RWBY: Grimm Walker

Chapter 10: Letting Go

Ruby charged at full speed, aiming to end the fight quickly. Nix jumped high and flipped over her as she ran past, having more energy than he looked. Ruby turned and came in again, attacking with a jumping slash. Nix rose his blade and blocked pushing her blade off his. The two exchanged blows, the training weapons clacking together rapidly. Ruby was surprised at how much energy the boy still had, his blade intercepting every strike she made. He moved in fluid motions, a firm two handed grip on the sword, the blade sweeping and thrusting in all directions. Ruby began to tire as the fight went on, the two classmates moving all over the stage as they sparred. She gave her scythe a twirl and brought it down hard in an overhead swing, Nix angling his sword horizontal over his head.

The weapons locked in place and she pulled them down bringing her face close to his. He was smiling wide, clearly in a better mood. Ruby couldn't help but smile back at him. She was happy to see him feeling better, and she was having a good time as well. But she knew this was only a temporary solution, the only way to really help him was to beat him. She had to end the fight here or she may never find out what was bothering him. She broke away and crouched low into a running stance, then rushed at Nix in a burst of speed, using her semblance to go even faster. Nix stood his ground as she closed in, determined to fight until the end. Ruby went in for the finishing blow, but Nix suddenly sidestepped her and stuck his foot out. The girl tripped and fell to the floor with a thud. She propped herself up on her elbows, dizzy from the spill. Nix knelt down in front of her with a playful smirk.

"Want to call it there, or keep going?"

"Ok, you win." He helped her to her feet, the training weapons fazing away. "Guess I should leave you alone then."

Nix laughed. "Oh, I was gona tell you anyway. I just wanted an excuse to fight you first."

She slugged hard him in the arm. "You suck, you know that?"

He rubbed his arm and laughed again, and Ruby couldn't help but laugh as well. He tussled her hair affectionately.

"Alright, Ill talk. But first, lets get a drink."

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The two stood on the balcony a few moments later, the sun now beginning to set. The balcony had a nice view of the city, the sunset casting an orange glow over the horizon. Nix leaned on the railing as he took a sip from his caned beverage, the cool liquid refreshing him. Ruby stood next to him with her back resting on the railing, holding her drink with both hands.

"Ok, spill it."

Nix took a long swig of his drink. He looked out at the city with a somber expression. "Look at the city Ruby. What do you see?"

She turned and looked out at the city below them. People were walking around, sitting at outdoor restaurants, or finishing the day's shopping. "Umm..I see people, and cars, and buildings."

Nix chuckled lightly. "You know what I see? I see happiness. Joy. Love. Hundreds of people who lead happy lives and enjoy the world around them even though creatures that want to wipe them out lie just beyond the city walls." He took a sip of his drink. "I grew up in a small village in the Red Lands, or as you call it Forever Fall. We didn't have big walls or Huntsmen to protect us. Me and my sister, Iolite, never met our parents, instead raised by the villagers. Said our mother got sick and left us. They taught us how to fight Grimm when we were young since we had to defend the village on our own. But life was peaceful, and everyone was happy.

He paused to gather his thoughts.

"When I was sixteen, some of our hunting parties stopped coming back. We sent search parties out after them, but soon they stopped coming back too. Some of the villagers said it was because of the Grimm Walker, but that was just a story the parents told us kids to scare us. I never believed it."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Whats a Grimm Walker?"

"The story says that long ago, two brothers shared a kingdom. One day, the younger one decided that he wanted to rule it all, but didn't have the power too. So, he drank the blood of a Grimm in hopes to gain its power. But the blood consumed him, corrupting his soul and transformed him into a Grimm, and he destroyed everything, unable to control himself. Those who drink the blood of Grimm are cursed to walk among them."

He continued with his story. "After a while, one of the villagers we sent out came back. He was covered in wounds and screaming the Grimm Walker was real and had killed everyone. People were scared, so we gathered every able person we could and set out to find the creature, the rest staying behind. The returned hunter led us to a large cave deep in the forest, saying that it lived in there. Bones were scattered everywhere, broken weapons all over the place. Then the thing came out of its hole, it was the most terrifying Grimm I had ever seen. We fought hard, but it slaughtered us. I was knocked into the woods during the battle and when I woke up, everyone was dead. I ran back to the village but I was too late. Everything was gone. My sister, my friends, everything I cared about, gone."

Nix paused again, the memory painful to talk about. "So, for the next two years I wandered all over the kingdom, moving from place to place, trying to find all I could about the Grimm Walkers." He looked up at the sunset. "That's why I train so much, so that no one has to experience the thing I did. I wasn't strong enough to save the ones I cared about, but if I become the strongest I can be, I can save others."

He stared at his feet, the pain of his loss now fresh in his mind. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Ruby. Her eyes were soft and full of compassion.

"You don't have to go though this alone, you know. You cant keep blaming yourself for what happened, because it wasn't your fault."

Nix turned away from her. "I failed, Ruby. I failed and now everyone who cared about me is gone. I have to live with that."

A sudden pressure from behind surprised him, a warm feeling wrapping itself around his whole body. Ruby hugged him tight, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I care. So does Yang, Jaune, and everyone else. We all care."

Nix felt his legs start to go weak, a wave of emotion crashing down on him all at once.

"You're not alone anymore Nix. You can let go."

The boys vision started to blur, unable to hold back any longer, and he began to sob. Tears ran down his face as he cried deeply, finally letting go of all the guilt and sorrow he had kept inside all those years. Ruby held him close, her embrace like a warm blanket. Nix stopped after a while, his breathing slowing down as he calmed himself. She held him for a while longer, the sun now almost completely set. Nix finally broke away and returned her hug, his voice only a whisper in her ear.

"Thank you."

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Nix splashed some water on his face and looked himself over in the mirror. He and Ruby had returned to their dorms a few minuets ago, and Nix already felt a thousand times better. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders, finally at peace with himself.

A knock came on his door and he opened it to see Yang standing in the doorway. His heart jumped in surprise, caught off guard by her presence.

"Mind if I come in?" She asked. Nix shut the door behind her as she entered and she took a seat on his bed. Nix couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, his room wasn't the cleanest at the moment. Yang didn't seem to mind though, her gaze set on him rather than the room. "Ruby told me what happened outside."

"She did, huh?" He sighed and sat down next to her. "Shocker there."

"I know how you feel right now. Ruby and I had been on our own growing up as well. It can be tough, but we got through it because we found people who cared about us and helped us. I want you to know that we care, and we'll help you through."

Yang smiled at him and he felt his heart flutter. "Thanks," He said smiling back. "That means a lot."

Yang glanced at Nix alarm clock, and stood. "Come on. Get dressed, and wear something nice."

"What? Why?"

Yang gave him a sly smile over her shoulder as she left his dorm. "Because its our day off tomorrow, and someone still owes me dinner."