We all had many questions for Ren, and for time's sake in this memoir of mine, I'll just summarize what my teammate told us that day. Many years ago, before Ren came to Beacon, even before he met Nora, there was a plague in his homeland. Ren was only 8 at the time, and while he doesn't remember everything, he told us all he did know. First, it starts off as a fever. It appears to everyone as just a common cold or maybe the flu, but soon the person just keeps getting worse. Each passing day their body temperature rises higher and higher, until they fall into a coma. After that, either the person recovers and becomes a carrier of the disease, passing it along in their blood, or more frighteningly, they appear to die. Within a few hours of "death" the person comes back to life. At this point any shred of humanity has left, and they become what I saw, and was almost killed by. A walking, blood thirsty corpse. We all went silent, contemplating what Ren had just told us.
"So if he was one of these zombies, then there could be more?" Blake asked, quite nervous at what her question implied.
"I'm afraid so. While I would like to say that this is an isolated incident, it is infinitely more likely that many more people are to be infected, or already are." Ren explained.
This made everyone's face go pale. While most people would be scared shitless, I on the other hand, was scared stiff. The possibility that everyone I ever knew could be a zombie or even worse, devoured by one of those monstrosities put an unholy amount of fear into my heart.
"Guys." I said my voice cracking. I stopped to clear my throat, and get both team RWBY and the rest of my team to pay attention. "We gotta get back to Beacon. Not only because we're needed in town as hunters and huntresses, but everyone we know at school could be in danger."
"But, Jaune." Ruby spoke up after I stated my plans. "Yang and I live a few miles away from here. Our dad is there, and I can't go back to Beacon without checking on him, and the rest of our town."
Yang stiffened upon hearing that. "Yeah." She added. "I'm not going anywhere before we check on our home, and our father."
I was conflicted. While I had no right to tell my two friends not to go see there if their dad was ok, there was a good chance he, and all the inhabitants of their village were dead.
"First, I'm gonna see if I can contact Beacon on my scroll. The rest of you, check local and Remnant wide news. We have to know if the disease is just local, or if it's spread over the whole continent."
They all nodded and checked the radio in the RV, news on their scrolls, and internet searches to find any info they could. I walked off over the hill, separating the beach we were currently at, and the highway. I pulled out my scroll and dialed the general number for Beacon. It rang for a few minutes before an automated message played.
"Thank you for calling Beacon Academy. Vale's number one school for training hunters and huntresses. Unfortunately no staff members can make it to the phone right now. I'm sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Please leave a message and a member of our staff will give you a call at the soonest available time."
BEEP
"Hello. This is Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR. My team, Team RWBY, and I are away at the coast of Vale, and have encountered a strange creature. Please return this call as soon as possible. Also please inform the Headmaster or Professor Goodwitch ASAP. Thank you."
With that I hung up my scroll, and tried Ozpin's personal number. While he does give this out to every team leader, it is to be used in emergency situations only. After finding Ozpin in my contacts, and his scroll ringing a few times he picked up.
"Hello sir? This is Jaune Arc. We've encoun-"
"Yes hello Jaune. While I would love to help you with whatever it is you and your team, and presumably Team RWBY as well, there is a problem here at school. The sooner you can be back the better."
"Sir, we've run into a zombie." I stated, very frankly.
Ozpin went silent. In the background pounding of fist upon metal could be heard, and ghastly moans as well.
"Then it's as I feared. Jaune I need your team and Team RWBY back as soon as possible. We are having the same problem back at Beacon, and I don't know how much longer we can hold-"
From my scroll I heard a loud metal object fall, and someone yelling "THEY GOT IN" from somewhere.
"Jaune, I'm sad to say you and your friends are on your own. Good luck to you all. It was an honor to have taught, and been in charge of the education of such amazing hunters and huntresses as you, Ms. Nikos, Rose, Xiao Long, Schnee, Belladonna, Valkyrie, and Mr. Lie Ren as well. Good luck, and goodbye."
With that I heard gunshots, the sound of melee weapons colliding with human bodies, and screams of what I could only assume was people dying. Then the connection was lost.
I was speechless. Here I was, miles away from Beacon while my teachers, and fellow students fought what I was assuming was more of the zombies I had encountered earlier. I walked slowly, dragging my feet, back to my friends, unsure of how I was going to deliver the news to them.
"Hey Jaune's coming back guys!" I heard Yang yell to the others.
"So, did you get a hold of Bea-" She stopped when she saw my face, which I could only assumed looked as pale, dead, and dejected as the undead man we killed before.
Everyone turned to look at me as a told them all the horrible truth.
"Beacon has fallen. We're on our own."