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Description

Finally got this done. I hope you people like drawing and the text as much as of previous parts.
I Co-write this story with HazyPhantom

Previous parts
Grimm was inspired by go check their gallery for more cool creatures of Grimm

Ruby walked the streets of the city. Earlier that day, she had gotten a letter and instructions from Lady Goodwitch. In the letter, she had been told to go to the Cathedral of St.Jacob. Most enormous religious building in the county and the oldest. Its mighty and tall white marble walls seemed to shine even on cloudy and little rainy days, and its sharp, steep azure colored roofs stood proudly on opening in the middle of the city, like a small fortress decorated with statues of angels and gargoyles.
Ruby hurried, not stopping to marvel at the building as the rain worsened. She walked to the enormous doors, which had one smaller door for people to enter. Ruby shook herself slightly, trying to get most of the water off herself before walking deeper into the building. Inside, most of the light getting into the cathedral was coming from windows on the highest parts of the walls. Paintings on the walls told stories about the saints and their lives. Ruby slowly walked towards an image on the eastern border. Ruby stopped and turned towards the painting of a man holding a golden apple in his right hand, holding it towards the sky and his left hand towards Ruby. She looked at the instructions in the letter.
It said,” Once you are at the painting on the eastern wall, you must wait. When you are approached by our man, whom you will recognize from his hood. It has the same symbol as the piece of metal Constantine gave you. He will ask you what the apple symbolizes in the painting. The answer is simply knowledge. He then will ask you what is needed on its search. The answer is freedom”. Ruby sighed and put the letter away, waiting and keeping her head down as if praying. She carefully kept looking around, feeling nervous. Ruby had no idea what to expect. She was jumping into something she barely understood. What if she had been too eager for adventure? What if she had been tricked? What if these people were part of some sick cult?
She didn’t have time to think about her fears much longer since a hooded figure approached her.
“Hello, traveler,” he said politely. This snapped Ruby out of her thoughts, and she turned to look. The figure had an arrow-like symbol on his hood. He wore otherwise simple black robes and wore a green scarf on his shoulders.
“Hello,” Ruby said and turned to look at the apple on the painting. The man turned to look at it too.
“Tell me, young one, what do you think this apple symbolizes?” he asked, touching it with one finger.
“K-knowledge,” Ruby said. Man nodded and smiled at her.
“Then, what do you think you require if you wish to seek it?” he asked, looking Ruby into her eyes. Ruby took a deep breath to calm herself.
“Freedom,” Ruby said, and the man nodded and bowed.
“Please follow me, Miss Rose. Sir Ozpin is waiting for you”, the man said and began to lead Ruby towards the back of the cathedral, where he took her in from a door and to stairs leading down.
“Where are we going?” Ruby asked.
“You will soon see, young one,” the man said as they entered the catacombs and walked until they arrived at a monk statue holding a cup. The hooded man poured a bottle from his robes into the cup. The statue’s hands lowered a little bit, and wall tiles on the statue’s left side made an opening.
“Go on in, and walk forward. You will be told when to stop,” the hooded man said, waving his hand toward the opening. Ruby was a little unsure but did so. As she got in, the gap behind her closed, and she gasped, looking back at the sealed wall. She then turned to the only direction she had left.
“Well…. guess I’ve got no choice”, she said and slowly began to walk down the hallway, which had small bowls of burning charcoal evenly, lighting it to the end.
Ruby advanced slowly. Her thoughts began to run wild again, making her unsure.
She stopped and thought.
“Is this the right choice? Is trusting these people a good idea? All this secrecy is more than suspicious. Sir Ozpin seemed to be interested in my eyes. But why? He said I am descended from some ancient people… that my blood can make me a warrior? What if it was all a lie? But…what I felt when sir Ozpin came to see me and showed me that tablet…it wasn’t just some trick? It felt so real...and how would stone have that kind of effect on me? Ever since that meeting, I have felt much more confident. More aware of my surroundings…And I have this strong feeling that if I follow this path, I will find my sister…and maybe one day, mother… or at least what has happened to them… “Ruby thought to herself and looked into the fire of one bowl. Embers glowed orange, and for a moment, Ruby could have sworn she had seen her face in the fire. Ruby closed her eyes and put her hands together. Shen then blew all air out of her lungs and took a few deep breaths.
“I’ve come this far. It’s only right. And sir Ozpin said my life would change, no matter what. Hopefully, I will get answers”, she thought and continued her march. Now more determined, but still a little nervous.
She walked until she arrived at an opening. In the middle of it was a stone floor in a way that she could barely notice the arrow-like symbol on the tiles, and it was the only spot with proper light coming from far above. The walls were mostly rough stone, except right in front of her, where there was also a stone arc. Little higher, around six meters high, was a balcony. On a wall behind it was yet another stone arc. Ruby walked forward until she was in the middle of the stone floor. That was when she heard steps. They came from the balcony. Ruby tried to stay calm as she waited. Soon, Ozpin and four hooded characters stepped into the light near the balcony’s edge. Hooded characters wore white robes, but Ruby could see regular-looking clothes peek under them.
“Ruby Rose. I thank you for accepting my invitation. You have taken the first step on your road to a new life”, Ozpin said. Ruby nodded and removed her hood, letting people aside Ozpin to see her face ultimately. They whispered something amongst each other.
“You have been seeking purpose in life. We are offering it to you with the training and tools required”, said the hooded person on the far right.
“Are you willing to join the brotherhood, to share and protect our goals and secrets?” asked the hooded lady standing next to Ozpin. Ruby looked at them for a moment and then nodded.
“Yes. I am”, Ruby said.
“Then, be prepared to travel Eagle’s path,” said the man on the left of Ozpin.
“Not sure what that is, but if that means, do I want to join? Then yeah”, Ruby said.
“Then, drink,” said the last hooded person.
Ruby spotted a goblet standing on a pedestal under the arc before her. Had it just appeared out of nowhere?
Ruby walked forward. Goblet was silver and shaped like a triangle, decorated with drop-shaped jewels. In it was black liquid.
Ruby gulped, lifted the goblet with both hands and smelled the liquid. It smelled like wet bark. She lifted the goblet onto her lips and drank. The juice tasted the same as it smelled. Ruby thought it was some sort of tea. Before she had finished the drink, her head began spinning, and she felt terrible. Her stomach hurt, and her heart started racing. Breathing was getting more demanding, and her legs began shaking as cold sweat entered her face. Ruby fell on her fours as her eyes went dark.
Just as quickly as this sick feeling came, it passed. Ruby’s sight was returning, and she stood up with shaking legs. But to her surprise, it was super dark around her. The only thing lighting the place was a new door she hadn’t seen earlier. It led into a bright room, where Ruby could see two statues standing.
“Wha…what is this?” Ruby asked as she slowly approached the door, protecting her eyes from bright light. Once her eyes got used to it, she saw paintings floating before her. Each had different words written under them. On the left was a painting where Ruby saw herself as a baby, being held by her mother, and under the picture was the word ‘Syntymä.’ Next was a painting of Ruby as a child next to her step-father Taiyang while holding a butterfly. Under it read ‘Lapsuus.’ Ruby rubbed her eyes. The middle picture had the word’ Nuoruus,’ showing Ruby’s first day at Signal Academy. And the last painting is on the right of this moment where she was standing on this edge, but in the picture, she was jumping off the edge into an endless white void under her. This painting had the word ‘Kuolema.’ Ruby looked at each image again, then the comments under them.
“What is this? What does this mean? And…what with these bizarre words?” Ruby asked herself and looked at the void under her. She saw shadows spiraling in the opening, forming a sort of pipe. And she could swear she heard whispers coming from them. Stories that sounded like single lines from her own memories. Ruby shook her head and stepped backward until she heard voices she hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Don’t worry, sis.”
“It will get better.”
“I will always look after you.”
“Yang,” Ruby whispered and closed her eyes. She listened a little longer and then jumped. She felt air rush by her, howling and drowning voices of her memories, which flashed through her head quickly. Reminding herself of her family. Her secrets. Her failings. Her dreams. Seeing them made Ruby open her eyes and know she was approaching a body of water. Instinctively she pushed her arms forwards, preparing for a dive.

She went through the surface and, after a short struggle, could swim back to the surface. She pulled herself up into a dark room…no, a forest. She saw a girl in a red hood standing in the middle of an opening. It was cold, as the snow had covered the ground, and more was slowly raining from the skies above. Ruby then saw red eyes in the forest’s shadows surrounding the girls she was watching. Ruby then began to run towards her. Running as fast as she could and pushing through the snow. But as she was about to reach the girl, she vanished. Ruby then saw something silver in the snow. She bent down to pick it up. Her mother had given Ruby the badge before disappearing on her mysterious mission. Silver rose. Ruby pressed it against her chest and stood up.
“Mother…. where did you go?” Ruby asked. Then she saw two characters approaching her from the edge of the forest. Two females. One was dressed in a white cape and hood, the other with golden yellow hair, and wore a school dress like Ruby.
“Mother? Yang?” Ruby almost screamed in relief before they were close enough for her to see their eyes. Pure black and with red dots staring at her. This stare filled Ruby with dread and sorrow. The same kind she had felt when she had heard of two older women disappearing from her life. The same kind that made her want to curl up under her bed covers. Fear of a child who hadn’t experienced loss. Ruby fell onto her knees in the snow, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
“Why…why did you have to leave me?” Ruby sobbed as the wind blew, covering her mother and sister with snow.
“Was it because of me? Wasn’t I good enough? Was I... not wanted? As a sister? As a daughter?” she cried openly, holding the silver rose more tightly. As she looked up again, now seeing her mother and sister transform. Their bodies twisted into black goo and took a new form. Giant leather wings. A row of sharp, knife-like teeth and four glowing red eyes on the white mask with red markings. It was at least a four-meter-tall monster. A bat. It let out a scream that cut the air like a knife. It then stared at Ruby with each of its red eyes. Ruby was frozen by fear for a moment. Being sure that whatever that thing was would kill her here and there. But as it leaped forward, attempting to swallow her whole, something inside Ruby clicked. She leaped sideways without really thinking about it and rolled onto her feet. She blinked and looked at herself. She was still shaking from fear. She then looked up at the creature that was preparing to attack again.
“What am I to do?” Ruby asked and looked at the silver badge in her hand.
“What would a mother do? What would Uncle Qrow do?” Ruby asked, thinking of her family as the monster leaped again at her, forcing her to jump out of the way. Then it hit her. A memory from last Christmas. She was with her uncle Qrow at the front door. Qrow was preparing to leave after patting Ruby’s head one last time.
“Listen, runt, you are more than just some random girl. One day you will find your calling and realize what great things are locked inside you. Things that will one day change the lives of many. So always believe in yourself, even if things look their worst”, he had said in his regular voice, with a soft smile before walking out into the dark.
“Yes, Uncle Qrow, “Ruby said, squeezing the badge in her fist, now with determination, as she stood up from the snow. It began to glow as rose petals began to dance around her. Monster sensed something was coming and packed away a little bit, gnarling at the girl. Ruby then looked it straight, and the badge transformed into a sniper rifle. Ruby loaded it with one swift movement, and the monster bat leaped into the air, flapping its black wings to get higher. But Ruby steadied herself, bending her knees just a bit as she raised the rifle butt against her shoulder and raised the pipe into the air while following the monster’s movement. It spiraled above her, being almost invisible against the dark sky. But Ruby didn’t hesitate. She looked down at the iron sight of her rifle, following the glow of red eyes. Then, when it dived towards Ruby, she picked her target and pulled the trigger. A loud PANG echoed in the woods, and a bullet pierced the left arm of the bat, causing it to spiral down. But Ruby didn’t wait for it to land; instead, she spun her rifle to hold onto its pipe and body and flipped on a small part, which caused a curved blade to pop out of the rifle butt. She ran and jumped towards the falling beast, jumped and slashed its head off. She then landed on her feet as small black particles filled the air. Ruby panted, straightened herself, looked at the weapon in her arms, and smiled as it glowed and vanished. At the same time, her surroundings changed again. She was wearing her hood again, but now she had a silver gauntlet on her right arm. It was similar to one she had seen on Constantine. Her outfit hadn’t changed otherwise. Ruby looked up from her clothes and saw a doorway into a room full of hooded people. They were talking. Ruby looked at the gauntlet and knew what to do in that room. She’d have to kill someone in there. But who? And how would she figure it out? She pulled her cape around herself and walked in.
She looked around, trying to spot anything suspicious. But she was so short compared to others around her, so it was hard to see. She looked up, seeing poles going across the room. If she could get up there, she’d have better vision of the room. Ruby moved as close to the walls as she could and began walking by its side, searching for an excellent spot to get up. She eventually found ladders going up the wall leading to the window. She began climbing, and once she got high enough, she carefully stepped on the nearest pole. It was wide enough for her feet to fully fit on it. She slowly walked forward, bending her knees a little bit. She then looked at the crowd under her. She took a deep breath and focused. Unconsciously, she began to use her other senses, not just her eyes. She listened and smelled. She observed for a few minutes, and then she saw him. A person around her size wearing a blue hooded cloak. She couldn’t figure out if it was a man or a woman, but that person had a weak red aura around them and was the only one not participating with passion, almost like a statue amongst all these people.
“There,” Ruby thought and slowly approached the person she had chosen as her target. She carefully and almost without a sound got above them. She then jumped without hesitation, landing on the back of them, and she swung her arm, not even sure how the blade in her gauntlet would work. She just trusted it worked, and as her hand reached the target’s neck, she saw a flash of steel and blood spilled on the ground. Ruby panted and pulled her arm back, blinking as she realized what she had done. Her heart was beating fast, and her skin felt cold and sweaty. With shaking arms, she reached to turn the person face up. But when she turned the body, she was more shocked than ever. She was kneeling beside her dead self. As she tried to get her thoughts straight, she didn’t notice how the room around her had begun to spin and fade away. Ruby panted heavily, shaking as she reached and closed the eyelids of her dead version. She then sighed as she felt the wind blow around her and energy leave her body and new one filling her. She closed her eyes, and once she opened them, Ozpin and the people on the balcony descended on the floor Ruby was on.
“What…did I do? What happened to me?” Ruby asked as she felt that handset on her shoulder.
“You have been reborn, Ruby Rose,” Ozpin said, snapping Ruby out of her trance-like state.
“These are the words spoken by our ancestors. The words that lay at the heart of our creed”, said the man in the middle.
“Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.”
“Hide in plain sight.”
“Never compromise the brotherhood.”
“Let these tenets be branded upon your mind. Follow them, and be uplifted. Break them at your peril.”
“Rise, assassin,” Ozpin said, and Ruby did so, feeling her strength returning.
“Your past self is dead now. Whatever her failures, sins, or fears were, she was called from this world. To be born again, as an initiate”, said one hooded man as Constantine stepped from behind them, carrying a leather gauntlet with a hidden blade and gently strapped it onto Ruby’s right arm. He looked Ruby in the eyes and smiled at her. Ruby smiled back at him. And then looked at her blade, which she popped out with a slight wrist movement.

Description

Finally got this done. I hope you people like drawing and the text as much as of previous parts.
I Co-write this story with HazyPhantom

Previous parts
Grimm was inspired by go check their gallery for more cool creatures of Grimm

Ruby walked the streets of the city. Earlier that day, she had gotten a letter and instructions from Lady Goodwitch. In the letter, she had been told to go to the Cathedral of St.Jacob. Most enormous religious building in the county and the oldest. Its mighty and tall white marble walls seemed to shine even on cloudy and little rainy days, and its sharp, steep azure colored roofs stood proudly on opening in the middle of the city, like a small fortress decorated with statues of angels and gargoyles.
Ruby hurried, not stopping to marvel at the building as the rain worsened. She walked to the enormous doors, which had one smaller door for people to enter. Ruby shook herself slightly, trying to get most of the water off herself before walking deeper into the building. Inside, most of the light getting into the cathedral was coming from windows on the highest parts of the walls. Paintings on the walls told stories about the saints and their lives. Ruby slowly walked towards an image on the eastern border. Ruby stopped and turned towards the painting of a man holding a golden apple in his right hand, holding it towards the sky and his left hand towards Ruby. She looked at the instructions in the letter.
It said,” Once you are at the painting on the eastern wall, you must wait. When you are approached by our man, whom you will recognize from his hood. It has the same symbol as the piece of metal Constantine gave you. He will ask you what the apple symbolizes in the painting. The answer is simply knowledge. He then will ask you what is needed on its search. The answer is freedom”. Ruby sighed and put the letter away, waiting and keeping her head down as if praying. She carefully kept looking around, feeling nervous. Ruby had no idea what to expect. She was jumping into something she barely understood. What if she had been too eager for adventure? What if she had been tricked? What if these people were part of some sick cult?
She didn’t have time to think about her fears much longer since a hooded figure approached her.
“Hello, traveler,” he said politely. This snapped Ruby out of her thoughts, and she turned to look. The figure had an arrow-like symbol on his hood. He wore otherwise simple black robes and wore a green scarf on his shoulders.
“Hello,” Ruby said and turned to look at the apple on the painting. The man turned to look at it too.
“Tell me, young one, what do you think this apple symbolizes?” he asked, touching it with one finger.
“K-knowledge,” Ruby said. Man nodded and smiled at her.
“Then, what do you think you require if you wish to seek it?” he asked, looking Ruby into her eyes. Ruby took a deep breath to calm herself.
“Freedom,” Ruby said, and the man nodded and bowed.
“Please follow me, Miss Rose. Sir Ozpin is waiting for you”, the man said and began to lead Ruby towards the back of the cathedral, where he took her in from a door and to stairs leading down.
“Where are we going?” Ruby asked.
“You will soon see, young one,” the man said as they entered the catacombs and walked until they arrived at a monk statue holding a cup. The hooded man poured a bottle from his robes into the cup. The statue’s hands lowered a little bit, and wall tiles on the statue’s left side made an opening.
“Go on in, and walk forward. You will be told when to stop,” the hooded man said, waving his hand toward the opening. Ruby was a little unsure but did so. As she got in, the gap behind her closed, and she gasped, looking back at the sealed wall. She then turned to the only direction she had left.
“Well…. guess I’ve got no choice”, she said and slowly began to walk down the hallway, which had small bowls of burning charcoal evenly, lighting it to the end.
Ruby advanced slowly. Her thoughts began to run wild again, making her unsure.
She stopped and thought.
“Is this the right choice? Is trusting these people a good idea? All this secrecy is more than suspicious. Sir Ozpin seemed to be interested in my eyes. But why? He said I am descended from some ancient people… that my blood can make me a warrior? What if it was all a lie? But…what I felt when sir Ozpin came to see me and showed me that tablet…it wasn’t just some trick? It felt so real...and how would stone have that kind of effect on me? Ever since that meeting, I have felt much more confident. More aware of my surroundings…And I have this strong feeling that if I follow this path, I will find my sister…and maybe one day, mother… or at least what has happened to them… “Ruby thought to herself and looked into the fire of one bowl. Embers glowed orange, and for a moment, Ruby could have sworn she had seen her face in the fire. Ruby closed her eyes and put her hands together. Shen then blew all air out of her lungs and took a few deep breaths.
“I’ve come this far. It’s only right. And sir Ozpin said my life would change, no matter what. Hopefully, I will get answers”, she thought and continued her march. Now more determined, but still a little nervous.
She walked until she arrived at an opening. In the middle of it was a stone floor in a way that she could barely notice the arrow-like symbol on the tiles, and it was the only spot with proper light coming from far above. The walls were mostly rough stone, except right in front of her, where there was also a stone arc. Little higher, around six meters high, was a balcony. On a wall behind it was yet another stone arc. Ruby walked forward until she was in the middle of the stone floor. That was when she heard steps. They came from the balcony. Ruby tried to stay calm as she waited. Soon, Ozpin and four hooded characters stepped into the light near the balcony’s edge. Hooded characters wore white robes, but Ruby could see regular-looking clothes peek under them.
“Ruby Rose. I thank you for accepting my invitation. You have taken the first step on your road to a new life”, Ozpin said. Ruby nodded and removed her hood, letting people aside Ozpin to see her face ultimately. They whispered something amongst each other.
“You have been seeking purpose in life. We are offering it to you with the training and tools required”, said the hooded person on the far right.
“Are you willing to join the brotherhood, to share and protect our goals and secrets?” asked the hooded lady standing next to Ozpin. Ruby looked at them for a moment and then nodded.
“Yes. I am”, Ruby said.
“Then, be prepared to travel Eagle’s path,” said the man on the left of Ozpin.
“Not sure what that is, but if that means, do I want to join? Then yeah”, Ruby said.
“Then, drink,” said the last hooded person.
Ruby spotted a goblet standing on a pedestal under the arc before her. Had it just appeared out of nowhere?
Ruby walked forward. Goblet was silver and shaped like a triangle, decorated with drop-shaped jewels. In it was black liquid.
Ruby gulped, lifted the goblet with both hands and smelled the liquid. It smelled like wet bark. She lifted the goblet onto her lips and drank. The juice tasted the same as it smelled. Ruby thought it was some sort of tea. Before she had finished the drink, her head began spinning, and she felt terrible. Her stomach hurt, and her heart started racing. Breathing was getting more demanding, and her legs began shaking as cold sweat entered her face. Ruby fell on her fours as her eyes went dark.
Just as quickly as this sick feeling came, it passed. Ruby’s sight was returning, and she stood up with shaking legs. But to her surprise, it was super dark around her. The only thing lighting the place was a new door she hadn’t seen earlier. It led into a bright room, where Ruby could see two statues standing.
“Wha…what is this?” Ruby asked as she slowly approached the door, protecting her eyes from bright light. Once her eyes got used to it, she saw paintings floating before her. Each had different words written under them. On the left was a painting where Ruby saw herself as a baby, being held by her mother, and under the picture was the word ‘Syntymä.’ Next was a painting of Ruby as a child next to her step-father Taiyang while holding a butterfly. Under it read ‘Lapsuus.’ Ruby rubbed her eyes. The middle picture had the word’ Nuoruus,’ showing Ruby’s first day at Signal Academy. And the last painting is on the right of this moment where she was standing on this edge, but in the picture, she was jumping off the edge into an endless white void under her. This painting had the word ‘Kuolema.’ Ruby looked at each image again, then the comments under them.
“What is this? What does this mean? And…what with these bizarre words?” Ruby asked herself and looked at the void under her. She saw shadows spiraling in the opening, forming a sort of pipe. And she could swear she heard whispers coming from them. Stories that sounded like single lines from her own memories. Ruby shook her head and stepped backward until she heard voices she hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Don’t worry, sis.”
“It will get better.”
“I will always look after you.”
“Yang,” Ruby whispered and closed her eyes. She listened a little longer and then jumped. She felt air rush by her, howling and drowning voices of her memories, which flashed through her head quickly. Reminding herself of her family. Her secrets. Her failings. Her dreams. Seeing them made Ruby open her eyes and know she was approaching a body of water. Instinctively she pushed her arms forwards, preparing for a dive.

She went through the surface and, after a short struggle, could swim back to the surface. She pulled herself up into a dark room…no, a forest. She saw a girl in a red hood standing in the middle of an opening. It was cold, as the snow had covered the ground, and more was slowly raining from the skies above. Ruby then saw red eyes in the forest’s shadows surrounding the girls she was watching. Ruby then began to run towards her. Running as fast as she could and pushing through the snow. But as she was about to reach the girl, she vanished. Ruby then saw something silver in the snow. She bent down to pick it up. Her mother had given Ruby the badge before disappearing on her mysterious mission. Silver rose. Ruby pressed it against her chest and stood up.
“Mother…. where did you go?” Ruby asked. Then she saw two characters approaching her from the edge of the forest. Two females. One was dressed in a white cape and hood, the other with golden yellow hair, and wore a school dress like Ruby.
“Mother? Yang?” Ruby almost screamed in relief before they were close enough for her to see their eyes. Pure black and with red dots staring at her. This stare filled Ruby with dread and sorrow. The same kind she had felt when she had heard of two older women disappearing from her life. The same kind that made her want to curl up under her bed covers. Fear of a child who hadn’t experienced loss. Ruby fell onto her knees in the snow, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
“Why…why did you have to leave me?” Ruby sobbed as the wind blew, covering her mother and sister with snow.
“Was it because of me? Wasn’t I good enough? Was I... not wanted? As a sister? As a daughter?” she cried openly, holding the silver rose more tightly. As she looked up again, now seeing her mother and sister transform. Their bodies twisted into black goo and took a new form. Giant leather wings. A row of sharp, knife-like teeth and four glowing red eyes on the white mask with red markings. It was at least a four-meter-tall monster. A bat. It let out a scream that cut the air like a knife. It then stared at Ruby with each of its red eyes. Ruby was frozen by fear for a moment. Being sure that whatever that thing was would kill her here and there. But as it leaped forward, attempting to swallow her whole, something inside Ruby clicked. She leaped sideways without really thinking about it and rolled onto her feet. She blinked and looked at herself. She was still shaking from fear. She then looked up at the creature that was preparing to attack again.
“What am I to do?” Ruby asked and looked at the silver badge in her hand.
“What would a mother do? What would Uncle Qrow do?” Ruby asked, thinking of her family as the monster leaped again at her, forcing her to jump out of the way. Then it hit her. A memory from last Christmas. She was with her uncle Qrow at the front door. Qrow was preparing to leave after patting Ruby’s head one last time.
“Listen, runt, you are more than just some random girl. One day you will find your calling and realize what great things are locked inside you. Things that will one day change the lives of many. So always believe in yourself, even if things look their worst”, he had said in his regular voice, with a soft smile before walking out into the dark.
“Yes, Uncle Qrow, “Ruby said, squeezing the badge in her fist, now with determination, as she stood up from the snow. It began to glow as rose petals began to dance around her. Monster sensed something was coming and packed away a little bit, gnarling at the girl. Ruby then looked it straight, and the badge transformed into a sniper rifle. Ruby loaded it with one swift movement, and the monster bat leaped into the air, flapping its black wings to get higher. But Ruby steadied herself, bending her knees just a bit as she raised the rifle butt against her shoulder and raised the pipe into the air while following the monster’s movement. It spiraled above her, being almost invisible against the dark sky. But Ruby didn’t hesitate. She looked down at the iron sight of her rifle, following the glow of red eyes. Then, when it dived towards Ruby, she picked her target and pulled the trigger. A loud PANG echoed in the woods, and a bullet pierced the left arm of the bat, causing it to spiral down. But Ruby didn’t wait for it to land; instead, she spun her rifle to hold onto its pipe and body and flipped on a small part, which caused a curved blade to pop out of the rifle butt. She ran and jumped towards the falling beast, jumped and slashed its head off. She then landed on her feet as small black particles filled the air. Ruby panted, straightened herself, looked at the weapon in her arms, and smiled as it glowed and vanished. At the same time, her surroundings changed again. She was wearing her hood again, but now she had a silver gauntlet on her right arm. It was similar to one she had seen on Constantine. Her outfit hadn’t changed otherwise. Ruby looked up from her clothes and saw a doorway into a room full of hooded people. They were talking. Ruby looked at the gauntlet and knew what to do in that room. She’d have to kill someone in there. But who? And how would she figure it out? She pulled her cape around herself and walked in.
She looked around, trying to spot anything suspicious. But she was so short compared to others around her, so it was hard to see. She looked up, seeing poles going across the room. If she could get up there, she’d have better vision of the room. Ruby moved as close to the walls as she could and began walking by its side, searching for an excellent spot to get up. She eventually found ladders going up the wall leading to the window. She began climbing, and once she got high enough, she carefully stepped on the nearest pole. It was wide enough for her feet to fully fit on it. She slowly walked forward, bending her knees a little bit. She then looked at the crowd under her. She took a deep breath and focused. Unconsciously, she began to use her other senses, not just her eyes. She listened and smelled. She observed for a few minutes, and then she saw him. A person around her size wearing a blue hooded cloak. She couldn’t figure out if it was a man or a woman, but that person had a weak red aura around them and was the only one not participating with passion, almost like a statue amongst all these people.
“There,” Ruby thought and slowly approached the person she had chosen as her target. She carefully and almost without a sound got above them. She then jumped without hesitation, landing on the back of them, and she swung her arm, not even sure how the blade in her gauntlet would work. She just trusted it worked, and as her hand reached the target’s neck, she saw a flash of steel and blood spilled on the ground. Ruby panted and pulled her arm back, blinking as she realized what she had done. Her heart was beating fast, and her skin felt cold and sweaty. With shaking arms, she reached to turn the person face up. But when she turned the body, she was more shocked than ever. She was kneeling beside her dead self. As she tried to get her thoughts straight, she didn’t notice how the room around her had begun to spin and fade away. Ruby panted heavily, shaking as she reached and closed the eyelids of her dead version. She then sighed as she felt the wind blow around her and energy leave her body and new one filling her. She closed her eyes, and once she opened them, Ozpin and the people on the balcony descended on the floor Ruby was on.
“What…did I do? What happened to me?” Ruby asked as she felt that handset on her shoulder.
“You have been reborn, Ruby Rose,” Ozpin said, snapping Ruby out of her trance-like state.
“These are the words spoken by our ancestors. The words that lay at the heart of our creed”, said the man in the middle.
“Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent.”
“Hide in plain sight.”
“Never compromise the brotherhood.”
“Let these tenets be branded upon your mind. Follow them, and be uplifted. Break them at your peril.”
“Rise, assassin,” Ozpin said, and Ruby did so, feeling her strength returning.
“Your past self is dead now. Whatever her failures, sins, or fears were, she was called from this world. To be born again, as an initiate”, said one hooded man as Constantine stepped from behind them, carrying a leather gauntlet with a hidden blade and gently strapped it onto Ruby’s right arm. He looked Ruby in the eyes and smiled at her. Ruby smiled back at him. And then looked at her blade, which she popped out with a slight wrist movement.