(Blake's POV)

Weiss: *over scroll* Why is the radar *static* Still up!?

Ruby: *over scroll* We don't *static* know! Blake isn't *static* responding!

That was the last thing I heard from my scroll before I heard it get stepped on. I quickly got behind cover but I immediately saw a dead body that caused me to jerk away in fright. A gunshot nearly hit me but luckily, it missed... But it seemed like it missed on purpose...With Gambol Shroud in its SMG mode close to my chest, I looked down only to be terrified... I was... scared... This person wasn't any normal person... it was him... Adam, this time without his mask, replaced by a black cloth.

Adam: It's nice to finally have time to ourselves, don't you think?

Me: LEAVE ME ALONE!

I aimed and fired off a couple of shots at him but he simply absorbed them with Wilt before sheathing it back into Blush.

Adam: But I've waited so long, for you to be away from them.

I had to escape him and get over to the others... I tried using a cable to zip wire down from the tower but Adam used his Moon Slice to slash it, causing me to swing down to his level, where he tried to slam his Wilt down on me but I blocked before side stepping to dodge another. Then the two of us began to exchange sword strikes before I kicked him away from me.

Adam: Why did you have to come into my life and ruin everything?!

Me: You stalked me across Anima! I don't want anything to do with your life!

He rushed at me again and the two of us began exchanging strikes before I jumped up and used my Shadow to boost myself up to the next level. I converted Gambol Shroud into its SMG Mode before aiming down to where Adam was, only for him to disappear. I realized and it was too late as I got hit by Adam's Blush before we began to exchange strikes again before I jumped onto the rail to dodge a slash. Then he rushed at me again but I jumped up and used my Shadow to Boost myself up to the other level but unfortunately, Adam somehow appeared right behind me and pinned me against the edge. I knew there was no way I was getting out of this so I stopped on his foot and flipped the both of us over the rail, sending us both crashing through some trees and to the ground. I began to cough as we both slowly stood up.

Me: Let go of the past, Adam. Do it for yourself.

Adam: Just forget it all? Is that what you did to me? You just threw our memories away!?

Me: Adam!

Adam: I let you go once already, Blake. I'm never making that mistake again...

We just stared at each other while tightly gripping onto our weapons... It looks like this is going to be our final battle...

"NEVERMORE..."
CHAPTER 9: CONFRONTATION

(3rd Person POV)

The sounds of metal clashing against each other echoed throughout the snowy forest as Blake and Adam zipped around while trading deadly blows. After interlocking blades, Blake heard a distant explosion before dodging an attack from Adam and transforming Gambol Shroud to its sickle mode before throwing it and using it and the ribbon to swing away from him.

Adam: Can you do anything besides run!?

Adam proceeded to pursue Blake by jumping from branch to branch before going into a full blown sprint on the ground. As Blake threw Gambol Shroud again, Adam fired Wilt from Blush, causing it to spiral towards Gambol Shroud and clashing with it, redirecting it off course. Adam grabbed Wilt and rushed Blake as she turned around and did the same. The two traded slashes in midair, Adam's managing to slice Blake's white trench coat off before they both landed on the ground. Blake with Gambol Shroud in its SMG mode, took a couple of shots at Adam who absorbed them with Wilt before the two jumped out of the forest and to a natural stone bridge next to a waterfall and river.

They quickly continued the fight there, with Adam switching between slicing with Wilt and firing with Blush while Blake dodged and used her Shadows to take some hits while slashing with both the Katana and Sheath of Gambol Shroud. Before Adam knew it, Blake had caught his Wilt within the sheath of Gambol Shroud, taking it out of his grasp.

Adam: I wouldn't have to be doing this if you just behaved!

Adam managed to grab Wilt and knock the cleaver of Gambol Shroud away before knocking her to the ground by hitting her in the head with the butt of his katana.

Adam: But you're selfish!

He knocked her back again.

Adam: You're a coward!

He knocked her away again.

Blake: You're delusional...!

With Blake on the ground, Adam aimed the blade of Wilt at the scar on Blake's abdomen before activating his Moon Slice and striking down but Blake blocked it with the Katana of Gambol Shroud, snapping it in half and knocking it out of her hand. With that, he then removed his cloth from his eyes

Adam: People hurt me long before we met... All sorts of people in all sorts of ways... but no one hurt me like you or your brother...

With her ears flattened, she looked back at her former partner, only to see him with the exact same scar that Celeste has, only on his left eye instead; a scar with the letters S.D.C. His right on the other hand, was a bright ultra blue.

Adam: Neither of you left scars, you both just left me alone...

Blake's cat ears twitch as she heard the growl of a motorcycle engine.

Adam: So... tell me, Blake... how does it feel to be alone?

She just stayed silent as Adam raised Gambol Shroud and with a yell, stabbed it into Blake's abdomen... only for her to suddenly fade away as she was a clone. Behind him, the real Blake slowly stood up with the Cleaver of Gambol Shroud.

Blake: I'm not alone.

Just on cue, Yang and Tyros jumped off of Bumblebee as it was hurled into Adam, knocking him back as the bike fell into the river. Yang and Tyros then took defensive stances in front of Blake.

Adam: Tyros...

Yang immediately fired off a shot from her Ember Celica, forcing Adam to block it.

Blake: Tyros! Yang!

She tried to stand but fell back to her knees.

Yang: It's okay. Catch your breath of a second. We can hold him off.

Tyros: No. You looked after Blake... I'll handle Adam...

Yang and Blake's eyes widen.

Blake: What!? No! Tyros, we should be fighting him together!

Tyros: No... This now, is between me and him alone... He's been stalking you... he turned Ilia against me... He took Yang's arm... I am ending this...

Blake: Tyros, please don't-

Adam: He's right, Blake. It's okay. We have some... unfinished business...

https://youtu.be/Jrg9KxGNeJY

(Play song)

As Tyros aimed a Fire Dust Arrow, Adam unsheathed Wilt. The two locked eyes as they slowly circled around each other, waiting for the other to make the first move... This was going to be their final battle...

The Final Battle between two Best Friends...

A Wild Cat VS A Raging Bull...

An Archer VS A Swordsman...

Gold VS Crimson...

Tyros Belladonna VS Adam Taurus...

And it won't end until one of them... falls and stays down... Permanently...

It will all end... with them saying...

Tyros: One Shall Stand...

. . .

Adam: And One Shall Fall...

. . .

Making the first move, Adam rushed at Tyros, quickly closing the distance to make a horizontal slash but he dodged by jumping high up into the air before loading five Fire Dust Arrows and firing them at the Bull Faunus, making sure they missed him but form a star around him. As Tyros landed, the Fire Arrows glowed red before erupting in a pillar of flame behind him but he quickly turned around to parry a strike from his opponent with the bladed segment of Grimm Hunter.

Adam: Why... Why did you have to betray me!? You and I wanted the same thing! I saw you as a brother!

Adam pushed against Tyros but the cat Faunus used his Shadow Bind to slip into a pool of shadows and reappear behind Adam, firing off a Wind Dust arrow at him which he barely slashed in half due to its increased flight speed.

Tyros: I did too and we both wanted the same thing! We wanted to be treated like equals to the Humans. But you had to take it to the next level and kill a person right in front of me! In front of other Humans! Did you think that proved our point or theirs!?

Tyros split Grimm Hunter into its twin blade form and with a strong reverse grip, he rushed Adam, throwing a couple of quick slashes at him which he managed to block but, he managed to slash a bit at Adam's shirt, ripping the fabric and causing his Aura to flicker a deep and dangerous crimson color. The two Faunus continued to trade powerful and deadly blows as Blake and Yang watched.

Tyros: When you killed that man, it just fueled the Humans' drive to hate us! Treat us differently! Deem us as psychopaths and murders!

Tyros managed to kick Adam away before throwing one of his blade at him which the Bull Faunus redirected but it acted like a boomerang and returned to Tyros. As the Cat Faunus recombined his weapons, he fired off three Gravity Dust Arrows at his opponent who redirected them all away from him before he charged him. But, Grimm Hunter gained a faint glow as the three Gravity Dust arrows suddenly changed their flight path and dived towards Adam. His eyes widen as he turned around to see the arrows flying at him but he managed to slice them to pieces before Tyros rushed up to him again and threw Grimm Hunter in its bow form at him, causing it to spiral around like a buzz-saw. Adam blocked the attack before Tyros caught his weapon and converted it back to its twin blade from.

Adam: I did it because it was necessary!

Tyros: Killing him was never necessary!

Tyros sent a slash at Adam who blocked easily with Wilt before kicking Tyros back and then he began to fire some shots from Blush which Tyros blocked.

Tyros: I admired you Adam, I admired who you were... the guy who wanted nothing but equality and to live in peace! But the moment you killed him, that all changed... You changed... for the worse... You became, ruthless, willing to sacrifice anything to get your way!

The two rushed each other again, sparks flew off their swords as the traded strikes, dashing around the area at the same time.

Tyros: I understand that you're spiteful against the Humans but killing them is going to do nothing but add more hate! And with that hate will bring more fighting, more bloodshed. It will lead to war!

Tyros then spun around before round house kicking Adam away from him.

Tyros: The person you used to be... That Adam I admired... He was my best friend, my brother... But the moment he killed that man... the monster took over... and now, the monster's rampaging...

Adam: SHUT UP! It takes real strength to cross that line, something you would never experience. *sheath's Wilt* But... it won't matter... Once I'm done with you, I'll kill Blake, *points at Yang* the blonde, your pathetic family, your so called friends and Ilia. Then I will bring Humanity to extinction, so that the Faunus will reign supreme!

This finally got to him as Tyros finally snapped.

Tyros: NO YOU WON'T!

Suddenly, Tyros' blades began to glow a golden color as he zipped in front of Adam, bringing his blades down on him, only for him to block them. Blake and Yang looked shocked at what Tyros was doing.

Yang: Wait, is that...?!

Blake: His Aura... Just like Dairoku... He's using his Aura to enhance his strikes...

The two traded blows with Tyros' strikes growing stronger by the second, causing the area around them to shake quite violently.

The strange thing was Tyros seemed to pulse out shadows every now and then. Adam managed to get a lucky strike on Tyros, sending him skidding back before rushing at him but suddenly, his strike was blocked... Tyros was still standing there, not moving... What blocked his attack...? It was Tyros... but he was made completely of shadows... It was... a Shadow Clone... Like Blake and Sun... His Semblance had evolved... The clone traded blows with Adam briefly before he slashed at it, destroying it... But immediately, another... then another... Two more clones began attacking Adam, as Tyros slowly began walking towards them.

Yang: What the!?

Blake: I think... I think his Semblance evolved... Like Kuraime's did...

Adam was quickly becoming overwhelmed by the clones but he slightly pulsed out his Moon Slice, destroying both clones. He quickly rushed up to Tyros and thrust Wilt forwards, only for Tyros to side step and slash upwards.

With Adam now open to any attack, Tyros swung his sword, aiming for Adam's chest but gasped in shock as the sound of a Shotgun going off echoed throughout the valley... Yang and Blake's eyes widen as Adam smirked, seeing blood drip down from Tyros' abdomen and his Aura shattered; his shot pierced through his Aura...

Blake and Yang: TYROS!!!

He dropped his blades, before falling to his knees, gripping his wound... Luckily, the wound didn't seemed... life threatening... but it was enough to take him out of the fight.

Adam: Hmph, you lose Tyros.

Adam pointed the blade of Wilt to Tyros' head while he just breathed heavily on the ground...

Tyros: *breaths heavily* .........NEVER!!!

He put his fists together before making a large swing upwards, connecting with Adam's chest, sending him flying away from him. As Adam made contact with the ground, his Aura flickered a deep crimson before breaking... Though his Aura was broken, Adam rose to his feet, clearly pissed off... Tyros tried to stand but just ended up falling to his knees... Luckily for him, Blake and Yang stood in front of him... ready to fight the Bull Faunus...

Tyros: S-Sis... Y-Yang...

Yang: Leave us alone. This is your last chance...

Blake: I'll say this again, Adam... Let go of the past...

Adam: You know, we're way past that point... you and your brother made your choices... and I've made mine...

He tightly gripped onto Wilt. Tyros tried to get up again but just like previously, he fell back to his knees.

Blake: You've done enough brother... You've protected me for long enough... So please, allow me to return the favor... Let me be the one to protect you now.

Tyros said nothing as Blake and Yang rushed towards Adam, before attacking him from both sides, Blake using her shadows frequently while Yang shot bullets from Ember Celica and her mechanical arm to propel herself around the battlefield. Blake then picked up her broken katana before switching it to its sickle mode before throwing it at Adam who redirected it but Yang caught it and pulled before swinging Blake around and towards Adam. Once she let go, she and the Bull Faunus locked blades before he knocked her back and then proceeded to knock her off the waterfall, shattering her Aura. But luckily, before she fell, a hand grabbed her, the one of her brother.

Tyros: I got you sis!

Adam then turned his attention to Yang.

Adam: Moment of truth, Yang! Do you think you're faster than you were at Beacon?

Yang gasped before her hands began to shake again. Seeing her fear, he smirked and scoffed.

Adam: Me neither.

Tyros: Don't listen to him Yang! You're stronger than this!!!

Adam scowled before charging towards Tyros but Yang stopped him with new found strength and determination and began to trade blows with the Bull Faunus. She managed to round house kick him away from her before he charged her again, but just like what she did to the bandits, she shot a shot from Ember Celica to the ground, sending her spiraling over Adam.

Tyros: Now!

Just as Adam looked down the cliff, Tyros swung Blake up it, causing her to uppercut him, sending Wilt and Blush flying out of his hand. He tried to catch them but Blake tackled him to the ground and proceeded to hold him there before Adam kicked her off him and picked up her Gambol Shroud before shoving the broken blade down on her...

Yang: BLAKE!!!

Unable to move in time, Blake closed her eyes as the sound of flesh cutting was heard... but she felt no pain... When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Adam standing there with blood dripping down the wound where his right arm was sliced clean off by Tyros holding Wilt. Then he quickly ran over and shoved the blade through Adam's back... With his dying breath, Adam tried to grab Blake but she quickly picked up one of Tyros' blades and stabbed it directly through his chest, piercing his Heart... Adam has lost the fight...

Adam: ...Oh...

The two siblings took the blades out of Adam before he stumbled towards the cliff. He fell on his knees before his eyes rolled up and he fell forwards, off the cliff and into the water...

Tyros: You can rest now... Old friend...

Tyros heard the sound of crying behind him. He turned to see Blake crying into Yang's shoulder as she comforted her. Tyros just kneeled next to her and put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look at her brother, who was smiling.

Tyros: It's over now sis...

All this did was make her break down more and lung into her brother's arms, hugging him tightly...

Tyros: The monster has been slain... The true Adam... can now rest in peace...

Blake: *sobbing* R-Right...

Adam may have taken the lead, but they have evened the score...
He might have won countless battles, but he didn't win the war...
Not now... and Nevermore...

END

https://youtu.be/s1YZEjod5ZQ

https://youtu.be/A52--FKUQgU

(There you go TheDarkEmperor)
—————————————————
And there we go! One chapter away from the finale!!! Stay tuned!!!