Reaper's War

Chapter 18: The Pool of Purity

A/N: It seems I completely forgot to post a chapter on Sunday. Oops.
But here it is now.
So I hope you all enjoy. See you at the end. Maybe.

Ruby felt like she was floating. It was dark and cold. Was she dead? No, that didn't seem right. She was glowing but it was slowly being swallowed by the void around her. She was being swallowed by the abyss.

She did the first thing she could think of.

Run.

Run as fast as she can in the endless darkness. Follow the path she was on and eventually come across a light at the end of the tunnel. She was always warned not to go into the light but just this once, she wanted to escape the darkness she'd been in for so long now. So she did, running straight into the light at the end of the tunnel before her glow disappeared forever.

Now she faced a mirror. Her eyes were silver. As they should be. But they were slowly becoming red. Her head looked to be different too. That was it, she had no wolf ears. And no tail either. She was as she should be. A normal girl with normal knees.
But she was still glowing and it was still slowly being snuffed out by the creeping darkness.

"This is how you should be. This is your soul, your true self. The way you are really shaped compared to your corrupted body." A voice to her right said, startling her.

She turned around abruptly to find a young man with short, brown, shaggy hair wearing what looked to be very old armour.

"Who are you?" She said, her voice sounding clear and slightly echoey.

"I am Ozma. You called me here." He said, gesturing around him.

"I did? Where are we?" Were Ruby's next questions.

"We are between two worlds. Between my own being and yours. It is everywhere but nowhere. Not quite in existence but it is still there in the shadows and smallest corners of light." Ozma explained cryptically, confusing the young girl.

"I don't understand. Why are we here?"

"I believe you are here for the truth of your partner's family. I am here to show you those truths." Ozma replied, already turning around and walking the other way.

"Wait! What truths? I don't understand what you mean!" She shouted after him, hesitating to follow before deciding that she should.

"I hope you are ready to see into the memories of Alexander Schnee. They are important and you may find them useful. Especially in terms of helping your partner." the strange man said as a door appeared out of nowhere.

He opened it and beyond was a very different world. Ruby hesitated again, this time for much longer, standing just before the doorway.

"What is that place?" She asked as she looked into the strange world beyond.

"It is a world rife with more Grimm and Reapers than the world ever thought possible. It is the world far in the past from your own. It is also where the Reaper's War ensued." Ozma expounded, gesturing to the world beyond the door.

"But it looks so peaceful. If I step in what will happen to me?" She was sceptical, feeling like it was a trick but at the same time feeling like the man before her was familiar to her.

"It looks peaceful but it is not. This is a time where the majority of humans do not possess an aura or a semblance, completely relying on Reapers to protect them from the countless hordes of Grimm." The familiar man paused, seemingly thinking about his next words. "Once you step through, this door will shut. You must finish the memory sequence. You will not be harmed by anyone and no one can see or hear you. But, be careful who or what you touch. And before you ask, I cannot follow you in. I am not permitted to do so."