HEEEELLLOOOOO EVERYONE! If you haven't already then please check out my story The Vagabond, another RWBY fanfiction. Both have Jaune as a main character and focus on him improving and changing as a person and a warrior. My other story "The Vagabond" picks up a month after the fall of Beacon, while this one will start a week after Forever Fall in volume 1.

Now in this story there's going to be two things I'm changing right off the bat. One: Jaune's weapon. It will no longer be his sword Crocea Mors with a shield/sheathe. Instead It will be a Halberd called Brillant Mors, or shining death in english. Other than that the story is pretty much the same up until where this fic picks up. Jaune is still a bad fighter, he still has a crush on Weiss, Pyrrha still has a crush on him, and no one has died yet (spoilers for those of you who haven't seen volume 3). Other than the halberd the events of volume 1 up to this point haven't changed, including Jaune killing the Ursa Major and saving Cardin's life. I will be doing my best to follow the story line of the show but will of course be changing things as needed to suit the fanfic.

The second thing is that I will be renaming the Griffons, the Pegasus looking Grimm in volume 3 to, you guessed it, Pegasus. I mean they already look like pegasi anyway right? and It'll help clear up any confusion over which kind of gryphon I'm talking about when I say gryphon in the story

This chapter will pretty much be a prologue chapter, so chapter two will be where we pick up after forever fall. With all that out of the way, ON WITH THE STORY!

Prologue: Fall of the Order.

They chanted his name as the slammed the ends of their weapons against the floor, shields, or breastplates.

"Arc! Arc! Arc!"

Those in his path stepped to the side as he walked through their formation. His white full plate armor covered him from head to toe, his helmet strapped to his side. Brillant Mors, his ever reliable halberd, was gripped in both hands, the low torch light glinting of the dust treated steel.

"Arc! Arc! Arc!"

They faced certain death. He knew it. His men knew it. There was no escape. On the other side of the massive double doors leading to the interior of the Order's fortress was an army of Grimm, uncountably large. They would all die here. Their corpses would be naught but Grimm food when they fell. There would be no funeral rites sung, no great feasts to celebrate their memory, because they were all going to die here. Yet no man felt fear at the death waiting outside the door, and why would they? Every man there was a warrior of the Lady of Light. They were the bastion against darkness, and even in death they would strike a blow against the shadows.

And he?

He was the greatest of all the Lady's warriors.

He was Her Champion, Her will incarnate. He was their leader, their Knight-Lord.

The first Gryphon Knight, Cailan Arc.

Out in front of his men Cailan turned and faced them. Their weapons slammed as one against the nearest hard surface, shaking the walls with their force of impact.

"ARC! ARC! ARC! KNIGHT-LORD ARC!"

He raised Brillant Mors in one hand, and at the same time as his men slammed the pommel against the stone floor in a final crash that shook the very mountain their fortress was situated upon.

Silence filled the hall as he gazed out upon his men. Blue eyes burned with inner power. Every inch of his tall and muscular body was covered in full plate and chain mail. Messy blonde hair framed his face, and thick blonde facial hair covered the lower part of his face. If one looked closely they could see a hint of silver in his hair, hinting at his age.

"Men," he called, his deep and powerful voice radiating throughout the hall, "the enemy has us surrounded."

No one spoke, but at the mention of their hated foes the Grimm their eyes hardened, and furious snarls twisted their faces.

"And at the head of the horde is the witch herself atop her mount. The goddess of darkness, Salem."

This time roars of rage and defiance shook the hall, and Cailan Arc had no doubt that Salem could hear them clearly. He held up a hand, and all fell silent.

"In a way we should be honored. Our greatest foe has come in person to ensure both our destruction and the destruction of the Order. I will not lie to you my brothers. We who remain here shall die. However, the Order shall not die here. Sir Marusus, step forward."

From behind the formation of soldiers a black haired man in full plate and clutching a Halberd similar to Cailan's walked forward, the men in formation stepping out of his way as he walked forward with Cailan's personal Gryphon, Talon.

All gryphons were mighty beasts, part lion, part eagle, and large enough for a man to ride, but even amongst other gryphons Talon was magnificent. Like all gryphons his rear half and legs were that of a lion's, but instead of fur its body was covered in feathers, save for its mane. Massive wings sprouted from his front shoulder blades, powerful enough to create gusts of wind strong enough to knock several men off their feet. His head was that of an eagle's with a beak powerful enough to rip through the toughest Grimm hide. His retractable claws were long and just as deadly as his beak. Where most full grown gryphons were tall enough to be ridden Talon was taller than most men, making him a truly massive beast of war. Normally Talon wore armor that covered his entire body like all gryphons that were ridden into battle, but today his body was barren of his war gear. Talon would not be taking part in this final battle. He would be part of something far more important, and far more difficult. He was leaving the fortress behind to go into hiding so that someday he would be of use to House Arc in the future.

As Marusus reached his Knight-Lord he knelt and held out his own halberd in both hands. Cailan took the proffered weapon and placed Brillant Mors in the hand of his most loyal knight. "Marusus. Do you understand why I entrust this task to you? Brillant Mors must be returned to my family so that my descendants may take it up. Talon must be taken to a mountain far, far away and put into the great sleep, so that he will wake when the time has come. all of our remaining gryphon eggs have been hidden all over remnant in places where Salem will never find them, and have been placed into hibernation until one who is worthy of a gryphon mount finds them. I know it pains you to leave us to die old friend, but always remember that it is the duty of yourself and your ancestors to safe guard the remnants of our order and ensure that it may be revived someday."

"I understand my lord," said the kneeling Gryphon Knight.

"Then rise my knight, my brother in arms, and embrace me." The two men embraced, knowing this would be the last time they saw one another in this world, and separated. Marusus stepped aside as Talon stepped forward and bumped his beak against Cailan's neck, cawing mournfully. Cailan wrapped his arms around the massive war beast's neck. He felt a single tear appear in the corner of his eye, but he forced it back. It would not do to cry in front of his men. Cailan spoke no words to his mount. He did not have to. The telepathic bond shared by gryphons and their riders negated the need for words. However as he released the creature's neck and placed his forehead against Talon's beak he whispered a final message to his beloved mount. "Look for the scion of House Arc."

With that he released his mount, and Marusus and Talon left the great hall where the remnants of the Order were gathered, heading to a secret exit that would allow them to escape from the Grimm and find a safe place for Talon while he fell under the spell of the great sleep.

Marusus and Talon gone, Cailan turned back to his men. He raised the halberd he had taken from Marusus over his head. "Men! We march out against the darkness one final time! We are the warriors of Vaya, the goddess of light! We are the foes of darkness!"

He gazed out at his men, pride welling in his heart at the fearless faces that gazed back, knowing what he was about to say.

"Men!" roared Knight-Lord Arc, "who are we?!"

"We are the blades of the light!"

"Who are we?!"

"We are the flame of hope!"

Cailan felt pride and righteous rage building up in his soul in equal measure. "Who. Are. We?!"

"WE ARE THE BLADES OF THE LIGHT! WE ARE THE FLAME OF HOPE! WE ARE THE FOES OF DARKNESS! WE ARE THE WARRIORS OF VAYA!"

"MEN!" roared Cailan Arc. "PREPARE FOR WAR!"

Thousands of voices roared in jubilation as they rushed to their gryphon mounts. Their magnificent steeds clawed the ground anxiously, knowing the Grimm were just outside the massive double doors, clawing and smashing at the door in a vain attempt to get in. Gripping Marusus's halberd Cailan mounted his old friend's gryphon, named Razorclaw. Not as large as Talon, Razorclaw was an older gryphon, and thus far calmer than his younger brethren, but Cailan could feel the energy thrumming through the war beast's body. It smelled Grimm, and It wanted nothing more than to tear them apart.

All saddled, the Gryphon Knights formed up, waiting for the order from their Knight-Lord at the front of the formation. Down a long and massive hallway was an equally massive set of double doors. Beyond those doors lay the Grimm, and atop her dragon mount, Salem herself. the Knight-Lord offered up a final prayer to the Lady, and turned to the man next to him. "Open the doors."

The knight trotted his gryphon over to the lever in the wall that opened the double doors, pulled it down, and rushed back to his place in the line as the doors slowly groaned open.

The noise coming from outside the door was almost staggering in its intensity. Roars, howls, snarls, and hisses rent the air, loud enough to drown out all other sound, save for one.

"FOR THE LADY! FOR REMNANT! CHARGE!" With a shriek of rage Razorclaw charged onward, spurred on by Cailan as he lowered his halberd at the Grimm who began to pour through the now open doors.

Thousands of roars and shrieks of enraged gryphon knights and gryphons alike rent the air and drowned out even the bestial sounds of the Grimm as the ground shook beneath the paws of charging gryphons. The blade of every man's weapon glowed with a white light that burned the creatures of Grimm as they roared their devotion to the light.

"FOR VAYA!"

Of all the lights Cailan's was the greatest. Even without Brillant Mors Cailan was still Vaya's Champion, and the light emanating from the blade of his halberd was enough to drive the Grimm before him as they fled in fear.

They could not run nearly far enough to escape the rage of the Order of Light.

The Gryphon Knights smashed into the Grimm with the force of an avalanche. Grimm were shattered under the paws of gryphons, ripped apart by beak and claws, or cut down by the glowing weapons of Vaya's knights. At the front Cailan and Razorclaw reaped the greatest tally. Cailan lashed out on all sides with his halberd, the light burning the Grimm as his blade cut through them with ease. All the while keen blue eyes searched until finally he saw her.

Salem, atop her dragon, with hundreds more of the monstrosities hovering in the air beside her along with many thousands of lesser airborne Grimm. Cailan raised his halberd and pointed it at Salem. "Knights! To the skies!"

The massive wings of gryphons unfurled, and they all took to the sky, heading directly towards Salem.

With a flick of her hand Salem sent the lesser airborne Grimm towards the knights, knowing it would only slow them down at best. Nevermore and Pegasi were smashed aside by the knights, hardly even slowing their rapid ascension towards the goddess of darkness.

As the knights drew closer to Salem however, the glow on their weapons faded and quickly failed, the strength of Salem's magic crushing their lights.

All but one.

Dimmed slightly, but in no way fading Cailan's light continued to burn as he flew towards Salem, his halberd couched and pointing directly at her.

With a contemptuous smile and a wave of her hand Salem sent her dragons flying towards Vaya's knights with great earth shaking roars.

The very air seemed to quake as the two sides clashed.

the Gryphon Knights were valiant and fearless, but none save Cailan could hope to be a match against a Dragon on their own. Scores of knights and gryphons were knocked down to earth by the teeth, tails, claws, and fire breath of the dragons. Those who survived landing fought to the bitter end against the earthbound Grimm, and slew scores of them individually, but were eventually overwhelmed by sheer numbers as they were dragged down and ripped apart. However the dragons, the greatest of Salem's creations, fared little better. Even with their lights quashed the Gryphon Knights of the Order fought savagely against the dragons. As wounds accrued the dragons fell to earth one by one, and either died upon impact or were finished off by the knights. As the last of both dragons and knights fell to earth only two remained in the skies. Knight-Lord Cailan Arc, Champion of Vaya, and Grimm mother Salem, the goddess of evil in the flesh.

The goddess laughed, but it was strained and forced as she watched the last of her dragons fall. "You think killing them will change anything? After I kill you your order will be gone. I won't need the dragons to crush whatever pathetic resistance the rest of humanity manages to cobble together. The Order of Light was the last great threat to my plans, and now it has been extinguished, all save for you, Cailan Arc, so called champion. Look around you. My creatures of darkness, My Grimm, cover the land as far as the eye can see. You have failed. Your Order has failed. Vaya has failed."

Indeed no matter where Cailan looked the Grimm were everywhere, like a black carpet smothering the land. Lesser men would have felt fear or doubt, but Cailan felt no such things. He knew his duty was not to stop Salem. That would fall to another, far far into the future. His duty was to ensure that the world survived long enough for that other to be born.

Without saying a word Cailan leveled his halberd at Salem. The message was clear. Salem sent walls of pure shadow at Cailan and his mount which Cailan smashed through with his glowing halberd. He flew directly at Salem, Razorclaw shrieking in rage. Salem's dragon roared in response as it soared towards Cailan and Razorclaw. The airborne foes smashed into each other, the mounts clawing and snapping at each other as Salem created a sword of pure blackness and clashed with Cailan.

It was clear who held the upper hand. Razorclaw was a crafty and viscious creature, but he could not hope to match the insane ferocity of the dragon, who claws and teeth cut through metal and flesh with ease. The same was true of Salem and Cailan. He fought with all his might, slamming his still glowing halberd into Salem's black blade with enough force to shatter granite and crumple steel, but Cinder deflected each and every attack with ease, her own counter attacks nearly knocking the halberd out of the Champion's grip. But Cailan was counting on her hubris to be her undoing and leave herself open.

Soon enough he was proven right as Salem's dragon landed the final blow on Razorclaw. With a lunge of its head it closed it jaws around Razorclaw's throat, crushing the gryphon's neck almost immediately, but also unwittingly leaving its rider open. Salem herself briefly took her eyes off of Cailan to watch the life flicker and die in his mount's eyes, a grin of blood lust on her ivory face. Cailan leaped from the back of his dying mount onto the neck of the dragon and raised the halberd for an overhead stab. Salem's eyes widened in fear as she tried to raise her sword to deflect the blow, but both she and Cailan knew it would be too late to stop him.

Salem shrieked in agony as the Knight-Lord's glowing blade sunk into her chest. He roared in defiance as black waves of energy radiated out from Salem and killed everything around her within a several mile radius, including her dragon.

As life left the dragon Salem and Cailan fell to earth, the halberd still lodged in her chest as she wailed. With a final burst of black energy Salem disappeared, fleeing back to the Grimm lands with what was a severely grave wound, even for a goddess.

Cailan could feel his body going numb from the waves of energy as he fell, life quickly leaving him. He closed his eyes and saw the one whose duty it would be to safeguard the world from Salem when she returned to full power. He was young, untrained, uncertain, and afraid. So very afraid. But beneath a scrawny frame and nervous grip on Brillant Mors there was something there. A spark. Of hope? Courage? Rage? All three of these and more? Cailan did not know, but he did know that this boy was the Scion of House Arc, and fated to be Vaya's champion. A smile came to Cailan's lips as he whispered the boy's name.

"Jaune Arc..."

The Knight-Lord never felt his body hit the ground.