Just a note to people that whatever Jaune said in the early part of this story is always Jaune's knowledge, which can be incomplete. For instance, we discovered recently that Heroes make up a much smaller portion of the population than expected, whereas Jaune once said it was 25%. This is no retcon or accident, but a sign of his lack of understanding. After all, he didn't know that failed Heroes became Soldier Caste either, which is why the Soldier Caste is inflated compared to the Hero Caste. Jaune honestly thought there were some Classes which just were `Soldiers`, despite that not being the case. He grew up in a small village, after all. The closest he ever came to a Hero would be when one came to commission a weapon from his dad.

He just didn't have all the answers and was guessing on most things.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 5: Chapter 4


It was the thick, black smoke billowing slowly above the treetops that brought us to a halt. Blake saw it first, holding a hand up at the front of the procession, the rest coming to a slow stop behind and beside her. I'd been at the back with Ruby, absorbing what hints on horse riding I could, but I nudged Faith forwards to see what the ruckus was about. It didn't take long to spot the smoke, nor to figure out what it meant.

"You think it's from Caddin's Rest?" Pyrrha asked.

"That or the site of a battle," Blake said, taking a hold of her reins as her mare shied and started to fidget. "The smoke is dark."

"Does that mean something?" I asked.

"It means they're burning something – and not at a campfire."

"Could the town be on fire?"

Blake shook her head. "Not enough smoke."

The others shuffled nervously, the tightening and creaking of reins and leather the only sound other than short breaths and the clack of hooves on the rocky ground. No one wanted to be the first to say anything. Neither did I, but someone had to make the decision.

"We keep moving. Whatever is there, it's our responsibility to handle. You remember what Oobleck said; we can't afford to be held back by fear."

"I'm not afraid," Ruby said. It was a lie but I appreciated it, especially as she nudged her mare to stand beside mine and nodded. "We're Heroes. Our job is to be brave where others can't be. Whatever we see out there isn't going to compare to what happens if we let Grimm hurt people."

"Well said," Ren complimented, nodding. "Forgive my moment of hesitation."

"We all did it, Renny," Nora laughed.

"Sheesh, since when is my little sister supposed to be the one giving me a pep talk? Dad would laugh himself silly."

It was forced, even I could see that. Everyone laughed and smiled, but there was tension behind it – and that wasn't likely to change anytime soon. It was enough though; enough to give us what we needed to continue.

But when we cleared the forest several minutes later and came out into the farmland that surrounded Caddin's Rest, that bravado was sorely tested. The town itself was a stone-walled keep with a shorter wooden bailey around a collection of houses and huts. More dotted the countryside outside, interspersed between stretches of flat farmland and rolling hills dotted with cattle. It would have been beautiful, if not for the state of the land.

The fields were torn and muddy, turned from fertile farmland into a quagmire of churned mud and grass capable of swallowing a man whole. Poles, spikes, and weapons stuck from it at odd angles, half-buried in some cases and sticking tall like strange decorations in others. Flags, banners, and pennants were squashed down and tramped, though some fluttered lazily from poles trapped in the mud. Those that did looked all the sadder for it, for the emblem of Vale flew proudly over a field of mud and death, while that of Mistral flew over the keep and town beyond.

"We're too late," Ruby breathed. The Reaper's eyes were wide as she took in the carnage. "We took too long…"

I nudged her elbow with mine. "Not necessarily. Ozpin said he thought the town would be attacked because it was close by. There was no guarantee we'd make it on time, or that it hadn't already been attacked."

"Jaune is right," Pyrrha said. "We can only do what we can, and the fact that the town stands proves no Grimm were able to overcome the defenders."

"But Mistral won," Yang said. "The town is taken."

Pyrrha balked at that, no doubt frightened that she might say something to upset the rest of us. She was from Mistral herself of course, even if she'd sworn fealty to Beacon. There were some that might have doubted her and she clearly didn't want to speak.

"It wouldn't have made a difference either way," I said. "We can't intervene, remember. Our job is to protect everyone."

"Even those from Mistral," Blake agreed. "We should still head for the town and introduce ourselves. Our Quest hasn't changed."

We stuck to the main road leading to Caddin's Rest, a long and winding dirt path that skirted through many of the fields surrounding the town. The battle appeared to have been limited to the east and south sides, for the ground was the most churned and trodden there. To my relief there were no bodies. Even if armour and fallen weapons indicated death, and the occasional bloodstain made it even more obvious, the bodies themselves had been removed.

Blake noticed me looking and sidled up beside me, our mares butting flanks. "I guess that explains the fire," she whispered. "It must be a funeral pyre."

"They're burning the bodies of our soldiers? Isn't that… I mean, is that the right thing to do?"

"Nothing in war is right. At least they're giving them this honour. Better to burn them than leave people strewn in the fields to be picked apart by carrion or to rot away. This should also keep disease away from the town." Despite her words, Blake didn't sound too positive about it, just resigned.

I wondered if I should feel the same way, but as we approached the bailey and the smoke from the pyre grew larger I found myself unable to think or feel at all. There was just an empty hole in my stomach, from which no real emotion came forth. Mistral didn't have to collect and burn the bodies, and a part of me knew that was probably a sign of respect. But at the same time they didn't have to come here and kill them in the first place.

The wooden gates to the bailey were open – or smashed entirely as it were. We travelled under the palisade wall, now manned with Mistral's soldiers, and came to a halt in the centre of a large, open space, presumably used for the market or other events.

I noticed the villagers first, Labour Caste members like myself. They watched anxiously from doors and windows, and although life moved on as normal, it seemed more subdued. The crowds stuck to the edges of the roads, avoiding open spaces and attention. Many kept their heads and eyes down and refused to acknowledge the world around them at all. They looked broken and afraid; like their world had been ripped out from under them.

"So much for the welcoming party," Yang said. "I kind of expected a little more…"

I had too, but no one approached us, either to ask who we were or what we were doing. The soldiers on the walls remained at their posts, while the residents of Caddin's Rest scurried about and left us to our business. Shifting to the side, I dismounted Faith and landed on the floor with a clink of leather and steel. The others, perhaps thinking I'd dismounted as a signal, did the same.

"There's a stable by the inner wall," Pyrrha noted, taking her mount's reins.

"Should we leave our equipment here?" Ruby asked.

"It's probably not a good idea to risk it," I said, already unbuckling Crocea Mors from my saddlebags. I hooked it on my waist, attaching it to my belt and adjusting it so that it hung comfortably. I'd have felt naked without it at this point.

"If you're going to keep your weapons then remember not to draw them," Blake warned. "The worst thing we could do here is cause a scene. Tempers will already be running high. They always do after a battle."

"You sound familiar with it," Ren said.

"With battle, yes, though nothing on this scale." She nodded to the town walls, scorched and marked in places, and damaged more obviously in others. "I've seen small skirmishes and the like. It's always a battle of life and death, and those who live can cease to be human for a period of time. That's where you hear of pillage and rape, and people being massacred." The Assassin let out a long breath. "We should be thankful the Grand Treaty prevents that."

Blake had a point there, even if it was hard to accept. The people looked disheartened and shaken, but they were alive at least. That was a far better outcome than what they could expect if it were the Grimm instead of Mistral. Although, again, it was only a case of how things could be worse. That was hardly reason to celebrate.

Two soldiers waited at the stables, both in uniform and bruised in places. One had a bandage on his upper arm. They stiffened when they saw us approach, but relaxed when our tabards became apparent. There were some quick words exchanged between them before one was nominated to stand and approach.

"Good day, Heroes," he said, bowing. "How can we help you?"

"We need stables for our mounts. Can we use the ones here?"

"It would be our pleasure." The man turned and called out some names, summoning a small group of stable hands from the building itself. They kept their eyes low, clearly Vale-born, and obviously not sure what to make of their new masters. "You lot, try to fit these brave Heroes' mounts in where we can. Take care of them."

"B-But sir, w-we're low on oats. Y-Your forces already brought so many horses…"

"If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times. More supplies are arriving from Mistral tomorrow. You have enough oat and grain for the night, no?" The soldier waited for the young man who had spoken up to nod. "Then that is enough. See them fed and watered and leave me to worry about the stockpile. These people," he grumbled when the stable hands hurried to take their horses away. "I swear there's not a single brain between the lot of them."

"You can't expect them to be pleased they've been conquered," I said.

Blake touched my hand nervously, making her thoughts clear. Luckily, the soldier didn't seem to notice my anger, though he did raise an eyebrow and cross his arms.

"Maybe not, but I can expect them to do the job they've always done. I'm hardly whipping the louts, and I've told them they'll be looked after. The least they could do is listen to what I say."

His words didn't quite strike the same sympathy among us. I had to force myself not to snap something back, while Ruby practically shoved Yang away before she could do the same. Weiss took over thankfully, pushing past me to talk to the man and arrange for our mounts to be looked after. Blake drew me aside at the same time, moving us out of hearing distance.

"What was that about?" she asked. "Jaune, you can't afford to say things like that."

"Mistral attacked and killed all the people outside." I said. "They conquered Caddin's Rest. Now, that guy was acting like the people here should be grateful for him. Like they should be grateful he was there giving them work."

"They should be."

I struggled to breathe for a moment. "W-What?"

"They should be grateful," Blake said, meeting my wide-eyed stare with utter calm. She didn't back down, even when my temper threatened to spike. "That guard seemed annoyed with them but not aggressive. Like he said, things could be a lot worse for them. It's understandable for them to be nervous, but they should be grateful it's him and not someone else."

"So they should be grateful their town got attacked, is that what you're saying? Maybe they'd be more grateful if Mistral hadn't declared war in the first place!"

"Of course they would," Blake snapped back, "And so would we! But it didn't and Mistral did. You ought to remember that a single soldier probably has about as much of a say in that as these villagers did. What happened is terrible. You know it, I know it, they know it and that soldier knows it too, but getting angry about it won't help anyone. Lashing out at him isn't going to fix anything! If anything it'll just make him angry and that would make things worse for the Labour Caste inside."

Shame pooled inside of me at that. The anger I'd felt fled, abandoning me in my time of need, and I turned away, unable to meet her eyes. Was I really so busy feeling angry that I'd neglected to think what effect my actions could have on others? What right did I even have to be angry? As a Hero, I was supposed to be above this.

Blake placed a hand on my cheek and forced me to look back into her eyes. Despite my rage, hers didn't condemn, nor judge. She smiled instead. "I know it's bad," she said. "I hate it too, but I'll bet everyone here does. Things here aren't perfect, but both sides are doing their best to make it as palatable as possible. They're trying to make the best of a terrible situation."

"I… you're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like it was his fault." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, already feeling out of my depth and all the more disappointed for it. "Thanks for calming me down," I said. "I… I'll try not to act like that again."

"It's fine. I think I'd have been more concerned if you were okay with all of this."

"You seem so collected, though. It's kind of amazing." I meant it as praise but from the way Blake's shoulder rose and fell, it hadn't come across as it. "Have you seen something like this before?"

"Not on this scale. I told the truth earlier. I'm not infallible. I'm just as affected by this as you." She relaxed her mask for a moment, allowing the fabric to fall down to her chin. It was hard to tell, but I liked to think I knew her better than anyone else did and I could see the small down-turn to the edges of her lips, a clear sign of frustration or concealed anger.

"How do you hold it in?"

"I stick to the rules. The Grand Treaty is what makes this possible, and even if it's not perfect it still protects all of the Castes. Sometimes rules can be constraining, but they can also give direction. I just focus on what we can and can't do, and that lets me get by."

It explained why she was so quick to stop me each time I tried to say something, I supposed. While I wouldn't normally have considered Blake a stickler for the rules, it made a strange amount of sense. Most people saw Assassins as liars and cheaters, so her following the rules of a Hero might have been her way of fighting against that stereotype. Actions spoke louder than words, and she wanted hers to be obvious.

I took another look out over the town and took it in again, this time with Blake's words in my mind. The people still appeared tense and frightened. But they were alive and safe, protected as well as they could be and now with Mistral's soldiers manning the walls, prepared to protect them against the Grimm if needs be.

It wasn't perfect but it wouldn't ever be. It was functional, though. It worked. Maybe that was the most you could ask for in dark times like these. I hated the idea, but I couldn't fault it. Maybe I was just afraid to compromise, seeing it as weakness. It just made me feel like an even bigger idiot. I should be doing what helps the Labour Caste here, not what I feel is best or right. The people here need stability and safety. Mistral gives them that.

"We're all sorted on the horses," Weiss called, approaching with the others in tow. "We also got the directions to an inn that might have room for us if we need lodging."

"How on Remnant would the inn have any space?" I asked. "The town's just been invaded. There are at least six hundred Mistral soldiers here, all without homes. I'd have thought they'd be filling up all the houses as it was, let alone the inn."

"The soldiers are sticking to the captured garrison, the keep, and a camp outside of the walls. Apparently there were some instances of tension between the soldiers and the villagers. It was a decision made by the commanders to prevent things getting any worse."

"Tensions?"

Weiss shrugged. "I don't know. It sounds like they've got it in hand though."

"That's not really our business either way," Pyrrha said. "We need to speak with the commander here and find out what happened with any Grimm. Did the scroll say what we were supposed to do after the town was taken?"

"Our job was to kill any Grimm," I said. "No further instructions."

"Maybe we're supposed to use our initiative… Ozpin couldn't be expected to predict every outcome of the war, after all. I suppose we could send a letter back to Beacon and defend here for a few days. Or maybe we're meant to wait for further instructions to be sent to us."

Either was a possibility, though then again so was heading back to Beacon in search of a new Quest. We needed someone to sign it saying we'd been here though, which meant a chat with the man or woman in charge was needed.

"I'll go and talk to the commander," I offered.

"Take Pyrrha with you," Weiss said. "She's from Mistral and is a Prestige Class. We've already seen how much faith they put in that. I suppose the rest of us should scout the walls and farms outside to make sure there aren't any signs of Grimm."

"Stick to small groups," I urged as Pyrrha and I stepped aside. "Don't take any risks."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Sure thing, dad."

"We'll be fine," Yang laughed, pushing me away. "You two go make friends. Leave the actually exciting stuff to us."

/-/

The main camp was outside the walls, but it seemed obvious the keep itself would be where the main commander was. It was small, square fortification made of stone that sat upon a steep hill, still within the main ring of the walls of Caddin's Rest. There was a long wooden staircase that led up to it with guards posted twice along it. They didn't challenge us, even if they did spare some long looks towards Pyrrha's Class.

"Does it bother you?" I asked.

"Not as much as it used to. People have always looked, but it's easier now that I have the Guild." Pyrrha smiled and ignored the guards easily. "To be honest, it feels like I'm more upset to be from Mistral now, considering everything that's happening."

"No one is going to believe you had a say in this, Pyrrha."

"None of us, no. But I worry what the others in Beacon will do. Insults I can deal with, but I'm afraid some may try to take it out on me. The Treaty prevents them from harming the soldiers, but it doesn't extend to other Heroes."

And accidents could happen, especially in a spar. There'd already been anger from some in Beacon during Oobleck's lesson, and that was before they'd seen anything like this. I dreaded to imagine how bad it would get after the war had claimed more lives.

"Stick close to us, then. We'll look out for one another."

Pyrrha smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Well, it looks like we're here. I doubt anyone is expecting us but the main gates are open." She nodded to the wooden door, which had been lowered down on two chains, forming a bridge across a small gap. "I suppose that's an open invitation."

Our boots echoed across the wooden drawbridge. The interior of the keep was cold and drafty, though the previous occupants had tried to get rid of that somewhat by laying carpets and tapestries everywhere they conceivably could. Some of those had been removed, most noticeably those bearing Vale's symbol. The torches in the sconces burned away, casting the grey walls in warm light. It only served to make it seem more unappealing.

"Is there something I can help the two of you with?" a man asked, stepping down an oaken staircase. He was fully armoured, though he held his helmet under one arm. He was middle-aged, maybe forty to fifty, and his grey eyes pierced into ours.

"We're looking for the person in charge," Pyrrha began.

"You've found him. I am General Tarkson."

Pyrrha and I exchanged a wary glance. "My name is Jaune. We're Heroes sent by Vale."

"I can tell. Welcome to Caddin's Rest." He spread his arms wide. "I'd offer you some hospitality but there is precious little of it to be had here. I am also, I'm afraid, rather busy with organisational matters. If it pleases you, I would rather keep this meeting brief."

That was fine with me and I quickly explained our reason for being in the area and our Quest given from Beacon. The man listened silently, nodding once or twice, but only speaking once it was clear I was finished.

"I see. Well, the attack continued without you, as you can no doubt tell. You're free to remain with our army until such a time as we march or new orders come for you. Alternatively, you can remain in Caddin's Rest as long as you see fit."

"You'd let us come with your army?"

"I can do little to stop you, and the Treaty prevents your interference. It is the job of Heroes to prevent the spread of Grimm, so it would make sense for you to accompany us. There will be battle where we go. Grimm will follow."

He raised a fair point, even if it wasn't what we'd been ordered to do. Ozpin was probably going to have to send a new team to wherever he felt this army would go next, but we could save him the effort if we accompanied them.

"How long would we have to decide?" I asked. "I'd like to send a letter back to Beacon requesting further instructions."

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that. Too much risk, you understand, particularly if you were to know our marching orders and destination. You will have time, however. I intend to keep my men here for at least a week longer." That would be time enough for a messenger to go both ways. I nodded my thanks.

"What happened to the Grimm during the attack?" Pyrrha asked. "Did none spawn? That seems unlikely."

"No, the Grimm did spawn," he said. "Luckily we had Heroes with us who were able to contain and eradicate them. They moved on once the battle was over, however."

Heroes? Pyrrha met my gaze, a worried expression on her face. Beacon wouldn't have sent two sets of people here, not when our numbers were short enough as it was. It was possible some normal Heroes had been around, either responding to the crisis or just Questing in the area. That said, there was another group that leapt to the front of my mind – a group I didn't want to consider operating in the area.

"What did these Heroes look like?" I asked. "Did they have any distinctive clothing, cloaks, perhaps?"

"No need to worry, lad. They were some of ours."

"Heroes from Mistral?"

"Aye. Heroes were dispatched with the armies making attacks, both to protect ourselves and the defeated from the Grimm. We had a team of three with us and they did a fine job. Once that was done they came and told me they had to move on, however. I imagine they knew Beacon would send you to reinforce. As for their appearance, they wore the black tabard of Mistral with the same symbol you wear."

Mistral Heroes, then. That was a relief. It made sense that some would have been on the ships now that I thought about it, especially since they'd intended to attack that abandoned village, thinking it occupied. Had there been no Heroes around at the time, the Grimm might have reacted and overwhelmed them.

The Greycloaks wouldn't have helped these people, either. Having an entire town lost like this would be perfect for them. It would probably be enough to summon Salem on the spot.

"Do you know where the Heroes went once they were done here?"

"I know they headed north," he said. "There are numerous landing points of the invasion, most across the eastern coast of Vale. I imagine they went along to check on the safety of the next town along, or perhaps to make sure the surrounding villages here didn't suffer any Grimm problems. We've sent out our own messengers," he added. "Those that surrender won't be harmed, and we need to make sure the Grimm haven't gotten any under siege."

"What about the Soldier Caste members defending them?" I asked.

"If they surrender they'll be taken prisoner. We have a number already kept here. I'm a professional, young man. I'm hardly about to put innocent men and women through hell if I can avoid it."

I backed down at that, recognising the note of offense in his voice. I hadn't meant it, but all the questions had probably made it clear I'd expected the worst. Remember the treaty, I told myself, echoing Blake's advice. General Tarkson was just a man doing his job. He didn't start the war, nor did he deserve any anger for what happened here.

Pyrrha smiled at the man, nodding. "Thanks for your help, General. We'll contact Beacon and see what our next orders are. Until we know, we'll be staying here in Caddin's Rest."

"That is fine. You know where to find me if you need me." The man hesitated a moment before he stepped past. "If you'll excuse me…" He waited for us to nod before he hurried away, entering a room off to the side and closing the door.

"That went easier than I thought it would," I admitted. "Can I leave you to write the note for Beacon? My handwriting really isn't good enough for it."

"Sure. We should head to the inn and secure some rooms for us all. We'll be too late to be of any use to the rest."

I thought to argue but decided against it at the last second. Pyrrha had a point and my worry for the rest wouldn't help anyone. They were all of them stronger than I was, and since there wasn't any ruckus or panic from the town, there was almost certainly no life or death fight going on outside the walls.

"Sure. Let me do the haggling, though. We saw what you managed last time with that."

"I make a mistake once," Pyrrha complained.

"And we'll never let you forget it."

/-/

We struck a good deal on several rooms in the end, one for Ren and I, and three more divvied up between the girls. The woman running the inn had been relieved for more custom, explaining that the soldiers from Mistral were banned from staying or drinking at the inn, and that she had orders from Tarkson not to serve them, lest she face time in the stocks.

"I thought Mistral couldn't hurt the Labour Caste," I whispered to Pyrrha a few minutes later as we sat down at a wooden table large enough for us and the rest, should they arrive.

"I imagine placing and enforcing laws is a different matter. They couldn't uphold the peace otherwise." Pyrrha glanced around the inn, taking in the many villagers sat at tables.

Gone was the gloom and doom from outside but it hadn't been replaced with good cheer. People festered at their tables, now sharing gripes they didn't dare express in the company of the soldiers outside. Almost all were frustrated, some were angry – and I heard one or two whisper ideas that were foolish at best, downright treasonous at worst.

"Maybe it's a good thing Tarkson put the ban in place," I said.

"Hm. Alcohol, soldiers and these people would mix poorly."

A server came and provided us with drinks a moment later; a thick and frothy beer we were told was grown locally. It was oddly syrupy, but delicious and had a hint of fruit and spice. I nursed it and kept silent while Pyrrha wrote the message out for Beacon. She offered it to read after but I shook my head, trusting her to have everything down. I'd have only made more mistakes.

The doors to the inn slammed open once more. Pyrrha and I looked, but turned back when it was three of four more villagers and not the Guild. The new entrants sauntered to the bar and shouted out some orders, sitting down at a long table where they could throw dice and gamble.

"Apart from the tension you could almost imagine it's life as usual out here," I said.

"I'd imagine that's the point. By accepting that NPC's are useful tools in the war, both sides keep them out of danger. Neither side wants to be victorious and in control of a large group of broken and starving towns." Pyrrha gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Labour Caste, I mean. I'm sorry."

"It's fine." I looked past Pyrrha and into the eyes of someone who had overheard. He looked about ready to stand up and make an issue of the accidental moniker, but I met his gaze and shook my head.

He sat down with an angry grunt.

"I really am sorry, Jaune. It slipped out without thinking."

"I said it was fine. Just be careful. You might hurt people's feelings here and that's the last thing we need." Well, other than me doing the exact same with the Mistral contingent. My hypocrisy wasn't lost on me. At least I was improving.

Luckily for the conversation the next group to enter was indeed the remainder of the Hunters, who quickly spotted us and filled the table. It was cramped and I ended up squashed a little between Yang and Nora, but the increased volume helped to drown out the angry mutters of the rest of the inn, and that was a bonus.

"Nothing to be seen outside," Ren reported. "We did a full sweep around the town and back. There were a few tracks from Grimm but they ended abruptly, probably killed by someone else."

"There were Heroes here before," I said, and explained the meeting with Tarkson. "Looks like Mistral is doing its part in the war. Or their Heroes are at any rate." I felt far less apprehension on that than I did the Soldiers. Just like us, Mistral's Heroes would be barred from involving themselves in the war – and nothing that we'd seen here had suggested they'd done anything to betray that.

"That explains some of what we saw," Ren said. "The ground was baked to clay in places and Nora found a set of horse tracks chasing something into the woods nearby. No Soldier Caste would be foolish enough to do that."

Another round of drinks came and went as everyone went over what they'd seen; no evidence of foul play, but mostly a small number of Grimm that had been dispatched soon after spawning. Blake also reported that every single body, Mistral and Vale, had been collected and set to two different funeral pyres, with the slain soldiers given full honours where they could be. Again, it wasn't perfect, but it was the best we could hope for and more than I would have expected.

"We're sticking around for a bit, then?" Yang asked once Pyrrha finished telling them about the letter. I nodded.

"We'll stay here until we know what the next move is, but we've been offered a chance to march with their army." I caught the complicated look that crossed Ruby's face. "I'm not saying I want us to, but our job is to hunt Grimm and like the General said, they're going to spawn where the fighting is. We should have time until more orders from Beacon arrive, though. They might tell us to go elsewhere, stay here, or even return for a new Quest."

"Well, whatever they do let's hope they do it quick. I'm not sure us being here is actually making things any better."

Yang's words proved prophetic. The noise in the inn was silenced as a pewter mug crashed against the floor and shattered. It was followed by a loud crash as a man stood up, grating the wooden table against the floor as he pushed it back.

"We need to do something!"

"Sit down, fool," someone snapped. "Before they hear you."

"No, I won't! I'm a proud citizen of Vale, not some religion-addled fanatic from Mistral. All this God-King this, and God-King that. Fuck 'em! They came here, killed our friends and took our town. Now they sit out there drinking our booze and acting like they're the lords of this place!"

"Which they are, you stupid fool." An older man slammed his mug down, not smashing it but making a mighty cracking noise to draw attention. "You saw yourself how they killed the Soldiers here. Now you want to rile others up to go against them? Think a little before you lead you and your friends to an early grave. Things aren't bad here but they'll get a hell of a lot worse if you act out."

"You're just a coward," the young man spat. "You're all cowards!"

"We should stay out of it," Weiss whispered, leaning forward so the whole table could hear her. "This isn't any of our business and our involvement will only make it worse."

"Won't he break the treaty?" I asked.

"Not a chance. They'll charge him for disturbing the peace and throw him in a cell for a day or two, then let him out. Some random Labour Caste losing their temper and attacking a Soldier is far less a problem than a Hero doing so."

He'd be forgiven for it; we wouldn't. The message was pretty clear. The chance of him actually causing any long-term damage if he acted out was low, but there was still a risk if he was able to whip the inn up into a frenzy. Not much of one, though. The Keep could close its gates and the majority of the army was camped outside.

"We'll step in if it gets really bad," I decided, passing the message along. "But only if this turns into a full-scale violence thing." I had a feeling it wouldn't, if only because not a single other person had risen to agree or throw their lot in with the man.

"You're all just going to sit there?" he snarled. "Fucking cowards, all of you." His eyes scanned the inn, and to my despair soon fell on us. I looked away but it was already too late. "You!" he howled, rushing over. "You're Heroes, right? Vale's Heroes, not theirs. You should be doing something!"

"We are doing something," Weiss said, trying to diffuse the situation. "We're making sure no Grimm spawn and cause any more damage. We'll be guarding Caddin's Rest from Grimm attack."

"What about an attack by Mistral!?"

"I doubt they'll attack a town they've already taken."

The man's hands slammed down on the table, rocking it. His eyes burned with molten fury and he drew in deep breaths, body shaking as he did. Despite that, not a one of us were moved. We'd all seen too much to find it intimidating.

"You're Vale Heroes!" he shouted. "You should be fighting for Vale, protecting Vale."

"We do."

"Then where were you!?" he screamed.

"We were on our way, but even had we been here we wouldn't have been able to intervene. The Treaty prevents it."

"A pox on the fucking treaty. You should have fought them back!"

"And if we had, then the Heroes they brought with them would have fought as well," Weiss explained. It was a testament to her willpower that she was able to remain calm, even in the face of such accusations. "If this turned into a Hero against Hero battle then your friends would still have died, only they'd have died far sooner and without any chance of defending themselves. You would have likely all died as well, if not to us then to the Grimm we'd have been unable to stop due to our being exhausted. Or dead."

"It may not be what you want from us," she went on, "but it is what you need. The Grimm pose a bigger threat to your life than Mistral's soldiers do."

The man seemed unable to understand. "But… But you're Heroes! You can fight them!"

"And who, then, would man the walls once we are gone?" Blake asked.

"We could!"

"And when the next attack from Mistral comes? Or from the Grimm?"

"Why… but…" His eyes narrowed and he sneered at us. "What would an Assassin know?"

"Her Class has nothing to do with the conversation," I snapped, moving in quickly. I made to stand but two hands gripped mine, Nora and Yang both dragging me back down. Even so, I glared at the hothead. "You want us to kill all these people because they killed your friends, but did it never occur to you that they might have friends and family as well?"

"Who gives a shit about that? They deserve to die for what they did."

"Sit down, Thomas, or I'll tan your hide myself," one of the other men in the inn called. "Heroes got their job just as much as you got yours. You want to change the way the world works, go out and do something. Stop trying to make others do your dirty work for you."

The man, Thomas, snarled once more, and shot us another look filled with hate. "Cowards," he hissed, turning and stomping away. The door to the inn slammed shut behind him. Gradually, the noise within returned to the level it had been at before.

"Definitely a good idea Tarkson banned his soldiers from drinking," Pyrrha said, laughing awkwardly. "That could have been about ten times worse if anyone from Mistral overheard it."

There was no arguing with that. Tensions were high enough as it was and it looked like the old General recognised that. Hopefully the guy would calm down outside or maybe after the alcohol worked its way out of his system. In a way it was depressing to see our side being the ones acting out in this way. The soldiers from Mistral were sticking to the rules, probably made easier because of how strict their culture was already.

For all our freedom and relative peace, we'd bred people like Thomas, who would lash out at people who could crush him in an instant.

"Do you think we should be able to do something, though?" Ruby asked.

"No," Weiss replied, without a second's hesitation. "Purge those thoughts from your head immediately. If we do something, whatever that something may be, then we instantly lose the last defence we have against the Grimm. I didn't lie earlier. A Hero on Hero war would be devastating, not just for the lives lost but how much damage we could cause. I imagine that between us we could take over the keep tonight if we wanted, and maybe even defend it against the army outside. Of course, by doing so we'd kill hundreds of people – some directly, some indirectly."

"Heroes fight Grimm," Yang said, agreeing. "Come on, sis. You know Mom would never turn her weapon on a person."

"Y-Yeah. I guess so."

The crisis was averted for now, it seemed. The moon had already been low before and was lower now, but it picked up again as Weiss manoeuvred the conversation into one about tracks they'd seen outside and trying to guess what kind of Classes the Heroes from Mistral were. It was a simple game but an appreciated one and everyone took part, pausing as another round of drinks was delivered and paid for.

There were a few loud shouts from outside the inn – followed by the noise of stampeding hooves as horses were ridden by the windows. The inn paused, but carried on drinking and chatting when nothing more occurred.

I was halfway into my third drink when the doors to the inn slammed open once more. It was Thomas again, the same guy who'd tried to drive everyone into rebellion, but this time his mouth was set in a wide smile and his eyes flashed wildly. "It's happening," he yelled. "It's happening right now!"

"What's the issue this time, Thomas?" the man from before growled. "Don't tell me you've set their horses off. They'll lash you for that – and you'll damn well deserve it."

"Shut it, old man. You might all be too scared to stand against them, but the rest of Vale isn't. They won't stand by and let our home be taken!"

His words were punctuated by the distant sound of horns and drums, pierced by several more Mistral soldiers urging their mounts onward, flashing by the windows as they surged out toward their camp.

"The army has arrived!" Thomas laughed. "They're going to liberate us!"

"They're going to cause a bloodbath more like," one of the other residents yelled. "Hasn't there been enough death already?"

I didn't listen to any more of it. An army from Vale meeting the Mistral one in open combat – for what other reason could the soldiers have to be marshalling outside the town's walls? The others were all shocked too, frozen and trading worried looks between one another.

"Grimm might spawn," Weiss stammered, suddenly nervous.

They might… and that meant only one thing. As much as I didn't want to admit it, let alone make the first move to follow through with it.

We had to be there.

We had to be a part of the battle.


A town captured, with varying views on how the people within see that. We get to see the Treaty in action here, as opposed to the theoretical concept it has always been before. As ever, nothing is ever implemented perfectly, but at least people try.

I'm sure this will be one of those lovely chapters which provokes crazy debate in the reviews, but please keep in mind that this is a POV piece, which means the opinions of those involved are not necessarily my own. I mean, they can't be really, since they contradict each other quite often. But I'll say it anyway, if just to save me being strung up.

I'm still a little sick, sadly. Here's to hoping my illness goes away soon.


Next Chapter: 5th March

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur