"…I have no idea."
"Me neither." Replied the spirit as both he and Mithos looked with narrowed eyes, as Shadow could not keep it calm.
"I said make it stop!"
"Drake!?" exclaimed Weiss as she heard the voice of the blonde before a dark energy erupted from him creating an small storm of darkness.
"MAKE IT STOP!"
Mithos covered his eyes slowly as he eyes his relative to see that his eyes were changing in between his and Shadow's.
"This is out chance."
"But we still have not found the ring!"
Weiss was right and he knew it. But something about the red moon kept giving Mithos a bad vibe.
"We have n-"
A high caliber bullet that destroyed the part of the floor he was standing on stopped his sentence.
"Ruby!?"
Weiss instantly turned around to see that her leader was not in the place Gnome had formerly placed her.
"She found the ring!"
Weiss's eyes widened as she looked at the direction Mithos was looking.
Her leader was currently using one of the many debris in the room to find the strength the to shoot. In her hand was the ring and next to her Drake's scarf.
But that was not what Weiss was currently focusing on. But in her partner; she did not looked pales than her, but the veins were already on her cheeks.
She could not waste any more time.
"I am going to get it!"
"Schnee wait!"
Weiss ignored Mithos's shout as she run to her leader. She was tired and out of aura. That is why once she got the ring and ended with the current predicament.
"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT!"
Weiss didn't see it. But Shadow had realized a massive black Azure Edge that was intercepted by Gnome.
"Keep going!" Gnome raised Zelos shield and was pushed back a little as the shield absorbed the arte.
"You shouldn't have moved you dunce!"
Even if Weiss was clearly scolding her, Ruby could not help but smile as she some her partner smiling as well.
"Do not move now. We have this."
Weiss twitched. Because even if Ruby could not talk, Weiss managed to make out by the move of her lips the words 'Do you?'
"Of course I-!"
Ruby's eyes widened in horror after she saw a black version of Myrtenaster going through Weiss's chest.
"I got her!" shouted Mithos as he caught Weiss before her body hit the ground.
Ruby looked at him with pleading eyes while he made the purple sword disappear to then put his right hand on her face so her body would turn in scale of gray.
"I froze her body in time." replied Mithos calmly as she put her body next to Ruby, who try to touch her.
"Don't." said Mithos in a hard tone as he took the ring. "Remember you can pass energy as long you have the Exsphere. I think I don't need to tell what will happen, if you touch here, do I?"
Ruby frowned as she retracted her hand while Mithos stood next to Gnome and tossed him the ring while they saw the storm of darkness with a blonde that was not only in pain thanks to the mysteriously new red moon, but also a blonde that was finally looking for control.
"What about the moon?"
The spirit waited for an answer as Zelos's wings started to levitate him. "We will figure out what to do about that later. We need to take care of Shadow first." Replied the blonde as his aura around his body started to rise.
"One last question?"
"?"
"How exactly are we going to put the ring on his finger with all that struggle?"
Mithos didn't look at the spirit as he answered. "We aren't."
The spirit of earth looked how Mithos started to run. "I am so getting on his shit list after this."
Mithos ran through the chaos that was dubbed by himself as Shadow's tantrum. He ran and evaded all the sneaky attacks coming from the shadows of the various debris and artes that Shadow managed to do while Gnome did the same while flying around it.
"EVERYTHING WAS GOING SO SMOOTHLY!"
A giant hand made of darkness appeared behind him and headed in Gnome's ways.
"Mayday! we have a problem!"
Mithos growled. "Servant, this is control, I am not having it easy either, Over!" shouted Mithos as he evaded various Demon Fangs and Azure Edges enhanced with darkness.
"Mine problem is bigger, literally!"
The spirit of earth motioned his hand to make a glyph release a punch of earth that was easily overpowered.
"He is stronger here. It is like his realm!"
"Then do a barrel roll!"
"How the hell is that su- damn it!"
The Servant of Mother Earth flew close to the side of the arm, only for his eyes to widen as he saw an extra hand coming out of the side of the arm, which forced him to fly up as he was followed by the second arm as he did a 360 roll to get past the arm while hand followed him.
'I cannot believe that worked!' thought Gnome as he descended to fly low while flew a little ahead above Mithos.
"You do know there is a giant hand following you right!?"
"You don't say!" shouted Gnome as Mithos jumped and turned around to give a Beast and destroy the hand while Gnome moved his head to look behind. "GO!"
Gnome nodded as he speeded forward and moved to the side and down to avoid a set of attacks before he clashed with Shadow and grabbed Drake's jacket and took him for a fly.
"LET ME GO!"
Shadow moved his free hand and grabbed Zelos's face. "RAGING BLAST!"
Both bodies fell and crashed on the ground. It looked like the connection between Zelos and Gnome was also cut because said red head was unconscious.
"WHY DOES NOT STOP!?"
The spirit of darkness struggled to stand up, the pain he was feeling through Drake's whole body. He was not the one feeling pain. It was Drake who was.
It felt like if there was a sudden connection between him and the moon.
'MOON…LUNA!' thought Shadow as he turned to look at the moon.
"ABYSSION! EVEN IN DEATH YOU HAUNT US!"
"That is a really nice tip bit of information. Thank you, Shadow."
The eyes of the blonde widened as he turned around, only to receive a hand go in his chest, along with a familiar burning sensation inside of him. Something that could only be caused by the ring.
"When?!" asked Shadow as he started to feel his power fade. He knew Gnome was the one that had the ring.
"Right after I stayed behind, Gnome here let the ring fall. Now, if you excuse me, I need to make a call." Said Mithos as a screen appeared next to him while he sensed Shadow's essence fading from Drake's eyes accompanied by a cough filled with blood.
"You are mistaken if you think I am going to let this go." Said Shadow as the piece of armor on the hand that he reattached faded along with the dark energy that surrounded it, only so then said arm fell on the floor.
Mithos ignored him as he gave Rodyle the order to end things from his side while all essence of Shadow was gone.
"Get the fuck away from me."
Mithos blinked as he looked at Drake's eyes. Those were his eyes.
"I know you hate me." Said Mithos as more blood started to come out of his mouth. "But you have to believe me when I say that neither me nor my men killed Lloyd."
Drake narrowed his eyes. "There is someone, something out there that hates your father and you to a degree. It was him, who sent the Sword Dancer after you in ."
Drake started to fight not to pass out, and the fact that there was a hand inside his chest was not making things any easier.
"Tell you what? Why don't I give you sometime? But let me tell you one little piece of advice, because if you think Rem won't make her threat worth it, then you are terribly wrong. Come and find me when you see it with your own eyes, perhaps then we can finally have a drink." Said Mithos as he saw Drake finally losing consciences before getting close to his ear to whisper him something while Ruby, who had been watching something with a terrified expression, started to lose consciousness as the moon started to return to its usual color.
"Help them… help th-… plea- he- em"
Her eyes opened slowly as a memory weak voice that sounded on her head started fade. Her head felt like it could explode at an second and her vision was blurry.
She honestly haven't felt so bad since the beat her own record of eating cookies in less than a minute. Although it was obvious to assume this was far worse.
Ruby Rose raised her head slowly to see she was still in the same destroyed room as before. But with the exception there were only two persons in there talking from afar.
"Weiss." Said Ruby before her eyes widened. She could talk again.
The young leader ignored the shouts of her partner as she checked her body, or to be more specific the back of her hand. The Exsphere was gone, along with all the side effect, including the veins that were running all over Ruby's body.
"Are you? Is there any pain? Nausea? Are you blind?"
Weiss questions were cut short the moment Ruby embraced her. The memory of her own shadow stabbing her played on her mind instantly.
"I really hate being the bad guy and stop the sweet moment. But we are not done talking yet."
Ruby's eyes narrowed a little the moment she heard Mithos's voice.
"Where are Drake and Zelos?"
Mithos face remained blank.
"You are in no position to do questions Ruby Rose. Now hear me out." Said Mithos as Ruby eyed to her sides to see that Crescent Rose was at her reach.
"Seeing that killing you will probably put me in Drake's bad side more than I already am. I decided to let you leave, with some warnings."
He raised a finger. "Don't not tell that manipulative SOB you call headmaster anything that happened tonight. I will not kill you for it, but I can assure you will be the ones in Drake's shit list and make him leave the academy for good."
There was no way said blonde will stay close to a manipulative person that knew Drake's secrets.
Mithos raised a second finger. "I already told Weiss's second condition. And third and the one you really take into consideration!"
The Noble raised a third finger. "There are things that are better felt without understanding. And by that I mean; stay away from everything Drake, Zelos and the others are doing."
"And why would we do that?"
Mithos sighed. "I could say it is because I don't want you to be killed thanks by your own stupidity. The truth is because you will be an annoyance to Drake."
Ruby could not give him a more serious glare if she could. "Whatever it is going on, we will help him. Also, don't speak of him like if you know him."
The blonde snorted. "Girl, just focus in your white fang conspiracy would you. This is something of another league. Also, I do know Drake, for more time than you so be quiet."
"And that is why you ran your hand in his chest and cut his arm?"
Mithos actually winced at the comment. "Putting the damn ring around a finger would have been hard." Replied the blonde simply as Weiss narrowed her and eyes and decided to give a step forward.
"You never answered my question? Where are Drake and Zelos?"
"I told you not to worry about it." Mithos said as he took out a familiar transparent crystal out of his pocket, one that both girls recognized.
'He is going to send us back!' thought Weiss. She didn't want to leave Drake and Zelos alone with him of all people.
"We will not leave without them!"
Mithos only stared as she pulled pointed Crescent Rose at him. "You wanted to approach him! But look at all the mess and pain your plan caused!"
"He was getting to close to us. I needed to make things clear the moment they decided to come here."
"But you still harmed him! Your own family!"
The blonde snorted. "That is the less of the bad things this family has done to each other. I mean, his father tried to kill me when he knew who I was."
That did not help his case in front of the young leader. "It is because he acts like his father that I know this was the right course of action."
"How can you say that!?" asked Ruby as he crushed the crystal on his hand before throwing it at them.
"Because, I am his uncle." Said Mithos with closed eyes and a kind smile as both girls started to disappear while Ruby charged at him.
"NO!"
The blonde sighed as they disappeared. "I just hope this night does not get worse."
The blonde face palmed. Because right when he finished saying that, a crimson and black portal appeared in front of him.
"Now wh… fuck."
Out of the portal came our three people. One was a woman wearing a Grimm mask, and the other two were persons he recognized way well.
But if he had to say the truth, he would admit he was afraid of the man with red hair and eyes and sword.
"…I can explain?" said Mithos unsure, because there was not anyone that was a scary as an angry father.
Especially if the name of said father was Kratos Aurion.
"That's what happened."
Yang and Blake listed carefully to everything that came out of Weiss's and Ruby's back on their dorm.
What they heard only answered few answers, but let many questions.
Like what exactly were the Exspheres? What or who were those things that took over Drake's and Zelos's body? What was that purple sword? What was the curse on Drake's back? What were the Sword Dancers and who exactly to send it to kill Drake when he was so young? Was Mithos really over 4000 years old? Why did Kratos kill his own wife? What was an IT? Who was the witch that followed Yang that day? Among many others.
But the thing that worried everyone the most was Drake's outburst.
"I suppose even he could not keep control. I mean; finding out that the attack on his family manor was nothing than a carelessness of their leader must have made him mad."
Blake's words were said as she herself remembered the time Zelos said Drake and her were not the same in letting events of the past affect his judgment. But even Drake had a limit. Not to mention that his rage was not brought for a foolish reason.
"I shouldn't be angry at him. Hell, I would have gladly help him break that guys face." said Yang with clear anger accompanied with a pair of red eyes. "But why the hell does he have so little self preservation!"
That was only a plus for her anger. She had not forgotten about Ruby's life being in danger thanks to the Exsphere. She was seriously going to have a talk with him.
"We need to tell Ozpin."
"And risk what Mithos said to be truth. Not to mention you know Drake's animosity towards Ozpin."
Ruby clenched her fist. Weiss was right, but there had to be something they could do.
"There still something we don't know."
Blake's yellow eyes looked at Weiss. "What was the second condition?"
Weiss sighed as she took out a familiar black box from her pocket.
"Is that-?"
Weiss nodded at Ruby's words as she opened the box.
"Why did he give you the Exsphere?"
Yang's eyes narrowed as she looked at the little blue sphere.
"He did not want to risk Ozpin getting his hands on it."
The brawler reached for it. "Lets destroy it."
Panic came over Weiss. "Don't!"
The heiress quickly tried took the Exsphere out of her teammate.
"You know what this thing can do! Did he threaten you!?" shouted Yang with the blue orb still in her hand.
"It is not Mithos I am afraid of!"
"Then who!?"
"Me? Believe me, I am the least of your worries." said Mithos as he handed the box to an hesitant Weiss.
"Lets just say that good old Kratos would pass judgment on you."
Yang instantly became a little pale as she gave the sphere to Weiss as her eyes changed to her normal lilac.
"Now you see why I need to take care of this!" shouted Weiss as she put the orb back in its box while Blake returned back to topic.
"What do we do then?"
Ruby frowned deeper. They had already tried to call Zelos and the other since Mithos destroyed Drake's scroll. But none of them answered.
That was another problem, one that troubled Blake deeply.
According to what she heard, Flynn was shot. But if Ruby and Weiss didn't change some parts of the story, judging by what she heard, Flynn could have possibly being shot by a certain third party.
'Please, please…' thought Blake as she prayed to whatever entity was up there to be wrong in what she was thinking.
Because if she was right, then there was not doubt there would be blood for sure.
Green eyes opened slowly. His head hurt, his chest hurt, damn it everything hurt.
"I see you are finally awake."
His vision was blurred. But he could distinguish a man wearing white with brown hair in front of him. "Try not to move much. You have been in bed for a very long time."
The blonde tensed as he heard those words as his vision became clear enough so he could read the name of the card of what he thought was a doctor.
'Jones.'
"This will be hard to hear. But please be calm… you have been here for 2 years."
The eyes of the blonde widened significantly. 'two years!?' thought the blonde as panic started to invade him… at least that was until he heard a familiar laugh… that was then followed by the doctor in front of him.
"Dude… you should have seen your face."
Drake twitched the moment he heard Zelos's voice on the other side of the room.
"I am so glad I agreed to this. Totally worth it." Said Dr. Jones while the blonde tried to ignore them as the red head entered the room.
He quickly concentrated his attention in himself… and the memories of what happened recently.
He looked to his side to see that his arm was there, but totally bandaged. His buttoned shirt was unbuttoned while various things were connected to his chest, but there was something that caught his attention.
"The ring is inside you. The General thought it would be a better idea to let it there."
The blonde nodded his head and looked at the red head, who just happened to have his scarf and weapon.
"I suggest you not to force that arm. All of the nerves are weak and might not respond to you for a while."
The noble nodded once more as he looked at Zelos. He wanted to ask what exactly happened last night since there was a gap that he could not recall at all after Mithos cut his arm. But there was something more important that needed his attention.
"What about the others?"
Drake felt a chill on his back the moment Zelos's face formed in a serious scowl.
AN: And now that this nightmare is finally over. We can return to the RWBY cast to accompany the next Arc, much to Drake's annoyance.
Next is a two part epilogue and a notice.
Artes used in the past chapters:
Marian (Drake's signature arte): When this arte is used, the user gathers energy in his sword before thrusting forward at the enemy, engulfing his blade with dark energy to extend its range.
Beast: When this arte is activated, the user slams the target with extreme force, creating a blast of energy in the image of a lion's head, which forces all nearby enemies to be blasted away and knocked to the ground. This is an effective arte to clear mobs when surrounded by many enemies because of its power and force.
Azure Edge: It is similar to Demon Fang in that it can be used from long range, though it travels through the air rather than along the ground.
Demon Fang: When the Demon Fang arte is used, the user launches a ground projectile towards a target.