Hey everyone! I'm happy to bring you another update! This one is a bit longer and shows the first real fight Jaune will get in within this story! I hope you enjoy and that everyone is doing well! Thank you for reading! -PLZnostabby
In the Bunker of Dolemir, Present day...
I didn't know what to say to the men who were sharpening their axes and swords, to the men who were readying themselves for war. The people of the village spent their last night in preparation, their time with their being the most important focus of their existence in these dark tunnels.
Some children laughed and the parents laughed with them, their eyes clear that they were enjoying these final moments with their loved ones. A smile found its way to my face as I witnessed the playful antics of a child, wielding a single branch as a sword as they battle a fierce duel with their sibling.
My hands reached down as I stood amongst the people, finding the shot gun with three shells in it, and the woodcutter's axe that I had on my hip. I looked up at the hatch of the shelter and nodded, I had a plan that I told everyone, it was one that I knew would work to get the women and children out, but all of the fighters would be lost. But, there was a second plan, one that was intended for just me, one that had only one casualty.
"Kid, you should get some rest, we'll need you for the fight and after, someone has to organize the people to get out of here and get them to the CCT station six kilometers east. Go rest, kid." The older man I had first met, who I had learned was named James, said to me. His eyes met mine and for a moment there, I believed that he could have read my mind.
"Jaune, you can't be serious. They will kill you." He said calmly as he stepped closer.
"Be that as it may, I'm a huntsman, my job is to take that risk. I'm young, yes. But at the end of the day, I have a responsibility for you and your village. Life and limb has always been on the table, and no huntsman, soldier, or otherwise will argue that. Individually, I won't be able to kill them, but they can chase me, for miles too. And I'll let them, because that means that you'll be safe." I said decisively and walked to the ladder that led to the hatch that lied between us and almost certain death. But despite all of the misery and pain, all of the horrific things the monsters had done, I wasn't afraid.
"Why do that? And for us of all things? We're people you hardly know." James, his aged face now turned to concern as I turned to him.
"Ah, well my mom always told me, 'Strangers are just friends you haven't met, yet." I said and climbed the ladder, finding the hatch at the top I had to force my hands to open the locks. It was as if I was fighting against my very survival instinct.
"May the Brothers grant you peace, Jaune." James spoke softly and I pushed through the hatch and stood on the ground, then I closed the hatch quickly and moved to a crouch. My hands resting on the cold, snow-dusted, stone floor of the ruined town building.
My eyes moved across the remains of the building that remained and I quickly tried to move up ahead as I heard a noise from the village streets. There I saw two of the Wendigos eating the bodies of the dead, the scent hit my nostrils. Rotten flesh and the scent of burning ash filled my nose as I watched the horror scene in front of me. I could feel the bile rising in my throat as I moved and raced to the other side of the building. Then I reached the back door of the building and near it I found one of the Wendigos. I had counted three total by this point.
"Shit, I guess I have no choice but to fight." I said as I readied the shotgun and slammed through the door, getting the drop on the monster that I could see now that was feasting on a dead family. The barrel of the gun pointed and found sightlines with the skull of the monster, and I fired, watching as bone fragments spattered across the ground and I raced forward, moving as quickly as my legs could carry me.
Behind me, the others chased in pursuit, their teeth gnashing and slashing at the air, their arms flailing as the raced after me. My shaking hands racked another shell into the chamber of the shotgun and aimed, the weapon found a target in the form of a leg, then fired. Visceral tears formed on the leg and one of them collapsed, now reduced to crawling. But no reprieve found its way to me as the other stomped over it and jumped at me.
Its hulking, emaciated body slammed into me, sending me into the dirt, my arm snapped, and I could feel the bone shatter under the force of the blow, and I coughed dark maroon blood into the soil. The axe I had fell into my hand and I slammed it into the ground to force myself up as fast as my broken body could muster. The weapon was heavy in my hand and my left arm hung limply as I turned and faced the two approaching horrors.
"Fuck, this is bad, I gotta kill one fast." I said and sheathed the axe and drew my shotgun the bead at the end shook as I struggled to aim with one arm and fired, the shot went wide and spattered across the body of the recovering Wendigo. Blood dripped from the holes in its flesh, and I threw down the shotgun. My axe fit firmly in my hand, and I prepared myself for the fight that was coming.
As the closest Wendigo, the one that had jumped on me, approached quickly I hefted the axe in a mighty swing and slashed down on it. The head of the axe slammed into its head and blood sprayed across the ground, yet as it died, its mighty claws slashed at me, the edges cutting my aura and I could feel the protective barrier shatter, sending me flying backward as it drew its last breath.
"Dammit! Fuck these monsters!" I yelled as I could feel something bubbling inside of me, like power rose through my body. I gripped the axe tighter and drew it to my shoulder, the head resting carefully as the second monster lunged at me. In a single slash I felt the axe connect with a limb of the monster, the blade separating its arm from the rest of its body. The handle shattered as the monster fell back to the ground, I grimaced as I saw the broken weapon and I looked at the beast and the Wendigo seemed to smile.
"C'mon, you fucker! Let's go!" I said and the final Wendigo raced toward me, in that moment I had accepted my death, I had come to terms with what I had to do. These people would live, they would go on to build more. But in a flash, I saw something a memory that I had forgotten.
Jaune's Flashback...
I looked at the young reaper her red and black hair hung over her face, her eyes red from tears.
"Ruby, you're not a bad leader, sometimes people will disagree, that is the nature of life. But you are responsible for the well-being of yourself and your team. Yes, sometimes they will get mad, sometimes they will be explosive, but at the end you are all at the same side. Ruby, you are young, as am I. We both have so much to learn but know this. You have something that many will never even come close to. You have a good heart." I said honestly and she looked up to me, the ruined make up and stray tears showed her previous thoughts but smile on her face gave way to another equally potent emotion as despair...
Hope.
"Jaune, will you be there? For me to confide in?" She asked hesitantly and I nodded and hugged her.
"Always, and an Arc never goes back on his word, maybe I may not be available, I may be away. But know that regardless of the twisting seas, I stand firmly as your friend." I said and hugged her ever tighter.
Back to the Present...
I blinked and roared, the air seemed to tremble and the axe head that was laying in the snow flew and slammed into the monster.
"This stops, now!" I yelled and raced to the Wendigo, the point of the broken handle pointed for its throat, and I drove it home, blood covered my hands, but this time it didn't burn. I growled and pushed the handle more as the gargling monster choked on splintered would and lifeblood.
"No! More! No one else fucking dies!" I yelled and with every point I jammed the handle deeper. After minutes of this gruesome kill, I fell backward and landed in the snow.
"Fuck, I took too much damage." I said and looked at my broken body, even if I won, it was for naught. I was dead. No aura, no communication and no weapon. Blood spilled from the wounds I had taken, but as the adrenaline had fled my system, they became the more apparent and harsher. I looked around and what I saw terrified me.
The Wendigo that I had stabbed was getting up, its blood flowing as it shambled to me and then the beast fell over next to me. There for a faint moment I heard a voice come from it.
"Yes, you'll do." The hollow wisp from the beast said, then its jaws bit down on my arm and I felt my arm go numb. It was like molten metal had filled my body, I roared in pain as the monster bit harder. My broken arm found a rock and gripped it as tight as I could manage, then I swung.
"Fucking! Die!" I yelled and slammed the stone against its skull repeatedly, the bone shattering but, the damage was done. My good arm was horribly mangled. Luckily, as bad as the wound was, I could still move it. It was a good sign if I managed to survive this.
"C'mon, Jaune. Get up, you gotta see everyone again." I said and rolled to my side, then climbed to my knees. My bones felt brittle, but the world seemed to focus into a clearer image. The harsh cold seemed a little warmer, my muscles seemed a little less sore. I breathed deep, my mind seemed to focus as I stood on shaky legs as I trekked back to the shelter.
"One more step, just one more step." I said out loud to myself, my feet shuffling in the snow, my mind forcing me to close in on my goal. As I got close to the hatch, my legs collapsed and I fell, my hand laying on the hatch. Then I slowly started lifting and dropping my hand on it, the echo hopefully reaching the people below.
Each resounding clang that rang out brought me closer to the end of my rope, closer to the abyss where I was now gazing over the edge.
Then the hatch opened, and a pair of arms hoisted me up and helped carry me away, our path was made in the snow as we marched past the bodies of dead men and monsters alike, and eventually consciousness slipped me.
Six months later, Two weeks before the Vytal Festival, Beacon Academy...
Ozpin sat at his desk, various pictures and reports laid on the hard mahogany wood, his eyes roved the various accounts of a teen, going by the name of "The Drifter" and "The Wandering God of War". His brow furrowed as he examined every fine detail. What he and Qrow had gathered was that the man was in his late teens and he was well trained or well experienced. His choice of weapon was a shotgun, a long heavily modified woodcutter's axe and an old dust powder revolver, a model 1858 according to the reports.
Many people say that he came following awful events in towns, events that no one could explain. Monsters and beasts that were different from the Grimm. And the last detail was the most interesting, that he hardly spoke, but when he spoke, the worlds seemed different, accounts often spoke of the world bending to his will.
There was much that was yet to know, but one thing was certain, every report indicated that he was moving toward Vale and Beacon. Ozpin leaned back in his chair, his arms in his lap and he smiled at another file on his desk.
'Jaune Arc, what a wonderful return.' Ozpin thought and opened the file.
The young man had been away for a few months, and his skills had grown, he wasn't the best, not by a wide mile, but he had grown very quickly. He reported to have been trained by a huntress he met, one that he refused to name. He returned with a single longsword, his shield long since abandoned. His test scored were interesting, he had perfect marks on tactics and strategy, as well as leadership. His combat performance was adequate but still somewhat lacking. Regardless, he was up to Beacon standard now.
There were two problems ahead of Ozpin, who the unnamed 'Drifter' was, and if he could reassimilate Mr. Arc once more with his team.
'I suppose only time will tell.' Ozpin thought and closed the folder, his eyes looking over the reports of 'The Drifter' one last time before he stood and walked away from his desk.
Thank you if you've made it this far in the story! I hope you have enjoyed, and I should be back next Saturday with another update! Feel free to leave a favorite, a comment and a review! -PLZnostabby