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RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth.
Chapter 5: Death's Strangest Denizen
It wasn't until three days later that I actually had a chance to return to the Fields of the Lost. Of course, you're probably wondering why I'm going to the Fields, and why it took three days before I could go there. Well, the reason is because of the strangest denizen of my realm.
I don't think I've mentioned this before, but of the individuals imprisoned in the Fields, only one is there by choice. His name is Joseph Ozark. He is an anomaly amongst anomalies. First off, the immortals imprisoned in the fields are anomalies in and of themselves. Living your afterlife is already odd. Added to that, Ozark wanted to be there.
He was a scientist in his life. He actually had doctorates in biology and medicine in his life. He was actually quite the reviled man when he lived. He wasn't evil, but his aura was negatively seen. At one point, he wanted to be a huntsman. However, he changed his mind not long after his aura was unlocked. His semblance made people fear him. It was called Life Steal. And it did just that. It stole life from anyone he used it on and transferred it to himself. Similar to what happened to Ruby the night we met. However, unlike the semblance of Ruby's attacker, Joseph's semblance didn't actually affect the soul, only the physical body.
Anyways, he had no family when he died. No friends either. He was a very reclusive man. For his afterlife, he wanted to continue researching, specifically he wanted to research souls. The best place to do that, a place where he wouldn't have to worry about any stipulations, was the Fields of the Lost. I provided a body for his soul to inhabit, gifted that body immortality, and then left him in the fields. I visit every now and again, but he prefers his isolation.
It has been nearly a millennium since he died. In that time, he has become the foremost expert on souls and aura. I also asked him to monitor Keira's soul. This day, I intended to see what he knew about Ruby's soul as well.
Ruby and I mounted Mordred and rode off into the fields. Ozark lives a good distance away from the Necropolis. It was a good two-hour ride on Mordred. His home is a small stone cabin. The stones are similar to the ones that were used to build the Necropolis. The only difference is that his cabin lacks the soul severing power of the Necropolis.
We arrived early that evening. Mordred would wait for us outside while Ozark and I talked. I knocked on and we had to wait for a few seconds before the scientist in question opened the door. Ozark's body was short and thin. A wild mop of white hair graced the top of his head. His eyes were a very pale blue. He wore a simple pair of blue pants and black shoes. A white lab coat lay over a faded gray t-shirt. The shirt read "Embrace Existential Dread, I did".
"Death? What brings you by?" Ozark asked, barely even pausing for a greeting.
"Do you not remember? We agreed to meet today. I had an important issue to discuss with you and I brought my daughter." I replied, gently pushing Ruby forward.
"Right, right, a human…" Ozark muttered, dropping to a squat. "A living human. Fascinating."
"Hi." Ruby said nervously.
"Hi. Joseph Ozark, at Death's service." He greeted.
"Joseph?" Ruby questioned.
"Yep. I lived before the great war, never had any color naming rules in my day. Now come!" Ozark quickly explained, grabbing Ruby.
Joseph smiled and pulled Ruby into his home. He took her to his lab. It is the main room of his cabin. Various scientific instruments line the walls. Everything from microscopes and Bunsen burners to various dust crystals and invented machines. He wheeled a cart next to the table Ruby was sitting on. On it was the standard equipment of a medical doctor. I realized that, without even being asked, Ozark was performing a routine doctor's check up on Ruby.
She looked at me helplessly. I just told her to go along with it. Her checkup took little more than fifteen minutes.
"How old are you?" He questioned as he put the equipment away.
"Seven." Ruby replied.
"How long have you been in our realm?" Ozark queried.
"A little over a year." I told him.
"Well, she is quite healthy for her age. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong." Ozark stated, turning to me.
"That's why I brought her here." I said.
"You brought a perfectly healthy child to a doctor? That's generally not why people visit a doctor." Ozark commented.
"Maybe, but you are the foremost researcher on aura and souls." I replied.
"Ah, you want me to take a look?" He questioned.
I nodded.
"Then I'll need an aura sample and some more equipment." Ozark got up and left them room.
"He's weird." Ruby said.
"Yep." I answered. "But I'm the only person who knows anywhere near as much about souls as him."
"How much do you know?" She questioned.
"A lot." I answered.
"And him?" She asked.
"Everything and more." I replied as Ozark wheeled in an odd machine.
It is a machine I recognized immediately. Famine and I had helped him make it. Famine and Ozark focused on the mechanical components, while I worked on getting it to do what we wanted it to. Ozark called it his soul projector. Give it a sample of aura and it will make the subjects aura visible for all to see. A very handy tool for a soul scientist.
Still, I knew what was next. Ozark needed a sample of Ruby's aura, and her soul would undoubtedly view it as an attack. I moved behind Ruby as Ozark prepped a pitch-black syringe. I placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder and allowed my calming presence to fill the room.
"Death, what are you doing?" Ozark asked as he prepped the needle.
"Trust me, it's for the best. Her soul suffered Anguish and I'd rather it not destroy one of the smartest people I've ever met." I replied.
"Fair enough." Ozark said, turning to Ruby. "Now, I can't promise this won't hurt, but it won't last long. An odd thing aura is-"
Ozark began to ramble as he stuck the needle into Ruby's shoulder. Ruby herself barely noticed as she was paying attention to Ozark's ramblings. Her soul, however, did take notice. It prepared to attack, but my power kept it in check. Ozark pulled the syringe from Ruby's shoulder. The black syringe now glowed. He turned and placed it into his machine. It turned on and a fan began whirring. It took barely a few seconds before it turned on.
Ruby's soul was visible to us all. Ruby gasped when she saw it. Ozark nodded and began writing observations down. He just stared at it sadly. After all, I had already seen it, and it always reminds me of the suffering Ruby had to endure at such a young age.
Her soul was still broken. Even now, it's a hard thing to describe her soul. It was an angry blood red. So dark it was almost black. I had taken to referring to the jagged edges of her soul as thorns. Her soul was barely held back. Power and anger could easily be felt emanating from her soul. Most telling though was the underlying fear that fueled it. If anything, her soul was like a cornered animal.
These aspects are one of the things Ozark had spent much of his time studying. According to him, while the body and mind may move on easily, the soul doesn't. You traumatize the soul, and it will probably never move past it. A fact easily evidenced in my adopted daughter. She had been living happily and relatively safely at the Necropolis.
"Fascinating." Ozark said, upon viewing Ruby's soul. "Your soul is so damaged, yet so strong. Definite signs of Anguish… how did this happen?"
"From what she described; I presume a soul drain." I stated.
"That could do it." Ozark muttered. "Though, I've never seen a mortal coil this strong before. I'd wager even you'd struggle to sever this, Death."
"Not if I were to unleash my full power." I stated.
"Maybe, but we both know you wouldn't do that to either of your daughters." Ozark said. "Amazing."
Ozark was inspecting Ruby's soul closely. Anytime he neared it, one of the thorns on her soul would appear ready to attack. Ozark wrote down some more notes.
"Well, it's definitely ready to defend itself." Ozark said.
"What can you tell me about her mortal coil?" I asked.
"Well… it appears as if her entire soul is ready to strengthen that coil if need be." Ozark answered.
"What's that mean?" Ruby asked.
"It means, that unless you fall by your father's blade, you will be stuck in a limbo state between life and death." Ozark said. "Do you know how her mortal coil is so strong?"
"I know it was strengthened by the Fields of the Lost." I answered. "That was a necessity to ensure the Necropolis did eject her soul from her body."
"Or that her soul didn't destroy the Necropolis in this case." Ozark said. "It's a wonder the Necropolis still stands. It definitely appears to recognize you. And it would seem that several of these jagged edges are acting like… uh… claws, I guess?"
"Could you explain?" I requested.
Ozark began. "These jagged edges-"
"I think of them as thorns." I interrupted.
"Fine, these thorns," Ozark continued, rolling his eyes. "Are definitely what is strengthening her mortal coil. Some of them have latched onto it and allowed it a much stronger bond to her body. I dare say, the strengthening from the Fields has only empowered the thorns. I dare say, her soul might be permanently stuck to her body. Not even you would be able to sever her mortal coil."
"How much time would she have to spend in the fields for that to occur?" I asked.
"I don't know… a year?" Ozark sighed. "Her body could still die, but her soul would be unable to leave."
"That's a decently long time." I stated.
"Maybe." Ozark replied.
"What about the being that Conquest and I saw?" I asked. "I mentioned him a few days ago."
"Well. The only things I can really say about him are that he's not from the Fields, and that he's definitely older than he should be." Ozark replied.
"Any idea as to why?" I asked.
"I have a theory or two. I'm more interested in his ability to hide from you." Ozark countered.
"People can hide from da… Death?" Ruby questioned.
"There are ways." Ozark stated. "All of them of dubious morality, but it is most definitely possible."
"Your theories?" I prompted.
"Well… My first theory was that someone had managed to escape the Fields." Ozark said.
"But no one can escape the Fields." I replied.
"I know, but I still did my due diligence to check and ensure that my less than lovely neighbors were all still here." Ozark answered. "Another theory I had was that it was one of the humanoid Grimm, but that is ruled out because you sensed a soul."
"Humanoid Grimm?" Ruby questioned.
"An ancient Omega class Grimm from long ago." Ozark began. "Long, long ago, before my time, Grimm were far more powerful than they are today. They've regressed, I suppose it's due to humanity's penchant to survive. Anyway, Omega class Grimm would be able to decimate entire kingdoms on their own today. As far as I know, the Omega class were hunted to extinction by your father and his warriors. One of them was a humanoid that was nearly impossible to distinguish from actual humans. It required Faunus to find them. The only real distinction was a scent that was undetectable to humans."
"The Omega class were hunted to near extinction." I stated. "Those that we didn't kill have been hidden in stasis for such a long time that the only evidence of their existence are the memories of those who killed them, mine included, and the vaguest of hints in ancient historical texts. I can tell you more about them some other time. Ozark, continue with your theories."
"Right. The main theory I've been operating was a soul thief." Ozark said.
"Like you?" I queried, though I suspected the answer to be no.
"No." Ozark confirmed my fears. "An actual soul thief. I'd go so far as to say it was the same one who attacked her."
"What's a soul thief?" Ruby asked.
"Terrible people. Their semblance is the ability to drain souls from their victims. Huntsmen and Huntresses are most at risk since their aura's actively protect them. The average person hates soul thieves. Never met a good one." Ozark explained. "Actually, quite a few souls in the Fields were soul thieves in their lifetimes. However…"
"However?" I prompted.
"Being a soul thief wouldn't explain how he could hide from you, or how a body could be melted yet alive… like you described. Nor does it explain the half-melted Grimm for that matter." Ozark continued. "Too many unknowns. I'd need a sample of his aura to be able to tell you for sure. Again, he's probably the same person."
"But the guy that attacked me wasn't melted." Ruby interjected.
"Maybe not, but soul thieves are actually incredibly rare." I stated.
"I know a few in Paradise, actually." Ozark said.
"I thought you were banned from Paradise." I accused.
"I didn't know they could ban people." Ozark replied.
Just so you know, and in case you haven't figured it out, Paradise is the name of the afterlife granted as a reward for life. Its opposite is just called Punishment. I know, the names are terribly unoriginal. If I didn't know better, I'd have assumed Conquest named them.
"You are the first." I stated.
"Fascinating." Ozark said. "Anyway, soul thieves?"
"Right." I turned back to Ruby. "In total, there have been only a hundred soul thieves. Ever. This guy would be one hundred and one. Very rarely do they end up as good people. And the name is far broader than you would expect."
"Like me." Ozark said. "I was classified as a soul thief, though my semblance only stole life and energy from the physical body. It didn't affect the soul at all."
"Indeed. True soul thieves are even rarer. Of the hundred soul thieves, I'd estimate that only ten of them could truly interact with their victim's soul." I stated. "It's such a rare power that it is more likely that this person is the same as the one that attacked you."
Our conversation tapered off not long after that. Ozark reiterated his warnings about staying in the fields, then Ruby and I were off once more. Over the years I would bring Ozark to see her at the Necropolis. He may have been the oddest denizen of my realm, but he was the only doctor.
Other than that, things settled down for a while. It was about five years or so of silence as it were. Ruby attended her first of many firearms lessons with Conquest. He reluctantly conceded to me that I was right regarding Ruby and she had a thirst for learning. And War didn't break down the southern gate for the rest of the year.
Now, none of us were idle during this time. I made sure that my reapers and I kept an eye out for the soul thief. Unfortunately, we made no headway in the hunt. It's kind of hard to find him when he can so perfectly hide himself from me. Conquest and War continued training Ruby. War also began having Ruby and Keira spar with each other. Keira was naturally better than Ruby. Though Keira did lose a few to her younger sister.
Another thing I noticed was Ruby's tendency to stutter sometimes when she was talking to or about me. That stopped some time after she started calling me dad. Again though, things settled for a time. The only things we really focused on were what I mentioned.
Actually… there is one more thing I did during this time. I decided to inspect the Omega class Grimm. They were all still dormant. A small mercy, but I still worried. They weren't dead after all. It was only a matter of time before they awoke.
I know what you're thinking. Why didn't I just kill them? I made an agreement not to.
Sort of like the brother gods of Remnant, my siblings and I were once very active on the planet. I was more so than my siblings. The Omega class were nearly extinct… well, all the Grimm were threatened. The Brother of Darkness made a deal with me. He would put the Omega Grimm into dormancy if I agreed to stop hunting the soulless beings. I agreed, so long as the Grimm never progressed to the point a single one could wipe out all life on Remnant. There were a few Omega class who could had I not intervened.
So, they stay alive, dormant, and hidden. Should they wake, I will intervene again. It's actually that deal I made with the Brother of Darkness that explains why the Grimm are so comparatively weak today. That's not to say that they aren't still a threat. They are still a threat, but nothing quite matches the strength, power, cunning and intelligence of the Omega class.
The only thing about the Grimm that kind of bothers me is why the Brother of Darkness made a deal with me in the first place. But I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
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Data Log DoD-005
Thank you to all who read this, your feedback and views are much appreciated. Feel free to leave ideas and recommendations for the future.
Goodbye viewer; Fare thee well.
End Log S.T.K.