The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 25: Light and Darkness

Verde stood in her room, trying to stop Violet from getting past her. Midori was shivering, trying to hide behind her hat, something Verde could relate to. Everything Vao feared came true; Yin came back, just like he did in their nightmares.

"M-Mummy! We can't just leave him! I don't want Daddy to die!" Violet cried. But Verde didn't budge, biting at her nails. She wanted to believe Vao would come back. After all, he had given up everything for this moment. Every last thing he had, he had given up for the day that he knew would come. He needed to come back.

Verde didn't want the last words she spoke to her husband to be something she didn't mean. She gritted her teeth, pushing Violet back.

"He'll come back!" She promised. "Just like he always has! He's thrown it all away for this!"

Midori shook her head, peering out from under the wide brim of her hat. "The traps didn't work! Uncle Tim and Uncle Chuck couldn't stop them! Father knew he wasn't ready! That's why he did that!"

She knew Midori was right. It was specifically because Vao always thought he'd lose that he took things to such drastic extents. But if they intervened, they'd end up distracting Vao and getting him killed. Verde shakily glanced back at the door, listening to the sounds of battle.

If it went quiet for too long, she would have to assume Vao was dead. And at that point, it would be up to her.

Just down the halls and down the stairs, Vao gritted his teeth, charging forward with his daggers. The adventures drew their weapons, mentally readying themselves to beat the hell out of him. With Vao, they didn't need to hold back - they knew he could take the damage.

"Vao, we're just trying to talk! Drop the weapons, you idiot! We didn't kill them!" Yin screamed.

Sasha swung her greatsword, the thief sliding between her legs and snapping back up, the blades driving in between the plates of her armor. The elf's eyes went wide, a shriek escaping her lips.

Salem took a step back, shock beginning to override her nerves. Vao spun around the moment he saw Ozpin from the corner of his eye, his dagger shooting up and parrying the attack. He had caught the knight off guard, already at a disadvantage with a missing arm.

CHINK!

The second dagger snapped the chainmail at Ozpin's waist when Vao stabbed him in the gut, kicking him off the blade. He dodged and weaved around Yin's katana, synchronizing with the rhythm of his attacks. And with one foul kick, his foot crushed the healer's groin, nearly dropping him to the ground.

Salem was beginning to figure it out. Vao wasn't fighting like he used to. He was fighting like a rogue. For the first time, he was beginning to use his class the way it was meant to be used. Vao leapt back, dipping under Sasha's hook.

Salem's grip tightened on her rapier, her foot shifting back. She was taking on a defensive stance, trying to think like Vao. What would he do first? She remembered the times she watched Weiss fight in the Second Timeline, struggling to recall the graceful movements. Vao growled furiously, a vein popping from his forehead. He wasn't staring at her. He was staring at Yin.

He clenched his fists and charged, kicking off the ground and flipping over Sasha, his foot kicking her in the back of the head to throw himself at the healer. Parrying his katana again, Vao didn't just swat it away. He twisted it free from Yin's wrist, driving it into his stomach. Blood squirted past the blonde's lips, his eyes shooting open. Vao snarled at him, his eyes burning with hatred.

"You," he hissed. "You ruined my fucking life!"

Salem leapt forward, trying to stop him. But Vao spun around and swung Yin like a bat, sending the outlawed princess slamming into the ground. His fingers wrapped around the healer's blonde locks, driving his forehead into the stone floor.