Sakura walked to where the shadow creature told her to go. Towards Ryuudou Temple, a place she recalled one of her classmates went to as a priest-in-training if she recalled. There the shadow told her to go to find the strength she needed.
'I really must be crazy.' Sakura, despite how she looked and acted, knew she was far from the most sane person around. Pretending to be okay after the training she endured from grandfather, her brother belittling her, and her former sister not even acknowledging her. Aside from Shirou, she had no hope that her life was going to be a good one. Now here she is obeying her shadow, no doubt a figment of her imagination that she must have made up from all the stress she endured. Truthfully, she shouldn't even be listening to that shadow.
Yet she did and kept on walking until she found herself at the mountain where the shadow then guided her to walk through the trees. As Sakura did so, she heard something from behind but before she could turn, her shadow reappeared in front of her.
"Ignore the distractions. Just keep walking." Sakura did so, not noticing the shadow giggling as it looked back and saw the Servant Rider unable to enter the mountain ground. Thanks to it's enhanced ability as an elder Grimm, the Spider Grimm could see memories and not just surface ones, so it knew about this Servant Rider and also knew how this temple didn't allow Servants to go through it unless it was the front gate. Meaning Rider can't stop it as it guided its prey to her doom.
Oh sure the Servant could have called out to Sakura, but thanks to it's enhanced abilities it simply ensured its prey couldn't hear the Servant, even as she was yelling for the girl to stop. While Spider Grimm were far from the most physically threatening, it's psionic abilities were useful here and there.
Eventually, the duo soon came upon a small crevice, where the Spider Grimm guided the gullible girl in it.
The two walking within the darkness, as the Spider Grimm slowly used it's subtle manipulation to ensure Sakura didn't question why she wasn't even leaving the area. A sane person wouldn't even be here, more so listen to a supposed shadow. The girl herself believing the Grimm was some fragment of her psyche. All taken advantage of as the Spider Grimm then sensed them.
""Stop" The Grimm then told Sakura. "It seems we are here."
"Here?" Sakura blinked. "What...do you mean?" Sakura didn't see anything noteworthy here, and was as such confused. She then turned to the shadow, where it then began grinning as the eyes glowed red.
"Here...for dinner."
In that instance, Sakura no longer saw her shadow. Instead, it was replaced by her seeing the pit where she 'trained'.
"...eh?" Sakura then said, purley confused by what happened. She then felt cold and realized she had no clothes...and the worms were now on her. "...Ah...ahhhhhh!" She then felt pain as she felt them The worms digging into her, slithering in her body. Panic entered Sakura's eyes as she fell on her knees.
Yet upon doing so suddenly the pit vanished away and she was back in the cave.
"Wha-" Sakura was then back in the pit, chained this time. Where the pain resumed as the worms continued to violate her then and there as she screamed again. Laughter heard as she saw her grandfather in front of her as he chuckled at her position.
"What's the matter dear granddaughter?" He then asked as if she wasn't being violated by his familiars. "Are you alright?" He mocked as the scene then changed back to the cave again. Sakura breathed heavily, uncertain what was even going on now. Then, she felt something on her leg.
"Scrrr." The audible sounds of something small and nasty, where on her legs many small arachnids were on it with glowing red eyes. The scene then changed again. Her eyes seeing not the cave or the spiders, but Shirou in front of her.
Dead as his lifeless eyes looked at her with his arm missing.
"N-no." Sakura said as she backed away. "Thi-This isn't real." She tried to tell herself this. "This isn't-" Suddenly she saw Shirou's corpse blink. Like a puppet with strings suddenly being pulled up, Shirou's body jagged upward as his mouth then dropped open. Where from it, worms of all sorts came out bursting like a water well with Sakura recoiling in disgust.
The worms, to her horror, then latched onto her as she then heard her grandfather's voice again. Saying, "If you love this boy very much," The worms ripped her clothes off including her undergarments. "Then let him be one with you."
"Nooo!" Sakura screeched as she then fell backward and was back in the cave again. Where on her clothes now were the spiders where the shadow version of herself began laughing maniacally.
"Hahahaha!" It laughed as the countless spiders crawled all over her as Sakura then felt the ones beneath her outfit starting to bite as she whimpered. Scared and puzzled by what was even happening here. Only knowing that something wrong was happening, and her fear growing by the second. Fear that the Grimm liked, as this was the Spider Grimm's plan all along.
Shadow hands then formed and grabbed Sakura who once more saw something that wasn't there. The doing of hundreds upon hundreds of the small arachnid Grimm as they used their abilities to mess with what Sakura was seeing under the guidance of the elder Grimm Spider. To bring Sakura here and cause mental disturbance of her worst nightmares with their ability, unleashing her negative emotions while devouring her alive.
A few of it's kin then going inside her very mouth while Sakura experienced another vision. Of her brother this time as he smacked her around. Where her sister watched while smiling at the scene while she held onto Shirou.
"Poor, poor girl." The Grimm then interacted with Sakura inside her nightmare as the spiders slowly bit off her skin with some squirming into her flesh in reality. The elder Grimm posing as the one called Rin while Sakura was being beaten by Shinji who laughed at her. 'Rin' then kneeling down to Sakura's face which had become slowly hollow with tears slowly coming out. The scene then chaining to the pit where the memory of some stupid human that tried to save her was being devoured by the worms. "Did you really think I was going to help you?"
Sakura tried to say something, but then coughed as worms burst from her throat while in reality the spider Grimm began biting under her tongue and scraping at her throat, causing her to vomit them up with blood in the mox.
Unable to speak, Sakura could only see 'Rin' looking ecstatic at her pathetic form.
"This is it for you." 'Rin' said as the scene then changed to the school. Where everybody looked at her in disgust as they called out to her.
"Disgusting!"
"Making out with worms!"
"You freak!"
Sakura flinched while twitching. The spiders chewing on her muscles now and a few are biting down on her eyes. The stings, swelling, and pain accompanying it transmitting even here in this mental horror. As agony filled her body alongside her mind, the facade Sakura herself always held up to pretend to be a normal girl slowly cracked.
"Hmhmhmhhmm." The false Rin then patted Sakura's head while knowing in reality, the girl's body was being devoured bit by bit. "It's been fun messing with you, but I think we're done here." While the Grimm couldn't unleash all the girl's repressed emotions, it felt this much was enough to enjoy. Though before it decided to join in on eating the girl, the Grimm commanded to show Sakura one last thing.
From the crowd of the people, Sakura then saw Shirou himself. Where there was no smile on him, and only disgust and and revulsion is seen on his expression. Sakura felt her heart plummeting, as the facade cracked further. Where then, the illusionary Shirou said the one thing she never wanted him to say to her.
"Like hell I'd ever save a girl deflowered as you."
"..." Like that, any trace of emotion within Sakura died out as her eyes became hollow. Not just emotionally, but physically to as in the cave Sakura's body was already being devoured rapidly including her eyes. Patches of skin already eaten and blood pouring out with oozing fluids coming out from the body as the spider Grimm crawled all over her as the appalling creatures continued their feast of both flesh and negative emotions.
"All's well that ends well." The elder Grimm said as it reverted back to it's spider form and joined in on the feast. Making its way to the girls chest where it then began devouring the flesh there to get at the heart that still beat even now. The nasty little critter then bit down and got ready to enjoy itself when suddenly, it noticed something off.
Particularly, that the ground got...darker?
Before the elder Grimm could even figure out what was going on, suddenly it, it's kin, and even the Grimm further down the cavern then felt it. A presence so dark and powerful, that only one being matched it and he was long gone from their world. The presence of a truly malevolent entity that while not awake, did feel as if it was gaining a slight conscious as it felt aware, even if for but a moment.
Then, before the Spider Grimm could even ponder why it felt such a powerful force, suddenly the entire cave was being swallowed up by some form of darkness. All that originated from the living carcass the Grimm were eating with the elder Grimm surprised by this.
"What!?" The Spider Grimm has lived a long time, and is one of the few Grimm to develop a form of sentience helped by the fact that it learned from reading humans memories and emotions. Yet not it was shocked by what was going on, and even further when it saw it's brethren being submerged into the shadow before suddenly a hand gripped it to it's surprise. Where what should have been a half-eaten face, was now the dead expression of a fine physically looking girl that just looked at it.
The Spider Grimm then sensed it. The emotions in this girl, fully unleashed. So resentful and full of rage, with mixed sorrow and agony within alongside many insecurities. Roars and howls could be heard further down the cavern, no doubt that the Grimm below sensed this beacon of negativity. Negativity so great, that for but a moment the Spider Grimm pondered if it made a mistake. It's last thought to, as just as quickly it was killed as Sakura crushed it with her bare hand.
Glowing eyes then looking down at the ground, seeing all the tiny Grimm trying to flee only for her to kill them and then absorb them within her. The girl then walked down further the cave where she sensed more of these creatures. Opening her mouth as any dissipated black smoke that came from the Grimm she swallowed while a playfully smile then came on her face while her left fingers stroked her cheek.
She needed to feed.
Shinji had to admit, he's seen some pretty disturbing things on the occasion.
From the true nature of the training pit, to his grandfather one time reassembling himself disgustingly with his worms, and how some Servants didn't look as physically attractive like Rider or Saber. Berserker looking like a cave-man instead! Still, despite seeing such things what he saw before him is distressing.
"Oh no." Saber said while she held the knocked out Shirou, while next to Shinji is Illya with her pet Berserker still in the shape of a squirrel.
"So..this is Oni-Chan's teacher." Illya then said as she did her best not to step onto the blood.
"More like was." Shinji said as he felt a bit nauseous. For he and everyone else was looking at the corpse of Ozpin himself. With holes in him and blood still pouring out with a pale face to match. All that was missing is an expression showing agony or fear, yet it seemed that however Ozpin died, he died with dignity and the like as his eyes were closed and his face seeming like he accepted this fate.
Musashi looked saddened, as she saw a man that while rather suspicious, did indeed try to help them. Now dead from that blonde man no doubt. Her eyes observing the wounds and then narrowing.
'Sword wounds.' Strange, she didn't see that man holding a sword. Granted he might have hidden it and yet the pierced body she saw was full of mysteries. As while Ozpin had wounds all over made from a sword, the sizes didn't seem to match at all and were varied. Something unnatural happened, and Musashi couldn't even figure it out other than maybe the man had more than one weapon. Even so, it didn't help save Ozpin now as she then realized Shirou will have to be told about this.
'And he won't take it well.' Not that Musashi felt any better, but she was used to seeing dead people. Not just the corpses of her enemies, but also civilians or those caught in the mix of battle. It's sad and unfortunately something that always happens, as such it hardened Musashi. Not to the point of feeling apathy, just that she's used to seeing dead bodies.
Although Musashi knew Shirou is a different matter and won't handle it properly. As such, she'll have to be there for him and just hope for the best. Shinji then sighed and turned around. "Welp...guess we should be going now." He then turned to Illya. "Although…" The girl slightly flinched.
At the moment she was vulnerable.
Granted, Illya still had enough power to spare and kill Shinji multiple times over. In truth, it wouldn't even be a fight and more of a slaughter. However, that was under normal circumstances.
Currently Illya has been forced to witness many things that have quite frankly shaken her core. For all her maturity, Illya is still a person with feelings. Feelings of doubt and fear plaguing her as she witnessed Ozpin turning her powerful Servant into a small critter now on her shoulder, and her two loyal maids dead before her eyes. Naturally this has caused Illya's mind to be less than focused for a fight, and it didn't help her brother's Saber is there and while still recovering, can no doubt beat her up leaving Illya defenseless.
'The only way for me to win,' Illya thought as Berserker chippered angrily while Illya took a step back. 'Is to kill Oni-Chan first so his Servant goes away.' Sadly, after seeing the deaths of Leysritt and Sella, her eagerness to kill has diminished meaning Shinji had the advantage in taking her down right now. Still, Illa was far from out and if pushed further she could kill Shinji with a simple spell. Making this a battle of who throws the first strike.
Shinji with his aura empowered fist that could and likely would knock Illya out.
Or Illya who can use her magecraft to vaporize Shinji.
The two looked at one another, and for a moment both twitched forward as the two considered their options and if they should strike now.
"Hold it!" Both were then stopped by Musashi as she realized something important. "Guys, look!" While she couldn't point since she carried Shirou on her back, she nodded her head towards Ozpin. The two were confused as all they saw was a corpse. However, Berserker was the first to notice as he leaped off Illya's shoulder and scampered towards the corpse.
Then, it pointed at Ozpin's mouth where both Illya and Shinji then saw the slightest movement from the lips parting. Breathing.
"What the-'he's still alive!" Shinji shouted.
"Great!" Musashi said with a smile. "Then that means we can save him!"
"Uh, how!?" Shinji shouted while still astonished that Ozpin was even alive at this point. I mean, his limbs and abdomen were all freakin pierced! He also doubted Ozpin's aura was healing him, if it even could at this point.
"Did he use a magecraft perhaps?" Illya herself asked, not knowing that she was half-right. Though not because it was magecraft, but because of Ozpin's own body.
Unknown to Shinji though and the others, Ozpin came from a world where the Creatures of Grimm, the equivalent of Demonic Beasts, attacked humanity constantly. This would cause a form of evolution within the bodies of both humans and faunus. In this case, compared to the modern humans of earth, humans of Remnant were a bit more tougher even without aura.
Not just great reflexes either, but more tightly packed muscles than that of a non-genetically augmented human being. Bones that are also sturdier and denser, filled with more calcium per square centimeter than regular people. Not to mention neurons that are more receptive to electrical signals, with the walls of their hearts and the rest of the circulatory systems being more robust.
These advantages have allowed Ozpin to live past what would kill humans, aided by the fact that Gilgamesh didn't actually hit any major organs like the heart or lungs. Though frankly, Ozpin will die either way like any other human as despite his physical supremacy, as in the end he can still die from blood loss and these flesh wounds which are also at risk of getting infected from the open wounds. Something Musashi realized as Ozpin's breathing was already getting smaller every second.
"Does anybody know how to heal him?" Musashi quickly as while considering if she should move him. Though that would be impossible as if she did that Musashi figured Ozpin might die from his wounds.
"Don't look at me." Shinji waved his hands. He knew some spells that could do the trick, unfortunately he couldn't use magecraft meaning he could do nothing to help. Which left one person to aid them.
Illya.
"...I know a few ways to heal him." It won't be easy, especially without her maids. Illya however is still a well-trained magus and while it would take great time and effort, she could heal Ozpin. Still, that didn't mean she would as she then said, "But why should I?" After what that man did to her Berserker, she wasn't feeling in the mood.
"Oh. Think you could just leave huh." Shinji grinned as he stepped forward. Chucking a thumb at Saber. "Did you forget, we have the advantage here." Illya gritted her teeth. Though before she or even Shinji could start arguing, wasting valuable time, Musashi walked up to Illya and bowed down.
"Please." She then began. "I know that you don't have a reason to help us, but we need it anyway. And...I think Emiya will appreciate it too." Illya slightly blushed at the last part, and was conflicted on what to do now. Not because of what that failure Matou said, instead more focused on Saber and her words on how Shirou would be appreciative. He was so upset just a bit ago, and here Musashi said by helping this near-dead man, he might be happy.
'Uh.' Illya then moaned a bit. 'What happened to me wanting to kill him. It's not as if I originally wanted him to be happy.' Yet here she is now, wanting just that. Illya bit her lip, eyes going back and forth between Shirou and Ozpin. Saber looked at her desperately while the Matou failure didn't seem to care. Illya then felt a pat on her foot and saw Berserker, who simply nodded.
Heh. Even when mad and now an animal, Berserker knew when to give good advice.
Illya smiled at one of the few individuals she trusted and sighed. "Very well." She then said much to Musashi's joy. "I suppose I can help this guy out. Though," She then turned to Musashi with a smirk. "I do want certain favors done after." Like Berserker being back to normal for one thing.
Shinji was about to argue against this only for Musashi to shove him aside and say, "Sure!"
"And people call me an idiot." Shinji muttered angrily while crossing his arms.
"Because you are." Illya, who overheard him, grinned and ignored his scowl as she walked towards Ozpin. "In the meantime, best I heal him and-"
"And do nothing." An excited voice then spoke through the open field, where everyone froze. Particularly one person, who felt his body temperature drop with an expression of fear showing on his face. More so when the buzzing of insects and bugs of all sorts were slowly being heard around them all. Then, the sounds of a cane could be heard as from the treeline the figure of an elderly man came. One that just spelled dangerous all around him, with massive unnaturally sized 'bugs' coming from behind him.
Where Matou Zouken's eyes then lay on his prize.
"I think I'll be taking him now." Without question or even saying anything more, all of the familiars in the area then screeched as the bugs and Blade Worms made their way towards the group. Oh sure they won't actually defeat these fools, but with the Einzbern's brute diminished in size, the Emiya boy crippled alongside his Servant, and his pathetic heir with no real power, it'll take them time to kill his familiars.
Time he would use to get his prize.
Uttering his words, Zouken used a spell that would temporarily put his prize in a form of stasis, preventing his death while also allowing easy transportation. Zouken could see the anger in the Saber's eyes, but he did not care. Focused purely on the one that could give him the immortality he seeked.
His eyes then saw Shinji, that worthless heir, and noticed how he was taking out the false Command Seals he provided him. So there was some intelligence that worthless fool had. Unfortunately for him, Zouken knew how to deal with it.
"I'll be taking that back." He grinned as suddenly to Shinji's shock, the book burst apart thanks to the fact it was made of the same material worms he used on Sakura, and then before Zouken's hands the same book reappeared. While Zouken did consider summoning Rider now, to take advantage of these fools, it'd be best to keep her in reserve just in case.
Zouken observed how the Einzbern girl and Saber, who put down the Emiya boy, fighting against his familiars quite well. Even Berserker, despite his reduced state, was actually stomping on the worms on the ground rapidly like a whack-a-mole game. Even so, they were preoccupied and Zouken had his familiars grab Ozpin and start moving him. He needed to be quick, as that stasis spell won't last forever. Thankfully he already set up the ritual for him and Ozpin and turned to leave.
If all went well Zouken will at last gained the immortality he desired. Who knows, if luck is by his side he could even win the Holy Grail and gain additional prizes even if he gains this man's immortality. For now though, he must focus on the goal and ignored the Einzbern brat and the others as he took Ozpin away. Ah, yes. At long last Zouken's wish is in sight.
'?' Zouken then blinked as he then felt something. A disturbance in one of the link's with his familiars, particularly with Sakura. No matter, he'll check out the situation for her later. Right now, he needs to do the ritual quickly and then nothing will stop Zouken.
Nothing.
Darkness.
When people die, they usually see such a thing, and once that occurs, the end is there for them all. Occurring when the concept of death happens to all that live. Nobody was exempt from this law, and as such most who are aware will see darkness at the very end.
For Ozpin, the former hero known as Ozma, his situation was different. For he did indeed see darkness whenever death came for him…
Then he saw light soon afterwards.
Reincarnation. The blessing and curse the God of Light gave him long ago after manipulating his soul, his existence. The power to be 'reborn' by bonding with a like-minded host and becoming one. Contrary to the reincarnation some thought of as being reborn as a baby with no memories, Ozpin's method of rebirth was more akin to his soul, instead of leaving to the afterlife, stuck around to the mortal plane. Where it endlessly searched for a new host and bonded with them.
As such, while Ozpin did see darkness at the end of his life be it age, poison, or battle, he will then see a light just as fast. Oh sure the method of his return to the mortal realm differed from potential years to decades. A few rare times though he can come back in months if possible.
Regardless, Ozpin will always return.
"...huh?" Even if the situation surrounding his host is either good or bad. As at last Ozpin 'awoke' and felt his mind becoming aware. The feeling of bonding reverting throughout his being, and soon memories came to him to understand his new host. The first part, he's actually female now.
'Bit rare but it's happened.' Most of Ozpin's incarnations have always been male, on occasion though he does bond with a like-minded female. Not often but it happens. As for the next memory, the current ones, he saw he and his new host was about to die.
Wait, what?
"Gruaa!" Standing in front of Ozpin and his new host, a massive Major Ursa stood and raised it's claw in the air. Ready to kill the girl and her new immortal friend as both watched as they were about to die. Not on Ozpin's watch.
"Sorry." Ozpin then spoke in his new feminine voice. "But I need to take over."
"Wait, what!" His new soul-partner was naturally surprised, as Ozpin took over full control of the body. It was temporary of course, however Ozpin needed to do this or both of them would perish. So he ignored his companion and felt the body under his control.
Young, decently strong, and a well-built physique. Aura then fueled Ozpin as it didn't matter if his new host hadn't unlocked it or not, as his soul would instantly unleash it. So without question, Ozpin ducked under the claw and with full aura, slammed his fist beneath the Ursa's head which made it pop. Smirking, Ozpin then relinquished control back to his new host who began panicking.
"Wait, huh, what!" She then yelled out. "Just what the hell happened!?"
"Apologies for that." "Ozpin then spoke. "But I had no choice but to help us in this situation."
"Eh...EH?!" Ozpin mentally sighed, not that he blamed the girl. I mean, having to hear a voice in her head and losing control of her body, and killing an Ursa in one blow shocked her enough already. As such, it'd be best if Ozpin let her contemplate for now. Instead, Ozpin must figure out how long has it been since he 'died', and figure out where he was. So while it might be rude and downright inappropriate, Ozpin decided to check his hosts memories.
"Let's see here." Ozpin said as he began checking out just what was going on. Starting from the earliest memories, Ozpin then saw this girl's memories. Of how she was born as a simple child in an ordinary family, part of a minor Magus lineage that Ozpin will dig into later, believing it must be the magic users of this world.
This child's name is Ritsuka Fujimaru. As a child she lived an ordinary life until...The Great Scourge, where an unnatural wave of mud began enveloping the planet itself followed by the Grimm. There was more to it than just that, but Ozpin fell silent as he saw this basic information. As while he didn't know what this mud was, he did know one thing. The Grimm.
'Oh. I see now.' Ozpin thought as he then recalled the words that man told him. As once again, the feeling of hopelessness filled Ozpin upon this realization. 'I failed again.'
Over the broken road, where it then led to none other than a ruined flame-fueled city. Where as Ozpin's new memories told him, such cities can be found all around this destroyed post-apocalypse world.
As if Ozpin can bond with any of the characters here in the present. Shirou was close, but...he's not exactly a perfect candidate. Otherwise, wouldn't Ozpin bond with Ruby? As such, I opted that he lived.
...yet somehow, he lives on in one Ritsuka Fujimaru (both keep moving forward despite the horrors to save humanity). How very strange and full of questions on why that happened. Though such answers will come later as Zouken grabs Ozpin's barley living body while Sakura, who got mind raped by countless Grimm, is about to awaken.