Jaune traveled through the desert for the third day. The path he followed led into the continent, farther from the sea, but closer to the mountains that separated Vacuo and Vale.

These three days were relatively challenging. Due to the extreme heat, Jaune was unable to move from noon to late afternoon, until temperatures cooled back to tolerable levels. During the day, Jaune hid in shady places from the sun's scorching rays and tried to sleep for a few hours. Thanks to this, he was able to go farther in the evenings, so he could get out of this furnace faster.

However, it was more dangerous to travel in the evenings. Jaune encountered several Grimms a few times, mostly he was unnoticed by them, but twice he had to get into a fight. Fortunately, there were small Beowolf packs, easily killed Grimms. But even so, Jaune encountered fewer Grimms than he expected.

The morning of the fourth day was like that of the previous ones, the cold of the morning began to be replaced by the unbearable heat. The path that Jaune followed has become more winding in recent hours as the cliffs towering over Jaune have become larger. After a sharper turn, a mountain range emerged among the hills. Its colour did not differ from the brownish reddish shades of the hills, except in some places. At those points, the peaks of the mountain range stretched higher into the sky, and their peaks were covered with white snow caps. Luckily, Jaune didn't have to climb the entire mountain because the road led to a mountain pass.

Jaune looked down at his own shadow which was very short. He knew that this meant that the sun had almost reached the climax of his orbit.

It's almost noon.

This meant that temperatures would soon become unbearable in the sun and would not cool down until late afternoon. The armor he was currently wearing only makes his situation worse.

Jaune looked around the barren landscape and saw a rock formation that could shade him for the next few hours and from where he could clearly see the pass.

As Jaune rested in the shade, he pulled the map out of his bag. Luckily, the road he was currently on, was on the map, otherwise the orientation in the bleak area would have taken longer.

He quickly found where he was. According to the map, the mountain in front of him was The Ember Mountain. And on the other side of the mountain, Vale begins.

Jaune almost felt at home, even though his home was in a completely different part of the kingdom.

Jaune put the map back in his bag and leaned back against the shadow-giving rock. He looked at the snow-capped peaks of the mountains until he could move on.

When the light of the sun got closer to orange and the rock casted a longer shadow on the ground, Jaune decided it was time to move on.

Luckily, the top of the pass was only a few hundred meters higher than the foot of the mountain, so Jaune was able to make the way up relatively quickly. By the time he got close to the highest point of the pass, the muscles of his legs were burning, he was breathing heavily through his mouth, and his clothes were soaked with sweat.

There were only a few steps left of the climb, and these few meters were the most difficult for Jaune so far. He promised himself that he would rest at the top of the pass to encourage himself to continue.

When it was finally no higher, Jaune was able to stop to control his breathing. He looked up and a beautiful sight was revealed to him.

Green.

A green grass field.

A vast expanse of emerald waves rippled under the caress of a gentle breeze. It was as if Jaune was looking at the sea from the mountainside. The grass sea rippled so softly that Jaune wanted to swim in it after the hellish temperatures of the desert. Above the grass field, beautiful fluffy white plumes of cloud traveled smoothly across the azure sky. It was like a herd of elephants wandering slowly but unstoppably overhead.

Jaune almost had tears in his eyes at the sight of the scenery. The landscape was so simple and beautiful. Nowhere did he see other vastly different acres or the chasms that separated them. And most importantly, nowhere did he see a giant tree on the horizon that so often filled him with anger and fear long ago.

Jaune noticed a small village among the grassy hills in the distance. It was a few hours walk from the mountain's foot. The brown buildings surely stood among the emerald green waves. Not far from the village he saw sheeps, which looked almost like white dots from this far.

By the time Jaune got close to the village, the sun had already set behind Ember Moutain, turning the landscape behind the jaune into a beautiful silhouette.

There was a calm silence in the village. Orange lights shone in the curtained windows of the wood houses, giving Jaune enough light to see the streets comfortably. While he was passing by some houses, conversations and other sounds could be heard. Jaune headed for a building that looked like an inn. It was a slightly larger building than the ones around it, but it didn't stand out very much from the rest of the village. The open doors and the emanating sounds indicated that it was open to guests. As Jaune got closer to the door, he heard more and more sounds.

When he walked through the door, the conversations faded away.

A dozen people were sitting inside, and all eyes were on him.

Jaune walked slowly towards the counter, where the barkeeper was gently wiping a glass. As he walked through the room, everyone's gaze was on him. The people's faces were a combination of curiosity and uneasiness, as if they expected him to take someone's head with his sword. Jaune felt like he was in an old Vacuan western movie.

As Jaune sat down at the counter, his eyes met the barkeeper's, who turned away after a moment to put the clean glass away. Jaune chose a spot where he could keep an eye on the other guests. Most of the people were still looking at him. Some continued to drink their drinks or converse quietly with their eyes glancing at Jaune.

Jaune ordered a drink when the barkeeper got close, who had maintained his stoic composure since Jaune walked through the door. As the bartender poured Jaune's drink in front of him, the tension in the room grew, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere.

As Jaune was drinking he looked around and saw that the guests were still waiting for something to happen. The bartender was still standing in front of him, looking at Jaune.

''Who are you?'' he asked Jaune calmly.

''Jaune. Jaune Arc.''

''And what brings you our village, Mr. Arc?''

''Just passing through. I plan to leave as soon as possible.''

''To where, may I ask?''

''Vale''

''Vale? Hmm. I heard that things are not going too much well, up there. Not like anywhere else is so much better now days.''

''You're not wrong on that.'' he said while he looked around again. The people still kept an eye on him. ''Soo? This interrogation on arrival is a local thing or am I just the lucky one?'' He tried to ease the conversation with a little humor.

''Strangers with a sword makes folks here uneasy Mr. Arc.'' Looks like humor didn't work. ''They are either huntsmen who became a rarity in the plains, or they are bandits disguising themself as huntsman to scout the village for the rest. It wouldn't be unheard of. But the question remains: Are you a huntsman or someone who would bring harm to us, Mr. Arc?'' he raised an eyebrow when he said Jaune's name.

''I'm a huntsman, but I guess a bandit would say the same thing. The best I can do is to show my licence.'' Jaune was reaching to his pocket.

''It will do for now.'' declared the barkeeper then moved closer to read Jaune's huntsman licence. ''You are from Atlas? I heard what happened there. Sorry for your loss.

''Thanks, but I only graduated there. I'm Valean.'' clarified Jaune.

''Really? Then why did you go there?''

''I only graduated there but I started at Beacon.'' elaborated Jaune.

''The Fall?'' questioned the barkeeper?

''Yeah'' answered Jaune quietly and drunk his remaining liquor.

''This one is on me.'' announced barkeeper while he poured another one for Jaune. ''Then we can say life has been hard on you.'' Jaune knew that for a long time that this was maybe the best way to describe his life. He had a lot of time to ponder on the past.

''You have no idea.'' confirmed Jaune.

''I apologise for being…rude, but a few concerning things happened recently. One can never be too cautious.''

''What concerning things?'' queried Jaune.

''Someone stole women's clothes while they were hanging outside a few days ago. Maybe it doesn't sound a very big thing for you but in a small village like this can be scandalous, if it was one of us. If we are lucky the opportunist thief has moved on already and the they were not from our community.''

''Hmm. And the rest?'' inquired Jaune. ''You referred to more.''

''There have been a few attacks on villages, north from here. Grimm attacks.''

''Grimm attacks on villages has never been strange before.'' stated Jaune.

''No, they have not, but since most of them left for the cities, they become somewhat strange. Or the survivors claiming so. According to them, all the attacks happened after midnight. You know why it's strange, right?''

''Of course. The Grimms can sense negative emotions, it attracts them, but night attacks are rare because everyone or almost everyone are sleeping. Nightmares still happens, of course, but never enough for them to notice from afar, especially in villages. This only could happen near towns or cities, but statistically it can still happen with smaller settlements.'' explained Jaune.

''Well, it happened with five villages in the past month.''

''Five?''

''Five in the past month, seven before that.''

''What?'' asked Jaune. He knew something was up, five was too many in a single month, let alone seven.

''You heard me alright, and these attacks are just the ones I know about. Who knows how many more happened?'' This was troubling news. Jaune dread to think how many more attacks had happened.

''This is not the strangest thing about them.'' said a new voice behind Jaune. An old man sat down to the stool next to him with his glass. The first thing that Jaune noticed on the newcomer that he was very thin. The once elegant clothes hung on him. He wore some kind of business suit that looked like a few decades old, Jaune only saw these in old films. The old man was almost bald, had many wrinkles around his brown eyes, a white beard covered his entire face.

''Laird, those people lost their loved ones and their home, I doubt what they think they saw in middle of a Grimm attack.'' said the barkeeper in an even voice, like he had this conversation many times. He narrowed his eyes at Laird and said with a stern tone. ''They are not real!''

''They are real!'' Laird stressed the last world,'' I know they are real because I saw them myself.''

''Saw what?'' asked Jaune.

''The Malaluxes.'' everyone near them looked at him strangely, like he was crazy, but Jaune had a puzzled look on his face.

''I never heard of them.'' said Jaune.

''I'm not surprised, it's an old folk tale, here in the plains.'' clarified the barkeeper.

''It's not a tale! I saw them. By the Brothers, they almost killed me!'' he turned to Jaune. ''Have you ever heard about The Lights of The Tall Grass?''

''Never''

''Then let me to tell you what happened to me all those years ago.'' he drank from his glass and started. ''It happened about forty years ago after midnight; I was heading back home from a business trip by train. We're crossing through the plains. I was reading some newspaper in my compartment when the train suddenly grinded to a stop. First, I thought we almost missed a station or something, but when I looked out the window, I could only see was that bloody big grass and nothing else. I started to look for the conductor to ask why the train stopped in the middle of nowhere, but I couldn't find him in the hallways. I thought maybe we hit something, and he went to the front of the train to checked it out. It happens sometimes in the wilds, especially at night.

I stepped out the train onto the tracks to have some smoke. Curse me, I should have stopped a long time ago by then. It was a pretty night, the weather was nice, you could see all the stars on the sky, the temperature was comfortable. It was such a perfect night.

Anyway, the conductor showed up a few moments later with a lantern. He told me that we're taking a brief stop to build up steam.

Huh, what a lying old man he was. But who would have believed him if he told the truth?

Before he walked off towards the rear cars, he warned me to not wander around because they will go no matter what, but I thought he said that because he didn't want the train to be delayed any longer.''

''Let me guess, you ignored his warning, right?'' interjected Jaune.

''Of course.'' chuckled Laird and continued. ''During smoking I noticed some strange blue lights in the tall grass. Me being a complete bloody idiot, I wandered off the tracks to investigate those lights. I ventured into the grass deeper and deeper, but the lights moved deeper as well. Then I heard the conductor's call to board the train. I tried to go back to the train, but I couldn't see where the train was, that damn grass was higher than I was. I started run towards what I believed was the right direction,'' he took a swing of his drink. ''Then I stumbled upon one of those lights. What I saw there, I won't forget while I live. It was a sight more horrifying than death itself.

This creature, if you can even call it that, looked like a human, but it had become a twisted… nightmare. Almost all its facial features had vanished, it was like a blank canvas, pale grey skin stretched over every inch of its body. The only human-like thing about it was its form and its gaping, needle tooth-filled mouth that let out a horrible cry when it spotted me. It was a gods-awful cry.'' Laird stared before him, like he just saw the monster that he described.

''The creature lunged at me, almost grabbed me. I started running away from this thing as fast as my legs was able to. In the corner of my eyes, I saw more monsters getting close to me. Luckily, I spotted the orange lights of the train through the grass in the distance. I dashed towards the tracks, screaming for help, but before I could reach the tracks, I was thrown to the ground. They had caught up to me.

I thought, it was it, I was about to die. But then a wall of fire was between me and them, it was enough to startling the monsters and driving them away. I turned around to see the conductor, on the gravel hill, shouting at me to run. Without hesitation, I sprinted with him towards the moving train. We managed to climb aboard the back of the train just in time.

After we caught our breath, he started explained how the creatures despised fire,'' he took a breath and continued. ''I asked him what those monsters were.

He believed that once they're people, the souls of those who were lost when they tried to cross the plain, or those who got off the train at the wrong place.

By the way he spoked of it I knew this happened more than one time. Asked him about it and his answer confirmed my suspicion. The train loses steam sometimes and always stops exactly at that spot, then it's like a kind of door opens up out there. He thought it leads into…. some.…other world.

He warned me not to speak about this, no one would believe me, but I once again ignored his warning. He was right of course, just look around, everyone thinks that I'm crazy or just a liar, but I know what I saw that night.'' said Laird with conviction.

''I fail to see why this story is connected to the Grimm attacks'' remarked Jaune.

''It's connected because the survivors saw them as well.''

''They didn't see them, only some kind of…white shadows in the distant during the attacks.'' said the barkeeper to Jaune, then turned to Laird. ''And you didn't see any Malalux either. You must have fallen asleep on the way back. I don't know why you still claiming that this really happened but stop it! Everyone thinks that you are short on a marble.''

''Yeah Laird, just stop it. You retell this shit at least once a week. Make up something else!'' said a patron not far from them.

''Don't listen to them! The Malaluxes are real, and they're no longer waiting for the lost souls.'' said Laird to Jaune and left with his drink.

Jaune waited until Laird was far enough and turned towards the barkeeper and asked. ''What do you think? What did he really see?''

''A madman sees what he sees. You should not dwell on things like this, life is too short for that.'' He continued to clean the glasses. ''And besides, it is just a fairy tale to scare away the children from the tall grass where they would be lost. The Malaluxes are just as real as The Girl in the Tower or like the Rusted Knight.''

Jaune clenched his free hand into a fist at the mentioning of Salem, but he almost broke his glass with the other when the barkeeper brought up his moniker. It was not the best comparison in history. It didn't make Jaune at ease, on the contrary. Salem, Ozma, and himself were the living proof that not all fairy tale is made up. The three of them were real.

Then why wouldn't be the others as well?

''Yeah, just as real.'' said Jaune while he kept his gaze on his almost empty glass.

Crocea mors hit again its wooden target.

Jaune had always liked to do a little training in the early afternoons. It was a pleasant pastime for him, especially since he moved back his home village. The dummies set up on the edge of Ansel could experience the blade of his family heirloom every day.

''Is it dead yet?'" asked a familiar voice near Jaune.

Jaune looked to the side. Pyrrha stood there in her combat uniform. Watching him with a gentle smile. Her crimson hair was tied up in her well-known style which moved gently in the autumn breeze.

''There's still a little life left in it, but I think I'm going to leave it alive this time.'' Jaune joked back.

''How noble of you, my knight'' she said to him as she walked up to him. Jaune looked into Pyrrha's beautiful emerald green eyes which always reminded him of a forest where he would gladly get lost.

''We should head back home,'' she said while she pulled him close. ''It's getting late.'' Jaune looked to the side and saw that the sun was already close to the horizon.

''Yeah, you're right, Pyr.''

''As usual.'' she said playfully.

Pyrrha grabbed his hand as she moved away from him and she gentle pulled him along towards Ansel.

''Come, you said you're leaving her alive this time.''

''Her?''

''Yes, her.'' she answered while looking into his eyes with a smile. ''Penny.''

''What?!'' he exclaimed and spined around.

The once-Winter-Maiden was behind him. Tied to a wooden pole. She had multiple wounds, the blood painted her previously snow-white blouse to deep red. She missed an arm. From the bleeding cuts sparking wires were sticking out. Penny slowly looked up to his eyes and asked him weakly. ''Why?''

Jaune raised his arm to see his ancestors' sword. It was broken and blood soaked.

''I - I don't - I didn't-''

''YOU KILLED ME'' Penny yelled at him then she leaned forward as much the ropes let her.

''You failed me, just like you will fail them.'' she looked behind him.

Jaune turned around and his blood froze in his veins.

Ansel was in ruin. Overrun by Grimms. And between Jaune and the ruins, his friends and family. All of them were dead. Their broken bodies were lying on the ground, in more than one piece.

''Jaune'' said Pyrrha behind him and he immediately turned around.

A grey monster jumped at him with mouth full of needle like teeth.

Jaune' eyes snapped open and lurched forward; his heart was pounding in his chest. Beads of cold sweat dotted his forehead, he struggled to catch his breath. It took Jaune a moment to pull himself together, the vivid images from his dream still lingered before his eyes.

The fire barely gave light to his eyes, it was almost burned down. As he looked around, he saw no signs of movement around his camp.

Two days since he left the village at the foot of Ember Mountain, but the same nightmares still haunted him at night.

Pyrrha, Penny, his loved ones were the usual guests of his nightmares in past years, but it appears that the Malaluxes had become the new replacement for the Grimms. Jaune thought about them a lot, Laird's story occupied his mind in the past days.

If it turns out that Malaluxes exist, which had a good chance based on recent years' experience, then he was facing a whole new level of problem. Are they a new kind of Grimm? Salem's work? If they are not Grimm, how he even supposed to kill them? How far are they spread? Are they the Brothers creation as well?

These questions captured his mind to his current location. To the edge of The Whispering Forest, one of Vale biggest forest in the south. He decided that it would be wise to put up a camp here for the night before entering the forest in the morning.

The forest itself gave Jaune an uneasy feeling. It was hard to describe at first but now it's like something was watching him from among the trees. Probably some animal kept their eyes on him. But he couldn't see further into the forest than ten meters, so he cannot be sure. It didn't attack him yet which gave him some peace.

Jaune didn't want to go back to sleep. He had enough of this nightmare, he would rather be a little sleepy than dream again about that horrible scene.

Jaune threw some wood to the campfire, so it would last a few more hours which should be enough till dawn. He lied back to his makeshift pillow and did his very best to not think about Pyrrha, Penny or anyone else. His sole focus was on the shiny dots and pale shapes on the inky sky.

From the depths of the Whispering Forest, not far from his camp, a single amber coloured eye watched his every move well before he woke up from the nightmare.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the all comments, followis and favs. I hope you liked the new chapter. I plan to update once per month, or so.
Laird' story is from Love, Death & Robots, season 2 episode 5. The Tall Grass. It's one of the best episode in the series, to me at least. Check it out if you are interested.
Leave a comment if you want to. See you in February.