Sneak Peak:

Atop a glistening white horse, a blonde woman aimed a sharp flagpole at him. And surrounding her were armored knights wielding swords, lances, and holding bow strings taut. "State your reason for infiltrating the forest of my army! Or you shall be slain by my hand!"

Jaune stumbled to his feet, his head was still swimming from the sudden transportation, but he forced himself to stand straight and he raised his hands in the air. "I-I don't know yet! I was given the task of fixing something that is out of balance, or something like that anyway, I didn't get any concrete mission!"

The blonde woman blinked, and then her eyes narrowed. "State your name." Her words were lined with steel.

"J-Jaune, Jaune Arc!"

His answer caused a ripple of mutters to spread through the gathered knights, and the blonde woman smiled then raised her flagpole high. Her flag unraveled and the clouds cleared as beams of sunlight illuminated her form, her hair glowed as she shouted. "Rejoice! As the heavens had whispered to me, Jaune Arc has arrived! A guiding light shall show us the path to victory!"

Every knight cheered loudly.

Jaune was greatly put off by the fervor that each knight cheered with, as if they had finally found salvation within hell.

The blonde woman leapt off her horse and walked up to him. "I, Joan Darc, welcome you to our war, Jaune Arc." Joan smiled as she reached a hand out.


Jaune's feet froze, his body was unable to take another step, this was as far as any mortal man could approach. His eyes were transfixed on the shadow that he was barely able to perceive.

A tree that was darker than the void crept down the hill, countless roots that ended in hooves carried it as putrid green slime rained from the mouths that had replaced the leaves on every branch. The ground cracked and withered away under it, leaving behind a gray desolate soil. The sky cried as sunlight was absorbed and whispers blossomed.

"Can you see it, Jaune? Do you understand yet?" A woman with white hair caressed his cheek as she whispered in his ear. "I am no longer the person I was when they burned me alive, I have been reborn, and that is my new mother. There is no need for war, she'll consume everything and then rebirth it all as something beautiful."

Jaune felt his knees give out as the whispers of the final Templar ate away at his reasoning. His visions pulsed as his pupils began erratically expanding and contracting.

The steel sword he had borrowed fell to the ground, as his will to live was lost within the forest of black trees.


Thanks for reading! I'm always open to feedback, so please leave a review, or reply in my forum, about what you liked or hated about this chapter or the whole story. If anyone wants to be a Beta Reader, then PM me and we'll talk details.