You ever have post viral fatigue? Shit sucks.
Ever since I got the flu a few weeks ago, I've been tired as all hell. Like, I get home from college and as soon as 6pm rolls around, I'm out like a dad who found a spot on the couch.
This week, it's getting better because I was actually able to sit down and write til 11 yesterday.
Jaune raced to the infirmary as quickly as his legs could carry him. No thought was given to anyone else as he forced himself through groups or past bystanders. The rest of his friends pushed their bodies, using what little energy they had left in them to catch up. The knowledge that Ruby would be operated on was all they needed to motivate them.
Their friend was going under the knife. They needed to be there for Yang while Ruby was away. None could afford the Brawler to be alone and for something to go awry with her little sister. The possibility of it alone would be devastating for Yang.
Turning a corner, Jaune caught sight of the infirmary. Outside, Coco and her friend, Fox, appeared to be waiting for the group. The blind man hearing their footfalls, faced the pack of students and gave them a wave. The Archer merely greeted them with a nod.
"Hey, they already moved Ruby," Coco explained to Jaune as he walked past. "Yang and Pyrrha are waiting for you guys."
"Thanks..." Jaune said as he bolted inside. "I won't forget this, guys!"
If there was any way for Jaune to repay that, he would. Despite it being a favour for saving Velvet's skin, it was not equivalent. He was unsure if he could pay Coco, Fox, and Yatsuhashi back. As he crossed into the infirmary, such a thought was lost in mere moments.
Behind him, Weiss and the others each expressed their gratitude before following Jaune. The group traced their path back to the floor Ruby was staying on. The horde of adventurers dodging past the nurses or healers going about their business. Finding her room, they filed inside, noticing Yang and Pyrrha were sitting on the latter's bed.
Just before he walked inside, he could hear the two talking.
"Yang, it's going to be all right," Pyrrha said to the blonde. "Coco found the herbs... Ruby will be fine in a few days."
"I-I know," Yang replied, choking back her emotions. "But what if something happens? What am I supposed to tell my dad? I was supposed to look after her!"
Shit...
Jaune felt that. As an older sibling, he was expected to look after his little sisters. If one of them got grabbed by a monster when they were out collecting fruits or mushrooms, he wouldn't be able to face his father. With Ruby titering on the edge, it made Yang's position all the more precarious.
At that, Jaune slowly opened the door. Yang and Pyrrha shifted, making it seem like they were sitting apart instead of close together. The others shuffled inside, not knowing this and merely took stock of the room.
Yang was still understandably haggard. Hair was messy, bags under her eyes, and a generally dishevelled appearance. She hadn't got a moments rest since returning to Beacon. Despite it being so early, Yang wasn't awoken to the news of her sister. She had yet to sleep since yesterday or likely longer.
Everyone was feeling the exhaustion creeping upon them. Pyrrha seemed to be in a similar condition, trying her best to console Yang in her injured state. Jaune and the rest of their friends were dirty from toiling nonstop in a smoulderingly hot smithy. Yet, compared to them, Yang had it the worst. There was no contest.
"We came as soon as we heard," Blake said, carrying Ruby's chest piece to the pile of gifts. "Are you doing all right?"
"No," Yang replied, shaking her head. She brought a hand up to wipe tears from her eyes. Moisture soon began returning to her cheeks despite her best efforts. "Is that her new armour?"
Yang took the piece in her hands and inspected it thoroughly. Jaune wasn't sure what she was looking for, but he hoped Yang would be satisfied. As she gently glided her fingers across the chest plate covering Ruby's heart, Yang began to tear up. Those tears landing on the painted steel before rolling off onto the floor.
Jaune had to choke back the urge to cry with her. The rest of their friend group tried to do the same. Nora bit her lip to fight back those tears. The boys managed to wear stone faces. Blake, Weiss, and Pyrrha looked away or dug their fingernails into their palms.
"Yeah, it's from all of us," Sun answered, pulling up a chair next to the girls. At eye level with his fellow blonde, he asked. "Do you like it?"
Yang sniffled and nodded with a smile. "I do..." The girl composed herself some. "Ruby will go nuts when she sees it."
That's good enough for me.
"She better," Weiss tersely expressed, plopping down in a chair and breaking the tense mood which had grown. The girl rubbed her neck, feeling the two days of hard work getting to her. Every fibre of her body appeared to be sore. "This set is superior to the last one in every way. In fact, each of us contributed to making it, so it has our own touches..."
That previous set of armour they'd handcrafted together was just above the level of what most adventurers could afford. Ruby's new armour could withstand whatever punishment was thrown in her direction. Not even the Alpha could hope to crack it open if he put every ounce of his being into it. Once they enchanted the armour, Ruby would be unstoppable.
"And as soon as Ruby is awake, we can show it to her," Weiss continued, presenting a very confident outlook on the circumstances. However, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. "What's this?" She then reached for a book left on Ruby's bed.
Jaune caught a glimpse of the title, finding it to be a grimoire owned by one of the priestesses. 'Advanced Restorative Magic' was on the cover. Weiss picking up on this, cracked open the book to inspect its contents. The others appeared to be interested in whatever the contents were as well.
Perhaps this book detailed the procedure Ruby would be undergoing? It made sense that the healers would carry literature around when they required it. The many rituals or spells one would have to keep close by dictated such a practice.
"I think one of the priestesses left it behind," Pyrrha mentioned, leaning in to inspect the contents. "Nobody said anything when Coco showed up."
"I may be wrong, but do some of these glyphs look like necromancy to you," Ren asked, reading over Weiss' shoulder. "I remember seeing those in the library somewhere..."
The boy pointed out a diagram to the group as Weiss revealed the page. Written in black ink were images of the human body cut open to expose their internal organs. The upper layers of muscle and skin were pulled back from the incision, leaving behind an empty chest cavity. Next to the drawing was another of a heart. Symbols etched into the tissue acted as knots, tying each to the heart itself, the body, and finally, the soul. All three came together to form a connection that allowed the heart to be adopted by the body.
What concerned Ren were those symbols. It was necromancy. The glyphs used by those practising such arts were markedly different from the other schools. They were based on a much older language, recognisable to anyone with some education in magic.
"Despite the associated stigma of the necromantic arts, we felt it was short-sighted to dispose of the idea entirely," Weiss read aloud. "To allow heroes or those indispensable to the world of Remnant to die over moral qualms would be a greater evil than the limited practice of these forbidden magics..." She flipped the page after skimming through the text. "For this reason, Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch of Beacon Academy have given their approval to move forward with the practical application of this technique."
Why would they leave the book here? Just out in the open?
The room fell silent upon finishing the text. Each had their assumptions on how Ruby's new heart would be used, but none thought of necromancy. Jaune himself was under the illusion the healers were using a complicated restoration ritual. However, knowing it was necromancy, everyone appeared to be uncomfortable at the very least. Ren and Sun were speechless. Weiss became more absorbed in the contents of the book. Blake seemed to be on the verge of rage. The rest were solemn, stunned at the idea.
Jaune's immediate concerns were about what this magic would do to Ruby. Would it make her partially undead? Would it alter her personality? What were the consequences of using necromancy in this manner? What if Jaune used his abilities and something went wrong?
His abilities harmed the undead. Things created by the powers of necromancy were among what he could destroy.
"Necromancy," Sun spoke aloud. His voice filled with bewilderment. "I-I don't like this, guys..." He looked around at the whole group. "Come on, we've all heard about the kind shit that happens with necromancers!"
Necromancers were known to outright defile the dead amongst other crimes. Cases where entire towns were slaughtered by their creations, were not uncommon. Jaune had heard a few back in Bar. One such tale was when guards found dozens of female bodies inside a man's house. His intentions were to use those bodies to create a legion of wives for himself.
"I agree," Ren expressed with a nod. "Do you think we can use something else?"
Another technique?
If there was something else other than necromancy, Jaune would be willing to give it a try. Even if he had to find some guru on some random mountain on Anima, it would be a better alternative. Whatever to keep the corrupting magics of necromancy out of this equation.
"Guys, it's Ruby," Nora exclaimed, gesturing towards the door with both hands. "If it can help her, why don't we use it?!" She paused a second to think. "We don't know anything else that might help, right? I-I think we should trust the healers..."
"She's right," Weiss agreed, putting the book down. "Necromancy is a tool like any other form of magic. If Professor Ozpin gave his approval, I don't see any reason not to trust it. He would know if it wasn't going to do precisely what they intended, especially because of his expertise in magic."
At that, Blake rose from her position and left the room. The entire group watched as the faunus stomped out of the door and somewhere down the hallway. Jaune couldn't see her face, but he knew it was one of anger. Her body language told him she had had enough of this conversation.
"I'll go make sure she doesn't get into trouble," Ren said now that the argument had come to a close. "If you need me, I'll be in the library with Blake."
"Me too," Sun spoke up, following Ren out of the room.
With nearly half their group gone, Jaune sank into his chair. A sense of disappointment rose throughout his body. What should have been a joyous occasion waiting for their friend to return to their group was no longer that. It was ruined because of a damned book.
[Later that night]
Most of their group members had fallen asleep. Ruby had not yet been brought back to her room. The few updates they'd gotten were merely notes on the procedure's progress. It took time to perform the ritual. It might have been another day until she came back.
The knowledge of necromancy taking part in this place remained heavy in the air. Nobody else discussed the topic in fear of another argument, but they clearly thought of it. Jaune thought about it quite a bit as his teammates drifted off to sleep.
The only reason they knew about it was Professor Ozpin. If this was a well-guarded secret, there would be no books. Not a manual would be allowed anywhere that someone with issues against necromancy could reach it. He would keep it behind the most secure doors at this academy.
Yet, it made sense to Jaune. For a man in Ozpin's position, he could not afford to lose heroes due to an injury. It was out of his control if they died before the ritual started. But for those he could save with this magic, it was worth the price. Jaune only hoped it was a debt that Ruby could endure.
Even if Blake or someone else mentioned anything about it, the outlaw of necromancy was still a law. Its legality could be 'ignored' by the few men in power to make that decision. Those who Professor Ozpin did not wholly trust could have their memories altered through magic.
So, to the Headmaster, there weren't any downsides to using this magic. It was a valuable tool if he knew exactly what the ritual would do.
The man could have even instructed the healers to leave the book in Ruby's room for all Jaune knew. He already trusted a few of their number with vital information, from the demon knight to the reason behind Beacon's attack. Weiss was one of those he could rely on to convey the book's contents to the others.
That's dumb... He would have just told us. It's just stupid dumb luck that we even found out about it.
Jaune took a deep breath as he thought about this. Next to him was Yang, sleeping on her side and using his leg as a pillow. Pyrrha was sitting up as she rested. Nora had gone elsewhere, likely helping Ren and the others. Only Weiss was awake, reading the book next to a candle.
"Anything interesting in there, Weiss," Jaune whispered low enough to not wake the others.
"Yes," Weiss exclaimed in a whisper. "There are so many techniques I've never heard about in here! Even Atlesian magic hasn't advanced this far!" She looked up at him with a giddy expression."They're combining schools of magic together!"
Glad she's getting something out of this...
"You really don't have any problems with it?"
"No, as long as they discovered it ethically, I think it's valuable," Weiss whispered in a near academic tone. "If we can figure out how to make it more efficient, I'd like for everyone to have this information..." She flipped the pages back to the ingredients for the spell. "Removing those rare herbs would allow for ordinary people to replace organs from cadavers. All we would need to do is supply a different source of natural magic to make it work." She cupped her chin in thought. "I know they must have thought of this... But what about magically grown plants?"
Jaune felt good about Weiss' perspective. It was something benevolent. Using black magic to make people's lives better. Though, Jaune was still unsure. He was always taught necromancy was something to be avoided at all costs. How necromancers turned into dark and twisted things from their repeated exposure to the dark arts.
Ugh... Why can't I be more like Blake about this kind of stuff?
At least having a solid opinion like her's meant that he wouldn't waffle on the idea. It would save him from the mental anguish. But, he was taught to consider all options. To look at the facts and come to a conclusion based on those.
Necromancy was being used to save his friend's life. Despite the occasions where it had been used for evil, maybe he could overlook it for just the moment? There were no other viable alternatives to look towards. If there had been one, Ozpin or the healers would have found it already.
...
Jaune awoke in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. His body jerked itself awake, causing his eyes to crack open to the faint light coming from the hallway. Occasionally, a healer or another staff member would pass by. However, as he grew more conscious, Jaune felt a noticeable absence in the room.
Where Yang had been a few hours ago, she was no longer. Typically, he could have ignored it, thinking she had gone to the bathroom or needed to walk around. But, there was something different. It was in the air.
*Ta-Thump*
Jaune felt his heartbeat in his ears. The Paladin's tattoos glowed beneath the bandages, telling his body there was something arcane nearby. This feeling crept from his fingers, washing over his entire being. It was nearly palpable to the young man.
He looked around, trying to figure out where it came from, but there was no source in this room. The feeling didn't even stir the two girls sharing this space with him. Weiss didn't feel a thing, sleeping peacefully with her dog. Dreizehn merely looked up at the boy, curious why he was awake.
As Jaune sat there, he could feel this sensation pulling him. There was a trail to follow. Not one that he could see, but sense in some arbitrary manner. Some part of Jaune acted as a compass to direct him towards the source. Such a feeling was odd, almost like with his lance or Dragonslayer. It was second nature, instinctual even.
Standing up, Jaune made his way to the door. Donning his boots, he cracked open the wooden door to look out into the hallway. This feeling became stronger the moment he crossed the barrier. Jaune could better understand what the sensation was, or more of what it appeared to be.
A nose pressed against the back of his leg alerted Jaune to the dog trying to follow him. Turning back to Dreizehn, the pup looked up at him, begging to follow the boy to his objective. Or he merely wished to go outside for a walk. Either way, he would follow behind Jaune wherever he went.
"Sorry buddy, you can't go with me," Jaune whispered, reaching down to pet the dog. "Look after the girls for me; I'll be back..."
Leaving the room, Jaune followed the trail from the infirmary to the open courtyard. As the cold spring air touched his skin, the feeling became clear. There was something attached to it. What felt like a person's presence amplified to the hundredth degree.
The best description Jaune could give was it felt like Yang. If a presence could be personified, it would have belonged to her. The girl's energy - her magnetic personality were both here. She and the trail walked hand in hand, heading into Vale. The Brawler was on top of the tracks, either following or forging it herself.
Where are you going, Yang? I should just follow her and make sure she's all right...
He didn't linger, grabbing his knife before following Yang into the city. The clear streets gave him an ideal trail to follow without the hordes of people mucking it up. However, it deeply concerned Jaune what his friend would be doing out here in the middle of the night.
This was not the time to be wandering around Vale. For a safe city, it still had its dark underbelly. A lone person could find themselves getting knifed in the back over what little gold they had on their person. It was worse, especially after what Jaune and his friends learned about those attacking Beacon. A member of the Church's military or whoever stole the box could kidnap Yang, and everyone would be none the wiser.
Jaune didn't doubt Yang's abilities, but he knew she was in no condition to fight off a determined attack. If he caught up to her, he could at least see if she was visiting a friend and would be all right on her own. He didn't want to take the chance, especially if his tattoos said something else.
"She came through here a few minutes ago," Jaune whispered to himself, crouching along the trail. A wave of his hand, and he could feel the latent energy as wide as her footpath. "I don't think anyone saw her..." Jaune then rose to his height and continued following Yang.
Walking through the deserted marketplace, Jaune was only accompanied by the faint chirping of insects. A dog howled into the night sky, breaking the quiet, but that was all. Jaune could see no other soul. Not even a guard walked around with his lantern. It was pitch dark with no light to speak of aside from the shattered moon above.
Everyone appeared to have gone to sleep. Nobody was up reading in their rooms with a candle to accompany their study. No families playing games on this weekend night. The taverns had since closed up for the evening; only the embers of their firepits remained smouldering.
With the festival coming up, I thought more people would be out...
The grounds were only a block away. Someone still had to be up, carousing through the streets with their friends or making late-night deliveries. If there was such a person, they might tell Jaune if they saw Yang.
Coming to a crossroad, Jaune wandered into the poorer part of town. This section of Vale was just in the opposite direction of the fair. The houses weren't falling to pieces like in Poncier, but it was clear they weren't owned by those with money. Occasionally, he'd find a shack that was threatening to collapse, but it was the exception. This neighbourhood felt kind of homey compared to the wealthier parts of Vale. It was inhabited by labourers or poor craftsmen like Jaune.
A dog trotted up to the boy, sniffing his leg before staring at him. A gentle pat on his head, and he was on his way. More stray animals went about their business, laying on the ground or grooming themselves on this beautiful night. Jaune didn't pay them any mind, walking through the herd on his search for Yang.
Where the hell did you go?
Jaune continued walking through this neighbourhood for some time. Yang's trail would snake in and out of alleys, doubling back at times to lead the Paladin on a wild goose chase. Yet, her scent lingered wherever she'd go. It didn't feel like she was trying to hide from anyone.
"Yeah, my poor wife worked for him," a man explained. His voice broke the silence which had clouded the city streets. "Worked her to death that one did..."
Hmm...
Jaune moved closer to the origin of the voice. Rounding a corner, he found a single house lit up with candles or lanterns. The Paladin could tell there were dozens of people inside this house from the outside. Each whispered quietly amongst themselves as the man gave his tale.
This house was a large building fit for a member of the mercantile class. It appeared to have since been abandoned by the former owners. By the looks of it, the house was now a town hall for the members of this neighbourhood. A place for each of them to meet in secret where prying eyes wouldn't have intruded.
What's going on here? Town meetings don't happen in the middle of the night. Something's wrong...
Jaune moved as stealthily as he was able. Finding a stack of crates to perch himself atop of, he glanced through one of the windows. Here, he could see the entire crowd. Many sat on benches or chairs they'd brought with them, but most were on the ground. At the centre of it all was a raised table where the speaker and another man were positioned.
The man giving the talk was older. Clearly, a poor man from this area by the appearance of his clothing, lifelessly staring into the middle of the room as if he'd gotten lost in his thoughts. The one sitting on the table next to him was the polar opposite. A sharp, focused mind radiating a certain charisma befit of a shrewd diplomat with the grace of nobility. He looked on at the depressed old man with an understanding expression, allowing him to speak his thoughts without interruption.
"I'm sorry that happened to your wife," the man spoke. He ran a hand through his ginger hair, leaving it ruffled and revealing his uncomfortable expression. "Thank you for sharing, Bertholdt." He looked on at the rest of his audience. "Does anybody else have their stories to share?"
A man in the crowd shot to his feet. "Those damned butchers killed my little girl," he shouted with a voice filled with rage. "Leviticus Astor took my girl from me! Lured her into his mansion and left her body on the street for me to find!"
A woman rose next to him. "The Bennet's stole my child," she yelled, angrily shaking her fist into the air. "Otto doesn't even recognise his own mother anymore! He looks down on me like the rest of those damned nobles!"
The members of the crowd shouted alongside them, sharing in their rage. They pounded on the tables or benches with little regard for the volume of their meeting. Soon, more and more of their number rose to share the stories of how they were wronged. Each stood and screamed their hearts out, venting their frustrations to the crowd. Had any of them carried weapons, Jaune was sure some poor soul would meet his end tonight. This mob was beginning to grow violent.
"Yes, I understand many of you have been wronged," the man said, quieting the crowd to a murmur.
"What are we supposed to do, Roman," the second man shouted at him. "We can't sit around and wait while these nobles walk all over us!"
"We won't, my friends," Roman declared, standing atop the table and gesticulating as he gave his speech. "I may have been born into the upper classes, but I have lived among you, broken bread at your tables, and toiled in the fields alongside you! I understand your plight better than any nobleman! We must make this country perfect! To rid it of villainy!" He looked upon the crowd, clenching his fist with a toothy grin. "So, what shall we do? What did I share with you on the night of our first meeting?"
Without warning, the entire crowd exploded. Everyone jumped to their feet and began chanting. Their combined emotions and the idea they preached shook Jaune, causing him to fall from his perch. His heart quaked in equal magnitude to their call.
"FIGHT THE RICH, KILL THE RICH, BRING DEATH TO EVERY LAST ROTTEN NOBLE," they screamed, fists raised as they repeated that line dozens of times. Everyone from the children to the elderly shouted the line as if it were gospel. "FIGHT THE RICH, KILL THE RICH, BRING DEATH TO EVERY LAST ROTTEN NOBLE! FIGHT THE RICH, KILL THE RICH, BRING DEATH TO EVERY LAST ROTTEN NOBLE!"
This man, Roman, stood there with a smug grin stretched across his face as he watched the crowd. He basked in the chaos he'd sown, throwing back his head and taking a deep breath as he extended out his arms. Nobody aside from him could be sure if he believed in what he preached, but Jaune was sure he was satisfied with this result.
I need to find Yang...
Jaune couldn't stay around here. He didn't know if he would be next or chased down later after the crowd had their fill. Either way, it was not safe for anyone from Beacon in this part of the city. The thought of what might happen to his friends scared him.
He scampered into the darkness, keeping off the streets until he was out of earshot from the crowd. Jaune's heart beat in his ears as he stood in an alley to catch his breath. It allowed the fear welling up in his chest to take hold for just a moment. His mind realised how horrified the rest of him was.
What the fuck was that?! I can't leave Yang out here...
Summoning up the courage to leave his hiding spot, Jaune crept back onto the streets. The crowd had begun to disperse, each walking home with a torch in hand. They talked about how excited they were about Roman's plans or how they would stick it to one of those wealthy families. Jaune merely kept his face down and walked past them. His outfit and appearance were enough to get by.
Picking up the trail, he manoeuvred his way through the body of townsfolk towards the river. Many of those at the meeting were settling in for the night, with their homes now brightened by candles. Their dim lighting cast enough of a glow that Jaune no longer walked in pitch darkness.
A few hundred metres from the river's bank, Jaune turned into an alley, following Yang's trail here. At this point, it had become the strongest. A dark alleyway with no light to speak of was her final destination. Jaune managed to see enough with his dark vision to determine what this scene presented him with.
At first glance, it was merely another sidestreet where wagons or crates would be stored. Jaune stepped on some trash, but aside from that, there was nothing to indicate Yang was here. Not even a set of footprints in the dirt. It felt as though she had disappeared entirely.
Come on, Yang, we have a murder happy mob running around here...
Standing still, Jaune heard a faint noise deeper into the cluster of buildings. Approaching the sound, it felt familiar, like flesh rent by an animal. As he grew closer, his tattoos began burning bright enough to cast a faint glow around him.
Coming to an intersection of the alley, Jaune was presented with three paths. One let out onto the next street and the others behind the houses. Yet, standing right here, Jaune could smell blood in the air. The heavy ichor was palpable, clouding his taste buds with a metallic texture.
Please be all right, Yang...
Jaune moved with little care now. He dashed around the corner the second he recognised the smell. Upon doing so, he was presented with a horrifying sight. One which would cause most men in his position to run away screaming. It nearly made Jaune consider a retreat.
In the faint moonlight, Yang was crouched over a body. That majestic blonde mane was recognisable anywhere, so there was no mistaking it. She crouched down over this corpse, biting into where his neck would be and tearing arteries to pieces. With every return to the flesh, blood would spill out onto the ground, creating a deep puddle at her feet.
Suddenly, her head snapped upright, looking around and dropping the man's lifeless head to the ground. The eyes of this poor victim looked directly into Jaune's own. An expression of terror painted on his lips told Jaune what exactly he felt in his last moments.
The man's face caused Jaune's breathing to hitch for a split second. This slight noise was what clued Yang into Jaune's presence. She turned around, staring at the boy with curled lips revealing a set of fangs. Her entire front was covered in blood from her lips to her upper thighs.
The two locked eyes in this pitch dark alley. Yang's eyes glowing with a deep red colour, no longer her lilac but something Jaune recognised. They weren't a peculiar trait, but instead, the eyes of a vampire. A fact Jaune considered all too late.
"Y-Yang...?"
There was no warning. Jaune could not react before Yang's entire body morphed into a solid black mass that disappeared into the shadows. He whipped around, trying to find where it had gone, but he couldn't see anything. Spinning back to where the body was, Jaune was just about to make a break for it when he heard something move behind him.
A hand on his head and shoulder were all he felt before Yang sunk her teeth into him. Her strength was so great that she held him there as her fangs siphoned the blood from his body. He grabbed at her, throwing elbows at her head, but her position meant he could do little. She had him pinned like this.
FUCK!
The panic of Jaune's situation led to his body dumping adrenaline into his system. Without thinking, he threw his entire body forward. It was enough to send Yang tumbling over him as she was still attached to his neck. She landed on the ground, staring up at him from the floor. Jaune took the opportunity to step back, nearly falling from his urgent need to flee from her.
"Yang, come on, it's me, Jaune," he pleaded, continuing to retreat from the girl. "Please don't do this..."
His words fell on deaf ears. Purposely ignoring him or lost to her bloodlust, she didn't respond to him. Yang was looking to kill whatever she came across. It didn't matter who.
Throwing herself back onto her feet in an explosive display of strength, Yang went from prone to standing almost instantaneously. In that same motion, she turned and dashed in his direction. Her feet threw up tons of dirt and rocks as she rocketed at him, breaking the limits of what a mere human was capable of. Yang became a blur that Jaune could barely lock eyes on. A single hand cocked back was ready to deliver the killing blow.
Just as Yang was about to impale him on her clawed fingers, he twisted his body around, taking the hit to a shoulder. The strike made his entire body creak as those elongated fingernails cut into his shoulder and spilt more of his blood. It sent Jaune careening into the wall, breaking the stone with his body and dazing him.
Pulling himself from the stone, Yang was there to follow up for a second attack. He didn't get a chance to plant his feet on the floor as Yang tackled the boy. Neither went to the ground, but instead, Yang carried the boy through the stone wall and into the house. Stone bricks and wood were thrown everywhere as the two heroes battled it out, carving a human-sized hole into the side of this building.
Jaune pounded on the girl's back with his strongest blows, but nothing seemed to faze her. A strike that would have killed a person wasn't even noticed by the vampire. Despite the difference in levels between the two, her vampirism made up the difference and then some. Without his armour and sword, Jaune was left with only his bare fists and knife to fight a vampire.
Breaking into the house's main room, Yang threw Jaune at the wall opposite her. He crashed into the wattle frame and stopped there. The sound of this brawl caused multiple people to exit their rooms and stare at the two fighting in their living room.
"RUN, THERE'S A VAMPIRE," Jaune screamed as he pried himself from the wall.
Yang looked up at the family hiding on the second floor. Before she could do anything, Jaune charged at her with a cast-iron frying pan. He caught her off guard, striking her in the side of the head and breaking the brittle iron plate into two pieces.
This time, the blow was noticed by her. The girl turned towards him with a stream of blood pouring down the side of her head. Yang cocked back her arm and threw Jaune across the room faster than he could see. He slammed into a wooden beam supporting the house, cracking the wood where he landed.
Yang dashed up to him, throwing a series of punches at his head. Jaune managed to dodge past many of them, ducking his body around the blows right as they were about to hit him. Each missed punch sent her fist crashing through the support column, splintering the wood and cutting it down with every hit.
As the column fell out of the ceiling, the house started to go with it, collapsing down all around them. The family ran out past the pair, but Jaune remained trapped with the vampire.
Focusing on Yang only, Jaune cocked back his arm and landed a hard punch to her stomach, dazing her before following up. The boy raised his fists and, with a shout, slammed them both into her back, hurling her to the ground.
I'm ending this!
Jaune didn't relent, reaching down to grab her arm and leg. He lifted the girl up, spinning around and throwing her through a nearby wall just as the ceiling began to fall. Yang smashed through the wall, and Jaune followed her out just as the structure collapsed.
On the outside of the house, Yang had gotten to her feet. Pouncing on the boy, she clawed at his body. Once across his right forearm, carving deep into his flesh. Another at his right pectoral, drawing a torrent of blood from the wound. Just as she went for a third, Jaune reached for his knife.
He twisted it in his fingers and drove the blade into Yang's side. Just under the armpit, he stabbed at her four times, wrenching the blade in and out until it did enough damage to put her down. Each time the knife cut into her, any leftover silver oil he applied to it prior burned her flesh.
Stabbing her ribs a final time, Yang howled in pain, falling back and clutching the knife. The silvered blade hissed as it remained embedded in her flesh, only causing more pain the longer it stayed there. It allowed Jaune to rise to his feet, finally reaching the end of the fight, where he gained the upper hand.
Flashing Yang with arclight, it didn't have any effect. She only writhed on the ground, grabbing at the knife with no care about the radiant magic. So, why didn't it work?
"OW-OW-OW-OW-OW~," Yang cried out with a wincing face. Tears poured from her eyes as she tried to pull the knife out with no success. "Please pull it out!"
What the fuck is going on?
Jaune did as she asked, putting a boot heel on her side and using it to leverage the knife out. As the blade left her flesh, the silver stopped burning her flesh. Yang calmed down, no longer screaming in pain, but continued to lay there as blood poured from her wounds.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT," Jaune shouted at her, brandishing the knife towards his friend. "When did you turn into a vampire, Yang? How long?!"
Why didn't she tell me? I could have done something to help her? We could have cured it before she fully turned...
Jaune would have noticed if she were showing symptoms. The only time it could have happened was before they left for the underground city.
"I can explain," Yang wheezed out. "Just help me up... We need to get out of here."
Fine...
Jaune reached down and lifted Yang to her feet. Allowing her to use him as a crutch, the two limped their way into the underpass of a bridge. It was just in time as dozens of guards sprinted onto the scene of their fight. They would discover the dead body and whatever evidence they left behind.
She's a fucking vampire... I can't believe it!
Dropping Yang in their shelter, Jaune looked down on the prone girl. She reached for her wounds, attempting to staunch the flow of blood with just her hand. It did little for her. Not even her healing factor was doing anything to close the wounds.
"C-Can you use your healing magic on me," Yang weakly asked with tears in her eyes. "I can't heal it right now. The silver keeps me from regenerating..."
"Answer my question," Jaune demanded, reaching for her wounds but not using his healing spell on her.
Yang looked away from him, appearing ashamed of whatever secret she possessed. A battle was taking place in her mind, just debating on whether or not to say it. After a brief pause, Yang whined deep within her throat, clenching her jaw before she mumbled an answer.
"I-I'm a half-vampire..." She shut her eyes, refusing to meet Jaune's.
A dhampir.
The result of the unholy matrimony of a mortal and vampire. Jaune had heard of them but never encountered one before. It explained the eye-colour shift. Dhampirs were almost identical to humans or faunus until they showed their vampiric traits. They were also immune to holy magic but not to silver, so she was telling the truth at the least.
The truth defused his anger somewhat. Jaune wasn't happy about it, but he didn't have any right to be angry with Yang. It was out of her control. However, it didn't stop his body from feeling that way.
"Who was it," Jaune asked, pressing his hand against Yang's ribs. A glowing light radiated from his palm, sealing the wound enough to stop the blood loss entirely. "Your mom or your dad?"
"My mom..." Yang sat up, wincing in pain from her wounds. She reached for the buttons on her jacket, undoing them to reveal the cuts in her ribs. "She went to Beacon with my dad. She got turned, but Dad stayed with her until they had me. I don't really know where she went."
She was abandoned by her mother?
"Sorry," Jaune apologised, falling onto his butt. "But what were you doing out here? Were you feeding?"
Jaune only knew a few things about dhampirs beyond the silver and radiant immunity. Nobody studied them because they were so rare. You could count on one hand how many dhampirs there were on the planet. Even then, you might have gotten it wrong.
"Yeah, I-I need to sometimes," she answered, pulling her legs up to her chest. "It's only every once in a while... I don't like it, but it's a trade-off for immortality."
Yeah, I know...
"Are you going to turn Ruby?"
"No," Yang spat, shaking her head. "If this thing doesn't work on her, then I'll try, but I don't want that for her... It sucks." She buried her face into her arms. "All the vampires I know keep telling me to keep it myself. Ruby doesn't even know about it."
I get it... Not everyone wants to be immortal.
If Yang forced it onto Ruby, she might never forgive her older sister. Vampirism was a curse to those afflicted by it. Even if Ruby could do some good, she would always have that thirst sitting in the back of her mind.
"Do you have any other abilities?"
"I can read minds," Yang replied with a deep breath. "My passive lets me absorb energy from your hits. I can turn into shadows... A bunch of stuff." She looked over to Jaune, flashing her eyes from lilac to red. "It's how I knew you could see in the dark."
The signs were all there. Some were more profound than others, but a trained eye could have pieced it together. Yet, for Jaune, he didn't care. Only that his friend had to hide herself for fear of what might happen if she revealed the truth. Yang was forced to endure this world alone for all intents and purposes. Jaune didn't want to leave her like this despite her being a vampire.
"Come on, we need to get back to Beacon," Jaune said, pushing himself onto his feet. "If we're gone too long, the others might get worried."
...
Limping their way into the courtyard, Jaune carried the weight of both himself and Yang. His injuries combined with her brittle state meant they only hobbled to the infirmary. All the guards and students stared at the pair of bloody messes in near horror.
Dragging themselves through the front gate, some of those guards came down to meet them. Before they could begin assisting the two, a man came running from the direction of the infirmary. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, sprinting as fast as he could to get to them.
The man was nearly in his forties with blond hair and blue eyes. He wore an outfit consisting of a brown jacket with a button-up shirt beneath it and light-brown pants cut below the knee. The only armour he possessed was a spaulder on his shoulder. A cursory glance at the man, and one could have mistaken him for Jaune's father.
"YANG," he shouted at the top of his lungs. The man's voice filled with concern for the girl.
The man's voice caused all the others to back away from the two. In a fraction of a second, he was there, taking Yang's arm and allowing her to use him as a crutch. This left Jaune to walk independently, unburdened by the extra weight.
"Did it happen again," he whispered as the trio got away from the crowd. "Was anybody else hurt?"
"No," Yang answered, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Dad..."
"It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong," the man reassured her. "Let's go get you cleaned up. Ruby's back in her room..."
She made it?
A wave of relief shot through Jaune's body. It felt as though a massive weight was lifted off his shoulders. It was hard to put into words how ecstatic he was. His best friend would be back, adventuring with him in a few weeks.
"Hey, are you coming with us," the man asked Jaune. "We need to get those looked at."
"I'll be up there in a minute..."
...
Jaune awoke to a cold stone floor. His blurred vision cleared up as he regained consciousness, but he could see someone leaning over him. The person wrapped a bandage around his arm while another held his held in their lap. Jaune was prepared to protest but found himself too weak to fight them off.
"Hey, Jaune was it," the man Jaune figured was Yang's father asked. "Looks like you passed out. Weiss and I came down here to check on you when you didn't show up."
Jaune was without his shirt. On his shoulder and chest were another set of bandages tied off on those bloody wounds. All around the smithy were signs he'd stumbled inside and fallen right at the door. Blood soaked many of the surfaces, with a pool formed just as you walked inside.
"How's Yang," Jaune wheezed.
"She's fine," Weiss answered, looking down at him as she held his head in her lap. "Sleeping right now. Everyone else is waiting for Ruby to wake up."
Okay...
"There, all done," Yang's father announced, tying off the last bandage. "Those should close up by tomorrow." He pushed off his knee to his full height. "I should be getting back to my girls... Sorry, we had to meet like this, kids. Wish it could have been under better circumstances."
"It's fine, Mr Xiao Long," Weiss replied in a diplomatic tone. "You don't need to apologise."
"Call me, Tai," he corrected politely. "Mr Xiao Long stays at the academy."
With a final nod, he quickly departed the smithy. That left Jaune and Weiss alone, with Dreizehn lying in the corner. Neither of them said anything for what appeared to be several minutes, just letting the silence grow between them as Jaune faded in and out of consciousness.
"You two ran into a vampire," Weiss asked, adjusting her legs but keeping Jaune steady.
I guess Yang and Tai lied to everyone...
"Yeah," Jaune answered, trying to sit up, but his injuries refused to move. "She just needed to get some air, but we ran into him..."
Weiss doesn't need to know.
"At least you two made it out," Weiss expressed with a sigh. "But your letter was ruined..."
Weiss waved the note over Jaune. Like she implied, the message was half-covered in Jaune's blood. It was possibly still legible, but he wouldn't know until he chose to read it. Such a decision he loathed.
"Great..."
"Just try to rest," Weiss requested, taking the letter out of his hand. "Maybe we can salvage the letter tomorrow."
So, Yang and Jaune just destroyed some poor family's house. Absolutely demolished the fucking thing!
But, we now know there's a lot going on in Vale. Ozpin's doing necromancy, Yang's a vampiric serial killer, and Roman's trying to start a communist revolution (not really because you know he's playing those poor bastards for fools.)