10 seconds felt like forever as me, Ruby and Strife stood face to face with Death.

" Well that's a fine hello to give to your brother. Try saying hello to your niece and nephew, you tool. " Strife said to Death, I could here the tone of annoyance and disdain between them. It was clear that their relationship was far different from what Ruby and I had, one of love while theirs was one of disdain and dislike.

" Mind your tongue Strife, I have no quarrel with ripping it out.", I could here the chill in his words and I positive that he meant them. I could feel my bones and blood chill as he eyed me. " Boy, come here."

Without realizing it I was it, I am in front of him. He put his hands on my head and moved it side to side, inspecting me over.

Cold. That would be the only words to describe what his touch felt like. Like the chill of literal death.

" Well I can see the resemblance. So your the one that that lizard was going on about. Well if your so pivotal then let's see how you fare. " Death said as he let me go and took a step back.

He grabbed a pair of twin weapons, shaped like curved knife that he placed together, ended up forming an extremely long scythe. It was basked with skulls that were etched onto the blade and was well taller than Death. I felt only right that instead of my sword, I use my scythe as well.

" Well that is interesting, another one who uses a scythe. Maybe we're related after all." He said coldly to me. Ruby squealed from by Strife upon seeing Death's weapon.

" Oooohhhh it's a scythe ! I have on too ! " She exclaimed happily as she activated and hugged Crescent Rose and hugged it gleefully. Death seemed mildly impressed upon seeing it. He took that chance and charged at me as our scythes connected.

Fighting Death, was an experience I never want to endure again. He was easily faster than me but I was able to keep up. He forced me on the defensive as I blocked his strikes. Each blow was followed with a complex flurry that I was barely to keep track off. He flurried his scythe again and our blades connected until his scythe broke into two and I fell forward, meeting his foot as he kicked me and sent me sailing back into the massive wooden gate from before.

" That...was about what I was expecting." He said sarcastically as Ruby ran over to me and helped me back to the earth.

" Congratulations Strife, you fathered...that."

" Say what you will, he's got fight left in him." Strife said and he was right. That match was over to quick and I was beaten to easily, but I still had my bracelets on. I threw down Eclipse Rose and took off the bracelet on my right. I felt the immediate surge of vigor as my aura revitalized me. I took Alastor in my right hand and Despair in my left.

" Don't underestimate me."

Death looked at me before a purple aura swirled violently around him before he changed completely.

He took on a large skeletal form while his face was completely hidden in shadows of a cowl, a large robe enveloped the rest of his body. Large skeletal wings sprouted from his back, and even his scythe changed. It became larger and skulls were engraved into the full flat of the blade.

" I don't play games with children."

Strife grabbed Ruby and moved her out of the way as he stood at the sidelines with his arms crossed as he watched us both.

" You got this son."


While Grey and Ruby were off with their dad, the rest of there teams were stuck back at Beacon, most of them anyway.

Weiss was on the roof of the dorms building with Dusk, who watched the other students down below with Weiss under his wings. Even though it was a known fact that Grey had tamed a Nevermore, other students still looked towards the dorms and moved fearfully when within the vicinity.

Weiss was sitting on the edge of the dorm when suddenly, the door opened behind her and Miria stepped through and sat down next to her.

" Hey Weiss. " Miria said kindly as she lazily patted scratched Dusk's feathers.

" Miria, what's your relationship with Ared like ? " Weiss asked suddenly, catching Miria off-guard.

" You know how it is, we're together like you and Grey, Blake and Yahto and though I'm not sure, I think Marcus and Rouge are together but don't quote me on that. " Miria ended playfully. For someone who would punch you if you so much as annoyed her, she still was a girl and gossiped like one ( A/N : I'm not sexist)."

" Well Rouge and Marcus do both drink together, yeah that makes sense but that's not why I asked."

" Really ? Well how come ? "

" It's just, Grey is hardly around. I mean I love when were together but he's often gone. Either training, on a mission, in the med bay or who knows where ! It's just...sorry I'm rambling."

" No go ahead, that's what friends are for right. I get it, Ared and Grey just up and vanished some nights without a word. But I think...it comes from a good place, that they care." Miria explained to Weiss.

Weiss was silently contemplating Miria's words and took them to heart as she gave her a relieved smile.

" Yeah I think your right."


Death was superior to me in any way possible. He was stronger than even without one of limiter bracelets on. I was fully aware of my limits and the only reason I was still able to fight was because of Alastor feeding me lightning to revitalize myself but even that had drawbacks. I never showed it but every time I used lightning to restore my aura, it put a massive strain on my body if I used it to much.

I ignored my own body complaints and continued to fight with Death. He was a literal Grimm Reaper and he fought like one as well as well.

His scythe connected with my blade and pressed against each other as we tried to overcome each others. Being near him sent every waking terror into my body but I focused myself on the fight.

Death used his skeletal wings and flew back slightly as I aimed Despair at him and charged Despair with my aura. The barrel crackled with electricity as I let out a charged shot that hit Death square in the chest, sending him back but he planted his scythe into the ground slowing his flight before he threw his scythe at me. It became buzz-saw as it flew threw the air at me.

I swiped it out the air, but Alastor was knocked from my head, and with it my stream of strength. I returned my attention back to Death but in his place was a statute of his former-self.

As soon as I realized it, two separate blade were at my throat at opposite positions, read to cleave my head off at a moments notice.

I looked and saw that Death was in both places, but they weren't exactly him. It was two deaths but each was made up of a different type of energy, green and purple. I couldn't understand how he had done that so quickly and I also realized that each had a scythe of their.

Anyone could realize that I lost, Death had more tools to use than I did...for now.

" H-How ? " I questioned before the green Death kicked the back of knees and the other planted Alastor in front of me, lightning trailing the length of the blade.

I watched as the two Deaths dissipated into a green and purple energy before they returned to the statue that broke open as Death, in the flesh appeared. I was about to grab Alastor and get up before everything went black.


Yahto sat at the edge of a secluded river as he meditated in silence as he collected his thoughts. His concentration broke when he heard a rustling noise behind him.

Rouge hung upside from a tree as Yahto and her looked at each other silently.

" Hey Yahto ! So what are you up ? "

Even having shared a dorm with her, Rouge's personality was a stark contrast to the quiet and reserved Yahto but sometimes that was a good thing.

" He was meditating." Blake said from a nearby tree as she looked down at Rouge who hadn't noticed her. Blake closed her book and somersaulted through the air as she landed next to Yahto, who put his arm around her as she sat down next to him.

" Aww look at the happy couple. So how are things ? "

" Quiet...It's not the same without Ruby and Grey here." Blake said as she sighed and leaned into Yahto's shoulder. Rouge let out a sigh as well as she dropped down to the ground floor of Forever Falls and sat at the edge of the river along Blake and Yahto.

" Yeah it's not but they'll be back soon hopefully. Hey Yahto, how have your classes with Dante been going ? "

" They've been difficult but rewarding."

As if on schedule a loud hissing noise came from the forest, instinctively Blake, Yahto and Rouge all drew their weapons and turned their attention to the source of the noise.

A King Taijutua emerged from the forest and eyed all three of them as possible lunch. An idea came to Yahto's mind at that moment.

" Let me show you how rewarding they've been."


I woke up with a pounding sensation in my head and realized that whatever I was lying was to stiff to be a proper bed. I came to my sense and realized that my 'bed' was actually made of stone and that I was in my room. I weakly got to my feet and checked myself over, only feeling Alastor on my back.

I exited my room and stepped out into a massive forge area, except only one anvil was there and someone was working at it. I slowly walked over to the massive man working at it and he looked at me once before continuing hammering away at whatever he was working on.

" Oy, looks like your awake. So yur' Strife's other kid." He had a distinct accent but I couldn't decide where but I returned his greeting and answered him.

" Uh yeah, right my dad."

" Looks like Death did ya a number huh boy." He was referring to my defeat, twice at the hands of my uncle.

" Yeah, yeah he did. How do you know them ? "

" Yur' family ? Oy, they come by here of'en fer things. Look out their and see fer yourself. Haven't seen Death like that before."

I took his advice and walked over to the massive wooden door and pushed it open to see Death and Ruby. Death was executing a series of scythe techniques that Ruby was following flawlessly. I silently smiled as I felt a hand on my shoulder and came face to face with my dad. I silently closed the door as best as I could before I turned to face Strife.

" She may not have inherited much of our families abilities but she has your mothers will and courage...though a few upgrades on her weapon and getting tutored by Death couldn't hurt." Strife said to me calmly as we walked back over to the man who had finished what he was hammering and submerged it in a bucket of water, steam being the response.

" You done yet Ulthane ? " Strife asked the man who grunted in response as he tossed a weapon over his back without looking, as Strife caught it.

" Like I said, my kids, new weapons as a gift. So Ulthane here melted down your old pistols-"

" HE DID WHAT !? " I shouted in shock and anger as I contemplated going insane and taking off my bracelets.

" Oy I scrapped them, pretty impressive fer a boy yer age." Ulthane was really making me want to snap.

" And I had him repair...this. "

He handed me a remarkable pistol. It was a handcannon-esque revolver, its make completely in metal, while sporting five unraveling barrels that comes to form a cross motif, and a wicked, menacing, and devilish aesthetic using sharp and sleeked adornments, all in metallic grey and dark black. Engraved into the barrel was the name of the weapon, something that fit it's idea perfectly.

" Death Penalty..."I could only say the name of the weapon, it held a sense of power but also a feeling of darkness within it but that made it all the more wanting to use. I quickly shook my head and regained my sense as I regained control of my sense and dropped the gun.

" Oh might have forgot that. It's similar to a Grand Abomination, a weapon that-"

" A WEAPON THAT I FORBID ! " I heard a familiar, menacing and frightening in all his tone, Death's voice. I turned slowly as the sound of a door being destroyed. I took a calming breathe and slowly turned to face Death himself, his scythe in it's full length as he stalked towards us.

Strife drew one of his pistols, a four barreled pistol like revolver.

" HOW !? I SEALED TH-"

" I said like, not that it was." Strife said calmly, causing Death to lower his scythe slowly as Strife spoke.

" Oy, quick on the trigger aren't we now." Ulthane said as he rubbed his chin and sighed, looking at the remains of his splintered door.

" Excuse me ? " Death said as Ruby poked her from around the corner, watching the whole situation unfold.

" I said, and if you let me finish, it was like the Grand Abominations, in the fact that it has the potential to rival them. Black Mercy had the potential to kill anything, and let's not forget about your little scythe there, Harvester."

" Um Uncle Death what's a Grand Abomination ? " Ruby asked curiously from behind the wall of the remains of Ulthane's destroyed door. Strife also lowered his pistol as well as picking up Death Penalty and placing it in my hands.

" The Grand Abominations were weapons that were made on my suggestion. They were made from the Ravaiim, a different 're capable of massive destruction so I sealed them away. Though the weaker ones like Mortis, I kept for use."

" Were they really that powerful ? " Ruby asked curiously, I could tell that she was interested in them already.

" Very, thought it's better that most of them are locked away." Death said to Ruby who lowered her head and nodded.

" Alright, well can you teach me more scythe techniques ? "

Death rolled his eye before nodding at Ruby, who beamed happily as they went back to the courtyard but not before two coffins emerged from the ground and shot open.

In each one, a decayed body stepped out and snarled at me before they began to repairing the door Death destroyed. I aimed Death Penalty at one as it came close and sniffed me before returning to it's work.

" What are those ? " I asked Strife who put lowered Death Penalty and looked at me.

" Ghouls, more exactly Death's ghouls. He learned the art of Necromancy. Lets leave it at they do whatever he wants."

I took his advice and ignored the ghouls as they quickly and surprisingly recreated the quickly.

" So this is my new weapon ? "

" Yeah it is, feed it enough and it'll put down anything in one shot." Strife explained to me as I looked over Death Penalty, despite looking like a weapon for a demon it did look excellent and I couldn't wait to use it.

" So what did Ruby get ? "

" Oy, that scythe of her got a few upgrades and what else Strife ? "

" I had Fury make her a necklace that should bring out her dormant powers."

" Dormant ? "

" Yes, I did say she didn't inherit much but I didn't say none. It should let her tap into her dormant powers but she's still inexperienced like you." Strife explained to me as I looked at my bracelets again.

" So if I learned to control my aura better then I won't need these ? "

" Correct but don't count on it. It takes skill and time, time being something we don't have enough of." That caught my attention quickly.

" Why not enough time ?" I asked. Strife said before leading away and sat down on a stone slab for a make-shift couch.

" There's more to the Grimm than people assume. I already know about how you and Ruby came face to face with a champion of Grimm already. You'd have to find out sooner or later."

" Find out what ? Death that some 'lizard' was going on about me. What's going on ? "

Strife sighed as he took of his helmet and started at me.

" Long ago, when humans and Grimm waged war before the kingdoms, Grimm were superior until the discovery of Dust to fight back."

" I already know this." I said impatiently earning only a shake of Strife's head.

" There's much you don't know. Some people, believed that to fight monsters, you had to become monsters. It worked for a time before they succumbed the darkness within and became champions of Grimm. Humanity was able to push the Grimm back and form the Kingdoms while keeping the Grimm at bay though they remain a constant threat. But those who didn't succumb managed to retain both auras of darkness and light, they were our ancestors. Wasn't your lightening originally two colors, gray and green."

My eyes went wide as I remembered how my lightning and aura always were two different shades instead of one.

" This is why the Grimm want you to join them, your young and already are in touch with the powers darkness can bring. That's why I was never around, me, your uncles and aunt slew whatever Chosen, ancient Grimm, we could find so they couldn't corrupt you."

" S-So that's why-"

" Let me finish. I had to leave you, your sister and your mother to keep you all safe. At least that's what I thought."

" Thought ? "

" You know how your mother was killed by the Grimm. It was a Champion of Grimm from what I gathered. Your mother was as skilled huntress, did you really believe a Beowulf pack would be a threat to her. I spent these last few years trying to find where he went but to no luck, what's worse is that he found you first."

" Wait ? Why didn't he try to corrupt Ruby earlier on then ? "

" Simple. Like I said, her powers were dormant so I believe he thought she wouldn't be worth it so he left her behind but not before...your mother." He explained to me as I slumped against a wall in silence.

" So-the champion that tried to corrupt me was the one that killed mom."

" Yeah, yeah it was. I tried to find him but I couldn't, none of us could."

I was trying to process everything that I heard. I didn't even know where to begin, but only that I needed to make sure that it never happened again. I took a strained breath before taking Death Penalty and holstering it on my side.

" If I'm unexperienced, then I'll change that."

" That's my boy."