Jaune's memory of the day his family died started with fire. It was all that his eyes could focus on. What comes next and what happened before is blurry. The day had been so happy, everyone having fun as they celebrated him turning eight. Then screaming coming from in town, piercing into his bones.

It was faint, since the Arc home was closer to the outskirts of town, but everyone heard it. His birthday party paused, all the guests staring dumbfounded as the fire grew. No one moves, all transfixed on the flames. From that moment, his memories gradually became more solid.

"Mom? What's that?" Jaune asked hesitantly, afraid of what the fires might mean. Juniper Arc didn't respond right away, gathering his siblings and ushering them into the house. The rest of the party guests began to come inside as well, all looking anxious at the sight.

Then the bells rang throughout the town of Ansel. His siblings faces became steadily more afraid as they continued to ring. People milled about, unsure as to whether they should go into the town and help or wait for the Huntsmen to deal with it.

The bells were used to warn the residents of an incoming Grimm attack, or something of equal magnitude. Bandits and natural disasters were always something to be wary of after all. Grimm were easy enough to deal with when alone; the other two were threatening at the best of times.

"Should we go to the townhall?" Saphron asked. "We're close to the walls, so if something were to happen, we'd be further from the Grimm there."

They were huddled in the kitchen, people from Jaune's birthday party waiting for the bells to stop. Over a half an hour later, the bells were still ringing nonstop. Some people left in search of an explanation of why things the threat hadn't been dealt with yet. None of them had returned.

His mother was quiet for a moment, looking outside the windows. The men had all gone into the village to aid in whatever was happening, save for two huntsmen who stayed to watch those who were at the Arc home. They had watched from outside, providing reassurance to everyone inside. Or had it been three huntsmen? Jaune couldn't remember. He wasn't even sure he wanted to.

"The fire's there," Juniper said. "I think bandits somehow got past the walls. We'd know if it was Grimm. They'd already be here and tearing down the house."

It was true. For as dangerous as the Grimm were, they weren't exactly subtle. Unsurprisingly, most Grimm were more interested in destroying things and killing people rather than hiding their intentions or movements.

Bandits, however, were a different story. They would wait, plot out a course of action, wait for a weakness to be exposed. Then they attacked, taking advantage of whatever opening they could exploit. While they usually weren't as strong as a Grimm, their minds made them a far more dangerous foe.

"We shouldn't-" Juniper continued, before a roar made her go quiet. All his sisters went pale as a thudding grew closer. The sound of breathing growing louder and louder until its on the other side of the wall. Just outside the house, waiting. Everyone immediately knew what it was.

"They got past the walls? The Huntsmen will stop them, right?" Someone asked, fear creeping into their voice. Jaune had never heard the sound before, but he knew it wasn't a person. Not bandits then. Or had both struck Ansel at the same time?

The wall exploded, bits of wood shooting across the room. The creature that enters the room is easy to identify, even to those who've never seen one of its kind before. A Beowolf, saliva dripping from its maw in anticipation. It took a step forward, the thud of its massive paw echoing through the house.

"Run!"

Jaune doesn't know who said it, but whoever it was said what everyone was thinking, their words the match the spark that would lead into an inferno.

People nearly trample over each other in attempting to leave the small house. Jaune bolts with his mother corralling his siblings out the door, grabbing onto Amber's arm to prevent him from being separated from his youngest sibling.

Pulling her close to him lets Jaune see the terror in her eyes. She clings to his pant leg, her small fist desperately clenching at the little reassurance his presence provides.

Screams erupt from inside the house as they reach outside. Jaune barely makes out the sound of flesh tearing, meat being chewed and gnawed away as the Beowolf finds its prey.

To his relief, it wasn't one of his siblings. Juniper comes running around the side of the house, the rest of her children in tow. People flee behind them, all scattering in different directions.

"Jaune! Amber!" Juniper pulled them in for a quick hug, eyes going misty for a moment. She quickly pulled herself together and began walking into town. "We need to get to the town hall bunker. If the Grimm got inside, they'll be going after those who are afraid. Stay calm. So long as you do, we'll be alright."

"What about the Huntsmen? They were right outside the house. They should've stopped them from getting in the house, and the ones protecting the walls should've kept them outside of town."

Jaune's words caused her to look at him, though she didn't stop walking. Her eyes were full of an emotion he couldn't concern. "Sometimes the Huntsmen don't stop the Grimm. They're only human, after all."

"But they're heroes!"

"No one's invincible. Not even heroes."

That wasn't untrue, but Jaune didn't like hearing it. As he got older, his views would change, yet as a child he was still blinded by naivety.

"I-"

"Jaune, we don't have time for this. Come on."

The conversation is ended abruptly, leaving Jaune unable to argue. Why wouldn't she listen to him? If only his father had been there, had refused to go on that mission. If only…

So many what ifs, none of which mattered in the long run.

Jaune followed closely behind his mom. A shrill shriek makes his already pounding heart sound as if its pounding in his ears. The sound seemed to echo through his bones, his very core being shook by the sound.

Not even his own splinters buried in his arms by the wall exploding gave him pause like he had from that sound, that cry of hate only Grimm could make. Things only got worse as the space in front of them seemed to warp.

Bandits began to pour out of those bloodred portals that would come to haunt his dreams, wielding various weapons that Jaune can just imagine tearing into him. As they did, any sense of courage or bravado he felt left him. With only fear guiding him, Jaune did the only thing that made sense to his fear addled mind.

He ran.

Later, he'd faintly remember his mother and sisters calling out to him. In the moment, there were no coherent thoughts running through his head.

Jaune didn't know what happened to his family after that, or how they tried to escape. Didn't know that was the last time he'd see most of them for a long time. There was the sound of fighting as he ran, desperate to put distance between himself and the chaos.

There had been so many, a few dozen bandits directly appearing in front of them. Fear was a method to ensure survival. It didn't always work, but this time it did, saving his life by pumping adrenaline through his body and making his mind go blank except for the thought of getting as far as possible from the threat.

He'd abandoned them…

The thought still haunted his dreams sometimes.

Gunshots ring out as he runs, so close that he can imagine them whistling past his ear. Stumbling again, he crashes to the ground. Panic makes him ignore the scrapes on his knees as he staggers to his feet, hastily moving forward.

Eventually, Jaune isn't surrounded by buildings anymore. All signs of civilization are replaced by nature. Trees and bushes that he'd never seen before. For all his life, Jaune had always been safe inside the town walls or with his father nearby. Now though? He was fully aware of how exposed, how vulnerable he was.

There wasn't anything he could do against a Grimm or bandits. The only thing he could do if anything found him was run. As if that would do anything to help him. He'd already run and now he was here.

Jaune continued to push himself, his lungs screaming at him to slow. Muscles aching, fingers jittering as he lost the strength adrenaline had provided. Rasping for breath, his heart skips a beat as gurgling reaches his ears.

It's terrifying, not a noise that should exist. Not something that any person should ever have to hear. Jaune walks forward while trying to be quiet, his heart seeming to roar, colors seeming to pop.

Pink. It stands out amongst the greens and browns of the forestry. It's the first thing his eyes lock onto once its in his vision. The origin of the color makes his stomach lurch.

A person. Those were organs. Human organs. Those weren't supposed to look like that!

Stomach rolling, Jaune keels forward. The partially dissolved cake and food escapes from his mouth as he retches, unable to tear his eyes away. It was bad. She was his age, younger even.

With her mangled body, he's unable to make out who she is as first. Opal Violet was what he'd remember later. Her mother had been a huntress before she'd received an injury that took her out of commission. Chest ripped open and legs bent awkwardly, it hurts to look at her. Nausea threatens to overcome him when he sees her arm lying a few feet away. Her lungs shifted as she breathed.

Uneasily, Jaune scans the surrounding area until the outline of a person catches his eye. He took a few steps forward, unsure of whether he should. There was Mrs. Violet, the nice lady who'd given him cookies as he walked to school. The smile she always wore was now a despaired grimace, her eyes dull and lacking any life.

"I'm sorry," Jaune choked. Why he apologized, not even he knew.

A groan came from behind him. The same noise that he'd heard previously, that drew him hear in the first place. It's loud and quiet at the same time.

It reminds of a little bird Coral had once brought home. How she got it, he never found out. The memory was from a few years ago when it first returned to him, long enough that he'd forgotten it. The poor creature had a noticeable chunk taken out of it, its chirping full of pain. The words exchanged between Coral and their parents wasn't something he could remember, but the conversation had caught his attention.

So, when his father left, gently caressing the animal Jaune followed. There wasn't anything noticeably different in his father's demeanor as he left the house. He didn't even go that far, barely getting off the porch before resting it on the ground.

In a swift movement too fast for Jaune to react, Crocea Mors had been lifted in the air and swung down. Whatever emotion he'd been feeling wasn't one he could identify, but it'd been enough for him to make a noise. When his father saw him, his expression became pained.

"Ah, Jaune," he cleared his throat. Crocea Mors was sheathed, the blade glistening with blood.

"You killed it."

"I- Yes, I did," he sighed, suddenly looking much older.

"Why?"

"Sometimes…Sometimes it's the kinder option."

As Jaune stood over the girl, the world rang on repeat in his head. The kinder option. The kinder option was what his father had done. And his father was a hero, right? He wouldn't lie to him about something like that. Jaune had always wanted to be a hero, like all his ancestors had been, so he had to do what a hero would do. Heroes were kind and saved people.

In this situation, the two were paradoxical to each other. There was nothing Jaune could do to save her, but he could be kind. Yet, that kindness was the opposite of saving. What his father had done was the kind for the bird, but this wasn't an animal. It was a person, so the circumstances were different. Even so, it was obvious that she was in pain.

But he didn't have a sword. There wasn't anything he could do. Unless…

He looked around until his gaze fell onto a rock small enough to fit in his hands, but big enough to do damage. His body felt disconnected from his mind, every action feeling dull. As he picks up the rock, the pressure of his fingertips grazing the object doesn't seem right. Too light for the action he's doing.

Standing over her again, Jaune's gaze meets hers. It's not something he enjoys, seeing her pained expression contrasting against the hopeful look in her eyes. A glowing power hissed against her injuries, enduring despite the damage she'd received. It flickered, struggling to keep her alive.

What was it? Jaune didn't know. Perhaps if he did, he'd have been able to save her. The light was only extending her suffering. Jaune could tell that just by looking at it. Despite how much pain she was in, she seemed happy to see him.

Oh. She wasn't aware of how bad it was. Too young to realize that there was nothing that could be done, the sheer hope of being saved enough to make her fight a bit longer. It didn't matter, there was just too much missing. For some cruel reason, the Grimm hadn't killed her.

Numbness clouds his mind as he raises the stone. The edge of the rock wasn't very sharp, but it'd get the job done. Unable to think through the haze of his mind, Jaune could only stare. From her breathing alone it's obvious she's in agonizing pain.

His dad would do the same thing… wouldn't he? Jaune swung the stone down, a loud crack emanating from the hit against the glowing power. He had to do this. Not just to help the girl, but to protect everyone else. The Grimm would be drawn closer to the village by her fear, putting the residents at even more risk. The bandits and few Grimm had been bad enough, if anymore came more people would be at risk.

Jaune swung the stone down again.

Crack!

It fizzles away.

Crack!

The power seemed to break away and her skull gives way. Tears pour down his face, but he'd done it. An even more painful gasping sound comes from the girl.

No. No, no, no. She wasn't supposed to hurt. She was supposed to die. Why wasn't she dead? Her skull was caved in, there was no way she could still be alive.

But against all logical reasoning, she continued to live. He'd failed to be a hero. He just wanted to help her! Against his will, a hysterical giggle escapes him.

"Please," he begged as he swung the stone again.

His laughter turned to crying and whimpering as he swung the rock again. And again. And again.

That's how the militia found him. Swing a rock down on a dead girl's face over and over, mumbling gibberish about being a hero with tears and snot running down his face. Many thought he had gone insane, others realized he was having a breakdown.

What none of them knew was that this was the start of a journey. One that would be involved in many big events in the future. Some would call him a murderer. Others called him hero. Many thought he was a deranged monster.

Jaune Arc would become someone who fought to save the oppressed, killed those who abused their power, and sacrificed the few to save the many. Just a simple man who wanted nothing more than to save the world, fighting on to save as many as he could despite knowing he couldn't save everyone.

A man whose dream was unachievable, yet he fought for it anyway, dirtying his hands so others wouldn't have to. So began the tale of Jaune Arc: The Huntsman killer.

Thanks for Reading! Any advice about anything will be greatly appreciated. This is the rewritten version of chapter one. I think it's better than the original but let me know what you think.

Dark first chapter, but I think it sets the tone well. I don't want Jaune to be an edgelord but molded by his experiences in a bad way. He'll never be evil, but he'll kill people and do other dubiously moral things if it seems like the best course of action.

Rewritten 7/22/22