Jaune's body jolted itself awake, opening his eyes to a stone ceiling dimly lit by a fire. The small flame caused shadows to dance above him as the fire flickered. Everywhere on the plane, they waltzed back and forth without rest. Jaune watched this for what seemed like hours as his body slowly regained what little strength he could muster.
His bones felt like glass—his flesh jelly. All he could manage upon waking was to breathe weakly and move his eyes. Moving the rest of himself would be a feat of strength reserved for demigods. He could have gone back to sleep and remained unconscious for a fortnight.
However, the sounds in this room kept him from falling back to sleep. Voices from his friends graced his ears. They were arguing about something Jaune could not discern through his lethargic state. The voices of Yang and Ren were the most obvious, each filled with utter panic or concern as Jaune listened in.
It wasn't until he heard a booming noise reverberating throughout the room that the voices stopped. The voices of Yang and Ren vanished completely. All that was left were a few others speaking too quietly for Jaune to hear.
...
Jaune awoke once more. This time, he could move his limbs. He could not remember anything from earlier, only the last image of Weiss running to his side. Right after he'd healed...
"Ruby," Jaune shouted, throwing himself from the bed.
He was unable to stand entirely before another person's hands were on him. They stopped him from leaving the bed, keeping him in a crouched stance above the mattress. Jaune looked to see who it was, finding Weiss staring him down. The look on her face sent chills down his spine.
The girl was crying with tears streaming down her cheeks and puffy red eyes. It seemed as though she'd been bawling her eyes out for hours. Enough so, her appearance became dishevelled and face marred by dried-up tears. As Jaune and Weiss' eyes met, more tears followed as the flood gates opened.
She fell into him, sobbing openly as Jaune soon began falling victim to a surge of emotions. Tears streamed down his cheeks as thoughts of what happened to Ruby took over. He was panicking both internally and outwardly as he could not see her anywhere in this small room. His breath became shaky, and his heart rate shot up tremendously as the seconds ticked by.
Ruby?
"W-Weiss," Jaune weakly stammered, pulling the girl away to get a look at her face. "W-What happened? W-Where's Ruby?"
Please don't say she's-
Jaune didn't want to entertain the idea. He wanted Ruby to be in the next room over. That she was going to be okay and lost some blood due to her injuries. That Jaune was going to look in on her and find she was awake by now.
"S-She kept getting worse," Weiss croaked out, followed by more sobbing. "Yang took her back through the portal with Ren and Nora... We thought she was going to die!"
No...
Jaune wrapped his arms around Weiss as if by instinct. He stared off into the distance in shock as it finally hit him. His friend might be dead. All of his efforts might have been in vain. That he couldn't save her.
His chest throbbed in pain even considering the notion. Guilt, anger, and rage washed over him, but he could not unleash it. All he could do was let out a weak breath.
"Goddamnit," Jaune cried out through gritted teeth as he leaned into Weiss.
He pulled Weiss in tighter as they continued crying. Both teens terrified at the thought of losing their friend. They trembled in each other's grasp and wept more openly than before. Somehow, they fell onto their side, laying on the mattress without releasing the other from their hold.
Why Ruby?
Jaune could feel Weiss' tears soaking through his shirt as time went on. His tears stained the jacket he rested his head on. Neither cared. All they were focused on was each other. They needed each other's support.
"I-I'm sorry," Jaune said, choking up as his crying continued. "I'm sorry, Weiss!"
Why did it have to happen to Ruby?
She was the most kind-hearted among them. Ruby Rose was the one who fit the definition of a hero perfectly. Her intentions were only to help others and better herself as a warrior and person. There was only that naked intent there, nothing more.
So, what if she died? To Jaune, it was a loss to the world. Ruby was something good that might have fallen through the cracks because they dropped their guard. Jaune dropped his guard and allowed the Alpha to sneak up on her. To possibly kill his friend and enable them to fail her further.
One of his best friends might be dead right now, and Jaune wished he was in her place. The only fair trade between Ruby Rose and a boy who set out only for fame and fortune was the former. Because Jaune knew that compared to one another, she was better than him.
[Hours Later]
Waking again, Jaune sat up next to Weiss. The two fell asleep some time ago. The Paladin wasn't sure how long they'd been out, but the crying had been exhausting. It was made worse by the strain magic put on his body. Both left him completely sapped of whatever strength he had left.
His muscles felt sore and were barely capable of lifting themselves lest they attempt swinging a sword. Yet, as he checked his aura, it was back to one-hundred per cent. The overuse of that healing spell had taken all of his aura, but it appeared as though it regenerated overnight. Far quicker than what had happened with Weiss.
Looking at his stats, it became odder when examining Willpower. It jumped nearly ten points when it had only ever moved one or two. That level was earned before their encounter with the Alpha, and his magical abilities appeared to grow to face the task before him. Jaune didn't know what to think of it.
Is that why I was able to heal Ruby?
Jaune snuffed out that line of thought before he was left a blubbering mess once more. He needed to figure out what happened when he was passed out and plan on what to do next. It didn't mean he wasn't still concerned for Ruby, but he needed to focus on what he could control right now.
Staring down at Weiss, Jaune needed to make sure she was all right before leaving her. She was curled up on the wooden bed, sleeping peacefully despite what they had seen. The hours Weiss spent at his side must have been a draining experience for her. So, Jaune was glad she was getting some rest and would take care of everything else for her sake.
He grabbed her robes and laid them on top of her, giving her something like a blanket for now. As he draped them over her figure, Weiss absentmindedly wrapped an arm around the cloth and pulled it tight against her body. She appeared to snuggle into the robes, seeking out some warmth or comfort instinctively. The sight made Jaune smile slightly.
Good, she's comfortable, at least. I'll need to talk to her when she wakes up.
Jaune had never seen her so vulnerable before. Weiss was pretty good at putting up a shield for herself to hide behind but to see it dropped like it was concerned Jaune. Checking up on her further would give Jaune a good idea of how she was doing if her reaction didn't give him enough of a clue.
Now, I need to find the others.
Jaune looked around the room, attempting to discern where he actually was. It appeared he and Weiss were inside a barracks of some sort. This one was different from the barracks they'd discovered by the front gate, both in style and overall condition. While the upper levels were more resemblant to Valean architecture, this place emphasised unfinished stonework.
Luckily, his swords and armour were nearby. Donning them, Jaune fastened all of the buckles and belts that came with his gear. Aside from the blood, everything appeared to be intact. Jaune would have to make do with what he was presented in this situation regardless.
Okay, time to find the others...
Jaune made his way to the first door he could see. It was a large one at the opposite side of the wall from where he and Weiss were. So, that was going to be the first place he checked. Crossing the room, Jaune carefully opened the door to reveal another dimly lit hallway. Before he left the barracks, Jaune made sure to shut the door behind him to keep Weiss safe from whatever may be wandering the halls.
Moving through the hallway, Jaune stuck his head into the room at the end, finding a camp of sorts made in the foyer of the building. His companion's gear was spread around the room, and a dimly lit fire provided one of the few light sources. Continuing to scan the room, Jaune spotted Sun sitting at a table against the wall with the chair leaned back on its hind legs and small glass in his hands.
"Sun," Jaune called out, walking over to the boy. His voice echoing throughout the large chamber they were in.
The look on Sun's face as he spotted him was one of apprehension. The boy didn't want to speak to Jaune for fear of something. Judging from what happened with Weiss, he figured it had to do with that.
"Hey, Jaune," Sun replied in a subdued tone but refused to meet his eyes. "Ummm, you finally got up... Is Weiss still asleep?"
"Yeah, she is," he replied, crossing his arms.
"H-How's she doing," Sun asked with a stammer. "I kind of heard most of what happened in there..."
"I don't really know," Jaune answered truthfully. "I'm still trying to process it..."
Jaune felt like shit. He had too many emotions running through his head to work through. It left him in this wretched state of wanting to cry about it or kill a hundred of those cavemen in blood fueled rage. Thinking about it left him with a dry mouth and shaking hands if he paid any mind to it.
"Trying not to think about it," Sun confessed, downing whatever was in his glass. "Ruby was fine for an hour, and then her heart stopped. We couldn't keep it going even if we took turns giving her CPR."
I healed her... The wound closed!
"Did her wound open back up," Jaune asked in urgency. "What happened?!"
"We don't know," Sun answered weakly. "Blake thinks it was poison. All we saw was her stop breathing, and we couldn't find a pulse. So, Ren dragged her and Yang back through the portal, and Nora went with them."
We lost the portal too?
"RAAAGGGHHH," Jaune let out a scream.
He turned, grabbing one of the chairs and whipped it across the room into the wall. The wooden piece smashed into the stone, knocking several decorations off the wall and shattered them into pieces. Before Jaune could go after another piece of furniture, Sun was there to stop him by grabbing his arm.
"Dude, stop," Sun harshly whispered as he yanked on Jaune's arm.
Upon warning Jaune, the sound of something banging against the front door stopped them both. A horrific screech from something outside penetrated the walls, sending a chill up their spines. More banging and scratching sounds came from the door as more creatures attempted to find their way inside.
Jaune went to unsheath his sword, but Sun urged him to keep it there. Moments later, whatever was trying to get through the door gave up and moved on. Though, the sounds of more screeching and animalistic voices could be heard through the walls. It only meant their hunters lost the scent for the moment.
"After you passed out, a bunch of those cavemen showed up," Sun explained, taking a shaky breath as they were no longer in danger. "We barely got inside before they swarmed us, but they're all over the castle now. We got lucky and threw everything we could find against the door before they got to us."
Why?
Did the Alpha leave us for them? Why wouldn't he just finish the job?
"Where's Pyrrha and Blake," Jaune asked, looking for the other members of the party. "Did they get separated?"
Sun shook his head. "No, they're trying to find a passage for us to sneak out of."
Good idea... This place has to have some sort of tunnel for the garrison to escape from.
"Fuck, what do we do," Jaune expressed, shaking his head in frustration. "Everything went to shit, and we're trapped!"
They had barely been able to tap into the deepest regions of this ruin before disaster struck. Jaune felt pissed at himself even more for not considering what would happen after Yang killed that caveman. Now, they had nothing to show for one of their group members nearly dying and would likely have to fight their way out. This whole thing was a mess they couldn't just push through.
"Maybe we can get back to Professor Port," Sun suggested, merely throwing the idea out there. "We've been gone too long, and he's got to know something's wrong."
Yeah, we all come back up to check on camp before moving deeper. Hopefully, they didn't get the drop on him...
The sound of heels clicking against stone alerted Jaune and Sun to the staircase adjacent to them. They each looked to the top, finding Pyrrha and Blake staring back down at them. As they locked eyes, the Spartan bolted down the stairs to meet the boys. There, she wrapped her arms around Jaune's body and pulled him into a tight hug.
The warmth Pyrrha gave off made Jaune pause as she pulled him close. It was a small comfort that filled his heart with a calm despite the tumultuous storm of emotions brewing in his head. Jaune could barely choke anything back lest he started crying again now as she ruptured his fragile state. He appreciated the hug in its entirety nonetheless. Pyrrha likely needed it as well.
Blake, on the other hand, didn't make eye contact, keeping herself at a distance. Her body language told Jaune some of what he needed to know. Blake bottled up everything and tried to keep herself calm and collected. Yet, Jaune could see her tired eyes and the weight of Ruby's condition pressed upon her shoulders.
"How are you doing," Pyrrha asked as she pulled away from him. "I'm sorry about what happened with Ruby. She's going to be fine, I'm sure of it."
Yeah...
"Thanks," Jaune said weakly, forcing back some tears. "I feel like crap... Weiss telling me about what happened didn't help."
Pyrrha and Sun appeared to regret that part. They should have brought a cool head to the conversation instead of leaving Weiss to deal with it. With the Princess in her volatile state, it was a poor decision. Yet, that was correct in hindsight. Jaune didn't know what they thought at the moment.
"She was there for hours, waiting for you to wake up," Pyrrha explained with a nervous tone. "I think someone should have talked to her, but we had to find a way out of the castle..."
"It's fine," Jaune replied, waving the topic off. "You had to find a way out. That's our priority."
The sound of something crashing against the door cut off their conversation. It was followed by the terrified screams of the cavemen outside and something large attacking them. Judging from the sound, it was a predator hunting the cavemen. The cavemen shouted and attempted to fight back but were quickly silenced as another opponent joined the fight. This second fighter was quiet, but Jaune could hear them work their way through the mob outside.
Moments later, it was silent. Only to be followed by three loud thuds against the door and a shout coming from a man. The signal told everyone who it was.
"Professor Port?"
Jaune and the group ran over to the door and quickly worked to move everything that had been thrown against it. Chairs, desks, and benches were tossed aside as they scrambled to open the way. As they moved the last object, Pyrrha and Sun lifted the bar, and Blake threw open the door with a sword drawn.
In the courtyard, Professor Port stood there in his full armour with his axe buried into a caveman. He was drenched in their blood, appearing to be a crazed berserker than the Chevalier after killing this last caveman. In the low light, such a picture unnerved Jaune and the others. His low breathing through the armoured faceplate and hunched posture only added to his ferocious aura.
Next to him was the giant lizard clawing at a caveman he had killed. The beast appeared to be unharmed despite what looked to be several arrows broken on his hide. Those tough scales managed to deflect whatever blows came his way, and judging by the bodies, he'd killed quite a few cavemen.
Finally, Dreizhen sat near the castle gate. As he spotted the party, the dog dashed over to greet them, nearly leaping into Pyrrha and Jaune's arms. The small pup was happy to see them despite the circumstances. Weiss needed to see him even more now he was here.
"Professor," Pyrrha called out, trying to get his attention.
It did the trick, causing Port to turn to the teens and remove his helmet. The Chevalier tossed it aside and returned his axe to a hook on his back. Taking one last look, he moved to them to address the party under his care.
"Good, I'm glad to have found you," Port began, looking to see if anybody was wounded. "These creatures surprised us at camp. Luckily, I was able to fend them off." He kicked one of the bodies over to examine him further. "When you didn't return, I came looking only to find more of these creatures along the way." Glancing up from the corpse, he noticed something was off. "Where is the rest of your party?"
The question caused the air to turn stale. Port must have realised what happened, but he lacked specifics. Thinking about what happened once more only caused Jaune's heart to throb in pain. Pyrrha and Sun appeared to grow quiet and refused to meet Port's eyes as he stared on.
"One of them caught Ruby and stabbed her through the heart," Jaune finally explained, laying it out there for him. "We tried to heal the wound, but she got worse, and Yang took her back to Beacon using the portal."
Port's expression dropped as it clicked in his head. Jaune could see him clench his jaw muscles as he processed the news. Clearly, it had a similar effect on him as it did the rest of the party. Though, he was able to harden his heart to the knowledge, unlike the teens.
"I'm sorry," Port replied in a solemn tone. "If it's any consolation, taking Ms Rose to Beacon was the best move you could have made. The Priests and Priestesses there have the necessary tools to help her."
"But, what do we do now," Jaune asked, stepping out from inside the door. "Half of us went with Ruby, and we've got these cavemen to deal with."
"Yeah, we came into their house and killed someone," Sun agreed in a more pessimistic tone. "We have to get out of here before the rest come back."
They didn't know how many of these creatures were down here. There could be a few thousand right under their feet, waiting to spring up and grab one of them. The next person to fall into their clutches could be Weiss or Pyrrha. Then the Alpha was skulking around here somewhere as well. Jaune didn't want to take the risk.
"I will not allow that," Port insisted, moving into their path to keep them where they stood. He stared down each of the students with an unnerving glare that told them he was serious. "I will not allow you to flee this place."
"W-Why," Pyrrha asked in a surprised tone. Her eyes darted to Jaune and Blake, hoping someone would come up with something here.
"Because Professor Ozpin gave you a task, and you must see to its completion," he clarified in a pressing tone. "However, due to what has transpired, I will be taking over leadership of this expedition. We must-"
"What," Blake shouted, interrupting Port. She pushed past Pyrrha and Sun, moving right up to the Chevalier to argue with him. "We invited you to come along! You don't get to-"
"Ms Belladonna," Port calmly interrupted in reply. "The reason for my assuming leadership is the same reason for why I was sent here. I have accompanied dozens of expeditions into Valean ruins. Each of these journies ended, ranging from success to complete disasters where all party members except myself and Dr Oobleck perished. So, I understand the risks better than anyone else. However, we must push onwards and complete our objective with whatever resources we have at our disposal. To simply quit here and run would be a disservice to all of our efforts."
"How do you expect us to do that," Jaune asked, pointing to the few party members that were left. "WE don't have the people to fight through all of them!"
The party could return to Vale and get more students to join them for their expedition. They had strength in numbers when down here, and every body mattered. Jaune didn't care if Cardin and his friends came along. Clearing a path to the central citadel was the goal. Then they could split all of the treasure when it was done. At least they could check on Ruby upon returning to Vale.
"We go about this carefully," Port explained in a calm tone, managing to remain professional despite the flaring emotions. "With your darkvision and Ms Belladonna's gift of stealth, we can avoid whatever threats come in our way. We don't have to attack anything down here as long as we can bypass them safely. If not, then we may kill them stealthily. Thus, we have all of the necessary resources to survey the ruins. You and Ms Belladonna only need to guide us along the way. I will provide the lost strength as required when the time comes. Is that a sufficient enough plan for you, Mr Arc?"
I still don't like this, but he knows what he's talking about...
Everyone looked at each other with apprehensive expressions. Blake was outright furious with Port for taking over. She knew not to trust him and stuck with that attitude. The rest were indecisive and didn't know what to do here.
Fuck...
"All right," Jaune agreed with a sigh. "We'll follow your lead. What's the first part of your plan?"
Port didn't initially reply, using a knife to open one of the cavemen. With his hands, he split open the incision, inspecting their insides for himself. A curious expression grew on his face as he analysed the internal organs of the creature.
"We must understand what we're up against," Port asserted, looking back up to the teens. "What have you found out about the creatures? Tell me."
"Umm," Pyrrha began, looking back to what they learned from yesterday. "They've adapted to the darkness."
"Adapted to living underground in caves, Ms Nikos," Port corrected. "They're something between a troglophile and troglobite. If I had to guess, these creatures have access to the surface but choose to spend much of their time underground. Their lack of skin pigmentation would be dangerous on the surface during the day, so we can assume they only come out at night. Their sense of smell and hearing has also adapted to vision loss, likely becoming more sensitive to make up for it." Port looked at the rest of the group. "Anything else?"
"They're social and can talk," Sun added on. "They're smart and were able to ambush us too. The big one that attacked Ruby let us go."
"Yes, they're mammals, so congregating in groups would be instinctual," Port agreed with some clarification. "The appearance of this leader also tells us there is a hierarchy they follow. These creatures that attacked us here were hunters. Yet, I found some that could be considered a soldiery class. You can see the difference in their armour and build. Hunters wear very little and carry bows, whereas soldiers wear something approaching proper armour and carry various weapons." He showed the group a sword made from what appeared to be part of a bug's exoskeleton. "I have heard their language as well. It's Old Valean but a much rougher dialect of it. What does that tell us?"
"They're-"
"Old Valeans," Port answered before his students could. "I would say after their little war, the surviving few retreated as far down as possible. Whatever reason they chose that fate is still unknown; however, we know the time they spent underground has changed them inside and out over the past millennia."
This is what's left of them?
A proud culture of architects and engineers descended into creatures little more than animals. Jaune would have felt pity for them if he understood this before the Alpha tried to kill Ruby. At least, he knew what happened to them in the end. All they needed to know now was what forced them underground permanently.
"How do we know they came from Old Valeans," Blake asked in a much more subdued tone, dropping her attitude. "Couldn't they have been living down here before them?"
"Possibly," Port agreed, cocking his head to the side. "However, creatures this large and advanced intellectually could not develop down here on their own. The best explanation for their origin would be they descended from the Old Valeans or were another tribe that became trapped in these caves, living alongside them long enough to learn the language. Yet, evolution to this degree rarely happens in such a short time. So, our hypothesis will need more evidence before we can confirm anything definite." He stood and brushed off his hands. "Now, who else is here with you? We need to scour the castle and find any supplies that might be of use to us."
Guess I'll have to find Weiss...
"Weiss," Jaune answered, gesturing inside. "She's sleeping right now... I'll go find her."
"You do that," Port replied before turning to the rest of the students. "The rest of you should begin breaking down your packs into the bare essentials. We need to remain light on our feet to avoid detection."
As everyone got to work, Jaune went to handle his part. It was the most challenging job out of all of them to be given, but it had to be done. Not that Jaune was looking forward to the conversation anyway. He wished there would never be the occasion for it to come up.
Moving back into the castle, Jaune passed through the foyer and into the hallway outside the barracks. The boy's chest continued to tighten as he grew closer to Weiss. His anxiety climbed to the roof as he pushed open the door to the barracks. Laying eyes on Weiss' form caused his body to be overcome with the feeling of dread.
Come on, Jaune... You got this.
Jaune made his way to Weiss' side. There, he sat on the side of the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. Giving her a light shake, Jaune tried to coax the girl back into consciousness. He tried his best not to scare her, learning from the last time he was in this position.
"Weiss..."
That seemed to get her to stir some. She lifted her head and looked around for a few moments as her brain caught up to her surroundings. When she turned over and looked at Jaune, he could see how bloodshot her eyes were still. Worse, her face was contorted into that gloomy expression that Jaune wanted nothing more than to be rid of.
"Hey..." Jaune said weakly, taking his hand off her shoulder. "How are you doing?"
Weiss didn't reply initially, shuffling over to sit next to him. Each of her movements was slow and lacked energy. It felt as though the girl didn't want to move from where she lay. Jaune understood the feeling.
"I-I'm scared," she confessed with a stammer. "What if Ruby-"
"Hey-Hey," Jaune interrupted with as soft a voice as he could muster. The boy wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Ruby's going to be okay!"
Jaune wanted to believe that. But poison on someone with such a low Constitution score as Ruby had given her a slim chance. Jaune only hoped Port was correct about the hospital at Beacon being able to help her.
The Paladin pulled her as close as he could to his body. Through his gambeson and armour, he could feel Weiss shaking. It stung Jaune's heart to know what she was going through right now. He just didn't have a way to make it all better.
"Listen, Weiss," Jaune began again, letting some pressure off her. "Professor Port came to get us. He wants us to finish the job and map this place out."
"Why," she blankly asked, looking to him with a confused expression. "We have to get back to Vale!"
I feel you... Port's just too persuasive to say no to. Not that we even have the option right now.
"I know, Weiss," Jaune expressed, letting her go and standing up. "But we have to finish this. Once we're done, we won't stop until we're back in Vale. Let's just bring something back for Ruby and the others, okay?"
Weiss paused to think about it for a few moments. Jaune could see how much she wanted to leave and return to Vale. Yet, his idea slowly won her over despite the risks both knew were down here. They didn't have to like it, but they had to bring some treasure back to share with their friend.
Something to make up for her getting stabbed...
"Okay, for Ruby," Weiss agreed, nodding her head.
All right, let's meet back with the others...
Jaune reached down and grabbed Weiss' hand. Lifting her to her feet, he handed her Myrtenaster. Without another word, the two turned and moved to join up with the others. As they opened the door to the barracks, Dreizehn was there, waiting for Weiss to greet him.
The pup jumped to meet his owner more excitedly than he did with Jaune or Pyrrha. Weiss kneeled and pet him on the head, just as happy to see him. The Princess nearly began tearing up as the dog brought some level of happiness to her. Jaune felt his heart warm as he watched on.
Once she was done petting him, Weiss stood and continued following Jaune with Dreizehn in tow. Coming back to the foyer, the trio could hear something going on outside the keep.
It sounded like yelling.
What?!
The two adventurers sprung into action, dashing to meet whatever came upon the group. Jaune put a shoulder into the door, throwing it open to reveal the courtyard. There, Pyrrha and Blake stood with their weapons out, threatening a man who had appeared in the time Jaune was gone.
"Back off," Pyrrha shouted, pointing her sword directly at his chest.
The man didn't appear to care for the blade, standing there with his fingers interlocked and mockingly smiling at the girl. His appearance was that of a thirty-year-old androgynous human with long black hair tied using a bow at his shoulders and messy bangs covering his forehead. Two identical strains of hair descended from his head and hung in front of his chest. He could have been much younger, judging by how ageless he appeared. His features were like that of a snake given human form, sharp and unremarkable.
He wore a blue overcoat that covered most of his body over the top of a suit. The only piece of that attire Jaune could below the coat was a white collared shirt and tie around his neck. At his feet were a pair of fine-looking boots covered mainly by his black pants. On his hands were a pair of white gloves covering the skin and embroidered with a rune in the shape of a sword.
"Ms Nikos," the man spoke with reverberation to his voice. His tone sounded as though he were calmly mocking the girl. "You do not need to brandish that weapon. I am but a humble merchant."
"Who are you," Jaune asked, walking to Pyrrha's side.
Where did he come from? I know he didn't follow us down here. This guy doesn't have any weapons.
"His name is Ahasver," Port spoke up. "That's what we call him."
"Ah Peter, how are you, old friend," Ahasver said, turning to the man and nodding with a genuine smile. He then placed a hand over his heart. "Do you require my services?"
"You know him," Blake asked, putting a step between her and the Professor.
"I have met him before," Port explained in more detail. "We don't know much about him, but he's been seen in hundreds of locations across Remnant—many of which, at times when he couldn't possibly be there. We do know that he's a wandering merchant, selling items to adventurers along their journey. The last I saw of him was twenty years ago..."
"Ah yes, that is correct," Ahasver confirmed.
Without seeing him move, he vanished from Jaune's point of view, appearing behind Pyrrha. Before she could react, he had already taken the emeralds off her circlet and held them in his palm. Both actions were done so quickly; nobody had noticed he'd done it.
"I am a purveyor of many goods, both exotic and commonplace," he continued, reaching into a satchel on his side and returning to Pyrrha two larger crystals. Each glowing bright green intermittently.
Is he a spirit?
Pyrrha didn't know what to say as he had taken her emeralds. Port gestured for her to go along with it as he appeared to have experience with this man. Ahasver then disappeared once again and reappeared behind Weiss, plucking a strand of hair from her head.
"He takes payment for anything he gives you," Port explained with a curious expression as he ignored Ahasver. "It can be anything on your person or nothing at all. It's almost entirely random."
Finally, he appeared in front of Jaune. In his hand, Ahasver produced a golden ring and gave it to the boy, placing it delicately in his palm.
Jaune looked at it, turning the ring up to find a relief of a swan engraved into the metal. Along the ban were spiralled carvings that surrounded the relief. Examining it further revealed nothing else as a notable feature. It was an ordinary ring based on appearance alone.
Upon a closer inspection to determine whatever magical qualities it possessed, he saw this.
The Swan Knight's Ring
"Ah, my beloved dearest swan!
Behold this horn, this sword, this ring, and bestow upon him all three
For the horn shall aid him in his time of need,
and the sword shall deliver unto him victory most fortuitous
But this ring shall serve to remind him of me,
so Gottfried himself may know the name of he who freed you from torment and disgrace!"
Whoever shatters this ring shall be led to what he has lost.
"Use it only when you must, Mr Arc," Ahasver warned with a smile. "There may come a time when you are desperately searching for something..."
How can he know that?
"Peter, I shall remain here for now," Ahasver continued, clasping his hands behind his back. "If you find anything of note or wish to trade with me, I am willing to barter."
"Thank you," Port replied, nodding to the man. He then turned to the students. "Now, we must search the castle. We'll split into groups and cover as much ground as we can. Meet back here in an hour."
Everyone nodded to the man and broke off into groups. Sun and Blake went their own way. Pyrrha stuck with the Professor. That left Jaune and Weiss.
"You ready, Weiss," Jaune asked, unsheathing his sword.
"Yes, let's hurry..."
So, Jaune feels like shit about what happened to Ruby. I also brought up a few points about how Jaune feels about himself now this happened. The reason Jaune considers Ruby a better person/hero than he is is due to her motivations over his. Jaune wants to be a hero so he doesn't have to live as a boring blacksmith anymore and achieve fame and fortune in the process. Through Ruby's actions and Yang outright stating it, he knows Ruby is going to be a good hero.
It's merely a matter of motivation in this case. Jaune's done some good stuff but he has never set out to primarily do good like Ruby has. Jaune freeing those slaves and beating the bandits up in Whiteshale were primarily done because they pissed him off. Them being bad things has only been a secondary thought beyond Jaune's emotions.
It's a sort of Witcher-esque attitude about things. Geralt doesn't set out to do good, but he does good stuff along the way. Ruby merely hasn't had the same opportunities like Jaune has because she doesn't get so involved.
So, I've brought this subject up at various points in Act 2 when Jaune is feeling particularly down or learns something about Ruby. I just wanted to mention something here in case anyone was confused.
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 Thirty
Strength 61 (+1)
Agility 26 (+)
Defence 35 (+)
Perception 40 (+)
Constitution 58 (+1) + (.25 x 57) = 72
Intelligence 60 (+)
Charisma 31 (+)
Willpower 32 (+10)
...
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.
...
Purify
This ability can remove impurities from any material, whether they be food, drink, or metals. This renders them in a poison-free, diseaseless, and pure quality with the added benefit of destroying curses.
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Antimagic field:
Activating this ability will destroy established magical spells within thirty feet. It will only affect spells that have been cast and anchored to a particular area or object, not on your person or beyond your strength. (Wards, latent natural magic, or other ritualistic spells)
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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.
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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.
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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
Bag of holding:
Magical satchel that connects to a pocket dimension. Can store up to seven-hundred pounds while maintaining the bag's original weight. Items must be able to fit through the bag's opening.
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
Morningstar
Magical whip of unknown origins. Is capable of causing explosions when prompted by its user.
The Swan Knight's Ring
"Ah, my beloved dearest swan!
Behold this horn, this sword, this ring, and bestow upon him all three
For the horn shall aid him in his time of need,
and the sword shall deliver unto him victory most fortuitous
But this ring shall serve to remind him of me,
so Gottfried himself may know the name of he who freed you from torment and disgrace!"
Whoever shatters this ring shall be led to what he has lost.
Spells:
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.
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.