It's All Changed

Volume 3 Ep. 10 - Last Breath

Hidden Vault
Y/N

"What is this place?" I heard Jaune let out. I looked up from the screen and saw Father followed by Jaune and Pyrrha. "Y/N, are we ready?" Father asks me as he leans his cane on the screen module.

"Almost." I replied. "Y/N! What are you doing here? And no one answered my question?!" Jaune lets out in shock. "This is the vault under the academy." I answered him.

"Pyrrha! Get to the pods!" Father instructed Pyrrha. "Mr. Arc, if you'd like to help, you can stand guard here." Father instructs Jaune. I looked up at him and saw his uncertain look. "She'll be fine." I lied to him. Jaune reluctantly nods and turns away from the pods.

"What do we do now?" Pyrrha asks both me and Father. "We, do nothing," Father replied as the second pod opened. "You, Ms. Nikos... have a choice to make." Father continued. I looked up from the panel and looked back at Pyrrha.

I watched as she hesitated before entering the pod. It went unnoticed, but I saw it. She wiped a single tear as the pod closes on her. "Are you ready?" I asked Pyrrha. She slowly nods.

"We... we need to hear you say it." Father tells her. "Yes." Pyrrha replies as she lays her head back, staring ahead. Father looked at me and nodded. I looked back at the screen and inputted the needed keys to start the process.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw the orange hue of Ms. Amber's pod begin to glow. I looked back at the pods and watch the orange glow travel along the pipes connecting the two pods. As soon as the orange glow surrounds Pyrrha, she started to scream in agony.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted and turned to her. I looked away, not wanting to see the painful scene unfold. "I'm... so sorry." Father apologized. Suddenly, an arrow pierces the glass of Ms. Amber's pod, striking her in the chest. Ms. Amber gasps in pain as the machine begins beeping in alarm.

I turn to where the arrow came from. With widened eyes and fisted hands, I saw the woman from before who was with Mercury and Emerald. I heard the struggling breathes of Ms. Amber and, slowly, her body goes limp.

The green flames that light the torches throughout the vault suddenly snuff out. The orange glow leaves Pyrrha and burst out of Ms. Amber. "No!" I shouted as the glow enters the assailant.

I could hear Pyrrha banging on her pod trying to get out. The woman started to glow with orange energy as she now has the Fall Maiden powers. Jaune raises his sword and has the intent of fighting her.

"Stay back!" I shouted at Jaune. The woman summons a large fireball casting it toward Jaune. Luckily, Jaune blocks the blast with his shield and is blasted backward, landing on his back.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted. I ran over to Jaune and helped him up as Pyrrha broke out of her pod. Pyrrha stopped next to me and Jaune. "Y/N. Take Jaune and Pyrrha and get out of here! Find Glynda! Ironwood! Qrow! Bring them here right away! The tower can't fall!" Father urged me. I nodded and held onto both Pyrrha and Jaune.

"But we can hel -- " "We'll only get in his way, Pyrrha." I cut her off. I teleported us behind the assailant and ran to the elevator. I punched the button in the elevator and it brought us up.

"Y/N! We can help him!" Pyrrha reasoned with me. "I know, Pyrrha. But it's more of an I can help him." I rephrased. "What do you mean?" Jaune asks me. "Ozpin is my mentor, so I know him." I lied. "I need you guys to contact Glynda, Qrow, and General Ironwood." I told them.

The elevator door opens and I push them out of the elevator. "What about you?" Jaune asks me. "I have to go help him." I told them as I closed the elevator again. "Y/N!" I heard both Jaune and Pyrrha shout for my name.

I closed my eyes and started to concentrate. 'Stay out of his way... and attack when he falls back...' I told myself. I grabbed my sticks and reopened my eyes. 'I can do this.' I pumped myself.

I attached my sticks together and brought my staff down. 'I can do this...' I repeated. I looked up as the elevator doors open. Then, my eyes widen at the sight before me.

I watched as Father looked up at me with pained eyes. "Get out... while you still can..." I heard him utter his last breath. I heard a feminine chuckle as I saw the one who killed Father. "What are you hoping to gain?!" I cried out.

"Power... it's what I crave." She simply answers as she lit a small fire on her palm. "How about you, kid?" She asks me. I keep my attention on her as I slowly walked forward.

"I don't crave anything... I just want my friends to be safe." I told her. "Oh... how cliché." She comments with a grin. Suddenly, she threw a fire spear at me. I easily deflected it with my staff.

"Don't toy with me," I told her with a disgusted tone. "And plus," I continued as I pointed my staff at her. "You're not worthy enough to be the Fall Maiden." I finished. I watched as she scowled at me.

"You don't know what you're saying!" She shouted at me. She rushed at me with anger in her eyes. She summoned twin swords and slashed at me. I easily duck and hit her in the back.

She turned to me in annoyance. I gripped my staff as I watched her. "You don't know what you're up against, kid." She told me. "I think I do know what I'm up against, but still, I'll die holding you back." I promised her.

"Oh! Let me see you try." She challenged me. "Ladies first." I replied to her challenge. With a smile on her face, she charged at me again as I start to deflect every hit. With widened eyes, I continue to deflect her every hit. I felt her pushing me with great force.

'I need to find an opening...' I told myself. "Having fun, kid?!" The woman asks me. I ignored her. Time slowed as I saw an opening, I quickly swept under her. I saw her widen her eyes in shock. Quickly, I flicked my staff onto her as she stumbles onto the ground.

I heaved a sigh as I stood back up. I looked down at the Fall Maiden. She punched the ground in anger as she got back up. Before she could get back up, I teleported behind her...

SHINK

I looked down and dropped my staff. With widened eyes, I gripped the pierced sword. I fell to the ground and start gasping for air. "Oh no... it looks like my toy is about to break..." She pouted. I looked up at her as my view started to blur. "Don't tell me you thought I didn't know about your tricks?" She lets out. I gritted my teeth.

"Don't die on me now... I thought you knew what you were up against." She teased. I felt her hand on my hair. She started to pet me. "There, there..." She soothed.

"Shut... up..." I groaned out. "Close your eyes... you have a lot more to do..." She tells me. I unconsciously gave in to her words... the last thing I saw... was Father's cane...

"She will love you dearly..."