I accidentally deleted the original draft of this chapter. And I didn't have any backups.
So, I only want to kill myself a 'little' bit. I was depressed for a solid minute once I realised I fucked up hard.
But don't worry. I took this mistake as a positive because I could rewrite this chapter to make it better.
But god damn! I reached 600 followers for Monsters Are Just Men Like You And I. Soon I'll be swimming in that fanfiction poon like Jaune will be with PRWBY.
That's what all the popular fanfiction writers do, right? Asking for a friend.
Jaune reached down, grasping a corpse by an arm and leg. With a loud grunt, he hefted the body onto his shoulder, taking care as to not drop it. The cadaver dripped blood from the open wounds along his chest and neck onto Jaune's shirt. The once blue cloth now turned black, saturated with the gore.
Taking the corpse over to a nearby wagon, Jaune dumped it inside along with the dozen other bodies still present. The smell of blood began to permeate the air with every new carcass presented. It would have been unbearable to anyone without a strong stomach and stronger nostrils.
Cleaning off his hands, Jaune turned towards the front gate to see how everything was going. The first thing that caught his eye was the pile of fifty or so corpses stripped of their armour. Lying next to that was said armour, gathered in a way so that it could be dealt with later. However, both were ignored as Jaune lay his eyes on the gate itself.
There, a girl had fallen to her knees, clutching a corpse in her arms. Tears ran down her face uncontrollably as she wept... No... screamed incoherently at the loss. What little strength she could muster was all put forth to rattle her vocal cords. Even the group of friends that huddled around her could do nothing to calm the girl. Each sobbed in their own way, staring speechlessly at the pair.
That haunting shriek garnered the attention of everyone else around. None could move as they watched the young girl break down in front of them. Some of the other students turned away or ran off somewhere else to escape this horrid cacophony.
However, Jaune could not remove his eyes from this girl. His entire body frozen in place as this cry cut through him and bore itself into his very soul. The boy's heart ached for this girl, yet, he did not know what to do with it. He so very much wanted to join her and try to make this pain go away as an older sibling would, but...
Jaune didn't know what to say to her. How could he string together the right words to make the pain go away?
So, he didn't even consider it.
Jaune turned away to retreat behind a statue to hopefully find some way to calm himself down. This evening's main event exhausted him, and he needed a break. The flesh ached from the wounds, and the mind was disturbed by what he'd seen.
After the soldiers that attacked the Academy retreated, many of the Knights and Warriors of Beacon's First Years pursued, all against Professor Goodwitch's orders to remain on guard. As time went by, there were probably over a dozen skirmishes in the city streets. The sounds of those battles echoed throughout Vale, reaching Jaune's ears without effort. With those encounters, however, many more wounded and dead were brought back.
All students. Each finding their demise in a ham-fisted attempt to reap vengeance or glory.
Calm down, Jaune... Breath... You have to go make sure Ruby and Weiss are all right, not the other way around.
He took a heavy breath in, trying to clear his head at the same time. While it didn't work immediately, Jaune was able to push some errant thoughts out his mind with several more breaths. This brought a modicum of relief to the boy as his body suffered from the adrenaline's withdraw.
Suddenly, a figure cloaked in black appeared by his side. Jaune almost leapt from within his skin, but he recognised that it was Blake. Most of her face as obscured by the hood she usually donned, however, those amber eyes were unmistakable. Their sceptical gaze could only belong to one person on Remnant.
"Hey," she finally uttered, thrusting something out from under her cloak. "Velvet thought you could use a drink."
Jaune looked down at the tankard in her hands. The steel mug held a dark liquid inside that was unknown to the boy. However, he accepted it without hesitation, taking a sip from within. The cold fluid washed over his tongue, relieving any sense of thirst. This ale, being particularly strong, forced the Blonde to hold back from merely chugging the beverage.
"Thanks," Jaune replied, taking another sip from the mug. Once it cleared his tongue, he looked back to Blake. "So, what's going on?"
Jaune had seen Sun, Ren, and Nora running supplies or moving wounded, but wasn't sure what Blake was up to. The rest of his friends were all tending to each other or were in the infirmary still.
"Nothing," Blake answered curtly with a shrug. "Just trying to avoid the Knights."
Yeah...
The hornet's nest had really gotten stirred up with this attack. Jaune had heard some Warriors talking about how the Mages were responsible for this. How their magic is the reason they were being targeted by both the Church and these new soldiers. A lot of it was just them trying to find someone to blame for their friends dying, however. So, Jaune tried his best not to give it any mind and only paid attention to his work.
"Uh-huh, it's going to be kind of rough for the next week or two around here," Jaune agreed, setting the mug down on a nearby ledge. "I might take Weiss and Ruby out for another quest, so things can blow over here..."
Jaune felt a twinge of concern crawl up his spine just thinking about his friends. He'd seen Ruby get taken away by Yang and Pyrrha after the fight, but the Paladin had no information about what happened to Weiss. It left the boy anxious regardless of where they were because he wanted to talk to them and make sure they were all right. Without that confirmation, Jaune was coming loose at the seams with every second that passed.
"B-But, are they all right? I couldn't check on them."
Jaune would have gone to check on both, but he was stuck here. Professor Goodwitch had ordered him and several dozen other students to remain and see to cleaning up. The boy accepted this for now as he knew the girls were safe, however.
Blake nodded her head, giving him some ease. "Ruby's with Yang and Pyrrha right now," she explained, leaning against a statue. "She's pretty broken up about the whole 'killing people' thing. I'm pretty sure it was her first time."
Ruby...
For Jaune, it was his first human kill as well. He'd never taken a human or faunus life before. Only vampires, which couldn't be considered living anyway. They were still people, however. Jaune rationalised it as putting them down before they could harm anybody else.
He didn't know how to feel about tonight, though. Those kills were split-second decisions that Jaune hadn't given any thought to.
"What about Weiss," Jaune asked with an unsettled expression.
He worried for her far more than he did Ruby. The Reaper would at least be able to get over killing in time, but Weiss was hit pretty hard. Jaune wasn't sure about her Constitution and how it would handle a blow like the one she took. Then there was all of that blood covering her shirt. That couldn't have been just from taking a right hook to the face. She was bleeding for a lot longer than that.
"Awake," Blake answered. Her tone filled with annoyance. "When I dropped her off in the infirmary, she woke up in my arms and started yelling at me. So, I left her there to take care of herself."
Ooo boy...
Jaune tried his best to keep his friends in line and not at each other's throats. They were working together, after all, and didn't need to be fighting. However, it was only between Weiss and Blake. Everyone else got along just fine.
I should go see her first after I'm done here... At least she's awake.
"But what about you," Blake asked, looking Jaune directly in the eyes. "I know you haven't been in a great mood since you stopped crushing on Weiss, but I'm not sure you've killed any people before. Vampires not included..."
She knows about Weiss...
Crap!
Jaune felt his heart drop at the thought of someone knowing about his crush. The Blonde's mind raced to conclusions he really didn't want to find. What if Weiss knew about his crush on her? Who else knew about it?
He may as well die from the embarrassment if his friend knew he was crushing on her.
"H-How did you figure it out," Jaune squeaked, barely containing the stress behind the mask. His face burned a bright red, comparable to Ruby's hood. "Please tell me Weiss doesn't know!"
The expression on Blake's face morphed into an almost entertained one. She was trying to hold back any outward signs of amusement at his torture, but it still shone through. The girl seemed caught off guard by Jaune's terror, however. Blake probably thought it was no longer a big deal to Jaune.
"Oh, I'm so stupid," Jaune spat, bringing a hand up to rub his neck. He then paced back and forth for several seconds, covering his face to shield himself from the world.
"Yang was the one who figured it out," Blake finally answered after watching Jaune stress out. "She saw you checking out Weiss one day and kind of pieced everything together from there. Yang pointed it out to me, so that's why I know." Blake looked around for anybody potentially listening in. "But Weiss doesn't know since you're worried. At least I don't think she does..."
She doesn't know...
Jaune let out a breath, throwing his head back as he did so. The stress slid right off. Any butterflies in his stomach vanished with the surge of adrenaline that poured through his veins.
"Great..."
His secret was safe for now. He could crumble it up and throw it away without any repercussions.
"I don't think it is," Blake countered in a deadpan tone. "Or Yang doesn't... She was really shipping you guys together. I guess she thought you guys would do really well."
Says the person feuding with Weiss... But Yang probably was just excited to see her friends get together.
"I wish," Jaune spat with a little too much venom than he'd liked. He noticed how Blake showed disapproval towards that and calmed himself for what he had to say next. "The reason I gave on her was because I found out about something that pretty much makes it impossible for me to even try. So, what's the point in trying to like someone you can't be with? I just want it to go away..."
Blake cocked her head to the side slightly. The cogs in her head turned as she pondered the reason for Jaune's surrender.
"Is this because she's a princess," Blake concluded with certainty. Frankly, with how she said the words it was likely she had known all along.
How did she know?!
"Great," Jaune grunted, smacking himself in the forehead. This second secret was out there when it shouldn't have been, giving the boy another stressor. "Did Ruby say something? Or did Yang tell you this too?"
If Yang knew about this, then half the school probably did too. Jaune could understand if the crush was kept a secret as that was personal. However, the whole princess thing would be a more open secret to divulge if you knew where to look for information. He suspected Ruby of having spilt the beans as she accidentally ran her mouth for too long sometimes as well.
"Heh," Blake laughed at the situation. "No, I figured that out when I met you guys." She shuffled a foot closer to Jaune's right side. "You don't go around throwing the name 'Schnee' out and hope nobody knows who you are. The only people with that name are members of the Atlesian Royal Family, so if you know a little about any of the kingdoms, you can put two and two together."
"That's why you told Weiss you were an Assassin," Jaune asked in reply, already suspecting the reason as to the subtle threat.
Assassins were kind of a problem for any nobles or royals on Remnant. Jaune had heard of the frequent attempts on Valish lives by other significant figures in the Court. Everybody was trying to find a way to advance their own station or to completely silence their opposition. The easiest method to achieve those goals would be through assassination or negotiation. Without any hard evidence or testimony, the person paying the assassin would more than likely get off scot-free.
This threat by assassins was probably drilled into Weiss' head at an early age. As she was the Crown Princess, the danger of being killed in her sleep was a legitimate one. Blake simply knew which of Weiss' buttons to push.
"Yeah," Blake said with a shrug. "Got her to shut up, didn't it? She was really getting on my nerves."
You're not wrong...
But I really need to figure out how to patch things up between them. I know what Weiss said started it; however, Blake isn't helping.
I can't fix things if Weiss' secret gets out, though. Blake's the only one I think knows about it.
"Listen, Blake," Jaune began, kneading the bridge of his nose. "Even if you have problems with Weiss, I need you to keep that whole princess thing a secret. She just wants to be treated normally, and I'd rather not have the whole school now about it. Okay?"
"Fine," she agreed immediately, looking away from him. "It's not my secret to keep. I'd want somebody to do it for me anywa-"
The conversation was interrupted by a shout coming from the other side of the wagon. Both teens moved into the open to catch a more unobstructed view and were met with a man being carried by two students. Judging by his garb, the man was one of the soldiers that had attacked the Academy.
"Let me go, you fools," he shouted in a maddened tone. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING! WE MUST FIND THE BLACK ONE!" He was about to continue, but a sharp jab against his jaw knocked him unconscious.
What is that about?
"Ummm," Jaune uttered, looking to Blake for some clue. She only gave him a look saying she had no idea. The two were clueless as to the meaning behind this man's ramblings.
"Looks like someone escaped the loony bin," a nearby voice claimed.
Jaune turned to the origin, finding a girl had been standing right next to the pair. She was garbed in a coco-coloured leather cuirass with black trousers. Paired with those were dark leather boots with a high-heel, a black scarf, and a similarly coloured beret adorning her head. The rest of her outfit consisted of belts of knives or crossbow bolts strapped to her chest.
However, what was the most eye-catching thing about the girl aside from her beauty was the crossbow on her back. This weapon was almost mechanical in nature, featuring a complicated set of strings and gears that aided in the bow's function. The ammunition was held within a drum just in front of the trigger, indicating that this bow could fire multiple shots without reloading.
She turned to Jaune, offering him both her right hand a confident smile. This girl practically oozed that same confidence even without the grin. Much more than Yang could ever hope to muster. This Archer knew how good she was.
"Coco Adel," she began, grabbing Jaune's hand with a firm handshake. "Resident badass and fashionista of the Second Years." Coco let go of Jaune's hand. As he was about to introduce himself, the girl cut him off. "And don't bother, I already know who you are Pally."
Not that nickname... Anything but that...
The Archer shot a quick look over to Blake. "Anyways, Kit-Kat," Coco called, garnering the faunus' attention. "I need to borrow him for a second. But don't worry, I'll give Blondie back to you." Jaune blushed slightly at the insinuation.
Blake's eyes narrowed slightly, switching her gaze between Jaune and Coco. "He's all your's," she replied, turning around and starting to walk back to the Academy.
As Jaune watched Blake leave the trio, he felt kind of disappointed their conversation had come to a close. The Paladin suspected it would have become more interesting with only the two of them. Given her personality though, it might turn into Jaune talking to her and Blake doing a lot of listening. Maybe Yang could suss out something that would get the faunus talking?
I wonder if I can catch up to her later?
With Coco and Jaune now alone, the caramel-haired girl tipped her shades down a half-inch to get a decent look at the boy. Those chocolate eyes scanned him up and down, searching for something of interest. However, the expression on the girl's face bore only a mediocre reaction to the sight.
"Well, your cuts closed, but they haven't healed, yet," Coco stated, cupping her chin before looking up at the boy. "So, why didn't you get them looked at?"
I'm surprised she noticed...
"Ummm," Jaune mumbled, looking away from her for a second. "They stopped bleeding... and there are others who are more hurt than me."
Without warning, Coco jabbed the boy in the side where he had been sliced with a sword. A jolt of pain shot through his entire body, causing him to lose the wind in his lungs. Jaune quickly wrapped a hand over the wound to dull the pain, but it proved worthless as the cut was now open again. Blood starting to slowly spill out onto his already bloodied shirt.
"That's tender..."
"I know," Coco admitted, digging into a case on her hip and pulling out a bandage. She ran a hand over the cloth, applying some sort of magic to it. The band shimmered a light pink with similarly coloured sparkles jumping out. "So, take off your shirt and assume the position! If you don't, I'll have one of the other medics put you in an arm lock."
Just go with it...
Jaune forwent any opposition, sitting down on a bench so Coco could stand behind him. She encouraged him to lift his arms up parallel to the seat, but the pain from the cut on his side prevent him from managing it ultimately. However, Coco still applied the bandage like an expert, showing her skill in basic medicine. The gauze wrapped around his shoulder several times along with this torso, firmly securing the bandage in place.
As Coco tied off the bandage, Jaune felt a cooling sensation began to form around the cut. It reduced the current pain down to a mild sensitivity. Whatever magic was infused into the gauze seemed to have done the trick.
"So, how does it feel to be today's hero, Blondie," Coco asked, coming around to bandage his thigh. "Saw you make your final stand from my dorm room, and I have got to say I'm impressed."
Jaune blushed at the compliment, feeling shy all of a sudden. Even for someone looking to impress others, he couldn't handle the actual act of being congratulated so well. Kind of like a small child being introduced to someone for the first time.
"Uhh, thanks," Jaune squeaked, looking away and off into the distance. "A lot of it was Weiss. She's the one who kept them all out. I just gave her the idea..."
Jaune had only kept them off of Weiss. She was really the only person that could have held off the soldiers aside from Professor Goodwitch. Had the Princess not been there, he would have probably been killed, and then the Academy would be next. They bought the students enough time to assemble and reinforce a losing battle.
"And he's humble to boot," Coco added onto her compliments. "You really need to take the compliment, Dude... You killed like twenty guys on your own as a Firsty. Just don't let it get to your head. You probably have a lot more Constitution then you did a couple hours ago, but it's not going to save your life all the time."
Advice taken...
She was right about the change in Constitution too. Those twenty kills had dropped a ton of Exp into Jaune, bringing him up nearly five levels. Four to be precise, but a little more work would take him to level twenty-five in a week or two possibly.
Level Twenty Three
Strength 43 (+7)
Agility 23 (+4)
Defence 30 (+5)
Perception 35 (+6)
Constitution 42 (+7)
Intelligence 48 (+5)
Charisma 26 (+3)
Willpower 19 (+3)
With the increase in levels, he also got his third ability.
White Hawk
This aethereal hawk shall be forever bound to you. As its master, only you may give direction to this bird of prey. Whether it be scouting the path ahead or distracting your enemies.
"I don't know if it was really brave or stupid watch you did, standing up to all those soldiers either," Coco continued, tying off the bandage on Jaune's leg. "But Velvet says good things about you, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt."
"Oh, you know Velvet," Jaune asked, perking up a bit at the mention of his friend.
"HA," Coco burst out laughing. "Do I know her? Of course, I do! She's my best friend! Get's me all the latest gossip... Told me about some of your guys' contracts." The Archer stood up, clapping her hands together and pointing them at Jaune. "And since you kind of unknowingly saved Velvet's ass because she was working tonight, I'm going to do you a favour in return! Don't worry about it now, though, you've got a lot on your plate with Princess and all that. I'll come by to grab you two and pipsqueak in a few days to show you guys some cool tricks. That okay with you?"
What am I getting into?
"Uhhh, sure," Jaune reluctantly agreed without thinking about it.
"Cool," Coco chirped, looking up above Jaune's head once. "But lookout above. Something's coming at you..."
Jaune quickly stood up and turned in the direction Coco was facing. He expected something was going to attack him or that he needed to dodge a thrown object. However, it wasn't either; instead, it was a black butterfly descending towards the pair. Its wings flapping rapidly to counter the flow of wind acting upon its body.
A butterfly?
"Goodwitch's Butterflies," Coco explained, cocking her head as it came down to float in front of Jaune. "Means the Boss Lady wants you for something. Go ahead and touch it."
Jaune had seen these butterflies several times before but never came so close as he was now to touch one. With how they behaved before when Professor Ozpin and Goodwitch received them, he suspected they were a lot like messenger pigeons. Knowing what they were now, the Paladin raised his right hand up to let it land on his index finger.
"Mr Arc," a voice sounding much like Professor Goodwitch's spoke to him. "You will abandon whatever it is you are doing immediately and report to the Headmaster's office." As soon as the message ended, the butterfly took off and vanished into a cloud of smoke.
"So, what'd it say," Coco asked, leaning in with both hands behind her back.
"I have to go talk to Professor Ozpin," Jaune explained the gist. He had no idea what for, and his tone reflected it.
"Oh, catch you later then," Coco replied, waving with one hand before turning to run off to the next student. Joining her were two other students. A colossus of a man, and a shorter dark-skinned teen.
Let's go see what Ozpin wants...
Jaune shuffled to the side of the wagon. There, his gear was stashed on the ground. Every piece bloodied and battered. Alongside the plate was Weiss' blade, Myrtenaster. The rapier still soaked in the gore from the last knight she killed. Jaune grabbed it and slid the sword onto a ring in his belt.
[Ozpin's Office]
Climbing the last series of steps, Jaune finally made it to the door of Professor Ozpin's office. The steel-reinforced hatch stood alone with only one guard on the side to act as the sentinel. From the outside, arguing could be heard from within. A heated debate beginning to grow out of hand.
Frankly, he didn't want to be here. This room was the source for several memories Jaune didn't want to revisit. That, and he wanted to go see Weiss and Ruby. Too bad, those memories were related to the Princess.
Upon entering the chamber leading to the door, the guard nodded to the boy, reaching for the door handle and pulling it open. The sounds of Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck arguing increased in intensity without this barrier. Jaune could clearly see the two standing at the closest end of a large table getting into each other's faces.
"I'm telling you, Peter, we cannot allow our students to remain at the Academy any longer," Doctor Oobleck shouted at the top of his lungs. His right hand came down on the table, cracking his knuckles across the wooden surface. "Tonight's assault has been the second in the last month! Even with proper precautions, we still run the risk of being attacked once more! If we can send the students home, there is less of a chance that any will be targeted!"
Port kneaded his brow for a moment, grumbling under his breath. Clearly, what Doctor Oobleck said hit a nerve.
"If any are being targeted at all," Port countered in a firm, yet calmer tone than Oobleck. "This has not been the first time marauders have assailed this Academy. None were looking to kidnap our students! They had only ever come to steal artefacts from the vault! Thinning our ranks will only allow a greater force to hunt down their intended targets..." Port's words trailed off as everyone in the room realised Jaune was standing in the door.
"Mr Arc," Professor Goodwitch acknowledged his presence, nodding in his direction from her side of the table.
The woman was heavily bandaged around her left shoulder and midriff. Her usual white shirt was torn severely, exposing the toned flesh of her stomach and a part of the black brassiere beneath. Most of her outfit was similarly soiled from blood or dirt to Jaune's own. In fact, she seemed to be worse for wear compared to him.
"Come in, my boy," Port shouted in a friendly tone, changing his tune entirely. He reached over, slapping Jaune on the back and pushed him towards the table between the Chevalier and the Doctor. "We have much to discuss!"
Jaune felt nervous with all of the attention put on him. Every major figure of the Academy was present at this council. They all looked to him, waiting for the Paladin to even speak a word.
"Yes, we do," Professor Ozpin agreed in a sombre tone. The man stood from his chair, pushing up his glasses. Both of his eyes fixated on the boy, peering into his very soul.
"Mr Arc, forty of my students have died tonight. I wish to know why..."
The anger behind Ozpin's eyes was palpable. The entire air of the room changed as the words left his mouth. Thinly veiled rage dared to pour from within as to lash out at those responsible. It made Jaune feel visibly uncomfortable to be standing here alone.
"Uhhh, yeah," Jaune mumbled nervously, looking away from the eyes beaming down on him. "B-But what about Weiss and Ruby? Why aren't they here?!"
If they were going to grill him, Jaune would have liked Weiss and Ruby to be by his side. The company would surely help his nerves. If not that, then their account of the events would bring in more details to construct a timeline. The perspective of a single witness was not enough to create an accurate story. He didn't know of a reason why they couldn't be trusted to discuss this as a group.
Ozpin took in a breath of air, seemingly calming himself for the moment. "Due to their condition, I did not think it necessary," he explained, pushing his glasses up to rub his eyes. "Ms Rose, or Ms Xiao Long more accurately, denied the request, telling Professor Goodwitch to 'Politely fuck off.' Ms Schnee is in no state to leave the infirmary at this moment either. So, I will question both of them independently when they are able." The old man stepped out from behind his desk, settling in front of the table. "Which brings us to you, Mr Arc. Since you were on the frontline and bought our forces valuable time to drive off our attackers. These actions deserve both rewards and commendations, which shall be made known to the Court. However, the more pressing matter is what happened leading up to the soldiers beginning their assault?"
"We found the guards' weapons near the front gate," Jaune answered, thinking back to the exact moment Weiss tripped over the halberd. "Everything was covered in blood. Then some archers started shooting at us, so we took cover. That's when the soldiers came running up the street."
Jaune hadn't seen anything else leading up that moment. Everything moved so fast that he wasn't paying any attention to the details. Frankly, his mind went blank in a few places from there to right now. The memories just dropped out of his head without warning.
"Well, that corroborates the story from Professor Goodwitch," Ozpin mused out loud. He looked towards Jaune once again, leaning back against his desk. "She was attacked by assassins that infiltrated the Academy a time before the attack. I assume the lack of guards was their doing. Which this leads me to believe the soldiers were merely a distraction as well as the assassins."
What's the point of the distraction?
Doctor Oobleck coughed loudly, gathering the attention of everyone at the table. "Professor, I think we may need to tell him."
"Yes," Ozpin agreed, nodding towards the Alchemist. "We believe both of these groups were meant to draw out or target a majority of the readily available heroes at the Academy. Most of them were First Years. Many of our older students, however, are off doing quests or live off campus grounds. This left our meagre garrison sallied forth from of the castle, allowing another group to infiltrate and loot the Academy's vault. Only know confirmed by you, Mr Arc. "
The vault?
Jaune had heard of it a few times. Supposedly, it's where Beacon kept a lot of the nastier artefacts students picked up out in the field. Powerful weapons and staves that could level a city with a single blast. So, if this group managed to get inside and steal something like that, then the faculty was rightly worried that it might be used against Vale.
Or this was merely a heist for the monetary value of the artefact.
"What did they steal," Jaune asked curiously.
"A small box," Ozpin replied, using his hands to mimic the size and shape of it. "Crafted from black oak; and inlaid with ivory, gems, and silver. Which, from afar, would make it seem like an ordinary container to hold jewellery belonging to a noble's daughter. In fact, we noticed nothing suspicious about the box at all. There was no magicka, enchantments, or any identifying marks to lead us to be concerned with it. The only reason it was held inside the vault was due to it being retrieved from within a necromancer's lair. A mere precaution in the event it was cursed or held some unforeseen power. I imagine these thieves thought as such and sought this piece out."
"Nothing else?"
"No," Ozpin answered, sounding just as confused as to the motives. "The objects held within that vault have value beyond compare, and yet these thieves only wanted a box. We are still pulling inventory on the remaining artefacts; however, that was the only thing we noticed missing. Indeed, it does sound suspicious when viewed with no information at all..."
"But there's something else," Jaune guessed, seeing as how it was practically thrown out here for him to grasp at.
"Studious as ever, I see," he sarcastically remarked. "And yes, does the term 'Black One' have any significance to you?"
Wait, that guy...
That man shouting about the 'Black One.' It had only come across his attention a few minutes ago, but it was pretty evident that he was under the delusion a person with that alias existed. Without any other soldiers screaming about the person, Jaune almost chalked it up to a mad man's ramblings.
"Yeah," Jaune exclaimed, bouncing his head up and down rapidly. "One of the soldiers was shouting about it."
"And that's the reason why Doctor Oobleck thinks one of our students is being targeted," Ozpin explained, cupping his chin. "Both this box and the mention of the 'Black One' makes it less of a coincidence. Paired with the attack by the Church's Inquisitors turns this into a certainty."
The Church is involved in this?
Jaune suspected the attack by the Church was primarily a power play to get the Academy to bend a knee. They would have reason to attack again if it meant achieving whatever goals they had in store. Money and manpower were of little consequence to their organisation.
"Are we going to do anything about them," Jaune asked, looking around at the other members of the table. "I mean if they attacked us, then we should go stop them before they try it again."
"That is something we considered," Ozpin added on. "However, the Archbishop overseeing the Church in Vale claimed to have no idea of the attack and never gave any orders to do so. He was just as surprised to learn about the assault as I when I discovered their forces arrived on our front door. More investigation into the matter led us to believe him as we found one of his commanders to have vanished along with a large portion of his men."
So they used the Church as a scapegoat because they had no idea.
Jaune understood why they would do this. The Church's forces did assault the Academy after all. They were clearly the hand that dealt the blow, but they weren't controlling the arm. It didn't change Jaune's opinion about them as the group could have received orders circumventing the Bishop's authority from higher up.
"With all of these clues, I believe we are dealing with a large organisation that has access to an abundance of time, financing, and most importantly, information we do not possess," Ozpin continued, numbering off the factors with his fingers. "Their objective seems to need two elements. This box, and an individual we do not yet know the identity of."
"This has all the makings of a curse or ritual," Goodwitch interrupted. "To break one or to cast one."
"I agree," Doctor Oobleck jumped in, speaking almost unintelligibly. "I'll begin searching for any clues hidden in the library!" The green-haired man quickly left the room as fast as his words flew from his mouth.
The Sorceress looked back at Jaune once Oobleck disappeared from view. "What do you know of curses, Mr Arc," she asked in a firm tone.
Uhhh...
Jaune had not studied them as much as he should have, like most things magically related. However, he knew they were almost always used to permanently bind a spell to something. Beyond that, he didn't know of any mechanisms dealing with the subject. The books he had access to didn't go into any depth with regards to curses either.
"Not much," Jaune answered with the truth.
"With this particular curse, the term 'Black One' most likely symbolises a person," Goodwitch explained, gesturing with her right hand. "The blackness is possibly a reference to their hair colour, a theme such as darkness or evil, their demeanour, or a prophetic ideal. Curses are almost always cleverly worded and are very fickle things to deal with, which is why we need to identify what that means. Then the next step is to understand the phrase used to cast it as they are similar to ordinary magic. The only way to break any curse is to know the exact phrase or find a particular object it is tied to and destroy it. This is where we have the advantage. So long as this organisation doesn't seem to possess their target, we can stop them before they complete the ritual."
Okay, so there's a lot of work that needs to be done.
Jaune couldn't imagine where to start with all of this. Weiss might know some stuff, but he couldn't be sure.
"Yes, however, this search will take several weeks to months to find any information," Professor Port stated, cupping his chin. "I will take to organising and hiring professional heroes to serve as the Academy's guards in the meantime. The Fourth Year students can also take rotations to assist our garrison." Port stood up and quickly made his way out of the room.
"That leaves us with the matter of your reward, Mr Arc," Ozpin stated. "So long as you understand that everything said in this room is of the strictest confidence. If we need your assistance with anything, I will contact you directly. That said, we can head down to the vault for you to choose your reward."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
[Beacon Vault Entrance]
Deep within the bowels of the Academy, Professor Ozpin led the way through a series of chambers taking the group further into the earth. With Professor Goodwitch just behind him, and Jaune holding up the tail, they descended as one. Their path only lit with a bright ball of magicka.
"When we reach the vault, do not touch a thing, Mr Arc," Professor Goodwitch warned. "There are a series of traps and enchantments to discourage thieves. I would prefer they not be activated while we are in their presence."
No argument from me...
Coming down to a final landing, the passage opened up to a large room. Without any light, it seemed as though it were a void towards the end of the hallway. Actually, there was something here. A miasma of sorts. Black as night and smelling of sulfur.
Professor Ozpin waved his hands, and this black cloud dispersed. As the shadows retreated from the room, several torches lit up with similar balls of bright light.
Standing before them was the vault. A steel and stone door inscribed with runes and a series of locks all over the hatch. This thing looked like it could survive anything. Just how the thieves got past it was puzzling.
As the Professors reached the door, each held a hand up to the wall and spoke. This mystic language they uttered was wholly foreign to Jaune's ears. Nothing like the tongue used in ordinary magic. With only their speech, however, the door began to move.
The massive door slid out of the way, parting down the middle to allow entry. Several other barriers made from metal bars also rose at the same time. With every obstacle, Jaune's amazement towards the thieves' skills grew. He was about ready to respect them had they not tried to kill him.
With the final barrier down, they all stepped inside. The Professors guided Jaune over to a table where several artefacts rested. Here, there was lots of jewellery and a few weapons. Most of this stuff looked like something only Weiss could afford with her family's money. Just how valuable these things were exactly, he couldn't be sure.
"These are some artefacts set aside for students who have done Vale or the Academy a service that cannot be paid with gold alone," Ozpin explained, standing on the other side of the table from Jaune. "Many were generously donated by benefactors or fellow students in exchange for other treasures. However, as to prevent First Year students from finding something too powerful to handle, we have chosen safer artefacts for them to take as rewards. Their benefits not diminished in the slightest." Ozpin gestured towards everything in front of him. "So, Mr Arc, what speaks to you?"
Jaune looked down at the table, scanning through everything here. Not much seemed that interesting to him. He couldn't sense any power radiating from within anything. It just looked like a lot of nice jewellery. However, as he looked through the pieces, something caught his eye.
It was a silver necklace with a pea-sized sapphire in the centre. The engravings carved into the jewellery depicted a man wearing a set of heavy armour battling soldiers. His plate in the same style of the ghoul Jaune, Weiss, and Ruby had found. He looked to be an animal tearing his enemies to pieces.
As this was the only thing that caught his eye, Jaune took hold of it. Yet, once again, he could feel nothing radiating from within. No magic or what magic was supposed to feel like. Not a single enchantment that could be discerned either.
"I don't feel anything," Jaune said, looking up at the Professors with a puzzled expression. "Is it broken?"
"No, I can assure you it is not," Professor Goodwitch corrected. "You are merely not as attuned to magic as were are or even Ms Schnee. If you peer into the object as you would a piece of armour or weapon, you will see what enchantments are on the necklace. As a blacksmith, this should be easier for you than others."
"Okay..."
Let's give it a try.
Jaune focused all of his attention on the piece in his hand. Visualising the qualities this necklace had, a mental picture began to form in his mind's eye. It was a faint one, but he could understand what enchantment he possessed.
Necklace of the Bulwark
+25% Bonus to Constitution
"A very fitting piece indeed," Ozpin remarked ironically. "If you have chosen this, then I would suggest you run along. Ms Schnee and Ms Rose would benefit from your company as you would their's."
Nothing ground breaking in this chapter. I just wanted to get the events of the aftermath of this battle down. Nothing will be starting too soon as Jaune is still just a kid looking to go on an adventure. He's not going to get dragged into Ozpin's wars immediately. It wouldn't make sense to do that. However, as he was the one who saved the academy, I thought it fit to have Ozpin bring Jaune into the fold a little bit as a sign of trust. That he deserves to not be in the dark on this as much as everyone else.
I know that's not very accurate to the Canon Ozpin who just won't give up any information even if it will help his friends defeat Salem, which is one of the reasons why I don't like the man. You need to lead with the fact that Salem can't be killed first so your team has direction. So, before I go on a rant about how Whitney Schnee looks like a bitch or how dumb Ozpin can be, I will say this Ozpin sees Jaune as more of an asset that can be used as a field agent of sorts.
So remember gents, if your unholy bitch of an ex wife can't be killed. Lead with that first!
Class: Paladin
"Gather 'round, Paladins!"
"There is a difference between the other classes and us! When those Knights and Chevaliers fled at first sight of monsters! You were the ones to take their place! You walked right up to those monsters and wrapped your hands around those fucker's necks! And you did not stop there! Killing everything in your way until there was nothing left!"
"That is the difference between them and us. Those bastards who were too busy keeping themselves in food and wool can keep all the glory and fame for themselves! Boasting about their deeds as if they sacrificed something!"
"We fight to keep the people safe! To keep the Drowners out of the latrines and Goblins from ploughing our milkmaids! Knowing that no other class has our virtue! Our dedication to our craft!"
Level Twenty Three
Strength 43 (+7)
Agility 23 (+4)
Defence 30 (+5)
Perception 35 (+6)
Constitution 42 (+7)
Intelligence 48 (+5)
Charisma 26 (+3)
Willpower 19 (+3)
...
Abilities
Arclight
A high-intensity explosion of light, equivalent to that of the sun. Burns the flesh of undead and magical entities. Momentarily blinds living and non-magical entities. Sudden magical intensity can cause affected to flee regardless of status.
Active Debuff:
Turn and Face The Sun!
Longinuslanze Testament
A most unholy weapon. Forged by our lord to answer to only one master. He who has the will to dominate such a blade.
It shall sunder any armour. It shall never miss its mark. It shall grow with your own strength. Its holy light searing all who stand to oppose it.
In turn, you shall become vulnerable to attacks whilst wielding this unholy relic. It shall challenge your mastery by forcing you to fight at your full strength.
Active Debuff:
Turn and Face The Sun!
White Hawk
This aethereal hawk shall be forever bound to you. As its master, only you may give direction to this bird of prey. Whether it be scouting the path ahead or distracting your enemies.
...
Passive: Magister's Lament
Your Passive is a double-edged sword. While you may proficiently cast magic beyond the limits of your Willpower. It is limited in other instances. Not being able to cast harmful offensive magic or any magic on yourself.
...
Miscellaneous Knowledge/Buffs/etc.
Monster Slayer
Spent years studying the various monsters of Remnant. Knows the different species and taxonomy of each known creature. Understands the weaknesses of most known monsters.
Armour and Weapons Smith
Worked a forge for his entire life. Jaune is able to judge the composition of metals, and know the condition of his weapons and armour.
...
Gear:
Jaune's Breastplate
Level Seventeen
Materials: 2% Silicon, 0.60% Carbon, Remainder is Steel and Leather
Minimum Stat Requirements:
Strength: 32
Agility: 16
Defence: 22
Constitution: 30
Eagle's Armour
Level Twenty Eight
Materials: Unknown Alloy Ratio of Enchanted Steel and Corundom, Carbon Steel, and Leather
Minimum Stat Requirements:
Strength: 57
Agility: 25
Defence: 30
Constitution: 39
Buffs:
This specific alloy of steel and corundom is less dense than normal steel while just as hard. It has a strength to weight ratio similar to menachanite allowing the user to build a thicker armour without sacrificing for weight.
This armour was also specially built for you. The measurements fit your body exactly, allowing it to be worn as a second skin granting a tremendous degree of flexibility.
Necklace of the Bulwark
+25% Bonus to Constitution