A True Nightmare (RWBY X CRAWL!READER)

01 - The Oldest of Souls

A gigantic, faded spirit floated miserably in the air, not willing to move after its long wait in the dark.

A ready and waiting pentagram was scrawled on the floor, practically begging the spirit to possess it and summon another beast of the dark.

But... the spirit had long since learned that the promise of freedom was a lie. No matter what powers he held, no matter how many "heroes" he killed and became, no matter how strong his beasts were, no matter what cursed weapons he held, no matter what titan he slayed, he could never find the way out.

Nothing was worth the effort anymore, not even turning his ethereal head to watch another fearful wanderer sneak through his chamber to try the great gate behind him.

The hero sank in despair as yet another gate was proven to be sealed shut forever.

He dragged himself across the floor and lay beside the pentagram before turning a tired gaze toward the great red spirit spirit drifting lazily above him. He coughed and croaked out heavy words.

"You there, spirit, how long have you been here?"

For the first time in ages, the ancient spirit was stimulated beyond simple awareness. It slowly turned in the air with empty eyes to gaze upon the "living" being below it. Ancient and echoing tones rasped out in a bare semblance of speech.

"At the very least... before this tomb was truly sealed from... anywhere else..."

The hero groaned in dismay and stabbed at the floor with his rusted blade, too angry and tired to do anything else but despair.

"How long has it been spirit? Since the call of monsters and the song of steel has rang in these old halls? Even the living are dead now, unwilling to do anything but search fruitlessly for an escape from this hell within hell."

The spirit merely groaned and did not reply.

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Elsewhere...
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Ruby ran forward, intent on stopping the train, only to skid to a halt as she saw the end of the tunnel about to meet the engine head on. Her team, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, quickly gathered around her as the collision was a mere second away. She gave a quick nod to Weiss and braced herself for impact as an icy shield formed around them.

If only they had known what the impact would release, they might have tried a little harder to stop the hammer of fate.

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The spirit jerked in surprise as the sudden tremor rocked the surroundings, the hero jumping to its feet and awaiting the fight surely to come.

Dust fell, torches flared, the altars glimmered in wicked delight, great beasts smiled with monstrous teeth, runes satanic and holy pulsed with energy, ancient cogs and mechanisms lurched and sprang to life, columns mended, pentagrams burned, bones shuffled, and even the spirit felt itself renewed.

"The bloodstained gates have been freed! The old path is open! Now is the time, old friends, to CRAWL ONCE MORE!"

And as the words faded away and the spark of madness bloomed anew in every soul, a wicked chorus of blood and steel rang out through the dark, and the tomb itself laughed with glee.

The spirit turned its hollow gaze on its companion and his meager strength. The hero whirled about and met his burning gaze in sudden realization and horror.