... There they were. A small pack of Beowolves. She could see five from where she was, but there could be others hidden behind the vehicles the construction crew had left there for the night.

Keeping silent, Ruby stood up, grabbed Crescent Rose from her belt, and unfolded it. Her lips parted in a little smile. She just couldn't help it. This was what she had been born-

Behind her, an unexpected noise. Gravel. Boots. A low buzzing of electricity.

Ruby spun around and swung her scythe – only to immediately bring it to a halt, millimeters from slicing through a man's head. She dropped Crescent Rose to clutch her belly as she stumbled back, stomach turning viciously. If she hadn't stopped…

"Well, then. Hello to you too."

Ruby looked up at the man. He looked fairly ordinary, wearing a faded gray business suit and a black beret. His dark hair was turning white at the tips, and his eyes were much like Ruby's – silver, but she could see a hint of black in them.

He hadn't moved since she'd turned around, hands behind his back, eyes moving slowly from her to where her scythe lay between them. Oddly calm for someone who had nearly been beheaded seconds ago. Not once did his gaze wander to what was behind Ruby.

"Oh my gosh, I'm – I'm so sorry! I thought you were a…" Ruby was about to say Grimm, but that didn't really make sense now that she thought about it, since what she had heard were clearly human footsteps.

She was very glad that thought had stopped her long enough for her to realize mentioning Grimm to a complete stranger was not a very bright idea, seeing as how they were creatures of nightmare from another dimension and Beacon's biggest and most dangerous secret.

Yes, she should watch her mouth.

"Uhm… N-never mind that, mister! I just got a little spooked is all!" Ruby said, trying to salvage the situation as best she could. She stood at the tip of her toes and spread out her arms, hoping her cape would block the man from seeing the Grimm. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, but what other options did she have? "W-what are you doing over here anyway? I mean… Are you lost, maybe?"

"No, I don't think so," the stranger said. "Are you? You look awfully young to be out so late by yourself…" his gaze returned to Crescent Rose briefly. "…and carrying things like that."

"Oh, that's my… school project. I was… testing it out around here, actually," Ruby gulped. She looked around at the darkness, and suddenly an idea popped inside her head. "Y-you know, maybe you're right, mister. I should be back home by now. But it's so dark… I don't think I can find my way to town. Could you help me, please?"

She was glad it was dark, or else the stranger would surely have seen how she was smirking at her own genius. But as the seconds ticked by and the man just stood there, staring at her, her glee faded. Suddenly, she was feeling very nervous, though she couldn't quite tell why…

And then she felt a coldness stab through the back of her neck, and she instinctively knew what was wrong.

"I'm afraid you won't be receiving any help from me," the stranger said, and the Grimm fell upon her.

Ruby made to grab Crescent Rose, but a Beowolf crashed into her, dragging her onto the ground and away from her weapon. She rolled over and raised her hands, holding the creature back by its snout, stopping it from crunching down on her face. The effort made her arms tremble. A drop of something viscous landed on her forehead.

Summoning even more of her strength, Ruby managed to shove the Grimm away from her. She got on one knee and shot up with her Semblance, hitting the beast's chest with the whole of her body. It was sent flying away, stopping only once it crashed against an excavation drill.

She had no time to rest as the other Grimm converged on her from all sides. Panicking, Ruby stuck out her hand, smacking one of them on its snout, then jumped over it, kicking against its head to boost herself further away.

Ruby landed beside Crescent Rose and picked it up, but it almost fell out of her grasp. The hand she had punched the Grimm with was stinging like crazy. She rolled her eyes, blaming only herself for having such a stupid idea as to punch a Grimm.

Ignoring the pain, Ruby took her weapon in both hands and waited for the Beowolves as they ran back at her. Just as they were about to strike, she slid forward with her Semblance and brought up Crescent Rose in a fluid movement. One of the Grimm collapsed in two pieces and turned to smoke.

Taking the initiative, Ruby rocketed back, spinning. All that was visible of her was the red blur of her cape, and the moonlight that reflected off her scythe's blade in its endless motions. Rose petals floated in the air and came to rest on the gravel beneath.

Just as quickly as it had begun, it ended. Ruby stopped, pushing the sharp end of Crescent Rose on the ground so she could lean on it and catch her breath. The smoke of the Grimm rose around her and dissipated. A moment later, Ruby raised her head again.

The stranger was still standing there, but something was different now. There was a gleam in his eyes, and not a good one. Ruby's fingers closed around her scythe. They stared at each other for a long time, Ruby feeling as if he were stabbing her, so sharp he glared at her.

Finally, he spoke. "I'm not surprised. A man does not witness the same event ten times and expects the eleventh to go different," he paused, smacking his lips in disgust. "Still I am just as abhorred."

Ruby blinked, caught off-guard by his statement. Had seeing the Grimm shaken the man so much? She wished she knew how to deal with this. Surely Beacon had some sort of standard procedure for situations like this… but if that was the case, Commander Goodwitch had yet to tell her about it.

"Uhm… Mister," Ruby said, using her sweetest voice. Maybe that would calm him down. "I know what you just saw was very disturbing, but I promise it's over. You don't have to worry, okay?"

She folded Crescent Rose, then approached the man with her free hand raised amicably. He remained like a statue, and his glare seemed to get even nastier the closer she got. Ruby shuddered.

"Listen, mister… I'll help you get back home, okay?" Ruby said in a small voice, growing desperate. She dropped Crescent Rose, then took out her phone and turned it on. "I-I have someone who can help, her name's Glynda and she's my supervisor and she's super nice even though sometimes she can be really strict but I know she means well and-"

She heard the crackle of electricity, then shrieked as what felt like a lightning bolt coursed through her body, starting from her belly, to her head, then down to her feet. Ruby fell to her knees, gasping. The world was spinning and swerving…

She looked up and saw the stranger staring down at her with a snarl on his face. In his left hand, he held an electric baton, but it was no ordinary one. It glowed a bright blue, and multiple sparks bounced off its surface at all times. One touch of that, Ruby thought, would have killed a regular person.

"You heathen. You devil," his voice trembled with hatred. "Yes, you have done unspeakable things, and for such you shall pay. But death if far too kind a punishment… no, you shall serve a greater purpose," he grinned. "You will erase all sins, including your own."

"W-what…?"

He brought the baton down on her, and this time the lightning surged not for a split second, but far longer, so long it still rumbled inside her as she fell and the world became black.

Her head was throbbing when Ruby woke up. She didn't open her eyes at first, afraid that the pain might get even worse if she did. She lifted an arm feebly and rubbed her forehead, but that did nothing to alleviate it. Groaning, she let her arm fall.

After a moment's hesitation, she opened her eyes. To her relief, the pain didn't get any worse. Unfortunately, that was only because she was immersed in utter darkness. No matter which direction she turned her head, she couldn't see anything.

She had awoken in a sitting position against a wall, and now that she was more awake, she realized it was shaking. She could faintly hear the noise of tires screeching against dirt and rocks shattering under them. Was she inside of a truck? That was the only thought that made sense to her.

Ruby swallowed dry, and in doing so realized there was something around her neck. She raised her hand and ran it against the object. It felt like a collar, and it was cold to the touch, like metal. She wrapped her hand around it and tried to yank it off, but it didn't budge.

Before she knew it, she had drawn up her knees and hugged them with both arms. She pressed her forehead against them, eyes wide with panic. What was happening? Where was she being taken? Why had she been attacked like that?

For minutes, she stayed like that, running hundreds of scenarios through her head, none of which ended well for her. She was alone, weaponless, and hurt. She wasn't going to make it.

She felt tears sting her eyes, and suddenly, her fear vanished. She was Ruby Rose, the Red Bolt, superheroine and agent of Beacon. She had slain hundreds of Grimm and not batted an eye. She was not helpless, and she was not going to cry and wait for her fate to come.

Gathering her strength, Ruby stood up. She felt the walls with her hands until she could orient herself towards what she assumed to be the back of the truck. She had dropped Crescent Rose and her phone back at the construction site, but she still had her Semblance. She would have more than enough speed to slam the backdoors open and make it out. Her Aura was weak, so it would hurt, but that was a small price to pay for her freedom.

She leaned forward, raising the back of her feet off the floor, then shot forward. The instant she activated her Semblance, the collar made a beeping noise and electric sparks sparked out of it. Ruby crashed to the floor, unable to control her arms and legs as they spasmed violently. She grinded her teeth together and doubled over, feeling the electricity course through her body relentlessly.

It took a long time until the pain passed, and when it did, she was left even more drained than before, to the point where she couldn't move at all. Frustrated, Ruby looked down at herself. What was wrong with her? Her Aura was supposed to protect her, but she had gone down so easily it was almost pathetic, now and before. And with her so weak, there was no chance of her escaping anymore…

For now, at least. Ruby closed her eyes and rested her head against the floor of the truck, but she stayed awake and aware.

She hadn't been counting the time, but she was sure half a day at least had passed until something changed. The screeching of the tires was louder for a moment, then faded as the truck came to a halt. Ruby heard a door open and slam closed, then boots outside.

Without warning, the back of the truck was opened, and sunlight poured in, nearly blinding her. Ruby raised her hands in front of her face to block the light until her eyes were accustomed to it. When she lowered them and looked, she saw the blue skies, impossibly high trees, and soft soil. Closer to the truck was a small group of people in dark robes.

Ruby stood and slowly backed away, closing her fists. She didn't like the way those people were staring at her and whispering to each other. If it weren't for the collar, she would have run right then and there.

"Shepherd," one of the robed ones, a woman, whispered urgently. "We believed you would be guiding more Black Ones to us. But this, oh Shepherd…"

"This is a but a girl! A human girl!" a robed man hissed. "And she's one of them. A slayer. We can all feel it."

"How could you bring her here?" the woman joined him in his fervor. "We must dispose of her now, before she can spread her sins!"

"Silence," the stranger from the construction site appeared, still in his business suit. At his word, the robed ones stopped speaking immediately and bowed their heads. "I am aware of the nature of this girl, if she can be called that. I witnessed her butchery with my own eyes. As such, I know very well what she is capable of."

He stepped onto the truck and looked at Ruby disdainfully. She held his gaze unflinchingly. She had mistaken him for a common civilian before, but now she knew he was anything but. She wouldn't underestimate him again.

"Do not fret, brothers and sisters," the Shepherd turned to face the others. "She will pay in blood. Now, take her to the cells, and be cautious. She's a treacherous one."

He stepped off and walked away, followed by a majority of the robed people. Only four remained, staring at her without saying a word. A shiver ran down Ruby's back. They were so still, it was starting to freak her out. Deciding to make the first move, Ruby stepped out of the truck.

Her feet had barely touched the ground, and two of the robed had moved to either side of her to grab her arms, while another went behind her and took hold of her wrists, pressing them together. The last one moved to stand in front of her and drew a dagger from his sleeve.

"One step out of line, heathen," he said. "And your blood will paint the stones."

Ruby made a squeaky noise, then nodded repeatedly. "Yep. Alright. Got it," she balked as the man lifted his dagger closer to her chin. "I… really like your robe."

The man's eyes straightened suspiciously. Ruby smiled at him. He humphed and turned, then started walking.

The other robed ones pushed Ruby along, skirting around the truck. Now that she had a wider field of view, Ruby could make more sense of where she was. The trees she had seen were at different ground levels, descending on what appeared to be the side of a mountain. That was why she had thought they were so tall – she had been looking only at the top of them.

So, they were high on a mountain. Useful information. She didn't have time to gather much more, as her escorts quickly caught on to what she was doing and forced her to look ahead.

They went through a big hole on the mountain. Light quickly became scarce. The robed in front produced a flashlight from his other sleeve – what a useful outfit! – and used it to illuminate the path ahead. The walls around them narrowed into a tunnel which rang with the echoes of their steps. Ruby drew in her breath shakily, and even that sound carried far.

The further they got into the tunnel, the more Ruby wanted to break out and make a desperate escape, but the more rational side of her knew that would be foolish. She could try not using her Semblance, but then she was just a regular fifteen-year-old, facing four adults that stood well past her head, one of them with a sharp weapon.

No. This was like the advice uncle Qrow had given her that one time. Sometimes, you gotta stand up for yourself, but most of the time you gotta sit quiet, 'cause you're screwed. Not the most sensible thing to say to a child, but Ruby could see the wisdom in it now and she was going to stick to it.

After a few minutes, Ruby noticed the tunnel was starting to widen, and that there was light coming from up ahead. The robed with the dagger turned off his flashlight, just as they exited the tunnel and came into a huge open area. Ruby looked up and realized the light was coming from a hole far above them. She could only guess that was the very top of the mountain.

The man behind her kneed her, forcing her to move again. Ruby pouted, and was about to say something in protest, but instead a meek squeal exited her lips when she noticed that there were dozens, maybe hundreds of Grimm all around them, some on the ground, others perched along the rocky walls. They were quiet until Ruby began to look at them.

"Behold," the robed woman on her left said. "The Black Ones recognize a devil in their lair."

"Her presence offends them," the leading one spoke, his words dripping with venom. "It would be well to release her to their judgement."

"You would defy the Shepherd's guidance? He has plans for her."

"No. Of course not. But the sooner she is gone, the better."

Ruby blinked. "Oh boy, you sure are a cheerful bunch."

The man with the dagger spun around. "Silence!" He shouted. His face was warped with rage. "Do not speak again! Even the Shepherd's words won't protect you then!"

Ruby looked above him and saw a trio of Griffons flying in place, their claws primed and red eyes fixed on her. She bowed her head, taking the man's words to heart. He shook his head angrily, then lead the way forward.

They crossed a straight line through the middle of the area. As they walked, Grimm came close, sniffing and staring at them, particularly Ruby, but they didn't attack. Ruby's heart was racing as fast as when she used her Semblance.

Much to her relief, they entered another tunnel, this one taking a steep turn downwards. The flashlight was brought out once again, but even then, Ruby found it difficult to make out her surroundings. They took a turn left, then right, then another turn, and many more. Soon, Ruby was completely lost. She had no hope of remembering the way back.

Eventually they reached another open area, though this one was severely smaller, its ceiling being just a meter or so above Ruby's head. There was a lamp on the wall, but it did little to illuminate the room. On the opposite side from where they entered was another tunnel, and to the right was a steel cage embedded on the wall.

The robed ones started guiding her to the cage. "Oh. Come on, guys. Let's all stop to think for a minute!" Ruby pleaded. "I feel like we built a very strong friendship just now. Right? Don't you agree? You don't need to cage me, I can… uh… sit on a corner. Quietly," she gulped. "By myself."

They opened the door and threw her inside. Ruby jumped to her feet, but the door was already closed and locked by then. The robed ones gave her a final nasty look, then left by the tunnel they had come from… except the one with the dagger. He stayed a while longer, with a grin on his lips.

"You'll be staying there for a while, heathen. You'll have plenty of time to reflect on your pathetic existence… but, then again, I believe you aren't capable of that, now are you?" he cackled shortly. "And don't you think of escaping. You can't leave this cage. And even if you could, your watcher won't let you get far."

He pointed to a wall behind him. Ruby tilted her head confusedly. It was just a wall. Okay, she knew these people were all crazy, but this was a little too-

"Ooooh," she blurted out, putting her palm to her heart. The man wasn't pointing at the wall. He was pointing at the rocks in front of it, which were the same gray color. They piled one above the other, forming a bulky mass, until two meters above the floor, where they also went to the right and left and hovered there, connected to each other.

Legs. Arms. A head with one evil red eye. She was staring at a Grimm made of rock. A Golem.

"H-hi," she waved meekly. "Friend."

"Don't you dare-" the robed man cut himself shot, glancing at the Golem, which had turned to look at him. He bowed to it. "Forgive me, Black One. I shall leave you undisturbed."

He glanced at Ruby, then strut away quickly. Ruby looked at the Golem, and it looked at her. Gulping nervously, she sat down and wrapped her cape around herself.

She didn't like this place at all.

She spent the first day after her imprisonment mulling over an escape plan. She had one in mind, a very clear one, but she was hesitant to put it in action.

Ruby knew using her Semblance would hurt a lot, but she knew it wouldn't last forever. She didn't need it to make it out of the mountain, she only needed it to get out of the cage. The door would not hold if she crashed against it.

The problem was, she would very likely be incapacitated for a while after that, and then there would be nothing between her and the Golem. She shuddered thinking about how vulnerable she would be then.

But maybe the pain would be more bearable now that she knew to expect it. Maybe she would be able to hold it together and run before the Golem could get her.

She started a few times, but she only got so far as standing up and getting into position. She never took the next step. Every time she tried, she would look at the Golem and back out.

It was too risky. There had to be a smarter way to escape.

She spent the second day much like the first, almost executing the plan, then backing out, again and again. With every attempt, she became a little more ashamed, and a little bolder.

A robed woman appeared and handed her an apple and a bottle of water.

"Uh, do you mind answering a question?" Ruby said after drinking half the bottle. "What are you guys doing here? Do you… live with those Grimm?"

The woman snatched the bottle from her and left just as suddenly as she had appeared.

On the third day, Ruby actually tried.

She distanced herself as far as she could from the door, almost touching the wall behind her, then rocketed forward.

She lost control of her body, but still felt herself hit the door and knock it off its hinges. She fell on the ground in front of the cage and started to get up, but a shock traveled through her and she fell back down.

The Golem looked down at her and raised a stony arm.

She woke up on the fourth day with a ringing headache. The door of the cage had been fixed, or maybe it was a new one.

The man with the dagger was sitting on a chair on the other side of the steel bars. "Tried to escape, didn't you? I knew you would. It's in your devilish nature," he said. "You're lucky the Black One spared your life. It knows you have a larger fate to fulfill."

He cackled, threw a couple more taunts and insults her way, then left.

Ruby looked at the Golem. It had… spared her? Did it have a… conscience?

On the fifth day, she was too angry to make a new plan.

A conscience? What had she been thinking?! Grimm were monsters, and nothing else. She had forgotten that because she had been in pain and confused.

She would never make that mistake again.

On the sixth day, Ruby made and discarded a lot of plans. Half of them were too daring. The other half consisted of plans either too outlandish, or simply ineffective.

When she was too frustrated to make plans anymore, she started to think about the people holding her. They were creepy, like those silly characters in some of the horror movies she would watch. Crazy cultists who worshipped monsters. Except now that she was their victim in real life, she didn't find them silly at all.

What was this big plan the Shepherd had for her? She was supposed to erase all sins by paying in blood.

She stopped thinking about it.

On the seventh day, she came up with a plan she thought might work.

Her Semblance was… weird. Whenever someone asked about it, she said she could run at superspeed, but that was an oversimplification. The truth was, Ruby didn't run. It was something else she did, something she didn't quite understand. It felt natural in the moment, but she could never remember it after. It was a mystery - even before she started to think about the weird rose petals.

But it being a mystery did not mean she was worried about it. Just the contrary. She was glad she didn't fully understand her Semblance, because it meant there was always something new to discover. Something that could, if she was lucky, help her out when she needed it most.

The electric collar the Shepherd had put on her was somehow able to detect when she activated her Semblance and shock her, forcing her to stop using it. Her two experiences with it were enough to make that certain. But maybe she could fool it somehow, by using her Semblance in a smaller way.

Ruby had never tried anything like that. When she used her Semblance, she used it. It encompassed all she was. She couldn't imagine how it would feel to use it in portions – it sounded as strange to her as breathing with only one lung would be to any regular person.

Nevertheless, she wasn't about to not try just because it sounded weird and uncomfortable. If it meant escaping, she would even eat her own fingers! …Okay, nothing that extreme, but she was determined.

She moved to stand in front of the door and cast a look at the Golem. It had hunched a little closer, as if it knew she was up to something. Ruby shook her head and looked down at her right hand.

"Uuf… alright, let's do this," she whispered, psyching herself up. She closed her eyes and concentrated, reaching for that little part of her mind that activated her Semblance. It had become second nature fast after she had unlocked it, so going back to doing it manually – for a lack of a better word – was still an unfamiliar sensation to her.

Soon, she felt a burst of energy surge through her body. She leaned forward, preparing to run, but then remembered that wasn't the plan and stepped back, letting go of the power. It was good she corrected herself so fast. The collar had beeped once – an instant later, and she would have been shocked.

"Pace yourself. Pace yourself," Ruby said. Funny. That was what her father was always telling her. "Just a little…"

She activated her Semblance again, and this time didn't move a muscle. The collar didn't bleep. She raised her right arm in an excruciatingly slow movement, having to fight her instinct to do the opposite. Carefully, she formed a fist.

"Ruby Punch!" she yelled, thrusting her hand forward.

She fell to the floor before she could connect with the door. The shock was even worse than the others, leaving her unable to move, see, or think.

Hours later, she found the strength to curl up into a ball and slipped into unconsciousness.

She woke up on the eighth day with a smile on her lips. She had had a dream. A sweet dream. Her father had been in it, and Yang, and uncle Qrow, and Miss Goodwitch…

When she opened her eyes, Ruby realized she was in still in the cage. The Golem was still watching her. Her body still ached from the shock.

Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep again.

On the ninth day, she sat uselessly against the wall, staring at the steel bars and the Golem on the other side. Not one idea for an escape came to mind.

Surely, they were looking for her. They had to be. She wasn't just an agent of Beacon, she was special. Commander Glynda Goodwitch herself had recruited her. Director Ozpin had taken a profound interest in her! She was new to the organization, but she was important.

They would find her and rescue her. That hope was what allowed her to endure the tenth day.

On the eleventh day, she forgot she was Ruby Rose, the Red Bolt, superheroine and agent of Beacon.

On the twelfth day, the sound of footsteps brought her out of her stupor. Ruby looked up and saw the Shepherd standing outside. He was wearing a robe now, but his has red markings around its sleeves, distinguishing it from those of his fellow men and women.

He met her gaze with the same contempt as ever. Her eyes went back to her lap. Not fleetingly, not out of fear. Slowly. Apathetically.

"How surprising," he said. "I must admit, I did not expect to find you like this. I believed it would take far more to break an ungodly slayer," he paused. "I see now that I gave you more credit than you deserve. You are pathetic."

Ruby didn't reply. She barely took in his words.

"I should be delighted, but… I am worried now," the Shepherd said. "You would be the last offering, the sacrifice that would finally bring forth the Darkness. But in this state… you might not be able to fulfill your role."

He paused, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he turned and started walking to the left tunnel.

"Regardless. Preparations for the ritual are nearly finished. If you prove insufficient, we will find another sacrifice. And if that is not enough, another more will come," he said. "We have been building towards this for years. We can wait."

He stepped into the tunnel.

"Wait," Ruby raised her head. "…The Darkness?"

The Shepherd turned to look at her, wearing an unpleasant smile. "So, you are not completely lost," he said. "Yes, the Darkness. The time when the Black One's wait will come to an end. They will set out of this mountain and cleanse the world of all human sin."

"You mean…" Ruby's voice faltered. She knew exactly what he meant, and had no reason to think he was lying. "But you're human too."

"We are the Black Ones' loyal servants. We have guided them away from humanity's viciousness, so they could eventually carry out their divine purpose. We will continue to help them, until our time comes. Then we too shall suffer their judgement."

"That's crazy," Ruby said. "You're crazy."

The Shepherd didn't seem to care about she thought, as he turned his back to her and left for good.

Ruby sat in her cage, staring at nothing in particular. What the Shepherd said couldn't be true. He might believe it, but that didn't make it true. Sacrifices and sins and judgment… That was nonsense. Grimm weren't divine punishers, they were just monsters.

But that didn't matter. It didn't matter what the Shepherd and his cultists thought the Grimm were. It didn't matter if they thought she was some kind of devil. It didn't even matter if they wanted to sacrifice her.

All that mattered was that a bunch of crazy people were planning to set loose a mountain full of Grimm upon the world, and she couldn't do anything about it because she was still trapped inside their stupid cage!

Ruby jumped to her feet and glared at the steel bars, thinking furiously. She kicked the door, producing a resounding echo, then set about pacing inside the cage.

Outside, the Golem came a bit closer. It had drawn its arms closer to its body, and its head had lowered. Its eye was focused intently on her. He could sense she was agitated – which wasn't that grand of a feat, but considering he had been content to just stare at her for twelve days straight, this was very much a change.

Ruby stopped. She looked at the Golem.

Yes.

"Hey!" she kicked the cage again. "Hey, you pile of rocks! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" she yelled. The Golem's rocks pressed closer together and began to spin. "You're ugly! Yeah, I said it! Your rocks don't even match! They're all pointy and deformed and no lady Golem would ever ask you out on a date!"

The Golem moved forward surprisingly fast for its size and slammed its arms against the cage. The steels bars bent inward, and the edge of the roof caved down slightly. Ruby slid back, keeping on her toes.

"Hah! You can't get me from there, stupid! You aren't just ugly, you're also as dumb as a rock!"

The Golem struck again, and the bars bent even more. A screeching noise came from the door right before it flew off its hinges and hit the opposite wall. Thinking fast, Ruby got out and ran towards the left tunnel.

Before she could get there, the Golem jumped over her and blocked the way. It raised an arm, then brought it down on her. Ruby dove to the side, barely avoiding being squished into a puddle of teenage girl. She jumped back, wondering how she was going to get past the Grimm without using her Semblance.

"Okay," she breathed in and out quickly. "Think smart. Think smart!" She blinked, then ran straight at the Golem, screaming at the top of her lungs. It brought both of its arms down, but Ruby dove again, this time forward. She rolled on the ground, passing between the Golem's legs, and got up again.

She didn't congratulate herself, both because she knew she had been extraordinarily lucky and because she had no time to. She ran as fast as she could without activating her Semblance. The Golem turned and followed her, its footsteps producing a frightening noise. The ceiling and walls shook dangerously and dust fell on Ruby's face.

The tunnel grew smaller. Soon, Ruby stopped hearing the steps. She turned around to look and bent down just in time to avoid being hit by a boulder. The Golem glared at her, too big to keep chasing her. His right arm was missing one rock at its end.

"Well now, don't you regret tossing away your hand?" Ruby muttered. She stuck her tongue out, then ran away before the Grimm could start throwing more projectiles at her.

Now that the Grimm wasn't chasing her with its big, glowing red eye, she couldn't see anything at all, so dark the tunnel was. She felt the walls with her hands, moving forward carefully. Eventually, her hand passed through open air. She had arrived at a branching point.

Ruby mumbled angrily under her breath. She hadn't been able to memorize the path before. Even if she had, she doubted she would have remembered after being caged for more than a week. How was she going to find her way like this?

There was no point in going slow. That would only leave more time for the cultists to notice she had escaped her cage and come looking for her. She would have to move fast and hope she got lucky.

For a time she couldn't count, she wandered around blindly, waving her hands about to make sure she didn't clash face-first into a wall. It was unnerving, being alone in the dark, with the only noises being those of her own moving and breathing, and the occasional cries of distant Grimm.

One time, she saw a faint light in the distance and nearly yelled, so happy she was. Only when she moved towards it did she notice it had a red tint. It was the Golem, still standing at the point she had lost it, staring right at her. Shuddering, she turned right around and ran.

Her biggest fear was that she would come across one of the cultists, especially the Shepherd. If that happened, she doubted they would cage her again. They would likely advance her sacrifice, and she would much prefer that not to happen.

Ruby was beginning to think she would never make it out of the tunnels when finally, she saw light coming from up ahead. She stopped for a moment to make sure it wasn't red, then went on, sticking close to the wall on her left. She reached the end of the tunnel and stuck her head out into the large area from before. The Grimm were still swarming about, and there were many cultists talking and seeing about important-looking tasks, such as cleaning disturbingly-red knives and arranging piles of bone by size and type. The tunnel that lead outside was on the other side.

Alright. This was probably the riskiest part. There was no way she was going to sneak past all those people and Grimm. She couldn't use her Semblance. Just like with the Golem, she could only rely on one thing: dumb luck.

Ruby took a deep breath, then sprinted across the place, her cape billowing behind her. She got halfway there before she was noticed by the Grimm. Dozens of screeches, roars and hisses rose at the same time, and those warned the cultists nearby. Suddenly, Ruby had a mixed group of robed people and bloodthirsty monsters chasing at her heel.

A Griffon swopped down from behind, nearly taking her head. A baby Taijitu burst from the ground in front of her, but she jumped over it and kept going. A knife hit her in the back of her shoulder, but it didn't penetrate her Aura and bounced to the floor harmlessly.

She reached the tunnel. It sloped upwards sharply, making the climb difficult, but she didn't let that slow her down. Light ceased, rendering her blind. She crashed against a pair of cultists that were on their way down, shoving them aside. Then she saw light again.

She was outside. Ruby paused, allowing herself to feel the fresh night air. The wind was blowing softly. The mountain was silent…

Until the cultists and Grimm came out of the tunnel behind her. Ruby jumped away, looking around for an escape route. To the right was a rocky path that snaked its way down to the base of the mountain, maybe a kilometer or more below. To the left was an impassable wall. And in front of her, the mountainside, which, despite having plenty of trees along it, was frighteningly steep.

Ruby spun around to face her captors, backing away slowly until her feet hit the edge of the mountain. The Grimm surrounded her from the ground and the air. The cultists moved aside, making way for the Shepherd, who looked positively livid.

"Devil! You cannot escape your fate!" he shouted. "You only make it worse for yourself. Cease your vileness now, and your demise shall be kinder than it ought to be!"

"Uuh…" Ruby looked up thoughtfully. "Yeah, no. Gonna pass on that. Bye!"

She activated her Semblance and stepped off the mountain, then kicked against the rocks and went soaring through the air. The collar went off, electrifying her mercilessly. She almost appreciated it, as it somewhat numbed the pain of the fall. Ruby rolled down the mountainside, feeling her Aura draining quickly by the second.

It didn't deplete completely. Just as it was about to, she reached even ground and came to a halt on an asphalted road. Ruby rolled on her back and spread her arms and legs out, breathing hard.

She didn't stay like that for long. She knew the cultists were already making their way down the mountain. Her only advantage was that they had to take a proper path, unlike her. She stood up, looked around, then started walking with a slight limp.

As luck would have it, there was a town not far away from where she had fallen. Amesburg. Ruby kept repeating that name at the back of her mind while she made her way through the town. A couple locals out late – or early, she guessed - looked at her as if she were an alien, which she supposed was fair. Her uniform was weird, and it was tattered and beaten to boot.

Ruby gave them no mind. She needed to find a phone so she could contact Beacon and get them here now. Not only because she was in danger of being recaptured, but mainly because she wanted to see those lunatics get what they deserved. She was lucky to get out alive, but there had been other people before her…

She mumbled a short happy tune when she spotted a telephone booth at the corner of a street. Ruby hurried there and searched herself for coins. After a few seconds, she realized it might be a reasonable occasion for a collect call.

She began to type, only to realize she didn't remember Commander Goodwitch's number. Actually, now that she thought about it, she wasn't sure she had ever known it in the first place. Panicking, Ruby called the first person that came to mind.

The phone rang. And rang. And rang. It had been more than a minute, and it was still ringing. If she were in a better state of mind, Ruby would have given up and called someone else – Dad, probably.

"Hello?"

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed in relief. "Is that you?" she shook her head. "Yes, I got your number right! I'm such a ditz, I can't remember – ohmygosh, that's not important, not important – focus!" she kicked the booth, then held back a yell when her foot hurt. "Yang, I don't have much time. I need to tell you – Yang, are you listening? Yang?"

Oh, God. Maybe she had gotten the number wrong and she had just bombarded an innocent stranger with… herself! It was so embarrassing, she didn't know what to-

"Ruby?" Yang's voice came again. She sounded tired, but also… happy?

"Yes! It's me!" Ruby clutched her chest, holding back a sob. "I'm so glad to talk to you. Yang, you don't know what – gah, focus!" she kicked again, and this time actually yelled. "Sorry about that. Yang, I need you to get in contact with Beacon, or Dad, he'll know what to do. I'm in trouble. Like, mega-trouble. Like, there's a bunch of creepy cultists who want to sacrifice me to bring about the end of humanity, trouble."

"What?!" Yang shouted. "Ruby! What do you mean they want to sacrifice-"

"Not now! Later!" Ruby jumped up and down anxiously. "Amesburg. That's where I'm at. I'll try to hang around here, but they're after me. Get Beacon!"

"Ruby, wait!"

Ruby dropped the phone and ran from the booth. She looked back towards where the lair on the mountain was and saw the twin lights of a vehicles racing down to the road. Ruby ran between two houses and sat down to catch her breath.

Okay. Now, she only had to evade being captured again. For hours. Maybe a day, for all she knew.

"Eh," she said. She had gone through a lot worse already.

Uuuuf! That was a chapter. Jeee-sus. My experience with the RSU is that most chapters tend to be medium-sized, around 4-5k each, but there's always THAT chapter that exceeds that average. (I think Blake had 3 of those, but then again, that story also had 2 more chapters than usual) Also, final chapters tend to be the shortest ones! Who woulda thunk.

Anyways. Gosh, I loved writing this chapter. There's something about writing Ruby that is so satisfying. I think I get to have more fun with her perspective on things because she's a little younger than the other characters. There's a lightness that comes with that. On the other spectrum, Blake, as a more serious character, can be more tiring to write, even if I still enjoy her. (and she does have her fun moments too! MORE TUNA!)

There's a lot more I want to say, and I've tried to put it to words, but it got very ramble-y very fast. So, in short form: "this chapter, nice"

Hope you guys had a great time reading, see you next chapter!

-Zeroan