The Dark Swordsman

by Solbrand

Traveling the roads of Remmant, a 17 year old boy seeks revenge upon those who robbed him of the ones that he loved. When he is hot on the trail however, a certain headmaster has other plans. Defeated and forced into submission, he meets a few people who eventually become his friends. And one who might understand him the most, even if she refuses see it. Warring: Gore, Adult theme

10. Chapter 10

Authors Note:

Finally, after five months, this chapter is finally done. To all of you, I am deeply sorry. I've had a lot to deal with these last few months. School, Family and the lost of an love one. It didn't help that this chapter was extremely Long, this and the last chapter were supposed to be one altogether. I had to cut two scenes out of this chapter, one of which will appear in the next. I also had somewhat of a writers block, Volume 6 made me retcon some stuff while it actually help some other things of my own lore. Bare in mind, this story is going to have higher stakes than the show itself so far. I have a great long road map planned out, I just need to get the extra tidbits down too.

Also, this story now has a cover. I made it on rinmarugames Mega Anime Avatar Creator. It isn't a exact depiction of Umbra, but the hair style is spot on. The scar is far longer though.

Warning: This chapter gets a little more dark than usual.

"I don't own any of the series I write FF of. I only own my OC's and my unique aspects added to the story. All credit of Rwby goes to RoosterTeeth."

Chapter 10: Adjustments Part II.

The Library was silent as Umbra and Blake read their books. Hours had passed and it was the evening, evident by the Suns every so slow descent towards the western horizon. The Swordsman was...bored reading the philosophical book. All Cydolcles wrote was why Kings are necessary and why Humans and especially Faunus were too greedy by nature to rule themselves. Even though Monarchs were why the Ancient Vacuoans were marching through the desert. He sighed as he read the next paragraph:

In those days, we wandered the desert in one great band. The Empire of our Forefathers dissolution lead us to leave our waring costal Cities. Though, there was much divide within our group. Many Men who still hold loyalties to their City, whose common interest died with the Empire, fought with one another and saw eachother as enemies. And the Faunus, the Empires greatest cancer, cause as munch division amongst themselves as well against the Men who they traveled with. Of course, our Great King, our first Sultan who will be sung and praised for centuries to come, who in those days was but a Veteran of the Draconian Civil War, soothed the Primal Barbarians and United the Ignorant Men.

I was but a boy growing into adulthood in those days, my Father died on that forsaken Continent which once ruled our Cities to the north. I hated the Emperors and the Draconians, they which thought themselves eternal, whose infection of our first lands lead to strife once we were free of their leeches. Because of my Fathers death, and the destruction of my Home, the City of Pollo, I was just an Orphan who was lucky enough to managed to be took in by a Woman named Andra. She got us in the Caravan, lead by our Sultan, with one goal, to find a new place to build a new city free of Strife and the Grimm. There had long been rumors of a Great Oasis from Travelers of the south.

Our Leader, our Chieftain, our King, our Sultan. With his guidance, we found that Oasis. We built this great City, and it was named after him. Vacuo after Vacuous the Great!

"What hogshit." Umbra thought, he knew the Story of Vacuous the "Great" well, a man who deserted Draconia in its downfall and used his strength and ambition of power to get people to follow him, those who refused or caused trouble for him "disappeared" in the sands. Not to mention the countless times everyone about died getting to the Great Oasis. And when he declared himself king, many continued westward to found the Kingdoms which one day would end up part of the Kingdom of Vale. Tired of reading the Enlightened "Philosopher" bullshit any longer, he shut the book. He then looked at Blake who had a intense look on her face while reading her book:

Luna and Lupus look each other in the eyes as the wind gently blew through the dark forest. "Lupus, we can't do this. My Father and brothers, your Gang, they would kill us if they caught us together." Luna said as they held hands. Lupus then lifted her chin up, his Yellow eyes piercing her Green.

"Luna, my Beautiful Moonlight, I don't care what they Think. Your Family, my Family, they don't care about our happiness." He then stroke her cheek, "I love you Luna, I want us to run away together and start a new life. One were we can start a family and spend the rest of our days together. No more crime, no more Ignorant Parents." She then moved her hands up his toned muscled chest and up through his silver hair and rubbed his ears, making him smile.

"I love you Lupus, I want to do this, I want to be with you forever." She said that as he started to move his hand down her bare back, all the way to the base of her-"Well, well, well Blake. I guess I was right." Blake jerked back and slammed her book close. She then turned to him and and gave him a stern angry glare. Umbra leaned her chair and smiled.

"It wasn't going to end up like you think." She told him.

"Sure, he was just gonna give her a "pat on the back" nothing more." He said sarcastically. She blushed and got up from her seat.

"Let's head back to the room..." She said as she started to walk off fast in great strides. Umbra only nodded his head and followed her.

Team Rwby Dorm.

Yang Xiao-Long groaned again while listening to Weiss explain Mister Ports homework. "You're making this a Thousand Times harder than it has to be."

"Listen Weiss Cream, it's a free weekend, I don't want to waste my time on some stupid worksheet for that Mustache face who just tells exaggerated stories." She told her.

"It's not my fault you too busy coming up with stupid puns and imaging punching people than getting your work done in class." Weiss bit back at her. Ruby who was sitting on her bed going over stuff chipped in.

"Weiss is right, Yang you have to get this work done, you'll fail his class otherwise." Yang looked at Ruby with her arms crossed.

"Says the Person who draws in the class all the time, or sleeps."

"Well at least Ruby gets her homework done, unlike you." Weiss defened her, Yang smirked.

"Alright Ice Queen, or was it Snow Angel, wait no it was Ice Princess." Weiss growled with anger.

"You Bimbo!"

"Stuck up Princess!"

"Brutish Harlot!"

"Spoiled Brat!"

"Dumb Blonde!"

"Look who's talking." Before anyone could continue, the door opened up and Blake stormed in and got in her bed while Umbra staggered in Laughting his ass off. "What happened?" Yang asked confused while the commonly Bipolar Boy was on the floor laughing with his hands clenching his stomach. Ruby and Weiss looked at eachother in a moment of confusion before gazing back at the weird sight.

"Hehehe, why d-don't you ask Sleeping Beauty over t-there. She's j-just, hehehe, waiting for her Prince Charming!" He struggled to tell them.

"What?" Yang then turned and went over to Blake who was covered in her sheets. "What happened?"

"Nothing, go away." She said quietly. Umbra got up and butted in.

"Yeah, you need to give her some Privacy to read you know, after all, how is she supposed to Enjoy Herself?" At this Yang snickered and Weiss pinches her nose in disgust, Ruby scratched her chin to think for a moment but then realized what he meant with a Epp.

"Wow, you went and got yourself another "Book" did you Blake?" Yang said with a smirk.

"This should probably stop now, I've been tormenting her about it a lot already." Umbra said with a hassled breath, "Besides it doesn't seem like a book purely focused on That Subject."

"Why should I cut my fun short because you've already had your fill, after all I've been dying for something entertaining, Snow Queen here has been nagging me about Homework."

"Why you!" Weiss started to begin what Umbra could only describe as a "Bitch Fest" as She and Yang unfortunately continued their conflict. Umbra just sat against a wall rubbed his head as the conflict raged on for what could be considered thirty minutes. Ruby and Blake found themselves deflate and listen to the two blondes duke it out in slander against one another. When it was about an hour, Umbra growled in fury and hit the carpeted floor and got up.

"Can't you two just shut the Fuck up?" He shouted getting both of their attention, "By the Gods, it's been a damn hour of your nonstop bickering that's destroyed of a somewhat good day." He then threw his hand up in bewilderment, "What piece of shit of a assignment is it?" Weiss and Yang looked at him in anger, before Yang could form her fist, Weiss then grabbed a packet and threw it at him. He caught it easily.

"It's a packet from Professor Port, our Grimm Studies teacher." She hissed at him.

"A packet?" He laughed, "All this fuss over a goddamn packet?" Weiss and Yang then felt some form of realization and their cheeks turned red in embarrassment. He pulled out a pen and sat at a table.

"What are you doing?" The Heiress asked.

"I'm going to do show you both why this entire situation is completely stupid." He said as he got to work. He almost wanted to laugh at how easy the packet was, it's questions were answerable by anyone who knew anything about Grimm. In fact, it was the easiest work he ever did I his life, paling in comparison to many trials he ever had to deal with. "Seriously, this is not that big of a deal." It only took him ten minutes to get it done. "Here!" He then slammed the packet into Weiss's hands. She scoffed.

"I doubt that you have done the work correctly, besides the fact that you've just help her technically cheat." He just smirked at her.

"Well for one, anyone who has ever fought any Grimm what so ever should be able to do that packet Princess. For two, it technically ain't cheating. I'm just helping a teammate out." He finished sarcastically. Weiss just folded her arms and gave a "Hmp." Yang then smirked at the Swordsman and went up to her now standing hero.

"Thanks Bra," She said giving him a new lecherous nickname, she grabbed onto his arm and got in his face, unnerving him. "Would you like to be rewarded for saving this damsel in distress from the Wicked Ice Queen?" The Blonde Brawler asked in a exaggerative voice, Umbra jerked back, eyes going wide. Ruby, Weiss and Blake just collectively sighed.

"No thanks." He stated, scratching his hair in awkward and anxious movements while his pale countenance blushed. Yang blinked at him and ran her hand through her long golden locks.

"Yeah, I guess we can "Spar" some other time." Umbra went beet red and rushed to the bathroom. Yang looked at her original team and saw them giving her stern looks.

"What?" She played innocent. Ruby shook her head and facepalmed while Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Blake asked aloud looking at her from her bed, arms folded.

"What's wrong Blake?" The Brawler step forward and leaned in at her face with a sneer. "Jealous?" Blake felt her face burn with embarrassment.

"N-No." She stuttered in a low voice. Yang stood straight and gave a chuckle.

"Think you've finally found your knight in Black Leather?"

"No!" She struck back, "That isn't..."

"For the sake of decency, please just stop." Weiss butted in. The Golden Blonde turned and looked at her with the all to familiar smile that drove them all crazy.

"Ah, Blake, looks like you've got competition." Weiss's face contorted with embarrassment, disgust and anger.

"Gods, no. Why would anyone want to be with that Murderer and Thief?" She felt a part of her squirming against the chains and cage she kept it confined in. Truth was she didn't like him, she was simply interested in what made him tick but she couldn't deny that she thought he was attrac-"No!" She then pointed in Yangs face. "I'm insulted that you could even gesture to such an atrocity. Do you even remember what happened last night?"

Everyone's mood soured at the mention of the place in that back ally. Yang just sighed "I know..." Ruby bit her lip.

"It was self defense." Ruby told them, all eyes turned on her. "I talked with him." Weiss walked over to her and raised her hand in a questioning manner.

"Then please, enlighten us with his alibi." She said almost sarcastically.

"He had no choice, he approached their leader and they tried to kill him." Ruby said sternly.

"Well maybe he shouldn't have made deals with criminals." Blake scofffed in the background.

"I'm sure your family truly knows how to make honest deals with honest people." Weiss turned to her with a glare.

"This has nothing to do with MY family, this has to do with a boy who has killed dozens of people that has been placed with us to live with. Aren't you all a bit afraid that he would at least get us in trouble. What happened last night could had us charged as accomplices in murder, something that in Atlas could get you sentenced to death along side a Murderer."

"This isn't Atlas, Weiss, this is Vale." Blake told her in a matter-of-fact tone, "The Law here is a little less bloodthirsty and more focused on the facts. We'd be alright if worse comes to shove, because Ozpin would cover for us. If anything, what we should be ranting about is how are we going to help him."

"Help him?" Weiss said with a scoff, "Tha last thing I'd do would be complicit in his crimes." She tried to deflect the conversation.

"You know that's not what I mean." Both glared at eachother with the power to make the weak willed collapse. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Uh, guys, lets...calm-Ah!" Everyone jumped when the bathroom door bursted opened.

Bathroom.

Umbra felt sick.

"Damsel in Distress." He leaned against the sink, and felt bile coming up from the bottom of his throat.

"Damsel." He swallowed it in disgust and felt his throat burn.

"Aren't you going to save your Damsel in distress?"

He remembered running. Blood in the streets. People screamed all around. Clash of metal, crack of rifle. Senseless slaughter. Cries of Terror, Shouts of Pleasure. Flowers stained in Blood. Tears and sweat, droplets of blood covering his face.

"Liora!" He screamed, at the sight of her broken.

Blood running down her chin like drool, tears streaming down her face. A sad smile at him. Blood in a puddle below her, staining the world.

"Umbra..." screams of terror, images of death and happiness flooded his mind at its memory.

"Stop it." He told himself.

"It's going to be ok, I'm getting you out of here!"

"Too late..." Smiles and laughter, peaceful moments stained by bloodshed.

"I don't want to hear it, I don't want to see it."

"Promise me," He could feel her hand reaching up and resting on his cheek, "That no matter what, you'll be happy one day after this..."

He bit his lip in pain and growled internally. He could see that image clear as day. His heart started to thump in his ears.

"That'll you'll find happiness, like we had-" She coughed up blood.

He covered his face with his gloved hands. Teeth clenched in pain.

"That'll you'll find someone else to love."

He winched his eyes closed. His heart threatened to jump out of his chest.

"No! You can't leave me!"

"S-Stop."

"I love you, Umbra."

He fell backwards and slid down a wall to the to the floor.

The room started to darken and shift from a small bathroom to an endless void. Umbra put his hood on and planted his hands on his face. He knew the type of shit that comes next. He peaked through his fingers to see light shining on a Elk Faunus Kid like in a play, his left antler Broken, his body blue and bloody. He raised his right hand, it's bones evident of being broken, at him. His swollen eyes pierced his soul.

"Help...help me..." He then coughed up blood, "Help...me...PLEASE..." He shut his eyes and tried to banish the dying memories spawning in front of him.

"Don't Listen to them, Don't Listen to them, Don't Listen to them, Don't Listen to them, Don't Listen to-" He was interrupted by the sound of gurgling blood. Out of habit, he looked and regretted it.

A man stumbled towards him, claws and bite marks covered his body. Long and deep. His belly was ripped open and guts hanged out, half eaten. His face was only recognizable one side as the rest was torn. His breathes were shallow, his eyes blinked constantly.

"H-H-e-e-l-p-p—me, Gr-Gri-Grimm!" Blood spattered out his mouth. Umbra tighten his hands over his eyes and tried to ignore the rest that followed. But then, he heard another woman wimpier, he looked.

"Please, kill me..." The Woman said, she wore rags and on her forehead was a brand of a Wolf and three claw marks, she was malnourished and frail. "Please...please!" She wailed.

"Please...stop..." He buried his face in his hands.

Then, he heard footsteps coming from his right. They stopped and bent down on their knees and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Umbra,"

"No..."

"What's wrong honey?" She rubbed his shoulder and then his back.

"Stop it, your not real..."

"I'm hurt to hear my baby boy say that."

"I'm not your baby boy, your dead!" Then his hood was removed and he was forced to look at her by her hand on his cheek.

"Son," He wanted to cry, "Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm not real." He could see her with her brown hair and black eyes and fair skin. She wore silk robes and had jewelry on, but the one that stuck out the most was the hollow silver circle with jagged edges around it.

"Mom..." He couldn't help himself anymore, he hugged her, "Mom!" He cried into her chest.

"It's ok, my little Light." She rubbed his head.

"It's not! I've turned into a monster! I can't save anyone!"

"Oh Umbra, my Little Light, my Little Boy..." She then wrapped her arms around his neck, "Your right, just like you couldn't save me, UM-BRA!!" Umbra flailed in horror, when finally broke free he saw a sight that scarred him. Her face was rotten, her skin covered in maggots and worms, her eye sockets and exposed teeth were the same.

"No, no!" Her neck spewed blood and her head fell off.

Her head rolled on the floor "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He got up and looked all around as the dead started to shamble towards him. He turned around and saw the outline of a light around a door in the distance and made a run for it. The dead, started to pick up the pace. He ran for what seemed to be a lifetime.

"Coward!"

"Face who you let die!"

"You Demon!"

"Bastard!"

He ran only faster and faster until he bursted through the door, turned around and draw his sword, only to see a small bathroom?

"What is wrong with you?!" A familiar Heiress bellowed. He turned to see the shocked and surprised faces of RWBY. Weiss had her arms raised and her eyebrows contorted into anger. Yang and Blake faces both held confusion. Ruby was shaking uncontrollably as anxiety and shock took her. He let down his guard and scratched the back of his head.

"I just got a little spooked, that's all." He said looking at the ground.

"Spooked?" Weiss crooked an eyebrow, "Spooked at what? Soap? Shampoo?" She just nodded her head in aggravation. "Your insane."

"I'm just tired is all. I'm just used to being on edge for my life all the time."

"Why would you think they'd be anyone in a bathroom of all places?" Blake butted in.

"I...I...I think I'll just go to sleep right now." He marched right pass Weiss and then took off his coat and weapons and hit the floor. He quickly closed his eyes and imitate sleeping. RWBY just looked at him confused.

Outskirts of Vale, Emerald Forest.

"We will be upon the Outpost soon." Jupiter stated after looking at his map. The three would be Assassins trekked through the Woods along a Hidden trail.

"I swear, if I have to kill another Beowulf, I'll go crazy." Mars said while scratching his bald head. His helmet held in his other arm.

"I'm sorry, would you like for us to instead go to a Grimm pit and wait until you get to fight something different?" The Tall Caped Warrior said to the Taller Warrior sarcastically.

"No, I think I'd prefer to slaughter more sheep, like in that Town." He smiled.

"I'm surprised you didn't cause us to slaughter that Mountain Town."

"It wasn't my fault that Nosy Sheriff didn't know to respect your betters."

"No, but it was your fault we had to exterminate that town. Just like that Farm, just like that Caravan."

"Come on! It was fun!"

"To me, finishing the mission is fun." He looked back to his companions, "We would've caught up with our quarry by now if not for those detours. I would already be back in Dracos with the Eagle Tribe, feasting for our great victory and waiting for a more Valorous Task. Not traveling across half of two continents after one Target with two useful Savages."

"Did you even go through the Agoge?" Mars scratched his cheek, "You sound too much like a Atleasian Pussy." The Lighting Warrior stopped and turned around.

"Did you dare just insult my Honor and Manhood? You fucking Savage." His tone was steel.

"Yeah I did, Lightning Warrior." He smiled.

"Your lucky that we're both Champions. Otherwise, I would cut you down where you stand. When this mission is over, let's get permission for a duel and I'll show you who the stronger man is."

"That's some pretty serious words for someone who compensates with a long sword." Jupiter's hand shook on his blades handle.

"Says Someone who left his comrades to die while fleeing like a coward." Mars smirk fell to rage.

"Listen here, you Eagle Cunt, I'll gladly cut those precious wings from your corpse if you continue to dare bring that up." Both Just stared at eachother with anger for a moment before their silent companion broke the tension.

"There's three contacts ahead, all camouflaged." He said in a almost whisper of a voice. Both angered men turned to the path to see three red dots appear on eachother. A voice cut through the dark.

"What is it that we fight for?!" One of the voices echoed.

"The Empires Rebirth, Brother." Jupiter spoke.

"What do we hold dear?!" Another spoke.

"Loyalty, Strength and Domination. Brother." Mars spoke.

"Who are we?!" Another voice echoed.

"The Last Legion of Old and the First Legion of New. Brother." Pluto spoke aloud. One of the hidden men emerged from the bushes. He was adorned in a ghillie suit and held a sniper rifle in his hands.

"Welcome comrades." He spoke as he approached them, he slammed his fist against his chest. "What brings three champions out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"We've come to the outpost ahead of us because it, from my understanding, has a bullhead which can get us to Vale." Jupiter spoke, "We're on a important mission, given to us by the Commander himself."

"Say no more, follow me." He turned and they started to move. "Ron and Hadrian, keep watch." He spoke to his hidden teammates.

"Have you and this Outpost been come across by any anyone?" Jupiter asked.

"Well every now and then, we get some idiot traveler coming across the path and think it's a road to a village or something. We usually capture them and have them sent to a Processing Center for them to be broken and shipped to Dracos as Slaves. Only once in the last five years have we had to shoot someone. Thankfully, not many are stupid enough to come across us." He just sighed, "All they do is cry and whine, bringing Grimm down upon us." They stopped not far from the gate. "Here we are, good luck on your mission, comrades."

The outpost in front of them was what one would expect for a paramilitary group hiding in the woods. The walls were short, they were right in the middle of the forests with trees popping out. The areas where there was no trees were shaded by a net containing leaves and other foliage to camouflage the outpost from the sky. In front of them was a gate which was one that was either pushed in or out. On both side of it were guards, adorned in armor similar of Mars but with steel face masks hiding their countenance (Ryse son of rome Praetorian guard armor skin).

"Thank you Legionnaires." Jupiter told them as they continued. The camp was organized evenly. Four long tents lined up on both sides of camp with big important tents straight in the middle. There were black and purple banners adorning the walls, purple on black and black on purple. The ancient symbol of their Lost Empire and the Last Legion, a Dragon with it's wings spread out, Black and Purple, was dead center on all of them. All across the camp were Campfires and Legionnaires around them. Some with their helmets off, eating and drinking, sharing stories.

Right in front of the Three was such a campfire. When they made their way forward, many Legionnaires who noticed them stood up at attention. Soon the whole camp stood with their right fists on their chests, out of respect. They payed no attention to them as they went to one of the Main Tents in the middle of the complex. Identified by a Standard of a steel dragon. As they entered the tent, they faced the back of a Armored man with a helmet on the table that had a purple crest that was on top of the Helmet horizontally. (Ryse Son of Rome Centurion outfit) He turned around and quickly saluted when he noticed they were there.

"Hail and welcome, Champions." His eye's widened when he recognized which exact Champions they were, "T-The L-Lighting Warrior? Carnagebringer? B-Blood Bat? What in the Gods names are you here for?" Jupiter smiled.

"We're on official business by order of the Commander." He said in a tone that belonged to nobility while pulling out a scroll of paper. He unrolled it and showed the Centurion, "Here is our Orders with the Imperial Seal of Authenticity."

"Pardon me, does this have to do with the Slave King in the Region?" The Centurion's words cut deep in the three Champions.

"Servus Regem, the Right Hand of the Commander is in Vale?" Jupiter asked dumbly.

"Yes, and so is the Left Hand as well."

"MASTER?!" The three Champions four themselves pale.

"Something BIG must be going down or will go down if the Commanders Hands are both in the same city." Jupiter stated, "This makes our request all the more Urgent."

"What is it that you need Champions?" He asked.

"We require you to get your Bullhead Pilots to give us a lift to one of our Facilities in Vale. Our Mission is dire, and we need to report to the Hands of the Commander now."

"It will be as you require Lighting Warrior." He grabbed his helmet and put it on, the built in mask obscuring his rough face. "Follow me." They walked out of the Tent and across the camp. The Legionaries they walked by stopped for a second to give them the salute they gave before. Eventually they came across a Bullhead with Vale Defense Force Markings and a small tent with room for four people in it. Two Men adorned in Black and Purple Pilot clothes worked on the Bullhead. One of them noticed them approaching from behind and bumped the others arm and they both stood up and did the Salute.

"Hail Centurion! Hail Champions!" One of them said, "Pilots Fargo and Adalius of the Night Flight reporting to Duty Sir!"

"At ease Pilots, these Champions need a ride to Vale. So get the Launch Pad unveiled and get those Engines started."

"Yes Sir!" They Both echoed and immediately got to work. The Centurion turned to the Three Champions.

"It's a shame we have to travel using these Pathetic Kingdoms Colors, but that's just the way it is, for now." He sighed, "They'll be done soon, but in the Meantime, I will assign you three a Honorguard to show my respect for you and the Hands of the Commander."

"You don't have to do that, Centurion..." Jupiter started.

"Marcus, and yes, I must." He turned around and pointed at a passing Patrol, "You four, over here." They turned and hurried over to in front of the Elites, rifles in hand.

"Legionnaires Reporting to Duty, Sir." One of them, their Leader, stated.

"You Four will accompany these Champions to Vale where you will represent our Outpost as their Honorguard." He told them, "Get behind them now." Three of the Four did as he said quickly. One stood defiant. "Legionary, I ordered you to move."

"Sir, can I please be excuse from this Duty." He looked straight at Mars, "I do not want to be the Honorguard of a Coward who left his Men to die." Mars growled.

"What did you just say?" He walked away from the others towards the lone Legionary. The masked solder looked him straight in the eyes.

"You heard me, COWARD!" Everyone around the camp started to gather around. The two sleeping pilots woke up peaked their heads out their tent. The Centurion and Jupiter face palmed as the three other Legionaries shook their heads at him to signal that what's he's doing is a bad idea.

"Brave talk, for a Legionary." Mars got closer, "Don't you remember being taught to respect those higher than yourself?"

"I do, but as I see it, your nothing but dirt.

"I respect you for being fearless in the face of death." He cracked his neck, "So take off your helmet and draw your sword, Cur." Mars finished as he drew one of his blades. The Legionary threw his rifle to the side and removed his masked helmet, revealing a Man no younger than twenty with a buzzed hair and a scar on his lip.

"I'll be doing the Commander a Favor by removing you from our ranks, God of War." He pulled out his sword, a Gladus, the Standard Melee weapon of the Last Legion Infantry. "It's time to put a Callous Dog like you down-" he couldn't finish as his head was severed from his shoulders. Mars stood there with one arm stretched out with blood dripping on his blade.

"Anyone else has something they'd like to say about me?" He said as he looked around. No one else challenged him.

"Idiot..." Jupiter said as he looked at headless body of their forth member of their retinue. Mars turned around and walked back to Centurion Marcus.

"You know the penalty for someone if they lose in a challenge to an higher up, don't you?"

"Yes...Champion."

"Good, make sure those hounds get their fill." Mars went back to the other two.

"You!" Marcus pointed at another Legionary, "With the Guard, on the double!"

"Yes Sir!" He ran and joined the other three.

"Fairwell, Centurion." Jupiter said as they boarded the Bullhead and then ascended to the sky. The Centurion sighed.

"Your four," He pointed to more men, "I want his armor and weapons stripped and given to the Quartermaster. I want his corpse to be give to the butcher and then to the beast master."

"Yes Sir." They got to it.

"Fool.." He thought as he looked at the now dead soldier being stripped.

Bullhead.

"Idiotic Edo." One of the Legionaries spoke as they sat together. "That Fool challenge an Champion and defied orders. He got what was coming to him."

"It's a shame I won't get to see his body being fed to the hounds." Another shook his helmeted head, "I never liked that Pain in the Ass."

"At least he died bravely at least." Another spoke, "That's at least admirable."

"Silence!" Jupiter ordered, Tired and Aggravated.

"As you command, Champion."

The Lighting Warrior yawned, he was tired. Tired of chasing the Boy, tired of working with two Tactless brutes, tired of being away from Dracos. He looked out the window to see them approaching Vale. Thanking God they'll soon be there.

Vale, Factory District, Legion HQ.

The Bullhead touched down on a landing pad and was met by a retinue of five men in suits. Firstly, the four legionaries came out and stood side by side and back to front with space for others to walk in between them. Then, the Three Champions followed. The Men in suits did the same salute as the men in the camp did and one of them greated them.

"Hail Champions, I suppose you seek to speak with the Slave King?" The one in the middle asked.

"Yes, indeed Comrade." Jupiter answered.

"Me and my men shall escort you to him." He turned, "Come." The outside, the Factory was just an abandoned facility with Men in suits standing guard. The Inside, was another matter. When they entered, they were met by the sight of numerous Legionaries in their black and purple armor and many cages, filled with new slaves to be shipped out.

"I see you've all been rustling some cattle." Mars remarked at the people in the cages.

"Yes, indeed. Vale and it's region has always been a good source of Slaves." The Suited Legionary remarked, "Every day, we snatch homeless people, working girls and especially Orphans. We've been shipping dozens out everyday to Processing centers in the Imperium and all across Sanus. Now that Servus Regem is here, we can expect our Numbers to double."

"He is called the Slave King for a reason." Jupiter interjected, "His Model has tippled the number of slaves acquired since three decades ago." They passed by a cage, Men, Women and Children, humans and faunus looked up at the passing Men in fear. Mars looked down at them with a crazed smile, his orange eyes striking fear into their hearts.

"Sheep." Is all he said as they continued on. They walked up steel stairs and down a hallway until they stopped at a door. Two guards stood side by side a door, with rifles in hand. Jupiter turned around to the four that fallowed them.

"You four have done your job well, now get back to your Bullhead and get back to your Outpost." He told them.

"Yes Sir, it's been a Honor Lighting Warrior." They turned around and left. Jupiter turned back to the two guards and spoke to them.

"I am Jupiter Gloria, with me are Mars Brutalis and Pluto Sitis." He did a salute with his fist on his chest, "We are here to report and to see Servus Regem, the Slave King."

"Hail and Welcome Champions," The One on the Right said, "Let me see if the Commanders Hand is busy." He then went in the room himself and after a moment came out. "The Slave King will see you now."

"Thank you." Jupiter said as they entered into the room. It was a study, three bookshelves adorned the rooms walls, a ornate desk was in the center of the room, a couch and a chair along with a coffee table were also present. On the wall to their right there was three monitors and in the back corner eloquent gold, black and purple armor on a mannequin it's helmet had a metal mask that only obscured from the nose up. On the desk, there was a computer, papers and a few books. Setting at it in a fancy black chair was a Man in a black and purple suit with a purple tie. Three long scars went down the left side of his face to the base of his neck. With a Roman Nose and a square jaw, his thin eyebrows and faded hair made him look aristocratic. He had a book in his hands, he continued to read it as he addressed his visitors.

"So, we meet again Champions." The Trio immediately kneeled in the presence of the Commanders Right Hand.

"My Lord, we have yet to encounter Loki." Jupiter said with a pained voice.

"I know, arise." The three stood with his command. "Take off your Helmets and Hood." Jupiter lifted his spartanesqe helm off his head to reveal long silver hair tied up in a low ponytail, a pale complexion with deep yellow eyes. Mars took off his maskless helm to reveal a clean shaven head with tattoos of soldiers slaughtering people all around his crown. Pluto pulled down his hood to reveal messy purple hair and grime covered face which had droplets of dried blood in random places, his red eyes soulless. "Sit, make yourselves comfortable." He said this while flipping a page.

After sitting down, Jupiter sighed. "We tracked him from Mistral all the way to a Village called Lamplight. Apparently, before we got there, some Huntress and her students came to steal our quarry." He gestured to his sides, "We would've caught up to him sooner if my Comrades weren't seeking to kill someone every day." Mars growled.

"Maybe If you weren't giving a lecture every hour, I wouldn't get so bored."

"Maybe If you had some tact, we could've gotten out of a few hot situations."

"Why you son of a bitch-"

"Enough." Servus spoke sternly. They both shut up at his word. "I have good news and I have bad news." They all tensed up at this. "The Good News is that The Commanders Mission isn't urgent or punishable by death, if it was, I would have you three killed right now for such pettiness. The bad news is your Mission is on hold."

"W-What?!" Jupiter and Mars Both blurted out.

"To go after him now would get in the way of the Commanders plan." He flipped a page, "Seeing how he's now a student at Beacon Academy." All three of them is eyes went wide.

"Why would those weaklings let someone like him go to their School?" Mars blurted out, rage in his voice. "I'll kill them all if they can think they can deny me my VENGEANCE!!" Servus closed his book and looked at them all with cold eyes.

"None of you shall do no such thing. To attack him at the Academy would be counterproductive to his overall plans."

"What is his plans, if I may ask Servus?" Jupiter ran his hand through his hair.

"Well, right now he's taking care of the traitors in Vacuo. He wants me to establish contact with another group, apparently this cabal has been doing things even underneath our noses. Things that are Anti-Kingdom in nature. He wants us to become allies with them." Servus then turned on the monitors with a press of a button. There appeared the footage of the Wolves Den. "Now that Loki is here, it is all the more important to reinforce Midgard."

"Can you please not use those damn code words? They're so confusing." Mars stated as he scratched his chin. The Slave King looked him straight in the eyes.

"No." He then looked back to the screens, "Loki's first attack on us was where we expected him to go, the Wolf Den. He took the bait and forgot to scrub our cameras." Then the biggest screen showed Umbra walking with the others down the alleyway. "Apparently, this is his team, which are made up of some interesting girls." With a tap of another button, four profiles popped up. "Ruby Rose and Yang Xiaolong, daughters of one of Beacons most famous and renowned Teams and one with a blood connection to the Tribe's Leader, Raven Branwen. Blake Belladonna, daughter of the former leader of the White Fang and leader of Menagerie, Ghira Belladonna. Our intelligence agencies sudgest she is or at the very least, was linked to Adam Taurus and the White Fang. And lastly, Weiss Schnee, the Heiress to the Schnee dust company, daughter of our CEOs Business Associate, Jacques Schnee."

"Talk about Irony." Jupiter stated.

"It doesn't matter, I will cleave through them like the rest." Mars said with a sadistic laugh, "Though, the Schnee, wouldn't that cause problems?"

"Well if it came down to it, I'm sure he'd be mad at first. But, he'd come around after his Son becomes his Heir." Servus says while getting a note pad and starting to write randomly. "He's one of those people who wish Atlas's inheritance laws would change to how they used to be. The Male automatically gaing inheritance before any female would, despite age. Or just choose who they think is more worthy. The current laws demand that no one can descriminate against the eldest unless they revoke their claim themselves or deemed mentally unstable. But, we don't have to worry about that right now because the mission is on hold."

"Well if the mission is on hold, what are we going to do?" The Lighting Warrior asked.

"You three will be doing tasks for me and the Cities unofficial Governor, Ferro Cordis. As well as help your former master with training our Forces in the city." He then sat the pad and pen down and looked at the three Men coldly, "You also will be doing our Commander a favor by keeping an eye on the Governor. After what happened in Vacuo, he is not very trusting of his Governors."

"As you command, Slave King." Jupiter said eloquently.

"I have a question." Mars scratched his head, "When will the Commander get done with punishing the Gangs in Vacuo?"

"Soon." Was all Servus said.

Vacuo, in a undisclosed location.

The room was a pitch black when he woke, the floor was wet and damp. His feet felt numb and his wrists hurt from cuffs cutting into them as he hanged from chains attached to the ceiling. His body was sore from the beatings they gave him hours before and wet from the water boarding. His back felt painful and he felt the sore burns from the brand on his forehead. He couldn't see anything, he tried to free himself from the chains but he couldn't even move his hands together. Suddenly, the door up the stairs before him opened and heavenly light shined down on him. A dark Silhouette descended with two others following him.

The door closed behind them and all he could hear were their footsteps. "Rise and shine, Rodriguez." Spoke a charismatic egotistical and aristocratic voice. Rodriguez started to shake in fear. The steps got closer and closer. "Wow, it's really dark down here. I'm going to have to give the Centurion some credit." The mysterious and ominous voice spoke. He stopped right at Rodriguez's side, "Though, that's the point, ain't it? Because like the little cretin you are, your scared of the Dark." He then grabbed the man's chin and whispered in his ear. "While Men like me live in darkness. You know why I'm here don't you?" Rodriguez started to tear up and breathe very fast.

"I'm sorry, ok, I was lead astray. Pompey lied to all of us!" The chained man cried, "Please, give me another chance, I've took my punishment, I've bled for my mistakes."

"Oh how pitiful, want me to get your mother?" The Hidden Man smacked Rodriguez across the face and started to laugh sinisterly. "You're so weak, face your death with some courage, or just continue to make my day." The Chained Man shook his head in horror, "Either way there's no getting out of this Rodriguez, no one betrays my Legion. No one defys us and gets to live a peaceful life. No one Insults me, the inheritor of a bloodline of a thousand years, and gets away with it." He snapped his fingers and two torches lit the room, revealing the two Leagionaries who lit them.

The light shined on most of the room, but somehow, the Man's face was hidden by shadows. "Don't you know about my people's ancestors, about our once great empire?" He got into the man's face, "Don't you know the word origin of Draconian? Our people were what inspired that word in the common tongue. Our harsh punishments were legendary, we have so many ways to torture and execute people, most that were lost to the cowards who fled our home continent that established the kingdoms. But we, have always kept those customs up with new additions every decade." He was practically against Rodriguez's face now. "All did and all shall fear the Dragon of Dracos. You have learned that, now it's time for you to graduate you waste of flesh." The Legionaries set the torches on holders on the wall and went behind the chained man.

"W-What a-are they d-doing?" He asked shaking. The exposed stubbled lower part of the man's face sprung a devilish smile.

"They are preparing your slow and painful journey to the next life." He said while pulling out a silver blade, "I think I shall show you something truly remarkable," The Sword was a cutlass with a blade like a Sabre. "Behold Durandal, the sharpest sword in the world."

"Oh Oum, oh no." Rodriguez said in realization.

"This sword cuts through stone, metal, bone and Aura like butter." He pressed the blade against Rodriguez's cheek and chuckled as he tried to move away and blood started to leak from it. "You know what I'm going to do, don't you?"

"Please Just Kill-argh!" He screamed as the blade sliced open his eyeball along with his cheek.

"What was that?" The Man asked sarcastically.

"Damn you-Ahh!" He did it again. "Gods, no! Someone help me!"

"Come on, cheer up, your gonna be dead soon." He said as the two Legionnaires walked out from behind the man.

"My lord, the water should be ready to be activated." One said.

"And the Nibblers are ready to be dumped." The Other said.

"Thank you Legionaries, now please head up the stairs as I tell this fool what's going to happen." All Rodriguez could hear was their footsteps as the Man then patted his back.

"What are you gonna do?" He asked in total fear.

"Who am I?" The Man asked out of the blue.

"Lucius Tennebrius, the Commander of the Last Legion." Rodriguez said confused and scared.

"No," He said as he grabbed the chained man's throat, "I'm your executioner. Now I want you to remember me and my smile when you're drowning in the dark, when these little fishies tear apart your skin." He let go, "Make Peace with what god you worship, because ours has deemed you unworthy to live." He sheathed his sword and walked back up the stairs.

"Wait! Please, don't do it! I'll do anything just don't drown me!" His cries went unheard as water started to pour from the corners. Soon, he felt biting "No! Nooo!"

Beacon Academy, Sunday Mourning.

Umbra woke up surprised, there was no nightmare that caused his sleep to be ended. He got up and got ready, he then left their dorm after leaving a letter telling everyone he was not running away but going to train in the training rooms. The last thing he needed was to cause a pointless goose chase. He exited out the hall and looked around, "No Assassins." He thought as he began to walk down the hall. The walk across the Academy was one full of suspicious glares and people advoiding him as he walked by. It was a foggy and cool morning, birds chirping and some people about.

"What do you think he is? A new teacher?" He heard a group talk about him as he passed.

"I don't know, I've never seen a huntsman teacher look so young and dressed up as some punk." He looked at the boy who said that as he passed. His serious red eyes broke the fools bravado when he smiled.

"I'm going to enjoy giving you homework." He said sarcastically as he passed the boy. When he was faraway he chuckled. "Everyone is brave until confronted." He said to himself. He remembered plenty of small time thugs or trouble makers who acted tough and said that they are "Going to teach him a lesson" who scrambled just at seeing his sword. When he finally came across the training facility he felt anxiety. He hadn't trained in normal conditions for years. Always he had dwelled in the woods or the edges of towns, in nature's beauty. Of course, that was how it was, until he was set to enroll in a Hunter Academy. It popped in his head to at least check it out and forgo being ranted at for chopping down a tree in the school's park.

"I guess now is better than later." He thought as he walked up the stairs.

"It's been one long weekend," Tyrfing spoke mentally, "It's amazing, don't you think Umbra. Earlier this week we were pursuing the man who took everything away from you and now we're dealing with four girls."

"Yeah, we would probably have been on our way to Vacuo today if we weren't kidnapped by them." Umbra spoke aloud as he entered the pristine building. He then walked through the halls a little lost he peeked in the rooms. Surprisingly, there were a few people up and training. One room had four tall boys lifting weights. One of them, taller than Umbra with brown hair laughed as another boy with a green mohawk fell to the ground tired. Another room farther up the hall had a very jacked boy lifting weights as a rabbit Faunus girl stretched on a mat. Then he found a room empty and with nothing but a matted floor. Perfect for his training.

"This should be good enough." He said as he unsheathed Tyrfing from his back with a twirl. He then began to practice his styles. He started by preforming precise strikes, them in a twirl he slung the blade with two hands on the hilt of his sword around him in a attack if used against enemies without aura, it would disembowl them. He then ran forward and lept into the air and stabbed forward and turn backwards in a slash and strike up and down repeatedly for five times and jumped and slashed diagonally. He then stood up straight and continued to train for what seemed to be hours.

Eventually he stopped, breathing heavily from the long training period, using Tyrfing as a cane. "I wish I didn't lose that canteen three weeks ago," He said while wiping the sweat of his forehead. "Fucking Grimm." He sheathed Tyrfing on his back.

"Now that was a fun fight." The spectral voice of the Crimson Blade spoke once more, "I still can't believe we rode a damn Goliath through a Outlaw camp."

"Yeah, it would be a fun memory if my canteen didn't get crushed by that big shit's foot." The sword chuckled as Umbra sighed. He got up to leave until he saw Yang in a track outfit.

"Training? Looks more like your just talking to yourself." She said sarcastically.

"So you got my letter I left."

"Nah, I just followed the trail of rotten plants Mr. Sourpants." She told him sarcastically as she walked into the room.

"Ha-Ha, very funny."

"So, want to spar?" She asked, cracking her knuckles with a smirk on her face.

"Heh, are you sure about that?" He smiled, and narrowed his eyebrows.

"I want a good honest rematch free of that crap you pulled to win against me in the mountains."

"You know what, fine." He smirked himself, "Do you want spar with or without our weapons?"

"I don't know, can you fight with your fists or do you only know how to swing your sword around." She winked at the last part of her question. He just slung off his swords sheath and took off his jacket. She noticed the scars on his arms as he pulled off the metal chest piece and his knife belt.

"I know a lot more than you know." He answered slyly, raising his fists. She raised her fists and they began to circle one another. The air became tense, as they stopped. In a second, Yang launched herself forward at Umbra with her fist. She missed as he stepped out of the way, and before she could stop, stuck out his leg and tripped her. She hit the mat hard, but got back up onto her hands and knees. Before she could get all the way up, he came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her neck and hoisted her up. "See, what did I tell you? Are you gonna surrender?"

"Fat chance!" She then elbowed him in the stomach and got free, turned around and clocked him in the face. He stumbled back but stopped himself. As she came forth again with her left, he went forward and strike her in the stomach as he dodged her attack. He connected his strike but it did not stop her as she punched him in the side of the chest. He retaliated with a kick to her chest. As she was pushed back, she looked up with a smile. He returned it as he prepared for the next strike. She came at him with fists ready as he striked. For the next hour, they continued this cat and mouse game. When it was over, they both were breathless. Sitting on the floor, they congratulated eachother prowess.

"Your very good at fighting, Yang." The Reaper told her, as rubbed his hand through his now sweat drenched hair.

"So are you, where did you even learn how to do that shit?" She asked as rubbed a slight bruse on her cheek while her aura healed it.

"Surviving." He answered her, "If you don't know how to fight without weapons, you're screwed without one. I'm very good with my sword-" Yang snickered, "And other equipment. I learned how to fight with nothing to have an extra edge."

"Well, fortunately for me, I was always good at punching-"

"Not as good at kicking it seems." He chuckled, She then punched him in the shoulder and he recoiled in slight pain. "Damn, calm down blondie." He rubbed his shoulder as she chuckled.

"Wanna say that again?" She teased.

"No, I've already fought enough this morning." He said as he was getting up, "So, what are you planning to do this day?" He grabbed his gear and started to put it on.

"I was thinking of going to Vale again." She told him, "This place gets so boring sometimes."

"That's weird, because for me it's been a never ending adventure since I got here." He sighs as he put his jacket on. Yang then remembered the tale her and her sister heard last year on patch heard from a sailor.

"So, is those stories true?" Yang asked quickly, Umbra turned towards her.

"Which ones?"

"Me and my sister heard about a boy dressed just like you cleared a herd of Grimm near a town called Hoovelbr in the north of Anima." She leaned forward like a excited child being told a fairy tail.

"Yeah, I did that." He told her as he put his sword on himself, "It was hard, but I killed them all. Got a nice bit of Lien for it too. The townspeople were thankful to relax for once." She just smiled.

"You know Umbra, your not a bad guy." Yang told him as she got up, "You've acted a little weird but I'm sure there's a good person inside of you." He didn't know whether to feel offended or relieved, "I mean, you've done some very questionable stuff, but you helped people when you could." She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've got my support if you ever need it."

"Well, thanks." He looks down and shake his head, "I'm just not used to things being this way. By now, I'd be long gone from here."

"Well, you're here now. Might as get used to it and try to make it a worthwhile time." She said with enthusiasm.

"I guess." He responded, and then followed a minute of awkward silence.

"Soooooo..." Yang said drawn out, "I'm not trying to be rude, but I have to know." She took a step forward and spoke. "Where did you get that cool scar?" Umbra shut down.

Scar...

The world went dark around him as He was walking towards him, a Sword in his right hand the fusion of a Sabre and a cutlass. The slow and methodical clicks of his boots, the coat tails flapping in the fiery wind. His cruel and evil smirk. Umbra held Tyrfing nervously as his adversary chuckled. "Come on Boy, it's time to prove yourself strong or weak." The Ravenette slung his blade too late, as the glimmer of silver past by his face and it unleashed a flood of crimson. He fell on his knees with his right hand on his face. He grit his teeth in pain and in anger. "I see, you aren't strong, yet." He chuckled, Umbra felt something well and ignite inside of him. Crimson fiery Rage.

"Umbra?" He woke up out of his flashback, Yang looked at him worried. "You started to worry me, staring off like that."

"Sorry." The Shadow responded, his voice and demeanor reverting back to the dead one.

"Is this over the question I asked? I'm sorry, I didn't-" He didn't let her finish.

"It's ok, to answer your question, I got this reminder from the bastard who took everything from me. It's my mark for being so weak when I fought him. But next time, I will kill him, slowly and painful." He spoke with gritted teeth. He then walked off, "See you later Yang." She looked on with guilt as he disappeared.

Beacon Academy, Some Random Hallway.

Umbra walked through the halls aimlessly as he tried to clear his mind about that day and all others. He couldn't how much had changed in so little time in his life. He couldn't believe he was at beacon, especially after everything he had done in life. All the blood he had shed. It was all so nauseating like a carnival ride. When he turned into another corner, he ran into Miss Goodwitch.

"Mister Redson." She addressed him, "I've been looking for you."

"Why?" He asked with a brow raised.

"Ozpin told me to tell you, since he thinks you don't fully know how to use your scroll, that your Uniform has arived in your room and that you need to put your sword up."

"Why do I have to put Tyrfing up?" He said with hostility.

"Because it is against policy for students to have their weapons on them at anytime except Missions and combat class." She spoke in a matter of fact tone. "Ozpin may have given you some special treatment, but you cannot be walking around Beacon with a sword strapped to your back."

As much as Umbra wanted to deny it and debate, she was right. "What do we do?" He asked his Sword.

"You just have to put me away for now I guess, I don't know how we could get out of this." It answered honesty.

"But, what if we can't communicate if your far away?" The Shadow mentally said scared.

"I think we might be able to still communicate, but nonetheless it is a viable provability." The Blade reasoned.

"Damn it..." He sighed as he got ready to speak to her. "Take me to these lockers."

"Right this way." She turns and they walked down a hallway.

Beacon Academy, Locker Room.

The Dark Swordsman looked down at his blade in his hands before the opened rocket locker. He gripped the leather bound and strapped sheath and sighed. He felt jittery, like a mother putting her child up for adoption or a man putting his dog down. He did not want to lose his only friend still alive. It's crazy to think, a sentient sword being your only source of sanity in a shitty world. But what else did he had? They're all dead and gone. He started trembling as he- "Anytime Mister Redson." The Witch spoke. He looked at her with a scowl and put the blade into the locker. He unstrapped the throwing knife belt but stealthily put the blades into his satchel. The dagger was still hidden, so there was no need to worry about her bitching about that.

With a slam, he locked his best and only friend left into a still cage. He turned to her, "Happy?"

"Yes, now you're free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day. Just remember you're locker code." She then was on her way. He turned back to the locker and mentally spoke to the Sword.

"Alright, you start counting and I'll start walking. If there is a distance that you stop being able to talk to me, we'll find it."

"I hope there isn't no distance, but we've never been apart since I was sentient to know. It could be that are bond gets weak or it doesn't."

"Well knowing my never ending streak of bad luck, I'm gonna say there is some problem." They then began their experiment as Umbra walked away.

Beacon Academy, Infirmary.

Jaune looked up at the ceiling as they all waited for the doctor to come and release him and Ren. It had been a boring and stressful weekend. Just sitting on that bed and rethinking about his failure over and over again. It had tormented him no matter what Pyrrha had said to try and make him feel better. He held the card of five thousand Lien in his hands and inspected it for the hundredth time. He had been flabbergasted when Umbra had gave them all five thousand Lien each. He had never held that much money in his hands, only in the hands of his father Nicholas.

"You simply do not have the talent."

He had been right, his father. Here he was, sitting in a infirmary with a bandage on his head. If Pyrrha had not unlocked his aura, in all the fights he had fought since, he would have died. He had failed his team and he had met his fathers expectations. That boy had made that more clear. He had moved with a sword like a dancer, much like his father did. All Jaune had done was be beaten by both.

"He can never can be a Huntsman," Jaune had heard his father say to his mother once, "No matter how many times I show him a proper stance, he fails to preform." All he had ever wanted to do was make him proud but he failed again and again. His father looked at him like he was a cripple, with pitiful eyes. While some of his elder sisters were admired and celebrated. "That's my girls!" He had once said with joy and pride as his older sisters came home from Hunter academies as full fledged Huntresses.

Jaune sighed as he got up, Pyrrha, who was sitting down on a chair nearby spoke to him. "Jaune?"

"I'm just taking a walk around the room, the doctor is taking forever." He stretched.

"She said she would be back soon," Ren interjected. He laid down on a bed, Nora sitting beside him, cheered up from the gloom of the last few days.

"She probably got lost this maze of a building." She said light hearted. "Ren! We should play hide and go seek like we did when we were younger here! This place would be perfect!"

"Nora, the moment we're free to go I'm going to take a walk. A long one." He told her, "My legs have gotten restless." Jaune walked over to them.

"Yeah, you've been confined to that bed the whole time we've been here." He scratched his cheek, "At least I've been allowed to get up."

"Nonetheless we were both lucky." The air in the room turned sour as they all remembered the doctor breaking that news on them. As awkward silence crept into the room, the door opened. Out came Doctor Aubergine with a clip board in hand.

"Good news, you're all set to go." She told them, Jaune felt relief flooded his veins. "Now let's get those bandages off." Time floated by as the Doctor unwrapped the boy's wounds. After it was all said and done, Jaune's head and Ren's chest were bare and looked normal.

"There's not even a scratch," The would be Knight said as he looked into the mirror, "It's like nothing happened at all." Jaune looked on with amazement, he knew Aura could heal wounds and erase scratches but not at this level.

"That's because your aura healed it properly." Aubergine told him. "The only way for a person with aura to be scarred is for them their aura to be pierced or cut by a dust edged blade or if their aura is extremely low or broken. You both were lucky. Ren's aura was low, but not enough to cause a scar. You, on the other hand, Mister Arc. Your aura broke but, thanks to your high amount of reserves, it regenerated enough to heal you. If you had the same amount of Mister Ren, you would be very bad off right now."

"Damn..." Jaune cussed.

"You have an Ocean of Aura, Jaune."

For once in his life, a insult had a positive tune to it. If he didn't have a high amount of aura, he would be scarred, crippled or dead. "Well, I guess things are good then."

"Indeed So, have a good day Team JNPR. Make sure to remember my advice from the other day." With that, she left. The four students then left as well, intent on returning to their dorm.

Beacon Academy, Campus Grounds.

Team JNPR walked through the Campus and talked about the approaching school week. Jaune lamented that Tomorrow he had to go back to classes. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to Port's exaggerated tales and Ooblecks historic rants. Most of all, being battered around in Goodwitch's Combat class. As they walked by the statue of the Huntsmen, they encountered the last person they wanted to. Walking around the statue, face first into the Team was Umbra.

"Well," He spoke to them eyes wide, Pyrrha and Nora glaring at him while Ren raised a brow. "It's good to see you two out of that room, see you later." He hurried around them while Pyrrha huffed. Jaune put a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, calm down Pyrrha. Remember what we talked about?" She jerked away.

"How can you forgive him so easily Jaune?" Pyrrha snapped at him. "He humiliated you and the rest of us."

"Because we were the ones looking for trouble that night." He defended himself, "Let's go." He walked on, the rest of his team followed him.

Beacon Academy, some time later.

"234, 234, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242-"

"I think that's enough." He said, tired of the counting. "I think it's alright."

"Well, this is wonderful besides the fact I'm now surrounded by darkness in this locker." The Sword Spoke. The Swordsman just laughed as he observed his surroundings. He was now in a part of Beacon that obviously was a garden. The tall hedges and the bundles of flowers of every type being a dead give away. Soon, he found himself walking towards a bench, where he could sit down and draw the colorful sight around him.

"This place is beautiful." He said to himself as he pulled out his journal and pen. He saw several flowers that populated the fields around his home town. Daisys, Roses, Lilys and more. Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow, White. A rainbow of color surrounded him and dragged him out to the tidal waves of bliss. Time itself slowed down as he drew every detail of every last flower. He smiled, "Just like old times." It was sobering, until he saw the sunflower.

There, alone by itself, it stood tall and lean. Towering over all others like some High Priest at a meeting. Umbra bit his lip as he just stared at it. The thoughts of her entered his mind yet again and he found tears welling in his eyes, begging to burst like a dam. He saw her there, smiling her smile. "Liora," He choked that name out, "I'm sorry."

Beacon Academy, Gardens.

Weiss Schnee walked through campus bored and tired, the day long and eventless. She regretted not joining them on going to the city, but she had to practice her Glyphs. Now that was done, she had nothing left to do. So a long thoughtful walk seemed ideal. She thought about classes tomorrow, about how much fun they were all probably having about her and of course, that insufferable boy. He had yet to escape her mind with his weird mannerisms. "What's his deal?" She know knew his backstory, but these delusions and paranoia seemed to make everything more foggy. She just sighed and looked at the garden as she walked by...only to see him sitting at a bench hunched over writing something in a book.

She stopped, and observed him. He didn't notice her or made it known that he noticed her. He was focused solely on his work. Curious and bored, she started towards him. As she got closer, she noticed that he wasn't writing but drawing, drawing the flowers of the garden. She stopped by the bench, but he didn't pay her no mind. Seeking to learn why he was out here drawing, she got his attention. "Umbra?" He stopped and turned his head towards her. She was took aback by his watery eyes.

"What do you want Weiss?" He didn't speak with malice, but a tinge of despair. She shuffled anxiously.

"I was just walking and I saw you over here." She looked around at the rest of the Garden as she spoke, "I wanted to know what you are doing?"

"Drawing this garden.." He went back to it as she just stood there watching, perplexed. She looked at the two page drawing of the garden and saw that it was perhaps the most detailed drawing she had ever seen.

"You're really good Umbra." She said impressed.

"Thanks." He said, still focused on drawing. She then thought for a moment and decided something stupid.

"Can I sit down?" She asked, making him look away from his drawing to her, he then looked back to his work.

"Sure." She then sat down beside him on the bench. He continued to draw away.

"Where did you learn to draw that well?" She asked, sitting properly with her hands together.

"Always been able to." He answered, drawing still.

"That's quite a impressive natural skill." She asked looking around.

"Well, it's not really because I'm good a drawing. More and less, it's because I remember things too well." He stopped drawing and looked at her.

"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I have a photographic memory, essentially I can remember everything I've ever seen down to the detail." He explained looking down at the ground.

"That sounds really useful." She said, thinking about the uses a trait like that could provide.

"It is sometimes, but mostly it's a damn curse." This made her cover her mouth as she remembered what they learned about him at the diner.

"I'm sorry if I brought up some unpleasant memories."

"Don't be, I'm sorry." This made the Heiress blink. "I've been nothing but a nuisance to you all." He shook his head, "Listen, I've seen so many people I love die in front of me. It's broken me. Their deaths are ingrained on my mind and every day it's haunted me. My photographic memory is a Hell I cannot escape." He looked her right in the eyes. "I'm sorry for being weird and in part, being rude to you." He looked away, "I shouldn't judge you for being a Schnee. It's just I'm tired of bad people ruining others lives." She looked away with a blush on her face.

"I'm sorry for judging you too." She rubbed her face, "My father has done some unsavory stuff that has stained my family's name, so your hatred in a way is justified." Umbra looked off into the distance, she noticed this but said nothing.

"I understand." He said, clenching his fists tight showing subtle anger.

"I'm sorry for calling you a murderer and thief-" She was cut off.

"You were right." He told her, "I've killed dozens and I've stole plenty. The only thing that separates me from them is that they are my targets, not normal folk." She looked at him surprised.

"Who are they?" She inquisitively asked but he avoided the question.

"Bad people." He sighed, "I'm sorry Weiss, since we are now in a team let's just try to tolerate each other." He reached out his hand to her. "Let's try to move on from petty squabbles." She was simply dumbfounded that he would do this out of nowhere. She grabbed his hand.

"Ok." They shook hands. After that, there was a moment of silence between them, as the wind blew through the flowers

"I love places like this." He said, "They're always so colorful and peaceful. Just like that town was..." He stared off into the distance again as Weiss thought of home.

"Believe it or not, this is perhaps the most colorful place I've been. All the color at home is just Blue and White, even Solitas as a whole is not that much of a colorful continent.."

"Hehe, Blue and White fits you just fine." She looked away again, blushing. She pulled out her scroll and looked at the time.

"It's getting late." She told them, "The others went out with Team JNPR, they should be back soon."

"Why didn't you go?" He asked, putting his journal and pen back in his satchel.

"I had to practice..." The Ashen Haired girl answered. He then noticed her scroll, his cheeks heated up as he decided to ask her something.

"Hey, c-can you s-show me how to u-use a Scroll?" Weiss looked at him for a moment and then laughed.

"How do you not know how to use a scroll?" She asked snickering.

"I've, never had one." He told her, she stopped her laugher. She felt a pang of guilt.

"Forgive me, I'll show you." She held out her hand, "Give me your scroll." He reached into his pocket and gave her the strange device. She took it and held it for him to see and pressed the diamond button and pulled it apart. Showing a few messages from Ruby dated that morning. "That's how you open a scroll, next you want to..." She then went about showing him all the various stuff one could do with a scroll, the camera, the apps, the messages and more. He paid attention diligently, taking note of every feature. They sat there for what seemed to be an hour and by the time she got done telling and showing him stuff, the sky a light blue hue to it as night crept in. "Well that's all, we might want to head back to the dorms."

"Agreed." He said as they both got up, he looked at her and saw as her ponytail blew in the wind and how the dull light of the moon seemed to reflect off her and made her pale blue eyes glow. "Maybe this School won't be so bad after all."

Authors Note:

Finally out of the introduction arc, now we can actually get to the school part of this story. Please give me some feedback and reviews. Especially about my own unique lore and the relationships between the characters. Don't worry about the original Villians, they are appearing soon.

Thank you all for reading my story, I've worked really hard on it.