I'm here again with Paladin In Remnant. Nothing of note happens besides Rune's rewrite, pushing past 1,000 views, and to the Guest review- thank you. I do not own RWBY or The Elder Scrolls.
The sound of the Scroll woke me up from a dreamless night after the encounter with what I think an agent of the Divines. What else would have the soft blue glow in the eyes? Either way, the others are awake as well and I see Nora up being her usual self. Herma Mora really wanted me to blend in as much as possible if I'm thinking this way. I think others have their hands in it as well but my main suspect is Mora.
I think on what I have learned as the others leave to get dressed in the only bathroom in the room. Summer Rose, from what I have heard of her feats, I don't think the vampires would kill her but turn her if they have seen the same feats as well. I had a taste of the Gift of Hircine, the Werewolf. It was a rush but I had to cure it due to it going out of control in the wilds once.
I get pulled out of my thoughts by someone shaking my shoulder. I look up and see it was Jaune. "Yes?"
"We are about to go down to get breakfast before heading out on the lead we have. The innkeep told us where the last disappearance was located." Thank the Divines for innkeepers and their information. I nod to that and the four walk out so I can change. It doesn't take long and I join them for pancakes, whatever they are.
I look around the room and settle on one face in a far corner of the room. A pair of glowing eyes, vampiric glow of dying coals, sets on me as well. The face is what confuses me but I figure it out. I'm looking at Summer Rose who is a Volkihar Vampire, lovely. I tell the group I'll be back in a minute and I head to the back of the room.
She gestures me to sit down and I do. "So you're Jade. I expected you to be older and not this young."
"And by official records, you're supposed to be dead. Not a vampire, especially not a Volkihar Vampire. So how were you turned? By ritual or bite from a full-blood?" I ask sarcastically.
"Bitten. How do you know so much about the vampiric race?" She said with no emotion.
"Did you honestly think Molag Bal was a demon from this world?" A nod tells me yes. "You are wrong. He is a Daedric Prince, from Tamriel, which is the world I come from." She glares at me. "I am not wrong, I will say my full name so you can see why I know so much. Paladin Jade Bohonem, part-time Professor at Beacon along with being a student there so I can learn about this world. And this is Dawnbreaker." I say while laying Dawnbreaker on the table and she flinches.
"So you have Her blade. I knew you weren't from here. You even have His presence on you." I raise an eyebrow.
I put Dawnbreaker up and pull out the Mace of Molag Bal. "You mean this?" I hear a sharp intake of breath, something I find odd. I put it back. "I am Champion to all 16 Princes, and have their Artifacts to show it. So why did you turn?"
"They said they would go after Ruby and Yang if I didn't go with them, they would do what they did to me at first. You think I was turned on the first second of arriving at their den?"
"You where human cattle at first, then a powerful vampire seen the power you hold in your eyes and turned you but kept the same threat. But for the cost of being a vampire you lose your power. Am I right so far?"
"H-How do you know?"
"I know the power of a vampire like it's the back of my hand. I am friends with one vampire like yourself but a pure-blood. I kill anything of Daedric origin but her and now you. You have the choice of being cured and I, along with Ozpin, will keep your daughters safe. I have a ward active at all times in the room we share to keep out anything and anyone unless they are approved by me."
"I do have one question for you." I nod. "You said both of my daughters are at Beacon. Ruby is around 15, acceptance age is 17 there. How did she get in?"
"From what I heard, stopped a robbery and Ozpin himself invited her. I think to train her on her power since you are 'KIA' in the records." I say.
"Leave it to Ozpin to pull that stunt. So why are you here and why do you have a first-year team with you?" She said in a low tone, almost growling.
"Why to figure out the 'disappearances' in this village but I know what it is and I am about to leave to do so. To clear the den of vampires out that took you hostage and to free any of the human cattle left. I kill every vampire but you so stay here." I say with a smile.
"If you do, make sure you kill them all. I don't want this to come back on me. And I will cure myself if you know how to." I hear the motherly sounding tone I heard from Ruby. I slide her the room key.
"Stay in the room on that number, I have already paid for the time being and it's warded. You can enter that room, and we will leave when I return." I say while I get up to head back to the group.
"So… who was the lady you were talking to?" I hear Nora ask as I sit back down.
"Someone with another lead on a cave that a group of bandits are hiding in. She seen them enter and leave the cave at night so we have to strike them at day." I say and they get the message implied due to me telling them the truth. 'Cave of vampires, be wary.'
"Alright. When do we leave?" Pyrrha asked. I think on that, it's early morning.
"About an hour or two. You all need to be fully awake for this fight." I say. I have plenty of Cure Disease Potions ready in case of one or two of the vampires attack any of the four.
"I can understand that Jade. We will be ready whenever." Pyrrha said.
"That's good. But when we do attack these bandits tell me if you find yourself wanting to hide from the sun or feel weak by being in direct sunlight. I need to know so the disease doesn't take a hold on any of you." I say.
"All right, where is this cave at?" Nora asks, I can feel the destruction upon the vampires coming off her.
"We will head up the north road about an eighth of a mile and then off a path to the west. Then the cave is there and mind you all, it's a big cave. Depending on the size of the cave and the bandit group, it will be about 30 members in there. I'll explain more on the road." I get silent nods and we get up.
We walk along the road and I notice a shadow in the tree line among the ash. One thing Invisibility spells don't cover up is shadows and footprints. I take note of this as we arrive at the cave entrance.
"So, this is the place?" Jaune asked while looking at the cave.
"You are correct. This is the cave that the bandits are residing in. When I tell you to back away, do so. I know spells that can affect friendlies in a bad way and the Books will not protect you." I get nods to that. "All right, I seen a shadow following us so expect them to be on alert."
At the moment that I stopped speaking I took a step to the right and an arrow flew past. "Laas, Yah Nir." About 30 glows in total, good. I see the thrall come out first due to them not having the same weakness as their masters. I tell the group to attack and they do non-lethal attacks. Enough to knock them out of the fight.
I pull out my shield and my sword. I can use Dawnbreaker with Summer at the inn but I went with something different, a Stalhrim sword with a Chaos enchantment along with Absorb Magicka. That is one of the vampire's trump cards is that they use their Magicka to attack without their weapons. Take it away, they either die or run.
The first enemy I came across died quickly, a sword slash that happened to be shock damage in the gut. I figured that if JNPR is not killing these servants to a coward, then I would but I need information out of one and I need at least 5 alive. Wabbajack is going to be needed there. No! I can't let the lust of careless battle take over.
We clear the ambush out and all that is remaining is the 10 or so in the cave. I think some are cattle and the others are the stronger vampires. I call JNPR over. "Stay back and use those guns if I need help. These are most likely the stronger guys and they won't hold anything back, so unless you are needed. I don't need to see what happened to my mentor happen to you." I get nods, a very fast one from Nora, and we walk into the cave.
Darkness is prevalent in here and I cast a Mage Light for the source without torches. A young vampire attacks us upon seeing the light but is quickly put down with an arrow from Auriel's Bow. That effect should have warned the other denizens of our presence here, to which they were slaughtered.
"So you have come. You slaughter my servants, and walk in here like you are a Lady of the Court. So, who are you?!" The vampire said. I Shout Aura whisper to find any others but it seems that it was only two vampires in here, the others that was here must of ran outside to fight only to run into a slaughter. I see the eyes of the vampire in the front, the only one here. Dying embers and I can feel his strength from here.
I signal JNPR to hang back. "Paladin Jade Bohonem. And what would be your name, bloodsucker?" I say, malice drips from my voice.
"Eldon, and that's it. I forsake my family name when I outlived them. And a Paladin? Didn't your Order disappear 150 years ago?"
So, ex-family name and he must be a Vampire Lord, I have felt this power twice before. Harkon and Serana. "So you are a Vampire Lord. Molag Bal must of have seen something in you to give you that gift, because I know two others with this amount of power. One is alive because we are friends, the other has his head on a pike in front of his own castle." I hear a growl.
"Alright, I'm tired of this game of debate." Eldon said and I agree with him. I draw out my sword and he does as well. It was quiet enough to hear the breathing around the space. His foot moves and he goes with it.
In one second he crosses the room to run into my sword. I block that attack and go for his legs. He sees this and moves his legs, and hits my back with his sword. The weapon doesn't go through but it still hurts from the impact.
I roll out of the way out of his follow up and think on this. Harkon didn't have these reflexes, he must be one of these Faunus. I look at his eyes and they are slits, like a snake. I need to use Slow Time to match or out-do reflexes, and so I do. "Tiid, Klo Ul"
And then I see something odd, he's slowed but not as much as all three words' effect does. Normally it would bring the world to almost a complete standstill, like it's doing now. But Eldon, is moving a bit faster than the others, I use this moment to strike.
I hit a unarmored spot in the neck at the same time the world moved normally. He falls to the floor and stops. But he turns to mist and heads to JNPR. 'By the Nine! He's going after JNPR!'
And that thought came true, his Mist Form ends and grabs Nora. "Make another move and her blood is all over these walls!" He demanded, dagger and fangs poised to strike. I think on what the file said about Nora's Semblance. To control and channel lightning and electricity. But what about Magicka influenced lightning? Nevermind… Black Book covers it with friendlies with Destruction spells.
But another spell comes to mind that only harms undead. Sun Flare. I prime the spell with Lightning Storm afterwards if things go to south. I nod to Nora and I get a nod back.
Sun Flare hits Eldon in the leg, making him release Nora and I start casting Lightning Storm. As Eldon gets up, his eyes go wide as the huge stream of lightning comes from his right. He ducks but stray bolts hit him with enough power to disintegrate a dragon, doing said thing to him.
A stray spark hits Nora but the Black Book and Nora's Semblance protect her. I get wide eyes from the group and an even wider grin from Nora. By the Nine… That is going to be asked to be used every time that we go on missions together.
I see somehow a bag that was on him stayed intact and I grab it. "You kill him and then loot him?!" I hear Pyrrha ask, recovering from the shock. Heh, I ought to tell Yang that one.
"On Nirn, you either don't loot and get nowhere fast or take everything that's not nailed down and keep it or sell it. If it's nailed down, take the nails and then keep it or sell it." I say with a shrug still looking on what he had and I struck Ebony. A letter to Qrow of all people if Summer did something that was out of line. That is how she became so cold with that tone.
"Why? I know these were bad people, but to disrespect them in this matter?" Jaune said, recovered. Ren came up as well.
"Respect only matters to the dead during and after combat if they are brothers or sisters in arms." I say in a cold tone. "Besides, he was as pure-blooded as any vampire could get without being a female. Molag Bal can bestow vampirism to anyone if they prove their worth." I say while looking around the cave looking for a draft.
I find the draft and have Nora bust the rock door to the extension to the cave. The fours reaction was as I thought. Jaune goes to throw up, Pyrrha looks about to do the same, Nora loses her smile, and Ren stay stoic but getting a green tint to his face.
What we found was the holding cells for the vampire's human cattle. Well, what's left of it. Empty cells covered in blood and bodies thrown all in them. No one alive according to the Detect Life spell. Detect Dead… All lit up. I find a note on a table and I growl upon the news.
I skim though it and find this. They wanted to find new cattle due to the taste of the blood getting stale, or something. Summer disappearing, about to send a note to father of her first child which was listed as Qrow. I thought Ruby said Taiyang was her father?
I walk out and collapse the door. "Let's head out and get cleaned up at the inn. I have that lead to thank and then a call to Ozpin for a field report." I get weak nods.
"H-How does this not f-faze you, Jade?" Jaune said.
Before my reply came, I turned and fired off a Sunhallowed arrow at a lone survivor and kill him. "That's why. You learn to steel you stomach if you want to fight the undead." I say as we walk out of the cave. I turn to the entrance and see a weak support beam. "Fus, Roh Dah"
And with that the beam shatters, collapsing the cave unto itself. "Stop. Before we head into town, I need to see if any of you contracted Sanguinare Vampiris. Drink these and I will do what I need to do." I say as I hand out the Cure Disease potions and I drink mine. Nora smells hers.
"Do we have to?" She whines.
"If you want to keep your soul, you have to." I deadpan and all of them drink it in unison, showing faces of disgust. Hey, they may do good but they don't taste like honey. I don't see any of them showing signs of exceeding fatigue or wanting to go into shade. So they are good.
I give the all clear and we walk back to the town encountering few Grimm here and there as we arrive the broken moon is rising. We get in the inn and stand outside our room. "Before we get in our room, I gave the lead the room for the time being until we got back. You can come with but watch your words." I get slow nods.
I open the door and I hear gasps. "Ruby?" Jaune and Pyrrha asks.
"I'm afraid not, children." Summer spoke, looking at them causing them to reach for their weapons.
"Do not go for your weapons, she is on our side. This is Summer Rose, mother to Ruby Rose." I hear a sharp intake of breath from the group.
"Ruby said you were dead…" Jaune said.
"Technically she is. Vampires have no pulse and no soul. Now… Stay here while I call Ozpin. And Eldon is dead, ask these four."
I get a nod and Summer turns to the group while I step out. I pull my Scroll out and make a call to the Headmaster.
"Yes? Headmaster Ozpin speaking."
"It's Jade, Headmaster. Bandits are taken care of and I found our rare Rose. And I need to have a chat with Qrow and yourself when I get back."
"That's good. I'll call the mayor and a Bullhead. I'll tell the pilot to expect a plus one on the trip. And I'll call Qrow to come when you land. Ozpin out."
And the call cuts. I walk in the room and hearing Nora telling Summer about how Eldon got turned to ash. "Then one bolt hit me and I never have felt so hyper before it went away!" Nora says.
"Is she always this hyper?" Summer asked and gets an exhausted Yes from Ren.
"Alright, Ozpin has been called and briefed. I need to talk to Summer a bit. I think they are serving pancakes-" A blur goes by and Ren sighs. The other three teammates go after Nora. "Now that they are gone, I need to ask you something Summer." I say while pulling out the letter.
"What's that?" Summer asked while shaking her head at the antics of JNPR.
"A letter to Qrow, revealing the truth that you are alive and that you will be killed, along with those vampires going after Ruby and Yang for cattle." I hear a worried 'No' from Summer. "And that's not all. They listed Qrow as Ruby's father, not Taiyang. Why is that?"
A sigh. "Qrow is Ruby's real father and my first husband. Yes, I married Tai after an agreement with Qrow about his missions for Ozpin, which he said his Semblance brought misfortune to anyone close so he chose to work alone. What we didn't know was that I was pregnant with Ruby at the time and it was too late to have Qrow listed at the father." So, that's why I hear bad things about Taiyang from Qrow. "Two years after Ruby was born, Ozpin needed me to complete a mission due to Qrow being out of touch and I agreed. And you know the rest."
"I figured as such with Ruby, with the way Qrow treats her and trained her. And why tell me this even though we hardly know each other?"
"Dammit Qrow, we are going to have words later. But it's hard to fake being a Professor, a real Professor has that stamp on your ID, even if it's a hologram. Along with the team, it shows the real deal." Hm… Never noticed it before. "What can you tell me about my Little Gem?"
"I don't know much about her except being on the same team, wields a scythe/gun combo called Crescent Rose, Yang being like a mother figure, and Speed Semblance." Summer flinches at 2 of the four.
"I do have a file on her with being a teacher there." I pull it up and pass it to Summer, to which she reads at the pace of a Whirlwind Sprint. "We leave tomorrow at nine in the morning. Keep the hood up on your cloak to minimize the sun's effect and not to bring unwanted attention with your eyes."
"All right, I'll call the others up here. One question before I go. How will you cure me?"
"I have to make the altar first, but making a deal with Oblivion trading one soul for yours. And it has to be as dawn to work."
"One soul for mine? How would you get the soul to do so?"
"I already have one from killing a dragon-like Grimm, two actually. I think some Grimm house Soul Gems to fill up for some reason. And these two I hold are filled." Summer's eyes go wide with this information.
"All right. The others need to rest so we can leave. Your cure should be ready in at least a week if not a fortnight." I get a shallow nod. She may have a cold attitude like Weiss, but its due to what the vampires making her do. I can tell that the motherly feelings are coming back.
She goes to the ground floor and gets JNPR. Nothing much happens besides Nora being hyperactive past the point of no return for at least a few hours. Jaune and Pyrrha talks to Summer about RWBY and who's on it along how they acted at the start. She goes wide eyed at who was on it, and then laughs, saying something like 'Just like Raven and I.' I smile at the sight, then looked away. I didn't have a mother or father, but a father figure from my mentor.
I don't know what it was like but I can tell Ren and Nora have the same experience that I have with parents. I wonder what is going on back home with my disappearance from Nirn. I get a message from Ruby asking how the mission went. The response was normal. Went well and Nora broke legs, literally. Be back in the morning and JNPR says hello.
The whole night was full of laughter on all ends and we were tired from the mission, me being worse off with Eldon. Lightning Storm takes a lot out of you, worse than some Shouts. Then something had to ruin the moment, a knock on the door more specifically.
I open it up and spot a male law enforcement officer for this village. "Evening Ma'am. My name is Officer Smoke Evans. I heard what you did for this town from the Mayor, thank you for finding those who are responsible for the disappearances. But a resident of the town told me that you had one of them with you right now, is she here?" Smoke said, hand on handcuffs and looking around.
"She is indeed officer, but I have evidence that she was forced to work with them against her will. A couple of letters to be more precise." I get a raised eyebrow.
"Is that so? Would you come with me so I can see these documents with the Mayor?" I tell him yes and tell the group of five what I'm doing, which they told me not to do anything stupid. I won't do anything unless provoked so I told them I wouldn't.
We arrive at a building, my guess is a barracks of sorts with holding cells. I see a person surrounded by a couple of guards, must be the Mayor. I tell them what I told the Officer, she was forced to work with them or they would go after her daughters. However, I didn't find a survivor with them ambushing me. They see no reason to hold ill will against someone that was force to do this.
I was let go and headed back to the inn, with that out of the way I can lay down. I see JNPR is fast asleep with Summer wide awake reading the book I read on the trip over, I let her be and I soon fall asleep.
That's all for this chapter. [Removed under Codeword: Review] Yes Jade needs to make the altar to cure the vampirism within Summer, Skyrim already had one there for I wouldn't even guess how long. Summer will act with a cold attitude then warm up, drinking blood for 10 plus years can do that and add the killing with it will do that. I need to figure out a way to reunite mother/daughter (daughters if you add Yang, which I will).
As for my wording on how Taiyang got to Ruby's father... If you think of something that would help word that better, PM me so I can see.
And with that I will write up the next chapter for both this and Rune (well, rewrite for Rune). Favorite, Follow, Review/PM for more.
Edit 8/27/17: General fixes that has been stated before and removed theory due to review.
