Yang didn't hesitate as she slammed her fist into the barricades, splintering the wood and sending debris scattering. The group stepped into the revealed tunnel, their boots splashing in shallow, murky water that streamed around their feet. The air was damp and heavy, carrying a faint metallic tang.
"Is this... some kind of sewer?" Blake asked, her voice subdued as she scanned the dim, narrow space.
The group exchanged wary glances before Rinko, examining the area with sharp eyes, finally answered. "No. This is part of an aqueduct system—likely where the well water originates." His voice was calm, but his gaze lingered on the dark, grimy walls, tracing the stains of time and neglect.
The only sound was the quiet sloshing of water as they followed the trail of sticky, black ooze that clung to the surfaces beneath the stream. Weiss and Blake held their scrolls high, their screens casting pale, flickering light. Ruby, however, kept her silver eyes carefully dimmed, the glow absent as she stared ahead with sharp focus.
Maria noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Not using your silver eyes, kid? Thought you'd want all the light you can get."
Ruby shook her head, her voice steady despite the unease in her chest. "I can't risk it. The ooze is still part Grimm, and if I use my eyes, I'll destroy it. We need it to track where the Grimm went."
Maria's expression softened slightly as she adjusted her goggles. "Smart thinking. Just be careful."
As they rounded a corner, Ruby abruptly halted, her breath hitching. "Wait..." she whispered, her voice tinged with alarm.
Against the wall, half-submerged in water, was a skeleton. It sat slumped, its bony fingers still clutching at its knees as if it had died trying to protect itself. The remnants of clothing hung loosely from the bones, tattered and faded from time. Dark, inky stains surrounded it, and the faint odor of decay clung to the air, despite the apparent age of the corpse.
Ruby gasped, stepping back instinctively, her hand tightening around Crescent Rose. Her silver eyes flickered faintly, but she quickly forced the glow down, not wanting to risk disintegrating the trail they were following.
Rinko crouched beside the skeleton, his expression unreadable. The others stayed behind him, their weapons ready but their movements cautious. He reached out, lightly brushing his fingers against the discolored bones.
His sharp mind raced as memories flashed through him—specifically, the ominous words from the shed they had investigated earlier.
"Don't go to the cellar... Chimermage will take you."
"Chimermage..." Rinko muttered, his voice low but firm as he turned his head toward the others. "This person—it's clear they were taken by the Chimermage. Likely dragged down here and left to die."
Yang's hands clenched into fists as she stared at the skeleton, a cold fury building behind her eyes. "So, it's not just some monster. It's been hunting people like this for a while." Her voice was tense, barely containing her anger.
Blake's ears twitched as she crouched beside Rinko, inspecting the dark stains around the skeleton. "The ooze," she said, pointing to the black residue smeared along the walls and floor. "It's the same as what it left behind earlier. It uses this stuff to trap its victims, to weaken them before it finishes them off."
Weiss swallowed hard, her knuckles white as she gripped Myrtenaster. "And now it has the Relic. If we don't stop it, this could get a lot worse."
Maria finally spoke, her voice heavy with a rare seriousness. "This Chimermage isn't just any Grimm. It's evolved, twisted into something more cunning. It doesn't just kill—it wears down its prey, breaks them. That's what makes it dangerous."
Ruby, still shaken, glanced back at the skeleton before steeling herself. She adjusted Crescent Rose in her hands, her silver eyes briefly flickering but still under control. "Then we can't let this happen to anyone else. We'll stop it and get the relic back."
Rinko stood, brushing his hands off on his coat as he turned to face the group. His blue eyes were sharp, calculating. "Stay sharp. If it's retreated deeper into the tunnels, it's either regrouping or leading us into a trap. Either way, we follow the trail, but we do it carefully."
Yang and Blake exchanged glances, both of them nodding in silent agreement. Weiss adjusted her scroll, casting its light ahead once more. The group pressed on, leaving the skeleton behind, its lifeless form a grim reminder of what was at stake.
As they followed the ooze deeper into the tunnel, the walls began to narrow, the air growing colder and heavier with each step. The faint sound of water dripping from the ceiling echoed around them, but beneath it was something else—a distant, unsettling noise. A faint, wet squelching sound that sent chills down their spines.
Ruby glanced at Weiss, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you hear that?"
Weiss nodded, her jaw tightening. "It's close. Stay together."
The trail of ooze grew thicker and more erratic, leading them deeper into the tunnel. The oppressive darkness seemed to close in around them, and the faint sound of dripping water was soon joined by something else—a slow, deliberate rhythm. Footsteps.
Yang and Blake instinctively raised their weapons, Weiss's scroll trembling slightly in her hand as she cast its light forward.
"Someone's coming," Blake whispered, her ears twitching.
From around the corner, a figure slowly emerged, their movements unsettlingly calm. The dim light from Weiss's scroll illuminated their form—a young woman with a soft, delicate face framed by short, chestnut hair. Her brown eyes, however, were hollow and distant, as though they were looking through them rather than at them.
Rinko froze, his breath catching in his throat as his blue eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, the world seemed to blur, his focus narrowing entirely on the figure before him.
"No," he whispered, his voice trembling with something between shock and pain. "It can't be..."
"Rinko?" Ruby called cautiously, stepping closer to him, but he didn't respond.
The figure stepped further into the light, her features unmistakable. Her expression was soft, her lips curved into the faintest of smiles. Yet something about her presence was wrong—too still, too empty.
"Rin..." Rinko's voice cracked as he took an unsteady step back, his composure fracturing. His fingers trembled as he reached toward her instinctively, only to stop mid-air.
Yang's brows furrowed in confusion. "Rin?"
Blake's eyes widened in realization, her memories flashing back to their time at Beacon. Rinko had mentioned someone named Rin during one of their rare, vulnerable conversations.
"Rin..." Blake murmured, the name barely audible as her gaze shifted between Rinko and the figure ahead.
Rinko stood frozen. His body refused to obey him, his mind a whirlwind of buried memories and emotions. That face—it was Rin. Every detail was painfully accurate, from her soft smile to the way her hair fell across her shoulders.
But deep down, he knew the truth. Rin was gone. She had been for a long time. This was no reunion. This was a manipulation, a cruel trick designed to shatter him.
His chest tightened as anger and grief battled for dominance within him. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to take a deliberate, steady breath. His hands, trembling moments ago, clenched into fists.
When he opened his eyes again, the warmth they once held for Rin was gone, replaced by steely resolve.
"It's a Grimm," he said firmly, his voice sharp and cold. "Ruby, destroy it."
Ruby hesitated for only a moment, looking between Rinko and the figure. But the conviction in his tone snapped her into action.
"Got it!" Ruby said. Her silver eyes flared to life, glowing brilliantly as she unleashed their power.
The Chimermage's false form shuddered violently as the silver light struck it. It let out an ear-piercing shriek, the illusion of Rin melting away like wax under a flame.
Beneath the façade, the Grimm's grotesque true form was revealed. Its skeletal face twisted in agony as cracks spread across its body. Black ooze bubbled and evaporated into the air, its tendrils writhing in desperation.
Rinko's gaze never wavered, even as the illusion of Rin's face dissolved into nothingness. His jaw clenched, but he refused to let his emotions resurface. This thing wasn't Rin. It never was.
With one final shriek, the Chimermage disintegrated into ash, its remains scattered into the murky water. A faint clink echoed through the tunnel as something fell from the creature's form.
Ruby's eyes dimmed, panting from the strain of using her silver eyes. "It's gone..." she murmured, her voice both relieved and shaken.
Blake stepped forward, spotting the faint gleam of something submerged in the water. "The Relic!" she called out, quickly reaching down to retrieve it. She held it up for everyone to see—the Relic of Knowledge, intact but covered in grime.
Yang let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Well, at least we've got that back."
Weiss glanced at Rinko, his gaze still fixed on the ashes left by the Chimermage. His silence was unsettling, a heavy cloud of emotion masked by his stoic demeanor. She'd only ever seen him this way when it came to his family.
That girl—Rin—she must have meant so much to him.
"Rinko..." Weiss began, her voice softer than usual, hoping to reach him.
He turned toward her, his face unreadable. "Let's move," he said curtly, already stepping forward.
But before they could take another step, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over them like a tidal wave.
Weiss stumbled, her legs buckling slightly. "What... what's happening?" she muttered, gripping Myrtenaster tightly as it felt like it weighed a ton.
Blake's knees wobbled as she struggled to hold onto the Relic of Knowledge. "Why... why do my arms feel so heavy?" she asked, her voice faint.
Then she saw them—red eyes piercing through the darkness. At first, there was only one pair, but then dozens emerged from the shadows. Grimm, with grotesque, bony faces, stalked toward them. Unlike the Chimermage, these creatures weren't cloaked in black ooze. Their pale, gaunt forms stood out, and their glowing red eyes sent a chill down her spine.
"Grimm!" Blake yelled, snapping everyone's attention to the approaching threat.
Rinko's jaw tightened as he took in the sight. "We move! Now!"
Without hesitation, the group turned and bolted in the direction they came from. Maria, who had been at the back earlier, now took the lead, her pace swift despite her age. She glanced behind her, her sharp eyes narrowing in recognition.
"Apathy," she muttered, her tone grim.
Selene, running just behind her, tightened her grip on her weapon. "What..?"
Maria gritted her teeth. "It all makes sense now. That Chimermage wasn't acting alone. It was their leader."
"Leader?" Yang panted, keeping pace as best she could.
Maria nodded sharply. "Chimermages act like the alphas of Apathy packs, much like an Alpha Beowolf compared to regular Beowolves. Its scream wasn't just a cry of pain—it was a signal. A call for reinforcements."
Yang's expression twisted in disbelief. "So, it summoned these things?!"
"Yes," Maria confirmed, her voice laced with urgency. "Apathy drains your will to live from a distance, while a Chimermage does the same, but it requires skin contact. The Apathy is more dangerous because it doesn't need to touch you for its effects to work. And now..." her eyes darted ahead, "they're coming for us."
As if on cue, shadows slithered through the dim tunnel ahead. More Apathy emerged, skeletal and unrelenting, their red glowing eyes fixed on the fleeing group.
The oppressive wave of lethargy struck again, stronger this time.
Yang staggered, her breath hitching as her arms trembled. Ember Celica, once an extension of her strength, now felt like a lead weight dragging her down.
"Rghh...!" she gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay upright.
"Fight it!" Rinko barked, his voice cutting through the thick haze of exhaustion. He turned to Ruby, his tone sharp and commanding. "Ruby! Your eyes! Now!"
Ruby clenched her fists, every fiber of her being resisting the pull of despair. Her body felt sluggish, her thoughts clouded—but she forced herself to move.
A deep breath. A flicker of defiance.
Then, with a groan of exertion, her silver eyes flared to life.
The tunnel was instantly flooded with radiant light. The Apathy shrieked, their twisted forms recoiling as the brilliance seared through them. The nearest creatures disintegrated on the spot, their bodies crumbling into lifeless ash.
But the effort drained Ruby further. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for air.
"Ruby!" Weiss cried, immediately rushing to her side and helping her to stand. Ruby leaned heavily against her, her breaths labored.
The oppressive weight lessened slightly, but the group was still far from safe. Their weapons still felt heavy, their movements sluggish.
"Let's move!" Rinko commanded, his voice resolute as he led the charge back the way they came.
Despite the exhaustion gripping their bodies, the team pressed on, their determination flickering like a fragile flame against the relentless storm of fatigue. Each step was a battle, yet they refused to give in.
One by one, they climbed through the hole leading back to the cellar, each movement a struggle against the crushing weight. The air felt heavier with every breath.
Another wave of lethargy crashed over them just as they neared the storage room door.
Maria stumbled, catching herself on a barrel, her breaths ragged. "Keep moving!" she urged, her voice strained but resolute as her.
At the back of the group, Rinko turned, his heart sinking as he spotted Blake lying on the floor. Her fingers barely clung to the Relic of Knowledge, her grip faltering as her eyes fluttered shut.
Rinko and Blake were the only one left in the storage room.
"Blake!" Rinko yelled, forcing himself to his feet despite the heaviness pressing down on him. His legs felt like lead, but he staggered toward her.
Despite getting used to the tiredness as Kakashi, nobody's immune to the effects of Apathy. The longer you're in range, the more oppressive the force.
Blake managed to lift her head slightly, her voice faint and hollow. "It's... fine," she murmured, though her words were devoid of conviction.
Behind her, glowing red eyes pierced through the darkness as the Apathy crept closer, their skeletal forms emerging from the hole. Their presence made the oppressive fatigue nearly unbearable.
"Come on, kid!" Maria shouted from the doorway, her voice laced with urgency.
From outside the room, Ruby stood frozen, her silver eyes glinting faintly as she watched Rinko struggle to reach Blake. "Rinko! Blake!" Yang called, ready to rush back inside, but Ruby grabbed her arm to stop her.
"I'll handle this," Ruby said, her voice trembling but firm.
"Ruby.." Yang started, but Ruby was already stepping back into the storage room.
As the Apathy closed in, the oppressive weight intensified. Rinko's vision blurred, his limbs trembling with strain. Blake lay motionless, her body limp, as though sleep had finally overtaken her. Ruby stumbled to her knees, her hands shaking as she tried to lift herself.
The Apathy drew closer, their hollow forms casting dark shadows against the dim light. Ruby clenched her fists, drawing a sharp breath. With a cry of defiance, her silver eyes flared to life, bathing the room in radiant light.
The Apathy shrieked as the brilliance consumed them, their forms crumbling into ash before they could reach Blake. The light drove back the oppressive fatigue, and slowly, clarity returned to Rinko and Blake.
Rinko didn't waste a second. He rushed to Blake, pulling her upright with one arm while grabbing the Relic of Knowledge with the other. "Come on," he urged, his voice low but firm.
Ruby swayed on her feet, her strength nearly spent. Selene appeared at the doorway, gripping Ruby by the arm and pulling her back into the cellar. "You did good, Ruby," she said, her voice steady despite her own exhaustion.
As soon as Rinko and Blake made it out of the storage room, Maria and Yang pushed the heavy door shut with a resounding thud. Selene sprang into action, dragging a heavy table against the door. She wasn't done yet—barrels of rum and other supplies were shoved into place, forming a makeshift barricade.
Lastly, Weiss used her rapier as conjured a dust ice covering the barricade, adding extra layer of wall.
The group collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, their bodies trembling from strain. The oppressive weight had lifted, but the memory of it lingered like a shadow over their hearts.
Maria leaned against the wall, wiping sweat from her brow. "We were almost overrun," she muttered, her tone grim.
Rinko sat beside Blake, his gaze fixed on the Relic of Knowledge resting in his hands. His voice broke the heavy silence, soft yet weighted. "Almost," he murmured, the word carrying both relief and unspoken resolve.
Ruby leaned heavily against Weiss, her silver eyes dim and exhaustion painted across her face. She struggled to stay upright, her body trembling from the strain of her power.
Before Rinko could fully process their narrow escape, Yang rushed to his side, her eyes shimmering with emotion. Without a word, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a fierce embrace. "Rinko!" she cried, her voice cracking. "I thought... I thought I was gonna lose you!"
Caught off guard, Rinko stiffened for a moment, but her trembling grip spoke louder than her words. He exhaled deeply, the tension in his body easing as he slowly wrapped his arms around her. "You won't lose me that easily," he murmured, his voice low but reassuring.
Yang's hold only tightened, her head burying into his shoulder. "Shut up... just hug me," she whispered, her voice thick with relief.
A faint smile tugged at Rinko's lips, a rare softness in his demeanor. "Maa... fine," he said quietly, his tone light but his embrace steady, offering her the comfort she desperately needed.
In that moment, the weight of the battle seemed to lessen, if only slightly. For Yang, feeling his warmth and hearing his steady heartbeat was enough to remind her that they had survived—and for now, that was all that mattered.
[End]