Argh, it's that time of the week – Monday! It's snow and ice over here because we've been hit with the "pest from the west", which has yet again shown that not only does the UK have no preparation in store for bad weather, but that we can't name shit, either. I mean, seriously, this has KILLED people. How is that supposed to go on your epitaph?

"Coeur al'Aran. He wrote good Fanfiction, but was eventually done in by the pest from the west."

Ugh, and don't get me started on "the beast from the east" that we had a week or two earlier. It sounds like a sex pest and his much more aggressive cousin.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 5: Chapter 7


The attack came in slowly. Too slowly. I stepped to the side and lashed out, catching the sword on the guard of mine and twisting it to the side. My body moved in, checking my opponent's. A draw back, while they were over-extended, allowed me to ram my elbow into their chest, before the sword came around and hovered over their throat, ready to slice through flesh and arteries.

Ellayne fell back to the grass with a gasp. Her sword slapped down beside her.

"Not bad," I said, feeling that it was – bad, that is – but not so bad as to be hopeless. It was probably better than I could have managed in my first week. "You need to put all your strength into every strike, though. If you'd hit harder I wouldn't have been able to check your attack and step into you like that. I'd have had to focus on blocking instead. You have Strength; use it."

"I-I thought the attack might fail," Ellayne panted. "It always did before, so I didn't want to overcommit..."

"That's no excuse. It will fail if you expect it to." I placed Crocea Mors down so its tip dug into the soil and leaned on the cross guard. "I know I'm stronger than you, at least in raw stats, but you'll face a lot of creatures that might be. You need to always attack with everything you have, because if you mess up you won't get a chance to go back and do it again."

"I understand." Fresh determination came into her eyes, as it had every time I offered some piece of advice. She stood shakily and brought her sword before her. Hard working she definitely was, but we'd been sparring for a good hour already and the poor girl looked like she might collapse at any moment. Still, she didn't complain. I was impressed.

"Take a breather," I said kindly. "We'll do a little more afterwards," I added, when she made to complain. "I'm not going anywhere."

"A-Are you sure? I'm not keeping you too long, am I?"

"I promised I'd come and train with you if I could. I'm here. Relax."

She nodded frantically, a huge smile blossoming on her face. "You are – and you're so strong! I've never met someone as powerful as you. It's amazing."

"You have met someone stronger," I pointed out. "Ozpin and Glynda are much stronger than me, not to mention Blake." I saw the confusion on her face and elaborated. "Blake is the girl that was with me when we saved you on the First Quest."

"T-The Assassin…?"

"Yes. She's a member of my guild and she's much stronger than I am. I wouldn't stand a chance against her if she took a fight seriously."

"I bet you would win," Ellayne said, disagreeing with the kind of blind faith only someone who didn't know better could manage. "Besides, you're the Guild Leader. Someone told me that when I was trying to find you. You were made Guild Leader in your first year, and your Guild were one of the earliest in Beacon's history to complete their Annual Quest!"

Both of those being things we shouldn't have done, and both being firmly Torchwick's fault. I didn't want to explain that to Ellayne however, and so smiled indulgently. "Blake is still stronger than me. Why don't you go and bring some of those snacks we brought with us? Set them out and we'll make a picnic of it."

"Okay!" Ellayne ran off to do so, though not so far as to leave my sight. The Emerald Forest wasn't entirely safe enough for that, even if we were in a small copse of trees barely fifty metres into it. Beacon was still visible through the trees and the chance of running into any Grimm was low. If we did, either of us should be enough for them.

Ellayne had been nervous about that at first, though she'd not argued with me when I told her it would be okay. I had a feeling she wouldn't have argued with anything I said so long as I kept my promise to train her. I wasn't sure what to make of her behaviour towards me, but so far she'd been eager and willing to learn. Maybe I was reading into it too much. If our positions had been reversed, I'd have been desperate to learn whatever I could from an older student.

A rustle behind sounded an instant before a pair of feet landed softly on the grass, not crinkling a single leaf, nor snapping a single twig. Sometimes Blake's stealthy approaches were less so because no one could match her. Or maybe she was just being obvious so that I didn't panic. She stepped up beside me, arms crossed.

"I don't like her."

"Why not? I'm just training her." I nodded toward Ellayne. "She's trying her hardest, Blake."

"Not her," Blake waved a hand dismissively. "I couldn't care less about you training some younger year. At least she's trying her hardest. I mean Cinder. I don't like her, and I certainly don't trust her."

"Is this about my suggestion you pretend to be sisters?"

Blake's golden eyes narrowed. "I especially don't like that."

"Then we won't do it," I said, turning fully towards her. "It was just an idea. We can try something else. As for Cinder, I'm not sure what has you so bothered about her. She helped us in Mistral and Ozpin vouched for her identity. She's helping us work towards peace."

"Peace on her terms. She only has Mistral's best interests at heart."

"Don't we with Vale?"

"I'm not originally from Vale, so I don't mind either way," Blake said. Despite that, she hesitated a little and I couldn't help but think it was more bravado than anything. "But what I mean is that there's something about her which makes me nervous. She's so powerful, too powerful. She could kill us all if she wanted to."

"So could you. The Guild wouldn't feel a thing if you decided to slit our throats while we slept."

Blake swatted my arm, lips drawn into a snarl. "Don't joke about that!"

"Sorry. I'm just not sure what you're worried about. She seems like a good person. She's saved our lives in Mistral, and mine on several occasions now." The words caused Blake to waver. It was obvious in the way she bit her lip and glanced away. "Just give her a chance. I'm not asking you to be best friends. All she's doing is staying in the Lodge."

Blake sighed. "If that's what you want. I guess we'll be out of there on a new Quest soon enough anyway. I hope she doesn't bother Velvet while we're gone."

"I doubt she would." When Blake didn't respond I nudged her arm and smiled. "Let's not have something like this bother our free time. Why don't you join me and Ellayne for a picnic? The weather's good."

"I'd rather not."

"Why?"

"I make the girl nervous. She hasn't stopped staring at me since she noticed my arrival," Blake replied, pushing some hair back behind one ear. "I'd best go. I promised Ruby and Yang I'd hunt some Grimm with them in the northern reaches of the Emerald Forest."

"Be careful out there."

"When am I not?" Blake chuckled and turned away. She took one step towards the nearest tree and seemed to fade from view. We were alone a second later. Ellayne gasped from behind, clutching a jug of water in one hand, eyes wide as she stared at where the Assassin had been.

"That was Blake," I said, laughing as I sat down in front of the cloth Ellayne had laid out. "She was just coming to tell me where she's training. She sends her regards." Okay, the last bit was a stretch but I went with it anyway.

"She seems scary," Ellayne said, only relaxing when I did, and even then still looking a little jumpy.

"She's not about to leap out at you," I said. "Relax. And she's not scary, not really. Don't tell her I said so, but she's really a little pussy-cat at heart. Just like any other cat she thinks of the whole Guild as belonging to her, and won't let any of us run into harm. I'd trust her with my life. I have," I added with a little laugh, "on multiple occasions."

"Hm. Okay…" Ellayne didn't quite smile but she tried. "I heard some things about you and an Assassin but they sounded stupid. They were saying crazy things."

My eyes darkened. I knew the rumours full well. They were callous things like how I was paying Blake for sex, or how she spread her legs for me for the protection of me and my Guild. I wanted so badly to silence them but I had no idea where they'd started or how. Blake, of course, saw no point in trying. "Ignore them," I said firmly. "There are a lot of horrible things going around."

"I didn't believe them! I knew they had to be wrong."

"Good girl."

As we sat down to eat I asked Ellayne about whether she was making friends and getting on with people, more to prompt a conversation than anything else. The smile that split her face was huge though, and she dove into a description of the small amount of friends she'd made in her time, even describing their looks, Classes, and how they acted around her. I had the impression she hadn't had many good friends in her life before Beacon. That might have explained why she clung onto me so tightly.

Before long she asked about Quests, not only what kind she might have to do but for stories of mine. I gave her a highly edited version of Atlas, not only missing out the reasons why we'd gone, but also what nearly happened between Blake and I, and also how Viktor had died. It wouldn't have done to terrify her before she'd even been on one, and the chances of hers going as badly as ours had was slim.

"How did you get so strong?" Ellayne asked once I was done. "Is it because you're a Knight? Is it some secret technique?"

"Neither of those. I just worked hard – and I had a lot of really strong friends who were willing to put up with me. Really, they're more impressive than I am. They managed to get as strong as they were even before reaching Beacon." Blake and Pyrrha came to mind, but Pyrrha's could be explained. I recalled she'd once said how someone had taken her through a Dungeon at a young age. Mistral and its favouritism for Prestige Classes, no doubt.

Blake, though…? I never dared to ask. Not after the first time.

"You can get just as strong as I am," I went on. "You just need to work hard at it. Find people to train with, and if that doesn't work go to Glynda and ask her if she knows anyone who is looking to spar. I'm sure she would help."

"Miss Goodwitch?" Ellayne bit her lip. "She's a little…"

"Intimidating?" I asked. She nodded. "She is, but she'll always help a student if she can. She's definitely strong," I added, thinking of the time she'd fought Watts away. "Even if all she can offer is advice, it'll probably be better than mine."

"Can't we train together, though?"

"We can," I hedged, not quite able to meet her eyes. They were too endearing, too trusting. "I'm not always going to be here, not with the war on. I'll be in and out of Beacon, but I'll check in on you when I can. Okay?"

"You will!?" Her gasp was echoed with a wide smile. She didn't move to hug me, not like the last time, but her eyes danced with barely concealed joy. She rocked back on the spot. It was obvious the gesture meant a lot to her.

"When I can. You know I'm busy."

"Hm!" Ellayne nodded cutely. "I'll train as hard as I can, master. I'll show you how strong I can get."

"M-Master…?" I stammered.

"Is that wrong?" she asked nervously. "Miss Goodwitch told me about how some older students used to take younger ones on and mentor them. She said they were called Masters and Apprentices…"

"She did?" I scratched my head, a little embarrassed. "What else did she say?"

"Only that I shouldn't waste your time and I should listen to everything you say." Ellayne smiled proudly, obviously not put out by the thought of something she'd planned to do anyway. "Miss Goodwitch said how you were one of the best people I could have found to teach me and how I should try and be half as good as you."

"Ah…" I coughed. Wow, was it just me or had the forest suddenly become a little warmer? I tugged at the collar of my armour. "M-Miss Goodwitch said that? You're sure she was talking about me and not someone else?"

"It had to be you. She told me it right after we finished talking yesterday." The girl adopted a thinking pose with one hand on her chin. "She said you're already working really hard, so I shouldn't waste your time if I'm not serious about learning. I told her I was and she told me about the Masters and Apprentice thing."

Right after we'd finished talking? She must have gone straight after Ellayne while I went to meet with the headmaster. My head was still spinning a little at the idea Miss Goodwitch held me in such regard. I hadn't realised we'd made such an impression. Then again, Ozpin had trusted us with the Quest in Mistral and that had been a dangerous affair. And we were trusted to look after Cinder, I thought. Huh. Maybe we were doing something right.

"Alright, I'll be your mentor," I said, earning an excited squeak from her and a smile that could have split her face in two. I cut her off before she could exclaim her joy, waving a hand in front of me even as my cheeks heated up. No one should have been this pleased to have me teach them. "But no calling me Master, okay? That just makes me sound strange."

"Yes, master!"

Ugh. This was going to take a little more work.

/-/

My nerves started to play up late into the afternoon. It came on slowly, unexpectedly, but I realised soon after the shakes began that I'd been feeling it all day. I just hadn't realised it. My body was on the edge of some metaphorical seat, adrenaline not quite rushing through me but waiting beneath the surface to be called out. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first and considered seeking help, but it didn't take me long to realise once I saw Blake, Yang and Ruby returning from their hunting trip. They were stood at attention and on edge, eyes roving their surroundings and hands on their weapons, even in the safety of Beacon.

It was probably a good thing Oobleck had pushed to allow us rest, even if I was forced to finally acknowledge that even two days likely wouldn't be enough. We were all still feeling the effects of the war; I'd just managed to keep myself distracted so that I hadn't realised it. In hindsight, that was probably why the three girls had decided to go off fighting Grimm, even on their day off. They'd been too restless to sit and do nothing.

All of Beacon was, really. Even the Labour Caste moved with an almost strained grace, eyes scanning around them despite that they'd seen – and would see – none of the actual fighting. I wasn't any better, either. I looked down at my hands and found them shaking.

Ren, Nora and Velvet found me like that, stood outside the Lodge staring down at myself.

"Jaune? Is something wrong?" Ren asked.

"Nothing." My answer was too immediate and they all, even Velvet, narrowed their eyes. "Okay, okay, I'll talk… it's nothing serious. I just realised how restless I am. I was just surprised."

"Ah." Ren smiled knowingly and motioned for Nora and Velvet to move on, the two girls and Ren carrying numerous bags between them. Nora took Ren's and winked at me as she passed by, leaving the two of us alone.

"It's really not a big deal," I protested. "It's not like I need help or anything."

Ren chuckled. "I should hope not, otherwise we'll all of us have to visit the House of Healing, and I'm not sure Miss Tsune would appreciate so many people at once. You're not the only one to feel this way. The war carries on and even though we're here resting we can't fully let ourselves relax. It's not just you who feels that way."

"Is that why you went shopping with Velvet?" I asked. There was nowhere else they could have been with so many bags.

"It was that or trek through the Emerald Forest with Nora for several hours. It only took the promise of Velvet and I cooking a feast to change her mind."

"I did wonder why you had so much."

"We have a future Queen in our midst," Ren jested. "It would not do to serve her anything but the best." The Monk's face became a little more serious and he leaned on the wall next to me, arms crossed so that we were both looking out toward Beacon up above. "Perhaps I also offered to keep myself busy as well. If we can't rest, then we can at least relax. Keeping the mind busy helps to alleviate the underlying panic we're all experiencing. You feel it, too. Don't you?"

"I do. It's… this doesn't feel right, and I don't just mean the war."

"Salem."

I nodded. "The Greycloaks did this for a reason. I feel like the more we focus on Mistral against Vale, the more we forget that. This is the perfect distraction and there's not a thing we can do to stop them, not if we want to protect people."

"Indeed. The Greycloaks have chosen their methods well this time. If we move against them, we leave armies open to Grimm slaughter. If we protect the armies, the Greycloaks run free and continue whatever it is they have planned. It's a lose-lose situation."

That it was, and I couldn't bring myself to make a decision on which would be the better choice. I was lucky in that regard, since I didn't have the authority – nor the responsibility – of making those decisions in the first place. I sighed and shook my head instead. "How do you manage to stay so calm? You're always so collected. Even in the battle you were easily the calmest there."

"Apart from you," Ren noted.

My lips thinned. I wasn't sure what to make of that but I didn't like it. Had I really been that calm? It didn't seem possible.

"You would not want the calmness I have, Jaune. I'm telling you this as a friend."

"Are you sure?" I quipped. "Right now I'm pretty stressed out."

Rather than answer Ren reached out to take my hand and closed his eyes. I allowed it, even as I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing. My eyes widened a second later. A feeling of intense calm descended on me.

But it wasn't calm. Not quite. Calm was an emotion, a feeling, whereas this felt like a lack of it. My panic dimmed and became muted, but so too did my good mood at training with Ellayne. The pride I'd felt fell away. I felt… uninterested, empty… blank.

It was gone a moment later, along with Ren's hand. A breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding was expelled and I staggered forward. "W-What the hell was that!?"

"My calmness," Ren explained, without a hint of emotion of inflection. "It's not something you would want, even as a solution to your current mood."

"Is that a Monk's spell? If it's so bad, turn it off."

Ren smiled. "I can't. It's my Passive."

Words failed me. I stared at him, even as he remained impassive and smiling. His Passive skill? But… didn't that mean…?

"A Monk is a Class of balance," he explained. "Balance in life and death, balance in good or evil, or balance in just about anything. I've even heard of those who balance inebriation and sobriety."

I was curious, despite myself. "How does that work?"

"I've no idea." Ren chuckled. "If you ever meet such a Monk please tell me, for I have so many questions. My Balance, and my Passive, is a Balance of Emotion. My feelings are in a constant state of balance, whether I would like them to be or not. It helps me to stay calm here, I suppose. But it's not something I would wish on a friend. Even if I can impose it on one by touch."

That was what he'd done to me, if only for a moment. "That didn't feel like balance," I said. "It felt… it felt like nothingness."

"That is balance, or perhaps it's as close to balance as one can have with emotion. True calm is a feeling of peaceful contemplation, or so I'm told. My Passive instead seeks to impose it, never realising the impossibility of such a thing. Instead of calm, my emotions – good or bad – are muted and dulled, brought back to a point of rest."

"Does that mean you can't feel anything?"

"Not quite. It means that any emotions I feel are balanced against my will. I do feel, at least for a brief moment. Consider them flashes of joy, amusement or fear – soon to be taken and muted. It keeps me human," he said with a little shrug. "And it lets me connect; otherwise I wouldn't be able to make friends with people like you. I still feel pride when you enjoy my cooking, or afraid when Ruby was injured. I also felt disgusted when you kissed me," he added.

I groaned. "I'm never going to be allowed to forget that, am I?"

"And I can laugh right now at your expression," he said, doing just that. It ended a few seconds later. "But it's soon taken from me and locked away, my mind brought back to balance. That is why at the battle I was affected – if only for a brief time."

"That's…" I wasn't sure how to put it. Terrible, awful, cruel? They didn't seem enough, and it was my friend who was going through it all. The worst part was that there was literally no way to help him. It was his Passive; it was a part of who he was. To change it was to change him, and that would require something more powerful than what I could manage.

Maybe Salem could do it, but at what cost?

"Don't worry so much about it," he said. "It's something I've learned to live with. But at the same time don't feel so bad about what you can feel, good or bad. It's a sign of who you are." He patted my arm and smiled. "And even if I feel this way I still consider you all my friends. Short though my feelings may last, I can still feel them for a moment. It's enough."

"I'm sorry I brought it up…"

"Don't be foolish. I brought it up. Besides, Nora keeps me on my toes. There isn't anyone else in Remnant as boundless in energy as her. There's never a moment of peace."

And, by that same logic, never a moment where he could relax. I'd always imagined Nora something of a bother to Ren, even if he had the patience to put up with her constant prodding and excitement. Now, I wasn't so sure.

Was it Nora who sought Ren out, or he who sought her?

As ever, Ren's smile gave nothing away. "My advice if you're unable to concentrate is to find a hobby," Ren said, pushing off the wall and dusting himself down. "Velvet sews, I cook, and Nora smashes things. Find something to keep your mind busy, and your hands if possible, and you'll find yourself distracted, if not entirely at peace. You could always pick up something like carpentry," the Monk joked. "If you were any good at it, you could even sell what you make for a little extra lien like Velvet does."

He slapped my arm and passed by, closing the door behind him and heading in, no doubt to find Nora and bask in her emotions a little. I didn't follow. My head was spinning with all the things I'd learned.

And to think I'd thought my Passive was bad. It was convenient and nothing else. Ren's was downright crippling.

But he still kept on moving forward. He'd found a way around it.

That gave me hope, too.

And an idea…

It was at least an hour later when I lugged a sack of raw metal ingots into the Lodge, under the curious eyes of just about everyone I passed. "It's a hobby," I said, answering all the unasked questions in a raised voice. "I want to learn how to patch my own gear up a little, and maybe how to do some metalworking."

"Why?" Weiss asked, leaning over the balcony of the second floor. When she saw me struggling with the heavy bag she sighed and used a little magic to make the job easier.

"Thanks," I said, gasping. Strong I might be, but I'd had to lug this from Vale on my own. The staircase had proven the final straw. "And just because I can, really. Figured I needed something to keep myself busy while I'm here."

"An expensive hobby…"

"Not as much as you'd think. Worst comes to the worst someone can smelt it all down and re-use it."

The Mage shrugged. "True."

Weiss' approval seemed to be enough for everyone else, and even though I saw Blake roll her eyes no one challenged me. They probably thought it something I'd get over in time after a few early failures. That was almost ironic.

The door closed and locked behind me as I reached my room and, just in case, I also bolted and closed the window. It was cold enough outside to warrant it and only Blake would find herself inconvenienced. She could always knock if she needed me, but that would give me time enough to hide the evidence of what I was doing. Hauling the bag over beside the bed, I dumped it down and sat on the mattress.

A hand dove in, rummaging around metal before I brought out a thin sheet, probably part of armour once, or maybe a caravan. Gripping the edges I closed my eyes and concentrated, reaching deep inside myself. I'd never tried this before. I knew my eyes flashed because I felt it. Something shifted inside of me, and an odd sound – kind of like a whisper of steel on wood, sounded before me.

There were six scratches on the metal, three spanning out from where each hand gripped. They were deep and rough, fanning out like rays of sunlight. It was my first engraving.

And it looked awful.

That was fine. I was only here to keep myself distracted, after all. I concentrated again, this time keeping my eyes open as I watched six more lines slowly engrave themselves, crossing over the original ones in a perpendicular fashion. The sheet was chequered now, almost like some fanciful garment. On a whim I narrowed my eyes and poured my focus into the metal, scarring it over and over until the once-smooth surface was a mess of jagged lines and angry swirls.

It seems to take longer the more I want, I realised, watching the patterns etch themselves. The bigger the piece the more time, and it's easiest around the areas my hands are already touching.

As an experiment I held my hand flat against a certain piece and concentrated. When I removed it, a near-perfect circle was now engraved beneath. "Much easier when I'm touching it, and the engraving is clearer, too."

I tossed the piece aside and drew out another one, this time running my finger along it in a pattern and using it to write out my name. My handwriting was terrible but the engraving itself was as good as could be, following my finger and varying little in terms of depth.

Pressing a hand flat against it I pushed forward and smoothed it out. It was the best way I could think of it, anyway. The more specific part was that I had to focus on engraving it the other way, from the bottom up. I also had to heat it a little, but after a minute or two I was rewarded with a flat piece of metal again, ready for engraving.

The Skill was more versatile than I'd realised.

Ren's suggestion had really been just to help distract myself, but it also had applications – and it was those my mind was whirling around. Decorated goods weren't much use in combat, but there were plenty of other people who wanted them, Labour and Noble Caste members, for instance. Lien was lien, and even if I couldn't forge runes onto armour yet, I could engrave candlesticks or decorative daggers and sell those for lien, which could then be spent on enchanted armour.

Then I could rip the runes off the armour, sell it off – at a lower price, of course, since it would no longer be enchanted – and use the funds to buy more raw material for more engraved trinkets. My eyes lit up, and this time with more than just the power of my Skills. Even Heroes might like engraved goods, especially if they retained their practical aspects. I could engrave around runes and put patterns onto things – images like Grimm, dragons, or scenes of battle. Even family insignias would be possible, and all in a fraction of the time it would take a normal Blacksmith.

And what if I enchanted and sold Rune Weapons…?

The idea boggled the mind. I'd not tried to rune and sell stuff because I couldn't explain it away if I was cornered, because me buying a knife that definitely was not enchanted, and then selling it later as an enchanted one, was sure to raise eyebrows.

But if I bought raw metal and made engraved weapons that concealed the runes, then no one would be able to tell. It would just be some random drop from a Grimm. Lucky me, and lucky me that I could sell it for good money, but nothing suspicious or unusual. People would pay good lien for something that boosted their core stats, though. Drops like that were rare.

I'd have to put that into plan after our next Quest. There was no way I could do it now, because people would know I hadn't been farming. But if I made one or two before I left and stashed them under my bed, then I could claim they'd dropped when I came back. No one but the Guild would know otherwise, and since they wouldn't see me selling them in Vale, it wouldn't be an issue.

With that in mind I quickly used my bare hands and Stoke the Forge to form a small dagger. The tang was elongated and there was no hilt or cross guard – I'd have to buy those separate – but the blade itself was keen enough.

Slowly, cautiously, I placed two fingers on the blade and concentrated. A little light flared from under the digits, illuminating my skin. This took longer; several seconds longer. Most of that might have been because I wasn't too familiar with them yet and desperately didn't want to make any mistakes lest previous results be repeated. But as the glow stopped, I was able to see the fruits of my labour. A Rune of Minor Dexterity. I'd engraved a rune onto the weapon by touch alone.

This…

This had potential.

/-/

It wasn't only Cinder who joined us for dinner. Concealed under a hood, though probably not unnoticed to anyone who got close enough to see his name and Class, Ozpin stepped into the Lodge, assuring a suddenly panicked Velvet that there was no need for any grandiose displays, and that if there was no room for him at the table, that was fine.

That didn't really remove the need for it, of course. Velvet dragged a spare seat out of a side room, and luckily Ren had proven his promise true and made a veritable feast for the Guild with plenty spare for both Cinder and the headmaster.

Of course, the presence of both future royalty and the headmaster did make dinner something of an awkward affair. I wasn't really sure what to say to break the silence, and neither was anyone else from the sound of it. Weiss tried once, bless her, but even she wasn't quite able to control the situation, nor her curiosity.

"I'll tell you all once we're finished with this wonderful meal," Ozpin said when Weiss finally asked what he was doing here. "It wouldn't do to let such effort go to waste."

Kind as that may have been, most of us squirmed under the request. Something was going on, otherwise Ozpin wouldn't be here. Not knowing what that was had us on the edge of our seats. A quick look at Cinder revealed nothing. Her face was calm and serene, composed in a way that spoke more of control than any natural expression.

Eventually, the meal came to an end. What was left over was taken and stored away and Velvet quickly returned with a selection of drinks. Yang motioned for her to sit down with them but it seemed the presence of the headmaster had startled her a little and she refused. Instead she hovered nearby, playing the good Labour Caste worker and waiting on us all. I wasn't sure I liked it, but there wasn't much I could do and she was obviously too nervous to act like she normally did.

"Sir-"

"Calm, Miss Xiao-Long," Ozpin interrupted, smiling. "There's no need to rush. Haste will only lead to mistakes and we have plenty of time here tonight. Is there a more comfortable room we might retire to, perhaps one with a table clear of cutlery?"

"We can use the living room," Weiss said. "Ruby, can you-"

She didn't get any further. Ruby was already moving into the adjoining room and clearing the table, as eager as any of us to hear what was going on. By the time Ozpin entered the low table was empty, Ruby stuffing things into a nearby cupboard messily. Weiss would normally have had something to say about that – or even Velvet – but right both were too distracted.

Ozpin moved over to the table and brought a thick roll of parchment from his robes. Kneeling, he spread it out across the wooden surface. Pyrrha and Nora quickly found books to rest on the corners, holding it down. It was a map of Vale, with details such as town's names and locations written in cursive script.

"Cinder and I have been hard at work discussing the war," Ozpin said, gesturing for us to sit. The use of Cinder's first name didn't go unnoticed and I hoped it was a sign they'd been able to put aside their differences. It seemed so if the Elementalist's nod was any indication. "We've been searching for an agreeable peace settlement, but I'm afraid that eludes us as of yet. It's too late to pay the blood price, and that will have only grown since the war began. Neither side is likely to surrender any time soon, however. The war is in its early stages."

"Mistral has the early advantage," Cinder said, taking over. She took several coins from her pocket and placed them on the table, golden ones representing Mistral, silver for Vale. "Right now Mistral has taken Vale off guard and sweeps through the undefended territories on the Eastern Coast." She moved several coins around, taking towns. "The suddenness of the attack – and the momentum of our forces – has allowed Mistral an early advantage, but that momentum is already faltering."

She moved some of the silver pieces, arranging them in a rough line down the map, cutting Vale's territories from north to south. "Vale's forces were slow to react not only due to languishing over the winter but because of petty politics-"

"Vale's army works differently to Mistral's," Ozpin explained. "It is split into contingents with each set to defend a certain territory, ruled over by a provincial lord or lady – members of the Noble Caste set to govern and protect a region. This is a good method of governance against Grimm as it allows individuals to react quickly in defence of their region, and ensures troops are always nearby in the event of a crisis. War, however, is a different beast. Some are… reluctant to leave their lands unprotected, and for good reason. While the Soldiers are away, the Grimm shall slay, as the old saying goes."

"Quite…" Cinder acknowledge the point, if a little reluctantly. "Regardless, this left Vale slow to react and many regions were forfeited. However, as Mistral's armies move closer to the heartlands the Nobles become more frightened and willing to put aside petty differences. As such, we expect Vale to make their defence roughly along this line."

"Wouldn't Mistral know that as well?" I asked. If Cinder had been able to figure it out, surely they could.

"I would expect so, but there is little that can be done. The speed of the invasion was an attempt to mitigate this by grabbing as much land as humanly possible before the defensive line could be established. You see, it is not defeat by Vale's armies that Mistral fears…"

"It's a drawn out campaign," Weiss realised, sitting a little taller. "Of course, it makes perfect sense! The longer Mistral's Soldiers are engaged in Vale, the longer their own territories have to survive the Grimm on less protection. Not to mention supplies and food for the troops, all of which would need to either be harvested here or sent across the strait."

"That's why they took Caddin's Rest," Pyrrha said. "That's why General Tarkson took his men away from it to fight against Vale's armies. They were trying to preserve the farmland."

Cinder nodded. "Correct. An army marches on its stomach and war is costly. Normally you'd want to invade around the time of the harvest, but that window had passed, not to mention it would incur the risk of winter. Now was the best time for Mistral and our forces were hoping to quickly march through to the capital city and take it. They still are."

"Should you be telling us this?" I had to ask.

"Perhaps not, but it doesn't matter. Neither you nor I can interfere in the war."

"The Treaty prohibits it," Ozpin agreed. "Sharing this information here is necessary, for I'll have to dispatch Heroes to points of conflict. A certain degree of confidentiality is required." He shot us a pointed look. "As I'm sure you can appreciate."

"We won't tell anyone," Yang promised. The rest of us nodded.

"Good. Miss Fall's estimations are correct, however. Mistral wants to take Vale and force an early capitulation. However, Vale has already been fortified and the armies are marching to prevent the approach. This line that has been drawn represents the expected point of conflict, and the Vale army's goals – outmatched as they are – is simply to buy time. Eventually, Mistral will be forced to give ground, either to collect and farm crops or to defend the strait should Vale's navy break the blockade and attack Mistral's supply ships."

"Or if Atlas joins the war," Cinder said.

"Archmage Ironwood must stay neutral in this, Cinder. I've told you. He won't risk dragging the world into a conflict."

"If you say so."

I leaned over the map as the two traded hints and barbs. My eyes quickly sought out Ansel and I breathed a sigh of relief when I realised it was far behind the line drawn out, safe from the war, or at least hopefully so. There were several towns, villages and fortifications that it did run through, however. Those would be heavily contested locations.

"How does this affect us?" Blake asked. "I take it we're being sent to one of these spots to monitor the Grimm activity there, but if so then I doubt you would feel the need to come and visit us personally. You could have just given us our marching orders tomorrow."

"She's right," I said. "You want something more."

"You are as perceptive as ever," Ozpin complimented. "I do, and considering how your actions aided both in Atlas and Mistral, I can think of no team I would trust more in this matter. This stalemate here…" He tapped the line. "Despite how it looks, this is good for us. The longer the war drags on, the greater the chance of peace, if only through necessity. We would not normally be against such a prospect."

"But something here is different," Ren noted. His eyes narrowed. "It's the Greycloaks, isn't it?"

"It is." It was Cinder who answered. "Ozpin and I are worried about their involvement. They started this war, or at least we believe so. As such, they would not have an interest in it petering out so quickly. We fear they may do something to… give the war a little push."

"And that would be devastating," Ozpin said. "It might be something capable of folding the line or, in the worst case scenario, something capable of shattering the treaty altogether. The bloodshed of such an eventuality would be immense."

"Enough to summon Salem," Ren said.

"Yes."

"The Greycloaks won't have an easy time influencing Vale's forces," Cinder said. "This is because even if they could do so, Vale's armies will be locked in place defending key locations. It's our own forces from Mistral that I worry about, especially since each will be led by a person capable of being bought, and each will be acting autonomously. As the aggressors in this war, it's possible the Greycloaks could use Mistral, or frame us, into breaking the Treaty. And that, if anything, will happen here."

Cinder pointed to a specific spot on the map, the location of a fortification set atop a small hill. "This marks the quickest route to Vale, and is therefore one of the mostly highly contested locations. Mistral would have a direct route to the capital if it was taken. It would bring much glory to the one who captured it."

"And you think the Greycloaks will use the lure of that glory to influence the Mistral army there," Blake said. Her dislike of Cinder seemed to have been forgotten in favour of stopping this disaster. Blake was nothing if not professional. "It makes sense. Do you know who would be in charge of the Mistral army here?"

"General Isaac Corvo. He is… a gifted leader, but a young one. He doesn't remember the last war, nor the effects of it." Cinder's brow drew low. "If there is anyone who might be tempted to take foolish risks it would be him. Sadly, he is something of a new breed of our people in our military, a faction known as the Radicals."

"Radicals?"

"They are people who eschew tradition in favour of bold and new approaches," she explained. "General Tarkson is a traditionalist, hence his strict adherence to the codes and rules of war. Radicals like to flavour themselves as gentlemen, and I'm sure many try their hardest to maintain that, but the faction itself, as the name implies, tend to consider more radical approaches. It wouldn't surprise me if they might bend rules they see as inconvenient."

"Like the Treaty," I whispered.

"Indeed." Cinder scowled. "The Treaty cannot be broken, not by my own people." She reached into her vest and drew forth a sealed parchment. "This is a missive from myself in my capacity as a part of the royal family of Mistral. If you provide it to Corvo, or failing that his lieutenants, they will arrest and detain him immediately."

Blake leaned back nervously. "You want us to arrest a General of the Mistral army? I think that's close enough to interference to break the treaty ourselves."

"I don't want you to do anything. I want this to be a mistake and paranoia on our parts." Cinder sighed. "Sadly, we can't take that risk. Your job isn't to intrude but to investigate. It is to accompany Corvo's army and find out whether there is any risk of Greycloak interference. If there is, and if Corvo is a liability, have him detained. It won't be interference if you provide this missive to a ranking officer. It will be an internal affair of Mistral's military."

"It's counter-signed by myself, as well," Ozpin said. "I shall also provide this." He put another scroll on the table. "It is a similar order issued by me, albeit with free access and travel to any of the Valean side. It will work to prove your identity to those in Mistral if needs be, but its true power will be in winning co-operation from our own forces. Keep it should you need to access any cities held by Vale, or should you need to sway anyone important to your cause."

I reached for the two scrolls but Cinder caught my wrist before I could touch them. Her eyes were narrowed. "These are more important than you realise. Keep them safe and, if you will take my advice, keep them separated. Losing one will be an inconvenience. Losing both together will be a disaster."

"I'll-"

"And don't tell us who has them – don't tell anyone! The less people you trust the better." Only after I'd nodded did she release my hands. I swallowed and drew them back, but pointedly left both scroll on the table with a good space between them.

"Your Quest," Ozpin began, "is to investigate the Mistral army as instructed, and also to liaise with the garrison under the command of our own forces. Either could be at risk of subversion by the Greycloaks. You're not to interfere in the war, or any battles, but you must ensure both forces remain free of outside influence. If needs be, you have the authority to remove either commander."

"T-This is too much," Weiss protested. "How can we be expected to make such decisions? How can we be trusted with such responsibility?"

"In short, Miss Schnee, you cannot. However, we do not have many options."

"What about Uncle Qrow?" Ruby asked, biting her lip.

"Qrow Branwen is on an important mission investigating the Greycloaks and their command structure. He has a lead – but I cannot tell you more," the headmaster added as we all leapt up. "You will learn in time, I promise. If he finds anything, that is. For now, he isn't available. No one is. I would go myself but I must remain in Vale, and even if I did leave Beacon the Greycloaks might use that as an opportunity to focus their efforts here instead."

"I will remain as well," Cinder said, nodding apologetically. "I have to stay where I can do the most good, and right now that is at Ozpin's side."

It was impossible to argue with that. It was also impossible to argue that anyone else could be trusted with this task, since the Greycloaks had already proven that they could infiltrate both Beacon and the Hero Caste. Going to any established Heroes with this would be risking the fate of the entire Kingdom on blind luck. We weren't good enough, but Ozpin knew we were trustworthy, if only because there hadn't been any time for the Greycloaks to get to us.

But still, to place the fates of both armies in our hands like this? It was too much. I glanced to Blake for her thoughts and she met my eyes halfway. She was nervous, that much was obvious. We all were. We'd be treading dangerously close to the Treaty with this Quest.

A single mistake could shatter it and plunge the Kingdom into a Hero on Hero war it might very well not survive.

"I guess we don't really have a choice, do we?"

"I'm afraid not, Mr Arc. Were there anyone better know that I would put this on them. However, your team is one of the few I can trust – and you have proven yourselves time and time again."

"It is also the only group I can trust," Cinder added, "And I am putting my own name on this, so finding a Guild both Ozpin and I had faith in was never going to be a simple matter. I've sent missives to Emerald and Mercury bidding them come to your support. It will take them time, however."

"We understand." I reached for the scrolls again and this time held both in my lap. We'd decide who would keep which in private, as requested. It might even be worth us having two other members carry fakes just in case.

"There is one last thing," Weiss said. "You never told us anything about this place we're headed to."

"Did I not? I apologise." Ozpin sighed. "It is a fortified town on a plain between two mountain passes, with a garrison large enough to sally out and crush any army that tries to bypass it against the mountains. Mistral will need to take it, lest they want their rear flanks harried by a well-trained and ready army. The town itself is ruled over by a member of the Noble Caste, but the army is led by a member of the Soldier Caste, Lieutenant Grey Sullivan."

"And the town's name?" Yang asked.

"Magnis."


Well, if that kind of Quest isn't a disaster waiting to happen I'm sure the last line will be throwing out all sorts of sirens and klaxons, lol. It seems like all my stories this week have reached some funny kind of flux where they've all managed to coincidentally hit "exposition points" at the same time. It's a convergence! It's a sign of the end times!

Oh yes, and on "Masters and Apprentices" I tried to avoid the "something something dark side" but I just couldn't find any other terms for it. Master and Apprentice is just sort of the thing for a medieval fantasy world. I could use mentor, but that would kind of be the same thing and not as one-to-one. So, yeah, they're master and apprentice. But no, this isn't Star Wars.

On a honest note I did try to keep this chapter as interesting as I could by adding other parts to it, but I always knew it would end with a good old wall of text moment, because really, Ozpin needs to give them their Quest and there's no way to throw that together in just a few lines without people asking a tonne of questions – and being perfectly justified in doing so.

On the other hand, engraving! And no, this isn't the be all and end all of it. There's more to be seen of a few of Jaune's skills.


Next Chapter: 26th March

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