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Information-Dark Souls and Bloodborne belong to Fromsoftware, and RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth.

Chapter 12: TimeKeeper

"AGAIN!"

Despite knowing that he was death itself, Ruby was nonetheless surprised to find out that Reaper didn't live on Remnant. His home was located in a space between timelines. A voidspace, and despite being shrouded in darkness, it was rather well lit. His home looked similar to beacon, just more...death. The outside the building was surrounded by high walls, beyond which, nothing. The arches in the walls were topped with torches. Each torch was held up by scythe blades, and glowed with black flame.

Ruby was currently sparring with a skeletal servant that Reaper had summoned . Every time Ruby took down the skeleton, it would reform and Reaper would yell again. Each time she was expected to use a different strategy she knew. Each success would get the call to go again. Each failure would result in the call of again. Reaper himself would simply watch.

After the seventh such call of "again", the servant was dismissed. Reaper led Ruby through halls of his Beacon look alike home. They arrived at the courtyard. Instead of the normal statue, Ruby saw a statue of Reaper.

"Ruby, before you return, I will teach you one thing tonight. As a Reaper's Warrior, I will teach you how to see the marks of death."

"What do you mean, marks of death?"

"If you let me, I will explain. There are three marks. It is important for you to recognize these marks. The first is those marked by death. That would be you and other Reaper's Warriors, unfortunately there are none left. This mark is the only one that can be seen by those who aren't Reaper's Warriors."

"Are they silver eyes?"

"Yes. Another mark is the mark against death. This is the only mark not given by me. It is to mark those who can't die. This is what mars Scythe Hollow. It is called the darksign. A small circle, wreathed in flame. The final mark, is those marked for death. These will be those that you will kill. They are also the easiest to see. They are marked by blood. You can see the blood as it flows from their hands. There is however an exception. There is a man who lives, marked for death, who is actually exempt from death. You will meet him soon, if you haven't already."

"What am I to do if I see any of these marks?"

"Nothing, yet."

"Then-"

"For now, you will learn what it means to be a Reaper's Warrior, I want you to be able to recognize these different marks. Soon you will learn all of the abilities of a Reaper's Warrior. One last thing before you go. As a Warrior, you are protected."

"What do you mean?"

"Another time, Ms. Rose, another time."

The night was long. The next day was also long. And on a day like this, no good, self respecting person of questionable intent would find themselves in a school building. There was a simple problem though, he couldn't get drunk. He was required to be the leader of his team, and he physically could not get drunk. The camouflage worked well. No one at the school was wiser to his true identity. His robotic limbs were unknown, but his eyes, that was still questionable. Normally, he was Jack Stone, the TimeKeeper. In Remnant's public, he was a student at Beacon, here for the Vytal Festival. Right now, he was just Jack Stone, a man who needs a drink. That is how he found himself with no camouflage tonight.

His mechanical right arm and leg, along with the various wires and cables wrapped around his head were there for all to see. The odd thing though, he had only received questionable looks and questions about his eyes. Both his eyes were bionic and the mechanical iris of each were colored black.

There was a different issue that he faced. His mind was racing. Icosa was somewhere in this timeline, he had already made an attack, and had seemingly disappeared. Of course, Icosa Hedron never truly disappeared. Thus he found himself in a bar belonging to a man, whom he could only assume was named Junior, drinking a limoncello. He was honestly surprised to find out that his favorite italian drink was still around.

He downed his drink and ordered another.

It was entirely possible that Icosa had decided to do nothing. Highly unlikely. He was most likely building up an army and removing anyone against the law from power to take it himself. That was the most likely solution.

His drink was gone again. He ordered another.

He was handed his drink and heard the barman barking orders at the guards in the room. He turned to look behind him as the door burst open. To his mild unsurprise, Yang Xiao Long stood there and ordered a strawberry sunrise. Behind her, a boy with brilliantly blue hair. He turned back to his drink.

Yang and the barman had a few words, then she and the blue haired boy left. He got up and followed them, but not before finishing off his drink. Outside he found Yang and the boy listening to a call for help on her scroll. Then, comically, a large robot ran by.

Finally, some excitement. He was aching to get on the battlefield. His weapon would drink on the blood of his enemies as it had on many occasions. Maybe, he could find out some information on his enemies.

In hindsight, fighting a well renowned criminal in massive robot was probably not the best plan. Things were going fine until, Roman sent Yang through multiple concrete pillars. Her aura had taken it and her semblance had helped, but it wasn't enough. A surprise clothesline to Yang's head had effectively taken her out of the fight. Sun and Neptune had disappeared, Weiss had been hit by a backhand from the robot and Blake had been hit by that same surprise backhand.

Ruby was tired and the last one standing.

"Well, Red, looks like this is the end." Roman called from the mech.

The machine walked toward her. It was preparing to attack. Then a voice was heard.

"You know, it is not often that I involve myself in the affairs of humans, but she has been granted protection by a good friend of mine. And as such, tonight I will be filling the role of protector."

The man walked out from the shadows. His right arm and leg were mechanical, he had various wires and cables on his face, black eyes, black hair, and a sword in his right hand. Startlingly, his hands were both flowing with a red liquid. It flowed off of his hands and disappeared before it hit the ground. He was marked for death. Why it was blood was beyond her. But he was marked for death.

His weapon was a black sword that glowed red. At its hilt was a strange claw. The tip of the blade curved toward the outside of the blade.

"It would be such a shame if you had to die by this blade. It would tear your soul from your body."

Roman smirked, and decided to continue started an attack against Ruby. Long before the fist of the mech hit Ruby, the man appeared in front of the fist, blocking it with his blade. Roman was mildly surprised that this person was holding out against the mech.

The man pushed back against the fist and sent the mech off balance. Moving impossibly fast, he ran up the arm of the mech and cut it off in one fell swoop. Without its arm, the mech was thrown off balance. It fell on to its side with Roman falling out. The man dropped down in front Roman and grabbed him by the collar. Lifting him off the ground, Ruby heard him speak.

"You appear to be knowledgeable, tell me, what do you know of Icosa Hedron?"

"What? Look buddy, you have no idea who you are talking to, and I have no clue who you are talking about." Roman smirked.

"Oh I believe you do. You are just feigning ignorance. You are just another pawn. I need to find a higher up. Who do you work for?"

"I wouldn't say a pawn…"

The man was knocked back and Roman fell to the ground. Looking up Ruby saw a girl dressed in pink white and brown. She gave a cheeky smile.

"Until next time Red, Guard Dog."

A shot rang out, and Roman and the colorful girl shattered. Ruby got up and was about to thank the strange man, but he was gone. They would meet again. Ruby knew. He was marked for death. That would warrant a visit from Reaper and a Reaper's Warrior.

That strange man was a new player. Cinder would probably want to know about him. Of course, the new guy, the guy that strange man was after would already know. Roman wouldn't be surprised if he already did. Nevertheless, he was quite surprised to find him at the underground base they had moved to.

You know, I am not in the habit of giving mercy, but I might be persuaded to make an exception. Inform me of what went down with the mech.

"Why are you giving me orders?"

He grabbed Roman by the neck and lifted him off the ground.

Because, I have taken power. Your previous employer is under my employ. Her employer is under my employ. YOU ARE UNDER MY EMPLOY. I have the power and resources to have you and your pet removed from the picture without anyone being the wiser. Do not test my patience.

Roman was put back on the ground.

Now tell me what I want to know before you regret it.

"I was running a White Fang meeting-"

NO! I want to know what occurred under the highway. What led to losing the paladin.

"There was a man with a robot arm, a robot leg, a weapon the glows red and he was searching for you."

Did he give you a name? No, he wouldn't have.

"Do you know who he is?"

Yes. he is an old enemy of mine. Now, Norman-

"It's Roman."

-this once I will offer you mercy, fail me and I will be far less lenient than your previous employer. Now leave.

"Why?"

Why mercy, or why leave?

"Mercy."

Because, my pawn, you have done two things for me that I couldn't have asked be done better. You revealed that the Reaper's Child is now training to be a Warrior, and you forced an enemy of mine to reveal himself. Now leave.

"Who-"

I SAID LEAVE!

Roman left. Roman was not easily scared but that man, that thing, scared him. Then again, Icosa Hedron scared everyone.

This is excellent. Stone has revealed himself, but now we have to worry about loose ends. Salem, take some Hedronians and start cleaning up loose ends. No marks, no traces, no evidence.

A pile of bodies tells less of a story than living beings. Nameless, I want you to find Cinder. Have her set up a mission for the teams that involves that village I hedronized when you released me. Yes, the same village that you were hedronized at. After that mission is organized, bring her to me. Bring her lackeys as well. If asked why, tell her...never mind, you don't speak. Let me know. I will speak to her through you.

If she asks she must know that darkness will fall upon this land. She must know that we are the Dark, that we are one. She must know that I am the Dark, I have won, and I am not a person to be trifled with. Go. Time grows short.

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