Chapter 41
"There will always be a place for you with us."
The voice called, echoing through the frozen wastes and around the great sculptures of ice. Crescent Rose sat nearby, impaled into the earth beneath through the body of the flamed one, her black hair spilling out over the white snow like ink.
The young girl tightened her red cloak around herself, protecting her from the disembodied voice and freezing winds that blew in.
The sculptures looked down upon her. She knew each one, and how they came to be frozen. If she focused she could see it. A collapsing floor, massive feathers, an oncoming horde that morphed into laying there just waiting to die, a madman who glowed crimson. A creature of pale skin and red eyes, looking down on humanity and the woman before it.
Further out were the others. Their fates were indistinct and ever-shifting. A blade here, a Grimm there. Death and destruction was all around her. The wastes themselves were some strange amalgamation of what had been destroyed. Beacon, Haven, Oniyuri. All were ruins.
And all were filled with the blood of her foes. The Bull, torn apart and scattered to the winds. The Scorpion, riddled with holes. The Giant, finally exhausted of all his energy. The Thief, blood dripping from her lifeless mouth. The Assassin, his robotic legs broken and left to die.
Her hands had been covered in their blood.
Her hands were soaked in their blood.
Her hands would bathe in their blood.
"There will always be a place for you with us."
Ruby's eyes snapped open. She stared at the ceiling for several minutes before she sighed and jumped down from the top bunk. Nora and Pyrrha still lay sleeping. That was fine. She quickly got dressed, clipping the Relic to her belt, and made her way out.
The train trundled along even with very few awake yet. They were supposed to arrive by the end of the day. Just a little bit longer. She sat down and pondered her dream. That was different from the normal nightmares. Usually, I just see all of my friends and family dead, but now I get some strange version with ice and all my enemies dead by my hands? I understand the snow outside making it into my dream, but why did I see them dead? I know I want them dead but…
Something about the echoing voice of Salem in the dream set her on edge. Would killing her foes eventually bring her onto Salem's side? It was doubtful. How could it? She wanted Salem dead just as much. But she didn't appear with the others. Only in some vague appearance looming over mom.
She sighed. It was just a dream, just a combination of thoughts and memories. It meant nothing. Probably just caused by being on a train again. That didn't stop her from feeling wrong after it, however.
"Miss Rose."
"Ozpin," Ruby replied with a nod. She'd been awake for hours now with it nearing midday. The old man within the young body smiled as he sat next to her. "What did you need?"
"I wanted to check in, see how you were doing." He replied easily. Ruby turned away from the window to look at him. His eyes flickered up to hers, which narrowed slightly in suspicion.
"I'm doing fine."
"That's good. I…" He hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure you're alright with carrying the Relic? It's a heavy burden after all. I can take it if you would prefer."
Was that what he was looking at? "No, I'm alright. I appreciate the offer though and I'll keep it in mind. I did have a question for you, however."
"Oh?"
"You said it takes a hundred years for the questions to reset and that they were used before being sealed. When exactly did you seal them? Before or after establishing the academies? I know they're built to protect them, but did you seal them first or build the schools first? And how long was the difference between those events?"
"Ah yes. Well-"
He was cut off by shrieking behind them. Ruby instantly turned into petals and flew around the boy next to her and to the back door. She opened the door to the next car. Instead of passing over she turned to petals once more and flew up the gap and onto the top of the train.
She was the third up, beaten only by the two hired guards, Dee and Dudley. Dudley fired his rifle up, drawing Ruby's eyes there as well. Over a dozen Manticore's were chasing after the train, led by what appeared to be a Sphinx. Great. Crescent Rose sang as it was drawn.
Dee roared as he pulled his bat back, the metal opening to reveal a core of Lightning Dust as the four sides began to spin. He charged towards a Manticore that had landed on the hull of the train. Ruby took aim and fired, hitting a different Manticore as it came in from the side to attack Dee. It was thrown off course, allowing the Huntsman to slam his weapon into the face of the Grimm. It screeched in pain and jumped off, backing away from the train.
"Yeah, that's what you get!" Dee yelled after it.
Ruby growled and flashed forwards with her Semblance, kicking the older man in the back and throwing him out of the way of another attack. "Pay attention, you idiot!" She cried as she spun in the air, slashing her blade into the Manticore's wing. The Grimm roared in pain as it fell off the edge and crashed against the mountain, dying soon after.
Sounds of gunfire were heard behind her, telling her the others had joined the fray. Dudley ran past her with his scroll out, tapping hard on the screen. Metal armour deployed around the train, shielding the windows, while a series of turrets popped out of the top of half of the cars and began to fire at the flying Grimm.
Ruby rushed around the back of the train, using her speed to block and knock back the Grimm. I'm practically keeping this idiot safe! She growled as she saved Dee from another Manticore. Further up the train, Qrow was keeping the Sphinx busy whilst the others tried to keep the Grimm away from the front cars. She could vaguely hear Oscar yelling for the turrets to be turned off.
And then as quickly as they can the Grimm pulled back. Ruby's eyes narrowed in confusion before the call came. "TUNNEL!" Ruby's eyes shot open and she turned to the front. There as Oscar had shouted was a fast-approaching tunnel. She had to have faith everyone would get back safely because she could only reach Dee.
The bumbling fool was slow and screamed in terror when she pulled him into her ball of petals, zipping around the train and throwing them both into one of the cars. He kept screaming even when she let him out. She rolled her eyes and rushed to the front cars, passing plenty of scared and terrified civilians.
She finally reached the car the rest had gathered in, a passenger car empty of all but her allies and Dudley who cradled a broken arm. Oscar hurried over as she arrived with a concerned look. "He nearly didn't make it in."
Qrow growled and grabbed the other Huntsman. "Why didn't you shut down those turrets!"
"We need them!" Dudley cried back.
"You put the passengers in danger!"
"Enough!" Ruby growled. "Qrow let him go. Everyone get ready. Once we leave the tunnel we'll need to go back up and fight." Qrow sighed and dropped the man. Jaune walked over with a sad smile, his hands glowing as he amped up Dudley's Aura, healing the broken limb.
Oscar cleared his throat, though his posture spoke of Ozpin being in control. "There's something else I'm afraid. The Grimm are attracted to the Relic."
"What?" Ruby turned to him with wide eyes. Everyone else expressed their own shock.
"What is that?" Dudley asked.
"Shut up. Doesn't concern you." Qrow answered.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jaune asked.
Ruby growled. "Later. If they want the Relic then we can't stay on the train. Ren, do you think you could mask everyone with Jaune's Semblance?"
"I've never done it with this many people, but I can give it a go."
"Good. JNPR, get the train and it's passengers to safety. The rest of us will sever the back half and take the long way to Argus."
"Ruby…" Jaune gave her a concerned look.
"We'll be fine." He eventually nodded. "Good. Alright Dudley, get everyone to the front. Your brother is crying near the back to make sure to collect him. Dad, Qrow, Oscar. Let's move."
Everyone hurried to do their jobs. The passengers were slow-moving, but they managed to get them all to the front two thirds before they left the tunnel. Dee was stumbling around in shock when they dragged him forward. Soon enough they left the tunnel and Ruby climbed to the top with the others once more.
Qrow severed the connector and with a jolt, they came loose. Ruby watched the rest of the train zip away and sighed before turning to face the coming Grimm.
"Woof!"
"Zwei!? What are you doing here!?" Ruby groaned. "You should have stayed with the others! Ugh, damn it! Get below, now!"
"Woof!" Zwei answered before trotting off and jumping down into one of the doors. Ruby shook her head. The Grimm had left the tunnel now. It wouldn't be long before they were on them. Ruby sighed and unclipped the Relic. She passed it to a confused Oscar.
"I move around a lot. Hold onto it for now." He nodded and clipped it to his own belt.
Ruby reloaded Crescent Rose. She stalked forwards and rolled her shoulders. It's go time.
The Sphinx roared and the Manticore's answered with their own before diving in, leaving the Sphinx to trail behind the train. Qrow deployed Harbinger in scythe mode and charged at the first one to land. Tai followed after him, the pair falling into old routines. Ruby zipped past them at the next one.
It spat a globule of fire at her but she breezed under it as petals, reforming on the other side and cutting open its mask. She lodged her scythe into its face and pulled it to the side, deployed Ember Emortus, and punched into its throat. The Grimm gurgled for a moment before dissolving as the shotgun tore it's oesophagus apart. Her blade came free and she spun, cutting another as it tried to knock her off the train.
It fell back but flew up and rejoined another one. The pair flew down directly for her. Ruby's mouth twitched into a feral grin. She jumped onto the top of one as they crashed onto the train. Ruby cleaved into the muscles between the pair of wings. It screeched in pain as it's flesh was opened. Crescent Rose compacted down for a moment and Ruby jammed it into the new hole and pulled the trigger. A flaming bullet tore through its body, slaughtering the Grimm in seconds. Ruby turned and fired at the other, ripping its mask apart, sending bone fragments flying into the air.
She switched her weapon into scythe mode and then flicked the blade up so it formed a spear. Ruby grunted as she threw it, piercing the Manticore's body causing it to cry out in pain. She then jumped onto its back and unloaded her gauntlets into the beast. Its cries fell silent and she wrenched her scythe from its side and jumped from the decaying monster.
In the time it took her to slay three her father and uncle has claimed the lives of six Grimm with Oscar taking down one of his own. It left only the Sphinx left and it knew that as it flew down, trying to knock them all off of the train with a single sweep. Ruby ducked under it and slashed with her blade. She rolled and jumped to her feet, flicking a button on her scythe to cover the blade in flame, in time to see Qrow do the same, causing the monster to hit the metal roof.
Taiyang immediately jumped on top of it and gripped the point where wing turned to torso and began to pull. As he did Ruby flashed forward and with a yell severed the snake-like tail before it could chomp down on her father. With a roar Tai ripped the wings from its body, causing the Grimm to thrash in pain.
Qrow flew by in bird form and shifted back above the beast's head, falling and spinning to slash down into its neck. He pulled his trigger and fired twice into it. It reared back and threw the trio away, black mist pouring from its new neck holes. As it stumbled and fell from the train it let out a final blast of fire which arced and struck the tracks ahead of them.
"Everyone hold on!" Ruby bellowed, stabbing Crescent Rose into the train roof. Qrow followed suit whilst Tai punched a hole in and grabbed the metal and reached over to pull Oscar in against him.
I really hate trains. Ruby thought seconds before they derailed and crashed into the snow.
"Uuuurrggghhh…" Ruby groaned as she picked herself up out of the snow. It took a moment for her head to stop spinning but when it finally did she took stock. The others were slowly pulling themselves up as well. Ruby grabbed her side. It hurt like hell. Hopefully just badly bruised. We don't have the supplies for anything else.
She shook it off and trudged through the snow. "Everyone! You all alright!?"
"Yeah…" Qrow groaned. Taiyang gave a thumbs up.
"Ye… yeah! I'm okay…" Oscar called back.
"Yup! Just fine!" A new voice announced. Ruby whirled around, Ember Emortus deploying once more. She was met by the sight of an old woman walking out of the train with a happy looking Zwei at her side. Ruby sighed and retracted her weapons.
"Alright. We now have you to take care of. Great. Alright, let's try and grab some supplies." Ruby announced, voice full of annoyance. The day hadn't exactly gone well. It took a moment of searching to find her scythe, and a few moments more to find a discarded Relic lying in the snow. She quickly grabbed it and clipped it to the back of her belt, hidden beneath her cloak.
The group gathered after a couple of minutes, a few bullets and Dust in hand. As they swapped what they could and reloaded Ruby took a deep breath and turned on Oscar. "Ozpin. We need to talk."
His eyes glowed for a moment, visualizing the change. "Yes, Ruby?"
"You lied to us."
"I simply didn't inform you-"
"That's a lie by omission and you know it!" She growled, interrupting him. "You had better start telling us the whole truth."
Ozpin sighed. "You must understand that Leonardo was not the first to betray me."
"And that justifies a lack of trust!? Do you actually believe those of us here will betray you!? After what we've lost to her!?"
"I am simply being cautious! When you have experienced the things I have it makes you slow to trust!"
"Slow? That's what you call this? Ruby asked. "We needed to know that we were carrying around an item that called our enemies to us! Were you ever going to tell us?"
His silence was telling. Ruby growled. Ozpin's eyes widened. "The Relic! Where is it?" He looked around frantically.
"I have it." Ruby said coldly, pulling her cloak back to show it.
"Ah good. I'll hold onto it. As you said you move around a lot so-"
"No."
"W-what?"
"You heard me. I said no. Tell us everything and I'll give it to you."
"E-everything?" Ozpin stammered.
Ruby nodded. "Everything. When do the questions reset? Are they all really used up? How do we activate the Relic? How do the other Relic's work? Why does Salem want them?"
"I… I…" Ozpin's eyes were wide as he struggled to find the words. And then he collapsed with a grunt of pain. When he next spoke it was the voice of Oscar that came out. "He doesn't want you to know! You have to - aaaargh! - speak her name!"
"Her name?"
"Jinn!"
"Jinn?"
The moment the word left her lips the world around them began to slow to a stop. The Relic floated from her belt, releasing its blue mist into the air. It floated into the air away from them all and the mist began to push together to form a body. Within moments a blue woman formed in the air with golden chains around her body. She stretched and smiled.
"I am Jinn. I was created by the God of Light to aid Humanity in their quest for knowledge! Luckily for you, two questions remain this era."
"Y… ya… you're…" Ruby stammered, her mind crashing to a halt. Jinn simply smiled at her.
"Stop!" Ozpin yelled. Jinn's smile faded a little.
"Ah Old Man. You're here."
"Ruby stop! Send her away now!" Ozpin yelled, glaring at her.
"Okay okay, everyone just calm down." Qrow said, arms raised as he took a step towards Ruby. She deployed a gauntlet and aimed it at him, causing him to back up.
"Stay where you are. All of you." Ruby snarled, her mind clearing. "I have plenty of questions, but you only have two left."
"Correct." Jinn nodded.
"Ruby. Do whatever you feel is right." Her father said.
Ruby nodded and swallowed. "Jinn! What is Ozpin hiding from us!?" For a split second, she could have sworn Jinn's smile grew.
It was interrupted by Ozpin's scream of absolute terror as he flung himself across the snow toward her. Ruby turned, her other gauntlet deploying with a flick as she aimed to smash it into him. But just before her fist met his face the world went white.
Not blinding, but truly white. There was nothing. She was alone in a white void. And then came the voice of Jinn.
"Once upon a time, there was a lonely tower."
Colour came to the world as a tower formed from blue mist. It sat alone in a field of grass and hundreds of rusted swords planted into the ground.
"Within it sat a lonely girl."
The world shifted once more to a beautiful room. Seated at a desk, pulling some of her blonde hair into a bun, was a young woman.
"Her name…" Jinn paused, obviously for dramatic effect. "...was Salem."
The woman turned and sighed.
Ruby's heart skipped a beat at the name.
"What?"
A/N: I return! Sorry about that. I uh... well to put it in a slightly humorous manner I had a couple cups of depresso. Mostly better this week. Got some time off work next week too so that should be good. Outside of that schedule might be changing. I'm not sure when exactly the updates will move to yet, but I'll keep my profile updated.
Anyway. This chapter was fun and thankfully for you guys was a bit longer. The Argus Limited has had a bit of an accident, but at least this time Dee and Dudley both survived! Jinn shows up of course. It's inevitable really. Ozpin will never tell the entire truth, which is going to get him in trouble. How will these versions of the characters react? They've lost so much more than they did in the show. Yang, Weiss and Blake all fell. If they had known what was really going on, would they have still become Huntresses? Did Ozpin's lies cause their deaths? Perhaps. But perhaps not. Is there an objective answer? I wonder what you all think about that.
I hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you next time!