The Battle of Atlas

The myth

Ruby and Qrow rushed into the main hall to see James Ironwood be flung to the ground by the fall maiden. His aura, the shield huntsmen and huntresses rely on to protect themselves from attacks, broke. He was now vulnerable to her attacks. She turned around to see the hated silver eyed girl and her uncle. Her joy from almost taking down Ironwood soon turned to anger, and she hurtled an attack on the pair: a huge blast of fire taking on a form like that of how fire would dance from the tip of a flamethrower. Qrow and Ruby set themselves into defensive positions, activating their aura. 

But there was no need...

The attack was reduced to steam, blocked by someone else, who emerged from the smoke. The figure was a female; she had stark blue hair and was dressed in an atypical Atlas servant uniform, yet there was something different about her. Their belt was different to the uniform specifications, and on her shoulders she had a black hoodie tied around them, covering something bulky on her back. The figure held 2 knives in her hand, as water droplets fell from her fingertips.

"Sapphire don't! You don't know what she's capable!" Ironwood called out in alarm, clutching his stomach.

"Don't worry Ironwood, I'll treat your little servant with extra special care just for you," Cinder spoke in her soft silky voice, as a means to taunt Ironwood in his helpless state, "Her death won't be painf-"

"I'm not dying today Cinder Fall," the figure interrupted with a strong willed voice, "Even if you are the fall maiden."

Cinder's eyes darkened, and Ruby, Qrow and Ironwood looked at whom Ironwood referred to as Sapphire, in shock as to how she knew about Cinder. 

"You told your servant about the maidens James?" Qrow questioned in an obviously pissed off tone.

"I never..." James grunted back, exasperated that Qrow would think such a thing. 

Cinder raised her hand and clicked her fingers, but nothing happened.

"Neo isn't coming, Cinder," Sapphire spoke after a pause, "She doesn't want to help you, she doesn't care for your plot to kill Ruby, she doesn't care what happens to you because you killed the one person she had. She's gone, and you can't do anything about it." She smirks after, and Cinder's eyes blaze.

"How do you know! What does a little servant of Ironwood's have so special about her to know all this information," Cinder yells, her blades form in her hands as she readies for combat.

"I imagine it would be entertaining for Qrow to hear that his sister isn't the big traitor he thinks she is," Sapphire says, smirking at Cinder. Qrow's head lifts up.

"What do you know about Raven..." He glares at Sapphire.

"Oh your sister, Spring, yeah she did a number on Cinder, surprised she's still alive...not for long though," Sapphire seems confident, and positions her stance carefully, waiting for Cinder's inevitable attack.

"Spring?" Ruby pipes up, "Vernal is spring though."

"That's what Raven wanted Cinder to think the entire time, but infact," she begins, turning her head slightly to meet the eyes of Qrow and Ruby, "Vernal is dead, killed by Cinder as she tried to take her powers with her grim arm. Ruby's eyes work on Cinder because she took on a grim limb. And Raven is Spring Maiden."

A caw fills the room, Qrow's eyes dart to the Raven perched on the balcony. It flies down and Raven emerges in her human form, wearing her mask.

"Hello brother," she utters in her calm voice, removing her mask to reveal her glowing eyes reminiscent to Cinder's, except the colour emitted is a cool pink. 

Qrow is speechless, and then Cinder strikes. She lunges at Sapphire and the two clash blades.

"You may have killed Pyrrha, Ozpin, Vernal, and many others... but you won't take me to the grave Cinder Fall," Sapphire speaks in a soft determined tone. She flings Cinder back with her blades and then leaps over Cinder with her blades. The right blade extends to the length of a bayonet and hits Cinder's blades, knocking her off balance as Sapphire lands and rolls, turning on her heels to face Cinder.

"Who are you!" Cinder commands her for an answer.

"You can call me by my alias Sapphire," She smirks.

"Your...your not called Sapphire?!" James asks in alarm. His question is ignored as 'Sapphire' flings her right blade onto Cinder again, this time it's in the form of an axe, thrusting her back with power. 

Sapphire's blades change to 2 sub-machine guns and she starts firing at Cinder, who blocks her attacks with just her hands. Sapphire lunges at Cinder who slashes with her blades and flings her into the wall. Sapphire pulls herself to her feet, dazed, as Cinder points her blade at Sapphire's neck.

"Hmpf, that was easy," Cinder smirks and goes for the killing blow.

But that never happens.

Instead Sapphire's bright green eyes flash to a purple colour and she flings Cinder back. What comes is a series of blows on Cinder, unable to escape from the sphere pulsating around the two. Sapphire eventually kicks Cinder out of the sphere with her right leg, the sphere collapses in a puff of smoke, and Cinder is enraged. Sapphire however, is unharmed. Only her hand is seen, glowing brightly, until the smoke clears. Her whole outfit has changed into some combat gear, A black hoodie and a leather one piece, with armour plating on her shoulders, elbows, wrists and knees. She has knee high boots, and the belt she wore has now extended and opened up to reveal a whole new combat system, including a spiral of knives held onto a strip of metal by a magnet. On her back: a quiver, bow and assault rifle which she had hidden from sight when she wore her alias uniform. She had leather fingerless gloves, and her right leg seemed to have more armour, and had two mini assault rifle cannons mounted either side of her ankle. Her hair was now wrapped up in a high ponytail, and a large scar over her left eye, and a smaller one below the left side of her nose, was now revealed.

At this point, hearing the alarm, Oscar entered the room, guided by a concerned Ozpin. Sapphire turned to Oscar and gave a sigh of relief, which was peculiar.

"So you are alive Oz!" She exclaims. Oscar looks confused, and still does when Ozpin takes control.

"Who are you, young lady," he questions. Her reply is brief.

"I am from a myth you refuse to believe, a myth you only told to one Branwen sibling..." 

His face changes to surprise, but still holds skepticism. Before he can speak though, Cinder and Sapphire are interlocked in battle once more...