Troll in Reviews

As has been noted, there is a troll in reviews spamming guest reviews and trying to frame people by writing their name in the name slot. Just ignore it. It's not worth the effort of paying attention to and I'm only writing this message so people are aware.

He's also pretending to be me by writing my name in guest review slots. I would only ever review something from this (logged-in) account.

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 54

Jaune woke to Neo cuddling up to his side, one hand over his chest and her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder. Her small body was warm and soft despite its size, too warm for what it should have been. A brief glimpse under the covers told him she wasn't naked, but had elected to sleep in her underwear, or more likely she'd considered pyjamas less important in bringing to a battlefield.

He let the blankets fall and sighed happily, laying back into the warm cushion with the smell of her hair all around him.

Red eyes appeared before him, a large avian head twisting to the side.

"Go 'way," Jaune scowled. "You're ruining the moment."

"Krrrr…"

Neo's pet Nevermore – which he swore she loved like a child – waddled away to the corner of the room. It was awkward to see such a large Grimm do that, or to see a Grimm do it at all. It was the elder Grimm that were supposed to be capable of developing intelligence and this thing was juvenile, even if it'd been through a rather strange growth spurt of late.

Then again, Neo found it spying on Pyrrha as I recall. That already showed it wasn't your average Grimm or it wouldn't have had the patience to hold back from attacking the first humans it saw. Maybe he should have been more worried about letting his guard down in a room with it, but if Neo had been doing that for weeks already, he couldn't be bothered to start. It would just upset her and right now he wanted to bask in the happy feeling of a body beside his.

The distant sounds of gunfire and explosions didn't exactly help, permeating through several solid walls designed to keep said noise out.

He must have stirred unconsciously because Neo did the same. A pink eye blinked open, followed by a brown. Then she blinked and they switched places. Stretching her feet out under the covers, she yawned cutely and pressed her face into his arm.

"Morning."

Her forehead rubbed up and down his arm, her way of saying good morning back with a silent nod. He'd gotten used to the little idiosyncrasies that made up the way she communicated; enough so that he no longer noticed he was doing it.

"Sounds like the fighting is still going on."

She yawned, pushed her arms over his chest and pulled herself up.

"I have morning breat-"

Neo's lips caught his – or rather, he made very little effort to escape them and so she simply pushed hers to his. It was chaste, especially for her, little more than a soft touch and the briefest leaning in before she drew back and sat up, letting the covers fall and exposing the smooth, graceful curve of her back.

Time to get up.

Jaune pulled out his side and started getting dressed, listening to Neo pad almost naked up to her Nevermore and give it a big hug. The murderous bird cooed and warbled happily, pushing its wickedly sharp beak into her scalp and attempting to preen her. Without aura, she'd have probably been badly hurt but Neo only laughed silently and ran her hands up its head, returning the favour.

"I'll go on ahead," he called when he was done, since she'd not even bothered to start. "Make sure to keep your pet close. People might panic and hurt him if not." And then Neo would hurt them, and that was a meeting with Ironwood he didn't need.

He met Glynda and Roman in the cafeteria, the latter scowling and the former pressing one of Roman's cigars into her plate, scrunching it out and pointing to a `No Smoking` sign by the door.

"Morning!" he chirped, forcefully sitting down between the two before blood could be shed. Roman made room all too eagerly, reaching for his cigar case for another, only to have his hand slapped away by Jaune. "Don't push her," he whispered, settling his plate down.

Atlas' range of food left something to be desired. For one, it was far too healthy! And… that was kind of it, but it was a big thing he felt. There'd been no bacon, no sausages and no fatty starch he craved. Fresh fruit, egg and grains was the name of the game, and while it all tasted sweet, none of it had the stodgy weight he longed for.

And the coffee. No. That wasn't coffee. It was purified and liquidated Grimm slurry, he was sure of it. Nothing else could taste so singularly evil.

"Morning Jaune," Glynda finally replied. "How was your rest?"

"Good. I feel a lot more refreshed."

"I'm glad. You were looking overly stressed last night."

"Did Ruby tell you…?" he asked nervously.

"Tell me what?"

Ah. Of course. Ruby wouldn't share the things he'd confided in her, he was silly for thinking so. "Nothing much," he deflected. "She just saw me looking a little under the weather. We talked. Sorry to have worried you."

"Apology accepted, you whiny twat."

"Apology not needed!" Glynda hissed, glaring Roman's cheeky grin down. "Because it is perfectly understandable that you would feel the weight on your shoulders more than we do. Fret not, the retreat from the wall was conducted with few casualties."

Egg dribbled down his chin.

"T-The retreat…?"

"Calm, kid!" Roman pushed Jaune's chin up to close his mouth. "It happened, it was done orderly, no deaths among the brats."

He chewed and swallowed mechanically, appetite lost, and cutlery set down as he drew away from Roman's hand. The Grimm had reached the wall. It had been an inevitability and part of the plan – Ironwood never intended to hold it indefinitely with the civilians evacuated – so he shouldn't have been concerned about that. And he wasn't.

What bothered him was that it'd all been done without his being there, and he said as much.

"There was no reason to wake you up for it," Glynda said. "All the students were drilled and knew exactly what they were doing. You wouldn't have been able to offer them anything. Relax, Jaune." Her hand settled on his arm. "I'm deputy for a reason. You don't have to handle every little thing."

He knew they were right but that didn't stop him feeling horrible. He'd been asleep while the students on shift risked their lives.

"How many were hurt?"

"Very few, relatively. Among the students we have twenty-two minor injuries, eight moderate and one major – however, even that is not critical. Mr Lark broke was forced to jump off the wall as the stairs were cut off. Although he landed well enough, he broke a bone in his leg and will be out of combat for the rest of our stay."

"No one died?"

"Not among the students, no – nor among Atlas' student population. There were losses in the military but most of those came before our intervention. All in all, it went as well as it could. Everyone played their part as they were supposed to."

No deaths. No casualties. His hands were shaky as he reached for his knife and fork, still not really wanting to eat but knowing he'd suffer for it later if he didn't. It wasn't the first time students had died – the attack on Beacon marked that – but he'd not been headmaster then, so even though he'd had to send out letters after to the parents, those were printed by Glynda, and everyone, the parents included, knew it wasn't him in charge when it happened.

That might have sounded petty, but he was terrified of having to deliver the news he'd lost a family their son or daughter.

"What's the situation now?"

"Atlas has set up secondary lines within the city. They're fortified almost as well as the main walls, and since the Grimm have to climb over those to get inside, their approach has become slower. It's a second killing field."

"Better still," Roman said, "With the wall empty the bombers are having an easier time avoiding collateral damage. The Nevermore have been thinned enough that the armada is having a field day. Never thought I'd be so happy to see those battleships again."

"None of this would be possible if it weren't for your decision to bring Raven in."

"And get the civilians out?"

Glynda nodded. "If the civilians were still locked within the city, Atlas would be forced to hold the walls no matter what came. We'd be looking at that still now, and a massacre as a result. It's only because you managed to get Raven to work with us that the army can afford to fall back, and to use munitions and explosives within the city."

Easier to repair buildings than lives. He hadn't done much on that front, though. Ironwood was the one to win Raven over with a ridiculous payment. It worked out, though. I guess this is another reason he was so willing to offer her that much, not just for the safety of his civilian population but so he could use his forces more effectively.

Jaune nodded and finished his breakfast, washing it down with a glass of water and standing. "Let's go down the lines then. If nothing else, I can stand there and look useful."

/-/

"Specialist."

"General." Winter saluted, streaks of blackened soot down her arm and chest, staining her white uniform grey. General Ironwood looked little better and as unconcerned about it as she. "I didn't expect to see you on the frontlines, sir."

"Not much that can be done from up top," he replied, aiming and firing on the Grimm. His handgun packed a charge larger than any rifle, exploding amongst the enemy. "Our support is in motion, our air force en route." He spoke loudly and intentionally, and the soldiers around him all stood taller, smiling grimly beneath their helmets.

That was General Ironwood in a nutshell. A soldier before a commander, though no less of one for that. Winter hid her smile and conjured a host of silver Nevermore, sending them hurtling toward the horde, ripping two Beowolves to shreds.

Atlas' new line lay a good hundred metres back from the wall, the better to create a contained killing zone. Engineers were already working on another two hundred metres back, but the commercial buildings made it difficult, creating cover for Grimm. Ironwood hadn't yet given the order to demolish them and she wasn't sure he would. The collateral damage might impact their efforts to fall back.

Conversely, a minefield had been laid behind them. Remote mines, of course. No one was that stupid or desperate. Once the order came to fall back a second time, those would cut off the Grimm and secure their retreat. Falling back piece by piece, they would whittle the Grimm down to nothing before bursting out and finishing this once and for all.

"How fare the Ace Ops, sir?"

"Behind enemy lines. As of this morning, they're all of them safe and well – though low on supplies. No reinforcements for the Grimm sighted," he said, again boosting the mood of the soldiers who would spread that knowledge on. "This is it. This is all they have. Finish them here and Atlas shall have thrown the horde back."

"Atlas! Atlas! Atlas!" the soldiers chanted.

The loud boom of tanks far behind them preceded the whizzing of dust shells hurtling above. Far back on the third line, the tanks were settled down and embedded, providing distance support. The shells landed and rent the Grimm asunder, several going beyond and striking the wall. An unfortunately unavoidable outcome. It would need to be reinforced once this was all said and done, but better they overshot and hit the wall than undershot and hit them.

"Gryphons!"

"FLAK!" General Ironwood roared.

Canons aimed toward the sky blared out, the rhythmic thoom, thoom, thoom of the flak combined with the brrrr of machine gun batteries, bright streaks of yellow and black explosions covering the sky like snowfall. The Grimm hurtled down, those that remaining struck and ripped from the air by surface-to-air dust missiles.

The Gryphons fell all over the city, some unfortunately smashing through the rooftops of nearby homes, others exploding gorily on the streets. Had the populace still been here, such would have been a tragedy in the making, especially if the Grimm lashed out in their final moments. Luckily, that wasn't the case.

Everyone was safe in Vale, including Willow and Whitley.

They had the freedom to fight however they wished to, using whatever they had, without concern for the harm that might come of it. Winter sent forth a summoned Beowolf to tangle with the enemy and made to summon a second but for the General gripping her shoulder.

"Sir?"

"Speak with me." He drew her away, nodding back. The soldiers didn't mind, too focused on their targets. Finding privacy on the battlefield wasn't realistic, but with the gunfire and explosions and all the howling, so long as they didn't scream at the tops of their lungs, no one would hear them. Winter switched off her comms device just in case.

"Is there a problem you don't want the troops hearing, sir?" she asked nervously. Duty or not, such unwelcome news would concern her just as much as they.

"No. Everything is proceeding as we expect it to. It could be better, however." He looked up toward the academy and then back to her. "With the power of the Winter Maiden, we could force them out the city. Rout them in one go."

"Fria is still alive."

"I'm not asking you to kill her, Specialist. Only…"

To push her to accepting her end sooner. Winter knew what he meant, even if he didn't want to say it. No one did. The needs of the many outweighed the few, and had the military at large known of Frida, she dared say they'd have put a bullet between her eyes weeks back.

A dark part of Winter knew that might be for the best, cruel as it was. She wasn't sure she'd be able to however, even if General Ironwood was the one to give the order. "Sir, I'm planning to meet with her again for lunch. Bring her something to eat from the cafeteria. What should I do?"

"Impress on her the situation," he said. "Fria isn't an idiot, Winter. She knows what it is we want. Tell her that the walls have fallen, that we are holding the second line and may have to fall back to the third before the end of the day."

That was looking likely. Though they were slaughtering the Grimm as they climbed the walls, the bodies were piling up faster than they could disperse, providing cover for the Grimm on the other side. It wasn't much but it was buying them about twenty metres right now and might be buying them sixty or seventy in ten hours.

At that point it would be better to fall back and start anew.

"I'll go see her now if it helps, sir."

General Ironwood nodded. "Thank you, Winter. I shall hold the line. And it appears I won't be alone in doing so."

He looked to the side, drawing her attention to the Beacon contingent arriving, or at least Jaune, Glynda and Torchwick, along with the overly colourful girl with the pink hair glued to the headmaster's side. She'd have assumed her a student had Weiss not told her otherwise. All were capable huntsmen in their own right, invaluable at a time like this.

"Our allies stand with us, sir."

"Indeed. And more importantly, they don't stand behind the scenes enacting who knows what plans." Ironwood sighed. "It relieves me to have him in my sight, to know he isn't using my absence up above to take advantage of the situation."

Winter laughed awkwardly. "Don't you think that's a little too much paranoia, sir? I know Arc has… managed to elude you in the past, but that's not to say everything he does comes with some ulterior motive."

"Perhaps you're right. I might be overthinking things."

"I think so, sir, with all due respect. They've been perfectly respectable guests so far and have done nothing out of line." They watched as the four huntsmen approached the front lines, standing ready before the Grimm. "I don't see that changing anytime soon, sir. Not when they're right where we – and everyone else – can see them."

"Hmm. He won't outmanoeuvre me this time, Winter. I can promise you that."

/-/

Fria looked up as the door opened. "You came."

"I said I would." Cinder stepped into the room, scanning the corners to make sure they were alone. "I shall as many times as I need to until you see sense."

"Silly girl. I'm not so stubborn as to not see already. Sit." Fria sat up, pushing herself back into her cushions. "Talk with me. My time is close, I know that, and I'd like to know more of the one who wishes my power."

"You're considering it, then?"

"I am. Winter, bless her, is a good soldier and a strong woman. Her ideals are firm, her bravery without question-"

"Winter is a tool."

"Yes." Fria closed her eyes softly. "She knows and accepts it, and I suppose that's better than being blind to the fact but giving Winter the power of the maiden is little different than handing it to General Ironwood. That, I don't have much of a problem with. He is also a good man."

"But he's a replaceable man. His position only lasts so long as his victories do, and Winter would be bound by duty to follow the next to take his spot."

The girl was clever, Fria would give her that. Compared to Winter, she was a cruel and callous individual with little to no regard for the people of Atlas. That should have made her the worst maiden candidate, and to speak with Ironwood or Winter, she was sure they'd agree.

They still saw it as a blessing. Foolish children.

The maiden's power was a curse.

"I would trust Ironwood with my life," she said, "But I would not know who might replace him. If it were Winter, I could rest a little easier, but it just as likely might be someone else – perhaps even someone under Salem's employ. Even if it isn't, I've no guarantee how such a person might utilise poor Winter. And worse, she wouldn't even think of disobeying them."

"As I said, she's a tool. A happy tool is no different to a reluctant one." Cinder brought one leg up over her knee, sneering in a way Fria didn't like. As much as she might criticise Winter, she still liked the girl. As a person, however. Not a candidate.

"Aren't you a tool as well, Cinder? Of Jaune Arc?"

"I am more of a partner. An equal. He trusts me and I trust him, but should he fall or be replaced, well, I would strike out on my own or take his position. I wouldn't follow the whims or orders of a so-called replacement. I'm not sure anyone could replace him."

"Tell me of him. You seem to respect him."

Fria wasn't sure Cinder was the kind of person to appreciate being accused of having a `crush` on this man. It was difficult to hide her smile.

"Jaune Arc is a force of nature."

Fria hid her smile behind her hand. "Oh my. Do tell."

"At first he seems a bumbling idiot. That's how it seemed to me as well. He portrays himself an average man in over his head – and he acts the part to perfection. Except, it falters. I realised that early in my attempts to win his loyalty. He would act the part of someone afraid of me, but he would fail to flinch at clear threats. He would act wrong. The steel shone through. It…" Cinder frowned. "It frightened me a little, even as it excited me. I was used to dealing with people like Roman, so easy to cow, or Emerald and Mercury, aimless and eager to follow my orders. Jaune was different. Dangerous. Enticing."

Fria had seen pictures of him. It wasn't as though a new headmaster of Beacon wasn't reported on the news, and she'd also had Winter show her the results of the White Fang attack on the Schnee manor. To her, he looked exactly like your average man. Strong for sure, but not impossibly so. Then again, beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and Cinder appeared to consider `presence` more beautiful than looks.

"He is a cunning individual, then?"

"The most cunning. His plans run deep – I believed I had him dancing to my tune. I even betrayed him before he could me, throwing him at Ironwood and letting him be taken prisoner. My plan was perfect. Victory was mine." Cinder barked a laugh. "And then he came, stole it from my hands and tore my eye out as punishment."

"Oh my. He's quite the vengeful person."

"Yes. He is kind to those who serve him – the students adore him. He protects them like a businessman guarding his assets. In turn, he is vicious to his enemies. When he captured me a second time he played with my mind, and I'll admit, even with my heart. Left alone with little company, he slowly prodded and needled, then allowed one of my former allies into Beacon to recover me!"

"That seems like a reckless decision on his part."

"It did!" she hissed. "And yet, it was a test. I realised that quickly. No rescue, but an opportunity for me to prove myself or – should I not prove useful to him – to leave without harming his students. I knew then that this was an opportunity that would come only once in my lifetime. And that I had to grasp it. I had to see where his ambition would take him! What lengths he would go to! How high such a man could rise!"

Fria couldn't help herself. "Have you bedded him?"

What? Sue her. She'd been young once, and it wasn't like she'd gotten any recently.

Cinder frowned. "That is… a work in progress."

"Oh no, Cinder, don't tell me you're too shy to say something."

"Of course not!" Cinder tossed her hair. Even without an eye, she was still an attractive young woman. "It is… complicated. He has two others already – yes, I said two. How can a man such as he be expected to have only one?"

"Wouldn't you like it if it was just one?" Fria asked. The current topic was a lot saucier than she'd expected, and a welcome relief from talking about her impending demise. "Just you, for instance?"

"Naturally. Jaune will see how useful I am – and I'll be sure to demand he show his gratitude in a suitable manner."

"Hmmm. Make sure you show him a good time, girl. Men aren't as simple as they let on, but one thing will always hold true – they can be led by a certain part of their anatomy if you know what you're doing." She brought her head high. "I may not look it now, but I was quite the heartbreaker in my day."

"I have been reading material for inspiration," Cinder admitted.

"Oooh. You've been thinking ahead."

"I have. Neo – that is my current largest threat – is very flexible. Too flexible. I can only imagine the things they get up to." Fria noticed the girl's cheeks burning. "I may not be capable of the same, but I have my own charms." Suddenly, she leaned forward. "Tell me, can the maiden's power…" Cinder gestured helplessly. "You know…"

Fria did know, and she leaned in too.

"Two words, girl. Temperature play. Melting ice running down your body, cold bodies seeking warmth together. Whomever said winter is a cold and harsh mistress didn't count on the pleasure of a torrid affair on a warm rug before a roaring fire. Try melting an ice cube on his chest then licking up the trail."

"Anything else…?"

Fria had stories. The life of a maiden was a solitary one but that didn't mean it had to be lonely, and she'd received the power, like anyone did, when she was still young. Travelling from place to place meant meeting a lot of people, and she'd never been the kind of person to complain about how difficult life was, not when she could sit down, make some new friends, drink, laugh and occasionally love. As such, she had plenty of advice.

Cinder took notes. At one point she even took her scroll out and started typing down ideas on it, with Fria only too happy to offer some motherly tips.

"I feel like we've strayed a little," Cinder admitted ten minutes later.

Only a little? They'd spent the last two minutes looking at a picture of the man in question and Fria offering thoughts on how big she thought he might be. They hadn't strayed, they'd gone on holiday. And it had been the most fun she'd had in weeks.

Cinder wasn't a good person, not like Winter, but she was more fun. Winter and she could have never had a conversation like this!

"Is part of why you want my power to impress this man of yours?"

"No. If I need it to win him, I'll consider that my loss." Proud until the last, it seemed. "I want the power… I will not say it's only to save my life or because I think I'm better suited than Winter. I want power. I always have. It's why I joined Salem. My whole life has been one where others made decisions for me, with or without my input. I've forever wanted the power to make sure that never happens again – and I had it for a moment. The power of the Fall Maiden." Cinder breathed out. "I was happy with it. Powerful. And then it was stolen away." Her hand clenched into a fist. "I want it back. Or I want a replacement."

Selfish. Megalomaniacal. The words came easily but didn't deter Fria as much as it might have Winter. Selfish people could be controlled much more easily than idealists, and if Cinder was that hungry for power, you had two options.

You either carefully managed it so that she never earned that power and had to deal with the constant threat of betrayal if someone else offered it, the possibility of her stealing it, of delving into things she shouldn't and causing more problems.

Or you gave her it.

A simple solution, but a solution all the same. If someone desperately wanted something, whatever that might be, then you could win their loyalty by providing it. Such was the nature by which all transactions took place. If Cinder became the maiden, she would be more loyal to their side because Salem would want nothing more than to kill her.

"As an additional benefit," Cinder said. "I know how to use the power."

"Hmm. That's true. Winter would need weeks or months to use it properly, but you've already trained with it, haven't you? How unique. I don't think there's ever been an ex-maiden before. One last question for you, my dear. What would you say if I told you I'd already decided to give it to Winter? What would you do?"

Cinder's answer was immediate. "I'd leave."

"Oh? You wouldn't kill me?"

"Killing you serves no purpose and just alerts Winter to the fact – or worse, I'd kill you and she would lose control, dying in the battle. The power of the winter maiden shooting off into who knows where is the last thing any of us need."

That was true, and a concern for anyone that wasn't Cinder with her prior knowledge on how to handle it. "What else?" Fria asked.

"I would go to Jaune and tell him that I convinced you to end your life early even if I failed to acquire the power myself. Winter having it is still better than you having it. You're of no use to anyone right now."

"I'm waiting for the `no offence` there, dear." Cinder didn't offer it. Cheeky brat. "So, even in failing, you'd twist it to your advantage, claim my defiance as your intent and reap the benefits?"

"Yes. Didn't I warn you that's the kind of person I am?"

"That you're a selfish person out for number one, yes. I didn't expect you to be so devious."

"Lies. You saw me sneak in here with Roman and attempt to sweep the maiden out from under Ironwood's feet. You know full well what I am."

Fria chuckled. "Alright. You have me there."

That kind of vicious pragmatism could prove useful. Even beyond Winter, she'd been considering Penny as an alternative maiden, but she had doubts of her own. Would Penny be wise enough to know when someone was manipulating her? Could Atlas force their control over her since she was part-machine? Would Penny consider her life less important than a human friend, and thus throw away the maiden's power on a whim?

Too many questions. Too many uncertainties. This was her burden and she'd bore it all her life, so she'd be damned if she didn't take the effort to make sure she chose a good successor now. Penny had the right attitude, Winter had the right fortitude, but neither had the mind.

Cinder did. Cunning, vicious and power hungry, she would do everything she could before allowing someone to steal it away or force her into something she didn't want. The power would be safe with her, so long as she chose not to use it for ill.

And that depends entirely on this Jaune fellow, doesn't it? Then again, the same could be said for Penny and Winter. Winter would do whatever Ironwood says and Penny would do whatever her father asks of her.

All three candidates could be swayed by another, and at the end of the day, Cinder was the only one with the maturity and strength to say no to her significant person. Also, the only one who would think for herself before following any such order.

"I've made my decision."

"And…?"

"Go to the battle," she instructed. "I have promised to talk one last time to Winter and I shall, but do not expect the power of the maiden to go to her. Use it well, Cinder, but I warn you that should you falter or turn once more to Salem's side, you will regret it."

"That door is forever closed to me now," Cinder said, standing. "My only chance of survival is to defeat her myself – a task I am not looking forward to."

"Good. You should not throw your life away."

"As though I would. There are only two lives that matter in this world, Fria. My own and Jaune's. In that order. I will save Atlas, not because I care for it but because it will show the world that he has saved them, and because it will send a warning to Salem to stay away from me. Rest assured. Atlas shall not fall."

Somehow, in some way, Fria believed her. "Thank you. And Cinder…"

The woman stopped by the door. "Yes?"

"Good luck with your man."

"Hmph. Luck is something I don't need. But..." Cinder closed her eyes. "Thank you."

Jaune: "So anyway, I started blasti- outmanoeuvring."

No omake again I'm afraid. I'm struggling to get used to working at home, and while it should be easier because less time wasted on driving to and from work, it really just isn't. My puppy, Kali, is thrilled dad is home all day every day and can't get over the fact. She runs through every half an hour or so to make sure I'm still here, then runs back to her bed. I tried moving it into my office once but she barked angrily all the way and then dragged it back to her spot by the couch in the living room. Lesson learned there. I did buy her a second for my office but she refuses to use it. To be fair, the one she does use is one I bought her before I got her so she's had it since day one of living with me and spent her first night sleeping in it.

Next Chapter: 16th April

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur