Blood On The Wind

by AManwithaB0x

In a world beset by the demonic Grimm, Ruby Rose stands firm as a Crusader with a mission to destroy all evil. However, things get complicated when she finds evidence of another world, along with another version of herself, and she soon learns that judging a book by its cover might lead to everyone's doom. Rated M for some violence and character deaths.

2. Chapter 2

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The world is a funny place sometimes.

On the one hand you've got nature, wild and untamable – flora and fauna of every kind, rolling hills and dense, beautiful woods, bottomless oceans and towering mountains that reach higher than the billowy clouds. Every stone, every leaf and blade of grass, and every creature that walks, swims, flies or crawls across this breathtaking world of ours represents the epitome of perfection. Nature is perfect, and nothing will ever change that.

Humans, on the other hand, seem determined to try. They build their cities in locations they consider 'idyllic' or 'easily defensible' and barely ever consider the impact they have on the environment at large. They lay down roads without any regard to the natural flow of energies they may be cutting off. They bury their garbage beneath the soil, hoping and praying to a god they do not know that they'll never have to see it again.

I see it.

I, and my sisters three, are some of the only sentient beings left in this realm. We are wolves living in a world of sheep.

I had a normal name once, a long time ago, given to me by those responsible for my creation. I was more than happy to bear it back then, as I knew no better, but I abandoned it on the day of my awakening. I left everything behind to take my rightful place in the Balance.

Now I am called Rubedo. Nothing more and nothing less.

A chill wind caressed my cheek. Slowly, carefully, I opened my eyes and took in the marvelous sights around me. For the moment it was all upside-down, but such things matter little at this time of day; the rising sun cast radiant beams of light through the tree tops, blazing pillars of glory illuminating everything for miles around. Trails of mist clung to the leaves and trunks, byproducts of the natural processes of the world around me, coming and going every time the day turns to night and back again. I could never get enough.

I moved slowly, bending double towards the sky with minimum effort to reach my ankles; both of my feet were securely fastened in a harness mounted to a sturdy limb at the top of a white oak, a mighty tree older than most others in this part of the world. Muttering quietly, gathering some mana, I held a spell in my left hand as I released the harness with my right, letting myself fall free. Gravity did the rest.

As I plummeted towards the ground, I was not afraid; I quickly released my spell and grinned as the Wind came to my aid, buffeting me from below and slowing me down long before I made contact with the grass. Wind is my friend, you see. I ask it for help and it comes running to aid me. Even now, while safe on the ground, it swirled and spun around me, as though checking to see that I was unharmed. I smiled and ran my fingers through the breeze, caressing it right back, exhaling my gratitude in the only way it fully understood.

Finally we parted ways again, and I fought back a brief pang of loneliness; I knew the air was always around me, but it was not the same when it held still. Far less intimate.

Ah well. With a deep sigh I returned my attention to the solid ground beneath my bare feet, chanted a few old mantras and centered myself in less than a minute. Gravity once again fully took hold of my flesh, but I didn't mind. This body was only temporary, after all. I moved swiftly as I donned my red-colored robes once again, mournful that the Wind had yet another barrier between us yet mindful that my fellows were not as comfortable with nudity as I was.

We are sisters in bond, though not in blood. As far as I'm concerned, that is all that matters.

I made my way through the forest along a well-worn path, bare feet enjoying the soft dirt, taking in the sights and fragrances of the morning, until at last I came to our communal clearing. It was not a 'structure' in the modern sense, yet it nonetheless held a roof overhead that served as a shelter, held aloft by the very trees that had grown it out. A small fireplace awaited us in the center, fueled only by wood that was already dead or decaying in this, the only true living environment left on Remnant. One end of the space held a simple tea set with four earthen cups, while around the fire pit sat four wide stones, one for each of us, though none were yet occupied. That, however, was soon to change.

"Hail sister," said Albedo as she drifted into the clearing like a ripple of rainwater. In contrast to my own rose red garments, Albedo's robe was blue and white in a pattern reminiscent of a flowing river. She had her hair tied back into a simple ponytail to keep it from covering her face, a necessary step as it was never truly dry.

Albedo hails from the North, a land of ice and snow, and carried with her all the elegance and demeanor one would associate with royalty. Even as she filled the teapot with water from a nearby stream, it was hard not to picture the young woman with a crown upon her white head.

"Hail sisters," said Nigredo as she joined us, one hand bearing a linen bundle of new tea leaves. Her black and purple robe stood in stark contrast to Albedo's white raiment, like a play of light and dark; even her raven hair seemed opposed to her sister, though two cat-like ears peeked over the wavy locks, a reminder that only three of our coven are fully human. Nigredo is a Faunus, a human bearing an animal trait, and her feline grace was evident to all as she deposited her gift of tea leaves into a small container. Now all we needed was heat and our tea would soon be ready.

Let it never be said that sister Nigredo is unwelcome among our number, no matter what uncommon traits she may possess. While it is true that she and Albedo had a few disagreements in our first year together, none of those conflicts remain unresolved today. The Faunus hails from the East, a land of towering mountains and dense jungles that would make our forest here seem desolate by comparison. I long to see such a place. It must truly be a wondrous sight.

"Murgle…" came the sound of our final sister, followed closely by a sight that never fails to fill me with the giggles; a veritable storm of wild blonde hair standing up in all directions, the face beneath it fully hidden from our sight.

Nigredo hid her chuckle behind her sleeve, but Albedo let loose a deep sigh. "Honestly, how have you survived out here this long?"

Rather than respond, sister Citrinitas merely grunted. One muscular arm finally came up and lifted a mass of hair out of her face, revealing eyes of brightest lilac. She looked around and said, "Uh… Hail, I guess…?"

Nigredo and Albedo set aside the tea set and came to their sister's aide, the former with a bone hairbrush and the latter with her own spell in hand; Albedo waved her fingers toward the stream and called out to it, pulling a small amount of clean water into the air to aid her efforts. They carefully and gently combed back the wild hair of Trini until it was a bit more presentable, using the water to help wet it down into shape. Once finished, they stepped back and watched as all traces of the water hissed away in a fine mist, leaving a clean and straightened head of golden hair.

Citrinitas, Trini for short, hails from the West, an arid land of deserts and rugged cliffs overlooking the seas. She's taller than the rest of us, and fills out her yellow and bronze robes quite nicely. Despite her unorthodox attitude, she is very much a full member of our little coven. With a quick slap to her own face to wake up further, Trini walked over to the fire pit and chanted a quick spell, igniting the dead wood into a tiny blaze. Albedo carefully mounted a steel rack over the top of it and set the kettle to boil.

And then we waited. It was one of the most frequent of our activities since coming out here, but also the most necessary. One could not hurry when one needed to attune to their natural surroundings.

I focused, as I ever did, on my old friend the Wind. Quickly I felt my senses open up to the world around me, inviting me to experience it in ways no human could ever hope to achieve on their own. I heard the sigh of the breeze flitting through the upper canopy of leaves. I smelled the sweet nectar of honeysuckle on a draft that began miles away. I felt the chill wind from the north brush past my eyebrows, whispering of distant snow.

I also heard the breathing of my sisters; Albedo and Nigredo kept their own airways clear and steadily moving, the former surrounded by a floating ring of water while the latter was engulfed by a circle of dirt from the ground. Truly they had gained significant mastery over their elements, and I was proud to bear witness to their exceptional growth.

Ours were the Old Ways, the ancient form of magic long since abandoned by the outside world. In order to master this power, my sisters and I have forsaken our old lives. We have shunned the tainted world of NuCraft, magic-infused technology powered by arcane crystals known as Dust, and instead embraced something that is far more real.

"…I miss my motorcycle."

Citrinitas, on the other hand, is having a bit more trouble letting go.

Her words effectively shattered the moment as old memories bombarded my mind from all directions, images of hot tubs powered by electronics, of video games and portable calling devices, and crowds of fellow teenagers watching me from a distance. A powerful wave of nostalgia washed over me and I nearly broke my concentration, but the Wind was with me and I held fast.

Though it seems I was the only one this day. "Dammit, why'd you have to remind me of home like that?!" Albedo barked as her ring of water splashed down around her, part of it hissing on the fire. "Do you know how many war crimes I would commit for a decent cup of coffee right now?"

Nigredo muttered under her breath, too quiet for others to hear but clear as a bell to my senses, "Haven't you done enough of that already?" Her cat ears lay flat on her head as she awkwardly traced a pattern in the fallen dirt.

Citrinitas held up both hands, "Hey, I'm just sayin' what we're all thinking! I mean, would it kill Goodwitch to let us have an RTV or something? Do you have any idea how many WaveBall games we've missed out here?"

Albedo's eye twitched, "Not enough?"

"Two playoffs! TWO!"

Nigredo looked up and said, "Yang, unless you had a bet on one of the games, I don't see what the big-"

"That's not the point, Blake!" Now she was standing up, her mind as far from our meditation as I've ever seen it and all thoughts of decorum tossed out the proverbial window. They were even using our prior names like we hadn't just spent over a year and a half away from civilization. "If I'd known we were literally walking away from every single aspect of modern life-"

"You did know," I cut in sharply, using the Wind to carry my words more effectively than my lungs could do on their own. "I made it very clear before we left the city. All of you understood what we were getting into."

"Ruby, I…" the young woman stuttered for a moment as I sent her a glare, then backed down and finally remembered herself. "I… I am sorry, s-sister. This is turning out to be far more difficult than I imagined."

Thoughts of home had often plagued me as well, but I had the decency to keep it to myself. There was no denying that NuCraft was a luxury item intended to make daily life easier, but that was the exact reason we needed to shun it. Humanity had no need for such things, despite what today's culture would have you believe.

Nigredo stood and put a comforting hand on Citrinitas' shoulder, "It has been hard on all of us, sister. The Mistress did warn us that our attachments would linger for some time, remember?"

"Yeah…" Lilac eyes turned away in shame. "I just wish it was easier to forget, is all."

Albedo spoke up, now calmer than a moment before, "I have found solace in my element whenever the energies are disrupted. Still waters help me leave my past behind. Perhaps your meditation might do the same?"

She glanced over at me and I sent her a smile. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Citrinitas awkwardly ran a hand through her golden locks as she looked between us. "Aight… uh I mean, very well. I suppose it cannot hurt to try."

By the time our exchange had come to an end, the tea was ready; Albedo carefully poured each of us a cup and handed them out. Trini immediately took a sip without blinking, but the other two waited until the water had cooled down.

I waited longer still, but only because I was too busy inhaling the sweet aromas of the leaves. These were a good batch, picked this morning by sister Nigredo's own hand. No amount of NuCraft wizardry could replicate the genuine pleasure of smelling the real thing. No level of showmanship and fancy colors from a barista could ever replace the pure beauty that only Mother Nature could provide, and all in a subtle, soft-spoken way that required one to actively seek it out.

After giving them some time, I eventually looked again and found all three of my sisters indulging in their elements yet again, this time with Trini among them. Albedo was ringed by not one but two narrow beads of water, each rotating steadily around her. Nigredo held aloft a swirling cloud of clean soil from the ground beneath her feet, careful to not let a single granule escape. Citrinitas had pulled a small amount of fire from the pit and held it out in front of her, staring into the flame as it danced in her open palm, eager to please.

Yes, the world is a funny place sometimes. We are all surrounded by forces beyond all human comprehension, yet… when we close our mouths and open our minds, it is all too eager to have a chat. To dance. To play. And to sing.

Wind tickled my ears, whispering sweet nothings that only I was allowed to hear. And it carried a message.

"Mistress calls for us," I said aloud. "We meet her at noon."

…
…

My sisters and I were not the only ones expelled from the Beacon Arts and Magic Foundation throughout its long history; the woman we call our Mistress had also trained in those halls, though she had been living out in the wilds longer than any of us had been drawing breath. Her name was Goodwitch, though I know not if it was her original name or the one she chose for herself upon discovering the Old Ways. All any of us knew was that she alone could train us in obtaining the true magic of nature.

Where we four had each taken to one of the elements – I with the Wind, Albedo with Water, Nigredo with the Earth and Trini with Fire – Mistress had mastered them all in equal measure. Thus far she had not demonstrated her full power, but even with the little magic she had shown us, I could easily tell that her casting speed was equal to even the most advanced NuCraft weapons on the market. That was the one measure where the Old Ways fell short, and the sole reason mankind had abandoned them. Such hypocrites.

The sun sat directly overhead as we stood near the humble cottage of our Mistress, waiting once again. I kept my focus on the Wind as I ever did, listening to the world around me, all while trying to ignore the mutterings of my impatient sisters.

"Do you think we're in trouble?"
"We haven't had a lesson in awhile, so maybe-"
"I hope she didn't hear us griping this morning…"
"I'm sure we're fine-"

At long last the door opened and Goodwitch appeared, wistful smile in place, bringing along the faint but unmistakable aroma of sage, thyme, and a host of other herbs. She was older than we, though it was impossible to tell by how many years. Her curly blonde hair was tied tightly behind her head, only a few strands allowed to dangle near her face. An old pair of glasses highlighted eyes that sparkled like polished emeralds. She wore a dress of earthen colors with a few pieces of startling white around the plunging neckline and a bit more just past the long sleeves, the divided skirt mere inches away from dragging along the ground behind her. Atop her head sat a wide-brimmed hat of the same earthen color, wide enough she could provide shade for a further two people while wearing it.

She sauntered forward and took in the sight of her students one by one, still smiling wistfully, before producing a long-stemmed pipe from behind her and lighting it with a spark of fire magic.

I quickly closed my senses back to normal and tried not to wince. Sage and thyme were wonderful aromas to indulge in, but whatever was stuffed into Goodwitch's pipe was not nearly as pleasant.

"How long has it been now?" said the Mistress. She puffed a smoke ring into the air and continued, "Two years? Almost? I must say you all have done well to last this long."

I glanced at my sisters, most of whom were fidgeting uncomfortably. They never were too comfortable around our teacher.

We all made our way back to the clearing in silence, Goodwitch leading the way, and I could clearly sense my sisters' discomfort. She meant to test us this day. Trini especially had difficultly wielding the Old Ways in front of our Mistress, but we both knew I could do nothing to help her. And besides, it was not as though she was in danger of being sent away – Beacon had already rejected us, and there was nowhere left to go. We all knew this.

Once back at the clearing, we each took our positions along one of the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west, with Mistress in the center. She led us in quiet meditations that were far more effective at attuning us to our elements than we alone could achieve, all of us chanting in the ancient language of the Old Ways that few, if any, still understood. I felt the Wind swirl around me, eagerly waiting on my command, while I too waited on Mistress.

Waiting… so much waiting. It was a wonder that I had this much patience now, considering how I was a mere two years prior.

"Nigredo," said Mistress, "Rotate the four sitting stones herein, to change their places."

Ah, a complex spell. My Faunus sister nodded, raised both hands and began to chant while waving them in a circle. The four stones we all used for reclining began to shift, dragging along the ground as they rotated around the fire pit and leaving a wide track of disturbed soil. She and I both couldn't help but wince at the display – it would have been far less work to pick the stones up first, and then exchange their places. Goodwitch would not miss that error.

Fortunately she ignored it for now. "Albedo… create a circle of rain around us and hold it for a few seconds."

Albedo nodded and got to work; this spell was about control more than accuracy, as she was already adept at the latter. Water from the nearby stream rose up, gathered and streamed out around our clearing, holding itself in a narrow ring. Albedo's brow furrowed as she concentrated, trying to remember the words of the chant, while Citrinitas took a wary step away from the levitating water. Albedo's hands wavered for a moment before continuing the spell in earnest.

Most of the water gradually trickled down in a fine mist of raindrops, encircling our meeting place with one of the most wonderful sounds in all of nature. Only a few places in the ring emptied out too quickly, most notably near Trini. After a few seconds the water had all fallen and Albedo was breathing hard.

Again Mistress moved on without any comment. "Citrinitas…"

"Might I skip the testing today?"

"Do you think yourself unprepared?"

Trini shook her head, though I could sense her hesitation. "There has not been much rain these last few weeks, and my control over fire is far from perfect. I would hate to burn down even a single tree due to my own folly."

Mistress and I both looked at her, then at each other. We both knew that the risk of a forest fire was low, but never zero. "Very well," said Goodwitch. "In three days time we will visit Callows Cavern and try again. There is far less risk of disaster among the stones, yes?"

Citrinitas nodded, obviously relieved to be off the hook. And that her ploy worked. I tried not to glare, but I did make a mental note to have a chat with her later today. It was a shame that sister Trini devoted so much of her mental energies to crafting excuses rather than learning our art.

Albedo spoke up next, "Three days? Why not today yet? Or even tomorrow?"

"Because I have a matter I must attend to, one that requires me to be far away from you all for a time," said Mistress. "It is nothing serious, but I cannot avoid it. Now then… Rubedo?"

I swallowed hard as Goodwitch called out to the trees. A single leaf dropped down from high above and floated directly into her outstretched hand. All four of us looked at it in confusion, myself most of all, as she held it up with her fingers.

"Cut this leaf."

Now I started to sweat. Cut? She hadn't taught me how to do that yet! I didn't know the words!

The Old Ways were not merely point-and-cast magic like NuCraft – without full knowledge of the incantations and kinetic motions, the ancient power could easily go out of control. It was an incredibly complex system, made substantially easier with constant meditation and a willingness to open oneself to the true form of the elements as we four had been doing, but one did not simply guess how to preform a new spell. Mistress of all people should know that!

Still she waited, watching me with those intense green eyes. Did she really expect me to just come up with something on the fly?

Maybe she did…

Well, if anyone could pull it off, it was me and my old friend the Wind.

Concentrating as hard as I could, I implored the Wind to come to my aid. I gathered it in a swirl just in front of me, using my hands to focus it into as fine a point as I could manage, hoping it would sense my intentions. A fine point had a better chance of making a clean break. Moving carefully, I focused it further still onto my fingertips and pointed at the leaf – controlling this much Wind was taking every speck of my willpower – until I was finally confident that it was somewhere close to being sharp. Trusting the Wind to not betray me, I released the spell.

BOOM

A shockwave of pressure slammed across the clearing as the leaf exploded into tiny fragments, along with a sizable chunk of the tree behind it.

By the gods! I immediately collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. My sisters were instantly at my side, all worrying over me, though my strength was already returning. I did not expect that to take so much of my stored mana, goodness me.

"You have all exceeded my expectations, I must admit," said Goodwitch. I looked up to find her smiling at all of us, though her face was filled with a warmth not often seen. "It took me twice as long to reach the level of skill you have here displayed, and I do not say that lightly."

We all moved to the sitting stones to take our ease as Mistress continued, "Despite your lingering attachment to the modern world, all of you are far more mindful of nature than I ever expected. Even you, Citrinitas – any other witch of the fire element would have simply let fly any spell I asked of her, yet you put the safety of the forest higher than my approval."

Trini glanced away briefly, her face growing pink. All I could do was sigh loudly through my nostrils.

"Albedo, your control over water is a marvel to behold at your age. A scant few more years of training and you'll be a true master. Nigredo, you are not far behind; if you two were to stand together, not even the Headmaster of Beacon could defeat you in battle."

Both Albedo and Nigredo glanced at each other with unreadable expressions. There was clearly something going on between them, but at this moment I did not intend to pry. Too tired.

"But you, Rubedo," Mistress turned to face me, "…you surprise me constantly. Pray, tell, do you meditate every single night?"

"And every morning," I said, slightly puffing up my chest. "I commune with the Wind every chance I get."

"And your power is evidence of that." Mistress held up her hand, revealing inflamed, red skin around her fingers. "I knew your control was good, but to have such command over the very air we breathe… dear child, in truth, I… hesitate to continue your training."

Pride and worry mixed together in my heart at hearing those words. Was I… too powerful?Could that even be possible for someone as young as me?

Mistress went quiet for a few moments, finger tapping her chin in thought, before sighing and pulling something from a hidden pocket on her dress. "I was going to wait before giving you this, but it appears you need a distraction."

She stepped closer and handed me an item I never dared imagine would be in my hands before my 18th year… a Focus. An artifact of the Old Ways. A priceless treasure to those who understood what it represented. It sat heavy in my hand in spite of its size; only a few inches across, it was slightly smaller than the palm of my hand, a circle of dark stone I could not identify engraved with runes of the ancient language. At the center was a jewel of indeterminate color, shifting every time I moved it. This was no simple Dust Crystal. I must have stared at that jewel for several minutes without blinking, it was utterly marvelous.

Gathering the necessary mana for casting was the single most time consuming part of the Old Ways, as the only way to do so was meditation – the magic of the natural world did not come quickly, even to those who were as intimate as we four. Thus we held onto what we had, only letting it go when absolutely necessary. That was simply how the Old Ways worked, and according to Mistress, how it always worked. A Focus was an item intended to improve that detail, allowing a witch to both concentrate their mana into a physical item and store it for long-term use without risk of letting it slip away. One rumor had reached my ears that a Focus was even capable of altering the very shape of magic itself, so long as its wielder knew how to properly utilize it.

"Rubedo, for the time being, do not meditate as you have been – focus on gathering your mana into that instead. It will be necessary for what comes next. And upon my return," Mistress interrupted my thoughts with a hand on my head, ruffling my hair slightly, "We will discuss your future. Fear not, dear child… I have no intention of abandoning you."

My worry must have shown on my face, so I relaxed my eyebrows and nodded.

…
…

I set out to find a secluded spot as soon as Mistress had taken her leave so I could commune with the Wind and do what she had bid me to do. Channeling the mana of nature was the easy part; keeping my mind out of the possible future was a bit more challenging.

Mistress had trusted me with an artifact that was, by any measure, almost priceless. If there was any mark of a true master of the Old Ways, it was having a Focus, and she had bestowed one on me so soon… it must be a sign! She sees something in me, a potential that not even my sisters had shown. I had long suspected Mistress Goodwitch might have favored me above them, and this was a clear indicator that I might not have been too far off the mark.

The spot I found was a little glen deep in the woods where only Nigredo might have found me – the earth speaks to her as the Wind does to me – but I knew I was in no danger of discovery this evening as sister Trini wanted Albedo and Nigredo's help with practicing one of her spells, which meant I was alone for the rest of the day. All the better, as my robe was becoming almost unbearable. I quickly shed the topmost portion and settled myself in the grass, letting the Wind caress my bare skin as I breathed into it, each of us giving and taking in equal terms the life-giving air of the world. It took a moment to find the artifact right in front of me with my other senses – I meditate with my eyes closed – but once there it was actually pretty easy to focus on my… well, Focus… and imbue it with the energies of nature, rather than take the mana into my own body. In fact, it was almost automatic; all I had to do was enjoy the wind on my skin and the Focus gained more mana. It was delightfully easy.

So easy, in fact, that a noise just in front of me did not break the bond I now shared with the stone. Neither did the appearance of four new little friends from the bushes, all kits of the same litter by the markings upon their little face-plates.

"Mrrp?" growled the closest one as the four cat-like Grimm tumbled into my glen. These were young Bast, and clearly in the middle of frolicking. I smiled and held out a hand to invite them over, though I hesitated to shift my posture for fear of breaking the bond. The closest kit, who must have been the oldest, took a careful sniff of my fingers before throwing caution to the wind and bounding up to me, his siblings right behind.

I couldn't help but giggle as the kits came right up as though I was an old friend, some rubbing against my crossed legs while others climbed into my lap to sniff at my face. The leader gently played and batted at my hand, nibbling at my fingers without any malice. They paid no attention to my Focus, which I was quite relieved to see.

Bast were just one of the dozens of species of Grimm that called this world home. Grimm were not quite the same as other animals, but lived alongside them anyway – such was the power of the natural world. All living creatures coexist in the same place, and the smart ones figured that out and manage to get along with each other just fine. Most Grimm had no problem with humans, though the feeling was not as mutual as I would've liked.

One kit decided to sniff a little too close and discovered a part of my body that was… let's just say, similar to something his mother possessed. "Ah ah, not there little one," I said as I carefully scooped the Bast kit into my other arm. "You can wait until your parents take you back before having a drink."

"Can't really blame the little guy, can you?"

The new voice did not startle me – my senses were ever open to the approach of anyone or anything that might disturb me, primarily the elder Bast who had brought these little ones into the world – so the Wind had already warned me of Emerald's approach. Most of the kits darted around to hide behind me.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I didn't turn around to greet my visitor, though I did take a moment to pull my robes back up over my chest. The one Bast kit I still held shook a little in my arms, no longer willing to play now that there was a stranger in our midst.

"Ooh, so formal," said Emerald as she walked into my glen and around to face me directly. "Can't an old friend drop in and say 'Hello' once in awhile?"

"Considering the state of our relationship almost two years ago…" I stared up at my old classmate and let the words linger for a moment, "…Probably not."

"That long, huh? I'll admit, I barely recognized you Ruby. The fresh air's done you good." Emerald smiled at me, showing off a set of gleaming white teeth in contrast to her darker complexion and shimmering green hair. She had on the uniform of our old school, though her ribbon was the blue of a third-year and she brazenly wore her Journeyman's Cloak even way out here in the middle of nowhere. Almost like she was gloating.

Emerald Sustrai was one of the few students at Beacon who could say she was friends with me and all of my coven sisters back during our first year. However, she did nothing to stop the teachers and faculty from expelling us all during the Incident. That is not something I will soon forget. As I looked up at her, the Wind brought a few trace aromas to my nose and I put the pieces together, "You have already spoken with the others, haven't you? That's how you found me."

One green eyebrow flew up. "You guys turning psychic out here now?"

More like the smell of our tea is still on your breath… is what I wanted to say, but I stayed quiet. Only Nigredo could have figured out where I was, so no doubt she had pointed the way. "If there is no pressing need, feel free to go back to the city. Alone."

After a short pause, the Wind carried a few muttered words to my ears: "Wow, they were right…" before Emerald resumed a normal volume and said, "I mainly came out here to see how you guys were holding up. I do still worry about you, ya know?"

"Indeed," I sighed.

"Also," Emerald reached behind her back and took out a small leather sack, placing it on the ground next to my Focus. "Special delivery from Port. He wanted to make sure you four have a way to protect yourselves out here since, you know, it might take a hot minute for a medical carriage to get to you this deep in the boonies."

The items in the sack made a very familiar… and very unwelcome… clinking sound upon meeting the grass. I glared at the sack in a vain attempt to make it burst into flames. "We do not need any NuCraft here, Emerald. Take it away." I noted that the other three kits had fled by now, only the one in my arms remaining and carefully eyeing my former friend.

Emerald shook her head, "Not gonna happen. If you wanna get rid of 'em, do it yourself. I'm just the delivery girl."

'I get paid so long as I don't bring them back with me,' was the unspoken part of that statement. Against my better judgment, I reached out with a deep sigh and opened the pouch. Inside sat four model-SD16s, palm-sized discs of NuCraft tech for self-defense, each with a different color of Dust Crystal set in the middle. "How many charges?"

Emerald smiled loudly as she said, "Eight apiece."

"The SD14s only had three shots."

"Technology doesn't stand still just cuz you tree-huggers leave town, you know…"

"Oh? What model do you have, smart-butt?"

She pulled out a device from her belt, this one with three different Dust Crystals at the center, "An SD21, latest version. This puppy can fire all day."

"Didn't the model 20 just come out at the start of the year?"

"Too buggy. They had to push the next one out early to meet the extra demand."

"What about-" By the gods! I bit down on my tongue as hard as I could to stop myself from digging even deeper. My hands shook as I closed the pouch back up but I couldn't bring myself to push the twice-damned things away. "Never mind. I'll just give these to Trin- to Yang. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

I hadn't even noticed until now that my bond with the Focus was long gone. Sighing with defeat, I finally stood up and brushed the loose grass from my bottom as I finally let the remaining Bast kit run free; he quickly darted off into the bushes, no doubt joining his litter and running home before dark.

Emerald came closer and put a hand on my shoulder, and for some reason I didn't push her away. "I really am sorry, Ruby," she said without any noticeable smug. "If there was anything I could've done, I swear-"

"Don't," I cut her off. "That was all in the past. Let's both just move past it."

I finally turned to face her and was surprised at the level of emotion in her blood-red eyes. It almost looked like she was seconds away from crying, though I couldn't have guessed why. Emerald shook it off a moment later, though. "Yeah, you're probably right. But do me a personal favor and hold onto those, would ya? Pretty please?"

I looked down in wonder as I realized I was holding both my Focus and the pouch of NuCraft devices in my hands. And I didn't even realize I'd picked them up.

"I'm not just saying it to annoy you, I swear," Emerald continued, "None of you guys watch the news out here, you should know that there've been sightings of a Wight in this region. Apparently one's moved in nearby, though nobody's been out here to remove it yet. And they probably won't unless it gets too close to town."

Ah, a Wight. That was a particularly troublesome Grimm as it was rather fierce in defending its territory from anything that wasn't another Wight. It was also one of the worst for people like us to deal with. "I will keep that in mind. Was there anything else?"

"Nope."

Emerald smiled again as she sauntered past me, heading out of my glen and back to civilization where she belonged. I had a brief urge to throw the pouch after her, but it died as soon as the thought entered my head. A gift of this nature would no doubt make Citrinitas quite happy, and I didn't want to deny her that. She'd been through enough.

"Oh, by the way…" Emerald stopped at the edge of the trees and turned back to me, her smile bright enough to glow in the dim light of the evening, "You don't have to worry about covering yourself next time I visit. I enjoy a good show.~"

That little shit…! Rather than the pouch, I hurled a nearby stone at the smug woman. Sadly my aim with anything other than the Wind was abysmal; she got away unscathed while I was left fuming. I might be comfortable with being nude, but that didn't mean I was fine showing myself to just anybody. Especially someone like her.

…
…

That night was the first since our arrival in these woods that I could not sleep well. Emerald's visit had stirred memories of the past that would not be quelled so easily; not even the old mantras could bring me fully back to the present. I had assumed I no longer held any attachments to the events that led us here, but clearly I was mistaken.

We four did not begin our lives among the wonders of nature, though looking back I can safely say I felt a longing to connect with it from a young age. I was drawn to the magical technology of the day, as any child would be – NuCraft, which allows anyone to wield magic in the form of Dust – though I remember always wanting more. I couldn't explain it very well, but my parents assumed that a proper education would enlighten me on my path. They sent me to Beacon, and it was there I met my coven sisters for the first time, regal Weiss, nimble Blake and flamboyant Yang. They also were looking for something beyond what the world could offer, so we soon became fast friends in our search for the truth.

And then I found it… the Old Ways. I knew then what my calling truly was meant to be.

Exactly four books on the Old Ways lingered in the school's library, aging into scale and awaiting the day the librarian disposed of them. I liberated all four and studied them with a fervor that, quite frankly, created no small measure of concern among my teachers. When I and my sisters approached the faculty with the offer to form a proper club that we might bring in others to share in our epiphany, we were sternly rejected. We even received a warning to cease with our 'dangerous fantasies' before we strayed too far out of line and got into trouble.

That was the day I realized the truth… the Old Ways had not been forgotten, but rejected. Shunned. The world had turned against the very foundation upon which humanity had been built!

And I aimed to change that.

To this day I cannot say what went wrong during our demonstration, but I can safely assume I merely lacked the needed practice to properly control my spell. All of us gathered in front of the school to show the world that the Old Ways, the ancient magic forsaken in the name of modern convenience, was far from dead. I had studied hard for that day and beamed with pride when I produced a swirling wind using not a single speck of Dust… but pride turned to terror when my spell grew out of control and became a tornado. Large portions of the school building were devastated before anyone could quell the tempest, and I was guaranteed to be held accountable for the damage by everybody who would bother to speak with me at all.

Yet I was not arrested, nor imprisoned. The storm was declared an act of the gods and I and my sisters were merely expelled, I can only assume to help cover the fact that I used 'impossible' magic to such a degree that lives were in danger.

My power frightened them, it is the only explanation. Were I to try that same spell now, I have no doubt I could flatten all of Vale; I was driven away in the hope that I would not retaliate with greater force. My only regret is that they also drove out my sisters due to their connection with me and my 'fanaticism.' I alone was the guilty party, yet all of us were punished.

They did not have to follow me out here, but I am eternally grateful they did not abandon me. Or the cause.

"Hail, sister," said Albedo as she joined me in our communal clearing today. She once again looked every inch the northern queen she always did, but her gaze turned into one of concern when her eyes fell upon my ragged state. "Um… are you well?"

I had not gazed into a mirror for many months, but I knew I looked tired after my sleepless night last night. "I… will live," I said with a light cough. Anything else would either be a lie or cause undue worry. "I did not sleep well."

An awkward silence fell upon the clearing even as Nigredo and Citrinitas joined us, the latter once again cursed to endure a staggering level of bedhead. No one spoke above a whisper until the morning tea was ready, and even then we all sipped in silence. So distracted was I by thoughts of the past that I could not even bring myself to commune with the wind today, which was likely a large part of my melancholy. I was unbearably lonely without it.

"So, uh…" Trini started to say while running her fingers through her golden locks. "Were you mulling over what Goodwitch said, or…?"

"In part," I answered. It was a very small part, but still technically true. "Emerald's visit made me remember the hardships that brought us all here, and I… I don't like it. My spirit is disturbed."

Trini turned and quietly said to Nigredo, "See? It was Emerald. Pay up."

To which Nigredo responded, "She was involved, but not the reason. Hush."

Citrinitas crossed her arms with a pout, "Stingy-"

"Is there anything we can do to ease your troubles?" Albedo said in a gentle voice that effectively cut off whatever the other two were babbling about.

That was a good question, and difficult to answer. Yes I was troubled, but the precise reason eluded me even now. I knew I had a long and challenging road ahead of me to reach mastery over the Wind, if such a thing was even possible, but yesterday was the first real test I'd ever faced… and I nearly knocked a tree down. My first spell was also flubbed, so much that I came close to destroying Beacon. Perhaps I was too powerful to train. Perhaps the authorities around me were… correct to hold me back.

("In truth… I hesitate to continue your training.")

Or perhaps the Mistress was no different than the faculty back in the city. Perhaps even she, with all her skill and wisdom, saw something in me she was afraid of. A power she couldn't control. A power no one could tame.

Yet was that not the nature of the Wind itself? What mere mortal could ever hope to contain the power of nature's wrath, the gales capable of wrenching buildings from their foundations, mighty hurricanes able to flatten entire cities, or twisters that could rip the ancient trees out by their very roots? Who could ever bring the Wind to heel?

Well that was easy… me.

"Nigredo."

She and Trini were quietly arguing about something… again… but at the sound of her name my Faunus sister turned and said, "Yes? Ah, I see a new spark in your eyes, Rubedo-"

As well she would, for my soul had reignited much the same as when the Headmaster of Beacon rejected my request to form a club to study the Old Ways. I knew now what had to be done. "Where does the Mistress keep her tomes?"

Albedo quickly spoke up, "Sister, is that wise? Goodwitch is not here today…"

Nigredo gave her a glance, then turned back to me and said, "Most are locked up in her cottage, but a select few are sealed inside an old ruin about three miles to the north of here. She has a magical barrier in place to prevent any wild animals from disturbing her belongings, but we can pass through it without consequence."

Trini said to her, "How do you know that?"

"She showed it to me once, about two seasons ago." Nigredo pointed to Albedo, "And she never said we weren't allowed to go inside and have a look."

I stood up from my sitting stone and looked upon my sisters again. All three had forsaken the material world as I had, and Goodwitch had praised us all as prodigies in the Old Ways. It was not just me – all of us were on the verge of mastering the ancient magic. "I wish to study one of those tomes, and I cannot think of a better time than now. Would you lead the way, sister?"

…
…

Remnant was built on the magic of the Old Ways, and if you know where to look, you can see the pieces of our glorious past so callously tossed aside for the sake of the Shiny and New. Ruins and ancient sites that had every right to be preserved and studied just… left to rot. Few things are more shameful to me than how completely we as humans have abandoned our own past.

The Mistress had taken one of these ruins for herself in order to store her treasures, and it was here that sister Nigredo led us. I had only seen this temple from a distance but never guessed that Goodwitch had given it new usage – it sat mostly empty, a circular stone foundation roughly a hundred yards wide with a mostly intact roof of stone tiles held up by numerous pillars all around the perimeter. Much of the stonework had fallen away due to time and the elements, and a large number of plants had moved in to continue their own cycle of life; vines of all shapes and sized formed a natural lattice that lined much of the ceiling, and hundreds of tiny flowers dotted the paved floor, each one a stubborn example of how life would find a way no matter the circumstances. My spirits lifted from the sight.

The sun sat high in the sky as we passed through the invisible barrier – I felt little more than a tingle at the edge of my senses – but once inside I saw the tomes. Nigredo was right; four massive books each sat upon their own decorative pillar of quartz, carved and inlaid with ebony. Each sat waiting in the shade of the temple roof, yet illuminated nonetheless by unseen magic. Two of the tomes were smaller, their covers worn and unreadable, while the third was laid open to reveal charts of which I was not familiar. Albedo was drawn to this one, Nigredo and Citrinitas to the first two.

The final tome was far larger than the others, thick with dust and seemingly giving off some sort of intangible pressure; merely looking at it proved difficult, let alone approaching it. Another charm of the Mistress, no doubt. If it was warded, then there was no doubt this was the book I needed. Within those dilapidated covers were the secrets to mastering the Old Ways.

As soon as I opened the book, two things happened in quick succession:

First, I was profoundly disappointed to realize the book was written in a language I could not begin to comprehend. It was the same runic font as what was engraved on my Focus, which I was nowhere near capable of reading let alone understanding.

And second… something just outside the temple shrieked. It was neither man nor beast.

I quickly turned, summoning the Wind to aid me, just in time to witness a cloud of white mist hurling towards me with frightening speed. I clearly sensed malice emanating from it like the smell of a bog, and so quickly summoned a strong breeze to knock it aside and away from me.

The mist darted back out of the temple and into the surrounding trees.

At once my sisters were at my side, their own spells ready. Citrinitas said, "The hell was that? Did Goodwitch have some kind of guardian?"

"I didn't sense anything until it was upon us," said Albedo.

"No…" I took a shaky breath and clenched my fist. "That was a Wight. Emerald warned me there was one in the area."

Trini quickly slapped her robes before cursing through her teeth, "Shit… and I left the SD16s back in my bunk."

"Then we do this the hard way." I called upon the Wind once more, causing the air around the temple to swirl and rotate slowly and constantly. The Wight would not sneak up on us again. "Nigredo, can you collect the tomes? I can hold it off while we-"

"They are charmed," said the Faunus. "Only Goodwitch herself can remove them from their pedestals. I already tried."

Albedo managed to call upon enough moisture from the humid air to form a long, thin blade of water in her hands, a bit like a sword. "We are in danger as long as we remain here. Let us make haste!"

"No!" I shouted.

My barrier of Wind was broken somewhere behind us. Albedo and I turned together to see a wild boar charge into the temple, right past the outer field and straight at my legs. It was simple enough to dodge, but I quickly noted the boar's eyes – black with blazing red pupils. "It is possessed by the Wight," I shouted. "Albedo!"

"On it!"

One of the most dangerous traits of this particular Grimm was its ability to 'possess' any living creature and use it as a host, controlling its movements for its own purposes. The boar turned and came back, and my sister from the north drove forward and stretched her blade of water into a thin chord. With a nimble duck and weave that even impressed Nigredo, she wrapped her line around the boar's neck and slung her leg over its back, effectively riding it. The magic of her water quickly drained the strength out of the possessed creature, weakening it for what happened next.

Citrinitas had her own spell ready; with a quick chant in the ancient tongue, she shot forward and pressed her hand upon the boar's face, igniting a flaming rune right in front of it. The Wight shrieked again as it was blasted out. Now without a body again, the angry mist turned and fled once more.

"We must leave!" Albedo collected her water into a tight ball and let it float near her head for quick recovery. "Let Goodwitch remove that creature when she returns. We can do nothing more-"

"Leave if you wish," I growled as I turned back to the open tome. "I came here to learn something, and by the gods I mean to do just that."

"Ruby cut it out!" Trini grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around, her face filled with consternation. "I dunno what's gotten into you, but this isn't worth it. We could die here."

I couldn't stop myself from sneering, "Oh? Is one lowly Grimm too much for you?"

"This one is," said Nigredo as she pulled us apart. "You know as well as we that magic has no effect on a Wight. We cannot harm it, only drive it away."

Cowards. All of them, cowards! I glared at each in turn, trying in vain to keep my temper from exploding out and making me say words I could not take back. The Wind sensed my mood and responded accordingly, forcing my barrier outside to strengthen.

A few tense moments passed as the Wind howled outside. Albedo carefully put a hand to my shoulder and said, very slowly, "Ruby… let it go. We can come back another time."

Blast it… of all the rotten luck… if not for that twice-damned Wight, I would surely be on the path to mastery this very moment! Yet I knew that taking out my frustration upon my sisters was the wrong thing to do, and the fear in their faces confirmed this. I squeezed my eyes shut and took as deep a breath as possible, held it, then let it go with a groan. My anger subsided accordingly, as did the barrier outside. "Very well," I said quietly.

The Wight chose that moment to charge back into the temple, this time in possession of another host – a large panther. This was no Grimm, yet a bony face-plate had already started to form over its head, indicating the Wight had taken the time to fully merge with the poor beast. It roared and dove right for me, wicked sharp claws fully outstretched.

This time Citrinitas was ready; holding twin flames in each fist, she drove forward and landed a devastating punch against the animal. Nigredo was right beside her, an impromptu shield of dirt and stone ready to intercept the next attack.

Albedo bid me run, but my anger had returned and I heeded her not. Moving quickly and without too much thought, I drew forth my Focus and called upon its power. I had had enough of this creature. Normal magic might not harm it, but channeling the Old Ways through one of its artifacts was far from 'normal.' It must have some effect. Time to test my theory.

The Wight sensed my impending attack and turned away from Trini, darted between my sisters and drove for me once again, as though sent to eliminate me specifically by whatever powers drove it.

There was no time; none of the others could intercept the Wight before it reached me. I lifted the Focus, aimed it at the panther, and quickly created the same improvised attack from yesterday – a highly concentrated ball of Wind, though not quite so tight. I only wanted to knock the creature out of the temple, not blast it into pieces.

Once the claws were mere inches away from my skin, I fired.

BOOM! ! !

Somehow the sound was far louder in this place. My ears rang for several minutes after and the sheer pressure of the spell caused me to blink, so I couldn't see what happened until a moment later.

Sadly I missed; the panther had taken a glancing blow as the attack pushed it aside, and I could see the animal itself dart out of the temple in the aftermath, tail tightly tucked between its back legs… and no trace of the Grimm face-plate from before. Did I actually manage to drive it out and away from me in one fell swoop?

"…!" Albedo shouted something and pointed, but I could not make out a word through the ringing. Instead I followed her finger and discovered something… impossible. There was no other word for it.

My attack had missed the Wight, but instead I had hit the massive tome of unreadable text, still open to the page I had tried to read. Or more accurately, I hit the air above it. And the air was… it was… somehow split. Torn as though it was a sheet of fabric.

And beyond the hole lay an entirely different place.

I saw sunlight coming from far lower on the horizon than what was directly above me. I saw dense trees the color and size of which I'd never seen before. A smell blasted me from the hole, young trees, flowers I'd never known, a jungle like nothing I'd ever laid eyes on. And in the distance, almost further than I could make out, sat a massive building in the shape of a pyramid, flat sides angled up to a single point at the top, no doubt larger than even Beacon's main hall.

I know I had not seen much of the world outside of Vale, but I'm reasonably sure nothing like this existed on Remnant.

My wonder was briefly interrupted by the shrieking of the Wight, yet its noise was different now. It carried a note of fear. Rather than flee to the safety of the trees, the white mist darted into the hole and vanished.

Acting on instinct, I shot forward and slammed the tome shut.

The hole in the air vanished a moment later.

All went silent for a moment save for the pounding of my heart. Fear and excitement mingled together to give me an elation I had rarely felt before. That same spell had nearly knocked me off my feet a day prior, yet with the Focus in hand I was now barely spent at all! Incredible! And more than that, I had driven away a Wight without any NuCraft gadgetry!

"Yang! Yang, wait!"

But of course my moment of triumph had to be interrupted by my cowardly sisters again; I felt a vein throbbing on my forehead as I turned to witness Trini quickly walking away from the temple, Nigredo and Albedo close behind her and urging her to stop. I did not listen to their words, but I didn't need to; I could smell their fear and trepidation even from here.

It was over, so why flee? Why make haste when the danger is already expelled? Honestly it was a wonder they'd come this far with such fragile, weak temperaments…

Then the Wind carried one more cry to my ears before the trio disappeared into the bushes: "Goodwitch is gonna kill us."

Oh.

Now that was a different matter, and one I could not so easily dismiss. We likely were in some sort of trouble now, but… what was there to do but beg forgiveness?

The tomes remained where they lay, apparently locked in place while their owner was absent, so I had a choice before me: Stay and study alone, or return and try to make peace between my sisters and myself.

If I stayed, I could potentially gain a new understanding of the Old Ways. I could find the secret to unlocking my true potential… but I risked losing my dearest friends, and that was too great a price to pay.

The answer was all too simple – with a heavy sigh, I turned and walked out of the ruined temple. I could find the way back on my own, at least. If I was lucky, I might be able to make amends with my coven before nightfall.

Looking back on this moment, I would realize that was the smartest decision I made that day.

…
…

"Tell me something, Rubedo…"

That would be a difficult ask, all things considered. All I could do was grunt. And I am not exaggerating.

"If you came home from a long day of classes at Beacon…" Goodwitch spoke softly while we made our way back to the temple, my sisters behind me. "…And you discovered a nest of Rapier Wasps in your bedroom, what would you do?"

Even if I could answer, there was nothing I could say. Mistress was angry, far more so than I'd ever seen her, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out exactly why. And right now I had a gag of Wind keeping my jaw open while tendrils of compressed Wind kept my arms and legs bound together, so I also had no means of distracting myself from the matter at hand.

By the gods… to think I fancied myself as the one who could bring the Wind to heel… how foolish. I could not hold a candle to the power of Goodwitch. Even now the Wind obeyed her command and utterly refused to heed my desires.

Without looking back at me, Mistress continued, "I'll tell you – such a thing would be a disaster, causing endless headaches as you tried to get them out of your personal sanctuary. Rapier Wasps do not take kindly to being driven away, as I'm sure you know. They would fight to the last bug." She turned to glance back at me, those intense green eyes filled with fire. "Or until they won."

I could not look away, nor turn and run. The spell she was using also lifted me off the ground and carried me along like a sack of potatoes. The most I could do was grunt and nod. Slightly.

We paused for a moment as Mistress turned to give me her full attention. "Now tell me, child… if you discovered that someone had placed that nest in your room, whether by accident or on purpose… what then would you do?"

She only wanted me to consider it, not give an answer, and so I did – I suppose if I found that someone had violated my private space in such a way, I would rightly be angry. I may even demand compensation, or force the guilty party to take responsibility and drive away the wasps on their own. It was only fair.

"So you do understand. Good. That makes this far more simple." Mistress turned and continued walking, still carrying me behind her. Could she read my thoughts?

Eventually we arrived back at the temple, the only noticeable difference being the distinct absence of a large portion of the roof. That was my fault. None of my sisters offered any defense, and in fact had been quiet for the entirety of our wait for the Mistress to return. I understood their trepidation now – with Mistress angry, our future was again in flux. Anything could happen now.

At last we came to a stop inside the ruins, and Mistress released my bonds. I dropped the short distance to the stone floor and rubbed my jaw, as it had grown sore from being forced open for so long.

Goodwitch opened the massive tome and began flipping through the faded yellow leaves. "Do you recall which page this was open to?"

"No," I said with a small cough. I needed a drink. "Too much was happening at once."

Mistress sighed loudly through her nose before turning to a page near the middle of the book. "This will have to do, then. Alright, you four… listen, and listen well."

I stood straighter and remained still next to Albedo.

"You let a dangerous Grimm escape this world. Now you must go and bring it back."

I blinked, "…World?"

"Do not concern yourself with that detail, Rubedo," said Goodwitch. One finger rose to push her glasses higher on her face, and they reflected beneath the shade of her wide hat. "The place on the other side of that hole is one that cannot handle a creature such as a Wight. Our magic does not exist there, at least not in the same form as here. You may have unleashed a plague far more devastating than any number of Rapier Wasps. I will not allow you to shirk responsibility for this. Understand?"

A place without Grimm… and where magic doesn't exist? Was such a thing possible? I had thought that NuCraft was a luxury known the world over, but… was I wrong? Could that have been a remote area of Mistral? That would explain the jungle, as Nigredo had mentioned places of the like…

Citrinitas held up a hand, "What happens if we… um… can't find it?"

Goodwitch glared at her, then at all of us. "When you four came to me, begging me to take you in, I swore to train you. I promised I would not turn you away. But this…" She turned to look back at the glowing manuscript behind her, "…this I cannot ignore. Your actions have put the lives of countless innocents in danger. If you fail to capture the Wight, I can no longer train you. I will have to expel you all."

Expel. Again that word loomed over us. Over me. I knew full well that my actions had caused all this, but even so, I could not hold my anger back for much longer. I was right on the verge of exploding all over again… just like at Beacon.

Goodwitch could see it coming and moved to snuff out the fire before it could reach the keg; she stepped forward and grabbed my face with one hand, holding it firm as she glared into my eyes. "Now you listen to me, Ruby Rose… people like you are why the Old Ways were abandoned in the first place! Arrogant, headstrong mages who gave no thought to the damage they did, but only sought more and more power! Your kind is dangerous! And I will not allow you to put anyone else in peril! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

My anger was snuffed out so completely I almost forgot why I was mad in the first place. I couldn't push her away as I felt the beginnings of a tear forming in one eye. "Y-Y-Yes, ma'am."

She let go, took one step back and held out her hand. "The Focus. Now."

Panic made me tense up. "But… how will we hunt the Wight without it?"

"You have everything you need already, thanks to your little green-haired friend," Goodwitch made a point to stare at Citrinitas for a moment, very clearly implying she knew about the SD-16s and that Trini had brought them along. Wonderful. "Now give me the Focus. If you succeed, I'll consider returning it, but right now you cannot be trusted."

Fear and panic eventually washed away with a heavy dose of sorrow. She was completely right. I reached into my robes with a heavy heart and pulled the relic from inside, handing it to my Mistress with clear longing in my gaze. Goodwitch took it and tucked it back into the pocket it first emerged from only a few days prior. I felt properly naked without it, far more so than when I simply removed my garments.

After that, Mistress turned back to the book and lifted both hands, quietly chanting words I did not recognize in the slightest. A glowing rune appeared beneath her feet as visible magic gathered in each hand. Bringing them together, she aimed at the tome and released the spell.

Again a hole appeared above the book, right in the middle of the air. However, there was no jungle beyond. Only a brown, barren desert with a moon shining brightly in a night sky.

Mistress was somehow able to move the hole, guiding it into the middle of the temple and placing it on the floor, expanding it until it was the size of a proper doorway. My stomach lurched at what we were about to do.

"If I knew the precise page, I could guide you right to the place where the Wight appeared," said Goodwitch. "I gave Albedo a Trapper, so all you'll need to do is find it. The rest should be easy, even for you all."

Ah, that explained a lot. A Trapper was another NuCraft device, and one of the very few that could do what even the Old Ways could not; capture and move a Wight. Normal magic had no effect on the creature in its incorporeal form, so it was the only way.

I took a wary step towards the portal. I could feel a hot desert wind blowing through from the other side, but this wind was hard. Unfriendly. It would take a lot of convincing to become friends with it.

"You already know, don't you?" said Goodwitch as I stood waiting. "Any damages to that place are your fault, Rubedo. It is only fair."

I didn't even get the chance to respond before my sisters were at my side, hands on my shoulder to guide me through. All I could do was give my Mistress a nod before we were in the place beyond the portal.

…

…

…

It was supposed to be easy. All we had to do was go in, find the Wight, catch it and go home. Goodwitch even left the portal open to make it faster.

So why… why did we suddenly get jumped by a bunch of nut-jobs in metal armor? And with swords to boot?

"Get back here, craven sorceress!" screamed a woman who could've passed as my twin. My very angry, very murderous twin. Possibly my evil twin, but I'd barely met the woman, so further confirmation would have to wait.

I could not answer due to the fact I was running as fast as my legs could carry me, aided by the small amount of Wind I could summon in this place. I didn't care where I went, only that I didn't get cut to ribbons by that stupid sword.

Seriously, who uses a sword in this day and age?

A rumbling just ahead of me caused me to stop, sand flying out in front of me, as a black shape materialized out of the darkness – a massive snake, bigger than anything from back home. And the bony face-plate made it all too obvious what I was looking at.

A Grimm. And if Goodwitch's word was anything to go by, this must be the Wight. Clearly it had quite a bit of time to take full control of this snake to grow so large.

Thing is, I didn't even have a chance to gather a single spell, or even pull out my SD-16 again – something small and sharp flitted over my head, striking the serpent along its massive body and making it writhe in pain. The woman from before suddenly dove past, flying through the air herself as she gave a war cry right out of the history books, that sword held firm in both hands. I fully expected the snake to just chomp her out of the air, but that didn't happen – she reached it and plunged the blade into the Grimm's belly.

I didn't mention this before, but Grimm aren't usually harmed by metal. Much like the Wight in its true form was immune to magic, so too were normal Grimm immune to steel and iron. At least, that was common knowledge back in the real world. Where things made sense.

This woman's sword not only struck the creature… it struck true. The snake gave a cry of pain as it lurched, the black body dissolving right before my eyes. Killed by a mere mortal, a woman without magic or Dust.

A woman with a face that matched my own.

A metal sword that just killed the Wight I was supposed to catch and bring back.

Oh, and it could also deflect shots from NuCraft. There was that, too.

Oh yeah, and they want to kill me.

…What sort of nightmare was I stuck in now?

…

…

…

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Author's Note: As with the previous chapter, this kind of first-person POV is one I'm not terribly familiar with, so apologies if any of it is a bit rough. I'm still learning. We all are, if you think about it.

So now we have the other side of the story, as a magical Ruby and her friends unwittingly bring another world to the brink of armageddon, and now they have to make things right without getting stabbed. What's gonna happen next? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Editor's note: As alluded to last time, this is Mr. Author's personal baby in this story. Mr. WithaB0x can explain further, but here's the TL;dr to whet your collective whistles: Rubedo was developed sort of as an antithesis to Agnes, a Ruby who came from a world where magic is the driving force for progress and, weirdly enough, most Grimm are placid, able to coexist with Humanity. So you can see how someone who, say, spent their whole life learning how to murderize and unalive Grimm and Other Evils™️ with a Zionistic ferver might just react poorly to first meeting them.

And before anyone asks, the similarities to the Four Elements in A:TLA and A:LOK is entirely coincidental. (A/N: The four classic elements are a fairly common magic troupe, btw)

Fun fact: Rubedo's world actually draws some inspiration from, of all things, High Guardian Spice. In the pilot episode it's revealed that one of the main characters uses a style of magic that's widely considered outdated, while the new quasi-magitek hotness is something anyone can learn and use. And while nothing is really done with that dichotomy in HGS (aside from a few cheap jabs at the one character), Myself and Mr. WithaB0x felt the premise was too interesting to not play around with here. Which just goes to prove the old adage of "one man's trash" and all that.

=^..^=