His world went black just before he hit the sharp rocks.
Subaru was suddenly enveloped in darkness as his eyes met the very tip of rock that rushed towards him to impale his head. He could tell hi didn't die because he just felt it. There was no pain, no sudden impact, no blood. Just a sudden change in environment.
The rushing wind that swirled around him stopped as well, leaving him in complete silence. It was different, it wasn't like what he had felt with the Witch. This felt less….comforting. It was like his body was being pulled in some sort of fashion that didn't hurt, but also didn't feel pleasant.
Subaru's eyes were open the entire time, seeing nothing but the dark abyss. Then, as if being torn in half, a bright light ripped across Subaru's eyesights and quickly grew in size until it overcame the darkness and washed him in white.
The sudden savior made Subaru close his eyes due to the intense brightness. Slowly, the light faded and Subaru opened his eyes again. All he saw in front of himself was two women. They stood separate from each other, both standing still him.
The scene was absurd. One woman had white skin with black veins spreading from the sides of her face and down her arms. And her scleras were completely black with red irises.
The other woman seemed normal. With amber eyes and hair that fell over one side of her face, she looked beautiful. The woman smirked and approached Subaru, the clacking of her heels hitting the stone floor.
What the hell happened?
Subaru restrained against nothing as he floated in the air. He struggled to get to the floor so he could figure out where he was, but that ended when the woman touched his shoulder. Slowly, he lowered to the floor until he was finally on his feet.
The woman made Subaru look at her by pulling his chin towards her. She studied his face and said seductively, "Hm, I thought he'd be more handsome."
Subaru flinched from such an insult, "Okay, yeah. Wow that really hurt. You should really consider my feelings first before saying crap like that, lady."
And maybe fix that voice. You sound like you're trying really hard to sound sexy.
The other woman approached, "He is not here for looks, Cinder. He is here for something much greater."
Suddenly, the familiar feeling came back to him. The cold grasp of the Witch enveloped his heart and made him drop to his knees clutching his chest.
Shit! This one really hurts!
"Ahh!" Growling in pain, a bead of sweat rolled down Subaru's forehead as the Witch squeezed harder and harder.
Is this it? Is this how I die?
Cinder stepped back in shock. She furrowed her eyebrows, "W-What's happening?"
The other woman put her hands behind her back, "Perhaps his power is too strong for him in this world. He may just be going through pain from an overabundance of darkness.
Cinder reached forward to pick up Subaru and take him to a housing room, but the second she touched his shoulder she flew back.
She screamed in pain and agony as she covered her left eye. An excessive amount of blood was pouring from her injuries.
Subaru looked through his squinted eyelids and saw all the blood and heard all the screaming. Cinder stumbled but stayed on her feet. She used her hand that wasn't covering her eye to launch a blast of fire at Subaru.
"Stupid girl!" The woman glided over to Subaru and waved her arm, dispelling the fire. A menacing look in her eyes flashed as she shot forward and slapped Cinder across the face.
Cinder fell to the floor and felt the blood rush down her face. She immediately wobbled to her feet and staggered away from the woman. She stared at the woman with fear and slight hatred.
Putting her hands behind her back, the woman studied Cinder with disappointment, "You may have taken half of the Fall Maiden but you are still just another piece of my puzzle!"
The woman sighed and closed her eyes, "Seek out your sheep. They'll be able to heal you quick enough."
Winching in pain, Cinder backed out of the room with some drag in her steps, "Y-Yes, Salem."
"I will make sure our guest is welcomed properly without you trying to kill him."
Salem turned around. She looked left and right. No windows, no other doors, no secret exits. Yet, Subaru was gone. A new found rage boiled up Salem's throat.
Cinder could hear the scream as Emerald quickly applied pressure onto her eye.
Subaru woke up with a start. He shot up and clutched his chest that still hurt from the beating the Witch gave it.
It took him a while to remember what had just happened, and instead he looked up. He expected to see a cliffside and Ram at the top looking down at him with a murderous face. However, the tall trunks of trees and their branches decorated with leaves took up most of what he saw.
Strong rays of sunlight shot through the leaves and made pinpoints all over the forest floor around Subaru. He brushed the grass with his hands and felt the blades slide across his open palm.
He remembered running from Ram. He remembered saying that he was going to save them. He remembered jumping off the cliff. He remembered falling to his death. Then…. he remembered-
Cinder? That was her name right?
Subaru remembered Cinder touching him when the Witch hurt him.
It was like the Witch reached out and attacked her.
Subaru witnessed as Cinder retreated from him with ear splitting screams of pain. A small spray of her blood had fallen on his hand. Subaru raised said hand and saw the red tint on it, blood. Whatever had happened, it meant the Witch was real. Forget his visions and his skeptical dreams, this was real. The Witch had physically reached out and attacked that woman with the possible intent to kill.
He hoped she didn't die. The last thing he remembered was fainting when the pain grew too intense for him. At the time, Salem had slapped Cinder.
She must've been a real bitch to do that.
Subaru sat and stared at his surroundings for a few minutes before finally getting to his feet.
"Well, it's not like anything's happening right now. Might as well figure out where I am."
A tiny breeze flowed by him and brushed against his feet. "Damn, that's cold."
Looking down, Subaru realized he was still in his bathrobe.
"Well this is just perfect. I'll probably wander into town and then the children will probably harass me. Little brats."
Subaru tightened the strap around him and set off in a random direction.
The Witch must've moved him to a different location for some reason. It had to be. He felt her hand right before he came here, and he still had scrapes on his hands from when he fell a few times running from Ram.
"It's safe to say I haven't died yet." Subaru shook his head with a smirk that help no happiness, "Look at me. Already anticipating death as if it's a normal thing. I think I'm already losing it."
A large bush in front of Subaru violently rustled, suggesting for him to stop walking. He studied the bush carefully, trying to decide if he should run or stay. However, the beast inside didn't give Subaru that much time to think.
A beowolf emerged from the bush and sniffed the air. The thing was similar to what a werewolf was typically described as. It stood on it's hind legs and had actual fingers with claws specked with blood. Standing twice as tall as Subaru, it looked down at him. Bones sprouted from the monster's joints and back, and it even had a helmet that must've been its bone as well.
Subaru stared at the beowolf with fear, of course. When the beast caught sight of Subaru it bared its fangs and started looking hungry. Having spoken too soon, Subaru tried to come up with a plan.
If I had know this thing was walking around I'd have kept more quiet.
From behind the singular beowolf, three more came out and looked at him with hunger. Slowly, Subaru started backing up. He held his hands up as if to tell the hungry beasts to stop.
This worlds pretty fucked yo to have these things just wandering around.
"E-Easy there guys. You don't want to eat me. I'm too skinny. Not much meat." Subaru tried to sound confident, but the growls from the beowolves was starting to get louder.
Not much time was left. Thinking, Subaru tried to remember what it was people did when being attacked by wild beasts. But what was it? He knows for a bear you're supposed to raise your hands above yourself and appear big. Can that apply to wolves?
Does it matter?
The murderous looks of hunger cut right through him.
Don't be afraid….. Dogs can smell fear, right? Maybe? I never really looked into that sorta thing.
The beast in the front of the pack took a single step forward, but Subaru it felt like a leap. Before he thought of anything else he threw his hands up in the air and roared as loud as he could to possible scare the already huge wolves away.
"RRRRRAAAAHHHH!"
He started jumping on his toes in an effort to seem more aggressive, but then he looked even more silly. The only response he got from his guests were a few shared glances.
"RRRR-RAHHHHH?!"
The beast on the right huffed heavily before tearing back and then letting out a roar three times as loud and ten times as menacing as Subaru's pathetic excuse for a monstrous roar.
Well, guess it's time for plan B. However, I have no plan B. Time to improvise.
Subaru started walking backwards faster now that his hungry audience was further starting to advance on him.
Subaru held his hands together as he shuffled backwards, saying apologetically, "It was a nice chat, but I really gotta go."
It seemed the Beowolves knew just how helpless Subaru was and took their time advancing on him. Relishing the delicious scent of fear that radiated from his entire body.
"Ozpin, someone else has appeared on our radar."
Glynda Goodwitch adjusted her glasses and pulled up a screen that showed Subaru walking through the forest.
Ozpin already had his own Scroll out with the video feed of Subaru, "Yes, Glynda, I'm very aware of this."
"And you're okay with this!?" Glynda shut her tablet and stood firm in front of Ozpin. "He will die out there!"
The footage on Ozpin's tablet changed to one of Ruby and Weiss. "Then this'll be a perfect opportunity for Miss Rose to prove herself."
Agitated, Glynda looked over Ozpin's shoulder to see the two girls headed Subaru's way. "You better hope they know what they're doing."
Ozpin took a sip of his coffee, "Please, Glynda. We've both seen her in combat. I'm pretty sure she's capable of lending a helping hand."
Glynda fumed, "His death will be on you."
"I will take full responsibility. But we both know that won't be necessary."
"RRRRAAAAHHHHH!"
The Beowolves stepped closer, baring their fangs and snarling. Now Subaru was terrified. All he could think about was dying by being torn apart by these savage looking dogs. At least when Elsa killed him he bled out quick. And when Rem was torturing him Ram had ended his life quickly. This time, these dogs would probably bite him and tear him to pieces slowly, consuming his flesh bit by bit.
One of the Beowolves lunged onto Subaru and pinned him to the floor. He could look straight down the beast's mouth and see his sharp teeth come closer.
The wolf opened its mouth full of fangs and intended on ripping open Subaru's throat. However, it stopped.
A puddle of black liquid had formed between the three Beowolves and the one on Subaru.
A large, hairy, clawed arm shot out of the puddle. Specks of the black liquid flew in the air as a second arm shot out too, and planted themselves on each side of the puddle.
The Beowolf on Subaru crawled off and turned around to meet the newcomer.
Ruby followed closely behind Weiss. She hummed happily now that she found a capable and beautiful partner. Ahead of her, Weiss stopped in her tracks. Ruby didn't expect this and ended up skipping straight into Weiss.
Ruby fell back with a, "Oof!"
Weiss stumbled forward and turned around to glare at Ruby, "Watch it."
"Well why'd you stop?" Ruby got up and rubbed the dirt from her skirt.
Sighing, Weiss stared up at the sky. "I heard something."
"Yeah well, I hear things too."
Annoyance was laced in Weiss's voice, "No, you dolt, I heard somebody! It sounded like they were in trouble."
At once, Ruby took out Crescent Rose and turned it into its sniper form. "Trouble? Then we have to help. It might be another student."
"RAAAHHHH!"
Both of them heard it.
Weiss pulled out her rapier, "Ruby."
"I heard it." Ruby disappeared into a cloud of rose petals and dashed towards an area of the forest where birds flew off.
Weiss stood alone, fuming. "Grrrrrr. Yeah, just leave me here why don't you?" She ran and followed the trailer is disintegrated petals.
It didn't take long for Weiss to catch up to Ruby. They weren't very far off from where the voice had come from anyways. She noticed Ruby was hiding by behind a tree and approached her. "Ruby, what are yo-?"
"Shhhh!" Ruby covered Weiss's mouth with her hand and pointed to a clearing. Weiss saw the look of deep interest in her eyes and stayed silent.
In the clearing was Subaru and the four beowolves. She noticed Subaru was on the floor and a Beowolf near him, but she realized they weren't attacking him. For some reason their attention was on something else.
Gasping, Weiss witnessed the two large arms protrude from the black puddle in the floor.
Subaru scooted away from the Beowolf and watched as a large figure continued to lift itself from the muck. A large mass covered in the liquid crawled out and stood on all fours. At the head, two red lights shined through the mud-like substance. The figure growled and shook its whole body, sending muck everywhere. A Beowolf stood in its place. On each side of the wolf was a patch of white fur.
There's five of them now! Crap! M-Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe they'll kill me quicker.
More dark thoughts like these ran through his head as the original beowolves studied the new one with interest.
Suddenly, the newcomer lunged at the Beowolf in front of Subaru and bit down on its neck. The Beowolf fell to the ground and tried to claw at his attacker, but its neck was snapped when the monster gave a sudden hard tug. The Beowolf's body went limp and melted into a puddle of shadows that sunk into the ground.
The Beowolf looked at Subaru and it's eyes flashed white momentarily before returning to their original red state. A force slammed into the side of the wolf and sent it flying over Subaru.
Subaru watched the black creature fly over head and slam into a tree. The Beowolf that had had slammed into him swiped at Subaru and sent him flying as well. He slammed into the same tree as the other Beowolf and fell onto its body.
Looking down at his chest, Subaru expected to see organs and entrails spilling onto the floor. The blow to him by the sharp claws had been so strong he was surprised he wasn't cut in half. However, no such cut or gouge was made into his body. Instead, three red, glowing lines were illuminated through the rips in his robe. The lines were connected with a flattened sheet of glowing light that seemed to cover his skin. Quickly, it disappeared.
What was that? I-I'm not hurt?
The furry creature below Subaru stirred and got to its feet. The Beowolf regarded Subaru with white eyes again before turning its attention to the remaining beowolves. The white-eyed Beowolf roared, edging on his opponents.
He's protecting me?
Two of the Beowolves charged their aggressor at the same time. The white-eyed Beowolf lunged at one of them and bit down on its shoulder, making it whimper. The other Beowolf swiped, but the white-eyed dodged the attack and returned with its own swipe that amputated an arm.
The Beowolf looked down at his severed arm for a moment and died the next second when the white-eye stabbed its arm through his chest. The wolf melted.
The remaining Beowolves knew they had been defeated and decided to retreat, running back into the woods.
The white-eyed Beowolf perked it ears up as it watched his kind run in a hurry. It suddenly heard a snapping twin ad shot it's attention to Subaru, making the boy flinch. The Beowolf let down it's defensive stance and started walking towards Subaru.
Subaru got to him feet quickly and ever so slowly started taking small steps back. He bent down and picked up a lone rock and tentatively asked the advancing creature, "Y-You're not gonna hurt me are you?"
The Beowolf stopped walking and tilted its head curiously.
"You're…..friendly?"
Still, the creature had no answer, not understanding the words that come out of his mouth.
Nervously, Subaru started to inch his way back towards the Beowolf. He noticed the creature's ears stand straight up again.
A small bluish tint started filling in the Beowolf's eyes. It then bent down to Subaru's height and yawned, showing its mouth full of sharp fangs that could've easily ripped through him multiple times.
Subaru held out his hand towards the beast and came closer. The beast watched Subaru intently. When he was a mere foot away the Beowolf closed the distance between them and rubbed its armored head into Subaru's hand.
"Wow," was all Subaru could say as he glided his hand around the Beowolf's warm mask and behind its ears.
The beautiful creature let out a content sigh of relief.
"Awww. You like it when I scratch your ears?"
He was just about to move his hand to its ears again but then Weiss yelled at him from across the clearing, "Stop! Step away from that creature of Grimm!"
The Beowolf's ears immediately pricked. It turned quickly and caught sight of Weiss and Ruby, each standing ready with their weapons ready.
Subaru feared these people were going to hurt his new friend.
Ozpin started with utter amazement and slight fear at the video feed of Subaru petting the Beowolf. He shut the tablet and took his glasses off to clean them.
"Professor Goodwitch."
"Yes, Headmaster?"
"I think we may have Chaos on our hands."