Here it is, new shit.

Sorry for not getting it out yesterday as promised, internet went to shit after session, and to cut down on these inconveniences, update days are now moved to Sundays rather than Saturdays. (You'll still get Angau Glas chapter on the 14th, I promise.)

Knightshade pairing going for it, but it's subtle, more of a friendship and camaraderie for now, but it'll go somewhere.

Eventually...

So yeah, knights of Carim gave inspiration for this; Traveling maiden has a guard dog knight to protect her, but these maidens know how to fight back if needed.

Heavy Dark Souls inspiration in general, but not enough in my opinion to make it a crossover.

And now...

The prologue

He sat in silence as he waited at one of the many pews of the cathedral. A full fledged knight of the abyss. He was to be assigned a maiden to guard and pledge himself to, and that moment would be soon. The anticipation was eating away at him like flesh maggots. He finally heard footsteps and turned in the direction of the footfalls, to see a familiar face.

"Nice to see you again Fahren. How is being a deacon of the grand cathedral?" He asked seeking a distraction more than anything.

"It's going well, my friend." he smiled. "Father Ordayes is an interesting man when you see what's to see beyond the mask."

Fahren obviously didn't want to say more, lest he says something out of line or something that could be taken the wrong way.

"You seem troubled, Jaune." he had a frown beginning to form on his face, his strange face only making him seem ugly in a sense. Maybe it was his large nose…

Jaune hummed in agreement, "Today I am to be shown a maiden, it's put me on edge for the past week, I've yet been able to get a good nights sleep."

He then continued to drone on about how long and grueling the training was, but it payed off in the end. Fahren chuckled at the story of how dumb he looked when he was first taught to use a greatsword. Jaune didn't think it was that funny at first, but it descended into laughter between longtime friends.

"Do you know who she is? The maiden I mean." Jaune decided to try to get whatever expectations he had set to something, so he knew her when he saw her.

"I'm not sure of her name, but she is a faunus with raven black hair, cat ears I think."

"How can you miss something so obvious?"

"Well, I'm just trying to help, no need to be testy about it." he folded his arms and pointed his nose to the sky. "Ah, that reminds me, you are supposed to got into that room right now." Fahren pointed in the direction of door beside the farthest back pew.

"How do you forget to mention these things?"

"I was distracted, I was catching up with a long time friend, take your pick." he crossed his arms. "Or just choose both, they do coincide with each other quite closely." he chose to add. "You sure ask a lot of questions, be sure not to take them with you when you meet her." There was a pause until Fahren ushered Jaune into the room.

Jaune found himself in a rather large room, nondescript and seemingly larger on the inside. The floors were tiled like the rest of the cathedral, but the walls were of a grayish paint, speckled white from entropy. The door closed behind him, and he found himself alone in the dark.

He chose to light a small candle he found. With a snap of his fingers, the small candle lit and he held it in front of him, then placed it on a nearby table.

He waited for several minutes, the anticipation almost literally killing him from the inside.

I'm probably gonna screw it up somehow. God I hope I don't do something irredeemably stupid. His thoughts didn't go far from this thought.

Eventually, after what felt like years of anticipation stabbing him in the chest repeatedly, the door opened once again, then closed behind the one who just entered. She looked just as Fahren described. She was almost as tall as him, raven black hair, faunus cat ears, and she was quite beautiful. She also wore the regular attire for a maiden of dark, but had no extra armor or anything, as one would usually expect from someone who carried a weapon. Long black dress with black silk sleeves, a katana strapped to her hip. And the one way everyone could identify a maiden of darkness… A blindfold as black as the night sky.

It meant she officially was a maiden.

All the more to put him on edge, but he tried his best to keep an even face. Regardless of having a blindfold, they were still capable of seeing, in a sense. He knew what it was like; the world seems so dark, yet the tiniest little heartbeat can be seen clear as day. You could borderline read peoples thoughts and emotions.

"Hello." was all she uttered.

He bowed respectfully, mostly due to the fact that he forgot what he was supposed to do right now. He knew there was a ritual of sorts, and he remembered the steps, but he didn't quite know how to bring up any topics with her. He didn't know what to say.

He came up from his bow and muttered a hello, already hating himself for not being more clear.

There was a long, awkward pause, as neither seemed to quite know what to do in the situation they found themselves in.

"I suppose we have to do the ritual…" She broke the silence.

"What's your name?" He wanted to make sure who she was before anything.

"Blake Belladonna, and you?"

"Jaune Arc of Rivendals." He looked directly at her. He took out his parrying dagger and held it in front of him, thoughts on turning back occasionally getting some semblance of attention.

"You know what to do, right?" She asked, voice with slight uncertainty as to if she should do this herself.

"Yes, I've been told what to do, and what happens. I guess I'm just nervous."

"You too?" he looked her, trying his best to hide his bewilderment. He shook his head and took off his right gauntlet, the plate armor slipping off with ease. His leather glove came next and he saw his bare hand in all of its not very exciting glory.

He took a deep breath and placed the wicked curved edge of the blade to the inside of his knuckles, and gripped the blade. The slow slide of it came next, and out came a small stream of blood, pain stinging his fingers.

He found this ritual of sorts to be barbaric and unnecessary, if you want to make it official, documentation is good enough. But the urban legend that your souls will be linked couldn't possibly be the reason they still do this, it just has no credibility, it's impossible to fully attach your soul to another thing that already has a soul.

He gave the blade to Blake and she mirrored the actions he did, although wincing less from the pain.

They said no words, for none were needed, then took the bleeding hand of the other, and waited.

According to the legends of it, if done perfectly, a vibrant glow is visible to both, and will signify a new reign of immortal lords.

There were no glows, so they both wrote it off, as the legend it was.

Jaune massaged the open wound he now had, then guided her out the door. Fahren was waiting outside, with bandages for them both.

"So, was there a glow of blinding light?" He looked genuinely curious to know.

"No, just two people in a dark room holding the other's actively bleeding hand..." he didn't even look at Fahren as he said it. He took the bandage offered too him and wrapped it around his fingers to stop the bleeding. It still twinged with pain, and he wasn't entirely sure how Blake wasn't reacting to the pain quite as violently as everyone else. From what he could tell, she wasn't like him.

But, however uncommon it was, those who were of the condemned were still able to become maidens, the only real restriction was being a biologically born girl.

He banished the thought quickly, not wishing to pry, and simply gave a sigh.

"Now, you two should get to bed now, your journeys shall begin in the morning."
Sure enough, it was late at night, maybe 11 at night. Regardless, he wasn't tired, he was condemned after all, he didn't need to sleep, only when he was physically exhausted. But a good night of rest felt needed for what was to come. You do no one any good when you can't even swing your sword correctly.

They exited the cathedral and descended the stairs out, finding themselves in a dark night, Jaune being unable to see very well.

They went to the inn where they would stay and slept the night away, each in a bed next to the other.

The only thought in either of their minds, was the mantra they were taught when they were given their duties, 'Not even in death do we part. We are a light in a darkened world full of monsters and men wishing to extinguish that light. We ask not for compensation, only a smile for a duty fulfilled. He is a knight of the Abyss, and she, a Maiden of Darkness, both sworn to a duty of service to the people of Remnant.'

So yeah...

Knights of the Abyss = Watchers of the Abyss and Knights of Carim mixed into a bowl and deep fried

Maiden of Darkness = Maidens of Carim (Whatever they are officially called, idgaf, just ask Mayazaki...)

No, Jaune isn't Hawkwood.

This is going to be more of a collection of stories and adventures, rather than a full story itself. It'll follow Blake and Jaune in chronological order from start to finish, but you really won't have to read it all in chronological order after the first few chapters (This prologue is longer than this and I don't feel up to writing anything longer or I'll screw up horribly...).

Again, sorry about my suck ass internet (Thanks Com(Crap)cast).

Yes, there will be some meme of some relevance at the end of every chapter...

Gives me conniptions.

Next Update, October 22nd, 2017.