Darkest Nights: a RWBY Story

Chapter 25: the War Begins

When Jason opened his eyes, he found himself back in Oobleck's office. He turned to see Blake next to him.
They hugged each other close. It worked.
Then Jason noticed what was on the floor.
"Talia!"
He rushed to his sister's side.
On the floor of the office lay Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Talia, flat on their backs, eyes closed.
Jason breathed a sigh of relief as he reached his sister.
She wasn't dead, only sleeping.
He shook her gently as, a few feet away, Blake did the same to Yang. But Talia wouldn't wake.
Jason frantically looked around the room. His gaze fell upon Blackest Night. He pressed the hilt into his Talia's hand, and a white glow spread through her body. When it faded, Talia sat up and opened her eyes. Blake quickly picked up the spear and used it to wake the other three.
Talia looked at her brother.
"Jason?"
He was stronger, more muscular than the lWhen Jason opened his eyes, he found himself back in Oobleck's office. He turned to see Blake next to him.
They hugged each other close. It worked.
Then Jason noticed what was on the floor.
"Talia!"
He rushed to his sister's side.
On the floor of the office lay Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Talia, flat on their backs, eyes closed.
Jason breathed a sigh of relief as he reached his sister.
She wasn't dead, only sleeping.
He shook her gently as, a few feet away, Blake did the same to Yang. But Talia wouldn't wake.
Jason frantically looked around the room. His gaze fell upon Blackest Night. He pressed the hilt into his Talia's hand, and a white glow spread through her body. When it faded, Talia sat up and opened her eyes. Blake quickly picked up the spear and used it to wake the other three.
Talia looked at her brother.
"Jason?"
He was stronger, more muscular than the last time she'd seen him.
Jason hugged her tight.
When he let go, she stared at him.
"What happened? Last thing I remember, you and Blake picked up the spear and then..."
Her voice trailed off.
Jason smiled.
"It's a long story. I'm just so glad to see you again."
The group stood up.
"Come on."
Blake said.
"We need to get out of here before-"
A thunderous roar shook the building.
"That sounded big."
Yang said, reattaching her robotic arm, and staring out the window at the courtyard.
"Oh shit..."
She pulled back from the window.
"You guys are gonna need to see this."
Jason walked to the window and felt a chill go through his body as he looked out the window. All the Grimm on Salem's island hadn't prepared him fprwha5 he saw.
Hordes of Grimm, close to a hundred if not more, were spilling into the courtyard. Beowolves, Ursa, King Taijitu, Deathstalkers, nevermore and, most terrifying of all, a massive dragon.
"Well,"
Blake said, turning to Jason.
"Salem certainly knows how to throw a welcome party."
"What are we going to do?"
The fear in Yang's voice was evident.
"I'll tell you what we're gonna do."
Jason said, drawing Phoenix Fire From its sheath on his back and, holding blackest night in his other hand, strode to the office door.
"We'll give 'em hell!"
As the group made their way out to the courtyard, Jason made a call on his scroll.
A young soldier wearing the blue and gold of the Royal Army Of Remnant appeared on the screen.
"I need a military craft in vale harbor immediately. Get every officer out of Vale then circle back to pick us up. I don't know how much time Weber got, so hurry as much as possible."
The army officer nodded.
"I should be able to make it around to you in,"
He checked his screen,
"28 minutes."
"Alright."
Jason ended the call before turning to face the others.
"We need to hold off the grim until the ship gets to the dock."
The front door to the hall exploded, and a large beowolf burst through the door.
Before anyone could do anything, an explosive crossbow bolt caught the beast right between the eyes. The creature only had time for one last angry snarl before the bolt detonated, killing it instantly.
"Nice shot."
Jason said, turning to Talia as she reloaded Headhunter.
"One down,"
She said,
"Plenty more to go."
The group charged out into the courtyard, ready for the fight of their lives.
Almost the second they were out onto the courtyard, they found themselves in a sea of grim.m.
Ruby, Crescent Rose in hand, charged into the fray, followed closely handed Weiss.
Yang darted off after a pack of beowolves, both gauntlets firing.
Blake, Jason, and Talia stood their ground, felling wave after wave of Ursa and deathstalkers.
He heard Blake's voice as his sword cut through a Deathstalker.
"Jason! Shatter!"
He knew what she meant, it was a move they'd practiced hundreds of times before.
Jason crouched, straightening his back as much as possible. A second later, he felt Blake's weight defend on his back before instantly lifting as Blake pushed off him and launched herself skyward.
While airborne, Blake launched Gambol Shroud, using her ribbon to swing the weapon in a vicious ark around herself. Heads rolled as the blade sliced through the necks of several unsuspecting Ursa as the weapon fired multiple shots, felling two beowolves.
Blake landed nimbly on the ground, Gambol Shroud returning to her hand.
To Jason's left, Yang and Talia were back to back, Talia, during her crossbow with deadly accuracy as yang unloaded into the horde of Grimm with her gauntlets.
Then a massive roar shook the ground. Jason had almost forgotten about the dragon.
The beast swooped low with another mighty roar, it's lowered claws scattering Grimm and stone everywhere. Jason and Blake ducked, the claws just missing their heads.
"How the hell are we gonna kill that thing?"
Blake shouted, shooting two Nevermore out of the sky.
Jason's mind worked frantically as the beast wheeled around in midair.
As they dodged its second pass, Jason saw it, a crumbling entry arch at the other end of the courtyard. The structure was about 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide. If he timed it right, he might just have a shot. He made his way over to his sister.
"Talia! I. Need you to dun distraction for me! Get that thing to fly under the arch!"
Talia Glanced at Yang, who nodded.
"Go! I'll be fine."
Yang gave Talia a brief kiss as she unloaded into the face of an oncoming beowolf.
Talia nodded and took off across the courtyard, slashing at Grimm with her knife as she went.
Standing it's under the arch, she once she raised Head Hunter and fitted a long-range bolt.
Aiming with a straight arm as Jason had taught her, Talia tracked the path of the dragon as it prepares to swoop down again, and fired.
The bolt landed perfectly, striking just under the beast's left wing.
The dragon let out a roar of anger as it wheeled to face her, swooping straight towards her.
Across the courtyard, Jason prepared himself. He was only going to have one shot at this. As the bolt struck the dragon, Jason unwound Blake's ribbon from around his left arm, holding it tight in his left hand, clutching Blackest Night in the other.
As the beast flew towards the arch, Jason took a deep breath, drew his right arm back, and threw.
The spear flew straight and true, striking the underside of the arch just as the dragon passed through.
There was the familiar loud crack before, 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗠, he materialized just above the dragon, falling directly onto the beasts back. Grabbing onto one of the dragon's spikes with one hand, he quickly reached up and retrieved the spear with the other.
The creature bucked in the air, not accustomed to the unexpected wight on his back.
The dragon shot skywards, Jason clinging onto its spikes with all his strength.
He managed to wrap Blake's ribbon around one of the beasts spikes as they flew higher and higher, the dragon doing its best to shake him loose.
Looking down, Jason saw the courtyard far below, a mass of Grimm with small clear areas that were his team holding back the onslaught.
Using the ribbon like a climbing tool, he pulled himself up the creature's back until he was level with its neck. Then, summoning all of the strength that his time of Salem's island had given him, he plunged the spear downwards as hard as he could.
Black blood, like oil, shot from the place where the spear entered the beast's neck.
The creature gave one last roar of pain and desperation, it's wings flailing in the air.
Then it stopped, the roar was silenced, and it began to fall.
The dragon plummeted earthward, Jason still clutching to its back.
With great effort, Jason wrenched the spear from its back and untied Blake's ribbon. The ground was approaching an astonishing speed.
Jason steadied his arm as much as possible and threw.
The spear struck the ground several feet from Blake, and there was the familiar cracking sound. Jason appeared by Blake's side, retrieving the spear from the ground, across the courtyard, the dragon slammed into the ground with a mighty crash... dead.
The remaining Grimm scattered, heading back into the forest.
The team regrouped. Luckily, apart from some minor scratches, all of them were unharmed.
Talia was the last to join them.
"Here"
She said as she approached her brother.
"I thought you might want these as trophies."
She handed Jason two items.
The first was a blood-red crystal-like object. The second was a long dragon's fang.
He examined the crystal. It was made of Grimm blood, the dragon's blood, to be exact. The heat from its body must have crystallized it. He turned the crystal over and found himself looking at a red, and yellow dragon's eye invaded inside.
He thanked Talia and pocketed the crystal, slipping the dragon's fang through a notch on his belt.
The group made their way to the dock where a Royal Army tug was already waiting.
A young male deer Faunus in a Royal army uniform stood on the dock to meet them.
"Jamison!"
It was Talia's voice.
The deer Faunus grinned.
"Hey, Talia."
The two exchanged a friendly hug as the group boarded.
"Good to see you again."
Jamison smiled.
"Likewise."
Jamison left to get the ship started as yang walked over.
"He seems like a nice guy."
"Yeah."
Talia said.
"But I've got you now, remember?"
Yang grinned as Talia kissed her cheek. The boat started moving. The sooner they were out of Vale, the better.