A/N: This is the first ML story I wrote but due to my laziness I didn't publish it yet because I lost inspiration and interest in this story. Hopefully by doing this I can rekindle my inspiration but I still have an obligation to create my next book with a working title "Being Pulled Under" or "Chains of Gold and Red". That story is about Pirate Ruby x Prince Aurelius with Ruby kidnapping the prince and then breaking him through sex. Anyways enjoy this one.

A tall bulky muscular man sat with a small girl near the cliff watching the dazzling colors of the sunset unfold before them. The girl munched on the cookies in her basket and tried offering some of them to the man beside her who refused saying that he'll get fat and she too would get fat if she continued on eating them and that boys wouldn't court her if she's fat. Offended the girl tried hitting him but was barely able to hurt him as he drank in his flask filled with firewater (alcohol).

She stopped hitting him and fumed silently beside him with her cute pout and her arms crossed. It did nothing but melt his heart.

A long silence befalls the two. "The moon this night is round." Ruby stated gazing at the pale moon already visible in the afternoon sky. While Ruby gazed at it in wonder, Roger looked at it with a subtle hatred.

Roger drank long in his flask and turned serious. "Ruby," he addressed the girl who turned her head up to meet him in the eye. "I won't be here forever you know that, so I need you to be strong. Stronger than anyone you know and even me." The girl only tilted her head, not able to comprehend his words.

"I can see that you'll grow to become a great fighter. I can tell because you almost beat the living hell outta that Rick boy yesterday." Roger laughed thunderously embarrassing the 9-year-old.

"It is a dangerous place out there, and I hope that the time will not come when you go out there and be eaten alive by the evils of the world. There are far worse evils than just the monsters lurking in this forest."

"Roger, what are you saying?" The girl asked, her confused face was making Roger fight himself from hugging her and looking like a pedophile.

The man did not answer. He heaved a sigh and stood up. "Hell, you'll make lots of boys bend their knees to you once you grow up. Wish I was a few years younger." He mumbled inaudible to the girl and scratched the back of his head.

"You're so weird Roger." Ruby smiled.

"Come on tiny let's go back to the village." He grabbed a cookie from her basket which surprised the girl and ran off leaving her behind.

When the sun rose the next day, the hunter was nowhere to be found. Not even a wit of him was present. The only thing left of him was the knowledge he imparted to the villagers. Ruby was most disappointed but life goes on for her.

She continued her training with the most complex weapon of her village; a scythe. Every morning and every afternoon she would train in the forest with her grandma's scythe and would come back home bruised and bleeding due to the difficulty of wielding the said weapon but every day her skills would increase. She dreams to one-day blossom into the greatest scythe user in their village.

One day when she was training and using logs as target practice, her grandpa suddenly emerged from the woods.

"Grandpa?!" she said in a panic. "Please don't tell this to grandma!" her eyes were wide with fright.

"I won't but I demand something in exchange." her grandpa spoke softly.

"I will do it. I will do the gardening, I will feed the pigs without complaining, I will collect the water. Anything, just don't tell grandma!" she bargained in desperation.

"Why are my offspring and his child so afraid of Arya? Am I not that intimidating?" grandpa muttered to himself. "Don't worry, I won't tell Arya. But, you must also learn to use the gun. A sniper, a pistol, etc. Charles only asked your grandma to teach him swordsmanship because he thinks killing with a gun is too easy so he refused my education and now you also want to inherit her arts and not mine. That is so unfair, even though her skills are indeed superior than mine even in bed I deserve to impart my knowledge too." grandpa said with mock hurt. Ruby raised both her brows to indicate how weird it was.

"That is why I got you this." grandpa pulled a black and red sniper rifle and a pistol and handed them to her. "Whoa!" Ruby breathed in excitement as she took them in her arms. "Thank you, grandpa!!!!"

"Now who's your favorite grandparent?"

"Grandma!"

"What?! But I just gave you a riffle? Isn't that how you win the affection of your grandchildren?" a hard smack suddenly hit him in the head. "What do you think you're doing?!" a beautiful woman with rose-like curling blonde hair had her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. For a grandma, Grandma Arya looked very young like she was just in her 20's or 30's. She doesn't even have wrinkles or weak in the bones which made Ruby wonder what age did her grandparents marry because her grandpa was already in his 50's.

"Arya, my baby, my wife, my darling. I thought that you were weaving, what are you doing here?"

"Explain yourself before I hook you into the abyss."

"I was teaching her survival skills! It's a dangerous world so she needs to learn how to protect herself and the fastest and most efficient way to do that is to just shoot your enemies." he reasoned. Ruby lowered her head while looking back and forth between her grandma and grandpa.

"Well then if that's the case then I'm also teaching her swordsmanship and scythe-wielding. She'll be so good at it that she won't need a gun to kill ten people in ten seconds!"

"Well, I'll train her so that she can kill a demon lord with one bullet! I bet all my family's wine that she can shoot down an entire Abyssal Army with just her gun."

"Well, I bet my Bloodlust Axe that she can kill that Apocalypse Queen bitch with her scythe and bare-chested!"

And so the Training Ruby War broke out.

5 year later

It was the middle of the night and nothing could be heard for miles other than the soft noises of the forest animals such as the hooting of the owls and the buzzing of the crickets. The moon was round and alluring with its luminescent beauty as its light shines down a small village surrounded by the thick trees for miles isolating it from the rest of the world. Small houses stood randomly in the village each with their own small lovely gardens. In the middle of the town, a circular fountain rests with a statue of a hooded huntress in a battle stance carrying a scythe. From there, a single paved road stretches from the village into the forest and ends in the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest.

On top of the small hill, a house relatively larger and much more prosperous, than rest had one window open where the light of a burning fire pours out. Beyond the window, a petite girl with hair of gold and eyes of emerald knelt before the window. A red cloak was noticeably hanging on her study chair.

Ruby knelt before her window overlooking a dark night sky decorated with billions of shining stars, her hands clasped gently with each other while she uttered her small prayer to the gods. She asked them to keep her family safe and thanked them for their blessings. Her greatest prayer is for the return of the hero Roger to help them defeat the beowolves that are always vandalizing their village.

Ruby's prayer ended. She closed her window, went on her bed, and turned the lamp off. She pulled the covers to her chest and closed her emerald eyes to sleep.

She was about to fall into the comforting arms of slumber when a distant scream pierced through the silence. The girl opened her eyes in alarm and slowly sat from her repose. She gingerly opened her window and gazed at her village.

Terror possessed every fiber of her being as her brows furrow and her mouth hang open. What was a minute ago a peaceful slumbering village, is now a land of bondage and gore. Beowolves howled and chased the villagers, tearing them to shreds and biting into their flesh.

No longer caring if she was only wearing a thin nightgown Ruby ran down the stairs to find her grandparents, right after grabbing her red cloak to keep the cold from biting her skin. She found her grandmother fighting wolves one by one cutting them mercilessly with her scythe just outside of their house while her grandfather shoots those who come too close to their house and grandma.

"Grandma? Grandpa?" She uttered fearfully.

"Ruby get back inside! Close the doors and windows, gather food and water in the house, and lock yourself in your room!" Her grandma shouted.

"But grandma I can help you fight! I've been-" Ruby's words were cut off by her grandma's stern gaze. "Just go!"

"We'll be fine Ruby, we love you. We won't let anything hurt you as long as we're alive. So go! Keep yourself safe."

Ruby grabbed a large hunter knife and did as she was told. After securing the windows, gathering food and water, Ruby rushed to her room. Ruby's room was at the end of the second floor and she did her best to walk to her room even if her legs want to fail her. She can still hear the sound of flesh tearing and wolves howling. She gripped the knife tighter making sure to create no sound. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes but she held them in. She promised Roger that she would be brave, braver than anyone even him. Remembering her old mentor motivated Ruby a bit making her stop her trembling and walk with more confidence in every stride.

Her short boost of bravery quickly vanished as soon as it came, for she heard a sound that made her blood run cold.

A low growl came from her room before a six-foot-tall beowolf with bloody teeth emerged from her room. It seemed to be smirking at the sight of her. The girl squeaked and started shaking.

Ruby knew she was done for. Every thought of escape that came into her mind was easily shot down. She cannot outrun the beast; its legs are obviously far superior compared to hers. She cannot shout for her grandparents, no, she'd be dead before she even pronounce a single syllable. Fight? What can a small girl with a small knife do against a ruthless beast? Every choice she will make will end with her dead and or eaten.

It grinned wider as if it can read her despondent mind. It licked its lips making Ruby gulp. The wolf was standing with its two feet in their staring contest but it lowered itself to stand in all its four legs, it's grin never leaving its muzzle.

"Little sheep." It addressed her. "Run."

Ruby did not think, she acted. She bolted the moment the words left the wolf's mouth. She can hear it laughing but not yet pursuing. Only when she reached the bottom of the stairs did she hear the wolf pursuing her.

She immediately shouted for her grandparents. "Grandma!?" She was near the threshold when a sudden force pulled her back. The air was knocked out of her lungs as her back collided against the ground.

"Why?" She grunted.

The wolf seemed to shrug. "I love the feeling of chasing prey."

"Such a sweet, sweet, child. What a shame that you'd die too soon. Don't worry, I will savor every inch of you." It licked her chest up to her cheeks. Its foul breath making her gag. She can already see her death flashing in the eyes of the wolf.

She closed her eyes and wished for Roger to come save her again. Large tears started streaming down her cheeks fast, she can no longer keep her façade of bravery. She knows that there's nothing she can do to save herself. She said her goodbyes to her grandparents and Roger.

The wolf opened its maw to swallow the girl and a loud bang suddenly resounded. Ruby waited for the pain to come to every part of her body, every second feels like an eternity waiting for her death but nothing came.

Ruby opened her eyes but there was no wolf on top of her. She used her elbows to prop herself up and saw the wolf lying motionless a meter away from her with blood pooling around it.

"Ruby, are you okay?!" asked her grandfather. He ran to her side and helped her to her feet. He knelt in front of her checking for any injury and found scrapes and bruises but generally fine, traumatized yet okay. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry that I didn't arrive earlier. You must be very terrified because of that breast." Her grandfather pulled back to look at her in the eyes. "Come on, let's see how your grandma is doing." He smiled at her.

Ruby nodded and smiled back but noticed blood pouring out of her grandpa's mouth. The smile left her grandpa's lips as he looked down at his chest.

Three sharp claws protrude from his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but instead of sound blood gurgled from his mouth. He was suddenly pulled back and slammed down the floorboard. The wolf that she thought was dead growled and smiled at her, there was a hole in his chest but it failed to hit his heart or artery.

Ruby couldn't speak. She just stared at her grandpa as tears rolled down her face. She heard footsteps from behind her. Perhaps another wolf, she thought despondently. She just knelt and closed her eyes this time fully submitting to her fate.

She heard flesh being sliced and bones dislocating but she just knelt still and closed her eyes. The sound of fighting can be heard but she just ignored it as the image of her grandpa's death keeps replaying in her head.

A minute passed by in silence, then another, and another, and another before Ruby reopened her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder making her lookup. It was her grandma. Her purple cape being blown by the wind behind her. "Ruby are you okay?" Her grandma gently asked caressing her cheek.

"No." Ruby answered. She stood up and hugged her grandma who hugged her back. "Everything will be alright dear. Grandpa and I will protect you."

Ruby flinched and pulled away. The mourning in her emerald eyes told her grandmother everything. The smile faded from her grandma's eyes as she followed Ruby's gaze. Her eyes landed on her husband's cold corpse. A shrill escaped her mouth. The old woman knelt beside the corpse and encased it in her arms. She cried loudly as fat tears flow down her face. The woman cursed and screamed in despair knowing that the love of her life is gone.

The sight shattered Ruby's heart into thousands of pieces knowing that her weakness caused all of this. She knows how to fight, Roger taught her and her grandparents trained her but none of it matters because she was too scared and too weak to do anything. If only she could have stabbed that wolf this wouldn't happen. She turned her back to her grandma unable to bear seeing her grief and to hide her own lamentation.

She looked at the very noticeable gore that has become of the big bad wolf. It was a terrible bloody mess and she couldn't tell which is which of the wolf. Her grandma did a good job punishing the wolf, but being chopped into pieces still looks like a tamed punishment for something that did something as bad as what the wolf did.

Growling can be heard from outside their door. Ruby looked up to see three beowolves just beyond their threshold. A gasp escaped her lips as she dived to get her grandpa's rifle.

Her grandma is overcome by immense grief and loss that she didn't notice the newly arrived wolves. Ruby pointed her rifle to one and shot. The bullet flew into the air and hits the eye of the beast, piercing through its brain.

The other two looked at their fallen member before growling at her and pouncing. Ruby took another aim and shoot but this one only hit the shoulder because the beast was moving fast but it gave her enough time to retrieve her fallen dagger. She hit the wolf with her gun and stabbed through its nape, damaging its nervous system.

She kicked the wolf aside and stood straight but was suddenly pushed to the ground. Ruby released a groan as her body collided with the floor. She heard a scream that made her lookup.

She saw the beowolf sinking its fangs into the flesh of her grandma's side. Ruby released a loud scream in alarm, she couldn't lose her grandma too. Grandma Arya grabbed the mouth of the beowolf and pulled it apart to detach it from her waist. She pulled its muzzle apart which decapitated the top part of the beowolf's muzzle, killing it in the process. Arya collapsed on her knees as she clutched her wounded stomach where blood flowed profusely. She groaned and looked up at her grandchild.

Arya saw Ruby sitting on the ground, her knees against her chest, and her hands over her ears in fear. There was terror, guilt, and despair in her eyes misting with tears. Her body shook slightly as tears started falling down her face.

"This is all my fault." Ruby whispered under her breath. A dark purple aura surged from her body and exploded like a deadly ripple into the room. The flowers on the vase died instantly when the dark aura touched them. The dark aura seemed to exude from her skin like dark smoke which turned to ominous purple butterflies that flutter around her as if rejoicing in her despair.

"This is all my fault!!" She screamed and the purple aura surged stronger than before, knocking Arya back on the floor. The glass windows started shattering one by one as Ruby screamed in despair. Ruby can feel her sanity slipping away as her consciousness submerged in a black pool of darkness that welcomed her body and encased her in a sinister embrace. She clutched her stomach, as she felt a dark energy suddenly circulate inside her veins and spread to every cell in her body. It was painful like it was destroying everything good in her being and replacing them with darkness. The aura shot up into the sky, destroying their roof and creating a large column of darkness that reached the very heavens themselves.

Arya's eyes widened at what was happening to her granddaughter. She was falling in depravity because of depression. Arya mustered all her strength and went to her granddaughter. She encased the frightened little girl in her arms and kissed her head. "Shhh, my child. It's not your fault. Look into my eyes and tell me that this is not your fault because it isn't. Come on, Ruby."

Ruby looked up to meet her grandma's eyes. Arya's magnificent sapphire eyes glowed like the pale full moon in the sky but Ruby's emerald eyes held nothing but despair. She couldn't control her emotions nor listen to logic. The trees outside swayed like there was a hurricane as the wind howled with anger and anguish as if relating to the girl's feelings. A black substance started circulating her body and dissolving her clothes to replace it with darker fabric. Black stockings appeared on her legs and her slip melted into a dark blue skirt while a dark blue bra covered her chest. More garments materialized on her body as she sobbed not noticing the change.

"No! Ruby don't fall in darkness!" Arya exclaimed. Her eyes run around the girl's body inspecting the change. If this continues on she might turn to darkness and not even recognize her grandmother. She might even endanger the lives of others as well as herself. Arya had no other choice, it was that or kill her granddaughter and the answer is obvious.

She started chanting a language never heard before in the tongues of the creatures of this planet. Golden lines started appearing into her skin and traveling to her granddaughter's. A golden circle appeared below them with unknown alphabets inscribed inside. Golden lights shot out of Arya's skin and exploded in the air forming indescribable glyphs that burned in the air. There were five glyphs in total which slowly spun around the two.

"Bind, contain, seal, don't let the darkness be real." The glyphs burned brighter as Arya continued chanting.

"From ancient powers unawoken, seal the one that can't be broken.

"Let light reign and maintain her powers tame."

"As I surrender my fate for my granddaughter's sake."

"Grandma, what are you doing?" Ruby asked looking up. The glyphs suddenly rained down on Ruby. It wasn't painful at first until it started circulating her body. Ruby felt like she was being torn apart like a war was raging inside her body as light and darkness fought. It seems like the light was winning as she felt the powers of darkness weaken. The dark garments on her body disappeared as her slip reappeared.

Ruby could feel the darkness melting away as light washed over her body and lift her heart from the viscous abyss of despair and grief. Golden chains started appearing over her body before melting into her skin and pulsing a last glow.

"This is not my fault." Ruby's heart started calming down and the pain started dissipating into the wind. She stayed still in her grandmother's arms. She feels weak and worn and she just wants to fall in the deep arms of slumber until she noticed the roof caving in. The wood started creaking and debris rained on them one by one. Her grandma stood up and picked herself up with great difficulty. The spell had greatly drained her energy and she doesn't know if she can even fight but it doesn't matter because she needs to protect her granddaughter, her only family.

Her hand glowed as she chanted another spell. The roof stopped falling and started ascending back to where they were originally. The small debris floated in the air as well and reformed its structure. The house glowed with a purple hue as Arya used the last of her strength to reform the house. The shattered glasses of the windows fixed themselves, leaving not even a minute scratch on its surface and the last of the roof's destroyed parts fell back in place as if the calamity never happened.

Arya collapsed on the ground panting heavily. The exhaustion and depression finally taking their toll on her body. Her young face suddenly looked like a hundred years older as she clutched her bleeding wound. Ruby ran to her side and cradled her head into her lap. She looked very weak and a minute away from death's doorstep. She started coughing up blood which alarmed the young girl.

"Bring me to Chance." She uttered. Ruby complied and helped her to her grandpa.

"Hello, darling. Sorry that I wasn't there when you needed me the most but at least we kept our dear baby safe. She's going to cry and she'd be so devastated but we both know that she'll be fine because she's strong like you." Tears started streaming down her face. She kissed the cold lips of her now-dead husband and turned her attention towards her granddaughter.

"I name you my successor."

"Ruby please hold on. I'm going to rest for a while. Please take care. . ." she trailed before closing her eyes and her body slacking. Ruby paled at this, she didn't move, nor speak, nor breath. She just stayed still as her exhausted mind tried to comprehend what had happened.

Did her grandma just. . . died?

The sudden realization made tears flow down her face. She went to her grandmother and wept on her corpse. She cried, feeling helpless and vulnerable now that the pillars of her life had been taken from her. Never had she ever felt weaker, the thought of losing one of her grandparents was already crushing her but the fact that both of them are now dead destroyed her. How can she continue living if there was no one there to be with her, to share her joy, her sadness, her pain, and her love? Without them who was there to care for her? To love her?

There is no point in living if you don't have anyone or anything to live for anymore. Herself? No matter how much she tells others that she's already grown up deep inside she knows that she's still young and dependent.

But maybe. . .

Maybe if. . .

She. . .

finished all of it. . .

With her own hands. . .

Would everything be okay? Will she be with grandma and grandpa again?

What would happen if. . .

She killed herself. . .

With shaking hands, Ruby stared at the knife and placed it against her throat. She cried for minutes with the knife to her throat.

Everything will be okay if you just end it all. A voice said in her head.

You'll all be together again with just one move. It coaxed again. Ruby was very much weak-willed and almost gave in to the voices in her head but heard a raspy voice. She discovered that it was her grandma trying to tell her something. It was hard to understand but Ruby grasped the message.

"Knoti Seauton." was what her grandma said before she drew her last breath.

Ruby looked at her grandma and saw a purple butterfly flying near her corpse. It was unlike any butterfly that she had ever seen because this one had purple glowing wings. It flew with its nimble wings in an aimless flight but it soon flew into Ruby's hand holding the knife.

Ruby was bewildered and a little confused but for some unknown reason she knew that this butterfly is a good omen. Seeing the butterfly reminded her of her grandmother's gentleness and valiance. It's as if she was sending her a message to not continue with her plan.

Ruby's grip loosened until she realized what she was about to do. She was thinking of killing herself when her grandparents who died just to keep her safe are mere meters away from her. With this realization Ruby dropped the knife and stared at her hands, guilty of what she could have done to herself. Tears once again fell from her eyes and she covered her face with her dirty hands.

Her grandparent's deaths are clear symbolism of their love for her and her prime duty as of the moment is to save her life. She needs to live.

And take revenge.

She heard plenty of footsteps approaching their home. Or her home rather, seeing as she's the only one left. They were very close giving Ruby no time to find a suitable hiding place so she went and hid under her grandparents' corpse. Every moment of it was torture. She couldn't bear the feeling of their blood dripping upon her. Their once warm embrace is now lifelessly cold and their once wonderful personas are now but empty vessels.

"This is where the dark column came from but there's nothing here but a dead couple. Maybe we should search the perimeter just to be sure." She heard a deep wolf voice spoke.

"I also heard fighting in here but it looks like both our comrades and the preys are both dead."

"Malum was totally obliterated. The hunter or huntress was really thorough."

"We shouldn't linger. No one seems to be alive in here anymore and I don't like the taste of dead old dilies."

"Yeah, me too. Let's go feast on those children."

After their little exchange, the wolves left and descended to the other village homes. Ruby came out after making sure that the wolves had left.

Lying under her dead grandparents made her think of one thing and one thing only; kill every single beowolf alive and show no mercy.

Ruby went upstairs and collected her grandfather's pistol, rifle and ammunition. She loaded the weapons and went inside her room. She stripped off all her garments and cleaned her body. She clothed herself in a black dress to symbolize mourning. The dress has long sleeves with red frills in the end. Around her torso is a small corset with red strings to bind the dress around the waist. Under the skirt of the dress are layers of red tulle, and she covered her legs with thick black stockings before wrapping leather knife holsters on both her legs and inserting her sharpest knives in both. She pushed her feet inside a simple pair of black boots and inserted a dagger in them. To finish off her attire, Ruby placed a red cape with a hood on her back to symbolize her vengeance. She hung her rifle on her shoulder and secured her pistol in her waist and holstered knives on her legs under her skirt.

Ruby went downstairs and picked up her grandma's scythe. She had moved their bodies into a proper reposed position and draped a white cloth to both their bodies. She didn't even utter a prayer for their corpses because the gods were surely present when this tragedy happened but they choose to do nothing, not even send a hero again to help them so what's the point of worshiping a deity who won't listen or help.

Ruby closed the front door of her house and for the first time saw the entire devastation the beowolves had caused. Fire was everywhere as well as dead bodies both of beowolves and of villagers. The innocent that had died ranges from all age and status.

Being in the high ground of the village allowed Ruby to see that there are no longer any survivors of the attack but her. Ruby heaved a sigh and pulled her hood over her head. She walked towards the village carrying her big scythe. No more tears fell from her eyes there was only rage. Red burning rage that will mow down everything that stands in its way.

Once upon a time, Little Red Riding Hood lived happily in the forest.

One day the big bad wolf attacked with his pack.

They killed her grandparents and butchered her village

So she took up arms and mustered her courage

And that is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood

Who discovered that princes won't come because you're good

Knights in shining armor can't really fight for you,

And hunters won't just unexpectedly save you from your blues

Because we live in the real world

And the real world is cruel.

That is why,

Little Red Riding Hood wiped her tears

And became their source of fears

The moon was so big and so bright that night and it bore witness to a red infernal carnage caused by a little girl who lost everything she holds dear. Before the night ends, the cruel, bloodthirsty beowolves terrorizing the forest are nearly driven to extinction and all the other beasts trembled in their hiding place, terrified of the Red Grim Reaper.