, the roar of a grimm dragon shattered the stillness. It was unlike anything they had ever heard. The earth seemed to tremble as the massive creature descended upon Ozpin's tower, the sheer force of its presence terrifying. It was as if it had been summoned, its roar echoing across Beacon, drawn by the agonizing screams of Cinder.