Weiss couldn't breathe. She was rigid in her bed, the sleep paralysis clutching her with its daggered claws. The darkness seemed in engulf her in horrid waves of grief and mourning, and as she sat upright in her bed, she ached all over. She had dreamt of Ruby yet again, and though she pained every time she saw the deceased Huntress, she never wanted to wake up. She wanted to stay with Ruby in paradise, in the unknown realms where Weiss didn't have to deal with life without her girlfriend. How wondrous it would be to die and be with Ruby.
It had been six months since Ruby had died.
Weiss panted, her heavy breaths steadying. She glanced at the clock. 4:30 in the morning. Her hand automatically lifted to swipe at tears that streamed down her cheeks. She hadn't even realized that she was crying, and her sniffles earned a sleepy murmur from Blake.
The heiress prepared herself to lie back down, but just as she finished smoothing her blankets, a voice broke the silence.
"Weiss?"
"Yang?" Weiss queried, her voice thick with emotion. "Why are you awake?"
"I couldn't sleep." Yang replied. "What about you?"
"I woke up."
"I'm so tired." Yang muttered softly, and in the pale moonlight, Weiss could see the Huntress wipe her cheeks.
"Try to sleep. We have to go to class tomorrow…" Weiss said quietly, trying to stop her weeping.
"Alright."
There were a few minutes of quiet rumpling as Yang made herself comfortable in her sheets, and then, her voice was heard again.
"I miss her so much." Yang choked out.
Weiss was still, only listening to the strained gasps that the older sister emitted in the quiet night.
"I do too." Weiss whimpered, just loud enough for Yang to hear. "But she'd want us to keep going. I know that. We're going to make it through this."
Yang gave a shaky sigh and murmured.
"Okay."
"Good night, Yang." Weiss said, pulling her covers to her chin.
"Good night, Weiss." Yang whispered.
Everything was still.
Weiss woke, her heart thumping. She had dreamt of kissing Ruby, felt Ruby's lips on hers, the brush of cool air on hers, and she sighed, placing her head in her hands. When would this end?
It was only seven in the morning, but Weiss needed to get up. She couldn't spend her whole life in slumber just to see Ruby. Weiss pulled on her clothes and shoes, her foggy mind begging for caffeine. She shook her head twice and padded out the door, sheathing Myrtenaster.
She carried Crescent Rose with her, and often wielded both weapons during battle.
Today, she wanted to hunt.
Weiss walked outside of the dormitory, running her fingers through her hair and pulling it up. The sun was rising before her, the rays of gold and burnt orange splaying across the cobblestoned grounds to create patterns of light and shadow.
She made her way down to the forest that was a little ways off of campus, and began to run. She made as much noise as possible, wanting to attract a Grimm. Within minutes, she heard the familiar grunts of an Ursa Major, and Weiss turned a full revolution, circling. She waited patiently for the beast.
The Grimm appeared, massive and its face cloaked with an ivory and scarlet bone mask. Weiss grimaced, and pulled Crescent Rose from her waist. She aimed at the beast's head, and fired.
The monster fell.
The backlash from the gun was enough time for Weiss to grab Myrtenaster and speed forward to put her rapier through the Grimm's chest.
Weiss stood, flicking Myrtenaster to rid it of dripping blood, and continued to venture deeper and deeper. The heart of the forest was where the population of monsters flourished.
A shadow was cast over Weiss's speeding figure. She jumped once in a while, her Air Step propelling her forward into the forest. She had used this when Ruby had got shot. Weiss winced and shook her head. She wouldn't think about that. That was in the past. And Ruby wouldn't want her to live in the past.
She thought nothing of the dark specter that circled above her, but when she heard its cry, her blood ran cold.
No, it couldn't be.
Weiss clenched her fists and looked up. Her racing pulse steadied, and then spiked when she saw the beast she had to face.
A Nevermore, twice as large the one she had helped defeat with her team, was crowing, diving down momentarily to scope her out.
Weiss ran a clammy palm through her bangs, and let out a loud battle cry. It was out of character of the stoic and still fencer, with her sharp, precise movements, but Weiss was not herself after Ruby had died.
The heiress launched herself into the air, vaulting off of glyphs that materialized at her feet, and spun two revolutions midair before aiming at the Nevermore's beady eye and firing.
The giant bird shrieked and shot higher into the air to steady itself.
Weiss landed back on the ground, kneeling as she sped back to the beginnings of the sylvan. She didn't want to be here, and if she made it back to the dorms, all would be well.
Something inside Weiss knew that wouldn't happen.
Weiss sprinted, her high-heeled boots crunching in piles of fallen leaves. Her heavy breaths were clawing their way out of her diaphragm, and she paused momentarily to wheeze. The Nevermore was catching up, its spread wings casting darkness onto her world. She panted, and continued to run, refusing to give up. Ruby wouldn't want her to.
Weiss could see where the trees were parting further and further apart, and a spark of hope lit within her. Maybe she would make it.
Then, with a mighty call, the Nevermore shrieked with a rage that shook the earth, and swooped down, grabbing Weiss by her neck, and flying off.
Weiss screamed to a god, any sort of almighty being that would save her, but none answered. The Grimm's claws were embedded into her veins, piercing through her jacket and digging into her flesh. Hot blood ran down her back, flowing and rolling, soaking clothes with ichor.
The Nevermore was flying with her, dangling her and cawing victoriously. A shelf of rock was visible through Weiss's teary eyes, and she foggily realized this was the beast's cave.
She was dumped unceremoniously onto rigid rocks, gravel digging into her bleeding wound. Weiss screamed so loud that she couldn't breathe. Her lungs were alit with hellfire, and her vision blurred. The Nevermore's claws were coming near now, and with a swipe, the bird had cut a deep gash into her neck.
The vein in the side of her neck, the very lifeline that transported blood to her head, was severed. Weiss wept, her cyan eyes cloudy. Her lips were opened in a never-ending screech, the howls echoing around the cave.
I'm going to die. I'm really going to die. Weiss thought.
She could feel her body shaking, shivering violently. Weiss sighed imperceptibly, the tiniest parting of her lips giving way to a shaky exhale.
"I'm coming, Ruby…" Weiss called.
Weiss felt her soul surrendering, and she smiled.
She and Ruby would hold each other again.
Yang and Blake had been looking for Weiss since they had woken up. Her bed had been empty, and their minds automatically jumped to the worst conclusion.
"No, this can't be happening right now." Yang shouted, her Aura flaring around her. Blake put a comforting hand onto her shoulder and gazed at Yang.
"I'm sure it'll be alright. She probably went for a hunt." Blake said softly, but her mind was far away, encumbered by worry and fear.
They walked outside, ready to search the forest. As they closed the door to their dormitory, a Nevermore cawed from above. Blake drew Gambol Shroud and Yang readied her gauntlets, but the giant bird dropped something from its clutches and fled.
Yang and Blake walked cautiously to the crumpled figure that lay motionless on the ground.
Yang took one look at the mangled person and gave a wail, a horrible cry that reverberated through the courtyard.
Weiss, bloodied and battered, lay on the hard ground, lifeblood dried onto her pale skin.
Dead.
She was dead.
A laugh bubbled in Blake's throat, hysteria overtaking the Faunus's mind.
Blake sat on the ground next to Weiss, laughing wildly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She cradled her head in her hands and crowed with laughter.
Yang knelt next to Weiss, and clapped a tear soaked palm over her lips.
"Weiss." Yang whimpered. "Tell Ruby I say hi, okay?"
There was eerie stillness, only interrupted by Blake's shrieking laughs.
Blake and Yang were the only remaining members of Team RWBY.
There was nobody left but them.