Legal Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of the show's characters. They are the rightful properties of Rooster Teeth. The True Runes and any other Suikoden-related lore that pops up in this fic are the rightful properties of Konami.
Chapter Thirty:
Low voices murmured quietly off to the side of the ruined, burnt out landscape. Clover strained his ears to try and catch even just a snippet of what Tyrian and Watts were saying to one another. He could only gather that Watts was advising the scorpion Faunus to be patient as they waited for their eventual "rescue," the other's tail thrashing back and forth dangerously.
Clover tried to once more struggle weakly against his bonds, his head swimming. Thanks to the recent dosage of Grimm Water he'd just been forced to take, he found it took a great deal of effort to simply remain standing upright. His footing on even the solid ground beneath him shakily tentative at best.
At least Tyrian and Watts had wandered farther away for their impromptu group meeting, the calming scent of the ocean that had settled over the thin madman no longer plaguing the mer's nostrils and further muddling his head. Every so often, Tyrian glanced up and over at him with a fiendish glint in his yellow eyes, and Clover found himself repressing a shudder at the act.
"H—hey."
Clover started from his sluggish thoughts at the sound of young Whitley Schnee's voice, the boy having moved briefly from his worried vigil over Jaune to stand next to Clover, watching their captors with growing trepidation in his pale blue eyes, "What are they...?" He began, trailing off helplessly when Watts looked over at them with all the interest one might a trapped insect. The teenager gulped nervously and froze.
"Nothing good, that's for certain." The brunette answered him, repressing a shudder due to not only their situation currently but the oppressive atmosphere all around them. He cast a brief look behind them at Jaune, the world seeming to spin as he did so, "How is he?" Clover asked, fearing the worst.
Having a topic to focus on seemed to give Whitley some bravery, a contemplative frown settling over his pale features as he responded, "Not great. I think he was given the same stuff they've..." he paused, as if trying to choose his words carefully, his blue-eyed gaze not quite meeting Clover's own, "They've been giving you."
A last ditch attempt to keep the Sun Rune's more destructive aspects at bay. Yet Grimm Water being ingested by humans was...
Clover bit his lower lip and turned around as his thoughts trailed off, slowly moving towards where Jaune lay. The blond was drenched in sweat and covered in the black veins that signified what he'd ingested. They were far more prominent than even Clover's own, angry red flaring up around the veins as well. If he wasn't properly treated soon, there was no debating what the outcome would be. But the mer couldn't bring himself to say it out loud in front of the worried Whitley, a heavy feeling settling over his own gut. If they didn't get out of this Runescape soon, if...
Jaune groaned pitifully not a moment later, the Sun Rune's sigil flaring to brilliant life once more above his head. Clover paused at the sight, trepidation shaking him to the core. Now what?
There was a sharp tingle at his left hand then. The former Ace Op glanced behind him as best he could thanks to the bonds, shocked to find that the Rune of Punishment was also starting to glow despite his drug-induced state. It was almost as it were responding to some kind of call. The very air around Jaune and Clover seemed to get brighter, and with a shiver the mer swore he could hear the telltale sound of distant screaming in the back of his mind.
"Wh—what's going on?" An alarmed Whitley asked, taking a cautious step back. Clover almost laughed, knowing that the distance wouldn't be enough if both True Runes were to activate their more destructive properties all at once.
"Go!" Clover yelled to the white-haired teen, managing to shove him slightly with his shoulder to further speed him along as the screaming in his ears reached a crescendo.
White, blinding light emanated from the Sun Rune then in an outward wave as red and black energy flared out of the Rune of Punishment to meet it in kind. Screams filled his ears and the smell of ash mixed with the bright light and heat. Not a second later, Clover was aware of nothing else as both True Runes' magic clashed.
"Whoa!" Elm's voice cut through the chilly air of Solitas, the surprise evident in her tone as she lowered Timber just a fraction to gaze at the dome of pure white energy that was now engulfing Arthur Watts' property, "What happened?"
Vine had dropped his arms to his sides at her surprised exclamation, leaving only Harriet with her gauntleted fists upraised still as if the petite woman planned on continuing the fight. The tall and lanky Ace Op swiveled his gaze from the mysterious dome of energy towards the sight of the others having teleported back thanks to Oscar's Back Gate Rune, the boy having just barely managed to pull everyone out of the dome's range, "If would appear as though a great deal of magic has been unleashed." Vine explained, his voice calm and methodical.
Joanna scoffed derisively, "You think?" She asked him from where she and May were helping to haul a winded Willow to her feet.
Robyn lowered her crossbow and glanced over at Winter, who seemed equally surprised by this turn of events, "You guys okay?" She called out across the now quite full street.
Nora let out a deep exhale and stretched her arms up over her head, "Oh, we're just peachy!" She replied, "Nothing like nearly getting swallowed by a glowing ball of death to get the blood pumping!"
Mercury glanced over at the cheerful Winged Horde girl askance, "Speak for yourself." He muttered, clearly regretting all of his life choices at the moment.
Beside him, clutching her knees tightly, Emerald gasped, "I just saw my life flash before my eyes!" She exclaimed terrified.
"You sure it wasn't just the blinding light?" Yang asked the green-haired girl, raising a blond eyebrow inquisitively. The dark-skinned mer merely stared at her blankly in response, officially unamused by Yang's humor.
There was shifting from off to the side of the group as Tai unceremoniously threw down a fainted Jacques Schnee onto the snowy ground next to an unmoving Ironwood, "Good." He said cheerily enough as he surveyed everyone present, "Looks like we all got out in one piece."
Blake, however, frowned as she glanced worriedly at an unconscious Oscar as Qrow and Hazel both moved towards the teen to assess his situation, "But, is Oscar okay?" She asked, the concern plain in her tone.
Qrow let out a sigh of relief as he examined the dark-haired former farmhand, "It looks as though he simply drained himself teleporting so many people at once." He answered, "He'll be fine in a few hours, give or take."
Ruby and Penny both let out sighs of relief as Hazel added, "We would have been caught in the blast if not for his quick action."
"Your Majesty!" Harriet exclaimed, having seen Ironwood's prone form. She began snarling at the recently appeared group, "What have you done?" She asked, evidently back in fight mode.
"Relax. He's still alive." Raven remarked nonchalantly, crossing her arms over her chest as she pointedly looked at Tai, "Against my better judgement."
"Let's avoid killing for as long as we can. Okay, Raven?" The Dragon Rune bearer smiled over at her, causing the dark-haired woman to roll her eyes.
Harriet grimaced, practically growling as she stepped forward with her arms clenched into fists at her sides. "Hare?" Elm stated in quiet disbelief, the desire to fight having left the tall woman.
May rolled her eyes, "You can't still be thinking of fighting, can you?" She asked, flabbergasted at the small knight's stubbornness.
"May's right, Hare." Fiona said as she moved forward then, lowering her weapon and taking a tentative step towards the other petite woman, "We've bigger things to deal with now."
"Yeah, like the giant sphere of destruction literally right there." Joanna muttered, gesturing vaguely to the obvious elephant in the room. Harriet stared at everyone for a good long moment before she gritted her teeth, shoulders sagging as she acquiesced. The sheep Faunus let out a sigh of relief and smiled gently at her, causing the tan-skinned knight to quickly look away.
"Any idea what exactly that is?" Weiss asked hesitantly now that hostilities seemed to have calmed down, her pale blue eyes practically glowing as they took in the shining sphere.
Qrow frowned as he watched the Rune symbols faintly glowing on Nora, Ren, and Marrow's persons, "I can take a guess, princess." He said, assuming it had something to do with Jaune.
Marrow frowned, glancing from the older man over to the dome, "It's connected to the Sun Rune, isn't it? That's why our three Runes are reacting. Something must have happened to Jaune!" He exclaimed, his blue eyes widening as he got to that last part. The Faunus began moving forward in the direction of the mysterious glow without thinking.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." A rather snide voice remarked then from atop a nearby building.
Ruby gasped, gripping Crescent Rose tightly, "You!" She said angrily.
Cinder Fall ignored the brunette's comment, looking rather amused by the current turn of events, though her good eye narrowed slightly in annoyance at the sight of Mercury and Emerald amongst the crowd, "Touching the physical manifestation of a Runescape on this plane of existence can have unexpected results, after all." She continued smugly, as if she was two steps ahead of them.
"A Runescape?" Penny asked, her green eyes widening in shock, "Then that must mean Clover and the others—!"
"No way." Ilia breathed out in disbelief, cutting Penny off when she realized what was going on, "They're inside that thing?"
"If they haven't been burned to a crisp, that is." Cinder said snidely, shrugging indifferently at the prospect.
Yang clenched her hands together at her sides tightly, gritting her teeth as she stared up at the haughty woman, "And what do you want?" She asked, unamused and ready to fight.
A dark eyebrow arched in feigned surprise at Yang's hostility, "Me?" Cinder replied as she smirked, "I'm here to offer you a truce of sorts. After all, I think all of us want to break inside that dome."
Winter scoffed and crossed her arms, "And why should we believe you?" She asked, Robyn having reached her side as quiet support, both women glaring daggers at Salem's henchwoman.
"Oh, don't be like that." Cinder replied, snapping her fingers together as Neopolitan emerged from the shadows behind her, "After all, I come bearing a gift in good faith." She beckoned the half-mer to step forward then. Floating just above Neopolitan's hand was a large chunk of ice, the surface glowing with the blue, rippling circle symbol of the True Water Rune.
When Clover opened his eyes once more, he expected to be in that nightmarish plane of nothing but swirling reds and blacks, filled with the echoing screams of disembodied voices. He wasn't expecting to be sitting on the edge of his bed in Pietro Polendina's home back in Mantle, staring at a red-eyed crow perched on a chair nearby that gazed back at him in a way he couldn't help but find strangely familiar.
The bird tilted its feathery head to the side, and Clover blinked teal eyes in surprise, seemingly recognizing the gesture, "Qrow?" He asked hesitantly.
There was a blinding flash of light, akin to staring directly at the sun. The mer had to shut his watery eyes on instinct. When he was finally able to open them once more, he was greeted by the sight of Qrow the elf standing in the room instead, close enough now that he wrapped his arms tightly around Clover in a comforting, tender embrace that the mer couldn't help but lean into.
"Soon, Cloves. It will all be worth it, you'll see." The other man murmured gently against his ear, and Clover wanted nothing more than to melt into his warm touch even though he had no idea what was happening.
Clover closed his eyes once more, taking in Qrow's scent and feeling more at peace than even the scent of the ocean could provide, only to find himself collapsed on the burnt out landscape of the Runescape once more when he opened them again, his legs having given out at some point.
"Wh—what just happened?" Whitley was shakily demanding, and Clover noticed that the rope that had been binding the young man's hands was no longer there, bits of ash floating down in the still, heated air. His own appendages were likewise freed too, almost as if the rope had been burned away.
The mer blinked, taking in a shaky breath as he struggled to a sitting position. The Rune of Punishment's symbol was just now fading from his hand. He frowned down at it. Had he...?
"Looks like our Runes activated at the same time, Clover."
Clover started at the sound of Jaune's voice, clear and no longer muddied by pain. The blond was holding out a hand to help him stand up, smiling despite the still darkened vein marks dotting his skin.
"How...?" The mer asked, still feeling dazed though it was now more due to the grogginess of having just used his True Rune instead of the drugged haze he'd been in before.
"I think the Rune of Punishment reacted to mine flaring up. It tried using your life force to heal me." Jaune explained, frowning slightly in thought, "And because the Sun Rune wanted that to happen, it in turn tried healing you to keep the process going."
Which explained why Clover wasn't completely out of it currently, and why he was feeling more clear-headed with every passing second. The Sun Rune had literally burned a lot of the Grimm Water from his system. "How are you feeling?" He found himself asking Jaune worriedly then.
Jaune's smile deepened in embarrassment and he rubbed the back of his head, "Like a thousand horses ran over me, but better than I was, that's for sure." He answered as he looked out over the Runescape apologetically, "Though I suppose I should apologize for getting us stuck in here."
Clover and Whitley both shook their heads, "It wasn't your fault, Jaune." Clover assured him, "If anything, the Sun Rune acting up is probably what saved us."
"Really?" Jaune asked, beaming at the notion.
Before anyone could say another word there were footsteps quickly moving over the rocky terrain behind the trio, "Well, this was certainly unexpected." Watts murmured as he regarded the events that had just transpired, "The True Runes are utterly fascinating, indeed."
Tyrian cackled next to the lanky man, his blades gleaming in the blinding light of the Runescape, "Yes, but this won't do at all!" He cackled as, above his right hand, a magenta-colored symbol began to glow, "I suppose we'll just have to have a little fun now and subdue everyone all over again before our goddess gets here!"
Author's Notes: True Runes can act quite independent from their bearers' wills when they feel it is necessary, like they have their own personalities. Things are once more picking up! As always, thank you for reading. Friendly comments are always appreciated!