RWBY is own by Rooster Teeth
AN: So… I wrote the whole chapter… but it turned into an over 10k type of chapter. So my non official beta (Need an official by the way… again.) suggested to only post a 1/3 of the chapter by day so the horror of chapter 5 never happens again.
Believe me it pains me to, especially since I turned Weiss in a badass in what it will be part 34B, but we will have to wait until tomorrow.
In another subject: I would like to thank every one that kept following me this long and having patience with me now that i reached the 50 favs.
Please review.
Chapter 34A
Please read the author note above.
Earth… you can walk on it, build on it, plant on it. But did you know you could literally taste it… no?
In fact people can taste earth, although it is usually because someone says something stupid like 'I am going to make taste earth, punk!'. The only reason this is being point out is because no sane person would voluntary eat earth unless they are obligated to.
Not even Zelos Wilder, A red head that was starting to regain consciousness and noticed how dry and full his mouth was.
'Hmm…' thought Zelos lowly as he started to open his eyes slowly. His blurred vision only recognized a tone brown in front of him as he tried to move his body, key word tried.
'Uh!?'
His recent thought was a little more alarmed as he tried to look to his side but could not even more his head. It was then in that moment he realized he had something on his mouth. It was soft, but dry at the same time. it really didn't taste to anything, but still made him want to say the phrase ' it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.'.
He started to struggle, the forced his head to move erratically as he noticed small pieces of something falling in front of him. That was when he figured it out. The small pieces that fell in front of him were pieces of earth, which meant. 'I am buried!' thought Zelos as the earth around him started to vibrate.
And just before he could ask what was going on, he was pulled out of the earth as if the gravity itself was making him a favor.
The first thing he did once he was on the earth was fall on his knees as he cough off the earth on his mouth while the earth around him vibrated even more.
"I think it is time you and I make acquaintance with each other. "
'Huh.' Thought the red head as he tried to get over the fact of how dry his mouth was. He raised his head and saw that he was in a plain area with brown earth with some destroyed terrain, as if something big was moving under it.
"… Oh no." said Zelos having a more clear idea of where he was.
"Oh Yes." Said a calm voice as Zelos moved his head to seethe earth in a direction being lifted, as it got closer to him.
"I personally would have liked us to meet in a different circumstance, but the time calls for it."
Zelos hearth the voice once again as the earth around him started to get lift as well, making Zelos cover his eyes.
"What the hell do you really want Gnome!?"
Everything stopped in that instance. The red head looked confused and turned around looking in every direction, only to notice how he was being overshadow by something big, really big.
"Even if you know my name, allow me to present myself."
The red head swallowed nervously, even if his mouth was dry.
"I am the Servant Of Mother Earth, Gnome."
Zelos only looked blankly at the giant snake made of earth that looked directly at him.
"Now that our introductions have been made. We need to act fast, as of right now in this very moment Shadow has taken over the body of the son of Zu."
Zelos eyes widened completely as all nervousness disappeared. "That is impossible! That should not be able to happen as long Drake has-!"
The memory of Mithos cutting Drake's arm flashed in front of him. "Ring on… damn it!" shouted Zelos as he focused on the giant snake.
"Get me out of your realm! Now!"
The snake got closer. "You are in no position of making demands, Son of Yuan."
His eyes faltered for a second at what he said, but quickly shook the thought away.
"Oh and pray and tell you giant piece of dirt, Why can't I!?"
The snake started to surround him. "You will not be able to stand against him. Not only because the thought of fighting and damaging the body of your friend will trouble you, but because you simply will not be able to win against him."
Zelos growled. "Then why do you suggest me to do!?"
"Make a pact with me and let me fight instead."
Zelos laughed sarcastically. "You expect me to trust you!"
He pointed accusingly at the spirit. "You were one of Shadow's right hands 4000 years ago!"
The head of the giant snake got closer to Mithos, like 5-millimeter type of close.
"You are the last person that has the right to judge me!"
The voice of the spirit was no longer calm. "You, who has been acting behind the backs of your closest ally! How you got mad at Mithos the moment het cut off Drake Aurion's arm is beyond me."
Zelos's semblance activated in that moment. "And what do you know about that!" shouted the angry noble as he threw a punch to the giant snakehead to destroy it instantly. "Every move I have done since I found out about the twisted game played here was for the good of all of us."
Zelos was overshadowed again as he turned around to see another giant snake behind him. "I have notice. I know your plan Zelos, I have been watching for some time and I can tell you that Drake will end of hating you if you fail."
Zelos's flow of aura slowed down as he heard that. "That is I risk I have to take. I… We cannot let that goddamn prophecy to become a reality."
The spirit chuckled. "That was not a prophecy. That was an angry spirit not accepting something as darkness to exist, and said darkness simply feeding of the chaos and destruction."
The giant snakehead came closer to Zelos one more time. "I was in favor of peace. As it was the rest of us… but those two… just would not accept each other. The level of chaos and misery is not something I want to repeat… I will aid you."
"Huh?"
"If you are really sure your plan will work, then I will aid you. But we must first need to put that ring in its place before Shadow grows accustomed to Drake's body."
Zelos narrowed his eyes and the words the spirit was saying.
"I am the only chance you have Zelos. Not only the life of your friend is in danger, but also that red hooded girl by the more time passes."
Zelos froze. For some reason he knew something was terribly wrong, if Gnome did not mention Weiss at all.
"What happened?" asked Zelos as he noticed that the giant head was starting to crack.
"There is not time to explain!"
The Snakehead started to leak light through the cracks of the head. "We need to make a pact now!" said the spirit as an explosion of light took place, forcing Zelos to cover his eyes slightly as he noticed an small figure coming from the center of the explosion.
The light disappeared. Only leaving the Noble and the true form of the spirit, which made Zelos, give a sly smile. He knew the time was not the best, but he had to do it.
"Oooh, aren't you adorable."
The earth below him trembled. "In the words of you humans. Bite me."
LINEBREAK
"We need to help them." Muttered a weak Ruby as she saw what was happening in front of her, not noticing that Zelos's keychain was glowing slightly from afar while Weiss stood next to her with her healed shoulder thanks to the Azure aura that surrounded Ruby.
"You are in no condition to fight at all. Besides," said Weiss as she also looked at was happening in front of her, only to see a pair of blondes fighting at each other. "Which one do we help?"
If they wanted to measure how weird was this situation in a scale from 1 to 10. This was 20 in the weird meter.
They still could not fully understand the new turns of events. The only sure thing was that Drake was being possessed. At least that was Ruby's conclusion; Weiss's took a more logical approach, which concluded in thinking that Drake suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder, something that could be very believable considering his attitude during and between their first and second semester. But there was still something that bothered her deeply.
'Envoy Of The Dark Abyss… I just cannot take off my mind the way Hubert and Asbel said it. There something definitely wrong here.'
"Mithos."
Weiss eyes focused once more on Ruby. The azure aura around her and Crescent Rose had grown greatly, even so that it looked like it was unstable. But what worried her the most was the veins that started on the back of her palm, because now they extending through her whole body and looked paler and tired the more time passed.
Weiss did not waste a second after Mithos started to engage 'Drake' in telling her to take the Exsphere off. But she could not since she would turn into something as bad, if not worst than the Grimm. There was also the fact in the back of her mind that how could Drake could obtain and want to use something so dangerous.
She shook her head. Now it was the time to worry about her leader and friend.
"We need to help Mithos."
Weiss snorted, even thought it was not the moment. "Are you serious? Even if Drake has go… mental, it does not mean we ne-"
"He saved me." Said Ruby cutting her off as she recalled what happened before, making Weiss froze her current thought.
"Even so, he is the guy that took all of us without problem. He should be able to-"
"No he will not."
Weiss mentally twitched. Interrupting her was something she did sometimes, her leader really needed to learn how to wait so she could have the word.
"And please enlighten me why the person that wounded both of our shoulders, cut off Drake's arm, and knocked out Zelos would need help."
Ruby's frown deepened. "Because I can assure you he is holding back. And for a good reason."
Weiss raised an eyebrow as she waited for her to continue, only to hear nothing back.
'Way to build the suspense Ruby.' Thought Weiss as she prepared to ask her what was the supposed good reason. But just when she was about to ask, a roar interrupted her thoughts.
LINEBREAK
"You have gotten sloppy, Hero!" shouted Shadow as he made an horizontal slash that Mithos blocked with of his aura enhanced hands.
*CLANK*
"Or is it perhaps you don't want to wound Drake's body more than you already did!"
Mithos only growled as he caught the blade with a free hand to pull it to him with the intent of hitting Drake's face. Unfortunately Mithos had seen through and bent his head back with his body following him so he could give a spin kick that forced to let go of Yin and give a step back.
"Speaking of which! I never did actually thank you for cutting his arm. Although you really look what you do; a couple more of minutes and we would have a problem with that much loss of blood."
"Stop speaking as if you cared for his well being!"
The eyes of the leader of Cruxis became slit as his whole body was surrounded by his aura while he charged.
"I think you are a little too late for giving me that advice Hero."
Shadow evaded, parried and blocked every punch and kick that Mithos threw at him while he tried to give some of his own attacks in return.
"Contrary to yourself I did keep an eye on him through the years. That is why I can truly say you already lost him!" shouted Shadow as he realized a Marian that Mithos punched with a Beast as the eyes of the Spirit narrowed.
"He still has not drowned completely into the darkness! Nor has he done something that would seed chaos!"
Shadow smirked. "Didn't he blow a building in the center of the city a couple of months back?"
Mithos twitched his eye at the comment as he started to send all of his attack with a Beast on them, forcing Shadow to do another Marian and not release the dark purple energy of the arte like Drake would to block and counter strong attacks.
"Perhaps you are right about he not being drown in the darkness. But he is a seeker of it."
The change of strikes of slashed and strikes continued along the constant roar of Mithos's Beast.
"Drake was able to perceive the bad intent on people's heath since the beginning and seek that darkness, just like he did many years ago with Guy Gailardia with his wish of revenge by killing Luke Fon Fabre!"
The comment made Mithos angrier as he rushed to do a double punch that Shadow avoided by spinning his body, making Mithos be open for an attack from the side, like a Raging Blast.
The spirit in possession on of Drake's body quickly moved his left hand to grab the head of the other blonde as it was surrounded by a red energy that that then changed to a darker tone.
"Not only that."
The arte exploded.
"Through the years little by little he started to enjoy deep down hurting whoever got in his way of his friends."
"That only makes him a sadist." Said Mithos in a low voice as his hand came out of the smoke created by the Raging Blast to deliver an strong Palm Strike that Shadow blocked with Drake's left arm to then be pushed back.
"Fair enough. What do you tell me about his relationship with that black haired amber eyed witch." Said Shadow as a smirk adorned Drake's face as the smoke cleared to show Mithos's face was without a scratch and a shocked expression on his face.
"…What?"
Shadow stabbed Yin on the floor as his smirk remained. "I am honestly surprised as well seeing that I thought you would take care of her the day he stalked the bimbo to see Drake."
Mithos snarled at the comment.
"Did you know he openly admitted being calm and it peace when she is nearby. And seeing how dark her aura is, you can add a plus to the dark side." Said Shadow before his smirk faded. "Although I will make this clear. I don't like her intentions one bit. Neither Drake nor me will be pawns in whatever the hell she has planned. That, I swear."
Mithos snorted as his hair started to move slightly as a white glyph formed around him as Drake's face gave a grin. "That is something hypocrite coming from you."
"OhOhOh! You are taking the big guns. Aren't you worried to kill Drake with that. Don't forget that one is light based, and a very dangerous one."
To his surprise, Mithos gave a grin of his own. "I am sure Drake would prefer a great amount of pain instead of being controlled by a spirit. Besides, I am already number one in his shit list. So I am not really worry of getting more in his bad side."
The Drake's face was serious before he shrugged his shoulders as a purple glyph appeared around him and quickly change to black. "Like father like son I suppose." Shadow spread his arms. "Come one then! Try to kill who is probably the last living blood relative you have left!"
LINEBREAK
Weiss eyes widened as she heard those words. '…And I thought I had problems with my family.'
"There is the reason." Said Ruby as she tried to put the scope of Crescent Rose in front of them. "Although I am not longer sure, if Mithos will hold back." Said Ruby taking in count Mithos declaration.
"Are you even sure of what you are about to do?"
Weiss voice reached Ruby's ear as she felt the weight of her weapon lessened a little. "With this much power I am sure one of your bullets will either kill or cripple one of them."
'Although I am not longer sure about it after what has happened.' Thought Weiss as she helped Ruby take aim.
"Who are we shooting?" asked the heiress not wanting to take risk with any of them, especially Drake… or whatever the heck Mithos called Shadow.
"I… was actually thinking in giving a warning shot."
Even, if it was not the moment. Weiss twitched. "This is not the time for that kind of thinking. You have seen what Drake can do with that lighting arte! We do not know if the arte those two will do is as, if not more dangerous. Besides, we are here! The blast of them surely will fill all this closed space."
'Not to mention that I don't think an ice barrier will guard us. Even with the energy I am receiving from Ruby thanks to the Exsphere, I am not sure if it is going to be strong enough.' Thought Weiss not daring to see Ruby's face. Especially when she asked something next.
"Who should we shoot then?"
The heiress could notice the little tremble in Ruby's voice. Something, which made her hesitate the name of the target. But then she remembered Ruby's condition was getting worse and worse. And by the looks of it, only Mithos could help.
'I am sorry.' Thought Weiss as she moved Crescent Rose to Drake's side. 'My leader comes first.'
Weiss revolve was set. But Ruby was still hesitant about it. She only wished Mithos had a way of really helping Drake after this, while also hoping not to permanently cripple him.
That is why she changed the aim down to shoot at the lower part of his body.
"Can you make the shot?"
She didn't even dare to answer. All she did hold her breath to keep the scope steady as possible the moment she put her finger near the trigger.
'I am sor-'
Ruby's thought and finger stopped instantly the moment she noticed a glyph of an brownish orange color appear to Drake's right.
"Uh?" asked both themed colored girls as a fist made of earth appeared and punched Drake away, only to then be intercepted by another fist of earth that sent him up and by intercepted again and again until fist appeared in all directions and made direct hit with Drake.
The fist of earth soon started to morph together in a sphere that was surrounded by glyph of the same color as before.
Both girls stared in more confusion as they heard something coming Mithos side.
"Oh damn it!"
Both girls stared at Mithos, who was in the ground covering his face.
"You broke my nose!"
And Zelos, who had his fist extended with his semblance totally activated.
"I waited 4000 years for that. Totally worth it."
"Oh for fucks sake. Is every single one of you going to punch me in the face whenever you see me?" Asked Mithos as he stood up and put his nose back in place.
"That is the only the less we have the right to do after what you did many years ago, Hero."
Mithos scowled. "Do not call me that." Said the blonde as he looked at the sphere made of earth. "How long is it last?"
"20 minutes top if we are lucky." Said 'Zelos' as he looked at Mithos. "We need to find the ring and fast."
The orange head then turned around ready to start searching said ring, only to stop as he saw a two pair of eyes looking at him. Although one pair was accompanied by a by dropped jaw and a pointy finger.
"Ears, ears, ears, ears." Repeated Weiss over and over again pointing at Zelos's Faunus ears.
"Looks like crashed." The red head blinked several time before moving his eyes up. "That is the best you could come with, Zelos?"
Ruby's eyes widened as she heard the extra tone in his voice and at looked at his eyes. The usual orange was accompanied by a slight tone of brown with what it looked was particles of earth dust inside of it and a slit that was of brown color, similar to how Drake's changed to a darker tone of black.
"…Who are you?" asked Ruby as she aimed her weapon at Zelos while Weiss still tried to recover from the shock of Zelos's secret.
"So you noticed…my apologies. I am the Servant Of Mother Earth, Gnome."
Both tensed. Was this case similar to what happened with Drake?
"Don't bother. He is not a threat… for now." Said Mithos in the distance as he tried to find the ring. "Why the hell did it have to be white?" asked Mithos, although the right question should have been why did he choose white as the decoration for the room.
"You quiet!" shouted Weiss as she recovered from her trance and then looked at Gnome. "So the reason Zelos is… a Faunus right now is because of you?" asked the heiress as Ruby decided to speak for the spirit.
"Well… nooooo, that's his semblance."
"And how could you possibly know that!?"
"Because you were unconscious when Zelos used it. Besides, does it really change anything between the two of you?" Said Gnome looking for the ring away from the girls.
"If by anything you mean a total bitch to him all the time."
"Have you been spying on us?" asked the heiress as she looked at Mithos.
"So you do admit being a bitch to him."
Weiss face became red at the comment.
"Weiss is not bad. She just has problems expressing her feelings." Said Ruby trying to find the strength to stand.
"First, that only applied to red heads. Believe me, I know. Second, do not move. At this state even the slightest waste of energy will cost you a lot and accelerate the deterioration process."
All humor faded away.
"You… nev-never tol-d me h-ow you we-re go-ing t-o he-lp me."
Ruby fell on the floor as soon as she ended that sentence while Weiss reached to help her as she called her name.
"The painless alternative, we need to get Flynn Scifo here. he will be able to help her."
Weiss narrowed her eyes. "And the other one?"
"I cannot tell… and I cannot find the fucking ring." Said Mithos rubbing the spot between his eyes before glaring at Weiss. "Instead of being questioning me and wasting your time, you should be helping us."
Weiss only gritted her teeth as she then looked at Ruby to see that the veins were already on her neck. "Wait here." replied the heiress as she helped Ruby sit once again against the wall.
"Wh- i- ri-g s- imp-nt?" asked Ruby trying her best to talk while Weiss clenched her fist.
"Take it like this, the ring works as a repel for Shadow. Unfortunately, various circumstances, it also blocks Drake's semblance."
Weiss narrowed her eyes. 'So that is why he did not use his semblance tonight or during his fight with Asbel. Got to admit, to be able to fight Asbel's semblance without his own is amazing.'
"Just how much have you been spying in Drake and the others?" asked Gnome eyeing the leader of Cruxis carefully as he saw an small smile.
"Don't do stupid questions. You better than anyone should know the answer." Said Mithos as they continued searching for Drake's ring.
LINEBREAK
"Why did you have to model all this room with white?"
The former Hero twitched at the comment. "If you have to time to ask you have time to search, so shut up and do that." Said Mithos as he looked all the destruction in the room as they kept searching silently, until Weiss decided to speak without looking at anyone.
"Was it true? Everything you told Drake I mean."
Mithos didn't waste a second in speaking.
"Yup. Every word." Replied Mithos as Weiss turned around to look at him.
"Then answer me this. Why didn't you simply approach to him when you found him."
To her surprise, it was Gnome who answered, or rather snorted.
"What!?" asked the heiress as she looked at Zelos's body.
"What exactly do you think Drake would tell Hero, if that scenario did happen? Also, have in mind that period of time was when Lloyd already died."
Weiss stopped for a second. Judging by the way Drake behaved in different types of situation, she could tell things would have ended-
"Bad. Really, really bad." Said Mithos as he continued looking. "That is why I decided to take a different approach to get close to him."
The heiress gave him a blank face. "You say that like if this approach had turned out so well."
"I wasn't talking about this event tonight."
The heiress was about to ask what did he meant by that. But someone else beat her in questioning.
"Wh- do y- ca- hi- he-ro?"
Mithos froze at the question. He knew it was not directed to him, but rather to Gnome.
"Why? Because you could say he was in your shoes before. Someone who wanted to slay evil and the corruption of this world."
Ruby's silver eyes opened slightly as she looked at the blonde.
"Then what happened? Because I am sure one doesn't change from that to… this." Asked Weiss deciding to do what she thought it was going to be Ruby's next question.
"I suggest you to shut up before you get in my bad side Gnome."
Weiss didn't show it. But she felt a chill run through her back the moment she heard Mithos's voice cold. It was different, that was certain; and the look of his cold turned eyes didn't help either. Too bad someone decided to push further.
"Or what? Will you lock me again?" asked Gnome, as he looked straight at Mithos with narrowed eyes.
"If you don't shut up, I will. And I promise you that I will make sure nobody ever finds your cell." Said Mithos almost snarling as he saw Zelos's body chuckling.
"Nobody?" asked Gnome with a chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head before he took Ether's hilt and started walking to Mithos while he walked about the shadows of the debris. "We are nobody thanks to you! We used to be respected, prayed to. And all that ended becau-"
His sentence didn't end because he was suddenly hit by something, and even less because he found the ring by accident. But because he tripped, something that gave both girls a sense of déjà vu. There was a good reason for that feeling, because they have seen it happen quite sometimes to one person named Cardin Winchester or Mercury Black, and all those times, it was because Drake had been using his semblance to do it. "Oh no."
AN: I wont be putting the arte list here, but in the final part. Please review.