RWBY: New

Chapter 7: Outside of Vale

It was thirty minutes after we had left the plane. The signs of Grimm were unusually spastic around the woods. Although there were many encounters, there weren't a lot of them. I say about two to three Beowolf or a lone Ursa that was walking about.

Though every time we did fight, Next just killed them off by either a throwing knife or a strange wrist blade under his sleeve.

"Were getting closer."

Next then sat down on a nearby log. He signalled me to sit next to him by tapping his hand on the log. Abiding, I sat down next to him with confusion.

"You're wondering why were sitting down." He said peacefully watching the blue sky.

"Yeah I am, if we're that close to him we should just kill it already."

"That's a fair point but, think about this Alex."

"Think about what?"

His face saddened before looking me straight into my face, "If we do, and if he's still giving you your aura, then that means..."

"I dont have the power of constantly fighting without pain and ultra punches."

"No Alex, that isn't it."

"Then what is it?"

"The earth works with aura."

"Yeah Humans, animals and plants have aura."

"Yes that's correct but without it they become darkened and attached to hate and misery."

"So?"

"You still dont get it." His eyes affixed to my soul nearly as he stated it coldly, "If we kill him with him being attached to you, then you'll either die due to the connection being cut off or if you're lucky turn into another slave to the Grimm."

"What?" The news shook me to the core, "If killing the creature was so bad then why, why send me to kill it?"

"Because Ozpin wanted to get rid of any loose ends."

I felt my eyes open more than usual as my heart nearly stopped.

"So I'll give you a choice."

I paid every inch of my attention to him. The feeling of uneasiness dwelling up.

"You can follow me deeper. I will teach more on how to fight until it's time for the final fight then, you'll die or turn, then I'll kill you. Or you can run north. The influence of the beast should weaken the higher you'll go due to its nesting area, you'll live a full life happily despite the fact of what happened in Vale pl-"

"I'll follow."

He seemed surprised by the words, "Why? Why would you spend you life for such a worthless point, I'll kill it with or without you, plus if you go back there just going to send you on another suicide mission.

"We'll if that's true Next, then I'll make sure hell is cozy for the both of you."

I stood up from the log and continued onwards before a hand planted on my shoulder.

"You won't survive, even if I teach you how to fight."

"Next." I turned around to face him who had a serious tone drowned on, "You need to learn to have faith in people and their choices."

The words seemed to struck him, then a hand struck me. I fell to the ground holding the side of my head.

"Your evasion skills need work."

I got up from the dirt to be kicked behind the knee. I once again fell to the ground.

"And your balance, not to mention your endurance."

I pushed myself back up facing Next who was standing normally in front of me.

"Overall you are pathetic."

His eyes glaring at me. He sighed slightly before closing them.

"But nothing I can't fix."

Smiling due to my cleverness, I threw a punch at the robed man. I felt a slight push to my hand in which it was redirected towards the log he was sitting on. A fist flew from nowhere hitting me across the head as two more blows landed on my stomach.

I fell to dirt once again. Even with the aura, I felt my breath going heavy. Instead of getting up I launched my foot at his leg, hoping to trip him. Instead he jumped over the leg and placed another kick to the stomach.

"Your combat skills need improving but that's to be expected. Though I do have a idea."

He knelt down beside me and placed a hand over my eyes. The feeling of strength flowed through my body, fueling me for a split second before it turned into pain.

I yelped in pain as my body began to burn. It felt as if my blood was boiling and my skin rubbed with a cheese grater. I bit the feeling of pain barely. It would've felt so good to scream or to fight back but I just endured it.

"I see." He removed his hand, and by extension the pain, "Your aura is being blocked by this darkness."

"Damnit." I tirelessly breathed in and out in between waves of rippling muscles barely holding in the tears.

"The pain you felt right now. That was your body rejecting you."

My muscle felt melted and my bones jelly. I tried to move but was greeted with a face full of earth. I took a heavy breath and once again pushed myself up, to meet a similar fate.

I felt a hand grip me, then another before I felt the solid ground turn into forgiving air. With a sigh I felt a steady submission for the ground meet my numb body.

"I might have gone to far, for that I apologise."

Next then began to move. My body flowed side by side by each step when he walked. We continued for another few hours, complete silence along the total way making it supremely boring.

Though To be honest talking wasn't my goal at the moment as the feeling of being shredded to pieces was more important.

"You haven't gotten over it yet have you?" I grumbled unintelligibly making Next sigh. He placed me down next to a tree. The shade cooling me from the beating sun. Next then began to sit down next to me.

"Hey Next..."

"What is it?" He asked not looking at me, instead studying the clouds above.

"What was the point of testing my aura? I mean if you already knew the grimm controlled me, then what was the point of unlocking my aura?"

"I thought that was obvious."

"What? how is that obvious?"

The man sighed before standing up, not once did he look at me, "Remember what I told you about Ozpin?"

I thought back through the few hours that I traveled with him.

He sent me with Next. He said he wanted to kill the grimm, to prove my strength. And to...get rid of me.

I snapped out of my thoughts and scanned the area for Next. The sky was darkening at an alarming rate. I looked harder and harder, but in the end he was already gone.

"Hey get back here!" I shouted out into the black void of the forest, "At least tell me where the creature is!" My voice lifted through the silence, until a deep laugh cut it off.

"I do not think that is much concern child."