The private transport airship glided high above a white landscape. The region glowed silvery white as the shattered moon reflected it's light off the white ground. Large mountains ran along the horizon and snow capped forests filled the grounds below. In the distance, on top of a hill was an exquisite lodge that belonged to the Schnee's. The lights shining out of the windows made the house appear alive as it stood admist the forest.
Jaune pressed his face against the window and awed at the sight. He never knew Mantle's snowy grounds would look so tranquil at night. A small mew from the seat next to Jaune drew his attention. Pyrrha was using his shoulder as a pillow while she slept. Her hair was out from it's usual ponytail, draping her shoulders.
He admired her peaceful dozing face. A trickle of drool ran from the corner of her lips and onto his arm. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he lightly shook Pyrrha awake. Her vivid emerald eyes blinked open as she sat upright.
A yawn escaped her lips as she looked over at Jaune. The view outside caught her attention and she marveled at the sight outside. Her hand intertwined with Jaune's and she placed her chin on his shoulder.
"We're almost there, Pyrrha." Jaune softly whispered.
"Mhm."
"You know," Jaune started, catching Pyrrha's questioning look. He laughed awkwardly as he continued. "I'm surprised Weiss actually invited me. It wasn't so long ago that she hated my guts."
"She didn't hate your guts Jaune." Pyrrha softly spoke. "You were just... a little dense."
Jaune laughed at the sound of that, Pyrrha lightly shoving him. She bent down and pulled her suitcase from under the seat. Unzipping it, she put on her caramel winter vest and wore gloves for the chilly weather. Jaune did the same and zipped up his poofy, but form fitting black coat.
When the airship touched down at the snow covered landing pad. Jaune and Pyrrha thanked the pilot and got off, suitcases in hand. They watched the airship lift off and disappear into the sky, returning back to Atlas International Airdocks. White dust particles whipped past their legs and a chilly wind sent goosebumps along their necks. Pyrrha shivered and shrunk into Jaune, using him as warmth as they made their way up the path.
To their left and right, tall spruce trees stretched endlessly down the hill. Bushes dotted between the trees, a lone deer picking the canopy of leaves for berries. A wooden fence lined the edge of the path and distinguished where they needed to go.
"I'm surprised the Schnee's have made this place approachable in the short months to come. What was it, two months?" Jaune asked his lover.
"I think so. You'd be surprised what fortune can do."
As Pyrrha finished her sentence, something rustled in the the bushes.
Jaune rested his hand on the hilt of Crocea Mors, his cobalt eyes scanning the environment for threats. The silvery snow was barren as they saw moments before. Pyrrha noticed his alert stance and fingered the hilt of Milos.
"What is it Jaune? Something out there?"
"I dunno. Might be hearing things. Sleep deprivation, ya know." He shrugged and lowered his shoulders.
"It could have been the wind." Pyrrha said as she shivered.
"...Probably. You cold Pyrrha? Want my coat?"
"No, I'm fine, thank you for the offer though." She blushed.
They stepped onto a rickety wooden bridge that spanned over a small U in the land. Their footsteps made the wooden planks creak and the entire bridge tremble as they walked. Jaune would be lying if he said he didn't feel uneasy walking along the bridge. Little slits in the flooring showed the bright white snow far below. The roofing was similarly in disarray, the starry sky could be seen through multiple holes.
Creaaaak.
Jaune's head snapped towards the ceiling. Something moved above him. Pyrrha gave him a worried look and patted his back.
"Just the wind Jaune."
He nodded and continued walking. They passed the middle of the bridge and he heard the creak again.
Creeeeaaaak-k-k.
This time he was sure it wasn't the wind. The wind came seconds after the creak, cold knives burrowing into Jaune's goosebumped neck. A howl in the distance sent shivers up his spine as he kept his hand ready on his sword.
"Not the wind?" Pyrrha mumbled, her hand on Milos again.
"I don't know." Jaune stopped and leaned over the railing. Peering up to the roof, he saw nothing, and that disturbed him. Both Pyrrha and him and heard the creaks and were unnerved by it.
"See anything?" Pyrrha called from the end of the bridge.
"Nope! But I'm going to check again!" Jaune called back. He looked up and down the length of the roofing and saw nothing.
Except it wasn't nothing when Pyrrha's scream pierced the air.
Jaune drew his sword and dashed down to the end of the bridge. Pyrrha's suitcase lay on it's side in the snow and she was nowhere to be seen. Something must have grabbed her. A bear? A Grimm? Couldn't be. Winter had confirmed that this place was Grimm free, protected by an Aura barrier that deterred any monster.
He scanned his surroundings.
Something rustled in the bushes. Jaune slowly placed his eyes on the leaves that adorned the shrubs. He scanned them for any sight of Pyrrha's fiery red hair. There wasn't any red, but there was something that stuck out; a golden head-
The sharp, guttural intake of breath behind him made Jaune jump. His spine tingled and the hairs on the back of his neck stood tall as the third year Beacon student turned on his heel. Jaune shrieked and fell to the ground.
In front of him, hanging from a tree, was a Grimm that was black as night. Jaune scooted his bottom along the snow until his back bumped into a tree. He shrieked again and flailed his sword wildly. It drew another breath through it's fangs and... snickered.
A scowl marked Jaune's face as he stood up and dusted the snow from his pants. He stomped over to the hanging 'Grimm'. The snicker grew into a laugh as a certain monkey faunus dropped from the tree.
Sun pulled off the white Grimm mask and bent over, out of breath and laughing his lungs out. The tousled golden haired monkey was wearing a pure white thick hoodie and khaki cargo pants. He held a gloved finger up as Ruby and Pyrrhra appeared from the bushes. Ruby slapped her thigh and cackled loudly while Pyrrha tried to stifle her giggles.
"Not funny." Jaune was not amused.
Sun's laughter died down and he gave Jaune a look. "C'mon man. Don't be like that."
"Be like what?" Jaune folded his arms.
"Like... Like you!"
"I was extremely worried about Pyrrha! What if she actually got hurt?"
"C'moon Jaune, we're just getting you in the mood." Sun groaned.
"It was a joke Jaune, sorry for scaring you." Ruby scratched the back of her head.
The four of them began walking up the path together. Jaune carrying both Pyrrha's suitcase and his. He was peeved, especially since Pyrrha was in on it. He wasn't mad, but he felt really embarrassed.
"C'mooon Jauuuneee~" Sang Ruby further ahead. "Winter's going to tell us a spooky taaleee~"
"Jaune?" Pyrrha slowed down to match his pace. He didn't realize that he was walking slower than everyone else. Then again, he was forced to carry both cases of clothing which were quite heavy, even to his muscular arms.
"I'm fine Pyrrha. I just... might have wet my pants."
Pyrrha let out a short giggle before grabbing his coat and pulling him along faster.
Winter's lodge was a cozy architectural work, stretching three stories up. The dark wooden exterior gave the vibe of personal space as the inner lights outlined the divided windows. Spruce trees surrounded the building and the pointed roof was coated with a foot of snow. Through the glassed double doors, a fireplace was alive and dancing with flames. A tall woman stood in front of it, looking directly at them.
Jaune remarked at how Winter barely seemed to have changed. Even though she had a more casual appearance with a navy blue winter parka, she still ebbed formality and royalty. Must be tough for her to become a normal person and own a part of SDC at the same time. Sprawled about inside the living room was team SSSN, CFVY, and RWBY. Ren and Nora opened the doors and let them in.
A gust of wind entered that made even the ice princess, Weiss Schnee, glare at whoever entered. Sun ignored her sharp gaze as he shook the snow off and ran over to his blue haired friend Neptune, giving him a high give. Ruby plopped down beside Weiss and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Setting their bags down, Jaune and Pyrrha greeted Ren and Nora with hugs and bright faces.
Jaune looked around the spacious room. A wide stairwell that led to the second floor was at the very end of the room. Coco Adel sat at the bottom step, a mug of hot chocolate in one hand, and a Glamour magazine in the other. Velvet and Yatsuhashi sat in chairs that were against the wall, behind a larger couch. They chatted happily about something out of Jaune's earshot. Fox was dozing off in the corner, headphones on his coppery head.
On the large couch, Blake, wearing a black turtleneck, sat on the very end, a book propped up on her lap. Noticing Jaune, the cat faunus flashed a smile and nuzzled into Yang. The blonde fighter gave him a peace sign and winked her violet eyes. She wore an orange long sleeved shirt and black leggings. Weiss sat on the other end of the couch, not looking too happy at Ruby's romantic gestures. Her arms were crossed and she kept her eyes away from Ruby's. Weiss wore a white trailblazer with similarly colored pants, only a shade darker. Ruby, trying to coax Weiss from her closed position, wore a a black jacket with red outlines. Her crimson cloak was attached to her neck and she continued to wear her black and red boots after all this time.
Standing to Jaune's right was Sun and Neptune, whom were making fun of him for the scare earlier. Neptune's blue hair was spiked up as usual and he wore something similar to his usual clothes, a red jacket with stylish pants. Jaune shook his head and rolled his eyes
Ren and Nora stood beside them, dressed in their winter clothes with the same color scheme as their combat outfits. From the corner of his eye, he saw Scarlet and Sage, part of Sun's team, sitting together. They appeared closed off from everyone else, talking in hushed tones and playing a board game.
Maybe they're just intellectuals. Jaune mused.
"So, Jaune?" Pyrrha met his eyes. "Where do you want to sit?"
"Anywhere's fine with me."
"We can sit beside the sofa. On the floor." Ren pointed.
They nodded in agreement and placed themselves at the foot of the sofa, in front of team RWBY. Jaune sat in front of Yang and felt her playfully kick his back. When he looked behind him, she nonchalantly pretended like nothing happened.
Winter clapped her hands together. Her white hair was tied up into a bun and it covered a single eye. The other ice blue one gazed around the room, starting from Coco all the way to Neptune. A smile curled her lips as she admired the pool of people who came to visit her and Weiss.
"Welcome!" Winter's voice was booming and melodious at the same time. She could be yelling in someone's ear and they'd enjoy the sound of it. "Now that we're all here... I want to start off by thanking you guys for coming. I know it was a bit sudden, buying a lodge and all, but I thought it'd be fun for you third years!"
"Who's ready to party!" Yang cheered, fists in the air. When no one cheered with her, Blake patted her shoulder in sympathy.
"Anyways~" Winter beamed. "Let's start off with something... spooky. Something that'll really get your underwear in a knot. Jaune, I'm talking about you~"
Jaune exclaimed in surprise as Pyrrha giggled beside him.
"That was because Sun-" Jaune swallowed his words when Winter's face suddenly changed to a dark and serious tone. He shrunk into Pyrrha.
"It's story time, Jaune. It's rude to interrupt the story teller... and you know what happens to rude people."
Jaune squeaked. "Yes Winter! I won't interrupt again!"
"Good! Now on with the story, " Winter smiled and tilted her head. "Back when I was purchasing this land. The real estate agent had told me about a being that lives here. Naturally, I wanted to know more, so I asked. It was a mythical tale about a demon that hunts children. Especially. Cookie. Loving. Girls~"
Ruby squealed and clung to Weiss, a little too childish even for her age of seventeen. Jaune smiled inwardly when Ruby sobbed into Weiss's shoulders. Some things never change.
"Kidding Ruby, kidding." Winter chuckled.
She told them that the demon was called a Kreshin. The monster seemed to have many similarities to a certain Grimm that Jaune had remembered learning in Port's class. The Kreshin was told to be fast, just as fast as Ruby's semblance. It possessed claws capable of gutting a fully armored man, and was taller than a Nevermore. That meant that the Kreshin would reach the mid point of the base of a tree, eight feet tall or so.
Jaune smirked to his team. Ruby squeaking in her seat behind him.
Ragged breaths came from the dark figure crouched in the woods. The monster stared at the mass gathering of humans in the lodge, a woman with snowy hair reenacting a story of sorts. An involuntary growl came from his throat as he licked his lips. Standing erect, in his full length, the monster reached the middle of the tree at a surprising height of ten feet. Claws grinded against the bark as he left.
Prowling in a slouch, which set the monster down to seven feet tall, his humanoid shape and slender body made him easily blend into the dark trees. He was headed for a building not too far from the lodge, his spindly legs leaving no traces of his presence as he walked. The building constantly made a humming sound that irritated the monster.
Something pranced in the corner of his red eyes. His Beowulf like head sniffed the air. A deer stood in front of him, curiously staring up. The brown creature sniffed the spikes that protruded off his lower arm and the jet black fur on his body, before emitting a sound and circling him. It seemed to accept his presence as it trotted to the humming building.
Without hesitation, the monster swiped his claws at the deer's backside. It cried out, finding that it couldn't. His claws had turned the deer's spine into a visceral soup, the bone fragments embedding themselves into it's lungs. The deer coughed blood and fell to the ground, dead before it touched the snow.
Blood seeped into the white power. The smell of meat was no longer tantalizing to the monster, he had long since forgotten about eating. The only thing that satisfied his hunger was seeing blood and guts pouring from his prey. It was unfortunate that he had killed the deer too early, it would have been fun to rip it's limbs piece by piece as it howled in pain.
No matter, the humans would suffice.
"As tales have told, when a Kreshin is prowling for the taste of young blood, first he will howl, a shrill howl that goes on for miles. Second, he will watch you from the distance, invisible in the surroundings. He'll wait for the right moment to – EAT YOU!"
Winter cackled as Ruby yelped and dug her fingernails into Weiss, who looked about ready to shove the girl off the sofa.
"Third, he'll turn the environment to his advantage. The Kreshin likes to hunt in the darkness, light is his only weakness. He'll turn off the power and continue to stalk us."
At that moment the lights flickered. They flickered and suddenly the room was bathed in darkness. Yang shriveled into Blake. Ruby eeped, clutching even harder onto Weiss, who held onto her as well. Jaune looked around, his heart pumping. Winter eyed the lights and walked over to the light switch. The sound of her flicking the switch on and off could be heard.
"Ha. Ha. Good one sis. Now turn on the lights!" Weiss scowled, her calm voice slightly trembling.
"That's weird..." Winter mumbled, walking to the other light switch and flicking it on and off.
"Please turn on the lights." Velvet whimpered in Yatsuhashi's arms.
"Please do. "Blake agreed.
"Yeah sis, you got us."
"No, no, I'm not joking around. Generator must have froze over." Winter turned and faced the four teams.
Ruby eeped again and seemed to shrink. She whispered into Yang's ear, who shuddered and shut her eyes. "What if the Kreshin is real?"
"It's just a story to spook us Ruby. It's not real." Weiss assuaged.
Winter paced around the room, deciding what she wanted to do. They needed to get to the generator, and restore the power, or else they'd spend the first night freezing in their beds. Winter didn't want to displease her guests like that. She'd need a team of four, just in case something awry did happen, which she doubted. Most likely the door would have been frozen shut, last she checked- two months ago, the doors were sealed shut with a double lock.
"Okay. I'm going to need some people to come with me. I need someone strong, Yatsuhashi?" Winter asked him, fishing a key from her pockets.
"Sure." He nodded, much to Velvet's protests.
"Noooo! I'm not letting you go alone!"
"Winter needs my help, Velvet." Yatsuhashi calmly said.
"It doesn't matter, you both can come." Winter dismissed, then, turning to everyone else, she asked. "Anyone else want to get some life back into their legs?"
Ren considered it and asked Nora if she wanted to go. The orange haired girl shrugged and nodded, pins and needles spreading through her shins.
"We'll come along." Ren raised his hand.
"Perfect. You guys just sit here, we'll be back in a just a moment." Winter smiled and led her assembled generator team outside.
Once they were gone, an unnerving silence set itself over the lodge.
A/N : Hulloooo. Just wanted to say a few things before I leave again~
This story is based upon Until Dawn, the recent drama horror game for the PS4. Focused more so on the horrors (cause I'm a sick guy) than the mystery. Although, I will try my hardest to stick in some mystery. So! What that means, is that I'm going to take everyone and kill them in the most gruesome way possible! Kidding. Probably not. (Spoiler Doe : For all you Arko's shippers out there, Jaune and Pyrrha will die together, it's A-Okay!). There will be approximately 10(maybe, I have 17 characters to work with) chapters that run through the entire night. This chapter has been mainly exposition stuff, quickly setting up the story for what is to come.
The next chapter, I will try to incorporate some choices that each and every character will have to choose from. Maybe I'll even kill people off~
Much like how I usually write. I generally pump chapters as soon as I'm done with it. But! That doesn't mean I'll stop editing and revising. I generally do that whilst I'm writing the next chapters or have some spare time.
Sheeyah, Thanks for reading!