Chapter 68 – Internment

Weiss

Hell was about to break loose… and they didn't even know it…

Weiss was with a young woman, she was a pretty thing too. Once a Model for a rich company, now she was just like everyone else. Sweating from how bad the pain of the End Stage felt in her system. She was choking on her own blood, and Weiss was holding her down, pushing the respirator down her throat so then she could help her breathe past the blood that was coagulating inside her neck. Blood splattered onto Weiss' cheek as she closed her eyes, looking away from her as she squeezed the bag regularly so then air would enter.

The bag acted as an artificial lung, the best way to help these people hang on a little longer. As Victor said – when it comes down to a disease like this, it is never the infection itself that kills you, but it is the symptoms. The body malfunctioning and going into panic mode, blood vessels bursting or entire organs shutting down. And this woman was not the only person who had reached End Stage, Weiss had Myrtenaster right next to her in case her arm began to mutate into the Thrall Arm. Her eyes were not glowing red yet, not like Patrick Greene, but Horridus Morbus was completely unpredictable when it came down to when people transformed into the Thralls.

It was hard for her to speak herself, Weiss was very close to End Stage too, from all the hard work she has been putting into helping these people it has caused the disease to accelerate its process inside of her. She knew the woman's name, and she was afraid to hold her mouth open, from her panicking she could accidentally bite Weiss' fingers off from the pain. "Maya… I need you to calm down!" Weiss begged her. "I am trying… to help… you." Weiss barely could get through the sentence without coughing at the same time. She wiped the sweat from her brow but she still managed to keep Maya's mouth open as she pushed the tube down her throat.

Once it was safely through the thick layers of blood, she kept squeezing. Maya still choked and struggled, but she was trying her best to not panic. It was easy to say to someone to calm down when all they could taste and breathe in was blood, but when you are in that moment? There is not much else you can do, your body automatically shifts into Panic Mode, and there is not much you can do to stop that.

It's like with drowning, it is one of the hardest things in the world to stay calm.

Maya held on tight, she held her arms down even though her body kept writhing around, but as she started to feel the oxygen locate her lungs thanks to Weiss pumping the Air Bag for her… she slowly began to calm down.

Maya entered a state where she passed out but was alive, breathing normally again now that the choking fits had ended. Blood still leaked from her mouth and her nose, but the Respirator saved her from dying from the disease. Weiss kept squeezing the bag in and out, barely keeping her eyes open herself. Her breathe was laboured, wheezing from how it felt like her chest was collapsed from the infection. Most of her veins had become discoloured with blackness as the Horridus Morbus Plague spread through her body. It had travelled up her neck, which meant that if it found her temple…

… it was game over.

She would mutate and become a feral monster. Just like everyone else in this hospital will if the Aphax Violet is not brought back as soon as possible. Weiss coughed up blood onto the back of her hand, she stared at it and she shuddered, closing her large blue eyes before she turned to see Glynda and Terra-Cotta Arc helping people back into their cells for the night. They locked them up – everyone agreed to this precaution, to lock up the cells at night. They knew the dangers of this disease, and the last thing they wanted was to end up turning in the night and start ripping into friends and family.

It was no longer getting worse by the day or even the hour, things seemed to be getting worse by the minute. More and more people were entering the end stage, the stage of which there is no coming back. Even if they get cured, but the Witches promised that even at that stage the cure would repair all damaged cells. It acted like aura, healing everything back to how they were before they were even infected.

Weiss was praying that the Witches were not lying so they were not afraid… because she knew she was practically hours away from entering End Stage herself. Neptune approached the cell she was in, hugging the wall as he approached. All of them were pale, and his eyes looked dark from the lack of sleep. "Weiss? Are you okay?" He weakly asked her as he crouched down and sat down next to her. He gently caressed her cheek, moving her long and poorly looked after white hair.

"How… do you think?" She asked him, tears in her eyes and barely able to keep her head held up from the disease that was slowly killing her. "My sister… is dead. Murdered by one of my best friends' mother… I'm dying a slow death… I can't save these people… and there's a good chance I'll become a drooling freak who will try and rip your throat out." She coughed again, and that coughing became vomit. She reached to the bucket and dragged it over, vomiting bile into it as she retched.

Neptune held her, he moved her hair behind the back of her head so it did not get stuck, and she spat the rest in there too. The hospital stank, it felt like they had been inside of this Isolation Ward for a decade… it didn't ever seem to end. "Yeah… feeling great." She sniffled, Neptune held her hands and he blew out a shaky breath.

"I… I know things… are shit right now." Neptune stammered as he looked into her gorgeous eyes. "But we will survive this… I know we will. Ruby will be able to fix this, when has she ever failed?" He asked her, and Weiss sadly did know a few times. Ruby was her best friend but Weiss also knew the woman was far from perfect.

But she did not say that, they all needed something to keep them going. And if it was the mere faith they had in Ruby Rose being able to save them at the last minute, despite being captured and held in a cell in Old Town?

Well… it didn't seem possible or bright… but she still believed in her.

She was… and will always be… her B.F.F.

Weiss looked back at Maya who was barely breathing, thanks to her. "I remember… watching some of her shows on the Holo-Visions…" She stammered, looking at the Model. Neptune sat with her, massaging her back. "She was beautiful, golden blonde hair, like Yang and… amber eyes like Blake. People desired her so much… but a disease doesn't care, does it? Doesn't matter how rich, or pretty, or strong you are. It gets us all the same." She sighed.

"But they can be beaten. If diseases were unstoppable, Humanity and Faunus would have died out a very long time ago." Neptune said. He took over for her, whilst she rested on his chest, and with his other hand he caressed her soft head of snow white hair.

"Yeah… let's… hope… they can make it." Weiss coughed. "We have no idea what they are going through over there."

"They've survived worse odds. We survived the Volcanic Chain Isles, remember?" He asked her, and she smiled, nodding her head.

"That was one hell of a suicide mission." She admitted.

"Yeah. If we ever have another one, Yang and Kassius can be the ones going in the water next time. Those things… what were they called? The Krastax?" He asked. Weiss nearly forgot about those horrifying things, the giant Grimm that lurked in the darkest depths of the Cruel Sea, beasts that used weapons and were the killers of countless brave or terrified souls.

It was said that when the Shivering Dominion begins… the Krastax, Krakens, Leviathans, Sea Feilongs, Syrens… everything that lurks in the dark depths of the sea, will attack the shores, and invade the land.

Whether that is yet another exaggerated claim or not… well they did not want to find out.

"Gods the Krastax… yeah that wasn't fair of us to make you go out there to fix the Submarine." Weiss admitted.

"You went with me. I don't know if I could've done it without you." Neptune admitted, she looked at him with a loving smile, and she held his hand tight.

"I love you… you know that… right?" She asked him, and he smiled, and kissed her lovingly.

"Yeah… and I love you. Always will, my little snow angel." He whispered, and Weiss groaned.

"Snow Angel…" She sighed.

"What? You like it." He said, and she just rolled her eyes.

"It's better than Ice Queen." Weiss admitted.

"Those were the days… hopefully… when we kick Umbra's ass? We can have those days again." He said with hope in his voice. Weiss looked at him and she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"But Winter won't be able to see it…" She sniffled.

"She will… I'm not a religious guy, everyone knows that. But… I know she's got her eye on you up there. She always knew you would be the one to bring greatness to your name… and she's right. You're the best thing that ever happened to the Schnee Name. I know that you Grandfather would have been proud of you." He said with a loving smile, and Weiss smiled up at him.

"You think?" She asked.

"I know it. Winter was always proud of you… and she always will be." Neptune promised. Weiss smiled as she nuzzle her head to his chest, as long as she was with him, it helped her ignore the pain the plague was doing to her.

But it was not slowing it down.

It was still creeping up her neck…

… Weiss was running out of time.

The Sorceress

Things were getting tense outside of the Quarantine Zone as well.

The Valerian Police Force were constantly patrolling the perimeter of the zone which was walled off by some chain-linked fencing. Crowded at the fences in one specific area though, at the Hospital, were many civilians. The Police Officers had their Energy Riot Shields formed from Hardlight Dust and they were ready in case a riot broke out. The civilians were not being aggressive, and the Witches knew that.

Ida was with them – the head of the Valerian Council – and she was simply trying to keep the situation as calm as she possibly could. "Let me see my husband!" A desperate man yelled with fear in his voice.

"My daughter is in there! She is only twelve years old!" Another woman yelled.

"My family! Please let me see them!"

So many begging requests from these people, and none of them could fault them for this. They still respected these people because they were not trying to knock the fence down, they knew exactly why it was there. But those reasons could soon change, they had been waiting to see their families for so long now that they may never see them again. Some of them do not even know that their loved ones have been put down before the End Stage could lead to Transformation… and their bodies were cremated.

They all hated having to do this to them, Ida knew that if she was in her place, and her son was in there? There was no force on Remnant that could possibly keep her from getting in there to be with him.

But she had to make sure that these people stayed out to prevent the further spread of the disease. "Everyone please, I ask you to return back to your homes! Our nurses and scientists are working extremely hard to stop this disease from spreading any further. We are close to a cure… I know we are." Ida stammered.

Having to lie about that… it made it even worse.

In truth, she did not really believe that a single flower could save these people, but the Witches were certain of this. They made this cure before, and it seemed to work instantly. The Three Sisters were sat nearby whilst the Undertaker stood behind one of the buildings, away from the view of the innocents. He was no threat to them, but seeing him? A monster that they created for the sole reason of scaring people away and defending their swamp? If that does not cause panic then that definitely would.

He is only there as a Deterrent, to make sure that if they do try and topple the fence over, he can scare them away alongside their magic. The Police Officers and Ida were doing a good job, and with Saphron out here she was helping them as well. All of them were friendly and familiar faces, faces that they could trust.

The Enchantress sighed as she watched them. "Why is it that people can never listen to the people who know what they are doing?" She questioned with a sigh.

"Because Humanity and the Faunus have one major thing in common. Their love for people that they… well, love… is one of their strongest bonds. Not much can deter a man or a woman from protecting their true love. Or trying to, at the very least." The Sorceress explained. They were not fools, not children who believed in fairy tales of lovers saving the world with love being their only weapon.

If that were the case, Vir Nominis Umbra would have died a very long time ago.

"The situation is under control! We just ask that you calm down." Ida begged them in the background whilst the Alchemist swirled one of her potions.

"It seems to be one of the few things that this generation and the Arkhoni had in common. That and… their ability to wage war." The Alchemist sighed, and they all nodded their heads. They witnessed countless wars with their unending youth, and the Great War was one of them. A war that nearly destroyed the Kingdoms that were formed after the Fall of Arkhonex. Nearly making their sacrifices completely worthless in the long run, if it were not for Vytal and building a lasting coalition between the Four Kingdoms…

… well it could have been the end for civilisation as they knew it.

"I want to see my wife!" A man bellowed from beyond the fences, shaking it violently. Ida pinched her brow, it felt like she was speaking to a brick wall, they were simply not listening to a word that they were saying.

"If we let you in, the disease will spread further. This very behaviour is what caused this outbreak in the first place. So please, I beg of you just step away from the fence!" She commanded.

The arguing continued, the Witches knew they would only use their magic as a threat, they would not attack them unless they were left no other choice. But Ida still had it under control, since they trusted her. She was easily the best politician they had met, she was kind and actually gave a damn about the people. "They are better than the Arkhoni were. They did not start wars over… damn paintings." The Sorceress scoffed.

"They have learned a lot from our forgotten past. Ironic… they do not even know about Arkhonex, yet they seem to have improved on so much after the Empire was laid to waste." The Enchantress nodded her head in agreement as she watched these people at the fences. They could see it in their eyes, not one of them wanted to hurt anyone. If this was in Arkhonex, they would have hate in their eyes, a blood lust to get inside and save their family members.

But these people simply wanted to see them, not rescue them.

Sometimes they wished they could just tell them which people died… but they could not risk the spread of panic. With Vale being the last Beacon of Hope in Remnant… they could not risk the Grimm invading and destroying everything that they have built. "Do you think that they could protect this world? After we are gone? If we do manage to destroy Vir Nominis Umbra?" The Alchemist asked her.

The Witches even seemed certain that they would one day fall… and perhaps they will… few could understand the omens of the future that they read.

And every omen… saw ice…

And darkness.

"I do…" The Sorceress admitted. "They are not perfect but no civilisation is. But they do not devour the lands for their own reasons. They do not wipe out forests for construction – the Grimm obviously make that hard… but even then, all the settlements in the wilds follow the laws of nature. They respect it. It is more than what the Arkhoni ever did." She said with a sigh, disappointed in the Empire that they were born into.

She looked at the tattoos on her arms that shimmered. "They are naïve though. They let their love blind them sometimes." The Enchantress said as she watched the fences. The people started to grab the fences and shake them.

"Please! Enough!" Ida begged.

"No Ida! It has been nearly a week since you locked our loved ones in there! If you are not going to tell us who is alive, then we will see for ourselves!" The man at the front yelled. The Three Witches stood up and they walked towards the fences. The three of them glared at the crowd, and Saphron gasped as she turned, seeing the tattoos across the arms of the Three Witches glowed bright colours. Blue, Green and Orange.

The Sorceress were Blue, the Alchemist was Green and the Enchantress was Orange.

The ground crumbled, and the soil and rock rose from the surface, and the Witches silently stared at the crowd. They all gasped and backed away from the fences. The Sorceress was the only one to speak. "Back. Off. This is all for your own safety, and your loved ones'." She told them all.

The civilians were wise and they calmed down, and chose not to attack the fences again, but they were still staring them down. The Undertaker held his shovel, he was ready to emerge to scare them off, but luckily the Witches' abilities were enough to make them back down. "I just… I miss them so much." A woman sniffled with heartbreak, the Witches lowered their arms and the Sorceress sighed.

"Believe me, sweetheart… there are plenty of people I wish could have been saved… millions… billions… none of them had the chance that the people inside of those Hospitals have right now." The Sorceress assured. The crowd looked at the Ancient Witches with awe. They knew little, but they knew these people were powerful… and ancient. "You need to trust these people, as they trust us."

Ida looked at the Witches in awe of their magical prowess. The civilians returned to the tends in the closed roads where they have been camping, waiting to reunite with friends and loved ones. The Witches released the soil and rocks, letting them return back to Remnant. They walked away and Ida followed them with Saphron whilst the Police Officers maintained the fences once again.

"Thank you." Ida thanked.

"Don't mention it." The Sorceress swiftly responded as they returned back to their rock that they were sat upon.

"Did you mean it? All those things you said?" Saphron asked as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She did contract the disease, but the Suppressant the Witches made was luckily still working on her, meaning she could be outside like Yang and Sun and anyone else who were not in the Isolation Wards.

They looked around and saw the Hazmat Valerian Troopers who were constantly cleaning the area, killing any bacteria that could have escaped the hospital, maintaining the health of the area. "Does it matter?" The Sorceress asked her.

"To me it does." She said.

The Sorceress stared at the pretty woman and she just answered without changing her expression. "Then it was the truth."

The cold logic of the Witches… it held something to be desired…

Statements like that? It helped them remember that they were not heroes or villains, they were somewhere in between. They only served Remnant and its nature, to them? Nothing else mattered. Saphron walked away and she sat down, working on some more medicines for the people in the Hospitals of the Quarantine Zone. The Witches sat back on their rock and they continued to wait, closing their eyes as the three of them focused their senses… listening to the omens in the air.

Ida continued to help as best as she could to keep the situation under control.

But as they all sat…

BANG

The sound of a gunshot came from the Isolation Wards, the Witches all opened their eyes and they turned. Everyone stopped and stood up, the sound of the gunshot alerted the worried civilians they just managed to calm down as well. "What the hell was that about? We heard one gunshot already, that one nearly caused an outbreak as well. They shouldn't be using guns… unless…"

"Unless?" Saphron stammered, her wife was inside of those Wards and she was scared enough as it was. The Witches looked at her, and the Sorceress focused her senses and she listened ever so carefully.

She could hear screaming inside of the Isolation Wards.

"Sorceress!" Saphron yelled.

"Go. Now." The Sorceress commanded as she walked forward, and she threw her a Fire Axe and a Shotgun. Saphron caught both, but she was not a combatant, she had no idea how to fight Grimm, especially not ones like this. "Want to keep the woman you love safe?" She asked her.

Before Saphron could answer, the Sorceress ordered her a second time. "Go."

"What about you? The civilians." Saphron stammered, the Witches looked at the crowd form once again, more scared… and aggressive than before. They knew things were bad in there and they wanted to protect their families and friends.

"We'll handle it." The Sorceress assured, giving the Undertaker a nod. He will come out when they need him.

Saphron ran to the Isolation Wards as fast as she could, whilst the Witches and the Police Department made sure that the civilians remained where they were.

One way or another.

Weiss

Moments before the gunshot…

Weiss was getting worse. It was a fact now – she did not have twenty four hours left in her, she would be lucky if she had twelve. Hallucinations were setting in, visions of herself with glowing red eyes, her firm and perfect skin peeling away to reveal the black smoke of the Grimm beneath it. Her arm mutated into a razor sharp claw that could disembowel people… a hunger that would lead to her devouring the man she loved with all her heart.

She tasted blood in her mouth… a sharp metallic blood… as her screeches echoed endlessly with every flashing image of the monster she will become.

"Weiss!" Victor shouted, snapping his fingers at her. She gasped, returning back to the land of reality and she looked at her arms, seeing that they were no longer the arms of a Thrall… but it felt like her arm was… moving.

Just like Brawnz…

Her fear was becoming terror faster and faster by the minute. The taste of blood in her mouth was her own, which oddly made her feel better. At least it was not Neptune's blood, or an innocent's. She looked around and saw that Neptune was no longer with her. "Nep? Where's Nep?" She asked.

"Helping another patient… you nearly passed out just then. Please, drink this tea. It will help keep your mind sharp." Victor recommended, and Weiss sighed, her hand still held Maya's Air Bag, and she squeezed it every now and then so then the Super Model could breathe. Weiss drank the hot tea, and it did seem to help clear her airway a bit. But did it make her feel better?

Not really.

Sadly it was not meant to, not at this stage.

Victor Watts held the back of his hand against Weiss' sweaty forehead, and she was burning up like a furnace. An expected symptom, sadly… but he was still extremely worried about her. He had not even come close to end stage yet, which was very surprising due to his age. But then again, he has spent so much time around diseases it must have made him harder to infect. But since he was sweating like the rest of them and still quite pale, it was a fact that he was not immune.

Simply a bit stronger than the rest of them.

"This tea should help ease your fever." He said, before he noticed the corrupted veins up her neck. He did not comment but Weiss knew what it meant, it meant she was going to be a Thrall or Dead by tomorrow morning… if they do not return with the Aphax Violet.

Arcturus Base needs to be destroyed, and they need to get the Violet back there now. The Architect was now their best bet, he could still open portals. Not as many or as well as Raven could… but only one person needs to get the Violet back here.

They just need to find it.

"Be honest with me, Victor…" Weiss commanded, and the old Doctor looked at her. "Do I really… only have twenty four hours left… at best?" She asked.

He sighed. "Judging by your condition… yes." He sighed.

"So if they don't come back soon… I'm a goner?" She asked.

"Don't think like that." He told her.

"I'm asking you to shoot straight with me. I do the math, I don't gamble." Weiss told him with stern eyes. Even dying, she was still an intimidating woman by how strong her devotion was.

Doctor Victor Watts looked at the ground, it hurt to speak the truth sometimes. "Yes… by tomorrow morning…"

Weiss did not need to hear any more. "If they don't get here before that happens… don't let Neptune do it… please… I can't." Weiss' voice broke as she spoke. "Don't let him see it."

"Weiss…"

"Promise me." She commanded, and Victor sighed, nodding his head.

"I promise you. I will stop it before you feel a thing." He assured, and she looked at his pistol in his holster. She nodded her head as she tried to keep her eyes open.

"Thanks… never thought I would thank someone for… promising to shoot me… before." She chuckled, making Victor laugh as well.

"Well there is a first time for everything, isn't there?" He asked her, and she nodded her head. "But let's pray they will get here before that happens, huh? Because I am gonna make sure that Ida makes a new tradition after this."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Weiss softly asked.

"Well since the kind cooks here have a select order of food for everyone here… I'm pretty sure Spaghetti Tuesday has been on a Wednesday ever since this thing started." Victor chuckled, making Weiss laugh. "So that should be a new thing."

"I like the sound of that." Weiss said with a smile. Victor turned when he heard another patient choking on his blood, he looked at her but she just nodded, she had Maya under control. Weiss never expected that she would have to come to terms with her impending demise again… not after being stabbed by Krekras Blackridge back in Mistral. That scar was still there, she was still amazed that she survived that.

But this? This was worse… at least it was on the battlefield… not in a hospital.

As Weiss continued to squeeze the air bag, her eyes widened when she heard the sound of Maya's breath fade away. She turned… and saw that her arm was beginning to move. And the skin was beginning to break open. "Oh gods… Oh go-!" Weiss could not speak, ever word brought agony, and she could not breathe. It was like someone was strangling her, as blood started to pour from her mouth and she fell to the ground, alone as she tried to cry out for their names.

"Vic-! Nep!"

She spluttered and wheezed on the ground, trying to breathe, but mainly to reach out for Myrtenaster, because Maya was beginning to shift into a Thrall… right next to her. And as Weiss looked across the room as she choked… she saw the most horrifying thing…

Patrick Greene… as a Thrall…

He lurked in from the darkness, and stared at one of the patients who was speaking with another, when he suddenly bit down into the patient's throat. Blood sprayed up into Patrick's face, and the act of doing so spread more of the disease into his body, violently accelerating the process in that Patient. Patrick howled viciously to the sky as that Patient's arm started to mutate, and his eyes glowed red.

Weiss grabbed her throat, violently vomiting her blood onto the floor.

And Maya's eyes turned red…

Neptune

Neptune turned with wide eyes, hearing the screams of the people as Patrick invaded the Isolation Wards. He saw him sprint across the hallway and tackle another Patient to the ground, clawing him over and over and biting into his face to accelerate his infection. Blood poured from Patrick's jaws. Victor turned with widened eyes and Glynda grabbed her crop. "Everyone! Lock your cells!" Glynda yelled at the top her lungs, coughing as well.

Neptune listened and his eyes widened when he heard the sound of Weiss suffering from her disease spreading through her body uncontrollably. "Weiss!" He screamed in horror, picking up his weapon and aiming it, aiming up at the Thralls that had turned. They already have four of them infected, since another person had turned in their cell, and Maya was standing up inside of Weiss' as she choked on her blood.

What Neptune did not know, was that a little girl heard the sound of Weiss suffering, her eyes widened as Maya's Thrall stood back up with the Respirator dangling from her mouth. Her eyes shone red, and the Thrall glared at Weiss, about to attack the dying Schnee. Until the Girl clapped her hands together, bravely catching the attention of the currently weak Thrall. "Hey! Maya! Come on, follow me!" She squeaked, she knew that if she got into her cell, Maya would not be able to get through, and could help the others save Weiss.

But she needed that respirator that was on Maya's face.

"Come on… follow me." The Little Girl coaxed as she backed up.

Neptune took Trishula – his trusted weapon – and he aimed it at one of the weaker Thralls that fell from the upper level. It crashed down onto one of the tables of snacks and drinks. The savage creature rose back up and stared at them, roaring animalistically at Neptune, but he narrowed his eyes and he pulled the trigger at the person that was once a friend. "I'm sorry." He softly whispered before he fired.

And that was the gunshot that they all heard.

The powerful blue bolt of dust burned straight through the Former Patient's skull, toppling him down to the ground as his blood poured from the many open wounds. Another man emerged from his cell with a pistol he had brought with him just in case and he aimed it at a Thrall that was attacking a woman, she was holding it back as long as she could. But he did not realise his wife had turned as well behind him in the bed they shared, and she bit down into his arm. He screamed in agony and he fired the gun, hitting the other woman in the shoulder. That gave the Thrall the chance it needed to bite into her throat.

People were turning faster than they could put them down. "Everyone in your cells!" Victor yelled as he drew his pistol and aimed it at one of the approaching Thralls. They were lucky they were slow at first, but it was Patrick that they had to worry about. He was sprinting around the room now, using the walls and the rafters to his tactical advantage. Ruby and Kassius' teams had seen the Thralls achieve feats like these, but none of them prepared for an outbreak like this.

The Thrall Count had now reached ten, with four more patients in their beds turning as well. The sound of so many screams, it was utterly horrifying, yet the only one that scared Neptune the most was the sound of Weiss being barely able to breathe. "Weiss! I can hear her! She's dying up there!" Neptune called to Victor and the others.

Glynda drew her crop, she may have no aura due to this disease… but she could still kick some ass. "Go, get the Respirator on her. The rest of us will stop this outbreak here and now!" Glynda ordered as another Thrall lunged towards her, and she blasted it across the room. It crashed against one of the closed cells that a mother held her children inside of. The man who was bitten by his own wife was now a Thrall as well, alongside the woman he accidentally shot when she bit his arm.

Their eyes were glowing bright red, with blood smothered bony claw arms extended from their pulverised hands. Terra picked up her Handgun and Professor Peach drew her weapon, which was a Whip formed from Hardlight Dust, she spun round as she stared at the infected people they were trying to save. The one that Glynda launched against the cell door was already getting back up, snarling viciously at them. The rest of the thralls stumbled out of their open cells, whilst the everyone else safely got back inside of their cells.

"Neptune! Go!" Glynda commanded, when Peach walked forward and she launched her whip forward and it wrapped around the throat of a female thrall. She pulled it back and she kicked it right in the jaw. The act was so hard and aggressive that it killed the Thrall instantly, putting the woman out of her misery.

Neptune avoided the rest as best as he could, sprinting up the stairs and his eyes widened when he saw that Maya was infected and following the little girl to her cell. He sprinted to the girl first, because she was running out of catwalk to avoid her from, and Maya was soon going to get stronger with time. Neptune hooked Trishula in its Trident Form under the neck of Maya, pulling her away from the little girl, before he threw her over the edge and onto the netting.

It was there before they ever used it, to stop sick patients from jumping and killing themselves.

Maya landed on it, and her leg became trapped in the netting, her brain was still fried but in a few minutes she was going to be strong enough to rip herself out from her predicament. Neptune knew that, but he needed time, so he turned to her after opening a cell for her. "Honey? Weiss, White Haired Woman, really pretty? Where is she?" He asked her with fear.

The girl pointed at the cell he last saw her, meaning she was in the same place. He looked and he saw her blood leaking from the cell, and his eyes widened with fear. "Okay, honey. Stay in here, they won't be able to hurt you."

"I tried to keep Weiss safe… it would have eaten her otherwise…" The girl sniffled, and Neptune hugged her, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you." He said to her with a smile, that brave girl was a hero to him. But as soon as he closed that locker, he immediately ran to Weiss. He found her cell and his eyes widened with fear, she was still alive, fighting for life as best as she could. She was bleeding from her mouth and her nose endlessly, he knew what she needed.

"Hold on, Weiss…" He begged her, and as she choked… she managed to give him a thumbs up.

Whilst the brave warriors below fought the Thralls, he ran out and stared at Maya, only now realising she had the Respirator on still.

"Son of a bitch…" Neptune groaned.

He needed to get that Respirator off Maya's face, but without killing her, not yet. He could not risk breaking the bag. If the air bag gets destroyed – Weiss is dead.

Hazel

Moments before the Gunshot…

Hazel was sat outside of the Hospital again with Yang and Sun, both of them were looking up at the nearly shattered moon. There were not many days left in the week, only four… before the Shivering Dominion begins. There was a very clear awkwardness in the air between Hazel and Sun, since the Gentle Giant just wanted to make things right with Sun, even though he never expected him to forgive him. Hazel just wanted to do right by the boy, it was the least he felt he could do for Sun after everything that happened between him and his parents.

"It's a lovely night… wish there were more stars out though." He said with a sigh, they knew that the stars were going out. One at a time… the end times were coming and the disappearance of every star just helped them realise how little time was left. It was a surprise that their sun had not extinguished yet.

Sun said nothing, he just stared at his cup of coffee he had in his hands. "Look I know things are bad right now… everything that is happening… Winter… Raven…" Hazel looked at Yang who still looked shellshocked by Raven's betrayal. "But things will get better."

"Enough of it, Hazel." Sun sighed, he was sick of it.

"Sun, come on."

"No, why should I? I'm sorry I have been trying my best… but what do you expect out of this? Why should I listen to a word that comes out of this bastard's mouth?" Sun barked with anger, pointing at Hazel, who did not even flinch. But Yang understood Hazel better, and was not blinded by hate like Sun was.

"Sun! He didn't have to stay with us, but he did. He is one of us, stop being an asshole and just listen to him. You may learn something." Yang sighed, Sun stared at Hazel who was just staring at his cup.

"You're not wrong, Sun." He said as he set the cup down on the ground.

"Huh?" He asked as he stood there.

"You have every right to hate me. I killed your mom and dad… I killed your dad because he stood in my way and your mother because of her eyes… and I hated myself for it." He sighed, staring at his reflection. "I have nobody else to blame but myself."

"Salem made you do it." Yang reminded.

"Sure she sent me on the mission… but I could have just had her go to Kragen, figure out where and hide it from her. But I didn't… I just played along… because I was blinded by my hunt for revenge. It was because of all of you that I managed to see past that." Hazel admitted as he looked at the two of them. He then looked at Sun. "I am not asking you to forgive me, I don't even want you to. I don't deserve it, not after the things I have done. I let Salem forge me into a monster."

"That isn't true, Hazel. You're a good man… one of the nicest men I have ever met." She said with a smile as she gently squeezed his shoulder.

"There are things about me you don't know… things I hide even from myself." He said as he kept staring at the floor. "The thing is, Sun… what is it that you want? Is it revenge?"

"What?" Sun replied.

"Do you want to kill me?" He asked, pushing his knife across the floor to him. It stopped at Sun's foot and he stared at it. The very same blade that was used to kill his mother. "There you are – your ticket to get what you want." He said, holding out his arms.

Sun stared at it and back at him. "I…"

"Do you want revenge? To be like what I became?" He asked. "Or do you want to be better?"

Sun started to understand what Hazel was saying to him. "The anger… the wish that the roles were reversed? It never goes away… it just becomes tolerable… and after a while? You just find somewhere else to put it." Hazel explained as he shrugged his shoulders. He then pointed at him. "You two taught me that."

"We did?" Yang asked.

"Both of you wanted to kill Adam for what he did to you. He stabbed your girlfriend, Sun. He took your arm." He said to the two of them. "But when he offered to help… to change his ways… forget what he became afterwards, just remember that moment. Neither of you tried to kill him, did you?"

"No." They both agreed.

"And why was that?" Hazel asked. They looked at each other and back at Hazel.

"Because we wanted to be better." They both said, and Hazel smiled as he nodded his head. "Sometimes revenge works… when that enemy is still a monster, sure. They have to go… but if you spend your whole life trying to kill someone for something they did to you… what's left? You're just a husk afterwards." Hazel explained.

He looked back at Sun. "I know you hate me… and I do not fear death, I conquered that fear long ago. So I ask you, Sun Wukong. Do you want to avenge your parents?" He asked.

Sun stared at the dagger, and he just kicked it back to him, and Hazel stopped it with his foot. "No…" He finally admitted.

"Good. Like I said, I don't expect you to forgive me. I do not deserve it, I just want to make sure that before I die, you can live a life with no regrets. Both of you." He said to the two blonde warriors. "It's the least I can do."

He felt the cold blade of Tock's touch his neck, coated in Glowing Purple Shadow Dust, and then the laugh of Kardas – the Hyena Faunus – emerged from the darkness. Yang gasped but they felt the guns aimed at their heads as the White Fang Rogues emerged from the shadows. Hazel remembered the message that Mazen sent to Glynda, warning them about the people coming for Yang…

"Well, well… what a fascinating speech. Thought we should at least let you finish." Tock chuckled, he turned and saw her face. He never forgot that Crocodile Faunus that once worked for Salem.

"Tock… I thought you were dead…" Hazel gasped.

"Long ago, luv. Found myself a new calling." Tock assured as she snapped her metal teeth together with a grin. Hazel saw him emerge from the shadows, and it was Corsac. Yang's eyes widened, Ruby told her about what happened to his brother… she knew already why Corsac Albain was here.

"Yang Xiao Long… sister of Ruby Rose." Corsac said as he stared at her sinisterly.

Kardas grabbed her by the back of her long mane of golden hair, she winced and stared at the insane killer. "Ooh… pretty… maybe don't kill her just yet. We could have some fun with her first." He suggested, but Corsac was not interested. He came here for one reason only… the very thing that Hazel was teaching the two of them to never follow…

… Revenge.

"She's mine. Kill the other one, let the big one watch." Corsac commanded, and Kardas began to giggle as he stood by the other shoulder of Hazel Rainart.

"With pleasure." Kardas laughed, Sun snarled and he swung round and clocked one of the White Fang Rogues in the face, so hard it knocked his mask off. But then another slammed the stock of his rifle against Sun's chest, winding him and knocking him over. The gang of four soldiers started to beat the living hell out of Sun, beating him to a pulp. Punching him, kicking him.

"NO!" Hazel yelled, but Tock pressed the blade closer to his neck, holding him down. He turned and heard the sound of Yang scream in agony, then rage as she was dragged off into the darkness by Corsac. He stabbed her in the shoulder with his dagger and took her away to kill her himself. "YOU LEAVE THEM BE!" He yelled, but Kardas swung the back of his hand round and smacked Hazel across the face.

He stared at Sun with horror as those nameless Faunus Rogues beat Sun bloody against the dirt, he heard him cry out in pain from how many times he was kicked.

Then he heard the gunshot from the Isolation Wards…

… it was them…

… he knew it in his bones. They were the ones responsible for this outbreak.

"Listen… they're innocent… but I'm not! Wanna kill anyone, then just kill me!" Hazel begged for their lives, to trade his life for theirs. Kardas giggled and he crouched down in front of Hazel.

"Yeah, you see now that's true. Tock told us all about you, murderer who killed countless people because of their eye colour. Trust me, you will pay for what you did… but first, you're gonna watch us beat the shit out of this kid." He giggled as he stared at him. He then walked over and he softly spoke sinisterly into his ear.

"Look, we can settle this, we're reasonable folk." He assured, ever punch just made Hazel even angrier. His eye began to twitch… and something… very dark began to manifest in him. An emotion he had not felt… in a very… very… long time.

An emotion Salem wanted him for, but he refused to use.

Not even against Ozpin, not this level of rage.

Sun tried to get up but his face met the boot of the White Fang Rogue, breaking his nose in the process. "First we're gonna beat the monkey boy to death. Then pretty Goldilocks is gonna go… real slowly… and then all those nice fellas in the Hospital. And after all that? We're gonna kill you, and then it's all square." Kardas assured with a maniacal grin, before he literally began to laugh exactly like a hyena.

Deranged and feral as he stood behind Hazel with Tock who laughed as well, both of their heads right behind him. He looked at Sun, hearing his agony.

He heard Yang, screaming from the pain.

He heard the people screaming in the Isolation Wards…

… his humanity was draining faster than blood from a wound. The Gentle Giant was shaking with rage now, his gentleness began to fade… and something feral started to form inside his heart.

"Let them go." He warned.

One.

Last.

Time.

But Kardas laughed louder.

That was it.

Hazel swung his head back with great force, getting his neck cut by the Shadow Dust coated blade in the process, compromising his aura, but he still nailed the faces of both Tock and Kardas. They both staggered back as blood leaked from their faces. Hazel touched his bleeding cut and stared at the blood… and he grit his teeth with anger. He swung round, but Tock caught his fist, and the ticking began.

She had engaged her semblance, to be completely invulnerable for sixty seconds. She punched him in the face incredibly hard, knocking him down to the ground. "I got the wanker, oh it's gonna suck for you now!" Tock cheered as she kicked him across the face. Hazel rolled across the floor and he grabbed his knife, and he slashed it at her repeatedly as Tock sprinted towards him. She slashed across his chest and he grunted as blood ran from the open wounds.

She struck him over and over in those sixty seconds, slashed him up, and whilst Sun was being beaten… he yelled something he never thought he would yell. "Hazel!" He screamed as Tock stabbed him in the leg, blood was leaking everywhere as Tock slowly withered him down. Hazel grunted as she stabbed him in the back, bringing him down to one knee. Tock laughed as she stared at him, and grabbed him by the throat, pushing her sword against his chest.

"What now, Hazel? How are you gonna get out of this? Your times up!" She laughed, then her clock rang.

"Not mine." He snarled.

Everything stopped when Hazel suddenly clamped his jaws down into the side of Tock's throat, she gasped and screamed in agony as he dug his teeth into her flesh now her aura was down, and he ripped her throat out as he pulled his head back. Blood sprayed endlessly from her neck, and she choked on her own blood, dropping the sword as Hazel slowly rose back up, like a totally different man… a Monster.

Her blood covered his face, and he felt his humanity vanish in him… and his semblance was activated again… for the first time since he was ten years old. His aura returned, and it was more powerful than ever before, instantly healing all the wounds that Tock had just inflicted upon him, and his strength increased.

But his mind?

Everything went red… and an anger took him over that nobody had ever seen before. Tock laid at his feet, dead with her throat ripped open by him. He spat out her throat, but the taste of blood was all that was needed to trigger his semblance.

Blood Rage.

A Semblance he used only once before in his whole life.

He turned and stared at the horrified White Fang Rogues who stopped beating on Sun, and Kardas drew his axe with wide eyes as Hazel shook with rage. His eyes glowed bright red, and he threw his arms back, howling like a monster at them, veins pushed up.

And he attacked them.

Blinded by his Blood Rage, to protect Yang and Sun at all costs.

Author Note - Man this was such an intense chapter to write, but damn Hazel... went full Walking Dead on Tock at the end there. (Yes for those who may have noticed the source of inspiration for that bit you get brownie points XD) In my defence though I love that scene, and it was the reason behind me changing Hazel's semblance. I hope you think it was a good idea, Blood Rage has so much better potential than just - Enhanced Senses - ugh, hated that semblance. So boring.

And the way this chapter went, I must admit it was not intentional to have it all surround Neptune firing the first shot in there when the Outbreak started, but it just worked so damn well. The Thralls are so damn scary, for the gang they are not that tough if you have your aura and weapons... they only have weapons and one bite makes you one of them since it accelerates the infection by like 10x.

And Weiss... is in a seriously bad spot. She will die if they do not get that respirator on, and will definitely die if the gang do not find and get the Aphax Violet back home within 12 to 24 hours. She does not have much time left, alongside the rest of Vale. They seriously need to take down Arcturus Base and get to the Embered Grove NOW.

Been wanting to do this chapter for so long, easily my favourite part of the Vale Arc, when it all goes to shit.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I sure as hell did, I will always love writing nail biting chapters.

Please review, follow and favourite! Stay tuned for the next chapter - Blood Rage

- Matt