4.20 Silent Extrapolation
Ren, really, really shouldn't be this amused. He knew that. He really did. That didn't stop him from finding it hilarious. But he did acknowledge the decent thing to do would be to ignore it. He just… he couldn't.
He knew that the villagers from Kuroyuri had had it rough. After all, they did not have access to most amenities that most other locations would consider standard. Asumi took to using a scroll right away, so clearly they weren't completely backwater - and yet silverware was completely alien to her. Things as simple as balancing food on a spoon were proving unusually difficult.
Of all the skills she would be getting practice with upon arriving in Cadia, the one at the bottom of the list surely must have been her dexterity with eating utensils. That she struggled to use it, he found it irresistibly amusing. Regardless of any hypothetical consequences.
"You can stop laughing now." She commanded dryly, still struggling to get the piece of stubborn but delicious food to obey.
Valiantly, he tried to put on a straight face pushing his plate away. Being well adapted to using such "fancy tools" like forks and spoons he finished his meal well before his family.
Try as she might, Satsumi couldn't help but grin. "If the worst that can happen to us now is getting teased about our lack of familiarity with modern metal utensils, then I'd say we are in a much better place than before."
"He hasn't said anything - it's the grin that's bugging me," Asumi grumbled with a glare at the fork that just refused to properly grip the food she was so desperately trying to sink her teeth into.
"Some things even I cannot prevent." He replied calmly, taking a moment to look behind him.
Pyrrha's family was still at the table behind them. They seemed to be ordering some form of dessert at the moment. He had spared a glance behind him a few times by now, each time expecting to see his teammates had returned. They'd been gone around an hour now and while he knew this was their home, thus he shouldn't worry he couldn't help but to do so. On occasion, he and Pyrrha would share a glance. While she had yet to voice her concerns, she was obviously starting to wonder what was going on.
It was possible they were just arranging some fun for the group - Jaune and Katherine scheming up various plots together was rare but not entirely unheard of. Entertainment for Pyrrha's family, perhaps? They technically were on a vacation of sorts and trying to be generous hosts could be on the agenda. There was also an even more fleeting possibility that existed: that they were both on official business for the nation.
That one he chalked up as a very slim chance given Jaune's Elder sister Eve was still in the Grand Hall enjoying a meal with the new arrivals. They might've just decided they needed some space and wandered off, though in the many years he had known the two such a thing almost never happened.
Trying to unpack the situation just brought up more questions - what is going on? Where did they go? Possibly most importantly, how much longer should he give them before he makes a comment about their absence?
With a deep breath and a calming exhale he set his gaze on the clock on the far wall. One more hour, and then he would casually ask about it.
*|* Katherine *|*
Katherine tried to imbue as much confidence into her stride as she possibly could. Normally, that was something she needed to put as much active focus into as breathing -if there was any one thing she had an abundance of- it was confidence.
This, however, was not a normal situation. This place was already making her feel like a mouse in a gigantic, never-ending maze. She'd followed this guy down several hallways, oftentimes with branching paths. Doors followed, and for each, she would walk through it just as she had the ones that preceded them. The purpose of the multiple paths worried her a bit, but as long as she didn't get lost in here, or lose her guide somehow she didn't feel it would be too big of a bother.
The very stones around her were alight with strange hues as she followed this mystery fellow. It was like nothing she had ever seen, and she had seen quite a bit. She called the 'Shadow Veil' for a reason- light just acted differently while under the effects of her semblance. It did both what you would expect, and what you found impossible at the same time.
Oftentimes alternating between the two on a whim.
At times certain colors were muted only for them to flare up without warning, changing its tone in a manner that was absolutely disorienting. They would shift unexpectedly, changing their point of origin even if she wasn't moving. A muted light would explode without warning as if a new star burst into existence before blinking back out at a moment's notice. It was a good thing she was only required to move at a leisurely walk because she doubted she could have remembered the twists and turns along the path this guy took if he hastened his step.
She knew he wanted her to follow him. More than once he would turn around and share a glance or wave at her just make sure she was still paddling along behind him. Whatever this was, whoever this was, they knew what they were doing.
Hopefully, he knew where he was going - the castle opened up to a truly vast spectacle. Without warning the maze-like feeling vanished and became something else on an entirely more massive scale. Paths opened up all around her almost like a spider web, or a tree's roots - paths of which the full extent was only known to a select few.
Uncountable levels splayed out vertically with countless floors. How the hell this was built in the first place? Kate had no idea, was beautiful, nonetheless.
Several thoughts continued to swirl through her mind all at the same time regardless of the setting.
This entire experience had been so unworldly, so unexpected that she was surprised she was still somewhat calm. But in an attempt to stay in control of herself, of her own thoughts, she lobbied that willful side of herself to try.
As a general rule. Her semblance had her slip in and out of existence from the physical plane.
The world did not react to her, she couldn't touch objects, she couldn't open doors, couldn't physically touch anything. Not without coming out from under the veil, anyway. Just like she could not interact with it, the world could not interact with her - gravity barely impeded her. She had never figured out how to fly, but she knew how to float fairly well.
It was one of the reasons why she found this part of the castle so fascinating. It knew, somehow, that she was using her semblance. Lights sprang to life working as they normally did when she was outside her semblance. The lights shone in other-worldly colors she was used to - there was nothing shocking about that, but she could actually TOUCH these lamps! Reach out and grab type of touch! When she had tried after a passing thought, she yelped in shock- it was hot! She'd expected her hand to pass right through as it always had and instead wound up nearly burning herself.
She always believed that, in a way, under her semblance, she was invincible. Nothing could touch her, or more accurately, she could not touch something, unless she allowed it. To have an inanimate object break that fundamental rule sent a pang of doubt through her being. That had never happened before and she had nothing but her wisdom to guide her as to why.
That wisdom said, 'Be more careful!' in not so many words.
The lamp incident made her extremely cautious- if that lamp could pierce the veil, what else could? Would rock randomly decide that she could not pass through, trapping her in a deathly snare if she tried? She didn't know. But this new guy seemed to know and he didn't seem overly bothered by her surroundings. Still, she was sure to pay close attention to each and every step he took. She noted each and every hand-hold as he began to scale random rock. If it was safe for him, it should be safe for her.
The second but no less immediate issue rolling about was that she was here unarmored and unarmed. To his credit, whoever this guide was did not appear armed either. But, she was in an unknown scenario and was not in the best position to defend herself. She rather wished she had emulated her mother more now in this moment. Mom always carried her weapon around even if she would leave it sheathed the entire time.
Not having anything on her back left her feeling somewhat naked.
The third, and possibly most important detail, was that her guide seemed to be tiring at an odd rate. Dare she say, an accelerated rate. It took her a moment of consideration before she was willing to come to any conclusions, but after observing him for a good while she felt confident in making some generalized statements.
This path he had led her along would not be tremendously demanding by even novice standards. She was climbing various glowing surfaces, moving through various sections of collapsed rock, or otherwise simply walking. Given the gravity-defying nature of her semblance, the act of lifting herself up was no harder than lifting a shoe. Adding to this, she did not feel physically stressed, at all.
Therefore, while under normal circumstances this may have been somewhat presumptuous to believe. However at this moment in time she didn't believe that, whoever this man was, he had anything close to her level of aura reserve. She believed that the reason for the way his shoulders started to sag, the reason he was taking time to gather his breath, was because he was beginning to suffer from the effects of prolonged aura use.
Conclusion: He shared a similar semblance without the classic Arc aura pool.
"Who are you?!" She called out, continuing to walk after him even as her voice carried on unpredictably persistent around her.
As he turned towards her she could hear his deep breaths as if she were right next to him. Ignoring the hallway separating them, this place was just starting to get straight-up weird.
He looked at her and made eye contact devoid of emotion. He didn't answer either.
Instead, he just wagged a finger in her direction then resumed his path. After a step or two, he was climbing again.
Now Kate was definitely directing a scowl in his direction… One of two conclusions must be true.
One: He was acting about how tired he was.
Two: He would be out of aura soon, thus this trip, if it depended on being under the Veil to be possible, would need to conclude soon.
She knew from firsthand experience how exhausting it was to use her semblance for extended periods of time. You push yourself too far and you are going to feel it. Continue pushing it beyond that point and you'll be on the fast track to an afternoon nap.
Upon reaching the top of the most rock surface he appeared to drop out of his semblance and double over.
'That's what I thought.'
Scampering up the rock much the same way he did, she found herself on a flat circular plane. In the center was an obelisk of some form coming up to her waist. Black in nature with silver engravings covering nearly every viewable angle. The design once again was unmistakable: Visible Shadows. This location seemed to be intimately tied to her semblance, even if it still made no sense to her.
Hopefully answers would soon be forthcoming.
Kate instinctively kept her distance from him, deciding to be patient for the time being. After a few minutes he regained his posture and walked nearer to the center of the room. He waited for a few minutes more, probably for her to reappear. She kept on as before, if for no other reason than an act of defiance. She stubbornly remained hidden until eventually he laughed, giving up the silent staring contest before clearing his throat.
"I can assure you I mean you no harm." He called out.
When she still didn't show herself he chuckled all the more.
"That is something this bloodline never seems to shake off... An innate blend of instinct, curiosity, and caution. You do your predecessors proud, girl."
She continued to circle the room, and still kept her silence.
He chuckled once more. Clearly he found the whole thing terribly amusing. "The last time this happened was many centuries ago... This seems to be playing out much the same way. I repeat: You have nothing to fear from me- I am a friend."
Kate reappeared behind him long enough to speak, then vanished back into nothing "You know who I am. Until I know who you are, this will proceed no further."
He didn't react as she anticipated. He didn't jump, he didn't flinch, he didn't panic. Instead, he just turned around to face her, though he likely was not aware of that.
Obliging her request he began to remove some layers. His cloak and mask started to fall aside, still more pieces found their way to the stone flooring. Leaving him with a simple open vest and long pants. Still, Kate had a rather dumbstruck expression.
She knew this man!
She had interacted with him before! Even thought he was a decent fellow at the time! He was known in her home! He was rather famous in her home, come to think of it!
What? What the actual hell?!
With a deep formal bow befitting of a royal prince, he gave the name she expected, but still, one she struggled to accept it.
"My name is Horst Van Erestin, at your service."
*|* Jaune *|*
Jaune looked back at the door as it slammed shut. The runes above it, giving off an unearthly incandescent glow even after closing. A few years ago he might have been panicking about now. Ok, remove the might, he Would have been panicking. This type of… Repertoire of ancient history should not exist. His home had been scoured multiple times across the long years to ensure no unknown locations in the castle remained. Many ancient items, powerful artifacts and weapons had been crafted over the centuries. Each entrusted to the family for a purpose. Part of the duty of safeguarding them is to ensure they would not be used irresponsibly.
That this place exists, Jaune could accept. That it could exist and he did not have the faintest clue of its existence? That it would have gone without updates to the decor, that the lights and such would remain locked to torches? That he would have said was impossible. It was like he had gone back in time to the founding of his homeland.
The air was thick laden with something he couldn't quite discern. Obviously, it was old. But…He couldn't help but feel like this place was meant to remain undisturbed. His mind was racing. Just what in the hell has he walked into?
No term that he could come up with seemed to fit - that was his first thought.
Even after he descended the stairs to the long walkway and continued on, he still had no other descriptors. Not until he reached the first alcove, at least. Both sides opened up at once, after a short couple steps a black rock of some form took its place. Circular in nature, silver decoration passed across it in what was expert craftsmanship. At the top was a domed canopy, a canopy that had already been opened.
Nothing here…
Stepping back to the main walkway, he noticed the object was mirrored on the other side.
Proceeding onwards, more of these nooks appeared every dozen steps or so. By the third such structure he realized something. They weren't alcoves, they were rooms. Each one of these entrances had a door very much like the one he opened to gain access to… Whatever this was.
He quickly thought to have his scroll translate the runes for… Something… Anything. Any information about just what he had walked into. Unfortunately, the process of opening the door brought the runes out of reach into the rock above, where they would forever remain locked in time.
He continued to walk onwards along the tunnel and would have admitted to being more than a touch wary at this point. His mind had been putting a few things together for him on its own.
His home was always well lit, well decorated. They took pride in that. They had a great and honorable heritage. Including a long and proud history of service and self-sacrifice. They were very willing to show it off and equally generous with the benefits of that reputation.
This place... These stones... These rooms and hallways carried none of that pride.
It was plain, it was given exactly enough light with which to see. Nothing more.
The only conclusion that he could come to that would explain all this was that his ancestors were not proud of this place. They were not eager to display it. Were they ashamed of whatever happened here? Is that why this place had remained a secret for so long? The only shame Jaune could think of was the result of their circumstances that lost them their kingship.
They held the brunt of the Grimm forces in ancient times. They build their city from nothing to serve as a bulwark for all. The Bulwark had withstood thousands of assaults, each more fierce than the last. Countless billions of Grimm were slain, and it never seemed to matter. Their fury, ferocity nor their numbers ever dwindled... Right up until the point the war was over.
This left Cadia with a few benefits of all that conflict. Their armed forces were the finest in the world. Seasoned veterans all of them, with the finest equipment to be found across any kingdom. The wealth of the land would power its economy to this day, it has not slowed after all this time. However, they had to back down in the face of global pressure despite all that.
They were given a choice.
Fight the rest of the world, or agree to become a territory of Atlas. Simplified, but that was the ultimatum.
They capitulated, in the end. Their second King, known as 'The Wise', Son of Jaune Arc the First, had taken on those negotiations in the wake of his father's death. It was a controversial decision, but he was evidently able to plead his case well enough to be granted that moniker upon his eventual passing.
He remembered his mother's lessons regarding how this ultimatum had been proposed in the first place - the 'why' was because of their aura studies. In the race to find a weapon capable of defeating the Grimm, his homeland engaged in practices that were deemed damning enough to force the rest of the world to unite against them.
Even AFTER they essentially saved it. He had long wondered what could possibly have been the cause of that.
For the longest time he believed it was just history twisting the truth to fit the so-called 'victors' on the other side of the ultimatum.. A convenient lie for others to hide behind. Mom in particular was never happy with that, and a popular desire amongst his people was to regain their independence. He knew all this to be more or less true.
Was this… Did this place have something to do with that decision? Was this his homeland's greatest shame, hidden away from prying eyes? He could think of nothing else that fit the facts.
If so, why was he here? Who led him here? What was he supposed to do?
By now he had reached the end of the walkway. Two doors were presented to him. One of them, massive, continued straight on as before. The other, off to the left, was just like the countless others he had passed.
That door, however, still had its runes. Runes that seemed to already be ignited and awaiting further commands. The only one to be this way among the dozens of doors he had passed. Swiftly his scroll was in his hands, getting a translation across the readout within moments.
[The Last of the line, No more remain.]
[Our last Bastion, Our last hope.]
[Use if need be great, Never forget them.]
[Those who sacrificed themselves, Upon the blackest blight.]
[For them torment persists, Time ceases its might.]
He scowled at his scroll almost sure the translator was somehow wrong. That irritating light that warned him the readout might not be perfect remained. This riddle, if it was a riddle at all, made even less sense than the first. Somewhere in his gut, he thought the better about proceeding on.
'What am I even doing here? What am I still doing here?'
A year or so ago he might have walked out. Talked it over with his elder sisters, then made a decision. This Jaune however… This Jaune was willing to take a leap of faith.
Repeating his actions of a few minutes ago, he touched the door and searched outwards with his aura. Just like before, the runes greedily accepted his offering, and once satiated, forced the great door to creak its way upwards.
Inside was an obelisk, like what he had seen before. This one however still had its … Top? Whatever it was called. It was still sealed.
At least it did until it started to spin. Round and round several times in silent motion. With a clink it came to a rough stop and lifted upwards propelled by some unknown force.
Jaune spent several long moments studying the object revealed within. It looked almost like an ancient watch. A metallic band one would wear on their wrist. At least that was the only purpose he could deduce.
It was black, unforgiving in appearance. Truly, it was simply a hollowed-out black band. Like the rest of his surroundings, this did not remind him of traditional Cadian craftsmanship. It seemed to be as plain as possible, functional to the extreme, yet he had no idea what purpose it served. It did not appear to be a form shifting object, at least not as he understood the technology. He saw no controls of any kind on the smooth surfaces.
Leaving only one option…
Aura activated and controlled..
But just what by the Broken Moon, would this thing be?
. . .
'Only one way to find out.'
With a deep breath, he reached out for the object. The air grew even heavier and apprehension filled the air. An undercurrent of fear swept through him. He felt as though there was an army observing him. Behind him, to his side, all around him! Like spiders crawling over every inch of his skin!
So affected was he, he felt compelled to spin around completely to look out the doorway, convinced he sensed somebody invisible studying him. As soon as he backed away from the object that feeling left him. Nothing was in the doorway. Nothing was in the room. Nothing was nearby.
Why then, did the hairs on the back of his neck stand up? Why did he feel like he was in the middle of a pool surrounded by a thousand people, all of them studying his stroke?
"Just what the hell is this thing?"
Ignoring that twisting sensation in his stomach, he reached out for that band once again. That uneasy feeling returned. The closer he got the worse it grew - when he was mere inches from it, he would have sworn he heard whispers in the wind. Countless words spoken behind your back from every angle.
"I will NOT fear what I cannot SEE!" He vowed.
With one last push of determination his hand touched it.
Two things happened instantly.
First, he realized it was oddly warm.
Second, his mind was under siege.
Dozens of voices, all of them speaking at once thrust their way into his thoughts. Unable to remove his hand due to this intrusion he instinctively recoiled from the collection of voices. His body shook as he continued to try to pull away even and this… Thing continued to refuse to let him!
'SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!'
It echoed through his mind. No physical voice was heard in the chamber, but the authority behind it was irrefutable.
At once the chorus of voices calmed, giving the Knight time to think - to organize his thoughts after the unexpected onslaught of voices. Not much time passed before the voice continued on with:
'And you! Yes, You! The one holding our prison.'
'Prison?'
The voice seemed to scoff. 'Yes, that is what I said.'
'I'm terribly confused right now.'
The voice seemed amused 'That makes two of us. State your name boy.'
For the moment Jaune was put off. The voice was rich, but not exactly deep. At the very least however, his thoughts were his own once more.
'Jaune. My name is Jaune.'
*|* Katherine *|*
She ended up keeping her word. After his introduction she allowed her semblance to fade. That still didn't mean she knew what to say, or what to ask - she still wasn't sure this wasn't all a dream. This was supposed to be impossible after all.
"I… I don't even know where to begin."
He seemed to expect that.
"I am told surprise is a common occurrence when this happens. You share much in common with those who came before you, Katherine."
She shook her head, finding her voice. Not the best way to start a conversation, but it's all she's got at this point ."Back it up a bit. What are we doing here? How do you have my semblance?"
He smiled again, looking to the floor crossing his arms defensively. Share a semblance he might, but share her innate self-confidence he did not.
With a deep breath he asked: "How detailed do you want me to be?"
She didn't even need to think about that one. "I want the full story. I am tired of never having answers about where I come from. If you have explanations I want them! Each and every one. I will stay here all day if I must."
Grinning smoothly he dropped into a seated position on the hard floor. "I will tell you what I can. But understand that even I do not know everything. What I do know I will share."
He motioned with his arm for her to sit. For a time she was tempted to stand, but after a moment's consideration found a not terribly comfortable spot on the hard stone floor in front of him.
"Please... All my life I have been an outcast… An assassin amongst knights. I-I want to know. I've wanted to know since I was a child."
He smiled again, the bloodline's inevitable curiosity trait continually showing it's face. "The Van Erestin's and the Arcs have had their fates intertwined for a very very long time... From the beginning."
He paused, a twinkle in his eye.
"The beginning? The beginning of what? Time? Of our nation?"
He shook his head "From the foundation of Cadia. How did that story go? The Arcs were a merging of two families. One, gifted warriors and tacticians - the other fabled crafters and merchants?"
He held his hands out pointing at himself off to the side with a smug smile. "I present you with a merchant, and craftsman."
"You. Yours is that other family? From ancient times?"
He nodded "Not like this is tremendously important, but it began nearly as a classical telling of a Romeo and Juliette story. The 'first' Arc was not your brother's namesake, Jaune the First. It was a woman, from much before that. She is described as statuesque, bold, driven, A force of nature when brought to anger. Not the keenest of people, but she had a heart that could beat for a nation. Her lover, the finest assassin in the land was her opposite in nearly every way. Where she proudly walked in the daylight, he stalked under the moon. A lad who had known very little peace or kindness in his life, but came to love her as much as life itself. The union was forbidden by both sides. They persisted, and their marriage consummated the founding of Cadia. Its joined bloodline, the merging of two distinct skill sets and powerful semblances remains strong to this day. Still, the parents on both sides might've taken action, had history not decided first."
She cocked her head to the side. "History? You… you mean the Grimm invasion of old, don't you?"
He nodded into a warm smile. "Perceptive, instinctive, inquisitive. Traits always profound with the assassin line. Not all of the Van Erestin's were gifted with the clandestine, those that were fought alongside the others. Most of them perished in battle. Those like myself, whose talents were more mundane took up the only thing we could to help in the war for survival. We produced more and more lethal weapons. Expanded research into newer and newer weapon designs, more and more effective armors, capable of withstanding the ever-increasingly lethal Grimm which plagued the world. Over many long centuries, fueled by those advanced which, when paired with the Arc aura with its unique semblance, proved to be an efficient weapon. In time they managed to destroy the first Grimm Queen. With her demise the world was saved. That mighty Grimm pack was unable to replenish its numbers fast enough and with its Queen no longer leading them, began to fight amongst itself. Still, it took several decades to hunt it to extinction."
Fascinated by all this, she couldn't help but feel a tremendous sense of relief. Suddenly her background wasn't such a shame to her.
"Most of the assassin line died side by side with their 'knight' counterparts, A fact which drew the families together and overcame the innate distrust between the two. The bond made in battle proved powerful enough to withstand all other challenges to their rule. Thus the first Arc kings and queens came into being. Since that time we, my forefathers and my children after me will continue to do our part. To stand by our ancient allies, and ensure they are as well equipped as possible to do what they must."
She swallowed slowly, he seemed to sense her mood shift ever so slightly.
"That would be why you have shown yourself now? We are not prepared for the job?" She asked.
He nodded, gone was his innate friendly smile. Here, he showed a much more sympathetic look.
"Understand I do not blame anybody. But yes… With your mother's death and the loss of the World-Breaker, the world is not ready for another Grimm Queen."
World-Breaker?
"Sorry, what breaker?"
He smiled sadly "Caladbolg, the weapon of old. World-Breaker in the ancient tongue. The only weapon we ever made capable of killing a Queen. It must be reclaimed. Without it… It will take us millennia to replace it."
She shook her head "The weapon is fancy, yes, but I don't understand. Why is it so irreplaceable? It is a sharp sword. We have several of them."
He shook his head with a sigh on his lips. "Katherine. If a sharp edge was all it took to destroy the Queen, the world would be a very different place."
"Then explain to me, why that sword is so critical?" She demanded.
"Because girl, it has the combined might of hundreds of Arc auras inside it. It takes an exceptionally powerful aura to wield that weapon. If someone with a more normal aura tried to use it their life would be extinguished by the sheer power awoken by the blade. Grimm Queens are nearly indestructible Katherine. They are resilient to all mortal wounds and they recover from injuries very quickly. Fail to kill it, it won't matter how ghastly the wound. Within moments it will be back on its feet more pissed off than hurt. It took us Generations. I say again, Generations, of Arcs to store up enough power to have a chance at doing it… Prior to Jaune the First, we were not successful. Even in that case, victory came at the cost of his life."
She huffed slightly upset "Then why did it not keep my mother alive huh!? She was as fine a warrior as any in the land! The Queen still killed her! WHY does everybody give us these warnings AFTER somebody dies? If you people had been forthcoming with this she might not have gone into that fight blind!"
He put up his hands. "Calm down please! I will tell you what I can, but losing your temper will not help."
Channeling her inner Ren-Zen she managed to stay her heart, and return it to a more normal rate.
"To answer your question as you pointed out… Simply having the weapon does not guarantee victory. However I suspect it was because the weapon was not awoken."
She just stared at him. "Awoken? I… what?!"
He laughed lightly here. "It is a living weapon girl. A living weapon with the consciousness of hundreds inside. But it has been many thousand years from the last time they were truly called upon to fight. What do you think happens after that much time? They went to sleep! Even slumbering it remains more than a match against anything made today. But no, it's true might is sealed away, waiting for the right person to unleash it. I would know if its power was awoken and used. It would be a difficult thing to miss. It remains slumbering to this day. If it can be found again we have a chance. If not… well. Let's just say that with as divided as the world is today, we would not have good odds."
She rubbed her head.
This is almost too much to take in.
"Why do this now? Why not tell us before?"
He took a deep breath himself. "Because we failed to anticipate several occurrences happening in succession. We did not anticipate your mother's fall. We did not anticipate your father's betrayal. We did not anticipate a Grimm Queen being forcibly spawned by humanity, willingly. Not just a Queen, an intelligent one. Not bound by instinct, but thought, the ability to employ reason…"
His voice trailed off.
"What it comes down to, is you and your twin are the only people alive now who have a chance of utilizing that weapon at its full power. One of you must succeed. It takes a mighty aura to withstand the power of the sword. Without one such as yours, the weapon might not be able to destroy the Queen."
She looked confused "So wait, wait wait a moment." Holding up a hand. "You're telling me none of my other sisters would be able to use it?"
He shook his head "No, if they were chosen by the weapon. They could use it, and probably use it well. But think back. The attack on Mistral. That giant Grimm? It took aura to wound it. Lots of it. It left every member of your family drained and even then you barely won. The Queen is even more powerful. Even more resilient to damage - if a weaker aura were to use the weapon, the weapon will have to hold back its full might. Without it, it might not be able to generate the force needed for a killing blow. We have centuries upon centuries of data to back this up girl. It took Jaune the First and his white aura to bring enough force to bear for the weapon to slay the beast. Other warriors faced the Queen in combat, many were able to land solid blows, but it was never enough to kill her. Wound her, yes; but never kill."
She huffed… "You are doing something for my brother too, I assume?"
He nodded. "Of a sort, it is a different trial which awaits him. But we are trying to help both of you, yes."
She drew in a long, deep filling breath holding it in for several seconds.
"You could have told me this anytime, from anywhere. Why am I here?"
Horst seemed to collect himself for a moment before smiling widely.
"I suppose I could say tradition, but I think we both know that if there is one thing you care little for, it's doing what others demand of you. Correct?"
She allowed herself a slight smile. "I have been known to damn the traditions from time to time."
He returned the smile.
"I said at the start, we have tried to ensure the Arc's were as well equipped as we could. With World-Breaker lost to us our side is sorely unprepared."
She arched an eyebrow skyward. "You just told me you don't have any other weapons that can do the job."
He smiled "I do not intend to pass on a weapon. You are the Heir of the Assassin line Katherine. Your heritage is every bit as regal as your brothers. I have the Armor of the First to pass on. Worn by the greatest of us in times of crisis. I deem now a fitting time for another to claim it."
He indicated the obelisk in the center of the room, at his motion the rock started to shift. The top opened, then the entirety of the rock began to spin down into the hard floor. Realizing what she was looking at was no more than a cover, a shell, the treasure lay hidden inside. Or well… kinda.
It was rather anticlimactic. Floating in the air was a single small blue gem held aloft by a jet of light. A gem no bigger than a fingernail.
"Am I missing something? You said Armor of the First? It looks like a sapphire." Clearly, she was just a smidgeon confused at this juncture.
He smiled walking up the steps towards the floating object.
"I did say Armor of the First. You must remember, we are Assassins. We must be able to appear out of nowhere, blend in without heed to our surroundings. That includes our armor. It is worn inconspicuously as a necklace when not called upon to serve in its more official capacity."
She stood to walk closer, getting within arm's reach of the item.
"My mother once asked me what I needed to be more effective as a Huntress. I told her nothing. I do not fight in armor, I feel this is wasted on me."
Horst smiled yet again "What is the point of wearing armor if the whole point of how you fight is to avoid damage? To never get hit in the first place? Yes yes, it has been said many times over the long years."
She didn't appear impressed with his wit at the moment. Such he continued:
"I told you, this armor is used only when circumstances are dire. If you choose to return it after the Queen falls, that is your choice. I really must insist you at least put it on, try it out. You will find many tasks easier to perform once you do."
She stepped closer looking intently at the curious gem.
"Have you ever worn it?" She asked.
He shook his head, a drab smile on his features "I may share your semblance, girl, but I am no fighter. My talents do not veer in that direction. It would be a disgrace to the heroic souls who have worn it if I were to don it myself. You, I think, have earned it."
Shaking her head in a fit of active rebellion Kate couldn't help herself. "This is all very ambiguous but how am I supposed to just know how to use this thing? It is a gem, it's a rock. You obviously cannot give me specifics. We have gone far beyond the point where alluding to or hints of knowledge are beneficial."
He shrugged "Fair, but I am giving you all I have to pass on. I assume it is aura controlled. It is said that every heir to ever put this on instinctively knew how to use it. It is supposed to be very intuitive - being designed that way in the first place."
She sighed.
"I don't feel I have earned it. I am the only assassin alive, therefore I am worthy by lack of competition."
He actually smiled warmly. "Girl, you do yourself an injustice. We have been following you for many long years. True, your list of accomplishments might not be enough to fill a biography. But we look at what is inside a person. We knew the moment you and your twin were born that we were dealing with people who have a mighty heart with a fierce sense of justice. You do not need to defeat an invasion on your own to be worthy of this armor. You wish to serve as a protector. This armor will help with that."
'Can't believe I am about to do this…'
With one smooth motion Katherine brought her arm forward and claimed the tiny blue stone. All at once, her world started to change. A sharp surge of warmth flowed through her body. Just at its touch she felt more in command of her semblance than ever before. Thoughts, feelings, details flooding her mind at once.
"You feel it don't you?" He asked.
"This… thing… Is it alive?" She asked, stuttering at the influx of knowledge.
He shook his head. "Not like Caladbolg, no. This merely has the knowledge of those who came before. Not their consciousnesses. You already understand more, don't you?"
She felt obligated to nod.
The moment was quick, but Horst was right. Just at its touch, she understood how to use this… Contraption. Those who made it knew what they were doing.
Her breathing calmed swiftly, and, if possible, her eyes appeared even more confident than before.
"This is remarkable…" She stated, rotating the attached chain on the item over her head, its gem coming to rest at the base of her neck.
"Curious…" She said.
Unable to help herself she closed her eyes, knowing how to activate it, but not knowing what would happen. In a flash the gem glowed bright as the blue fire. A wave of light flowed over her body coming into picture with a mesh of blues all around her. Clinging tight to her body from her neck to the tips of her toes. Whites were used as highlights decorating the armor along the sides and legs. Otherwise it was as skin tight as skin tight could be. From what she could see she adored the look of the armor. Even if it left absolutely zero to the imagination.
'Good thing I've never been shy.'
"You see? That was easy." He praised.
With another thought the armor retracted back to the gem, with her normal clothing coming back into place.
"The armor will harden just moments before contact. Not necessarily the equal of a heavy plate, but for how light it is, it is a miracle of armor design. Otherwise it will be as though you are in your own skin."
She smiled back at him. "Thank you for this, but uh… what do I tell anybody who asks about it? What about my brother?"
He put a hand on her lower back leading her forward "Come. Let us get to the elevator to the Manaforge. It will take some time to get us back up."
She paused "Manaforge? We are below that?"
He chuckled "Yes we are. As for what you will tell people… I am not one to tell others what they may or may not share. You may not give the armor to another, but... By all means, speak of it with whoever you trust."
He led her to a somewhat hidden compartment behind the obelisk. Inactive runes lay stagnant upon its surface.
"If you would be so kind as to supply the power for this? I am a bit dry at the moment. This will take us to a private chamber in the building from which you may rejoin your friends."
With a grin she extended an arm and marveled at how much easier it was to manipulate her aura with the addition of the gem. The way it was made still escaped her, but ultimately she didn't need to know.
She smiled at him as the elevator began to ascend. There was much more she wanted to ask. How this cavern was made, how various objects manage to push through her semblance, why they didn't take the elevator in the first place?
Well, as they reached the top that was made obvious. There were no controls at the top. The instant its passengers stepped off it sped its way down once again, likely to remain hidden for who knows how many years more.
Horst made his way to a private room and emerged dressed as she always remembered him.
Impeccably and in the finest of suits… perfectly blending in with his surroundings.
She allowed herself a slight smile.
They walked together to the entrance of the Manaforge where they stopped briefly.
She felt quite close to the man, closer than she would've thought they could've been before. It was as if they shared a common kinship... Of course upon further consideration, they did. It might have been separated by untold generations, but they were kin all the same.
"Take care of yourself, watch over your teammates and we will get through this yet." He offered up an opened hand.
She accepted his offered handshake.
"I intend to."
*|* Jaune *|*
At the mention of his name, Jaune sensed a change. The pressure on his mind, the part that was fighting for control pulled away. Retreating back to the object still in his grasp.
Taking advantage of his ability to move once again he spun around. Walking back to the hallway Jaune leaned against the wall slinking down next to one of those blue torches. Feeling just as confused as ever he has in his life.
'Jaune... Not many in our history have been given that name.' The voice echoed again through his thoughts.
A bright white image took hold in his mind. As if he was standing in the middle of a plain piece of paper. Up down, left or right. Everything was white. Everything, but a spectral image of a man standing before him made up purely of colors. Every shade of a rainbow traced his skin, but his form remained distinctly human.
For a time, Jaune studied him. Aware this was all happening in his mind… Or possibly their souls.
'I often wondered that myself, boy. To this moment I do not know the truth of it.' The voice said, taking on a smile.
'Well hell, if he can hear my thoughts what's the point of me even speaking to him?'
The voice scoffed 'Has your teacher not passed on the lessons of old? Keeping your thoughts clear and distinct? Those lessons were not for nothing boy.'
'I would appreciate it if you would use my name, whoever you are.' Jaune commented wryly.
The mass of light seemingly considered it for a moment. 'Very well, Jaune. My question still stands.'
He scoffed, 'I am used to communicating with my semblance, not having another inside my mind. This is … Like nothing I have ever done before.'
The light seemed to study him. 'Well you are an Arc, that much is clear. But quite young. Yet if you were directed to me… Something must have happened.'
It was Jaune's turn to scoff. 'Who, or what exactly, are you?'
The light actually seemed to have to think about that for the briefest of seconds before coming to an answer. 'It has been… many many years since I have had to think of my own name…'
He shook his head as well as any form of embodied light could. 'I represent the mass of minds you see before you. Fear not, I am sure it will come to me eventually.'
At this point Jaune was fairly sure that whoever this is was not strictly sane.
'Well you try staying in the same spot with the same people in constant communication with you for many thousands of years without respite and tell me if you aren't feeling just a bit silly yourself eh?'
Jaune lowered his head slightly. 'I meant no offence.'
The figure paused, and let go a deep breath out of habit. 'I have grown irritable in my old age.'
Jaune indicated the… 'Body' of the other. 'When you say you represent all these minds… What do you mean?'
The question froze the other. 'Other minds? Do you mean to tell me you don't know what you hold in your hand? What our purpose was?'
Jaune knew he didn't need to answer for the other to understand. The other's shoulders slunk down and did not rise back up.
'These minds are countless people. Many times many auras are infused into this object to be used in an emergency. It would be impossible for you to speak to them all. It would nullify the point of doing this. So, they speak to me, and I speak for them.'
The other's facial feature lit up brightly. 'Morgan! Morgan was my name I remember now!'
Jaune cocked his head to the side. '"Morgan Arc?'" The one known as The Craven?
Morgan glared back at him. 'Well obviously Arc, that should be obvious. Well, maybe not I suppose. Most of me is made up of distinctly different people, and none of them were of the family but myself.'
Jaune was just getting more and more confused.
'Morgan, why don't you just tell me what this place is, why are you here? Why am I here for that matter?'
Morgan scoffed. 'I certainly cannot answer why YOU are here boy. I know nothing of what has happened in the outside world. But if you truly have no idea what this place is I must ask you firstly, how did YOU come to be here? Normally when a scion was sent here, they would know their purpose already.'
Jaune would have laughed if this was happening in the physical world.
'I have no idea why I am here. I got a personal message to come here, and I did. I have no idea what this place is, I didn't even know it existed before now.'
Morgan seemed stunned. 'And you ARE the current head of the Arc household?'
Jaune shrugged. 'Well, I am not the oldest. But yes, I am the Duke. My mother passed the title on to me for political reasons…'
Morgan's eyes dropped and he seemed very frustrated. 'Nothing ever happens as it should. But I suppose that is why these things were made. Where is your mother now?'
Jaune hesitated.
'Not a pleasant memory?' Morgan guessed.
'She fell in battle recently. Against… Some Grimm I have never seen before.'
That got Morgan's attention.
'Describe it.'
The mental Jaune mimicked his physical self taking a seat. 'It had red eyes, long ivory hair. It looked more like a human than any Grimm I had seen prior were it not for the colors. A woman-'
Morgan took a sharp breath. 'It cannot be…'
Jaune continued. 'She wore her hair done up well, even wore a somewhat flattering dress.'
The light disappeared for several seconds before manifesting once more directly in front of the Knight sitting down.
'Done up hair? Wore a dress? You have seen it personally?!'
Jaune nodded. 'It spoke, spoke well. It taunted me when we fought briefly-'
'Wait wait wait. This … Grimm lady not only was intelligent and dressed, but you fought it?'
Jaune nodded again. 'Supposedly it was forcibly spawned in by people in such a way that it evolved a higher level of intellect. We barely got away. My mother died in that battle, her sword was lost.'
The light gripped his chin firmly. 'Repeat that.'
Looking at his eyes with desperation mixing with barely contained terror.
Slightly taken aback, Jaune obliged. 'When she fell the sword she carried was lost.'
'She was the heirloom-bearer? Caladbolg, the World-Breaker?' He demanded.
Swallowing thickly Jaune confirmed 'Yes.'
The light slumped backwards flat to the ground.
'I cannot decide if I should berate you, or congratulate you. To survive an encounter with a Grimm Queen is a Legendary feat. The number of people who can claim to have done that is exceedingly minuscule. However, to allow our family weapon to be lost… That might've cost us everything. In the past, even if it cost us a full generation, never would we have allowed that weapon to be lost.'
Jaune's temper flared. 'And just what was I supposed to do? It took every ounce of power I had to even make a dent! I went faint from the effort! It was all I could do. My teammates were lucky to get us out of there alive! We had no time to go searching for a sword!'
Morgan rose back up to a seated position. He, it, they? Were clearly unhappy about this, yet remained composed enough not to have an outburst.
'That sword is the only weapon the world has ever known to be capable of destroying a Queen. Without it, we might all be lost. It must be recovered immediately.'
Jaune sighed. 'It is on the agenda but it isn't so simple as finding a lost boot.'
Morgan brought his hands up to his face deep in thought.
'Well, at least now I understand why you were brought to me. The other family comes to our aid once again.'
Jaune scowled. 'Other family?'
The Craven seemed shocked he even had to explain this. 'You know, the other family? The groom's side? Those of the Assassin lineage? . . . You don't have a clue what I am talking about do you?'
Jaune blinked 'They exist still?'
What in the world is he talking about?
Morgan completely froze, he didn't blink, he didn't breath. He just became (for all intents and purposes) a rainbow-colored statue frozen in time. The Knight got the distinct impression he was howling in anguish inside his own mind.
Jaune waited as patiently as he could. Who knows how long Morgan had waited here for one of his descendants to come before him like this. Clearly, the moniker 'The Craven' did not seem to fit. It would not be an act of cowardice to wait untold millennia in a prison of your own mind until somebody walked up and said "Hello".
Even so, he felt a touch of color on his cheeks in embarrassment. He rarely felt so unprepared for a conversation, yet it seemed like with every answer he gave a bit of Morgan's spirit broke.
With a weary sigh Morgan sat himself down again. For the first time, an aspect of how old this man was shown in his visage.
'Son, it… the task before us grows ever more immense. They were right to send you to me. I fear it won't be enough. But, we will give it our best attempt just the same.'
He visibly collected himself. 'These devices were made to serve a purpose. To help the family in times of crisis. Never before has the World-Breaker been lost... But that gives purpose to our goals. We must reclaim it if we are to have a chance against the Queen.'
Jaune nodded. 'Just what are these things?'
Morgan sighed. 'They, Jaune, are our greatest shame, and our current best hope. You see, back in those times, the Grimm Blight was very much a real thing. Once infected a slow agonizing death awaited you. Now in the modern era we have defenses against it. But back then? Nothing of the sort. These objects Jaune... Either by Claw or illness, the Grimm did not leave survivors in their wake-'
The Knight felt the heat from the band grow.
'These… Equillian Shields, were made by moving the aura of those infected into these bands. It provides the wearer with a vast reservoir of aura. A reserve that very slowly replenishes, but it can be overtaxed and forever destroyed.'
Jaunes mouth began to gape 'Then, you mean…'
Morgan nodded guessing the full question.
'Yes, the rumors of Cadia engaging in unethical experimentation regarding human aura, are true. We did, and we did not stop until I personally was added to one of the shields. I was the last one to be placed into one of these things. I did it voluntarily. Until the day when our need was most dire. I would wait.'
Suddenly Jaune understood. All those colors which made up his body… those were the other people inside the band with him.
. . .
It seemed like a terrible burden to bear, much less to volunteer for.
'These bands, just how much power do they possess?' Jaune asked.
Morgan shrugged 'Not an insignificant amount, more than your own reserves for sure. But far less than needed to destroy a Queen. At best, our power buys you time to escape... So you might live to fight another day.'
Jaune sighed. 'Then we are still outmatched.'
Morgan stood and offered a hand. A hand that Jaune accepted.
'Our family was never one to shrink from our duty, and neither will we. The task before us is monumental, but simple. But we must recover the World-Breaker, and then face and defeat a Grimm Queen before she can cause a second invasion the likes of which this world has not seen since ancient times.'
'I have much to pass on, Jaune. I am sure we will have much to talk about.'
Jaune smiled, happy to have help with what must next be done. Even so, he felt compelled to say: 'It will be an interesting few months for sure. I am due back at Beacon Academy in a few weeks.'
Just like before, Morgan froze, partially at least. 'You mean to tell me you aren't even fully trained? You are still in school?'
Shrugging Jaune stood in the real world and began to walk down the path back out of this dank place sliding the band around his arm. Realizing he could adjust its shape and size to be more concealable if he desired.
'Nope! I am entering my senior year of Beacon.'
Morgan couldn't help but smile as he groaned. 'Oi vey.'
Jaune was more than eager to get out of this place and was sure he and Morgan would have an absolute blast getting to know each other, even if a part of him felt a bit sick to his stomach to be forced into using such an item.
'I understand and I felt much the same way.'
Hearing that, the Knight finally smiled, and furthermore, he meant it.
A/N
Update: SO the new formatting destroyed the line breaks I had put in... #AngryOldManGrumbles. I have that fixed now.
You all might notice a slightly different format for this chapter. I can explain it away very simply, A beta reader very much helped me quite a bit. I did not ask for his permission to NAME him here and thus I won't. But let's call him DMM shall we? If this format is as weird to you as it is to me, I shall not hesitate to throw him under the bus and never use it again. If however you do like the new presentation I will try to keep it going forward, and naturally accept all thanks on his behalf. There likely will be some odd spacing, trying a new method of writing ( for me ) and it seems it and the FF site doesn't play nice together. If you see something that needs to be fixed let me know. I can only look so closely. I genuinely tried to find every error, but I probably failed.
The new armor that Kate acquired in this chapter has had a couple images made to display it. They were made awhile ago and I only just got to the point in the story now where they are handed out soooo… yeah. Sorry about that. They are on my DA page. Anybody have any trouble finding them, let me know. Naturally I am a bit biased here, but I believe Kate has never looked better.
Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts. Had some big plot points explode this chapter! It has been a WHILE. Till next time.
-Sean