RWBY: Grimm Walker

Chapter 19: Rising Up

Yang gazed up at the massive beast before her in horror. Never before had she seen such a creature as this, its appearance alone enough to send chills down her spine. The girl could barely hear Weiss's cries over the angry screeching of the beast.

"Nix! Nix, what is that thing! Nix!"

Yang looked over at her partner to see him frozen in fear. His sword and shield hung limp at his sides, almost dropping to the ground. She looked back at her other friends just as the Grimm Walker smashed its massive fist into the earth, rubble flying everywhere. The students dove out of the way as chunks of rock and bone rained down on them. Nix didn't move from his spot, his feet rooted to the ground in terror. Memory after memory of death and destruction flashed before his eyes as he looked unblinking at the creature.

"Doomed...we're all doomed..."

The beast roared and lifted a large boulder from the ground and locked eyes with the boy. Yang looked up from where she had landed and called out to him. "Nix, get out of the way!"

The Grimm Walker threw the bolder down at the immobile boy, the large chunk of rock hurling towards him like a meteor falling from orbit. Nix could only watch as it grew closer, its shadow descending over him like a blanket of darkness.

"This is where it ends.."

"Nix, move!"

The boy was tackled from the side just as the boulder came smashing down, the area covered in a cloud of dust. Nix lay on his back dazed, his ears ringing. The impact of the boulder snapped him out of his terror induced trance and he slowly rolled onto his knees. He could hear the sounds of battle rage around him through the ringing, the beasts cries piercing his ears. He crawled forward to where his helmet lay, having gotten blown off when he landed. Nix grasped it with shaky hands and placed it back on to find his comms screaming.

"Nix?" It was Pyrrha. "Nix, come in! Are you OK?"

The boy slowly rose to his feet. "Yeah, i'm here."

"Oh thank God. Is Jaune alright?"

Nix struggled to comprehend the question. "Jaune?"

Just then Jaune's shaky voice came from Nix's left. "Over...here.."

Nix looked over quickly to see his fallen friend. He quickly ran over and knelt beside him. "Pyrrha, I got him!" He took off his helmet and looked over his friend. "Good God, what happened?"

Jaune coughed a bit and struggled to sit up. "I saved your butt, that's what." He went to stand but cried out. "Agh, my leg.." The dust began to settle and Nix got a good look at the damage. Jaune had a deep gash on his shin, blood seeping through his pant leg. "Rock must have got me..gah it hurts!" Nix went behind his friend and put his hands under his arms, dragging him to the forests edge. "You cant fight like this, we need to get you out of here." The dust had settled completely now and the two could see the vicious fight going on. The others battled the Grimm Walker with all there might, the beasts constant screaming making Nix stomach churn. Nora came running up to them, her face full of worry.

"Nix, Jaune, thank God you're OK!" She knelt next to her wounded leader. "What happened?"

"Rock cut his leg open, he needs medical attention." The ground shook and Nix turned back to the battle. He looked back at Nora, his face serious. "Look after him."

Nora nodded and started to tend Jaunes wounds. Nix stood and ran into battle, his determination to protect his friends fueling him. He put his helmet on and summoned his assault rifle as he ran, his legs pumping as fast as they could. Yang went flying past him as the beast knocked her away with a massive fist, bellowing in fury. Nix opened fire, the gun sounding off its signature pow-clap as the rounds flew from its barrel. The Grimm Walker screamed in anger and pain as the bullets peppered its body and it smashed the ground again. Nix dove out of the way and rolled, his sword and shied replacing his firearm. The beast swung its arm in a sideways arch, dirt and rocks flying all around. Ruby jumped at the beast from behind and slashed deep with her scythe causing a spray of blood to fly from the wound. Nix stepped in and slashed with his own weapon, his blade cutting an X pattern on its ribs. The creature howled in fury and slammed its fist into the ground before jumping back, forcing him and the others to back off. Yang came running up beside Nix and put her hands up. "You OK?"