Hey, this fic has been burning in the back of my mind for YEARS!!! I just never felt that I could do it true justice with my writing skills back then.
Now I feel ready, and I hope you all enjoy it.
Long ago, there existed two brothers. Born of strong roots and divine in nature. Their origins unknown by any mortal who bore their eyes upon them. Through power they created the world, shaping every aspect of it. Yet they feuded, their earliest creations often failing them due to contradictions and demands from either brother.
The world was unstable, and its creators were the cause.
Their feud would only grow in time. Each brother taking part of the world to shape it in their own image. Creation and Destruction caught in an unbalanced equilibrium that threatened everything they worked towards. Their spite grew, each hating the other for the rampancy of their works.
Eventually the two Brother's fought, dragging their every creation with them. The world was ravaged, torn apart until only the barest parts remained. The Brothers, who had been locked in a stalemate for a century before they truly realized the consequences of their actions.
Everything they built had been destroyed. The two stopped, looking down at the embers that remained, and they laid down their arms. The realization of their lost goals tormenting their minds as they began the slow process of repairing all the damage they had caused.
They looked themselves away, content to watch as something new sprung up. Shaped by the resolution of the Gods and influenced by only the barest of their creators.
From Ashes, Humanity Rose.
A form of life, founded by the rebuilding of their broken world, molded by mear observation alone. The Gods would look down at this new life with curiosity, beings that possessed the desires of both Brothers, yet balanced out. Soon the two would bless mankind with gifts, gaining praise and worship in return.
Humanity would build kingdoms, great nations that spanned continents. They would shape the land around them to suit their needs. Creation and Destruction all in the name of progress.
All under the watchful eyes of their Gods.
Yet such a thing would never truly last.
Something appeared, a dark presences from the stars. A Creature that had crawled out of the bleakest void, who's only desire remained unknown even to the Brothers.
It was small at first. A Village wiped off the map, a trail being overrun by strange beasts. Yet it would only grow, the brothers only truly took action when an entire kingdom had been snuffed out, Devoured by the Tendrils of the Interloper.
The Gods had been too slow to act.
The Interloper was not of their creation, nor did it conform to their rules. It simply devoured all in its path, taking what had once been and adding it onto itself. The Brothers summoned all their strength, drawing weapons and armies not used since the war that almost destroyed all.
But it wasn't enough.
All their creations could do was stall it. The Elder Brother's creations would be devoured, reshaped by the Interloper to aid in its torment of the world. The Younger Brother's works could not destroy the Interloper, his armies being crushed and his tools near useless.
In desperation the Brothers stepped forth. Arming themselves with weapons forged together, bearing both their strengths and covering their weaknesses.
The Brothers fought against the Interloper, their blades felling its hordes in every battle. Soon the Brothers confronted the Interloper itself, prepared to banish this Intruder from their world and rebuilt once more.
Yet they underestimated it.
Their battle raged on for years.
Mountains shattered, oceans boiled, The limbs of the Interloper were sliced off and seered away so that they may never infest the world again.
It was all for nought.
For the first time, the Brothers were being pushed back. The Interloper cared not for what it lost, nor if it could lose. It simply fought, forcing the Brothers to pay for every victory with blood. The Interloper would recover, its form uncaring of damage. The Brothers were not so fortunate, their blood staining the earth and sky at the end of every battle.
Soon the Brothers were forced back, standing as the only defense of what little remained. All that was left of their work could only watch as their deities bled, stubbornly clinging to what strength they had left in the face of The Interloper's ceaseless entropy.
One their last legs the Brothers took desperate action, allowing their forms to merge much like their creations. This new being, born of desperation and flowing with the equilibrium of the two Brothers fought against the Interloper. Scorching the planet of its hordes before taking hold of all its had. The Union fled, dragging the Interloper away from their world.
Yet it would only last so long. The Union was weak, created out of the actions of two dying Gods. Vast, it's powers may be, they would only last so long.
Using the last of its strength it sealed the Interloper within the Moon, breaking part of it as the Interloper struggled to free itself. With a great burst of power, it was over, the threat had been sealed away.
The few specks that remained of the Union's powers rained down upon the ashes that remained of the world.
All was silent, as the world healed once again.
Soon, as the damages faded away, those ashes took shape. Mankind returned, reborn once again from the destruction of their world. Yet the Union left both a great gift, and a horrid curse. All that remained of the Brother's strength was poured into their rebirth. The very beings of creation and destruction poured their ashes into this new humanity.
Yet their underlying difficulties resurfaced. All that power could not be split perfectly, as it was shaped by each Brother's own form.
Humanity had returned, touched by the Brother's gifts, and the divided by them.
Women bore the Gift of the Elder Brother. Their souls burned bright, and their powers and magic could shape and alter the world around them.
Men bore the Gift of the Younger Brother. Their souls were dimmer, yet their bodies were tougher, with the command of all of the Younger Brother's creations at their mere finger tips.
Soon two would arose from this new humanity. Speaking tales of the Brothers and all they had done. They proclaimed themselves Sages, acting as guides to help ease humanity in its return. Two souls, marked by the blood of the brothers who remebered all.
Yet something else returned.
Deep within, from scorched welts and bleeding limbs, Unspeakable things would emerge. The Spawn of the Interloper, horrid creations formed from its gore and viscera that had not been destroyed by the Union. They would ravage all in their path, acting much like their parent in their actions and desires.
Yet humanity would fight back. Bringing all their powers to bear against such an infestation. The two sages led the charge, inspiring zealotry in the destruction of the Interloper's Spawn. Weapons forged by the Brothers blessings and earthly materials clashed against writhing limbs and nashing teeth. Creatures of darkness, shaped and molded by their new masters, battled against hordes of warped flesh and bone. Magic and Dust rained fury upon the hordes, nature's wrath made manifest against that which would dare to pervert it.
The clash between humanity and the hordes would rage on. Never truly ending as the visera infested the land around, molding it to serve the sole purpose of creating more of itself. Humanity would continue to progress, creating new weapons and technology to aid their efforts in destroying all that remained of the Interloper.
Even now, this battle continues, neither side truly winning. Humanity would live behind walls, raising common armies and groups of elite warriors to hold out against the Infestation.
These Elite Warriors would be known as Huntsmen and Huntresses. Individuals of exceptional power who stood out from the common people of the world. Four great academies would be founded, each rooted deep in the heart of their kingdoms.
With all in hand Humanity stands firm.
Or so they think.
They can sharpen their blades, raise their armies, and reinforce their walls. Send every Huntsmen and Huntress to bear against the Endless Hunger of the Hordes. Bring the vast swarms of Grimm to bear against tainted flesh and sinew.
Let the words of the Sages guide them into the teeth of the Interloper and its children.
Let battle be the deciding factor of who shall truly inherit this world.
For no one will be left to say otherwise.
A well dressed man strolled down the street. In front of him stood two hounds, their teeth flared out as their red eyes glared at anyone in the path. Behind him was a small group of goons, armed with axes and submachine guns. Their eyes locked on their lone target, a simple dust shop.
The hounds stopped, taking guard around the door as the others strode in. The man at he counter, his body stiff from age, fell back and cowered at the group in front of him. "Please, just take my line and leave?" he begged. "Sorry, that's not all we're hear for. Open the case I know you're hiding under the counter." The well dressed man stated while prodding the front counter with the end of his cane. The old man simply whimpered before leaning down to pull out something out.
None paid attention as one of the goons checked the back of the store and narrowed his eyes at a small figure standing at the back. "Hands where I can see them." he threatened while aiming his gun at them. The figure ignored them, content in ready their magazine. The goon glared at them before approaching, shaking them roughly by the shoulder and pulling down their hood as a result. The figure, a young girl with silver eyes that seemed to subtlety glow. "Hands where I can see them." The man repeated as the girl looked at him curiously. "Are you robbing me?" She asked. "YES!!" the goon said furiously. "Ok," the girl nodded while narrowing her eyes.
A loud crash echoed out as the goon was send flying through the large window. The others looked out as the girl pulled out a large mechanized scythe. She smiled as the goons looked back at their scowling boss. "Get her." he commanded while strapping a small device to the back of his belt. Both the goons and the two hounds rushed her with blades and barred fangs.
The girl swung her scythe in a wide arc before digging the blade into the ground and using it to catapult herself into the air. The goons paused, allowing her to land onto the shoulders of one of them as she struck another with the shaft of her weapon. two more tried to rush her, one being pushed back by a high caliber round punching his chest while the girl used the blade of the scythe to pull them by the shoulder. Both goons were spun violently as the girl landed on her two feet.
The hounds jumped her, fangs ready to sink into her flesh. With expert speed the girl pulled a lever on her scythe and brought it to bare against the two Grimm. The blade shrank, shuffling along the shaft of the scythe. With a single swing the scythe, now a sword, took off the heads of both hounds. Their forms quickly fading as the girl glared at the man who had just robbed the shop. "Worth every cent, truly." The man muttered before glaring at the girl.
"Well Red, you've done well, but it's the end of the line." The man said before aiming his cane at her. A small ironsight sprung from the tip, before a red flare flew at her. The girl jumped back, shifting her blade back into a scythe and digging it into the ground to stop her from jumping too far. The girl looked around, her eyes landing on the man as he disappeared into an alley. She turned back to the old shop keeper. "Alright if I go after him?" she asked. The man nodded, taking a second to look over the damages to his shop.
The girl ran forth, a burst of red petals surrounded her as she rushed into the alleyway the man had escaped in. She stopped for a second, just barely avoiding another flare shot. "Persistent, aren't you." The man quipped as the man hole cover behind him sprung up. The Girl adjusted her scythe into a sword and rushed forward, aiming the tip right for the man's chest. His body shattered like glass, causing her to falter.
Another figure rushed forward, only the glint of their blade being visible in the darkness of the alley. Suddenly the new assailant stopped, a strange purple glow surrounding their form. The girl looked back, watching as a woman dressed for discipline with a small cape on her back stepped forth with a riding crop in hand. The assailant shattered like the man, seemingly gone as both had fled the scene.
The woman stepped forward, taking a moment to scan their surroundings before she turned to the girl. The girl looked back, taking a moment to analyze the woman in front of her. "Oh my Oum, you're a huntress. Can I have your autograph?" she asked while placing her weapon on her back.
"Two counts property damage, five counts of vigilante action, and almost dying. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" The woman listed as the two found themselves in a police interrogation room. "They started it." The girl said with a pout. The woman sighed before looking down at the girl. "If it were up to me I'd send you home with a pat on the back-" She whipped her crop on the table eliciting a squeak from the girl. "-And a firm slap on the wrist. But there are others who's attention yoy have captured." The woman said as another stepped into the room.
It was a man, tall and patient with eyes both kind yet tired. He placed down a plate of cookies in front of her before standing tall. Nervously the girl placed a hand on one and took a bite, before eating several in quick succession when the man made no motion to interfere. "Ruby Rose, you have silver eyes." The man said calmly. Ruby nodded as she looked at him. "Do you know who I am?" he asked. "You're Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy, and the woman next to you is Professor Goodwitch." Ruby replied. "Good, so you know why I am here?" Ozpin inquired.
The girl paused, the half eaten cookie in her hand falling between her fingers. "They started it." She muttered quietly. "Quite the contrary Miss Rose, There is only one huntsman I know of who can pull off such moves with a scythe. Even less who use weapons with three modes rather than just two. A certain Dusty old Crow." Ozpin said. "Oh, my uncle Qrow." Rubt said as Ozpin let out a small smile. "Tell me Miss Rose, do you wish to be a Huntress?" Ozpin asked. "More than anything, I remember all the stories mom would read me, and all the tales dad and uncle Qrow would tell me." Rubt rambled as Ozpin remained quiet.
"Miss Rose, would you like to enter Beacon early? I know this request is sudden with our entrance exam being less than a month away, but I feel that you would be capable of making it." Ozpin offered. Ruby stayed silent, her mouth hung open. Ozpin slid a piece of paper across the table and let her pick it up. "Take some time to think about it Miss Rose. If you accept then I look forward to seeing you amongst our first years." Ozpin said as Ruby quietly nodded. She took the paper as Ozpin left the room.
Glynda only sighed before looking at Ruby. "Come along, your father has already been called and is coming to pick you up." She said as Ruby shrunk once again. A nervous sweat running down her neck.
Ok, there it is. Sorry about the confusing lore dump that take up about half the chapter. I just wanted to emulate some lore and storytelling from the show.
So to summarize. (spoilers for anyone who hasn't watched Rwby up to volume 9, not that I'd blame you if you didn't.)
The Brothers Grim get kicked out of the Ever After and make Remnant. They clash and disagree in the early days, leading to the first destruction of the world. They step back, let the world heal and watch as humanity burst upon the scene. Everything goes well until something pulled right out of Lovecraft/Dead Space/Gemini Home Entertainment comes along and starts devouring everything in their path. They fight against it with every bit of strength, going so far as to even bleed at the ends of their fights. Eventually the two brothers are forced to merge, becoming the Union, and scorch the whole of Remnant to stop the Interloper. The Interloper is sealed in the moon and the Brother's dying ashes influence the next stage of humanity.
Woman have stronger aura and a strong connection to dust. Men have connections to the Grimm, capable of even commanding and changing like them. Magic is still a thing, though it's still incredibly rare. The Four kingdoms are still a thing, same with faunus.
From the bits and pieces that the Brothers couldn't destroy march the spawn. Children of the Interloper who seek to carry on its will.
Will drop more lore and characters whenever I upload another chapter.
See you guys next time.