RWBY: LUCID

Qrow's gaze remained fixed upon the impossible battlefield unfolding beneath them before he finally spoke, his voice stripped of its usual sardonic humor by the sheer scale of what lay ahead.

"The Rank Threes are fighting. We shouldn't get too close."

There was no argument to be made against that assessment. Even from their current distance, where Taiyang's immense dragon body drifted silently between colossal streams of blood-red runic energy that threaded endlessly through the moon's hollow core, the three of them could see explosions large enough to swallow cities erupting across the battlefield.

Entire mountain-sized pillars of crimson stone shattered apart as waves of multicolored runic energy collided, each impact releasing enough force to ripple through the surrounding void. The air itself appeared unstable, bending beneath overlapping domains that twisted reality in subtle yet terrifying ways. Every few seconds another shockwave rolled outward, not merely displacing the atmosphere but distorting the crimson rivers of runic energy flowing around the System Barrier itself, causing them to sway like enormous celestial rivers caught beneath a hurricane.

Truthfully, Jaune had never witnessed a true Rank Three Grimm before today. He had seen entities equivalent to Rank Threes within the Shadow Realm, including Stalkers that had evolved beyond ordinary comprehension, and he had also observed human Rank Threes exercising their Master Runes on several occasions, but Grimm represented an entirely different category of existence.

Their evolution was unlike humanity's.

At Rank Zero, the average Grimm possessed the approximate size of a compact automobile. There existed countless biological exceptions, naturally, but as a general rule that measurement remained accurate.

Upon reaching Rank One they expanded dramatically, swelling until many rivaled entire houses, each mutation accompanied by greater durability and increasingly grotesque adaptations born from Salem's influence.

Rank Two elevated them even further. Those creatures became towering monstrosities capable of reaching the heights of skyscrapers, walking catastrophes whose every movement could flatten city blocks and whose presence alone inspired instinctive terror in even seasoned awakened. Standing before such creatures already made humanity appear insignificant.

Yet Rank Three discarded every conventional understanding of scale altogether. Rank Three Grimm did not simply become larger. They underwent something closer to apotheosis.

Creatures whose bodies stretched across distances normally measured in kilometers rather than meters, whose limbs rivaled valleys, whose wings cast shadows capable of swallowing entire cities beneath perpetual darkness. Looking upon one produced the uncomfortable sensation that geography itself had awakened and decided to hunt mankind.

Entire ecosystems could have comfortably existed upon their backs. Their roars became natural disasters. Their footsteps could reshape continents. Even standing thousands of miles away failed to diminish their overwhelming presence, because there was no meaningful perspective from which such beings could truly appear small.

It was precisely because creatures like these existed that the rest of humanity had remained blissfully ignorant. They could know nothing. An entire continent had been hidden from public knowledge, protected by organizations that transcended even LUCID itself. The Keepers operated beyond ordinary governmental authority precisely because there existed threats that could never be allowed anywhere near populated lands.

Fortunately, battles against Grimm unfolded within the Dream Realm rather than reality itself, where the catastrophic consequences of their Domains could be contained without annihilating civilization. A Rank Three's Domain was not merely another ability. It represented an extension of the user's entire conceptual existence. Left unchecked, those conceptual spaces could permanently alter everything surrounding them. The damage a Master Rune exercised upon the real world without restraint was something that bordered upon an extinction-level event.

And Tyrian...

Tyrian possessed the authority to command them.

Or rather, the fragment of Salem nested within Tyrian's consciousness wielded that authority.

Jaune watched silently as over twenty colossal Grimm advanced across the battlefield beneath the gigantic crimson barrier. At first glance it scarcely seemed believable that so many could exist simultaneously. The creatures fought as living natural disasters, each movement releasing catastrophic force while torrents of runic energy illuminated the darkness with violent flashes of scarlet, gold, emerald and azure. Against them stood humanity's greatest awakened.

Rank Two eyesight rendered impossible distances almost meaningless, allowing Jaune to distinguish individual figures weaving between the gargantuan monsters. He immediately recognized several of them. Ozpin's calm, measured movements remained unmistakable even amidst such overwhelming violence. Ironwood advanced with relentless precision, every strike calculated, every maneuver coordinated alongside the others. Then there was Velik.

Even from this distance he dominated the battlefield with a tide of darkness.

He served as the spearhead driving directly into the heart of the Grimm formation, his presence so overwhelming that the surrounding Rank Threes instinctively organized themselves around his advance. Wherever Velik moved, Grimm the size of mountain ranges recoiled beneath the pressure exerted by his Domains. Jaune already knew why. Velik's Master Rune had been born from an unprecedented combination of two regular runes alongside a Meta Rune, granting him superiority over every other Rank Three currently alive. Furthermore, the catastrophe within the Shadow Realm had fundamentally altered him. He now possessed not only the Domain granted through his awakened Master Rune but also the powers inherited from both a Grimm and a Stalker, effectively allowing three conceptual Domains to coexist within a single individual.

By now he had undoubtedly finished assimilating those newfound abilities. Calling Velik the strongest Rank Three of the current era was hardly exaggeration.

Well...

With one exception.

Tyrian.

Technically Tyrian still remained classified as Rank Three.

Technically.

In practical terms, however, Tyrian occupied an entirely different category. Housing a fragment of Salem fundamentally distorted every comparison. Whatever ordinary standards governed Rank Threes simply ceased applying.

Taiyang gradually halted his descent. The gigantic eastern dragon drifted quietly between enormous streams of crimson runic energy that floated throughout the moon's core like celestial arteries. Qrow remained standing upon the dragon's broad snout beside Jaune, the two of them silently observing the conflict below while taking care not to approach closely enough for the Domains to notice their presence. They watched for several minutes, each explosion beneath them sending silent ripples across the endless void before finally Jaune glanced sideways.

"How do your runes feel?"

Qrow flexed one hand thoughtfully before exhaling.

"It's going to take me a while to merge them. Hopefully it works out."

Without another word he stepped lightly from the dragon's snout onto the broad ridge atop Taiyang's gigantic head. There, amidst rushing currents of crimson energy and impossible winds, he quietly folded his legs beneath himself and assumed a meditative posture. His breathing slowed almost immediately as his consciousness turned inward, seeking the delicate harmony necessary to merge Crow, Misfortune and Murder into a true Master Rune.

Jaune watched him for several seconds before absentmindedly cupping his chin.

Truthfully...

There wasn't much he could do.

Qrow had already achieved the hardest milestone many awakened never reached. All three runes stood at complete Mastery. Unfortunately, mastery alone did not guarantee ascension. Merging three runes into a singular Master Rune remained one of the most notoriously difficult accomplishments within the awakened world.

Combining three ordinary runes already bordered upon impossibility for most awakened. Attempting the same feat when one of those runes happened to be a Meta Rune increased the difficulty exponentially. Concepts rarely wished to coexist peacefully, particularly abstract concepts like Murder. The countless failed Rank Twos throughout history stood as evidence of that reality. Many individuals reached complete comprehension only to remain forever trapped because their runes refused to harmonize.

Jaune suddenly paused.

Knowledge.

Perhaps...

The thought lingered only briefly before disappointment followed almost immediately.

The Relic of Knowledge.

Each Supreme Rune naturally radiated a subtle conceptual influence capable of gently guiding nearby minds toward deeper understanding. If Qrow could meditate beneath that influence, perhaps the process of merging his runes would become substantially easier.

Unfortunately...

Jaune slowly lifted his gaze toward the impossible crimson barrier dominating the moon's core. The Relics were inside. The barrier itself would prevent any such attempt. Taiyang's immense dragon voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What exactly is that thing?"

Jaune looked toward the colossal crimson dome.

"How much do you know about the Sleeper and the Life Creator?"

Though Qrow appeared fully immersed in meditation, Jaune could still sense that part of his awareness remained quietly focused upon the conversation.

Taiyang answered after a brief pause.

"I've read the archive reports. General stuff. The Life Creator fought the Sleeper because the Sleeper wanted to wipe out all life while the Life Creator wasn't particularly enthusiastic about its creations dying."

The dragon released what sounded suspiciously like an embarrassed chuckle.

"Big battle. Life Creator died. Managed to seal the... well... awakened Sleeper and turned the Sleeper into..." He hesitated before laughing awkwardly. "...the Sleeper that's currently sleeping. That sounds incredibly stupid when I actually say it aloud."

Despite everything, Jaune found himself smiling.

"I have to admit... you're not wrong."

Taiyang hummed thoughtfully. "Did the Sleeper have another title before being called the Sleeper?"

"Just call her Salem."

The dragon gave a slow nod. Jaune returned his attention toward the enormous crimson barrier.

"That barrier is essentially the final defensive line. More importantly..." His expression became serious. "...it's the physical manifestation of the seal that's currently keeping Salem asleep."

"A barrier..."

"More than that," Jaune continued quietly. "It's the physical form of the System itself."

Silence settled between them.

"The System itself?"

Jaune nodded.

His gaze never left the barrier. "Because we are hosts of the system, it can constantly use us to steal Salem's nearly infinite supply of runic energy. Grimm are the medium for us to take it. Due to them and the dream realm being the manifestation of Salem's desire to end of all life, they carry fragments of Salem's strength. And when we awakened kill Grimm, the System rewards us with their runic fragments. That's how the cycle functions."

Taiyang remained completely silent.

Jaune continued.

"The system and the seal itself also requires an impossible amount of energy to maintain. The Life Creator is dead, so it cannot provide the energy to sustain the seal and the system. However, the Life Creator solved that problem brilliantly before it died."

A complicated expression crossed his face.

"Salem powers her own prison. Every moment the barrier exists, it continuously drains her. At the same time..." He gestured toward the world beyond. "...that same stolen energy empowers humanity through the rune system."

The dragon failed to answer immediately.

When Taiyang finally spoke, his voice carried unexpected sympathy.

"...Kind of feel bad for her."

Jaune slowly looked toward him.

"She isn't human, Taiyang. She's the very antithesis of life itself. Our fundamental natures are incompatible."

"I know." Taiyang sighed heavily. "Logically I know that. It just..." He searched for the proper words. "...sounds like we're blood-sucking mosquitoes draining the life out of her forever."

Jaune released a tired breath.

"...You're not wrong."

For several moments nobody spoke. Eventually Jaune broke the silence.

"We should probably look for my father."

Taiyang's enormous eye shifted toward him.

"He's here?"

"Yeah."

Jaune's tone remained calm.

"He's probably somewhere near Tyrian. They'll need to find a way through the barrier eventually."

The dragon's eye narrowed.

"Your father is helping Tyrian break into the barrier keeping Salem asleep..." Taiyang paused carefully. "...are you absolutely certain he's on our side?"

A faint smile appeared across Jaune's face.

"Not our side, Taiyang."

His voice carried absolute certainty.

"My side."

The dragon stared at him for several long seconds.

"...Right."

Jaune understood exactly why Taiyang remained skeptical.

"Listen." He folded his arms. "We don't have enough time for me to explain everything my father and I discussed. But I'll tell you this much." His eyes settled once more upon the gigantic barrier surrounding the moon's core. "Tyrian needs to enter that barrier."

A brief pause.

"And so do I. The Relics are inside, which we both need. Him, for awakening the Sleeper and I, to reach Rank 3."

Taiyang absorbed that quietly. Then the gigantic dragon nodded once.

"Fine."

His serpentine body adjusted subtly.

"Let's go find him."

Without another word, the colossal eastern dragon surged gracefully forward once again, weaving silently between rivers of crimson runic energy as its ancient eyes began scanning the sprawling battlefield below in search of one man who had somehow managed to deceive both LUCID and Sleepless for years, while somewhere beyond the endless conflict, the impossible barrier sealing Salem continued pulsing steadily, waiting for the moment someone finally crossed its threshold.

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