Chapter 8: The Hero That Will Rise Above
The Dànsling was different among the Paladins, in that while his allies had to only to master the power of their Draíochta and weaponry, the Dànsling had to prove himself worthy of being Aziela's chosen champion, even despite being destined for the role since birth. The sword of the Dànsling was forged Above with steel smelted from the sun Soleila itself." Aziela needed a champion who was pure of heart and soul, so for each new Dànsling that appeared, he had to complete five trials to prove himself; four to test his abilities and one final trial to purify the evil in his soul. Only then, could he truly take the name of Dànsling, but if he succeeds, he would become the Paladin that all evil fears most.
––The Tale of the Dànsling
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Jaune laid half-asleep on the sandy beach with Spring hovering over him, watching him. His eyes soon pried open and he gave a little shriek, springing to his feet. "Wakey, wakey!" Spring giggled. She grabbed his hand and lead him down the beach, where they came upon a large single-story house that laid between the tropical forest and the shore. Standing up upon the front porch were Summer, Autumn, and Winter, all watching the two come towards them. "Welcome to the Island of the Maidens, Dànsling!" she told him, spinning herself around with her arms out.
At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from within the house. Jaune was met with who he mistook for himself, only perhaps forty years older than himself. The man smiled when he saw Jaune. "Hello, Jaune," he simply said. Jaune was speechless. For years, he saw this man's portrait growing up back at home, passing by it every day.
He was staring directly upon his great-great-grandfather, Jaundice Arc, the former King of Vale and the Dànsling of Aziela.
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Jaundice escorted Jaune to the house's back porch that faced the Mistral Sea, where the two sat on a long and cushioned bench together while the Maidens went inside to make a meal for the two Arcs, celebrating the arrival of the next Dànsling. Jaune gave Jaundice a rundown of the recent events, especially of Pyrrha and Cinder. When he had finished, Jaundice hugged him tight.
"It seems you've been through a lot already in such a short time," Jaundice told his grandson, who silently nodded. The Maidens came out with trays of food for the two men and left them to eat.
"Grandpa, what will I do now that I'm here?" Jaune eventually asked while eating a sandwich.
"Depends. What are you here for? What do you want from me?"
"I want to become a Paladin," Jaune answered.
"That is your destiny, but I want to know what you yourself want."
Jaune was silent for a moment, thinking it over. He thought back to himself growing up, all the way back to when he was ten, how every boy was bigger and stronger than he was, how he failed to be accepted into Signal Academy, and how Blanche and his Uncle Gris taught him swordfighting with simple sticks and how they always beat him. He recalled how out of place he felt arriving at Beacon using his fake transcripts. Everyone was stronger than him while he was so weak and tiny, and he hated it. Everyone had better weapons than he did; weapons they themselves built or bought to their own preference and liking while he was stuck with a simple sword of the family's, a sword his king of a grandfather wielded to end the Great War so long ago. A sword that he only learned quite recently is a sword that all evil fear, a sword forged Above.
"I want to be strong. I want to be feared. I want to become powerful. I want to become a man that my enemies will fear, the man that Remnant will cheer and call 'hero'," Jaune declared. Jaundice smiled and ruffled Jaune's hair.
"That's the sort I wanted to hear," his grandfather told him. The two sat together finishing their sandwiches and watching the ocean.
"In time, you will have to complete a series of trials to prove yourself that will unlock the true power of Crocea Mors," Jaundice revealed after swallowing his last mouthful.
"Trials? Aziela told me the same thing before I left Patch. And what do you mean 'the true power of Crocea Mors'?"
"You know that your sword was once mine, as it was once our ancestor's, Etrius Arc, the first Arc." Jaundice leaned back into his chair. "Crocea Mors was forged in the heavens, made of a heavenly steel called 'Soleilia'."
"So, my sword has the sun within it?" Jaune was somewhat confused by this prospect.
"Yes, but only when its power is unlocked, which will happen once you prove yourself as Aziela's Dànsling and complete a series of trials."
"What can…"
"I cannot reveal the trials to you. You must complete them alongside the Maidens, one for each trial, followed by one final trial to unlock Crocea Mors' power."
"I understand. I'm curious, if the trials are to unlock the power of Crocea Mors, then how do I obtain all the magical powers the Dànsling can perform? I've seen Kyler Carnaid perform some magic in the past, but how would I do the same?"
"You will learn all of the magical powers the Dànsling can utilize, but I will still have to train you how to properly wield the powers and to master the full use of your Draíochta. I will also teach you the many combat techniques I used during my time of the Great War…" Jaundice reached into Jaune's pocket and took his scroll, which Jaune did not object to, him respecting his elders, as always. Jaundice switched it on and looked at a video Pyrrha made demonstrating one of her combat techniques. "…Although, perhaps you might be better suited to learning the same techniques Pyrrha Nikos utilized." Jaune nodded. The two chatted a little before retreating for the night.
Inside the house, Jaune's bedroom, albeit small, appeared comfortable and fit for someone like him, consisting of a well-made twin bed with extra blankets, a dresser (which he found some clothes in), a small bookshelf lined with books ("They're probably stuff about grandpa, combat, and the Gods," Jaune told himself), and a nightstand with a lamp. Jaune switched it on and was surprised to see it light. "It must be magic," he chuckled to himself, thinking of the age-old excuse to tell any young child on how things work.
Jaune dressed into a pair of pajamas from the dresser and laid his own clothes and armor atop it. He laid his Pumpkin Pete hoodie on top, running his hand over the embroidered bunny rabbit. "No matter what, Pumpkin Pete cereal will always be your greatest accomplishment to me," Jaune whispered under his breath. He laid Crocea Mors by his bed, climbed in, and drifted to sleep.
"Hello again, Jaune," said Pyrrha's voice. Jaune's eyes fluttered open and he found himself back on the porch with himself in Pyrrha's lap, who was stroking his hair. He gave her a smile, and she returned it. Jaune made no effort to move, for he was blissfully happy where he was. "Five trials, huh? Looks like you've got a lot to do to become a full-fledged Dànsling, don't you?"
"You know?" Jaune asked, curious as to how Pyrrha would know.
Pyrrha gave him a sharp tap on the forehead. "Silly, you forget that I see everything you do now that my soul resides alongside yours."
"That's true." They stayed together for a while. Jaune hummed every time Pyrrha ran her fingers through his hair or tapped at his skin. Eventually, Jaune sat up and leaned against Pyrrha, taking in her warm embrace and her kind smile. "I'm glad I'll still have you by my side through all of this. Thank you, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha hugged him tight. "I promise I will help you fulfill your destiny," she told him, just as she did before.
"You've already done enough," he answered back, same as before, except…"But I will need you to do far more in the future." The two embraced in a passionate hug. Now they will fulfill Jaune's destiny together that their fates are intertwined more than ever before.
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The next morning, Jaune was rushing through the forest with Spring clinging to his back. He dashed past trees, leapt over large, overgrown roots, climbed up trees, and swung across branches and vines. "You are doing well for a test of stamina," Spring complimented as Jaune somersaulted through the air and landed upon a thick branch.
"Thanks, but when am I supposed to start the first trial with you?" Jaune asked her as he skipped along a pathway of branches.
"We'll start it when it eventually finds us."
"'When it finds us?' What is that supposed to mean!?" he cried as he slipped upon a branch and nearly fell, only saved by a quick reflex to grab at the branch. He hoisted himself up, where Spring jumped from his shoulders and onto the branch with him.
"It looks like your reflexes are improving already," she complimented before she jumped down to a lower branch and climbed down the tree. Jaune let out a sigh and followed after her, but upon reaching the ground, Spring was nowhere to be found.
"Spring! SPRING!" Jaune called out, to no answer. "Damnit, where did she go?"
Suddenly, Spring's scream rang out through the forest. Drawing his sword, Jaune rushed towards the source, whipping past several branches before coming into a clearing. He spotted Spring on the ground, her arms up shielding herself from a large brown bear that was towering over her. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Jaune shouted, grabbing the bear's attention and allowing Spring to scramble away.
Jaune and the bear circled each other, both ready for the other. The bear leapt forward with a slash, which Jaune ducked under and rolled away. The bear came at him again, this time, Jaune countered with an uppercut, slashing across the bear's front, forcing it to recoil backwards. The bear let out a roar and charged at Jaune. The young man rolled forward as the bear neared, avoiding its claw swipe and ending up in between its legs and behind it. The bear was briefly confused by Jaune's disappearance, which turned into a howl of pain when Jaune dug his sword into its back. The bear keeled over onto the ground, where it laid in pain. Jaune stood over the beast with his sword in hand raised above it, ready to strike the beast down. At that moment, two small bear cubs came rushing out into the clearing and huddled near the bear; the beast's young. Jaune hesitated for a brief moment, to which no one moved, then he suddenly sheathed his blade. "I spare you this one time. Go," he orders the giant bear. The bear rose and silently wandered off into the forests with its cubs at its heels.
"Well done, you completed the Trial of Power!" Spring cheered, latching onto Jaune's back and making him stumble and fall over. "I must admit, I was afraid you were going to kill the bear."
"Wait, that was one of the trials? That's what you meant by 'the trial will find us?' What was this supposed to prove?" Jaune questioned.
"What is power, Jaune Arc?" Spring asked him, hoping off of him.
"Um…the ability to do something however you wanted?" Jaune answered.
"Basically. Now, tell me, what is true power?" Jaune gave her a blank stare. "True power is knowing when to use it and when not to. The ability to take a life or to spare it. You demonstrated true power by sparing that creature despite that it posed a threat to us both, and for that, you completed the Trial of Power." Spring suddenly sprang onto his back again and ordered him to return to the beach.
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Jaune sat alone in his bedroom trying to concentrate on his Draíochta, hoping to draw it out like he did at the Battle of Beacon. He envisioned the night when he faced against Cinder and focused on the emotions he felt that night: anger, guilt and insignificance. Anger from Cinder killing Pyrrha. Guilt because it was he who sent Pyrrha to her death at Beacon Tower. Insignificance for how he failed to succeed at the Battle of Beacon, despite being the Dànsling.
I killed you…it's my fault… Jaune thought to himself. After that moment in front of the cafeteria, when we were in front of Beacon fighting for our lives, I just wanted to protect you…I didn't want to lose you…I sent you away, hoping it would keep you safe…I'm sorry…
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Jaune stood in a small cave with an open ceiling which revealed the night sky above him with a pale moon. Before him were four goblets full of a colorless and odorless liquid sitting upon short tables. A stone tablet protruding from the ground had words scrawled upon it, which read:
"One will grant you victory,
Another will drag your soul Under,
A third will destroy your mind,
The last will leave you in agony,
To claim victory, ignite my pale sister,
She will illuminate the Huntress that shall be your guiding light."
"Have you figured out what you must do?" the Maiden Winter asked of him while she stood nearby.
"All I know is that I gotta drink one of these things to win or I'll suffer some horrible fate," Jaune told her. "And I have no idea what this riddle means. By Under, it doesn't even rhyme!"
"Take your time," Winter reminded him before she sat down upon the ground to wait. Jaune paced both and forth between the goblets, wondering if he should take one at random. "This is not a guessing game," Winter warned him.
"One will grant me victory, drag my soul Under––I don't need to guess what that means––another will drive me insane, and one will leave me in agony…Winter, what does the agony goblet do?"
"Try to imagine the worst case of diarrhea you've ever had and multiply it by a hundred," Winter simply answered, which made Jaune shiver with fright.
"I think being dragged down Under sounds better by comparison," he moaned.
"Take all the time you need to pass the Trial of Wisdom."
Jaune paced back and forth between the goblets a few more times before he went to the stone tablet bearing the riddle. "'Ignite my pale sister'…" he mumbled. He glanced over at Winter. Could this involve her?
"I am but a spectator to ensure you pass the trial, Jaune Arc," Winter confirmed, as if she could read his mind.
"'Ignite my pale sister'…" Jaune repeated. He pondered for a few minutes before he let out a groan, throwing his head to the sky in frustration. That was when he saw the pale sister: the moon. The full moon hung up in the sky, illuminating the stars around it. "'Ignite my pale sister'…" Jaune raised his hands to the sky with Draíochta powered up. He unleashed his energy onto the moon, where his Draíochta made the moon brighten up, illuminating the entire sky and all its stars. "The Huntress shall be my guiding light…" Jaune located the pattern of stars that formed the constellation of the Huntress; a woman with long hair bearing a bow, who was one of the first successful Huntresses shortly after the establishment of the Huntsmen and Huntress Academies following the Great War. Jaune threw some Draíochta into the sky, where the Huntress formed a complete outline from the stars. Jaune watched as the Huntress came alive, releasing the nocked arrow, which flew from the sky down into the open cavern, where it materialized as a Draíochta arrow that landed before the center left pedestal. "That's it!" Jaune exclaimed before grabbing the goblet and downing it, resulting in him coughing like mad.
"Well done, you passed the Trial of Wisdom," Winter complimented Jaune while he continued coughing. "Don't worry, the drink will wear off soon." She lead him back to the beach, where they turned in for the night.
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For many days, Jaune trained without resting to the videos on his scroll. He soon mastered each technique Pyrrha highlighted in the videos. The first one was the ankle strike, a move where Jaune would dive and slide towards his opponent, where he would quickly strike at their knees to knock them down. Another was the helm splitter, a move where he would daze his opponent with a shield bash, then leap over them, striking at their head or shoulder line. There was one technique that served as a rouse, which Pyrrha designed especially for Jaune; he would keep his shield sheathed as a scabbard, which, while in the heat of battle, he would switch hands with his sword, where he would strike his foe with the scabbard and follow with a strike with his sword with their defenses open.
Jaundice approached Jaune one day after the young man had finished another round of training on the beach, which left Jaune exhausted on the sandy beach. Jaune had not only trained to Pyrrha's videos, but also tapped into his Draíochta, where he manifested his Aura Armor, as well as the Holy Blast, a move Jaundice taught him where he conjures Draíochta into his hand to create a powerful blast of Draíochta to strike foes, and now he was drained. "You have improved greatly, having completed two of trials so far, but you need to learn more combat techniques as well. The few techniques Pyrrha left you will not be enough."
"I know that, Grandpa, but I need to learn techniques of today's age, not the ones you knew back during the Great War," Jaune remarked as he sat up from the sand. "I need someone who can teach me."
Jaundice stared at Jaune for a moment. "Who do you believe would be a better teacher in combat than I?" he merely asked.
Jaune let out a whiff of air as he pondered. He glanced at his scroll, which showed a video of Pyrrha. "Pandora Nikos, Pyrrha's mother. Pyrrha said that her mother taught her all she knew, so she would be perfect to teach me."
"Pandora…If I recall, she was a Guardian years ago. I suppose she would be suitable for such a task…Very well, you may go to Mistral to see her when you are ready to do so, but I want the Maidens to accompany you." Jaune agreed and went back to training.
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For nearly a month, Jaune struggled to complete the Trial of Courage with Autumn, but he failed each time. Autumn insisted that the trial was grueling for him, especially after everything he has endured, but Jaune refused to give up. On the last day of the month, he and Autumn went to the location where the Trial of Courage was to take place, which was in a small clearing deep within the forest. The clearing was devoid of any life; no trees, no wildlife, no plants, and nothing alive except them dared come near it, for in the center of the clearing was a round hole leading into darkness.
"You already know what you must do to initiate the Trial of Courage," Autumn told Jaune while he stood atop the entrance. "You already know what you will encounter down there…"
"That I do," Jaune answered as he peered down.
Autumn took a deep sigh. "Good luck, Jaune…" Jaune gave her a nod and jumped inside.
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Darkness surrounded Jaune as he fell for what felt like ages. His body soon felt weightless and he gently fell upon soft ground, yet darkness still surrounded him. His hand went to his sword, but he did not draw it, instead preparing himself for what was to come.
Finally, she appeared. It started as a small ember in the palm of her hand, but the fire grew, illuminating all of her amidst the darkness. Cinder Fall stood before him with a playful smile. "Hello, Jaune," she purred. Jaune drew his sword and readied himself. Cinder tossed the ball of fire towards him, but it instead whizzed past him and struck someone behind him, creating a high scream. Jaune spun around and saw Pyrrha before him, enshrouded in flames.
"PYRRHA!" He screamed, racing for her. She called out for him, reaching out for him, but when he reached her, she evaporated into ashes, disappearing into the darkness around him.
"You are pathetic. You could not save her, nor could you stop me from killing your family," Cinder taunted. At once, Jaune's parents and his four sisters materialized from nowhere in a circle formation around him and Cinder. They looked upon him with worried looks.
"Jaune…save us…" Foncé begged him. Cinder conjured fire under all the family members.
"Try to save them, Paladin," she hissed. Jaune ran for his father first, but when he reached him, the fire under him instantly consumed him, resulting in his father screaming before it cut off. Jaune wasted no time and dashed for his mother. She too went up in flames. Before he could run for his sisters, they exploded as well, leaving him surrounded by six pillars of fire.
Cinder stepped towards him, and Jaune offered no resistance, having fallen to the ground. "You are pathetic," Cinder told him. "I cannot believe that Aziela chose such a weakling to be her champion. A boy who cannot protect his family, his friends, or his little girlfriend from a fate worse than death." She always tells me this. What is she talking about? A fate worse than death? Does she know about Pyrrha inside my mind? Cinder readied a ball of fire in her hand. Jaune meekly raised his sword to defend himself. Cinder fired onto the blade, and it shattered into pieces, making Jaune fall onto all fours. She let out a victorious laugh and incinerated Jaune instantly, who became enshrouded in fire. His vision went dark, and he knew no more.
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Jaune awoke on the surface with Autumn hovering over him. He clenched his fist tight and rolled over to avoid looking at the Maiden, who knew he had failed. Autumn moved close to him, and while Jaune tried shrugging her off, she eventually tightened herself around him in a hug. "I can't do it…" Jaune whimpered.
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Back at the beach, Jaune and the Four Maidens have gathered together near a small sailboat, which appeared from nowhere. "This ship shall take us to Mistral within a day, where you can visit Pandora Nikos."
Jaune himself had only the clothes he arrived in, his weapon, Pyrrha's circlet tied to his belt, and pack of food and water from Jaundice for the journey. "Sounds perfect. Shall we leave now?" They all boarded the ship, where it set sail on his own with no one at the helm. "Must be magic," Jaune chuckled to himself he stood on deck.
They sailed on in complete silence, of which Jaune spent the four hour journey wondering what he should say to Pandora Nikos. The Battle of Beacon was a little over a year ago, and the reclaiming of Vale ended eight months after with the establishment of a temporary CCT signal tower, restoring communication across the kingdoms, albeit a weak and strained signal. Within the months that followed, a new CCT building was built over the remains of Beacon, which restored communications completely. Jaune noticed this when his scroll came back online months ago.
It was late afternoon when their sailboat reached the port town of Himawari that laid north of Mistral. Before leaving the ship, the Maidens placed their hands upon Jaune's body, making him glow a bright white before the color faded. "We applied a cloaking film over your Draíochta, making it so you cannot be detected by Draíochta users," Autumn told him. They paid the captain that oversaw the port some money to watch over their ship, then the five headed to a nearby airship yard, where a few small airships were docked. Summer exchanged a few words with one of the men running the air yard and they found themselves aboard a ship heading straight for Mistral.
"Destination: Mistral. ETA: 1 hour," said the pilot's voice over the PA system. Jaune marveled upon Mistral in the distance: a gleaming city composed of tall, ancient buildings scattered amongst each other atop a gloriously high mountain, a safety measure against most Grimm and enemies.
This is Pyrrha's home. This is where Pandora currently lives, Jaune thought to himself as the airship soared through the sky, where it eventually found an airship yard and docked itself automatically. The five disembarked and headed into the heart of the city, following the map system on Jaune's scroll, which was leading them to the Nikos house. The Maidens stayed close to Jaune, their eyes watchful for any sign of danger.
They ventured into the packed suburbs of the city, and they soon came upon the Nikos house, a simple two-story home with a decent yard, a stone walkway, and a mailbox reading "Nikos." "This is yours to confront alone, Jaune Arc," Winter told him while her and her sisters stayed by the mailbox while Jaune went on forward. He hesitated about knocking, but he soon did. Three hard, long knocks. There was a loud noise inside, some footsteps echoing towards the front door (which made Jaune tense up), the changing of locks, and finally, the opening of the door.
The door opened and Pandora stood before him. She gave a little gasp, surprised to see him, and Jaune suddenly lost his voice. "Jaune…shouldn't you be with your grandfather?" she asked him. Jaune could not answer. "Why are you here?" No answer. Jaune could not think of any answer to give her despite how much time he has thought this over. He went to his belt and handed Pandora the circlet, but she refused to take it. She invited him and the Maidens inside.
The six of them went to the sitting room. Pandora sat down in an easy recliner, Jaune took the center of a sofa across from her, and the Maidens all went about their own thing; Winter calmly stood by the window, looking out. Spring went to a nearby set of picture frames and marveled upon them. Autumn sat quietly by Jaune. Summer sat on the floor away from the rest, not wanting to interfere with Jaune and Pandora.
Jaune took note of Pandora's state, which was unlike how she was when he first met her at Beacon. What was once a proud and powerful Huntress was now a unkempt mess of a woman with disheveled, knotted hair that has not been washed in days, baggy eyes as if she has not slept well, and on a nearby end table was a half-full bottle of Mistral whiskey. Jaune could easily tell Pandora has not been well since Pyrrha died.
"Why are you here?" Pandora asked again, now slouched backwards in her recliner.
"I…I came to see you…I need your help, Pandora…" Jaune stuttered out. "…I cannot finish my training on my own, and I need a teacher to help me learn proper combat techniques." He took a deep breath upon finishing.
Pandora gave him a blank stare for a moment, then she dove for the whiskey bottle, taking a deep gulp from it. "Sorry to tell you this, kid, but I'm retired now. Have been since I came back from the Vale Reclamation. Besides, why not have your grandfather teach you in combat?"
"Pandora, please! I've already improved since the Battle of Beacon! I've gained some control over my Draíochta, but I need someone to teach me combat techniques of this age, not my grandfather's! I know you were once a Guardian, so you would be perfect for this!"
Another gulp of whiskey. "Yeah, I was a Guardian, and I used to follow Aziela's teachings, but that was before Pyrrha died…I lost faith in the Gods after that…"
To grow up following the Gods' words, to be anointed Guardian, to have your own daughter be destined as a Guardian to a Paladin and then die…I can see why Pandora would lose her faith… Jaune thought to himself. "I know how you feel. I lost my family to Cinder Fall just as we both lost Pyrrha to her, and while I only knew of the Gods' existence since the day before the Battle of Beacon, I haven't lost faith in Aziela."
"You are young and naive," Pandora huffed. "You can say that because you were born a Paladin with magic, but Pyrrha and I were not. You got to enjoy a peaceful life until Beacon while I had to train Pyrrha without end to ensure she was ready for her role as a Guardian! She died while you lived! WHY DIDN'T YOU DIE INSTEAD, YOU PATHETIC WASTE!" Jaune was hurt by her words, but he had no words to counterattack. Pandora was right; he, who grew up without having any training and cheated his way to Beacon, lived while Pyrrha, who trained all her life to be a warrior, died, and she died because of his orders. "I don't care whether you live or die, Jaune Arc…I hate you…" Pandora rose with a groan and headed up the stairs with her whiskey in hand. "…See yourself out…" she spat as she stumbled upstairs.
Jaune silently watched her go and disappear into her bedroom, but he refused to leave. Both he and the Maidens ascended the stairs to find proper bedrooms for themselves; the Maidens found the guest room, where they chose to stay, but for Jaune, he instead found Pyrrha's bedroom.
Her room was decorated in simple red wallpaper and contained a small bed, a desk, a dresser, and a closet. Various trinkets littered her desk along with her scroll laptop, and there were trinkets, medals, and picture frames atop the dresser. Jaune, feeling tired, went straight for the bed; he did not notice the dusty Akouo and Milo––the latter still shattered to pieces––sitting at the front of the bed. Shrugging off his sword and sneakers, he buried himself under the covers and went to sleep.
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"I know you blame yourself for what happened to me, and I want to remind you that you had no idea what would happen at Beacon Tower. Neither of us knew, and even so, had I not lie to Cinder that I was the Dànsling, she would have killed me and then sought you out," Pyrrha told him in yet another dream.
Jaune sat next to her on the front porch of the Nikos household with his hand in hers. "I keep telling myself that, but each time I do, I keep being reminded that it was ultimately my fault that you died, and now your mother hates me."
"She is upset, no doubt, but I don't believe she truly hates you for what happened." Her hand squeezed his. "She has had to suffer the pain of my death for over a year just as you had to, but she did not have me inside her for comfort."
"…Even if she refuses to come and help me, I want to help her recover from this…I can't just leave her to drown herself in whiskey until it kills her."
Pyrrha came in for a hug. "Mom is wrong about you…you may have enjoyed an easy life without knowing of your destiny, but you're already a fine Paladin, and you can prove it to her. Tell her that I would want her to train you as I did." She cupped her hand on his cheek and had him stare at her. "No matter what happens, whatever bad things may happen, you are always a hero in my eyes, whether you lived a life like mine or the easy life you had."
Jaune took her hands in his and gave her a warm smile. "You always believed in me, as always."
"And I shall always believe in you until the end."
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After strapping his sword to his hip, Jaune took a moment to pour over the picture frames on the dresser. One frame showed a baby Pyrrha being held by her happy mother and father, the latter of whom divorced Pandora a few years later, which Pyrrha told him once. Another picture showed a young, smiling Pyrrha holding her first championship medal. Her teeth were lined with braces. Another showed Pyrrha and Pandora when she graduated from Sanctum, top of her class.
The last picture caught Jaune's full attention. He took it into his hands, perplexed by it. It showed a young Pyrrha, possibly ten years old. In the background was the village of Shion, a popular vacation spot that Jaune's family visited a few times before (as shown by the family album back home, despite that Jaune himself had little recollection), but directly beside Pyrrha was Jaune, roughly the same age. Both children were smiling at the camera.
H-How can this be? Pyrrha and I…knew each other before Beacon? Jaune wondered, searching for a possible explanation.
"So I guess Pyrrha was right…you never recovered your memories from that time," said Pandora's voice behind him. Once again, she looked like a complete mess, minus the bottle in hand. "Back when you two were assigned into Team JNPR, she would message home about how she found you again, but she was always disappointed that you never recognized her."
"Pandora, what is this?" Jaune wanted…he needed to know. "What are you talking about?"
Pandora rubbed the side of her head in pain, but she sat down upon the bed and patted the side, asking for Jaune to sit with her. He did, and she held his hand. "Have you ever wondered why is it that you and Pyrrha only just met at Beacon, only to be torn apart a few months later? Wouldn't Aziela want her Paladin and his Guardian, with their intertwined fates, to be together at sooner points in time? Wouldn't she want them to both be ready for their destinies early in life? Why didn't Aziela bring you two together sooner in life?
"Because she already did," Pandora continued without waiting for an answer. "She did it when you two were ten years old. It was no coincidence that the two of us would happen to take a vacation to Shion at the same time the Arc family did. Before we met, I wondered who the next Dànsling was supposed to be. I can still remember how you and Pyrrha exactly met; you both were running for the same snack kiosk near the Misty Waterfall, as it was called. You both wanted a snow cone, but the kiosk had only enough ice left for one more. You reached the kiosk before Pyrrha did, but I remember how you brightened up upon seeing you; you didn't hesitate to give the snow cone to her. After that, you two started playing together, going so far as to leave your vacation homes early in the morning to see each other. Your sister Blanche and I thought it was perfect, with both of you growing close for nearly two weeks without knowing of your destinies.
"And then everything fell apart one day. As Pyrrha told me, you two were playing together and you took a bad tumble and hit your head. You fell unconscious, and the doctor that examined you concluded you suffered head trauma. When you awoke, you could not remember anything of the last few weeks, not even Pyrrha. Your mother flew into hysterics when this happened; threatened to sue me for endangering your life and demanded that Pyrrha or I never come near you again. Of course, Blanche tried to reason with your mother, but from what she told me later over the phone, she was dead-set on protecting you and keeping you safe."
"So that's why mom was always so overprotective of me…" Jaune let out a long sigh, still trying to comprehend all of this.
"Your family took you back home to Vale after the incident…Pyrrha missed you a lot since…she blamed herself for what happened, and yet she never forgot you…When you two reunited at Beacon, she was so excited, yet disappointed that you did not remember her."
"I did recognize her from Pumpkin Pete's cereal though," Jaune chuckled, which Pandora returned with her own.
"Yes, she was quite amused by that…" Pandora went silent for a moment, aside from a couple shivers she made. Jaune noticed tears in her eyes. "…Even though you didn't remember her, she wanted to be with you again. She told me about how you were so inexperienced when she saw you and sought to help you…just like a true Guardian…she loved you, you know…"
"I know…I loved her too…I still love her…" Jaune admitted.
Pandora looked upon him, tears welling up now. "How long have you two…?"
"I learned she loved me since the Vytal Festival dance at Beacon…we didn't come forward with our feelings until the day before the Battle of Beacon…" Tears now ran down Pandora's cheeks, to which Jaune pulled her into his arms, surprising her.
Pandora sniffled and sobbed onto his shoulder. "After the incident, I knew I had to prepare Pyrrha for her role as a Guardian. I pushed her…I kept pushing her, day and night…whenever she didn't want to train, I yelled at her and forced her to continue training, all just to prepare her…I pushed her to become a warrior, taught her everything I knew, and instilled in her the duty of a Huntress…all to lead her to her death…"
Pyrrha…was abused…? Jaune wondered. His hands on Pandora loosened up, but then he suddenly squeezed her closer to him. "It…it wasn't your fault…you did what you thought was right." He pulled her away to look at her, where he gave her a smile. "Had you not prepare Pyrrha, she may not have been able to train me at Beacon. I…probably wouldn't be here without her training and her love." Maybe Pyrrha's abuse ended up being good for me…maybe… "
He's…forgiving me…? Jaune pulled out a red handkerchief––the very same one Pyrrha gave to him so long ago––and dabbed at Pandora's eyes. I gave that to Pyrrha before she left for Beacon…
"I don't care whether you hate me or not, but I still need your help training me. Pyrrha wants the same…" Pandora gave him a puzzled stare. "Pyrrha is…still alive…" Pandora drew a gasp.
"She's…alive!? Where is she!?" Pandora cried, grabbing hold of his hoodie. "WHERE IS PYRRHA!?"
Jaune had Pandora release him. He then placed his hands upon her cheek and her heart, and with simple effort, he had his Draíochta radiate through his body and to hers, making them both glow white and red. Pandora felt his Draíochta touch her, making her feel warm. Then, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. "Mom…" Pandora gasped, her eyes growing wide. "…Mom…please help Jaune…my death was not his fault…protect him for me…be his Guardian, please…" Jaune released his grip on Pandora and explained how this came to be.
"So…her soul is within you…My little girl is still alive…" Pandora mumbled, her hand touching Jaune's left breast. Jaune pulled her into a hug, which she accepted. In that moment, she understood what she had to do now; she understood that the Gods are not finished with her, and that her fate is intertwined with Jaune's, just as Pyrrha's was. "I shall be your Guardian. I will serve you, I will protect you, and I will fight your battles with you."
A smile spread across Pandora's lips; she has not smiled like that in a long time.
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Pandora got herself dressed in new clothes, being a red tunic with black shirt, some grey trousers, black boots adorned with bronze armaments, and a bronze breastplate over it as well as some padded bronze gauntlets. At her hip was her gladius/spear Herc, and on her back, her shield, Labor; Jaune now understood where Pyrrha got the inspiration for her own combat uniform. Before they left, Pandora brought along Milo and Akouo with them and Jaune took the photo of the young him and Pyrrha from her dresser, and then they returned to the island with the Maidens. Pandora stood at the stern of the ship, staring back at the disappearing city of Mistral. Once it had faded from view, she went and sat next to Jaune, whom she ran an arm around to lean against.
"Are you nervous?" he asked her.
"A little. I mean, I never imagined I would have to take up the role of a Guardian again in my lifetime, after all," she answered. "I do promise to uphold my duty as your Guardian, however."
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Jaune attempted the Trial of Courage with Autumn once again. When he fell into the pit, darkness overtook him like before and he felt his body weight disappear. He landed, and Cinder appeared with a ball of fire in hand. Just as before, Pyrrha appeared before him, but Jaune stood his ground, where Pyrrha then vanished into ashes. "You sent her to her death, Paladin," Cinder hissed.
"You're wrong, it was not my fault. Pyrrha did what she did to protect me. She gave her life to protect me!" Jaune shot at her, surprising her. Cinder grit her teeth and threw a ball of fire upon Jaune, but he merely swatted at it with his sword, dispelling it completely. "I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!" he shouted swinging his sword at her. Cinder threw up a wall of fire to stop it, but the blade easily cleaved through the flames and struck Cinder. She let out an agonizing scream and exploded into ashes. Jaune drew heavy breath as he clutched his blade tightly.
Suddenly, the darkness surrounding him gave way to light, a light which blinded him. When his vision cleared, he was back upon the surface with Autumn watching over him. "Well done, you completed the Trial of Courage."
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Pandora and Jaune were locked in combat together while the Maidens and Jaundice watched them. "Always remember to keep a firm and tight stance to avoid misstep," Pandora warned him before lunging at him with Herc in its gladius form, which he jumped aside to avoid. "TOO SLOW!" she added, quickly smacking him with Labor and knocking him down. Jaune was quick to roll across the sand to avoid her, where he sprang to his feet with his sword at the ready. "Remember, we are not using Draíochta for this fight. You must learn to fight as any ordinary man in the event you empty your Draíochta reserves."
"I know that. I've been training like that since I was a kid!" Jaune spat before rushing at Pandora with a stab. She avoided it and brought her gladius down upon him, but he quickly blocked it and dived for the sand, where he tried sweep kicking her, where she jumped up to avoid it. Jaune quickly flipped out of Pandora's range in time for her to stab her spear into the sand where he once stood. Pandora switched Herc to its bolt-action rifle form and repeatedly fired rounds at Jaune, who blocked them with his shield, except for one that glanced off his foot (protected by Draíochta). "You cannot just focus your defense on your main body, you have to protect everything! Your hands! Your feet! Let your shield take your hits rather than your Draíochta!" Pandora ejected the empty clip and reloaded a new one, but Jaune took this moment to rush her with Crocea Mors raised. "Using my time to reload to attack! Excellent!" Pandora complimented before blocking Crocea Mors with the body of her gun, where she spun it in a full circle, twisting the sword out of Jaune's hand, and she quickly smacked him in the face with the butt, then into his stomach before ending with a quick uppercut that knocked him onto his back. "You're a Paladin, yet I just kicked your butt. I can imagine Pyrrha having to deal with this. We've got a long ways to go." She helped him up and ruffled his hair.
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"Let's see how well your healing abilities are coming along," Jaundice told his grandson. He took a knife to his bare skin and made a long cut, which dripped with blood. "At least you know when to apply your Draíochta for protection and when not to. Now try healing it." Jaune focused his Draíochta into his arm with the intent to heal. His arm suddenly glowed a bright white and the wound sealed itself up; even the blood disappeared altogether.
"I was wondering, I can heal wounds like cuts, scraps and the like, but is it possible for me to heal, say broken bones or like a hole in someone's chest?" Jaune asked as he rolled down his sleeve.
"Healing such extreme wounds would require absolute concentration and plenty of Draíochta, as well as a prayer to Aziela for help, but it is possible. I've healed my share of broken bones and regenerated organs, the latter being extremely difficult."
"What about…the dead?"
"Impossible. You cannot restore a soul back within a corpse, no matter how recent the dead one is." Jaundice noticed that his grandson seemed upset by the news. "I imagine you were hoping your power could bring Pyrrha back, weren't you?" Jaune silently nodded. Jaundice embraced his grandson in a tight hug.
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"Demonstrate the ability to buff your allies. Try it on Pandora," Jaundice instructed Jaune. He concentrated his Draíochta onto Pandora in the act of powering her up; his body glowed white and Pandora's did as well for a brief moment. There was a faint flash, indicating that the act was a success and Pandora suddenly felt imbued with newfound energy. "Excellent! This power served the Holy Spear well back in the old days. It is capable of providing brief protection and strength to your allies, swapping your Draíochta in place of their Aura, but be warned that your Draíochta becomes depleted through its use. Any attempt to buff multiple allies requires a prayer to Aziela."
"I assume any power that utilizes large amounts of Draíochta requires a prayer?" Pandora asked as she still glowed.
Jaundice nodded. "Correct. While the Paladins all hold the immense power of the Gods, they can only utilize short bursts of it on their own, and thus require their help to perform anything grand in scale, where they provides the Draíochta and the ability to use such power."
"I've never really understood these complications before. Why wouldn't the Gods just give all the power to their Paladins to use whenever?"
"Having so much power at one's disposal can be taxing to their health, and without the Gods' limits, the Paladins would be able to freely use their powers without restraint…in the past, there have been some Paladins who became corrupted by their powers, and after one of them turned on his fellow allies, forcing the remaining Paladins to take him down, the Gods then enforced these limitations onto all future generations of Paladins…"
"I never thought the Paladins could do such things…" Pandora remarked.
"The stories always painted the Paladins in a good light, given how they are supposed to be the heroes of Remnant."
Paladins have been corrupted in the past, Jaune wondered. To have all my power untapped and at my command…I could become the most powerful man in the world…
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Jaune and Summer stood outside a cavern tucked deep within the forest. Jaune himself held a simple lit torch while Summer pointed to within the cavern's darkness. "In there is the Trial of Sacrifice. You must face this trial alone," she simply told him. Jaune nodded and entered alone. As he ventured further within, the flame from his torch diminished and eventually, it disappeared. Darkness enveloped him completely.
"So, you have arrived," said a voice from nowhere. "To be the Dànsling, you must be strong, wise, and courageous, but above all, you must be willing to make the greatrial sacrifice, even to save the world from Sheena."
"What's going on? Who are you?" Jaune called out. He squinted his eyes, but he could not adjust to the surrounding darkness.
"If you desire to unlock the true power of Crocea Mors, you must make a sacrifice."
At that moment, a light illuminated in the darkness, and under that light was Lie Ren. "Jaune, I know of your plight, and I understand what you must do. With Beacon gone, there's little left for me in this world, so choose me as the sacrifice."
"But…Nora…"
Ren smiled. "If giving my life means Nora can see a world free of Grimm and evil, so be it. Just look after her for me." The light was extinguished and Ren disappeared, only to be replaced with another light that held Nora underneath.
"Jaune, I understand that you need this power more than anything, and I understand a sacrifice is needed. Ren always looked out for me while we were growing up and he was always doing the dangerous stuff, so I know he would offer himself for this, but please, choose me…" she said with uncertainty. Nora disappeared and Weiss took her place.
"Jaune…" Weiss began. She looked upon him with a smile, a rare sight for him. "…Who would think that the goofball who couldn't control his Aura or pay attention in school would be the Dànsling of legend? I certainly didn't, but after all I saw from you at the Battle of Beacon, I realize that you are greater than I had thought…" She lowered her head for a moment. "…I thought that I could change the reputation of my family after my father has tarnished it for years, but…if giving my life so you can acquire the power of your sword would change it even a little, then I will do it."
"Weiss…you…" But before he could say anymore, Weiss disappeared and was replaced by Blake.
"…For years, I tried to correct the wrongs of the White Fang to no avail…Jaune, if I give my life for you to become a proper Dànsling, promise you will stop Adam…I fear I would not be able to do it myself…" she simply said without looking him in the eye. She too disappeared and Pandora took her place.
"Jaune, our time together has been short so far, but if this is what the Gods have planned for me, so be it," she bravely declared. "I swore myself as your Guardian, and Guardians have always fought and served alongside the Paladins in the past, and many have even died for them. I have nothing left in life to live for, so please, choose me. Above all, you must obtain the power of Crocea Mors."
"Pandora, I told you not to die for me!" Jaune shot at her. She merely smiled and vanished.
Next up Blanche, Bleu, and Noir, his sisters. They too gave their pieces explaining why Jaune should choose one of them as the sacrifice. Once they had finished, everyone reappeared in a large circle surrounding him.
"You must choose one. Choose someone to sacrifice for the power of the Dànsling," said the voice from before. An opening was created between Pandora and Ren, and a replica of Jaune emerged from the darkness. "The Dànslings of the past have had to sacrifice their allies for the greater good. You must do the same."
"How can I!? You want me to kill one of my friends!" Jaune argued.
"It is never supposed to be an easy task, but there is another option." The Other Jaune pointed to Jaune's backside, where Pyrrha appeared.
"Jaune, I know this is difficult, and it's something no one should ever have to do, so please choose me as the sacrifice. Let the part of me inside of you die so you can obtain the power of Crocea Mors…" she told him with a weak smile.
"Pyrrha…I can't…" he started.
"I believe in you…I will always believe in you…Do what you believe is the best choice…"
"You must choose, Jaune Arc," the Other Jaune stated. "Choose a life to complete the trial."
Jaune looked upon his friends, all of whom watched him, awaiting his decision. He pondered for a moment, but in the end, he could not choose anyone.
"Have you chosen?" said the Other Jaune.
"I choose…no one," Jaune answered.
"What? You have to choose someone!"
"Well, I refuse!"
The Other Jaune growled. "You cannot refuse the Trial of Sacrifice! Someone must die so you can obtain the power!"
"I WILL NOT KILL ONE OF MY FRIENDS FOR POWER!"
"YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT DO THAT! YOU NEED THIS POWER!"
"I WON'T KILL SOMEONE I LOVE FOR IT! I'LL FIGHT EVIL WITHOUT IT, IF I MUST!"
"THEN YOU WILL ONLY DIE IN THE END LIKE A FOOL!"
"SO BE IT THEN!" Jaune shouted with a growl.
The Other Jaune glared at the real him for a moment. Suddenly, a dagger appeared in his hand and he ran it into Jaune's stomach. The dagger was withdrawn and red blood splashed onto the ground. Jaune fell to his knees as his hands shot to his stomach, desperate to keep his innards inside of himself. "You are not worthy of being the Dànsling," hissed the Other Jaune before Jaune collapsed and knew no more.
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Jaune awoke outside of the cave with Summer holding him. "I must say, I am surprised you passed the Trial of Sacrifice on your first try," she remarked. She noticed his confusion quickly. "You were asked to sacrifice the life of one of your friends––do not worry, they were not real, just illusions––in order to pass the trial and move closer to unlocking the power of Crocea Mors, but it was all a trick. As you demonstrated, you would rather give up the power of the Dànsling than sacrifice someone you loved; you refused to even give up the life of Pyrrha Nikos stored within your subconscious. To give up the power of the Dànsling over the life of a loved one is the greatest sacrifice of all."
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On a secluded corner of the island near the beach, Jaune was kneeling before an altar of Aziela where he was praying. The altar consisted of a simple basin of clear water with a human-sized statue of Aziela, clad in her brilliant armor and holding her spear and shield. Her insignia, the spear crossing a round shield, sat above the basin. Jaune himself was silent, knowing full well that Aziela would hear his prayers.
"I have never been more proud of you than I am now," said Aziela's voice behind him. Jaune turned to face her, where she was garbed in her warrior's outfit and weapons, as she always is. "You have endured so much so far in life, and yet you refuse to be taken down, and the reward has been great as of now."
"Lady Aziela, what should I know about the final trial?" Jaune asked of her.
"The Trial of Purification…I must warn you, Jaune, there is no second chance in this trial. If you fail, you will suffer a fate worse than death, so I implore you to prepare yourself for a terrible battle, one of the greatest you'll ever fight."
"Aziela…I wish to know why I was chosen as your Paladin. Is it because past Dànslings were from my family?" Jaune inquired.
Aziela came forward and took him into her arms. "Never. I have chosen Dànslings were not Arcs in the past, and a few times, I've had the Guardians of Arc take up the role of Dànsling when they fell in battle. Being an Arc does not make you a Dànsling." She lifted his head and she trailed two fingers from his forehead down to his cheek and then to his chin. "You are a Dànsling not for your strength or your intelligence, but with your undying courage and your natural-born ability as a tactician. My Dànslings are not warriors of strength, but leaders of armies. They are not warriors meant to kill, but heroes that protect the people from evil. You are one of those heroes, Jaune. You are not just some warrior or a Huntsman, but a knight. My Arc Knight."
"The Arc Knight…" Jaune repeated. I like the sound of that name. "Lady Aziela, I swear I shall complete my trial and I will fulfill my destiny as your Dànsling."
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Nearly three years had passed since the Fall of Beacon and Jaune has furthered his abilities as the Dànsling, with him developing his own powers to utilize, such as a protective dome composed of Draíochta, balls of Draíochta to fire upon foes, a concentrated blast of Draíochta for a short-ranged attack, and more. Not only that, his training with Pandora has proved beneficial, with Jaune finally defeating her in battle.
Jaune was finally ready for the Trial of Purification.
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"You understand the consequences if you fail?" Jaundice asked his grandson at the beach.
"I do. If I fail…" A hard swallow. "…the evil of my soul will corrupt me and kill the light of my soul…"
The Maidens surrounded Jaune in a square formation and Pandora stood next to him. "Be careful and remember all that I've taught you," she warned him before stepping away.
"I am ready," he stated as he sat into a leg cross and closed his eyes.
The Maidens extended their glowing hands towards him and rays of white light shot out and hit him, coating his entire body with it. From there, Jaune descended into the very center of his soul.
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When Jaune opened his eyes, he was standing before the Arc Manor as it appeared the day he left for Beacon Academy. "Home…" he muttered. Jaune spun around, wondering where his foe would be, but there was only he.
"Hey…" said a voice from nowhere, prompting Jaune to draw his sword and shield. "Heh, I never thought you'd be gutsy enough to fight me…"
"Show yourself!" Jaune called out.
"I'm right here…" A black mass formed on Jaune's chest and flew outwards, where it landed upon the grass. The black mass took the shape of a human whose clothes and skin were clad in a nightmarish black. The only thing different was that its hair was a skeletal white and its eyes a blood red. Jaune gasped, for he recognized the person before him.
It was himself.
"Surprised? I mean, I am the evil portion of your soul, after all, so it's fitting I take on this form. I am everything dark about you, from your hatred, your regrets, every dark thought you've ever had in life. I'm like your shadow, if you will," the Shadow explained.
Jaune raised his sword. "So I just have to kill you to purify my soul. Sounds easy."
Shadow drew his own sword and shield, an exact replica of Crocea Mors, but they were composed of a dull grey steel and black metal. "Let us not wait any longer. Let us see who is stronger: Light or Dark," Shadow gleefully hissed.
Both rushed at each other, where Shadow swiped at Jaune first, but Jaune slid onto his knees, avoiding the strike and slashed at Shadow's knees, which were protected by Draíochta. Both leapt back to access their situation, and Jaune was quick to conclude that his only hope for victory was to continue striking his evil Shadow; no tricks, no allies to aid him, no special playing field. Only himself, Crocea Mors, and the power of the Dànsling.
Jaune immediately sealed himself in his Aura Armor and so did Shadow, but while Jaune's was white and welcoming, Shadow's was dark and repelling. "I am still you, and I wield the same powers as you do," Shadow warned him before the two rushed at each other again. Both swung swords and blocked with shields, hitting steel and flesh, only for their Aura Armors to absorb the damage. Jaune ducked under a swipe meant for his head and did a quick stab on Shadow's head, forcing his Aura Armor to disperse.
"Not bad, but how about this!?" Shadow slapped a hand to the ground, where beams of dark Draíochta rained down from the sky for Jaune, who leapt backwards to avoid them, but the last one struck him, sending him flying through the air.
When Jaune landed, he suddenly realized the scenery had changed, from the Arc Manor to the Town of Shion. This place…I met Pyrrha here… he wondered as he lifted himself up, but it was too late, as Shadow charged up Draíochta into his hand and fired a straight shot for Jaune. A small ball of light emerged from within Jaune and took shape, where a round shield took the blast. "Get up, Jaune!" called a familiar voice. Jaune regained himself and gasped, for the light took the shape of Pyrrha, but she appeared transparent, like a spirit. "We will do this together!" Jaune stood beside her, both of their weapons drawn.
"Even in here, you're still with me," he remarked. She answered him with a smile. Both rushed at Shadow this time in Shion Square. Pyrrha lead first, striking Shadow with an overhead swing of Milo where Jaune followed with a stab at him, which he blocked with his shield. "Distract him with gunfire!" Jaune ordered. Pyrrha leapt backwards and switched to her rifle, where she open fired onto Shadow, pelleting him with bullets, allowing Jaune to get in some free strikes.
"ENOUGH!" Shadow shouted, expelling a dome of Draíochta around him, which hit Jaune and sent him flying. Pyrrha's spirit materialized by his side while he got back up. Jaune prepped Draíochta into his hand.
"Keep his attention on you," he told Pyrrha. Shadow ran forward and Pyrrha intercepted him, clashing blades.
"Get off of me, bitch!" he shouted, breaking the clash and stabbing Pyrrha, making her reel back. Jaune fired his Palm Blast, but Shadow blocked it with his shield, then slashed Jaune a few times before he was able to recover. Pyrrha leapt up and dropped down with her spear, which Shadow avoided, making Pyrrha dig her spear into the ground. Shadow slashed her a few times, knocking her down. Jaune let loose his Aura Ray, a concentration of Draíochta fired into a cone-like pattern, which enveloped Shadow as if it was fire. Shadow coated himself in a protective dome and leapt backwards, where he slapped his hand to the ground again, sending beams of black light raining down upon them, forcing them to dodge them, though one hits Jaune, briefly stunning him. Pyrrha leapt at Shadow, where they clashed blades and struck at one another until he stunned her with a burst of Draíochta and then struck her three times, followed by a stab, which knocked her down.
Shadow threw down a barrier around himself, but then he suddenly pounced out of it, catching Jaune by surprise. Jaune threw up his shield, which absorbed several sword strikes, but Shadow charged up power into his sword and struck Jaune, shattering his shield to bits. Jaune reeled from the attack, leaving him open, where Shadow sliced him five times and kicked him to the ground, sending him sprawling and tumbling. Crocea Mors left Jaune's hand and skidded across the ground.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha cried, disappearing to his side, where she hovered over him with her xiphos ready. "Jaune, you gotta get up! Don't give in now! Jaune! Get up! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP! GET UP!"
I can't…He's too powerful for me… Jaune thought to himself, which Pyrrha heard.
"Don't say that!" she argued. "Please get up! Jaune, you need to get up!"
I can't win this…
"Where is the man you wanted to become!? Do you remember what you said, how you wanted the boy to die and the man to be born!? Please get up!" Pyrrha screeched. "Do you remember what I told you!? That you're already a hero in my eyes!? Where is the man that I believed in!?"
A hero in your eyes… Jaune lifted himself onto all fours and he spied his blade, but it was too far from his reach; by the time he would reach it, Shadow would already be upon him. I can't reach it in time…
"Jaune…" Pyrrha touched him, and suddenly, her entire being glowed white. Jaune glowed white as well, and Pyrrha felt a sudden pull towards Jaune. "Jaune…I feel…" She cut herself off, for there was nothing left to say. She felt her body meld into Jaune's, and he glowed brightly, feeling a new energy within him.
Jaune looked upon his hand and it glowed black. He saw his sword twitch upon the ground. "I can feel you, Pyrrha…" he mumbled.
"We will do this together, now and until the end…" she said from within.
The scenery changed from Shion to Beacon Tower. Jaune sprang to his feet and rushed at Shadow, who smirked, thinking that he was running to his death. Jaune focused onto his sword, and it flew into his hand. His entire body lit up with his Aura Armor, coating his body entirely as well as his blade. Shadow panicked and raised his shield to block, but Jaune tore into him regardless, striking his shield with everything he had. "IT'S TIME TO END THIS!" Jaune shouted before striking the shield directly, shattering it to pieces. He let loose, slashing Shadow multiple times, sapping away his Draíochta in large chunks before uppercutting him, sending him flying backwards with his sword landing directly into the floor between them.
Shadow wiped at his mouth while glaring at Jaune, who remained stoic and his grip upon Crocea Mors remained tight. Shadow sprinted for his fallen sword and Jaune did the same towards his enemy with his sword raised. Shadow crossed his sword to block Jaune, but when Jaune brought Crocea Mors down, it shattered Shadow's Crocea Mors to pieces and cleaved through his body, spilling black blood upon the floor. Jaune did not rest, slashing his sword across Shadow's unprotected body continuously before he spun around and drove his sword through his chest.
Shadow coughed up blood and fell to his knees as he stared upon the blade embedded in his chest. "Damn…you got me…" He gave Jaune a grin. "…Guess I'm gonna disappear now, but Jaune…be careful…don't let yourself be blinded by too much negativity, otherwise I could return again…" Jaune said nothing, choosing to look upon the personification of all his evil. Shadow smirked again. "…Nah, you're not like that…You'll never see me again…" Shadow faded into dust and disappeared, leaving Crocea Mors to fall to the floor with a clatter.
Jaune fell onto his back exhausted from the fight. I did it…
Pyrrha appeared as a transparent spirit over top of him. She smiled and took his cheeks in her hands. "I knew you could do it…"
"Because I'm already the hero you think I am," he smiled. She chuckled and kissed him.
"Yes…Yes, you are…" They held hands, which glowed black. "Our souls have joined together and synchronized…the power of polarity is yours to wield, so use it well."
"You can bet on that, Pyr."
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Jaune opened his eyes and his entire body was glowing white with his Draíochta. The lights from the Maidens was gone and Pandora was sitting beside him with him in her arms. Jaune himself could feel a great weight off his shoulders; the weight of all his evils. "You did it, Jaune!" said Pyrrha's voice inside his mind.
"Pyrrha!?" he cried out, leaping out of Pandora's arms.
"Don't get excited. I'm here inside your mind. When our souls merged together, I seem to have established some kind of close connection with you, now we seem able to communicate freely whenever we wish," she explained.
Jaune repeated this to Pandora, who was happy to learn this. She gave him a mother's hug (the equivalent of a big bear hug with the added love of a mother) and later, she spoke to Pyrrha through Jaune, where the two caught up.
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Jaundice and the Maidens brought Jaune and Pandora to the altar of Aziela for the christening of Crocea Mors. Jaune offered the blade to the altar, where it left his hands and floated in midair. Aziela appeared, holding the sword in her hands. "It is wonderful to see that my blade has been taken care of for so long," she remarked as she marveled upon Crocea Mors. "Let us begin restoring this ancient blade to its proper self."
"Lady Aziela, before you begin, will you…?" Pandora interrupted, offering the shards of Milo, Akouo, and Pyrrha's circlet. "…Can you meld these onto the sword, please?" Pandora glanced over at Jaune for permission, and he allowed it, answered with a nod. Aziela took up the weapons and circlet and had them hover alongside Crocea Mors.
"Jaune Arc, you have demonstrated your strength, your wisdom, your courage, and your selfishness through the completion of the Five Trials. You have purified your soul, and now, Crocea Mors can accept you as its rightful wielder." Aziela encased Crocea Mors in a bright light with the pieces of Pyrrha surrounding it. The circlet broke into two pieces and clamped themselves onto the crossguard. The shards of Milo were absorbed into the blade itself, strengthen its density. The shield Akouo were instantly melted down and reformed into the blade, adding a long bronze line down the center of the blade and it was also merged into the shield, adding a bronze trim around the rim of it. "It needs a little more…" Aziela sheathed the sword into the scabbard and made it glow. The scabbard shifted and grew, and a small button appeared on the scabbard near the sword's crossguard. Aziela handed Crocea Mors back to Jaune, who drew the blade to admire it, and it was as weightless as it was before. "Now sheath it and press the button," Aziela instructed him. Jaune obeyed and upon pressing the button, the scabbard transformed around the blade, turning the once-simple broadsword into a bastard sword. Jaune felt a heavy weight in his sword with the shield coating it. He gave it a few practice swings before sheathing it again.
"Now, Jaune, you must recite the Oath of the Dànsling," Aziela instructed.
"I shall help with that," Jaundice interjected. He handed Jaune a small scroll of paper with some writing upon it. "Recite the words while you hold Crocea Mors, Jaune."
Jaune drew Crocea Mors and kneeled, tucking the slip of paper in between his fingers.
"In darkness, I shall be light.
In times of doubt, I shall keep faith.
In throes of rage, I shall hone my craft.
In vengeance, I shall have no mercy.
In the midst of battle, I shall have no fear.
In the face of death, I shall have no remorse.
By Aziela's Light, I am her Arc Knight!"
Crocea Mors hummed and flashed with a bright light, blinding everyone around it. When the light dispersed, the blade itself held a warm and powerful glow.
Rise, my Dànsling," Aziela stated, to which Jaune obeyed, gripping the new Crocea Mors tightly. "I order you to protect the people of Remnant, to vanquish the followers of Sheena, to destroy the Grimm she creates, and to wield your power only against your enemies."
"I shall do as you command, Lady Aziela," Jaune swore. Aziela smiled and then Jaundice came forward.
"I guess this means my time is up. To be honest, I've been looking forward to this," the old Arc spoke as he stepped up beside Aziela. "Jaune, I've been alive for all these years waiting for you to arrive so I can pass my teachings onto you, and now that you are ready, I am no longer needed in this world."
"Grandpa…You're going to die?" Jaune asked.
"Exactly that. Aziela promised to bring me up Above once I complete this mission for her, and she promised me a painless death as well." Jaundice gave his grandson a big hug, to which Jaune cried into his shoulder. "Do not cry, Jaune, for I will finally get to see your great-great-grandmother again, as well as my old friend, General Lagune." He pushed his grandson away with a smile as his entire body glowed white with his Draíochta. "Maidens, I request that you four aid Jaune in his journeys however you can." The Maidens all nodded in unison. Aziela took Jaundice's shoulder and the two ascended up into the sky, where they disappeared into the clouds.
"Goodbye, grandpa. Thanks for everything," Jaune said to himself, still watching the sky.
"So, now I guess we have to leave the island and locate the Knights of the Holy Spear now?" Pandora asked.
Jaune strapped his sword to his hip. "No, not just yet. I want to stop in Mistral at the Huntsmen Mission Depot first. I have to view the Huntsmen Database and find out where Ren and Nora are."
"I'm glad you haven't forgotten about Ren and Nora," Pyrrha remarked.
"I've been away for nearly three years, and Ren and Nora have no idea of what we've been up to all this time," Jaune told her aloud. "At the very least, I owe them an explanation, and at the same time, I want us to be Team JNPR again."
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While in Mistral, Jaune and his new female companions visited a few shops, where he purchased some new clothes and armor for himself. He bought a red long-sleeve shirt with a popped collar and a black, short-sleeve coat to replace his Pumpkin Pete hoodie, which he had outgrown. However, he stopped at a seamstress, where he had her sew a small Pumpkin Pete face onto the coat's left breast, a decision Pandora found amusing. Along with these, Jaune purchased wood brown cargo pants and black boots to replace his old denim jeans and sneakers, as well as a new leather belt with side pouches. At an armor shop, Jaune purchased a chainmail shirt for under his coat, a brand new steel breastplate that covered more of his body, steel pauldrons for his shoulders, and a pair of leather, fingerless gloves with steel backs for added protection. All these were purchased with some Lien the Maidens had (which Pyrrha questioned as to how they obtained. "Probably magic," Jaune chuckled.)
"You look like a proper knight already," Pandora remarked upon seeing Jaune in his new outfit.
"I think you look downright handsome!" Pyrrha complimented.
"Pandora, your daughter is trying to seduce me," Jaune joked. "HEY!"
The six of them made it to the Huntsmen Mission Depot, where they looked up Ren and Nora's information. They discovered that after the Vale Reclamation, Ren and Nora moved to Mistral to finish their Huntsmen education at Haven, and upon graduating a few months ago, they switched between protection jobs outside of the kingdom and various Grimm hunting missions. Currently, the two were on a mission tracking a dangerous Grimm near the village of Shion, where they have been for nearly two weeks. "We best hurry there as soon as possible once we are properly prepared," notified Jaune.
After buying some food and travel gear, they headed for the airship airlines, but along the way, they passed by the crowded Mistral Square full of rushing citizens, children playing about, and others enjoying the beautiful sight and weather. Directly in the center was a glorious fountain that bore a small altar to Aziela, depicting a statue of her. Jaune decided to stop to offer a prayer and a tribute to his Goddess.
He kneeled before the altar (even as small children danced and played around on the fountain) and placed a small apple into the water-filled basin. "Lady Aziela, I offer this apple as a token of my appreciation for all you've done for me, and I ask that you offer myself and my companions safe passage on our journey to Shion to find Ren and Nora."
The water within the foundation suddenly glowed a bright white, which scared the playful children away from it and garnered attention from passing citizens, many of whom began recording the strange phenomena on their scrolls. "Your prayer has been answered, my Dànsling. Good luck on your journey," said Aziela's voice from nowhere. The water returned to it's normal hue, and Jaune and his companions took their leave as everyone watched them go with confusion.
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May 30th 1583
The Schnee Dust Company, Atlas
Weiss sat in her office overlooking a report on Menagerie on her holographic desktop, where the current chieftain, Sienna Khan, sent a report to the SDC complimenting their generosity in sending Dust and Atlesian weaponry, drones, and turrets to aid them in colonizing more of the island as well as provide better defense. Weiss smiled as she watched a video from Sienna Khan himself personally thanking her for all she has done for the island. Weiss swiped the video off her screen and opened up a report detailing Dust sales and profits across the four kingdoms. "We seem to be doing pretty good now, ever since I took over," she told herself as she viewed the high numbers.
At that moment, her desk scroll buzzed with a call from her butler Klein Sieben, which she tapped to answer. "Klein, what is it?" she asked.
"Forgive me for the interruption, Miss Schnee, but I have an interesting news report from Mistral that you might be interested in," Klein notified her.
"Please, it is quite alright. What is it about?" At once, the report appeared on her screen, which showed a news article about Jaune's prayer at the Mistral Square. "Hmm…some unknown warrior prayed at the altar of Aziela and the foundation water glowed with an eerie light? Klein, how is this…!" Weiss started until she saw the picture, which showed Jaune at the altar with who she thought looked like Pyrrha beside him. "…Jaune…" Her fingers traced over her left eye and the healed scar.
"According to the report, it is unknown who the four women with Jaune Arc are, but the redhead is retired Huntress Pandora Nikos, who is the mother to Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune's former partner," Klein explained. "I understand you wanted me to report to you any findings on your friends, Miss Weiss, so would you like me to ready an airship set for Mistral?"
Weiss was silent for a minute. She still had no idea where Ruby was, and neither did Blake or Yang when she last met with them, and she knew of Ren and Nora's whereabouts in Mistral. "No, that won't be needed, Klein, thank you." She hung up on him and leaned back in her chair, where she stared out the window upon the factory of the Schnee Dust Company. "Jaune, where have you been all this time?" She took in a deep sigh and thought of Pyrrha's mother. "I hope you're doing okay, Jaune, especially after that night…" Her scroll rang again, this time with one of her business partners. Weiss let it ring for a moment before answering it and going back to work.
Next Time: JNPR Reunited