The Immortal Maiden

The four Maiden's, four of the most powerful women on the planet and as the story goes they were given their power by a callous old man.

Their power was in response to the kindness and what they taught and did for the old man. But before they were the Maiden's they were just four ordinary women, but this wasn't completely true.

They were four friends, sisters even, Huntresses that fought the Grimm but there was something special about one of them. It wasn't until they gained their powers that they found out.

Ruby was the first ever Summer Maiden, preferring the name Ruby over her given name, when the man gave them all their powers she was asked to stay behind to speak to the man.

"Yes sir?" Ruby asked sweetly, she had grown into a beautiful twenty-one-year-old woman with long black hair with red tips and highlights, she was tall almost six feet and she wore a black puffy skirt with a black shirt and corset with a red cloak over the top of everything.

"Ruby you don't need to call me sir, I think we're rather equal now." The man said kindly.

"Sir?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"I felt it when I gave you the powers. You're immortal. I don't know how I didn't notice you before." The man said.

"How did you know?" Ruby asked tensely.

"When I gave you the powers I felt it, the immortality. It has a special imprint; you've been around a while as well haven't you?" The man said kindly.

"I have." Ruby said.

"Good, good. I have something special for you to do. The other three, they will die and the power will move on. But you, you won't. How many lives have you lived?" The man asked as he looked at Ruby.

"Too many. Have…have you got a way to end it? I've tried, so hard but I just can't, I heal too fast that nothing works." Ruby said her voice was level throughout.

"I'm afraid not, I do not have that power. But I have a purpose for you, something that may be able to help you. I recognise you from the first Grimm attack, I don't know how I forgot." The man said.

"What is it you wish?" Ruby asked.

The old man smiled as he invited Ruby into his house so they could talk more on the matter before allowing Ruby to go again.

So Ruby watched, she fought Grimm, fought evil but most of all she just watched as the world went on around her while she didn't age.

She watched once more as her friends died and the Maiden's power passed on to new women, each time Ruby would meet the new Maiden's and guide them through the transition.

That was until the fourth rebirth of the Maiden. It was the Winter Maiden who had been killed by a woman hungry for power, the power ended up being passed on through to said woman.

After this had happened Ruby spoke to the old man, the man still being alive and she discovered how the powers transferred to their new owners.

When the Winter Maiden started going crazy with the powers she now had, it fell to Ruby to put her down. It was a sad affair for Ruby to have to kill another human being but after this happened the Brotherhood was set up to protect the Maiden's.

Ruby avoided the brotherhood, understanding what they were doing but chose not to get involved with the group however she always made herself known to the other three Maiden's, swearing them to secrecy afterwards as to just who she was.

So far the brotherhood had been unable to ever find any Summer Maiden, which was how Ruby preferred it.

For weapons Ruby used a mixture, depending what sort of life she was leading in that certain time. Sometimes she would be playing the part of a doctor, others a simple shopkeeper but no matter her profession during the life she was armed.

Commonly it was two revolvers strapped onto her thighs that she used but when she was playing the part of Huntress she had two other weapons as well, a special sword and shield she had crafted herself when Dust was first discovered.

The sword had a narrow ergonomic grip which allowed it to be used for lighter hands, and a dual trigger system so it could be wielded for both single and double handed strikes, the edge was razor sharp and there were two exhausts for the gun, a primary one for clean hits and a secondary after burn one to maximize clean hits.

It was as long as Ruby's leg and would settle nicely on her hip when she wasn't using it and even folded into a snub nosed gun, the name of said weapon being inscribed by Ruby as Vanishing Star.

In her left arm was a shield, that could be folded on her arm and act as a sort of wrist guard but when deployed, a quarter black and a quarter silver with the other half on opposite sides while the two semi-circles divided along the middle were energy shields powered by dust.

Ruby had also built a specialist launcher on her wrist that could fire the shield and depending the sort of dust inside would have different effects on the opponent.

They were her two precious weapons, she had others, her beloved Crescent Rose however, her first weapon was forever stored away, unable to be used.

Life was boring for Ruby, hundreds of years past and the only constant was her weapons and the old man who she would meet up with at least once a year but other than that she found nothing.

She didn't care for love, she would just outlive anyone that she got close to so she wandered, protected humans from the Grimm and protected the Maiden's from the humans.

It wasn't until a little over two thousand years later that things had started to pick up. She had been on her way to meet the Fall Maiden when she felt it.

The cold chill moved down her arm as she was walking down the dirt road and she heard the sound of fighting happening further along the road.

Seeing the thunder clouds in the air Ruby sprinted forward, her semblance igniting as soon as she started to run while she drew her two revolvers first.

She saw two people holding Amber up on her knees while another woman slowly walked towards them.

Acting on instincts honed over the years Ruby immediately deployed her shield and threw her arm forward, firing the shield which had red dust powering it, directly at the green haired woman while her guns lit up as she fired at the man.

Ruby didn't display any emotions as her rounds shattered one of the man's legs while another round tore through his shoulder, his Aura doing nothing to protect against the bullets.

She had emptied all twelve rounds at the two people holding Amber as her shield returned to her, she jumped over Amber and the two wounded people while she activated her shield and shot it at Amber, said item putting a protective barrier over the woman.

In the same move Ruby had put her pistols away and had drawn her sword and went on the offensive, meeting the woman's two swords as they got into a lock.

Breaking the lock Ruby caught sight of the mark on the woman's hand and she growled out at seeing it, "Where did you get that mark?" Ruby growled out.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The woman replied as she attempted to strike out at Ruby.

Ruby blocked one strike with her sword while the strike was simply knocked away by her hand, "I would. But I guess it won't matter." Ruby replied, as she knocked both of Cinder's swords out of her hands and grabbed the hand with the mark.

Ruby put her blade against Cinder's neck while kicking her down onto her knees while she held the hand with the red tattoo in her own, as her hand erupted into fire and Cinder screamed.

Ruby didn't stop until she felt bullets impact on her back but they were simply absorbed by her body's natural shield.

Ruby dropped Cinder to the floor as she clutched her servery burnt hand while Ruby turned to face the one shooting, "You shouldn't have done that child. Whatever path she is leading you down is the wrong one, but it seems you don't realise this, no matter." Ruby said, raising her hands up as the wind started to whip around them all.

Ruby's eyes turned pure black as the wind picked up as she threw all three of the attackers into the field next to them but was distracted when she heard someone rushing over to Amber.

That was all the distraction that Cinder and co needed to escape form her as the wind died down around her.

She didn't release the shield or her weapon as she saw the man approaching the kneeling Amber, "Who are you?" Ruby asked sternly, sword raised and pointed at him.

The man raised his hands in defence as he said. "I'm a friend, please, let me help her." The man said.

"No. She isn't safe in your hands or that of your brotherhood. Be lucky I am letting you tell your friends of me." Ruby said coldly, walking over to Amber and deactivated her shield letting Amber fall into her arms.

"It's alright sweetie, I've got you." Ruby whispered comfortingly as she glared at the man in front of her before vanishing into thin air.

A few hours later when Ruby had removed the arrow from Amber's back and managed to heal her up the woman had slept for a little bit before waking up from a nightmare in Ruby's arms.

She had managed to get them to her house in the city, or rather one of her houses and she managed to get the girl calm enough to stay there with her.

"Your safe now sweetie, they didn't take your powers." Ruby whispered softly, kissing the top of the woman's head.

A few minutes later when Amber had calmed down Ruby spoke up again, "Want to head out for ice cream? I know this amazing little place not far from here, it's got so many flavours. Or I'm sure I've got a tub of chocolate ice cream and we can just sit here and eat it." Ruby suggested cheerfully.

A/N

Yeah I know, 'Another new story? But he's got loads to finish first.' I promise I'm getting around to them, and I'm sure you can tell this is going to be a pretty big one. I'm up to volume two at the moment in writing this and already have planned quite a few things for later on.

This is more a proof of concept. I've been wanting to do an Immortal AU for a while, but this is the first one I've wanted to post. But as I said, this is a proof of concept. I wanted to get the idea out there first, see a general reaction but I'll finish other things first.

And this won't be posted on again until I actually have an end point, which in theory won't be until I finish my other stories, but I want the idea out there.

Don't worry, I have a lot planned for this. Oh and if you recognise the weapons, do you also recognise where I get the inspiration? And I don't mean the source material but someone who used said characters for something. ;) Couldn't help but watch it again and love the weapons.

Anyway that's it from me, just a proof of concept thing.

Until next time.