Forever Fall, day

"Yes, students. The forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep in the forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so." Glynda said as she led the students through the crimson forest. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay with your teammates. We will rendezvous back here at 4 o'clock. Have fun!"

'You can't tell us that and then say "have fun".' Dominic thought with a scowl as he caught Jaune being dragged by Cardin in the corner of his eye. Eventually, Team XICR managed to start sap-collecting. However...

"What are you looking at?" Ivy asked as she used Life magic to get the sap easier than normal.

Dominic just stared into the distance, at the area over the hill they were underneath. "Nothing, just got my head in the clouds." Dominic said with a faked smile. He used brute strength to punch a hole in one of the trees before putting the sap inside his jar.

Meanwhile...

"Cardin, what's going on?" Jaune asked the blackmailer.

"Payback." he growled as he stared at the group. One pyromaniac in particular.

"Dominic?" Jaune asked. "What are you-"

"That's the guy. Little red jackass, thinks he can threaten me. Alright, boys..." Cardin said, bringing out a box filled with something buzzing...and angry. "Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're putting 'em to work. According to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these things LOVE sweets. (AN: Well, ALL bugs like sweets. Idiot.) I'm thinking it's time we teach him a thing or two." Cardin said with animosity before getting an idea. "And you're gonna do it!" he told Jaune, handing him a jar of sap.

"Do what?" Jaune asked, scared.

"Hit him with the sap!" Cardin ordered. "Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon."

Jaune was torn. Stay at Beacon, or harm one of his friends. Granted, Dominic and Jaune weren't close. After all, the two were on different teams. But he wouldn't do that, he wouldn't deserve being a Huntsman if he did. "No." Jaune said.

"What did you say?" Cardin asked angrily.

"I said NO!" Jaune yelled, throwing the jar at Cardin out of instinct.

Down the hill, Dominic and the others heard the jar breaking. "Did you hear that?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah. Stay here, I've got an errand to run." Dominic said as he walked into the woods.

"Oh, you've done it now..." Cardin said evilly as his teammates readied their weapons. They ended up throwing Jaune into the dirt. "You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy. I'm gonna make sure they send you to mommy in teeny tiny pieces." Cardin said as he held Jaune by the collar.

"I don't care what you do to me, but you are NOT messing with my team." Jaune said with furious conviction.

"What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?" Cardin asked rhetorically as he punched Jaune in the face. Thankfully, his Aura deflected the attack and sent Cardin flying backwards. His wounds were all healed too. But as he admired his new Aura, he was kicked in the back by one of Cardin's teammates. "Let's see how much of a man you really are." Cardin said as he raised his mace.

"I think that's enough, Cardin."

Everyone looked to the source of the voice and saw Dominic holding a white orb in his hand.

"Dominic!?" Jaune shouted.

"So, you managed to figure out what's happening here? Not like it matters. I'll still kick your ass!" Cardin yelled as he ran toward Dominic with his weapon.

"I actually think I'll decline, but there IS someone I'll let you fight. COME FORTH, KING OF NIGHTMARES!" Dominic screamed as he threw the orb at the ground, covering the area in a white smoke. When the smoke cleared, everyone except Dominic was unconscious. "Have fun, Cardin. I know I am."

Dream World (Forever Fall)

When Jaune and the others woke up, they found themselves in a forest with black, dead trees and purple grass. "Where are we?" Jaune asked, pulling out his sword.

"What the heck is that thing!?" "I think it might be a new kind of Grimm!" "Cardin, what do we do!?"

Turning around, Jaune saw something terrifying. He saw a caped being with yellow eyes slanted to make it look more menacing. It wore a necktie with bat wings and had large purple claws.

Cardin was frozen in fear. He had never fought anything like this monster before. He held his mace up with shaking hands and charged forward. Unfortunately for him, the bat creature turned into dozens of smaller bats and swarmed him before he could do anything. The bites from the bats ended up causing Cardin to fall unconscious and convulse rapidly.

"AHAHAH!" the bat laughed as it reformed into it's true form. "He told me he was weak, vut zis is ridiculous!"

"You...can talk?" Jaune asked, trembling.

"Vut of course. I am not one of those pazetic Grimm with no minds. I am the King of Nightmares: Antasma!" Antasma declared, creating Antasmunchies that orbited him. "Now, show me what kind of dreams you have!" Antasma yelled as he shot a blast of nightmares at Jaune. The knight managed to bring his shield up just before they hit, but they still damaged his Aura. Soon after, sawblades appeared out of thin air and flew toward Jaune, who had no choice but to dodge.

"TAKE THIS!" Russel shouted as he attacked Antasma, only for nothing to happen to the vampire. He was then held up with telekinesis with his teammates.

"Ah ves. I almost vorgot about zem. Zey have no purpose for zis, zo off zey go!" Antasma said, throwing Team CRDL through a Dream Portal. "As vor you..." Antasma stared at Jaune for a while. He could feel his Aura, and how it could assist him in the Dream World. As a precaution, he devoured an Antasmunchie and increased his own strength.

"Sleeping vools bend to my vill! Night compels you to stay still!" Antasma sang as Jaune attacked with his sword. The strike unfortunately was too late, as Antasma turned into his Bat Swarm form and flew at Jaune with their teeth bared.

"Paralyzed by endless void, you vill zoon be destroyed!" Jaune used his shield to defend, causing the Bat Swarm's attack to fail. Then, he felt a bit lightheaded. Looking down, he saw a small purple cut on his leg. Soon after, he fell unconscious. When he woke up, he was in a nightmarish version of the forest he was in before.

"Velcome to insanity! The population: you and me! You're trapped vithin my reverie, now I control the vey you dream!" Antasma appeared behind Jaune and flew toward him. Having no choice, the blonde knight ran. Seeing little circles on the ground as Antasma was chasing him with fire, he tried to jump into one thinking it was the way out.

"You vere doomed since you began, for you can't fight the boogeyman. Now I have you in my power! Now it is the Vitching Hour!" As Jaune fell through the hole, he was met with an unpleasant surprise. Sawblades. Sawblades everywhere. Jaune tried to use his sword to change his trajectory from them, somehow succeeding. When he finally came out of that hole, he made sure not to go in again.

"Vhen the Moon is dark as coal, I vill strike to suck your soul!" Jaune continued to run, getting a bit tired as he did so. Eventually, he came across a hole that was rainbow-colored. Knowing the others weren't safe, he hesitated. But as Antasma closed in from behind, he jumped in. The hole ended up being filled with Lien cards, free for him to take. When he came out of this hole, he was back in Dreamy Forever Fall.

"Dreams corrupt and Kingdoms fall, when the vampire comes to call!" Antasma shot several Nightmare Blast attacks, but Jaune either defended or dodged as he ran closer to the Semi-Final Boss.

"In my vorld, you stand alone! Your fate is sealed and set in stone!" Jaune jumped up and slashed Antasma across the face with his sword.

Forever Fall, afternoon

"I think we have enough sap. We should head back to Goodwitch." Ren said to his teammates.

"Got it!" Jaune said. He didn't know how, but he was back with his team like everything that happened with Cardin was just...

A bad dream.

Antasma

Age: Unknown

Gender: Male

Species: Bat

Powers: Dream Manipulation

Element: Magic

Battle Class: Sorcerer

Forever Fall (During Jaune's battle with Antasma)

Cardin woke up in terror. Not because of Antasma, but because of who he was facing now.

"Cardin. Do you remember what I said I'd do to you if you picked on the weak again?"

"Please, no!" Cardin begged before being dismembered.