So initially while writing this i tried to keep an open mind. I looked up some writing tips for fiction in particular aaaaaaaaand they're the exact opposite of what I'm doing. Talk about a blow to… honestly idk. I would say self esteem but it's not that. It's like putting a lot of effort into a drawing and then ¾ of the way through a famous artist comes up to you and says "You're doing it wrong", and it sucks because you really like your god damn picture. Like you want that shit put up on the fridge. But i'd have to put it up myself as my parents were less than present in most positive ways. Yay me. Anyway the tips consisted of not planning out your ending ahead of time, keep your plot open minded as possible, anything that is of the same genre well, just, just stop with that all together. My creative image kinda stuck from thinking of an epic ending to an unknown tale, then write the story into that ending. So, I kept my way instead. Writing a story without direction is like improv. While it can be seen as a talent if pulled off correctly, eventually with too much exposure becomes dull. And if not pulled off correctly is just seen as incoherent. I think the journey is a better experience than the ending. So already having that in mind, i plan to write a fucking awesome journey until that point. Also i have a specific source for inspiration. I don't have the ability to pull it out of my ass and slap a corresponding label on it that's so bland as bioshock infinite's ending (yeah yeah shots fired go cry about it). I experience one awesome thing, like rwby, then another, like dark souls, and think of the awesome things they have in common, and in some cases don't. Then, i put those awesome things together. Also, music. Music helps. I'll talk more at the end. I won't include author's notes in the total word count. All rights reserved. I don't own RWBY or the Dark Souls series. If i did we'd have more games by now. But idk that stuff takes things i don't have so maybe not. Some things will have to be explained as the events that follow kind of follow the flow of logic. Let's go.

"What world have i been brought to"

I want this to be some kind of dream. It seems to unreal. Events like this are only told in fiction. Even for a world filled with souls, grimm, and semblance, even this seemed to far a stretch. We have proof of gods, and even our own soul. So that proves there's something beyond the physical world. Right? Now isn't the time for childish ambition. But still. This is something that should just never happen. It's tragic, right? Something as otherworldly as this is what's supposed to happen in fairy tales so that some hero can rise above and conquer it right? But that's just it. For something so horrible to overcome, it has to have struck struck already. No… no loving god would do this. This was something horrible. That makes it all the much worse. In reality, there'd be no dragon to slay for burning villages. There'd be no which needs saving after someone threatens to destroy it. There'd be no murder to unravel no matter how interesting the mystery. No matter how hard i try, no matter how good the ending in this story is, this will always be a horrible, horrible thing. It's best to not live in a world of fiction. And i can never change that.

I felt something fall off my cheek. I rubbed my face to see what had fallen.

Tears

My breathing hitched.

The signs of humanity. At least I still have that. This world belongs to that still. Right? There were bodies everywhere. I'm not sure which is worse. The constant red of the ground below them, or how grey everything looks now that everyone's gone.

No. Not everyone.

I looked up in whatever reserved feeling i had left. Maybe it was courage. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it's the feeling of having nothing left. Of being the only thing left. Whatever it was, it burned. It burned like a fire, and drove me toward what's left of the colosseum.

I won't let this world change me

I started breathing again. I took a step into a new world, and decided to run. If i'm going to step, i might as well leap. I still have this feeling. And as long as it's with me, it'll carry the rest of me with it.

Ruby took off toward the colosseum. Her drive carrying her ever faster.

Oh young one. You've already changed so much.

Her boots skidded across the floor entering the arena. The ground being covered in so much debris, ash and dirt not helping her stop. Equipping crescent rose and shifting her weight her body came to an abrupt stop which would've tripped her had her weapon not been anchored into the ground. She looked to her weapon. If the devastation to this world was as large as she thought, there's not a chance the moon would be put back together that she will have enough ammo. She readied the mag and checked her weapon, yanking it from the ground.

Better make these count.

She examined the area. It's so oddly fitting for being so malformed. The place was ripped in half after all. But whatever had done that had also put these tombstones and coffins everywhere. Whatever that should be is a force to be reckon with. She approached the statue. It too looking like it belonged it this mess of what used to be. She grimaced as she looked at the black mass protruding from it's apparent sword through it's body.

Is that alive? Maybe it's an infection.

She frowned.

Please don't let Weiss be right about zombies…

She steeled herself.

Weiss. What would she do if she were here?

She kept looking at the mass.

She would neutralize this so that if somebody else saw this, they wouldn't get. She'd make sure

Despite being team leader, she looked up to her team in many ways. They were a team. And they wouldn't function if there best attributes weren't acknowledged. She examined the sword. It was coiled oddly enough. What kind of weapon smith made this? Swords were meant to have edges to inflict damage with. Having the edge coiled around the entire blade was just impractical. It'd be very hard to cut clean through as intended, unless maybe it was thrusted straight into someone like a spear. She looked up at the statue again.

Oh. That's exactly what happened. Oh well.

She firmly grasped the sword.

"Better start with this…", she said reassuring herself.

She anchored crescent rose behind her. Now holding with two hands, the small girl pulled and nearly fell back as it shifted making a slick sound.

"Ewwwww…"

She pulled again, this time all the way until the sword had come completely out. Not wanting to hold it anymore she dropped it and stepped back a step brushing her hands off on her 'combat skirt'.

She froze mid brush as she heard a sound escape the statue.

Chunk-clink

It was as if something stiff had just cracked within the statute itself. She slowly looked up as the writhing of the black mass grew louder. The tendril like thing grew in size and flailed frantically. Ruby took another step back to her weapon, grasping it in one hand ready for it to pounce. Until it stopped. It suddenly shot back into the statue as if something had frightened it.

Ruby relaxed and put her hand on her stomach. "Phew", she breathed. That could've been bad. She didn't know what that thing was or if she could kill i-

Thudthudthud

Her face paled as she looked up in fear. That statue just stood up and grabbed a halberd several times the size of herself. Some of the black substance had fallen out of the wound and splatted onto the ground. With a groan it yanked the halberd out from the floor itself and turned to ruby almost mechanically. For a moment it did nothing and she thought for a split second: Maybe it's nice

Then it raised the halberd over its head and brought it down in a huge overhead strike. She dodged right, unsheathing the end of her scythe from the arena. A splash of water kicked up from the bricked mashed into the floor. How had she not noticed that until now? There was water encompassing where they stand. She'd have to think carefully to where she stepped.

Thinking of the floor hadn't done her any good as it wasn't an overhead strike. It was a sweep. Ruby was fast enough to dodge and dived right over the weapon. She landed in a crouched position balancing crescent rose's weight above her anticipating the next strike. When the thrust came she was ready and deflected the bulk of the weapon with the midsection of her scythe. Using what little leverage she had against this giant thing she pushed the weapon aside in an effective parry. The weight of her weapon carrying the scythe behind her surprised her. Going with the momentum she did a full 360 degree spin extending her arc slicing right through the abdomen of the armor. Sparks flew everywhere across the cut breaking the surface but not going through. Now facing the statue again she jumped back several feet.

Ok MAYBE the road full of a thousand smaller enemies would have been better. But seriously!? This statue is alive and it wants to kill me!

She dodged again as the statue jumped a good story into the air and came back down just as fast. Now behind the the hulking statue she could see the black mass from earlier protruding from it's back lively as ever.

Wait. This thing isn't a statue. It's a suite of armor.

It made a little more sense now. But that would mean the sword was somebody else's attempt at killing that thing. Whatever is inside there is controlling it.

She pulled her scythe into it's sniper rifle form and fired three rounds right into its back. The black mass recoiling as it squirmed in pain didn't seem to stop it in the least. The halberd came across in a broad sweep again as it cleared the area behind its wielder. Finding her farther away than expected he leapt once more into the air and skyrocketed towards her. She back stepped again, but not far enough as he hit the ground harder this time, piercing right into the earth. Shocking ruby from the impact she flung backward into the ground far behind her. Landing in the water her attire was now a little soaked and clung to her skin. Being the first strike to contact yet she was fine but it felt like she was bruised. Aura or not that hurt. It doesn't stop everything…

Slowly getting up she saw him approaching.

It moves just like a human. And it fights like one too. Maybe that's a parasite. But still, it's trying to kill me. I need to end this.

Readying her scythe back into it's form she made a dash dragging the scythe behind her and cut into its left leg. Seeing she was successful in breaching the armor somewhat she made another dash for it's right leg. Spinning along with the dash she cut right into its right hamstring and just the back of the right thigh. Now at the 2o clock position of her enemy she attempted a third dash cutting right through its midsection. She was trying to kill it sooner than later. Person or not it's a threat.

Going for the killing blow she readied her scythe behind her she and leapt forward for the final strike, and was caught in the midsection by the blade of the halberd. As it swept her across it's field of view it flung her all the way across the arena. Her head slammed into a coffin. The largest one in the arena in fact, as the top lid moved slightly with the sound of a dragging stone as she slumped on the floor..

Getting splashed again was the least of her problems as she faced the pain from her head trauma. She was luck he swung it that direction rather than toward the cliff edge. Dazed and in pain she saw it marching toward her. She readied crescent rose to rifle form and took 3 good aimed shots at him. The first struck the head, the next the heart, and the next the cut through the abdomen. After all 3 had landed the giant enemy had fallen backward in recoil from the shots.

Taking a moment to breathe she inspected herself. Now on her knees she patted all around herself and winced. Right across her stomach the halberd had made a clean gash. It was small as her aura absorbed most of it and she was hit at an angle. The fact it hit her bluntly instead of cutting right through her was probably why she was still alive. Inspecting it just cutting not too far in, she knew the skin on her stomach was still thin and right beneath that was muscle. Seeing the creature in armor rise again, she got crescent rose into rifle form, and fired a charged shot right into its gaping wound in the middle of its abdomen. The shot resonated in her trauma affected head and blasted right into him. Black blood spilled out everywhere as it fell over backwards once again.

Returning her attention to herself once more, she looked to the cut which was currently bleeding. She looked to the armored thing which she had just shot in the same spot.

"Paybacks a bitch", she said grinding her teeth. She was still hurt and needed to close this wound. Looking to her rifle she remembered the shot she just took certainly burnt some heat into the pipe. She picked it up inspecting it seeing how hot it was. Between cutting through armor and that shot it was screaming hot. She shifted the rifle into scythe form exposing the insides of the weapon. After removing the mag she checked once again is the scythe was still hot. Testing it one last time she looked to herself, wounded and bleeding out and dragged the burning end of scythe across her her breathe had done her little as she slowly cauterized the wound and let out a painful, blood curdling scream.

When she was done she finally dropped the weapon and looked at herself. It's not perfect but it'll have to save me for now. Tired as ever and in pain she closed her eyes. This place was brutal. No wonder everyone had died so horribly. It was so dark and cruel. They didn't even have a chance. Hearing a high pitched scream she looked back to the armor, now spewing out mounds of the black thrashing mass. It wriggled and squirmed trying to get out of the armor, more violent in each attempt until it finally took shape. It got up on the armored beings legs and wobbled lashing its head forward finally managing to stand.

It let out another scream of defiance just as Ruby had not a few seconds ago. It charged at a slow pace trying to maintain balance. Seeing it more clearly now it was surely that of an incredible monster. It had glowing red eyes that seemed to be still in the ever shifting snake like head. Small chunks of bone or horn scattered across itself seemed to do the same as they stayed in place of it ever shifting body. It warps and strangles around itself and the armor forming its own mass of a tail behind it. And to the left a claw much more pale than the rest. It reminded her of death, seeing so much of it colored in the bodies. If that was how it got this body she could never let it take her. Not exactly a zombie, but still, she wouldn't want to know what would happen nonetheless. And it was massive. Towering over her like a building while she still sits on the ground beneath the coffin.

"If you want to fight, the i won't hold back. GIve it your all", she shouted. Seeing if it were intelligent, she waited for a response, only to hear another scream in its wake. Now gaining slowly closer, it charged with it's massive head, slamming on the ground angrily as it tried to squash her faster. Getting up she stood in pain, her muscles stiff from the injury. Her aura was low or at least would be soon. She needed to end this now.

This thing clearly dominates the field, but i'm smarter and faster. I can just wait for the right time to strike and i should still be able to end this. But where…

The opening in the armour served as a weak point it the monster. If she can take out it's legs it would have no base to stand on. Then she could finish it. Still assaulting the ground and kicking water and debris up in every direction she had to get closer to see where its opening was.

Once again slashing forward with lightning fast speed she made an attack at it's head, only slicing into it to find it reformed barely hurt at all. However it was a lot more pissed. It roared it's high pitched roar and began the assault once more. Dashing it.s head right into the ground she dodged left. She saw it bringing up it's claw and dodged right, just missing it. As it swung it''s claw back once more it attempted to backhand her. It being too slow, Ruby managed to get behind it once more. It swung its tail left and managed to wobble back around with it's face smacking into the ground once more where ruby had been. Bringing the head all the way around now it followed up with the claw dragging all the way across her field right to left. Now seeing both shifting to her right she made her move.

After that huge attack the monster had moved too hard and was stuck turning. Now seeing it was backed against the coffin where she previously was, she made a hard dash for the armor. Not going as fast as she could because of the cut, she managed to see it was still holding the halberd.

Why in the hell did hold onto that, She thought mid dash. Suddenly, it squatted down and blasted itself into the air with it's amazing strength. Going too fast to stop she spun in a 360 to maybe try and catch it. But as she was way too fast she ended up swinging the scythe right into the coffin again. She gasped as she looked up to see it just about to be falling down, and looked to the coffin. Crescent rose was stuck in the stone coffin and wouldn't budge.

"Come on, COME ON!", she shouted in desperation. She looked up it the monster propelled down toward her, still using the halberd! If it didn't crush her, it'd impale her! She looked back to crescent rose and noticed the mag was still under the coffin. Still pulling she reached for the mag. The creature screamed one last time as it was sure to kill her.

Just then she grabbed the mag and loaded it in. With the creature still above her, she front flipped right up onto the back of the scythe, crouched on the bar, and fired. She rocketed off the coffin up into the air, rose petals in her wake. Rotating across her scythe like a gymnast she effortlessly flipped her scythe in position. Then in an instant, spe spun herself backward and sliced a cut straight through the armor, now making in tow. The creature screamed once more as it collided on the ground. It's claws crashed under the coffin causing it to shift and crush right on top of it. Another scream, this time in agony as it was pinned.

Ruby still leapt into the air swung her scythe above and fired off the last round in her mag, and sent herself back down towards the earth. The monster jerking it's hand trying to escape was busy screaming to its heart's content didn't notice ruby appear right in front of it. With a slam the scythe broke the ground, and as fast as it touched, it took off.

Slice

The claw came off.

Slice!

The tail now left squirming on the ground in parts

In a flash of petals she reappeared in front of it once more. The monster now won't stop sounding. Ruby took her time with this strike.

Getting a running start, She dragged he scythe low, sparks flying as it drew near. She swung in front of her, her scythe gaining momentum. Then she spun around completely sending the scythe down over her head, and stabbed the creature right through the bottom jaw. Now presumed not dead Ruby took one final measure. The creature started one last roar of evil, but was drowned out by a dull whir. And just as the creature had tainted the sound with it's voice,

BANG

Ruby fired a charged shot into the creature, and blew a hole in the back of its head.

The head slumped over, defeated ruby flipped back into her signature position. Black blood still splattering everywhere, the mass hastily disappeared back into the armor until it was no more. The two halves of the now broken armor all that's left. Ruby concealed her weapon and approached carefully. Looking at the top half she looked at the halberd.

Even after death, you still held on.

This weapon was likely his. Whoever this was.

"I'm sorry you suffered this fate. I don't know what it was like where you came from, but if this was able to happen to you, it must be pretty tragic"

She stared down once more.

"Rest in peace. It's over now" She went to remove the halberd from hand, but in a flash, as soon as she touched it, it all vanished into light itself. Slightly surprised, but not enough after what she had just gone through, she stood, and looked around. As she tried to make her way toward anywhere but here, something happened.

A sound rang from nowhere. A pile of ash sitting where the armor originally sat, pale and lifeless. When had that gotten there. It definitely wasn't there the whole time. Then she saw the sword. It hadn't gone too far during the battle, but it may e damaged. Curious she approached and picked it up, The sword now had a strange glow, almost as if the light were coming from within itself. While not strong it felt... familiar to her. Like there was a piece of it already present the whole time. Looking back at the ashes, she thought, Well, it's the only thing that didn't disappear yet. It must have something to do with this.

Then she stuck the coiled sword straight into the pile of ashes. What happened next had sewn her fate.

She became surrounded in a burst of light, breaking off her skin just as it did the fire. Doubled over in pain she grabbed at her chest in a panic. She gasped for air but each breathe only hurt that much worse. As she struggled for the pain to go away, hyperventilation took over. It felt like she were drowning on her own breathe. On her knees she looked over the cliff, her hand reaching toward the moon. One of the pieces was shifting back toward the moon. She couldn't see this any longer as she was stunned at the firelight reflecting off of her hand. She felt her aura go back to completely full, as her soul started to warm. And as the rose petals blew through the wind, then inevitably burned. And she blacked out.

Okay. So that took longer than i thought. Anywho, the fight looked great in my head. Not sure how i portrayed it, but that's where the criticism comes in. Eventually anyway. If you couldn't tell Ruby has just been embered. This meaning her soul has bonded with the ember. What that means is the she now has both the humanity and human effigy bonded to herself. And because these things are what allow you to become undead, as well as go hollow, Ruby is now cursed. While not undead or unkindled, she does belong to the curse, which now means her soul will defy death as well as the other undead. While you cannot go hollow without the dark sigil, that doesn't mean you have to be dead undead to get it. The ember is a combination of the humanity and dark effigy. As a result you can get the sigil from being remembered and still have never died. Similar to Anri. So while she is cursed, she is not accursed undead. But now that she has the curse, she defies dying due to time, making her basically immortal, UNTIL

The flame goes out and the age of darkness begins

She herself becomes a lord of cinder and burns her soul to start a new age of fire

Someone manages to kill her and take her soul

Until then, this is her loophole. I'm not saying any of the above will exactly happen, but that is the loophole. What sucks about the age of fire is that it's always pointless. If you restart it, the flame burns out without a new lord of cinder and so we will fall into the age of darkness. If you enter the age of darkness the embers of the flame will dance across the land until one finds them again and makes another flame because time goes on forever and these fates are inevitable. Or, in DS3 specifically, you can become the hollow lord and give the fire to the hollows although that changes nothing, or you can take the flame for yourself to do whatever you want with it even though there's inevitably only 2 options ever. But, if you may not have seen in the description,(KINDA SPOILER) there is only 1 lord. And as dark souls 3 has 4 endings, rwby has 4 main characters. Anyway i am tired and will upload this now. And dark souls questions, ask away. Until next chapter. Later.