The Wings of a Valkyrie: Male Reader x Pyrrha Nikos (Part II)

Chapter XVIII: One Last Fight

In the end none of it mattered. All the meticulous planning and careful preparations, it all came too late. The Amity Arena fell, the Atlesian defenses were hijacked, and the creatures of Grimm had overrun the city.

Pyrrha, (F/N), and Ozpin ran through the dim vault. The ceiling above them shook as the students did their best to stand against the combined might of the Grimm, the White Fang, and the corrupted Atlesian forces. (F/N) came to a sudden halt, the pods still forty meters away. Pyrrha made it a few more paces before she too stopped.

"(F/N)?" She asked, running back to him. "What are you doing? We have to..."

"They're here." He said, peering into the shadows.

"What?"

"Go." He said urgently. "I'll buy you as much time as I can."

(F/N) and Pyrrha looked at one another, fear etched on both their faces. They pulled each other into a tight embrace, lips pressed firmly together for what they feared might be the last time. Everything they meant to each other; everything they were and every emotion they felt that was too complex to word aloud, they conveyed in this single kiss.

"I love you." (F/N) whispered.

She opened her mouth to respond, but Ozpin called to her from the end of the hall.

"Pyrrha," He said urgently, "get to the pods."

She gave (F/N) one last look. He nodded, and she turned from him. He watched her go, and he couldn't help but feel that that short distance would separate them forever. He held onto her hand until the very last second when her fingers slipped out of his. He watched her climb into the pod, the machinery glowing ominously as it sealed her inside. Rolling his shoulders and neck, (F/N) inhaled deeply, preparing himself for one last fight.

His narrowed eyes scanned the area from which they came. The vault was dark, and there were many shadows from which the enemy might emerge. The sound of their slow footsteps bounced from the ceilings and walls, echoing in his ears. The click of heels against the cold concrete told (F/N) that his enemy was female, and the speed and weight of their steps spoke of their confident nature. They weren't trying to hide. They were coming head on.

"Step aside boy." A cold voice called.

From the shadows emerged a raven-haired woman, the hem of her crimson red dress ending just before her knees. (F/N) clenched his fists, his right foot taking a small half step back as added a slight bend to his knees, dropping his center of mass.

"I admire your courage." The woman smirked. "But your courage won't save you. You have no idea what you're up against."

"Neither do you." (F/N) said lowly.

"Oh, I know exactly who you are, (F/N) (L/N)." The woman said. "A relic from an age long passed. The most dangerous man to have ever lived. But in the end, you're nothing but a frightened child. Now step aside, or I will kill you."

He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The familiar feeling of bloodlust and mindless rage that accompanied battle.

"You can try."

The rings around the Mortar's bicep glowed. He punched the ground and a tall barrier of rock and earth extended towards the ceiling behind him, separating the two of them from Pyrrha and Ozpin.

Kicking off the ground with his back foot, he launched at her, right hand pulled back, ready to strike. He didn't think he'd hit her, expecting her to dodge. Instead, she caught his punch in her left hand, stopping all his momentum. Her right hand didn't even touch him, but still he was sent flying backwards, crashing into the stone wall he'd created. He recovered in time to narrowly avoid an arrow which pierced the rock to the left of his head.

He refocused his attentions on the woman before him. The area around her eyes glowed a bright orange, and two glass blades formed in her hands as she slowly walked towards him. His semblance would be of no use in this fight. She was too strong. Her power, incalculable. He walked out to meet her, the cyan ring glowing as two long knives of the same color appeared in both his hands.

They lunged at the same time, blades clashing and locking together. (F/N)'s teeth were bared, his face contorted with malice, but she continued to smirk. Eventually, he broke through her guard, forcing her arms apart. He brought his right blade up at an angle, then slashed across at her neck, followed by the left. He crossed his arms and continued with his momentum, spinning clockwise until he faced her once again. Her blades locked with his, preventing him from separating his arms for the duel slash he had planned, so instead he smashed her nose with his forehead. She staggered back and he kneed her in the chest, turning on his foot and side kicking her stomach. She stumbled backwards and he pivoted clockwise in a complete circle and launched his right blade at her. It caught her in the left shoulder, but it didn't pierce her, the hard light breaking as it contacted her protective aura.

Her head snapped back to look at (F/N). The smirk on her face was gone, replaced by an angry scowl. Her blades vanished, replaced by handfuls of fire. He jumped and rolled out of the way of the hot flames being thrown his way. Another projectile came towards him, and this time he didn't have time to dodge. He brought his right arm up to shield himself, the black metal frosting over just before the fireball reached him. A cloud of steam hissed into existence, obscuring his vision. Suddenly he felt himself leave the ground; two hands gripped tightly around his throat.

He pried at the fingers clenched around his neck, but her grip was too strong. He could see the ground becoming smaller as she flew him upwards, intent on crushing him into the ceiling. The skin on his neck became hot as her hands burned red. His fingers continued to pry and claw at her searing grip. The yellow ring around the Mortar lit up, and he pressed against her face with his right hand. She shrieked in agony and dropped him, clutching at her electrified face. The obsidian ring now glowed, and (F/N) clenched his fist, catching himself inches before he hit the ground.

A bright light caused him to look up. The woman was surrounded by flaming rings that circled her body. She brought her hands together and a torrent of fire shot from her palms. The fingers of (F/N)'s right hand brushed against the ground as he swept his upwards. A gust of wind cut through the approaching flames and knocked her from the sky. He tackled her out of the air as she fell, taking her to the ground. They landed on the hard concrete, and (F/N) dive rolled off her, landing in a crouched position facing her. He slammed his palm against the ground, the concrete shooting from the ground in jagged spikes as it raced towards her, like a ripple in a pond.

The woman was launched into the air, but she caught herself. She flew towards (F/N) once more, and he dug his feet into the ground, the Mortar already coursing with electricity. As she approached, he shot his hand out, prepared to electrify her face once more, but his fingers closed around air instead. She flew past him and grabbed him by the left arm, his shoulder dislocating. She threw him against the barrier he'd created, and this time he was sent crashing through.

He felt cuts and scrapes open along his body as he skid across the ground, coming to a halt in front of Ozpin, who knelt down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. (F/N) brushed the hand off and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, breathing heavily. His shoulder was dislocated and the skin around his neck burned. He bled from several deep cuts that he didn't even know he had. He coughed and spat up a mouthful of blood. Three of his ribs had broken when she threw him through the wall. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could keep up. But he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. There was too much at stake. He wouldn't let anything take Pyrrha from him.

The sound of something whistling through the air prompted him to move. An arrow flew through the hole his body had created; its sharp tip aimed straight at Pyrrha's defenseless form. He dove and knocked it from the air, falling back to the ground with a heavy thud. He was exhausted.

Then another arrow followed its brother. And this one found its mark, right in Amber's heart.