MiRACLe: Infinite Mindworks (A RWBY story)

[1] 13: Space and Time left

Mal woke up once more within what seemed like the vacuum of space. It's floor felt... fluffy... yet he couldn't make it out what he was stepping on due to the dense white mist that reached up to his knees. However, apart from the contrasting sky and mist, there were two other things within this unknown place. A countless number of weapons all stabbed into the floor and a familiar black obelisk resting in the midst of that ethereal plane.

After a good five minutes of walking and taking in the sight, Mal then approached the black obelisk and then looked at it's base and saw a familiar timer.

Mal then mentally said to himself "27 years huh?". He then pondered how he could possibly be dying faster. All he was doing after was using his sem- wait...

He then projected non-gun copy of Gambol Shroud, which, unlike usual just appeared out from the mist below. He then looked at the timer before closing his eyes and sighing. The blade managed to take away half an entire day's worth of time.

"I see... so using my semblance kills me faster... That sucks... But what about...".

He then began using reinforcement, allowing his entire body to be suffused in circuit-like patterns.

His eyes then widen, seeing as how this resulted in the clock ticking faster at a speed of a minute per second.

"I... see... so my aura itself... is killing this body... If that's the case, I'm guessing I lost 2 years from that stunt I did with Fenrir then.".

He then realized that maybe Fenrir's passive connection to him is also killing him as well as evidence by the fact that the timer was moving at one and a half times faster than a second per tick. But he refused to cut it off... that beodog needed it. After all, it's not wrong to help...

However, that thought made him flashed back to someone saying the exact same words.As he looked at the blurry visage of a red-haired man, all he could say was "Who are you? Who are you to me? Are you  my father perhaps? No... that can't be right... I saw through your eyes, so who ARE you? Are you me somehow? In some other life perhaps?".

"Mal"

While he said that, he could hear a voice slowly getting louder.

"Mal"

"Mal"

"Mal"

"MAL!"

Mal then jumped out of his bed only to see Ruby standing by his bedside.

"Y-yeah... what is it Ruby?".

"So... i-is your face alright?".

"Yeah, it is but a scratch. Besides, if this wasn't an accident, I'd probably be dead." He then gave a dry chuckle only for Ruby to pout and say "Mal, don't joke about that kind of thing!" only for Mal to shush her, saying "You have to keep it down, Lex and I promised to keep quiet about this remember? As far as Rogue, Cenn and Alice know, I just got cut when I stood near a construction accident.".

Ruby then covered her own mouth before nodding.

Mal then climbed out of bed and said "Come on, let's continue finding our friend.". Ruby then said "You don't have to- Oh wait..." before pointing an accusatory finger at Mal, saying "You're just gonna say 'It's not wrong to help' aren't you? Then you'll proceed to help anyways, aren't you?". Mal blinked before scratching the back of his head, saying "Hehe... you got me there...".

Later that day, everyone then decided to split off from each other. Lex had to go to an office meeting, Cenn said he was gonna pay homage to... some people dear, alongside Alice. Rogue decided to hit up a cafe he heard about ran by some dude named Tonio who apparently had a stand- I mean a semblance that enriched food and Mal decided to continue the search.