I spent literally, all day, writing this chapter out.
However, before you read, there is something I need to tell you about Jaune and Ruby's interaction in this chapter.
I personally hate when protagonists upon seeing their friend become a monster act dumb. I hate when they insist on helping the person, knowing that they are a monster. I hate when they act like killing someone is the worst thing ever despite seeing their friend is a ghoul or vampire.
It's like when the final girl in any horror movie keeps tripping over a can of beans or pencil when they're trying to get away from the monster. Or when someone screams and tries backing away from the monster on the ground as he slowly walks towards them.
It's the most annoying goddamn thing I have ever seen.
But, if people don't like that interaction, I will consider changing it with your ideas to make it better.
[Wewelsburg, Germany]
The halls of this Renaissance castle were deserted, save for the two souls inhabiting the citadel. Not another dared to tread here at this hour for that reason. The stench of death filled the air, deterring those brave enough to look past the foreboding structure's outer walls. One's very soul became entrapped by some unknown force upon entering the grounds. This place unfit for life.
Deep within the castle, a woman sat in front of a fireplace. This chamber deep underground in a crypt unknown to but a few, forgotten since the last Great War. Only a fraction of the relics once stored here survived the nearly seventy years since then. This decay is where a beast lied in wait, drinking wine by firelight. Her golden mane and eyes, reflecting the gentle glow cast off by the flames.
She brought the wine glass to her lips, imbibing on the alcohol slowly. The passage of time leaving the bottle half empty as she cared not to track it. She was more concerned with the man approaching from behind.
"How many of their number already arrived in Berlin," a man asked from the room's entrance. His accent very refined but carrying a thick Germanic touch.
"Leonhardt, Brynhildr, Sonnenkind, Kronos, Ratatoskr, Yggdrasil, and Machina have come," Arthur explained, reclining in the corner, enveloped by darkness. "As it stands, Mercurius, Eris, Empusa and Guinevere are missing."
"I see..." the man uttered, stepping into the light. His face still obscured by the darkness and only his glasses were visible, reflecting the light. The rest of his figure was covered by a black trenchcoat draped over his shoulders. "However, I have had something on my mind, Helena."
"Out with it..."
"Is there a possibility you may reconsider your intentions," he asked, stepping behind her and glancing down at the woman. "I do not wish to see my dear sister felled in battle."
He asked this question as if he'd done it a thousand times before. On this occasion, the once pleading tone he'd given prior no longer remained. He was already expecting the answer. One he did not want to hear.
"No," Helena swiftly denied, sipping her wine once more. "I must have this war. If I am to break free of this world, this Ghetto, the path I have laid out must be travelled. It is the only means by which we may ascend to godhood."
"I see..." the man uttered, sighing loudly in disappointment. "Then I shall travel to Berlin and speak with Leonhardt. I doubt you would be opposed to gifting him a handicap."
"Haha, hahaha," Helena hung her head and let out a chuckle. She then reared it back and laughed out loud. "Hahahaha, hahahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaa!"
The thought of her opponent getting a leg up nearly brought her to tears. If a mere change in direction were enough to shift the tides of battle, there was little else Helena could wish for. It would require her to fight with all her strength, not holding back, hoping the other would rise to the occasion.
That boy was already proving to be a challenge. Few were able to fell that madman, Cassius, in battle. And despite him not serving her, he made a useful pawn for this game. The reliquary of souls would send Leonhardt to new heights unseen by men of this age.
"Do as you wish, brother," Helena exclaimed, swirling the wine in her glass around. "We are no longer servants of the Reich! General Heydrich does not dictate our actions!"
"Hmph..." The man turned and left the room immediately.
[Jaune: Vale]
Ruby had quieted down for the past few minutes. He could still feel the girl trembling in his arms. Jaune refused to release her until she commanded it for that reason. She needed the time to catch her bearing, and he would not allow her to find it alone. Doing so would be irresponsible of him.
Jaune had not realised Ruby was here until she said something. The high from that battle dulled the boy's restraint, and he did not contemplate who she was before attacking. The reason Jaune had returned was to track another scent he'd picked up, who's owner was powerful in its own right. He just never expected Ruby to be here.
"J-Jaune," Ruby stuttered, drawing his attention to her. "What are you?"
I guessed she was going to have questions...
"A vampire," he explained, pulling away from Ruby enough to look her in the eyes.
When Jaune was able to see her face once more, he wiped the tears off his cheeks with a thumb. Ruby did not recoil at his hand and likely didn't register its presence. What he just told her occupied her mind enough. There was no room for other thoughts or concerns.
Ruby's face was covered in cuts and bruises. Several were still bleeding, but there was no serious damage. The rest of her was coated in a thick layer of dust and debris from the battle. He did not know how far her injuries went just yet.
"Are you able to walk," he asked, gesturing to one of her ankles. The sight of her wincing as she applied pressure told him part of a story.
"N-No," she stuttered while shaking her head. "My leg hurts..."
Without warning, Jaune lifted Ruby off her feet and into a bridal carry. She immediately threw a hand around his neck to gather support, but the other hand appeared too painful to move. Jaune began walking down the street with her in his arms to a place they could sit and talk.
"Jaune, where are we going," Ruby asked, preparing to wrench herself out of his grip.
"I'm going to answer your questions," he replied. "I figured you deserve to understand what's going on right now."
She did not get a chance to reply as Jaune leapt into the air. Both he and Ruby morphed into a swarm of bats, racing down the street to his intended destination. The sounds of Ruby shouting filled the sky as she was not prepared for this.
...
Landing in a nearby alley, Ruby hadn't realised they were no longer flying. She clung to him like a child would to their mother. The girl eventually popped an eye open, figuring it out for herself. Jaune then allowed her to stand independently, letting her use him as a crutch to walk on. Despite the assistance, her limp practically required him to carry her.
As they exited the passage, they were outside of a local diner the two would frequent. The gentle glow of the retro-styled restaurant was a welcoming sight to those who found themselves out tonight. Such a place would calm Ruby's nerves and let her rest as Jaune filled her in on the situation.
Entering the diner, they were met with the owner. An older man who the pair knew quite well from their previous visits. He was tending to a few others who had come inside to seek shelter. Several other employees were doing the same, bringing refreshments or bandages to the injured.
"Jesus, you kids all right," the man asked, leaving a woman to one of his employees.
"I'm fine," Jaune replied confidently. "She twisted her ankle when we were running away. I was going to let her rest before I took her back home."
"Okay, here, take a seat and rest up, I think whatever was going on stopped," he directed, gesturing to a booth on the far side of the diner.
The few people seated over there would not be able to intrude on Ruby and Jaune. They needed to have a long conversation.
Dropping Ruby into the booth, Jaune took the opposite side, keeping his back to the crowd of people. A few moments later, a woman came by and poured Jaune some coffee and gave Ruby some water. The girl quickly took a drink from the mug, showing how much her hands shook as she did so. Ruby couldn't keep a glass still if she tried her hardest.
"So, are you really that," Ruby quietly asked once more, trying to discern Jaune's nature. "Vampires aren't real, they're just monsters..."
Jaune's eyes shifted from white and gold to black and orange. Ruby froze at the sight, and her jaw hung loose. The girl's already pale complexion became white as a ghost's. She wasn't prepared to see that again after her prior encounters with two vampires.
"How do you think I found out," Jaune replied, shifting his eyes back to normal and leaning back into the seat.
"W-When did you get turned," Ruby asked, stuttering as her confidence faltered.
"You remember when I got jumped, and my Scroll and wallet were stolen," Jaune described, grabbing his coffee and taking a drink.
"Yeah..."
"The woman who attacked me was a vampire," he explained, gesticulating gently with his right hand. "She wanted to take my blood because of how powerful my soul was."
"What?"
Jaune already assumed Ruby was going to have difficulty understanding this. The idea was such a foreign concept to ordinary people, they were not going to figure it out for themselves. Jaune needed to explain the lore of vampires not already known to her.
"Vampires drink blood, right," Jaune stated, resting his head on his right fist. "Only, we seem to take it a step further and devour the soul of the person too. We can use them to fuel magic or our natural abilities. Everyone has this energy inside them. My family has more than most, and a few have a lot."
"Really..." Ruby inquired almost in disbelief. "H-How did you find out about that?"
"Nazis told me about it... I learned some of it on my own," Jaune said with a smile. "Their leader, Freyja, and I call the place where I store my souls, Valhalla. I can travel there and walk around in a castle larger than any city on earth. You would not find anything more beautiful in your life, Ruby."
If I can forge it, then one day I will show it to you... No, when I forge it!
"How?" Her expression moulded into a more confused one as she pondered the idea.
"I don't yet understand the finer mechanics of it," Jaune expressed with a chuckle. "Even Freyja is an enigma to me. She's nothing like that vampire you ran into. Her eyes are golden, just like mine, and her soul is even stronger."
"Like you're a different type of vampire," she suggested, taking another sip of water. "That guy didn't have golden eyes."
"His name is Cassius, and yes, that's what I've been suspecting," he agreed casually. "Almost like the difference between you and Weiss."
"She's like your family?"
"Yes, she is," Jaune confirmed with a nod. "As far as I can tell, she is sensitive to the same energy I am. I think she can see people's aura as well. There are a few others like her that I know of."
Brynhildr and those soldiers.
"Oh..." Ruby's head sunk low as she thought about that. "Is that why you've been avoiding her?"
"I almost killed her the day I ran out of school..."
Ruby looked like she was about to cry now. With how close her friend was to dying and the knowledge of what her other friend was hit her like a truck. Though, Jaune understood her guilt went beyond that. She had accidentally put him in a position where he came into contact with Weiss more often despite his efforts to remain distant.
"I-I'm so sorry," Ruby croaked, grabbing at her chest painfully. A few tears fell from her cheeks before she devolved into a crying mess. "I-I was just trying to help! I didn't know..."
Jaune reached over, grabbing her other hand and gently stroked the back of it with his thumb. He allowed Ruby to get it out of her system once more. Jaune already suspected this wouldn't be the last time they would have to go through this struggle.
"You've done nothing wrong, Ruby," Jaune expressed, taking hold of her free hand with both of his. "Like you said, you were only trying to help your friends. I appreciate that..."
Even if Jaune didn't want to see her still, Weiss' safety remained important to him. It was a test of his will not to devour her right there and claim her soul for Valhalla. Jaune wouldn't be sure if he could forgive himself over it, but at least she would be preserved if such an event transpired. With these other vampires around, Jaune knew at some point they were going to hunt her.
"O-Ok..." She nodded, giving her confirmation. However, the pain in her chest made the girl wince with every breath. It got to the point Ruby was biting down as hard as she could to stave off the sharp jolts ripping through her chest.
"You broke some of your ribs," Jaune pointed out, releasing her hands. "You're lucky Cassius didn't kill you..."
"I-I know," Ruby agreed, bobbing her head up and down. "Pepper spray didn't work on him, and he just punched me in the chest..."
"Hahahahahaaaa," Jaune laughed out loud at her words.
Ruby appeared to be stunned at Jaune's reaction. No, more like outright frightened by it. The boy's demeanour changed from the once goofy and fun-loving young man to whatever this was. The same phenomenon which Weiss had described to her.
"You pepper-sprayed a vampire," Jaune exclaimed as he attempted to contain his laugh. "I didn't think you would be brave enough! No wonder why Cassius came after you!"
Ruby had no chance to persist against him, but she stood her ground for more than a moment. Better than most other humans Jaune had come across. To the boy, he found it fascinating. Ruby knew she stood in the presence of a monster and refused to back down.
"I-I think he said the same thing about you..." Ruby meekly replied, attempting to move the conversation along despite Jaune's eccentricity. "Leonhardt gave me his blessing."
Blessing? Perhaps there is more that I do not understand yet...
"You're right about my name," Jaune replied, leaving out the last part of Ruby's statement. "I am Leonhardt. Though Freyja calls me Julius Caesar."
"Why do they call you that," Ruby asked, jumping to a new tangent. Jaune suspected she did not want to press any further on the prior one.
"I'm not sure," Jaune replied, taking another sip from his coffee. "I assume all vampires have these titles. Freyja has several like me. However, I think the reason for possessing the name is that I'm meant to defeat her in battle, overcoming the odds of a hundred-year-old vampire and her legions trying to kill me."
Before Ruby could reply, the Scroll in her pocket buzzed loudly. The teens having forgotten about the device during their conversation. She withdrew the phone, but could not respond to whoever was calling her. The Scroll malfunctioned, letting out a spark before shutting off completely.
"I think Summer was trying to call you," Jaune expressed, setting aside his coffee and standing up. "Do you have any other questions, or do you want me to walk you home?"
"I-I don't know," she replied, looking away for a split second. "There's just so much... I don't know where to begin. I don't know what to do about it either!"
"You will do nothing," he commanded softly. "This is my war. You will stay out of it. You will keep this to yourself. The military has a faction hunting me alongside the Nazis, and I do not want you painting a target on your back. If you care to talk about this more later, I will answer whatever questions you have..." Jaune held out his right hand, offering it to her, and Ruby took it, using his strength to lift her onto her feet.
The two waved goodbye to the owner and his employees before walking back onto the street. They made some distance between them and the diner where Jaune lifted Ruby up and shifted into a swarm of bats. Once more, they ascended above the canopy of buildings and raced off to their neighbourhood.
...
Jaune set Ruby down several houses away from her own. There was enough space between them and the other homes, so no one could see their arrival. It would also allow Ruby to walk the rest of the distance herself, making it appear she ran all the way back.
"Are you going to be all right," Jaune asked, helping Ruby gain her footing.
"Yeah, I'm getting used to my leg, I don't think it's broken," she replied, putting some more weight on the damaged ankle. "But, thanks for saving me back there..."
Jaune cocked his head to the side slightly, and let out a low chuckle.
"I didn't rescue you, Ruby," he explained, crossing his arms. "I only came because I felt Cassius was in the area. Pasty and I needed a round two, and I didn't even know you were there."
"There was a guy though..."
"I know, I could smell him," Jaune pointed out. "I only guessed he ran off because I showed up. He was probably fighting Cassius after you passed out."
"Okay..." Ruby said, taking a deep breath. "What are you going to do then?"
"I'm going to find him and get some information out of him," Jaune answered. "There was a reason why he ran off, and I want to know it."
"Oh... Then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure," Jaune agreed, nodding his head. He stepped forth and wrapped his arms around her. Ruby replied with her own, though not as tightly with the injured wrist.
Ruby then quickly turned around and began limping back to her home. Before she made it far, the girl turned around to ask another question which popped into her head. However, Ruby found he already vanished, leaving her all alone.
[Weiss]
Weiss had watched the Schnee tower collapse from her bedroom window. However, that was not the only thing she saw. Those two objects which slammed into the side of the building took it down. Not some bomb or missile, but a person just like those previous fights in Vale.
It left Weiss shocked seeing another battle take place right before her eyes. The explosions going off closer to the residential district woke her up first, allowing her to see the entire thing go down. Between the gold and crimson lights dancing among the buildings to the shockwaves ringing out from obvious blows between the combatants, Weiss' blood ran with adrenaline.
She couldn't sleep despite the hour or so, which passed, leaving her laying on her back in bed while she forced herself to pass out. Unfortunately, such sleep eluded her, angering the girl considerably. She even resorted to opening the windows leading to her balcony to get some cool air circulating
Nothing was working for her. She guessed that subconsciously her body was avoiding sleep due to the danger. It may have also been due to her nightmare with Jaune and that castle. Seeing him again got her mind and body upset once again. Going to sleep again might end up with her waking up in that castle.
I need to stay away from him... It's not fair for Jaune if I keep hanging out with Ruby while he's there.
There was a reason she turned down Ruby's second invitation. The idea sounded like fun, but she couldn't bear to sit in a room for more than an hour with Jaune there. Having to interact with him while playing a game wasn't going to go well either. If there ever was going to be a chance for them to reconcile, Weiss had to provide him with space.
That meant making sacrifices on her end for his benefit. Weiss had to be a ghost, unseen by him and unnoticed as well. The thought hurt so much, Weiss curled up into the fetal position instinctively. She did not cry, though, just laying there and contemplating what she would do next. The sound of her quiet breathing filled the air alongside the occasional gust of wind coming through the open window.
*Click*
What?
The sound of a shoe clicking against the floor grabbed Weiss' attention. She sat up and looked around, initially thinking that someone was walking through the hallway. Not an unreasonable assumption for her to make as the staff routinely inspected the halls or checked on Weiss or Whitley. With what was going on in Vale, the staff made more rounds than usual as a precaution.
Weiss panned her head from left to right, trying to discern where the sound was coming from. As her eyes scanned the room, she caught something in the shadows. It was only visible for a moment before her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Hail Sonnenkind," a person spoke. His voice filled with a rich German accent. One that sounded familiar to Weiss.
She focused on the origin of the speech, and a man walked out of the shadows. His long snow-white hair reflected the moonlight coming through her window, and half his face remained shrouded in darkness. A pair of crystal blue eyes focused in on her, boring a hole through her head. His lips curled into a predatory smile, and the rest of his body language indicated he was relaxed, allowing his arms to hang freely at his sides. Though one quickly rested itself on his hip.
S-Stay away!
Weiss couldn't move in his presence, she was only forced to gaze upon him as he stepped entirely into the light. The few medals hanging from his SS uniform cast off this light, shining in the darkness. The red armband on his left arm no longer contained the crooked cross but was now emblazoned with two twin crescents.
It was that homeless man from the park. He was no longer that unkempt vagabond in rags. His appearance was that of a professional soldier addressing his betters.
"The Einherjar's memories do no justice, Schneeengel."
Finding her strength, Weiss let out a blood-curdling scream and reached for the nearest object. She threw her Scroll with every ounce of her might, sending the device sailing across the room. It flew right past the man, smashing against the wall and crumbling into many pieces. Several more items were flung in his direction but missed their target.
Weiss quickly scrambled for the door, opening it before falling into the arms of Klein. Several more staff members were at his side, coming to assist the crying girl. Everyone began asking questions as Weiss pressed her head into Klein's chest, shaking as he held her.
"T-There was a man in my room," Weiss cried out, continuing to move away from the doorway.
Several staff members burst into the room and began looking for the intruder. There was not an ounce of hesitation from them to defend the girl. None of them had weapons either and chose to storm a chamber with a possibly hostile man inside.
"There's nobody here," one of the staff shouted, exiting the room.
"What," Weiss shouted, pulling away from Klein. "There was someone wearing a Nazi uniform in my room! I saw him!"
Klein climbed to his feet with Weiss in hand, keeping himself between the room and the girl. She could not see it, but Klein's expression was one of fear. He shook at the mere mention of the man.
"All of you, call the police and search the grounds immediately," he commanded, gesturing for each of them to move. "Please, come with me Ms Schnee, we need to get you somewhere safe!"
[Jaune]
The scent was still strong. The street was permeated with it. Though, it became muddled with the presence of Jaune's and Cassius' own trails. There was enough here to possibly follow and catch up if he moved quickly.
Where are you?
Jaune locked onto the trail and followed it for a short while. The sounds of police and ambulance teams filled the air as he did so. None were able to stop him as Jaune moved in the shadows or along the rooftops. The scent of the man remained strong for several miles, hanging in the air as if he'd been walking for some time. There was no attempt to get away from the scene as fast as he could, he thought he was in the clear.
However, Jaune found the end of the scent trail. It was in the middle of the street in some dark section of Vale. This neighbourhood had no lighting save the streetlamps, leaving hundreds of shadowed areas for him to hide in. Jaune drew in a long breath of air, attempting to find something for him to follow, but it came to no avail.
"Heh, he vanished..."
The sound of a bolt clinking against the concrete drew Jaune's attention behind him. As he whipped around to search for the source, he found a crowd of men in the street. Hundreds gathered in the road, staring at Jaune. Many more stood on the rooftops, crouching on the edges with dozens more behind them.
Nazis...
Jaune could not count how many SS there were. By now, they had completely surrounded him, crowding every available space for them to stand in. Hundreds of various uniforms from their field dress to officer's dress were worn by them. Their lips each curled into a maddened grin or sombre grimace—every one of their eyes glowing golden. Each barely capable of containing their fury, their excitement, waiting to be unleashed with a simple command.
Standing at the front of them was Cassius himself. He kneeled, placing a hand over his heart in reverence for the man standing before him. His white locks obscuring his downturned face from view, but Jaune knew what it was. Another maddened smile from the shade.
"My Lord," he began loudly, practically shouting. "What is your command?! This Einherjar of ten-thousand Waffen-SS is yours! What shall we burn to the ground?! What shall you choose to consecrate, to bless it in the name of our all mighty God!" He turned his gaze upwards, staring Jaune directly in the eyes. "We stand with you! An immortal legion of undead that shall do battle in your name, fighting alongside our Lord at the spear point! With sword in hand as our god leads us to this new land, smiting all those who stand in your way! I ask you again, what shall we put to the sword?!"
"Buckingham Palace!"One of the Einherjar shouted from the rooftop.
With that single suggestion, hundreds of men began throwing out their chosen destinations. The cacophony of soldiers quickly devolved into a riotous crowd, throwing their fists into the air as they shouted.
"The White House!"
"The Reichstag!"
"Vatican City!"
"London Bridge!"
"The Eiffel Tower!"
Jaune's lips curled into a snarl as the crowd continued chanting. His anger beginning to boil over at the mere sight of these beasts. Their scent offending his very being. The fact these men would be so bold as to request such action from him made Jaune throb with rage.
"Can you hear me," Jaune uttered quietly. "If you can hear me, then so you are heard."
The Einherjar's voices quieted down to less than nothing. Not even the wind dared to blow in the place for fear of reprisal. The men's faces each contorted into one of fear—each taking a step back from the beast in their midsts. Cassius did not know what to do. His jaw hung open in bewilderment at Jaune's words.
"Then I shall give my response..." Jaune turned and locked an eye with every single man standing in the area. None were allowed to escape his eyes. "How dare you? How dare you put out this fetid fare and call it a banquet?! How dare you challenge me, and not offer a proper battle before slitting your throat! Before you stands a man eager and waiting for the mighty Lord Cassius to come to kill him and die trying..." Jaune paused and once more, glared at each of these men. "Now I know thee, remnants of the Totenkopf Empire! Lickspittle minions of the Third Reich! But lickspittle is too high an epithet for thee. You are nothing! Less than nothing! An echo of an echo! So, I shall I explain this to thee once, and only once! For there is something you cannot understand, cannot fathom, cannot grasp! Not if I gave you a thousand-thousand lifetimes! Not if I gave you till the end of time would you understand! You profess thineselves as an immortal daemon army, which could wash over the world and blanket it in darkness! But if that was so, why hound my door with your begging bowl for supplication and service?! No, because you cannot think for thineselves?! To cast off the weight all of humanity pressed upon you! You allowed your masters to string you along and shackle those you deemed lesser beings! To commit sins against your brother and sister humans while decreeing that this act was acceptable! Falling into the trap, the last thousand years had laid for you! So, you cast away your life, your potential, to serve another master! You disgust me, daemons! If I were able, I would demand you take thine head from my door for all of time!"
Jaune finished his speech, breathing heavily as he glanced at the soldiers. He could see their shame welling up. They knew what they were—the closest beings on this earth to monsters, yet, acknowledging their actions. However, as Jaune glared upon this army, he could see it. There was a desire here, buried deep under this faux pledge of service—a vein of ore which could be exploited and provide riches and wealth to men. Something all carried inside them. It was barely a flicker, but it was enough if kindled carefully and allowed to blossom.
"Which is why you are perfect for my work of art," Jaune continued, gesturing to the men around him. "I need artisans! I need violinists, stonemasons, engineers! I need the finest orchestra this world has ever known! I need men who will give their lives to see the new world created! This service shall not be provided freely, however. Your blood shall make for the paints. Your bones shall make for the foundation and the walls! Your flesh shall sow the fields! Your souls shall give new life to this world! Never to enter heaven, never to enter hell!" Jaune reached out to Cassius with his right hand. "So, I ask thee, Sir Cassius, will you and your men make a pact with this demon? To become the golden mane of a beast?!"
Cassius looked up at Jaune, stunned. Some of the men were outright crying now. Their tears of joy running down their faces. That madman Jaune did not wish to understand, now had, for the first time in his life, a choice.
Cassius arose and snapped to attention. Simultaneously, he and every member of the Einherjar extended their right arm into the air and saluted. The snap of their heels filled the air, drowning out the largest crowds with but a single action.
"Sieg Heil," they spoke as one. "Heil Caesar! Das Ewig Weibliche Zieht Uns Hinan!"
"Thus, I name you, my Legio Nachzehrer," Jaune decreed, turning back in the direction of his home. "May we achieve victory in the battles to come..."
As he began walking, the celebration of his legion made fanfare for his approach.
"KRIEG-KRIEG-KRIEG," they screamed at the top of their lungs. "LEONHARDT! OUR LORD, OUR COMMANDER!"
[Ruby: Several Hours Later]
"Come on, Ruby, let's get you to bed," her mother urged as the rest of her family gathered her things.
She was so tired right now. After running into Cassius and speaking with Jaune, any remaining energy was drained from her body. Ruby's parents rushed her to a hospital regardless of the desire to sleep, keeping her running on fumes the whole way there.
Her cuts and bruises were patched up, and her wrist was put in a cast. Though six of her ribs were cracked and bruised, nothing could be done except to allow them to heal. Tons of pain meds provided to her made sure Ruby wasn't going to feel a thing.
Summer lowered her daughter into her bad whilst Tai pulled back the covers. Once Ruby was comfortable, he placed the sheets back over her body, covering her enough, so she didn't get cold. With a few comforting words, they turned out the lights and left her to fall asleep.
Jaune... Why you?
Everything that happened to the boy over the past few weeks or so was due to his vampirism. The change in demeanour, his body, and athleticism became altered by it. It created a man who could not be considered less than perfect.
He was forced to fight in some war, not of his own making, killing people because another made him. Those Nazis he spoke of, that giant and other vampires were all trying to kill her friend. Ruby knew so little, but she was terrified to think of what would come next. It overshadowed the fear of her encounter with Cassius and subsequently Jaune.
They didn't deserve this fate, but Jaune appeared to have accepted it entirely. There was no terror in his eyes, only staunch determination to continue fighting. Ruby couldn't think of anything else, but the desire to have her friend back.
Wishful thinking, indeed. One could only hope when struggling against odds greater than oneself.
Cassius is still alive! Kind of! He's just another soul in Jaune's menagerie now.
I spent like three hours writing that speech out. However, we need a clear repudiation of the legion's origins. This army of darkness now marches to the light. They serve Jaune and his purpose. To bring about the salvation of man in Jaune's eyes.
What's better? Annihilating these men, or turning them onto a new path? Frankly, it would fit Jaune's character better as the paladinish archetype.
We also learned Weiss' arcane name along with most of the other knights who will come to serve!
Encyclopedia of MAJMLYAI.
Vampires:
Jaune
Aliases: Leonhardt, Julius Caesar, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Familiars: Crocea Mors, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
People Consumed: 228
Nazis Killed: 1
Major Arcana: The Emperor
Cassius
Aliases: Cassius
Maria
Aliases:
Familiars: Machecoul
Freyja
Aliases: Mephistopheles, Helena, Freyja
Familiars:
Major Arcana:
Arthur
Aliases: Arthur Pendragon
Familiars: Excalibur
Major Arcana:
Other:
Brynhildyr Valkyrie
Aliases:
Familiars: Musphelheimyr Laevetinn
Major Arcana:
General Ironwood
Aliases: Deus Ex Machina
Familiars:
Major Arcana:
Methuselah, Pierre
(He ded.)
Friends/Allies:
Ruby
Aliases: Element Unknown
Yang
Aliases: Element Unknown
Pyrrha
Aliases: Element Unknown
Weiss
Aliases: Sonnenkind, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Blake
Aliases: Element Unknown