I made a little mini-chapter for a story idea I had. Basically, a genderswapped Jaune story going through a similar fanasy world. So far, people seemed to like it.
The crackle of a campfire set the ambience for the night. The party surrounded this gentle blaze, eating their last dinner before their final quest truly started. It was a rich pea soup with carrots, onions, and pieces of pork slow-cooked over the previous two hours. Nora finished it by throwing several loaves of cubed bread into the pot to soak up the broth.
Everyone was largely silent as they ate. Only Ruby said anything, mumbling to herself as she examined the map to plot their course. The others focused more on eating whatever they could to build strength. Any rations left over were fair game.
Next to Jaune, Weiss was wolfing down anything she could get ahold of. She'd eaten much of the soup and anything she had brought in her personal kit. This hunger Jaune knew from experience. When he had his Aura brought to zero during that first goblin fight. That Aura exhaustion was very taxing on the body, requiring several people's daily rations to overcome.
After eating the last of a small wheat roll, Weiss sat there, processing the sheer amount of food she'd just crushed before Jaune could eat his first bowl of soup. A few seconds passed before an audible growl bellowed from the girl's stomach. If the others noticed, they didn't say anything. Weiss only blushed hard at the betrayal by her body.
So, Jaune reached into his pack and withdrew several small pieces wrapped in cloth. Undoing the thick cotton, he produced a pound of dried bacon, some more bread, and cheese. Without a word, Jaune offered it to the girl, who eagerly took the provisions.
"Thank you," Weiss said, pulling her knife out to carve small pieces of bacon off the side. "I've never been so hungry..."
She and Sun had eaten most of their rations. There was supposed to be enough to last the week, and they had gone through them in two days. Though, nobody offered any opposition to their voracious appetite. They were pressed for time and needed the two back in shape.
"What's your Aura at," Jaune asked, slowly picking at his food.
"About half," Weiss estimated.
"We'll have to work with it..." Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "Ozpin didn't really give us that much time."
They had to make do with any supplies they had on hand. Luckily, Ruby had some bomb parts left over, so she showed Jaune how to make some. Other than that, the Paladin infused more arrows or bullets with magic to give the party a slight edge.
"AHA," Ruby exclaimed from her position. Turning the map to the group, Ruby traced their path from their current position. "So, Skystead sits at the base of a buncha hills. No way we're going through those with all the Grimm around. That means we have to come up from the south through the only open territory near it. We just follow the river a few miles to the southeast, which should put us by the main town. But, it's gonna take a bit longer..."
"How long," Blake dryly asked.
"An hour or two," Ruby sheepishly gave her estimate. "We weren't gonna be there until noon anyway if we move at dawn. But we can't take the straight route because it's too risky."
The group rode hard and fast southeast. With this area mostly grasslands split by small patches of forest, nothing stopped them from taking the most direct route. However, the map showed the terrain would become rougher the closer they were to Skystead. Tactically, taking the scenic route was the best option.
The only reason Jaune had to hate this plan was that it added mileage. A few hours was a big difference. But it wouldn't matter if someone's horse broke their leg and needed to be put down.
"And when we get there, I think we should split into three teams," Ruby continued. "Jaune, Pyrrha, and Nora up front to pull aggro. Me, Yang, and Ren to hit anyone else that's not their target. Sun needs to watch out for Weiss and Blake because they're the only ones with good range." She timidly glanced at Sun and Weiss. "Also, you guys are still hurt, so I don't want you in the middle of it."
"I get it," Sun windly mumbled. Clearly, he was disappointed at being put on the bench but understood the reason. It didn't stop his ego from slightly bruising.
"Then, if we want to reach Skystead as early as possible, I suggest we go to sleep now," Ren spoke up from the opposite side of the fire. "We can leave before dawn and have most of the day left when we arrive."
"Cool," Ruby chirped, glancing around the fire for any opposition. "Then Weiss and Sun get to sleep the whole night. No watch for them so they can be fully rested. Any takers for first shift?"
Jaune and Pyrrha raised their hands. With that signal, everyone stood and moved to retire in their tents. That left the pair alone with their thoughts. Only the slight crackle of the fire and the night insects chirping accompanied them. The lack of anything else to focus on became distressing.
Jaune breathed deeply as he sat there. Minutes rolled by in what seemed like an eternity. By the time he heard the first few snores of his party members, he'd guessed it had been an hour.
What's going to happen tomorrow?
Grimm were congregating in an unknown area, for some unknown reason, in unknown numbers. Each missing piece of the puzzle by itself was a minor threat until they came together as one. That put Jaune at a disadvantage. One he could not rectify until he arrived there. Still, he might not know the whole story until it snuck upon the group.
It reminded him of the Old Valean ruins. There were too many unknowns. Those unknowns led to Ruby and Pyrrha nearly dying, and he was knowingly marching with his friends into that situation.
Jaune felt his hands begin to tremble at the thought. His heartbeat in his ears grew louder and louder with each second that passed. A visible sweat built upon his brow. The memories of that expedition rushed through his mind, playing each event sequentially.
When his mind reached the picture of Ruby's bloody body, it rested there. Jaune could not tear himself away from that image. The guilt of being unable to save her, leaving her nearly dying in his hands, washed over his entire body.
Then it came to Pyrrha. He felt so useless as he tried to cast his meagre healing spells. Jaune shakily breathed in and out as that panic filled his chest. His mind became dizzy and disoriented. No matter how deep a breath he took, it never seemed like enough for his lungs. Jaune felt like he was drowning just sitting here.
"Jaune," Pyrrha called out to him from across the fire. "Are you okay?"
Her voice coaxed him out of his mind. While his body still shuddered in fear, he could at least turn his attention elsewhere. Looking at the flame-haired spartan, Jaune could see the worried expression painted on her face. He could only guess his appearance from her perspective at that moment.
"Do you want to spar," Jaune asked, avoiding the question. He took a deep breath and tried to centre himself.
Pyrrha slightly pursed her lips, showing she knew something was up. "I would be glad to," the Spartan replied, however. She then stood up, grabbing her spear and shield.
Jaune grabbed his own weapons and followed after her. Walking a few metres away, they found a small clearing where the two wouldn't wake the others. It was still close enough to camp, so it wouldn't be unguarded.
"Weapons or grappling," Pyrrha asked with a light smile. She leaned against her spear, flexing her right bicep subtly as she awaited an answer. The lean muscle shifted around her arm bands, putting immense pressure on the poor jewellery.
"Weapons..."
Pyrrha nodded and picked up Milo. Twisting the polearm in her hand, she turned the piece around to use the pommel rather than the blade. A smile crept across her lips, as she raised her shield to cover all except her eyes. Those emerald orbs darted all over the boy, examining every inch of him like a tiger stalking its prey.
Without warning, she pushed off her toes, throwing a plume of dirt behind her as she leapt forward. Thrusting the blunt end of Milo at Jaune's face, Pyrrha raced at him faster than he could have reacted. It connected to the faceplate on his helmet with a resounding crash that shook Jaune's entire body.
Pyrrha wasn't even trying. To Jaune, it seemed like a light tap. She'd have killed him in one blow if she thrust at full force.
Recoiling off the strike, Jaune pressed forward, dipping into the space where Milo couldn't be utilised properly. Yet, Pyrrha moved quicker than he could. She leapt back, twisting her entire body in a pirouette and separating herself from him. She cocked back Milo and swung it across his back in that same move.
The crack from Milo slamming into his middle back scared the birds roosting nearby. The pain from the strike nearly took Jaune down, but he kept pushing himself forward. With a pained grunt, Jaune summoned Morningstar. Wrapping the chain around his arm, he jerked the limp towards her, whipping the mace head at her centre mass.
With ease, Pyrrha sidestepped the attack and grabbed onto the chain. Snagging it in her left hand, she tugged on the weapon with a single curl of her bicep. A smirk crossed her lips, knowing she had either deprived him of the weapon or he would be sent crashing to the ground.
However, Jaune tugged on the chain simultaneously. The combined force of these two powerhouses rocketed Jaune forth at a breakneck speed. Pyrrha realised this too late as the larger boy crashed into her raised shield.
The sound of metal on metal shook the nearby trees. Pyrrha was nearly toppled over but expertly rolled out of it as Jaune pressed forth. A jab from his left hand was batted away by Milo, only to be followed up with a stab by his sword on the right. Pyrrha diverted her attention away to deal with the thrust.
Jaune took advantage of this slip of focus to kick at her chest with his left foot. Pyrrha could not avoid it this time, taking it directly to her breastplate and getting knocked back on the floor. Once again, Pyrrha rolled into the blow, twisting her body with such precision that Jaune could hardly believe it.
Rushing forth to continue pressing Pyrrha, Jaune was met with a boot to the side of the head as Pyrrha pushed off her hands through the roll. The strike to his head dazed him for only a second. However, Pyrrha did not stop there.
She spun around, cocking back Milo and delivered a brutal strike to the side of Jaune's head. He could only feel the ringing in his ears as he stumbled back. Everything became blurry and moved on its own.
Just as he collapsed onto his back, Pyrrha reached out and grabbed his hand, holding him up at an angle. An apologetic smile was painted across her lips as she looked down at him. She was about to say something, but Jaune tugged hard on her arm, sending her sprawling onto the grass next to him.
Pyrrha laughed as she rolled onto her back. Jaune groaned, taking off his helmet and tossing it to the side. It took a few seconds of laying there for the world to stop spinning around him.
How is she so fast?
Pyrrha mopped the floor with Jaune. There was no other way to say it. He never even had a chance in this fight.
It only made him feel worse.
There was no chance for Jaune to even have defended his friends from the likes of the Alpha if Pyrrha couldn't hold her own against him. What if something just as powerful lay in wait tomorrow?
"That was an excellent match, Jaune," Pyrrha said in her usual polite and caring tone. Jaune had difficulty seeing if she was lying to make him feel better.
A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke again.
"Can you tell me what's wrong?"
Her tone only made Jaune feel guilty. It was sincere and caring. One that ripped into his chest like a knife. Jaune couldn't think of disappointing her by lying.
"I'm worried..."
Jaune didn't feel anything lift off his chest. It only stressed him out to confess this. He didn't want anybody else to know about it.
How was he supposed to fight with these people if he showed those doubts? His guilt at not being able to save his friends from such horrific injuries. It all made him feel pathetic.
Jaune got these people together and wasn't able to care for them. To protect them. They all fell around him while he stood without so much as a scratch on him at the end.
"It's okay to worry, Jaune," Pyrrha replied in a soothing tone. "It happens to everyone."
"I know that," Jaune weakly said. "It's just the last few quests, I've seen people getting hurt around me, and I feel like I can't do anything! Ruby almost died but got lucky! You almost died and got saved by some wizard! Weiss almost lost an arm and then nearly got kidnapped by a vampire!" He groaned as he ran a hand through his hair. "I feel responsible for you guys, but I can't do anything to protect you! I don't know if I'm too weak or what..."
Jaune knew the girls were capable on their own. Pyrrha just showed him that. But he felt like their safety was his responsibility. Weiss told him as much when she placed that task on his shoulders by making him her Second. They were an extension of his own family now.
When Pyrrha didn't respond initially, Jaune turned to look at her. The girl was smiling. That expression was just enough to lift his heart slightly, but it didn't change his overall mood.
"Do you believe in destiny," Pyrrha replied in a solemn tone. The smile disappeared, and a serious expression took over her face.
"No... Not really. Why?"
"I believe I am destined to be a hero," Pyrrha began, clenching her fist over her chest. "All my life, I have wanted that. To be an inspiration for everyone." She rolled onto her side to face him. "I don't think it is a fate you can't escape. Something more like a final goal. The end of the road for each of us where we accept the circumstances and are satisfied." She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "With how lofty the final goal is for us and our friends, we can expect to be tested along the way. Each obstacle we overcome only puts us one step closer to achieving our destinies. We become worthy of that mantle."
Jaune laid his head back on the grass as he pondered those words. He didn't believe in destiny. Though Pyrrha's definition was loose, it confined the person to a lane. But to think all this was a test for himself and his friends? It was difficult for Jaune to comprehend. He thought he understood the idea somewhat, however.
He knew life to be what you made of it. If you wanted something bad enough, you'd do whatever you needed to get there. Worthiness didn't factor into it. Jaune felt it was nihilistic compared to Pyrrha's view of her actions.
"Even if you don't believe in destiny, I think it matters how much you care, Jaune," Pyrrha continued, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. "You understand what going down this road means. You see the risks for everyone and try to intervene to protect us from them. I think it's admirable." She took a pause to breathe. "And you're not weak. You've come so far since we met. The challenges we've gone through have only been overwhelming. The fact that we've made it through them shows how everyone has improved, including you."
"I see..." Jaune spoke quietly. "I just hope I'm enough for tomorrow, then."
Pyrrha reached out and turned his face to hers. "You are," she asserted firmly, holding his cheek. "I believe in you."
Those few words sent Jaune's heart fluttering. It was honestly the first time someone said that to him. He'd just once hoped to hear it from his father or anyone else in his family. But to hear it from Pyrrha meant a lot. He just hoped he could meet those expectations despite his lack of training. It was the one thing he couldn't stomach saying to her.
She's so nice...
"Thanks..." Jaune could feel his lip quiver as the words left his mouth. "I-If you want to get something off your chest, I'm here for you too."
Pyrrha nodded but didn't say anything initially. She stood up and offered her hand to Jaune to lift him. Taking it, he stood tall and stretched out his sore muscles.
"Perhaps later," Pyrrha said, handing Jaune his helmet. "I'd like to focus on tomorrow for now."
I get it...
Jaune nodded to the girl and led her back to camp. Taking her last words seriously, he sat near the fire and slowly breathed in and out to calm his mind. Pyrrha joined him there, resting with Milo and Akuou at her sides. Just her presence reassured him as she slipped into her own meditation.
Slowly, Jaune felt his consciousness wear away with the warmth of the fire so close. When he heard Ren and Nora emerge from their tent, Jaune allowed himself to slip away. Pyrrha soon followed, slumping against the log they propped themselves up with.
[The Next Day]
Jaune watched the sky as he followed behind Ruby. Looking for smoke above the tree line, the Paladin hadn't spotted anything nearby. He could only hear the faint sounds of something going on ahead of the party. It was too far away to make it out clearly.
Jaune shook his head, trying to focus on anything specific. His mind was filled with too much right now to make any headway. So, he just turned to face the front. In his peripheral, Pyrrha rode alongside him. A quick glance in her direction was met with a nod from the girl's serious face.
She's in the zone... I need to be too.
Rounding a bend in the road, the forest suddenly cleared. Finally, the group could see signs of civilisation. Just where Ruby said, it would be. A few more meters, and they crossed out of the tree line. Everyone could see and hear what was happening without the trees blocking the party.
There was a medium-sized town surrounded by a stone and wooden palisade. A black mass was pressed against the outer wall on the hamlet's north side. Atop the barrier, men and women fought to keep their assailants from coming over the border. The sounds of people dying and the howls of Grimm filled the air.
Jaune's entire body filled with dread seeing what they were charging into. It was about a hundred Grimm. A number similar to what they encountered deep below Vale, only without Cinder there to aid them. A shout from Ruby, however, and the surge of his friends in the direction of danger overrode his bout of anxiety. He immediately snapped the reigns of Dodo and sent him chasing after the party.
Focus!
Swiftly catching up with the party, Jaune pushed Dodo even harder to make it to the front of the group. Overtaking Ruby, he raced to the fight and left his friends far behind him. Jaune's entire focus centred only on the Grimm attacking the walls.
Reaching the fight, he leapt off Dodo and wrenched Ira Rubrum from its sheath. Sailing through the air, he crashed down upon a squat two-legged Grimm, slicing right through its body. The silver and fire bursting from the metal burned the creature's remains, dissipating them into thick black smoke.
Nearby, the other Grimm turned to meet their new opponent. Those not directly facing the guards on the wall sprinted in his direction. First, a group of beowolves with more of the two-legged Grimm following close behind. Jaune only readied himself to meet the crowd, prepared to kill each of them.
Entering the ox guard, Jaune widened his stance, ready to strike as the beowolf leapt at him. With outstretched claws, he struck down at Jaune. The Paladin stepped to the side, slicing upwards simultaneously through its middle torso. The swift attack cleft through the thick muscle and ribs of the creature, sending it sprawling across the muddy field.
Another beowolf attacked from his right and stopped as Jaune turned to him, casting telekinesis on the Grimm. Clenching the beast in his invisible grasp, Jaune closed his fist, commanding the spell to do the same. A sickening followed as each of its limbs buckled beneath his magical might.
As he broke the beowolf, more Grimm surged forth at the boy. Just as another reached him, a flash of red and bronze stepped between them. Pyrrha knocked the Grimm aside with her shield, crushing bone and sending it flying to the side. Another ended with her spear slicing off its head and a swift kick to the ribs.
With more and more rushing at the duo, Jaune shifted to Pyrrha and nodded to the Spartan. The pair moved organically with one another. The Paladin rolled over her back as she blocked an incoming strike from a beowolf, summoning the Morningstar with a dextrous flick of his wrists. The maced head of the whip sent careening to an ursai emerging from the crowd. When the steel touched demonic flesh, Jaune set off the enchantment in its face.
Pyrrha defended her space as if she owned it. Any Grimm who strayed in their direction found themselves at the end of Milo. A strike blocked with her shield, redirecting the blow into another foe. With both opponents thrown off by their own attacks, Pyrrha immediately swiped across their skulls with the razor-sharp tip of her sword.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt crashed to the ground a few feet before them. The shock of this explosion sent several Grimm crashing to the ground. As the flash dissipated, Nora emerged with her hammer cocked back. Her entire body glowed with energy as electric bolts danced across her skin.
Jaune could see it. Her body and the hammer fed off one another. Energy pulsed from the girl, filling the weapon and making it glow brightly. She used this to deadly effect as an ursai stomped up to her. With a smile, Nora threw herself at the beast. Cocking back her hammer, she unleashed the attack with all her strength.
When steel met flesh, the ursai's body rippled from the impact. An aura of electricity raced around the bear Grimm as Nora carried him upwards with the weapon. At the peak of her attack's arc, Nora sent the bear flying across the battlefield only to land deep within the horde.
From behind, the rest of the party entered combat. In the distance, Ruby, Ren, and Yang engaged with the Grimm further from the walls. Each slicing and dicing the Grimm with ease. Ruby raced through the horde with her temporarily enchanted scythe, setting the many Grimm ablaze as the cloud of rose petals danced among them.
Like Pyrrha, Ren stood, defending his space from any Grimm that came to him. He weaved between attacks as if he'd seen them coming before they were executed. Each beast that had come to him was killed with swift blows to its neck, sending them sprawling across the grass. His daggers slipped out from under his robes after a larger breed of beowolf charged towards him. Dipping beneath its legs, the boy leapt onto its back from behind.
Holding each dagger in a reverse grip, Ren buried them deep within the beast's hide. With a booming snarl, the beowolf thrashed about, trying to tear him away with its massive claws. However, the beast only killed the lesser Grimm surrounding the two as it rampaged about the field. The smaller creatures became crushed under its weight or by an errant slash through a blind rage.
Yang soon joined Ren's space to mop up any Grimm left on their side of the field. In her hands, she brutally slaughtered anything in her sight, revealing her blood-red eyes as she entered a frenzied bloodlust. Tearing limbs from bodies, breaking necks and backs with unyielding strikes from her armoured fists. A beowolf that pounced upon her only had its attack reversed as she grabbed ahold of its arm.
Slipping past the sharpened claws, Yang tackled the beowolf while she kept a white-knuckled grip on its limb. Striking the beast several more times with her free hand, she could feel ribs snapping beneath her fists. When the beowolf went limp, Yang stepped over the body and grabbed its bottom jaw. She braced her heel against the upper half of the maw and pulled hard on the mandible. With a sickening tearing sound, the jaw and any connective tissue were torn from the body. As she ripped the last bit of skin from the beowolf's torso, Yang tossed aside the scraps and moved to mop up any remaining Grimm.
As the herd thinned out, the party pushed farther from the walls to give the town guard space. Blake, Weiss, and Sun took a position at the base, providing support with arrows or spells when needed. With the group engaged so closely with the Grimm, there was little they could do without risking friendly fire.
With a shout, Jaune brought his fist down atop an ursai's skull, slamming the beast to the floor. Followed up by a stab through the neck with Ira Rubrum, he stepped past the body to engage the next Grimm. However, as he reached the fighting, the ground beneath started shaking.
The fighting almost stopped with this sudden quake. Just as it ended, the ground beneath most of the herd broke open, and something emerged. Its form was disguised by a thick plume of dust and black smoke pouring off the Grimm corpses. A sicking screech filled the air as its shape finally left the earth.
Standing before Jaune and his friends was a massive scorpion Grimm. Standing nearly forty feet tall at the height of its tail with giant pincers big enough to grasp a horse in them, it dwarfed anything left on the battlefield. Its entire body was covered in thick white bone plating with only a few patches of black flesh exposed.
Unlike anything the boy had seen, the Paladin charged upfront to engage without hesitation. Nora stood before the beast with her hammer at the ready, so Jaune needed to be there too. As the Grimm cocked back its massive golden stinger, Jaune watched as it struck forth at his friend.
Before it could skewer her, Jaune threw up a shield spell. The stinger crashed into the glyph, burying several inches into the ward above her head. Nora immediately pressed the advantage, moving further into the beast's space, where she was safe from the stinger.
The scorpion attempted to pull back on its appendage but found it stuck in the glyph. Nora took advantage of its misplaced focus and leapt onto the massive thrashing form. Cocking her hammer back as she stood atop its head, Jaune could see every muscle in her body flex and carry her weapon to its intended destination.
With a shout, she brought the hammer down, smashing the bone armour like it was glass. The electricity from her enchantment was seemingly boosted with a flash of her eyes. An ability sent whatever stored energy she carried through the hammer as it was buried deep beneath the bone plates directly into the beast's body.
The whole form of the scorpion rippled as electricity raced through its body. It could no longer move on its own. The lightning had stunned its muscles.
Everyone else saw this as well. The entire party charged at the Grimm and laid waste to anything they could attack. Pyrrha dashed beneath the scorpion and sliced the soft underbelly. Jaune summoned the Dragonslayer and thrust it deep into the open maw of the beast. Blake and Weiss attacked the eyes from range with their spells and arrows. The rest of the party swiftly attacked anything left on the field.
With a final sickening screech, the scorpion's body went limp and collapsed. Pyrrha barely managed to clear the falling body as it crashed to the ground. The last few Grimm fell at the hands of Ruby and Yang, clearing the field of any threats to the party. A cacophony of shouts and cheers erupted from inside the walls of Skystead.
"YEAH," Nora cheered as she leapt off the dissipating Grimm. "That'll show 'em who's boss!"
Nora reached out and raised her hand for a high-five. Jaune gave it to her, smacking his open palm against hers. Yang and Ruby were next as Nora made her rounds, excitedly bantering with the others.
"Nora, that was cool," Ruby chirped as she looked over the hammer. "When could you do that with electricity?"
"Heh, I got struck by lightning once," Nora explained with a wide smile. "Found out I can channel it and even pump the stuff out."
"Wait until she rubs her socks across a carpet," Ren added, walking up to the group and wiping some dark ichor off his shoulder.
Ruby subconsciously took a step away from Nora. The Berserker smiled and reached out a finger to touch the other girl. This sent Ruby into a sprint to get away as Nora chased after her.
"At least someone's having fun," Weiss said from behind.
Jaune turned to see the rest of the group making their way to the party. Fortunately, none had a scratch on them. They didn't even have a chance to get up close and personal. Jaune preferred that. Weiss was still in a sling, after all.
With the party gathered, the gates of the town opened up. From inside, a group of men at arms rode out, surrounding a single knight on horseback. By appearances alone, Jaune could tell he was the lord of this region. Also, his features were quite recognisable. Blue eyes, light red-brown hair, and an obvious resemblance to one Cardin. Though he wore his hair long and appeared aged from the events of days prior.
"Finally, reinforcements," the lord said, riding up to greet the party. "We were getting worried."
"Eh, we've dealt with worse," Nora expressed, shrugging her shoulders. "Shoulda saw the dragon that we killed."
The lord swallowed deeply at the thought before collecting himself. "We should be fortunate then," he continued, putting on a stern face. "My name is Count Orin Winchester. You are Beacon students, yes? Perhaps, you've met my son?" A hint of pride came from his lips as he spoke of Cardin.
"Yeah, we're first years," Yang answered, crossing her arms. "We know Cardin, too. Weiss," she gestured to the mage, "kicked his ass in our first combat class session. Then the knight in shining armour back there mopped the floor with him too... Kinda deserves it for being a dick for the last few months."
"I see..." Orin spoke very sternly, biting his tongue despite the visible anger growing on his face. "I expected his letters were a bit embellished..."
"He's getting better," Jaune said, throwing the boy a bone. Though, there was a kernel of truth in it.
"Hmmm," Orin hummed, nodding his head. "I'd hoped Beacon would humble him a bit." He took another breath, pushing down the anger that had built up. "That's enough about my unruly son. We need to get down to the matter at hand."
"Where have the Grimm been coming from," Weiss questioned first. "What hours and how many at a time?"
"Northeast, only attacking this wall," Orin tersely explained. "Regularly throughout the day and night. This was the largest horde thus far. More varieties of demons have been showing up each time. Right now, I only have the men who can fight in the city, and we're losing this battle."
"Have any healers left," Sun wondered. "Cause if we're going to find out where they're coming from, we'll probably need them after we're done."
Jaune swallowed hard at the thought. Even his friends were expecting the worst. What if he wasn't enough? Jaune would have needed to drag his friends across the forest to get them some help. Every inch he stepped was one where a friend might be in greater peril.
"I haven't evacuated them yet," Orin answered. "They're tending to some of the wounded as we speak..."
A tug on Jaune's arm took his attention away from the conversation. With the group questioning the knight, Ruby had something else to discuss. She reached for her neck and pulled out a simple necklace. It was nothing more than a chain holding a small disc with a garnet embedded into it.
Jaune grabbed the necklace and focused on the aspects of it.
Necklace of Radiant Protection
Gives the wearer resistance to spells or attacks that inflict radiant damage.
"Ruby?"
"Ozpin said my heart might be vulnerable to radiant magic," Ruby whispered in a demure tone. "Just be careful, okay?"
Jaune clenched his jaw and breathed deeply. Those fears and doubts came right back to the forefront of his mind. He could only nod once to Ruby before he put his helmet back on to hide his face. The moment his face disappeared behind steel plate, his lips pulled back, and teeth bared.
Focusing on his stats, Jaune pictured his abilities in full. He'd gained several levels during the course of that fight, to an even forty. This blessed him with another power.
Level Forty
Strength 91 (+10)
Agility 35 (+2) + (35 x .20) = 42
Defence 46 (+3) + (46 x .20) = 55.2
Perception 51 (+4)
Constitution 88 (+10) + (.25 x 88) = 110
Intelligence 74 (+4)
Charisma 40 (+2)
Willpower 40 (+1)
New Ability:
Smite:
When a foe meets your blade, a torrent of radiant energy will surge forth, imbuing your attacks to devastating effect.
Thank you...
Jaune was just glad to have something else. Something focused that he could use. Arclight was too dangerous around Ruby. He would never allow himself to hurt her, even to his detriment. He'd sooner wade through a field of Grimm.
"Got it," he finally spoke to his friend. "What's the plan?"
Ruby gestured for him to wait as the rest of the group spoke to Orin.
"If we're not back in a few hours, I suggest you abandon the town and send word to Ozpin," Ren continued the conversation.
"I'll begin making the preparations," Orin agreed with a nod. "Some of my riders will alert the nearby settlements and tell them to be ready just in case."
With a click of his tongue, Orin and his party returned to the fortified town. That left the party standing amidst the decaying Grimm corpses with the following steps ahead of them. A tense air hung close to the teens. Their apprehension seemed to match Jaune's own.
"We have to figure out where they're coming from," Ruby answered without the distraction of the knights. "Could be a portal, or they've been drawn in... Any ideas on how to close a demon portal?"
"No idea..."
"From what little I've read, it's possible to destabilise the portal," Weiss explained, walking closer with her head on a swivel. "Tearing a rift and keeping one open long enough to let this many Grimm come through would not be easy..." She cupped her chin with her good hand. "You might laugh, but if we hit it with something, that might do the trick."
"Caveman approach; I like your style, Weiss," Yang chuckled with a bright smile. "Are we talking about punching it or what?"
"Dropping a boulder on it, throwing a tree against the rim, blowing it up," Weiss listed, counting off with her fingers. "However, in lore, it's typically a matter of waiting for it to close. We may just have to sit outside and kill anything that exits. That's if we're dealing with a portal. If Ozpin is correct and that jewellery box is attracting the Grimm, we can destroy it, as he said. In that case, the Grimm would likely disperse."
"Whelp, only way we'll figure it out is if we follow the trail," Sun expressed, looking in the direction the Grimm came from. "Anyone want to scout?"
"Nobody's scouting ahead," Jaune spoke up before anyone else could get a word in. His tone filled with a deep edge that the others could feel in their chests. "Too many risks if one of us goes alone. With all of us, we can hold anything off long enough to retreat."
Their best strength was numbers. Sure, they could send Blake or Ruby ahead. But what if they got caught in a bad situation? What if Blake couldn't teleport her way out or Ruby got blindsided? That was not something Jaune was going to allow.
"It's a sound plan," Ren agreed, eyeing the boy and how everyone else was affected by his tone. "I would prefer we stay together as well. There is no need to take such risks."
With that, everyone began making their way northeast. Jaune led from the front, with the others following behind him. Only the sounds of his, Nora, and Pyrrha's armour filled the air as they walked. Jaune focused entirely on watching the tree line ahead for anything that might have been waiting. What he couldn't see or hear was his friends sharing concerned glances or whispering to one another. If his ears picked up on it, his mind tuned it out.
Drawing his sword, Jaune gripped the blade tightly in his hand. He stepped carefully as he reached the tree line, moving like he was stalking prey. The sounds of his footsteps were nearly inaudible to him. Only a faint groan of an armour plate grinding against another escaped from him.
Just as he was about to enter the forest, the sound of a weapon clattering to the ground filled his ears. Whipping around, he witnessed Ruby fall to her knees. Both her hands grabbed at her chest like she was in immense pain. Her expression told him as much. Each of their friends immediately came to her side to check on the girl.
"Ruby, what's wrong," Yang shouted, holding the girl up.
"Eggghhhh," the Reaper cried through her teeth. Dark veins appeared on her face, growing from the outer edges inwards. The pain only seemed to increase the longer she remained there.
What is that?
"Pull her back," Weiss exclaimed, grabbing under Yang's arm. "Now!"
Yang did exactly as Weiss ordered. Picking her up and moving five feet from where she fell, Ruby immediately seemed to snap out of it there. A loud breath escaped her lips, followed by a hack from the girl as she tried to regain her composure. Everyone seemed to sigh in relief at the sudden improvement.
"Ruby, are you okay," Jaune asked, kneeling before her and placing a hand on her shoulder. A few shaky breaths escaped his lips, only muffled by his helmet.
"You guys can't feel that," Ruby weakly spat out.
"No, tell us what it was," Weiss asked, kneeling alongside Jaune to examine the girl. She traced her hand across her face where the dark veins were but found they had disappeared as soon as they pulled her away. "Was it like walking through a wall?"
"Yeah," Ruby said breathily. "Like I just walked into a sauna... Everything felt wrong."
Jaune gave her a touch of healing magic. The small dose of energy seemed like just enough for the effects of the barrier to wear off. Immediately, she was back on her feet, dusting herself as the rest of her friends gathered around. Nora brought Crescent Rose over, returning it to Ruby as she fixed her armour.
"Gotta be the portal or the box," Sun posed, keeping a watch on the trees.
"It could also be due to the stave we found with the Silent King," Ren added. "With it being powerful enough to be sensed by Ozpin from Vale, that's the only other artefact that comes to mind."
"What do we do now," Nora asked the group. "I don't want to try that again... What if it gets stronger the farther we go?"
She's right...
"Yeah, not comfortable testing that theory out," Yang agreed, crossing her arms. She turned to Ruby. "Rubes, you gotta stay here."
"What, no," Ruby argued back. "I don't want to leave you guys! You don't need to baby me!"
Jaune understood it. Ruby wanted to stick with the group and ensure the quest was completed. Staying behind because of a perceived weakness was aggravating to someone with Ruby's mindset. The girl wanted to be the best, and the group threw a chain around her ankles. Jaune had to bite back the urge to agree with Ruby for her safety.
"Ruby, you took a step into this thing and went down immediately," Yang countered, angrily gesturing to the invisible line she had crossed. "Whatever's in that forest is putting out some insane magic. The same kind your heart is enchanted with." She put her hands on Ruby's shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "What if it shreds your heart? We can't do shit to help you if that happens."
"You can be the backup," Blake suggested in a dry tone. "If we're not back in a few hours, you can find Professor Ozpin and bring whoever you need to stop this."
The group all turned to Ruby with expecting glances. The Reaper paused, sighing as she accepted the reality of the situation. Jaune knew she didn't like it. He didn't like leaving her behind either.
"Okay..." Ruby conceded, shaking her head. Both of her shoulders hung low, signifying the dip in her mood. "But, if that barrier drops, I'm going in. Got it?"
"Just stay safe, Ruby," Jaune replied.
"You too."
The group is descending into the belly of the beast. Doesn't help that Jaune's having PTSD flashbacks to the times his friends almost died.
Also, telekinesis is technically not a harmful offensive spell like a fireball or lightning bolt. It gets around the fine print that way.
Class: Paladin
"Gather 'round, Paladins!"
"There is a difference between the other classes and us! When those Knights and Chevaliers fled at first sight of monsters! You were the ones to take their place! You walked right up to those monsters and wrapped your hands around those fucker's necks! And you did not stop there! Killing everything in your way until there was nothing left!"
"That is the difference between them and us. Those bastards who were too busy keeping themselves in food and wool can keep all the glory and fame for themselves! Boasting about their deeds as if they sacrificed something!"
"We fight to keep the people safe! To keep the Drowners out of the latrines and Goblins from ploughing our milkmaids! Knowing that no other class has our virtue! Our dedication to our craft!"
Level Forty
Strength 91 (+10)
Agility 35 (+2) + (35 x .20) = 42
Defence 46 (+3) + (46 x .20) = 55.2
Perception 51 (+4)
Constitution 88 (+10) + (.25 x 88) = 110
Intelligence 74 (+4)
Charisma 40 (+2)
Willpower 40 (+1)
...
Abilities
Arclight:
A high-intensity explosion of light, equivalent to that of the sun. Burns the flesh of undead and magical entities. Momentarily blinds living and non-magical entities. Sudden magical intensity can cause affected to flee regardless of status.
Active Debuff: Turn and Face The Sun!
Longinuslanze Testament:
A most unholy weapon. Forged by our lord to answer to only one master. He who has the will to dominate such a blade.
It shall sunder any armour. It shall never miss its mark. It shall grow with your own strength. Its holy light searing all who stand to oppose it.
In turn, you shall become vulnerable to attacks whilst wielding this unholy relic. It shall challenge your mastery by forcing you to fight at your full strength.
Active Debuff: Turn and Face The Sun!
White Hawk:
This aethereal hawk shall be forever bound to you. As its master, only you may give direction to this bird of prey. Whether it be scouting the path ahead or distracting your enemies.
Purify:
This ability can remove impurities from any material, whether they be food, drink, or metals. This renders them in a poison-free, diseaseless, and pure quality with the added benefit of destroying curses.
Antimagic field:
Activating this ability will destroy established magical spells within thirty feet. It will only affect spells that have been cast and anchored to a particular area or object, not on your person or beyond your strength. (Wards, latent natural magic, or other ritualistic spells)
Dragonslayer:
"That thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy and too rough. It was more like a large hunk of iron."
A blade forged by those whose aim was to slay a dragon. Such a weapon charged with arcane energy to see to that end. Yet, it never fulfilled its original intent; instead, used to slay hordes of demons by heroes of the past. Such a path this blade wandered that it reeks of malice. The screams of a thousand demonic beings imbued it with a hellfire that will scorch the souls of any it wounds.
Smite:
When a foe meets your blade, a torrent of radiant energy will surge forth, imbuing your attacks to devastating effect.
Active Debuffs: Turn and Face the Sun!
...
Passive: Magister's Lament
Your Passive is a double-edged sword. While you may proficiently cast magic beyond the limits of your Willpower. It is limited in other instances. Not being able to cast harmful offensive magic or any magic on yourself.
...
Miscellaneous Knowledge/Buffs/etc.
Monster Slayer
Spent years studying the various monsters of Remnant. Knows the different species and taxonomy of each known creature. Understands the weaknesses of most known monsters.
Armour and Weapons Smith
Worked a forge for his entire life. Jaune is able to judge the composition of metals, and know the condition of his weapons and armour.
...
Gear:
Eagle's Armour
Level Twenty Eight
Materials: Unknown Alloy Ratio of Enchanted Steel and Corundom, Carbon Steel, and Leather
Minimum Stat Requirements:
Strength: 57
Agility: 25
Defence: 30
Constitution: 39
Bag of holding:
Magical satchel that connects to a pocket dimension. Can store up to seven-hundred pounds while maintaining the bag's original weight. Items must be able to fit through the bag's opening.
Buffs:
This specific alloy of steel and corundom is less dense than normal steel while just as hard. It has a strength to weight ratio similar to menachanite allowing the user to build a thicker armour without sacrificing for weight.
This armour was also specially built for you. The measurements fit your body exactly, allowing it to be worn as a second skin granting a tremendous degree of flexibility.
Necklace of the Bulwark
+25% Bonus to Constitution
Morningstar
Magical whip of unknown origins. Is capable of causing explosions when prompted by its user.
The Swan Knight's Ring
"Ah, my beloved dearest swan!
Behold this horn, this sword, this ring, and bestow upon him all three
For the horn shall aid him in his time of need,
and the sword shall deliver unto him victory most fortuitous
But this ring shall serve to remind him of me,
so Gottfried himself may know the name of he who freed you from torment and disgrace!"
Whoever shatters this ring shall be led to what he has lost.
Spells:
Infusion:
This spell grants one the ability to infuse the desired object with materials ordinarily unable to be bonded together. The strength of the unaltered item determines how much of an effect can be added to it.
Be warned that stressing the target with too powerful additives can result in the atomisation of the material and, possibly, a sudden explosive decomposition.
Telekinesis:
Casting this spell allows you to move objects with your mind. Within a visible range, anything you can levitate is dependent on your personal strength and willpower. Once, cast upon, the item is subject to your directions and will perform whatever manoeuvre you are capable of imagining.
Be warned that this spell drains magicka rapidly.