No CF on this one, and I have a serious family issue going on, so this was written a little rushed. It's also out earlier since I have no time for anything, and need to rush off to deal with this, and will be busy all night as a result. Sorry about that, and hopefully it turned out okay. Things ought to be back to normal soon. I'm sorry for all the recent disturbances.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 3: Chapter 13


War was hell.

I'd heard that saying once, probably from my father, though even then I imagined he'd quoted it from somewhere else, as I don't think our village had ever seen it first-hand. Regardless, all the scholars seemed to agree that war was a terrible thing to be avoided, and if the brief snippets of it I caught here were any indication, I couldn't help but agree.

It was the screams that caught me the hardest. Screams of rage, of battle, of anger, but also of warning, fear and agony. They were accompanied by the clashing of steel, and the stampeding of boots against dirt.

This was a sanitised battle, Coco's Guild working to avoid any and all injuries and take down Torchwick's without spilling a single drop of blood, and yet that still didn't make it any better. War was hell, and this wasn't even war.

I kept my eyes focused on Coco's back and nothing else.

"Ignore everything," she yelled, pushing through a melee between her people and others. Everywhere around us, members of the Mercenary's Guild fought, their tabards and uniform the only thing that distinguished them from the varied clothes the TRE Guild sported. We were still a good distance from the main building, but battle had already been raging for two or three minutes now. "Torchwick knows we're coming," Coco went on. "He's sending people out to delay us, and calling in whatever allies he has. If we get bogged down in the streets, we'll be easy pickings when the teachers arrive. Keep pushing forward!"

"Got it!" I called, followed by sounds of agreement from the rest of the Guild. My breath came out in harsh pants as we sprinted through the battle, students occasionally moving to block out path, only to be pushed aside by Mercenaries. Other Guilds had closed their doors and windows, and no doubt hid inside, content to wait it out, or maybe afraid to show their faces lest they be mistaken for enemies. At this time of night, the roads of Beacon's Guild Village were still usually busy, but now they were abandoned but for those who fought.

This was insane. It was madness.

It was our only chance… Torchwick had made it come to this. He'd pushed us until there was nothing left to give, and like cornered animals we lashed out. If he expected us to be calmly pushed off a cliff, he had another thing coming.

The melee became more frantic as we reached the TRE compound. A wall of melee Classes moved upon the building, shields raised before them as arrows rained down – fired by Rogues stood atop the building. I ducked down and reached for my own shield, but never had the chance to use it. A coruscating ball of fire lit the sky, arching down towards the roof and sending the attackers scattering. The explosion rocked the building and sent sparks through the air, some of which landed on my arms and burned my clothing.

It provided the opening we needed, however, and with Coco and Yatsuhashi ahead of us, as well as four of their most trusted Guild mates, we reached the large, wooden doors.

Yatsuhashi pushed against them. "It's locked."

"Not for long it won't be," Coco growled and drew her bow. "All of you move back. If that bastard thinks he can hide behind wood, he's got another thing coming."

"What's she going to do?" Ruby asked. "Blake might be able to pick the lock…"

"I can try," the Assassin said.

Yatsuhashi shook his head. "There's no need. Coco has this."

Coco certainly looked confident enough. She drew forth her bow, the very same one we'd sold to her, and nocked an arrow against it. Drawing it back as far as she could, she stared first at the door, and then at the arrowhead itself.

Her eyes glowed.

So did the arrowhead.

"Ha!" she cried, releasing the shaft, which flashed through the air to strike the wooden door with a loud thunk. It vibrated for a second before coming to a stop, and Coco lowered her bow with a short sigh.

"Is something supposed to happen?" Yang asked. "I don't see-"

She was cut off as the arrow glowed – and then exploded into a huge fireball. The force of it knocked us back, with Ruby and Weiss letting out loud yelps as the flames licked out towards them. Yang dragged her sister back, while Nora stood before Weiss, protecting her from any damage.

Of the doors… there was nothing but ash and splinters that remained. Yatsuhashi dashed in, followed quickly by two others, a Duellist and a Bard. They spread out, weapons drawn, to take control of the central entranceway of the building.

"Clear," the Bard called.

"It's clear here as well." the Duellist replied.

"No one…" Yatsuhashi kept his massive sword out, and his eyes pierced each and every shadow. "No ambush and no one to defend the building. Coco, I sense an ambush here. It would be foolhardy to offer no defence, and Torchwick is anything but that."

"Yeah, I see it too," Coco sighed, stepping in with us in tow. "Not much we can do about it now, though. If we waste any time, we only hurt ourselves. Jaune, you said you've been here before, right? Do you know the way around?"

"I came here once with Pyrrha and once with Weiss." Both times, we'd been led deeper into the building by the Dancer, Neo. "I can't be completely sure, and I only ever went to Torchwick's office. Most of the compound is underground, down that tunnel there."

"Sure looks dark and ominous enough…"

"There are usually torches lit."

"Of course there are," Coco sighed. "Wouldn't do to leave a welcome for us though, would it? Right, Yats, you take the lead – I want Mils and Pitt behind, and both of you with torches. The kids go in the middle, while Verdant and Sam cover the rear. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"I can provide light if you need me to," Weiss offered.

"Yeah, and a target to boot… if there is an ambush, then it'll be down there waiting for our nice, glowing torches to give them a clear shot. I'd rather it be on tanks able to take it than of a Mage two years younger than me." The Archer's face softened. "If you want to provide them some fire to light the torches though, that'd be helpful."

Weiss nodded silently and moved to do so, leaving the rest of us to wait around awkwardly. Battle continued to rage outside, though from what I could see out the door, it was clearly going in our favour. Well, that could change in a heartbeat, or however long it took the teachers to react, but for now, things were going well. I swallowed and wrapped my fingers around the hilt of Crocea Mors once more. I kept gripping it and letting go, unsure whether I should draw it, and then not knowing if I'd be able to sheathe it again. My hands were shaking that badly.

"What's our plan exactly?" I asked. "There's no telling how big the place is down there. We could get lost if we just wander around looking for the staff."

"Our goal is Torchwick," Coco said. Her arms were crossed, her face set.

"Don't we need the evidence?" Pyrrha asked nervously. "I understand there might be vengeance involved, but-"

"We'll have no hope of finding it even if we tried." The Archer turned to us and sighed, lowering her arms. "I know you're all nervous, but this is the best we can do. If there is any incriminating evidence, then you can bet Torchwick will have it with him. He wouldn't leave it around where anyone could find it. And if he has hidden it somewhere, then we need to find out where."

Ren frowned. "You think he'll tell us? Time is on his side, and he likely knows we won't kill him. He could just refuse to talk until the teachers arrive."

"If he thinks I won't kill him, he's wrong," Coco whispered. "But no, I don't expect him to talk. He'll have his trusted people with him however, and I'll make them sing. If all else fails, his Seneschal must be around here somewhere. An NPC isn't going to be beholden to his crimes, and they'll talk if we're reasonable about it. I'll just point out how much trouble they'd be in if the truth was discovered… maybe twist their arm a little."

"T-That's not right," Ruby warned. "She's a member of the Labour Caste, so she isn't involved with-"

"His crimes…? I'm afraid she is, kid. There isn't anything that gets past a Seneschal, and it's their job to know what's going on. You already said she was in on the meetings you had, so she knows. She knows, and is perfectly okay with it." Coco drew her bow and turned to the tunnel, light now flickering from glowing torches. "Just remember… everyone you meet down here is guilty. No matter what they say, what they do, or what the words above their heads say – they are knowingly involved in Torchwick's crimes. Involved and profiting from them."

"Coco has a point, Ruby," Yang whispered. "I don't like it either but… well… it's them or us."

"I know. It's just…" The Reaper sighed. "Never mind… I'm fine."

She wasn't, and to be fair neither was I, but we both still moved forward with the others, me taking the lead, albeit behind Coco, Yatsuhashi and the two torch bearers. "The staircase goes on a little while," I said, "and then we turn left."

They nodded and moved on in silence, the natural light – and the sounds of combat – slowly dwindling away as we moved deeper and deeper into the compound. It felt familiar, but not in a way I liked. It reminded me of our time in the Dungeon.

Crocea Mors finally came free, a tiny, near-silent hiss.

It was echoed behind me, as other members of the Guild readied themselves.

"There's an opening ahead," one of the torchbearers said. "The stairs come to an end."

"Spread out and secure the area first," Coco whispered. "We'll find Torchwick once we know it's safe. Don't take any chances, and don't go down any corridors you can't see the end of." The men nodded, while I swallowed and did the same, even if Coco couldn't see it. There was a moment of gut-wrenching anticipation, a tense second in which every muscle in my body contracted.

And then, the stairs came to an end.

Yatsuhashi moved first. The giant sprinted forward, covering the distance in great bounds until he stood in the middle of the room. Coco rushed behind him, while the torchbearers in the lead took the right and left respectively. I followed to the left, sword and shield ready. I had no idea which side the others chose, but my eyes were locked down the dark corridor I knew we'd have to cross. As the Duellist swung the torch forward to illuminate it, I stood before him, shield at the ready.

"It's quiet," he whispered to me. "Too quiet…"

"Maybe Torchwick sent them all above to slow us down," I said.

"That would be suicidal. He knows we outnumber him, and we'd always have the advantage in open battle. Torchwick would have to be a fool to go with that idea."

I nodded, understanding the message. Torchwick was many things, but a fool was not one of them. There was a soft footstep behind me, but I recognised Ren's easy breathing, and relaxed as the Monk crouched down next to me.

"It's unusual for there not to be an ambush here," he said. "They could have trapped us in that tunnel if they wanted to. Why allow us to get this far at all?"

"Something is definitely off," the Duellist agreed. He raised his voice. "Clear on the left!"

"Right is clear."

"Centre is clear."

"Bullshit," Coco growled. "Torchwick is playing games with us. I refuse to believe there's no one here."

"That's a chilling thought," Weiss murmured. "Is it possible he took everyone and escaped before we arrived? We might be invading an empty compound."

"I have people watching the entrances and exits to Beacon, so it's unlikely. He'd have a lot of stuff to move as well. No, that bastard is still here somewhere. He's just messing with our heads." She motioned with one hand and pointed towards the left corridor. "Let's carry on. We can't afford to be wasting time. Yats and I in the lead… pass me that torch, Pitt."

"Yes ma'am," the Duellist said, handing it over. Coco nodded and moved past Ren and I, while Yatsuhashi jogged to overtake us and walk along beside her. The rest of us fell in line, unconsciously moving into the same formation we'd been in before.

"What's the path like ahead?" Coco asked.

"There's a crossroads coming up," I answered. "We go straight on from there, and then there's a huge door on the left. That's Torchwick's office."

"A crossroads, great. Does he think we're idiots?"

"Perfect place for an ambush," Yatsuhashi mumbled. "I see it ahead."

Coco held one hand up, and then a finger to her lips. We came to a halt with a clink of metal and leather, and she wafted her torch forwards. The light barely reached the aforementioned split in the corridors, and we were a good ten or fifteen metres away from it still.

There was no sign of life there, but then again, it wouldn't be much of an ambush if there was. Coco tapped her friend on the arm, and nodded at one of the nearby, wooden doors. It was small, and one I'd never been through before. Even so, she pointed the Warrior in the direction of it and made a clear gesture.

Yatsuhashi nodded and stepped over to it, pushing Ren and I aside gently. "You may want to back up," he whispered, "and to be prepared."

"Prepared for what?" I asked.

Yatsuhashi didn't answer. Instead, he reared back, raised one foot into the air – and then kicked the door firmly off its hinges.

At least eight, maybe ten, faces stared back at us.

All had their weapons drawn.

"Ambush!" Yatsuhashi roared, and then, in stark contrast to how one might have reacted to a sudden ambush, charged in to attack the startled enemies. I froze for a second, as did everyone else, before the sudden sound of wooden doors slamming open reverberated down the hallways.

"Get in position!" Coco roared. She kicked back, bouncing off one wall and then the other to jump over our heads, even as the Duellist and Bard from before pushed past me to take position at the head of the corridor. Behind us, the other two held their ground, even as Coco fired an arrow in mid-air, the shaft igniting as it sailed down the corridor.

It lit up the crossroads ahead, but also the fifteen or twenty people rushing towards us.

"Behind as well!" Pyrrha yelled. "There must be at least ten of them!"

"It's a pincer," Yang fell into a fighting stance, eyes wild. "What do we do?"

"We show them why we're the Mercenary's Guild," Coco said. Her eyes flashed in the dark, as did her teeth, pulled into a wide smile. "Mils, Pitt… you ready?"

"As ever."

"Of course."

"Good." Coco smiled cruelly. "Advance."

"Advance!?" I cried. "Coco, are you mad? We're completely outnumbered. We need to hold our ground or regroup."

Coco ignored me, nocking another arrow. "Advance and cut them down. Blunt or flat of swords wherever you can, but make sure they're unconscious before you step over them. If these idiots want to feed themselves into us, we'll cut through them like wheat."

"Yes ma'am!" the two chanted. There was not an ounce of hesitation in their voices, and to my shock they began to move forward. I stared at them, and then at Coco as she drew another arrow. She noticed my look and smiled.

"There's a reason we're the ones people come to when they need muscle. Still, if you're that worried then the least you can do is help them out. Many hands make light work."

She was insane… they all were. Still, we were here and there was no getting out of it. I looked back to the others, and saw the same determination on their faces. Well, most of them. Nora and Yang had already sprinted away and were engaged in the melee, helping at the rear – while Pyrrha had entered the same room Yatsuhashi had, and seemed to be dispensing her own justice.

"You ready?" I asked.

I wasn't their leader, and didn't need to make decisions for them. Ruby's words came back to me, and a weight drained away, replaced only with a grim smile and an even grimmer excitement. I wasn't their leader, but a single part of something greater.

Ren, Blake, Ruby and Weiss nodded, their decisions already made.

What else was there to say?

I turned with a smile, charging towards our enemies, but I was not the first to make it there. Blake and Ruby passed me easily, though Ruby drew back from engaging directly and instead made use of her longer weapon, slamming the back of it into heads over the shoulders of the Mercenaries at the front. Blake darted over them and landed atop a pair of shoulders, where she vaulted deeper into the tunnels and out of sight. I'd have been afraid for her, but trusted she knew how to handle herself better than I did.

Of Ren and I, who had no such advantages, we shared a quick look and a nod – before we threw ourselves into the melee.

The two at the front made room for us, the corridor just wide enough for the four of us to fight shoulder to shoulder, though even then it was cramped. A knife flashed towards my face, but I diverted it with my gauntlet, then slammed the cross guard of my sword into the assailant's face. He went down hard, but was drawn back into the press of bodies instead of crushed underfoot, and suddenly there was a new, snarling face taking his place, and a new weapon – a mace – sailing for my skull.

I caught it on the flat of Crocea Mors, gripping the blade like a stave by both handle and blade. With a twist, the opponent was disarmed, and I drove my pommel into his chin. He staggered but didn't fall, at least not immediately. A foot to his stomach helped, but it was a wide swing from the Duellist which slammed him into the wall, knocking him out entirely. I had no time to celebrate, for there was now a sword lunging for my stomach. This time the Bard caught it, and with his bare hand no less. Weapon immobilised, I took the opportunity to leap forward and cuff the unfortunate opponent around the temple, dropping him with a little help from my metal gauntlet and ludicrous Strength stat.

To my shock, I found myself taking a step forward – and then a second.

We were advancing. We were actually advancing. Through a press of bodies more than five times our number, and even when we couldn't show the same brutality as our foes, we were still cutting through them.

Was it the narrow terrain working to our advantage, allowing our smaller numbers to face theirs on an even footing? Or was it the higher Levels of our team, both in terms of Mils and Pitt, but also Coco, who rained arrows from behind, sharp and deadly, but ones that found themselves buried in arms and legs instead of throats and hearts? Maybe it was even sheer determination, our spirit guiding our hands and granting us energy.

The truth was probably far less poetic.

This must be what Blake spoke of before when she talked about how Rogue Classes can't fight the same as traditional Hero ones. They're so used to using tricks and sneaking around that they're unable to fight on the same level as us. All their Dexterity and Agility is useless, because there's no room to dodge, and we're not trying to avoid their hits. We're just marching through them with our superior Strength and Constitution.

And these people, trapped in their narrow corridor, didn't have the raw power to bring us down. Thought of like that, it was almost cruel, even as I parried a strike from above and held the opposing woman open for Ren to land a punishing blow to her solar plexus, knocking her down. I stepped over her body with the others, and trusted that Weiss and Ruby would make sure she was knocked out for good.

Behind us, I could hear things going much the same. Nora and Yang, along with the two other Mercenaries, pushed further away from us in the opposite direction, our small party expanding from one that had been caught off-guard in the middle of a corridor, into something that was slowly taking over the entire area. Even with these people being less suited to combat, a lot of our success had to be attributed to raw power. After our Quest to Atlas, we were above what was expected of people in our year, while Coco and her personal guard were probably some of the strongest students in Beacon. If not the strongest.

Before long, and before my arm had even started to tire, the mob before us thinned out. Soon there were only two or three, and they stared at us with awe and fear, weapons shaking in their hands.

"Retreat and we won't follow," I called. "You don't need to fight us."

"D-Damn you!" the one on the left roared, charging at me.

He didn't make it half way. Blake appeared from the shadows, one arm wrapped about his neck. She kicked the other way and slammed the first into the wall, knocking him out. The second only had the time to recover and make a single swing, before she slipped underneath his arm and drove her elbow into his flank, stunning him. A roundhouse kick finished him off, and sent him sailing to the floor.

"That's everyone," she said.

"So much for the ambush," Yang echoed, walking up from behind me. "We've cleared the back. There's no one left."

"The rooms are emptied as well," Pyrrha echoed. "Yatsuhashi sent me to let you know."

"We're not finished yet," Coco said, looking up towards the ceiling. "And we've already wasted time here. This wasn't meant to stop us, just to wear us down. All we've accomplished is a corridor full of evidence against us." She gestured to the fallen bodies. "Now more than ever, we need to clear our names."

"Torchwick's door is ahead, but firmly locked." Blake looked to the Archer and chuckled. "Then again, I don't think it will stay that way for long."

"Trust me, it won't. Everyone back up." Coco waved us all back and nocked another arrow. "I think it's time we paid our host a visit."

/-/

Torchwick was sat behind his desk when the door exploded. How he managed it, I had no idea, but he raised a curious eyebrow when we poured in, and then sighed as though faced with a bunch of unruly children, and he was the overly patient father.

"Coco Adel, so good to see you," he said, standing up and holding his arms wide. "You could have knocked. I'd have let you in. Oh, and if it isn't Jaune and his delightful Guild. I have to say, you could have made an appointment if you wanted to see me. There's no reason for all of this."

"Enough games, Torchwick," Coco snarled, bow drawn. "You'll pay for what you did to us, for what you did to Fox!"

"Fox?"

"My friend – our friend… you tricked us, stole our money, and left him to take the blame!"

Roman cocked his head to one side and hummed under his breath. One finger tapped against his cheek, but he let out a long sigh and smiled. "I'm sorry. The name isn't ringing any bells. Was it a while ago? I tend to forget little details like that."

Coco's eyes flared. "You bastard!"

"Technically, yes," Roman said. He stepped out from behind his desk, twirling a metal cane in one hand. "My mother was a whore, and my father some drunk customer, I'm sure. Either way, I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about my status, my dear. Why, with all the people you've brought along, I can't help but think this looks more like an invasion. Of course, that would be against Beacon's rules, so I'm sure it can't be that." He smiled charismatically. "I'm sure this is just one big misunderstanding, right?"

"There's no misunderstanding," I said, taking a step forward to stand alongside Coco. "You attacked our Guild, Roman. You attacked Velvet and beat her into silence!"

"Not very well, apparently. I really need to hire better people."

"So you admit it was you!?" Weiss called. "You admit that you did it?"

"Is that really in any doubt at this point, my dear? I mean, I'd hope it isn't since you're all of you risking your lives for this. Yes, I attacked your Seneschal, but if I can ask a quick favour, don't subject mine to the same, hmm?" He looked to the left, to where the strangely silent girl he was always with stood. "Neo, be a dear and wait to the side. I wouldn't want you involved in this." He chuckled and looked to me. "If that's allowed, that is?"

"It's allowed," I growled back. "We've got no problem with her."

"Just with me, I see. Oh, and what little problems they seem to be." Roman brought his cane to a stop and leaned on it. "I don't want any violence. Can't we talk this through like adults?"

My brow creased. What was he talking about? After everything he'd done, there was no way that was an option. He had to be stalling for time, and I raised my weapons towards him.

"He has a point…" Ruby said, lowering hers. "We're breaking the rules here."

"Yeah, I mean, I'm all for stretching the rules, but this is a little much," Yang added.

I whirled on them, eyes wide. "What? Guys, we can't back out now!"

"Well, no," Mitt said, lowering his sword. "We can talk at least. Maybe we can find a way to sort this out without violence. That would be good."

"I don't want any violence," Nora agreed.

"We should talk this through like adults," Pyrrha echoed.

Something was wrong. Even casting aside the sudden non-committal behaviour, Nora not liking violence and Pyrrha repeating his exact words struck me the hardest. Eyes wide, I turned to Coco, in time to see her struggling with herself. It looked like she wanted to draw her bow and shoot him, but she was also fighting the urge to put it away. Sweat beaded on her brow, and her teeth were gritted together.

But why would she…? The answer hit me immediately.

"It's a trick," I yelled. "He's using his Charisma to influence us. Snap out of it!"

Ruby looked at me, eyes clouded. "Cha… risma…?"

"He's lying," Roman teased. "Such a violent man."

"N-No…" Ruby's eyes clenched shut. "No, he isn't."

"Jaune is violent?" Pyrrha shook her head, lips parted. "I… I don't think so."

Roman's face froze, lips turning down – and it was the moment's hesitation I needed. He was failing, failing because he was trying to convince them of something they simply could not believe. My friends knew me too well to be swayed like that. Coco, on the other hand, was no doubt riddled with self-doubt. That must have made her an easy target… especially when her own decisions were called into question. If her thoughts were anything like mine, then she too must have agonised over being a leader of so many people – except that in her case she had every right to. Hundreds of people relied on her.

"Coco, snap out of it." I strode towards her and punched her in the arm, shocking her. "Think about why we're here. Think about Fox. Think about what this guy did to Fox!" My hands gripped her shoulders. "You're doing this for him, Coco. You're doing this for Fox."

"Fox…?" Her eyes were misty, but quickly cleared. A single tear ran from her left eye, trailing down her cheek. "Fox…," she whispered. "FOX!" An agonised scream escaped her, and she nocked and drew in an arrow in less than a second. "Rargh! Torchwick, I'll kill you!"

The arrow flew true.

"Tch," Roman grunted, ducking aside and behind his desk. The arrow shattered on the stone wall behind him, but another stuck into the wooden table, and then a third as he ducked behind it. "Look at you, a single angry girl drawing hundreds of others into your problems. How many are injured because of you tonight? How many have to suffer for your revenge?"

"That won't work, Torchwick!"

"Won't it?" the Thief asked, rising with a smile. He looked to our group. "Help me restrain her, I beg you. She's broken the rules, but I know she tricked you into coming. I'll vouch for you all, I promise."

"I…. he…. She…" Mitts clutched his head and swayed on his feet. "I don't… what?"

"Everyone, leave now," Coco ordered. "Only I, Yats and the kids are to stay. You four guard the entrance and let no one in or out."

"Y-Yes ma'am…" The four staggered out and away, leaving it with just the ten of us. Those were still good odds, and everyone was shaking their heads and drawing their weapons once more. If he planned to turn us against one another, he'd be met with failure. We'd bonded too much to fall for that. Our trials in Atlas had changed us, and mostly for the worse, but one thing was clear.

We trusted one another too much to let his words create doubt in us.

"What a pain," Roman growled. "Well, it was worth a shot. I take it this means we're going to be doing this the old fashioned way, huh?"

"Yes," Coco growled. "Yes, we are. How… how did you pull that shit off, anyway?"

"Oh, you want an explanation?" He shook his head with a little laugh. "I suppose I can indulge you since it's of no use now. Allow me to introduce myself, Roman Torchwick, Thief, and also known as the Silver-Tongued Rogue. Or at least that's what my Passive calls me."

My eyes narrowed. "Your Passive…?"

"The ability to substitute my Dexterity for any and all Charisma checks," Roman explained with an arrogant smile. "Of course, I suppose I should have expected a Knight of all things to resist it. No matter. If you think talk is all I am, you're about to be sorely disappointed."

"It's still ten to one," I said, looking to our Guild, Coco and Yatsuhashi. "No matter how good you are, you can't compete with those numbers."

"Can't I? I've heard it said that with the right party composition, you can compete with numbers far greater than yours. As far as I can see, you guys are missing something pretty important." Roman looked us over and laughed when there was no response. "No answers? Well, I'll tell you what you lovely guys and girls are missing. Or better yet, maybe I'll show you."

Show us? What did he-?

"Jaune, behind you!" Blake warned.

I moved on instinct. I didn't hear anything, nor perceive of any threat, but if Blake wanted to shout a warning, I wasn't going to ignore it. That trust likely saved my life. A huge, two-handed sword slammed down into the ground where I'd stood, chipping marble and also digging a hole into it. I landed hard, rolling over one shoulder and coming back onto my feet closer to Blake and the rest of my Guild.

Behind where I'd stood, there was a huge figure, clad in silver armour and wielding a great sword, which he drew from the ground with contemptuous ease. The armour was ornate, ridiculously do, as was the sword, which hummed with clear power.

It was the face that caught me however, mostly because it could not be seen. It was hidden behind a light grey hood, one I recognised immediately.

Ruby did as well, apparently. "That's the same hood as the Ranger from Eldon!"

"And the same as the one we found on the Griffon's talons," Pyrrha added. "Identical, in fact. So, Torchwick did send his people out to interfere with our Quests?"

"Nothing of the sort," the Thief laughed, "and I don't send these guys anywhere. They work for my employer, not me. In fact, you could say I work for him, or am at least working with him. Still, has the answer not come to you now, children?"

It had. It wasn't the additional combatant. As strong as he looked, he was still one person, and that put us at five to one in odds. Instead, it was the man's Class, which floated above his head, and below the name. He was called Arthur. But that was not what frightened me.

He was a Paladin… and I watched as he raised one fist in the air, the gauntlet glowing with a pale white light that spread out towards Roman, glittering around him. He stood taller, gained colour, and even seemed to smile a little wider. He had reason to, after all.

He had a healer.


And there we go. Sorry if it's a little short, but I have some personal business going on that will distract me today. Anyway, no, this hasn't started to adopt Fate Stay Night elements, despite some people asking for Jaune to be able to trace weapons.

But anyone who has ever played in PvP or in any RPG likely knows how frustrating it is to play against a DPS source who has a dedicated healer. Sure, if it were a Priest you could cut it down, but a Paladin?

Not quite so simple.


Next Chapter: 28th August

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur