I hope everyone enjoys this action chapter!
Summer was looking at Mark, her fiance crouching on the floor, writhing in pain. She heard the sound of glass shattering, and yells coming from Sieg and the others. She looked up, seeing people in White Fang uniforms charging towards her. Before she could even get in a position to defend herself, she saw Mark dart from underneath her, his hand grasping the skull of one grunt, a scream of pain before being silenced by a pulse of aura from Mark's arm, exploding the head of the man he had in his hand. He turned around, his arm already covered in the whip he created from the Primordial King Taijitsu. He thrusted his hand forward, the whip's end impaling itself in the chest of another. He yanked out the whip, ripping a hole into the chest cavity of the man. Geoff was in the room in an instant, pulling on his gloves which were connected to microfilament wire hidden inside, his weapon of choice. Mark heard Geoff shout, jumping out of the way as the White Fafng below him looked up, not noticing the nearly invisible wire slice through their bodies with ease. Mark could see Geoff's pale green aura radiating through each wire, decades of practice having taught Geoff how to be extremely efficient with them.
Mark turned to see all the adults looking at them, before snapping back into reality. They could all hear more of them outside. Sieg spoke up. "Geoff, hold off the White Fang outside for as long as you can, then regroup with us in front of the estate."
Mark didn't turn as he heard his friend turn to jump out the window. "Grimm!" he shouted. Grimm jumped out of his shadow, already eager for action. "Go help Geoff, Kill all White Fang you can find." Mark commanded. Grimm soon followed after Geoff, eager to relish in the freedom to kill. Mark turned back around, facing the other adults. "The children!" Mark shouted, snapping their attention to him. "Qrow and Tai, you get Yang and Blake. We'll get the others. Meet up at the central hallway, then we'll make our way for the front door to escape." Mark commanded. Not wasting a moment, they both disappeared in the opposite direction of them. Mark, Summer, Sieg, and Sieglinde ran on the other, racing through the hallways, Mark slashing his whip at any who dared cross their path. They soon arrived at the hallway, where their children resided. Mark saw more White Fang members rush to the room Winter was staying in.
"Sieg, you go with Summer and get Ruby and Weiss, Sieglinde will get Winter while I keep them busy." Mark ordered, getting a nod for all three. Mark activated his aura and the lightning dust in his body, accelerating forward to the grunt who had just kicked in the door to Winter's room. He grabbed the skull of the unlucky grunt, crushing it against the wall as he turned, the forearm covered with his whip, scraping against another White Fang member's throat, shredding through the flesh with ease. He saw Sieglinde dart inside the room, comforting her daughter as Mark rushed at the other intruders. He slashed two others with his whip, blood gushing against his suit, painting him a dark red. He kicked a third into the air, using his whip to pull himself up to the man. after a few quick punches and kicks, the man went limp, Mark seeing a grunt escaping his sight out of the corner of his eye, pierced his whip into the man in the air with him, turning in mid-air, hurtling toward the man with the gun pointed at Sieglinde and Winter. The man at the end of his whip crashed into the skull of the man on the ground with Sielginde. She picked up the weapon from the ground, nodding to Mark her thanks before dashing to meet back up with Sieg and Summer. Mark found Ruby walking out, scared but a determined look in her eye. He noticed a grunt drop from the ceiling's shadow to his daughter. A growl erupted from his throat as he activated his aura once again, using the dust inside him to speed forward in a flash of light, his left hand clenching around the woman's skull as he slammed her head against the ground, pulsing another burst of aura through his arm, exploding the skull of the woman's head. He turned to see Ruby staring at him with scared eyes.
"We need to go." he said calmly, getting a shaky nod in return. Weiss walked out, with Sieg and Summer following quickly after, both grabbing swords from the dead men near them. Weiss jumped a little at seeing Mark covered in blood, but calmed down by her father's hand's on her shoulders. They ran towards the foyer, meeting some resistance. Mark took lead, while Summer and Sieg were at the sides, with Sieglinde at the back, shooting any stragglers. the children stayed in the center, scared of their parents, seeing them ending lives as if they meant nothing, but they mostly feared Mark. He looked as if he was drunk with bliss due to all the carnage he was causing. They arrived in the central hallway, Tai and Qrow scanning the area, waiting for anyone to pop out of the shadows while Blake and Yang were behind them.
"Anyone hurt?" Mark asked, looking over everyone. He got a collective shaking of heads. "Good, now we need to get to the foyer. From there. it should be a straight shot to the front door, then the gates. I had already called the authorities, they should be nearing there soon." Mark stated.
"We should find out what their objective is." Blake stated.
"We already know their objective, my dear." Qrow informed, looking to the Schnee family.
"Besides, everyone's safety is our top priority. We can look for info later." Mark replied. "Everyone take a breather, we'll be moving soon."
Everyone took a moment to breathe, still shaky about the whole ordeal. The adults were conversing quietly, planning on how they would move, while the children were sitting together, looking shaken up. Mark wanted to comfort them, but seeing someone covered in blood wouldn't be the best idea. He judged that it would be best to sit in silence, watching out for anyone who would approach them with ill intent. He stared across the dark hallways, such little light illuminating the spaces that it would make it difficult to see far ahead. Like faunus, Mark has the same night vision trait, but comes from the consciousness occupying his mind. The White Fang are already attacking families in their own homes, maybe Grimm was right and we should speed up the process. Mark thought to himself, not noticing the two bodies sitting down beside him.
"Mark." Ruby whispered softly, causing him to turn his head in surprise.
"Sorry, I didn't notice you." Mark smiled. "How you holding up?"
Ruby looked down, her body shaking slightly. "I'm scared. I don't want to hurt people, but they're after my friends and family. I'm just really scared. So is Weiss." Ruby stated, bringing her girlfriend into a comforting embrace.
"How about you Weiss?" Mark asked. He saw her form trembling, her face obscured by her arms, as she sniffed a few times before replying.
"It's just like when we met." Weiss shivered. "I don't want anyone to get hurt."
Mark placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to calm down to his familiar feel. "No one's going to get hurt, I won't let them hurt you." Mark smiled, easing Weiss' comforts. "We need everyone's help, the adults can take care of themselves, but we need you kids to look after each other."
"Hey, we're not kids." Weiss pouted, causing Mark to chuckle.
"You know what I mean. We can't always watch you guys, I need to know that you'd be able to take care of each other." Mark asked.
"We'll be careful, its you who should be more careful, you stray from our group sometimes." Ruby stated. "What happens if you get hurt?"
"I stray so I can take care of most people who get in our way." Mark replied.
"How do you do that?" Weiss asked.
"What?"
"End someone's life without a second thought."
Mark looked down. "I've been doing it for far longer than you two would believe. I've grown used to the feeling. I'm not happy about it usually, but I'd rather hurt someone else than let someone I care about get hurt."
Ruby and Weiss stayed quiet after a while. Mark rubbing his eye, the burning sensation deteriorated, but not gone. Summer joined them, sitting besides Mark.
"Hey, how you doing?" Summer asked to the three.
"Scared." Weiss and Ruby replied.
She looked to Mark next. He shrugged. "You know how I am in these types of situations, I do what I have to."
"Well, we're soon out of this, then we can go back to Beacon together, forgetting all this, and get our lives back to normal."
"What happens if we can't get our lives back to normal?" Ruby stated grimly. Mark flicked her forehead, causing her to yelp in response.
"Don't say depressing things like that." Mark scolded.
"Well, what happens if something happens to you?" Ruby said softly.
"Don't sulk in your sadness. I don't want you to be depressed if I leave. I want you to live your life, and move on." Mark answered. "Everyone is entitled-" Mark stated, but was cut off by Weiss.
"-to their own sorrow, and the heart has no metrics or forms of measure. And all of it,... irreplaceable." Weiss finished.
"You remember what I told you." Mark said happily.
"Well, you told me that when I first performed my song." Weiss replied. "It's somewhat hard to forget."
"What does it mean?" Ruby asked.
"Sorrow and grief is something that everyone has to go through, from the time you are born, to the time you breath your last breath. And everyone has a different way of coping with that grief. And nothing can make it disappear." Mark finished. "But sorrow is not the only thing you feel. There's other emotions; happiness, love; and I want you to live for those things. Not to mourn over my leaving. So if I die, disappear, or leave; something I would never do; I want you to live your life and not mourn over me."
"But I'll be sad if you do." Ruby replied.
"Of course you would. I'll be missed should anything ever happen to me." Mark stated, ignoring the punch Summer gave him. "But that shouldn't be something that controls your life."
"Promise me you'll never leave me, if you can help it." Ruby stated.
"I promise." Mark promised, kissing Ruby's forehead. "Well, we need to get moving." Mark announced, standing up, wincing as he grasped his side, a deep cut where he held his hand. Mark pulled his hand away, but Summer noticed.
"Why don't you heal it with your aura?" Summer asked concerned.
"I don't have much left, especially for a cut that deep. Grimm's physical form takes a lot of aura outta me." Mark answered.
"Here, let me." Summer asked, placing her hand on his side, letting her aura flow through her and into Mark. When she pulled her hand away, the cut was still there, bleeding. She looked at him confused.
"My body doesn't react the same as everyone else's. It's like when someone has O-negative blood. I can give my aura out to anyone to help them, but only my aura can be used to heal me." Mark shrugged. "Don't worry, it's not that bad, after this is all over, I can heal myself." Now come on, we have to go." Mark advised, ignoring the scared and concerned look on Summer.
Everyone else followed suit, the children moved to the center, surrounded by the adults, everyone having their weapons ready. Mark set off, searching through the darkness, watching for any movement. They could hear gunfire outside as they approached the foyer, the front door in sight. They heard sirens outside, the White Fang shooting at the police cars. They ran through the foyer, meeting little resistance, until they heard explosions going off at the front door. The door was kicked down by a man in a fire retardent bomb suit. He held a flamethrower in his arms, spraying it towards their group. Mark used the little aura he had to protect his body, dashing through the fire, appearing in the face of the man with the flame thrower. He grabbed his skull as he vaulted over him, throwing him off balance. He landed on his feet, his hands still gripping the man, as he used his momentum to throw him backwards, into a pillar. He dashed forward, crushing the bear faunus' head into the pillar, a spray of blood covering his arm. He looked back, seeing one of the pillars on fire, collapsing towards the door, where they were exiting through. Just as they passed through the entryway, the pillar came down, stopped only by Mark's right arm, holding it up. As everyone filed out, Mark saw a White Fang member grab Winter, pulling her back inside. He saw another attempt to stab Weiss as she turned back to her sister. Mark caught the sword by the blade, cutting through his skin, before he stopped it with his bone. He pulled the bald from the woman's grasp, stabbing it into her throat as he shoved Weiss backwards, yelling for Tai and Qrow to hold the pillar for him, while he went back in for Winter. She was pulled to the floor, a gun pointed at her, before a whip exploded through the man's chest cavity. Mark yanked the man backwards, falling dead to the floor. Mark picked up Winter by her arm, getting her onto her feet. They ran for the front door, the space left from the pillar lessening by the second. Mark gripped the pillar from the underneath, raising it high enough for Winter to crawl through. Just as she left under the pillar, another came down upon it, forcing Mark to release his grip should he not want to get crushed.
"Mark, you okay in there?" he heard Summer call out.
"Yeah, go ahead, I'll meet up with you." Mark called back, coughing as smoke entered his lungs as he searched for a way out. Most of the house now was on fire due to the White Fang's assault. He ran back into the house, up the stairs, going up the floors. Second, Third, Fourth floor, here we go. Mark thought as he raced down the hallway, trying to hold his breath to avoid inhaling all the smoke into his already burning lungs. He found the window he was looking for, crashing through it. He stood up, relishing in the fresh air that filled his lungs. After a few coughs, he searched around, looking for the group on the floor. He noticed a glint in his peripherals, ducking under the blade as it soared over his head. He grabbed the attacker, tossing them off of the roof. He looked around him, White Fang personnel getting up and charging towards him. He grabbed a fallen sword from the man he threw off of the roof and charged.
Summer relaxed a little when she heard Mark say that he was fine and would go look for another way out. The sensation in the back of her head told her that it won't be okay. He's hurt and can't heal himself. He's practically fighting as a person with no aura. She pushed those thoughts back down, believing he would be fine on his own. She turned back to everyone, who were looking at her.
"He'll be fine. We need to move." she advised. "Qrow, take the lead, watch for trouble."Summer commanded as they fell back into their positions, moving towards the swarm of police cars. They arrived there with little trouble, before having to duck down from incoming fire. She noticed the shooters on the roof, pointing them out to Sieglinde and the cops, who returned fire. They got a little breathing room, before they heard the gunshots aimed towards them stop. She looked up, seeing the shooters retreating on the roof. Thank god. she thought to herself as she breathed a sigh of relief. They turned their attention to the remaining forces on the ground, seeing there were a few left. Summer made out Grimm and Geoff finishing off the last of the White Fang on the ground. They made their way over to them quickly.
"Are any of you hurt?" Geoff asked.
"Just a few minor cuts and bruises." Sieg replied.
"Still, let me get that for you." Grimm asked, examining and healing whomever it was necessary for.
Afterwards, Sieg and the others spoke quickly with the police while Grimm approached Summer.
"Where's Mark?" he asked.
"He had to find another way out. If he's not with us, and he's not with you then..." she trailed off.
Grimm and Summer heard Ruby shout, waving at the roof. They turned their attention to see what she was looking at. They found Mark standing, with bloodied weapons and clothing. On the roof, overlooking them. He waved towards them.
Summer exhaled a sigh of relief as she saw him. "He's okay." she breathed out, feeling a stifling pressure be lifted from her.
Grimm looked at him, before hearing the sound of a gun cocking. He whipped his head around to the direction he heard the sound come from. A single shot rang out, a flash blinding them as they saw Mark appear in front of Ruby, a splatter of blood coating her face.
Mark waved at the group below them, smiling as he saw they were safe and Grimm was taking care of them. He turned to look for a place where he could get down at, when he heard the sound of a gun cocking. He searched quickly, spotting a sniper on a small tower across the yard. He saw the direction the sniper was aiming at, and all he though was protecting Ruby. He used the miniscule amount of aura he had left to dash towards her, getting in front of her as he heard the shot sound through the air. He felt the bullet tear into his flesh, his breath escaping his lungs as the bullet punctured his left lung as he felt it be stopped by his ribcage.
"Mark!" Ruby screamed, seeing Mark fall to a kneeling position.
He heard another cock of the gun, but didn't let the shooter rechamber the next round. He dashed forwards once again, bringing the sword he picked up from a dead White Fang member through the barrel of the gun, using the last of his aura through it, cutting through the gun, causing the shooter, a hare faunus to turn towards him. He brought down the sword once again, towards the sniper's throat, but before it reached, he heard her shoot the round she had just finished chambering towards Mark. The round shattered through the sword, cracking Mark's collarbone, and exiting through his back. The sword cracked in half, the momentum of the swing making the blade part fly into the hare faunus' throat. As Mark saw her fall downwards, gurgling on her blood, he felt himself grow weak, a coldness passing over him. He fell down the tower into the rubble below. He felt himself tumble down into the rubble, every contact his body make with the concrete made him wince in pain. He fell down into more destroyed rubble, before feeling himself hit the ground, a jolt of pain shooting through his body as he felt different body parts be punctured by the rebar inside the rubble. He opened his eyes, which felt like they were on fire, to see some rebar pierced into his right leg, some sticking out through his left side, right where his lung should be, and his left arm. He tried to stay awake for as long as possible, seeing people running towards him, before he blacked out from the pain, rubble falling on top of him.
"Mark!" Ruby screamed. Summer heard Ruby yell, blinded slightly by a flash of light, before she saw her face. She ran towards her, her face covered in blood.
"Ruby, what happened?" Summer exclaimed. "Where are you hurt?" Ruby kept on stuttering, pointing towards the direction Mark disappeared at. "Grimm!" Summer shouted, turning to call Grimm to help her, but was met with him in a kneeling position. She saw him holding his chest, covering a gunshot wound. She saw him look up to her, before hearing another gunshot, a wound appearing near his collarbone. He collapsed on the spot. He looked up, motioning for her to come closer. "I'll be right back ok Ruby." Summer comforted her daughter. "Weiss, I need you to stay with Ruby for now." Summer asked, seeing Weiss rushing over as soon as she saw Ruby.
"Summer..." Grimm croaked. "Summer, come here, I need to tell you something." Grimm called once again. She rushed over to cradle his head. "You know about Mark and how his aura can only heal him right?" Summer nodded franctically. "The girls. They have some of Mark's aura, you need to get them to try to heal him."
Summer nodded once again. "But why?"
"I'm not going to be able to help him, you need to get them heal him, or else..." Grimm left the words hang, telling the depths of the situation.
"Where's Mark?" Summer asked.
"They know." Grimm pointed out, before he gasped. She saw as Grimm trembled, holes appearing on his right leg, his arm, and the left side of his chest. "You need to hurry." Grimm spoke, before exhaling once more, his body evaporating into black rose petals.
Summer rushed back to the girls. "Ruby, Weiss, we need to go help Mark." Summer shouted, snapping the two out of their fears. "Come on, where's Mark?"
Ruby started to run towards the tower she saw Mark dash to, Weiss and Summer close behind, with the others trailing close behind them. They arrived to see crimson liquid pooling underneath the rubble. "He's here! Help me get him out." Summer shouted. Tai, Qrow, and Sieg all stepped towards the collapsed rubble, gripping it, attempting to lift it out. Summer and Sigelinde tried to help as well. The children watched in silence as they tried to lift. After a few streneous moments, they were able to get the rubble to shift, off of where Mark laid. Immediately, they were met with the sight of Mark, his body punctured by multiple pieces of rebar, while multiple gunshot wounds littered his body, the most serious ones being a hole in his chest where his collarbone was and a gunshot on his chest, wounds mirrored to Grimm's before disappearing. He wasn't moving, bleeding profusely. Mark wasn't breathing, and when Summer called his name, there was no response. Ruby fell to the ground, crying. Sieg shouted for the cops to call the paramedics, while everyone else attempted to lift Mark off the rebar.
"Okay Mark." Summer spoke softly stroking his hair. "We're going to lift you off, okay?" she comforted, rubbing her hand through his hair, not wanting to let her emotions take control of her in fear she wouldn't be able to do anything. Mark didn't respond once again, but she choked back her tears, keeping them at bay. "Okay," Summer sighed, looking how they can get him off. "His arm can be pulled off easily, but his chest and leg arm going to be difficult. How're we going to do this?" Summer asked, her voice shaking slightly.
"We can pull his arm off, then his chest. We'll move the rebar where his back is, so he can lean back slightly as we raise him off the rebar in his leg." Qrow pointed out.
"Yeah, let's do that." Summer answered. She pulled Mark's arm off the rebar, holding the bile in her mouth from coming out as she heard the sickening sounds of bone and flesh rubbing against the metal. Next, Qrow and Sieg grabbed Mark's shoulder's, pulling him off the rebar. Tai, Summer, and Sieglinde moved the concrete slab behind him, knocking it to the floor. As soon as the rebar left his chest, a gasping breath came from Mark. Summer turned to kneel by Mark.
"Hey, how you feeling?" Summer asked. Mark didn't respond, merely shaking his head to show he could hear her. "Okay, we're going to lift you off the rebar in your leg, okay" Summer spoke softly. Mark nodded at her voice, taking a shaky breath as they prepared to lift him off. As they lifted him, a cry of pain came Mark. They quickly set him down near Ruby and Weiss. "You two, you have some of Mark's aura, right?" Summer asked, getting shaky nods in return. "I need you two to try to heal Mark, you both know how to heal wounds with aura, right?" once again getting nods in response. "I need you to try to use his aura, no others will work."
"But, but-" Ruby started.
"Ruby, I need you to do this, or Mark might not survive." Summer explained.
"O-Okay, I'll try." Ruby responded.
Ruby positioned over Mark's left side, Weiss to Mark's left. They held their hands over Mark's chest, focusing Mark's aura into their hands, healing his more serious wounds. The puncture holes and gunshot wounds in his chest started to slowly heal, his breathing became slowly more relaxed. Mark opened his eyes, the pupils looking like slits. The darkness made it look like his eyes glowed, his right glowing silver, his left glowing red. His eyes darted around, looking at who was surrounding him, after Ruby and Weiss finished, trails of red and silver following where his eyes moved to and fro. He leaned up, supporting himself with his still good arm. He slumped over, Ruby and Weiss catching him. He started coughing hysterically. He pulled his hand away, blood coating it. He breathed another shaky breath, before he heard a sound of what it seemed to be a marble hit the floor. He looked over, seeing Ruby pick up what seemed to be a black orb. that fell out of one of his portals.
"What's this?" she asked as she raised it to her eye to get a closer look.
Mark promptly snatched it from her grasp. "If you want me to take this, I want to let them know everything about us." Mark said aloud, confusing everyone surrounding him.
"Mark what are you talking about?" Weiss asked.
Another sound of a marble hitting the floor, another black orb, rolling towards Mark. Mark could feel Grimm behind him, struggling to stay alive. "Two of them, and you have a deal." Grimm said cryptically.
"Mark..." Summer asked, confused and scared as to what Mark was talking about.
"Deal." Mark stated. Another portal opened, a piece of paper from it. It landed in Weiss' lap, who looked at it.
She skimmed over it, before staring at Mark and Grimm. She fished out the Grimmoire, placing the parchment on the last page. The missing page... She skimmed over it, tears filling here eyes as she looked at Mark. "No..."
"Sorry little ones." Mark apologized.
"No don't!" Weiss pleaded.
Mark didn't listen, crushing the two orbs in his palm, a wave of aura and emotions overcame the entire group. All anyone could feel was anger and arrogance to anything they could think of. After a while the shockwave and their emotions settled down,. Everyone looked around, seeing everything was still the same aside from Mark lying on the floor, his bloodied clothes still burnt and torn, but the wounds, all of them, healed. His eyelids were closed, his eyes moving erratically, as if he was having a bad dream, Weiss was the first to rush towards him, attempting to shake him awake, to no avail.
Ruby was by her in an instant. "Weiss, what's going on?"
"The book..." Weiss cried, hugging Ruby for support.
Ruby looked at Summer, motioning for her to look at the book. Summer read through the page, eyes widening at the info. Summer started to tremble at what she read.
"What is it?" Ruby asked, scared.
Summer took a calming breath, before reading. "The Primordial King is something that was believed to be a thing of myths. It has no true form, instead, taking place in the body of a host who gives itself willingly, usually the worst monster in the world. In parentheses, it says humans in Mark's handwriting. Then it goes back to some else's." Summer pointed out. "It is known to be extremely dangerous, and able to take the powers of other Primordials. Once a Primordial is killed, the king is able to take its power through the eye which contains all the Primordial once was, the strengths, aura, emotions said Primordial exhibits, but must see what the Primordial had done up until its death. Crushing the eye, a black orb, gives all these to the king, but falls under a sleep until an unknown amount of time." Summer finished. "There's more in here, but the black orbs, you don't think that's what Mark crushed, do you?" Summer asked.
"I think it was. Grimm asked Mark to use them, but Mark wanted us to know what would happen should he, and now, he's like this." Weiss explained shakily.
They heard the paramedics arriving soon. Summer turned to Sieg. "Explain what happened here, vaguely, and ask them to do a quick check up to see how his health is." Summer asked, getting a nod in return. She returned her attention to Mark, who was shivering now. She sat down, pulling Mark's head onto her lap. His skin felt deathly cold. If it wasn't for his body trembling, his chest rising and falling with each breath, and the erratic movement of his eyelids, she would've though he was dead. "You'll be fine Mark. I know it." Summer said more to herself than anything else. She cradled his head, waiting for the paramedics to arrive.
End sequence. Well that was fun. Also if any of you were wondering, Geoff does fight like Walter in Hellsing Ultimate, a great anime. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, finally got away from all the fluffy stuff, even if it was for a bit. Any feedback for this chapter would be appreciated. Until next time.