Decently busy week with a really busy weekend incoming. Hosting a Dead by Daylight tournament for my streamer community tomorrow with a few Steam gift cards as top prizes. I'll be on camera for around 4 hours or so commentating on all the gameplay...dressed as Emperor Palpatine and doing my laughable impression. Should be a good way to celebrate Halloween a little early.

As ridiculous as it sounded, surviving a Grimm attack was starting to become a recurring experience for Adam. Enough so that he knew what to expect afterwards. The exhaustion as his adrenaline started to wear off. The rush of relief at knowing he hadn't died. The crushing realization of how fragile life really was. He'd been through it all before, but knowing what to expect didn't make it any easier.

What he didn't expect was the burly arms that scooped him up and spun him around.

"Are you hurt?" Jean demanded, turning Adam side to side and inspecting him like some piece of meat.

"I'm fine." Adam tore himself free of Jean's grip, annoyed at the unwarranted concern. Other than the tumble at the end, Adam hadn't really done anything. The Ursa never had a chance to turn on him, and Jesse had done all the work up until the end. They'd faced the beasts alone while Jean was nowhere to be found. He abandoned you. Left you to die while he went off to play hero. "Where were you?"

Adam's accusing tone caught Jean off guard, but he hadn't been there when they needed him most. Jesse could've died - would've died had Adam not intervened. It was Jean's job to protect them, so why had it fallen to Adam to save the day? Why didn't Jean even show until the fight was over? He had to have heard the roars of the Ursa. So why hadn't he come to save them?

Because he doesn't care. He's never cared. He didn't want to train you. Even now, he refuses to call it training. You're nothing to him but a nuisance. With all their so-called training, Adam had started to forget how hard he'd had to work for Jean to give him any attention. He'd had to demand to be taken seriously, only for Jean to dismiss him immediately. It was only Adam's stubborn refusal to quit that got him his daily walloping.

Then why did Jean keep putting up with him? Wouldn't it have been easier to just tell him no? Or to end every fight as quickly as the first? Why drag it out every evening and let him keep trying.

As usual, that cursed voice had an answer. To remind you who you are, it whispered. To make sure you know how he sees you - just some pathetic child along for the ride. To him, you're still the runaway he's forced to look after. He probably hoped the Ursa would kill you and rid him of the burden.

Adam's angry thoughts were interrupted by two quiet words. "I'm sorry."

The simple statement snapped Adam back to reality. Jean knelt in front of him, hardened eyes on the ground as he prepared to continue. Probably coming up with some lame excuse about bandits or something. He can't even bother to admit his fault.

Or maybe he could. "I should've been here. I never should've gone off without checking the area. I left you all in danger, and for what? A couple of dead bandits?"

"Dead?" But they'd been following the caravan, hadn't they? That was the whole reason Jean went off to look for them. He'd heard that dead men tell no tales, but surely they don't follow caravans either.

"I found their camp, but the Grimm beat me to it. Couple of them nearly got the drop on me."

"Couldn't you sense them with your Semblance?" That was how they knew about the bandits in the first place.

Jean shook his head. "I can only sense gaps in the animals. Figured the bandits had scared everything off. Didn't think there were Grimm nearby, too." And if they were close to the bandits, it would just be a larger dead zone. Literally in this case. "I couldn't risk leading them back here and hoped the gunshots would draw any others nearby. It worked better than I hoped."

It was only then that Adam noticed the scrapes and bruises across Jean's arms. Or how he seemed to slightly favor one leg over the other as he rose. Jean tried to look confident, but he looked a little stiffer than usual, like he was forcing it for their sakes. The axe in his hand looked a lot shorter thanks to the snapped handle, turning it into more of a one-handed weapon. If Adam and Jesse could handle two Ursai, then how many had Jean fought? Were there more on the way?

As if reading Adam's thoughts, Jean continued, "Think we got all of them…for now."

"Ah, Jean! It's good to see you alive and well." Even a Grimm attack couldn't keep Soji down for long. "You missed quite the show."

"Had one of my own," Jean grunted. Rolling his shoulder. "At least everyone's still in one piece. Good work, Jesse."

Jesse nearly fell over when Jean clapped his shoulder. "Actually, I almost didn't. Our little protégé here saved my butt."

"Adam?"

"Yep. He-"

"You should've seen the boy," Soji excitedly interrupted, sensing the chance for a story. "Jesse fought valiantly, slaying one of the beasts before being bested by the second. We feared Jesse would soon meet his end when our young Adam flew into action and saved Jesse from a grim fate."

Adam stood a little taller at the praise, but Jean turned on Jesse instead. "You let him fight an Ursa? Are you insane?"

"No, I-"

"He didn't let me." Adam bristled at how insignificant Jean made him sound, like some pathetic child that needed to be watched constantly. "I chose to fight. Jesse needed me, and I did what I had to do."

Everyone waited to see how Jean would react to Adam's defiant outburst. Everyone but Jesse, who finally saw an opportunity to set the record straight. "I had him guard the wagons. Grimm got a few good hits on me. He attacked it from behind and managed to kill it when it wasn't looking."

Jesse's version sounded a lot less cool, even if it was more accurate. Jean seemed to relax a little knowing he hadn't actually fought the monster properly. It was more an assassination than a fight. The Ursa probably didn't even consider him a true threat, which gave him the opening he needed.

Jean still didn't look impressed. "Charging in against an Ursa like that was about as stupid as it comes. One solid hit from something like that and there wouldn't be enough of you left to bury. You were boneheaded, arrogant, and reckless to risk your life like that."

Adam couldn't help the growl that rose up in his throat. Did Jean just expect him to stand there and watch Jesse die? "I had to-"

"And for that," Jean spoke louder to drown out whatever Adam had to say, "I'm truly grateful."

What?

"You did what had to be done and saved someone in the process. You chose to act when most would run. Don't get me wrong. You should be dead a dozen times over. But here you are, still in one piece. Jesse, too. You may be an idiot, but you've got guts, boy." Jean gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, jostling him a little before letting go. "But don't go makin' this a habit. Just because you got lucky once doesn't mean you'll survive next time."

It was amazing how Jean could build him up and then take the wind out of his sails in the same breath. Great work, but you're an idiot. Adam didn't really know what to think at this point. Still, like Jean said, he and Jean were alive. That was more than could be said for the Ursa.

Soji slid beside them with a sly grin. "Actually, this is the second time our young Adam has gotten lucky, as you say." Jean and Adam both looked at the man in confusion. "As I recall, he once killed a Beowolf to defend a young lady."

Nila. He hadn't thought about her much since leaving Katai. The name still stung, but not as much as it used to, which hurt even more. What right did he have to get over what he'd done? I sure as hell can't forget. Her words burned in his head before he could push them away.

Thankfully, no one else noticed his struggle as Soji wove a tale of Adam heroically conquering a Beowolf all on his own. The gist of the story was there, even if Soji made him sound more like a calculated killer than the desperate child he'd been. "It seems he may be making a habit of this after all. Twice now has he stood between the Grimm and someone in need, and twice have the Grimm fallen."

"Is that so?" Jean didn't sound like he doubted the claim, even if Adam was sure he knew better than to believe every detail of Soji's account. The man was notorious for exaggerating whenever he got a chance.

"That time was luck," Adam admitted. Falling on a Grimm was hardly something to be proud of, even if it worked. Killing an Ursa with a sword, though? That was a true victory.

"Interesting." Jean studied him for a few seconds, eyes narrowed in some unknown thought before he shrugged and walked away. "With all the commotion, the animals haven't settled down yet. You lot clean this place up while I go check the perimeter."

"But what if-"

"I won't go far," Jean promised, more than aware of what happened the last time he ventured off. "It's been a long day, so plan to turn in early tonight. We need to put some distance between us and here in the morning. And you." Adam froze as Jean glanced back over his shoulder. "Tomorrow night, you owe me a real fight. We'll see just how far that luck of yours goes."

/- - - - - - - - - -/

Jean roused them from sleep earlier than usual and buzzed about the camp like a man possessed, getting everything loaded and the caravan on the move in record time. They traveled fast, bouncing along the trail as if their lives depended on it. As it turned out, that might not be far from the truth.

"Ursai don't normally travel in large numbers," Jesse explained when Adam asked what was up, riding alongside the wagon at a solid trot. "Two, maybe three at a time. But there had to be at least half a dozen in the area."

Jean took down a few, plus their two. Adam would have to trust Jesse's knowledge of Grimm behaviors. The books he read mainly focused on how dangerous each type was and warned that they may not be alone. Anything beyond that wouldn't really matter to a civilian. For most people, one Ursa or a hundred wouldn't really matter. They'd be dead either way.

Adam asked the obvious question. "So why were there so many?"

Jesse shrugged, which looked a little funny with how he was bouncing in his saddle. "Could be anything. Multiple smaller groups drawn from different directions. Lingering negativity in the forest. Jean said one of his was an Ursa Major, which could've drawn the others in theory."

"What's an Ursa Major?"

"An Ursa's bigger, nastier brother," Jesse explained. "Think of it like an Alpha for Beowolves." An Alpha? Weren't Ursai big enough already? How much bigger could they get? Did that mean he'd fought a Minor, because he knew he wouldn't call it that. "Anyways, there's all sorts of reasons we might've found so many. Maybe just bad luck. But I'm worried it's something worse."

"Worse?"

"They came from the north." Jesse pointed through the trees. "Whatever happened to the Yuris would've taken a lot of Grimm. There were a lot of people there. A lot of potential negativity, but also a lot of defenses. Despite all of that, there's no one left."

Because the Grimm had wiped them all out. "But don't Grimm linger near sites of negativity?" That's what all the books said.

"Sure, but not all of them. Some would set out to find more people to attack. Or maybe they'd follow the people running away." Like the survivors Higanbana had found. "Either way, if they're already reaching out this far, that's a bad sign."

"You think there's more coming?" Jean wouldn't be wandering off to hunt for dead bandits anymore, so they'd be safer, but even he had his limits. If there were enough Grimm out there to take down two large towns at once, then what chance did their little group have?

"I think that's what Jean thinks." Up at the front of the caravan, Jean sat rigidly atop Magnifique, his shortened weapon always in his hand. "I think he wants us as far away from the Yuris as he can get. Ursai aren't exactly fast. If they've already reached us…"

"Then the rest can't be far behind." A few Ursai had nearly killed them. What if more were coming? Or large groups of Beowolves? Or worse? Adam had never seen flying Grimm before, but he knew they were out there. Huge flocks of Nevermore. Terrifying swarms of Lancers. But it was the Manticores that scared him the most. Giant, flying lions with scorpion tails made things like Ursai and Beowolves sound laughable in comparison. And some even claimed they could breathe fire! Grimm were bad enough when all you had to worry about were teeth and claws. A Grimm with a ranged attack sounded like all sorts of trouble.

Suddenly, their hasty ride south made a lot more sense. The farther the Grimm got from the Yuris, the more they'd spread out, meaning there wouldn't be such large groups clustered together. They'd fare a lot better against small patches than some unholy horde. Personally, he'd prefer to avoid them all entirely.

"Don't look so glum there," Jesse encouraged with a laugh. "The worst is behind us. You can't dwell on what's happened. Better to focus on what's ahead."

"Right." Easier said than done, especially if what was behind them might catch up. Still, he had a point. Worrying about what might've happened wouldn't help them. Instead, he had to keep his eyes ahead and be prepared for whatever the future had in store.

Which didn't sound that much better, now that he thought about it. He'd beaten the Ursa, but he knew as well as anyone that his triumph was more luck than skill. In a fair fight, he didn't stand a chance. He'd only pulled off a miracle because the Ursa was distracted. If it had heard him coming sooner or turned a little faster, he'd be dead.

So how was he meant to fight Jean tonight, who had single handedly taken on multiple Ursai and even summoned more to him? Jean wouldn't let his guard down. There'd be no sneaking up and scoring an easy victory. He'd be lucky to even land a single hit. Worse, Jean planned to make it a real fight, meaning all his failures so far had just been a joke to Jean. He wouldn't last two seconds against Jean if he went all out.

Never stopped you before. Jean had always been beyond Adam's every night, he'd challenged the man again, as if he'd somehow find an opening that they both knew would never appear. Jean was faster. Stronger. More experienced. And on top of that, he had aura. Enough to survive multiple hits from an Ursa, if the bruises on his arms had been any indication. If they couldn't break through his aura, then how could Adam?

He couldn't. No matter how strong he got, someone with aura could always outdo him. Huntsmen were meant to fight Grimm, protecting normal people who couldn't hope to survive against the Grimm. There were laws and treaties keeping Huntsmen separate from their country's government. Idealists said it was because Huntsmen fought for all of humanity, not just their country, but the truth was far darker.

Father Bernard had once taught him about Huntsmen fighting in wars. They could tear through entire armies without a scratch, cutting down soldiers without a care in the world. When you had strength, speed, superior weaponry, crazy Semblances, and a personal force field that could stop anything from a blade to a bullet, you didn't tend to have trouble with people only slightly less squishy than Adam. It sounded like some horrible tragedy from ancient history, but the truth was that Huntsmen had fought in the Great War less than a hundred years ago. The body count of those conflicts was terrifying. It wasn't until the King of Vale - the aptly named Warrior King - personally fought in defense of Vacuo that the practice ended. It was almost ironic, in a sense. The King, who himself was one of the strongest Huntsmen of his time, slaughtered the combined forces of Mantle and Mistral in order to bring a stop to the horrible practice. His merciless bloodshed proved the tipping point, founding their modern Huntsmen society on a mountain of corpses by his own hand. The bloodiest conflict in recorded history ended up preventing that sort of one-sided slaughter ever again.

Adam wondered how those soldiers felt as they faced possibly the strongest man on Remnant. Did they believe they had a chance as they watched him carve through their comrades, or did they resign themselves to failure like Adam did every night?

It didn't matter, because just like those doomed soldiers, Adam had no choice but to fight an unwinnable battle. He'd lost count of how many times he'd lost now. Not that it mattered. Every night he failed, and every morning he vowed to try again, knowing the outcome would be exactly the same. As long as he kept trying, he hadn't truly lost, had he? He'd try again and again and again until he either beat Jean and earned his proper training or, more likely, moved on someday and forged his own path. He'd turn his losses into lessons and keep getting stronger, all while learning new tips and techniques from Jesse. Maybe he'd never get to be a Huntsman, but he'd never be weak again. He'd never have to sit by and watch someone he cared for suffer.

But if tonight would be just another fight, then why had Jean made a big deal about it? They hadn't sparred for a few days now, what with all the stuff at Higanbana and their rather eventful ride since. Maybe he just meant they'd be getting back to their normal routine. He called it a real fight. He's going to destroy you. Not literally, Adam hoped. But if Jean was taking off the kid gloves, then tonight would be a painful reminder of his own inadequacy. A very painful reminder.

Whatever Jean meant, Adam would just have to wait and see. They continued driving further and further south into the mysterious Forest of Hinoki, only stopping for a brief rest at midday after a short delay from a downed tree. Thankfully, it wasn't a big one, and the combination of Jean's axe and incredible strength saw them back at it in no time with a healthy supply of firewood added to their load. It also served as a reminder of just how outclassed Adam was against the man.

As they got further and further from last night's campsite, Adam finally began to relax a little. The loud chorus of birds all around assured him that they were alone. Plus, Jean had to be checking the area with his Semblance constantly. He wished Jean had mentioned his Semblance before. It would've been nice to know they had an early warning system all this time. Now, armed with the knowledge of their living threat radar, all Adam had to do was poke his head out to the side and see Jean riding confidently at the front to know they were safe.

By the time they finally stopped, darkness had already begun to claim the forest. Given his natural faunus vision, Adam was put in charge of gathering kindling for their fire. In no time, their impromptu campsite glowed with the light of a roaring fire.

"You ready?" He wasn't, but Adam refused to back down from a challenge. Instead, the sword he fetched from the wagon served as his answer. "Good. No holding back this time." As if Adam hadn't been trying his best all along. "Tonight is your last chance. Win or lose, this charade ends here."

Wait, what? "You can't change the rules!"

"Who's gonna stop me? You?" Jean snorted as he set his regular weapons aside. "If you were strong enough to do that, then we wouldn't still be having these fights, would we?"

"But you said-"

"Doesn't matter what I said or didn't say. All that matters is who's stronger. Those with power make the rules. Those who don't have no choice but to follow them." Adam's hand burned as he gripped his sword tighter. "I've let this go on long enough. You think you have what it takes to face the Grimm? Then prove it by beating me. Otherwise, quit wasting my time pretending to be something you're not."

"Jean-"

"Stay out of this, Jesse," Jean warned before the man could intervene. "This is between me and the boy. No one else." A stern glare prevented whatever protest Soji planned to offer. "You said he fought an Ursa, right? Then let the boy fight his own battles."

"This isn't fair!" Adam shouted, even if he knew what response awaited him.

"Life's not fair. I told you that at the start of all this." Jean's consistency hardly impressed Adam. "Do you think the Yuris falling was fair? Those lucky enough to survive lost everything. Was that fair? Is it fair that that woman lost half her family and has to explain to her two remaining children that Daddy's not coming back?" Adam winced, all too familiar with what those children would be going through. "You want fair? Then fight to make things fair. Complaining about it will get you nowhere."

He'd been a fool to listen to Jesse. Jean didn't care about him. He'd let Adam fight him just to entertain himself, and now that he'd gotten bored, he would just throw Adam's dreams away so casually?

The quiet words slipped out before Adam even realized it. "I hate you."

Jean didn't gasp in shock. He didn't try to explain how this was somehow good for Adam. Not that Adam would've listened. The words would've been as empty as any hope Adam had of winning. But Jean didn't bother. He didn't care enough to waste those words on Adam. Instead, Jean did something worse.

He laughed.

Adam surged forward, swinging his sword for Jean's throat as he screamed in rage. How dare he laugh like that! Adam had poured everything he had into this. He'd fought every night for just a chance to become stronger. He'd put up with this miserable man's crap for too long to have it all amount to nothing. And after all that, Jean found it funny? Let's see how funny he finds it when you carve out his throat. Adam would show he wasn't some joke. He'd end Jean's cocky smile, even if he had to cut it from the man's face.

Jean moved. That was all Adam saw. A sudden shift, a palm to the back of his head, and Adam fell face first into the dirt. No sooner had he stopped sliding did Adam jump back up and charge again, only to be thrown down once more.

"That's more like it!" Far from being upset at the surprise attack, Jean seemed thrilled by the failed assassination attempt. "Life's not fair, so stop trying to fight it that way." Whatever sympathy Jesse might've had for Adam, he still offered his sword to Jean as always, only for Jean to wave him away. "Not tonight. He wants to fight an unarmed opponent, then let him. Come at me, boy!"

Adam didn't wait for a second invitation. Even unarmed, Jean was a monster. He easily dodged every attack, repaying each with another blow. Head. Arms. Legs. Little by little, Jean punished every inch of him, seemingly enjoying the growing rage within Adam.

"I hate you!" This time, Adam roared the words, echoing it with a feint for Jean's head before spinning low for the man's kneecaps.

"Good!" Jean cheered, stepping back before kicking Adam's shoulder. Adam bit down on the pain that rocketed through his arm. "Stop treating this like some game. Fight me like your life depends on it."

It did, but not in the way Jean meant. He wouldn't die if he failed, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself either. It wasn't just about beating Jean anymore. He wanted to win. He had to win. He'd spent years suffering at the hands of others. Dorian. Pika. Madame de Thom. Alyssa. And what had he done about it? Nothing. He'd sat around feeling sorry for himself, wishing someone would save him. No one ever did. He'd let Alyssa control his entire life and never even tried to push back. He'd followed her every command, even going so far as to defile his own girlfriend for her sick amusement, all because he felt too weak to fight back. He'd tried appeasing people. He'd tried turning the other cheek.

It was only when he finally did fight back that things changed.

Dorian left him alone after Adam attacked him. Pika learned to avoid him after jumping him in his own bedroom. He'd only freed himself from Alyssa by finally standing his ground and refusing her. Life had never given him anything, and it didn't look like that would change anytime soon.

So he fought. He swung again and again, despite the aches and pains that racked his body. Each time Jean hit him, he tried to return the favor. Every time he hit the ground, he forced himself back up. He fought, his looming defeat growing clearer with every failure. As his arms became sluggish, his fate was sealed.

But he refused to accept fate.

"Give up, Adam," Jean instructed as he tripped Adam yet again. "You've lost. No matter how hard you try, you can't win. In all this time, you've never even hit me once. Have the decency to know when you're beat."

"Never!"

Jean rolled his eyes, even as he boxed Adam's ears, leaving Adam stumbling off-balance. "Look at you! You can barely even stand, let alone swing that sword of yours. Just give up already."

"I'll never give up," Adam growled as he tried to shake away the annoying ringing in his ears as he felt tears begin to fall from the pain. "I can't. I won't. I'll keep fighting, no matter what until I finally beat you!"

With a final cry, Adam threw himself forward, arms screaming as he forced them to push on. He didn't charge so much as stumble in Jean's direction, trusting his feet to keep him up as he put everything he had into a final, desperate attack. He knew Jean wouldn't have any trouble dodging. There was no feint. No plan for a second attack if he missed. Gritting his teeth, Adam kept his eyes locked on his target, praying to whatever god would listen to just land one hit.

He nearly cheered when he felt his blade impact flesh for the first time.

Until Jean's hand tightened around the blade.

"It's hopeless, Adam." Jean held the sword firm where he'd caught it, even as Adam tried to pull it free. "You've got spirit, but that's not enough. Refusing to give up won't keep you alive. Stubbornness won't be enough to keep the Grimm at bay. In the end, you'll still die."

"Then I'll die fighting." Not curled up in a corner begging for mercy. Not watching as those he cared about suffered. He'd fight until there was nothing left in him, and then he'd fight some more. Adam leaned forward, pushing all his weight against his sword, both as a pathetic attempt to cut Jean and to hold himself up. The dim light glowing against his blade brought a vindictive smile to his lips.

Jean's fist drove both it and the wind from him.

Adam didn't fall so much as fly back, landing painfully on his back. Jean stood several feet away, fist still hovering in the air beside a stolen sword. Adam had been too weak to hold on any longer. Now, disarmed and darkness closing in around him, it took far too much effort to sit up.

The world grew silent as Adam choked for air. The entire campsite grimly watched the final execution of Adam's dream. Jean said nothing, his smile having finally vanished. Even the animals around them had gone silent, as if the forest itself held its breath as it watched.

Jean finally broke the silence, tossing Adam's sword away. He didn't look angry. He looked…almost sad. With a deep breath, he finally spoke, though his words were softer than before. "Dying won't prove anything. You have to live, Adam. Fight for your dreams, but live to make them a reality."

His dreams? He had no dreams. Not anymore. They'd all been taken from him. His family. His home. His innocence. His goals. One by one, he'd watched them die. This was just the latest in a long line of disappointments. All he had left were the nightmares of his past.

"I have nothing left to live for."

"That's not true."

"It is!" Adam yelled back. "I've got nothing. Nothing!" Adam grunted painfully as he stumbled to his feet, clenching his eyes shut until the world stopped spinning. He wiped the dirt and tears from his face, smearing the thin traces of mud as he sniffed. "So I'll keep fighting. Not for me, but for everyone else." Adam raised his fists. Even without a weapon, he wouldn't give up. "I'll fight to make sure no one else gets hurt. I'll fight for those that still have something to fight for."

"That's no way to live."

"It's all I've got left." He might be broken, but there were others out there who weren't. People with hopes and dreams like he'd once had. People that needed someone to protect them. Maybe if someone had fought for him, things would've been different, but no one had. No one deserved to go through what he'd endured. So he'd fight. He'd be the person he'd needed in those darkest moments. He'd give his life to make sure others still had a reason to live.

"Adam…"

"Fight me," Adam demanded.

"Adam."

"Fight me!" Through the tears and the pain, Adam wobbled forward with all the grace of an Ursa on roller skates. He swung his arm, barely making a fist as it flailed at his opponent. He'd keep fighting, even if he could barely move. He'd prove to everyone that he wouldn't give up. He'd keep coming, even if he had to drag himself across the ground and bite at Jean's ankles.

Adam's punch hit Jean in the stomach and fell flat. The man didn't even move, his muscles proving a solid wall against Adam's feeble attack. Adam tried again, knuckles burning as they struck what felt like solid iron. Still he fought, until his arms finally gave out. Even then, Adam drove himself forward, crashing his head into Jean's chest as stars exploded in front of him. Jean caught him before he could fall, holding Adam against him. Adam tried to kick at his opponent, but his legs could barely keep him up. The moment he tried, he felt his knees buckle.

"Adam." Jean kept him up, letting his feet dangle listlessly. With nothing left, Adam could only assault Jean's shirt with a torrent of tears.

"I have to fight," Adam squeaked softly, his voice as weak as the rest of him. "I have to get stronger. I have to protect people. That's all I have left."

Because maybe, just maybe, he could find someone like who he used to be. Some young idealist without a care in the world and dreams bigger than the shattered moon that hung overhead. And when life tried to break them, he'd be there to fight for them. He'd face whatever horrors lurked in the shadows for them, because he'd faced them all before. He'd turn the tables and make the monsters of this world fear him for once.

But none of that would ever happen if he gave up. It would've been so easy to quit and hope someone else would protect him, but he'd been alone too long to believe in that. He'd never surrender. Because if he did, someone else might suffer. Better that he take the woes of the world and let them live in blissful ignorance.

After all, life couldn't break what was already broken.

Adam could hear the dark calling him. He tried to hold on, but he could feel his grip on consciousness slipping through his fingers. He'd lost, but he refused to give Jean the satisfaction of hearing him give up. He'd never say those vile words ever again.

"I surrender."

Adam's eyes shot open. Wait. Did he say that? No. He couldn't have. He hadn't given up. But then who-

"You win. I surrender." Adam leaned back, looking up to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Jean chuckled through a weak smile, stepping back and letting go of Adam, which proved a mistake. Adam fell, both from being too spent to stand and too shocked to think at the moment. 'Woah!"

Jean managed to catch him before his head hit the ground. Cautiously, the larger man helped him limp over to a spot by the fire and sat him down. Through it all, Adam kept his eyes on Jean, wondering if he was dreaming.

"Don't go passing out just yet," Jean laughed as he knelt beside Adam. "That's no way to celebrate a victory."

"V-Vi…" Even forming words was a struggle right now, but Jean caught the unspoken question easily enough.

"I told you it ended tonight. Was hoping I could knock some sense into you, but I guess it's too late for that." Adam felt a bottle of water be pushed into his hands. His mouth felt so dry, but the weight of the water proved too much for him. He barely kept hold of the bottle as Jesse mercilessly raised it for him, having claimed the other side while Adam focused on Jean. "You're gonna keep fighting, huh?" Adam nodded. Rather, he swayed back and forth and let his head flop accordingly. "Well, it would be pretty irresponsible of me to let you go out there like this. Guess I'll just have to train you after all."

Adam felt a little better after a few sips of water. "You…you'll train me?"

"That was the deal," Jean answered. "I said if you won, I'd train you, and I'm a man of my word." Except for the whole rule changing thing, Adam considered. "Speaking of which, that's not the only thing I promised. Bear with me. I haven't done this in a long time."

"Done what?" Jean didn't answer, instead placing a hand on Adam's shoulder and going silent for a few seconds.

Suddenly, Adam felt a rush of warmth growing from inside him. It should've panicked him, but it somehow felt calming. Almost familiar. It began to spread through his body, bubbling up to the surface and enveloping him. He blinked as his vision blurred, but instead of darkness an intense light shone before him.

Jean's light.

"Through war, we obtain peace. Through our sorrow, we bring joy. We lend our strength to those in need, striving for a world in which we will no longer be needed." The light began to change, growing stronger and redder until Adam realized it was coming from him. "For the hope of the hopeless, I strengthen you, and by my heart, condemn you to greatness."

An intense, red light washed over Adam, driving back the night and bathing them all in an eerie glow.

And there we have it, folks. Adam's stubbornness triumphs over Gaston's - I mean, Jean's strength. As a result, he now has a proper trainer and his aura unlocked. Definitely no foreshadowing happening along the way. I also like the idea that my Gaston character is going to be starting Adam on his path to becoming a strong fighter, which will lead to him becoming a major factor in the White Fang later on and eventually spiraling into his ending in Volume 6. So in a way, our Gaston character is contributing to the death of the Beast. It's important to amuse yourself while writing.

I used to come up with mantras for the other main characters when unlocking auras, so it was fun piecing one together here. There'll be more on that later, but I kinda like how this one turned out. Still not 100% sure if Pyrrha actually says hers out loud when unlocking Jaune's aura or if it's an internal thing we hear, but I like the idea of exploring what each character says and am sticking with the out-loud approach.

Also had to sneak in some history stuff with the Great War. The King of Vale - presumably Ozma in a former life - went into battle wielding what looks like two of the relics (they specifically mention the crown, sword, and scepter, so Choice, Destruction, and Ozma's usual weapon?). They also mention the weather, so probably using magic or something on top of everything else. A lot of people seem to see Ozpin as this horrible, amoral (not immoral) force that'll do whatever it takes, but I'd say he's pretty tame compared to his time as King. Straight up decimated two armies and caused the bloodiest day of the entire war, then presumably created a bunch of laws for the entire world. Ozma basically turned the King into a nuke. So there's my history theorizing for the day tucked into the middle of a wagon ride.

Next chapter, Adam learns about aura and begins training for real.