Game of Fates

The calm night settles over the expansive city of Vale. A calm that speaks of an unforeseen storm looming beyond the horizon. Just on the edge of the city stands a testament to a bygone age, Beacon Academy, with its shining tower casting a light through the night. Towards the top of this tower is the office of the current headmaster, Ozpin. The echoes of interlocking gears the only sound heard in the office as its sole occupant sat at the lone desk working away at the monotonous paperwork that came with the position he held. Ozpin sighed as he turned around in his chair to gaze out upon the city. It was nights like these, the calm serenity, that the old wizard wished he could put it all aside and relax; take his mind off the burden that had been placed on his shoulders so long ago. He shuts his eyes as he reclines and lets his mind relax the tiniest margin. The world would still be there while he took the time to relax for the briefest of moments.

It was in this moment, the calm pervading the world at large, that everything went wrong. A sound like tearing metal screeched through the world. The sound bringing all to a stop as it continued. It was in this frantic time that Ozpin and many others found the source of the sound. Far above them all, the sky appeared to have been ripped open and from that tear a pervading darkness loomed. The tearing seemed to last forever until it seemed to be the size of the broken moon. Scarcely a sound was made as everything on Remnant looked at the tear, as though they all knew that something lay within the darkness. Slowly, painstakingly slowly, the darkness crept forth before splitting and taking the form of two arms that seemed to brace themselves on the very sky. With an unimaginable amount of effort, they pushed as though hauling themselves from the darkness they spawned from until a form violently tore itself from the darkness. It appeared humanoid, but whether that was its true form or simply what it felt like appearing as was unknown. The dark being, for what else could the thing made from darkness be called, seemed to hang there limply.

A deep, echoing crack was all the warning Remnant got before an unearthly screeched tore through the fabric of every being on the abandoned planet. Glass rained across the cities as trees were fell across the lands, old forgotten structures crumbled and several creatures that called Remnant home perished their bodies unable to handle the sheer intensity held by the entity's scream. The scream stretched on as cracks began forming under its hands and sprouting forth covering the sky as far as all could see. It all came to a head when the sky shattered leaving naught but the same dark void the entity sprang from. The sonic assault came to a halt as twin orbs of light sprang into being on the entity's head. The light shined down to illuminate the briefly darkened Remnant as everything continued to focus solely on the godly being that had descended on them.

As the being continued to stare at Remnant, something else descended from the darkness visible even from the planet. A spool of red string seemingly so small compared to the entity and yet everyone knew just how important it was as though it was some innate understanding. When the spool had reached the level of the entity, it stretched forth and the lights shifted as though it had opened its maw as it continued to stretch towards the spool. Just as everyone assumed it would have devoured the thread, two more lights raced across the darkness, coming to a stop just before the spool. The lights, one a brilliant golden and one a dark purple both smaller the first bound of thread on the spool, seemed to gather courage for a moment. Together they cried out,

"We invoke our right to a challenge!"

The entity had come to a stop and simply stared at the two lights, as though it was contemplating whether it had truly heard the declaration correctly. Then a rumble swept through as the lights that were its eyes seemed to change, and it soon became clear what the rumble was as a tone became evident: amusement.

"How amusing. So many try to force me away despite knowing the inevitable end to their folly. Too few still choose the path you hope will lead to your salvation. Very well, state your challenge," a gravely, rasping voice seemed to echo from everywhere.

The two lights contemplated what challenge to issue for several long minutes before speaking up,

"We ask that you take on a human form and bring an end to the conflict that has waged in the shadows of this planet, abiding by the laws and rules of those that live on it. The challenge will be considered completed should one or both immortals that walk on its surface be incapable of truly continue their forms of immortality. The challenge will be considered failed if humanity is wiped from the planet… are these terms agreeable?"

The question was met with another rumbling laugh. Its mocking nature not lost on all that walked the world that would be host to the challenge. The entity leered at the golden and purple lights; amusement clear to see.

"No clause for death? I'll add one then, every time my avatar dies, they will be sent back to the beginning of the challenge. The beginning of my avatar's life seems to as good a beginning. The question is, who do I want?"

The entity truly turned its gaze towards Remnant, the populous feeling smaller than normal as they felt its gaze pass over them, feeling as though their very being was on display, completely bare for this thing to see. That was until it settled on someone, and it stretched forth one of its dark limbs reaching forth towards the chosen soul.

"This world, like so many, is precariously wound. So many pieces must be in certain places so that it reaches the true ending envisioned by those that brought it to being, yet it seems that so many endings are so similar to the envisioned ending are discarded. Just how long were you planning to let this façade continue? Then again it doesn't truly matter as this is the final time these souls will be forced to continue the cycle thrusted upon them."

Its dark limb had reached its destination, a store front, and encompassed the chosen avatar, lifting them towards the entity's face. It opened its hand palm up revealing a frightened girl. The girl could do little more than tremble at the being gazing down upon her, her scythe laying uselessly beside her.

"Ruby Rose. Such a pure soul, so few of your kind exist, yet I find them the most entertaining."

The entity turned its head towards the sibling lights.

"The rules have been set and the terms have been laid out. Do either of you have any last requests or queries?"

The twin lights hesitated before the purple orb spoke out,

"What would happen to us should you prove successful?"

"You both shall cease to be as all the others that have stepped forth in vain attempts to prevent me from obtaining my desire. If that is all, then let us begin."

It stretched forth its other limb towards the spool as energies gathered around the unwinding thread when another voice posed its own concerns.

"What is going to happen to me?"

The dark entity held its hand above the spool and turned its head towards the small soul resting in its palm. For a long moment, it simply stared before answering a joy in its voice.

"You shall become one with me and I shall become you. We will both be one just like my last avatars."

"Will … W-Will I get to see my family again?"

"When I claim my victory, they shall not leave you. You will be with them even after I finally obtain my ultimate goal, and you will be able to truly enjoy their company and know true happiness."

Ruby looked down as she contemplated what the entity promised.

"You promise?"

A soft look settles in its eyes as it slowly closes its hand.

"This is why you pure souls are always the most intriguing. A desperate hope for hope. Indeed, little Rose, I promise on my name, Aela, that this is the future that shall be."

When its, Aela's, hand closed around Ruby, it touched the spool of thread, and all was encompassed by a blinding light. The game has begun.