So, I'm still getting over a sickness that I caught recently. It's not the Rona. I failed that test. Probably a rhinovirus or something like that. But I have a test next week, so getting a chapter out might be hard. For that reason, I wrote what was going to be two chapters into one.
"Here you go, Dreizehn," Jaune said, handing a femur over to the dog.
He took it and immediately began knawing at the head. The dog's teeth didn't immediately break the bones, but he was chewing at the leftover flesh with glee. It didn't take more than a few seconds for the puppy to get lost in his treat, leaving Weiss and Jaune on their own.
The group was on the second day of travelling towards Poncier. The traders said it would be a few hours before they arrived, so the group sat back in the wagons and enjoyed the downtime. Sun continued to sip on his arak from time to time, which he, Blake, Pyrrha, and Yang seemed to enjoy quite a bit. Nora, Ren, and Ruby chatted in the rear wagon. This left Jaune and Weiss alone for now.
"We're spoiling him," Weiss pointed out, looking over her book.
"Eh, we have a bunch of bones left, so what else should we do with them," Jaune asked in reply.
Next to him were two bags full of bones and jerky the group had made. It took most of the night to prepare them, but it left them with tons of extra food. Now, they only needed more vegetables, and there would be stew for the next few weeks.
"I would like to use them for stock, but we shouldn't have problems if we keep the smaller bones," Weiss explained, turning a page in her book. "It gives him something to do, though. Just don't give him too much."
"Wasn't planning on that," Jaune said, petting the dog who ignored him. "But what do you want to do when we get to Poncier? It's a port town, so there's probably going to be a market we can check out."
It certainly wasn't going to be on Vale or Mountain Glenn's level, but there would be some goods there. From the trade routes on Blake's map, the place was connected to Vacuo's main shipping lanes. A large town on that route would allow ships to stop and resupply or pick up more goods before continuing further. Merchants with their own ships would stop by and use the opportunity to sell some goods to the locals.
"What would they have that Vale doesn't," Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow. "We can look, but I doubt there's going to be anything interesting."
"Some local stuff probably," Jaune mentioned, leaning back into the sack of grain. "They might not be able to ship it north, but there's always some metal or materials that are cheaper too."
"I don't see any issues with it," Weiss replied, looking at him now. "Though, we're going to need to be careful. I'd rather not get robbed if what Sun said was true."
"Yeah..."
Hopefully, Sun was exaggerating, but there was the chance he wasn't. Jaune wanted to err on the side of caution and leave his valuables with the others at the inn then. He could kill a thief who pulled a knife but wasn't adept in the ways of pickpockets. Weiss likely wasn't either being a noble and all.
Jaune looked back to Weiss, who wiped the sweat from her bangs. Small beads of perspirant were dripping off her without pause. Her cheeks were starting to redden as well.
"A little warm," Jaune asked, pointing out the obvious.
"Y-Yes," she replied almost bashfully, pulling at her collar. "I'm not used to this climate is all. I didn't know how hot it would become even though we haven't gone very far south."
The ecosystem was beginning to change alongside the climate. Vale tended to have extensive oak forests surrounding the city and north of Mountain Glenn. Going south, the oak trees turned to willows and areas with mangrove in abundance. It was a not so welcome change. The humidity created under these conditions was almost unbearable. Even Jaune, who spent most of his time next to a thousand-degree forge was having trouble dealing.
Many of their companions traded their armour for shirts and pants. Sun, Pyrrha, and Blake seemed to be all right. Everyone else was not as well-adjusted. Ruby and Yang were down to either a crop top and shirt. Nora and Ren had taken their armour or cloaks off. Jaune did the same, but he was still sweating through his shirt like the others.
"Why not ditch the cloak," Jaune wondered, going to take a swig of beer. "Be cooler that way..."
She must be dying under there. Atlas is some half-frozen hellscape, and Weiss' used to that. Not the hundred-degree swamps.
"I need to keep it on in case we get attacked," Weiss flimsily argued. Her cheeks darkening further. "It's enchanted, and I'd rather not have to fumble around with it in the middle of a fight."
Not buying it...
"Weiss, we haven't seen anything out here for two days," Jaune countered, gesturing to the wilds surrounding them. "You're gonna be uncomfortable the whole way there, so just ditch the cloak. I don't want you to get heat exhaustion and pass out on us."
The only time the group saw something remotely dangerous out here was a pack of wolves. All Jaune had to do was use his telekinesis spell and chuck of rock at the biggest one, and they all ran off. Didn't kill the animal, but Jaune gave him something to think about, so the pack wouldn't try again.
"Fine," Weiss grumbled, pulling at the lapel holding the cloth in place.
As she fumbled with the cloak, Jaune got a better look at it. The piece was made from several thick layers of wool sewn together. It was entirely unsuited for this environment. All the cloak would do was trap heat and cook you internally. Maybe if there was a storm, the cover would do you fine, but it was bright and sunny out.
"Better?"
"Barely," Weiss groaned, pulling at her collar once more. "How can anybody live down here? It's too hot!"
"They'd say the same about Atlas," Jaune countered, taking another drink from a skin. "Isn't it winter like seven months out of the year up there?"
Blizzards battered the city walls frequently with those stuck outside at risk for freezing to death. Without any shelter, survival was barely possible. Food only grew for a month or so in what is comparable to spring in Vale.
"Yes, but at least you can escape the cold under a blanket or near some fire," Weiss replied, undoing the top button to her shirt. The diagonally placed button fell, revealing a black undershirt below. "Here, the most you can do is hide in the shade and still be miserable!"
"Or go swimming." Jaune poured some water down his back, giving him some relief from the sweltering heat. "Kids used to do that back in Bar when it was too hot to work. There's a bunch of rivers and a lake nearby. They get pretty warm in the summer, so it's nice if you want to walk all the way out of town for it. There's probably a few down here that we jump in to cool down." He lifted his arm, showing how much sweat was pouring out from his pits. "I'll probably need to, so I can wash up..."
"Please do, I don't want to have to smell you or anybody else if we're sharing a room," Weiss said, shaking her head. "I'm going to find an actual bath. The rest of you can swim in a lake if you want."
"Still don't want to go swimming, you're gonna have to learn sometime."
"No..."
"Suit yourself then," Jaune said, leaning back against the sack of grain and quickly nodding off.
[Poncier]
"Ay, Jaune, wake up," a voice said. A hand grabbed his foot and tugged it hard, pulling him towards the end of the cart.
He snapped awake, grabbing at something to hold himself up before he could tumble out the wagon. In his panicked state, he locked eyes with a grinning Nora who's hand was wrapped around his ankle. Jaune took two breaths as he put himself back together and sat up, shaking off Nora in the process.
"We're in Poncier," Nora explained, looking around at the surrounding courtyard. "It's as bad as Sun says... Really shitty."
Great...
Jaune quickly strapped his armour on and hopped out of the wagon. The others were gathered a few feet away talking about something. He grabbed his bags and walked over to join them, taking a look at the town's condition as he did so.
Poncier was once a prominent trading town from the looks of it. Many of the buildings on this side of the city resembled colonial architecture with smooth white stone walls and orange barrel tile rooves. However, the years didn't seem to do this place any justice. Most of the buildings were now dilapidated or preparing to crumble. The remnants of a large mission near the town square had its roof caved in some time ago. Everything else was covered in mildew that had built up due to lack of maintenance or water damage.
"So, same gameplan as before," Yang asked, looking at each of her teammates. "Look for a place to stay and grab a bite to eat? Pick up any supplies we can along the way." Everyone nodded, and groups broke off to complete their tasks.
That was quick... Didn't have to do any work today.
Yang and Pyrrha turned to him, and the blonde pointed at the boy. "Jaune, you're with us," she declared, gesturing for him to follow along. "We're gonna find a place to crash."
Why not?
He followed the girls down a separate path from the one others took. Here, Jaune got a better look at some of the buildings in town. Once you got out of the courtyard, it became apparent how bad things were in this district. It hardly deserved to be called a city. By definition, Poncier was a shantytown sitting next to a port and the rich part of town. It was seated effectively outside the properly built walls of Poncier proper. Most if not all the buildings beyond what remained of the mission and upper district were quickly cobbled together structures a strong gust could blow over. The streets were probably the worst. Each outside the main stone road was a muddy quagmire where one's foot became trapped with every step. The only upside was the villagers knew how to build their homes off the ground on stilts in case of flooding. The sheer inequity of the town made Whiteshale look like a paradise. There, at least the infrastructure was intact, and the roads were well built.
"Fuck," Yang cursed in shock. "What the fuck is this?"
From Jaune's perspective, it didn't seem she knew what to make of all this. It was too much for her to take in at once. He wasn't sure if Yang had seen as much of Vale's dark side as he had, so it may have been a rude awakening. Pyrrha, on the other hand, wasn't saying anything. She was trying her hardest not to touch anything, keeping her hands solely on her spear and shield. What Jaune knew for sure was how disgusted they were.
"I-I'm not sure," Pyrrha stuttered, continuing to look about at the town. "I've never seen a village this bad before..."
"It's probably got to do with the lord," Jaune pointed out, stepping up next to the pair as best as he could. He shielded his nose from the smell using his arm. "I saw something like this back in Whiteshale, but it's worse than what Sun described."
He just mentioned it being a lair for thieves. Not a fucking cesspool!
Jaune's heart ached to see the conditions the people were in. Children were scrawny and malnourished, akin to walking skeletons. He couldn't picture Weiss or Ruby seeing this and not bursting into tears. Jaune was forced to choke back his own emotions before they bubbled over and got the better of him. He couldn't do anything for these people.
"No, this is fucking wrong is what it is," Yang snapped. Her eyes flashed red as she shouted. "I can't fucking believe someone would let their people live like this!" She clenched her fists and thrust a finger in Jaune's face. "You know what, I'm killing that fucking lord if I see him!"
Her words were ignored by many of the passersby, but Pyrrha quickly reigned her in. The fear of her words being taken as an actual threat loomed heavily over the redhead's face.
"Yang, please be quiet," Pyrrha begged, grabbing at her left arm. "We can't get in trouble here."
"No, Pyrrha, it's fucking bullshit," Yang shouted back in a whisper. "That fat fucking pig is probably sitting in his manor drinking wine while his people are starving!"
As they continued walking, the trio passed by what appeared to be a corpse lying face down in the mud. The stench coming off him made Pyrrha gag, and they had to drag her off before she threw up. A quick scan of the people around told Jaune they were succumbing to disease rapidly. Some form of pox given the blisters covering quite a few of them. They were too weak to move let alone they tried burying him.
"Fuck, let's split up and find the inn," Yang exclaimed in anger as she pulled at Pyrrha's arm. "I need to get away from here!"
Probably for the best...
The pair broke off and continued down the path before turning away from the port. Jaune decided to go the opposite way towards the pier. At least he could see any inns closer to the docks that might host sailors.
Leaving the shanty, he came to the only paved road in town. Weiss and Ruby were further up the path, talking to some traders with Sun and the others. From the looks of it, none had seen the horrid conditions only a street over. The back of the shanty was facing them with a sturdy stone wall dividing the sections of town.
Need to find somewhere to sleep. Then I can get shitfaced again...
Can't think about what I saw up there. Yang's right, though... I need to tell Ozpin about this when we get back to Vale.
Jaune wandered for a bit, looking at some of the buildings along the road. It let him cool down enough, so he wouldn't be as volatile. Jaune could take out his anger on the draugr or bandits eventually. He finally came to an establishment with a sign on the front saying 'Marguerite's.' On the front porch, many sailors were flirting with scantily clad women. A few were openly kissing each other and drinking heavily as they danced.
Maybe this is an inn?
"Looking for something big guy," a beautiful woman said Jaune. She blew a kiss over to him, causing the other women next to her to laugh.
What?
Jaune blushed at the attention. He took a step away, not understanding how to deal with this. The rest of those women had eyes on him, attempting to flirt solely through body language. It went unnoticed by Jaune himself, but his body was responding with heat building up in his cheeks. One more item flew past his awareness as a series of footsteps grew closer from his rear.
"Jaune..." The voice of Weiss came from behind.
He turned around to see rage welling up behind her eyes. Jaune had no idea what she would be so angry about, but it scared him. Her lips were pulled back into a snarl, just waiting to let loose with a flurry of words to his detriment.
"I-I can't believe you!" She turned and stomped off before Jaune could get a word in. "You're such a pig!"
What?!
"Weiss," Jaune called after her, attempting to reach for her shoulder to stop the girl. All that earned him was her hand batting his away. It was too late for him to do anything else as she was already down the street. "Goddammit! What did I do?!"
Fuck! This day blows!
Jaune was genuinely confused as to why Weiss was angry with him. His mind wasn't connecting the dots. That was what made him so pissed off right now because he didn't know what was wrong. He wasn't doing anything, and Weiss went off at him for no reason he could see.
"Ummm, Jaune," Ruby said from behind. He turned to face her, finding the girl acting mousy. Both hands were tucked behind her back, and she refused to meet his eyes. "Do you know that's a bordello?"
"A fucking what," Jaune snapped back. His temper finally boiled over. Ruby reeled back at his anger, nearly causing the others to step in.
"I-It's a brothel," Ruby blurted out.
What?
Jaune felt a sickening feeling in his stomach beginning to form.
"Likely, she assumed you were going to pay for a prostitute," Ren clarified, going to rub the back of his neck. "I'm not sure she thought it through before acting."
"Ugghh," Jaune groaned into his hands, throwing his head back as he screamed into them. "Fuck! I've never seen a brothel before! How was I supposed to know that was one?!"
Great! How the fuck am I going to explain this?!
"Do you want me to go talk to her," Ruby asked, returning to a mood more suitable to her. Any trace of nervousness left her body at the need to help her friend.
"Please and thanks... and I'm sorry."
Ruby zipped off down the street, leaving the group behind. Sun came over from behind, placing a hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"Dude, if you wanted to lose your v-card, there's a few girls who'll take it from y-"
Blake slugged him from behind, shutting him up through his kidneys. The boy coughed several times as the shock rang through his body. Ren and Nora didn't offer him any assistance as they watched Ruby follow Weiss from a distance.
[Ruby]
Okay, how I am gonna deal with this?
Ruby was feeling somewhat nervous about going after Weiss. Everyone knew how volatile she could be, at times. Weiss was doing really good with that though. She hardly ever snapped at anybody unless they really had it coming. Unfortunately, this was one of those times when the guy wasn't deserving of those words. Just like when Weiss and Jaune met, so this was the three of them going in circles. They would get over it eventually, and iron out all their issues.
Glad he wasn't going to do that, though...
Jaune didn't seem like the type of person who would pay for... company. Ruby knew a few boys who were like that, and they were kind of gross. Cardin and his friends came to mind at first. There were a few others on Patch from Ruby's age group at Signal who bragged about it. Luckily, her friends were either ignorant or found the idea distasteful.
Ruby didn't know what to think of it. She was torn between several ideas. There was a reason it was the oldest profession on Remnant. Even if Ruby didn't like it, those women had to earn a living somehow. It was all about supply and demand. Many people didn't have the time for relationships, so this was the easiest way to find relief. A thing that was fairly important to have for health.
On the other hand, Ruby was not one for multiple partners or no strings attached in relationships. She tried not to cloud her views on those women, but it was ingrained in her head. Trying to adopt the live and let live view Yang had was helping though. It wasn't her business, so she needed to stay out of it unless those girls were in trouble.
"Stupid, I can't believe he was going to-" Weiss mulled over what angered her. "I thought he was better than that!"
As Ruby drew near, she slowed her pace to a crawl. Weiss was no longer walking away from the group and had stopped between the docks and the buildings sitting just off the port. Her back was turned to Ruby, but she could tell it was hurting Weiss pretty badly. The girl was kneading her brow and attempting to get her emotions under control, but was a push away from losing it.
Guess she had a higher opinion of him than I thought...
Ruby was aware of their warmness. She really enjoyed that between them. It had to be given Weiss revealed her secret to Jaune first. Ruby was even happier; they decided to bring her into the fold and became fast friends with both. Better than being the third wheel with Yang and her friends. She was the piece of the puzzle that made everything stick.
But I have to be the ambassador between them now... So, here goes nothing!
"Uhhh, Weiss, is everything okay," Ruby asked, trying to start somewhere.
Ohhhh, boy...
"No, everything is not okay, Ruby," Weiss growled lowly. Ruby felt a chill creep up her spine, hearing that. "Did you not see what just happened?! Jaune was trying to... pay for sex."
It must be a huge thing for her...
"Heh, heh hehe," Ruby nervously laughed, twiddling her index fingers. "He wasn't..."
Weiss' head rose slightly, but she still didn't turn around to face Ruby. She knew this was her big 'oh shit' moment. Ruby would bet money her face sank immediately and jaw was hanging wide open.
"Y-You're lying," she stuttered, clearly beginning to succumb to guilt and fear. The idea she might have hurt a friendship was devastating from Ruby's angle.
"Nope," Ruby chirped, stepping next to Weiss. "He kinda didn't know it was a brothel."
Weiss facepalmed hard hearing the truth. Ruby cringed at how loud the smack was because she thought the girl might have hurt herself. Getting a look at her face, Weiss actively turned her eyes away to not look in Ruby's.
"Ugghhh, I'm such an idiot," Weiss nearly shouted, stomping her feet angrily at herself. She reached into her hair and pulled at it, growling loudly without any concern for appearances. "Please tell me he's okay?!"
There's the Nice Queen...
"I think he was more confused," Ruby explained, moving to Weiss' front. "Angry at himself for not knowing what he did."
Jaune's the kind of guy who blames himself in these situations. Even if it's not his fault.
"Great," Weiss mumbled, slouching forward and allowing her arms to hang in the wind. "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Maybe go apologise," Ruby suggested hesitantly.
Kinda obvious first step...
"I know that," Weiss barked back, causing Ruby to jump in fear. "I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to make sure it goes smoothly! I just insulted him, thinking he was going to pay for a prostitute!"
Good point, actually.
"Then wait to get Jaune alone tonight," Ruby suggested, gesturing towards Weiss with clasped hands. "Both of you need some time to calm down. It's better if you're not angry when you go talk to him..."
*Crack*
The sound cut the pair's conversation short as they both turned to face its origin. They found some kids pushing a wagon with another man standing behind them with a whip in hand. If one of the children slipped or was not pushing their full weight, the driver slammed the leather piece down upon their backs to prod them forth.
"W-Weiss, what is that," Ruby stuttered, pointing in their direction.
"Slaves, Ruby," Blake said from behind.
She turned around and saw the Assassin standing a few feet away, watching the same thing they were. Blake barely contained her emotions, biting down hard to keep the tide back. Had she allowed herself to fail, there would be blood. Blake would have cut down that man in an instant.
Slaves...
The kids were wearing what could barely be considered rags. They were dirty and covered in old wounds that became scars over time. Each appeared to have suffered repeated beatings from their abuser. Another strike from the crop cut a deep score into one of the children, causing a cascade of blood to flow from within.
"We have to help them," Ruby declared, going for her scythe.
Just as she drew the weapon, a hand clamped down on her arm, preventing her from going further. Ruby looked and saw Weiss was holding her. She tore her hand from her grasp and shot the girl a rageful glare.
"Weiss, what are you doing," she shouted. Her face going red as tears began trailing down her cheeks.
"Is it legal here, Blake," Weiss asked the Assassin, turning to her whilst keeping Ruby back.
"Yeah, they've been doing this since the end of the Great War," she explained, not tearing her eyes away from the sight. "The lords down here like to send out raiding parties or buy slaves from pirates, so they have free labour to grow crops. Traders come so they can buy those goods cheap and ship them north. The Church condones this, and they even help slavers keep their 'property' in line. I hoped you guys weren't going to see this, but-"
*Crack*
A woman screamed, drawing everyone's attention towards the pier. There, a finely dressed woman was beating another down with a modified riding crop. Every lash cut through her skin, causing the woman to shout in pain.
"Then there's nothing we can do," Weis concluded without emotion. "The lords have made it a law."
"Weiss, are you saying this is okay," Ruby asked in disbelief, taking a step back from her friend.
"No, I'm not," Weiss denied in anger. "What are we going to do? Those faunus are property here. Even if we kill these slavers and set them free, what are we going to do? That's murder and theft of livestock. I hate it as much as you, but it is a lawful evil. The neighbouring lords will help Poncier hunt those who conspired against them like we're common bandits. That means they're going to hire bounty hunters or other adventurers to chase us down. The most we can do is find a way to stop this through the lords..."
I hate it. I want to help them...
Everything here was wrong. No person should ever own another. It went against every instinct Ruby had. Yet, Weiss made a point. They couldn't throw away their lives and not change a thing. It made Ruby cry harder agreeing with that. The thought made her want to throw up.
"Get to work, you animals," the woman shouted as she hit a child with her crop.
"HEY," the voice of Jaune echoed through the pier. He rushed over and grabbed the woman's hand before she could land another blow. Ruby hadn't even seen him approach, just appearing in her field of view.
The look of Jaune's face was one of rage. That same expression he bore back in Whiteshale when confronting those bandits. It gave Ruby this sinking feeling as she knew exactly where this was going. Everything that came after went down too fast for her to step in and keep Jaune from continuing.
"Unhand me," the woman commanded in a posh tone, tearing her arm free from his grasp.
In the same motion, she cocked back her arm and struck Jaune with the crop in a backwards swing. The end of the prop split Jaune's right cheek open, allowing for blood to spill forth from the wound. He didn't even seem to register the pain likely shooting through his face. All he knew was that a warm tide was cascading down his cheek from where she struck him.
Jaune replied in kind, grabbing the other end of the crop and beating her down with the handle. The force behind it made the woman twirl around and fall to her hands and knees. The hard leather crop snapped in a single stroke, forcing Jaune to switch methods. His hand covered by a gauntlet proved far more effective. The woman was unable to withstand a single blow. He cocked back his left arm and brought it home, crushing her cheekbone. They could hear the bone break from where they stood.
Before Jaune could hit her again, several guards rushed in to stop him. The first tackled him to the ground, and the others jumped on top to dogpile him. Jaune didn't seem to fight back as they lifted him off his feet and dragged him away.
"Oh fuck, guys, what do we do," Sun asked in a panic as they watched Jaune leave their sight. "Ren, me-you, we gotta get 'em back!"
[Poncier Rathaus]
The guards brought Jaune to what appeared to be an office and threw him in a chair. They began speaking with someone else outside the room, and the door opened again. From behind, an older man walked around the desk and plopped himself down in the chair opposite of Jaune. He threw his legs up on the desk and gave Jaune a look, examining the boy.
"You from Beacon," he asked, running a hand through his short grey hair. "I'm also going to take a guess that you understand what you've done. What kind of shit you've gotten yourself into?"
"Yeah, I beat the shit out of a slaver hitting a kid," Jaune replied bitterly.
He didn't care about getting caught. Jaune acted without thinking about the consequences. All he saw was red, the second that crop struck the kid. If they were going to punish him over nearly killing a slaver, Jaune was prepared to fight his way out. They were all in on this and equally responsible.
No wonder why Blake didn't want us coming here... I didn't even know Sanus had slavers.
"You struck the Lord of Poncier's wife," the man explained, leaning forward in his chair to stare Jaune in the eyes. "Now, my job as bailiff would be to throw you in irons and let the Lord deal with you. However, he's out hunting and won't be back for several days. I'm sure his wife also crawled back into their manor to lick her wounds. So, I'm going to let you go."
Huh?
"What, why," Jaune asked, sitting up in curiosity.
No, there has to be some catch. No way someone would let me go that easily.
"She's a vicious cunt who gets off on beating children," he spat, slamming his fist onto the table. "I also find myself opposed to the institution of slavery, so my sympathy for those who don't understand the practice or share my thoughts is expansive."
"If you're so against it, why don't you try getting the lord to stop," Jaune asked in reply.
This guy works right under the Lord. He has to be able to do something!
"Hah," he laughed, shaking his head in disappointment. "So, naive... If one wanted to end the practice on Sanus, they would have to go to the man who allows it to continue. The King himself."
"What?"
"They didn't tell you that," the bailiff replied, pointing at the boy. "Well, most people down here or in Vale don't know either. Me being one of the few educated men around discovered that when I was going through university. Getting hired as the bailiff forced me to keep my views to myself. However, I've seen much here. The lords form slaver's guilds to petition better deals from Vale to ensure profits on their goods. These men speak to the King himself to make these things happen because they make the kingdom money. All he would have to do is wave a hand, and no goods would be purchased from slavers, rendering the practice obsolete."
"I thought the south was outside the kingdom," Jaune pointed out.
They don't need to answer to his authority. Trade can be restricted, but there's so little regulation, anybody with a cart can wander through the border and sell goods.
"Well, the lords still know when to listen to the more powerful state," the bailiff countered. "So, think of them as vassals putting in no effort to sustain the kingdom and reaping all the benefits. With the Church backing the southern regions, it makes for a reliable network of despots. They get military protection from all parties and get to sit back and drink wine by firelight. You understand now? Vale's hardly the bastion of reason and civility everyone looks up to. It's all propped up by the labour of slaves and religious fanatics."
The sound of someone knocking on the door drew both men's attention away from their conversation. A second later, it opened, revealing Sun and Ren coming through with a paper in hand.
"Yo, Jaune, governer called, you're free to go," Sun said, stepping up next to Jaune with Ren on the opposite side.
"Excuse me, but where are my guards," the bailiff asked. "Surely someone must have stopped you on the way there?"
"Oh, those were your guys?"
"He's kidding," Ren revealed, handing the paper to the bailiff.
The bailiff read through the note, digesting the contents. As he finished, the man took a deep breath and handed it back to the boys. "That's even better for you," he said with a smile. "If you're here on business in the King's name, then I have no choice but to let you go. The Lord made it quite explicit. Just make sure you're out of town by noon tomorrow. You're lucky nobody other than me was here, they would not be as merciful."
"Yeah, not even going to ask," Sun said, grabbing Jaune from his armpit. "Come on, Yang found us a place to stay. We can get that wound looked at there."
[Later that night]
Ruby hadn't left their room since what happened at the docks. The times Jaune walked past, he could hear her crying or talking to one of the other girls. They wouldn't let him in, and he was okay with that. Ruby needed a shoulder from her sister to cry on. Jaune was too exhausted to deal with it right now. All he could do was feel bad for her, and get too drunk to think right now.
From what that bailiff told him, slavery was a widespread practice in Sanus, at least where it was profitable. Jaune didn't want to think about the scope of suffering taking place under his nose. This town was a beginner's instruction to that world, and he said Yang had yet to see the dark side of Vale. Made him feel really stupid thinking he'd seen a fraction of the worst Remnant had to offer.
Jaune leaned his head against his hand to wipe his eyes. It only earned him a burning feeling shooting through his face as he pressed too hard on his cut. Pyrrha's handiwork in bandaging the wound with healing salve hadn't fully repaired the damage. Likely, it was going to be with him for several days until it closed.
I just need to sleep...
He knocked back another drink, letting the liquor flow through him. As Jaune set it down, something caught his eye. In his peripheral vision, Blake was coming down the stairs in full kit. Her swords and daggers were strewn across her chest or on her back. From where she was looking, the girl was going to leave the tavern.
Is she going to...
Jaune got up, not even bothering to finish his drink, and walked into the path Blake was taking. She stopped as soon as she noticed Jaune, choosing to take a seat on the tavern's far side. Jaune sat down opposite of her and leaned in.
"Going on an errand," Jaune whispered. "I want in."
Blake's neutral expression grew into a snarl, knowing she'd been found out. The only reason she would be leaving at this hour would be to do something very illegal. The gear she was wearing was the icing on the cake for Jaune. He wasn't going to let her do this alone.
"Fine, you follow my lead, and no killing," Blake replied, pushing herself off the table and heading for the door.
Jaune followed her out into the dark streets of Poncier. The few people out here at this hour donned lanterns or torches to provide light, but it was pitch dark everywhere else. They were even in the town's upper district, and no sign of streetlamps could be found.
"Blake, what are we doing," Jaune whispered loudly. His voice was low enough that no one else would hear him.
The Assassin pulled him into a nearby alley and leaned against the wall. The subtle shine from her faunus eyes was the only thing Jaune could make out. He guessed her expression was one pondering what spiel she would give him for this nightly excursion.
"All the slaves in town are being held by the port for the night," she explained quietly. "It includes those who are being shipped off to plantations inland or along the coast. That's what makes Poncier a big shipping port. They don't care what comes through as long as money exchanges hands. So, we're going to break in there and set everyone we can free."
"Then I'm in," Jaune declared fervently. "I'll follow your lead."
If it meant getting those people out of there, Jaune was willing to do what it took. He knew Weiss would likely be angry for putting the whole group at risk, but he didn't care. The rest would be in support of his actions if not outspoken about them. Then they would slip out of town in the panic, disappearing into the forest never to be seen in Poncier again.
"Good, stay close," Blake said, nodding at him.
She made her way down the alley, coming into another street. Blake stopped Jaune before they could enter, watching a pair of guards go past. As they crossed the path, Blake dashed across the road and into another alley. Jaune remained hot on her tail, sneaking as best as he could in armour. The occasional rattle came from the plates, but he kept his pace slow enough that it wouldn't become an issue.
"So, is this why you didn't want us to go to Poncier," Jaune asked quietly, breaking the silence.
"Yeah," Blake confirmed, stopping to check the entrance to another street. "I didn't want to take anybody to a plantation town if I could. The route I had planned took us around any slavers, but I weighed the options and chose Poncier when you came to me. You guys were going find out about it eventually, and I just didn't know how to explain it."
No way to make it easy for everyone to digest... Can't blame her for that.
"I'm just surprised it's not common knowledge by now," Jaune continued. "Why did nobody tell the rest of us or some traders warn people about it?"
Kinda expected more people to say something...
"I can't say," Blake said uncertainly. "Traders probably don't want people to know they're buying goods made from slaves. Everyone else? They might not care about the south because they're focused on their farm or the next goblin attack. Kind of thing might not stick around in their heads. But have you looked at the quest board lately?"
"Yeah, there's a lot of stuff in Vale or on the frontier from what I remember," Jaune replied. "Why?"
"But nothing going south of the border all that often," Blake pointed out. "The few quests that are there come almost always from the swamps."
"So, the lords are trying to keep a lid on it," Jaune surmised, cupping his chin. "Bailiff said something about slavers forming guilds and working with the Church, so I guess they're handling these things in house with some exceptions."
"Any complaints going to the King would probably be ignored as well," Blake added on. "Maybe there's a censure for all officials on top of that. But, the port's up ahead, so we can talk about this later."
[The Port]
After dipping in and out of several side streets, the pair finally arrived at the port. The distance from the warehouses and inn was not a great one—both lying in adjacent districts made for a quick journey if one didn't run into any guards. Luckily, there was no moon out tonight, so conditions were working with the duo.
"Up here," Blake whispered, motioning to a ladder on the side of a building. She quickly scaled it, disappearing onto the roof.
Jaune followed, climbing the ladder as fast and as quietly as he could. As he reached the top, Blake pulled him up and dragged him to some cover they could hide behind. A quick gesture to the end of the rightmost dock showed a massive warehouse a few metres away from the water.
"That's it," Jaune asked, scanning the distance between them and the building.
The port was not heavily guarded at this time. There were a few guards here and there on patrol, but not enough to cause any issue for the pair in a straight-up fight. Each carried a lantern or torch, but Jaune could only see a halberd or spear on hand as for weapons. One did have a sword, but that was only his sidearm.
"Yes, now we're going to sneak in there, but we need to knock out every guard between here and the south gate," Blake said, pointing at the closest few. "The slaves need an open path if they're going to make it out of the city."
"What about giving them a ship," Jaune mentioned, pointing to a schooner moored in the centremost pier. "Some of them can probably sail, so they can take everyone out via the ocean. It would only need maybe a dozen people to run it properly."
The ship was likely stocked with food with their stop in port. That would have been the first or second thing in mind for the quartermaster to take care of. With all the slaves here, they might have to ration for a while, but getting out of Poncier was more critical to their survival. They would have to take care of the next step once Jaune and Blake did their part.
"Not a bad idea," Blake agreed, thinking of their next move concerning the ship. "But we need to free everyone first, then we can see who's a sailor and who isn't."
"Got it..."
"One more thing," Blake said, grabbing Jaune's arm before he could begin to move. She pulled out a vial containing what was likely poison. "Sleeping powder. Take a pinch of this and throw it on their faces. It will make them sleep until the next morning. They'll just wake up with a hangover."
Nice...
Both teens made their way back to ground level. The shadows and their non-reflective armour made for a perfect combination. None of the guards seemed to notice their approach.
The first man had his back turned to Jaune. He set his lantern down on a box, ensuring the boy could separate it from his easily. Jaune wasted no time grabbing the guard from behind, dragging over the stack of boxes and out of sight. He tried to fight back, but Jaune's surprise and a quick arm around his neck choked him out. Throwing a pinch of powder on his nose made sure he was not getting back up anytime soon.
He heard another scuffle a few feet away, finding Blake was taking down another guard. She was not using her arm, but instead a piece of rope with two sticks tied to it. Whatever it was, the guard was lights out in moments. The cut off of his blood supply to his brain ensured no more struggle was coming out of him. She immediately dragged him off to a nearby shrub, depositing him there, so he would remain out of sight.
Two down, seven to go... Then we can see who's inside the warehouse.
Jaune nodded to Blake, and the two moved up to the next series of guards. The Paladin followed behind the Assassin as she darted from cover to cover. Her instincts were perfect for this job, so he needed to imitate the girl. Blake would get him to where he needed to go.
Coming around the next group's backside, the pair faced a trio standing next to the water. They were chatting next to a brazier and not focusing on their surroundings. Laziness of guards without supervision played into the adventurer's hand once more. However, with three versus two, they needed a way to dispense with one to deal with the others.
Might want to try a bullet. Just need to hit him in the side of the helmet with it...
Blake reached over for a nearby rock and handed it to Jaune. It wasn't incredibly hefty, but it would do the job. Jaune only hoped it wouldn't kill the guy. He was just doing his job.
Jaune cocked his arm back and launched the rock at the farthest guard from the pair. It clocked him in the head, knocking him back on the ground. His friends were unable to do anything before Jaune and Blake were on top of them.
Jaune's opponent tried to go for his spear, but a punch to the throat disabled him. As he clawed at his oesophagus, Jaune tackled him to the floor. The guard managed to get two blows into the boy's back, but the Paladin put him in a triangle chokehold. He struggled for a few seconds until Jaune put the maximum about of pressure on the carotid artery, making the guy pass out.
As soon as he was unconscious, Jaune unwrapped himself from the man and dragged him away from the brazier. Blake followed him, pulling both remaining guards out of the light. Jaune stuck his head out, finding the other guards were not aware of what happened to their friends. They were either talking to one another or had their backs turned from the tussle.
Four left...
Once more, Blake led Jaune through the pier, going from cover to cover. This time, they crossed the distance between them and their next target in a fraction of the time. Jaune's footsteps were as silent as could be. Blake was practically a shadow.
In fact, she morphed into the shadows beneath their feet. Jaune stopped as soon as Blake left his line of sight, watching the remaining guards. Next to the warehouse, Jaune spotted her reappearing behind a few crates. He guessed her target was the guys guarding the doors.
Blake pulled something from a case on her side, throwing it between the guards. It crumbled like a clay pot, but the men seemed to be reacting to whatever was inside the vessel. Each was coughing for several seconds while they searched for the noise's source, but they passed out not long after.
Before the other soldiers could bear witness to what happened, Jaune left his cover and approached the closest one. He could feel his heart beating in his chest without Blake leading him along. The boy was on his own to make sure nether would be spotted, and the alarm was raised.
As he crept up behind him, Jaune sprang into action, punching him in the back of the head. As he reeled from the blow, Jaune reached into his sleeping powder and threw a pinch at the man. He fought the effects for a few moments, but the poison quickly shut his body down. The man slumped down to his knees before falling flat on his front.
"Hey," a man cried out from close to the warehouse.
Shit...
Jaune looked up and saw the remaining guard staring right at him. He already had his halberd out and was preparing to rush at Jaune. However, a rope went around his neck and sinched down tight. He dropped his weapons and fell to his knees as Blake pulled tighter on the wire. This went on for around ten seconds before the man lost consciousness without the blood flow to his brain.
"Good work," Jaune complimented, nodding to the faunus. "What is that? I've never seen that kind of weapon."
"Garrote wire," Blake explained, showing him the device. "I like to use steel wires instead of rope, but anything works. I'll show you how to make one when we get back to Beacon."
"Cool," Jaune muttered, looking towards the warehouse. "Let's get inside and see what we can do to free the slaves. Maybe there are keys somewhere around here."
The pair began heading over to the main door of the warehouse. Jaune was going to open the door the guards were standing by, but Blake stopped him. She gestured to a nearby window instead. The Assassin was first to crawl in followed by Jaune.
As the Paladin tumbled into the building, he looked up to find what conditions the slaves were held in. They were locked in cages all throughout the warehouse. Most of these cells had dozens of faunus in a space too small for people to sit, let alone lay down.
And the smell...
That was the probably the worst part about it. The stench of faeces and rot-filled Jaune's nostrils, making him gag. These people didn't care. They had gotten used to it by now. Jaune doubted many had washed up in weeks. Likely their cells weren't either aside from a bucket of water when people were moved.
"What the hell are you doing in here," a man shouted from the second level. "Guards!"
Jaune turned to see an older well-dressed man on the second level staring the teens down. The Paladin did not think, only reacting to his presence. He thrust his hand out, snaring him in the telekinesis spell before throwing him over the edge of the loft.
The man flew several metres before slamming headfirst into the stone floor of the warehouse. Everyone heard a crack, witnessing blood begin flowing from his nose and a wound on the side of his head. A wave murmuring followed as the slaves gasped or spoke unintelligibly.
Blake ran over to him and checked his pulse. "Shit, he's dead," she exclaimed, glancing towards Jaune with a concerned look. "Fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen!"
"Blake, I-I panicked," Jaune argued back, running over to the man. "Listen, we need to get these people out here, then we can figure out what to do!"
"There are keys somewhere in the warehouse," a man spoke up.
Jaune turned to a nearby cage, finding a dog-faunus staring at the pair. The man was wearing scraps of a naval uniform. From the looks of it, he was from Atlas.
"Check him, or his office upstairs, quick before someone finds out you're here," he urged, grabbing onto the bars of the cage.
Blake searched the harbourmaster, finding a set of keys on his person. As the keys were sighted by the slaves, a ruckus began building among them. Jaune had to gesture for them to quiet down before they gave the teens away. The silenced themselves as Blake tried the lock to the Sailor first.
As the right key was found, the faunus inside there poured out into the warehouse. Many were quick to spit on the harbourmaster or hugged their liberators. Blake handed off the keys to one of the kids with instructions to ensure everyone stayed put until a plan could be put together.
"Hey, what's your name," Jaune asked the Sailor.
"Marrow Amin, Atlas Navy," he replied. "My crew got hit by some pirates, and I got captured. Sold me to some slavers by Vytal."
Weiss would be furious to see one of her people here...
"How well can you crew a ship," Blake asked, getting to the point.
"I need some people to help, but if we can get a ship, then I can take her anywhere," Marrow answered, helping an older woman out of the cage.
"We'll be yer crew," another man spoke up. He was a large bear faunus, missing an eye that was covered by a patch. Surrounding him appeared to be twenty men from his ship. "My boys were in the same boat ye were. Coming out of Vacuo and pirates nabbed us. Stole all of our goods too."
Yes...
"Okay," Jaune said, hopping up on a crate. Everyone focused their attention on the boy. "I need everyone to remain here and arm yourselves. Those who know how to fight can grab weapons off the guards outside. They won't be waking up anytime soon. I need Marrow and... What's your name?"
"Reiner..."
"Then I need you and your crew to come with Blake and me," Jaune continued. "I'm going to check upstairs and see if there's anything we can use once we get the boat, so stick around for a moment."
Jaune stomach was filled with butterflies. He didn't know if he was anxious or excited that the plan was working. But to see all these people going free was almost terrifying, knowing he was responsible for them. Jaune had to give them the best shot at getting out of Eastern Sanus and to Vacuo. Anything less and these people would be dead or right back where they started.
Going upstairs with Blake, they entered a nice office area where the harbourmaster was working. From a first glance, Jaune could only see paperwork and books containing logs. However, a rather glaring observation was a safe next to the desk.
"There might be lien in here, Blake," Jaune mentioned, crouching down in front of the safe. "Can you get this open?"
"No, it's a combination lock," Blake replied, poking at the device. "I can't crack this if I wanted too. We need the combination."
"Don't have time, stand back," Jaune ordered, using his telekinesis spell to lift the safe up. It took all of his effort to concentrate on the safe and moving it to his destination.
He brought the lockbox over to the centre of the room and turned it to where it would land on the corner. Everyone below seemed to understand what was going to happen, and they moved out of the way. Jaune flicked his hand downwards, and the safe slammed into the floor.
This seemed to do the trick as the door was thrown open revealing the contents. Marrow began digging through them, pulling out several purses full of lien or coin mixed with gems. The other freedmen grew excited, seeing the gold as a sign of what was to come. They had resources to sponsor their exodus from Vale.
"Here, take this," Marrow said, tossing a sack of lien in Blake's direction.
"Marrow, we can't take this, you guys need this money more than we do," Blake replied, offering the purse back to him.
"No, you two literally saved our lives, and you need a reward," Marrow denied, pushing the purse back towards Blake. "You took a risk coming here, and I can't let that go. But, we can't argue over it. We need to get a ship and get everyone aboard before we're discovered."
"All right," Jaune agreed, gesturing for the crew to follow along. "There's a schooner docked outside. We're gonna take her."
"We'll follow your lead, boss," Marrow replied.
...
The faunus finished tying up the crew of the schooner while the other freedmen started boarding. The new crew oversaw preparations for their voyage while Marrow and Reiner directed their people. Blake and Jaune spent the time watching out for those who might interfere in their plans. So, far everything was going smoothly.
"How well is she stocked," Jaune asked Reiner.
I hope they have enough food to make it...
"Cap'n said they restocked yesterday," Reiner explained. "Enough for several months for ten men. But we're going to blow through that in less than a week with all these people. Head'n into port for resupply should keep us afloat till we get to Vacuo."
"They were also transporting sugar, tobacco, and spices," Marrow added on, handing a blanket over to an old man. "If we arrive in port, then we can sell that for a resupply. The money will last us several months if we spend it wisely."
Good...
Jaune was only concerned with how they were going to manage when they got out of Poncier. At least they had a fair shot. That's all these people could ask for. It was better than what they had before. Jaune needed to make sure they had a goal in mind and who would get them there, however.
"Marrow-Reiner," Jaune began, jumping off the crate he'd been standing on. "We need you guys to find these people someplace to live away from Vale. So, you guys are in charge."
Both men nodded and began contemplating their decision.
"Vacuo'll be the place then," Reiner declared. "My men know the country, and we can get them someplace safe. Best way is to build a village on the coast. We can grow crops and trade goods with me new ship."
"Guess I'll have to," Marrow agreed hesitantly. "I probably won't be able to get back to Atlas at this rate, and I feel responsible for these people. We'll make sure they find somewhere to live and kick the crew off outside of town. Thanks, guys."
"See you around," Blake said, stepping off the ship as the preparation concluded.
Jaune stepped off the ship as the sails caught the wind. The vessel was slow to move at first, but the crew got it moving. It didn't take them long before they were able to clear enough distance to safety.
"So, what do we next," Jaune asked, following behind Blake. "We just go back to the inn or leave town tonight?"
"No, we burn the warehouse down..."
...
"Here, take these," Blake said, handing over the keys they stole off the harbourmaster. "They have caged monsters around, so we're going to let them out before we start the fire."
"Got it..." Jaune took the keys and made his way over to the cages.
Jaune was all in for this idea. They needed to make sure nobody else could use this warehouse to keep people captive. If it set the Lord of Poncier back several months then good. The monsters would cause some chaos on top of the fire they were starting.
Because fuck them, that's why. The Lord chose this, and these were the consequences.
Jaune came to the first cage, containing what appeared to be a large mantis-like creature. He unlocked it and stepped to the side, allowing it to rush out and into Poncier. The insect didn't seem to care he was there, only that freedom was a step away.
The next cage contained several exotic big cats. One was a lion, two were tigers, and several were probably leopards or jaguars. The lion hissed and growled at Jaune, but a boot to the snout sent the cat running.
The final cage held a sizeable reptilian creature about twenty feet long from head to tail. The weight was probably in the realm of five tonnes at least. It was a lot like an alligator with blueish heavier scaling on top of its body with a greenish-grey underbelly. The head was very flat with two orange forward-facing eyes signalling that it was a predator. Atop the head was a crest featuring dozens of brightly coloured feathers that ran along its back. Many feathers were lost just behind the forelimbs from what appeared to be where a saddle was attached.
As Jaune opened this cage, the creature stepped out, sniffing the boy out with its reptilian tongue. It raised its crest up and hissed at him, but Jaune did not back down, standing motionless while the lizard displayed dominance. After a few moments of this, the beast lowered its head towards Jaune.
No way...
Jaune held out his hand and placed it directly on the beast's head. The lizard was domesticated. By who? Jaune had no clue, but the creature took a liking to the Paladin. Probably because he released him, but Jaune didn't care. He was expressionless.
"Come on, let's get out of here..."
The lizard followed him out of the building as Blake began setting the building alight. Soon the blaze took over the entire structure, destroying it and nearly all the evidence of what took place there.
See, Jaune is not against hitting women. He is following our lord Kazuma, pursuing the true gender equality!
But, Jaune and Blake freed some slaves, got paid, and Jaune got himself a riding lizard.
That's from DnD. I came up with the pet lizard and went to go find something to reference it against and chose the riding lizard. If you go to Google and search Riding Lizard 5e, you'll see what I mean.
However, as for a medievalish society. I think chattel slavery would be a common thing where it is profitable. Especially, since this is outside Vale where the majority of people would never really know it was going on. There would be educated people like the Bailiff who know, but the common man would not if traders or officials were keeping this quiet.
Class: Paladin
"Gather 'round, Paladins!"
"There is a difference between the other classes and us! When those Knights and Chevaliers fled at first sight of monsters! You were the ones to take their place! You walked right up to those monsters and wrapped your hands around those fucker's necks! And you did not stop there! Killing everything in your way until there was nothing left!"
"That is the difference between them and us. Those bastards who were too busy keeping themselves in food and wool can keep all the glory and fame for themselves! Boasting about their deeds as if they sacrificed something!"
"We fight to keep the people safe! To keep the Drowners out of the latrines and Goblins from ploughing our milkmaids! Knowing that no other class has our virtue! Our dedication to our craft!"
Level Twenty Three
Strength 43 (+7)
Agility 23 (+4)
Defence 30 (+5)
Perception 35 (+6)
Constitution 42 (+7)
Intelligence 48 (+5)
Charisma 26 (+3)
Willpower 19 (+3)
...
Abilities
Arclight
A high-intensity explosion of light, equivalent to that of the sun. Burns the flesh of undead and magical entities. Momentarily blinds living and non-magical entities. Sudden magical intensity can cause affected to flee regardless of status.
Active Debuff:
Turn and Face The Sun!
Longinuslanze Testament
A most unholy weapon. Forged by our lord to answer to only one master. He who has the will to dominate such a blade.
It shall sunder any armour. It shall never miss its mark. It shall grow with your own strength. Its holy light searing all who stand to oppose it.
In turn, you shall become vulnerable to attacks whilst wielding this unholy relic. It shall challenge your mastery by forcing you to fight at your full strength.
Active Debuff:
Turn and Face The Sun!
White Hawk
This aethereal hawk shall be forever bound to you. As its master, only you may give direction to this bird of prey. Whether it be scouting the path ahead or distracting your enemies.
...
Passive: Magister's Lament
Your Passive is a double-edged sword. While you may proficiently cast magic beyond the limits of your Willpower. It is limited in other instances. Not being able to cast harmful offensive magic or any magic on yourself.
...
Miscellaneous Knowledge/Buffs/etc.
Monster Slayer
Spent years studying the various monsters of Remnant. Knows the different species and taxonomy of each known creature. Understands the weaknesses of most known monsters.
Armour and Weapons Smith
Worked a forge for his entire life. Jaune is able to judge the composition of metals, and know the condition of his weapons and armour.
...
Gear:
Jaune's Breastplate
Level Seventeen
Materials: 2% Silicon, 0.60% Carbon, Remainder is Steel and Leather
Minimum Stat Requirements:
Strength: 32
Agility: 16
Defence: 22
Constitution: 30
Eagle's Armour
Level Twenty Eight
Materials: Unknown Alloy Ratio of Enchanted Steel and Corundom, Carbon Steel, and Leather
Minimum Stat Requirements:
Strength: 57
Agility: 25
Defence: 30
Constitution: 39
Buffs:
This specific alloy of steel and corundom is less dense than normal steel while just as hard. It has a strength to weight ratio similar to menachanite allowing the user to build a thicker armour without sacrificing for weight.
This armour was also specially built for you. The measurements fit your body exactly, allowing it to be worn as a second skin granting a tremendous degree of flexibility.
Necklace of the Bulwark
+25% Bonus to Constitution
Spells:
Infusion:
This spell grants one the ability to infuse the desired object with materials ordinarily unable to be bonded together. The strength of the unaltered item determines how much of an effect can be added to it.
Be warned that stressing the target with too powerful additives can result in the atomisation of the material and, possibly, a sudden explosive decomposition.
Telekinesis:
Casting this spell allows you to move objects with your mind. Within a visible range, anything you can levitate is dependent on your personal strength and willpower. Once, cast upon, the item is subject to your directions and will perform whatever manoeuvre you are capable of imagining.
Be warned that this spell drains magicka rapidly.