The Grimm Rose

Chapter 2.8: Echo (Ready for War)

Key: "normal speech", 'sign language/hologram', "telepathy/thoughts", 'speaking through actions', "written words"

Stygian Rose is in a bad mood. First, after the rather nice time spent with his girlfriend, sisters, and friends - Team JNPR dropped by at some point to join SN and RWBY in the Grimm Faunus' room - the two four-person teams were called away to select missions. Later, Stygian and Neo would find out that Team RWBY had to leave immediately and Team JNPR, who'd informed SN of the situation, are bound to leave in the morning for their own mission. Stygian spent the rest of the day rather unhappy; the only thing that made him smile, aside from Neo, is learning that his dad had sent Zwei and that Ruby had smuggled the corgi onto the bullhead taking her and Team RWBY to their mission.

And now, Stygian has to deal with this. 

"W̯ͤ̾ͣ͝ẹ̿͋̒̕ ḿ̬̏ͤͅẹ̿͋̒̕ẹ̿͋̒̕t̲̂̓ͩ̑ ā̤̓̍͘t̲̂̓ͩ̑ l̙͖̑̾ͣā̤̓̍͘s̠҉͍͊ͅt̲̂̓ͩ̑, S̵̙͕̀̃t̲̂̓ͩ̑y҉̃̀̋̑ĝ̽̓̀͑ỉ͔͖̜͌ā̤̓̍͘ṇ̤͛̒̍ R͉̜̎͡͠o̯̱̊͊͢s̠҉͍͊ͅẹ̿͋̒̕," the staticky voice booms through the large space.

"Oh, shut. UP," Stygian growls, not even caring about his sudden ability to speak; all he wants is to have a nice rest in his warm bed, but even that seems impossible.

"Wow. No fear, no surprise, no 'Oh my gods, there's a voice in my head! I'm going insane!', just instant shut down! But, what else should I expect from the mighty Grimm Tamer," the voice laughs, no longer booming or staticky, as something forms from the darkness. Almost like it's stepping through some sort of barrier, a large humanoid being steps into view.

It's tall, at least seven feet, and is covered head-to-toe in bone armor that resembles Stygian's own armor. What can be seen between the cracks in the plates cannot even be described as flesh; more like a corporeal shadow. Atop its helmeted head is a crown of black onyx, which has multiple spines reaching upward like the branches of a dead tree; intertwined and strangling each other as they reach to the sun for salvation that never comes.

"What do you want from me, Grimm?" Stygian demands, never wavering despite the thing's intimidating appearance.

The thing scoffs, "Grimm. Such a barbaric way to describe one such as I, or perhaps ones such as us. No, I am no common Grimm. I am a Conqueror, a Tyrant, a King! We are a King!"

"I am no king, and I am no Grimm, either," Stygian argues.

"Then what does it all mean? The armor that appears on your body, the color of your left eye, the way you can sense and feed upon the negative emotions of the people around you, the instincts that tell you to kill every person that isn't under your protection?" the King retorts, "Face it, no matter what you call yourself: Half-Grimm, Grimm Faunus. You. Are. A. Grimm."

Stygian growls, fixing the Grimm King with a heated glare, "I am nothing like the monsters I hunt."

"No. You are them, and so much more," the King replies, "Think about it! You can think for yourself, feel emotions, be a person! You are not a Grimm, a mindless killing machine that follows its base instincts. You are a Grimm King, who is destined for great things!"

Stygian is silent for a long while. When he speaks, he is calm, "Why are you telling me this?"

The King laughs, "Is it not obvious? I am you! Your 'Grimm half', your 'inner beast'. I am the part of yourself that you've been rejecting simply because you are afraid of what will happen if you accept it. I am here as a representation of your final obstacle, and your first step on your journey to your destiny."

"If you are an obstacle, then how do I overcome you?"

"I think you know the answer to that," the King answers, before both it and Stygian shudder as a wave of emotions washes over them, "You felt that, right? I believe it is time for you to wake up before your mate tries anything drastic."