RWBY: The Legend of the White Wolf
"I will not fear the night, nor the creatures that lurk beyond my sight. I will find the power that dwells inside and forge my weapon from the Light. I will use its power to face my way through Demons and Blights. To make my way home from Darkness this Night" Jaune Arc. Survivor. The White Wolf.
Chapter IX – The Battle of Riverdale
Specks of black dust floated into the air, mixing ever so slightly in the pouring rain, but never fully weighing it down as the bodies of Grimm lay impaled on the sharpened staves. Cold blue eyes stared into beady red orbs as the sound of a dying howl and a crack of thunder lit the night sky.
A disgruntled grunt exiting the mouth of the Bandit leader as he stared down at the Grimm that had – for the moment – stopped in their tracks.
Jaune Arc glared through the slits of his helmet, as the last body fell into the river. Washing away far south before disappearing altogether. He held his guard as he stared at the beasts.
"Shields up and spears at the ready! They're not going to fall for the same trick twice!" he yelled as they held up the sharp staffs.
The largest of the Grimm – an Alpha – roared as it pointed to the left and right of the village. In order to flank the village. But before they could even get around, several of them fell into pitfalls as they died screaming while being impaled on sharp spikes below.
The Alpha roared in anger as Jaune smirked slightly under his helmet.
He knew that the Grimm would most likely come from the East, as it was in the same direction of the Black Forest as Grimm have a unique sense of living in the direction of more Grimm. But in order to prevent the Grimm from flanking them, Jaune had ordered the men and woman to dig a series of pitfalls around the village and lined them with spikes. This was in order to persuade the Grimm from going around and attacking the village either side or from the West Gate.
Even if they did manage to get around and up the walls, the spearmen would strike their heads first, seeing as they lathered the walls with as much oil and slippery substances they could get.
Additionally, the men and woman that Jaune had gathered were around 125, only 50 of them had their auras unlocked with 75 others left to spread amongst the second and last lines of defence. The last of the civilians – around 125 of them with 35 of them being children – were huddled up inside. The ones with Aura would serve at the front as vanguards holding off the Grimm, while the middle and last ring would protect the civilians.
Good in theory, but Jaune had long since known that anything in theory usually never survives the first battle.
The Alpha roared as it commanded the others to continue their assault on the gate, sending a wave of new young blood to weaken their defences. A typical tactic of the Grimm, to wear out the enemy and then overrun them with unyielding numbers.
The Beast clambered as most were either impaled on the staves or swept away in the rapid below. Any that still managed to survive were stabbed with multiple spears as dying howls echoed out into the night.
"…They're holding out, is that going to be a problem boss?" one of the bandits said as Victor looked down at the village.
"No. They just got lucky is all, even a small village can hold off a few Grimm. But eventually, the Grimm will overrun them. It's only a matter of time." Victor carefully eyed the fighters at the gate. Taking a special keen eye to the man in the grated helmet as he seemed to be leading them.
Jaune thrust his blade into the mouth of the beasts before a shot exploded out the beasts back. He quickly brought up the shield he had on his left arm as he blocked a claw from a hungry Beowulf. Right before he sliced its head clean from its body.
He looked at his sword as he considered summoning Soul Sabre.
'I can't afford to use my new techniques wastefully while my Aura is still recharging. Plus, I need that aura to protect myself and heal the others with my Semblance. I'll save them for the final push when the transport gets here.' He turned back to the men.
His eyes widened as more and more Grimm piled on to the shields.
"They're trying to push through! Shield bearers! Hold fast!" Jaune yelled as the ones baring shield buckled slightly under the constant weight of the Grimm.
The lancers thrusting their spears forward and swords forward, careful not to extend too far or else they risked snapping the shaft. The spears running through Grimm flesh and more howls echoed in the night.
Yatsuhashi roared as his blade swung out and he bisected several Grimm in his wake. His blade cleaving effortlessly through the beasts, as his blade reverberated with the sound of steel. He blocked another with his arm and buried one's head into the dirt with a powerful overhead swing.
Coco herself swung her deceptively heavy handbag around as the blunt object smashed and crushed her opponents' heads with ease. With the Ammo Depot destroyed, she could not afford to waste unnecessary ammo, thus had to resort to using her weapons default form. They had to save any ammunition for when the transport got in range. Which thanks to her superhuman strength, made it easy for her to decimate the Grimm without her firearm.
One managed to break through the defence as it pounced upon the defender, its teeth gnawing into his neck as the man screamed. His aura flickering as it was close to shattering. But Jaune instantly held up his hand as he activated his semblance and boosted the man's aura while sprinting towards him. The wolf beast howled in anger at the protective veil before Jaune delivered a devastating slash to its head and bisected the beast.
While preparing, Jaune discovered he didn't need direct contact to amplify someone's aura once he already shared his aura as fragments of his remained inside them. And seeing as he unlocked everyone's aura, he could recharge them at will and from a distance.
He reached down and helped the man up as he rubbed his neck. "T-Thank you!" Jaune merely shoved the shield back into his hand and pointed.
"You can thank me by holding the line!" the man nodded as he raised his shield and joined his brothers in arm. "Velvet, how's it looking up there. How many of them are we dealing with?!" he asked into his scroll attached to his wrist.
From the roof of the Hall, Velvet spied the battle with a hard-light version of Crescent Rose as she peered through the scope, despite the rain that continued to pour down. "They keep coming from the forest, but at most 300 and counting!" she fired as one was about to strike at Jaune from behind before beast fell to the floor.
"One less now."
Jaune nodded as he turned back to battle.
For what felt like hours, the men and woman held their own against the beast. Bone claws clashing with wood and steel as the beasts of Darkness continued to barrage the gathered protectors. A few got injured as their auras began to break and Jaune did his best to hold the line, using his Semblance to protect those with Aura and killed any Grimm that dared to cross over their barricade. Two hours into the fight and Jaune had hope that they could hold off against the Grimm.
But like the roll of dice, the battle changed.
Several loud roars echoed as several Ursa's barrelled through the Beowolves and charged upon the village.
"Brace yourselves!" Jaune yelled just as they slammed into the defenders, knocking away their shields and punching a hole straight through their defences.
Jaune cursed as he and the others got back up. 10 men were instantly lost to the beasts. One man screamed as his aura shattered and sharp teeth sunk into his neck. The bandit leader grinning from above as the first line of defence began to break
"They've broken through! Fall back to the second line! Lead them through the houses like we planned!" Jaune yelled as he fired his rifle at the Grimm.
They nodded as they got up and ran from the gate. Jaune soon following after them as the Grimm gave chase after the warriors. Victor grinned as he watched them run.
But that soon changed as more painfilled roars echoed out into the night.
Another part of Jaune's plan was to booby trap every house back to the second line with a series of traps, that would either harm or kill the pursuing Grimm. They were designed to trigger just as the warriors ran out of the house, harming the Grimm that followed them inside.
Multiple Grimm fell prey to swinging logs, suspended spikes launchers, sharp instruments, pitfalls and even a few ice dust landmines that sprung out from the floors and impaled the Grimm in towering shards of ice.
One was even crushed by a large fridge landing on top of him.
Imagination was a deadly and powerful weapon,those who did not use it were doomed to perish. A lesson Jaune had learned all too well in the Black Forest.
Fox sensed them coming as Jaune and the others ran down a long stretch of road between them and the second line.
"Fox, get ready and set the charges!" Jaune yelled as the boy nodded and activated his scroll.
Coco, Yatsu and the rest of the defenders jumping over the sandbag like defences as the Grimm that survived the traps emerged from the houses and ran straight for the others. Jaune himself was almost there before a Grimm tackled him from the side and tried to bite his face off.
"Jaune!" the others yelled as he held back the beast by pushing the rifle in the Grimm's mouth, even as its teeth snapped at him. He grunted as he held back the Grimm and cursed as more kept coming.
"Blow the charges!" Jaune yelled.
"But you'll-!"
"Just do it!" he yelled back as Fox cursed and hit the button on his scroll.
A series of beeps resonated in the road as the Grimm stood and looked at the red lights appearing in the road. Eyes widened as both Bandit and Grimm recognised the familiar sound of landmines activating.
Thinking at the last possible second, Jaune augmented his strength with his semblance and punched the Grimm straight in the face before forcing it on top of a landmine. He held the beast down and surrounded himself with his aura and felt his body lock into place.
'Oh man I sure hope this works!?' Jaune thought before the landmines began to detonate in a series of explosions.
The road lit up with a large of fire and death as the Grimm hollered in pain. Their bodies ripped to shreds from the shrapnel and fire dust as they bodies were engulfed in flames. Jaune himself was thrown back as the Grimm's body and his own semblance protected him from the blast and sent him flying towards the defence.
He rolled on the ground, cursing along the way before he landed with his back against the sandbags. He groaned before his eyes widened at the massive flames that came rushing towards him. But before he could do anything, Yatsu grabbed him and pulled him over the edge. Ducking down with the rest of them as fire swept over their heads.
Smoke littered the air as heads slowly rose over the sandbags and gaped at the destruction on the streets. Houses were set ablaze, black marks stained the buildings and road as Grimm parts littered the streets. Their forms slowly dissipating into black dust as it mingled with the smoke in the air.
Jaune and the others sighed in relief before Coco glared and smacked the boy upside the head.
"What the heck were you thinking!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Jaune chuckled a little as he shook his head.
"Not from a lack of trying." He joked as the older girl growled and was about to smack him again before Fox stopped them.
"It's not over yet, more are coming." Jaune nodded as he gestured to the assembly of large doors.
"Grab the doors, we need to hold this line. Archers get ready. More of them are coming!" Jaune ordered as they nodded as men and women hefted the doors and held them up as large shields. The Archers position themselves between the gaps. Jaune himself grabbed the bow he made in the forest as he aimed down the street.
Their arrows crafted from pieces of metal and dust shards that glinted in the moonlight as the yellow crystals glowed slightly.
Pulses beating rapidly as they waited for more to appear from the smoke and fire. The Grimm did not disappoint as more Beowolves threw themselves out form the smoke and came charging towards the humans. Coco swung her hand down as she signalled the archers to fire. Arrows flying through the air as the lighting shards exploded upon contact, electrifying and blasting the Grimm. But it did not stop them.
Coco gestured to the others. "We need to hold them off!" Coco yelled as she held her handbag. "Close range fighters get ready! Archers, ready with another volley!" she ordered as the villagers nodded.
The three huntsman and assembled warriors jumped over the barrier as they brandished their weapons and charged at the Grimm. Bone claws clashed with steel and wood, as the burnt street was thrown into an all-out brawl. Smoke dissipating from open wounds and screams of pain echoed out into the night as one by one both Grimm and man began to fall.
Jaune doing his best to keep the warriors alive, but not even he could keep up with the murderous intake of the Grimm. For every several Grimm that fell, another soul was lost to the void. It was on this day that he had to learn a painful and harsh lesson.
You can't save everyone.
Two hours passed and the rain finally passed as Jaune slashed his blade across the throat of the Grimm, before he drove his sword clean through its gut and out its back. Which he then proceeded to shoot the next Grimm behind it, before ripping the blade out and slicing another Grimm behind him. The beast falling into the mud that had formed from the rain.
He momentarily fell to his knee as the extended battle was starting to get to him. Nearly 8 hours of continuous fighting was pushing everyone to their limits and the Grimm just kept coming.
"How many of them live in this Goddamn place?!"
He cursed as a large Ursa came down upon him, before it was shot in the face by Velvet and then bisected by Yatsu. He reached out to the younger Huntsman as Jaune nodded and grasped his hand, pulling himself up.
"You okay Jaune?!" Yatsu asked as the boy nodded. A Grimm tried to pounce on him before Jaune stabbed it in the chest and fired.
"I'm fine! Any news about the transport?!" He asked as the larger boy shook his head. While bisecting another Grimm with his massive blade.
"Nothing yet. But it will be sunrise in a couple more hours. Hopefully, the Grimm will back off by then." Jaune blocked with his shield before slashing at the throat of another.
"I hope so! Grimm don't particularly fight well in the daytime! So hopefully we can hold out till then! But This village is done for!" he bashed away another Grimm with his shield, before stabbing it in the eye as He drew his blade out and looked to the moon that hung in the sky.
"I just hope we hold out for that long?" he returned his focus to the battle, his blade flashing in the light as beast howled.
Beacon Academy – Headmasters Office
Ozpin continued to type on his keyboard as he finished filing off his report to the Vale council. The report was on the raid he and the other members of his inner circle had made agent Salem's agent here in Vale a week ago. The raid ending with the capture of several ranking members of the White Fang as well as notorious Criminal – Roman Torchwick.
In the report, he explained to them the reason he deployed the Atlas forces Ironwood brought with him was to combat a potential terrorist plot. Which involved him sharing the information he had received from his mysterious informant. The Intel had pointed out the high possibility of an invasion force and thus forced the Vale Council to act and agreed to send a raid to Mount Glenn.
The secondary raid Ironwood and Qrow performed at Mount Glenn two days later only confirmed the Intel's accuracy. Large deposits of Dust, weapons, Mech's as well as a means of transporting them to the city. Luckily, they managed to ground the trains before they could move or detonate. For what reason they were rigged to blow, he could only guess it had to do with the tunnels under the city.
With this, he was able to convince them that the CCT Network needed to be shut down temporarily and address the vulnerabilities in the software.
He and Ironwood felt foolish for never considering that Salem would attack the CCT, their only means of continental communication. Salem more than likely had her own means of communicating with her agents across Remnant that didn't rely on the CCT. He should have realised that she would go for their throats before cutting off their heads.
After all, she still possessed all of her Magical Abilities and full control over the Grimm. While his powers had dwindled over the many centuries they have battled.
What use would she have of technology?
It had taken nearly all of his personal resources to convince the rest of the Kingdom's councils to perform the systems update as well as performing an extensive background check on all possible leaks within.
Luckily the evidence managed to convince the councils and revealed that the leaks came from those that were once associates and partners of one of Atlas' most brilliant but disgraced minds. Arthur Watts. A man who was as brilliant as he was corrupt. Selling technology and specs under the table, which had earned him scorn from his colleagues and the Atlas Science community.
Now that he knew how they planned to hack their systems, it became imperative to upgrade the software and delete any of Watts influences in the system. Unfortunately it would mean they would be out of communication for a short time.
It was a risk, but vital if he wanted to keep the Kingdoms from falling.
He had contacted the Headmaster in Vacuo to be careful, as he had no idea what Salem would plan in order to get the Relic of Destruction. But in all the background checks and tapping into the past logs of Watts, it had also sadly confirmed his suspicion about the Haven Academy Headmaster…
Leonardo Lionheart had betrayed him.
This was all the more confirmed when he was found dead two days after the raid on the warehouse. The autopsy revealed that he had been sliced to pieces by an unknown weapon. Some would even argue it was the same way a Grimm would kill a man. How someone, let alone a Grimm, had been able to get into the Academy without any of the faculty noticing was still a mystery to the rest of the world.
But Ozpin knew Salem had a hand in it.
The fact that this Cinder and her associates claimed to hail from Haven Academy as well as the fact he had been acting strange, were strong indications that he had been turned. She had managed to get to him and convinced him, or threatened him, that it would be better to join her side.
No doubt she probably blamed him when Cinder's cover was exposed and decided to eliminate him thinking he either betrayed her or because he was of no use to her. It was saddening, but he had long grown numb to the acts of Betrayal by those he considered friends. It had happened to him multiple times across multiples lives.
They all end up either betraying or leaving him when they discovered the truth. He was just wondering how long it would be this time around...
But this victory had given him a strange sliver of hope that maybe things won't go the same way this time around.
He had one-upped Salem and stopped her invasion. He had managed to identify Autumn's attacker and now had her face plastered on every wanted poster in the entire world, along with those that followed her. There was a chance that maybe he could finally stop her and end his own curse, before the time of judgement. But he was sceptical. His track record was proof that nothing is as good as it seems.
Still, it wasn't entirely hopeless.
He still had to talk with the Young Belladonna to arrange a meeting with her father, so that he could arrange a meeting with the Head of the White Fang – Sienna Khan.
Now, you'd think he could just as well try and contact her himself. But the White Fang was a very…reclusive bunch, as they have managed to hide their main base of operations and allowed no contact with any human whatsoever.
Getting an audience, especially if you're human, was hard if not impossible.
Which was why he planned to reach out to Ghira Belladonna, the previous leader, in order to help him convince Sienna of the dangers this Adam Taurus presented. If he could solve the problem, then he could have another potential ally on his side.
Speaking of problems…
He turned his monitor to the chamber down below to Pyrrha as she continued to train extensively in the combat arena. Well past the hour's anyone was supposed to be in there. A clear sign that the poor girl's mental instability acting out through her actions.
Before all of this, he would have considered her to be a viable candidate for the successorship of the Fall Maiden. But the loss of her partner had been too great a personal trauma for the young champion and he had to consider another option.
He was more hoping that she would improve as time went on, but that was unlikely to happen.
He shook his head as he knew that he had to personally address the young maiden.
She was pushing herself too much that sooner or later she would either collapse on campus or slip up on a mission and get herself and others killed. He had to confront her and try and help her through this process. If not, then he would have no choice but to resort to drastic measures such as suspension or expulsion if need be.
He sighed as he watched the young girl and could see how much she had truly cared for the young Arc.
In a way, it was like watching Salem all over again, before everything that had split them apart. The love and tender gazes she once gave him. The way she cried and wept at his side before his first death. How she had done something incredibly stupid to try and bring him back only to cause so much more harm for years to come. Yet in a way, deep down he still cared for her, even if he would never fully admit it.
Now he only hoped to pull a similar girl from such a fate.
He reached over for his coffee mug, only for it to crack ominously. He stared at the fracture then the moon. Unsure what to make of it.
Many Hours Later – Riverdale
The sound of the battle waged on as Jaune clashed his grandfather's blade with that of the Grimm own claws. His blade slicing and hacking away at the monsters of Darkness. He brought up his small shield to block its strike, before delivering a powerful swing that decapitated its head.
Coco protected his back by swinging her handbag and bashing away the Grimm, right into Yatsu's large blade as he bisected the Grimm in half. Fox delivering a series of punches to the head of a large Ursa as its body exploded and impaled multiple other Grimm with its spikes.
Velvet continued to provide support from the rooftop, as Ruby's weapon shot at any Grimm that got too close to her friends and allies.
The battle had continued to rage on for many hours, many died in the assault, but taking down just as many Grimm. Of the 85 warriors that volunteered to protect their families, only 43 remained. It was a daunting task, which none of them was sure would survive. But they had to hold out, in hope that the Transport would arrive.
Jaune noticed, however, that the Grimm were coming in less frequently. Which meant that they were either giving up, highly unlikely or that Grimm numbers in this area were slowly diminishing. He looked up as the sky was slowly shifting from black to a mixture of dark blue and orange.
Which could only mean…
"It's almost morning! Just hold on!" Jaune yelled as his words brought a small sense of hope. "Keep pushing! We're almost home!" he yelled as he clashed once again.
From the cliffs, Victor had grown both annoyed at the village's persistence, yet also impressed at how long they've managed to hold out. Normally a village of this size would not be able to hold off the Grimm for more than an hour or two at the most. But this one was surprisingly stubborn, planning as they did and using what they had to their advantage.
He had a feeling it had something to do with the warrior with the grate like helmet and sword/rifle. He seemed to be the one leading them, giving them orders and boosting their powers. Sure, the one with the stylish clothes was giving just as many orders and seemed the more experienced of the two.
But there was something about this boy that drew his attention. Something that intrigued the bandit leader.
"Boss." He turned to his second in command.
"The village is holding out longer than we expected, it will be daybreak soon and the Grimm are almost defeated. Should we attack now?" the leader pondered this before he spotted something in the distance.
"Not just yet. Prepare the weapons and get ready to attack…" he grinned as he stared into the distance. "Our main prize is here." He grinned never noticing a flock of small birds landing on a branch.
Jaune blocked, stabbed, cut and thrust his blade into the Grimm as the battle had boiled down to around twenty or so Grimm. His body feeling more tired with each passing second as the group constantly fought the beasts.
While the Grimm numbers had diminished, there were still plenty and large as what was left was the Alphas and the Majors. Jaune slashed his blade across the Ursa's stomach, causing the beast to fall on its legs, roar then stab it in the brain.
He drew his blade as he looked around at what was left. Two men had fallen to the Grimm, and their own aura reserves were dangerously low. Jaune could feel his reserves were at the 25% mark themselves. But the rest were almost completely empty.
"Just got to hold off for a little longer, just got to hold for a little longer…" Jaune grunted to himself as he continued to fight.
Velvet had long since jumped down, after using up the photo's she had saved in her camera and had joined the fight below. She was using her copy of Yang's weapons as she blasted the Grimm to pieces. But using her mimicry abilities was draining her aura, and the constant use of her weapon was using up the last of her Hard-Light Dust.
But she still did her best to keep coving fire for her teammates, no matter what.
Suddenly a small noise came over the scroll.
"Bzzt- This Supply Transport A-297 headed over with supplies for Riverdale, I repeat this is Transport A-297 with supplies for Riverdale. We're seeing a large amount of smoke in your direction, is everything okay?"
Velvet's heart soared as she grabbed the scroll. "Yes! Yes! Transport! This is Velvet Scarlatina! Grimm rare overrunning the village and we need immediate extraction!"
"Grimm!? What the hell is going on down-!"
"There's no time! You need to dump the cargo now! We have women and children that need evacuating! I repeat! We have women and children that need evacuating!" Velvet yelled into the mic as the pilot in the other end nod.
"O-Okay! I'll dump the cargo! Just-Just be ready! I won't be able to land if there are Grimm on the ground!"
"You don't need to land! Just park over the roof!' she cut the call as she looked the warriors. 'The transport's here!" she yelled out as there was a brief moment of cheer.
"Great! Velvet get everybody ready! Just like we planned!" Jaune yelled as she nodded and ran back to the hall.
She burst open the doors as the women and children were huddled together, with some of the men protecting them inside, instantly holding up their weapons to protect them, even Fenrir growled ready to protect them. But relaxed once they saw it was only Velvet.
"The Transport is on its way. Everyone! Start making your way to the roof!" she ordered as they nodded and began to single file up to the roof.
The Large cargo ship approaching the village at high speeds as the work hands got busy cutting the tension ropes and preparing to open the main doors. Jaune looked to the west as he saw the ship approaching, feeling hope that this battle was almost over.
Victor grinned as he gestured to the men.
"Fire" he said and several large objects shot into the air. The objects appeared to be several large spear-like shapes with a flat surface and a glowing purple line around the edges. The 'spears' clung to the side of the ship as gravity dust locked onto the ship and held on tight.
"What the hell?!" Jaune yelled as the ship was stopped in its tracks.
What the bandits had fired were large tow cables, a weapon they had managed to steal from an Atlas supply train a few months back. They were designed to latch onto an enemy ship using gravity dust and infect the controls without damaging the vessel. Victor planned to use it to hijack the ship when it was in the village, hold it down once it landed so it couldn't escape. But because they managed to hold out against the Grimm for so long, he was forced to take it out from the air.
"Payday." He grinned as the cables began to pull the ship down.
"Gah! We've been hit! Something's pulling us down! I've lost control!"
The Pilots voice came over the radio as Jaune cursed. "Shit! It's the bandits! They must have been waiting for the ship this whole time!"
"Damn it!" Coco cursed, as she held off the Grimm. "We have to stop them! That's our only way of getting home! Gah!" she lost focus as a large Ursa slammed into her and knocked her back.
"Coco!" Fox yelled as he sped fast to the beast and delivered a powerful punch to its chest. Sending the beast flying back into several others. "Coco! Coco are you all right!?" she gasped and ground in pain as she held her limp arm that had a large gash in it.
"N-no. I-I think my arm is broken!" Fox cursed as he turned to Jaune who ran over to them.
"Shit! Can you heal her!?" Jaune looked at her wounds as his hands glowed, the wound started to close, but she still grunted in pain.
"Enough to get her back on her feet. But you're going to have that limp for a while, in any case…" he looked to the forest as the cables began pulling down the large ship. "We need to cut those cables, now!"
"I doubt it, from the looks of it those are high strength tensile cables, not even Yatsu's blade can cut through those with the aura he has left. And no doubt the bandits will be guarding them, it would be suicidal." Coco observed as he cursed.
He looked around as everything slowed to a crawl.
The Grimm were still pounding them, and their only hope of escape was being dragged down into the dirt. The fear that they felt was amplifying and strengthening the Grimm. With more and more of the warriors being killed by the beasts of darkness. He looked to all the faces as they fought the Grimm, the many people that counted on him to get them out of here. The many that believed in him that will die because of him.
He looked back to the cables as his hand clenched tight. Knowing full well what he had to do...
"…Fox, Coco hold off the Grimm for as long as you can. I'm going to go cut the cables and deal with the bandits." He stood up as eyes widened in shock.
"What!? Are you crazy Jaune!? That's suicide!"
"Not like we have a lot of choices! I'm the only one with enough aura left to deal with them! I'll cut the cable and meet you guy's back at the hall."
"But Jaune I told you those are high tensile cables, not even Yatsu's blade will be able to cut them!" Jaune looked down at his hand as it flickered with his aura.
"I might have something that will work…" he turned back to them.
"Once I get the cables cut, get everyone on to the transport. I'll meet up with you as soon as I can. Yatsu, think you can give me a little boost over the moat?" the older teen looked hesitant but nodded, as Jaune stood up and cocked back the rifle.
"But Jaune-!"
"Don't worry," Jaune interrupted her as he stood back to them. "I made a promise I'd get back to my friends, and when an Arc makes a promise…" he grinned a little as he looked back. "They keep it."
Coco stared at the boy as he confidently stood before the reining darkness. It strangely gave her a sense of hope at his refusal to buckle under this weight of everything. It made her feel confident that his words would ring true and that they would all make it out of here.
Jaune turned back to Yatsu as he nodded and sprinted to the east gate, while also cutting down any Grimm that stood in their path.
"Just be safe," was all she said as she got back up and fought the beasts.
In no time at all the two made it to the river, as the large stretch of water continued to stream down south. He looked to the older boy as he nodded. He placed a hand on his arm, amplified his strength and then allowed the larger boy to grab Jaune by the scruff of his jacket and throw him over the river. His body tumbled slightly before he shot back up and nodded to Yatsu before sprinting towards the bandits.
The larger teen nodded one last time before running back to the others. Fewer Grimm stood in his path, as most had been eradicated. But that didn't mean the battle was over…not by a long shot.
The sounds of his breaths were amplified within the tight spaces of his helmet as Jaune ran through the forest. The grate like plating made him feel closed off but focused at the same time. He needed to stop the bandits from hijacking the ship. He needed to cut the cables and hold them off long enough to get away.
He needed to get back to Beacon…no matter the cost.
His eyes focused in on the bandits ahead as several of them were gathered around the launchers. Large turret like machines that held the cable in one end and the anchors at the other. He knew that he couldn't afford to be subtle and stealthy, as he needed to act quickly before the Bandits brought down the ship.
He focused his aura into his hand as he focused on drawing Soul-Sabre. His eyes locked on the cables as he ran faster towards the machines, light shining in his palm as the completed form of Soul Sabre appeared in his hand.
The light attracted the bandits all too late as he jumped in the air and slashed, cutting the cable of the weapon in half with ease. The cable snapping back as it whipped out and killed two of them. This momentary lap of shock allowed Jaune to dash right past them and attack the second anchor. His blade shining as he severed the barrel in half. The blade of aura cutting the steel like it was a hot knife through butter as the cable snapped.
"Kill him!" one of the bandits yelled as they finally snapped out of their shock and fired at the boy.
Jaune instantly running as he did his best to avoid the multiple that flew around him. His blade flashing as he cut down any bandit that stood in his way. Jaune had found out that the bandits didn't have aura, as his blade easily cut the men in half.
Blood splattering on the ground as his blade cut through metal, leather and bone as their screams echoed out into the night. He ran past the downed men, as he destroyed another anchor, the ship jolting slightly as it was slowly but surely freed from its bonds.
"What the hell?!" Victor looked down to the forest as flashes of light shined in the forest and the cables snapped loose. "What the hell is going on down there!?" he yelled into his scroll picked up radio chatter.
"One of the huntsmen is down here! He's cutting the cable and killing our men-! Oh my god no! Argh!"
His voice cut as Victor growled with an almost animalistic vibe and he turned back to the forest, "Get down there and kill him…Now!" he roared as his second nodded and gestured to his men to follow him. Victor turned back to the forest as the flashes of light persisted before he too followed after them.
Jaune swung Soul Sabre as he fought against the bandits. His blade easily destroying any weapon they came at him with, as the blade had no resistance and weighed nothing.
He stabbed his blade into the gut of the bandit while pulling out the man's revolver and using it on his own men.
The rounds hitting two of them in the chest, as he used the now impaled body as a human shield. Their rounds digging into the flesh of their comrade, as the dying man screamed in pain before an aura enhanced kick sent his body flying into the others.
A stone was flung to his head as the metal rung loudly, but he managed to shake it off as he spun around and planted his blade in the man's chest, who fell to the ground like a sack of wheat.
"Thank the Gods for this helmet," he muttered to himself before he rushed to the last two anchors and severed the cable. The cable snapping like twine as the ship began to gain a little altitude.
"Jaune, the ship's almost free! I don't know how you're doing it but hurry up with the last one and get back here!"
Jaune nodded as he hid behind a tree as the dust round impacted against the wood. "Little preoccupied! But I'll get there! Just make sure everyone is ready to go!" he held up his left arm as he focused on his next construct. A little something, he worked on, on the way to Riverdale.
The aura swirled around his arm before a circular shield appeared on his left arm and he dashed out and charged at the men.
The rounds bouncing off the circular device as he mad dashed to the launcher. He ploughed right into the bandit and sent a pulse of aura into the shield, effectively catapulting the man into a tree and killing him instantly. He took a page from his partner's book as he flung the shield like a Frisbee and knocked several others off their feet before disappearing into specks of light.
He dubbed this trick – Sentinel – after basing the shape off his partners shield.
His sword reforming in his hand as he cut down the last of the bandits before he severed the last of the cables and freed the airship.
"Yes! All right, the ship's free!" the ship continued towards the village as it soon crossed over the river, large containers falling out the back as the crew managed to dump the cargo. Velvet stood on the rooftop of the town hall as she waved to the ship. Which turned around and allowed the townspeople to crawl inside.
"I'm making my way back to you guys, be there as soon as I-!" a rocket shot right near him as he was blown off his feet and slammed into a tree. His aura cushioning the impact but still caused him to groan in pain.
He could barely hear the sounds of his friends' pleas, as his vision blurred momentarily, and his ears rung from the explosion. He looked up in time to see more bandits coming his way, as they were led by a large blond-haired man with steel gauntlets on his arms. The man's eyes glaring into him as he and his men marched towards the downed boy.
He gestured his men to fire as multiple dust round fired through the air. He summoned Sentinel – as the multiple rounds bounced off the shield and forced him to retreat back. He managed to hide behind some rocks as he dispelled the shield.
"Guy's we've got trouble! I'm pinned down outside the village and need help!" he yelled into his scroll. He ducked as more rounds nearly took his head off.
Victor glared at the supplies landed in the river and got swept away by the currents. His rage at an all-time high as he watched the civilians boarded the vessel. "Target the transport. Leave none alive." He ordered as his second in command nodded.
Several men aimed their rockets launchers at the ship as fired upon the vessel. However, they were using older models that tended to be unstable during flight. Which luckily meant that they either diverged at the last second or missed entirely. But they had plenty of ammo to spare and plenty of chances to hit it. The civilians screamed as the rockets exploded all around them. Coco cursing as she and velvet both used their chain guns to try and shoot them out of the air.
But they were both all most out of ammo, aura and nearly out of time.
"Jaune! We got the civilians on board, but we're taking heavy fire, we can't stay here!"
Coco's voice called out as a loud explosion sound in the audio as Jaune looked between the transport and the men firing on them. He knew that if they waited any longer for them, eventually they were going to hit the ship and kill everyone aboard. And there was no way he could get back to them with the little aura he had left. There as only one logical thing to do…
"Guys…get the people out of here and head back to Vale. I'll hold off the bandits as long as I can."
"What!? Jaune you can't be serious!" / "We won't let you do that!" / We'll swing around and get you!" / "Don't do this! Think about your friends! You need to get back to Beacon!"
Instantly he heard their rebuttals and their plea's not to stay behind. All their voices call out to him not to do something foolish when he had the chance to get back to Beacon in one piece. But he didn't care.
"Don't worry about me! Just get everyone out of here, now! Don't sacrifice all those lives just save mine!" he yelled as they went silent. "I'll be fine! I'm not going to let these bandits kill me! Just look after Fenrir and I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can! Just go, now!" he yelled one last time as he held up his rifle.
An image of scared kids passed his mind as he grit his teeth.
"Guys…please…don't let them die here…don't let those kids die…" silence sounded over the radio as Jaune held his breath.
"…Just…Just get back to us in one piece, you hear me Arc! Don't you dare die on us!"
Jaune nodded as he cocked back his rifle. "I will…I made a promise after all…and I don't break my promises…" he looked back as he gripped his weapon tight.
'But to be honest…I'm not so sure this time.'
He spun around the cover and fired at the bandits, his shooting drawing their attention as he managed to shoot one of the launchers and caused the rocket to veer off course. The rockets exploding in mid-air as the sky was briefly illuminated with orange and fire.
Jaune took this moment to move forward as he fired at the bandits, drawing their attention away from the shuttle as it piled on the last of the civilians and turned away.
Unfortunately, there was a complication with the ramp doors as the crew tried to close the ramp. Fenrir watched as the town started to move further and further away from him as he looked around for his master, only to find his scent going just as further from him. He looked up to see the saddened faces of his masters 'friends' and recognised it from his master when his pack family died…sadness…and loss.
This was something, he could not allow.
Faster than any one of Team CFVY could react, the small wolf pup jumped from the ramp and fell straight down into the forest. "No! Fen!" Coco called out as the small wolf pup's body jumped from the ramp and fell straight to the forest below. Its tiny body flailing in the air as it barked out in fear, expecting to hit the ground painfully.
Yet nothing happened as the wolf found itself being gently placed on the ground and a familiar pinch on the scruff of his neck. He turned around to see who had helped him but found no one in sight. Confusion soon passed as the small wolf bolted through the forest, hoping to get back to his master. Unaware of the transparent images of two familiar wolves that watched him from a distance before fading from.
Bullets flew through the air, as Jaune ducked from cover to cover, his rifle firing back with everything he had as the floor was littered with empty casings. His body shimmering with his aura as the rounds impacted against his form. He moved back to cover as he quickly counted the number of enemies in his way,
"Forty smaller bandits, ten of them with rifles, ten of them with axes, seven of them have swords, six with clubs, two with shields and five of them with side arms. Plus, big bad behind them, that makes forty-one all together. And I have…" he pulled out the last lag as he counted the bullets.
"Eight bullets left…damn it!" he cursed as he slid the mag in and cocked the rifle.
He looked back to the bandits and to the village as the ship drew further and further away.
"...This is what you would do, right Grandpa?" he smiled softly as he holstered the rifle to his back, even as the bullets continued to fly. He breathed in a breath to calm his nerves as he knew what was about to happen. "Let's hope I don't meet you too soon."
He undid the claps of his cloak as he let the tattered cloth fall to the floor. He couldn't afford to have it trip him up when he would face the bandits. He summoned his shield to his left arm and his sword to his right hand as he charged at the bandits. Their bullets bouncing off Sentinel as Soul Sabre shined brightly. He sent a powerful pulse through the aura shield as two were thrown off their feet.
"That's Two."
Victor's eyebrow raised as he stared at the weapons made from aura and the boy who wielded them. A small bird landing on a branch as it too looked curiously at the boy.
He swung his sword as he sliced through the ones with swords as their eyes widened with disbelief before they were met with either a slash to the chest or a shield to the face. He blocked an axe to the face and thrust his blade into his chest. He heard a weapon click behind him, as he spun the body around and used the corpse as a bullet sponge.
"That's Five."
A stray bullet grazed his cheek as he felt his aura slowly dwindling. It wouldn't be long until all of his aura was gone.
He pulled soul sabre from the corpse as he held up his shield and bull rushed the shooting opponent. His shield slamming the bandit into a tree as the man gaped for air, then cried out in pain as the sword ran straight through his gut.
"Six."
Multiple rounds hit his back as he turned and used his shield that was slowly crumbling and breaking. He summoned aura into his hand as he fired a high-powered Aura shot into a man and blasted a hole straight through his chest. Soul Sabre reappeared as he cut down the tree to give him some cover.
"Seven-Gah!" an axe hit his back as he cried out in pain, before spinning on his heel and repulsing the man away. He fell to his knee as his aura flickered and sputtered out of control.
"Come on! Not yet! Not yet!"
He shut off Soul Sabre and deployed Merveileuse's blade and ran towards the ones with clubs, his body moving out of the way of their swings and his blade sinking into their chests or dismembering their limbs.
"Ten!" he rolled out of the way of gunshots as he aimed and fired his gun.
Two more dropped to the floor as he cocked back the rifle.
"Twelve." He noticed that these men didn't have aura, which was why his attacks were doing as much damage as they did. He still didn't know why it was that some people had aura, and some didn't, as he often wondered why his father never bothered to teach him about it.
But that question could wait as he had to focus on the battle.
A club smacked against the side of his head as he fell to the floor. Two more piled on him as their clubs beat against his body, while their friends tried to work around the fallen trees. Jaune yelled as a pulse of aura shot off his body and the men went flying.
He coughed and groaned in pain as he felt his aura slowly dwindle to his last drop. The smell of smoke and ash permeated his nostrils and his body ached from the hours he spent fighting off the Grimm. Several clicks resonated around him as he looked up to see the bandits had surrounded him. Their guns pointed at him he reached for his gun as they cocked their weapons at him.
"Hold!" a voice spoke as they all turned to Victor as he walked towards him.
His form towering over the others as he moved past his men and stood a few feet from the boy.
"You've caused me a lot of trouble today, boy. I've lost resources, I've lost men and I've lost the supplies that should've been mine from the transport. All because you didn't know when to turn tail and leave. If you would've asked, we would've let you leave in peace."
Jaune chuckled through the pain. "That's a lie. You would've killed us anyway." Victor nodded.
"True, but it's the thought that counts. But I will admit I'm impressed by you. You got these band of backwater yolks to fight together against a common enemy, even held out long enough to allow all of them to escape…well, not all of you." Jaune glared as he slowly stood up using his sword as a crutch.
"But what really drew my attention are those abilities you showed. I watched your fight with the Grimm from start to finish and I've already guessed what type of power you have. But those…those are not regular abilities that come with Aura, who taught you?" Jaune spat some blood to the ground.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Spunk, I like that. So, here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to give you the chance to do the smart thing to get out of here alive… join us."
Jaune stared confused, as did the rest of Victor's men as they tried to process what he said. "Excuse me, what? You want me to…join you!?" the man nodded. "Are you insane!? Why the hell would I want to join you!? You're bandits, criminal, murderers! There's no way I'm joining the likes of you!" he held up his sword as he glared defiantly at him.
Victor sighed as he shook his head. "…Stupid." He turned to his men.
"No one interferes. I'm going to teach this brat some manners." He shed his coat and flexed his large muscles. His gauntlets shimmered with Dust crystals as long claws extended from the tips.
Jaune held ups his blade as the men circled around the two. The fire from the village bathing the forest in an orange haze as the steel from both their weapons glinted in the light. Jaune charged first as his blade swung through the air, resonating with the man's gauntlets as he blocked his attack.
Jaune kept swiping at the man, as he tried to get around the massive man. The man merely grinned as the boy swiped at his gauntlets, his claws extend as he took a swipe at the boy, who blocked with his grandfather's blade. Sparks raining from the impact as the two fought. The men watching silently as they took in some amusement from watching the boy fight.
Jaune was tired, exhausted and almost out of aura. He barely had enough left to keep his defences up as the occasional scratch broke through and cut his flesh. He grunted in pain as he felt his body grow heavier and heavier, all while a simple raven watched from the tree branches.
Jaune fell back into a defensive stance as he held his blade up in defence. He looked back as he noticed he had been pushed back to the village and stood near the river.
'I-I can't keep doing this, I'm almost out of aura and this guy is really tough!' Jaune observes as the man grinned. 'Okay, all I really need to do is one good hit on him. If I take this guy down, then hopefully the rest of his men will back off and leave? Cut off the head and the body dies. But I have no guarantee that will work.' His hand shook as fatigue was slowly setting in.
'Come on Jaune, just a little bit longer. Just a little bit longer…' he raised his blade as the man charged and swung his claws at him.
He blocked the attacks with everything he had as he observed the man's attacks. Taking note of every movement he made and every slight twinge in his steps. He waited for the right moment to strike when he raised his right arm over his head and exposed his right side.
'There!' he thrust his blade forward as he aimed for his ribs, hoping to severely injure the man.
But his eyes widened in shock as he came into contact with a shimmering veil of light over his chest. A light that Jaune had become all too familiar with.
'Aura…the man has aura!'
Victor grabbed the blade as he grinned. "Surprised? My grandfather was a Huntsman during the Great War before he was exiled for treason. He taught my father to use aura and then my father taught me. The only reason we've kept it from this lot so no one would be brave enough to challenge us." He held the blade with his hand as he twisted the sword in his hand and forced the boy's arm to turn.
"On our enemies, however, it makes for a nice surprise."
Lighting dust surged around his gauntlet as he punched the boy in the face. The metal of his helmet ringing loudly as blood spat out of Jaune's mouth and he flew back while the bandits laughed. He tried to stand up but was soon picked up by the scruff of his collar as Victor grinned at him.
He delivered a powerful blow to the boy's stomach as he gasped in pain. Followed by another to the face and then another. The metal gauntlets striking hard and true as his aura shimmered and sputtered from each blow. Until the last blow where the aura shattered, and his neck was grasped firmly in the man's own. Jaune chocked and gasped for breath as he fumbled at the man's grasp.
"It's a shame really. You could have held such potential, yet you chose the path of a Huntsman, the path of a Hero. But let me tell you something that all those paths have in common…" his claws extended, and he thrust them into his stomach.
"They all end in needless death."
Jaune gasped in pain as the claws dug into his chest. The Chainmail slowing their progress from going any further but could not stop them from going into his flesh. Warm blood flowed from his wounds as he felt them leak from his stomach and his legs.
His stomach was in massive pain and he could barely let out a cry as the man held him by the neck. Blood splashed from his lips and ran out the grate of his helmet. His vision blurred as the man's face twisted into a savage grin and the laughter of his men around him resonated.
"It's a real shame, I honestly would've let you join us. But you had to be the good guy, the loyal dog of the Kingdoms." Fire dust injected into his gauntlet as flames seared into the five puncture marks in Jaune's stomach as he screamed in pain.
"Now be a good boy…" he shifted to gravity dust and dropped the boy as he reared back his arm. "And play dead!"
His fist slamming into his chest as he was flung back towards the village, his body slamming through the wooden fence his body careened through the village before slamming into the remains of a home that toppled over on top of him.
Victor grinned as his men cheered, while he picked up the fallen Merveilleuse. "Nice sword…" he sheathed it to his back as he gestured to his men. "Search the village, see if we can salvage anything from the wreckages." His men nodded as they stormed the village.
Jaune's groaned in pain as piles of wood and rubble covered his body. Blood leaking from his body, as the intense burning claw marks in his chest, singed his flesh. His vision clouding over into darkness as sound and light slowly left his form.
"Shit…shit…is this…is this really how it ends?" he struggled to breathe through the pain as his eyes grew heavier. "I-I was close, so close to getting home…but like an idiot I had to put myself in danger…" he shook his head.
"B-But then again, I think that's what anyone would do…that's w-what a real H-Huntsman would…" his vision faded as he slowly faded into the black.
"I'm sorry everyone…I did my best…"
"Bullshit."
Jaune's eyes snapped open as he found himself in a realm of darkness.
"You didn't try your best. You got your ass kicked and now you're giving up when it matters the most. Pathetic."
He looked around as the voice resonated everyone where. "W-Who's there?! Who are you?!" a figure appeared before him as he stood before the boy. The person before him was himself, dressed in the fur and makeshift clothing he wore weeks ago. A cross expression on his face as he stood over the boy.
"Who am I? I am you, dipshit. I'm the you that pulled yourself out of that shithole five months ago. I'm the you that didn't give up when you were stuck in that god-awful place. I'm what you want to be, what you could be and what you can be. I'm what we needed to become to get out of there. I'm the power that dwells inside you. I am your soul."
"My…soul?" The other version shook his head as he looked down at the boy.
"Now what the hell are you doing? Are you seriously just going to lay there dying while our friends are worried sick about us? They already thought we were dead five months ago, how do you think they're going to react when they find out we died here by some lowlife bandits? Get up and fight!"
Jaune shook his head. "I-I can't…I'm out of aura, there's nothing I can do." The other him scoffed.
"So what? We didn't have any aura for the first three months in the forest. What makes this any different?"
"T-They have men, more power and now my weapon and all I have is my dagger. What could I possibly do with that? I'm dead without my aura, I-!" his other laughed at him.
"We had just that much when we first fell into the Forest, so this is no different. And as for Aura, do honestly think that you're out of aura? That as soon as it shatters, you're dead? If that were the case, then every person on the planet would've died the moment their aura was shattered. No, you still have power inside."
Jaune looked confused as the other him gestured to his own chest.
"What do you think aura is? 'It is the manifestation of our soul. It bears our burdens and shields our hearts.' That's what Pyrrha told us, right? And when our Aura is spent it has to recharge when we're given time to heal and rest. But the fact is that power still comes from your soul, your very being. So long as your soul exist, your aura can still take shape."
He pointed to the boy as his body was basked in a white veil.
"You just need to draw out more of that power if you want to get out of here. Because you made a promise to make it back to your friends no matter what. You still have to keep that promise and when an Arc makes a promise…"
"We…keep it." Jaune finished as the other him nodded and grinned and spread his arms. Above them was a giant ball of white light, that was almost like the sun as it shone in the darkness. He reached out his hand as if trying to grab the ball of power.
"So, reach down deep inside and draw that power out."
White Aura began to swarm around his body as Jaune reached out and drew in the power into himself.
"Get back up…"
From the darkness of his helmet, a white light flashed from his eye as his body began to glow.
"And fight!"
His left hand flexed as the aura gathered around his palm and he thrust it forward.
Earlier, the bandits crossed the river with their makeshift bridge as they began to scour the village for anything salvageable. The raid may have been a failure, and the ship managed to dump their supplies into the river. But at least now they could search the remains of the village without any issue.
A loud explosion caused them all to turn their heads as bits and pieces of a house began to rain down. The bandits moved out of the way, as the pieces of rubble smashed down upon them. Victor looked confused as his men pulled themselves from the rubble.
He looked to the source as a form began to emerge from the ruins.
Jaune stood before the muted masses as his body radiated with his aura before it slowly faded. A single white light seemed to shine from within the darkness of the helmet as he glared at the assembled bandits.
Victor stared in utter confusion before he chuckled and shook his head.
"I've got to admit, you sure don't know when to give up, do you boy?" he said nothing as Jaune just glared at the men. Victor glared as he gestured to his men. "Kill him, and make sure he stays dead this time." He ordered as his men nodded and drew their weapons.
Unknown to the bandits, however, Jaune he was sensing so much more as he felt the very presence of everyone around the village. He could see the small flames of their aura as they flickered in their chests, while Victors surrounded his entire body. His hand curled into a fist as the men aimed at him.
The men with the rifle aimed as they fired at the boy, their rounds flying through the air as they sped towards him. Only to miss as the boy moved out of the way. Letting the rounds miss him and impacted the wall behind him.
This brought confusion before aura swarmed around the boy's arm and the gauntlets of light took shape. But instead of claws, two-foot-long blades appeared as they sprung out from the top of the white 'metal'. Tensions rose as Jaune's semblance coursed through his body and his natural abilities became amplified.
His body lurched forward before he shot off at high speed to the bandits.
They barely had time to react as Jaune plunged his new blades into the first man's chest. The white blades effortlessly cut through the leather-bound armour as the man screamed in pain. He retracted the blade and swiftly cut down the man next to him, as the man's body fell in half.
Jaune's eye flashed as he spun around planted his new blades into the chest of another as he delivered a series of stabs, before punching the last into the air and stabbing him back into the ground. He looked up as the helmet shrouded his face in darkness and his eyes almost seemed to glow within the dark confines.
This finally got the others to snap out of their shock as they charged at the boy. The ones left with rifles firing at him, as Jaune moved out of the way and ducked back into the buildings.
"Shit! Get him!" Victor roared as his men chased after him.
The bandits searching the buildings as the fires of the Grimm battle still burned in the slowly rising sun. A blur shot around them, as the men fired only to find nothing. From behind the building a bow of light appearing in his hand as he shot several arrows at them. The Arrows punching right through the walls and hit their targets with frightening accuracy as three more men fell to the floor.
One of the men roared as they rounded the cornered and charged at the boy. Soul Sabre manifesting as he swung his blade and destroyed their weapons, before dismembering or beheading the four men. He dived into a building as those that still lived grabbed their friend's fallen weapons and fired at him. They gave chase as they searched for his whereabouts.
"Shit! Where the fuck is, he!?" one of them cursed as he and the others searched.
A shadow crept around them as Jaune silently watched from his hiding place. They were becoming more disorganised and scared. Good, they wouldn't be as focused as before. Throw your enemy off balance and you can turn the tide of any battle. One got separated as he searched for the boy within the crumbling building.
His hand shaking as he had just watched someone that should've died by their leader come back and start killing off several of their comrades.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! What the fuck is happening!?"
Jaune snuck up behind him as the man's spun around and Jaune ran towards him. "I found him! He's-!" he never got to finish as a helmet slammed down on his head and his head was encased within the metal protection. A swift kick pushed him out the door as the man stumbled back.
"There he is!" he heard his comrades yell before he looked towards them, only to get a belly full of dust.
They had reacted without thinking, saw the helmet and shot without asking questions. Thus, they had unintentionally shot their ally as they realised all too late as his body fell to the floor. But they didn't have time to react as Jaune ran towards them, his hand foraged blade sinking into the neck of a spike-helmeted man before pulling the blade free.
He then grabbed the spiked helmet from the dead man as he spun around and slammed it into another man's face, instantly caving his face in. He summoned a Soul Shard in his hand and threw it at the last patrolling man, his blade struck true between his eyes and the man fell dead.
Jaune grabbed his helmet off the dead man as he placed it back on and glared at the village. He strangely found comfort within the helmet as it helped him focus on what needed to be done. He felt his body wouldn't last much longer now that it was running on fumes. But he still persevered before he slinked back into the shadows.
Victor growled as he rounded the corner, only to find more of his dead men and the cries of his remaining men as they continued to echo within the burning village. Those that stayed beside him shook in fear as the screams grew louder. He looked around as he saw doubt and fear welling up inside his men and cursed as he wondered what the hell this boy was. He was like something out of a nightmare, killing his men with brutality and cold cunning. Using his men's fear and idiocy to his advantage as he cut them down one by one. From the corner of his eye he could've sworn he saw something, but it was gone by the time he turned around.
He growled as his claws extended and he looked around. "Show yourself! Stop hiding and face me like a man!" a shadow moved around them as the men got jumpy and opened fire.
This only served to distract them as an arrow of light shot through the wall and killed another. "Shit! Fucking shit! Where the fuck is he!?" one of them yelled as they kept firing.
Victor growled as he kept his ears open and his eyes scanning for any sign of the Huntsman. His claws extending and flexing as he growled in annoyance of the one pest that seemed to not know when to quit. A small noise from the rubble drew his attention as he spun around only to stare at a full-grown white wolf. The wolf growling menacingly as Victor stared into his eyes and flinched back.
Only then did he hear the sound of screaming behind him.
He turned to see Jaune rush forth to the last of his men in the village, as another blade of aura shined in his hand and he cut down his man. His blade leaving a trail of light as he cut down another man. His men tried to fight him off, but he summoned two Soul Shards in his hand and sunk them into the man's eyes.
The man screamed as Jaune picked up his club and killed another with the blunt object. Blood splattering on his person as it almost covered the young man.
Victor growled as he activated the ice dust on his gauntlet and sent a barrage of ice shards across the ground. Jaune instantly jumping out of the way as he skidded back before he dodged another attack from the leader who ran up to him.
"You have become a major pain in my ass!" Victor yelled and threw his fist that shot a ball of fire at him, who ducked and grabbed his arm.
"I aim to please!" Jaune yelled as he kicked the man in the face with an aura enhanced kick. The blow temporarily disorienting the man long enough for Jaune to summon Soul Sabre and strike the man hard on the chest. The large man felt his aura taking massive damage, as he stumbled back.
But Jaune was not down as he spun around and slashed his stomach, avoiding his fist, and then striking him again. Each blow severely impacting the man's aura as he grew angrier and more unfocused. He roared with a vengeful fury as Gravity Dust swarmed around his fist and he punched the ground, releasing a large pulse of Gravity.
Everyone and everything was thrown up into the air as Jaune momentarily lost his footing before Victor grabbed him by the throat again. He lifted the boy as he glared into his eyes.
"This ends now!" he yelled as he tightened his grip. "This is no fairy tale boy, and you're no hero!" he yelled as he pulled back his arm to gut the boy.
But before he did a growl caught his attention as he looked behind the boy to see another white wolf, the animal growling at him as he got lost within the blue of its eyes. "You're right, I am no hero…" Jaune muttered as he gathered his aura to his hand.
"But heroes always do get one last hit!"
He thrust his hand forward as his fingers were coated in a sharp white aura. Punching right through his aura and plunged them into the man's right eye. The man screamed as Jaune plucked the eye from his skull and he was dropped to the ground.
With little thinking left he grabbed the rifle off the man's back and shot him several times, causing the last of the man's aura to shatter. He dropped the rifle as he focused his aura as the white energy swirled around his right hand as he pulled back his fist and flung it at the man. The man could only stare at the world moved to a crawl. The aura twisting and shaping around the boy's fist as it changed its shape into that of an angry wolfs head and impacted into the man's chest.
A large pulse shot the man far back as he barrelled through building after building before, he collided with the walls of the village. The last of the bandits staring in shock as their leader was rendered unconscious and bleeding, with what looked like a wolfs teeth burned into his flesh.
"Now…" a dark and angry voice spoke as they turned back to the slowly standing boy. "Who's next?" he picked up his rifle as he propped himself up and glared at the men.
"Is it you?" he threw the man's eye at the gathered men as they backed up in fear. "Or…" he took a step forward and pointed to them as he radiated with killing intent. "Is it you?" he pointed his blade as a small white light shone in his eye menacingly.
The gathered men could only stare in horror as they tried to comprehend what they just witnessed. Victor, their leader and the strongest among them was defeated by a boy, barely standing on his own feet, as he challenged them.
If it wasn't that, but they could've sworn that two wolves stood by his side as they growled at them.
It was then that pants were soiled, and the men fled screaming in fear. Jaune watching as they fled, dragging along their comatose leader as he mumbled incoherently while being dragged away. A small drop of blood rolled off his fingertips as Jaune did his best to hold himself up.
'Don't fall…d-don't fall yet…Don't…Don't let them see you weak…n-not until they're gone…'
The last of the bandits was far from his senses as he stumbled on his own two feet. "T-Thank the Gods…" more drops of blood rolled off his body as he shakenly turned around.
"West…I need to head…west…" he slowly forced himself to walk as the village was basked in smoke.
He dragged his feet across the ground as he made his way to the West Gates. The controls badly damaged as the bridge was locked tight.
He shakenly placed his hands on the drawbridge as he pushed with all his might, a brief flash from his semblance pushed his strength and allowed the bridge to fall. A small dust cloud kicking up as slowly and painfully walked across the bridge.
Small red drops trailing behind him as he walked his way west. In the same direction of those, he told to leave him behind. His sword dragging in the dirt as he forced his body to keep moving, despite everything it had been through.
"I-I can't fall, n-not yet…not until I…I…not until I-I get home…" the sun slowly rising as the sky was basked in an orange and magenta hue.
His vision blurred and blackened with every step he took. His body screaming at him to stop and rest. But his mind and heart kept telling him to move on. To keep moving and make it back to the ones he missed. To the ones, he cherished the most. To the ones that always…
He fell to the floor as his body could no longer resist the fatigue and pain that coursed through him.
His breathing becoming ragged with each breath he took as he lay on the dirt covered road. "N-No…no…I-I can't die…not here…not like this…not when I was so close…" his eyes became heavier as he felt the darkness swallow him all.
"Guys…Pyrrha…I-I…I'm sorry…" his eyes closed as he felt death slowly creep upon him, ready to take him to the other side.
"…I must say, I am impressed."
His eyes snapped open as he forced his head to look behind him as a strange woman, wielding a red blade and wearing a bird-shaped Grimm mask stood over him. "I honestly thought that Victor would've had no trouble dealing with you. But the world is full of surprises I guess?"
'W-who is she? another a bandit? Did she come to finish the job?' he panicked as the woman walked over to him.
Jaune groaned and reached out to grab his rifle.
"You're not looking too good. Those wounds are pretty severe. I'm surprised you haven't passed out by now." He reached for his gun until it was taken from him. He looked up to see a short-haired woman with tattoos on her arm and circular gun/blades on her hips as she grinned at the boy.
"Now normally I would just leave you to die and take whatever is left from your corpse. Let the weak perish and the strong survive." He grunted as she kneeled down to him. "But you...you definitely caught my interest. You managed to take down one of my clan's rivals. For which you have my respect."
'Rival? So, she's from a different bandit tribe. But it doesn't look like she's here to help me. Not by a long shot, I can't take that risk.'
He focused what little he had left as he forced his body to move. 'Got to make this count, then run!' a Soul Shard appearing in his hand as he aimed for her head, only to miss and cut off a small section of her red ribbon. But she moved faster than he predicted as she grabbed his helmet and slammed his head into the ground, causing him to cry out in pain.
"You have a strong fighting spirit…I like that." there was no hint of anger in her voice, only respect. Something Jaune found…deeply disturbing.
Soul Shard disappeared as the woman smirked under her mask.
"Not to mention those abilities you have. I would like to know more about them. So, I'm not going to let you die, not until we've had a nice long chat…" she pulled the helmet off his head and gestured next to her.
"Knock him out." He looked over to see another man just as the butt of his rifle slammed into his head and all went dark.
Fenrir watched from a distance as three strange people picked up his master, while the strange bird lady slashed the air and opened a swirling red vortex. She stepped into the portal as the rest of her men followed. The small wolf pup took this one moment to rush up behind them quietly, just as the portal closed and he made it through.
The forest growing silent as a small tear of red cloth lay still amongst the quiet forest. All trace of the boy disappearing as the hands of fate were thrown again in confusion on where the dice would fall this time.
Beacon Academy – Headmasters Office – 12:00 pm
Ozpin stood by his window as he watched the students moving back and forth throughout the campus. His keen eyes observing how each student interacted with each other as he smiled at the peaceful atmosphere that reigned over the school.
He had just gotten off with a meeting with the Vale, Vacuo, Atlas and Mistral Council – otherwise known as the Council of Remnant – as they had finally agreed that the Vytal Festival should be postponed for another few months.
While doing such a thing would cause some criticism from the populace and hurt them slightly financially, but it was deemed necessary until all traces of these 'Traitors' were rooted out. Especially now that the CCT Network was back up and running with improved security.
There was no chance that Watts would be able to hack in any time soon.
It eased his old heart that they had managed to avert what could have been an international disaster. He couldn't even begin to wonder what would've happened had this 'Invasion' had been a success. All thanks to a mysterious informant whose identity remained a mystery.
Ironwood had managed to discern the origin point of the data being far east into Sanus, up in the mountain region. He had sent a team of Soldiers and Huntsmen to investigate, but the only thing they found was an old fortress that had been buried under a mountain of ice. Ironwood was attempting to recover anything else from the fortress, seeing as there was evidence of White Fang personal amongst the avalanche.
While Ironwood was investigating that, he sent Qrow to hunt down this Cinder woman and bring her in. But it seemed after the warehouse raid, she had all but disappeared from the face of the earth. Which could only mean that she was back within Salem's domain and out of their reach.
He just wondered how his old flame would react to her failure. Not very pleasantly he supposed.
Salem, even though she was his sworn enemy and he hers, deep down there was still the remnants of the love he once shared with the young woman he saved centuries ago. Despite everything that had happened to them, everything she had done, he still loved her. No matter what she had become.
In a way, he blamed himself for how she turned out, how he wished that before his death he could've told her to move on from him, to not grieve his death and find new love…maybe then the world would not have suffered for her pain?
If only his sickness not rendered him weak.
A small ding caught his attention as he turned to his intercom. "Headmaster, Miss Nikos is here to see you." His secretary said as he nodded.
"Thank you, please send her up."
Now he was seeing a similar pain forming within the young student he had hoped to make the New Fall Maiden. He needed to prevent her from doing something similar to what Salem had done centuries ago. He needed to avoid another Salem falling into the abyss.
The elevator opened as Pyrrha stepped into the office. "You summoned me, Headmaster?"
"Yes, I did, please take a seat, Miss Nikos." He gestured to the chair as the young champion nodded. "Miss Nikos how are you fairing?" he asked as the girl nodded with some confusion.
"I'm fine, headmaster, why do you ask?"
"Because it has come to my attention that you have been behaving differently over the past few months. I'm well aware that it is connected to your partners…unfortunate passing." He tried to choose his words carefully as he spotted the subtle clenching of the young girls' fists.
"I'm well aware of how close you were to him, maybe even of how much you truly cared for him." She flinched a little, but the man waved it off. "It's all right Miss Nikos, there's no shame in developing feelings for your partner. It has happened before in the past. What I am concerned about, however, is how you've been behaving since his passing." He sat down in front of her and stared her in the eyes.
"Miss Nikos from what your friends have told us: you've barely been eating, you've barely slept and we've noticed you've spent all your time in the training arena since his funeral. This is not healthy, Miss Nikos. You need some help." She shook her head.
"With all due respect, but I'm fine Headmaster. I'm just training to get better." She stood up. "I will admit it hurt. But I'm perfectly fine, I just need to get stronger, that's all." Ozpin shook his head.
"You are not fine Miss Nikos; you are on a self-destructive path that I have seen happen so many times I could write a book about it." He stood up as she sat back down.
"But Headmaster-!"
"I don't mean to be brash about this Miss Nikos, I am all too aware of the feeling of loss and pain. I'm only trying to help you as both headmaster of this academy and as a concerned teacher." He pulled his chair over as he sat in front of her.
"But If you continue the way you are now, there is no telling what will happen in the near future. If I send you on a mission with your current state of mind, you could potentially jeopardise not only the mission but the lives of your team as well. Would Mister Arc want that?"
Pyrrha flinched at this as she hung her head.
He nodded "That's what I thought. I realise his death was a hard blow on you and taking up his reigns as a leader has been espcially hard on you. But you have to realise that you're not alone in this. We are all here to help you in any capacity and form. It's what we're here to do."
"B-but what if it happens again and I lose someone else? I-I can't go through that again." Ozpin sighed as he nodded.
"That is always going to be a risk, it's part of the job. And whilst I cannot speak for him now, I know he would not want you to put yourself through this pain. He would've wanted you to look after yourself more and move on from his passing. Trust me, I've seen so much to know how true that is. Even if he never knew you about your feelings for him, he still cared about you in his own way." She smiled sadly as she nodded.
Happy memories of staying up late and reading X-ray and Vav flooding her mind as a small tear ran down her face. "He did, didn't he?" he nodded.
"He did, Miss Nikos. I am asking you nicely to go and talk to someone about this. Because if you don't you are going to crash and burn, and you have to hope that you don't bring down everyone you have left with you." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"I'm recommending you speak with Miss Goodwitch for some counselling. Take some time off and get readjusted before I can send you or your team on missions. Is that acceptable?" she nodded as he patted her shoulder.
"Yes, headmaster…thank you." He nodded as he stood up.
Yet just as he was about to ask her to leave something caught his eye as he looked off into the distance. "What in the?" he and Pyrrha both turned to the window as a black shape came in closer.
"Beacon academy! This Transport A-297! Coco Adel of Team CFVY speaking! We're haemorrhaging fuel and need immediate assistance! There are civilian's aboard, I repeat, there are civilians aboard!"
Coco's voice sprung out over the intercom as Ozpin's eyes widened at this. He turned back to his console as he brought up Glynda. "Miss Goodwitch get to the landing dock immediately! Stop that vessel with all that you have! I'll gather the emergency team!"
The woman nodded as the screen cut off. "Miss Nikos despite our discussion, I am in need of your assistance!" He told the young girl who nodded and sprang into action.
Outside students and onlookers looked on in shock as the large transport came rushing towards them. Thick black smoke billowing out the engines as the pilots did everything, they could to prevent themselves from crashing head first into the ground. With the amount of damage and dust they had left, it was a miracle they didn't crash already.
Goodwitch stood at the front of the panic as she activated her semblance and surrounded the ship with her aura. The large vessel beginning to slow down as she pushed all of her power into averting its crash. Sweat building on her brow and her feet dragging her back as she forced her semblance onward.
For a moment it looked as if the ship was about to break through when a dark grey matter surrounded the ship and the weight was taken off her shoulder. She looked to see Pyrrha standing beside her, as she used her Semblance to assist the teacher.
She nodded as both of them forced everything they had into their semblance and slowly guided the ship down. Both women collapsed slightly as the ship landed on the ground safely.
Ozpin and a team of emergency staff ran forward as the back of the transport opened and a large group of civilians stumbled out. Coco leaning on Fox as Velvet helped carry her partner, despite her smaller size.
"Miss Adel!" Ozpin said in a panic as he ran over to them, helping her onto the stretcher as the medical team began assisting the others. "What happened?"
"B-Bandits, bandits attacked the village. We had to hold them and the Grimm off until the transport arrived." She groaned as she was placed on the stretcher. Teams RWBY and PNR arrived as they looked over the number of people.
"We managed to hold them off and get most of the civilians out, but we took heavy casualties." Ozpin nodded as he patted her hand.
"We'll get you fixed right Miss Adel; you and your team did a brave thing today. We're proud of you," He went to turn before she grabbed him by the arm.
"Wait! There's something you need to know…" she looked up into his eyes as the next words she said caused everyone to feel a huge weight drop into the pits of their stomachs.
"It's Jaune...Jaune's still alive"
And Scene. Well here is Chapter IX of Legend of the White Wolf. A bit longer then I thought it would be, but I needed to add the Ozpin talk and Jaune holding off the Bandits. When I initially wrote this, I was using Goblin Slayer as a base idea. Especially the scene where Goblin Slayer rips out the champions eye if any of you got that reference.
Also, so it would establish Jaune's badass title of the White Wolf.
So now Jaune is in the clutches of Raven. Someone had asked me about why would Branwen and the Sabretooths have a beef if they are in sperate continents.
Well, my theory is that bandits are nomadic in a way, as they would obviously have to move from place to place to avoid being hunted down. And Raven has the ability to teleport from one continent to another. It wouldn't be far-fetched if she bonded with her scouts and sent them off all over the place to gather intel on potential targets.
So that is the reason she would have rival gangs and why she was near Riverdale that day. So, stay tuned for the next chapter in…
Chapter X: The Wolf and the Raven
