Remnants of light ch 2 Embers in the dark
Continuing deeper into the cave Ruby had a deep unsettling feeling as though she was surrounded. The torch provided very little in terms of light making Ruby have to feel around at all times, the whispering and screams returned in force causing Ruby to shutter at the unnatural human voices before steeling herself and continuing deeper into the cave. Whatever this mountain hid within its depths kept the Grimm away and weakened Ozpin, that kept Ruby going, because if it could do that, maybe it could work on Salem, even if all Ruby had to go on were the small things Ozpin or Ironwood told her. If whatever this mountain hid could have that effect, just maybe it could finally put an end to the Grimm. Ruby took a deep breath as she continued on for sometime. She would step on things she couldn't see, but the crunch they made made her happy she couldn't. She went deeper and deeper until finally, Ruby could see light. At the end of the tunnel.
A hall lit up by torches lined on each side of the walls and within the walls themselves were stone coffins, one above another and each one designed with a feminine figure draped in a cloth, faceless, leading to the end of the hall. The space was filled with pots of all sizes, all decorated with strange creatures the likes of which Ruby had never seen, what looked like personal mementos were left on each coffin, some looking like they were made centuries ago. Oddly enough Ruby noticed how clean this crypt was, not a single cobweb in sight, each pot carefully looked after and each coffin well preserved. Ruby continued onward reaching the end of the hall. The next and only room curved into a circle, torches give light to the chamber and at its center was what appeared to be a broken and melted statue with offerings of treasure and food. This place was a shrine, a place of worship that must have been used for countless generations.
The base of it was cracked and it resembled the same design as the stone coffins, but was made with a reflective black material. Most of the statue was melted, smoke emanated from what was left and the offerings were drenched in the molten material. Ruby knew this had just happened not long ago, but what worried her was the hole in the wall at the other side of the shrine. She could hear something, unnatural clicking, as she followed the sound around the melted statue she saw a hole big enough to fit through. On the other side of the hole was a staircase with a silhouette of something going down them, disappearing into the darkness. Its clicking noise was like a call to follow and against Ruby's better judgement she pressed onto the staircase, avoiding the melted sides. This was clearly done by a maiden's fire, one she knew all too well, she steeled herself and began to travel down the steps seeing shadows. At times these shadows resembled people in armor and at times the shadows looked like creatures she had never seen, but some that she looked at looked right back at her causing her to pick up her pace down the steps until light and voices began to emanate from the bottom of the stairs.
Ruby encounters a detailed black stone doorway with markings she couldn't understand carved into it, but what she could understand were the voices she heard on the other side of the doorway. She steps through the doorway and is taken aback by the sight. Ruby finds herself standing on a large stone platform high above a massive black pyramid inside of an even larger cavern with platforms and other ledges lining the walls all the way down, the massive pyramid thums with the same unnatural energy that has been washing over Ruby throughout her whole trek through the cave. The whispers and screams became dead silent, and the shadows were gone, though her shock was cut short by the shouting that came from the lower part of the cavern.
"This is a waste of time! We've been at this stupid thing for a week!" Spoke a male voice followed by a groan from a female. Ruby moved herself into a position where she could watch them without being noticed. She could see three people, people she knew from several battles, each one ending with one side always retreating. Ruby recalls the friends taken from her and the lives that Emerald, Mercury, and their leader Cinder have destroyed. Cinder was fuming with anger and looked as though she was at her wits end.
“I know that Mercury, but Salem wants this dealt with. Either we destroy it or bring it under our control.” She growled, throwing a fireball at the pyramid only for the fireball to disappear into smoke before even coming close to the structure. Cinder cursed in deep frustration while Emerald walked over to her side, she looked at the pyramid frowning deeply, the unsettling shivering feeling running down her spine. She could feel the same unnatural power that was trying to drown them as well.
“Maybe we could see if Watts could help us, he'd probably love to study this wretched thing.” Emerald glared deeply at the pyramid, she looked around at some of the shadows around them noticing that some were looking back at them. “What even are these things, ghosts?" Emerald heard Mercury huff and laugh, she glared at him, “What's so funny!?” Mercury gave her a mocking grin.
“Oh I don't know. We were sent here a week ago with some of the most horrific Grimm we've ever seen, supposedly fearless creatures, but the moment we reached the outside of this thing’s barrier they all cowered and refused to enter no matter how much they were ordered to. Only two followed us and the others ran away!" He shrugged shaking his head, “Then there's the massive unholy object buried under the mountain…” thumbs at the pyramid, “...that has every instinct in our bodies screaming to run away and never come back. The thing looks older than this world and is unaffected by our attacks, but NOOO! You're scared and unsettled by those!?” He waves an arm in the direction of a shadow that has its gaze on them, “Which only seems to whisper, scream or stare. Not attack, not possess us and make us kill each other, just whispers,screams and stares. THAT’S what you're worried about!?” He was about to continue, but the glare Cinder gave him shut him up. Her glare turned into an annoyed sigh as she rubbed her temple.
“It doesn't matter, we've wasted too much time on this and Salem is growing impatient. Ozpin could be sending one of his pawns to see if this things effects can be replicated, and if Ironwood or any of his pawns do figure that out who do you think she will punish for that?” Cinder asked looking at them, witnessing their unease, “Exactly, Emerald get in contact with Watts, hopefully he can deal with it.” Emerald nodded and walked off to contact Watt's, “Until then we will stand guard here until he and anyone who comes with arrive. If we’re lucky maybe who ever Ozpin sends to see this horrid thing can provide us with a bit of entertainment while we’re here. Maybe we can draw out their death long enough for Watts to bear witness.” With that, Ruby had heard enough. She was turning to leave, but as she turned around she saw a shadow there, but unlike the others it was solid its form fully revealed, its boney body shaking uncontrollably as it looked at her clicking before letting out a screech so horrific it caused Ruby to flinch. Just as she did it charged at her causing Ruby's eyes to widen and take aim with Crescent Rose before firing at the shadow, its head blowing apart and its body turning to a green fire and ashes. Ruby took a breath to calm down, but her relief was short lived as she realized what she had just done followed by Cinders laugh, “It seems our entertainment has already arrived.”
