After an unknown portal opens up in the Black Garden, a lone Titan enters a new and unknown territory. With no communication to the Vanguard, he must become the guardian of Vale.
Making contact with the Fall Maiden, Cinder stumbled backwards from the impact, tumbling once more with lesser effect. Irritated, she summoned fire like shards of glass, pushing them in the Titan's direction. Serpentining past each one, the Titan threw another Hammer at her, only for it to be block by Raven's sword. Gazing at Cinder, she spoke in her usual serious tone.
Raven: Get what you need and go.
Austin: Get out of the way Raven. My fight is not with you.
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Raven: Yes. It is. Since your time in Beacon, it has always been this way.
The Titan's Sunbreaker had ended as she adjusted for a traditional samurai stance, ready for a fight. With no other choice, he grabbed his axe from his back and held it with both hands, waiting as she made the first move. The two weapons collided with one another, creating a light blue spark in between the two of them. Noticing Raven's ice dust infused sword, the Titan knew lighting the axe in flames would be futile as they continued hitting one another.
Austin: Why fight alongside Cinder and Salem of all people?
Raven: It's not your place to understand.
Parrying one another, the two attacked again with the same result.
Austin: Not my place? Have you not seen what they've done to Vale? To Beacon? To Yang?
Raven: She knew what she signed up for when she stuck with Ozpin.
A third strike.
Austin: Knew what she signed up for? The hell with Ozpin, that's your own daughter you're fighting against! She devoted her life to find you and this is how you repay her!?
The mention of her daughter slowly angered Raven.
Raven: You have no room to give me a lecture on Yang! You've only known her for months!
Austin: And in that time, I gave her more love and compassion than you've ever have your entire goddamn life!
He noticed her eye flicker the same flame that Cinder had, only a darker shade of red. Taking advantage of his confusion, she managed to parry offof him and continued the fight. It was through her anger that he began to notice her speed.
As the fight went on, he barely kept up with her as she exchanged slice after slice of her sword, the armor absorbing the blows. Seeing a small opening, he smacked her in the face with the blunt end of the axe. Hitting her with it, she returned the favor by quickly slashing his face, leaving a massive vertical scar right next to his left eye. He flinched in pain, covering his bloody wound as she went in for another spot.
With the sound of metal piercing through human flesh, his eyes widened as he felt Raven's sword pierce through his abdomen. The ane and the rage kept him from bleeding out. Gritting his teeth, he held on to the cold blade with one hand to ensure she wouldn't finish him off. The other hand summoned a ball of void energy as he dropped it behind him, separating him and the sword from Raven.
