45 Chapter 39 - "Collapse the Chaos" (1/2)

※ ※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

Roswaal : ”Shadow Arts!”

He opened up his arms, while saying the powerful, magical words, he clapped his hands. All the focus was pointing towards him, even Emerald and Elsa were looking at him. This wasn't just some Yin Magic, this was basically suicide what he was doing.

Lisa : ”RUN!”

Roswaal : ”The Eeeeeeeeend!”

Right that instance, Tattletale dashed away from the scene, screaming and everyone followed her. Though, it was already too late. The pressure nearly crushed everyone's skull's, and just like that, everyone collapsed, except for Roswaal. They were swallowed by a cloud of shadows, with their sanity and skulls at the edge of collapsing.

However, the Spiritual-like, massive Knight used his blade to protect those in need, and used himself on Weiss' command to protect everyone. He swung his sword and blew the shadow cloud away. However, a new wave was approaching them soon after.

Weiss : ”Don't move!”

With all her power, Weiss stuck her weapon, the Myrtanester in the ground, and created spiritual Arts to keep the Arma Gigas in form.

The Sword of the Arma Gigas was giant, but this kind of magic was beyond her imagination. Even her Mana Stone based weapon was unable to use such sacred and rare arts of Magic.

Emilia, who had a massive headache and nearly lost consciousness, summoned Puck. He appeared on her right shoulder, and without interacting with her, he opened up his tiny arms and clapped them, creating a massive frozen barrier, which was at least two meter thick.

After they felt the pressure disappear, the giant Arma Gigas collapsed, without any impact on the ground, and scattered in a million pieces of light-like glass.

Weiss : ”Thank you Arma Gigas.”

She thanked her Spiritual Knight, with a voice both filled with gratitude and regret. The latter mostly because she would be unable to summon the knight anymore in the next few hours, which could be a fatal problem in the near future.

Weiss : ”We must get away right now! We need to find the others!”

Qrow : ”And how do you wanna do that, Ice Queen?”

Hearing the nickname 'Ice Queen', Weiss bit her teeth and made a ”Tsk” like noise. While the Barrier was still blocking the Dark Energy Field which would easily kill all of them if they wouldn't away, Weiss turned around and looked.

Yang was in a fatal position, she was at the edge of dying, but Emilia was taking care of her again. With the Mana Support of Puck, Emilia would easily be able to heal her back to her original state. However, that would be under normal circumstances. Moving away would result into the Frozen Barrier to shatter, which would cause a certain… Tragedy.

Lisa : ”We must reunite with the others. We cannot win this fight; not with the people we're currently with. We need to find the others as soon as possible! The only two persons who can keep them off are Emilia and Weiss.”

Hearing their names, they feel a shiver going down their spines, and then look up to Tattletale in a quick matter. They didn't like what they heard, but it was true. They were indeed the only ones who were with them that could do something.

Melissa : ”What about me? I could try to use my powers, right?”

She walked towards Tattletale, and opened up her arms out of panic. She wasn't ready to die, not until she could guarantee the safety of Nathan and Felt herself.

Lisa : ”You would be a total idiot if you mean it. You using your powers could result into all of us dying. We don't know if we can trust you once you're that thing.”

Melissa bit her teeth as hard as she could, not because of the fact that it was rude to say, but something she hated even moreー

ーTattletale was right, Melissa was not powerful unless she would enter that form, that powerful form.

Her thoughts filled with anger, defiled by the fact that she cannot protect the one surrounding her, and might become the enemy herself, she formed a fist out of her hands.

Ram walked towards Melissa, and grabbed her hands, and formed her own with hers together.

Ram : ”Don't worry. You don't have the fight. You've more things to worry about.”

Hearing those powerful, sweet words of Ram, who was supposed to be cold and sassy. She widened her arms. Those majestic words warmed the heart of Melissa. It meant a lot to her, just as much as Nathan.

ーDespite nobody knowing the details, Nathan, Melissa and Felt don't have a family. They're were known as the 'Rats of the Slums', nothing but brats, fighting to survive. That's what their life was made of.

There was only one thing which mattered to Melissa, Nathan and Felt, and that was their family, themselves. But now that they all have a place in this world, what are they actually fighting forーー That's all that went through the mind of Melissa. Is this the life she wanted? To fight for someone who gave them a place? Perhaps she's thinking too much about it.

Lisa : ”She is right. Go find Nathan's group. Once you find them, bring them to us.”

Ram released the hands of Melissa and close her eyes, a pink, red like light was leaving her body. As if she was meditating. In a matter of seconds, she opened up her eyes, and looked at Melissa.

Ram : ”They're there! Approximately a few meters away from us! Go get them! Only you can do it!”

Melissa : ”B-But what if I… Become that one thing?”

Suddenly, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Melissa turned around, and recognized that person by her cute face, silver hair and amethyst purple eyes.

ーEmilia, who looked nearly like a corpse, with bags under her eyes, she looked like a walking zombie. She was exhausted, suffering from mana-exhaustion, and more. There was definitely more, she wasn't just exhausted, she was mostly worried.

ーWorried for Jens to be safe. But it wasn't her task to worry, her task was to fight, fight for Jens and not be the one who needs protection this time. She did all she had in her power to protect those who help her, but was it enough?

Emilia : ”Melissa…. I know you can do it. Go, please.”

Then, her eyes slowly narrow, and she passes out, with a slight ”Agh…” when she fell. Just before she hit the ground with her face, Tattletale caught her, and placed her on her back.

Melissa : ”A-Ah…”

Lisa : ”Fuck Fuck Fuck! Weiss, what are we gonna do?”

Weiss looked around. But there was nothing but chaos going on, she kept looking around to see anything bright, but there was only darkness, literally.

Behind the Frozen Barrier, there was literal Darkness created by Roswaal, who was trying to kill them with his magic.

In the Frozen Barrier…

ーThere was Emilia, who was unconscious, laying on the ground with a very pale complexion.

ーRam and Frederica, who were standing, worried for what will happen next.

ーYang, who had an open stomach, with blood still streaming out. She was at the edge of life and death.

ーAngel, who was exhausted, sat down on her knees and tried to catch a breath. She was completely out of Aura and Mana.

ーQrow, who was staring at Yang, filled with anxiety and fear. He never saw one of his nieces in a state like that.

ーTattletale, who looked at the sky, trying to come up with an idea. Despite being the intelligent one, her Semblance couldn't help her every time.

ーPuck, who was floating in the air, pointing his tiny little arms towards the Frozen Barrier to protect Emilia from the enemies.

ーーAnd there was herself, who was frozen, not literally. She was shocked. She hated Yang few hours ago, then they made up for it, and forgot about the past, becoming friends again. But now, she's dying, and Weiss is unable to do anything.

Weiss : ”F-Frederica, do you know how to heal?”

Frederica : ”No, I am sorry!”

And again, all Tattletale could say was ”Fuck” very quiet. She was worried, it was her first day with the Emilia Camp, and there are already people dying.

Lisa : ”We've only one shot at this. Puck, how long can you keep that barrier up?”

Puck : ”One hour, exactly.”

The quick response of Puck opened so many possibilities for Tattletale and her brain. Immediately, she started thinking again, and continued in her own isolated brain. Until,

Lisa : ”I got it. Melissa.”

She nodded in response.

Lisa : ”You've to find the group of Otto, Garfiel and Nathan. Nathan and Otto can heal, plus they might be able to help us in this fight. With the Blood Hunter, Emerald and Roswaal here, we stand no chance. We need the whole group back here!”

Melissa : ”I gotー”

Weiss : ”I go with her!”

The unexpected remark of Weiss left Tattletale speechless, this wasn't what Tattletale said. Going against the plan always results into headaches, is what Tattletale thought.

Weiss : ”If I'm able to find Mana Stones here around, I'll be able to fight more, and even heal! Leaving Melissa on this task alone is stupid! What if she enters the form?”

Tattletale : ”I am not sure if I already told you, but I fucking hate it when people call me stupid, because I am not. Now, go already, we got this. Make sure none of them follows you, and if they doー Well, you'll be screwed.”

That certainly was a way to word something in a situation like this. But she wasn't wrong. Tattletale was right. If they would be noticed by either Emerald, or Elsa, they would be dead for sure. If Roswaal would notice them, and would go after them, then that would open up a way to escape for the others, but could they make it out fast enough? They had two unconscious people, and not enough combatants to fight him. Surely, it was a gnarly situation.

Melissa : ”I got it. We got this, right?”

She nodded towards Weiss, and she nodded back. Then, Weiss drew the Myrtanester, and swung her blade sideways, creating white, floating glyphs on the ground.

Upon stepping on one, Melissa felt weightless, and just like that, she dashed forward, nearly going at the speed of light. Right after, Weiss followed and like that, they disappeared from the scene.

Tattletale : ”They better make it back. I'm not ready to die in a shit-hole like this.”

Qrow : ”They'll come back. We need to worry about this. You know?”

She heard a voice of a mature man. A man wielding a shotgun scythe, wearing the pattern of black, white and red, Qrow Branwen approached her and put his hand on her shoulder.

Qrow : ”We got this. We just need to come up with something.”

That certainly was nice, it made her smile. It wasn't a genuine one though, there was no way she could smile right now out of happiness. They were literally surrounded by Death, collapsing the barrier would result into a tragedy for sure.

Ram : ”Tattletale, weren't you a Thinker? Come up with something useful so I can kick that damned clown's ass.”

Tattletale : ”Stop putting so much stress on me. I'm trying!”

ーSuddenly, a loud crack was able to be heard. A crack you would hear when glass starts to shatter, or Ice.

Everyone felt a cold chill shivering down their spines within the Ice Barrier. Immediately, they looked at source of the sound

ーA single crack appeared in the frozen barrier. But thenー

??? : ”Hyaaaagh!”

The Barrier scattered in a million pieces of Ice, Elsa Granhiert dashed right through the Ice Barrier and broke it. She landed perfectly on her feet, in front of everyone, and the others looked upon her and the Sanctuary Temple, but something changed, yes.

ーRoswaal stood there, on the top of the stairs towards the entrance of the Sanctuary, and stopped using his Yin Magic. He just stood there, with a wicked smirk on his face, and his eyes narrowed, he clapped his hands.

But there was something more abstract about the scene. Elsa broke the barrier, Roswaal stopped using his magic, butー

ーWhere was Emerald Sustrai? She was nowhere to be seen from the scene

Tattletale looked around, in every corner of her eyes, but she just wasn't there. Was this the work of her Semblance? No, it couldn't be, it wasn't the case. Was she after Melissa and Weiss? That sure, was a possibility.

Elsa : ”Such a nice reunion, isn't it Spirit?

The floating spirit Puck made a noise, ”tsk”, out of annoyance. There was no need to use her Semblance, Tattletale already understood that the two of them knew each other.

Elsa : ”This time, I'll make sure to kill that Half-Witch of yours. Now, and forever.”

Ram : ”Over my dead body!”

Suddenly, Ram shouted at the maniac like woman. She pointed the palm of her right hand towards her, and screamed:

Ram : ”FURA!”

She released a burst of wind towards her, at a hyper-sonic speed, it started to reach towards Elsa.

But, she easily dodged it by jumping in the air, and instead, Ram hit an abandoned building.

Elsa : ”Nawh… Bad girl.”

Ram : ”Tsk!”

Then, unexpectedly, Frederica dashed forward towards Elsa Granhiert. She formed fists out of her hands, and suddenly, they transformed. Her hands became hairy, with a yellow orange fur, and her hands became claws.

Her Jade colored eyes glistered in the sunshine, as she approached Elsa with an extremely fast pace, Elsa was unable to react fast enough, and received a punch in her stomach, sending herself flying few feet back. She landed on her back, and coughed blood.

Looking at this, Tattletale grabs Qrow's muscular arm and pushes him forward.

Tattletale : ”QROOOOW!”

She screamed, as loud as she could, pointing her finger towards Elsa Granhiert, and called out his name, stretching it more than usual. Then, she took a breath, and continued,

Tattletale : ”DO SOMETHING!”

Qrow Branwen, who's beautiful black hair waved in the wind of daytime, grabbed his Great Sword, and pressed a button.

Suddenly, within the Great Sword, gears started to spin, engines started to pump, and things started to move within the sword. Then, the Sword started to expand itself, and became a massive Scythe.

From that instance, he ran towards Elsa, and used his scythe to make her draw her blades, which she did, resulting into them getting broken because of the powerful scythe.

Elsa : ”Tsk~! It's gotta be like this, hasn't it?”

Then, Elsa jumped towards Qrow's neck, and used her nails to scratch him, luckily enough, she suddenly got launched back by a powerful kick by Qrow. Before she could land on the ground, her back had hit a wall of a building, resulting into some broken bones, but she didn't care. She just stood up, and ignored the fact that she was in a fatal situation. Elsa Granhiert, this so-called vampire, was immortal, it seemed.