Weiss staggered a single step before her legs gave way to her own weight, the sword in her hand felt painfully heavy. This didn't make sense.
This thought continued to echo around her mind as she felt the cold tiling of the floor press against her palms, as she struggled desperately to stay on her knees. But, it almost felt as if her limbs had been replaced by jelly worms and, much to her confusion and frustration, she soon found the side of her cheek pressed against the diamond patterned ground. The Glyph that she had conjured between her and Mercy soon dissipated as another wave of fatigue washed over her, further muffling her mind For a horrifying moment her vision was replaced by stars and darkness, threatening to drag her to the world of sleep she could not vanish into, not now, not during battle.
When her sight eventually returned, it was blurred and it was almost painful to look up at the man who was towering over her. Mercury looked rather impressed with the outcome of whatever Pyrrah had done. It wasn't just Weiss that was awkwardly lying against the ground, struggling against waves of fatigue and unconsciousness that threatened to overcome them. Almost all of her companions were in a similar or worse state. They pounded against the ground, but their strikes were feeble and weak. Their breaths were ragged, as if they had just run a marathon and, no matter how much they tried, their tongues felt like lead in their mouths, too heavy to vocalise a single word.
"Should have done that earlier." Mercury observed, looking down at Weiss and, not so gently, he kicked her sword out of her hand. It was sent spiralling out of her reach, crashing under what remained of the chairs. "Although it looks like you missed one."
"I did not miss one." Pyrrah corrected, sounding irritated. "I was ordered to keep the doctor lucid for the plan to succeed."
"Not him." Mercury sighed, shaking his head in frustration. "Jauney Boy here."
Mercy shot Jaune an annoyed look as the Huntsman continued to struggle to support himself against his sword, his own eyes unable to look away from the insect that had attached itself to Ren's neck, seeing how his eyes seemed to lose and gain focus. Slowly, when he finally was able to pry his eyes away from it, he'd begun to notice the same alien creature on his other fallen comrades, their size increasing so dramatically they were impossible to miss. It was also with a gut wrenching horror he noticed that one had attached itself to his upper arm.
"What are these things!" Demanded Doctor Dell, carefully kneeling beside Neptune, also seeing the creature that had attached itself to the back of his neck. Its shell gleamed in the light and the Huntsman groaned as he struggled to get up but was unable to conjure enough strength to do more than that.
"He's got a lot of Aura." Pyrrha answered, not particularly concerned. "It will need to absorb a lot more to get the same effect as the rest."
"I wouldn't touch that." Quickly added Mercury, as he noticed the doctor carefully reaching out towards the insect. Its shell felt firm and hard in his grasp and it was now so large he could probably pull it off with ease. Wearily, Bellamy paused, understanding this could be a simple trick of his enemy but, after so many years in the medical field his gut was telling him not to do anything too drastic. Even the smallest actions could have catastrophic results. "Pull it off and you might as well have killed him. I mean, he's already dying but he'll die quicker and it won't be pretty."
"What are they?" Bellamy questioned, looking up at Mercury. His mind was already racing as to what he could do. Jaune may be the only one left on his feet but he was no more in a condition to fight than the rest. And he was no warrior, he had hung up his sword too many years ago. So for now, all he could do was get information, that way he may be able to create a plan, or some feeble excuse of a plan anyway.
"Cinder calls them Nemusa." Mercury casually explained, not seeing how knowing any of this would make any difference to the doctor's situation. "An old creation of Salem that's found only in Vacuo. Nasty little critters that can pierce through Aura and suck it right up.
"Usually they are so small you don't even notice them but you've seen the result of their bite countless times." Mercury then gave Bellamy a cruel smile. "I am certain you are familiar with a sickness called the Scourge, right doctor?"
And just like it felt like the pieces were finally falling into place in Bellamy's mind, the missing piece that had eluded him and his research all these years. It had evaded him even as he'd watched countless people wither away as a result of this disease. The source had been there all along, it had just been too small for him to see. For any of them to see. These Nemusa, as Mercury called them, were the carriers of the disease that had made the lives of Amelia and Valeria and countless others almost unbearably difficult. A disease that had cut so many lives short, too short.
"So that's what you are doing now? Sucking up these kids's Aura?" Bellamy countered, looking back down at the insect with renewed interest, his quizzical mind drowning away his fear.
"They can be rather troublesome, but the Nemusa will show them their place" Pyrrha admitted gleefully. "And fuel me and my brethren instead."
"And like I said, don't try to remove them." Mercury reminded the doctor, his voice like that of a man warning a child about the boogeyman. "If you do, you'll just cause a burst of toxin to enter their system and they'll be dead in a minute."
Bellamy cursed under his breath and he pulled his hand back towards himself, away from the Grimm attached to Neptune. He still had no proof that what Mercury was saying was true but he couldn't risk it. Not while the Huntsmen were in this state and his tools and equipment were out of his read. He carefully stood, looking at the traitor as Mercury walked towards him.
"Get.. away... from… him…" Jaune heavily panted but he wavered as he tried to walk towards them. His strength was being sapped from him, quite literally, by the Nemusa that was attached to his hand, slowly but efficiently sucking up his Aura like he was some all-you-can-eat buffet.
"Careful over there." Mercury mocked, "You're looking a little pale."
Mercury then turned away from the Huntsman, there was no real damage he could do in this state, that none of them could do really. It was a pity these Nemusa hadn't been around at Beacon or any of the other battles where they had had to deal with these nuisances. Like this he could, quite literally, walk right over them.
"Now Doc, I think you're overdue for an appointment with the headmaster." Mercury chided.
Bellamy raised the chair leg defensively but Mercury deflected it with ease, sending the makeshift weapon flying through the air and crashing into a poster portraying a smiling Huntsman with a tube of toothpaste in his hand.
Bellamy tried to get away, he had no Semblance with which to defend himself with, nor any form of weapon for that matter. Mercury was efficiently blocking his one line of escape and, even if he could manage that, would he really be able to leave behind those injured around him? Those that had been fighting for sake as much as the school's? Mercury and his cohort would show them no mercy.
Mercury paused in his advance as he felt a pressure around his ankle.
"St-stop!" Neptune feebly muttered, struggling to look up at the other man, his bright blue eyes barely able to remain open, his vision so blurred he could barely make out any details of Mercury's face. Mercury looked down at the Huntsman, annoyed by the useless, and pointless, interruption and kicked the hand away. He'd met children with stronger grips than that.
Neptune groaned in response, too weak to even form a comprehensive word.
"Like I said." Mercury insisted, twisting the doctor's hand. Bellamy's face contorted in pain and he cursed himself for having become so useless. He'd never been the star fighter of Team BTKV but he'd always been able to carry his own weight back then. Not anymore. He had now become as useless as the average civilian "We have to get going."
"I won't…" Began the Doctor, struggling to free himself from the grip.
Mercury sighed in response, he didn't feel like dealing with a squirming captive. Keeping his expression calm, Mercury punched the other man in the stomach, his fist enforced by Aura. Bellamy let out a surprised gasping sound and slumped forward, temporarily knocked out. Limply, he fell forward. Mercury caught the man and, not so gracefully, placed him on the shoulder. They needed the doctor alive but he'd wake soon enough.
With little trouble, he holstered the doctor on his shoulder and looked back at the Pyrrha who was stalking through the group
"I'll leave the rest to you." He commanded, walking past Neptune and Weiss, both weakly reaching out towards him, but he walked over them without a single glance.
"Master said she doesn't need any of these alive." It answered, smiling sinisterly at Weiss, eager to continue the feast.
"Knock yourself out." Absentmindedly, Mercury agreed.
"I-I won't let you take him!" Mercury paused when Jaune's voice reached him. He'd almost forgotten that one of the Huntsman was still, somewhat, standing. However, he didn't have to worry much. He'd barely fully turned to face the Huntsman didn't the man's strength finally dwindle to the point he could no longer support himself. The sound of metal clattering against the tiling echoed through the eerily quiet room.
Jaune let out a muffled sound as he tried to push himself up. He tried to get back up but all he succeeded in doing was draining more of his strength. He fell to his side, unable to even look at Mercury, his vision filled, instead, by Ren's face. His pink eyes were unfocused, his presence far away from the waiting room.
Satisfied that these troublesome Huntsmen would not be causing him any further trouble, he walked out the waiting room and began to navigate towards the elevator. He'd be damned if he'd climb all those stairs with the doctor on his shoulder.
When Mercury finally vanished, the creature looked around the prey that had been left at her feet with as close a feeling of glee the creature would muster. Memories that were not its own flooded its mind. Memories it had used to acquire in mere weeks, what years of training would have taken for it to achieve. To assimilate enough of the original's memories to efficiently toy and destroy her master's enemies.
She played with the thought of who she could begin with. Jaune had a particularly tasty face when it was marinated in despair, she should keep him for last but then that begged the question, who should she kill first? She toyed with the idea of starting with Ren but then she saw the white haired woman move. Yes, the heiress, Weiss Schnee. She could see from the memories that she was held close to his heart. She would be the one she'd erase from this world first.
However, as the monster contemplated such heinous plans Juane, in his stupor, was also scheming. He could feel his Aura being sucked away by the Nemusa. The only reason he was still somewhat responsive was due to his large reserve of Aura but there would be little he could do if the Nemusa continued to suck away from it. The others were already too weak to move but, if they didn't, they'd all be killed.
"Ren…" Jaune hissed out his companion's name, it carried itself on the breath he'd expelled but so low he could barely hear it himself.
"Ren." He repeated again, desperately trying to catch his attention. But he seemed too far gone, his eyes … It was unnerving to see them so lifeless.
Jaune made to call his name again but his energy was fleeting. He wouldn't be able to say much more. If this dragged on much longer there would be nothing else he could do but let the creature finish them off one by one. With a heavy, shaky hand he reached out towards Ren, his fingers barely touching the arm that was closest to him.
But, it would be enough.
With a strained expression, Jaune struggled to activate his Semblance.
It had to be enough.
With held breath he forced his Aura into Ren, forcing the other man to accept it.
The answer appeared in Ren's eyes, when light slowly returned to them and, sluggishly, they seemed to focus on Jaune's face. Ren was still too drained to speak but his mind was clear enough to understand the strangled, hushed word his team leader half-uttered, half-mouthed.
Semblance.
Using the strength Jaune was giving him Ren closed his eyes, focusing on the small reservoir of Aura that still remained within him, slowly being replenished by Jaune as it was drained away by the Nemusa that had attached itself somewhere to his body. With as calm a breath as he could muster Ren forced his Semblance, Tranquility, to activate. It flickered into existence, flimsily coating his presence, and just barely, Jaune's for a few seconds.
However, it had proven enough.
The Nemusa, having believed they had sucked their hosts dry, detached themselves from the Huntsmen and, with a loud buzzing sound began to fly towards the Pyrrha, who was standing over Weiss, contemplating how it could begin to torment the woman. She faltered however, when the two Grimm landed on her shoulders and pierced her exposed skin. Their actions filled her with renewed strength and although this power was welcome it did not bode well. The Nemusa would only release their hosts upon the latter's death or upon being summoned by the Necrogrimm. The question thus remained, which ones had bitten the dust first?
The creature looked down at Weiss, and could still see the woman struggling to maintain her consciousness, very much alive and breathing. Neptune too, although sluggish, seemed still to be breathing.
That would leave only Jaune and Ren.
The Necrogrimm paused with the two Huntsmen at her feet. She inspected them curiously, they weren't moving and it couldn't sense any Aura coming off either of them. That would explain why the Nemusa had released them. Had they already kicked the bucket? It couldn't help but feel disappointed, or what it imagined disappointment would feel like. It wasn't capable of actual emotion but that was of little consequence to Pyrrha.
"Hey? You dead?" The Necrogrimm observed, kicking Jaune's shoulder and forcing the armoured body to turn and so his face was looking up at it. In doing so, the hand that had just barely been touching Ren lost it its connection. Suddenly the Necrogrimm sensed a flare of energy within the Huntsmen, far more than a corpse had the right to possess.
"Think again." Jaune yelled, mustering as much strength as he could into his voice. The Necrogrimm's eyes widened in surprise, however it didn't hesitate to raise it's bone-like spear, ready to impale Jaune. However, although Jaune's Aura had been siphoned out of him, it had not all gone to the Nemusa and it was due to this the Necrogrimm did not sense the attack until it was sent crashing sideways away from Jaune.
The Necrogrimm hissed in annoyance as it forced itself to a stop to face its assailant. Ren was standing, the point of each of his Stormflowers were pointed at the creature. He was breathing heavily, his body swaying slightly as he tried to retain his balance. He had regained some of his strength thanks to Jaune but he had given him too much. Between what Jaune had given him and what the Nemusa had taken from the latter, Jaune was out of this fight. Ren wished he could reach Weiss and Neptune and free them from the Nemusa's hold. However he doubted the Necrogrimm would give him a chance. In all honesty Ren wasn't sure he could deal with the Necrogrimm on his own either.
Little did he know that when the Nemusa had released Ren and Jaune they had supplied the Necrogrimm with the Aura they had stolen from them. Pyrrha had given it a very unwelcome, and unneeded powerup. It appeared taller than it had before, the strange spike that had protruded from each gauntlet had extended further. Its eyes blazed with renewed anger as she watched Ren carefully kick it spear to the side out of her reach.
A feral growl left its lips as it snarled, revealing pointed fang.
"That wasn't very nice of you, Ren." The creature growled, its back arched as its hair bristled in anger.
"I am." He countered calmly, feeling his strength returning to him too slowly. "But not to monsters like you."
The Necrogrimm growled again and it turned its upper body into an abnormal angle until its hand gripped at one of the spikes sticking out from the opposite one. A sickening crack filled the air, like two bones being snapped as it snapped on of the spike off, pointing the elongate ebony structure at Ren like a spear.
Of course it can make all the weapons it wants. Ren thought to himself. Why would Salem make it the slightest bit easy for them?
"I'll make this quick." The Necrogrimm said. "I am needed elsewhere."
Ren didn't deign to answer the monster. He did not have the energy to spare on talking. He was working on borrowed Aura, given to him by his best friend. He couldn't waste a drop of it for he was the only one standing between his friends and death, unless someone came to their rescue.
They never did, Ren had learnt early on that you had to save yourself.
Allowing another feral growl to leave its lips the Necrogrimm charged towards Ren, the spear raised towards his heart. Ren took a steadying breath, but swiftly raised his two blades, redirecting its attack. The creature took a step forwards and past the Huntsman, its momentum pushing it forwards. It quickly recovered, spinning on the balls of its feet to strike Ren. The latter dodged again, his movements graceful like that of a dancer. The Necrogrimm gritted its teeth in frustration, why did the Huntsman insist on this game if redirection? There was no thrill in a battle whose opponent refused to fight. However, it was not that Ren refused to fight, for he had no qualms fighting this monster that had stolen his companion's face. No, he was preserving his strength, resorting to using its own momentum against itself. It was one of the most basic lessons of battle that Red had learnt long before entering Beacon.
Ren dodged again, moving to the side as a sting of pain soared across his cheek. He cursed under his breath, his Aura was still too weak. A small amount of blood seeped out of the wound. The creature stepped past him but as both turned to face each other, rather than strike the Necrogrimm changed its ploy. Instead of attacking again, it reached out with its free hand. Ren's eyes widened as he felt the creature grab his hair, which had been slightly slower than its owner in echoing his movement. The Necrogrimm tugged painfully at it, forcefully pulling him towards its weapon. Through the unexpected pain, Ren gritted his teeth and swiftly raised his blades over each shoulder. He pulled the triggers, sending a series of bullets at the monster. It hissed in irritation as it was forced to release Ren in an attempt to jump back and dodge the attack. Frustration, or some imitation of the emotion, grew within the Grimm. Why wouldn't he stay still?!
Pyrrha growled, raising the spear to attack but, as it took a single step towards the Huntsman another, far more unexpected assailant appeared. The Necrogrimm's growl quickly became an indignant gurgling as a small wave of water crashed into its face. It splattered and blinked at the sudden attack. Another slap of water tossed its head to the side and it struggled to comprehend what was happening. It coughed and gagged and barely could see through the Constant barrage blaring it's vision. Slowing its movement, it tried to stagger away from Ren who was charging at it. He forcefully pushed her back, his Aura coated hands sending her flying backwards, cracks webbing from where the Grimm collided with the wall.
A mixture of a hiss, gurgle and hiccup left its lips upon impact. Its mind was unable to comprehend the source of the attacks. It tried to push itself against the wall but it's limbs were unresponsive as, suddenly, a hard chilled substance coated its body.
"What is this!?'' The Necrogrimm growled, struggling against the substance as it began to crawl up its neck while it continued to thicken around the rest of its body, hindering its movement and pinning it to the wall. "Ice?!"
Ren blinked as, he too, realised that it really was ice that had restrained the monster. His first thought was that Nora had returned to the waiting room and was using the Maiden's power to help them. However, he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed when he did not see the ginger haired woman at the entryway of the waiting room. Then his eyes wandered inwards towards his real rescuers.
So preoccupied by their battle, neither Ren nor Pyrrha had realised that Jaune, using the little strength he had left, had crawled towards his remaining fallen comrades. He must have done as he had with Ren, sharing his Aura with the pair, an abysmal small amount having been replenished now that the Nemusa were no longer attached to him. However, he could spare Weiss and Neptune just enough for them to regain consciousness.
It had been enough.
They were all running on fumes.
With wavering hands, too drained to use her Semblance, Weiss resorted to more familiar means. With a shaky hand she grasped her sword, her fingers fumbling as she struggled to release the contents of the sword's chamber watching as the contents spilled to the ground. Her eyes rested on the palest crystal. Using Ice Dust, she managed to freeze the Nemusa that had drained Neptune and herself. Although the Grimm were still attached to their body, now encased in ice, they could feel the little strength Jaune had given them remain within them. The ice had proven enough to stop the creatures, at least for now.
Jaune had collapsed not long after that, falling into the world of unconsciousness.
It had to be enough.
Still barely able to move, Weiss handed Neptune a Water Dust crystal. He grimaced at the object in disgust but he was too lethargic to complain. Instead, he allowed the crystal to form a small puddle of water on the smooth tiling that was still uncomfortably close to his face. He, reluctantly, dipped a single finger into the small, lukewarm volume and he activated his Semblance. That had been the source of the water which had distracted the Necrogrimm, giving Ren the advantage he had needed. The ice that now encased the monster had been the product of the last of Weiss's Ice Dust crystals.
Neptune and Weiss struggled to push themselves up using their elbows, their arms still too weak to hold them up but they forced themselves up. Jaune had not just drained himself dry to help them, they could not idly lie on the floor. The Necrogrimm struggled furiously against the ice however, for the time being, it refused to budge. Ren purposely walked towards Pyrrha, his eyes never leaving the struggling creature
"Are you two alright?" He called. He wished to look at his companions but they had no guarantee how long the ice would hold.
"I feel like I've been tossed in a washing machine set on spin." Neptune answered, leaving Ren to wonder how he knew, specifically, how such a thing felt. "But alive."
"And Jaune?" He enquired, stopping a safe distance before the creature, its face contorted in anger and annoyance.
"Out cold!" Weiss answered, dragging her body around to better study the Huntsman in question. The gentle rise and fall of his chest filled her with superficial relief. He'd used too much of his Aura to revive them all but he was alive, and that was all that mattered.
Ren nodded his head, satisfied that the three of them had miraculously made it through.
"What are you waiting for!?" The Necrogrimm snarled, shifting its face into a cruel expression, one Pyrrha would have never made. "End it! Finish the battle!"
However Ren halted, unable to attack. His mind yelled at him to strike this monster down to finally free him and his companions from its hold. To finally leave this prison in search of the scream's source and Bellamy. To look for Nora and make sure she was ok, that she was safe.
However he couldn't move.
"Ren… I know it looks like Pyrrha… but it's not her." Weiss gently coaxed. But even so, even if they knew this creature was not Pyrrha, the memories it stirred were real enough, as were the emotions they'd all been forced to bury and come to terms with.
However, that was not the reason why Ren had hesitated. The world around him slowly shifted to grey as Empathy activated itself, washing out all the colour that made up the room until all he could were the petals that surrounded the Necrogrimm. It had already surprised him that before he'd seen a number of black petals hovering around the creature. The same black petals that had followed Salem back in her palace. However now, nestled amongst those mysterious structures something else had now appeared, something far more familiar.
Something far more human.
Something Ren could actually read and understand.
Deep purple petals barely indistinguishable from the black hovered around the restrained woman.
The monster was afraid...
Thank you so much for reading! I really hope you are all still enjoying the story. Next chapter will be out Friday :D