Glad I was sick today and couldn't go to work, so I had the freedom of writing this chapter out.
If you follow TLWMGT, I already explained why I was gone for so long. I had work and research with my college, so I didn't have the time or energy to write. Getting up at five every single morning to pull eight hour shifts at work or at the field site exhausted me.
But now, your boi is an actual scientist doing scientific shit! I'm sampling a population of turtles my professor has, looking for bacteria, fungi, or protists growing on their shells. Hopefully, I can determine whether or not they are dispersing fungal spores or soil bacteria around the area. Maybe I can find a new species since these turtles bury themselves underground too.
Also, I found an amazing thing! Dungeons and zombies! Basically, DnD but with mechanics geared towards making a realistic zombie campaign. Look up D&D zombie campaign and go to Dnd beyond. It's the one that says D&Z - Homebrew and house rules.
Idle chatter was made as the party surrounded a small pot of stew simmering over a fire. Jaune quickly got a few bowls for himself, Weiss, and Dreizehn before backing away to let the rest take their rations. The others then filed in soon after, closing the gap made by the Paladin. Their voices growing quiet as he walked back over to the Princess.
Coming upon Weiss, Jaune found her still working on cleaning Myrtenaster. The girl had been hard at work for several hours on the weapon, scrubbing the built-up dust and grime caked on the blade. It did nothing to repair the damage done by the rockfall, but it was certainly an improvement. At least the blade itself was functional.
"Weiss," Jaune spoke up. "Want some stew? Sun and Pyrrha made it."
The girl turned her head to him, ceasing her meticulous cleaning. Jaune, in turn, offered her a small bowl which she took. Weiss immediately began eating as Jaune plopped down next to her. The boy was seemingly ignored as the Princess ravenously devoured the meal.
Guess she's hungry... Weiss needs the energy.
The third bowl of stew was then offered up to Dreizehn. Once it had cooled enough, Jaune slid the bowl over to him. Like his master, the pup dug into the stew with much gusto.
"What do you think about Cinder," Jaune quietly asked before taking a bite of his ration.
The question prompted Weiss to look up from her food to the new girl. Cinder was sitting with some of the others, talking to Sun and Pyrrha at the moment. The Witch dressed in some of the former's clothes, wearing a white shirt that loosely hung off her and some blue pants that needed a belt explicitly fashioned for her. They did not have any shoes for Cinder to wear, so footwraps were all she could get.
"She seems genuine," Weiss tersely stated. "I'm still wondering how she was able to survive down here for so long..."
Good, everyone seems to feel the same about her...
Port kept his distance out of caution, but Sun, Blake, and Pyrrha appeared to like her. From Jaune's perspective, Cinder was just another member of the group now. This despite the sheer power at Cinder's fingertips. Everyone knew what she was capable of.
The first thing Jaune had her do was tell them her level. Cinder Fall was level seventy-three. Nearly double most members of the group and under Professor Ports' eighty-five. Jaune had no idea what Ozpin or Goodwitch's levels were, and Port wasn't divulging that information either. So, he had to throw the girl in that league with them.
Then the number of spells Cinder had in her repertoire was utterly ridiculous. Weiss had maybe thirty spells at her display, and Jaune his five. The Dragon Witch had eighty spells. Each with differing levels of power and functionality that made anything Jaune could use look like cheap party tricks. Yet, most of them were geared towards the destruction school of magic with only one or two healing spells.
She could even use telekinesis like Jaune could.
"Cinder doesn't know," Jaune replied after swallowing some more stew. "Probably magic from the crystal. She doesn't have a spell like that, so it has to be some sort of artefact or something."
"That makes sense," Weiss agreed, setting her finished bowl off to the side. "Regardless if she doesn't know the spell, we can use her to get through the rest of the dungeon. Having a mage like her with us should make getting past any monsters easy."
If what we saw Professor Goodwitch do at the battle is an indicator, then Cinder can mop the floor with these guys.
"Glad she wants to come with us," Jaune expressed with a snort.
"Yes; however, I'm wondering how she is going to handle returning to the surface after we're done," Weiss posed, grabbing Myrtenaster and going back to work. "She has no memories of anything and is entering a new world."
Oh, yeah...
Cinder hadn't really spoken about that feeling much. She was more or less listening to Sun tell tales of his and Jaune's adventures in Vale and Southern Sanus. For all Jaune knew, she could have been dreading leaving this place. Everything was utterly new to her at this moment aside from whatever semantic memory she maintained.
"I don't know," Jaune confessed, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe, it's like a sheltered princess leaving the castle for the first time?"
Ruby might want to show her around once we get back. I think she'll like Cinder.
"I doubt that," Weiss nonchalantly countered. "Most of us were eager to leave the palace on trips to the other cities."
Right, forgot about that...
"You and your sister, right," Jaune asked for clarification. "I think you mentioned an older sister..."
Winter, I think.
"And my younger brother, Whitley," Weiss said with palpable venom in her voice.
Do they have some bad blood between them?
"Oh, I guess you understand what it's like then," Jaune asked, leaning back against the wall. "Having older and younger siblings and all that."
Jaune didn't figure Weiss for being the middle child. He was one himself, but Weiss seldom mentioned her family outside of a few comments. Jaune really didn't know what sort of dynamic they had going on between all of them.
It could have been entirely different due to their backgrounds. A single-family running a kingdom and a retired mercenary's clan were hardly equals. Throw the concept of the 'Game' in there, and Jaune could only guess it was a disaster at times.
"Not necessarily," Weiss hesitantly replied. "My family tends to... be somewhat distant with each other. Winter hasn't spoken with my father in nearly six years, I think."
"I get it," Jaune expressed with a nod. "I kinda have the same thing going on with my younger sister, Cereza. And it happens with some of the other girls from time to time..."
Cereza was the family prodigy that their father took upon himself to personally train. She was unusually gifted in the art of swordsmanship from a young age. Such a fact made Jaune quite jealous of his little sister because their father doted on her when his dream was to become an adventurer too. It led to their relationship crumbling over the years to where they didn't really talk to each other now. When they did speak, it was passing comments.
"I don't think you've mentioned her," Weiss pointed out, turning to Jaune slightly to listen in. "Only a Saphron so far."
"Yeah, so picture you when we first met, all the time and worse," Jaune explained with a sigh.
"What do you mean worse," Weiss inquired with indignation. "There was nothing wrong with how I behaved!"
"Except when you blew up on me," Jaune retorted.
"Regardless of that moment of weakness, how are we alike," Weiss continued with a subdued indignant tone.
"You get the whole spectrum with my family," Jaune illustrated with a weak laugh. "Ruby, Yang, Pyrrha, Blake, you, and Nora pretty much cover it all. Cereza has a bad attitude and a really short temper. So, it can be kind of hard to deal with her sometimes."
"I see..." Weiss mumbled in a moment of realisation. "At least you have your other siblings. They're much closer to you than mine are if they're like the others."
Yep... Except they'll probably kill me the next time I see them.
"Then maybe I can introduce you guys if we pass through Bar," Jaune proposed. "I'm pretty sure they'll like you. Ruby and Yang too if they come with..."
"Hmm, perhaps," Weiss considered, nodding slightly. Though she appeared to be open to the idea. "However, we should wait until we see Ruby again. I would rather take her with us once she is ready."
"Oh, yeah, totally," Jaune agreed. "Hopefully, she's all right..."
[The Next Morning]
Jaune held out his hand for Weiss. She took it, and he pulled her up onto her feet. The Mage's leg was still stiff from her injury, but putting some weight on the limb appeared to slowly ease out any remnants of the wound. When Weiss put her weight on it, she winced but appeared to be capable of moving independently.
Good...
"Students," Port called out, garnering their attention. "Gather round!"
Everyone came to his call, moving to the remnants of their camp to hear the plan. There, he laid out several items on the ground. Some of which were the crystals Ahasver gave Pyrrha. The rest were either whatever they gathered or what Port had on his person.
"Now, before we begin, I need everyone to listen," Port continued. "We must remain vigilant to any threats in the tunnels. What happened yesterday cannot happen again. Repeated attacks like these will only wear us down. Anything that might be cause for concern must be made aware to everyone. If you see or hear anything, say something... Now, can anyone identify what these crystals are?"
The two magic crystals pulsed with magic once more. Weiss had taken a look at them but didn't know what they were. Examining it further didn't reveal anything new. Unfortunately, Ahasver wasn't here to tell everyone about it.
"Healing stones," Cinder spoke up.
"Would you care to elaborate, Ms Fall," Port pried further.
"You break them over someone's torso and will heal any wounds they have," she explained, going quiet immediately after.
"Interesting, do you remember where you learned that," Weiss asked.
Cinder shook her head. She was clueless as to where that knowledge came from. Only knowing that something happened when you broke them. Luckily, she could remember that much.
What if we used one on Ruby?
It could do something to heal her heart or repair whatever that poison had done to her. Jaune wanted so badly to be back there right now to deliver this to his friend but couldn't retreat now. He didn't even know if it would work on her.
"I see," Port murmured. "Then keep these on your person, Ms Nikos. Ahasver gave them to you." He stood and looked upon the group. "Now, when we leave here, those with armour stay at the front. Ms Fall will stay back with Ms Schnee and Ms Belladonna and provide support with ranged attacks. We will not engage unless it is our last resort. Bloodying their noses may have been enough to drive the Descendants away, but we must be careful."
Yeah, so long as nobody ambushes us again...
Everyone appeared to be in agreement with this plan. Despite the risks, they were all aware of what their job entailed. Jaune felt confident, knowing they were going all-in on this like he was. It didn't matter how ill-prepared the group was, regardless. They were already too deep to back out.
Professor Port then grabbed his weapon and led the group out of the temple. Breaking open the dented steel door was a challenge, but putting their weight against it ensured it popped loose. On the other side, they were exposed to the harsh conditions of the cave once more. This time, without a hail of arrows raining down upon them.
Coming down the stairs, the group took a survey of their surroundings to see where they were going. Everyone remained on guard if the demons returned, but there didn't seem to be any sign of them. There didn't appear to be anything living in this section of the cave at the moment. Only the pygmy wyverns off in the distance were the sole creatures of this cavern.
"Can anyone hear anything," Jaune whispered, looking over the side of the road. "Look around and see if you can find something..."
Glancing over the ledge and into the cavern, Jaune didn't see anything initially. The road below them was sterilised of life like the rest of this area. Jaune just couldn't see any way to get down there, however. The base of the temple's stairs broke off to another path leading down, but the road bypassed that entirely.
Jaune peered down the path and saw a trail lit up by bioluminescent fungi along the walls. He could see quite a distance down the way, but there was nothing of note down there. Weiss prodded him to explore further, covering his back as he trod along the trail. Continuing their exploration, the stone floors turned to a dirt-like substrate. Each step was like walking through mud.
"Do you recognise any of these fungi," Weiss asked, inspecting some of the mushrooms along the wall.
"Never seen them..."
New species?
Weiss and Jaune followed the tunnel for a bit until it broke out into a vast cavern. The Mage had the foresight to cast candlelight, sending several wisps out to light the path ahead. The balls of light soon crossed a length of flat ground and came across a large body of water covering most of this chamber.
"It's a lake," Weiss pointed out, waving her hands around to order the wisps the light up more of the cavern. "A river or the rainfall likely flows through here..."
"Any way across?"
Can't see the other side. Too far to make it out with all the shadows...
Weiss obliged him and sent her wisps across the distance. They came to a small beach on the other side where what looked like some makeshift canoes were stashed. There appeared to be a small fishing camp stationed there as well. However, nothing else could be seen from here. Only another path that branched off from the beach.
"Best place to start," Jaune suggested, gesturing to the beach.
"Perhaps," Weiss expressed, cupping her chin. "I may have a way for us to get across..."
Before she could suggest anything, Sun came running down from the path behind. He was breathing heavily, appearing to have seen a ghost. All he was able to do was point back in the direction he came, insisting they follow.
What's going on?
The pair didn't think about it and came with him. Sun moved so quickly that he nearly disappeared in the winding tunnel, but Jaune managed to keep up. Weiss lagged behind; however, she pushed her leg as much as possible. The wet substrate causing each of the teens to slip as their boots lost grip with every step. Several times, Weiss or Jaune fell and grabbed at the tunnel walls for any purchase.
Breaking back out onto the main tunnel, Jaune found everyone gathered along the base of the temple stairs.
"Up here," Blake called out.
Jaune and Weiss quickly scaled the stairs to get back onto the main road. Running over to where Blake and the others were, he found them peering across the cavern to a lower road in the direction they came from. Everyone appeared to be shocked by what they saw.
As Jaune stepped up to the group, Blake handed him her spyglass. Looking through it, Jaune could see more of those Descendants. It was approximately where Blake spotted them on their journey to the castle. There was a group of them walking alongside a pack of Beowolves. Not just passing by, but actually working with one another. Like hunting dogs following their masters.
Jaune felt a chill run up his spine. His hands began shaking. The feeling of something having gone very wrong. He didn't expect this of all things. He thought it was an impossibility.
"What," Jaune whispered, his mouth falling agape. "No-No-No-No... Something's wrong!"
"We know," Port expressed, letting out a sigh. "Demons should not be associating themselves with humanoids. It goes against everything our research has led us to believe..."
Demons would never behave like this. They attack anything resembling a human without warning. There was never any indication that Grimm could be tamed by men either. It was all very wrong.
For the Descendants to be using Grimm in this manner meant there were other factors at play here. It could be due to any number of reasons why they weren't immediately slaughtered. From everything to them having a form of unknown magic to them no longer possessing souls and becoming quasi demons themselves.
Then did the Alpha summon those Grimm on purpose?
What use would they have for Grimm? These were a group of cave people living in primitive tribes. Jaune had seen them literally show violent emotions at some of their own being killed. He knew they weren't evil. They acted like he or Weiss would have.
Did Yang see something we didn't?
Weiss said Yang knew the Descendant she killed was going to pounce on one of them. There had to be a reason for this. With them walking among demonic creatures now, Yang might not have reacted irrationally.
For sure, all Jaune could say was that he didn't like it, and there was too much that he didn't understand.
"What can we do about it," Pyrrha asked in a serious tone.
"Nothing yet, Ms Nikos," Port replied, shaking his head. "We need to get to the bottom of this... I'm curious to see how they managed to tame demons." He paused for a moment, continuing to gaze at the Grimm with wonder. "Mr Arc, what did you find in those lower tunnels?"
"A lake," Weiss answered before him. "More tunnels are leading from a beach on the other side. I know of a way across, so it may take us to where the Descendants are camping."
"I see... take us there."
...
The group gathered along the edge of the lake. Weiss' candlelight spells had long gone out, rendering the chamber entirely pitch black. Jaune could see most of this room, but what lay under the water remained a mystery. To Jaune, it was an expanse of ink poured into the basin before him.
"Nobody touch the water," Port demanded, searching along the walls for a path across.
"Why," Sun asked, preparing to undress and swim to the other side.
"Can you see the bottom?"
"Right..."
Weiss took the initiative here, going with whatever plan she concocted. Stabbing her rapier into the soil, a glyph formed at her feet. Simultaneously, another began hovering just above the surface of the water. The second glyph rose and then descended, revealing a misty figure beginning to take shape.
Slowly, the figure manifested into a colossal suit of armour. Nearly forty feet tall, this monstrosity stood halfway submerged in the water. Its white steel plates sublimated as their frozen exterior touched the warm air, wicking off a constant vapour. In its right hand, it clutched a greatsword that looked to be capable of slicing through anything.
Jaune could feel the magic radiating off the armour. His tattoos pulsed and ached as the energy choked the very air.
"This is Arma Gigas; he will take us across," Weiss announced, sheathing her rapier as the armour wade over to them.
As it reached the shore, the suit kneeled and lowered its hand enough for everyone to step on. Once the group had boarded the colossus, it kept its hand static and stood to its full height. The armour merely followed a silent command Weiss had given it and turned to cross the lake.
Jaune was amazed by the sight of it. While the others tried to keep their balance, he gawked like a child at the armour. His eyes wandered, looking for every detail the suit gave him. How exquisitely it had been crafted or what material it was conjured from were all there was on his mind.
These are the kind of abilities Weiss has? Makes mine look weak...
"How long have you had this," Jaune asked, staring at the visor on the helmet. The two glowing blue orbs behind the mask captivating the boy.
"Only a little while," Weiss replied, sitting on the edge of the hand. "I hadn't found an occasion to use it. This ability takes time to cast, so there was no way I could maximise its advantage without preparation."
It sure had the intended effect. Jaune only wondered what it was capable of now. The first thing that came to mind was a distraction for everyone to focus on while the others took advantage of it. Giant glowing suits of armour tended to be a great distraction. Probably better than an impromptu riverboat.
With the armour, it did not take long to cross, however. Touching down on the other side, the suit let them down and vanished into thin air, partially freezing the lake as it did so. The gust of cold air was then immediately replaced by the heat given off from the cave.
On the beach, Jaune inspected the canoes that were left behind while the others prepared to venture deeper. The thwarts and gunwales were constructed from a resinous material that appeared to be refined chitin from an insect. The hull was crafted from animal hide stretched over the frame and secured via sinew.
"Think they use these to cross," Blake wondered, grabbing an oar from inside the craft. "Doesn't look like there's enough room for more than ten..."
They might have the rest hidden somewhere else.
"What if they use them for fishing," Sun posed, gesturing to the pond. "These guys know their way around. Probably better ways to get up here..."
"I guess we can use them to come back the way we came then," Pyrrha chimed in. "At least we don't have to swim."
Just in case, the group prepared the canoes to flee back across the lake. Having to rely on Weiss' ability as their sole means of transport wasn't a good move; at least keeping a backup plan was smart. Jaune and Weiss could use their shield spells to protect everyone if they were pursued by more archers.
"The path ahead seems to be clear," Port spoke up, emerging from the tunnel. "We should hurry..."
Let's see where this leads now...
Port took point this time, guiding everyone through. This tunnel was more of the same. Though, it appeared to have been artificially opened to allow easier passage. There were tool marks all over the place that pointed this out. Whatever substrate caked the walls was replaced with roughly shaped stone.
...
"We might be getting close," Blake mentioned, running her hand along the wall. "They wouldn't carve out the rock unless it was close enough to be worth their time..."
She's right...
Jaune only wondered why their village would have been so close to the temple. This area must have served some sort of significance to the Descendants. It would explain them aggressively defending the area yesterday if this tunnel connected them to it. They might have retreated to their settlement when a scout spotted them coming this way and staged their ambush to ward away the party.
Walking for another hundred or so feet, the group came across another chamber. This time, the room was lit up by more of that bioluminescent fungi. Long strands of mycelium hung from the ceiling, dangling a few metres off the ground. Lining the walls were hundreds of jagged crystals in deposits weighing thousands of pounds. The gentle glow from the fungi made each crystalline deposit glow brightly depending on their material. Some red, white, green, or purple.
As they entered the room, Port abruptly froze, outstretching his arm to stop the party from continuing further. Everyone ceased at once, hardly breathing as their professor pointed towards the other entrance of the chamber. There, what appeared to be a child was breaking a chunk of crystal from the wall.
The Descendant child didn't hear them, snapping a ten-pound section of crystal off the wall. Once she got her prize, the kid scampered its way out of the room and down the opposite tunnel. As it disappeared from view, everyone let out a breath at once, relieved they hadn't been spotted.
"We must be close now..." Pyrrha expressed, rolling her arms in preparation for a fight. "Nobody would let a child go off on their own unless the area was secured."
It made sense. With all the monsters around, kids were relatively defenceless without an armed adult nearby. It didn't have to be monsters either. Wolves or bandits preyed upon anybody they could get to. With an area pretty much sterilised of large creatures, kids would be able to go mushroom hunting or gather firewood without care.
"I wonder what she was doing here," Weiss said, going over to where the child was working. "Why were they breaking crystals off the walls."
"Arrowheads," Blake pointed out, gesturing to some crystal scraps.
"That sounds right, Ms Belladonna," Port agreed, crouching next to her. "Likely, some of these deposits contain obsidian or another brittle mineral with a uniform grain. These would be perfect for knapping knives and other blades."
What about the resin they used for their weapons?
"You know a thing or two about this," Cinder wondered, raising an eyebrow as the old man picked up a piece of jasper off the ground.
"I've worked with Dr Oobleck long enough to see some remnants of primitive cultures," Port replied, dusting his hands off. "We also assisted several geologists over the years to put together quite the collection of minerals for Vale's museums. It's something of a pastime of ours..."
Never guessed he would be into collecting rocks.
"I see..."
Leaving everything behind, the group trudged onwards. Following the path the child had taken, the party snaked their way through several more bands of carved out tunnels. Everyone's nerves appeared to grow more ancy as they continued. Cinder, most of all, was the worst as her experience in battle wasn't nearly as tempered.
The Witch walked behind Jaune and practically refused to back away from him and clinging onto him as a shield. He didn't mention anything, understanding how she might have been afraid. Jaune only hoped the group could find an area to rest for a while and would allow her to calm down.
Have to remember she's got no memories about fighting...
When they came across the outlet for this tunnel, Jaune gestured for Cinder to remain in the passage. This would keep her calm for the moment as long as the group was close. Luckily, she stepped to the side and let those behind her come forward and join the party proper. All Cinder had to do was watch their back and keep quiet.
This chamber was far larger than the previous one. It was likely more extensive than the lake as well. The group came onto a small stone path lining the wall of this cavern where there was enough space for everyone to crawl out and lay prone on the ramp. Slowly they moved to its edge and began observing the room before them.
This was the village, or at least one of the many hidden among the cave system.
Dozens of small huts were clustered here and there all over the cavern. This entire village was settled upon a small outcrop overlooking a black void just below. A stark contrast from the many fires lighting the dwelling and untamed darkness adjacent to the sanctuary. Jaune couldn't even begin to count how many Descendants were living in this area. He only knew there were many.
However, most of these Descendants appeared to be more domestically based than warriors. Jaune figured the rest were out hunting for the party or guarding the many tunnels throughout their territory. That left the children and their mothers behind with little in the way of guards. The few male Descendants here were making tools or processing the various cave animals hunted this morning.
Jaune found it amazing to watch how their society unfolded. The children were playing or assisting their mothers with gathering food. He could hear some of them talking to each other in their rough language. It almost made him want to sit back and observe every detail that he could.
As the group gawked at the village, they spotted the child that had been gathering crystals. She carried a basket of them to a hut and dropped them at the entrance. As if on cue, an older male walked out and greeted the child with its bounty.
Another Descendant came over to them, carrying her own basket. Inside were some of the bioluminescent fungi common in the cave. In fact, many of the huts had baskets of these fungi clustered around them. It appeared to be a staple of their diets.
The female Descendant greeted the two, laying her basket down and studied what the child brought. As she examined the crystal, the woman praised the child for doing an excellent job like any other mother would. She then reached inside a pouch on her side and handed her a snack.
It's a family...
The rest of the party was similarly entranced by what they saw here. It made them reconsider the tribe as not their enemies but as another group of people. They were a fascinating tribe that managed to thrive in the scarce conditions that a cave provided.
I wish we knew how to talk to them... Maybe we could have tried working something out with the Alpha?
As the mother and father spoke, Jaune and the Descendants heard a screech followed by a low growl from deep within the chamber. This sound rising from within the void pressed against the outcrop. The high-pitch cry caused everyone within the village to freeze out of fear. None of them expected this sound and was too startled to move.
Jaune watched something crawl out from within the abyss. It was an insect of sorts, appearing like a demented praying mantis combined with a reptile. Standing at three metres and upright on tridactyl feet, it used its long claws to scale the cliff walls. As it rose over the side, Jaune caught a glimpse of its face. Razor-sharp teeth lined its maw perched below two black beady eyes. Its body was covered in armoured plates that looked biomechanical in nature. Each one bearing a heavily armoured crest upon its head.
These creatures had two sets of arms. One pair just at the shoulder joint, utilising a couple of scything claws and the other at its waist with four-fingered hands. This appearance gave off a truly unnatural vibe that none in the party had ever encountered before.
"What are those," Weiss whispered in fear. Her voice shook as she watched the creatures come into view.
As the first one came over the cliff wall, it darted straight into the centre of the village. The Descendant child was its first victim, sliced in half by a scythe-like claw. The child didn't even know what had happened before the monster grasped onto her body with the pair of secondary arms. It used its razor-sharp teeth to immediately begin devouring the body right in front of the shocked couple.
Screams filled the cavern as more creatures began to climb into the village. About a dozen in total were now roaming the small settlement, killing everything they could see. It happened so fast that practically everyone was dead in a matter of moments. Their huts were destroyed, and bodies were strewn about as the monsters began feasting on what remained.
There was nothing the group could have done.
The few Grimm in the village were unable to put up a fight. Those creatures merely sliced through their hides and dismembered them with ease. The strength of an Ursai or claws of Beowolf could not even wound them. The larger creatures simply ignored the Grimm as the smallest few hunted them down.
What the fuck...
Jaune had to choke down a shaky breath as he watched this slaughter happen. The rest of his party had everted their gaze or were too shocked to look away. Weiss had her fingers buried deep inside the soil, finding anything to grasp onto to comfort her. He looked back into the tunnel and found Cinder standing there. The look of horror on her face was about to be followed by a scream of terror.
Oh no...
The Paladin leapt to his feet and clamped a hand over her mouth. Cinder let out a muffled cry that was nearly silenced by Jaune's glove. Her entire body shook uncontrollably as her panic attack continued. Jaune knew it was only going to get worse unless he took her somewhere that was safe.
Glancing along the path, Jaune noticed there was another antechamber leading away from the village. This one was heavily fortified and too small for any of those creatures to make it through if they tried. He needed to get Cinder in there.
"Cinder, come with me," Jaune mouthed, pointing to the tunnel.
Cinder initially resisted as he took her closer to the monsters, but the girl acquiesced as Jaune guided her there. The others stood and followed from behind, taking care to not make a sound that would give them away. Jaune did his best to keep Cinder from looking at the carnage lying twenty feet from them.
The group reached the tunnel and shut the fortified door behind them. It alerted the creatures to their location, but it appeared they would not follow beyond this point. As soon as the stimulus disappeared, they went back to eating their meals.
Oh my god...
Jaune nearly collapsed as he let go of Cinder. The adrenaline coursing inside his veins exhausted him. Taking a knee, he was able to catch his breath for a moment. Enough so that he could think properly.
"What the fuck was that," Sun harshly whispered, shakily gesturing to the door. "Grimm, and now those things!"
Sun was right to be freaked out. Grimm were terrible enough, but these things were on a totally different level. Jaune didn't want to think about whatever might have been in the deepest levels of the caves. There was no way the group could deal with constantly being harrassed by those predators, especially if there were more where they came from.
"At least we know they're down here," Port calmly expressed, locking eyes with Sun to emphasise his point. "Those creatures are likely the apex predators of the cave system. I doubt the Descendants were expecting them since they had no defences in place... Most of their huntsmen are off patrolling their territory, so it makes sense those creatures took advantage of the situation."
"Why would they be living down here with those things," Blake posed, leaning against a nearby wall to catch her breath. "If they're that close to the village, it's too dangerous to stay..."
"Maybe they hadn't seen them in the area yet," Pyrrha suggested, backing against the same wall and sliding down to a crouched position. "It could have been safe before, and now the monsters moved in..."
Migration or shift in their range?
It was something animals did when their initial home range became too unstable to survive in. They would move into new habitats or extend their range to compensate. One of the creatures may have gotten a whiff of the village, and more followed from the deeper portions of the cave.
"Then let's just wait them out," Jaune insisted, sitting down in the middle of the party. "They'll get their fill and head back in an hour or two..."
Hopefully...
"Ummm, Jaune..." Weiss muttered.
He looked at the Princess and found her pointing at something. The others turned to see what she had discovered as well. In an adjacent room around a bend in the rock was an altar crafted from black stone. On top of it was the body of a young woman. Not a Descendant, but a human woman from the surface.
She had been sacrificed. Her chest cavity opened, and internal organs were removed. Surrounding her body were the skeletons of those who suffered the same fate.
What?! That doesn't make sense...
The Alpha became enraged when Yang killed one of his own. Yet, they were sacrificing people from the surface. He acted as though it was murder when it came to Yang, but not when they butchered this woman. It didn't make any sense. Why would the Descendants flip-flop on this view?
Is this another tribe? Or they don't see humans like we do?
Are we just prey to them?
"Hello, is someone out there," a man spoke from deeper in the chamber.
At once, everyone bolted towards the source of the voice. Darting past the barbaric scene of the altar, they found a small cell carved out of the rock. Inside the twenty-foot room was a group of humans locked behind a makeshift set of bars. Most stood at the cell door, waiting to greet the newcomers. Each appeared haggard, with their clothes in ribbons than intact.
"Oh, thank God," an older man expressed with sincerity. "Finally, a rescue party..."
"Inquisitor, they're heretics," another man shouted from behind. "Witches and faunus!"
Are they from the Church?
"Micha, don't take this for granted," the first man snapped back. "Even the righteous have to work practically. And I don't see many options for us inside this cell, do you?"
Jaune didn't ask any questions immediately. The party quickly broke the cage open, allowing the prisoners out and into the chamber adjacent to the cell. Only a few men exited initially, leaving behind a small group of women and children. The older man addressed the group first.
"I don't know who you are, but you have great timing," the man said in a refined accent. "My name is Rhodes. I'm an Inquisitor with the Church of the One."
Rhodes was a tall, fair-skinned man wearing what was left of an overcoat. It was mainly in tatters now due to extensive damage. The rest of his appearance was dirty: with filth smudged on his face, his bald head, and whatever surface one could think of. He and the others were malnourished from lack of food as well.
"We're from Beacon Academy," Jaune replied, giving nothing else as to what their identity was. "What are you guys doing down here?"
The mention of Beacon was enough to get Rhodes to sigh. He really didn't want to see any of their number. The rest of his party reacted similarly. It was obvious enough that Blake and Pyrrha were prepared to deal with them in an instant.
"I could ask the same of you," Rhodes replied, cupping his chin as he studied Jaune. "You aren't a mage, but you reek of magic... Odd." He paused for a moment and then continued. "We're not supposed to have any contact with Beacon's associates after the latest attack on your academy; however, I will be candid with you now. My colleagues and I were tasked with investigating disappearances in villages located along the Pantan Swamps. Along the way, we detected what appeared to be latent demonic magics in the area, the source of which led us underground." He then gestured to the cell and altar. "Unfortunately, we were ambushed by a hunting party of these things and dragged down here. Several women and children were already being held here and used in some sort of rit-"
"SUFFER NOT THE WITCH TO LIVE," another man screamed from deep inside the cell, interrupting Rhodes. "SUFFER NOT THE HERE-"
"Inquisitor Leandros, please calm down!"
Rhodes moved to the side, allowing Jaune's party to look into the cell. Another old man was lying on the ground, thrashing wildly as two more soldiers tried to hold him down. Jaune caught a glimpse of his face, finding he had dark veins crisscrossing his skin. He sweat profusely and appeared weak, yet carried the strength to throw off fully grown men.
"My direct superior, Leandros," Rhodes continued with a sigh. "When we were captured, one of those creatures stabbed him. Since then, his health has declined rapidly. We don't have anything to treat his wounds either, so we tried to manage as best we could."
If it's the same poison they used on Ruby, he's probably going to die...
"Let me see what I can do..." Jaune replied as he strode over the Inquisitor.
The wound's on his side... Probably only pierced the abdominal wall with how little bleeding there is.
Jaune reached down to cast Purify on him.
"What are you doing," one of the soldiers cried out. "Don't you dare use your black magic on him!"
He was thrown off with a flick of Jaune's hand. The telekinesis spell carried him to the wall opposite, slamming him into the stone. Such a blow knocked him unconscious and caused the other soldier to scramble away out of fear of Jaune's magic.
Hopefully, he's not too far gone...
Jaune placed his hand over the wound and cast Purify. A white miasma coalesced in his palm before sinking into the man's flesh. Within a minute, the dark veins on his body vanished, and the Inquisitor's breathing slowed. He was nowhere near recovered from this, but he would be able to wake up in a few days.
"There, he's stable now," Jaune announced, standing up and wiping the leftover blood off his hand. "You can move him wherever you need to go."
"I see..." Rhodes mumbled with a curious expression. "Are you a paladin? I believe there was one who appeared at Beacon some time ago. That's the only thing that would explain your abilities..."
"What about it," Blake spat from behind him. One of her hands was starting to go to her daggers.
"Nothing-nothing," Rhodes replied, backing down from this line of questioning. "I only need to bring it up in my report..." He turned back to Jaune. "However, are you able to sense the magics down here? You surely didn't come here to investigate the same phenomenon we did?"
"What are you talking about," Weiss asked with a confused expression, cocking her head to the side. "I couldn't feel anything. Only when we were searching the ruins above us..."
"I'm talking about the demonic energies that have saturated these caverns," Rhodes specified. "I could only feel it barely on the surface; however, the farther underground we have come, it's grown stronger. I thought a paladin such as yourself would be in tune with it."
"Didn't feel a thing..."
"Would that explain the presence of demons working alongside the Descendants," Port asked.
"That's what I intend to find out," Rhodes replied. "Hopefully, we can find its source and destroy it."
"Inquisitor, you can't," Pyrrha interrupted. "Your party is weak, and you don't have any weapons with you. All of you need to go back to the surface and take care of your wounded."
There's some of the women and children here too. We can't look after them and look for the source of the demon magic.
The Inquisitor thought about it for a moment, but he appeared to share Pyrrha's concerns. However, he was extremely reluctant to give up on his mission. Regardless, he didn't have any other options. Jaune's party would have merely sent them on their way if he chose to follow.
"I understand," Rhodes agreed, nodding slightly. "The least I can do is point you in the direction of its source. Hopefully, you have better luck than I did."
...
Several hours later, the two groups emerged from the altar room. The village was now deserted, with those monsters having long since disappeared. Their carnage remained nonetheless. Blood and guts were strewn about the camp, leaving it little more than a slaughterhouse.
The women and children that had been kept in the camp were hiding their faces from the gore. Rhodes' group soldiers were barely able to contain their disgust and nearly retched at the sight. Only Jaune's party was able to handle it, having been long since desensitised to dead bodies.
"The source is that direction," Rhodes mentioned, pointing to a tunnel opposite of where the party entered the cavern. "Beyond there, I could not tell you where to go."
This path was on the other side of a long bridge made from stone. Its age and subsequent decay made it appear far older than the rest of these ruins. However, the group knew it to be the opposite. These stones were roughly carved with hand tools without the aid of whatever methods the Old Valeans had at their disposal. It was a ramshackle construction made after the fall of this city.
Before Jaune's party could depart for that shaft, another group of Descendants arrived at the village. This war party containing the Alpha himself. He and his soldiers did not even bother with going into the destroyed camp, passing it in favour of the bridge. They would not look at the remainders of their people, appearing entirely devoid of emotions as they moved along.
With one last look, Jaune and his friends began to follow behind the Alpha. Whatever Rhodes had felt down here was where he was heading. Hopefully, it was the last of this city they needed to explore.
So, there's something going on with the Descendants the further the group travels down the city. With the presence of demons and Rhodes' testimony, the group needs to get to the bottom of this.
Also, the creatures that attacked the village were based of the Carnifex from Wh40K. So, on top of the falmer, there are goddamned tyranids down here too.
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.
...
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)
...
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
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.