Here we are at Chapter 128. We're almost at the volume 8 finale for this story. I do not own RWBY or Tales of Berseria. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 128. Enjoy.
Chapter 128: Lurking in the Shadows
In one of the control rooms in Atlas Academy, Oscar and the others are trying to figure out what to do after losing the CCT connection. Just then, Lailah joins up with them.
"What happened?" Lailah asks.
"We don't know. We got live, and Jaune began to get the message out, only for something to cut us off. Atlas is beginning to fall, and the people don't know that we have a way out for them. The portals are opened up, so Ruby and the others did their part, but the people don't know that they're an escape out of here," Jaune explains.
"But, if they don't know that, then how to we tell thousands of people about the escape path to Vacuo?" Oscar asks.
"We may have no choice but to use the portals and go speak with the people in each area, spreading the word as we get more and more people through. The portals will not remain open forever," Lailah suggests.
"But, will that really work? I mean, what if they don't listen to us, or are too scared to take the leap themselves?" Nora asks.
"We don't have a choice. If we don't do something, then everyone will die anyway. We need to be swift," Ren says.
Jaune walks up to the portal, "But, that raises another question... are we sure this is safe and we won't get fried, vaporized, have our limbs ripped off, or lose our minds in the process?" he looks back to see everyone staring at him. "What?"
"Good luck Jaune," Lailah waves at him with a smile.
Nora then walks up, grabs Jaune and throws him through the portal. He flies through portal's pathway, screaming like a little girl all-the-while, and ends up in the central location without any of the things he said before happening. The others soon take a similar leap of faith and end up on the other side behind him without any injuries.
"Okay, we need to stick to the plan. Ruby and the others will be with Penny and they'll have the staff. They'll get them to the other side safely while the rest of us aside from Ren go from portal to portal to spread the word to the civilians. Remember, the mission here is keeping everyone safe and getting them to Vacuo in one piece. That is priority one," Jaune says.
"You sure they'll be alright with just us?" Nora asks.
"Unlike the other kingdoms, which have suffered extensive losses to their defenses due to Salem and her cohorts, Vacuo is the one kingdom they haven't attacked yet. It should still have plenty of huntsmen and huntresses to protect it and its people. However, they won't be expecting so many refugees coming to them at once. Wave upon wave of negative emotions will spring forth from such a group. Ren's semblance should hide them from the Grimm, at least for a time until we can get more help on the other side to defend them," Lailah looks ahead at the exit portal.
"He's right. This is what we're here for," Nora says, while Ren nods with the plan.
With that said, they separate and move on to their respective roles. Ren and Oscar run ahead while Jaune and Nora use their weapons to fly through the air to other platforms to go to other areas in Atlas or Mantle, while Lailah walks through one poral by herself. When she comes out on the other side, she sees a rock falling towards her and leans her head to the side to evade it. She looks ahead to see a large number of civilians, all hiding behind the stairs or anything really.
"People of Atlas, do not be alarmed. I am here to help," Lailah speaks calmly to them.
"Help? Help how? Atlas is falling," one man says.
"That is what these portals are for. They'll take you to safety. Please, it will be alright. Trust me," Lailah's soothing voice calms their worries and they begin to come out from their hiding spots.
While this goes on, Ruby and Velvet's group enter the central location through their portal to see people from both Atlas and Mantle entering through all the other portals and walking to the large exit portal on the other side.
"Step this way. Easy does it. Just keep walking, and no pushing. Keep calm and we'll get through this together," Jaune calls out as he points the way as more people walk by him.
Velvet looks around, seeing Nora flying in from one spot to another portal, Ren near the exit portal, and even Robyn's happy huntresses helping with the escort duties since there's so many people to watch over.
"Well, at least things seem to be moving according to plan. The people are coming through," Velvet notes as they begin walking to the exit portal.
"But, shouldn't there be more people moving through here by now?" Blake worries as she looks around.
"Let's not worry about that. Jaune and the others seem to be moving things along with their part of the plan, and we need to do the same with ours. We need to get Penny and the staff to Vacuo as soon as possible," Ruby reminds them.
While they're doing that, Oscar meets up with Ren at the exit portal, "Ren, I think there should be enough people on the other side that the negativity levels will draw the Grimm in. We should move onto the other side while the others finish with the evacuation. We planned to send them right outside of Vacuo so they won't get crowded, but we can still get a call out to the kingdom," Oscar says.
Ren nods, "Okay, as soon as we get through, make the call while I focus on masking everyone's emotions,"
The pair nods and move ahead through the exit portal. However, what greets them on the other side is not the Kingdom of Vacuo, but a dense, grueling sandstorm.
"What is this? I thought we were supposed to pop up right outside Vacuo?!" Oscar covers his face from the sand.
"We should be. We didn't take into account that a sandstorm would be here," Ren replies, trying to look around.
"Where is the kingdom? It should be here!" Oscar yells.
"We may have another problem," Ren checks his scroll, showing no signal. "This storm is blocking scroll signals. We won't be able to call anyone until it passes,"
Behind them, the refugees start coming through the exit portal, "Where are we?!" one woman asks.
"Welcome... to Vacuo," Ren replies.
Back in the central location, the evacuation continues, "Head straight that way to the exit and no pushing. It will take everyone to safety," Nora directs them before flying off to another platform.
Amongst the civilians, Innominat walks with his hood up, smirking at the scenery around him. A moment later, a large explosion erupts on the platform, sending a lage number of civilians falling into the dark abyss below. The explosion makes everyone on the area panic and start racing towards the exit gateway. Velvet and the others look to see Innominat standing on the platform.
"Innominat!" Velvet growls.
However, the others are more worried about all the people panicking around them. Innominat sends out a blast of dark energy at another platform, causing another explosion and sending more people falling below.
Innominat holds his hands out, "Ah yes, such delicious despair. It feels glorious. I want more,"
Velvet looks at Penny who is holding the relic, "Penny, you need to go. Keep the relic and yourself safe. We'll handle this!" and the group race ahead while Penny watches them leave with a scared expression.
Velvet conjures up a fire arte and blasts it at Innominat when they get close, but Innominat slashes through it with his black sword. Ruby uses her semblance to fly in at his side and swings her scythe, but Innominat jumps over the strike and lands in the center of the platform.
"I must say, I'm a little disappointed. Now, this was the easy part; getting all of this together. But, did you really think it would go that easily for you, when just about everything else has slapped you back across the face? Did your friend Oscar not predict that there would be some... unfortunate complications?" Innominat smirks.
...Flashback begins...
Innominat meets with Emerald and Watts on the rooftop, "Well, it seems things are getting interesting, wouldn't you say. The Monstra is dead, the Atlas military is in shambles, the relic of knowledge is gone, Oscar has returned to his little friends. And, oh wait, you still haven't gotten your revenge. Our little opponents certainly know how to keep things interesting, but... the time for games has passed. If we are to claim what Salem wants, and in turn, what WE want, then we need to get moving. Luckily, we have a way of doing so,"
Emerald raises an eyebrow until her scroll rings. She brings it up, showing Neo texting her, and showing her images of herself with the lamp. The texts also show her saying that if Emerald wants the relic, and a chance to keep Salem from killing her, then Emerald must give Neo what she wants. And Emerald knows exactly what Neo wants.
"Who is it?" Watts asks.
"Neopolitan... She has the relic of knowledge, but she won't hand it over unless we uphold our end of the deal. And that means getting her to Ruby Rose," Emerald puts her scroll away.
"Then it appears we have a direction now. You want Velvet Crowe, but we both know that things as they are, she will stay close to Ruby Rose at all times. No doubt she and her little friends are planning something, even after Ironwood's little ultimatum for them. If we are to know what that plan is, and how to use it to our advantage, then we need the relic of Knowledge. Neo must know the password to unlock it, otherwise she wouldn't be as willing to force our hand. She knows she has something we want, and she wants what was promised to her. What YOU promised to her," Innominat leans in close to Emerald's face. "Besides, we were just using her to begin with, right. So... let's use her,"
Reaching an agreement, the trio meet up with Neo, who is less than pleased to meet with them. However, Emerald manages to convince her to give her the relic in return for Ruby and Neo's chance at revenge. Now all that is left is to ask a question.
Emerald stares at the glowing lamp, "Jinn," she calls out.
With her named called, the spirit within the lamp comes out, "So, do you have a question for me?"
"Yes... Velvet Crowe and Ruby Rose. What does are they and their little friends planning to do?" Emerald asks Jinn's question, which would be the last question for this generation.
Jinn is a little surprised by this question. She can feel the meaning behind it, and doesn't exactly like it. However, as the spirit of the lamp, she must fulfill her duty and reluctantly shows images of the past, showing Ruby's group at the Schnee Manor and what they plan to do. After learning the answer to their question, Emerald smirks as she looks to Watts.
"This kingdom, so full of pride and technological might. You brought it low with nothing but your mind? Do you wish to finish off what is left of them?" Cinder asks.
Watts smirks, "I'd love nothing more,"
A short while later, the group easily make their way into the Atlas military compound. They walk right into the main control room, and get everyone's attention there. As soon as Emerald draws her pistols, everyone in the command center panics. Nothing saves them from Emerald's group's wrath, as bodies and flames spread across the room. The only ones still breathing are the perpetrators of such a massacre. With the others standing around him, Watts sits down in front of the main computer and does what he does best.
"You have everything taken care of here?" Emerald asks.
Watts chuckles, "Hm-hm-hm, I have everything I could ever want here. The heart of Atlas, all in the palm of my hand. Another foolish mistake of Ironwood's, bringing all of the critical systems of Atlas under his control in one place, thinking that no one would ever be able to take it from him. Once again, his arrogance is is greatest weakness," Watts types away as he gains control of core Atlas systems across the kingdom.
"Well, with everything settled here. I believe it's time we move on. There's still much despair to sow here in Atlas. And I haven't finished feasting yet," Innominat says.
"Fine. We'll go handle our end of the mission. We'll be back for you later, Watts," Emerald, Neo, and Innominat head out through one exit, but Emerald stops short of leaving the room. "Watts... you deserve this. Thanks... for reminding me of what I need to do," and then Emerald leaves, leaving a smirking Watts behind to use his skills to the fullest.
...Flashback ends...
Back in the central location, Innominat continues his fight against Team RVWBY. Velvet makes a few spinning slashes at him with all of her blades, but Innominat deflects them all when he creates a second blade to match the first one. Velvet jumps in the air as Yang flies in under her, throwing a right fist at Innominat who blocks with his swords. Weiss creates a black glyph beneath his feet, pinning him, and the Ruby and Blake come in from the sides to attack. However, they both get grabbed by a pair of chains and flung onto the ground. They look up to see Emerald joining the fray, her chains returning to her. Ruby and Blake growl before running at her this time. Emerald fires off her pistols at the, but they deflect the bullets with their weapons. Releasing her chains again, Emerald twirls them around as they get close, forcing Blake and Ruby to evade as they try to get close. Meanwhile, Innominat sends out dark blasts of energy at Velvet, who creates a claw shield with her semblance to block them. She jumps over the shield and activates her Maiden powers to send out a gust of ice at Innominat. Innominat covers his face from the ice, but notices Yang firing off her gauntlets at his side. Innominat swings his left sword, sending out a field that blocks the bullets. He then stabs his other blade into Weiss' black glyph, destroying it and freeing himself. Back with Ruby and Blake, Emerald twirls over a strike from Ruby's scythe, and then parries a few attacks from Blake's blades. She backflips away and then her eyes glow. She releases a purple mist that engulfs the platform and everyone on it.
"I knew you had a clever plan for stopping Ironwood and taking the staff, but I never could've predicted all of this," Emerald speaks through the mist. "At least, not without a little help from Jinn. I suppose I have all of you to thank for teaching me something important. Sometimes, if you want to get something done, then you'll need a little help to do so," her voice echoes as the mist begins to fade.
While everyone's eyes are looking around, Neo walks through the fleeing civilians, in disguise from her semblance. She approaches Ruby from behind and pulls out the blade from her umbrella. She then attacks Ruby from behind.
However, Yang notices the ambush, "Ruby!" she yells, activating her semblance, and pushes Ruby out of the way, using herself as a shield
Yang tumbles and falls off the edge of the platform. Everyone looks on in shock as they see Yang fall. Blake throws her chain-scythe to try and catch Yang... Only she doesn't reach her in time. Yang continues to fall, passing all other pathways before disappearing into the dark abyss below. Weiss reaches the edge next to Blake just in time to see this.
It only takes a second for it to register to her, "...YANG!" Weiss screams at losing her girlfriend.
"...Yang," Velvet mutters before Innominat attacks her again and pushes her back.
Neo uses this chance to finally attack Ruby, who has to focus on the fight instead of her sister. Blake holds Weiss as she bawls her eyes out. Weiss eventually turns her teary eyes onto Neo and runs at her in rage, while Blake looks back at Emerald. Innominat and Velvet parry their blades. Fusing her Maiden powers with her demon claw, Velvet slashes her claws, sending out arches of flames at Innominat, who slices through them with his blades. However, he gets a surprise kick to the face by Velvet, and then a fire arte close up to knock him back. Innominat almost falls off the edge, but stops himself. Emerald flips over an attack from Blake and turns her attention to Velvet fighting Innominat. She fires off her pistols at Blake, forcing her back while going after Velvet. Emerald uses her semblance on Velvet, who watches as Innominat and Emerald disappear from her eyes.
"You'll have to do better than that," Velvet mutters before slamming her demon claw onto the floor as it releases lightning around her. The lightning forces the two back and breaks through the illusion. "I won't fall for the same kind of tricks twice,"
Emerald growls and charges at her. Innominat is about to join her, only to see Pnny flying in from above.
"Why did you come here?! Why couldn't you just leave us alone?!" Penny throws a fist at him.
Innominat drops one sword to catch the fist, "Oh, poor Winter Maiden. Why would I want to leave when this world is so entertaining? So much hope still lingers here, at least, until I turn it into despair and devour it all," he throws Penny aside and floats into the air to face her.
Penny uses her Maiden powers to create a set of new blades since her old ones are gone. The two then race at each other and fight. Meanwhile, Weiss creates a few glyphs to send out ice shards at Neo, who deftly dodges them all before parrying a strike from Ruby. Weiss stabs her rapier at her, but Neo shatters into glass to dodge her attack. Neo then appears behind her and swings her umbrella at her face, knocking her back. Ruby flies in with her semblance to swing her scythe at her legs, but Neo twirls over the attack and deals a kick to Ruby's chest. Weiss is about to intervene when she notices Penny fighting against Innominat, and Velvet fighting against Emerald.
"Go, help the others!" Ruby yells out while blocking a strike from Neo, leaving Weiss torn about what she should do.
…
On the other side in Vacuo, Ren tries to keep the large number of refugees hidden with his semblance while the happy huntresses stand guard, but due to the sheer volume of them, his aura quickly depletes and he falls onto his hands and knees.
"I'm sorry. I'm spent," Ren takes a few breaths.
"Where's Penny? If she was here, she could use her powers to blow this sandstorm away and clear a path for everyone," but as Oscar thinks of Penny, he realizes something. "Wait, Penny should've been here by now. Something must've happened," he goes to enter the portal, only to get knocked back onto his backside. "What the-why can't I-,"
"Oh no... Ambrosius. He makes exactly what we asked for... EXACTLY what we asked for. And what we asked for... was a one-way ticket to Vacuo. Meaning, this portal is only one way," Ozpin realizes.
Oscar runs back to Ren, "We can't go back. The portal won't last," he says, only to be interrupted by a loud roar from beyond the sandstorm.
They look ahead to see a swarm of Ravagers, flying in and begin attacking the refugees, prompting the two to draw their weapons. They are then joined by Robyn's happy huntresses who ready their staffs.
"It never gets easy for us," Joana mutters.
And that's the chapter. The next one is the volume 8 finale. Velvet and her friends find their plans shot by Innominat's group, and now Yang has fallen into the abyss. Things look dire for our heroes, but the question remains: can this get any worse? Until then, please Read and Review.