A/N: Yo! Here I am with another new chapter! After the last chapter, more people are beginning to notice, and though reviews are a little short, the favs and follows made up for it. My thanks to those showing their support.
Also, one of the last reviews advised me not to make Pyrrha a Yandere... you guys can look in the reviews for him/her, but I will say this: I won't, nor am I, making Pyrrha a Yandere. If you see anything that suggests she's becoming a Yandere, that's accidental writing on my part. Also, (even though the possibility of the story going beyond the fall is slim) Jaune and Pyrrha's relationship and teamwork will increase, as they will be both be unwilling to let each other die, but not in the mental instability that a Yandere is.
Okay, enough of that. Let's get on with the chapter!
Chapter 3: Twilight of the Paladin
Dark Future
Ruins of Mantle
The two walked down the rusty metalled street of the abandoned city. The more they continued on, the more Jaune kept thinking how all this could've been prevented.
And there were a lot of things that could've stopped this from happening, but he could only lay out the top five that were the biggest contributors.
One, the maiden's given better protection.
Two, the Kingdoms acted more cooperatively.
Three, Blake's father not leaving the White Fang and leaving it in the hands of Sienna Khan, and Adam Taurus.
Four, kick Jacques Gelee off his damn high horse, and give the SDC back to the REAL Schnees.
Five, and perhaps the most important, Ozpin being more trustworthy with the people he was close to.
If all five of these were done, many lives could've been saved.
His family would still be alive. His friends would still be alive.
...She, would still be alive.
Hearing his name being called, Jaune looked up at Canus who was still looking ahead.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Do you know the date, Jaune?" the man asked, causing the blonde knight to blink before taking out his scroll again and looking at the exact date on his scroll.
He frowned as it read November 25th, which on the 31st in six days, will be the tenth anniversary of that day.
"The 25th of November," he said gruffly, "Just six more days till that day, and it will be officially ten years,"
In front of him, Canus nodded solemnly. If things had been done differently, the 45th* Vytal Festival would be taking place. Which the host Kingdom would've been Mistral.
But now, there were no more Hunter Academies to send their students to participate in the tournament. No more Kingdoms to play host. No more days of peace.
In their place, was only darkness and despair.
Of course, if this plan of his works, they may just be able to turn that around.
"We're nearly there Jaune," he spoke up, getting the Arc's attention again. "It's just around the corner."
Jaune gave a 'hm' to acknowledge that he heard him, as they continued before making the said turn, and Canus stopped, followed by Jaune who looked at their destination, which looked to be a large four-story building, which looked to have more battle scars than the rest of the city around it.
"What is this place?" Jaune asked.
"This Jaune...," Canus replied, "Was the home of the Kingdom of Mantle's R&D Division, where they created most of their advanced weapons during the Great War, 90 years ago. When the Council moved the capital from Mantle to Atlas, and it fell on hard times, most of the staff left, leaving it extremely depleted. Then, during the Salem War, just before Atlas Fell, refugees from their R&D relocated back here. In an act of desperation they began working on a project in which they hope to delay, or better yet prevent the war from ever happening."
Canus then sighed.
"Of course, before they could carry that part out...," he said, leaving that part hanging, while Jaune nodded in understanding, and the cloaked man continued, "And now, that very project has lied dormant here for years. Waiting to be used."
Jaune then looked at Canus with a quizzical look.
"And what, pray tell, is that suppose to be?" he asked, and Canus just gave a small smirk, which was beginning to irritate the Paladin a little, as he answered.
"Something that once existed in comic books, and what many considered improbable. And it's the very thing that will save the future...for everybody." Canus replied, before his face turned serious, "...A time machine,"
Beacon Tower
Day of the Fall
Their elevator car finally crashed at the top of the wall, before they finally disembarked.
Pyrrha's eyes darted around the ruined office, looking for the person who she greatly cared for ever since their initiation into Beacon Academy.
Ruby stood beside her, all the while concern and confusion still on her face at her friend's behavior.
However, before she could say a word. The sound of a person yelping got their attention as they turned to the source as a cloud of dust began to dissipate, showing two figures standing close together facing each other.
And it was one of them that both girls knew well, as the dust cleared.
"JAUNE!"
One of the figures turned toward them, and Ruby was surprised seeing her first friend up here, after he just called them, desperately pleading to them to save Pyrrha. But she also noticed something different, as he looked more confident, stronger, and...older.
However her thoughts were interrupted when she heard him shout.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" She heard, the tone in his voice almost pleading, "YOU NEED TO GE-!"
The man grunted as his face contorted into pain, while his eyes widened. Ruby saw why, as what she could describe as a glass spike being driven into his chest, just below his heart.
She followed the hand that held the spike, and saw the culprit. The one named Cinder Fall, and the one responsible for all that happened. The said Fallen Maiden was missing her left eye, was covered in lacerations and cuts, with one big one on her right arm. Of course the most major of these injuries was the sword stabbed into her chest as well.
The expression on Cinder's face was one of extreme anger as she twisted the spike, drawing a pained grunt. She saw her lips move, but Ruby couldn't make out the words, as she and Pyrrha looked on in horror at what just happened.
They watched as the older Jaune proceeded to give the bitch an aura infused kick, sending her over the edge off the tower, and undoubtedly to her death. He then staggered as he looked in their direction, his eyes half lidded.
A loud roar got their attention as the Grimm Dragon snarled angrily at the boy they knew, before snapping forward to take a bite out of him.
"Jaune! NOO~!" Pyrrha shouted as she proceeded to run toward him.
For Ruby, everything was going in slow motion as she watched her first friend about to be devoured.
She was about to lose two friends in one night. First Penny, and now Jaune.
'No...this...this can't be happening!,' she thought, as the dragon inched ever closer to the injured Jaune, 'I can't let this happen, again! I WON'T let this happen, again!'
As she thought this, a silver light began to glow in her eyes. First, it was a flicker, before it burst out like a set of wings, as the need to protect her friends skyrocketed pushed her to the limit.
"JAUNE!"
Minutes Earlier
Jaune drove a knee into Cinder's stomach, causing the woman to gasp out in shock pain. The said Arc's aura was glowing around his body, as his face retained a look of rage.
He then tossed her to one side of the wall, which formed a spider-web like crack upon impact, and taking a hit out of her aura, and casing her to cough up blood, .
"What's the matter!?" Jaune growled out, "Is this all the so-called 'Fall Maiden' has!?"
Cinder managed to get back to her feet as she leveled her own harsh glare at Jaune.
"Don't get cocky, fake!" she shouted, "You think that by killing me, that this will be the end of it!? There are others like me out there! And even if you manage to beat him you'll still have to deal with her!"
Jaune's eyes narrowed at that.
"If you mean your Bitch of a Queen, then you're in for a shock." he said, making the amber-eyed woman blink in confusion, but what he said next, made them widen, "I know that her lair is in northern Drache, and that is where her 'children' come from. I already gave the coordinates to the right person who will deliver them to Ironwood."
Cinder could only gape at at that, but Jaune just continued as he continued to smirk.
"I also know about Lionheart being your little agent in Mistral," he said, "I know the old General, and the Scarecrow of Vacuo will be mighty pissed off when they find out that their own colleague is a traitor,"
As the smirk continued to grow, Cinder's fist proceeded to tighten, as her shocked expression turned into a glare. Then, her hands erupted into flames.
"You...," she growled, as flames formed around her glowing amber eyes, along with the golden highlights of her dress, "...I'll KILL YOU!"
With that, she rocketed toward him, intent on killing him. Forget quick and painless, she was going to make this faker die slowly and painfully, while making his little partner watch as she begs Cinder to stop, only for the said Fallen Maiden to not heed her pleas.
Jaune stood his ground as the enraged ashen haired sped toward him, intent on making him suffer.
While the Cinder he knew before had more control of her powers, and was less prone to making mistakes. This version, was more arrogant, and had just gotten her powers, and had yet to fully master them.
And thus, it was easy to goad her into doing something INCREDIBLY stupid. And that is underestimating her opponent.
As soon as she reached him, he used his shield to bat one of her flaming hands away. However, she struck out her other hand and managed to knock it out of his grip, but then that's where she made her mistake, as he grabbed her by the arm.
Her eyes widen before, in a flash of silver, Crocea slashed the left side of her face, and taking her eye out in the process.
"AGGGHHH~!"
The Fallen Maiden grabbed the area, where her eye used to be, in pain. In her arrogance, she neglected to have her aura up, focusing more on her Maiden powers. And since her eye is an organ, she will not be able to fully heal it, meaning she will be blind permanently in her left eye.
"DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU FOR THIS ARC!" she screeched, as her remaining eye glared at him. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!"
They then heard a loud thud, as the dragon came back, and growled at what happened to Cinder.
Jaune cursed, knowing he had to finish this here and now. With that, he grasped his family's heirloom in both hands, before sprinting toward Cinder, who was too preoccupied with her now ruined eye, to notice the charging Paladin before it was too late.
When she did, she only managed to only backpedal away just only, only for Jaune to slash her on the arm, causing her to scream again in pain.
She then tried to retaliate by swinging her flaming hand at the blonde's head, only for him to dodge, and then proceed to lunge at her before, sword tip forward.
SQUELCH!
"GUGH!"
Cinder's remaining eye widened before she looked down and saw the blade of the supposed loser now impaled in her, just below her heart.
"Got you, Bitch." Jaune growled, as his aura receded.
"JAUNE!"
He blinked before snapping his head toward where the elevators were, and his eyes widened, while his heart dropped, as standing there were none other than Ruby Rose, his first friend at Beacon, while on her left was none other than the girl he wanted to make sure survived at all cost.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" he shouted, desperate pleading clear in his tone, "YOU NEED TO GE-!"
*Squelch!*
He was cut off, as he felt pain in his left side and looked down, and cursed himself for being stupid, as he saw a shard of glass imbedded there. He then looked up and saw Cinder glaring at him, while a small smirk twitched slightly on her lips, as some blood leaked from the corners.
"If I die...," she gasped out, "...you're... coming with me,"
Jaune gritted his teeth, before he gripped the gripped the arm holding the shard and yanked it away before looking Cinder in the eye.
"You first...," he snarled, before lifting a leg and giving the Fallen Maiden a swift aura infused kick in the stomach, the result which sent her flying backward toward the edge and falling off the tower, to her death.
'Good riddance...," he thought before turning back toward the two girls, his eyes focusing on the girl that was his partner, 'I...I did it, Pyrrha,'
He didn't take heed of the Dragon roaring in anger as it lunged toward him, while his said partner shouted out his name as she began to run towards him.
'I managed...to save you for a change...talk about role switching, huh?' he chuckled mentally, as the world slowed down around him. He looked back at the shard in his chest, before giving a mental hollow chuckle before he collapsed to his knees. 'I let my guard down...talk about a rookie mistake,'
He looked back up as Pyrrha continued to, slowly, in his mind, run towards him, her arm outstretched, her eyes wide with panic.
'Well, I always wanted to go out a hero, just like I told you,' he thought again, 'But I wish you didn't have to see it, though,'
His thoughts were cut off, as a familiar sight made him look towards the leader of JNPR's sister team, as Ruby's eyes begin to glow silver. He smiled sadly, knowing that in the end, he failed to protect Ruby's innocence.
'I'm sorry, Ruby,' were his thoughts, 'I hoped you wouldn't see me get killed right in front of you...but I guess, Destiny has a way of screwing with people's lives.'
He then closed his eyes, just as a white light began to envelop the tower.
He groaned before he blearily opened his eyes, but when he opened them, the first thing he saw was a white void.
"Wha...where am I?" he said to no one in particular as he attempted to move his head to look around, to try to ascertain the situation, but then noticed his head could barely move and was resting on what seemed to be, an armored, but comfortable lap, accompanied by the feeling of gloved hands threading through his hair.
He gasped, before looking up with his eyes, and they instantly widened at what he was seeing, as tears, of what can not be denied, of happiness appeared.
Familiar green eyes, red hair in a ponytail, and the same female Spartan armor he remembered.
It could be only person he knew well.
"P...Pyrrha?"
Said Champion smiled before she leaned down, and gave him, what he though he would never feel again, a loving kiss.
The kiss was not completely rushed this time, as the two took their time. It lasted over two before the two broke and looked into each other's eyes. Vivid green to sapphire blue.
"Hello again...Jaune,"
A/N: And another done! Phew! That was a tough one to write, I'm not gonna lie.
I bet you're all wondering what's going on, and why I haven't returned to Past Jaune and Canus yet. Do not fear, for all answers will come in the next one.
Anyway guys, for those of you who voted for Aurea Mors Alter to be made into a series of short stories, I decided to make them into separate fics, in order to keep the first story preserved. As I'm saying this, I'm in the process of writing the second Alter fic as we speak.
However, since this fic and the first Aurea Mors Alter got such good reception, along with excellent help and advice, I'm going to give a little sneak peek preview, of Aurea Mors Alter: Zwei Edition.
Here we go:
Pyrrha Nikos, 4-time Mistral Regional champion, mascot of Pumpkin Pete's cereal, and member of Beacon Academy's Team JNPR, was just leaving the Tower, thinking on what the Teachers just told her, concerning the story of the Maidens of the Four Seasons being actually true, and that one of them, Amber, had been attacked and left in a coma by an unknown group of Assailants.
She even remembered the choice they gave her...of being the next Fall Maiden. Though since they couldn't do it the natural way, General Ironwood believes that by using the machine which was keeping Amber alive, would also transfer the said Maiden's powers, and her aura to her.
Though the possible danger of what would happen once hers and Amber's aura combined was also leaving her uncertain. Not to mention that there's the possibility, that once she has the powers, she could be elevated to the status of a Goddess...something she was dreading, since it could distance herself from the people she cared about.
Especially a certain blonde haired Arc.
And that scared that more than anything. To be separated from him forever, meant the end of this entire year of happiness for her, and what making her question her decision on whether she trade all of that, for something that could make her fulfill her destiny in an instant, but the cost of who she was.
Her thoughts were interrupted when her scroll rang. Picking it up, she saw it was her partner, team leader, and potential love interest, Jaune Arc, who was calling her.
She pressed the answer button as she held it up to her ear.
"Jaune? What is it?" she asked, and the blonde knight immediately responded.
"Hey Pyrrha! You watching the news!?" Jaune said frantically, making Pyrrha blink.
"What's wrong?" she asked concernedly.
"Look on your scroll and you'll see why!" was the answer, leaving the red haired Mistralian confused, but she complied and turned on the CCTS news service, and her eyes widen at she was seeing.
"There seems to be no end as the unknown assailant continues her rampage, the Atlesian forces helpless to stop her!" said the VNN anchorwoman, Lisa Lavender as the video image showed a girl, wearing an armored dress and mask, fighting a whole squad of Atlesian soldiers...and winning.
She didn't listen to the anchorwoman as she watched the brawl take place, looking specifically at the style of combat, along with the weapons, the woman was using.
'That's...that's my...,'
And that's it for now, don't want to spoil anymore for you.
Please leave a fav, follow, and review, HELPFUL advice, and remember... no Flaming Trolls.
Until then, LATER!