PA61/62/63

Neo made some quick gestures.

"I know. My aura is almost gone. I can feel it." He looked over to Cinder. She was wiping the dust from her eyes, and didn't see Roman swinging in. He caught her in the face, using Melodic Cudgel like a golf club. She sailed back. "How is yours?"

Neo made a fifty-fifty gesture with one hand.

[...]

"Keep fighting. I'll be okay, I promise. Help Roman."

Neo nodded, biting her lip as she looked between the two of them. Now that Cinder had her vision back, however, Roman was being pushed towards the edge of the tower. Neo picked wisely, streaking off to save him from what had to be a three or four hundred metre drop.

Crocea Mors dug into the ground as he used it to push himself up. His legs ached, the muscles in them burning. Not to mention the pain in his left arm. He could still move it, but he flinched each time he did. His shield felt heavier too. I can't take any more hits like that. Wild aggression wasn't working. It kept her from preparing, but it was too taxing. He took hits, and he could no longer afford to.

They were pushing her back, however. Slowly but surely.

On a crazy thought, Jaune sheathed his sword. It was awkward when still in shield form, but the blade fit into it nonetheless. He took the straps to the shield in both hands, bracing it before him as he rushed forward.

Cinder noticed. Engaged with Roman on one side, and just having blasted away Neo, she was still able to twist and bring a blade around towards him.

—PA61

[...]

"Quantity has a quality of its own." He was pleased to see Cinder's smile fall. He would trust them. He had to. He also had to hope that maxim applied here as well, since Cinder was stronger than any one of them. Jaune spared a glance for Neo and Roman, nodding his head to show them he'd have their backs.

For better or worse, it was time to end this.

[...]

Jaune's lungs ached. He was exhausted, his body aching for rest. To take it would mean putting Roman and Neo in a bad situation though, and with those two still pressing against Cinder, he couldn't let them down. With a frantic gasp, he charged in, swinging towards her shoulder from behind.

Cinder growled and turned, catching his blade on one of hers and pushing it down. She tried to bring the other around, but had to change her mind at the last second and block a thrust from Neo.

[...]

Neo's eyes widened, the small girl unable to halt her attack. Cinder caught it, twisting the girl to the side and punching the sword out of her hand.

[...]

Cinder summoned an inferno behind her and to the side, slinging Neo and Roman back with twin cries of pain.

[...]

"Sorry!" Jaune yelled, pushing Roman down the stairs that would take him to the lower floor. He hit Neo en route, the girl being ahead of him, and the two were sent sprawling down into safety.

—PA62

[...]

"They didn't kill me? Why didn't Cinder…?"

"Me and Neo," Roman repeated. "Would have taken them too long to get through us and they needed to escape before the Atlas ships encircled. As for Cindy? Well, she just kept screaming, a mix of pained agony and fury. Kept screaming your name too. Wouldn't stop. I don't think she was in a position to kill you."

—PA63