Chapter 18:

Ruby lay inside the metal cage, writhing in agony. The pain had increased with the darkness of night; unfortunately it didn't decrease with each rise of the sun. Each time night passed Ruby experienced more pain than before.

Ruby slowly began to become more aware of her surroundings. This happened after her being was completely consumed with pain. Every movement Ruby made was accompanied with pain; every thought was accompanied with pain, and anything Ruby did would bring on the most exquisite torment.

After achieving a full status of pain, in which her entire soul was racked with torment, somehow Ruby had gotten used to it. This didn't mean the pain had lessened, it was worse than ever. Roman's voice started to drift in and out, repeating the same number, 6…6…6…6 every single time the number 6.

Then Roman started repeating the number 5. After than he repeated the number 4, Roman got all the way down to number 2 when Ruby finally snapped.

"Just let me go!" Ruby screamed in anguish, "Why do you keep me here?"

"Well, well the princess of pain has been awakened. I wanted to give you more of this 'miracle drug', the stuff you call LHD*13. I however don't know how to inject it. Perhaps you know?" Roman Torchwick, the current White Fang leader, asked.

"Of course I do, you fucking idiot! Why didn't you wake me sooner?" Ruby screamed, not finding the need to turn down the volume of her voice.

"Now there is no need to yell. Her you go Ruby, take your precious drug, I need you coherent for the next part of my plan." Roman said.

Ruby reaching desperately through the bars snatched the vial of LHD*13 out of Romans hand. Roman silently handed Ruby a syringe. Taking the needle in her hand Ruby prepared a dosage of the drug.

Ruby slipped her battle dress off, now she was only dressed in her underwear. Using the reflective surfaces of the floor and ceiling of her cage, Ruby stuck the syringe into her spinal cord between her shoulder blades.

The tortured plague victim then pushed the plunger of the syringe down slowly. The drug was released into her system, finally calming the pain. After she could breath again, Ruby redressed. She decided to take a small nap. 'After all I'm tired' Ruby thought to herself. 'Screw Roman, and that stupid Beowulf outside my cage. I'm going to sleep.'

"Don't sleep just yet Ruby Rose." A deep voice intoned inside Ruby's head.

'Oh great I have voices inside my head now.' Ruby thought. 'Now I'll never get any sleep'

"My voice is not caused by any of your psychological problems Ruby. I'm telepathically communicating with you." The deep, now slightly melodic voice said, seeming to read Ruby's mind. "You are near the source of the Darkness Plague, I can feel it pulsating through you."

'How can you feel through me?' Ruby thought trying to communicate with this strange deep voice. 'You can't read my mind can you?'

"I can feeling the darkness in you, therefore I can feel the real Darkness through you. No I can't read you mind. I can only read the thoughts you actively send me." The deep voice said. "Let me introduce myself. I am Grimm, master of the creatures of Grim. However this Darkness Plague is foreign to me."

'Hello, Mr. Grimm, my name is Ruby Rose. You already seemed to know that however.' Ruby answered in thought.

"I am very glad to see you Ruby. Her it is, you are infected with the Darkness Plague. You need a cure, or you will die within the next fortnight. I can offer you a cure. Become mistress of the Darkness Plague; gain control of the Grim Sphere. Then you must meet me at the top of Summus Mountain. When you arrive you and I will discuss war terms." The voice of Grimm said, "I wish to eliminate the entire human race. The battle will be against the humans and you."

'Wait why would the humans fight against me?' Ruby said to Grimm through thought.

"Because of the plan concocted by the human Roman Torchwick. He wants to make you into the embodiment of the undead, a floating specter commanding the army of Darkness, totally his to command." Grimm replied. "If you will follow my guidance, instead of the humans, you will still be in control of yourself when you become the Mistress of Darkness."

'Okay Grimm, you've got yourself a deal.' Ruby thought. 'Tell me what to do.'

Grimm then issued instruction for Ruby. Grimm described a process that over time would let her control individual creatures of Grim. Over time, Grimm said, when Ruby had completed the task she would be able to command large numbers of grim monsters all at once. Ruby thought it was a great plan. However the first part of the road to becoming the mistress of darkness was perhaps the most daunting; stealing the Grim Sphere and avoiding capture from Roman Torchwick. That was the only part of the plan Ruby could remember, the rest was spoken in a demonic language, one Ruby couldn't understand.

Ruby looked at her cage, figuring a way to get out. Slicing through the bars with Crescent Rose wouldn't be a problem; it was the Beowulf that would prove to be the biggest issue. Ruby had also noticed while she was imprisoned, several completely black humanoid figures. Ruby didn't know what kind of a threat they posed. Ruby assumed that when she had stolen the Grim Sphere she would have to face each and every one of them. This wouldn't be that big of a deal, mainly because there was only 12 of them. The only problem was that the humanoid figures were shape changers, this meant they could transform into anyone, at any time.

Ruby still had one more dosage of the drug left, "How many days do I have left?" Ruby asked. Roman held up two fingers, indicating the number of day Ruby had left until the Darkness Plague consumed her being, and she died.

Taking Crescent Rose in her hand, Ruby prepared herself for the task ahead. Ruby couldn't afford one single mess up. Unsheathing the Scythe to its entirety, Ruby gazed at it in delight. Crescent Rose had been Ruby's favorite weapon. Ever since that fateful day at Signal Academy when all the students had to forge their own weapons, Ruby had fallen in love with the weapon. Ruby's uncle Qrow, who was also a scythe wielder, approved of the design and look of the newly crafted weapon.

Spinning in a full circle Ruby extended her weapon, cleaving through the bars of her cage. With another powerful sweep of her scythe, Ruby cleaved the roof of the cage in half. The two metal pieces clanged on either side of Ruby. The Beowulf upon seeing Ruby had escaped became enraged, and attacked.

Ruby retreated recalling what had happened last time she tried to face this monster. This particular Beowulf was 15 feet tall, and was extremely agile and powerful. Last time Ruby had come toe to toe with the creature, it had been a disaster. Ruby had ended up getting knocked unconscious and kidnapped.

"No! Get her away from there. She can't be allowed to touch it yet." Roman yelled.

Ruby spun spotting the Grim Sphere only feet behind her. Quickly before anyone could react, Ruby darted forward and snatched up the artifact. Indifferent of the swirling, pulsating, and illuminating darkness that flowed from it Ruby sprinted away. She weaved her way through the convoluted and crumbling passageways of the Ruins. On the walls Ruby repeatedly saw a word carved in crude characters, MaArr. 'Oh lovely, this must be the name of the ruins.'

Ruby heard a piercing howl sound from behind her. The Beowulf was now attempting to give chase. Ruby kept trying to run; yet she noticed she was slowing down, not going fast enough to get away. Ruby took the Grim Sphere and hurriedly stuffed it in her worn leather satchel she still had around her shoulder. Once the object wasn't in contact with Ruby's skin, she found she could run no faster than when she was holding it.

'What is this?' Ruby thought in a panic, just as the howls of the Beowulf reached her.

…

Thanks for reading my work, sorry if this chapter was a little abrupt. I still hope you enjoyed reading anyway. Please leave a review, it would help me greatly and I would appreciate it.