Hello everyone, sorry about the delay but here is the new chapter. Also, I have thought more amount the future of the story and I decided to go another way. I will try to finish the next chapter as soon as possible. Bye.
A Shattered Life
Chapter 47: Corruption
Ruby looked at the beautiful view in front of her. The river was a slice of mellow harmony amid the fragrant leaves. It flows like time, always onward, always toward its destiny. One day these placid waters will enter that great ocean, each drop a vital part of what becomes the mighty aquatic world. In the shade of the boughs, Ruby and her friends wade in feeling the welcome kiss of coolness. "We are almost there but I must warn you that all we will encounter is Grimm and death everywhere Not to mention traps and the unknown."
"We know." Ruby replied with a serious tone. "But we must do this if we are to find a way to activate this artifact. The Maidens left this to your people for some reason, we have to find out why and how to use it against Salem." She was determined to discover its secrets. At this point this quest with her friends was keeping her mind busy from thinking about what happened several weeks ago.
"I must tell you that I have already tried it and failed, I believe we are just wasting our time with this idiotic quest but since you are the Queen, I will follow you for now." Said Hydrox as he finished washing his face with the river water, then he placed his mask back on. "That's enough rest for the moment, lets keep moving there's a fortress that needs to be cleared and I want to do it before the night comes."
"What's so special about this fortress anyway?" Asked Weiss.
Hydrox grunted. "Mind your tongue child, we are talking about an ancient ruin of my race and its wise to respect those who know better than you." He cleared the way with his new sword. "The military bases that exist now are nothing compared to the might of the Casterwill engineering and military might. That's why the Maidens were with us, they knew who were the strongest." His pride was great.
"Not sure about that, I mean you guys almost got wipe out by people like my sister." Said Yang with a chill attitude. Blake tapped Yang's shoulder with some force. "...Oh right, sorry about that." She apologized while scratching the back of her head.
"Damn brats." Muttered Hydrox, then he turned to Ruby. "Remember our agreement, after we do this the artifact is mine to keep and if your Headmaster asks where is it, you tell him it belongs to the true guardians. And not to an old man who can barely fight." He slashed a couple of branches and in the distance there was an ancient structure that had seen better days. "There it is! Get your weapons ready girls we are about to meet the local wild life."
"Finally some action for once." Yang got her gauntlets ready and smiled.
Weiss and Blake readied themselves as well, everyone was armed and prepared for battle. Except Ruby, who didn't have Crimson Rose with her because it was still being repaired after the last battle she had. "Here." The masked man extended his arm, the red girl quickly recognized the blade he was giving her. "You need a weapon to defend yourself and this sword needs a new master." It was Stormcaller Malice, Geo's sword.
Ruby was hesitant to take it at first but after a few moments she took it. "Y-You fixed it." A small smile spread across her sweet lips. "Thank you." She wrapped her fingers around the weapons hilt and pulled it out from the sheath. The vibrant red color of the blade reflected the sun.
"Sure..." He replied.
Light shone through the wintry branches, shadowy arms stretching across the gates of the old Casterwill fortress. What was left stood in spite of itself, defying gravity in its precarious way. Yet, this place was kept secret by the trees, it had avoided the human locals destructive touch and so it became a sanctuary for the native Grimm in the area. Blake and Hydrox opened the gates but found no dark creature in sight. "Its empty." Said Blake.
"Maybe someone has already cleared this place." Said the heiress.
Yang was audit disappointed. "Dang it, I was hoping for a good fight."
"Be quiet!" Said Hydrox. "Listen."
"I don't hear anything." Stated Ruby.
"Exactly." He replied as walked through the courtyard with his blade in hand. "I don't understand the fortress should be crawling with Grimm and yet it is empty." Hydrox found this situation quite odd and he didn't like that one bit. "In any case keep your weapons ready and beware of your surroundings, I do not want to be caught off guard."
"Relax your panties old man, we got this covered."
"Yeah." Blake agreed. "Lets just get inside and hope we don't find whatever wiped all of the Grimm out." She and Yang moved deeper into the fortress while the others tried to keep up with them. The area was full with old rusty armor and skeletons, but what bothered Blake the most was the strange smell in the air. "Oh god! It wreaks. Where is that awful smell coming from?"
Hydrox paid no attention to her and opened the main gate that led inside the fortress itself. The moment he and the others entered they noticed the amount of blood on the blood on the floor and the severed body parts everywhere. "T-This is..." Blake was starting to panic as had never seen anything lie this before but fortunately, Yang grabbed her hand. "W-We should leave. I don't want to stay here."
"Grimm are nothing but mindless beasts." Said Weiss. "If humanity is to survive we must kill them all."
"Ooh, I believe they share the same sentiment toward us." Said the masked warrior as he walked past the dead bodies like they were nothing. Most of the girls were hesitant as they avoided looking at the bodies, except for Ruby, who was right behind her new so called 'friend'. "Will you girls have a move on, we don't have time to waist. If you can't handle seeing this then your road to become Huntresses has come to am end."
"He's right, we have to confront this horror even if we are afraid." Said Ruby. "I know none of us are used to seeing this much death but this is what will happen everywhere if we don't stand up for those who can't protect themselves or their families. I understand that this is scary but I believe we can do this, we are stronger together."
The others got more confidence and followed their team leader. "Hmm, you are good to motivate others Silver Eyes. I am quite impressed."
Ruby smiled. "I learned from someone who motivated me to be more than what I was." Her grip around Stormcaller Malice got stronger.
"Haha, I see." He laughed. "The boy knew how to motivate others."
They entered a chamber that was filled with old bones and broken furniture. The chamber was quite empty but there was something that was making Ruby and the others nervous, specially when the door behind them closed with brute force scaring them. "What the hell? Who closed that door?!" Her anxiety grew alongside her fear. Then, footsteps were heard. "We are not alone. I bet we are about to meet who destroyed the Grimm." Yang bashed her gauntlets together and got ready.
"Everyone, stick together that way we can win!" Ruby released her blade. They waited, and waited but none one entered the chamber. "...Maybe-" Suddenly, dark arms with claws for hands grabbed the girls and Hydrox. They pulled them down and they seemed to ne Grimm. "Let me go!" Yelled Ruby as she and her friends tried their best to break free. "I said let GO!" Her silver eyes released an intense light that the arms burned to ash in mere seconds, but it left the girl weak.
"Take it easy." Said Weiss as she grabbed her friend. "That was really awesome! I didn't know you could do that."
"Oh...I guess I forgot to mention that, sorry." She replied. "But, what were those things?" Then she noticed the artifact was realizing some sort of black mist. "It never did this before."
"That is Dark Aura." Said Hydrox. Which means my theory was correct, the artifact is a source of power but for what purpose?
"Excellent question!" Said a spider that was on his left shoulder.
"Did...did you just talk?"
"Oh come on, you have seen stranger things." He replied. "Now, I do not wish to alarm you but the last guardian of the artifact has gone a bit insane with Dark Aura and now his soul has become corrupted."
Ruby turned to the spider. "You mean...Geo?"
"Ohhh, he goes by a different name now sweet cheeks, and things aren't looking good."
Meanwhile in the Unknown...
Flashes of explosions erupted across the area as Caedus and Augus were fighting. The black flames burned around the boy as he slammed his fist straight into the old man's stomach, with blood flying put of his lips. The force of his punch had send him flying backward, causing the nearby stone walls of the ruined fortress to rattle at the force of the attack. "Hahaha! This is what you wanted right?! A real fight!" Said Caedus with a smile as he went after Augus.
"You still have much to learn boy!" With a quick spin he kicked the young warrior in face, sending him towards the ground where he slammed his back against it pretty hard. Then, Augus landed. "Give up kid before you make me do something I might regret." Suddenly, a large black arm with bone armor erupted from Caedus's back. It went to smash the old man but he managed to avoid it. "That's new."
Caedus got up and this time his eye revealed his purple iris. "I almost got you there! Hahaha! You have no chance of winning old King, even your little friend has abandoned you." Another large black arm erupted from his back. "I can feel the darkness within me growing and its amazing. I have never felt such power before! And with it I will change everything!"
"You are starting to sound like father little brother."
"...C-Cerviel?!" He couldn't believe it.
"Look at you! This is not what mother or father wanted for you." He said with serious tone. "You are not like this, you never wanted to fight and I know that you hate to kill so stop this madness and return to us. Remember, we are family, we are bothers. So I ask you to stop, before you become what you swore to fight against, a monster. Do this for me, for mother and for the girl that you love."
The young man's gaze lowered for a moment but then his Dark Aura got even more strong. "SHUT UP! ITS YOUR FAULT! You promised me that you would always be with me, that you would protect me but you LEFT ME!" His rage was uncontrollable. "When you and mother died, father turned me into a murderer and forced me to fight, he turned me into a monster.!"
"I know, and I am sorry for what happened but that doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want! I KNOW YOU! I know that you still care for your friends, for me and for your love but if you keep heading down this path it will only lead you to darkness."
"...The world didn't care about me or my suffering. You abandoned me, and Ruby let me die." The large black arm created a ball of Dark Aura. "I hate you and I hate her! But we don't have to fight brother, you can join me."
"I can't Geo, I love you little brother but you leave me no choice."
"So be it! And my name is Caedus!"