Ruby soared through the air, her cloak whipping around her like a crimson banner. As the ground rushed up to meet her, she spotted a cluster of trees below. With a grim determination, she twisted her body in mid-air, using her aura to reinforce her legs and feet. She slammed her feet against the trunk of a large oak, the impact sending a shudder through the tree. The force of her landing was enough to shatter the bark, but she held firm, her boots digging into the wood.
She used the tree as a pivot, pushing off with all her might and launching herself toward another tree, then another, each impact breaking her fall. Her movements were a blur of red and black, a silent dance of controlled chaos. She ricocheted from trunk to trunk, the air resistance and the force of her aura-enhanced kicks slowing her descent with each passing second.
With a final, powerful push, she landed lightly on the forest floor, her combat boots sinking slightly into the soft earth. She stood still for a moment, the silence of the forest a stark contrast to the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her landing was not a graceful one, but it was effective. Her body ached, but she was intact. The promise she made to herself, the reason she wanted to go to this school in the first place... to make Dr. Merlot proud was a heavy weight, to be the finest and feared hunter he wants her to be..
Ruby watched, a silent observer, as the rest of the first-year students soared through the sky, their landing strategies a chaotic ballet of dust explosions and acrobatic maneuvers. She saw blurs of color and flashes of light as they plummeted towards the forest floor, each one a testament to their unique fighting styles.
With a deep breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she tore her gaze away from the spectacle in the sky. She was alone now, the silence of the forest a stark contrast to the chaos she had just witnessed. With a determined look in her eyes, she started her walk, her boots making soft thuds against the forest floor. Her mission was clear: find a worthy partner and complete her initiation.
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Yang and Alex's landing strategies were a stark contrast to Ruby's. Yang, a beacon of brash confidence, used her gauntlets, Ember Celica, to propel her downward. As she fell, she fired explosive rounds in a controlled series of blasts, each one slowing her descent. Her body was a blur of motion as she twisted and turned, using the concussive force to navigate her fall. With a final, powerful blast, she landed in a crouch, a cloud of dust and smoke billowing around her, a triumphant smirk on her face.
Alex, on the other hand,was all about precision and grace. She unclipped her dual pistols, which were also bladed, and began to spin. She used the momentum of her spinning to control her fall, firing off rounds at a steady rate. The bullets acted as small bursts of propulsion, guiding her through the air. As she neared the ground, she plunged her pistols into the trunks of two trees, using them as makeshift anchors to slow her to a gentle halt. She landed on her feet, her pistols still in hand, her expression one of calm determination.
The moment Yang's boots hit the forest floor, a cloud of dust puffed around her. She brushed herself off, her eyes scanning her surroundings. The rustle of the trees and the cold air were her only companions. It seemed she was alone. It seems that Alex didn't land in the same place I did. she thought, before starting to walk further into the forest, the leaves crunching softly under her boots.
As she moved, a sudden rustle in the bushes caught her attention. "Ruby?... Alex?" she called out, but only the wind answered. With a frown, she cautiously approached the thicket and peered through the leaves. What she saw was not a friend, but a hulking Ursa.
This bear-like creature was a terrifying sight, its body larger and more muscular than a normal Ursa. Huge spikes jutted from its back, its paws were massive, and its claws were long and sharp. Red markings glowed on its bone-white skull, and its eyes, two soulless red pinpricks, fixed on her. A set of jagged, visible teeth were ready to tear into anything.
"Well, guess you're not them," Yang said, her voice a mix of bravado and unease. She quickly stepped back, her gauntlets, Ember Celica, ready for a fight. The Ursa let out a deep growl and lunged. Yang was ready. She met the beast's charge with a powerful punch, her fist connecting with its skull and pushing it back.
Yang continued to punch, a flurry of blows that rocked the Ursa, but the Grimm was strong, its thick hide absorbing the impacts. Yang was getting tired, but she didn't stop. With a powerful back kick, her heel slammed into the side of the Ursa's head.
The Ursa roared in pain before charging again, its razor-sharp claws extended, ready to tear into her. But just as the claws were about to connect, a flying katana-like gun flew past Yang, its blade piercing the Ursa's skull. The creature's body fell forward with a heavy thud before dissolving into a cloud of black mist.
Yang turned to the source of the weapon and saw a girl with black hair and a black bow on her head. A smirk played on the girl's lips as she looked at Yang.
The silence hung between them for a moment, thick with unspoken words. Yang finally broke it with a huff. "I could've taken it."
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest.
Alex moved through the dense foliage of the Emerald Forest with a focused intensity. She was light on her feet, a silent ghost among the trees. Her hands rested on the hilts of her dual pistols, ready to draw them at a moment's notice. Her eyes scanned every shadow, her ears strained for any sound that wasn't the rustling of leaves or the chirping of insects. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and a low, guttural growl in the distance told her she was close to Grimm territory.
Suddenly, a loud caw echoed through the forest, and a flock of menacing black birds, known as Nevermores, soared through the sky. Alex quickly hid behind a large oak tree, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched as the birds circled above, their beady red eyes searching for prey. She knew they were too high up for her pistols to be effective, and she didn't want to draw attention to herself.
She waited, holding her breath, until the birds flew away. Then, with a new sense of urgency, she continued her journey, her steps quickening as she made her way toward the center of the forest. She knew she had to find her partner and get to the temple, but she also knew that the forest was full of dangers, and she had to be ready for anything.
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Ruby walked through the dense forest, her senses on high alert. The sounds of combat echoed in the distance, a reminder that the initiation had begun in earnest. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth, but Ruby smelled something else beneath it all: the faint, metallic scent of blood and the sharp, acrid odor of Grimm.
She moved with a quiet, practiced grace, her movements fluid and silent as she weaved through the trees. Her eyes, sharp and observant, scanned every shadow, every rustle in the undergrowth. She didn't need a weapon; her body was a finely tuned instrument of death. Every muscle was coiled, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. The promise she had made to Dr. Merlot was a heavy weight, but it was also her strength. It was the fire that fueled her every step, the purpose that guided her through the chaos of the forest.
Suddenly, she heard a terrified scream in the distance, followed by the guttural roar of a Grimm. Ruby's pace quickened, her internal compass guiding her toward the sound. She wasn't seeking a partner out of a desire for companionship, but rather a cold, calculated need for a team to survive the next four years. And as she ran, she knew she would find the partner she needed, one who could match her cold determination and her deadly efficiency.
The screams grew louder, a desperate, terrified sound that cut through the noise of the forest. The moment Ruby stepped out of the clearing, she stopped dead in her tracks. The girl screaming was none other than the girl in white, the one who had so infuriated her just yesterday.
She had her weapon out, the slender blade of her rapier, Myrtenaster, plunged into a Grimm, but her stance was shaky. She gasped for breath, her hand pressed against a deep gash on her side, a dark stain spreading across her pristine white clothes.
Of all the people here, Ruby thought, a sigh escaping her lips, why did it have to be her?
Pushing aside her annoyance, she moved with a practiced, silent grace, appearing at the girl's side in a flash. "Hey...you okay?" Ruby asked, a frown of concern on her face.
Weiss flinched at the sudden voice, her head snapping up to meet Ruby's gaze. Her eyes, wide with a mixture of pain and frustration, narrowed. "Does it look like I'm okay?" she snapped, the words sharp with a familiar irritation.
Ruby held up her hands in frustration. "Hey, I'm just trying to help," she said, her voice laced with exasperation. Her gaze dropped, and her expression softened as she took in the dark stain on Weiss's side. "You're hurt," she whispered, the surprise in her voice mirroring the surprising gentleness of the words.
"I'm fine," Weiss grunted in pain, pushing herself away from the Grimm and leaning against a tree to steady herself.
Without a word, Ruby reached for her cloak, her movements deliberate. "Here," she whispered, holding out the vibrant red fabric. "Let me see." She moved closer, wrapping her arm around Weiss's waist and bringing the cloak around her, tying it firmly over the wound, but not so tight that it would restrict her movement.
"There...that should stop the bleeding," Ruby said, her voice a calm reassurance. She looked into Weiss's eyes, their faces inches apart, the silence of the forest broken only by their breaths. A flicker of something passed between them before Ruby broke the contact, stepping away with a slight shake of her head.
"Let's, um...get going," she said, her voice a bit more rushed now. "The sooner we finish the initiation, the sooner we can patch that up properly for you."
Weiss slowly nodded, the simple gesture a sign of reluctant acceptance. With a grunt of effort, she pushed herself off the rough bark of the tree, the temporary bandage of Ruby's cloak holding fast. She began to walk, her steps still a bit unsteady, but with a new sense of purpose. Without a word, Ruby fell into step behind her, a silent shadow in her wake. They moved deeper into the forest, two strangers bound by a shared task and a moment of unexpected vulnerability.
After a period of quiet, purposeful walking, Ruby and Weiss finally reached their destination. The trees gave way to a large, open clearing, and in the center stood a crumbling ruin. It was a temple, its ancient stone walls covered in moss and vines. Inside, neatly arranged on stone pedestals, were the relics they had been sent to retrieve. Ruby's eyes scanned the collection of ornate chess pieces-a stark contrast to the wild, untamed nature of the surrounding forest. Many of the pedestals were already empty, a silent testament to the other students who had already passed through.
"It seems like we weren't the only ones here," Ruby stated, her voice a low murmur as she stepped into the temple's clearing. Her eyes scanned the empty pedestals, a silent testament to the teams who had arrived before them. She walked toward the remaining relics, her hand hovering just inches from a knight-shaped chess piece.
But before she could grasp it, a guttural roar echoed through the forest, a sound that made the very ground tremble. Ruby's head snapped up, her gaze fixed on the line of trees. She watched as several large trunks splintered and fell with a thunderous crash. "...Something's coming," Ruby said, her voice dropping to a low, warning growl.
Weiss, already on high alert, gripped the hilt of her rapier, her body tensing. She prepared for the inevitable confrontation, her eyes fixed on the treeline.
Before either of them could react, two figures burst from the undergrowth. It was Yang and the raven-haired girl from earlier, their faces a mask of fear as they ran.
"Move!" Yang screamed, her voice hoarse, as she ran past the temple, the other girl a step behind her.
Behind them, a monstrous Death Stalker, a gigantic scorpion-like Grimm, emerged from the broken trees. Its red eyes glowed with malevolence, and its razor-sharp stinger twitched with anticipation.
"Damn it," Ruby growled, her focus shifting from the relics to the approaching threat. Without a moment's hesitation, she snatched a relic from their pedestals-a white knight-before turning and running back to Weiss. "Stay here and keep these safe," she said, thrusting the relics into Weiss's hands before turning to face the oncoming Grimm.
Quickly assessing the situation, Ruby acts on instinct, using her remarkable speed to dart behind the enraged Grimm. Her hand flashes out, seizing the creature's menacing stinger just as it lunges toward Yang and the other girl. She pulls with all her might, yanking the deadly appendage away from Yang and her teammate.
The Grimm, disoriented and furious, lets out a guttural roar. It abandons its attack on the others and whirls around, its attention now fixed entirely on Ruby.
"Ruby! What are you doing!?" Yang's voice pierces through the chaos, a mix of panic and frustration. But Ruby, her focus absolute, ignores Yang's cry. She holds her ground, her grip on the Grimm's stinger unwavering.
The very instant the monstrous Grimm swivels to face her, Ruby finally releases her grip on its stinger. A defiant smirk plays on her lips as she meets its gaze. "That's it," she says, her voice a low challenge. "I'm the one you want." Deep within her, a dormant power, the demon stirs with a thrill of anticipation, eager to be unleashed.
With a final, enraged roar, the Grimm lunges. Ruby swiftly evades the first strike, but the creature is relentless. The second attack comes in the form of its deadly stinger, which catches her on the side. Ruby gasps as the sharp point pierces her flesh. She feels a searing pain and the immediate warmth of her blood as it begins to soak her clothes.
"This... will take more... than that to... take me down," she snarls through gritted teeth, her hand wrapping around the stinger. With a powerful tug, she rips it from her side, fresh blood now gushing from the wound.
As the Grimm prepares for another attack, Ruby rolls away, her mind racing. "Think... think! It can't end like this!" she mutters, desperately searching for a solution.
Suddenly, a memory flashes in her mind. She's back in a laboratory, the voice of Dr. Merlot echoing in her ears. "Come on! You did it before! I saw it clear as day, your own blood defying gravity and logic. There's no way you can't do it again! Concentrate, feel the demon. Feel the pressure of your blood flowing into you... and then let it out." The flashback shows a younger Ruby, her palms cut open to allow her blood to flow freely. She closes her eyes, focusing, and in a moment, her blood doesn't fall to the ground; it rises, coalescing in the air before her.
"That's it!" Ruby's eyes snap open, a triumphant smile on her face. She closes them again, focusing on the familiar feeling. Her blood, already spilling from her wound, begins to rise, defying gravity. It hovers in the air, swirling and coalescing before slowly taking on a new form. A scythe, its crescent blade sharp and menacing, forms before her very eyes.
A thrill of victory courses through her veins. "Yes! Now we're talking!" she exclaims, her voice filled with newfound determination.
A grim smile now on her face, Ruby feels the blood scythe in her hands as if it were a natural extension of her own body. The weight is perfect, the balance precise, and a dark, exhilarating energy courses through her veins. The "demon" within her is no longer stirring-it's wide awake, humming with anticipation.
The Grimm, seeing the bizarre weapon formed from her own life's blood, hesitates for only a moment. Its monstrous roar echoes again as it launches a final, desperate charge.
But Ruby is no longer the hunted. She meets the attack head-on, her movements a brutal, choreographed dance. She brings the scythe up to block the Grimm's claws, the crimson blade scraping against hardened chitin with a screeching sound. The force of the impact makes her feet skid backward, but she holds her ground, a feral grin splitting her face. This is the fight she wants.
The Grimm pulls back and lashes out with its stinger, but Ruby is faster. She spins, using the momentum to swing the scythe in a wide arc. The blood-forged blade carves a deep gouge into the Grimm's side, and the creature roars in pain and disbelief. Dark, viscous liquid splatters onto the ground, not blood, but something black and corrosive.
Ruby doesn't let up. Her attacks are no longer just about speed; they're infused with a new, ruthless ferocity. She dodges a bite and uses the tail of the scythe to hook the Grimm's leg, yanking it off-balance. As the creature stumbles, she lunges forward.
Yang and the other girl can only watch, frozen in a mix of awe and horror. Ruby is a whirlwind of brutal, calculated violence, her eyes glowing with a faint, crimson light.
With a final, guttural scream of rage, Ruby raises the blood scythe high above her head. She puts every ounce of her remaining strength into the final strike, bringing the blade down in a single, clean motion. It slices through the Grimm's armored head, and the creature lets out one last, shuddering cry before dissolving into a cloud of black smoke.
Ruby stands over the dissipating remains, chest heaving, a thin line of red still trickling down her side. The blood scythe, its purpose fulfilled, melts away, the drops of crimson rejoining the pool on the ground. The demon settles back into its cage, leaving only a lingering sense of exhilaration and exhaustion.
The victory is hers, but the question remains: at what cost?