Ruby Rose lived a simple life of a Huntress in training, at least untill that night in the Ruins out side of Vale during that seak and destroy mission with her teammates and her professor. When she was wisked away.
Chapter 1: The Nautiloid
Ruby was on patrol as the others got their sleep keeping an eye out for the Grimm or any signs of the white fang. Her trusty weapon Cresent Rose tucked on her back behind her cloak. The tall imposing stone structures were shells of their former selves. Places that once had been homes and businesses left to turn to dust.
The young huntress turned a corner and in the distance saw the shattered moon high above the surface of the world. While looking up at it the sounds around her seemed to stop as a sickly slimy smell filled the air before a ear shattering bang rang out as a purple tentacled ship appeared from nowhere.
The side of the ship was engulfed in flames as it descended towards the ruined city. Towards her. The young huntress turned to run away when she heard a roar as three great red beasts swooped over head spewing fire from their maws. Dragons straffed the sides of the alien shell like ship as it crasshed through the side of a buiding sending rubble everwhere. Then as it got closser to her as she rann a tentacle reached out to her touching her.
Ruby vanished in a puff of purple smoke appearing inside the ship trapped in a pod. A glass like shell over her as she pounded on the glass. "Help!" She screamed out. Fist slamming on the glass as her aura flared around her. The slight damp wet interior of the pod seemed to pules. A rythem much like a heart beat as Ruby's eyes adjusted to the dark room.
Vein like growths spider wepped the deep purple shell like interior. The air had a scent, bamp wet mold and blood. It permeated the air like a thick heavy cloud clogging her senses. In the center of the room was a yellow glowing pool of brine that bubbled. Infront of the pool was a figure in grand chitonous robes. Long lanky arms tipped with black nails reaching into the pool as the ship jostled.
Ruby watched in confusion as it pulled a small fleshy tadpole from the brine before it levitated to her. its body slowly turn in the air. Gray purple skin streched over inhuman features. skull elongated, glowing orange eyes filled with malicious hunger. Tentacles streching down it's chest from where its mouth should be.
Ruby felt a force pin her down in the pod as everything closed in around her. She couldn't move or look away as the glass of the pod opened, the tadpole in its hand extending out. Ruby saw only nightmares as the pale things mouth full of needle like teeth gnashed at her. It touched her. leaving a trail of slime as it slid over my eye face, moving to her eyes.
She wanted to wretch. to rum to do anything as the vile parasite entered through her eye. pushing under her upper eyelid and pushing deeper. Gnawing its way into her skull to get to her brain.
Ruby began to cunvulse and thrash in her pod as her aura rejected the parasite. Her screams muffled as the pod clossed. Going from seizures to cunvulsions ruby qas conciouss through it all. Whatever that tadpole was her very being regectted it. Her own Aura may kill her to rid her body of the vile pest.
The ship shuddered as the vessal listed to the right as a massive explosion rocked the ship. Ruby's pod crashed to the ground as the world went dark around the huntress.
Ruby awoke some time later as she was being pulled from a raging fire. She was barely coherent as she her a man comforting her as her carried her to safety. "I got you, i won't let you die on me." He said as her pulled her to a river bank and laid her down. Ruby's varely open eyes could just make out the stars and the rough outline of an unbroken moon. That's when a splash of water sprayed across her face.
Sputtering, Ruby sat up as he supported her back. Soot washed off her face as she wiped a hand across her face. Looking up at the man, a few things stood out to her, the stone eye, and the scars. He wore a brown padded armor with leather boots, his curly hair braided in tight rows. "Are you alright." He said handing her a glass bottle of water the cork still in his hand.
She graciously took it and swallowed a mouthful washing ash and gunk from her mouth and throat. "Name's Wyll. The blade of Frontiers." He introduced himself. "I know this forest, there should be a druids grove nearby. We'll be able to gather our thoughts there."
As Ruby slowly stood up a pain raced through their heads. seeing each other in the others eyes. "Ugh... what was that..." Ruby groaned holding her head.
"The tabpole... illithid infection. If we can't purge it we'll become mindflayers." Wyll said helping her stand.
"Mindflayers, Tadpoles?" Ruby thought back to the ship, a thought crossing her mind. The tentacle faced creature. "I'm gonna be sick."
"I don't blame you, the open hand temple in wryms crossing should be able to help us." Wyll said patting her on the back. "Come if were lucky the Head druid at the grove maybe able to cure us."
Driuds, cure, temple. Ruby could barely process what was happening. The two of them walked in the dark of night leaving the wreckage behind them. "Sorry I never asked you for your name. Where are you from?"
"Ruby, Ruby Rose. I was on a mission with my team and teacher outside of Vale in a ruined city called Mountain Glenn. We were looking for a white fang hideout." She said rubbing her temples as though trying to understand where she was in relation to where she had been.
"Vale, as in Delimbyr Vale south of the Forlorn Hills and North of the Misty Forest?" Wyll asked.
"No..." Ruby unfamiliar of the place the man mentioned. "Vale one of the four kingdoms?"
"There are many kingdoms along the length of the sword coast, though perhaps you refer to the deep inland of Faerun or perhaps another landmass on Torill?" Wyll asked.
"Faurun? Torill? No, I'm from Vale one of the four Kingdoms of Remnant. Mystral, Vacuo and Atlas are the other three." Ruby said stopping in her tracks a feeling of dread over coming her.
"Can't say i've heard of those places before, but when the ship crashed i heard goblin wardrum so if you want to survive we need to get moving." Wyll said looking around his stone eye gazing over the area before focusing on her, and she felt another soul lock eyes upon her, not the man's but something darker.
"Goblins? What... where am i? I need to get back to my team... i shouldn't be here." Rubt started to reach for her scythe on her back grabbing the red contraption when Wyll put a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay... Upon my honour, I'll keep you safe till you get home." He said reassuringly.
"You Don't even know what or where my home is! Are you not concerned about Grimm? Goblins belong in the fairy tails my mother read to me!" She pulled away a firm hand on her scythe.
"Hey, it's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you." Wyll held out his empty hands. "The tapole must have affected you worse then I thought. Please just take a breath. I'm not your enemy. We need to help each other."
Ruby stood silent for a few seconds before standing straight. "Fine... lets get to this grove..." She said quietly.
Following Wyll they worked their way up the hill dodging burning brush. Sonn they came upon a small pile of yellowish skin bodies. bare above 3 and half feet tall. matted hair and rotten fur clothes. Deep bloody gashes were cut through their flesh.
Wyll knelt to examine the bodies. "No couldn't be her, more align with a sword then an axe."
"Couldn't be who?" Ruby asked.
"I am a devil Hunter. I tracked her to the feilds of Avernus when the ship scooped us up. A one horned Devil named Karlach, a viscious gladiator of Zariel's army. The destruction she could wreck across the sword coast in insurmountable. Ahe'll bring the blood war to the Material plane."
Ruby frowned at the explanation. As it left her with more questions. Leaving the burning wreckage behind they made their way into the forest along a old path passing a broken wagon half buried in the soil. The night sky over head shing on them as they walked sround a rise and spotted a gate built into the clif disguised with vines.
A figure stood atop with a torch held above his head. "Halt! who goes there?" Ruby couldn't quite make out the features of the man. Though the fire light reflected off his armor.
"The Blade of Frontiers. I mean you no harm, to whome do I speak? You don't wear the robes of a druid." Wyll said lifting his empty hands.
"I am Zevlor, former captain of the Hellriders of Elturel before the Descent." Zevlor responded. "We're refugees heading to Bauldrs Gate. We were attacked by gnolls on the road."
"Great more questions." Ruby grumbled to herself.
"Can you let us in, we're in need of shelter." Wyll stated craning his neck to look up.
"Kanon, raise the gate, get them inside before goblins attack. I'll meet them face to face." Zevlor Nodded to some out of sight.
The gate creaked as it rose up. Ruby and Wyll walked under the construction to see the man.
Deep red skin, hard jawline with sunken cheeks. deep glowing eyes with black sclera. horns growing from his forehead. Forked tail trailing behind just above the ground.
Wyll turned to Ruby reading her expression. "Never seen a Teifling before I take it? Their more human then most people I know, it's a shame how their treated. I know of the Hellriders, a honorable group of warriors. We can trust him."
"The famed Blade of Frontiers I'm honored. We have often heard of your exploits. We tell them to the children to cheer them up. Now they will be more then happy to meet their hero in person." Zevlor extended a hand to Wyll.
Ruby looked at Wyll agian. It was like she had been transported to one of her mother's fairy tale adventurs she used to read. Goblins and monsters abound and this seemingly larger then life hero cutting down the wicked.
"Ah, you flatter me. For now I need rest afterall I'm still human." Wyll looked away smiling. "Let us know how we can help in the morning. I got Supplies and food for me and my companion."
Zevlor examined Ruby. "I'm sorry for ignoring you young lady, things have just been stressful recently. I must keep my people safe, but who might you be?"
"I'm Ruby Rose from Vale. I am a Huntress in Training at Beacon Academy. I was on a mission with my team when that purple shell tentacle ship snatched me..."
"Yes the mindflayer's nautiloid, we were captured but managed to escaped relativily unharmed though if we could see the head Druid to get checked over." Wyll Cut her off.
"Hmmm i'm glad your safe. The First Druid is out investigating a nearby ruined temple of Selune with an adventures party. He'll be back in the morning. He left a rather venomous woman incharge in his absence so I recomend that you keep a low profile and stay out of their sacred grove." Zevlor motioned up towards the spacious cave. "Speak with Dammon, the smith near the back of the cave, He's sure to have a tent or two."
Ruby and Wyll walked into the encampment. Just at the entrance was a short man in leather armor. Short like half of Wyll's height. "Ah more refugees. Here' a couple bedrol and a tent, over by the far end of the cave is a clear spot where you can pitch a tent a get a fire going. Name's Aaron I'm one of the Druids, if you need anything else I'll be selling suplies in the morning."
"Thank you." Wyll said politely before the pair moved further in the cave. Teiflings of all different colors from deep purples to angry reds, warm oranges and cool blues, and as many styles of horns.
Heading round a makeshift training area and down a dip lead them to a workshop area where a yellow skined teifling swung a hammer on the rough shape of a blade. the glowing metal molded by his hammer blows. Wiping sweat from his brow he set the cooling blade to one side. "Ah more refugees, seems the situation gets worse by the day. Need a tent I presume. Right by the crate there. Name's Dammon by the way."
"Wyll, Blade of Frontiers."
"Ruby Rose."
Wyll picked up the tent as Ruby's eyes lit up seeing the blades maces and axes on display. "Oh did you make all of these?"
"Well most of them, others were bought and traded, some found along the way. Though i have a decent stock. Judging by your attire your an adventurer." Dammon said with a smile. "I was a simple tin smith in Elturel before the Descent, learned a few tricks while in the Hells. Learned to make blades too."
"Well i'm a bit of a weapon nerd. At my old school we had to forge our own weapons." Ruby said looking over the selection.
"Oh, do you have it with you?" Dammon asked.
Ruby smiled as she reached back and pulled out the red scythes spinning it around her to its full size. "I may have gone over board with designing it." She admitted as Wyll took a couple steps back.
"Well thats a magic weapon if I've ever seen one." Wyll stated. "It's a work of art."
"Oh wow... mide if i examine the metal?" Dammon asked.
"Of course not." Ruby replied as Dammon pulled out a crystal magnifier. Pressing it to his eye and examining the blade of Crescent rose. "Fascinating... This metal is so unique... If you can bring me some Infernal Iron I could replace the blades with something special, and in return if i could have the old blades I maybe able to recreate this alloy once I get to Baulders gate."
"What? But Crescent rose is my master piece..." Ruby looked at her weapon.
"Ruby, infernal weaponry is excedingly rare, to have a weapon like that would allow you to cut down monsters and villains with ease." Wyll said while standing behind her. "We should trust him."
"Alright... but I have to help you." Ruby stated holding out her hand
"I agree." He agreed with a hand shake. "Ruby in that box there is a set of magical Half plate armor, it's yours. A bit of forward payment."
"Why?" Ruby asked.
"Simple, with those blade segment's were going to revolutionize blade smithing across the sword coast."
Hey had this idea for a while. let me know what you think.