Grimm souls; Paragons chapter 11

(A/N, Triple chapter week! New record. Anyway, new chapter based on Ruby while Jaune was in the nexus.

Thanks to everyone supporting and reading, I have over 4k views and 40 favs. But, I have over 30k words. Huh. Hmmmm….

Similarly, more people from the Philippines read this than my home country of the entire UK. Irony!

It's not about the numbers. I will continue to write, but please leave your support anyway.

I don't own RWBY, DS, BB or any other things. Except this fic. All mine. Mwahahaha.)

Time continuum (This is for those who do not know DS lore, and want to know a time frame for these events. However, the events take places over long times usually one or two generations).

Age of ancients (Everyone born at end. Summer Rose born at end, but travels to Remnant) - Age of fire (Dragons die out, STRQ and AEGS travel to Lordran, Archtrees burnt in Ariamis) - Fire fades (Summer rose takes the nexus, Arthur, Taiyang and Qrow returns to Remnant. RWBY characters born here.) - Fall of Beacon and fire fades (Current events)- Age of fire(Effect of this fic, Time between DS1-DS2)- Fire fades (DS2 Events)- Age of fire (Time between DS2-DS3)- Lords abandon thrones, New lord of Cinder (DS3 endings, any fulfils prophecy. Last gods: Nameless king, Soul of Cinder and Gwynevere die.)

Faunus settlement; upper ramparts.

Ruby cried.

She didn't know how long for, where she was or even what was around her. Jaune was gone.

Her silver eyes shone, and time stopped for an instant, before speeding forward. In her eyes, a few seconds past, and the area around her crumbled simply due to coincidence.

But in reality, a thousand years past due to her poorly controlled misery. In a small vicinity, time accelerated, the masonry crumbling, and shadows of monsters and men passed. The world strained under her watch, rumbling around her.

Slowly, she began to feel the strain of her semblance using her aura, and time passing. Quickly, she reacted in shock, stopping her aura and retaining control. Ruby stood, noting the small changes of the walls beside her, and the masonry beneath her feet being slightly worn beneath her boots. In the distance, the same hollows that had stood so vigilantly had moved, and their armor was further degraded, with more holes than she remembered.

Ruby looked down, seeing small tendrils in the floor, leading to a small crater next to where she had cried.

'Did I do this? What did I do? My semblance doesn't do this. How?' She questioned mentally, unknowing of her semblance's evolution and rebirth at Yatsuhashi's hand.

Suddenly, she heard steps from behind her, ascending the previously ignored stairs, which had escaped her vision and power when she inadvertently unleashed her power. The footsteps became heavier, and suddenly, a mop of blond hair appeared at the top stairs. Another step revealed the face of the lovable moron.

"Jaune!" Ruby screamed, hurtling towards the knight in shining armor.

10 minutes earlier…

Jaune Arc's resurrection was a strange feeling. One he was uncomfortable with, and did not wish to be reacquainted with.

"Uhhhh. What?" Jaune said to nobody, not really comprehending any of the events of the death he had just experienced.

He was standing directly beside the bonfire, back in full health, and his armor looked magically repaired. He felt slightly weaker, along with, an ominous sense of déjà vu.

With Sky's recent departure, Jaune decided it was best to worry later, and rush to Ruby now. After all, her mom was some kind of angel of death. There isn't many people Jaune would intentionally irritate, but it seems a fair idea not to tangle with someone who can reverse death, and probably cause it.

Beginning his journey, he walked passed the well he previously past briskly, raring to save Ruby. Reaching the steps he had ascended once before, he followed his footsteps up, until he reached the top.

He realised then that the enemies he had previously fought were back. Except one. The woman with the bow had not come back, and instead left a blank space. Now only fou... yeah, he really wished he had a gun.

'If I draw them away, those guys throwing bombs can't hurt me. It might work.'

Sighing, Jaune rushed to meet the first warrior, before immediately strafing backwards to avoid a swing from the longsword. He quickly ducked even further back, out of range of the armada of firebombs ready to immolate him.

He began to combat the hollow, blocking the first strike that came his way, and dodging the second with another roll. Apparently he had an affinity for rolling. Who knew? In the time between his thoughts, another lazy strike came at him, weak in comparison for anything they were trained at beacon for. What Jaune didn't expect was for the hollow to follow up with a flurry of blows, scratching his shield and numbing his arm, before outright breaking his guard. Luckily, the hollow seemed to miss his opportunity, and Jaune sliced for his shoulder, catching the hollow with its weapon down. The blade of Crocea Mors sliced through the breastplate and pauldron of the soldier, leaving a long scar reaching into the ribs and organs of the creature. It fell with a cry, and the lights in its eyes extinguished. Jaune felt better morally, now knowing that eve in death, they could return. Would they follow the same experience as him? What happened to them, when they died? One hollow down. That's all he knew.

Questions for later, he decided, but the thought of death still lingered, with his own possibly close at hand.

Returning his attention to the quarrel in front of him, he saw the warriors lining the cliffs. Two had firebombs already in hand, primed to throw at him. The other had a small dagger in his hand, and was holding a round shield in his offhand. It waited, presumably being out of firebombs, or out of range. It stood on the stairs into the aqueduct, and waited.

Jaune quickly rushed up the stairs, avoiding the first barrage of incoming death. The two firebomb floated by harmlessly, and splashed fiery liquid on the grass, which seemed resilient to fire, only small patches of ash covering the dirt.

Jaune quickly transitioned from running to stabbing, the point of his straight sword sheathing itself inside of the hollow in front of him, and protruding from his back. Jaune felt blood spatter on both him and his blade, before removing it, leaving the soldier in a pool of blood and innards.

The huntsman continued to fight, running to the next threat without wasting a second.

The second hollow was prepared for this, and drew a large spear and a cracked shield, exactly similar to the one standing above them on the steps, who began to rush into the battle...

'Why do I do things?' He mentally questioned, his mind becoming slightly high pitch and whiny.

He took one step back, entering a stance to allow his shield priority. Crocea Mors rested behind him, pointing to the floor, but ready for a strike. Pyrrha's training kicked in, guiding his movements. The world moved in a slight blur, and he could have sworn he saw tendrils approaching him, which gradually sped up time. He didn't pay attention to these, however, as they wandered the periphery of his vision. The first thrust came from the spearman, which he strafed and countered, slashing down at the top of the head, before turning his strike to avoid the rising shield, and chopping into the hip. The second soldier crumpled, and the third instantly moved to avenge his re-killed comrade.

The shell of a man lead with many quick stabs with the small dagger, scratching into Jaune's shield, with some irregular stabs catching his armor or into his flesh, scarring his shoulders and chest, while the shield and sheath blocked his vital organs and his head. Few strikes even found their way below his hips, slashing into the barely defended thighs of Jaune.

Quickly jumping back, he re-strategized, taking an aggressive stance and retracting his shield. Straightening his back, he launched himself at the hollow, wielding his family's sword in both hands, almost crumpling the small round shield of the hollow. On the third blow, the shield careened off to the side, allowing Jaune to viscerally attack, plunging his sword into the sternum of his adversary, and carefully sliding it out, killing the hollow.

The path was now open, and Jaune walked over the corpses, on his way to find Ruby.

Remembering and eviscerating the rat behind him, he made his way back to his death. With each kill, he felt stronger, unaware of the latent power within him growing and siphoning power.

Vale city center;

"Where is she?!" The gruff voice came, demanding and arrogant. The man was a figure of authority in Atlas as part of its triumvirate. He was one of the three rulers of an ancient system, along with General Ironwood, and Celestia Soliel, who had presidency over the diplomacy of Atlas, while the Economy fell to the Schnee. The general well… even Jaune had enough brain cells to figure that one out. However, Celestia was currently in Vacuo, on a diplomatic mission, while the General was missing. He was in Vale, and some said that he had been killed, but no body was found. Willow Schnee did not deal in rumour.

"Father. Shouting is uncouth. This will not help us." Winter spoke timidly, attempting to calm her father without inciting his wrath.

"SHE'S MY DAUGHTER!" Willow proclaimed, a warning more than a declaration, almost as if prophesising his wrath on any who would hurt his kin. His eyes shone a sapphire blue, solid and resolute. Many would call him handsome without his ridiculous moustache. However, Winter had seen someone try to ask him to shave. It was common knowledge that what happened to the Coal family was a risk when messing with the Schnee. Even now the Coal family are only hunters, because the dust market had been taken for his heinous crime. Never ask Willow about the moustache.

She remembered her father's call after Weiss's match, asking who it was that had assaulted his daughter in the tournament. Luckily, she was able to change the question to Weiss's training, which lessened Willow's ire.

"I understand, but no-one has seen her. Unless you can turn back time, you will remain stressed out. Now I suggest you leave, your daughter will not be found here. The only ones who can help you left when you entered." Glynda remarked, almost smirking beneath her stoic facial expression. She revelled in knowing more than the Triumvirate, and the most influential man in the world. "Arthur Arc, Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow, Headmaster Ozpin and Summer Rose are the only people well versed in these matters. Their assistance is your only hope." She noted, unaware of the many presences that contradicted her words, by accident or purpose.

"Those plebeians? What could they know that I do not? I have had every research team in the SDC investigate. I have had every man, woman and child investigated. Every witness just revelled in some power from the top of a tower, which was exactly where my daughter would have been from the reports of that animal from Haven." He cursed the Faunus, his residual hatred showing.

"You will not disrespect those men, nor the Faunus. Both the Faunus and Qrow have saved your daughter and are likely to save her again. Go and find them if you really think they will help you." Glynda stormed, raging at the racist. Even though they weren't her students, they were still just that.

"They won't. But they will take me. Father. Let me handle this. Go and govern atlas, and I will find Weiss." Winter spoke up, interrupting her father before he could speak, and providing an alternative to mindless violence, which could be traced to the SDC.

"If you should fail me, Weiss will be my heiress in more than name. Am I understood?" Willow threatened. Direct and to the point, it fit him to threaten his daughter to save the other. He left in a literal storm, with snowflakes flowing from his palms. A lesser man once joked that the Schnee's dandruff was snow. Within the week, no traces were found of the man's bloodline. Winter and Weiss found a very familiar looking figure frozen into a statue resembling the man. Winter remembered Weiss's crying that night. After her mother's death, Winter felt like a mother. That isn't to say she didn't reel from Ivory Schnee's death. She simply didn't have time. Weiss needed one parent at least.

"Do you think he will help me?" Winter asked, and Glynda knew who she meant. She always knew. From the start of this conversation, and upon seeing the two huntsman leave past her, she and Glynda knew that only one person living would help the Schnee leave to a place of even more power, and even more influence. A disaster if her father was to know. The best case: The Schnee family inhabit Lordran, and take all its resources, selling them at fair and reasonable costs. Worst case: Slavery of Faunus escalates, and they are forcefully sent to Lordran as cheap miners, and goods are sold at extensive costs.

"He will, but at a cost. Are you really going to do it?" Glynda asked, aware that death was preferable. Even Ozpin had become exasperated with the man occasionally. She really couldn't believe a Schnee of such class and grace was going to do this. But desperate times, desperate measures.

Winter simply nodded, and walked out. Brining up her scroll, she called an old friend.

"Qrow. I need a favour. Yes I will bring alcohol in return. Meet me at the Breach"

Faunus Settlement, upper ramparts;

Jaune was unsure of exactly how this had happened. After defeating the previous hollows at the top of the stairs, he had begun to combat what he thought was the final one, beside the fog door of the house he had previously occupied. However, upon its defeat, he was ambushed by another hollow from the opposite house, despite it being empty last time. Or, much more likely…

'We really need to be more careful.' Occurred to Jaune, after his sudden shock. After his death, resurrection and current experience, it seemed fitting. Not many get a second chance. He hated video games with infinite lives, because his sisters would scream "FILTHY CASUAL" after every time he played if he tried to use the cheat codes he looked up. Especially on Contra. They hated him for that.

Returning to his point, he was currently brawling a hollow in full armor, with both of their weapons flung to the side. His own due to the ambush, and the hollow's from Jaune's superior training. A dagger lay on the ground near his feet, and Crocea Mors lay behind him. His shield remained retracted, almost useless in hand to hand combat. He quickly readied himself, remembering Pyrrha's late night sparring sessions. They were almost always focused on grapples, for some reason, but Jaune was sure she knew better than he did. And he enjoyed it. That too.

In the seconds he was mourning Pyrrha, and remembering her slight perversion, the hollow charged, apparently not needing a weapon to be aggressive. It swung in a large arc, but curved towards Jaune's skull at the last second, aiming for his temple.

Unconsciously moving, he followed one of Pyrrha's trademark grapples, rolling under the punch, between the legs of the hollow, who had overextended due to Jaune's quick movement, and behind it. He quickly held it in a full nelson, locking it in place, before quickly transitioning into a chokehold, and pulling the hollow to the floor. Slowly, Jaune realised that the hollow wasn't breathing anyway, and was angered by his attempted murder.

'Damn. Guess I need some help.' Jaune thought, mentally mapping any possible way to escape without being immediately beaten by the hollow. It was clear that this monster was stronger and probably faster, simply because it wasn't the size of small teenager. It was a fully grown man, and Jaune was an adolescent.

His mind raced as fast as his body, realising he had to act. He sprung away, rolling away from the chokehold and releasing his enemy, before grabbing the nearby dagger. He turned to see the black eyes mere centimetres from his own, the attached body already in motion to grab him. Acting without thinking once more ('I seem to do this too much') echoing in his mind, he stabbed the dagger into its neck, and saw a small spatter of blood once more cover his gauntlet and forearm, as well as the shabby dagger he had stolen. Ironic, really that he had killed the sneak and thief by stealing its weapon.

He recuperated quickly, recovering his weapon and reattaching it to his hip, and left the dagger with the corpse of its owner. He thought all the same Grimm thoughts of death after every kill, wondering for a second on the fate of these seemingly reviving hollows.

After his momentary eulogy, he left once more, forgetting the dagger and heading to find Ruby. He hoped she hadn't gone far. Even as he rose the steps, he worried that those previous tendrils of time hadn't hurt Ruby, or more worryingly, taken her. He remembered another video game ('What is with me today' quickly took his mind before he went back to his initial thought) called local evil, when a character called Ashleigh was kidnapped by an evil virus, that caused them to shout repetitively.

Even with these strange thoughts swirling in his mind, he recognised the small presence in front of him, near a bloodstain he assumed was his own. He heard the call of his name, but still could not avoid the red bullet speeding towards him. Ruby piled him into the floor, forcing his head down onto the floor just above the top step behind him. Rose petals covered him and Ruby, making for a seemingly intimate reunion, before Ruby realised the effect she had created.

Blushing shyly, she stood, and offered her hand down to a befuddled Jaune.

"Hey. Need a hand?" She questioned, mocking their first meeting.

"Very funny." He pouted, mimicking his own greeting of Pyrrha. Luckily, Ruby didn't know about his meeting, or how he had been almost kidnapped by Pyrrha at her first chance. He wasn't complaining. He wasn't dead. Not yet.

Meanwhile on Patch, in Vale's archipelago;

"Tai, are you sure? Even if they were in Lordran, what makes you think we will find them? Even with Summer by my side and Raven's help, I was lost constantly. You have never been to Lordran, and Qrow will be off somewhere, possibly antagonising someone, probably in Lordran. Just because your team can survive, it doesn't mean we can. My team died in Lordran. All of them. I took them, and they all died. If you recall, only Summer came back. Raven never came back for all we know. She abandoned you and a daughter, and told you she would return. Qrow and I took care of Yang for those three months. You cried for Raven to come back to our world, while Summer went to help Ozpin and the maidens. And you moped. We took care of every responsibility you had. Do you want that for your children? Even when Summer went missing, you left Yang and me to take care of Ruby, while Qrow searched. We won't survive alone. Even with the best six huntsman available, my team and yours were lost in that abyss. Now only you, me and Qrow remain. Summer is lost, and I don't know where. Raven is lost, and I don't know where. All my team are in that abyss, consumed and dead. My semblance is weaker, and you haven't fought anything bigger than a bear since your job at Signal." Arthur Arc stacked every odd against them. Every weakness and every loss. He was right.

"I am going in there to die." Tai stated evenly, fully out of character. "I don't have your semblance, and we are outnumbered." He continued in a tone that suited Raven, unnerving Arthur. "We are likely going into the same hell, and we are likely to die before we even see our children." He agreed. "But, you fail to see that we know what is in there. We have a real goal. We are going in there knowing. And knowing is half the battle." He finished with, his even tone deteriorating into his usual victories tone.

"Well, shit. I'll fight for that." Arthur smiled, the sparks from Tai's gauntlets making him look like an action hero rather than a middle aged man with an aged, secondary sword.

"Are you ever going to tell Jaune about his weapon? Yang knew how to fully wield any weapon by age ten. Ruby could use Qrow's scythe by age eight, but your son can barely use the simplest weapon ever created. A straight sword and a—"

"He will know. When the time comes, he will. We don't want another repeat of Eris." He laughed, remembering his teammate who had been on his team during their mission in the abyss. She was the clumsy tinkerer of his team, always destroying, without thought.

He smiled, as his reserve straight sword was unleashed.

Divination unsheathed, a common greatsword on first inspection, but a large hunting rifle, sharp greatsword and swordspear upon transformation.

The weapon's hilt elongated twice, once into a stock for the rifle, and the second into a large crossgaurd for the swordspear. The blade was razor sharp, but seemed to liquefy in order to form the barrel and receiver of a hunting rifle. Then, it quickly and mysteriously reliquefied, forming a swordspear, the same length as the greatsword, but wider at the tip and shorter at the base in some strange formation. Truly, it was a weapon that no man should be able to wield, let alone children.

Like a scythe.

(A/N: Done! I had fun writing this one, and went more with my heart than RWBY or DS lore. Other than the time continuum at the top, and the Ruby power, I completely went off the walls.

In case most people didn't recognise, General ironwood is missing, Ciel's mother is a part of the triumvirate (Roman government in Caesar's era), and willow Schnee is sending Winter to Lordran, and has troops in Vale. Atlas troops.

Taiyang is introduced as an optimist after Summer's death, scaring Arc senior. As you can imagine, he is rusty, and Arthur is older than him. Age mentioned when I decide it.

Lore bombs: Everyone from STRQ and AEGS (Aegis, Arthur Arc's team) went to Lordran, and only Arthur, Tai and Qrow return.

Summer's fate is known, and she returns, until she "Vanishes" (into Lordran).

Raven left Tai while in Lordran, and he knew it, but didn't tell Yang.

Qrow's scroll is special. This was not an error, they cannot go between worlds, but Qrow has his ways.

Ozpin, Glynda and Winter (Meetings of the group is my excuse) knows about Lordran, and Ozpin sent Summer places. (Lordran)

Thank you for reading, leave reviews and all that. And if you are still reading. Well done. Eat a sandwich. You deserve it.)