I'm back everybody! Sorry about being gone for so long. The last couple weeks have been stressful. Between my car's clutch breaking, exams, class work, and me getting cellulitis on my arm and leg, life is kind of kicking my ass right now. And with the 4500$ price tag on my car's clutch, I'm going to have to start looking for a job soon.
So, what I've done to prepare for the drop in available time is starting to write chapters for both of my main stories at the same time. I'm going to try pumping out one chapter a week for each of them, time willing. I really want to continue getting chapters out because I know you guys like this story and I like writing it, so I'm going to do my best.
Also, thanks for 700 followers. I've got 1500 total followers between MAJMLYAI and YGUS. A lot of that is probably overlapping, but I don't care.
This chapter and several others following it are going to be more slice of life. I want to take it easy and not do anything too heavy with them for a while.
Jaune stood before a stall, perusing the items on display there. Hundreds of Dust crystals were separated by type in small batches of ten to twelve for every flavour. Their sizes ranged from the dimensions of a thumb to almost being as large as someone's head. Most apparent was the brilliant glow every single one of them gave off.
"What are we thinking," Jaune asked the group, crossing his arms and scrunching up his face in thought. "Fire or Ice?"
Sure, every type of Dust had its advantages, but Jaune wasn't knowledgable in the other ones. He still needed to figure out how to recharge his blades with the magic, so experimenting was almost out of the question. Though his stock remained at about ten or so crystals at the moment. Maybe, it would be something to try out if he found the time.
"What about this one," Ruby suggested, picking up a light blue Dust crystal. She switched hands, feeling her right one soaked by the liquid coming off the crystal. "Why is it wet?"
"Water Dust," Weiss revealed, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not sure what uses we'd have for those. They usually need a spell to go along with them, or they'll only make a little water if they're broken." She plucked it from Ruby's hands and inspected the crystal closely. "Drawing water vapour from the air is a useful thing if you have to flood an area. But..." She set that crystal down and picked up a black crystal the size of Jaune's forearm. "Gravity Dust can alter the pull of gravity in a given space. Though, I'd only use these to make structures float or as a trap."
"That's cool," Jaune expressed amazedly. He turned over to the merchant running the stall. "How much for it?"
Jaune's mind was already filling to the brim with all sorts of ideas for how to use this crystal. Using it to stop a giant monster in its tracks so the party could attack it without reprisal. Dropping it into a pit where a bunch of bandits or goblins are hiding. The part where Weiss mentioned Gravity Dust could lift entire structures really piqued Jaune's interest, however. Having a floating castle would be the dream for half of the aspiring adventurers at Beacon.
"A thousand lien for the small ones, but that big one's going to be about four thousand."
Okay...
"Yeah, that's going to be a hard pass," Jaune replied, grasping at another Dust crystal. "I'll take three Fire Dust crystals for two-hundred lien."
The merchant gave him a dry look. Clearly, Jaune's offer was not up to his expectations for what those crystals should have cost. It was low for what Jaune paid to get some of the other Dust he had purchased in Bar, but out there the prices were increased due to the scarcity. Here, in Vale, the supply was oversaturated, so Jaune could get away with going below market value.
"Three-hundred," he counter-offered, staring Jaune down with a blank expression. The boy feeling as though he were being sized up.
Fidgeting with his coin purse, Jaune took a moment to come up with what he was going to say next. This guy had the aura of a merchant, and the charisma to back it up. He knew Jaune was lowballing and didn't budge one inch with the proposition.
"Four Dust crystals, and I'll pay three-twenty for all of them in coin," Jaune suggested, holding up the fat purse in his hand.
The merchant stared at the coins and relented. Money was exchanged, and the man packaged up the crystals in a roll of cloth to protect them. Jaune stuffed it into his bag and turned around to face the girls.
Weiss and Ruby were enjoying themselves remarkably now. Each of them having a smile stretching across their lips. So did he. They needed to blow off some steam after how the past couple of days have been. The stress just melted away as time went along.
Now, they just needed some time to mend their wounds.
"Any ideas for what we should grab next," Jaune asked, throwing the question out there for the girls to come up with something.
"Pickaxe maybe," Ruby expressed, shrugging her shoulders. "We need to get the silver out somehow..." She glanced over at Weiss. "And I don't think we're going to be using any explosives if we don't know the roof will collapse on us. Some lamps would help too, but we can just use torches if we bring enough of them."
"I already have the pickaxe back at the workshop," Jaune mentioned, cupping his chin. "But we'll have to make torches... I have some linseed oil that we can use."
"And set ourselves on fire with it," Weiss expressed. Her companions looked at her with curious expressions at her outburst. "What? Linseed oil is a highly oxidative substance. You can just leave it outside in the sun, and it might catch on fire."
"We'll be careful with it," Jaune reassured. "I think about ten torches will work out and we'll drop them along the path as we go... But have either of you ever worked in a mine or been in one?"
Bar had several dozen mines in the surrounding hills, so Jaune got used to going deep into the earth to mine up materials. Most of the stuff there was iron, which they turned into steel, but a few more exotic minerals like cobaltite and chalcocite were in the area as well. The Count also had some expeditions going out in the forest looking for places where they could mine gold for better revenue.
"I suppose the underground city I told you guys about counts."
Close enough...
"Yang and I helped out the Dust miners on Patch," Ruby explained. "Whenever they went home, monsters would sometimes move in, so we had to go clear them out before anyone could get back to work."
"I wasn't aware Patch was a Dust mining colony," Weiss expressed curiously. "From what you described, it seemed more like a farming or fishing village."
"Yeah, we do a lot of that, but Patch has some mines," Ruby replied. "The Dust crystals they're mining are like the size of a house!" Ruby opened her arms wide to give emphasis on the scale. "There are a couple of iron mines too, but a lot of people just mine Dust."
"You mentioned there were leshens as well," Weiss asked for clarification, clearly putting some ideas together in her head.
"What about them?"
"I thought Patch might be some magical locus," Weiss explained to Ruby's confusion. "Places where magic is very concentrated..." She paused for a moment. "Solitas, for example, since several ley lines intersect in dozens of places throughout the continent. It's why we have so many mages and an abundance of Dust. One of the things that are telling of this phenomena is magical creatures like leshens or spriggans."
"Do you think there are places like that in Vale," Jaune asked curiously, drawn in by the thought of some exploration.
Jaune really wanted to check out some magical locations now. Really, just for the fun of it because the journey there and finally reaching the site would be totally worth it. Finding these hidden gems that nobody ever laid eyes on and exploring every inch of it was what adventuring was all about.
"I'm sure there is," Weiss answered confidently. "If we can find some maps of the ley lines, then it would be a matter of locating any landmarks associated with them. Even if you two are not sensitive to magic, when we find one, both of you should be capable of feeling it in the air. It's actually a very calming experie-" Someone running into Weiss cut her off from finishing her thought. Ruby managed to catch her before she fell to the ground.
"Hey~," Weiss barked angrily.
One of the kids shouted that they were sorry, but didn't stop to make sure she was all right. The girl could barely catch herself and needed to have Ruby and Jaune hold her up lest she fell over. However, the trio noticed where the kids were running to and there was a crowd gathering there. They parted down the centre of the street, making a way through the marketplace.
"What's going on over there," Jaune inquired absentmindedly.
"I don't know," Ruby answered unsurely. "Want to go check it out?"
Jaune and the girls pushed their way to the edge of the crowd. It took some time, but there were able to carve out space for them to stand directly in the front row. Many of the other members of the crowd were proudly shouting and whistling for an approaching band of soldiers.
That's when Jaune first laid eyes on these knights. A trio of women leading an entire platoon of soldiers on horseback. They plod through the marketplace, waving to the crowd's delight. An instance of acknowledgement from one of them made any nearby grow ecstatic and practically lose their minds.
"Who are they," Weiss inquired, cocking her slightly. She and Jaune and shared a glimpse, both shrugging their shoulders as they had no clue.
"The Three Valkyries," another teenager standing next to them said. The young man proudly declared their name with a deep respect for the champions. "They're Vale's greatest knights!" He pointed to the commander of the unit. "That's Amber Autumn,"
Amber was a darker-skinned woman with shoulder-length brown hair. Over her clothes was a green cloak hanging off her back. Underneath was a brown corset and off-white shirt with frills along the shoulders. Going down her figure, one could see her matching leather thigh-high boots and black pants. The only armour she wore was a golden spaulder and bracer on her forearm.
Her weapon was strapped to her back—a staff similar to Sun's, but with a pair of Dust crystals set in place. Each crystal was held by the wooden material composing the polearm, like vines wrapping around a piece of stone.
She waved lightly to the masses, showing off a slight smile to satiate them. Clearly, a woman experienced with crowds, knowing precisely what they wanted. Her smile and overall demeanour did seem genuine, though. So she may have actually been heartily enjoying this experience as much as they were and wanted to communicate that.
"Eleonore von Roth,"
One of Amber's subordinates. A fierce and more masculine woman. Not in appearance, bearing a strikingly beautiful one at that. Most men and many women would agree with Jaune. He was almost taken back, seeing her up close. However, she was intimidating. Enough to silence someone with an icy glare. And unlike her two companions, was not paying heed to the crowds calls for attention, keeping her eyes aimed directly ahead.
Her hair was slightly darker than Pyrrha's. Not quite blood red, but one could say it was almost purple. Long and tied into a wolf-tail like the Spartan's, it flapped about in the wind with little care from the woman. The locks parted down the centre hid most of her face. Done asymmetrically, the longer half covered a hideous brown-coloured scar marring the right side of the woman's face. The burn encompassed all of that portion, running down the cheek and missing her mouth. It disappeared under her armour, clearly taking more of her skin than shown. Yet, despite the wound, she was still a sight to behold and to be envious of.
The woman's kit mainly consisted of plate armour made from segmented pieces of steel similar to Jaune's, Eagle's Armour. Every inch of the armour was covered in runes from a language Jaune could not understand. Beyond that, there was nothing to describe. It was very plain armour. The only other decoration was Vale's crest above her right breast signifying her allegiance to the kingdom.
"And Beatrice Waltraud!"
The final of the three knights was a shorter woman. She was about the same height as Ruby or Weiss. The others were nearly Jaune's height or just a few inches shorter. This was further reflected in her build, more comparable to Ruby's or Blake's. Unlike her two companions who were both more solidly built. She was definitely someone from nobility, having the looks to match; conventionally pretty like Weiss too.
Beatrice was a blonde who tied her hair up into a messy ponytail. The rest of her hairstyle was similar to Eleonore's with asymmetrical bangs split into three parts. One coming down just above her nose, and two longer thirds that were tucked behind her ear or hung off the right side of her face.
Her armour and weapon consisted of a mixture of plate armour and leather pads with a sabre as the sidearm. It suited her smaller stature and gave adequate protection during battle. Like Weiss, she was a swordswoman using a weapon meant for more finesse and grace than something Jaune would use.
However, comparing her to the other knights, you would find a stark contrast. She was a bright and bubbly girl waving to the crowd with an ear to ear smile. There was no need to keep an air of elegance or sombreness. The Knight adored the masses, and they did the same in return.
"They're clearly important," Weiss expressed plainly, stating the obvious. "Maybe the King may have sent them to chase down the soldiers who attacked Beacon."
"You think so?"
"Yes, we have many heroes like them in Atlas," she explained with no discernable emotion. As if this wasn't a new thing to her. "The more skilled or trusted heroes tend to be called on by the state to take care of these matters. If the Valkeryie's have such a reputation, it makes sense they were deployed to route the attackers."
"The timing works out too," Jaune agreed. "They're coming back from a quest."
But it's only been a few days, so did they catch them already?
The platoon of knights passed by Jaune and his friends. Amber and Beatrice were occupied with the crowd, but Eleonore's eyes darted throughout the mob, keeping vigilant for any threats. As the group moved directly in front of Jaune, the red-haired Knight's gaze turned unto him. It was only for a half-second, but she half-smiled at him. The Paladin blushed in a fit of shyness and had to force it down.
What was that about?
"Jaune, do you know her," Ruby asked once they were out of hearing range. "She looked like she recognised you."
Oh god, they saw that too!
Jaune blushed hard once more. He looked away and tried to get his cheeks back to looking like something not resembling Ruby's cape, but found it a fruitless endeavour. The sensation of his two companion's eyes on him was also growing alongside the bashfulness.
"I-I don't know," he expressed in a panicked voice. "I've never seen them before in my life!"
But that woman looked like she was impressed by something. Jaune had the feeling she was harder to please given her demeanour. The experience he gained from Weiss lead him to that conclusion. However, that didn't explain why she found anything in the boy enough to prompt such a reaction. Jaune wasn't anybody significant right now. Aside from the battle a few days ago, which could be the only time his existence became known outside of the academy.
"Is there a secret lover you aren't telling us about," Ruby teased like Yang would.
"Well, you certainly wouldn't be the first kept man that a noblewoman has had for a lover," Weiss concurred, making Jaune's embarrassment grow. A smirk that could cut like a knife crept along her lips.
"No," Jaune squawked. His voice cracked, yielding a less convincing denial. The boy immediately clamped his hands down over his mouth to shut himself up.
The two girls laughed at him in good sport. Jaune was caught between a rock and a hard place. Denying their accusations made things infinitely worse for him and allowing the idea to fester was just as horrific. So, he took the third option, which was to run away.
"Traitors, both of you," Jaune expressed, playing along with their act. He turned around and forced himself through the mob to escape.
Ruby and Weiss chased after him. The two knew exactly what was going on here.
"Jaune~," Ruby beckoned playfully. "They don't call you the Lady Killer for nothing!"
I hate that nickname. Why did I ever let Yang call me that!
[Several Torturous Minutes for Jaune Later]
"I think we should check out the magic shop," Ruby suggested, skipping ahead of Weiss and Jaune.
The group had walked through most of the marketplace and ended up on the more affluent side of town. Not that they had any direction in mind. Just wandering around and talking. Vale's layout made for a funnel leading that way directly from Beacon.
Luckily, the girls had decided to end Jaune's suffering and drop the subject of that knight. Though, Ruby did say she was going to tell Yang. Jaune didn't know if that was an empty threat or a promise. The thought terrified him because he knew damn well that Nora and Yang would jump on that without hesitation and Jaune would never hear the end of it.
"What are you looking for," Jaune asked, interested in whatever idea Ruby was cooking up. After her little show with the Dust bomb, he wanted to see everything she had in mind.
"I dunno," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I have all this money now, and I want to see if there's something I can use. Me and Yang can't do anything with magic, so I thought I could find a tool."
I forgot about that. Slipped my mind, I guess.
"That sounds like a good idea," Weiss concurred. "If we go on any lengthy adventures, there might be obstacles in our way that need speciality instruments to bypass."
"Oh, I was thinking about alchemy sets or a magic bag, actually," Ruby corrected hesitantly. "I didn't know what kind of stuff they made."
"There are all kinds of tools, Ruby," Jaune expressed, hopping in before Weiss could take over. "Pretty much whatever you can think of... But it's probably going to be expensive."
Jaune wasn't talking about hundreds of lien. He knew of some items in possession of the mages in Bar that were worth tens of thousands. The kind of gear that would have adventurers working for almost an entire year to gather the coin to buy them. Those items ranging from teleportation focuses to devices that could sniff out errant veins of ore, hundreds of feet away through hard granite.
"Ouch..."
"He has a point," Weiss continued, picking up her own coinpurse. "Maybe we can all chip in to purchase something and share it between us?"
"What about spells?"
"Actually, that might be a better idea," Weiss expressed, cupping her chin. "Those don't break and thanks to someone's Passive, we can take advantage of those higher-level spells."
"So, I'm the tool now," Jaune feignedly whined.
"A handy one," Weiss declared without skipping a beat. "Except you complain too much to be a proper tool. So, we might have to beat it out of you."
Let's not do that. I have enough bruises and wouldn't like any more.
"Weiss, you can't hit him to make him work," Ruby jumped in on Jaune's side.
"Of course, but we can always hold his secret lover over him, Ruby..." she suggested with an uncharacteristic smirk for Weiss.
"Ughhh," Jaune groaned into the air. "Why can't we let that go?! I don't know her!"
Nothing was going on there! It was only a passing moment that Jaune just happened to be there for! How could he have known that knight would recognise him?
"Sorry, Jaune," Ruby giggled. "It's fair payback for teasing Weiss..." She paused for a moment. "But come on! You don't have knights like that picking you out of the crowd every day! They have soldiers and actual warhorses, and like, the coolest gear ever!" Ruby let out a frustrated grunt. "Gah! I want all of that stuff so bad! Did, you see the armour, Eleonore was wearing?! Or Amber's staff?!"
She was right about all of that. Maybe not the teasing Weiss part because Jaune had an obligation to dish it out. However, the obvious prestige these soldiers had was far outside the boundaries of both Ruby and Jaune. Of course, anybody with enough ambition would be envious of them. Ruby was probably jealous that she got looked over.
"Ruby that costs, M-O-N-E-Y," Weiss countered, spelling out the reactant needed for this process. "If you thought the tools cost a lot, then prepare to be amazed. That staff is probably handcrafted by some mage, or she found it in the tomb of a wizard. I doubt we could actually get an appraisal for an artefact like her's! That doesn't even factor in the prices of those horses either. I'm sure they're some kind of thoroughbred stallions explicitly raised to be cavalry horses..."
"We could probably buy a house just for the prices of those horses," Jaune conjectured. "Some of them we raise in Bar go for almost ten-thousand lien at the least! Then you have to pay for them to be housed, and-"
"Yeah, I get it," Ruby interrupted, deflating at the sheer magnitude of her goals. "My mom and dad raised horses too..." She let out a comically long exhale. "But why do you think that knight even recognised you, Jaune?"
"I really don't know..."
It would be justifiable if she was showing that same warmth to the rest of the crowd, but she wasn't. Once Eleonore spotted Jaune, she immediately recognised him. She knew who Jaune was or was possibly mistaking his identity for someone else.
"We're not sure either, Jaune," Weiss expressed earnestly. "Frankly, it would make more sense if someone figured out who I was."
"A princess," Ruby emphasised before pointing at Jaune. "And then, Jaune..."
A normal-looking kid with aspirations that would definitely put him out of his league versus a princess with more titles than one could count with both hands. Ruby was only just underestimating the distance between the two. To be honest, Jaune was pathetic if a third party compared them.
"Maybe the court latched onto the battle, and my name got thrown around," Jaune guessed, shrugging his shoulders. "That sounds like the type of thing they would do."
Hundreds of lips passing on gossip like a factory. Any slip up in the presence of another would be the talk of the town for months on end. The finances of a particular noble would be discussed openly, and the conspirators may plot ways to ruin him.
"You are more right than you know," Weiss admitted. "While a stereotype, it is indeed rooted in truth. Though, most rumours get spread around at celebrations and not during the day to day functions of the court. Then, it's just intrigues and plans for military drills." She snapped the fingers in her right hand. "Professor Ozpin may have told them during a council meeting. The nobles would have been summoned to the court after the battle. Then tales of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed warrior stopping almost an entire army on his own are just something that follows."
"Professor Ozpin kept your name out of it, I guess," Jaune expressed openly, knowing everyone around them wouldn't be paying attention.
"I'm certain of that," Weiss declared. "He's smart enough to ensure no sycophants working with my father's enemies figure out a princess is in Vale."
"What about me," Ruby asked with a sliver of hope in her voice. "Do you think they're talking about me too?"
Jaune felt his stomach drop at the way Ruby looked right now. She was too cute, but it seemed like she was expecting a lot—indeed, a way to let herself down if things didn't go as intended.
"They should," Jaune stated energetically, making his thoughts known. "I don't want all the credit for that. It would be a dick move, and both of you stuck your necks out when we didn't have to!"
He hoped Ruby would be getting the recognition she deserved. The Reaper played probably the most pivotal part in defending Beacon against that attack. There was no way Weiss and Jaune could have held those soldiers off by themselves without her.
"I just hope they don't focus on the knight in shining armour," Weiss spat venomously. "Not everyone remembers the girl who actually saved Beacon."
Ruby's expression shifted from one of anticipation to reflection. A slight smile stretched across her lips, knowing how much her friends appreciated what she did.
...
Weiss led the way into the magic shop, pushing open the door with a single hand. The bell attached to a string rang out, alerting whoever was in here that customers arrived. Initially, no one came to greet them, so Jaune and Ruby stepped inside and began perusing the items on display.
Okay, I should try to pick up a spell.
Jaune split off from Weiss and Ruby who went over to where some of the tools were. The feeling of deja vu or something like that came on strong as he peered at the stacks of books, which hadn't moved since he and Weiss came here last. Jaune knew he already experienced this moment recently, but the cycle of repetition played with his mind.
"Back so soon," someone behind Jaune stated. "How did that healing ointment work for you?"
He turned around to see a woman working behind the counter across the room. A pretty blonde about their age leaned back in a chair with her feet on the desk. Her attention was focused on Weiss, who had a cordial attitude in return. The Mage leaving Ruby for a moment to speak with her.
"It actually worked quite well," she replied with a smile. "I will need to buy some more in a few weeks. One of our companions keeps getting himself hurt!"
Jaune tuned them out as he went back to the spells. Most of the books stacked on the shelves or actually any available surface were not what he was looking for. A few treatises on Magical Theory were penned by a bunch of names Jaune didn't recognise, but some of them had Professor Goodwitch and Ozpin on them. A bestiary by Professor Port was here. And unsurprisingly, a book on alchemy by Dr Oobleck. The rest near the alchemy table were a bunch of fictional works that Jaune had read before, but a hundred others were titles that had yet to be examined.
Maybe we should put together a library when we get a house?
Even if the entire group didn't buy a house where they could all live, it would still be a worthwhile venture for those that stuck together. Really, just killing time was probably the number one thing Jaune was thinking about. Reading a good book was one way of doing that if anybody was taking a break from adventuring for a few days. Blake and Weiss would probably appreciate having a collection around for entertainment value or as study materials.
What kind of books does Blake like? I've seen her reading, but she always hides the titles.
Actually... I probably don't want to know.
That costs too much anyway. Weiss said we need to stop spending so much.
Jaune opened up a cupboard, containing a whole assortment of tomes. Scanning through the leatherbound books, he found these were the spells. The first few were mainly basic destruction spells like firebolt, ice spear, or lightning. Going down a shelf, Jaune's finger landed on a manipulation spell called: Infusion.
Immediately, he plucked it off the shelf and thumbed through the first few pages. Jaune was only looking for the effect since that was what mattered.
Infusion:
This spell grants one the ability to infuse the desired object with materials ordinarily unable to be bonded together. The strength of the unaltered item determines how much of an effect can be added to it.
Be warned that stressing the target with too powerful additives can result in the atomisation of the material and, possibly, a sudden explosive decomposition.
It's an artificer spell!
With this, Jaune could combine metals with monster parts or pretty much anything he could think of. Hell, he could make the most powerful spoon on the planet if he found the right stuff to do it with. The possibilities were practically endless.
Jaune tossed it aside and kept looking for another spell. With the variety here, there was a lot that could be done if one knew what to look for. It just so happened that Jaune landed on another book that caught his eye.
Telekinesis:
Casting this spell allows you to move objects with your mind. Within a visible range, anything you can levitate is dependent on your personal strength and willpower. Once, cast upon, the item is subject to your directions and will perform whatever manoeuvre you are capable of imagining.
Be warned that this spell drains magicka rapidly.
"You've got to be kidding me," Jaune uttered under his breath. The boy had the goofiest smile plastered on his face.
Telekinesis?! Hell yeah!
Jaune grabbed both of the books and made his way over to the counter. He didn't care to look at the other spells because he just found the only ones he would ever need. The utility of both put together was too much of an advantage to pass up. With some advice from Weiss and Ruby, Jaune was confident they would come up with an endless stream of ideas and could begin working around anything they ran up against.
"I would like to buy these two spellbooks," Jaune announced as he set them in front of the Mage.
She glanced over her book at Jaune and inspected the boy for several seconds. Without a word, she set the novel down and picked up the tomes.
"Jeez dude, these are some pretty high-level spells," the Mage said. "I can't even cast them!"
"Really," Jaune inquired, cocking his head to the side.
"Yeah, I'm just an apprentice, but I've got a good handle on most of this stuff," she explained excitedly. "The woman I work for wrote these, so they're meant for 'experienced' wizards."
How experienced are we talking about?
"Heh," Jaune laughed lightly, getting nervous talking to her. She was quite attractive. "Good thing my Passive sort of gets around that. So, I can pretty much use any spell I want!"
The girl's jaw dropped as Jaune's words clicked in her head.
"You're kidding me," she asked for clarification, and understandably sceptical. A single shake of Jaune's head made the girl lean forward and stand at his height. "What are you doing at Beacon?! Why not some actual mage's college?!"
"I've got friends there," Jaune stated plainly. "And Beacon's headmaster is helping me out with my magic, so I've got the best of both worlds."
To be honest, Jaune wouldn't really trade Beacon out for another school. He had not thought about it often since it was such an easy choice for him to make.
The Mage let out a snort. "Hey, man, whatever floats your boat," she encouraged, exhaling once and sliding the tomes over to him. "And if you and Weiss are gonna keep coming back here for materials, I'll let you have these for twenty-five hundred lien."
Oooh...
That's a lot of money.
Jaune swallowed hard and started pulling out his coin purse.
Jaune's got some nice new spells to play with. Also, some admirers among Vale's important figures.
I just meant for this chapter to be fun for the characters. Some development in their relationships/character, and a bit of world building on the side. They need to destress.
If the amount of paragraphs I put in for those three knights means anything, they're probably going to be important to the story. Just a hint for you guys. (And no, the knight who smiled at Jaune is not going to be a romantic option. I'll get into that later.)
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