Finally, the dungeon has come to an end! We can soon return to Vale where more fun shall be had.
Also, I need names for Jaune's riding lizard!
I will be taking suggestions on what to name certain permanent features or pets that our characters will acquire. From the reccomendations, I will choose the ones I like the most and put them up in a poll. So, serious suggestions for this one.
I would totally love to name it Lizard Mclizardface, but I gotta keep it within the realm of the story. That can be his name outside the fic.
"Have you ever come across anything like this, Professor," Pyrrha whispered from the centre of their party.
The group followed behind the war party, trailing them by several hundred yards. Nobody dared to directly confront them, watching from cover as they crossed the bridge and marched into the tunnel. As soon as they disappeared into the antechamber, the party would resume their chase.
"Never," Port answered, glancing out of cover with a curious look. "It would be fascinating if I could observe them for longer... However, they appear to have entered a sort of fugue state. It's entirely out of character for the Descendants from what we have seen."
Whatever this demon magic was, it appeared to be only be affecting the Descendants. None of the group was experiencing anything like they were. Any changes would have been easily noticed had it only been one person.
What if it's affecting all of us?
"Let's keep following them," Weiss insisted, standing from her hiding place. "Rhodes said the source was this way, and they're heading in that direction..."
Right at this time, the Descendants had entered the tunnel. It was a short run for everyone to cover the bridge and make it to the other side. During the duration of their sprint, Jaune could still hear the creatures that attacked the camp earlier scurrying beneath their feet. Their screeching and calls to each other prompted everyone to move at a coward's pace.
Darting into the tunnel before the swarm could show up, Jaune stood to the side and allowed the others to go in front and into safety. As he rounded the bend, Jaune saw only a claw rise above the bridge's railing. With their arrival, the Paladin did not wait for them, only slinking further into the narrow crevice before him.
No going back...
In the tunnel, the narrow confines of the path only allowed the party to march in single file. They could hear the Descendants ahead, walking maybe fifty feet in front of them. Professor Port had to slow himself just enough to keep up but not step on their ankles. The party's eagerness to give chase was only just held back by the circumstances they found themselves in.
With their slowed movement, Jaune wondered what sort of power could have been down here. There was no mention of it in the temple or anywhere else the group had been. Possibly somewhere in the hundreds of miles of tunnels they hadn't investigated. Yet, Jaune doubted any evidence of the demonic source remained outside of where it currently lay.
If this were genuinely demonic in origin, then Jaune could imagine it was something powerful. Beyond what he or Weiss were capable of. Professor Ozpin, Goodwitch, or Cinder may have had some power resembling it. Yet, the fact it had such reach meant it could have been a league beyond them.
Jaune figured it had been here since the civil war-wracked this city. The Descendant's exposure to it over time twisted their bodies to what came about today. This combined with the generations of living within the resource-scarce caverns below Sanus. It may have even been influencing their actions during the party's prior encounters with them.
These thoughts filled Jaune's head for a time as the party continued on this path. Eventually, the group came to an opening in the cave where they were no longer congested. The Descendants had progressed beyond where any party members could see, only leaving them to follow their trail.
The room the group came upon was filled with skeletons. They lined the walls for hundreds of metres along the path. Many were placed within shelves carved into the rock, but more were piled along the base of the walls. Jaune only guessed there were several thousand in the first quarter of the chamber. The bones had long since run out of room for storage.
Had it not been for the braziers lighting the room, only Jaune would have seen this. There were no decorations to commemorate the dead. No livery or banners decreeing the origins of their people. It was barren stone, carved out of pragmaticism with little thought to appearances. Such a chamber only served its purpose as a glorified closet.
"Looks like their catacombs," Sun remarked, sliding a skull back into a pile with his foot. "Most of these look normal..."
"Yes," Port agreed, kneeling to inspect a skull with a fracture along the dome. "It seems so, Mr Wukong. I'm sure this is where the Old Valeans began interring their dead once they left the city."
"Why not bury them back there," Blake wondered, watching the end of the corridor. "The Descendants still use the city for hunting. It's not like they abandoned it."
"Many reasons we are not yet privy to, I'm afraid," Port replied, standing and continuing on their path. "It may be they no longer could defend the area. Scarcity forced them out here. Or possibly their needs no longer required them to live in the city..."
Hmmm...
Jaune wasn't sure himself. All he could say was this area was significant to their culture. They took the time to carefully lay their dead here. That's what mattered. So, the Paladin tread carefully through the bones of the deceased and to the other side of the chamber.
...
Leaving the catacombs, the group encountered more and more rooms. Each with varying levels of decorations or functions. Some were makeshift barracks or larders filled with meat. Yet, the most striking feature the party found were pieces of gold littering the ground throughout this area.
Through Weiss' candlelight spells, the hundreds of metallic hunks glittered like starlight. These coins nearly coated the floor in some areas yet appeared randomly scattered as if someone kicked them around while walking. Sun and Jaune had to resist the urge to loot what was an easy find.
Why is there so much down here?
"This looks like where all of the loot went," Weiss pointed out, grabbing a coin off the floor. "They're more of those Old Valean coins..."
"Do you think the Descendants brought them here, or did the Valeans do it," Pyrrha wondered, parting a veil leading into another room to look inside. "There's some golden vases in here too."
Jaune looked over her shoulder and saw what Pyrrha found. There were piles of jewelled cutlery and dining ware piled against the wall. Much of it had been degraded due to time and lack of care, becoming stained with dirt and who knows what else. Some of these pieces might have been extremely valuable in their original condition but were better suited to bullion now.
"Is this bringing back any memories, Cinder," Sun asked from behind.
"Nothing," Cinder replied, shaking her head. "I feel like I've seen them before, but I can't recall the memory."
Deja vu...
Cinder retained that emotional memory, but the active recall of her episodic memory was still gone. It was unfortunate. She couldn't have helped them anymore in this portion of the ruins, but back in the city, her memory could have led them to treasure.
"Then we should keep going," Jaune insisted, stepping out of the treasure room. "We can come back for it later..."
After they handled the demonic source, the party was leaving. Jaune knew he had to grab whatever gold he could get his hands on during the return trip; however, they already found plenty. If they could take whatever this demonic power was, Ozpin would make it worth their time. It may have been worth more than anything in these entire ruins.
Continuing onwards, Jaune parted a veil draped over the exit to this room with a sword. In front of him, a set of stairs emerged from the rock. He slowly descended the damp stone to arrive at its base. The area opened up further to become a large hall with a bricked floor and high ceilings. Something akin to a chapel of sorts.
Looking to the end of the path, he could hear chanting coming from that direction. Jaune could also see a light opposite of him, perched maybe halfway up the wall. From here, the only other thing Jaune could discern was the room open into a massive cavern.
"Can anyone feel anything," Jaune asked as the group shuffled down the stairs. He glanced at his tattoos and found they were not glowing at all. "I can't..."
"No," Sun and Blake answered.
Weiss and Cinder shook their heads. Pyrrha stood in silence for several moments before answering no. Professor Port gave no indication, only inspecting the walls of this chamber. It didn't appear he could detect any sort of magic.
What is that?
Jaune walked in the direction of that light, stalking quietly through the massive hall. He felt no concern for an ambush as no paths were jutting off from this. It was only a funnel leading them towards the next cavern. As he drew closer, the chanted began growing in volume until it reached its peak.
None of their group could understand the language. It had elements of Old Valean and something completely different. Jaune had no words to describe that speech. The closest term he had would have been 'arcane.'
As the party entered the cavern, they were gifted with a scene that would have invoked terror in many ordinary folk. Hundreds of Grimm prowled the cavern, creating a sea of sharpened claws and inky black fur. Many were Beowolves or Ursai; however, there were many species Jaune did not recognise. Some reptilian, pantheran, or insectoid in nature. The powers of chaos had assembled a menagerie of horrors to display to the party.
The Descendants were gathered at the other end of this wall of Grimm. They kneeled in line, with their backs to Jaune and hands held perpendicular to their bodies. These warriors prostrated themselves before an idol, speaking in tongues with a white miasma emerging from their bodies.
Their deity was confined in a room beyond the cavern. A rectangular passage led up to a staircase covered in treasures gathered from across the city. Sitting atop this mound of gold, jewels, and silver was a man. His body was cloaked in fine robes fit for a king. The man's face was obscured by a mask depicting another's features. Resting atop his head was a gilded crown.
In his hands were a sword and stave. The sword had long since fallen from the man's grasp, resting against the stone throne by its guard. The stave still remained in his hand, planted onto the stone. From the head of this sceptre, a white glow radiated magical energy from the piece.
This was the source of demonic energy. It was in the hands of the Silent King. He had remained here for thousands of years, watching over what was left of his domain after it had fallen into ruin long ago. The desiccated fingers of his hand had never once lost their grip on his symbol of power.
Jaune felt a chill come over him. His mind was beginning to put the pieces together. This was the solution to everything. All his questions had an answer now.
"He used the sceptre to control the demons," Jaune muttered, pointing at the man. "That's how the Warrior's won..."
Somehow he managed to get ahold of this power. By what method? Jaune couldn't possibly know that answer. However, this is what influenced everything the Descendants did. This is how the rebelling mages lost their war.
This sceptre was a wonder weapon that destroyed everything.
"He then commanded his people to build the temple," Port continued, stepping to Jaune's side. "When Old Valeans became the Descendants, they brought their king with them."
For those thousands of years, they brought offerings to their king. Whether out of habit or by decree, it did not matter. The sceptre's hold on the Old Valeans did not waver. They treated him with respect due to a sovereign.
"Do you think he's still alive," Sun asked.
"The sceptre may be sustaining him," Weiss conjectured, staring at the Silent King. "Or it's following his last orders."
Does that make him a lich?
If that were so, he could still remain insanely powerful. Such an artefact may have been keeping him from death, but it could also amplify his abilities. With a demon army at his disposal, he didn't even need to lift a finger to deal with anybody in his way.
"Regardless, we need to get that sceptre," Port asserted, turning to all of his students. "Does anybody have any ideas, or should we begin assigning roles for this?"
"Can we just blow the tunnel," Sun asked in a hesitant tone. "Jaune's got that whip. "Maybe we can just lock them inside and tell Professor Ozpin?"
Potentially, he could dispatch a team of Vale's best adventurers and knights to come retrieve it. It was an idea that Jaune agreed with. Deny access to the sceptre, but guard it long enough for someone to reach Ozpin.
"No, too risky, there could be other entrances," Port countered, shaking his head. "As with Ms Fall, we cannot allow someone who would misuse the power to get ahold of it. Those inquisitors may not have been able to reach this chamber, but what if someone more powerful is capable? Then they could use the opening to steal it out from under us... For that reason, I refuse to leave this artefact unattended. We must take it now."
"Shit..."
"Then we need to create enough of a distraction for someone to grab the sceptre," Weiss added on. "I have something that might work."
"So do I," Cinder followed up.
"Then, Mr Arc and Ms Nikos will be the ones to take the artefact," Port concluded. "Ms Schnee and Ms Fall will do what they can to clear a path and gather the hordes' attention. So, Mr Wukong, Ms Belladonna, and I will defend them."
With one final look, everyone understood their roles. As a group, they descended the stairs leading to the ground floor. Upon reaching the bottom, the chanting coming from the Descendants abruptly ceased. Then finally, the mass of Grimm began to notice them. Their snarling maws and blood-red eyes all faced the party, waiting to devour them.
Let's do this...
Before the first wave of Grimm could charge, Weiss once again stabbed her sword into the ground. This time, no glyph surrounded her body. She crumbled into a flurry of snowflakes that scattered into the air.
Weiss?
A fog, thick as curdled milk, began amassing in the cavern. It obscured Jaune's view, leaving him unable to see more than a few metres in front of him. Only the light radiating off the sceptre remained remotely visible as a shining beacon for him to chase after. Even so, the light flickered and waned despite Jaune not moving from where he stood.
Not long after Weiss cast this ability, a snowstorm appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was a storm of such fury that it could have frozen the ocean with a layer of unyielding ice. Frost, which could never have been broken by ship or the coming of summer. The winds ripping through the cavern nearly tossed Jaune from his feet, pressing the Grimm to move sluggishly to maintain their footing. Its freezing gales burned everything caught in its wake, leaving only the members of the party untouched.
The feeling of the snowflakes brushing against Jaune's skin was akin to falling into a hedge of roses. While they did not tear at his flesh, the pain made his head become filled with fog. The more voluminous masses of these frozen particles tore Grimm apart with ease. They were targeted and not spared from this attack like Jaune was.
The Grimm that did not outright die from this turmoil were lost in the blizzard. They were only capable of pushing forward in the direction of their quarry, rushing them with no sense of self-preservation. Yet, it affected Jaune and his friends the same way, disorienting them and clouding their minds with the cold.
All around himself, Jaune could feel the presence of Weiss. Her cold and assertive attitude filling the air, as well as her pleasant kind-heartedness watching over those in her domain. It was everywhere inside the storm. She was an omnipotent figure aware of all that transpired here.
I gotta move...
Weiss opened up a distraction that rivalled all others, so Jaune began marching through the storm. His arm shielding his eyes from the cold, the Paladin fought against the harsh winds of Atlas. From behind, Pyrrha grabbed his hand and used it to guide her through. The Spartan's shield deflected the freezing winds from her body, but even she struggled in this blizzard.
On their left and right, Grimm pushed towards the rest of their party. Looking back, he could see Professor Port slaughtering Grimm with his axe, cleaving them in half before another took its companion's place. Sun used his bo staff to strike his opponents dozens of times before they could respond with a swipe. Blake dove in and out of the crowd, causing havoc with her blade and bow. None so agile enough to even touch the pair of rogues in their party.
Sun then clamped his hands together, and his eyes glowed goldenly. His body became surrounded by an aura of the same colour, and three copies of himself emerged from behind him. Each clone carrying identical weapons and joining their summoner at the front lines. The Grimm tried to strike them, but their spectral bodies remained untouched by the demonic creatures.
Blake activated several abilities, turning into a mass of shadows, throwing magical bullets from her sword, and raining a tempest of arcane arrows from above. Her feats carved a barrier in front of her companions that no Grimm could pass through. Any who wandered into the field of darkness was torn to pieces from below or anywhere a shadow lay.
Cinder stood above the party, weaving a chorus of destruction with barely a gesture. Massive explosions of her making thinned the Grimm horde by the dozens, erupting in giant fireballs amid the inky sea. Two streaks of flames emerged from her eyes as she cast her spells. Her body radiated a heat that melted all snowfall that came near her. The Dragonwitch making it quite clear why she was ever given the title.
By Cinder's doing, massive twin streams of fire cut through the blizzard on Jaune's left and right. Any Grimm caught in their paths were incinerated and turned to ash. As the flames met the surface opposite the party, they rose and became walls towering over everything in the cavern. The sound of such a fire deafening those on the battlefield. It left Jaune unable to think as he collected himself.
The spell gave Jaune and Pyrrha a safe path through the storm and sea of Grimm. The pair only needed to shield their faces from the overwhelming thermal radiation given off by the flames. So, throwing his hood over his face and Pyrrha using her shield, they began their mad dash across the field.
Gotta keep moving... Can't let Weiss and Cinder run out of steam!
The horde was not letting up regardless of whatever powers the magi in their party used. Where one Grimm was killed, five took their place almost immediately after. It forced those fighting to begin backpedalling up the stairs as the Grimm pressed forth. Yet, they made the Grimm pay for every inch they gave up.
The Magi were killing so many Grimm, the cavern was beginning to fill with an abundance of Exp shared among the party. Jaune could feel his levels rising with every dozen Grimm Weiss butchered in her blizzard. Soon, two levels, then three, were given to Jaune by the girl's efforts.
As he crossed the battlefield and came to the foot of the Descendants' altar, Jaune crossed five levels. He could see a new ability appear in his arsenal. Another weapon bearing the name Dragonslayer.
Dragonslayer:
"That thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy and too rough. It was more like a large hunk of iron."
A blade forged by those whose aim was to slay a dragon. Such a weapon charged with arcane energy to see to that end. Yet, it never fulfilled its original intent; instead, used to slay hordes of demons by heroes of the past. Such a path this blade wandered that it reeks of malice. The screams of a thousand demonic beings imbued it with a hellfire that will scorch the souls of any it wounds.
Jaune ignored the ability, for now, running up the stairs leading to the throne room. The Descendants kneeling in reverence for their king had not moved from their position. However, Jaune could see the source of the demons as they emerged from pools of ink in front of them. Their prayers summoning more and more Grimm from the abyss they clawed their way out from.
"Jaune, come on," Pyrrha shouted, running past him to enter the throne room. "It's right here; we need to get the artefact!"
Right...
Jaune followed Pyrrha as they crossed the threshold of the throne. The two only needed to make it another hundred feet before they would be at the Silent King's feet. As they passed through, a row of columns became visible to the pair. From here, the Alpha stepped out from behind on and into their path.
His emotionless expression was the first thing Jaune noticed. Where there was seething rage, he no longer possessed it. Only this blank, zombified face remained due to being influenced by the Silent King's sceptre.
In his hands, he carried twin sabres honed to an unimaginable degree of sharpness. The finest tools the Descendants were capable of forging. Jaune and Pyrrha knew he was no such foe to underestimate. Even with his primitive weapons, he carried himself as a warrior.
"Don't kill him," Jaune said, drawing his sword. "Try to put him on the ground. I'll go for the sceptre..."
"I'll do my best..."
At once, Jaune and Pyrrha rushed the Alpha. The Paladin came from his left and the Spartan his right. A twin attack done in such a flash that most wouldn't have been able to counter. She struck from below with a thrust from her spear, and Jaune leapt to stab from above.
The Alpha didn't even try to move until the very last second. Just as Pyrrha's spear touched his armour, he twisted his body to let the head slide off his breastplate. The momentum from her attack carrying through and striking Jaune instead, punching him in the chest.
The Alpha manoeuvred his body almost unnaturally in the same motion, twisting his way out of the fight to go after Jaune next. He cocked back his arm just as Pyrrha struck the Paladin and delivered a solid fist to the boy's face. The blow sending him flying into a column and away from the pair.
Without hesitation, the Alpha followed up with a roundhouse kick to Pyrrha. She could barely raise her shield up to block it but was sent careening across the room. The wall of flesh and metal Pyrrha put up didn't mean anything to him. He just ran through it without care.
We need to take him down...
Both of the students pulled themselves to their feet and began circling the Alpha. He continued to stand there, unmoving, as they looked for an opening that they could take advantage of. Neither of the students registering the pain they were as the heat of battle dulled their nerves.
Again, Jaune rushed the Alpha. He moved to raise his sword and thrust at his throat, but Jaune replied with his telekinesis spell. The force wall he was struck with threw him back and into Pyrrha. The Spartan taking advantage of the opening and going to hit him with the edge of her shield.
Just as she was about to land the blow, the Alpha twisted himself in an acrobatic motion to redirect her attack. The shield struck his shoulder armour instead, and he kicked Pyrrha in the chest. The force from the blow sending her sliding across the stone floor without a shield.
Catching her shield midair as Pyrrha departed the fight, the Alpha whipped around and sent it rocketing towards Jaune. The Paladin used his telekinesis spell to intercept it and throw it back at him. However, the Alpha narrowly sidestepped it, and Pyrrha took the blow instead. The shield smashing into her chest and interrupting a surprise attack from behind.
Jaune then dashed towards the Alpha to resume the fight. As he reached him, the Paladin thrust forth with his sword, going to stab at the midsection joint of his armour. The Alpha parried with his blade, swiping Jaune's to the side in a shower of sparks. He was about to stab down and into Jaune's chest from above, but the boy continued charging and shoulder checked the Alpha.
The two men spilt onto the ground, but the Alpha reacted quicker, throwing Jaune off him. The boy landed on his back, rolling with the fall and scrambling back to a knee in a single motion. Yet, the Alpha was still on the attack, cocking back his arms and going to chop Jaune down with both his sabres. Jaune managed to get his longsword up as he let loose and blocked the blades from cutting him.
Pyrrha then came from behind Jaune, taking the heat off for a second so he could stand. She stabbed at his neck with her sword, but the Alpha parried and sent her blade sliding off him. The Spartan reacted, twisting around and grappling the Alpha's body with a leg and using her momentum and weight to flip him.
The Alpha came crashing to the floor but jerked his body around to throw himself back onto his feet. In that split second, Jaune charged him, cocking back Crocea Mors in the tail guard to get an upwards slash. He sprung the attack, narrowly catching the Alpha in the leg and taking some blood.
However, the Alpha worked through it, going to slash at Jaune in turn. The tip of one of his own blades, slicing the boy in the shoulder. His flesh wept openly from behind the plate, but Jaune ignored the pain and continued fighting like an animal.
Eegghh!
Before he could press onwards, the Alpha leapt away from the pair and raised a hand, pointing it at them. From his palm, Jaune could see a small orb of magical energy growing within. Pyrrha managed to raise her shield in time for a burst of hot flames to come pouring out. The metal plate barely deflected the magic fire around her while Jaune took cover behind.
Need to take him down!
Dragonslayer!
In Jaune's hands, a blade began manifesting. A blank slab of hot white metal slowly morphed into a claymore more akin to a bladed club. The cutting edge nearly six feet in length alone. A wrapped handle going another foot and ending with a square-shaped pommel the size of an apple. The blade's width was almost five inches, tapering slightly into a diamond tip with a fuller ground along the entire length of the sword.
The only personal touches were the twin tails hanging from the wrapped tang. This blade was a roughly shaped piece of metal left with only a sharpened edge covered in more glowing Elder Futhark runes. The rest was black metal unpolished by design. The guard even only possessed three pieces of metal riveted into place.
This weapon was a fighting blade. Something to hunt monsters and demons with. It wasn't meant to be pretty. Not even to be used by those who weren't capable of lugging the seventy-pound chunk of iron around.
Jaune could hardly lift the thing himself. It sat along the edge of his accessible strength. Yet, he didn't hesitate to wield the blade against the Alpha. The boy leapt into the fight again, jumping over Pyrrha's head with the Dragonslayer cocked back above him.
The Alpha reacted in kind, attempting to swipe at him with his sword, but the weight of Jaune's weapon snapped it. He just barely was able to roll out of the way before the weapon crashed into the stone floor, shattering the granite with ease. However, Jaune pressed the advantage, hefting the blade up and swinging in a wide arc to catch the Alpha in the side.
The Descendant leapt back again, dodging the blade by several inches, but Pyrrha took advantage of his distraction, shield bashing him across the chest. Her attack throwing him on the ground and freeing the pair to press the opening further. As they rushed in to dogpile the man, they could feel the ground beneath them start to quake.
The stone beneath their feet rose, moulded to appear like giant spikes that would have impaled either of the teens. Pyrrha was forced to roll out of the way, and Jaune merely cleaved through them with his enchanted sword. Yet, the distraction was compelling enough for the Alpha to stand and turn on the offensive once more.
Jaune was unable to chase after him, contending with the remainder of the earthen spikes. Pyrrha, however, was left open in those few seconds for the Alpha to strike her. With his remaining sword, he drew his arm back and thrust the blade at her heart.
Pyrrha!
As the blade met her uncovered skin, a layer of metal appeared to grow over the top of her heart. It happened so quickly; Jaune only just caught a glimpse of it. Whatever that was, it saved her life. The Alpha's blade merely skittered off her breast and carved a shallow gash into her shoulder.
She howled in pain, using the surge of emotions to press onto the Alpha with attacks carrying greater force than before. With her sword, Pyrrha batted away any parries or attempts to strike at her, thoroughly putting the Descendant on the backpedal now. Jaune took the opportunity to end the fight at this instant.
He charged in from the side, cocking back the Dragonslayer and prepared to thrust it into the Alpha's flank. Jaune no longer cared if it killed him at this moment. He was too dangerous, and Jaune was lost amid the heat of battle. Refusing to kill him would only endanger both of their lives and risk the mission.
With a shout, Jaune thrust the sword at him. The heavy blade flying towards an uncovered section of armour that he left open whilst focusing on Pyrrha. However, the Alpha once again was able to counter his attack. Almost precognitively, he moved to bat away the Dragonslayer with the remainder of his other sword. The forceful redirection of his sword sent Jaune sprawling onto the floor, and he lost his blade in the scuffle.
He turned back to the fight only to find the Alpha having gained the upper hand with Pyrrha now. The Alpha's superior strength combined with his greater levels merely pushed the girl back into a corner. Such that she was barely able to deflect the man's strikes without being thrown to the ground.
Jaune refused to leave her like this, summoning Morningstar and whipping the chain at the Alpha. The spiked head of the chain whip sailed straight at his face on the path to connect. However, the Alpha merely raised an arm and snagged the chain, wrapping it around his arm and pulling as hard as he could, causing the boy to slide towards him despite planting his feet.
The Alpha's strength would have proven too much for Jaune to fight in this tug of war. The Paladin would not relent, and neither would he. Only Pyrrha intervening and sweeping the Alpha's legs out from under him stopped Jaune from being dragged across the floor.
With Jaune given this opportunity, he tugged hard on the chain, simultaneously redirecting the whip's path to lift the Alpha into the air. As he sailed above the Paladin, Jaune abruptly slammed his foot down on the chain to send him rocketing into the ground. The Alpha smashed into the stone, shattering the rock beneath him and stunning him for the moment.
This peace did not last for more than two seconds as the Alpha climbed out from the crater. His body began pulsing with a dark aura that sublimated off a black-coloured gas. The visible veins in his face flushed with fluid, dilating to nearly twice their size. The blow he'd just taken didn't seem to faze him any longer.
Both Jaune and Pyrrha sent a look at each other before rushing back into the fight. The boy snapped Morningstar at the Alpha, setting off the explosive enchantment before the head struck him. This explosion did nothing as the smoke cleared, and the Alpha charged straight through it and at the teens.
He leapt into the air, stabbing down at Jaune, but Pyrrha was there to deflect the blow with her shield. The golden metal creaked under pressure, but she managed to manoeuvre him away from the pair. Jaune followed up, twisting around and snapping the chain at the Alpha and setting off the explosive charge while he was still in the air.
This time, the force from the explosion threw him across the room and gave the pair some distance. Yet, as the Alpha rose again, seemingly undamaged, he turned to chase after them. Jaune then desperately pulled back on the chain and snapped it at him several more times, each attack followed by an explosion that should have torn him apart. However, nothing seemed to work as he continued to gain momentum and clear the space between the adventurers.
Why isn't it working?! He won't go down!
Twenty feet away, Jaune snapped the chain at him, setting off the explosive again. However, as he retrieved his weapon from the smoke cloud, he was suddenly jerked forth. A single effortless tug sent Jaune flying in his direction, careening overhead and into a pillar on the opposite side of the chamber.
Jaune's back slammed into the corner of a stone column, knocking the wind out of him. This blow finally making his aching body catch up to his mind. He could barely push himself off the ground to stand, much less fight. Yet, he went through the pain as best he could, ignoring his muscles cry for relief.
Looking back to Pyrrha, she was on the losing end of this battle. With a final swipe of his sword, the Alpha broke through her guard, leaving her open for attack. He twisted himself around and thrust his sword through her abdomen. The upper half of his blade piercing through her back with a stream of blood.
Pyrrha screamed in pain, hopped up on so much adrenaline she barely noticed it, but recognised her situation. The girl used her remaining strength to return the favour by stabbing the Alpha through the chest with her own blade. As her sword erupted from his back, Pyrrha grabbed the tip and bent it sharply, trapping him in her grasp.
"JAUNE," Pyrrha screamed at him. "FINISH THIS!"
As the pair collapsed to the ground, Jaune bolted for the Silent King. Grabbing his sword along the way, he ascended the stairs in a matter of seconds. All the while, he had to ignore the urge to rush to his friend's side and provide aid. It took every fibre of his body not to go help her.
Need to get to the staff!
Reaching the top, he was now face to face with the old man. Jaune's tattoos lit up brightly with the proximity to the magical source. He could barely stand to be near it. The energy made him want to be sick to his stomach.
Fighting through it, Jaune grabbed the sceptre and attempted to wrench it out of the man's hand. However, he felt some resistance from the corpse. Looking at his hand, Jaune could see it tighten its desiccated fingers around the shaft. Such was a sign of life.
Jaune drew his sword back and thrust it into his chest, breaking past the breastbone and stabbing the heart. He only heard a faint gasp from the king as what little life force that remained was snuffed out. The corpse then slumped back against the throne, and he released the sceptre.
Staff in hand, Jaune lifted the artefact and smashed the small metallic shrine atop the pole against the stairs with a hearty cry. The medallion containing the magic broke off from the sceptre and tumbled down the stairs. Immediately upon doing so, the sound of battle outside the throne room abruptly ceased. Jaune could no longer see any sign of the Grimm outside, finding only an empty field of scorched stone.
He didn't take time to celebrate, grabbing the king's sword and the staff before flying down the stairs to aid Pyrrha. As he reached the bottom, someone appeared in his peripheral vision. Too late to react, the stranger cocked back his arm and struck Jaune square in the gut, sending him flying into a wall.
Smashing into the stone, Jaune's breastplate crumbled to pieces where the fist met the armour. Dazed and confused, he looked to see who hit him, finding only a figure clad in black.
They wore a set of black and white accented organic-looking metal plate over their entire body. The design not of human make, appearing to be akin to that of the Grimm with tufts of white fur emerging from the gaps between the plates. Ornamental spikes protruded on the greaves, gauntlets and shoulder plates, jutting off asymmetrically across the armour. The faceplate was a white humanoid Grimm mask with two symmetric black accents running over the eye sockets and exposed interlocked sharpened teeth. Staring back at Jaune were two pulsing red eyes emerging from behind the mask.
Without a word, the armour clad man turned and picked a piece of metal off the ground. In the claw-like fingertips of the gauntlet, he held the medallion implanted on the sceptre. The man only inspected it for a moment before entering a portal that appeared behind him. As he crossed the barrier, both he and the gate vanished without a trace.
What was that?
I don't have time to think about it; I need to help Pyrrha...
Pushing himself off the ground, he limped his way over to Pyrrha. Reaching her, Jaune fell to his knees and began to inspect her wounds, looking over every inch of her body. He didn't even hear the sounds of his friends calling for the pair as he laid eyes on the Spartan.
"Pyrrha, I need you to stay with me," Jaune demanded in a panicked tone as he unpacked all of his medical equipment.
Pyrrha was coughing up blood. Her skin appeared pale and furiously sweating as she entered shock. He couldn't leave the blade there as she wouldn't survive long enough to return to a hospital. So, Jaune immediately pulled the sword out from her stomach and tossed it aside to provide aid himself. More blood poured out from the wound, and Jaune tried to heal it with his magic, but it seemed to become a losing proposition.
Not again! Never again!
He focused as much magic as he possibly could into the wound, but it didn't seem to be enough. Pyrrha was losing too much blood too fast for him to catch up with it. Just like with Ruby, the same thing was repeating itself with Pyrrha. The thought sent Jaune's entire body into a panic he could hardly control.
Pyrrha's last action before passing out was to unbutton a case on her hip. Inside, Jaune could see a faint glow within.
His hand dove into the container and pulled out two crystals. Jaune recognised them immediately as the healing stones Ahasver gave to Pyrrha. So, without hesitation, he broke one over Pyrrha's abdomen. A green miasma emerged from within the crystal and coated her body in the gaseous energy.
Please let this work!
Almost instantly, her wounds sealed themselves, leaving only a faint scar on her stomach. The shock from the sudden repair caused Pyrrha to cough hard, spitting up whatever blood remained in her throat. Jaune wrapped his arms around her body as she coughed and hacked and pulled her tight against him. His entire body was overcome with relief, seeing his friend recover from such an injury.
How did it do that?
Finally getting over her coughing fit, Jaune released Pyrrha. He grabbed one of her hands and lifted her onto her feet, allowing her to use him as a crutch. However, before the two could go anywhere, another cough directed their attention to the Alpha. His body lying prone but still sputtering faintly with blood filling his lungs.
Pyrrha nodded to Jaune, and he left her to stand on her own. Kneeling before the Alpha, Jaune pulled the sword lodged in his chest out and cracked the other crystal over his body. The same effect washing over him, and he suddenly jerked awake.
Throwing himself to his feet, the Alpha reached for his sword and brandished it against the pair. His face filled with confusion and pain as he listened around. Though, without either moving to attack him, he turned on his heel and began limping away while holding his chest. Jaune and Pyrrha watched as he ducked into a tunnel leading from the throne and disappeared from view as more footsteps gathered from the hall.
Rushing into the throne room, Weiss was the first to greet the pair. She recognised Pyrrha's condition and moved to assist in carrying her. Soon after, several more of their party was joining the trio.
"Hey, we got it," Sun cheerfully exclaimed as he was helped by Blake. A bandage around his leg from a claw wound keeping from moving without assistance. "Grimm were gettin' kind of close to having us for dinner..."
"Yeah, it's over," Jaune replied, carrying Pyrrha and limping in their direction. "We let the Alpha go, but someone else got the artefact."
"Who," Cinder asked, grabbing the sword and stave off the ground.
"Don't know, they took it off me and disappeared," Jaune explained in a pained tone. "I'll explain it later. We need to get back to the surface."
"We're not taking anything else," Sun wondered in confusion as Jaune, Pyrrha, and Weiss passed by him. "Look at all the gold! We're not just gonna leave it there!"
...
Returning to the surface after many hours of limping through tunnels and fighting off any remaining draugr, the party was back at their wagon. Thankfully, Weiss used her Arma Gigas to ferry them across the swamp. Now, the party sat on the side of the road, basking in the warm sun they hadn't seen in almost a week.
"It feels great to be outside again," Weiss mumbled as her legs gave out and she collapsed in the shade adjacent to the wagon.
"I don't know; we had so much food left," Sun whined, pouting in the back of the wagon. "We could have moved that gold with us!"
"Mr Wukong, none of us are in any condition to move that amount of loot around," Port countered, taking a long drink from a bottle of ale. "We would have depleted our rations and left us with nothing to eat on the journey home."
"But that's more gold than I've ever seen in my entire life," Sun exclaimed, gesturing back the way the party came. "What if someone else comes down here?! You said that it was possible! Now they're going to find everything and have nothing stopping them from taking it all!"
"Sun, quit it," Blake barked from a shaded spot. "It's done now. We can come back for the rest of it in a few weeks. Whatever draugr are down there will just take them out..."
"I have something that may allow us to return to Vale faster," Cinder chimed in, breaking them off into another tangent.
"What?"
Cinder didn't orate her plan, only standing and walking to the front of the wagon. Everyone sat up and watched as she gesticulated like she was casting a spell, and her body glowed with an orange aura. The witch then clenched her fists and outstretched her arms perpendicular to her body.
"Fafnir," Cinder spoke. Her voice filled with an arcane resonance.
Suddenly a portal appeared on the ground a hundred yards away from the party. Rising from inside, a massive dragon clawed its way out. The beast releasing a near-deafening roar as it emerged from whence it came.
The dragon Cinder summoned was not a wyvern but a true dragon. Nearly a hundred feet long from head to tail, its total body mass nearly doubled that of the wyvern. Along its back, hundreds of scutes dotted the red and black hide of this majestic beast. Its massive wings stretched outwards from his body, nearly blocking out the sun from above. Just a gentle flap could have thrown someone off their feet.
"Climb on, and he will take us there..."
Weiss got that big ability. She can fuck a whole lot of people's days up.
Also, if you're wondering how Cinder and Weiss could kill so many Grimm. There is a curve in DnD that all classes follow. Most melee only builds follow a path that only allows them to gain strength in a linear fashion. Wizards and mage classes gain power exponentially. So, your party of fighters and clerics are just following the wizard around while he slays gods at high levels. And we've seen how much shit Goodwitch can fuck up with a single spell.
So, all that free exp in the air was shared with Jaune and friends. It didn't do much for their situation because the Alpha was still able to kick both Pyrrha's and Jaune's asses with ease.
Also, the Dragonslayer in this fic is more modelled after Guts' Raider Sword, but share's features of the actual Dragonslayer. Reason being, is that 400 lb hunk of metal cannot be used by Jaune. So, seventy pounds is more manageable. This weapon just has little downsides, but is heavy as all hell to carry around.
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 Seven
Strength 81 (+20)
Agility 33 (+7)
Defence 43 (+8)
Perception 47 (+7)
Constitution 78 (+20) + (.25 x 78) = 98
Intelligence 70 (+10)
Charisma 38 (+7)
Willpower 39 (+7)
...
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)
...
Dragonslayer:
"That thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy and too rough. It was more like a large hunk of iron."
A blade forged by those whose aim was to slay a dragon. Such a weapon charged with arcane energy to see to that end. Yet, it never fulfilled its original intent; instead, used to slay hordes of demons by heroes of the past. Such a path this blade wandered that it reeks of malice. The screams of a thousand demonic beings imbued it with a hellfire that will scorch the souls of any it wounds.
...
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.