I do not own RWBY or Warhammer 40,000, only my original characters.

I HAVE RETURNED! Sorry for the wait, graduation is around the corner for me and I've been busy with papers. I actually had about half of this done since last week, I was just too focused on school to finish it. I'm real happy with how this turned out, but I do have fears I might not have worded things as best as I could. Please let me know what you think in a review.

Big shout out to my beta-reader, Pinkpower3612, he's been a real big help with juggling ideas around and making sure everything in the story checks out. Also, I apologize for the crappy title, I had no idea what to call this chapter.

Anyway, Onto the chapter!

THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY EDITED FROM ITS ORIGINAL VERSION!

Return of Faith

Chapter Five: A Call to Arms (EDITED)

Alexander sat and listened as the Inquisitor recalled his discovery and investigation of the planet known as Remnant. For a full hour, he spoke of the world, pausing only in anticipation of a possible question raised by either the Chapter Master, Reclusiarch, or Chief Librarian. They provided him with none. The three lords of the Black Lions were silent as statues as Kress spun his tale, content to let him speak before giving their thoughts on the information provided.

And speak he did. Kress told them of the psychic song that drifted into the mind of his acolyte, Kara Storell, as well as his ship's navigator and astropaths. He spoke of how it led them to a world orbited by a shattered moon and inhabited by humans who harbored strange and powerful abilities. He spoke of its four kingdoms, of the abhumans known as faunus, of the psycho-reactive mineral called Dust… and of the Daemons known as Grimm that prowled the planet's surface.

Hate swelled within Alexander's hearts at the mention of such abominations, but there was also cautious curiosity. The Creatures of Grimm described by the Inquisitor sounded oddly… tame for Daemons. They were regarded more as a nuisance than an outright threat by the planet's governments, only truly dangerous to small settlements or when they gathered in large numbers. Indeed, the more he spoke of them, the more Alexander likened them not to the Daemons of the Warp, but to the Beasts of Salem's cursed Deepwood.

The Inquisitor mentioned that the planet had become enlightened to the existence of the God-Emperor through the arrival of a force of Black Lions, thousands of years ago. If it this claim proved true, Alexander wondered if his forebears made the same comparison as he did. Perhaps they saw a world not unlike fair Salem, and beheld a people beset by bloodthirsty monsters, just as Salem's children were.

The reason for their involvement was irrelevant now. All that mattered was that this world no longer accepted the glory of the Emperor's Light.

Alexander felt his hands curl into fists when the Inquisitor reached this portion of his tale. Kress told them what his spies had learned, how the Emperor's Faithful were blamed for starting a decade long war, how they were made scapegoats by all sides of the conflict, and now hid in the shadows like rats.

The Chapter Master kept his expression neutral through it all, but fury and disgust welled inside him. The Emperor's Angels of Death had come to Remnant, delivered them from the jaws of Daemons and raised them into the Emperor's all-encompassing embrace, and they had the audacity to reject His most holy Word?

Such heresy could not be tolerated.

When Kress ended his tale, Alexander allowed a moment of silence to echo through the throne room. He cast his gaze to Agtheon. The Reclusiarch of the Black Lions inclined his head in a shallow nod, showing his support. He turned then to Syrus, his silver eyes meeting the gold of the Chief Librarian's own. A fierce curiosity swirled within those golden orbs, tempered by centuries of experience. He said nothing, for the look he gave told Alexander all he needed.

He turned back to the Inquisitor and his motely retinue. "You have my thanks, Inquisitor Kress, for bringing this information before me." He spoke calmly, allowing none of the fury he felt to creep into his voice. "If you seek the Black Lions' aid in reclaiming this world, know that you have it. The world of Remnant shall learn the consequences of turning away the Emperor's Light!"

Though hidden beneath the stylized respirator keeping him alive, Alexander knew Kress was smiling. It was clear in the way his brow relaxed, how his eyes brightened, the slight rise of his mask that hinted to the tightening of cheek muscles. Then again, that was likely just what he wanted Alexander to believe. He was a member of the Inquisition, after all. Duplicity and deception were as natural to their kind as breathing.

Kress bowed his head to the Chapter Master. "I am pleased to hear so Chapter Master," he rasped, voice corrupted by the snarl of his silver skull-mask. "Orbeck?"

A slender mechadendrite slithered out from the Tech-Priest's crimson robes, a data-slate clutched in its machine grip. The metal tendril offered the slate to the Inquisitor, who accepted the device without complaint or gratitude. "A more detailed compilation of Remnant and its kingdoms," he explained, holding it out for the three Astartes to see. "It describes all we have learned about the planet, two weeks' worth of information gathered by two of my top operatives."

Syrus stepped down from the dais to retrieve the data-slate, the servos in his armor purring with each step he took. The old Librarian towered over the masked Inquisitor, looking down upon him like a grown man looked down upon a child. Impressively, he was unmoved by the approach, though the same could not be said of his retinue.

The young psyker and the Freeblade were the most visible in their reaction, each taking a step back and the latter's hand instinctively dropping to the hilt of the sword sheathed at his hip. The Tech-Priest remained where he stood, the only indication of any interest he had being the minute adjusting of two of his five bionic eyes.

Syrus held out his hand to receive the data-slate, which the Inquisitor provided without fuss. When he returned to his place at Alexander's left side, he handed his liege the device. Alexander skimmed through its contents briefly, making note of several key terms and locations, before placing the data-slate on his throne's armrest. He pressed several keys on the command panel of his throne, prompting a hidden door to open and a black-robed serf to walk out.

"I must confer with my brothers now, Inquisitor. You've left us with much to discuss." The Chapter Master gestured to the serf who bowed to the Inquisitor and his retinue. "No doubt you are tired. Reyne shall take you to the guest chambers where you may wait and rest until I call for you."

"Thank you, Chapter Master," Kress said bowing his head in respect. "By your leave." Alexander nodded and watched silently as the serf lead the Inquisitor and his followers out of the throne room. The Tech-Priest's mechanical 'legs' clicked and clanked across the stone tiles of the chamber, hiding the softer footfalls of his companions and guide.

When the mural-covered great doors of the throne room closed shut behind the visiting members of the Inquisition, Alexander turned to his Chief Librarian. "Syrus, I want you to search the chapter records for any mention of a world with a shattered moon. If we truly visited Remnant as the Inquisitor claims, I want to know why it was not brought into the Imperial fold."

Syrus bowed his head, "It will be done, my liege."

"Galwayne," Alexander said, looking to the fourth captain. "Send word to your fellow captains to meet in the war room immediately. Inform them that the Emperor has need of us once again."

The captain folded his hands over the visage of Nameless Saint on his chestplate. "By your will, my liege."

As the captain and Librarian left to accomplish their tasks, Alexander rose from his throne. The servos and fiber-bundles of his artificer power armor purred softly as he stood from his seat of office. He grabbed the Inquisitor's data-slate as he did so, giving it a cursory glance before turning to face the Reclusiarch of the Black Lions. "What do you make of it, Agtheon?" He asked.

The minute temperature drops that occurred during the meeting had told the Chapter Master what the old Librarian thought of the whole thing, and he had watched Galwayne's scowl deepen with every sentence spoken. No such signs were given by Agtheon, he was too disciplined to allow his feelings on the matter show.

It is for this reason that Alexander smiled when Agtheon gave him his answer.

"Spare no traitor."

~o0o~

"This way my lords, my lady," instructed the serf, Reyne, as the great doors of the throne room closed behind them. It was spoken with polite courtesy, but before any of them could respond the woman turned and made down the corridor, she had indicated not a second earlier. At first, Kara assumed the serf simply felt the same as Captain Galwayne and was displeased by their presence in the fortress monastery. A quick mental probe told the psyker otherwise, however.

Reyne didn't care that she was leading an Inquisitor and his retinue through the home of the Black Lions, she merely wished to accomplish the task assigned to her as quickly and competently as possible. That did not mean the serf was wary of the Inquisitor or his people – she knew full well the authority wielded by Kress – but such thoughts had been pushed to the back of her mind, unwelcomed distractions from the task at hand.

Reyne barely spoke as she led them through the labyrinthine hallways of the Black Lions' grand castle, breaking her silence only to answer the few questions raised to her by Kress, Artoris, and Orbeck. Kara said nothing as they walked. She was too busy taking in the architecture of the complex, the unique aesthetic of it all. It brought back memories of Duke Buraspire's manor on Welno.

An investigation into a smuggling operation had led Kress to Welno where one of the Imperial nobles, a man by the name of Duke Mathew Luis Shon Buraspire offered the Inquisitor and his retinue lodging for the duration of their investigation. The Buraspire estate had been the most luxurious and extravagant thing Kara had ever seen in her life, something she would never have had the opportunity to see let alone enter had Kress not recruited her two months prior.

Castrum Argalus dwarfed that manor in both scale and majesty. Where the duke's home had been a monument to his family's wealth and influence, Castrum Argalus was monument to the might of the Imperium and the God-Emperor Himself. Here His chosen warriors trained themselves, honing their skills to perfection before unleashing their fury upon Mankind's innumerable foes.

Besides, anyone with enough clout and money could enter the home of an Imperial nobleman, but only a handful can say they had the privilege of walking the halls of an Adeptus Astartes fortress monastery. It made the psyker think back to before Kress had come into her life, when she was bullied and shunned for the powers she possessed.

How things have changed since then, Kara thought to herself. Still think I'm nothing but a useless freak, Shira?

For the rest of the trip, she was content with listening to Reyne answer whatever questions her companions had while also admiring the scenery of the fortress monastery. It took roughly thirty minutes for them to reach their destination, and a part of Kara believed it would have taken them far longer if Reyne was not guiding them. The serf brought them to what looked like a dormitory hall with several doors lining both sides of the corridor.

Reyne then showed them each to their respective rooms, telling them when and how they would receive their meals, and what areas of the monastery they would have access to during their stay. "Lord Castimere has seen fit to allow you and your retinue full access to the chapter's training halls and terrarium," she told them. "Should you wish to visit either of these areas, there is a call button in each of your rooms that will summon a serf to escort you to your destination."

And make sure you don't go where you are not permitted.

It was left unsaid but not unnoticed. Kara heard the thought as clearly as if it had been spoken aloud but held her tongue on the matter. Her master had told her that Space Marines were not ones to allow outsiders free reign of their home, even if they were "friends" of the chapter like her master.

Just because they owed him a favor didn't mean they trusted him after all.

"Thank you, miss Reyne. I think we can handle ourselves from here," Kress said. The serf bowed her head in acknowledgement, turned on her heels, and walked away. When they could no longer hear the sound of her footsteps, Kress ushered all of them inside his room.

The suite was a moderately sized room with a four-poster bed, circular rug, two bureaus, a wooden desk, several cushioned chairs, and a small shrine of the God-Emperor. A closet took up space on the room's left side, next to which was a door that Kara guessed led into an ablutory.

She stepped out of the way as Orbeck scuttled inside, searching for hidden surveillance devices like a bloodhound on the hunt. Artoris went over to the room's shrine and folded his hands over his chest, offering a small prayer to the Emperor before taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs. It groaned in protest beneath the weight of his armor, but only for a moment. Kara took her place in the chair adjacent to Artoris's own, happy to finally sit down after so much standing around.

Kress closed the door and locked it before walking over to stand next to the desk, saying absolutely nothing as he examined the wooden furniture.

"That went well," Kara said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"Incredibly so!" Artoris agreed, then looked at her. His face remained hidden beneath his helm, but Kara could sense his excitement. "You have never seen Space Marines fight before."

She had never even seen a Space Marine until today, let alone seen one fight. He knew this, but kept talking anyway, taking her silence as que to continue.

"It is something I lack the vocabulary to properly describe. Majestic and dreadful, inspiring and terrifying. This is the best I can do, but even these words cannot fully express the experience of watching Space Marines due battle with the Imperium's enemies."

"Commentary: You speak as if you are not the pilot of a Knight-Titan," interrupted Orbeck, his mechanical monotone voice somehow disapproving. "Have you no respect for the holy machine?"

"Abysswalker is my mount and armor, my lance and shield," Artoris replied, appearing insulted by the magos' accusation. "Do not doubt the bond I hold with my knight again, Magos, or I will – "

"Enough, Artoris, Orbeck!"

"Statement: I have uploaded the prepared conversations to all eight surveillance bugs inside the room." Orbeck announced as he retracted his mechadendrites and looked at the Inquisitor. "We may speak freely now, Inquisitor."

Immediately, the tension that had been rising between the knight and magos evaporated as the purpose behind their argument was achieved. Now, instead of recording their real conversation the vox-thieves would be subject to at least twelve-and-a-half hours of false conversations they had prepared while in transit to Salem.

Kress had insisted on them having some semblance of privacy to discuss confidential matters should circumstances force them to stay on Salem for an extended period of time, something that seemed a certainty if what Reyne had told them about the Games was accurate.

With the threat of eavesdroppers dealt with for now, Kress nodded to Orbeck, pulled out the chair pushed into the desk, and took a seat so that he was facing all three of them. Kara was not sure what it was that Kress wanted to speak to them about that he deemed it necessary to trick their hosts like this but knew than to question his reasons, even if they were sometimes the result of misplaced paranoia.

"Now then," He began cordially, though his mask hid it well. "Let us discuss what shall become of Remnant once we have what we seek."

~o0o~

Dear Yang, Blake, and Weiss,

I am going into Vale for the day to buy some extra supplies for our mission tomorrow and to pick up my dress from the rental store. Yes, Weiss, I shouldn't have left it to the last minute, thank you for reminding me. Sorry if you wanted to come with me, but I thought you guys could use the rest, given everything we've been through. Looking at you, Blake!

And don't worry, I'll be back around three, so I'll have plenty of time to get ready for the dance. See you guys later, and don't wait up for me.

Sincerely: Ruby

P.S. If they ask, please tell Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren that Jaune is with me. Not like that, Yang, he needed to pick some stuff up too, it's not a date. I repeat, we are only getting some supplies, we are not on a date!

"They are so on a date," Yang smirked as she read over her sister's note for the fifth time.

"definitely," Agreed her partner before taking a bite of her lunch. The Faunus girl was already looking much better than she had yesterday. A solid nine hours of sleep had done Blake some serious good, just like Yang knew it would.

Weiss huffed at her two teammates. "Please, there is no way they are on a date. Ruby's too focused on becoming a Huntress to allow herself to be distracted with going out with boys. And Jaune is…. Jaune." She spoke in that aristocratic way she always did, talking like what she said was indisputable fact.

Yang grinned wolfishly at the heiress. "Jealous, Ice Queen?"

The reaction Weiss gave was just what she expected. The Atlesian's pale skin went tomato red and adopted a scandalized expression as she sputtered out a retort. "N-no! W-why would I-!? What on Remnant do I have to be jealous about!?"

Yang howled with laughter ignoring the pointed glare Weiss was giving her. Blake rolled her eyes at the two, hiding a smile.

The three teammates were the cafeteria, having their lunch. They had all allowed themselves to sleep in past the school's breakfast hours, Blake because she had promised she would get some rest – and not realizing how much she actually needed it until her head hit the pillow – and Yang and Weiss because they wanted to get some beauty sleep for tonight's big dance.

All expect for their young leader Ruby, who had left the dorm early with only a note to let her teammates know what she was up to.

She did this sort of thing every Sunday, and her team had eventually accepted it as normal for the young Huntress-in-training. They'd wake up, find her note, and go about their day until she came back with bags full of bullets and comic books. Yang would ask how it was, Weiss would berate her for wasting money on comics, and Blake would say nothing out of respect for her leader's privacy.

This was the first time Ruby had taken someone with her on one of her Sunday excursions, however. Before, she would always insist on going alone, and in the few times one of them woke up early enough to catch Ruby and accompany her to the city she would be in a sour mood for the rest of the day.

But this time, Ruby had brought Jaune with her, and without any complaint judging by the writing on the note. Yang wasn't dumb, she knew her sister had been meeting with the leader of JNPR a lot since the second semester started, as did her two teammates. Weiss had insisted the two were merely trading strategy and combat moves, while Blake opted to withhold her opinion on the subject entirely, but Yang knew what was happening here. She saw what was going on between those two, how they met in secret all the time, talking in hushed tones and checking to make sure nobody saw them…

It was clear, without a shadow of a doubt, that Ruby and Jaune were dating.

Yang was so proud of her baby sister! Social interaction was never Ruby's strong suit, but here she was, with a boyfriend of her very own! Oh, that didn't mean Yang wasn't going to pummel the crap out of Vomit Boy when they officially announced their relationship – the two had gone behind her back after all. For now, though, Yang was content to let the young lovers enjoy their day together.

Yang stretched her arms over her head, ignoring Weiss' tirade as she thought of how she was going to tease her sister when she got back.

Hope your date is going well, sis, she thought with a smile. And that you're staying out of trouble!

~o0o~

Ruby's eyes darted nervously between Jaune and Father Carmine as she silently lamented how poorly she had handled this whole thing.

Damn her impulsivity! What had she been thinking!? Ruby knew how the procedure for bringing in new members worked and why they had to be so careful when recruiting, but the thought of Jaune accepting the Emperor's Light and the excitement of going on their first mission tomorrow had blinded her. By the time she realized the consequences of her actions, it was too late to go back, at least, that was how she saw it.

This wasn't the first time Ruby's rashness had gotten her in trouble. It had nearly cost the young girl her life during Beacon's initiation, as well as cost her a few sparring matches she should have been able to win. This was by far her worst blunder yet, however. Before, it had only been herself that her impulsivity endangered. This time, it was her friend.

She should have at least let Father Carmine know she was thinking of brining Jaune with her, that way she at least had a halfway decent excuse for bringing him. But Ruby had no excuse for her behavior, nothing passable anyway. And now, Jaune had been forced to reveal his family heritage to complete strangers, once again because of her own stupidity.

Some friend she turned out to be…

"The Paladins," said Father Carmine, breaking the tense silence that had filled the room following Jaune's declaration. "You claim to be a descendant of our faith's holiest warriors? The shield and sword of our church?"

The priest spoke accusingly, inciting the crowd of gathered Faithful to narrow their eyes at the blonde Beacon student. Jaune swallowed, "I do."

Carmine raised a hairless eyebrow at him. "Your proof?"

Jaune blinked and looked down at Crocea Mors. Looking back up at the priest, Jaune carefully pulled the sheathed sword from his belt and offered it to him. "This sword belonged to Julius Arc, my great-great-grandfather," he told Carmine as the priest took hold of the weapon with both hands, nearly dropping it in surprise from how heavy it was. "He fought in the Great War with that sword, as one of Vale's Paladins."

Father Carmine pulled Corcea Mors from its shield-scabbard and ran his fingers across the flat of the blade. He stared at it with scrutiny, and Ruby bit her lip as the priest peered closer at her friend's sword like a jeweler examines a diamond.

He squinted at something then and moved over to a part of the room with better light. People moved out of his way like parting waves. Ruby and Jaune followed hesitantly behind, staying close to each other as one of the Golden Crowns brought out his Scroll and pressed the flashlight function on it. Sterile white light bathed Crocea Mors, and Father Carmine thanked the gangster before looking back down at the sword.

"Sic… Semper… Ty-ran-nus…" He said the words clumsily, unused to them. The closest followers started to whisper at what he said. Carmine then looked back at Jaune and Ruby. "The engraving upon the blade is very worn, but still legible. This sword is indeed a weapon of the Paladins, for only they were allowed to have phrases of the Sacred Tongue etched upon their blades."

The whispers turned into full-blown murmuring and Ruby cast her eyes at Jaune, holding her breath. Did this mean…?

Father Carmine sheathed Crocea Mors and walked over to the two teenagers. Then, with a gentle smile on his face, he offered the sword back to Jaune. "Welcome, Jaune Arc, scion of the Paladins, to our hidden church."

YES! Ruby bounced in place with big, toothy smile on her face. She was just barely keeping her relived excitement in check, and she had to stop herself from glomping Jaune to the floor. The blonde noticed her delight and cracked a relieved smile of his own before turning back to the priest.

With a grateful nod of the head, Jaune took back his family's sword, fastening it to his belt. With the weapon no longer in his hands, Father Carmine turned to address the crowd of onlookers surrounded them. "My friends," he started, his hands raised up as he addressed everyone. "Let it be known that this young man is not our enemy, but a fellow outcast. He too hides his true self from the world, just as we all do, and for the same reasons we do. Look at him not as your foe, but embrace him as your brother, and let no harm befall him while he is here."

"Yes Father" and "of course" echoed through the crowd and the suspicion toward Jaune started to fade from the room, pushed away by the priest's assurances. Ruby placed her hands over her chest, trying to calm down her pounding heart. Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder. Father Carmine continued talking.

"Now come, my friends, the time of worship is now." He looked back at Jaune, smiling serenely. "Let us show our guest what it was his ancestors protected, all those years ago."

With the mood sufficiently lifted, Father Carmine led everyone out of the dilapidated building and into the courtyard outside. Jaune started to move, but Ruby grabbed his arm, making him stopped. She held him there until everyone had passed them, leaving the two teenagers at the rear of the procession. She let him go then, and the two walked outside with the rest of the Faithful.

"I'm really, really, really sorry about all that Jaune," she whispered to him, finally able to voice her remorse for her impulsive actions. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen, I-I was just so excited, and I had just woken up, and I didn't know if I'd be able to take you later because of our missions and the Vytal Festival-"

"Ruby," he whispered back, cutting her off.

"Yes?"

"The next time you want to bring along to meet your secret cult," he turned to look at her, fixing his blue eyes with her silver ones. "Give them a heads-up, okay?"

She winced but nodded that she understood.

The rest of the short walk was made in silence. The climbed down the stairs and entered the basement church where everyone else had already taken their places. As the last to arrive, the two had to take seats in the back row, just reaching them as Father Carmine began his service.

"O, Heavenly Father," He recited, "hear our prayers. We gather in this hidden place today to offer you our worship, so that you may know that we have not forgotten the lessons your Angels imparted onto us."

"We remember you, O Lord," all of them intoned, save for Jaune.

"We gather in this hidden place today to offer you our eternal thanks, for sending us your Angels to visit wrath upon the daemons that infest our world and for the illumination they brought to us, so very long ago."

"We thank you, O Lord."

"We gather in this hidden place today to offer you our faith, for we await the day when you will send your Angels to us again, so that they may burn away the corruption that has settled in their absence."

"We await you, O Lord."

"We gather in this hidden place today to offer you our love, for you are the true father of Mankind and it is right for children to love their parent."

"We love you, O Lord."

Father Carmine spread his arms wide and raised them to the ceiling, his head bowed. "May our humble prayers reach you, O Lord of Mankind, and may you smile warmly upon us." He brought his hands down to his chest and folded them over his sternum in the Mark of the Aquila. "The Emperor protects."

Everyone repeated both the gesture and the ending line: "The Emperor protects," before filling the basement with gentle hymns.

As the service went on, Ruby snuck glances toward Jaune, gauging his reaction to it all. At first, he was just mildly interested, wordlessly going along with the prayers and songs, as if he was just waiting for it to run its course. Ruby guessed his experience up top had soured his first impressions of them quite a bit. But as time went on and Father Carmine began preaching about the Angels and how they came to Remnant, Jaune's face adopted a look of great interest. Halfway through the service and he was leaning forward in his seat, giving the bald man more attention than he gave any of the teachers back at Beacon.

Ruby smiled and turned her full attention back to the priest. She wasn't too surprised by Jaune's reaction to the man. Father Carmine was an incredible speaker. Unlike Professor Ozpin when he addressed them the day before their initiation into Beacon, Father Carmine was passionate. Every word he spoke was full of zeal and piety, invoking great scene of battling Angels in the minds of everyone listening. He made them all feel as if they were really there, standing side by side with the God-Emperor's Angels as they faced down the hordes of Grimm.

For the next hour, the priest spoke about the Angels of the God-Emperor, his entire service revolving around them and their deeds. Ruby wasn't bothered by this, of course. She loved the stories about the Angels, like how they purged the world of Grimm then laid the bricks of the first church of the God-Emperor on Remnant.

It was truly inspiring.

Before she knew it, an hour had passed, and the service was winding down to its end. Father Carmine bestowed the last benediction upon them before raising his right hand to bid them farewell. "May the God-Emperor be with you all," he said.

Everyone intoned back, "and also with you," and Ruby felt a flurry of excitement rush through her as she heard Jaune's voice among the chant.

"Go in peace." With that, the assemblance began to dissolve in its usual slow fashion. Some immediately went back up the stairs to the courtyard above while others stayed behind to speak with the Father. The cellar was abuzz with chatter as the Faithful discussed the Father's sermon and other, more mundane topics. Ruby turned back to look at Jaune, noting with joy the expression he had adopted on his face.

"Ruby," she turned to see Father Carmine standing before her, a stern expression on his normally gentle features. Ruby wilted a bit under his gaze, remembering that she had broken a serious rule by bringing Jaune with her unannounced. "Are you prepared to receive your penance?"

Ruby turned to Jaune for a moment, noting his look of concern. She gave him a smile that didn't quite reach all the way, hoping it would reassure him, before turning back to the Father. "I am, Father Carmine."

The priest nodded. "Ruby Rose, though you acted with noble intentions, your actions put everyone here at risk and for that you must be punished. Ordinarily, I would have you fast for twenty days and meditate on your mistake. However," He looked into her eyes and Ruby saw some of his usual kindness in them, "due to your enrollment at Beacon such a penance would serve only to put you in danger of being discovered, something I will not abide. Instead, you shall meditate for one hour, every day for a month, on the teachings of the Angels."

Ruby blinked, surprised by the moderation of her punishment. She wasn't an idiot, regardless of whether or not she thought Jaune could be trusted with their secret, what she did had put everyone here at risk. Daily meditation sessions seemed too forgiving, even to her.

"I-is that all, Father?" She asked, her confusion creeping its way into her voice.

"No," he answered, "in addition to your meditation you will be forbidden from attending another service until you have slain one hundred Creatures of Grimm. Do you understand?"

Now that was a far more appropriate penance for what she did. A hundred Grimm. She wasn't a slouch when it came to killing Grimm, but a hundred of them? Even for her that was a lot. Still, she had brought this on herself and she wasn't about to shy away from it now. Besides, she would be going on her first mission tomorrow and with any luck she'd be already be halfway through her penance by the time she came home.

"I understand, Father," and despite herself, Ruby couldn't keep the tremble out of her voice.

"Then, Ruby Rose, I cast you out from this holy place," he proclaimed sternly, though Ruby heard the hint of heartache in his voice and realized that this was hard for him as much as it was for her. "Until your labor is complete, you will be denied shelter and sanctuary here, and will not be welcomed back until the blood of one hundred daemons coats your blade."

The ceremonial decree hit home how serious her transgression had been. Until she had killed one hundred Grimm, Ruby would be denied from the one place where she could freely express her faith. Still, she only had herself to blame, and at least it seemed Jaune wouldn't have to worry about sharing her punishment.

So, Ruby accepted her penance with as much dignity as she could, "By the Emperor's Will."

"By the Emperor's Will." Father Carmine made the sign of the Aquila, which Ruby returned. The young Huntress-in-training then turned back to her blonde friend, an expression of shocked guilt clear across his face.

"Come on, Jaune. We should get going," Ruby looked back at the bald priest and bowed her head in farewell. "Have a good day, Father Carmine," she said in a small voice, turning to leave before he could reply.

"May the Emperor guide your blade and shield your soul against the Creatures of Grimm, Ruby Rose." A lump of regret and shame caught in Ruby's throat, but she pushed it down as she and Jaune climbed the stairwell out of the cellar and into the courtyard. Once they were outside, she threw her hood up and beelined it for the exit, Jaune close behind.

~o0o~

"I'm sorry, Ruby."

It wasn't the best apology, but it was all Jaune could come up with, even after an hour-and-a-half to think on it. The silence had between them had just become too awkward for Jaune to bear. Ruby hadn't said a word since they left the basement service. No blaming Jaune for ruining everything for her or lamenting about her punishment, Ruby just kept her hood up and stayed quiet, even when they went to pick up her dress.

It didn't suit her.

The silver-eyed girl turned at his apology, her hood letting him see only a smile on that didn't reach all the way. "It wasn't your fault, Jaune."

"Yes, it is. If I hadn't come along, you would– "

"You wouldn't have come if I hadn't asked you to," She argued back, her voice quiet as they walked onto the ferry's skydock. "I deserve my punishment, Jaune. What I did put everyone at risk. You can't just bring new members to a club without letting the club leader know first, after all." She paused to sit down on a bench, the bag with her dress resting safely in her lap. Then, in a voice that was disarming, stern, and reassuring all at once said, "So please don't blame yourself for my mistake, you've got enough to worry about with homework as it is."

Jaune blinked at her dismissal and choice of words. It took him a second to figure out that she was trying to be discrete about their activities by calling the cult a club, but the fact she refused to blame him for her punishment still surprised him.

No. No, it wasn't surprising, he corrected himself. Ruby wasn't the kind of person to hold a grudge, at least not over something serious, like this. She would take responsibility her mistake, learn from it, and strive not to make it again in the future.

"I'm still sorry about it," he insisted. Ruby didn't say anything back, her gaze on the bag in her lap. The awkward silence from before threatened to return, made worse by his sorry excuse for an apology. He needed to say something, not an apology, Ruby didn't need or want another apology.

He thought for a few seconds, figuring out what he should say to her. When it finally came to him, Jaune felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

"For what it's worth," he began, sitting himself down next to her on the bench, his voice just loud enough for her to hear him, "I had a good time."

He spoke the words with honest sincerity because, until her undeserved punishment, Jaune had been enraptured by the entire event.

Jaune had no idea what he had been expecting when Ruby asked him to come with her to meet her cult. Sure, he knew people that worshipped the Emperor back home, neighbors and friends of his family, but they worshipped Him in their homes, at little shrines hidden away from outsiders. There was no organization, no priests leading the people in prayer at scheduled hours.

It was… casual, for lack of a better term. A complete contrast to what he had taken part in not even two hours ago. In all honesty, Ruby's warnings on the way there and the standoff that occurred following their arrival had soured Jaune's expectations. After that, he had been prepared to listen to a furious, ranting speech, calling for the deaths of all the nonbelievers.

But there was no ranting speech, no call to cleanse the world of nonbelievers. Instead, the priest spoke of the Emperor's Angels, black-armored warriors that came to Remnant and cleansed its surface of Grimm. He spoke of the lessons they imparted onto the first disciples of the Faith, of their importance and application in today's world, as well as how they would one day return to Remnant and restore the Faithful to their rightful place, ushering in a new age of prosperity and peace.

And even though Jaune didn't consider himself a very spiritual person, he couldn't help but feel… something when he listened to the priest talk about the Emperor and His holy Angels.

At first Ruby didn't respond, simply sitting on the bench with her head bowed. For a second, Jaune worried he had made things worse, then she looked at him. From beneath her hood Ruby's gaze met his own, and he noted with some about of pride how her silver eyes had regained some of their original shine. She smiled at him, true and sincere. "I'm happy you liked it."

"Maybe, after your…" He opened his mouth to say 'penance' but closed it a second later. After a few moments of failing to convey what he meant through vague hand gestures, he simply said, "Uh, you know, is up… I could tag along again, maybe?"

Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle, and her smile took on a more cheerful nature. "Of course."

"Just give them a heads up this time, okay? Wouldn't want a repeat of today, would we?"

Ruby giggled and shook her head. "Definitely not." Jaune smiled, happy he had managed to cheer her up. Silence fell over the two teens once more, only this time it was a comfortable sort, far removed from the awkward miasma that had clung to them only a few minutes ago. Soon the ferry came into dock and the two walked aboard after flashing their Scrolls to one of the ship's attendants, showing her that they were Beacon students.

As the ferry took of ten minutes later, Jaune felt his stomach lurch. He'd managed to get the worst of his motion sickness under control since coming to Beacon, but the young Arc still couldn't suppress a shudder as they lifted off into the sky. They were almost at the Beacon skydocks when Ruby spoke up.

"Hey, Jaune," He turned to her, eyebrow raised in anticipation of what she was about to say. "Do you have a… date for the dance yet?"

~o0o~

Author's Note: (REGARDING THE EDITS) For those who are rereading this, I hope you can understand why I changed the ending. Despite how much fun it was to write I couldn't help but feel like I could have done better than what I came up with. Also, I realized that while I mentioned Ruby's punishment for bringing Jaune to the cult without alerting anyone, I never mention it again. That is why I decided to change the ending to this chapter, I feel it fits better, better shows the growing relationship between Jaune and Ruby, and just adds a lot more than just hearing Carmine's speech. I hope you enjoyed the changes I made. (END OF TALK ABOUT EDITS)

Welp… that took longer than it should have to get out. Can you believe that these last three or so chapters have all taken place IN THE SAME DAY!? Its too much! After this, time will start moving forward, don't you worry.

Regardless of my misgivings, this was still a lot of fun to write. Next chapter things will finally start kicking off and we will be that much closer to the Black Lions' grand return!

Also, I know some of you saw that piece of art I commissioned from Nemris over on DeviantArt, the one with the chapter master and chaplain. I love what he came up with, but looking back, I realized I was too vague with my description. I based Alexander's armor off both the Praetor forge world model and the Black Templar's Emperor's Champion model, with design leading more toward the champion than the praetor. However, due my own lack of detail, it came out the opposite. Still awesome, but its no longer the "canon look" for Alexander. And if you are all wondering why I didn't say something during the commission, its mostly because I felt I was unfit to correct him due to the fact that he's the experienced artist and I'm the writer who can't draw for shit. So, if your reading this Nemris, I apologize for not saying anything before, still love how it turned out, but I was just too afraid to say anything.

And with that out of the way:

As Always: Please, Fav, Follow, and Review! Thank You!

DeadRich18 Out!