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RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth.
Chapter 6: The Failings of My Power
The most important event of Ruby's childhood living in my realm occurred a few days after her twelfth birthday. The day started as so many before, she and Keira were sparring at the Arena. War was watching and ensuring that neither would be permanently hurt. If Keira were allowed to use a scythe, she would have been at a distinct advantage.
I had taken to training Keira in the art of the scythe a couple years prior, shortly after she turned twelve. I had also started training her on how to use her powers as my daughter, around the same time. Both of which began with a single event. I showed her my greatest mistake. Yes, I know, I am not perfect. I was going to show Ruby the same thing and grant her the opportunity to learn some of the same things that Keira was.
Anyways, War had decided that Keira would only be allowed to spar with weapons she had learned to use under War's tutelage. Keira had the advantage in experience and training. Ruby, however, was a prodigy with blades. Her shortcomings in hand to hand did not translate in any way to the blade. It was like she was born to wield a weapon.
Many of their spars came down to training versus talent. Keira had training; Ruby had talent. Early on, Keira won most of their duels. Then Ruby began to win. As Ruby's own training progressed, the gap in skill grew smaller and smaller. It managed to impress Conquest. I don't know why, but it was enough to convince him to also begin teaching Ruby tactics and strategy. Granted, he only really covered the basics with her. Most of that, he expected Ruby to pick up on her own.
So, that morning Ruby and Keira were sparring. Keira had the upper hand. For the moment. Ruby was on her backfoot, avoiding Keira's attacks. Keira over-extended a thrust and Ruby took advantage. She spun behind Keira and kicked the back of her knees. Keira was forced to kneel. Conquest entered the arena, clapping as Ruby pressed the sword against Keira's throat.
"And that's victory for Ruby!" War announced.
Keira sighed as Ruby sheathed her blade.
"Score one for the mortal." Ruby celebrated.
"Yeah, yeah. One more for Ruby. What's the score now? Oh right, I'm still in the lead." Keira countered.
"The score is 79 to 121. Keira's favor." Conquest stated.
"See, Ru, I've still got the lead. Thanks Uncle C." Keira said as Conquest Rolled his eyes.
"Maybe, but I'm catching up, Keira." Ruby replied.
"That may be true, but it won't be for long. Wait until I'm allowed to spar with a scythe." Keira responded.
"Scythe, smythe." Ruby countered. "You only say that cause you know you'd lose all the time without it."
"Maybe, but at least we know who dad's favorite is." Keira responded with a smug smile.
"Sure." Ruby replied with a chuckle.
"If you two are done, I need to collect Ruby. Death would like to see her." Conquest interrupted.
"Ok, See you later, Ru." Keira said, hugging Ruby goodbye.
Ruby said goodbye to War and the two were on their way. Conquest was actually meeting with Ferrose that day. I had asked him to pick up Ruby and bring her to me. Keira was still going to be training with Keira.
Ruby relayed the conversation between her and Conquest to Bianca later that night.
"You know, it would be really easy for you to win your verbal spars." Conquest stated as they entered a portal to the Fields of the Lost.
"How?" Ruby asked.
"Keira says that she's Death's favorite. Why not counter with yourself?" Conquest said. "Keira is his natural born daughter; he's stuck with her. Yet you are adopted; he chose you."
Ruby never told us what her response was. However, she did say that Conquest's words had made her slightly uncomfortable. I don't know what her opinion was, I do however know she never actually used Conquest's rebuttal. She and Keira did those for fun. According to them both, it was little more than harmless teasing.
Anyways, Conquest dropped her off at our house. Bianca was the first to greet Ruby. I was told that Bianca looked quite worried for what was about to happen. She led Ruby to the lowest level of the keep. We usually referred to it as the basement. It was the one place that no one was allowed unless they had my express permission. It was also the only place that was constantly locked. Only Bianca and I had a key. There is only one thing in the lowest level of our keep. A portal. Bianca let Ruby in and shut the door behind her. Ruby cautiously approached the glowing portal and stepped through.
The portal leads into the dilapidated living room of a small family home. The only light being the dim light coming from the windows and the holes in the rotted wooden door. Ruby exited the home and was greeted with a rather sobering sight.
The house from which she emerged was situated on the side of a mountain. A sheer cliff was just to the right of it. In front was a path that led down the mountain. The skies were grey, complete overcast with no sign of relief. The ground, too, was grey. The top layer puffed with every step. The light grey particles clung to her clothes and boots. It was very soft and spongy. Ruby picked up a handful. It didn't take long for her to recognize it as ash.
The building she emerged from was old. Chunks of the wall had fallen to the ground below and the wood was severely rotted. The only thing different was me. I was standing on the cliff face, overlooking the grounds below, reliving the memories that I wish I could forget.
Ruby came to stand next to me. The sight below us was one of despair. Below us was the ruins of a once lively city. Blanketed in the same ash that covered the mountainside. The corpses of buildings rose ominously into the gray skies. Broken stumps and rotted snags, nearly bereft of branches, littered the landscape. The ruined city had no signs of life. Not a single sign. No animals, no plants, nothing. Just… death.
The silence was most eerie. The air was still so we didn't even hear the wind. The only sound that could be heard was the soft crunch of Ruby's boots as she walked through the ash. I silently summoned my scythe and gazed at it.
"Dad?" Ruby asked, breaking the silence.
"Have I ever told you how my scythe got its name?" I asked.
"I don't think you've ever told me its name." Ruby replied. "Where are we?"
"I don't know. I've long since forgotten the name of the place and the people that lived here." I answered. "I do remember what happened. This place was a utopia. A perfect society."
"This place feels wrong…" Ruby stated.
"Indeed. There is no life in this world." I replied.
A short silence fell as we gazed out into the ruins beyond. I turned and began following the path down the mountain.
"Walk with me." I said.
Ruby hurried to catch up. Ash puffed up around us as we walked into the city.
"What happened here?" Ruby asked.
"Me." I answered. "It was a long time ago. So, so long ago. It was just me. Conquest, War and Famine weren't around. They weren't needed. Nothing was wrong with this world. There was no war. There was no famine. Anything that went wrong could easily be fixed. Some claimed they even had control of the weather. It was a perfect, peaceful society. The only thing they had no control over was life and death."
"Who?" Ruby asked.
"The people of this world." I continued. "Funnily enough, they actually still liked me."
"They liked you?" Ruby asked. "How did they know you?"
"I wasn't a legend to them like I am to Remnant." I answered. "A few people had actually tried to befriend me. Things were good."
I paused as we entered the city. I sighed as we continued walking the long-deserted streets.
"This city is where it all ended." I continued. "Over time, I had grown… arrogant. Proud."
"Is that bad?" Ruby asked.
"An old soul once told me that triumphant pride precipitates a dizzying fall." I replied. "And what a fall it was. In my pride and arrogance, I grew complacent. I stopped taking my duties seriously. The first sign that something was wrong was a soul. A soul I reaped was walking once more. I had severed their coil naught but three days before. At first, I thought it was a trick of the imagination. But it started happening more frequently."
"People were coming back to life?" Ruby interrupted.
"Yes." I intoned darkly. "They were upsetting the balance. At the time, I couldn't definitively say whether they were or not though. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks."
"What changed?" Ruby asked as we entered the courtyard of an old church building.
"Ultimate Fate. Back then was when I started ignoring the visions that it gave me. But I started seeing possibilities dwindle. A common fate was awaiting everyone I would meet." I answered. "A dark angry power would consume them and drain away all of their life. I had no idea what it was."
"I thought Ultimate Fate told you possibilities based on what you knew." Ruby stated.
"No, it tells the most likely possibilities based on what has happened, regardless of what I know." I replied. "And everyone seemed slated to share the same fate. So, I set about trying to find what that power was so I could stop it and save everyone."
"So… did you fail?" Ruby asked. "Cause, it doesn't look like anyone lived."
"No, I found out what that power was." I said with a melancholic chuckle.
We sat on a bench in that courtyard. I leaned back while Ruby turned to me, waiting for me to continue. Curiosity dancing across her blue eyes.
"I finally caught wind of what was wrong when a wayward soul came to me. A living man who I had helped pass on the day before. He came begging me to sever his mortal coil." I said.
"But you don't kill…" Ruby interjected.
"No, I don't. Save for one exception. I only kill those who upset the delicate balance of life and death. So, I granted him his wish. I killed him and helped him move on again." I answered. "I turned to leave, but before I could go anywhere, a group of men and women came and took the body. I followed them. They came to the corporation owned by some of the people who proclaimed themselves to be my friends. I watched as they brought him back to life again."
"How?" Ruby asked.
"A machine that I destroyed any and all records of. It only exists in my memories now." I responded. "That man looked panicked as he stood up again. I felt anger burn deeply. These people claimed to be my friends. But they had upset the balance of life and death. They knew better. They had discussed immortality with me in the past, I had expressly warned them not to pursue that."
"So, how'd you correct the balance?" Ruby inquired.
"The only way you can." I answered. "Break the scale and replace it. I made my appearance. I remember so well what he said. His first words to me were 'it's not what it looks like'. Those were also his last words."
"What did you say back?" Ruby asked.
"I told him 'I warned you. Now face your judgement.'" I answered. "I summoned my scythe, destroyed the machine, and stormed out of the building. My fury burned so strongly that it was palpable. My power raged around me. It gave the appearance of two black skeletal wings spreading from my back."
"You have wings?" Ruby asked excitedly.
"I wish." I replied with a chuckle. "No, my power only gave me the appearance. I looked like an angel of death. I came to that mountain. On top of that mountain, I spoke and proclaimed judgement on this world. I don't know if anyone heard it, but they soon felt it. I told the planet that they had upset the balance, now they would face thine end."
"Thine end?" Ruby asked.
"Yep. At that moment, I named my scythe. Thine End. I slammed it into the mountain and let my power flow into the ground below." I continued. "A wave of black power rippled through the ground and spread towards the city below. All life it touched died. Plants withered and decomposed. You saw what it did to the trees."
"What did it do to the people?" Ruby asked.
I sighed and stood up. Ruby quickly followed. We walked towards the church. I pushed open the doors. Inside was the results of my power. Human bodies arrayed in fear and panic. Their final moments, forever preserved in stone. A mother clutching her child to her chest near one of the pews. A preacher slumped over in prayer as his end drew near. People desperately reaching for life. Pain, anguish, fear, and despair preserved on the faces of the victims… my victims.
"All of them?" Ruby said, turning to me.
"Men, women and children." I answered. "I wish I could undo what I did."
Ruby was surprised with how much regret and sorrow laced my voice. She said little more as she left the building. We began walking back up the mountains. She didn't say a word. I kept talking.
"They didn't deserve what I inflicted on them. I sat on that mountain. I don't know for how long. There was nothing to do." I spoke. "Everyone was dead. It took less than a week for that power to engulf the entire planet. The fires started not long after. Forests and cities, now completely devoid of life, burned. Ash from the worst wildfires no one will ever see blanketed the world. But, like I said, to fix the scale, it needs to be replaced."
Ruby still said nothing as we reached the cliff. She sat on its edge as I continued talking.
"I don't know how long it took, but eventually two brother gods appeared. I don't know how or why, but they did. This world was… removed. This mountain and the city below are all that's left. A monument to my greatest mistake. Remnant was built on the ruins of this world. The brothers recreated life and my job began anew. This time, I wasn't alone. First there was Famine, then Conquest and finally War. We were quite active very early on then we stepped back."
A deafening silence engulfed us as we sat there.
"I don't understand." A despondent Ruby finally spoke up. "Why'd you show me this?"
"Because, you deserve to know." I answered. "Do you know why I keep it preserved?"
"No." Ruby answered after a minute.
"Because of what this place represents." I said. "It is what happens when you grow too prideful. It is what happens when you lose all control. It… it…"
"Dad?" Ruby prodded.
My spirits lifted a little at that. I breathed deeply and spoke again.
"It scares me." I admitted. "It scares me how much power I wield."
"You don't need the reapers, do you?" Ruby questioned.
"No. I could do the job all on my own, should I choose." I answered, in a near whisper. "But they… they are a check on my power. I have them, so I don't… so this doesn't happen again."
"You showed Keira too, didn't you?" Ruby asked.
"Perceptive, aren't you?" I chuckled. "Yes. I did. She took it a bit worse than you have. You're taking this remarkably well."
"I live amongst the dead. It doesn't bother me as much as it could. It's still wrong though." Ruby replied. "So why show me?"
"For the same reason I showed her." I answered. "I want you to see what happens should you follow the same road I did."
"I don't have that kind of power." Ruby said.
"And I want you to." I replied.
"What?" Ruby asked.
"Ruby, I've been planning on taking over your training for some time. Your time with us has softened your soul. Now, I want to temper it. I want to grant you the ability to use it as a weapon to protect those you love." I explained to her. "I want to give you some of my power so you can do what you want in the future."
"But… I want to help you." Ruby said, surprising me.
"You do? Why? Why would you want to sever the souls of the dead?" I questioned.
"I want to help people." Ruby said. "And no one should be stuck to their body when they die. You help people in your own way. I want to help."
"Huh, and here I was thinking you wanted to be a huntress." I answered with a chuckle.
"I want to do that too. But I want to help people more than anything else. I…" Ruby trailed off. Her gaze shifted down.
"Ruby?" I prodded.
"I don't want anyone else to end up like me." She whispered.
"I can help with that." I responded pulling her into a hug.
She embraced me.
"I can give you some of my power. I can train you in its usage. I can teach you the ways of the scythe." I told. "It would require you to bind your soul in service to me. Your afterlife will be spent on the Necropolis."
"I can handle that." Ruby said, pulling away from my embrace.
"Are you sure?" I questioned.
"It's where my family is. I want to be there." Ruby said.
"Then it will be done. Stand up." I commanded, standing up.
She quickly stood up. I grabbed her wrist and instructed her to grab mine.
"Ruby, with my power, you will be one of my reapers. You will walk the world of the living, as a living mortal, able to see the souls of the dead. You will be tasked with acting as my hand, in my stead. Do you swear to obey as I've commanded?" I spoke.
"Yes." Ruby answered.
"Then by my power, you are to be one of my agents in the living world. A revenant, bound by life, serving death." I intoned.
My power gathered along our interlocked arms. It flashed white before moving into Ruby. Ruby gasped as it flooded her system. She later told me that it was one of the most painful things she had ever experienced, but that it was weirdly relieving. I'd say it was odd, but every soul I've ever bound to my service has felt something similar, so I didn't question it.
The first thing I would teach her was how to call up the power to use it. Following that would be the ability to portal to and from Remnant, my realm, and my sibling's realms. Along the way I planned to teach her how to utilize and summon her own scythe.
When the power finally settled, I smiled. Ruby opened her eyes and looked at me. She blinked rapidly. According to her, it felt like her eyes were burning. That was just a side effect. While rare, I have bound the living to my service like this before. Revenants were my most visible presence on Remnant, and Ruby now had the one shared marking of them all.
Ruby Rose's eyes briefly flashed with power as my power settled in. She got quite the shock when she saw her reflection later that night.
After all, it's not every day that your eyes change from blue to silver.
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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.