Before we start this chapter I'd just like to take the time to wish you all a Happy Doomsday! May Nibiru be gentle as it brings about the rapture and all that. I guess this means I won't have to write Service with a Smile tomorrow.

Hm, maybe that can be my excuse. Sorry I couldn't write any Fanfiction but I was waiting for the end of the world.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 5: Chapter 12


There was a roaring sound in my skull, followed by a burning sensation that threatened to overwhelm me. It was impossible to tear my eyes from the dead man on the floor, impossible to breathe or even hear my own thoughts. My body was as taut as a bar of iron, muscles clamped and mouth unbearably dry.

But it wasn't until Blake gasped in horror that I was able to move once more, even if that was to stagger forward and wrench my sword free of its scabbard. The sound alerted the Mistral Soldiers, who looked up with wide eyes, like children caught red-handed in some terrible prank, except that the prank was murder and their hands were stained with blood.

"You're back early," the lead soldier, the one who had sent us away, said. "That's... well…"

I barely heard him. I took a hesitant step forward, almost stumbling. "What are you doing?" I demanded in a voice caught somewhere between a hiss and a growl. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

The lead soldier whispered something to his companions and stood, stepping over the body to approach us. He either had nerves of steel or a complete lack of common sense, since I was breathing heavily and still had my sword drawn.

"Now, now, let's not do anything hasty," he said. "We've just had an encounter with some Grimm, and we weren't able to defend both ourselves and our prisoners."

"Is that what you call yourselves, Grimm? I wasn't aware you identified as monsters, but perhaps the shoe fits." I gripped the hilt of Crocea Mors tighter but there was no comfort in it. "Step away from the prisoners."

"I was talking about the official story. This was caused by the Grimm."

"This was caused by you," Blake said, moving to stand beside me and placing a hand over mine, pushing my weapon down. She was perhaps just as angry as me, but hid it better. "You've broken numerous codes of warfare with this. I'm sure General Corvo would not be pleased, nor would Lieutenant Finn."

"The General is at Magnis and Finn is in Euford. They don't need to know."

"I think they do…"

The man's face twisted and he took an aggressive step forward, thrusting an arm out towards the prisoners. "You want to judge me? You think I'm the monster while you two stand there and watch people hack one another to pieces? Get off your high horse, your majesty. The two of you spent your time talking about your fucking relationship issues. Well guess what, we had to wonder whether or not we'd survive to see the end of the day. My brother didn't! He died because these bastards killed him!"

He stormed back to the prisoners and gripped one by the hair, a woman who couldn't have been older than twenty-five at most. She whimpered in his grip, throat exposed. "Our friends, our family, our comrades, torn down and killed because these fuckers wouldn't surrender even when they knew they wouldn't win. What was the point? What was the fucking point!?"

"No one here is saying war is a good thing," Blake said.

"A pox on you, Assassin! If it wasn't for those blasted towers falling, we wouldn't have been out here and my brother would still be alive. It's Vale's fault those fell, so it's only right they pay for it!"

My fault. It was my fault. Every action had a consequence and this was the consequence of mine; not just the fall of Euford, but the deaths of the defenders and also of the Mistral soldiers sent to take it. Was it better than the hundreds or thousands more in Magnis? Almost certainly, but not by this man's standards. Hundreds of strangers or the brother you'd grown up with. It was an easy choice.

Blake's eyes met mine for a moment, and though there was no judgment in them, she knew well enough whose fault this was. Her hand pushed down harder on mine, forcing Crocea Mors down until its tip touched the grass.

"You can't mean to let them do this," I hissed.

"Of course I don't, but violence isn't going to solve this." Blake moved ahead of me, letting go of me and holding both hands out to show she was unarmed. "I can imagine you're going through a lot of pain right now, but this isn't the right way to show it," she told the soldier. "By killing these people here, you're not only proving yourself no better than they, but in fact much worse. Put the woman down."

"Put her down? Aye, I'll put her down."

My eyes widened as his sword pulled back. I screamed out a warning – as useless as it would have been.

Blake became shadow.

She moved impossibly fast, blurring across the ground to reach out of it and snag the woman by her neck, dragging her out the way of the blade and hurling her in my direction. As the sword came down, Blake twisted and tapped it aside with one hand, stumbling but managing to roll away without taking any damage.

Blake backed up towards me, one eye peeking back as she watched the sobbing mess of a soldier collapse against me. I mouthed a desperate `thank you` back. I should have known Blake wouldn't let something like this happen.

Of course, not everyone was pleased with the sudden move and almost all of the soldiers, twelve in all, had drawn their weapons.

"Remember the Treaty," Blake warned them. "You don't want to attack us."

"We're not going to," the lead one said, motioning for the others to stop. "Why do you think we sent you away in the first place? Fuck, this would have been so much easier if you'd just taken your time. Or if this asshole hadn't screamed like a little girl." He kicked one of the dead men before him. "You're interfering in soldier business though, so if anyone here is threatening the Treaty, it's you."

"Executing prisoners isn't a part of the Treaty!" I snapped.

"No, but it's not against it. The rules are that Soldiers focus on Soldiers, while Heroes and NPC's sit back and do nothing. Right here, we're killing some Soldiers from Vale – and we've got two Vale Heroes trying to stop us. I don't know about you, but that sounds like interference."

"That logic doesn't hold and you know it."

"Maybe it does hold," Blake said, countering me and earning a horrified look for it. "But I don't think you'd be the one to decide that. We'll take these prisoners back to General Corvo instead, and if he decides to execute them, we'll say nothing."

The man snarled, no doubt aware that Corvo would never authorise such a thing. It was that alone which calmed me down enough to nod along, finally letting my sword fall so that it pointed down. I was still angry, furious even, but there was nothing I could do to these monsters that their own General couldn't do twice as hard.

"Maybe we can reach an agreement," the Soldier said. He reached behind him and brought out a brown pouch, tossing it on the ground between us. "Six hundred lien. Three hundred each for the remaining prisoners. I'd call that a good deal."

My mind boggled. "You're trying to buy our silence?"

"Is that a problem? An Assassin kills for lien, so this isn't so different – she doesn't even need to lift a finger. Sounds like a good deal to me."

Blake regarded the lien like it was some terrible monster, before she tore her eyes to the soldiers and shook her head, unable to form words. I knew it hurt her, even if she'd never admit it, so I put the soldier down and stood next to Blake, offering my own support. There was still one prisoner with the soldiers, a middle-aged man who looked positively terrified. We had to get him away from them, but they were on guard now and wouldn't be surprised by another trick like Blake's earlier one.

"We're Heroes," I said. "Heroes of Beacon. That means more than our Classes do, and you're wrong to think our loyalty can be bought."

"One set of rules for you, and one for us, right?" He spat at my feet. "Spare me your bullshit, Hero. We did our best to uphold the honour of the God-King and follow the rules of war. We gave them a chance to surrender and even faced them evenly, rather than burn their homes down around them from afar. And what do we get for it? Death, derision and now the two of you keeping us from seeing justice done."

"This isn't justice."

"Then what is it? They made the choice to fight and die – and then they surrendered! If they were going to give up, why not do so straight away and not kill my brother and our friends? Why hold back long enough to get some killing in and then surrender? I'll tell you, it's because they planned to abuse our honour to harm us! They knew we'd spare them, take them back and treat them well, and they fucking counted on that."

He threw his arms in the air and paced from side to side. "Well surprise, surprise, it's not that simple. If you think you can start a fight one second and give up the next without consequences, then you're wrong. Like they would have shown us any mercy if it were the other way around. They chose to fight and die; let them die!"

"Then maybe they were wrong to do that, but killing them doesn't make you better!" I yelled.

"I'm not trying to be better. I'm trying to make things the same, to make them equal. That's justice! That the world lives with the same rules for everyone!" He gripped his sword and moved over to the final prisoner, raising it high in the air above the man's head. "This is for my brother, you piece of shit!"

"No!"

I moved before I could think. I wasn't sure what to think. All I knew was that he was going to kill another prisoner and that the distance was too much and that Blake was distracted with protecting the other one.

My feet pounded against the grass as I hurtled forward, time seeming to slow as the blade swept down towards the defenceless prisoner, whose eyes were wide with terror. Those of the soldiers around him were filled with glee, watching the spectacle with more joy than even Salem had shown.

It wasn't justice, what the people of Euford had done, but neither was it justice that Mistral invade us in the first place, but then again it kept going further back, didn't it? The first Mistral civilians to die on those ships, the Greycloak's actions, the fall of the villages in Mistral and the sacrifice of so many in Atlas. There was no justice in any of it. And maybe, in a way, I knew that there was no point looking for it.

This wasn't about justice to me; it was about preventing another person being killed in a pointless manner. It was about limiting the casualties of an event that I had personally caused when I sabotaged the siege towers.

It was selfishness disguised as heroism.

And it was that which moved my sword to swing at the man.

He saw it coming, as I'd intended him to. Panic registered on his face and he checked his execution, drawing his sword back with both hands to defend himself, even as his companions realised what was happening. Crocea Mors arched across from his left, angled in such a way as to catch his sword and propel him back. I wasn't fast enough to get past his guard, but that wasn't the point. I wanted him to block it. Behind me, I heard Blake scream a warning, but that went ignored.

Blake had once told me there was a difference between Heroes and Soldiers; one that I couldn't comprehend with imagination alone.

She was right.

Crocea Mors caught his sword above the hilt, on the strongest part of his blade. A blade made of steel, simple and unrefined, while mine was magical metal forged by a high-levelled Runesmith and driven by a Strength score that was unbelievably high, pushed so by all the struggles I'd faced. It was beyond what a Blacksmith my age should have had. It was beyond what a Soldier fighting his first war could hope to have.

The man's sword shattered.

His armour shattered.

His ribcage shattered.

Crocea Mors travelled into and through him in one jagged motion, tearing out his chest and spilling crimson across the floor. My eyes grew wide as the sword travelled on, eventually coming to a stop with its blood-stained tip on the grass.

I stared at it, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"H-He killed Anders!" one of the soldiers cried. "He killed him!"

"I… I didn't mean to," I gasped, lost for words. I was suddenly aware of all the weapons pointed in my direction, swords, spears and even the staff of a Mage. They'd fanned out to form a semi-circle, almost as though afraid I'd charge at any moment start to slaughter them.

I tried to convince them I wouldn't, that I'd never, but the man I'd just slain made that all but impossible.

"The Treaty is broken! He broke the Treaty."

"Vale broke the Treaty!"

"N-No," I said. "That's not right. This was an accident. I didn't mean-"

"General Corvo has to be told," another cried. "The army needs to know."

That shocked me back to life. They couldn't know, not like this, or everything would be for ruin. Corvo would have me killed, executed for breaking the Treaty – and the Vale contingent in Magnis would have to let it happen or face Mistral's Heroes attacking them.

And what of the Guild? They'd have to watch, but there was also a chance they'd try to intervene. The thought of Ruby and Blake getting involved, and then being declared traitors themselves, was horrifying. I felt vomit rise up my throat. If Ruby was in danger, Yang would step in, and then everyone else might, too. It would lead to the death of them all.

Not even the reveal of my real Class would fix this. The Treaty prevented Labour Caste from interfering, as well. It would all be the same.

"Please wait," I begged, lowering my sword in what I hoped was a submissive gesture. "We can sort this out. There's no need for this to get any worse than it already is."

"Worse? You killed Anders!" A spear jabbed towards my face and I fell back, shocked. They were actually going to attack me? Well, at this point it would probably count as self-defence, or at least subduing a criminal.

Gods above, I was actually going to die for this. My heart hammered in my chest. I could feel tears behind my eyes but they wouldn't come forth. All I could think of was just how doomed I was. There was no coming back from what I'd done.

"Surrender and we'll take you back to Magnis," one of them hissed. "You'll get yourself a trial, scum, but then we'll see you hang for this. Or maybe they'll burn you for it, you monster."

Surrender?

And be killed…?

My eyes fell to the blade in my hand. It was stained crimson but still reflected my face. I looked afraid, very afraid. But there was a way to stop news of my crime getting back to Magnis, wasn't there? If it were even possible, I felt even more nauseous. Sick at my own thoughts and the world around me, let alone what I'd done. Resisting here would only doom my friends to share my fate.

With a heavy heart, I let the blade fall onto the grass.

"Tie him up," the new man in command ordered. "Bind his arms, his legs and knock him out if you have to. We'll take him back and let the General deal with him. Anders will get his justice. This `Hero` will swing at dawn like the piece of shit he i-" The man's voice failed him. He stared down in shock at the object lodged in his throat, silencing him.

It was a throwing dagger.

A throwing dagger I recognised all too well.

Something blurred past me in a flash of black, brushing my hair aside as it descended on the soldiers. Blake was among them in an instant, drawing the knife from the still-standing man's throat and using it to cut across the eyes of another. She spun around him, drawing on his wrist and leading the man's own sword into the belly of a third, before she kicked them both away and latched onto another, placing her knife against his jugular and tearing it away with a flick, along with a huge chunk of the man's windpipe.

The screams began – and were swiftly silenced. Like a ghost, she moved among them, touching her blades to exposed flesh almost gently, reaching out with surgical precision to cut here, slice there and to caress on occasion. All she graced fell. There had been ten, but that number was cut in half in as many seconds.

A Soldier couldn't hope to stand up against a Hero.

I'd been told that so many times, but I'd never accepted it. That same logic applied to the Labour Caste, and yet here I was fighting alongside Heroes, so why couldn't Soldiers be the same? Laziness, capability, or just the prejudice of Heroes in looking down on those below them? I'd always assumed it the latter.

I was wrong.

It was nothing to do with what they were but what they faced. Soldiers could only gain Experience either against the Grimm that attacked their garrisons, or in a war like this one. After a war concluded there might be many Soldiers far stronger than before, but now, in the early throes of it, they were still untested.

And we, Heroes who faced Grimm every day of our careers, were not. We'd gained Experience and levels, grown strong and learned new skills. In the space of sixteen months we'd faced adversity few others could hope to, while they – in the same period – just hadn't had an opportunity to do the same. The Treaty existed to balance that disparity and prevent Heroes joining in the war. I'd never truly understood just how important that was.

Until now…

Two more had died without so much as a blow landed in return. The final three fled for their lives, realising at last what was to happen. Blake's dagger caught the first in the back of the knee, and she was upon the woman before she could even fall, tugging free the knife with one hand and cutting her throat with the other.

One of the Mages, terrified for his life, flung back an arm and cast a great wall of fire in her direction. Blake didn't dodge it; rather, she dashed through it, ignoring the damage and lancing her hand into his chest, puncturing through his ribcage to deliver her blade directly into the heart.

All of it had taken less than ten seconds – and it was only now that I truly realised what was happening before my eyes. "Blake, wait!" I cried weakly. "Stop!"

"Please no, please, I won't say anything, I promise!" the last screamed, running wildly, weapon forgotten.

Blake's body struck his back like a comet. She bowled him down and straddled his body, even as he continued to plead and beg that he wouldn't tell; that no one would find out. One of Blake's hands clamped down on his mouth, silencing him. The other rose, dagger gripped within it.

"BLAKE!" I howled.

The knife slammed down.

The clearing was silent.

Ten, maybe fifteen seconds. That was all it had taken for her to kill ten people – ten soldiers of Mistral, who even without much training were so much stronger than any Labour Caste member. No, killing them was too kind a term. She'd slaughtered them. It was no contest. There wasn't a hair out of place on her head. She hadn't broken a sweat.

I tried to speak. My voice choked.

It was the horror for sure, but also something worse – something that shamed me deeply. Relief. With the soldiers dead, no one would know of what I'd done, not unless Blake or the two prisoners we'd spared told, which they were unlikely to do. That I could feel such an emotion at a time like this sickened me.

This… this was all my fault, wasn't it?

How could all of this have come from my decision to sabotage the siege towers? It didn't make sense.

Blake sheathed her weapons with a soft click, brushed some hair back from her face, and turned to walk back towards me, eyes hidden in shadow. My heart beat harder; I had no idea what she would do or say. I wanted to cry.

She stopped halfway, crouched low and picked something up. It was the coin purse from earlier, and she opened the top, spilling lien out into her open palm.

"Do you know why I came to Beacon?" she asked, voice soft.

"B-Blake…"

"I knew an Assassin such as I wouldn't be welcome there. I knew it would be difficult. I'm not ashamed of what I am, but others don't feel the same. I was prepared to face their animosity, their prejudice, and even their hatred. I wanted so badly to prove them wrong. I wanted to show them that an Assassin like me could become a true Hero; that I could earn the right to stand beside them in time."

"This isn't the first time I've killed people. It's not even close. I took my first life when I was seven years old."

"W-What!?"

"Beacon was supposed to be where it changed," she continued, ignoring me, or perhaps not even hearing me in the first place. It felt like she was talking to herself. "It was supposed to be a new life, one where I wouldn't have to kill anymore, where I could become a Hero and not an Assassin. And I really thought it was. Everything was going so well. I thought I could let my guard down and open up, that I could live a normal life, and maybe even fall in love."

Her eyes met mine. She turned her palms outwards, showing me the blood that soaked them, and the lien that rained down.

"And now you've made me the Assassin again."

My heart broke. It was the look on her face that did it. "I'm so sorry…"

"So am I, Jaune," she whispered. "So am I." She tugged at her throat and stepped past me, dropping something to the floor as she called out to the two prisoners. "Burn these bodies and run away. Never speak of this or I'll hunt you down."

"W-We understand," the woman whispered, frightened and in tears. "T-Thank you… for saving us…"

"I didn't kill them for you."

She'd killed them for me… to save me. She'd killed them to prevent the secret of my breaking the Treaty from getting out. She'd cleaned up my mess, and… for the last time, it seemed. With eyes burning and my throat constricted so tight I felt it might snap, I reached down to pick up the object she'd dropped at my feet.

The little golden locket I'd given her.

It was stained with blood.

/-/

Not a word passed between us on the way back to Magnis. Blake rode several feet ahead and adjusted her horse's pace every time I drew near so as to keep the distance between us. I stared at her back, her cloak, and ran through my head all the things I wanted to say. None of them felt enough. Nothing came to mind.

When we reached the camp, the absence of the party sent with us was not missed. A messenger expressed relief at learning the village had been taken and that food would come, but shock at the loss of the others. It was to be expected though. Grimm spawns after a battle weren't uncommon.

I let him think it, even as I hated myself all the more inside.

By the time I was finished, Blake was already gone, having returned to our camp alone. I knew she'd been seen because when I arrived no one spoke. Ruby looked like she wanted to, looking between me and Blake's tent with wide eyes and a white face, but much like everyone else, she had no idea how to broach the subject.

Even so, bravely, she approached. "D-Did… Did it not…?"

I opened my palm, showing her Blake's locket. Cleaned of blood, but still stained brown and looking lonely in my hand. The message was clear and Ruby's eyes watered.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "This… it's my fault…"

"It's not."

She sniffled, eyes filled with tears. "B-But I'm the one who told you to go together."

"It's not your fault, Ruby. It's mine." I'd spent too long convincing myself otherwise; not here, but in other cases, and this time I wasn't going to let myself hide behind such excuses. Ruby didn't deserve to feel bad about this. Had it been anyone there other than Blake, I might still be scheduled for execution, or running for my life and leaving Beacon behind.

"What happened?"

"I… I don't want to talk about it."

Ruby nodded. She didn't like it, but she nodded. "I'm here if you need me…"

"Thank you." My voice almost broke. "W-What happened while we were gone?"

Seeing the attempt to change the subject, Ruby nodded and obliged. "The siege towers are nearly repaired and rebuilt and there hasn't been another attempt from Magnis to sabotage them. They were able to get them up quickly, but there are less of them than before. I think they want to attack before any more time is wasted or Magnis launches a counter-attack."

Not that there had been any such counter-attack in the first place. I looked towards the siege towers standing imposingly over the camp's northern wall. Before, I'd hated them but now I felt dispassionate and empty.

"What about the Greycloaks?"

Ruby's face fell. "We couldn't find anything."

Damn it. Even if it had only bought us a day or two, I'd hoped for more. Were they waiting for the attack before they made their move, or was it something else entirely? "Torchwick hasn't tried to escape?"

"No. He's still in his cell. And there's been no sign of Neo, either."

None at all? That just didn't make sense. Her abilities would make rescuing Roman a fairly easy task, which meant the only reason for him still being here was either that he wanted to be, or that Neo was too busy with some other task elsewhere. Neither made for comforting thoughts.

Come to think of it, the attack would have already been in full effect by now had the siege towers still been up. All I'd really changed was the timing, and I'd paid for it dearly.

"Jaune, are you… are you going to try and talk with her?" Ruby asked. It was clear she didn't want to, or that she wished she didn't have to, but at the same time she pushed herself on. "I just… I don't want to see you both like this."

"After the war," I said.

Ruby's face twisted. "But Jaune…"

"It was what Blake wanted, Ruby. She said we'd sort things out after the war."

That was before she'd given me so obvious an ultimatum of course, but I'd still stick to it. I wasn't willing to lose what we had like this, not without at least apologising and trying to make things right. If she still didn't want anything to do with me after that I'd accept it. I'd understand it, too. But I was going to try. I had to.

"Okay," Ruby said glumly. "I… I really am sorry."

I flashed her a smile, a weak and pathetic one, and rubbed her head as I moved by, shucking off my sword and dumping it down beside my tent. I could feel everyone's eyes on my back but decided I'd retire early, not only to recover from all the horror and pain I'd been through, but also to spare them the awkwardness of my presence. Things were bad enough as it was without them seeing me in tears.

/-/

In the end, I'd cried myself to sleep. It wasn't as fitful or nightmare-ridden as I'd thought, which left me feeling somewhat cheated. That I woke up restless and refreshed annoyed me even further, not matching the view of the world I held at that moment. My eyes were red-rimmed and raw, and though I lacked the energy to do anything, more exhausted in heart and mind than body, I forced myself up.

Fresh air wouldn't help, but it was all I was going to get. While a part of me was worried I'd run into Blake, common sense dictated I wouldn't. Distressed or not, there was no way I'd be able to sneak up on her, and if Blake wanted to avoid me there was a good chance I'd never see her again. I could only hope she wouldn't, or that she'd at least be willing to hear me out in time.

Climbing outside the tent, I was surprised and a little touched to find my weapon had been taken and carefully put onto the rack with the others. Ruby's doing, no doubt. I moved over to rest a hand on the hilt, but tore my fingers away a second later.

No. I didn't want this right now. Not after what I'd done.

I let my hands run over the other weapons instead, the elegant hilt of Myrtenaster, the long haft of Crescent Rose and even Yang's knuckles, resting on a wooden box above the grass. They were all cool to the touch, and although intellectually speaking I knew Crocea Mors was as well, it still felt burning hot.

Funny how I'd never considered just how much of a killing tool it was. The first time I'd taken a life, a human life, had been on the journey to Atlas and I'd felt a startling lack of guilt for it. I could remember agonising over that, though I'd soon come to realise I just didn't regret it. I'd fought in self-defence against a deserting Hero who had wanted to kill me.

What I'd committed hours earlier wasn't the same, either with Anders' intent or my actions. It had been murder and little else. The fact that I'd done it on accident might reduce it to something akin to manslaughter, but even then it was sketchy at best. I couldn't say I'd had no idea what might happen when I swung a sword at a man. That was ridiculous. Worse, I'd forced Blake to sully her hands, too.

It was frightening to realise just how much my actions could affect everyone else. Had I been executed, there was no telling what fallout would land on my friends. Even when I'd sabotaged the siege towers, I'd only considered myself. It was selfish of me.

My finger paused on the hilt of Myrtenaster, atop the pommel of the lithe and simple weapon. It wasn't used for combat much, being more a tool Weiss required thanks to her contradictory Passive. Still, it was a well-made thing that had once been used by her father. It had meaning, if not any real advantage for her as a Mage.

"I've been even more selfish than I thought," I whispered.

My eyes began to glow. A Rune of Minor Constitution slowly etched itself onto the blade, hidden next to the cross guard where it would be difficult to see. I'd given Runes to Blake's weapons in order to protect her but not a thought to everyone else. That stopped here.

I moved from weapon to weapon, endowing Constitution on each of them the better to protect the wielders. Nora and Yang marked the only differences, with each gaining Dexterity like my own. They probably had more than enough Constitution as it was.

It was the work of five minutes or more and left me with a small headache. Still, the added stats might make the difference for them some day and that made it all worthwhile. If this was all the support I could give them as a Blacksmith, then so be it. I was annoyed I hadn't done it earlier, though given that I'd only just learned how to etch from touch, it perhaps hadn't been much of an option. I couldn't just steal their weapons and take them to a forge.

There was movement from the tent two to the side. Blake froze as she pushed the flap back, spotting me. Her eyes met mine for an instant and flicked away. It looked like she might duck inside, but I saved her the decision and turned to leave the camp. I didn't want to pen her in her tent, after all. We both wanted time alone right now.

If nothing else, I would grant her that.

Having no real destination and purpose, I made my way over to the main entrance, but made a personal point of not leaving the camp and remaining within sight of those guarding it. I'd make no moves on the siege towers this time and wanted it made clear. I sat on a log set beside a communal cooking pot and helped myself to a mug of water from a nearby barrel. It was crystal clear and cool from the night air. General Corvo found me there, sitting down opposite with a grunt.

"A cool night is often good to clear one's mind," he said.

I nodded. "Is that why you're out here, General?"

"It is. I shall order the attack tomorrow and that weighs on me, as it should for any man or woman in such a situation. I'd thought myself prepared to do so today and the delay has only forced me to spend more time doubting myself." He chuckled and shook his head. "I heard about what happened on the Quest," he said. "It is a grave loss but you must not blame yourself."

"I'd rather not talk about it, sir," I rasped, eyes fixed on the mug in my hand.

"My soldiers were aware of the risks."

"I said I'd rather not talk about it!"

General Corvo watched me warily. "Very well, I only wished to help."

That only made it worse, so much worse. I mumbled some vague thanks under my breath, just wanting this to be over. All of it, Magnis, the war, the Greycloaks – to hell with all of them. Where was the simpler times in Beacon we'd been promised? Why couldn't Blake and I be arguing over homework or rent instead of murder?

Ha, there was an irony there as well. The war was a terrible entity ripping families apart and killing so many soldiers, and yet my greatest complaint was the strain it was placing on my relationship with Blake. Or rather, the strain that had broken said relationship. I hated it for that more than I did the lost lives. I hated the Greycloaks for it even more.

"There is something else I feel I should mention," Corvo said. "After you left, we received reports that several surrounding villages and towns we captured have failed to respond to our messengers. We sent requests for more supplies and almost all of them failed to reply. I've sent out scouts to investigate, but, well, it doesn't look good."

"Taken by Vale?"

"I hope so." Corvo's words earned my surprise, and the man sighed when I looked to him. "If they were taken by Vale, then my messengers will still be alive. But if that were so, they would not have approached in the first place."

"I'd say we could go and investigate but I understand the attack is tomorrow."

"It is. You and your fellows will be needed here."

Time for us to sit on our high horses and watch people butcher one another in the name of peace. I smiled bitterly.

"I understand."

The sound of horse's hooves approached the entrance, kicking up a storm of dust as two riders sped towards the encampment. Corvo stood when several sentries cried out, shocked at the speed of the approach and the fact the figures were neither slowing nor offering any signs of doing so.

I followed the General out, lacking my sword but trusting I'd be able to do something if the need arose. Others came too, while many on the walls readied their weapons. It was just the two people but that didn't mean much. They might have been incredibly strong. I couldn't make out the names from such a distance but I could see that they were hooded and cloaked, though not in grey.

It was only when they were close that we caught sight of the symbol of unity, albeit on a black background. Heroes – and ones from Mistral. Many were those who lowered their weapons and took a more natural stance. I wasn't among them. There was something wrong here. Their pace was too frantic.

Corvo saw it, too. "They're in an awful rush. We should meet with them."

I nodded and followed behind as we moved further away from the camp, Corvo waving a hand to draw the attention of the riders, who altered their charge towards us. While I was prepared to knock the General out of the way if things turned ugly, it wasn't necessary. The Heroes slowed their mounts but didn't stop. Instead, they leapt off them to land near us, allowing their horses to slow at their own pace further on. I caught sight of their names and faces, and more distinctively, their hair.

"Emerald? Mercury?"

"Friends of yours?" Corvo asked.

"We worked on a Quest together," I said, not wanting to reveal too much. "Cin- Your guildmate said you'd come to help us," I amended. "Are you-?"

"There's no time," Emerald panted, face and hair slick with sweat. There was blood there too, along with streaks of mud and soot. "General Corvo, you need to ready your men. The siege of Magnis must be lifted immediately."

"Why?" Corvo asked, brows drawing down. "What has happened?"

"It's the Grimm. They've spawned in numbers never before seen. Something has happened." Emerald shook her head, clearly frightened. "They're on their way here. This isn't going to be a siege, General."

"It's going to be a massacre."


Oh wow, so well, the world probably hasn't ended but I'm sure it's going to feel like it when I see my reviews later. Yes well, Blake and Jaune. Ahem. It's a thing. I can't really say anything more without some pretty heft spoilers, so I'll stomach the pain for now.

For those asking, I suppose the name of this book would be "Blurred Lines" or something similar. I'd have considered "The Great War", but this story really doesn't focus much on the war itself, but instead on the role of Heroes within it. It should also be noted that yes, Jaune would have received some EXP for killing the man here, but it won't have made much difference as it's just killing a low level creature, which like most RPG mechanics, gives diminishing or minute rewards. That's kind of the point here - that these Soldiers are just that weak compared to a Hero (or in Jaune's case, someone living the life and growing at the rate of a Hero).

I also know this is going to sound ridiculous given the setting, but I won't let this become another Magnis. I.e. I won't have the battle drag on for ten or more chapters. We're actually nearing the end of this book.


Next Chapter: 30th April

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