I feel like I should apologise for how short and pathetic chapters have been lately. It's mostly due to all this uncertainty re my health. I should probably just take a week or two off to gather myself and process things, but I'll have to take a week off toward end of September for my annual work event anyway, and it somehow feels like it's "cheating" to take two off.

I know it's not. It's just a psychological hangup I've always had. Some stupid urge to be "fair" with my time and not take too much off. Self-defeating when you need to take time off, but that's why it's me being stupid. And then after this event I'll be like "but I can't take any time off now because Christmas will be in 3 months, and I'll want time off there for family…

Cover Art: GWBrex

Chapter 76

It was frightening how quickly the army accepted the idea of him being in charge; it went to show that they'd always thought that in the backs of their minds, and that he'd be the only one not looking at it that way. They gathered the dead over the course of three days and burned them on pyres, with people free to arrange personal pyres for friends and family if they wished. Some chose to bury their dead, but Sienna and Adam went up on separate pyres side by side, laid to rest atop them with their hands on their weapons.

Adam had a cloak over his chest and face to hide the horrific damage the Chosen had inflicted on him thinking he was the Dark Lord. They'd quite literally torn him asunder before their deaths. Blake had been distraught, but now she was quietly furious and spending time with Yang, discussing what she would do to avenge him.

Jaune didn't have the time or freedom to look after her.

Everyone wanted a piece of his time, and everyone needed guidance. He had people asking him where they should moor the ships, how far they should range for food, what they should do about infection in the wounded, and when they would be moving on. He was painfully aware of just how much Sienna had managed that he hadn't needed to worry about, and he couldn't believe she'd done it all without a single complaint.

Leadership was more than just fancy speeches, loud roaring and rallying the troops. That much was for sure. He was spending most of his time sat at Sienna's desk in her cabin, looking over a map and various documents as faunus commanders came in with their problems, and he sent them out with answers.

On that front, Ozma was invaluable. He had centuries of experience in this kind of thing and wasn't afraid to whisper answers in Jaune's ear. It was honestly quite funny how all his upbringing had been about the evil dark lord whispering temptation in the ears of mortals, when what he was really whispering was logistical concerns surrounding food supplies and the apportioning of those across a naval supply chain.

Dark secrets indeed.

It was surprising the Grimm had yet to show their faces in all honesty. There was time for Salem to have learned what was happening and mount her attack, and yet it wasn't coming. Had she decided to take things slow and learn from her mistakes? Maybe she wanted to gather a truly unstoppable force and take luck out the equation. If so, every day of peace was a worse sign as it would mean more and more enemies being thrown their way.

Or it could be any other reason.

Their lack of information was a problem right now. Sienna had placed spies in Vale, but they were just "refugees" who would slip information back to predetermined locations on the coast, where faunus sailors would pick them up. It was painfully slow, and useless here since they could only see what everyone else in Vale could, and Salem wasn't likely to be running around telling everyone how she was building an army of Grimm.

A knock came at the cabin door. Jaune sat back, grateful for the distraction. "It's open. Come in."

It was Nora and Ren. They moved in slowly, Nora closing the door behind her. It was noticeable how confidently Ren moved, able to pick his away forward and take a wooden chair without eyesight. Better yet, Nora didn't feel the need to watch his every step and help him. Jaune smiled.

"I see your aura-sight is getting better."

"It's almost to the point I can see again," said Ren. "Not colours or details, but shapes come to me now. Everything is surrounded by the faintest traces of aura, like it's outlined to me. A grey mist in a world that's otherwise black. You've been as good as your word, Jaune. I don't regret learning from you."

"Glad to hear it. How are you, Nora?"

"Tense," she admitted, "but it's more knowing what could come at any moment." She took a seat beside Ren. "Everyone is on edge. I don't think they want to stay here any longer."

"Is that what this is? Asking me to move us?"

Ren shrugged. "We've been continuing to train aura users while you've been busy. They see Ruby and I as your apprentices or acolytes, so they often ask us things they'd be too nervous to ask you. A lot of them right now are asking when we'll be moving on, because staying here near a battlefield where so many of our own died is difficult on them."

He couldn't blame them. It wasn't much fun fro him seeing the carrion feast upon the dead bodies of the church's side either, and he wanted to be away from Mistral and its memories. On the other hand, it felt wrong to just come here, kill a lot of people and then leave. Part of him somehow felt it would show more respect to stay for a bit.

But neither of those were the true reasons.

"I'm afraid of taking us out onto the open ocean if that's where Salem is keeping the Grimm." Jaune waved his hand out toward the deeper water. "I'm worried she hasn't attacked us yet because she's planning for it to be a battle out in the deep where she can sink our ships with aquatic Grimm and leave all of us to drown."

"That is quite horrifying," said Ren. "But if we assume that forever then we can never leave mistral."

"I know. It's not sustainable. I've been hoping us staying here would provoke her into attacking us. Make her impatient. I figured if we at least saw a land army of Grimm then we could take to the water with more confidence." It sounded like everyone was getting impatient, though. "And if we do take to the water, then we need a destination."

"Vale," said Nora.

"You think so?" asked Jaune. "Take this straight to Salem?"

"Why not? Her army has been routed and she won't be able to muster another on short notice. And if she's going to collect Grimm then it doesn't matter where we are."

"Being in Vale might even make it easier in that regard," said Ren. "Her arguments of the Grimm being on your side would work against her if Valeans saw us fighting the Grimm. We might even be hailed as heroes for it."

That was unlikely, at least on the "heroes" front, but he saw what they meant. It would undermine the church's position, and if they were to actively protect a town from Grimm then while the people there might not accept him, they'd start to doubt the suggestion he was leading the Grimm. It wouldn't backfire on Salem immediately, but it'd sow seeds.

"The strait between Mistral and Vale is also the shortest ocean path," said Nora. "We could stay in the shallows as we skirted around Mistral, then make a mad dash across the strait with magically enhanced wind to guide us. Spend as little time in deep water as we have to."

"It's not a bad idea," Jaune admitted. "But why do the two of you want to take this to Vale?"

Ren was blunt. "Revenge, mostly. I feel like we've avenged ourselves on Willow Schnee and the Church, but Salem is still out there and she's the real reason our homeland was destroyed. I…" He paused and turned to Nora, who took his hand. "We won't stop until she's been made to pay for all she did to our people."

At least they were honest about it. Jaune wasn't keen on the idea of vengeance dictating their course of action, but he didn't think their idea was a bad one. They'd always intended to take the fight to Salem eventually, just not this early. But if she had just lost most of her army, and if she'd punished those who returned alive as she had the last, then she'd be in a vulnerable state. Now might well be their best chance.

"We'll set sail come morning."

/-/

The order was spread, and the news delivered. Those on shore broke camp in the night and came back onto the ships, and by morning they were off. They stuck to the shallows on the coastline, sailing around the southern edge of Mistral, away from Atlas, and then back up the western side of it, but not as far as the city of Vale would be. Their plan was to cross and land on the east coast a safe distance away, several hundred kilometres in fact, and then make their own camp. They could then ease up closer whenever they wished and march on the city.

The actual time spent crossing open water, where the Grimm would be most dangerous, would have been six hours normally, but they'd stationed their best magic users on every vessel with instructions to provide powerful winds for the sails. They'd even be waiting in the shallows for the wind to naturally turn in their favour before embarking. The experienced sailors predicted that would shave half the time off, meaning three hours out in dangerous waters.

That was still a lot of time to be at risk.

There was no avoiding it.

They moored in the water on the edge of the shallows for hours and hours, looking out over where the water turned from pale turquoise to dark, navy blue. It was impossible to tell what was down there in the dark, or if they'd been seen at all, but it just seemed so unlikely that she wouldn't make use of them. Red flags strapped high on the masts whipped about in the wind and everyone watched them, waiting anxiously for them to start flying in the direction of Vale.

Their cue that the wind was in their favour, and that it was time to risk their lives.

It didn't come for a full day, and they sat on their ships in formation before retiring for the night. But, come the following morning, the red flag was whipping off toward the open water, and the wind was powerful. Once everyone had risen and eaten, bells tolled to signal them into position. Their aura users toward the front, ready to fight, and one or two magic users at the back ready to add yet more fuel to the sails. Jaune took that duty alone on his ship, with Ozma promising to handle the issue of control and stability.

Too much wind and they would snap the sails and strand themselves. Too little and it wouldn't make any difference at all. There was to be a sailor by every magic user, shouting out for less or more as required, and telling them when to stop. That would be if the wooden masts showed signs of bending or splintering.

Jaune nodded to Ruby, who brought a horn to her lips and blew into it.

The sound echoed out long and loud and was soon taken up by horn blowers on the other ships. The message spread, horns taking up the sound as sails were unfurled and allowed to billow down. The wind caught them quickly, causing their ship to lurch forward, and Jaune – with Ozma's help – began to slowly add his own aura, taking control of the wind and strengthening it. The sails flooded outward, stretching as the sheer force of the wind took them.

Around them, other ships began to move as well. To their left and right, forming an arrowhead cutting across the ocean. They'd arrayed in a line so that if any one ship was forced to stop, be it for Grimm or because a mast broke, then other vessels wouldn't smash into them and wreck both. There was little room to manoeuvre, however. Neptune gripped the wheel tight, and it vibrated fearsomely, trying to wrench the rudder out from under his control. The man had even tied a thick rope about his waist and to an iron hook on the ground, to make sure he couldn't be whipped away by any sudden force.

They streamed out into the deep, cutting through the waves so hard the entire ship rocked and shook, and every wave was a deafening slap against the wooden hull. Spray came up over the sides, and their vision would swim up and then come crashing down again, at times making them look downward as they approached another wave, causing Jaune's stomach to flip.

But they rose again, the hull slicing through wave after wave and taking them onward.

Jaune tracked every wave as they went, waiting for the froth or upheaval as a gargantuan figure rose forth.

Nothing came.

Had they given them the slip? Was it taking time for them to catch up? Were they waiting for them to reach the furthest part of the water where they couldn't hope to turn back? Jaune kept his magic flowing for an hour, then two, and there was not a single Grimm to be seen, and no ships as far as could be seen on either side went down.

What was going on? Where was Salem?

"I don't know," admitted Ozma. "Even I expected there to be something here to stop us. That there is not… I do not know her plan. Did she gather an army on Mistral, and we evaded it? If so, why did she wait so long before attacking us?"

It didn't make sense.

The only thing he could think of was that Nora and Ren's plan had somehow blindsided her, but hadn't Salem at least had some Nevermore track them? He refused to believe she could be so stupid as to not keep an eye on them and then be caught like an idiot because they weren't where she assumed they were.

"There's something going on here…"

"I have a sinking suspicion we will see what that is when we reach Vale…"

So did he.

Their final hour was as unopposed as the first two, and they cut out of the deep water before slowing their approach. Jaune ended his magic, and the sails were angled to catch less of the wind. Land rose up ahead of them. It was noon, the sun high in the sky, and Jaune cursed as he saw a huge plume of black smoke rising up from behind the wooden walls of a trading port on the eastern coast. One that looked to be on fire.

The docks coming off the city were stone, piled up and flattened, and there were a crowd of people on it, and yet more in the water. As they drew closer, Jaune saw why. They were desperately trying to escape dark shapes tearing out of the town and slaughtering those trying to stop them on the narrow dock.

Grimm.

"Save them!" roared Jaune. He dashed forward, flung an arm back and hurled it forward. A huge ball of flame arched up over the defenders and crashed down among the Grimm, scattering them. "Move the ship alongside, Neptune!" he yelled. "Everyone, get them on board!"

Neptune twisted the wheel and sent the ship lurching to the right, exposing their port side as they drifted hard, actually slamming into the stone dock and grinding against it. The ship would need to be repaired, but they didn't have the time to be gentle. The people there, desperate and afraid, didn't bother to see who they were and poured onto their ship, handing off children to the crew before jumping on themselves. Arms hauled them on board, but Jaune moved past them, summoning another ball of fire that he flung forward.

This time, more followed, along with arrows, slamming into the Grimm and buying time for what must have been the town's militia to break and make a run for the vessel. They were ragged and bleeding, and they weren't armoured or even properly armed. Sharpened sticks, farm implements. These weren't militia at all. They were frightened parents picking up tools as weapons and hoping for the best.

"Thank the goddess!" cried one woman. "You came! Our prayers!"

"I wouldn't thank her for this," growled one of the crew, yanking the woman on board.

"Drive the Grimm back!" Jaune roared and walked into the open, fire in either hand. The townsfolk gasped, knowing in an instant that this was not a vessel of the church. After all, no man had magic but the Dark Lord. "Kill them all! You!" Jaune pointed to one of the men who had held the Grimm back. Or tried to. "Are there more survivors in the town?"

"N-No, sir. N-None, your… your darkness…?"

Jaune snarled out, "Are you sure? Are you positive?"

"Everyone is dead," said another, too tired to be afraid. He was bleeding badly. "When the Grimm came, we didn't stand a chance. Our militia was called for the war, and the Chosen as well. We had no one to defend us. We fought our way to the docks hoping for a miracle. Everyone else has been killed."

"Damn it." Jaune blasted fire across the rock and burnt several Grimm away. "Push off!" he shouted to the crew. "Get us back onto the water! Tend to the wounded – get them aid, food and water. Tell the fleet to roam up and down the coast. Find any other towns or villages under siege from the Grimm and rescue the inhabitants."

The rescued townsfolk didn't know what to make of it. They'd grown up like him, believing the Dark Lord controlled the Grimm, and now they were seeing otherwise. Suspicion didn't fall on Salem, and they'd only refuse to believe him if he said so, but they were wracked by doubt. Somewhere along the line, they had been lied to, and the fault lay either with the church or the goddess.

And the goddess was supposed to be omniscient.

How could she be wrong about something when she knew everything?

He didn't care. Let them think what they wanted. They wouldn't cause him trouble injured as they were. He left the faunus to help them below deck, and paced to where Neptune was wheeling them away from the town.

"Any idea why this is happening?" asked the captain.

"None. I don't understand why Salem would do this to people loyal to her. Does she think we were going to come and convince them to turn against her? Or is this some plan to push them all to flee to Vale to join her army against me?"

"If that were the case then the Grimm should have given them a chance to escape."

True. They'd been killing them all too efficiently for this to be anything other than a premeditated massacre. There wouldn't be any survivors to join her, or hate him, or even to spread rumours of what he had allegedly done.

"Something has changed. Salem has changed her mind. I don't know what or why, but she might have decided she'd rather burn this world to the ground and salt the ashes than live in a world where she has lost." Jaune swore. It would be just like her to be so spiteful that she'd rather destroy the world than risk losing control of it. "We need to get to Vale, if only to see what is going on. Sienna's spies haven't sent a report in too long. I'm worried they're already dead."

"Would she be that insane? The odds are still in her favour."

"I don't think that matters to her. We won when we weren't supposed to, and now she's losing her mind. Maybe she's the one going crazy and not me." Jaune gripped the railing and watched as ships turned off north and south to follow his orders. He doubted many would come back with survivors. This town had been lucky they'd arrived when they did. "Or maybe she's creating a scenario where even if we prove she's behind all this, it'll be too little too late to make a difference."

Either way, he had a bad feeling they'd find out once they reached Vale.

Next Chapter: 3rd September

Like my work? Please consider supporting me, even if it's only a little a month or even for a whole year, so I can keep writing so many stories as often as I do. Even a little means a lot and helps me dedicate more time and resources to my work.

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur