Chapter 26
Serum of Sacrifice…
Letting out soft snores to the night sky with Blake on his chest, Loki laid asleep as the fires embers floated into the sky he brought Blake closer to his chest in his sleep with Yang keeping watch over the surrounding buildings she failed to hear Zwei wake up, along with Ruby yawning as he ran outside, making her get up to chase after him, making Loki snort himself awake in time for him to see Ruby leave, making him fully awake, looking to Blake he dashed after Ruby with Blake still asleep in his sleeping roll, reforming from his ash cloud form he spotted Ruby turn a corner.
"Ruby, Wait up" Loki spoke softly with the petite turning to him, making her turn back to Zwei who turned a corner.
"Ruby what are you doing up at this time?" Loki questioned the girl who turned back to him.
"Zwei ran off" looking at the girl with a tired look, Loki sighed while rubbing his face before he spoke.
"Alright, let's find your dog" Smiling at him Ruby turned to run after Zwei, with Loki keeping up with her.
"Zwei! Zwei, where are you? Zwei! Huh?" Ruby said as they traversed through the street before seeing Zwei taking a leak.
"Zwei, this is a wasteland! You literally could have done that anywhere!" approaching the pooch with a smile, they stood there waiting for Zwei to finish before he stopped and barked.
"What was that?" upon hearing the voice, Loki grabbed Ruby and hid behind a wall, with Zwei joining the duo.
Hearing footsteps, Loki peeked around the corner to see two White Fang
"What was what?"
"thought I heard a Beowolf or something."
"Hmph. Let's just finish our patrol and get back to base. This place gives me the creeps."
"Well, that's probaby because we're in a Ghost town" hearing the voices fading into the distance, the two followed after the two in silence, with Loki following behind Ruby to a wall.
Watching her pick up Zwei she held his head out around the corner.
"Did they go in yet? One bark means yes." Hearing the corgi bark at her question they stepped out into the street with Ruby silently cheering.
"Oh! This is it! This is it!" Ruby said as she brought out her scroll, only to find out they had no reception… well Ruby didn't.
Reaching for his scroll to call the others Loki mentally smacked himself for leaving his scroll at the camp.
"Well shit, come on we'll wake everyone at the camp" Loki said with Ruby nodding, moving to Loki's side with Zwei running ahead the two stop at hearing crumbling, falling slightly they looked to the ground to see they had walked onto the very fragile asphalt.
"AWW CRAP!" Loki yelled loudly as they fell through the road, showing the underground city to the two before Loki looked down, seeing the fast approaching ground he grabbed Ruby and curled up around her, shielding her from the impact that took his aura down, leaving him in a coughing fit.
"Loki, Loki are you okay?" Ruby questioned before she turned as a door burst open, showing two other White Fang members aiming weapons at them.
"Freeze!'
"How did they get here?"
Seeing the two armed Faunus approaching Ruby went to run until she turned to the cliff behind them, turning to the two Faunus she went to reach for her weapon, only to realise she had left it at the camp.
"You're a long way from home, little girl."
"Dude, your talking creepy again" turning to his partner the Faunus scratched his head in embarrassment.
"My bad"
Shaking his head at his partners antics the other WF member looked down to notice Loki drifting between consciousness.
"Hey, it's Fenris, the dog of Beacon"
"What's he doing all the way out here?"
"Who cares just get the girl and bring them to Roman"
"Alright, Perry" reaching for Ruby the Faunus' jumped as Loki let out a growl as he moved to get up, looking up he was knocked down by Perry.
"Just knock her out and bring them along!"
"SorryMa'am" the Faunus said before knocking Ruby down, leaving her dazed as they dragged them away.
Letting out a yawn as her watch was ending Yang stretched her arms as she dropped down from the perch she sat watch on, walking to the others she became full awake at not seeing her sister or Loki.
"Guys!" Calling to the others who were roused from her worried tone Blake took notice to Loki's absence immediately, making her look around for both Loki and her team leader.
Hearing barks from outside they turned to see Zwei run into the camp.
"Zwei?" Yang spoke worriedly to the corgi as Odin held his spear with Gabrielle rousing Yennefer awake.
"Grab your weapons! Your leader and teammate may be in trouble." Oobleck said as they ran out after the Corgi.
Letting out a groan at his head hitting something metal, Loki blinked the blurriness away to see the armory the White Fang were packing, seeing a paladin carrying cargo to a train Loki blinked in confusion before he heard a loud crash from the right.
"Hey, be careful! What are you trying to do, blow us to the moon?"
"Sorry, Sir!" looking head past their captures, Loki tried to get free, if only his aura didn't take its time regenerating.
"Hey boss! Found something you might want to see!" looking to the train Loki's eyes hardened at hearing a familiar voice.
"Is it good or bad, Perry? Because let me tell ya, I have had a day."
Seeing the Faunus turn to them, he noticed Loki glaring with an ache in his right shoulder just now coming to notice, making Loki turn to said shoulder to see… a circle with dried blood around it.
"A little girl and wolf Faunus, the one you said to keep an eye out for to test that concoction the boss lady had made"
Leaning out of the train, Loki saw Roman take a cigar out of his mouth.
"How much did you use on him?"
"Uh, a quarter of the serum?"
"You idiot, she said she wanted a full dose put in for more results- nevermind that, Red, long time hoped to never see again" Roman said as he approached the two, with Ruby being hoisted onto her feet with Loki barely standing due to his body just now feeling the effect of whatever had been injected into him.
"You don't mind me asking why you two are here?"
"We could ask you the same thing" Loki said as he slightly began to sweat, with Roman sharing a glance until he kicked Loki in the gut, startling Ruby who gasped at the sight of Loki's aura shattering from the one kick.
"Seems even a small doze shows results of weakened aura, stand him back up" Roman said before he knocked Ruby onto the ground, making Loki scowl as Ruby rubbed her cheek.
"Wow! You are much more manageable without that oversized gardening tool of yours." Roman said with Ruby going for a strike, with Roman side stepping said strike, sending his foot out he tripped her with a laugh rising out of him, failing to see Loki channel ash into his right hand, seeing Roman turn to Perry he growled lowly.
"Oh man. You know, Perry, I really did need this." Roman said with Perry giving him a thumbs up until they turned to Loki lunging at Roman, a right fist raised Roman leaned to the left, leaving Loki open for him to reach into his coat and stab Loki in the chest with a large injector, shoving Loki back as Loki's body writhed in pain as his Aura failed him, leaving a flickering being over Loki with Ruby staring in horror as Loki cried out in pain as his eyes turned from a golden glow to crimson red.
Turning to Ruby, Roman questioned her.
"Now, How'd you find this place, Red?"
Instead of answering, Ruby elbowed her captor in the gut before rushing off with Loki using her semblance, startling Roman who let out a "Whoa!".
Seeing her he aimed his cane at her with the handle, before said handle shot after her with a rope attached to the cane, snagging Ruby by her hood she lurched back with Loki skidding on the ground with a pained cough.
I see you've got some tricks up your sleeve! Let me make this clear: We're not through here yet." Roman said as he dragged Ruby to him, rolling onto his back Loki forced ash to his hand until he heard an explosion, making him lose focus with the bolt of fiery ash firing past Roman who flinched.
"Oh, what the... Perry, if you and the boys could take care of that? Kinda in the middle of something." Roman said with Perry nodding and move two steps before another explosion echoes, making Loki look over his shoulder with a smile of hope.
"What is going on here?!" Roman growled in annoyance just as a third explosion echoes, with Ruby choosing this moment to jump over his head while pushing his hat over his eyes, rushing to Loki she rushed towards the sight of her sister and the other two teams.
"SOMEBODY KILL THEM!"
Seeing the Faunus around him fire at the fleeing girl, he growled as all the shots missed as he turned to a close by WF member.
"Attach the Cart, we're leaving!"
"But we're not done yet"
Slamming the Faunus into the side of the train he growled.
"Do it or you're finished!"
Running away from the many firing squads trained on the du, Ruby looked ahead to see another squad of Faunus ahead she tried to stop with Loki looking up in time to see them scattered by an explosion behind them, revealing Yang running to them in worry.
"Ruby, Loki!" Yang said in relief as she ran to the two, hugging Ruby before seeing Loki sweating profusely, his eyes flickering from gold to blood red as he fell to his knees.
"Loki, What happened!?" Blake said in panick before turning to Ruby.
"Roman injected him with something that took out his aura, but right now we need to try and stop that train, Torchwick's got all kinds of weapons and robots down there." Ruby said as Odin helped Loki stand, the werewolf Faunus letting out a growl of agony.
"What?"
"Androids, mechs, they're all loaded up on the train cars!" Ruby said with her hands in the air.
"That's ridiculous. These tunnels are sealed, the tracks lead to a dead-end." Oobleck said before Roman proved him wrong.
"Get to your places, we are leaving now!" Hearing Roman call out the nine moved to the train.
"Well they're going somewhere." Gabrielle said as they ran after the slowly leaving train.
"We need back up" Ruby said as she brought out her scroll, only to see she had no signal, even Loki's had no reception.
"I can't get through!" Ruby said with Odin growling as he lifted Loki up.
"What now then?"
"I believe we only have one option..." Oobleck said with a serious tone
"We're stopping that Train"
Reaching the train with Ruby's cloak fluttering with the wind she saw Loki lean against the train with sweat pouring off of him now.
"I think they're on the-UGH!" hearing Oobleck knock out a WF member Loki willed himself to move up a set of ladders, losing his footing he caught himself, making Odin jump by him to help him up onto the roof.
"Hurry, children! We must get to the front and stop this train!" Oobleck said as the group moved to the next car, with Weiss, being curious, opened the hatch to have her eyes widen.
"Uh… Professor!"
"Doctor" turning to Weiss calling, Oobleck moved to her side to look inside the hatch, his eyebrows rising above his glasses.
"What's that?"
"That my dear... appears to be a bomb." Oobleck said as he knelt down, with everyone cringing away.
Looking ahead, Loki glared weakly while pointing.
"incoming"
Turning to Loki's words, Odin scowled at seeing the White fang climbing onto the rooftops.
"Well, I didn't expect them to go-" Stopping at hearing the bomb beeping loudly, Oobleck stared in worry.
"Easy on us… Time to go!" Oobleck said as the nine moved to the next car.
"Blake! Detach the caboose! It will kill us all!" Nodding to Oobleck's request, Blake turns and drops down, leaving the others waiting before she called up.
"It decoupled itself!"
"What?" Odin questioned, moving to watch the Car slow down before exploding, making his eyes widen at seeing grimm fall into the tunnel.
"The Grimm… he's leading them to the city" Loki said weakly with a look of horror.
"That's not good…"
"Neither is this!" turning to Gabrielle and Ruby, Yang stood worriedly.
"No. No. No." oobleck said as he moved to the next car, with the others following him.
"THEY ALL HAVE BOMBS!"
"This doesn't make any sense" Yang said as they moved ahead to the next car seeing th one they stood on slowly moved away.
"Oh dear" Oobleck said as this explosion made a large hole in the tunnel, allowing more Grimm to charge in.
"Like I said, he's leading them to the city"
"WHAT!?" Weiss questioned, horrified.
"It's the cars! They detach and explode, creating openings for the Grimm!" Oobleck said as he turned to the back to see more Grimm, turning to the others he spoke.
"We have to hurry!" Turning to team RWBY he spoke, Yang, Weiss, Blake, go down below with Loki where he won't be exposed to much damage" Oobleck said with the three nodding, with yang taking Loki from Odin.
"What about us, Professor?"
"We're going to stop this train"
"Yeah, I know. I said that earlier."
Dropping down with the three girls, Loki let out a groan as Yang helped him stand as he clutched his chest where the syringe was plunged.
"You gonna be alright?" Yang questioned Loki who nodded.
"I will be if who I smell is actually present, let's go" Loki said weakly, making the three walk forward, until a familiar Petite dropped down, smiling Neo instantly gasped at the state Loki was in, not noticing Yang and Weiss stare at her, Blake merely smiled in hope.
"Neo!" Blake said as the petite ran to Loki's aid, making Yang lower him to her eye level, checking his eyes with a smallflashlightt she blinked as his golden eyes flickered to blood red before the glow dulled, making Neo flinch before she noticed the holes in his shirt, looking to his chest her eyes widened in realisation.
"Shit, Hold on Loki" Neo said as she reached for a back pocket, bringing out a cylinder she took the top off before she stuck it into Loki, injecting whatever was inside into him Yang frowned as he let out a gasp as his eyes glowed golden once more, allowing him to stand up by himself, holding his chest, neo brought him into a hug.
"Are you alright, Roman didn't use all of that stuff did he?" Neo questioned with Loki giving her a frown.
"He injected me with a whole capsule, Neo what was that?"
"The one who has Roman on a leash ordered a concoction of things, the main thing making that serum is Aura nullifier for Inmates on death row, the shit she had ordered were used in a lot of chemicals" Neo said with Loki wincing as his chest acted up.
"Will you be alright?" Neo questioned Loki who grunted as he stood firmly.
"For now, You three go on ahead, I need to ask Neo something" Loki said with yang and the others frowning in worry until he smirked.
"I'll catch up" Loki said with the three nodding as they ran ahead.
"Neo, what do you got for me?"
"Barely anything, Cinder Fall has gotten wind someone is feeding you info, and luckily I managed to keep my head down, but I don't know how long, I was able to make a antidote for the serum but I don't know how long it'll last, Loki… please be careful" Neo said with Loki smiling at her, bringing her into a hug she returned it with a shake, pulling away she saw his smile.
"I'll do my best, now get out of here in case something happens alright, I'll meet up with you, I promise" Loki said before he left to catch up with the others.
"Don't break that Promise Loki" Neo said, standing in silence she turned to see Raven Branwen with her mask standing calmly, the woman was expecting a fearful look from Neo, instead she got a glare from the petite.
"You got a lot of nerve, Branwen!"
"Remember that your all bark and no bite Neopolitan, your boyfriend won't last long with what he has in his system still present" Raven said before opening a portal and leaving.
Leaving neo frowning in worry for Loki, remembering the sight of the older werewolf Faunus she sighed and ran after the four.
Running through a room where an unconscious Lieutenant laid, Neo smiled at the prick being knocked out as she ran to the next room, seeing the room filled with unconscious Faunus she ran faster until she spotted Roman on the ground knocked out.
Standing with his team at seeing a incoming concrete wall to vale ahead, Loki turned to team RWBY and his before looking ahead as wind flew by him.
"Well, Shit, now what?" Odin questioned as the eight stood there.
"Loki can you make a dome of ash to take the impact!?" Gabrielle questioned with Loki about to answer until he winced as his chest became filled with pain, standing behind the seven he spoke.
"Yeah, I got it!" Loki said with a hidden wince as he willed ash to form a ball, making it bigger he saw Weiss make an ice shield around her team, focusing on his team he made an opening in the ball of ash with Yennefer and Odin stepping in, nodding to Gabrielle she nodded back before getting in, failing to see Loki fall to his knees as the serum took over once again, leaving ash particles to fly off of Loki who suddenly coughed up blood mixed with ash, making his eyes stare at the sight.
Looking up with a grunt, he coughed once more, making him pant he saw the wall approaching faster, seeing the sight he smiled in acceptance as he willed the ball of ash to close… until he felt himself lifted up off the ground by a petite.
"Neo!?" looking down to the crying girl she helped him walk to the ball of ash, with Odin yelling for Loki inside.
"Get in there Loki, one of us is getting out of this one way or another" Neo said as tears were now rolling down her cheeks as Loki fell to his knees in another coughing fit, making Neo try to rile him up to move he let out a bitter laugh as Neo began to cry.
"COME LOKI, GET UP!" Neo said with Loki looking to her with a look of acceptance.
"No, you get in there, I was an idiot to make it room for four" Looking to Loki with a horrified look Neo shook her head as Loki held her still.
"No, I'm not leaving without you" Neo said with Odin calling out to him once more.
"Loki!"
"And I'm not letting one of my friends die, You have so much to live for, don't throw it away for me" Loki said before Neo pulled him into a kiss, making his eyes widen as she pulled away.
"I don't care, if I die with you, then I'll accept that" Neo said with Loki reaching for her cheek, until he grabbed her by the vest and threw her into the ball of ash, willing it to close Loki fell onto his back with a cough.
"NO, LOKI!" hearing Neo calling out to him, he willed himself onto his knees, a bitter smile on his face as a trickle of blood flowed from his mouth, reaching for his shirt he looked at his chest to see black veins reaching over his body.
"Well, shit, I had a good run I guess, Sorry I won't be home… Dad, Glynda… Nora, Don't wait up for me" Loki said to himself as he saw the wall approach, closing his eyes calmly.