Amber and Neo watched the news, taking interest in the Illness tory centred about the Beacon auxiliary school of Lamppost. They knew that was were Jaune was currently. But even knowing was not enough for them to feel slightly uneasy about him working the job alone. Of course they understood why. They were both more suited with their abilities and skills to slay creatures, and not so good on the investigation part.
Add in Neo could have possibly been recognized as the criminal partner to the infamous Roman Torchwick; while Amber's nature had a habit of drawing out the most hostile nature of other worldly creatures. Case in point the Nothing fiasco. So even as the wondered and worried they remained at their shared home. Jaune would need to do this little mission on his own.
/=/
Jaune wanted to flinch every time Glynda took a step. Her shoes echoing off the walls and ceiling. Jaune was hopeful that whatever he was tracking wouldn't bolt at the sound, while also wishing she had chosen more appropriate foot wear. He could always ask her to remove her shoes, or he could enchant them with a Silent Step ritual; but that would take time and he was close to resolving the issue with the school.
The candles cast a dim pale green light, but Jaune knew they were more useful in this situation than a normal would make the unseeable seen; while a flashlight would do nothing but make the shadows deeper. Originally he had planned on using one as a marker. Fastening it to the floor before the stairwell door; but with Miss Goodwitch assisting as it were she needed it to be of use. Though it did have the advantage of over lapping the area of effect, providing slightly more light to see, and possible detect the entity he was searching for.
"Stop." Was the only word he spoke as he saw something outlined in flickering sickly green flames. It vanished through a wall into a nearby dorm room.
"What is it?" She whispered
"We might have found it." Jaune replied in a similarly soft voice.
"Found what?"
"What is causing all the trouble. It went into that room." Jaune pointed with his candle while also reaching into his pocket for the enchanted jar he brought to contain the being.
"The door didn't open."
"It passed through the wall."
"That's impossible."
"Not with what we are dealing with." Jaune flinched as Glynda's heels clicked on the floor, indicating she was moving closer. "Stop moving."
"What?"
"You're making too much noise, stop moving."
Glynda hesitated and then replied to Jaune's request by stopping her movement. She noticed in the dim light Jaune's entire focus was on the door of the room he indicated. She had seen nothing, and after only a few moments of watching turned her attention to looking around. Flicker green flames popping out of a nearby door had her reflexively bring out her riding crop. Jaune hear the weapon being drawn.
"What is it?" He hissed.
"Flames, beside us."
"You see it then."
"I don't know what I'm seeing."
Turning slowly Jaune brought his own candle around and saw what had Glynda on edge. The edge of green flames peeking through the wall just to their right. It was trying to hide, thought Jaune as he slowly set his candle down and reached to open the jar he was carrying in his other hand. With the jar open he took as soft a step as he could forward. Again he had no idea if he could sneak up on an insubstantial being; but it was worth a try. Glynda watched as Jaune took several short cautious steps towards the flickering flames, the jar she watched him prepare open in his hands.
Stepping forward again Jaune closed, waiting and hoping whatever she was stalking exited the wall further. His wish was granted. Slowly emerging from the wall more flames outlining a head and human like shoulders of the being. Much to his surprise the creature was not completely invisible, though it was incorporeal. He heard Glynda let out a soft gasp as she witnessed the thing slowly emerge from the wall. Head and then shoulders.
It had a ragged, misty look to it, in roughly a humanoid shape. It appeared to be draped in a shroud, and had a bestial quality to it. Jaune took another step closer, and prepared to utter the command phrase for the jar. More of the creature emerged causing Glynda in her shock to take a step back; her heel clacking on the tiles floor.
It wheeled about coming fully free of the wall, hanging in the air, no evidence of legs beneath it. Unleashing an ungodly nerve shattering shriek if caused Glynda to drop her candle and riding crop. Her hands instinctively reaching for her ears as she closed her eyes. Terror she had never felt before welled up inside her, making her want to run. Jaune himself felt the urge to flee, not immune to the terror the creature's vocalization caused.
he fought the feeling and focused on his task. Moving to hold the jar before him the open top aimed in the general direction of the creature. He knew what it was now, and it was not something he wanted to end up in a protracted battle with. He wasn't prepared for such a development.
"Capture and Contain!" jaune shouted with the jar aimed at the wispy; floating abomination. At the same time he heard a thump and assumed Miss Goodwitch had either collapsed from fear or trip and fell. He didn't have the time to confirm he needed all his focus to complete the entrapment spell. "Capture and Contain!"
The creature hissed and shrieked again, it's form completely outlined in flickering sickly green flames. It appeared to struggle, appeared to be trying to escape the pull of the enchanted item Jaune was holding. It shrieked again, nearly causing Jaune's shattered nerves to drop the container. Drawing a deep breath to steady himself; he pushed forward.
"Capture and Contain!" He shouted again while taking a extremely shaky step forward. He felt the weight of terror the thing was attempting to create in him, along with a pull; like his very essence was being stripped away by the being's very presence. "Capture and Contain!"
Intoning the command phrase the fourth time was the charm. The being shrieked again and was suddenly pulled backwards and into the jar. With shaky hands Jaune fumbled but was able to close and seal the hinged and latched lid of the container. Almost instantly the lights came back on; and the feelings of being drained and infused with terror vanished.
Jaune's breath came in ragged gasps as he fought off the listlessness feeling swarming through his body and mind. Behind him he heard Miss Goodwitch's heels clack on the floor as she pulled herself up and took a couple hesitant steps towards him.
"What in the Brother's name was; is that?" She asked her voice still tainted with a touch of terror.
"A the cause of your illness," he replied, "a wraith."
"It has to be some sort of trick, no such thing exists. There is no way the dorms are haunted. It's absurd."
"You saw it with your own eyes, you felt it's power. Deny all you want, keep it a secret if that helps you continue on with your daily life, but the cause is; was a wraith and now it is contained." Jaune held up the sealed jar to show a twisting black mist swirling inside. "Your students are safe, I'll remove it entirely when I leave."
"When?"
"We should still cleanse the building room by room." Jaune noticed Glynda giving him a questioning look, "It will remove an residual effect from the wraith stalking the building."
"Very well." Glynda conceded upon seeing Jaune's determined look. "How long do you think that will take?"
"And hour or so. We wont need to be searching anymore. I'll just have to enter each room and place a talisman, like I have been." He replied as he picked up his candle and snuffed the heatless light out. Glynda picked up her own and echoed Jaune's actions before attempting to hand it back to him.
"Keep it."
"Keep it?"
"A memento of this little altercation." He replied. "Proof that the unseen world is real."
"I still don't . . ."
"You don't have to. Keep it out of memory of an adventure with a former student if you want."
Glynda just nodded and placed the extinguished light source into her pocket. Her head swam with thoughts about what she had seen, and felt. Her mind trying to create logical explanations for it all. While she lost herself in thought Jaune pocketed the jar, and candle. Taking a step forward he headed to the end of the fourth floor corridor and waited for Glynda to open the first room.
/=/
It had taken the better part of two hours to finish the cleansing; as Jaune called it. Back in her office she took a seat at her desk and regarded Jaune.
"So now we come to the payment portion of your little show." Commented Glynda as she set the candle Jaune had given her in her topmost draw.
"Still unconvinced."
"I still don't; and can't believe what I just experienced."
"Makes no difference in the long run." Jaune took a seat before her placing the jar with it's swirling contents on the desk between them, "You'll find the students will recover, and there will be no more cases of the illness."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I KNOW I've removed the cause." He replied with a sure tone.
"If you say so."
"I know so."
"About the payment for your services. Will five hundred suffice?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of five thousand."
"That is an absurd amount for just walking around the school buildings placing pieces of paper."
"That jar begs to differ."
"That jar . . ." She stopped and gazed upon it and its swirling black mist like contents. "I don't know what to think about that jar."
"You either accept the unseen or you don't."
"I don't think I can."
"That is your choice, but the base of the matter is I did a job, you saw me do it, and now I should be paid, and reasonably so."
"Five is not reasonable in my mind, let alone my budgets."
"Five hundred is too low, considering my time and effort."
"A thousand?"
"Four."
"Two," she watched Jaune grimace at the amount, "or two and half?"
"Okay, two and a half."
"Cheque?"
"Cash."
"My petty cash coffers don't have that amount available."
"Call me," Jaune placed a slip of paper on her desk with his scroll number written on it, "when you have it together."
"I guess I shall have to then. How soon do you require payment?"
"What's the norm for the school?"
"Thirty days for all invoices."
"How about fifteen?"
"I'll see what I can do."
"Fair enough." Jaune responded before starting to rise while adding, "If there is nothing more . . ."
"I want you to return Jaune, come back to school."
"I thought we had this settled?" Jaune asked as he sat back down.
"We did not. The conversation was put on hold. So will you?"
"With everything that has happened; I don't think I can."
"Why?" Glynda asked, before adding, "Because of this ghost and goblins act you have?"
"Partly, and because of what happened during the fall."
"I know there was something between you and Pyhrra; but that doesn't have to . . ."
"That is part of it. What happened to her, what happened to Yang and Ruby. It is all part of it."
"I can tell there is more."
"I don't . . ."
"Cinder?"
"She's a monster."
"I would have to agree, but why not return, train, get stronger."
"No, there are other ways to deal with monsters; and I'll get stronger in my own way. Strong enough to deal with her."
"How? Being a Huntsman was what you wanted. being a huntsman would be the way to bring her to justice for what she has done to beacon, vale and your friends."
"No, my way will work, and it's not about justice." jaune stated darkly.
"Vengeance will not erase what she has done."
"Nothing can erase what she has done. Justice wont. She's a monster."
"You said that before, what is this fascination with monsters?"
"Do you know how you deal with monsters?"
"How do YOU deal with monsters, Jaune?"
"Use a bigger monster."
"What?"
"Just what I said."
"That makes no sense."
"To me, and what I am studying now, it does. I will get stronger, I will get more skilled, and when companions and I are ready we'll find her."
"Companions?"
"I have two, and their like me. We deal in the unseen world. That is our strength, Cinder wont be able to fight that which she has no idea of."
"Jaune?"
"She bested Ozpin, she bested Pyhrra; killed them both. She laid waste to a hunter academy; don't you think she is prepared to face hunters and huntresses?"
"Ruby, Nora and Ren feel differently."
"They are allowed to." He responded, his tone taking a slightly longing tint, "I've made my choice, am going to follow this path, my path."
"I still think you've made a mistake Jaune, you should come back. You have so much promise, you could become a great hunter."
"I can become great at what I do now."
"I'm sure you feel that way."
"You don't have to believe in what I do. You don't have to believe even in me. What I would like is for you to accept my choice."
"I don't know if I can."
"As I said I would like you to, but in the end it is my choice."
"Very well." Glynda was disappointed, she really hoped a talk with him would allow her to sway him to give up this; whatever he was doin and return, but at the least she could understand. He was making a choice, and in the end it was his choice to make not hers. "Please know that the doors are always open if you choose to return."
"Thank you." Jaune slowly stood and picked up the jar from her desk.
Glynda watched him turn and walk out of her office. She felt disappointed, and drained. The evenings happenings and her talk with Jaune sapping what little strength she had in reserve. She was. A huntress, and a Headmistress to an academy. She was at the top of her game, and still she felt weak. She had been unable to prevent the tragedy that was the Fall of Beacon. Unable to stop the loss of both several of her students, but scores of civilians as well. Nothing would change that for her, and like Jaune she had a choice to make. Dwell in the past or move forward. She was choosing to move forward, and part of her hoped Jaune was as well.
/=/
Jaune was in the basement, with the trapped wraith creating a ritual circle around it. He had returned home in the early morning hours and after a quick feeding of Amber and discussion with Neo; he had taken a power nap. Now he was in the basement that had become his study and laboratory attempting to reach out and discover the truth behind the appearance of the wraith at the Lamppost school.
The ritual was fairly simplistic in nature and Jaune was easily able to replicate it using his exorcism book. He was sure that his codex would have contained the ritual as well, but it was by far easier holding the little black book in his left hand while drawing out the runes with the piece of yellow chalk in his right.
Closing the book and putting the chalk away Jaune knelt down in the indicated spot and faced the jar situated in the centre of the runic circle. He had told Neo he was going to attempt this communication and she just waved it off. Her own morning being taken up with study under the guidance of Index. Amber for her part had taken off. She was going to try again to find the pack of ghast they had been looking for yesterday while Jaune was investigating the school.
"Can you hear me?"
"Pain. Blood." The voice that responded to his quires was faint and rough, like a hoarse whisper. He had to strain to hear each individual word.
"I asked if you can hear me?"
"Pain. Blood."
"Why were you at location? Where did you come from?"
"Hate. Anger. Pain. Blood."
"Where did you come from?"
"Darkness. Below. Pain. Blood."
"What do you want."
"Revenge. Life."
"What happened to you?"
"Knife. Pain. Blood."
Jaune sat back on his heels and rubbed his face with his left hand. He was getting very little that was making sense. He understood the Death and Life statement. Whomever this once was was dead and wanted his or her life back. He knew this from the grimoire entry on wraiths. They were hateful and vindictive spirits or the recently departed. Usually created by a horrendous, or brutally violent act. Unlike many ghosts, their minds would be fractured by their death; leaving only a fragmented semblance of sentience. Often, in fact in all cases according to his own reading a wraith will seek a return to life; through preying on the living. Even though such a return was impossible.
Realizing he would need a stronger ritual, Jaune rose from his seat and returned to his books. He would need something to compel the wraith to speak. Force it to give answers that were complete; and no the broken single words it was currently bombarding him with.
/=/
"You are doing well Neo." Index praised as she watched the tri-coloured haired girl summon six spirit orbs and cause them to dance about her.
"Thank you."
"How are you dance steps coming?"
"Good." She replied as she allowed the orbs to disband and vanish.
"You have questions."
"Yes."
"Well ask. You can not know the answer unless you ask."
"What is the dance for?"
"Ah, yes." Replied Index as she moved to take a seat, and indicated for Neo to do the same. "I knew this would be coming up sooner or later. So tell me what do you feel when you practice the individual steps?"
"Incomplete."
"You would. The dance's true power comes from stringing all the steps together."
"So why only practice individual steps?"
"Because the dance can be dangerous; especially in the natural realm if one is not of great enough skill to master it."
"So when?"
"Soon."
"How soon?"
"Once I have prepared a place for you to do it safely."
"It is that dangerous?"
"It can be." Replied Index. "Do you understand what it is for?"
"It has something to do with the dead."
"It does. But more so it gives you the power to raise, control and destroy them." Index informed Neo, "So before you tie the various steps together I need to complete a safe place for you to practice where there is no chance of losing control. Where you will be protected."
/=/
Amber's anger had taken control of her again. First a nevermore felt her all consuming wrath, and then a lone beowulf. Amber couldn't contain it, she at the sight of the foul creatures; was compelled to unleash a torrent of her full might upon them. Both had been literally obliterated under her onslaught; and now she sat upon a slightly bent lamppost catching her breath.
There was still no sign nor spore from the pack of ghast, and she was starting to think that the report was a false lead. Still the chance to fly freely and without worrying about masking her presence was incentive enough to continue the search. Having rested enough she slide from her perch and fluttered into the air.
/=/
The first ritual Speak with Dead hadn't produced anything useful, so after some consultation with his tomes, Jaune was going to try a more powerful and precise variation. Having moved the jar to his desk he set about erasing the first circle and prepared to etching the next one using red chalk.
This one was called Compel the Dead. The description indicated it with it he could force a spirit to fully answer questions, and those answers would be completely truthful. While so far his tomes had always rung true, he had doubts about this ritual. As he read it he also cross checked the entries he had on wraiths. They were twisted fragments driven by negative emotions and memories. The more horrendous the act of creation the more powerful they were in unlife. This one had been powerful, but mainly due to the several days of feeding off the unaware students of Lamppost. Something, had caused its creation; and he wanted to know what.
He reasoned it off as wanting to test not only his ritual skills, but to increase his knowledge of otherworldly entities beyond what his books could tell him. This was solely and exercise in strengthening his skills and knowledge. After which he would proceed to put the wraith to rest. He knew that would be a job for him and Neo. To bury the jar in consecrated ground would require a visit to an active graveyard; and digging up a graveyard meant they had to do it in a way that would not draw attention. That would require a night visit and liberal application of part of Neo's semblance.
Having completed his construct; with liberal referencing of his codex, Jaune returned to his desk picked up the jar prison and placed it in the centre. He was using a variation of the ritual, this one allowing him to be outside the circle, whence normally he would be the one with in. Taking a seat on his knees in the appropriate spot he attempted to converse with the malicious spirit again.
"Tell me; what do you want?"
"Revenge." Came the hoarse whispered response.
"Tell me; why do you want revenge?"
"Pain. Raped. Blood. Murdered."
"Tell me; when did this happen?"
"Fall."
"Tell me; were you murdered last year in the fall?"
"No. Fall."
Jaune considered the answer. If the wraith did not mean the season of fall, could it mean the Fall of Beacon?
"Tell me; did this happen to you during the fall of Beacon?"
"Yes."
"Tell me; where is your body?"
"Sewers."
"Tell me more. Tell me where exactly is your body."
"Sewers. Ten. Main."
Jaune took a sharp intake of breath, if the spirit meant tenth and main street that was the corner where the Lamppost school was located. He knew if should all be true, but a body in the sewers there should have been found during the search efforts following the fall. Or at least he thought so.
"Tell me; do you know who did this to you?"
"A man."
"Tell me; do you know this man's name?"
"No."
So she was murdered by a stranger during the fall of Beacon. Jaune assumed it was a woman, by the answers he was being given.
"Tell me; who you are."
"Samantha."
So it was a woman, of the twisted fragment of one.
"Tell me; can you describe the man who did this to you?
"Yes."
"Describe him."
"Black eyes. Brown hair. Crooked smile."
jaune leaned back and sat on his haunches. The entity he had captured and contained was a murder victim. A victim that had been lost in the chaos surrounding the fall of Beacon. He would have to inform Laura, and possibly reach out to Miss Goodwitch as well. If there was. A body still to be found after all this time. If she had been dumped in the sewers, with all the water that had been used to douse fires, not to mention the natural weather over the last few months; it may not still be there. He decided to try one more question before ending the ritual. Rising to his knees again he cleared his throat.
"Tell me; is you body still in the sewers at tenth and main?"
"Yes."
Standing up Jaune scuffed out one of the runes ending the ritual. Picking up the jar he placed it back on his desk, while considering his next course of action. Of course he would have to inform the VPD. A murder and subsequent investigation would fall under their jurisdiction. He knew he could tell Laura the complete details of how he gathered the information, but was unsure how much of that she would be able to pass on without generating suspicion. Knowing as much as he did, he had a sneaky feeling he would be the first one they investigated. So how would he go about passing it on; especially the miracle that was a body still where it had been dumped.
/=/
With Neo and Amber's return Jaune discussed his findings, and the problem he was currently facing. How to pass the information on without generating suspicion of him or his contact. Amber had no response other than to indicate she was hungry. So while she fed Neo and Jaune passed ideas back and forth.
The could tell Laura, but then she would be stuck with how to bring the body to light. Jaune dismissed telling Miss Goodwitch. She was having enough issues with his original investigation; not to mention his choice to abandon a career as a huntsman. The settled on the only option. Force the body to be found.
"We could interfere with the water or sewage lines to the school." offered Jaune.
"That could work. Someone from the DPW would have to go down and check it out." agreed Neo.
"But how, without one of us going down there and leaving some trace that we had been there. Could you teleport in and out?"
"No, never been in the sewers, I wouldn't be able to visualize where to appear."
"So we're back to square one."
"Amber." Neo offered.
"Me?" Amber asked.
"Amber? Why Amber?"
"She could go down there, turn off a valve or break a pipe and not leave a trace." Neo informed them. "She flies and is small. She could go down find the body, do something to the services and there we have it. No trace and the victim gets discovered."
"I get it."
"I don't like it." Amber offered.
"You don't have to like it. You just have to do it; but it has to be something that needs fixing, like a clogged pipe or broken one. Just turning off a valve would be suspicious."
"Could you snap a sewage line?" asked Neo.
"Probably." Amber replied as she let her fingers grow and morph into razor like claws.
"So we have a plan. Enter and exit through a storm drain. Find the body, break a pipe and there we have it. A city worker discovers the body and the VPD take over with an investigation. Sound right?"
"It does."
/=/
"Chief O'Hare do you have an comment on how the body was found?" yelled one of the massed reporters.
"It was miraculous, and unfortunate at the same time. Next question." replied O'Hare
"Is there a time of death yet?" yelled out a reporter standing before a news camera.
"No there is not. We will not have any specifics as to cause or time of death until the autopsy has been completed. Next question."
"Has the body been identified?" called out a female reporter holding a small note pad.
"The body was in possession of multiple personal items including a a driver's licence, and student id; so yes it has been identified and the next of kin notified. Pending a final confirmation and the wishes of the family the name of the victim will not be released. Next question."
"Are there any suspects or leads at this time?" yelled a different reporter.
"As this is an open and ongoing investigation I can not comment on possible motives or suspects at this time. Next question."
"Why did it take so long to discover the body, considering that the Lamppost school was going through extensive renovations prior to the discovery by a DPW employee?" called out another reporter also standing before a news camera.
"The renovations for the Lamppost school took place all on site, and no work was needed to upgrade the existing city infrastructure, hence no reason for any workers to be in the sewer site. However a loss of water pressure due to a breech in the main line for the entire street necessitated a visual inspection of the damage, at which point the body was discovered several meters from the breech of the line. Next question."
/=/
Jaune, Neo and Amber watched the press conference from their home. They were happy with their collective actions in getting the body discovered and an investigation in to the poor girl's death started. Below them in the basement the dark black of the swirling mass that comprised the wraith trapped with in a glass prison lightened. It was more muted now, as if the discovery and subsequent actions had eased some of the raging emotions it was driven by.
The trio knew they would have to dispose of the creature sooner rather than later. However they did agree it would be best to wait for the burial of Samantha. They had reached out to Laura and through their unique relationship elicited a promise to be informed when the burial did happen. Jaune wanted to place the tortured soul within the same grave hoping the proximity and consecrated ground would allow the fragment to move on in peace.
They knew they could have asked more of the spirit, but chose not to. The police had their job to do, and giving too much information; even to one they trusted like Laura would bring a light to shine on them, a light they did not want. They needed to remain in the shadows, just like the creatures they were meant to deal with.