Keep fighting. That's all I can say. I PRAY FOR THE GREATEST OF LEADERS. THE ONE AND ONLY LT THROUGH IT ALL

Jaune had his first good night's rest since entering the desert in that little hotel room with May that night. Separate beds to his insistence as he didn't want to impose on May so soon after going through what she did. He didn't know how she was feeling but guessed even being alone in the same room with a man made her uncomfortable.

Waking up rested he looked over to see May stirring as well and waited for her to get up from the bed. When she did get up from the bed he realized that she had taken her top off leaving only a tank top covering her. One that did a poor job of hiding her features and did next to nothing when she stretched reaching for the sky. Jaune couldn't help himself but stare in silence even as he silently cursed his hormones.

"So," he finally got out after almost a minute of ogling the girl as he tore his eyes away. She looked at him as he spoke knowing he had been staring at her but deciding not to say anything. "You still haven't finished our agreement."

"Yes, I haven't," she hummed slowly planting an arm under her modest bust as she leaned back onto her other hand. Giving him a good view of her entire upper body and her abbs as her top rode up. She noticed him staring and gave him a half hearted glare. One made more out of principle than anything. He still had the decency to look abashed at her half hearted telling off, not quite noticing that her glare had no real heat behind it. "What would you like me start with?"

"Let's go with who to avoid?" Jaune asked of her as he tried to avoid looking at her exposed body. She gave him a small smile at his curtesy but nothing beyond that.

"There aren't many bandit groups in Vacuo but those that do live here are slavers. The Crowvin Tribe being the most prominent but don't do much of the raiding, they are the ones who sell the slaves. Faunus being their main market because of rich people with fetishes and SDC mines."

"Thought the SDC was highly regulated with that type of stuff."

"They are as a whole but a manager of a mine will cut corners for more profit."

"And since you don't have to pay slaves, the profits go up and with the profits up the top brass look the other way," Jaune stated getting a nod from May. "I feel like someone would've caught onto that by now."

"The White Fang did… They're also given room and board at the mines and can get away with that by saying their live-in employee's. The SDC works hard on keeping that all on the low and often pays off the inspectors to make that happen."

"How do you know that then?"

"It's an open secret in Vacuo and since the SDC has a stranglehold on the dust market we don't say anything. Vacuo would not survive without dust and subsequently the SDC, so we too look the other way. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the reason the White Fang figured it all out was because someone from Vacuo told them. The rest of the Kingdoms live in ignorance of everything they do."

"Alright," Jaune said rubbing his head feeling an incoming headache at the allowed slavery but pressed on. "Who else."

"Besides the Bandits there's only one other group to look out for and avoid outside of the main city. The Old Faction. A group of people who wish for Vacuo to go back to when the country was a Monarchy. I don't know much about them but they are ruthless and no better than the bandits in how they act. Though from what I've heard they're more belligerent than the bandits; they'll attack anyone who doesn't agree with them outright. Or so I've heard at least."

"Any way to discern them from bandits?"

"Their armor will have a golden crown with four points somewhere around the chest region. Beyond that I don't know."

"Good enough. What about the underground in the city?"

"Can't tell you much at all. I could point you to a couple places you might get access but I've never associated with the underground so don't know for sure," Jaune sighed at that information hoping that there would've been more but satisfied with what she was able to give for now. He hadn't expected her to know everything.

"Okay. How about Vacuo in general. What can you tell me besides what you already have and the obvious," May hummed at the question and took over a minute before answering. Her posture and movements doing little to stop Jaune's focus on her.

"Well, the main city along with Shade Academy is all built around a massive oasis. About two miles in diameter all around with plenty of fish in there and the water is almost completely pure. Only minor sanitation happens and that's usually from the areas with an abundance of fish. The oasis is over a massive reserve of water so we never have to worry about going dry; though we don't have access to the reserve."

"Why don't you?"

"No one bothered to try in the early days since they were just happy with the oasis. By the time people became curious a good portion of the city had been built and no one wanted to risk an excavation incase the tunnels collapsed which would've brought down major portions of the city. We only found out for sure when the SDC came out with their underground scanner some 40ish years ago. By that point the problem was the same as before, no one wants to risk a collapse."

"Alright, continue then," May needed to think for another minute again for his question before answering.

"Honestly, out of all the kingdoms Vacuo is probably the simplest in how we do things. Besides our honor system which you are now experiencing and seem to have gotten a hold of, we're pretty simple. Help when you can, don't break the law without cause, and mind your own business. Simple," Jaune was remiss to accept that since actually living in Vacuo was anything but that in his mind. He vehemently hated the desert at this point and the sand that had been in his crotch before he had been able to shower last night reinforced that point. Though he would be thanking whatever gods there were that he hadn't started chafing.

"I don't want to accept that after having spent 10 straight days in the desert but okay. This place is harsh and the only way to survive is together or through sheer luck so I'll give you that," May nodded at his words as she walked over to where her top was and threw it on over her tank top. Giving Jaune a satisfied smile along the way as she noticed him looking at her.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know or is my debt repaid?" Jaune thought for a few second before asking the question he had been wondering since Crew had talked to him last night.

"Tell me what you know of The Vampire," the instant the words were out of his mouth May seized up frozen where she was. Slowly turning to look at Jaune, her eyes bore into his in complete silence. Taking a deep calming breath, she sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"The Vampire is Vacuo's Urban legend, THE Urban Legend mind you. To my knowledge it's the oldest in the world but isn't well known outside of Vacuo. Mostly because the story is so old and well… no one besides us believe the story."

"You believe the legend?"

"I don't, but I know plenty of people that do. One of my friends believes everything about the story," May answered shrugging her shoulders. Jaune waved his hand gesturing for her to continue with the explanation. "The Vampire is said to be the first ever person to be able to use Aura. The one who unlocked the mysteries behind the soul but did not use the power to heal, help or even lead. No, they brought terror.

They terrorized Vacuo from the shadows abducting people and leaving them as husks of themselves. Even after others found out about aura and unlocked it, people were still found as husks. No one could find any place to pinpoint the attacks or any pattern. People just died. They hunted and hunted growing stronger and stronger the more they hunted. Until one day the people had enough.

A mob of 100 people with aura hunted down the Vampire. Hunted to kill and burn them to show that they were no longer afraid of the Vampire. None of them ever returned from their fateful hunt. Though they succeeded and the Vampire never showed themselves again. Despite the loses, their sacrifice had truly meant something. They won."

"Well, that's is one hell of a depressing legend. Where even was the lesson that's supposed to be in urban legends?" May laughed softly at Jaune's question.

"I, personally, think the lesson is the Vampire themselves. That there will come a time where a person or thing exists that you just won't be able to beat alone. The only way to do so is with the help of everyone around you. Much like how Vacuo has survived in the desert all this time."

Jaune contemplated her words but then began thinking about what Crew had told him last night. That Aedon's Vacuoan name was the Vampire… Was Aedon the Vampire? But that story had to be thousands of years old. There was no way he was that old, right? Before his thoughts could dive too deep, he stopped those thoughts. Until he had more information he was not about to be jumping to assumptions. Finding a book on The Vampire would be his first decision when he gets the chance. Conjecture from others on something like this wouldn't do for him; real information was needed.

"Is there any place I can learn more about this urban legend?" Jaune asked.

"I wouldn't know. As far as I know they don't keep many books on the story and the ones they do are at the academy. Professor Crew mandated that the legend be studied and taught at the preparatory academy for the first years. Something about making people think was his official statement about that if I'm remembering correctly," Jaune sighed at that information realizing that finding more information on the legend was going to be harder than he thought. Word of mouth would have to do for now.

"That is a shame," he stated more to himself than anything earning a quirked eyebrow from May. He assumed that she thought he was a bit off for wanting to know more about a legend, one she didn't believe in. "Anything else you think you could tell me?"

"Well, I would talk to Professor Crew before he leaves. If he was out here to find me and bring me back, he would technically owe you for doing so yourself. You probably won't be able to get much from him but who knows," she shrugged her shoulders before looking at him expectantly. "I believe that we are even now."

"I agree May. Thank you for the information," Jaune replied getting a small smile from May. Standing up he outstretched his hand to her and for a moment she looked at the hand apprehensively for a moment before shaking herself out of her stupor. Taking his hand and shaking it she broke away first and stepped away.

As she went to leave the room Jaune followed her and while she went to explore the town Jaune began looking for Theodore. Jaune didn't have to look far as he found the man sipping on a drink at the bar. Sitting down next to the man he ordered a drink and sat there for a few minutes enjoying the silence as he drank. Finishing the drink, he ordered a second before he looked over to Theodore.

"Would seem that you owe me Professor," the man chuckled nodding his head at Jaune's words. A smile appearing on the man's face.

"It would so young man. May tell you?" Jaune nodded his head to Theodore's question. "She also tell you about The Vampire?" again Jaune nodded his head. "What did you think about that?"

"If you're looking for a conclusive answer on what I think you won't be getting anything from me. Far too much in the unknown for me to have or change my thoughts on the man. Despite that we're talking about a legend well over a thousand years old back to around the time aura became prevalent in society. Even if the Vampire was him, he is no longer that man and I won't judge him for actions that far in the past," Theodore smiled broadly at Jaune's words but did not voice whether or not he agreed with Jaune's words. Simply smiling and finishing his drink before looking at Jaune.

"So, what do you want? With your intervention I got the next month off and I don't plan on cutting my Council approved emergency leave go to waste," he stressed the bit about his leave causing Jaune to laugh. He did have to think on what he wanted out of this little arrangement, however. On the one hand he would love to have a suppressor for his AK, his life would be so much easier in general. Especially when he would want or need to stay undetected.

Suppressors wer NOt powerful enough to be the end all of stealth but having one would be nice. Allowing him to attract far less attention when fighting grimm, especially or like when he had to fight the man who had hunted him in Mistral. Having a suppressor there would've helped a lot as he wouldn't have had to leave so quickly because of the impending Grimm.

Now, a suppressor would've been all well and good, but he literally had the Theodore Crew in front of him asking what he wanted. He would have to an absolute imbecile not to ask for training. Jaune wasn't expecting anything like a massive improvement for himself in just a month, that would be unrealistic, but he fully expected Theodore to lay the groundwork for that improvement. Giving him drills, imparting useful lessons, teaching him different ways to survive. Anything and everything the man was willing to offer was something that Jaune was interested in.

"Train me. We got a month for you to impart everything you can to me," Jaune stated as he quickly came to the idea that getting the training was better than a suppressor. In response to Jaune's answer to Theodore's question the man smiled as he stood up from the bar and gestured for Jaune to follow the man.

Jaune did not need to be told twice as Theodore took lead and led him outside of the town in silence. They didn't go too far from the town. Only a half mile by Jaune's estimate, but the distance was far enough so that there would be no prying eyes. Standing in the middle of a small clearing free of the desert sand right on the edge of a small oasis. Jaune took in the oasis with a small batch of short trees and a decently sized pool of fresh water. Plenty of plants around as well with two cacti he recognized as the one to give him hallucinations.

"Let's see what I'm working with," was the only thing Theodore said before he was on Jaune with his sword.

Jaune barely reacted in time to roll out of the way of the attack before drawing his ax and pistol firing off a couple shots before shifting the weapon into a knife and attacking Theodore. Jaune knew beyond certainty the fact he was even still conscious during the fight was Theodore being kind. The man could destroy him if he wanted and at this point his only chance was to play aggressively and hope to catch Theodore off guard.

Even still Jaune knew he wasn't going to be the victor here but that didn't stop him from trying to put on a good show. Exchanging quick blows with his ax and knife versus Theodore's sword the man casually defended himself as if he was taking an average Sunday stroll. Little effort put into his defense which infuriated Jaune on a principle level.

Theodore's stance evolving instantly to compensate Jaune's attacks. Only doing so much to make Jaune have a steady challenge but never anything beyond that. To, in Theodore's own mind, see what Jaune could come up with on the fly against an evenly skilled opponent.

Going through another flurry of attacks on the man Jaune waited for an opportunity. Stabbing forward with his knife Theodore batted the weapon away before taking a slash towards Jaune's chest. The instant this happened Jaune changed his knife back into a pistol and caught the sword with the handle of his ax yanking the sword upwards. Leaving Theodore's stomach completely exposed before he put his pistol level with it and fired.

Jaune was only able to get two shots off before Theodore's fist collided with his face hard enough to send him sprawling backwards. Getting up quickly he wasn't fast enough to block or even react to Theodore's follow up attack. The man's boot knocking his ax out of Jaune's hand as he followed up the attack with an overhead slash of his sword.

Rolling to the right out of the way of the attack getting to his feet in the same motion as he grabbed his shield and sword with his left hand. Shifting his pistol to the weapons knife form before throwing it at Theodore allowing him to pull his sword free of the sheath. Holding the sword in his right hand and his shield in sheathe form in his left. Continuing his attack in Theodore with his dual wield stance.

They continued their mock duel with Jaune on the attack almost the entirety of the time. That didn't much matter though as Theodore completely controlled every aspect of the spar. Something that wasn't a surprise to Jaune in the slightest but that didn't stop him pushing his attack on the man waiting for another opportunity to deal damage to him.

A moment that never came as Theodore decided that the spar was over. Parrying his sword seamlessly into parrying his sheathe his fist met Jaune's face and the lights went out. Jaune awoke sometime later with his face still buried in the ground. He heard someone eating something a couple feet from him. Pushing himself up to a knee he looked over to see Theodore eating an apple while he sat on the ground looking at Jaune.

"Good you're up," the man stated before tossing Jaune a new apple. Jaune rubbed the apple down quickly before taking a bite. The apple was fresh and juicy in his mouth as he bit into it. "Good job in the spar, by the way. I know exactly where and what to teach you fighting wise."

"When do we start then?" Jaune asked as he took another bite of the apple. Taking a few seconds as he ate in silence to look around and survey the area. Never hurt to be too cautious in the frontier. Grimm could pop up at any second and he would rather not be caught unaware.

"We'll start in an hour. Finish the apple and I'll go over the gameplan on what the schedule will be for you," Jaune nodded his head and finished the apple before tossing the apple into the nearby sand. Standing up from where he was sitting after finishing the apple he walked over to Theodore, who seemed to be meditating, and sat in front of him.

"So, what's the plan then?" Theodore opened his eyes and looked at Jaune patiently.

"Every day by 0830 we will meet here and until noon I will put you through your paces with workouts. At noon we will run back to the town and get lunch until 1400 at which time we will run back here and will put you through your paces with everything involving fighting and your weapons. Today is Tuesday so next Tuesday will be your off day alone with the third Tuesday from now. Those two days will be your only off days. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good."

"If I may sir, how did you know I knew Aedon?" Jaune asked, looking to stave off the silence for now. Theodore hummed and scratched his beard before answering.

"Argent, the other man in Aedon's group, is now a professor at my Academy. Told me about you and gave a picture. Seeing you was just a happy coincidence and admittedly I was curious as to why he chose to pick up and train you," Jaune did not miss Theodore's use of past tense in the sentence but didn't say anything about it. Instead, he allowed the silence to manifest.

The smell of death was something every huntsmen needed to be accustomed to in order to be efficient in their job. That did not mean the stench got any better to deal with over time. Especially when the smell lingered over an area for days and fermented. In this case, neither hunters had to worry about that smell as the death was fresh. Mere minutes but the stench of released bowls still hung in the air.

Severed and brutalized body parts strewn about all over the camp. All in diffent states of brutalization. From cleanly severed to looking as if they had been pulled away by the bone. Jagged bits of muscle and tissue everywhere around the camp. The visceral explosion of the body parts left no place safe in the camp from being splattred by blood.

The smattering of tents were torn open and blood was everywhere but mercy was not. The tents belonged to a group of Mistralian bandits that had wandered too close to the border of Vale. Only a mere few miles from Naretik. Glynda Goodwitch's hometown.

"Are you sure you want to see this Glynda?" Aedon spoke softly to her even as he faced away from the woman as he stood over the form of the bandit leader. The man had both his legs broken and was bleeding from a puncture wound in his stomach. The man would not survive long unless immediate medical aid was given, he wasn't going to get that.

"When I said I wanted to know everything, this is included in that… I know you aren't that man anymore but I need to see," he voice was just as soft as Aedon's had been. Reaching out and touching his shoulder he absently put his hand in hers and squeezed. Releasing her hand, he took a deep breath and knelt in front the bandit leader. The man groaning in pain but still seeing Aedon as a threat to his life.

"Please. I'll do anything. Anything, I promise," the man pleaded with tears in his eyes. When he realized his words had no affect on the two hunters, his face morphed into a snarl and he grabbed some dirt before trying to blind them and crawl away. His arm never made it halfway to releasing the dirt before Aedon caught his wrist and snapped the bones.

The man howled in pain at the action before spinning onto his stomach and trying to crawl away. Leaving a trail of blood on the ground behind him for a few feet before he was stopped cold. An immense pressure on his back, twisting his neck he saw Aedon standing over him.

"This'll be quick," was all Aedon said to the man before he knelt, putting his knee in the Bandits upper back and grabbed his head with both hands. The bandit screamed in terror and continued to plead for clemency as this happened but received none. As Aedon's hands grabbed his head the world slowly, excruciatingly, went black. Only pain on the bandits mind as he felt as if every nerve in his body was on fire.

When the process was done Aedon stood up from the man, if he could be called that anymore. His body and every visible part of him looked as if he had been mummified. Eyes no longer there, tongue shriveled up, body all wrinkled as if he was 200 years old and all the muscle and fat the man had was gone. Shriveled into nothingness.

Aedon simply looked down at the once bandit and sighed. This was not something he enjoyed doing anymore. At one point in his life, he viewed this as artwork and euphoric in some cases but no longer. He had grown and lived far past that stage in his life, even if he still committed the action every now and again. Only ever on those deserving and never on an innocent.

"That is… the most abhorrent Semblance I've ever seen," Aedon hung his his head at her words. Breathing shallow and quick as he dared not look at her.

"It's not my Semblance… I learned to do this," he gestured weakly to the mummified body in front of him. Glynda gasped at this bit of information as she looked between the body and Aedon. She steeled herself before deciding on what she was going to do, knowing his response to her planned words before he even said them.

"This… ability can never fall into the hands of others," she spoke resolutely even as she stepped forward to Aedon's back.

"Agreed… Hate doing it now even if it's what has granted me this long life… that does not make it right," he spoke to her as he turned to her. He was surprised to see her so close and no judgment of him in her eyes as he expected there to be. Instead, there was resignation and acceptance. She surprised him further by stepping towards him and putting her hands on his shoulders. Lovingly, gently.

"I don't blame you… not for the actions you made so long ago. You learned and made yourself better; you made yourself into a good man," her words caused him to release a heavy sigh as he felt his nerves and apprehension dissipate. Snaking his hands to her waist he pulled her into a hug, one that she returned.

"Thanks Glyn," he whispered into her ear and could feel the smile form on her face. She always did like when he shortened her name. They said no other words to each other as they separated and made their way back to Naretik. Glynda would need to leave soon as she had only been able to come back from Vale for the weekend as classes had started back up several weeks ago.

Each of them wanted to keep their relationship secret for as long as they could. Both from Ozma and Salem. Unaware Salem already knew and a particular crow was perched on the house from Glynda's. Noticed by neither huntsman as they were too absorbed with each other in the moment. The crow left with the dilemma of staying true to his employer or being kind to a friend. Knowing whichever side he chose would ruin the other.

"Look at this and tell me what we're not doing the right thing with our actions?" Adam asked his subordinates as they overlooked a mining camp on the border of Vacuo. The sight they were all greeted with was brutal. The faunus there dressed in clothes little better than rags and many looked like they hadn't slept in days. With how thin they all looked they weren't being fed well either.

The ones in charge of the camp were actively beating a few of the faunus as well. Three faunus in the fetal position on the ground as two people dressed in SDC uniforms beat them with batons. The batons were hollow as they didn't want to permanently hurt a worker but that did not mean that they did not hurt. The deep bruises on other faunus being evident of that.

The view of what the faunus of the White Fang were seeing quickly stirred them into a frenzy. Baying for blood and Adam Taurus was not one to let that zealotry go to waste. He raised his arm, sword in hand and pointed at the mining camp. The three dozen White Fang soldiers he had with him smiled at his order and charged the mining camp as silently as they could.

The workers of the mine never knew they were being attacked until the White Fang was already over the walls. The mine's defenses only programed to fire upon Grimm, not any human or faunus targets. Leading to a quick demise of the base as Adam and his protege Blake never had to lift a finger to help liberate the mine.

When the fight was finished the Faunus of the camp were all smiling and crying as they were liberated from their enslavement of the mine. The employees of the SDC all tied up and lined up in the middle of the mining camp. Most of them sporting blood somewhere on their bodies as the freed faunus and attackers had beaten the employees.

Adam pacing back in forth in front of them as Blake looked on. A small voice in her head praying for Adam to kill the employees but a louder voice in her head pleading that he let them live. They couldn't let their baser instincts prevail as they would only fall further than they already had. Having been a once peaceful organization that was now a full-blown terrorist movement. One she agreed was once necessary but the more they acted this way the less she agreed, especially with all the killing they had already done. Even with her pride at how well the Fang had done in the raid this would be a step they couldn't come back from.

Killing in a fight was one thing but these people were captured and although not innocent, they were no longer a threat. She believed this might be the turning point for the Fang. Were they truly freedom fighters or were they terrorists?

"These men are responsible for your pain!" Adam shouted and the crowd of faunus in front of him roared in agreement. "They put you here, made you suffer, and exploited you. All because you are Faunus! I say no more shall we allow this! No more will there be no consequences for humans who do this to us! They will know our pain and we will show them how! And that all starts now, what say you?!" he shouted to the faunus in front of him and one word stuck out above all others.

"DEATH!" the roared back at Adam. A small, almost unnoticeable smile on his face as he got the exact reaction he wanted. Not answering them quite yet he placed himself on the far side of the line up group.

"I agree!" then his sword moved and the heads of all the employees fell to the ground. Beheaded by his semblance in one move. The crowd of faunus screaming their approval as Adam raised his bloodied sword to them. Blake said nothing as she looked at the crowd and truly regretted her decision to follow Adam in that moment.

All the evidence in the world was here to show the world what the SDC were doing. What they were getting away with. To show the world that the White Fang were completely in the right in their actions. Instead they killed people that couldn't be anything but prisoners. Even with all this evidence the SDC lawyers would bury everything to focus on the executed prisoners. They, and the Atlas media, would paint them as terrorists and there wasn't anything she could do. The White Fang would forever be branded as terrorists after this.

She needed an out. But how at this point?

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.