I know some people wanted more detail on Jaune's little trick with the runes on his armour, so I decided to give some in this chapter. On answer to another question, the other members of the Guild do hang out and do stuff in their spare time. It's just that this is first person Jaune PoV, so we only ever see what they do when with him.

The others train, laugh, hang out and generally do things together. It's not like they stop moving whenever he isn't present.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 5: Chapter 6


When we rode through the main gates of Beacon's outer wall I couldn't help but think the academy was deserted. The usual crowds of students that milled around outside the main academy building, especially around lunch time like now, was absent. The stream of people coming up the steps on either side of the cliff leading down to the Guild Village were nowhere to be seen, and although some torches burned outside the school itself, the corridors were empty. I'd never seen it so abandoned, even over the winter break. Almost everyone other than the first years must have been involved in the war, resting in their Guildhalls, or reporting to teachers.

Our procession dismounted by the stables, leaving our mounts to several Labour Caste members who hurried forward to take them. I patted Faith's neck absentmindedly, not even flinching when she huffed and pushed my hand away with her nose. Cinder received an odd look or two, slipping off her horse – which had left its barding and caparison behind. She wore a brown cloak that covered most of her frame, with a hood drawn up over her head.

Although her name and Class were still visible, it wasn't recognisable enough to be commented on. It was Prestige, but no one in Vale knew of Cinder Fall. That had been a saving grace at the main city gates, since Yang had convinced the guards she was someone they'd been tasked to collect for a Quest. Hero business and none of theirs, so they didn't need to check her face or take any records. I couldn't help but think it reflected poorly on them to not check just in case, especially since Vale was at war, but maybe they had bigger things to contend with.

"So, this is Beacon," Cinder said. "The architecture is impressive."

"What's Haven like?" Ruby asked.

"Haven Academy sits apart from the city of Mistral, and is its own walled compound on a series of hills and mountains. There are bridges leading between them, with a near-fatal drop on either side. It is a cold and imposing place to newcomers, but it has its charm. The views are astounding and the people there are dedicated."

"It sounds rather cut off from society," Weiss said.

"It is, at least to a degree." Cinder handed the reins of her mount to a Stable hand, who peeked under her hood and blushed at how beautiful she was. She didn't react to it, and simply kept talking. "In Haven, Heroes are taught to be more self-sufficient and not to rely on Soldier or Labour Caste members. I see you have guards from Vale on the walls, but we are expected to handle that task ourselves, and to collect our own food. The strong can travel to Mistral to purchase it, but new bloods are often forced to farm their own or pay exorbitant prices for upper years to bring some back from the city." She shrugged one shoulder. "It sounds harsh but it builds character. There is a very real need to train hard and become strong enough to make the journey to Mistral yourself. It weeds out many who are not prepared for a life of hard work – and shows aspirants that being a Hero is no merry ride. It is a duty."

"It sounds… interesting," Ruby said. Her heart wasn't in it, of course. Not after the mention of being forced to farm or scavenge for food. And we'd thought Beacon was bad with demanding lien for every service. At least they provided it! Pyrrha caught my eye subtly and nodded, reminding me of how she'd explained Mistral's culture as strict, especially when it came to Heroes. This was just another example of it, apparently. I could understand why she'd come to Vale, especially if she'd known about all of this in advance.

"We should move on and bring Cinder to Ozpin," I interrupted. "It might take time for him to be free, so the sooner the better."

Cinder nodded. "Yes, that would be preferable. Please lead on."

I wasn't sure if we should all be moving together, especially since that left nine of us to roam the halls like a small army, but no one seemed willing to stay behind and miss a chance to see what could be the start of the peace process, and I wasn't about to do so either. As it was several new students spared us odd glances as we moved, decked in our green tabards and proudly carrying the symbol of the treaty, weapons on full display. It was clear we'd come from combat, if not from the way we held ourselves than from the clear signs of wear and tear. Although we'd rested since the battle, there hadn't been a chance for us to freshen up.

Some even started to follow us – curiosity winning out over common sense as they tried, and failed, to remain hidden as they did. I wondered if we'd ever been like that, and wasn't sure if I felt amused or bemused by what they were doing. In the end we didn't find Ozpin but we did find Glynda Goodwitch, or rather she found us.

"Students," she greeted, nodding to us with something regarding genuine respect. "I see you've returned from your first encounter with the war. Is all well with you?"

"We're all safe, Miss Goodwitch," Pyrrha replied. "No one was hurt."

"Good. I see you looked after one another as taught. Continue to do so and you shall all make it through this trying time in one piece. Now, I hear from some rather impressionable souls that there is a group of scary heroes walking through the academy. I don't suppose you've seen them?" Her tone, sarcasm mixed with exasperation, made it clear she knew it was us, and what she thought of the idea. I snorted too, and a few of the others actually laughed.

"We're looking for Ozpin," I explained. "We have…" I spied the students listening in and decided to not take any risks. "We have someone who needs to see him."

Miss Goodwitch didn't miss Cinder in the middle of our group. "Someone…?"

"Someone who needs to see him in private," I repeated, eyeing the first years.

"Ah, I see." Rather than take us to Ozpin or somewhere private Glynda crossed her arms and rounded on the nearest gaggle of first years. "Well, what are you all standing around for? If you have time to gawk you have time to train, and there are plenty of you here still living in the Communal Halls. Beacon doesn't sponsor you to waste your time!"

The words, and the tone, had the desired effect – and several students bumped into one another in their haste to get away. In a matter of seconds the corridor was empty apart from us, although that still didn't stop the Warlock from shaking her head.

"I swear they don't understand the dangers ahead. Their Annual Quests will come around faster than they expect and they need to be strong enough for them. They don't have the time to be wandering around aimlessly."

That was a little unfair perhaps, since it was less than a week into their tenure here and they were probably still getting used to things. It was probably the stress of the war putting the teaching staff on edge.

"Now then, that we are alone. Who is this individual who needs to speak with Ozpin? An Elementalist is a Class I have rarely heard of, but I do not recognise your name, girl."

"I am Cinder Fall," she said, removing her hood, thankfully not upset at being addressed in such a way. "I am a representative of the royal family of Mistral, and wish to speak with the headmaster here."

Glynda's brow tensed. "Normal diplomatic channels have been maintained…"

"In private, if possible. I am not supposed to be here and there are many who would be upset if they knew I was. I've heard Ozpin has been looking for a means towards peace. I'd like to offer my services, and my advice."

"We trust her," I said, when Glynda looked our way for an answer. "She saved our lives on the Quest to Mistral. She led the team Ozpin's friend trusted to work with us against the Greycloaks. I'm also pretty sure Ozpin will know her, or of her."

"Hm. Very well. Come with me then, Miss Fall. Hunters, I'm sure we can have a new Quest lined up for you shortly – there are plenty to go around – but perhaps you'd like to take this opportunity to get some rest and freshen up. I can see you've already witnessed your first battle." Her eyes met each of ours. It felt like she was trying to make sure we were sound, or at least not in need of support. "It's our policy, or at least in so far as one can have a policy for something that has never happened before, but it is Oobleck's suggestion that every team coming back from their first War Quest have at least two days' rest. For health reasons," she explained.

I could get behind that, and understand it. The stress and panic of what we'd seen had been terrible, and we were one of the stronger teams of second years. It was possible others had been through much worse. The Hero Caste population was too low to let people snap under pressure.

"You said the first time," Weiss interrupted, catching the Warlock's comments. "Beacon has never had to operate during a war, then?"

"Not since the Treaty was formed, Miss Schnee. It was created after the last war, and fortunately people remembered the sorrow of it and chose not to make those same mistakes. Until now, that is."

"An issue I am seeking to rectify," Cinder said.

"Quite. Even so, in answer to your question, we've had to do the best we can with regards to policy here. Some aspects are mandated by the treaty, such as the War Quests to monitor major battles, but handling things like your wellbeing, health and deployment is our responsibility."

"I understand." Weiss nodded. "Thank you."

"Go get some rest, students," Glynda said, not unkindly. "You've more than earned it."

/-/

The Lodge had never looked so beautiful. My room had never felt so comfortable. The only thing that could have made it better was a hot bath, but the girls were currently fighting over than and Ren and me had decided to be gentlemen – or rather, not insane. Those fights were things we didn't want to get involved in. Either way, while I'd have killed for a bath I wasn't willing to be killed for one, and instead sat in my room prying the rune I'd fastened onto my armour off.

It was a delicate process, much harder than putting it on in the heat of the moment. Attaching it was as simple as placing the metal against my armour and melting the edges to weld it, but removing it took more finesse since I didn't want to damage the armour or the rune itself. I had to run my super-heated finger around it, careful not to get too close to warp the rune, and then pry it off with a dagger underneath the metal.

It was a hassle, but I eventually had a cooling piece of metal with a rune on it in my hand, which I put back into the bag with the other two. My Runesmithing still didn't let me put any on armour, nor did it let me put more than one rune on a weapon. I knew more could be done, however, because Watts' weapon had been ridiculous and this armour I'd taken had held three runes, each now in my rabbit-skin pouch.

The theory, or my theory, was pretty clever, or at least I thought so. If I couldn't attach more than one rune to my armour – and when I'd tried they'd simply overrode one another and not worked – then that meant I could at least stick one on. But picking between the three wasn't easy, and each did different things. If I knew what I'd need in advance then great, but if not then I'd be screwed if I'd put the wrong rune onto my breastplate.

So, why not have the versatility of all of them? Sure, I'd have to switch them during battle but it gave me options and that was the main thing. Ideally, I'd be able to keep collecting more too as I found or bought new armour, adding to my collection and welding on whatever I needed at the time.

I had a feeling this wasn't how I was supposed to be using my Runesmithing Skill, but meh, it worked. Even if I could forge one onto my armour myself, this would probably work better in the long run. Why have one rune when I could have a choice of three – or, in time – thirty? It also helped that since these weren't made by me, they could technically be far stronger than my weapon runes were. This one, which I'd made up the name `Cold Steel` for, increased both my Constitution and added some kind of ensnaring ice effect to whatever struck my armour. That was far beyond what I'd been able to achieve with Runesmithing so far.

It was a shame I couldn't do the same with weapons, but the runes needed to be on the weapon itself – which meant the blade instead of the hilt or cross guard. Tacking an extra piece of metal onto my armour wouldn't upset my balance too much, but doing the same on a sword would be bad. I couldn't even forge one into my sword, because that would stress heat a given area, and the rune would surely melt.

Still, I was happy with the runes so far. The ones on my swords were limited because I was being held back by my level and knowledge of runes, but these ones – like the Rune of Cold Steel – were far beyond what I could hope to craft even if I did know how. Simply put, I'd found a way to use it outside of my level limit.

It was better than the Skill I'd actually unlocked for reaching Level Thirty. Yet again my Labour Caste heritage had kicked in, and where everyone else would be getting special moves and super abilities, I'd been slapped with another convenience skill to make my life as a Blacksmith easier. I'd learned Engraving. Not how to engrave, of course, since I knew how to do that already – but a Skill that would let me engrave with my hands and my mind, as opposed to a chisel, hammer, and about three hours of hard labour. Convenient, yes, but not as nice as something I could use in combat.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "One second," I called, shaking my hand in the air so that it would cool down. For the sake of appearances I threw off my muddy jerkin and pulled on a linen shirt. "I'm decent. You can come in."

"Hey," Ruby said, grinning sheepishly as she poked her head in through the door. "Do you have a moment?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No. I just… I wanted to talk."

I waved her in and let her close the door behind her, Ruby padding over to sit on the end of my bed. She smelled like fresh flowers and her skin was clean, evidence that she'd just gotten out of the baths. Despite that, the Reaper looked worried about something.

"What's wrong?" I asked again.

"There isn't anything wrong with me. I really did just want to talk." Ruby sighed and didn't quite meet my eyes. She looked at the wall instead, and then at my weapon and breastplate on the main desk. "So, our first Quest in the war. That was pretty rough…"

"It was. I know people say `war is hell` but I never understood just how true that was."

"Yeah… I… well, I cried. I'm sorry about that…"

"I cried as well," I admitted, much to her shock. It was embarrassing to say it but Ruby looked like she needed to hear she wasn't alone in that regard. My pride wasn't worth her pain. "It was after the battle, but still, I think everyone had a bad reaction to it. Don't beat yourself up because of what happened. Besides, you cried when those horses fell. It was horrible."

"I can remember the sounds. Mom loved horses; I think I told you before. I just don't understand how people can kill one another. How can you look a person in the eye, knowing they're just like you, and kill them anyway?"

I felt an acute twisting in my gut at that. "I've killed someone," I said. "I killed the Berserker in Atlas…"

"That's different!" she argued. "Self-defence doesn't count. At least then you're focused more on living, but here, those Soldiers knew what was going to happen. If they'd all put their swords down then no one would have had to die. But they were so angry! I… I expected them to be frightened or nervous, but they were mad with rage. Some of them looked like they liked killing…"

"I'm sure it's not like that. It's probably the adrenaline, or the fear. People were lashing out because they were afraid of dying themselves. As for everyone agreeing to work towards peace, I don't know. Maybe it's easy for us to say things wrong when we're on the outside. It might be harder for them…"

"Yeah, probably." Ruby sighed and kicked her feet against the bed. "I just… I don't know. I'm angry, but also upset and I don't really know what to do about it. I don't like how we're made to just stand by and not do anything. We're supposed to be Heroes, right?"

"We are…"

"Then shouldn't the Heroes do something?"

That was a complicated question and one I didn't have an immediate answer to. Heroes should act, I agreed with that. But Blake had explained the treaty so well. It existed to protect, not to control or limit. But with Ruby's earnest eyes searching for mine, I felt conflicted. "That guy in the tavern wanted us to do something," I said. "He wanted us to expel the Mistral Soldiers ourselves."

"Not that," Ruby said, shaking her head. "We shouldn't fight them. I don't want us to hurt people from Mistral."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what do you mean?"

"I just think we should be able to stop things, or interfere a little – as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. I mean, Mistral's army there knew they'd win. That was why they fought outside instead of defending the city. They knew they had the advantage."

"General Tarkson certainly thought so."

"Then why couldn't the battle be decided beforehand? If it was a foregone conclusion, then maybe it could have ended sooner. Or maybe two Heroes could have fought to determine the outcome – saving all those lives. I… I don't know for sure." Ruby's face crinkled cutely. "I don't know what would be best, but there has to be something we can do. Other than cleaning up the mess, I mean."

"I don't disagree with you, Ruby," I said carefully. "Trust me, I want to do something as well – and if there is a way we can help without breaking the treaty then I'll be all for it. That's why I agreed to help Cinder come here."

"Yeah, that's a good start. I just think we should be able to intervene. Or at least to stop really bad stuff happening."

"Really bad stuff?"

"General Tarkson was nice, or at least honourable – but not everyone will be," she explained. "If we see one side doing terrible things that aren't technically illegal, can we do anything to stop them?"

"I… I don't know. Maybe if what we're doing is against the treaty."

"But what if it's not? We can't hurt or attack Soldier Caste members during a war, and we can't influence a battle to help one side win. But if we saw one army about to attack another and the second army has no hope of winning, then do we have to let it happen? What if we could talk to the doomed army and convince them to surrender peacefully? That wouldn't break the rules in spirit, right? We wouldn't be changing the outcome or impeding. The attacking army might even let us do it."

"Maybe…" It was a dangerous suggestion, but not an invalid one. It was interfering in a sense, but in that example I couldn't help but think both sides might be for it. The attackers wouldn't have to lose men and would still have what they came for, while the defenders wouldn't need to give their lives in a battle they couldn't hope to win. "I guess if something like that happens we can ask. The worst the attacking General can say is `no`… if they agree then we could go ahead."

Ruby looked visibly relieved and smiled up at me. "You'd ask?"

"I would. It wouldn't cost us anything and I don't think it would break the treaty. If they said no, though, then I'm not sure what we could do." We couldn't force them, obviously. "All I could do would be to ask."

"That would be enough," she said. "As long as we're willing to try." Ruby leaned over and hugged me tightly. "Thanks, Jaune. I just don't want to do nothing in the future. Maybe we couldn't stop this fight, but we can at least try to the next time."

I had a feeling Blake wouldn't approve but I nodded along and wrapped my arms around Ruby. Trying wouldn't hurt, and since the treaty was mostly untested there might be people willing to let us test things out a little. If they wouldn't then they wouldn't, but Blake would probably be okay with us asking. Just not with us taking the law into our own hands.

And really, it wasn't like Ruby was suggesting anything I didn't already want. Heroes were supposed to be, well, heroic. A proper hero wouldn't sit by and let terrible things happen in front of them. If all it took for evil to exist was for a good person to do nothing, then wasn't that what we were doing?

"Was this what had you so worked up?" I asked.

"Yeah…" Ruby giggled, in a better mood once more. "I just didn't want to imagine us doing the same thing again without trying to make it better for everyone. I wanted to talk to Yang or Weiss about it, but they're still bothered by what they saw. Besides, you're more like what a hero is supposed to be sometimes."

"I am? How so?"

"Well, you always try to help people and you're good friends with everyone. You wanted to help all those people in Atlas when Viktor wanted to move on. That's what a proper Hero is supposed to be. That's what mom was like."

My smile faltered just a little. Summer Rose. I'd heard of her from three people now and still had no idea what to make of what I'd learned. Yang and Qrow's accounts of her were already so varied, even before Ruby's obvious worship came into it. One thing that I was sure of was that I didn't want to be too similar to her. I didn't want to die like she had.

"Sometimes I think I'm not even cut out to be a Hero," Ruby went on, heedless of my silence. "I mean, I'm not as strong as everyone else – even if I am fast."

"Don't say that, Ruby. You've killed your fair share of Grimm. You're plenty good enough to be a Hero."

"Yeah, but my Cla…" She paused. Her eyes widened and she clamped her mouth shut.

"Your…?"

"N-Nothing. Forget I said anything." Ruby stood and laughed awkwardly, dusting herself down. "Thanks for talking to me and stuff. I'll be – I'll be fine now. Just had to get it out my system, you know?"

"Ruby, I-" Another knock on the door interrupted me.

Blake opened it and strode in, though she paused at the sight of Ruby and raised an eyebrow. Ruby's cheeks darkened. She muttered a panicked apology and brushed by the Assassin, leaving us alone. Rather than be suspicious or jealous, Blake just looked confused. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Just us talking. Ruby was feeling down after Caddin's Rest."

"We all are… maybe I should go talk to her, or ask Yang to." Blake sighed, but then paused as she recalled why she'd come in the first place. "Ah, the baths are free. Ren already had his and said you were busy and shouldn't be disturbed."

That sneaky bastard…

"Thanks, Blake." I stepped forward to lay a kiss on her but she backed away. Hurt, I stared at her.

She slapped my chest with a little smile; one that took my fear away. "You smell of Grimm, death and horse," she said. "If you think you're coming near me like that, you're mistaken."

"Ah, you're not a fan?"

"Bathe, Knight."

"As you command, my lady."

/-/

Clean, fresh, and smelling like scented roses – courtesy of some soap I totally hadn't stolen from Yang, if anyone asked – I made my way up the giant staircases back toward Beacon. A message had been delivered by a Cook while I'd been in the bath, requesting one of the Guild come meet with Ozpin. As the only one not present to make up an excuse why I couldn't do it, I'd been lumped with the job. No one had quite been able to meet my eyes as they explained that, the traitors. It hardly helped that Weiss had said this sounded like a job for a Class with high Charisma. Well, that should have ruled me right out – but no, a Knight obviously had Charisma to spare.

As such, I grumbled to myself about friends and traitors as I slogged up the staircase on a brisk spring afternoon, fighting the kind of breeze that refused to let go of the icy touch of winter and still longed for the snow. My muscles ached too, for while the bath had been wonderfully relaxing and there'd still been hot water left, my body had taken that as permission to rest and relax. The sudden shift to exercise had caught it off guard and I could feel my legs complaining even now.

"Finally," I sighed when I reached the top, yawned, and trekked toward the main building. I made the trip every day, but after a fight the night before and a long horse ride, this somehow felt worse.

The corridors were fairly busy now, more so than they had earlier. It was easy to pick apart the new students from existing ones, mostly because the first years were often gawking at the architecture, or getting lost, or – my personal favourite – heading in the wrong direction while refusing to admit they were lost or lowering themselves to ask for directions. Those who could swallow their pride were few, although I was stopped at least twice by embarrassed students asking for help. I had to remind myself I'd been in their shoes once.

It was as I was explaining the route to the cafeteria that a familiar figure found me. I'd just explained, for the second time, how it was a left turn at the library, when a voice called out my name in delighted surprise.

"It's you," she said – eyes wide, curly and bushy hair on full display. "You're back!"

"Me?" I blinked at her. To my credit it only took a few seconds for the name to seep back – though it floating over her head should probably have clued me in sooner. "Ah, Ellayne. Hey."

The Fighter, who I'd thought shy, crashed into me a second later, actually managing to make me step back a pace, not a small feat. Her arms wrapped around my stomach and she probably should have counted herself lucky I wasn't wearing my breastplate, because she might have knocked herself out on it.

"H-Hey," I laughed, nervously placing my hands on her shoulders. "It's good to see you, too."

The young man I'd been giving directions to, a Mage, stared at us with wide eyes. When I gave him a stern look – I'd explained the route twice, for crying out loud – he nodded and scurried off, leaving the two of us alone.

"I never got a chance to thank you," she said into my chest, voice quiet yet audible to my ears. "You saved my life, and then you let me stay in Beacon. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

To my horror she actually started to cry against my linen shirt. A whole year living with six girls, seven including Velvet, and I still had no idea what to do in this situation. I looked around for help, assistance, a miracle, but those who did notice the girl's tears wisely averted their eyes and hurried on their way. Luckily, Ellayne recovered after a quick snuffle and looked up at me with a beaming smile. While not intrinsically beautiful like Cinder, or alluringly so like Yang or Blake, she was cute in her own way, with tiny dimples on her cheeks that pressed in and large green eyes.

"I kept thinking what might happen to you, what with the war, and how I never even got a chance to say thank you. I didn't even know you'd helped me! I sat in the cafeteria as the names were read out and I kept waiting for mine. I… I didn't know what to think when it didn't come." She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her jacket, a beige thing of padded linen and leather. "You lied for me," she whispered. "You lied to let me into Beacon."

I cringed, suddenly wary of anyone nearby. "Not officially I didn't…"

"I get it." Ellayne smiled cheekily. "I'll never tell anyone, I swear." She pushed back off me, suddenly a little embarrassed by her display. "How are you, anyway? You're a second year, right? I asked about you a little bit, but only a few people knew you."

She'd been asking about me? I didn't know whether to feel flattered or not. I supposed it made sense since I'd helped her. "I'm doing fine. I've just come back from a Quest with the rest of my Guild. We're getting a day or two to rest before we head out again."

"So soon? Is it always like that?"

"No, not normally. You won't be expected to do anything like this for a while, and even when you do the war will probably be over, so it'll be rare things." I found it surprisingly easy to slip into the role of a mentor. Maybe it was because a part of me wished someone had done the same for me at her age, but whatever the case I was happy to explain – though I decided to keep any visceral mention of the war to myself. "You can't do any real Quests until you do your Annual Quest, but most people just do them for extra lien, as an alternative to farming in the Emerald Forest."

"Oh, cool. I tried to do a little farming with a friend I made." Her face twisted and she groaned. "It was so busy, though! We had people fighting over every Grimm that appeared."

"Did someone sell you the location?" I asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Every single year," I groaned, shaking my head. "Okay, do you have a map on you?" She nodded and offered one to me. I grabbed it and looked around for something I could use to write on it, eventually settling for a burnt piece of wood from a nearby wall sconce. I filed it to a point with a knife and started to write. "Okay, see here? This is where most new students are sent but everyone knows about it so it's usually saturated with people. Try here instead. It's got the same kind of Grimm but less people. You need to be careful though; less people means more Grimm and no one around to help if things go bad. Try and get a bigger party if you go there."

"The friend I was with has some people he knows. I could try and ask them…"

"Sure. Tell them you know a better place to farm and they'll probably help you. Now, once you get a little stronger there's this area…"

I continued to explain and mark locations down for her, careful to stick to what I knew were the safer zones close to the walls. Ellayne listened intently, nodding whenever prompted and asking the occasional question. Whether it was how she normally was, or because it was me, she was a good student, taking everything in. When I was done I gave her the map back, and she promised not to go to any of the places alone.

"I'm not that strong, anyway," she said. "I won't take any silly risks. I promise."

"Good." I rubbed her head and was a little surprised to find her leaning into my hand. Heh, Ruby always growled and backed off when I did that. It occurred to me then that I'd just been lecturing her and hadn't really checked if she was okay. Blake's words of warning came back to me. "How are you finding Beacon?" I asked. "Are you struggling with any of the lessons?"

"I'm doing okay. Everything is so big, and we've not had many lessons but I like Oobleck and Port is okay, I guess." She grumbled something about long-winded, and I nodded. "I'm okay in combat, too. I lost against a Mage in my first fight, but I was able to beat an Archer in my second. Miss Goodwitch says my defence is good but I'm not aggressive enough. I need to close the distance faster." She grinned. "That's how I won the second match and she said I'd done well to learn my lesson."

"That's good," I complimented. I'd lost my first fight too, against Yang, so I couldn't exactly criticise Ellayne. Mages could be tricky for pure melee fighters too, or so Weiss often said. "Make sure to listen to what Miss Goodwitch says. She knows her stuff."

"I'm flattered you think so, Mr Arc."

Ellayne yelped even as I flinched, the two of us whirling to see the stern faced Warlock, albeit with a small smirk on her features. She tapped her crop against her arm.

"I believe you have a meeting to attend, Mr Arc. While I find your willingness to educate a younger student admirable, and your defence of my teaching, I believe it would benefit all involved for you to meet with the headmaster. Preferably before things get any worse."

"Worse?"

The woman sighed. "You'll see."

I nodded and turned back to Ellayne, who had hidden behind me a little. "Looks like I have to go. It was good seeing you again and if you need anything, feel free to ask." I didn't expect her to, at least not straight away – but she surprised me by doing so.

"Well, would you be willing to help me train a little? Maybe just a spar tomorrow? if you're free... I don't want to be a bother..."

"I, well…" I glanced to Miss Goodwitch, who shrugged, leaving the decision with me. I looked back to Ellayne, which proved to be a mistake. Her eyes were big and watery, her lips forming a small smile of hope, and yet even that was tinged with an almost certain knowledge that I'd say no. It was like she was preparing herself for disappointment, but taking the risk nonetheless.

I couldn't say no to it...

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." I glanced away when her eyes lit up and she drew in an excited breath. Geez, what was with that reaction? "What time are you free? As long as another Quest doesn't come along I can help you out." Coco had done the same for me, after all – and I did have the day off, so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle.

"How about two in the afternoon?" she babbled, too excited to stand still. "I have the rest of the day off."

"Sure. I'll see you there." I nodded and watched as the younger girl grinned and ran off, pausing at a turn in the corridor to wave back with a huge smile. She rounded the corner a second later, gone. I couldn't say I'd expected to see her again after cheating for her, but that hadn't been so bad.

"That was a kind gesture, Mr Arc."

"It's allowed, right?" I asked.

"There are no rules against helping people in the school. I occasionally punish unruly older students by having them act as mentors for first years. It is more productive to both sides than locking them in a room, and helps to teach responsibility. I doubt you'll have much time to mentor her with the war, but the occasional spar or advice can only help her." The Warlock nodded to the side. "You really should get to the tower, though. Ozpin is waiting."

"Okay, thanks." I jogged away when she let me go, focusing on reaching the long staircase that led up to the main tower. Atlas Academy had some kind of magical system which levitated the floor up, but there was no such luck here. I worked my way up the staircase, which was easily the same distance as the one from the Guild Village up to the main school. It was little wonder the headmaster managed to stay fit if he had to contend with these every day.

Raised voices caught my attention long before I reached the top. It sounded like Cinder and Ozpin were in negotiations – and that they weren't going swimmingly. I hesitated on the top floor, in the foyer before the headmaster's office. There was an open door I could hear them through while I tried to decide if I should interrupt or not.

"The blood price Mistral demanded was exorbitant. There was no chance the King could be expected to pay it, not and lose the faith of the Noble Caste."

"He is the King! He should be able to do as he wishes – and are you honestly telling me three million lien is not worth the lives that will be lost here and now?"

"That is not what I am saying at all! Had I that kind of money I would pay the blood price myself, but the Kingdom cannot amass that much wealth so quickly. It was an impossible request."

"The Royal Family would have taken payment in kind, headmaster. Perhaps in valuable artefacts, weapons, or equipment…"

"Most of which would be ancestral, and so linked to any Noble families. The King cannot make his people give up what is theirs."

"Then what is the point of his position? Mistral gave as many options as we could. We did not want this."

"Your future father-in-law obviously did, Miss Fall, otherwise he would not have commanded his army so set sail, nor would he have spent the winter increasing military spending while we struggled to reach a peace agreement."

"I do not appreciate what you are suggesting…"

That was probably my cue to step in – and I could see what Miss Goodwitch meant now. I coughed loudly and stomped a little on the tiles as I entered. As expected, the two stopped immediately and turned in my direction. Cinder looked irritated, while Ozpin's calm façade had cracked just a little. Even so, the headmaster smiled when he saw me.

"Ah, Mr Arc. Perfect timing."

"I hope I'm not interrupting," I lied.

"Not at all," he returned, the truth equally as absent from his words. "I'd like to thank you for bringing Miss Fall here in fact. I had the opportunity to meet her in Mistral a year or two ago, so I knew of her identity. Still, it pleases me to know she shares our view on peace between the Kingdoms."

"Even if we disagree on the exact means," Cinder said.

"Yes, well, I apologise if I sounded brusque. It has been a trying week."

"I understand, headmaster." Cinder nodded, playing the spat off easily. She'd probably been trained as such. "I suppose our passions got ahead of reason, but I'll take that as a sign of how determined we each are to resolve this."

The Sage nodded. "Well said. I take no offence and hope none is taken in turn." He waited for Cinder to nod and turned to me with a gentle smile. "And yourself, Mr Arc. I apologise for not being able to meet with you and your Guild, but Cinder tells me you were forced to witness a fierce battle. Are you and yours well?"

"As well as we can be," I replied. Ozpin was an odd man but I never got the sense he was anything less than honest, and he did genuinely seem to care about us all. "No one was hurt and if we're a little shaken, I think it's understandable. We'll be fine in a day or two."

"Good. Alchemist Oobleck suggested students returning be given rest between each Quest. I assume Glynda has informed you." He waited for my nod. "Perfect. There will be no classes, so feel free to relax or train – whatever helps to take your mind off of things."

"We will. Is that why you wanted to talk to me, sir?" I knew it wasn't, and the headmaster took the hint for what it was.

"Not quite. I wanted to ask if your Guild would be willing to provide lodging for our esteemed guest." He indicated Cinder, who looked to me and nodded her head, agreeing with the request. Even so, I couldn't help but stammer a little.

"U-Us, sir? I mean, we'd be happy to, but shouldn't she stay somewhere a little more… nice?"

"I'd prefer my presence here to be kept a secret for now," Cinder explained, answering for the headmaster. "While there's nothing intrinsically wrong with my being here, the King may see it as my disagreeing with his motives." Which she was, she didn't add. "As such staying under the protection of the headmaster would just draw attention. I think it would be better if I stayed with someone a little less obvious."

And since she'd arrived with us and people had seen her, it only made sense we played it off as her being a friend – or maybe even a distant cousin of Blake's, since their hair and eyes were so similar. The Lodge did have plenty of room now that it had been refurbished, so it wasn't like we lacked for space. "It's fine with us," I said. "I'm sure everyone will be okay with it."

Cinder nodded her head again. "You have my thanks, Jaune, as does the entire Guild."

"Any costs from her presence will be covered by myself," Ozpin said, "but for the meantime please ensure no one learns the truth of her heritage. Her name and Class are not so well-known out of Mistral, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem if she moves around, but for fear of the King here discovering her it would be best if she kept to Beacon."

"I have no issues with that," Cinder said.

"Perfect. We'll continue our discussion tomorrow, then. Hopefully now that the unpleasantness is out of the way we can both focus on a productive outcome and a plan to broker peace. While I can't speak for the King, I do hold some sway."

"The same for myself. Thank you, Ozpin." Cinder turned and strode over to me, making it clear it was time to leave.

The silence became cloying as we made our way down the staircase. I didn't want to speak lest I interrupt her thoughts, yet the tap-tap of our feet on the stone steps echoed like the tolling of a distant bell. I could hear every breath I took, until, at last, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"Did the meeting not go as planned?"

Cinder seemed surprised by the question. "Hm? I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. What was that?"

"The meeting… it sounded like you were arguing and it got pretty heated. Is there still a chance of peace, or do you think the differences are too much?"

"You heard us, then?" she asked, sighing. "Our tempers frayed, I'll admit. That is natural however, and I meant what I said about not letting it interfere with our hopes for a resolution. When two sides disagree it is understandable that there might be some friction, especially at the onset of negotiations. We are both frustrated about the war."

"You're pretty diplomatic…"

"Am I?" Cinder sighed heavily. "I apologise, I've treat you like some dignitary to be wooed. It's the training I've been through for my position. To speak frankly we're both angry at being dragged into this and I used Ozpin as a substitute for the King of Vale. My anger wasn't really directed at Ozpin at all, nor was his at me, I imagine."

That was good to know. "Do you think you can make it work, then?"

"I think there's a possibility or I wouldn't be here. What Ozpin and I agreed on wholeheartedly was that the Greycloaks are probably to blame for this, but their motives remain clouded. Even with that monster," her face twisted," that was summoned in the temple, there isn't enough information to go on. If she feeds on negativity as your report suggests, then a war would be a sure means of acquiring it – but not in a focused manner. It would be spread across an entire kingdom. It's more likely the war is a diversion than a means to an end, but a diversion for what?"

"Something bad…"

"That goes without saying. Whatever the case, the peace process doesn't involve the Greycloaks and the fact they may or may not have started it won't change anything now. The King of Vale cast a grave insult when he dismissed the blood price – essentially telling the families of those slain that their loved one's lives weren't worth the lien. My King was left without a choice but to invade after so grave a slight."

"Yeah, but…" I winced. "Three million…?"

"It was a callous figure, I admit. Still, negotiation would have been preferable to outright refusal. We place great stock in culture and history, so it could have been paid off with items or equipment, plenty of which Vale holds. There might even have been potential for an exchange of supplies, such as Mistral taking control or tithe from an iron mine for a number of years. Either way, there were chances to prevent this happening. Sadly, your Kingdom's habit of catering to the masses and your Noble Caste prevented this. No one wanted to give up a piece of their land and wealth, and your King refused to demand it." The irritation in her tone made clear her thoughts on that. "If our situations were reversed, our King would have simply taken what he needed and given it away."

"But only if he admitted guilt," I pointed out. "Again, if this is the Greycloaks then maybe Vale can't pay the blood price. If we do, it's basically lying and saying we attacked innocent people."

"True, and therein lays the problem. Neither side will admit they are wrong and now people are dying. My people are dying. This has to stop. I shall make it stop." Cinder's hand clenched into a fist. Her eyes sparked with fire, and embers began to appear in the air around us. The stone step below her started to glow orange. "I will end this war."

I swallowed nervously as the heat in the cramped tower staircase increased. "Cinder…?"

The heat winked out. Her eyes returned to normal. "I'm sorry. My temper evaded me." She took a deep breath and let it go. "Let's return to your Guildhall, Jaune. I'd like to rest."

"S-Sure thing." I laughed it off but couldn't quite hide the fear that had shot through me, or the nervousness I suddenly felt having her behind me. For a second those flames had felt incredibly close, almost like they were burning me alive. The look in her eyes had been nothing short of deadly.

We made the journey back to the Lodge in silence.


Background information, situation explanations and a brief rest for our Heroes… it's been a busy week's start to the new year all round – a lot busier than what they got up to last year. Peace between Mistral and Vale is going to be a little more complicated than expected, especially since proving Greycloak involvement will do little at this point. Blood has already been spilt.

Oh, and little things from Ruby of course.


/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Jaune Arc

Level 30 (+1)

Blacksmith

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Str: 84 (+3) (A)

Con: 65 (+3) (B)

Dex: 18 (+0) (D) (Rune: 22)

Agi: 31 (+1) (C)

Int: 43 (+2) (C)

Wis: 56 (+3) (B)

Cha: 14 (+0) (D)

Res: 91 (+5) (A)

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Passive Skill

-Fire from the Forge-

Immunity to heat, flames and associated damage caused from his forging process.

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Known Active Skills

-Stoke the Forge-

Generate intense heat in the hand for a short period of time, capable of super-heating metal to forging temperatures without the use of a forge.

-Quench-

Rapidly cool metal-based material to achieve a hardening effect during the forging process. Quench can only be used in metallurgy, as opposed to Stoke the Forge, which can generate heat in the hand irrespective of what it is then used on.

-Runesmithing-

The ability to etch Runes onto weapons, the effect of which is determined by the Rune itself. Limited to a single Rune per weapon.

-Engraving-

Engrave intricate patterns into metal-based material without the use of tools. Speed of technique determined by complexity and size of design.

- Weapon Runes-

Rune of Minor Dexterity - +4 to Dexterity

Rune of Minor Constitution - +4 to Constitution

-Armour Runes-

Rune of Cold Steel - +16 Constitution, Inflict Ice-Based Damage on Retaliation

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So, yeah, he has levelled – and also gained well, not a new skill, but has managed to figure out a way to exploit the system of the world to his benefit in a pretty significant manner. Essentially, he doesn't need to know what a Rune does if he can just collect them… nor does it matter whether they might have a level requirement he doesn't meet. After all, someone – or something (i.e. the world in the case of random loot drops) – already did the crafting for him.


Next Chapter: 19th March

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