So, this is going to be new for me. I've never written a story that wasn't a crossover before but I've been workshopping this idea for a while. I originally wanted it out in time for the release of RWBY Volume 4 but that just didn't happen due to life and other things. I have a vision for this story and I've planned it out pretty much to completion. Of course I do read all reviews so if you have any ideas please feel free to leave them, I'm open to all ideas and criticism of my story. I am by no means a perfect writer and am very receptive to legitimate feedback.

This will be an epic in length adventure/romance story, basically if you've read any of my other stories it will be similar in the overall style. Obviously, the story and events and everything else will be quite different but the overall theme of realism (as far as that can go in an anime) will be applied. The pairing has been decided already for this story but I'm not going to reveal it because where's the fun in that?

While this will be a revenge fic it isn't going to be a dark/morbid type of fic. I know some people are turned off by that so I thought I would mention it. There will certainly be mature themes and everything won't be sunshine and roses but it also won't be a walk-through Edgar Allen Poe's demented brain. It will strike a balance, just like my other stories.

Now with that long ass disclaimer out of the way let's get this show on the road. Also, Volume 4 was pretty good for an intro/building volume. It has me really excited to see how Volume 5/6 are going to be played out.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY in any way, it belongs to Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum. In his passing his family wanted his fans to go and create something, well I feel this qualifies in some way.

The Last of His Name

Chapter 1: Survivor

The sound of wood scraping against wood rung throughout the medium sized dorm room as the only occupant pulled out the lone chair at the desk. With little care for the chair itself, the seventeen-year-old boy plopped down, the wood creaking as it compensated for the extra weight. A contented sigh escaped his lips as his muscles relaxed, training with his team finally over for the day. He loved the fact that his team took training so seriously but that still didn't stop the fact that almost every time it left him nearly too sore to move afterwards.

Reaching over to his bag, Jaune quickly sorted through the note books and supplies inside until he found what he was looking for. Turning the small leather bound book over in his hand, Jaune rubbed it with care, ensuring to not be too rough with it as to not damage the old bindings.

How long had it been since he had first taken to writing his thoughts down? Another sigh escaped his throat as his eyes became half lidded, old memories washing over his thoughts. He ran his thumb across the closed pages before picking a page and opening the journal.

A small laugh came to him as he read the date, the day before he joined Beacon. His eyes roamed over the quick half page entry, his own words of excitement coming back to him, causing a small smile to spread out across his lips. Beacon certainly wasn't what he had expected back then. But if he was being honest with himself, who could have expected what Beacon would be like?

Before long his hand had turned the page, not forwards but back. More memories came to the forefront of his mind as he continued to read his own thoughts; it seemed like the words written were done so a lifetime ago. He continued to read, losing himself in the memories that he had growing up, his smile growing as he remembered some of the best moments of his young life.

That smile failed him as his hand turned the page. The page itself was blank apart from the date and one line. He remembered writing this entry, the way his hands had trembled at the time. "I saw him in my dreams again. He was standing over me, just glaring at me. I felt like I couldn't even breath. I was so afraid."

Jaune's eyes narrowed as he read the passage over. That was his 15th birthday. Despite it being years ago, the feeling of fright was just as strong as if it had just happened. Shaking his head clear of such thoughts, he turned the next page. His frown deepened as the words written on the pages didn't get any better. His mind raced as images kept appearing in his mind. Terror filled sleepless nights, a man, a mask, a katana coated in blood. A smirk. That damnable smirk!

His fingers tightened around the edges of the journal as his frown transformed into a snarl. With far more force than necessary Jaune turned the page. The anger that had been building quickly vanished from his face, his eyes softening as he read over the worn-out page. It was his first entry in his journal. Instead of what had been currently going through his mind at the time of writing like most of his entries, he had chosen to remember his family.

Calloused fingers gently brushed against the page, the words nearly impossible to read. The chicken scratch of a 12-year-old combined with years of exposure did not make for an easy read. Still, he didn't really need to read the page to know what it said. The words were all but ingrained in his mind due to the number of times he had read it.

"When I'm all grown up I want to be like dad! He was so strong! He protected everyone in the village and everyone looked up to him. I'm going to be a huntsman just like he was! And Mommy was always smiling, nothin eva bothered her! I wanna be happy just like she always was. I guess I wouldnot mine being like my sisters to. Hazel was really smart, Angel was really good at cooking, she made the best dinner! Saffire always helped me with my chores so I guess she was nice to!"

Soft droplets of liquid splashed against the weathered pages. Moving his arm across his eyes, Jaune tried to wipe away the tears spilling from his eyes before they could land on the notebook on the table. Unfortunately, he couldn't will away the tears as more and more memories flooded his mind.

/-/

"Happy Birthday Jaune!"

A ten-year-old Jaune looked with wide eyes at the birthday cake in front of him, the candles illuminating the snow-white frosting. He looked to the smiling faces of his mother and three sisters with awe before it faded.

He tried to smile at them but he couldn't quite manage it as he looked around the room for something. He said he was going to be here, why wasn't he here?

"What's wrong Jauney?"

The little boy let out a grumble as a soft hand ruffled his messy blond hair. He looked into the equally blue eyes of his eldest sister Hazel, her delicate face marred in slight concern as she looked at her little brother. Her hair was the same vibrant blond as everyone else in the family except she had it cut short, barely reaching her shoulders. The girl's face was adorned by a pair of reading glasses that seemed to sit a little too far down her nose to be of any use. She wore a deep blue button up long sleeved shirt that had golden twin crescent moons on the cuffs of the sleeves. She complemented the shirt with a long gray skirt that came down to her ankles.

He violently shook his head in the negative, trying to remove her hand from his head with the motion. "I'm fine! I… I was just wondering where Dad was, that's all."

The last part barely came out as a whisper but caused a round of frowns across the room. He didn't mean to make them sad. He just wanted to see his Dad. He promised he would be here for his birthday, he promised! His Dad always told him that an Arc always kept their word. That meant his Dad would come, didn't it?

He felt the comforting feeling of his mother's arms wrap around him, the older woman pulling him into a tight embrace. "Oh Jaune, my sweet little boy. Don't worry about your father, he'll be here. You must remember that he's in charge of keeping our village safe, just like his father and his father before him were. I'm sure he's coming back from his hunt right now."

A stiff nod was all he could manage as he tried to fight back a few stray tears. He knew his father was important. Every head of the Arc family had been in charge of keeping their home safe, ever since the end of the Great War. It was their duty, their legacy.

One day he would be expected to do the same, when he was fully grown and a capable fighter just like every Arc heir before him. He knew this and was excited to fulfill his destiny. He wanted to learn from his father, to make his dad proud of the powerful warrior he would become!

That was why he was slowing becoming distressed with his father's absence. He was supposed to begin his training today, the day of his tenth birthday. He couldn't begin his training if he wasn't here!

"I'm home! I hope you all didn't start without me."

All eyes in the room were drawn to a tall man with pale blond hair and bright blue eyes. His jaw line was ridged and covered with a nearly invisible scruff, a clear sign that he had not shaved in a few days. The man wore a brown trench coat that was left open to reveal a padded black shirt coupled with a pair of faded jeans and black combat boots. On his hip rested a sheathed arming sword that swayed naturally as the man moved. On his chest rested two golden crescent moons, the emblem of the Arc family.

"Oh, Arthur dear, you've arrived just in time. We were just giving Jaune his birthday cake."

Jaune quickly wormed his way out of his mother's grip as he rushed up to his father with excited eyes. "You're home! Does that mean we can start training? Can we? Can we Pleeeeeeease?!"

The man chuckled as he knelt to eye level with his son. "Oh, is someone eager to begin training? I do recall saying something along those lines, didn't I?" With the way his son bounced on his feet the older man received the impression that he did indeed say those words. He turned his head to look at his wife who was doing all she could to suppress a giggle. "Has he been like this all day June?"

She merely smiled in response to her husband's question, instead gesturing to the small boy whom could barely contain his excitement as a high-pitched squeal escaped his mouth. The boy was quickly silenced however as his father brought up a hand to stop him. "But first we should have some of your sister's cake. She must have worked on it for hours to make it smell as good as it does."

The second eldest child, Angel, blushed heavily at the praise. The 17-year-old girl tried to hide behind the safety of her blue apron, her nervous eyes looking anywhere but at her father. "Oh, be quiet. It's not even all that great. I just threw together what we had around the house…"

Angel wore a typical white summer sun dress that was dotted with bright flowers of a variety of colors. Her eyes matched the rest of her family, a deep blue in color with a shining innocence to them. Her voice was the softest among the Arc family and most would have had a hard time hearing her if one had not lived with the girl for any number of years.

"Stop acting like that! You were at the market forever picking everything up! Don't be so modest, you make the best cakes ever!"

Twin golden pig tails swayed back and forth as Sapphire bounced around her older sibling, poking the shy girl with every hop. The second youngest Arc child wore a medium length yellow skirt with long black stocking and a navy-blue blouse. On the back of the blouse rested the Arc family crest.

The head of the Arc family let out a deep laugh as he watched his children bicker amongst themselves, clearly enjoying the moment despite the noise. He ruffled his son's hair affectionately, earning him an annoyed expression from said boy, which only made the man smile more. "Son, do you remember when you asked me what was the best part of being a huntsman was?"

Blue eyes blinked in confusion. Of course he remembered. He had asked him that last year and his father had said that he would tell him when he was ready. That was all the man had said at the time. Excitement grew in him as he put two and two together. "I remember. Are you going to tell me!?"

The man chuckled at his son's enthusiasm but nodded nonetheless. "The best part of being a huntsman isn't the thrill of the fight, nor is it in the mastering of your weapon. No, the best part of being a huntsman are times like right now."

Jaune looked at his father with confusion, following his line of sight to his three sisters arguing and his mother trying to split them a part. "I don't understand."

The smile on the older man's face didn't falter and Jaune could see the love he held for them in his eyes. Despite not understanding, he couldn't help but smile as well. His father turned to him, his voice deep but full of fondness. "Being able to protect those that you love is the best part of being a huntsman. Every time I go on a mission, the only thing that motivates me to come home is all of your smiling faces. We aren't warriors Jaune, we never have been. The Arcs are guardians. One day you'll find something you'll want to protect no matter what. Cling to that. As long as you're protecting what you love, you'll never be wrong. Do you understand?"

He didn't. Wasn't being a hunter all about killing Grimm and being the hero? That's what all of the stories his mom read him said. "But what about killing Grimm?"

Arthur smiled, bemused at the question. "That is what we do as huntsmen, not something that I look forward to. Truth be told, if I could go the rest of my life without ever seeing another Grimm I would be happy. I don't kill Grimm because I like it Jaune, I kill them so they can't hurt anyone here in Aerilon and more importantly, so they can't hurt any of you. Wouldn't you be upset if one of your sisters were hurt?"

The very thought made his chest tighten in an uncomfortable way. He brought his hand up to his chest to try and make the bad feeling go away but it refused to leave him. "I wouldn't let that happen. I would protect them."

His father smile brightly at his words and that feeling in his chest evaporated. "As would I. That is what it means to be a hunter Jaune, remember that, always." He watched his father stand and move towards the rest of his family. He quickly followed after his dad, mirroring the man's movements as if he didn't he would disappear. "Now, now, no more arguing, today's Jaune's birthday, you all can argue tomorrow, for now let's open his presents and have some of this cake. I'm starving."

The three girls grumbled to themselves but eventually broke out into smiles as they all went to retrieve their presents. While he was excited to finally begin his training with his father, he would be lying if he said he wasn't excited to see what his sisters got him. Maybe it would be a new toy?

Instead of three separate presents, Hazel walked into the room with one large box, the girl being flanked by her other sisters Angel and Sapphire. Curiosity sparked within him as they set the large box in front of him. "We all chipped in to get you this. We knew you would be starting your training soon so instead of getting you a toy we thought we would get you something to do when you weren't training. We hope you like it!" Hazel explained for his benefit.

Jaune ripped into the wrapping with the ferocity of a Beowolf. The weak paper easily gave way under his relentless attack until nothing remained of the wrappings. The top of the box was also thrown aside much like the paper before it. He reached into the box, grasping at the contents within. With a considerable pull, he brought out a full-sized guitar. The wood was sleek and shined in the light but unfortunately the instrument was awkward in his grip, the guitar being far too large for him to hold properly.

Angel let out a disappointed sigh as she saw her brother fumble with the instrument. "So it was too big for him. We wanted to get one his size but they didn't have any in town. We had to settle for regular sized one."

"I wouldn't worry about that my dears. He'll grow into it sooner rather than later and look, he seems quite happy with it." June said warmly to her daughters.

True to his mother's words, he loved the present. He tried holding it the way he had seen those people on his scroll had but he couldn't quite reach the cords so instead he laid it flat on his lap and brushed his fingers against the tightly strung chords. The sound that was made was anything but pleasant but that didn't matter to him. He strummed the instrument one more time, getting the same terrible noise but only louder. He looked up from his new gift to his three sisters, completely ignoring their cringing faces. "I love it! Thank you so much!"

Jaune continued striking random chords on his guitar, much to his family's horror. While he was happy with his present, musically gifted he was not. He would have continued playing if not for his mother's insistence on putting it down for now. At first, he resisted, wanting nothing more than to keep playing but eventually gave in to the promise of birthday cake.

The treat was sweet and melted in his mouth as he dug in. In no time he had finished his piece and made to grab another before his father's firm hand held his wrist. His questioning eyes met his father's bemused look. "It isn't wise to start your first day of training with a belly full of sweets. Or did you plan on starting tomorrow instead?"

Panic shot through his small body at the very thought and he furiously shook his head in the negative. "No! I want to start training today, no, right now! Let's start training right now!"

Arthur nodded as he turned to the rest of his family, giving them a small smile and a wave. "I think he's been patient long enough, we'll be out for the next few hours. We should be home before nightfall though. Do you need any help cleaning up?"

June waved off her husband's concerns with a casual flip of her hand. "Don't worry about it. The girls and I can easily handle things here. Jaune on the other hand might explode if he has to wait any longer."

Arthur nodded but still walked over to her. She didn't get to voice her confusion as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick but still passionate kiss on the lips. The four Arc children quickly looked away, the younger ones making gagging noises to try and rid themselves of the image implanted in their minds while the two older ones merely looked away, faces flush with embarrassment.

June's eyes fluttered for a moment while a coy smile rested on her lips. "And what was that for?"

Her husband merely smiled at her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before releasing her and grabbing his son. "No reason."

Jaune let himself be dragged from his home, still reeling from watching his parents kiss in front of him. His mind finally seemed to catch up with him as his father dropped him, forcing his feet to move or be left behind. "Dad! What was that! That was so gross. Ewwww."

The older man just laughed at his son's words, not at all bothered by them. "One day you'll understand when you have a wife of your own. You'll want to kiss her every chance you get, mark my words."

Jaune shook his head violently at the very notion. Kissing girls was gross. He would never want to do something like that, let alone all the time. "No way. I don't need a wife anyway. I have you and mom and Hazel and Angel and even Sapphire. I don't need anyone else."

He noticed the way his father's face scrunched up and looked away. He knew what that look meant, it meant that he had said something wrong. It meant he was going to get scolded. He didn't feel surprise in the slightest when he felt his father's hand land on his shoulder, nor did he resist when he was turned to look at his now kneeling father.

"Jaune. I know your mother has told you that you need to make some friends. We might not always be around and you'll need to have other people that you can trust and rely on. You don't need to find them right away but you shouldn't be against the idea to begin with. What does your mother always say?"

He looked up at his father, the man wasn't angry or even stern, his face was kind and understanding, if not a little disappointed. He hated seeing that look, he hated disappointing his family. He nodded, his eyes focused on his father's as he spoke. "Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet."

"That's my boy. Also don't be so quick to discount wanting a wife. She'll be your best friend and someone that you can always depend on. Trust me, you'll want to find yourself a wife one day, or else you'll become truly lonely."

He laughed at his dad's words. Friends were one thing but kissing girls and getting a wife was something else entirely. He sprinted in front of his father, turning around so he was running backwards while sticking his tongue out at his dad. "No way! There's no way I'll ever-hmph!"

His back struck something solid that refused to budge under his admittedly small frame. Losing his balance, he fell to the ground in a heap, his knees scraping harshly against the coarse gravel road they had been walking on. He had to fight back tears that threatened to spill over as his face scratched against the small pebbles on the ground. Arc's didn't cry! They were strong men!

He felt a hand grab his clothing and pull him to his feet. He quickly wiped the nearly shed tears from his eyes and looked up at his father, he would no doubt be scolded for not watching where he was going.

His eyes widened as he looked at the visage of the person who had picked him up. Fear gripped his heart once he realized it wasn't his father. His body refused to move, frozen as a dreaded panic filled his core. He couldn't even blink as his eyes focused on the thing's face. It looked normal, tan complexion, unblemished skin, curious brown eyes. The man looked normal in every way, the only difference being the two small horns sticking out of his head.

"Woah there little Jaune. You need to be more aware of your surroundings. Can't become a huntsman if you're running into everything, now can you?"

His breathes were shaky and uneven, his eyes refusing to leave the animal protrusions on its head. He could feel his hands tingle as another wave of panic washed over him. He needed to run, he had to get away, he needed t-

"I'm sorry about that Thomas. Jaune's just so excited about finally being able to begin training that he wasn't watching where he was going. I'll be sure to beat some situational awareness into him right away."

He felt his father's firm hand rest of his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. It wasn't enough to rid him of his need run but it allowed his breathing to calm slightly. His father was strong, he would protect him if need be.

"Oh I'm sure you will, just don't be too tough on the lad right away, he's only starting off after all, he's not like the men in the watch, not yet anyway." The monster seemed to laugh at his own words, like it was the best joke in the world. It wasn't.

His father must have found some humor in the words however as he chuckled along with the horned thing. "Oh I'm aware. And just because I'll be training Jaune for a while doesn't mean you lot can slack off. The Grimm could come at any time, I don't want to lose anyone due to you lot thinking you get some sorta vacation."

Thomas just laughed good naturedly at his father before patting his father's shoulder. He instinctively took a step closer to his father's leg, his hand reaching out to grab the fabric of his jeans. "Oh don't you worry, we'll be fine. We'll start training first thing tomorrow, the men need some rest after the hunt anyway." The creature turned his attention away from his father and back to him, going so far as to kneel down to look him in the eye. "And you, train real hard so that you can become as strong as your father ya hear? We'll all be depending on you one day just like your dad."

Jaune's body stiffened and his breath hitched in his throat as he felt the other man's hand rest on his shoulder. Wide eyes stared at the offending appendage but the overwhelming sense of dread at the contact made him unable to move. His body begun to slightly tremble, his hands gripping his father's pants leg harder until his knuckles turned an ashen white.

Both men noticed his discomfort and Thomas let out a sigh as he let Jaune go and stood up to regard Arthur. "I guess I'll let you guys get to your training then. Good luck."

Jaune saw how his father grimaced and looked down in shame, he knew it was because of what he did, it's what happened every time one of them were around. "I'm sorry Thomas. You know he doesn't mean it. It's… we're working on it. He should be able to grow out of it in time. Just be patient with him alright? He's not a bad kid."

Thomas held up his hands and smiled weakly at the middle-aged Arc. "I know, I know. You apologize every time, you really don't have to do that. I'm pretty sure everyone in Aerilon knows of his problem. We all know you aren't teaching him any racist stuff at home. It's just… unfortunate is all. He's just a kid though, he'll grow out of it eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later."

Thomas laughed lightly but even Jaune could tell that the man was hiding his hurt feelings. His jaw clenched at the thought, he didn't want to hurt anyone. Even if he didn't want to be by him he didn't mean to hurt its feelings. His mother always told him to be nice to everyone, even those you didn't like. He just couldn't help it, he hated it!

His father waited until the other man had left before he turned to address his son, his eyes filled with a calm understanding and not the anger Jaune had expected. Arthur's smile was soft yet his hand he placed on his shoulder was firm. "I know you can't help it Jaune. Just… keep trying. The faunus aren't any different than you and me. They love and laugh and hurt just like we do. They aren't any more dangerous and scary than any human."

Jaune couldn't bring himself to look into his father's eyes but nodded nonetheless. He had been told countless times that the faunus were no different than anyone else, they just looked different. It didn't matter how often he was told however, every time he saw a faunus he would freeze up, his body unable to move as he was wracked with fear.

"Don't worry Jaune. Believe it or not you're getting better. Soon it won't even be a problem and we'll laugh about it. Now come on, I promised you to start your training and I intend to do just that."

Jaune nodded along and let his father guide him through his home village. While not the largest of frontier villages, Aerilon had lasted multiple generations and as a result the village itself was bustling with life. Humans and faunus alike moved about their daily activities, some sparing a moment or two to speak with his father, who was more than happy to converse with anyone that approached them.

It was to be expected. The Arc's had been the guardians of Aerilon since its creation after the Great War. They were public figures and everyone in the village knew that if it wasn't for his family they would have lost their home a long time ago. That kind of legacy brought a great amount of respect to everyone in the Arc family, not just his father.

It took longer to work through the village than it normally did but they eventually made it to the village outskirts and into a clearing that Jaune was all too familiar with. He had spent hours watching his father train the other village protectors in this clearing. It looked like he would begin in the same way and he couldn't be happier about it.

His father finally stopped in the middle of the field before he sat down and motioned Jaune to do the same. He did without a second thought, smiling brightly at his father, his excitement barely contained. "Now son, before we can truly begin your training we must do one very important thing. We must unlock your Aura."

Jaune titled his head in confusion, mouthing the word back. "Aura?"

Arthur nodded, resting a hand on his son's head with a neutral expression on his face. "Yes, Aura is the manifestation of our soul. It shields us from harm and allows us to fight beyond our limits. For most Huntsmen, Aura is a vital part of their fighting style but for an Arc, it is literally everything. Without Aura you would be useless on the battlefield."

Jaune nodded rapidly as he absorbed every word his father spoke, fully enraptured with the man's lesson. "Do I have Aura?"

The man laughed and rubbed his son's hair. "Of course you do. Every living person is born with an Aura. Even animals and the plants have it. Only the creatures of Grimm do not have an Aura as they have no soul. All I need to do is unlock it for you. Stay still son."

His father's hand gripped his head tightly while the older man closed his eyes. The grip was coarse and rough but he didn't say anything, a strange feeling begun flowing through his body, like a coursing river of energy that came from nowhere.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of courage and justice to protect all. Infinite in our mercy and unbound by death. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee."

The feeling that rushed through his small body was nearly indescribable. The energy surged through him, barely contained, and brimming with untapped power. He had never felt so good in his entire life! His eyes bolted open, filled with excitement until he saw his father slouched over, breathing heavily. "D-dad?"

A strained smile came to the man's face, finally able to control his breathing. "I'm fine son. It just takes quite a bit of energy to unlock one's Aura and you have quite a lot. It took more out of me than I expected. I'll be fine. But more importantly, now we can finally begin your training."

He nodded enthusiastically, following closely behind his father and he walked towards the edge of the clearing. They stopped before a large tree, one with two crescent moons etched into the bark. He watched as his father placed his hand on the earth, a large slab of grass gave way with ease. In its place was a large steel door with their family symbol inscribed onto it. "This was built back before the village was even created. My great Grandfather built this as a type of sanctuary or bunker for our family, now we use it to pass on the teachings of our family to the next generation. This is where we will be training. Only an Arc can get inside, it's bound to our Aura. Open the path Jaune, harness the power that is flowing inside of you and project it into the door."

He gulped nervously, looking at his father and then at the steel door in front of him. He swallowed his nerves and moved forward, placing his hand against the metal frame. It felt cool to the touch and there were no discernable markings that it was a door of any kind. No handles, latches or knobs, just a solid piece of metal.

"Go on, grab hold of the power inside of you and push it into the door."

He did, or at least he tried. It was easy to find the power, it was everywhere inside of him. Grabbing a hold of that power was something else entirely though. It whirled within him, never staying still long enough to grab a firm hold of it. His brow furrowed in concentration, the power trying its damnedest to stay out of his grasp. Frustration built as the elusive power continued to avoid him, with a shot of anger, he pushed, a bright light flaring to life at the palm of his hand before he was rocked back, being taken off his feet and landing on his back a few feet away.

His groans were drowned out by his father's rambunctious laughter. Shaking the ringing in his ears free, he glared at his father who tried and failed to contain his laughter.

A few more moments passed and the older man was finally able to reign in his laughter. He smiled at his son, a bemused smirk still resting on his face. "Not exactly what I meant but it definitely got the job done, come look."

His embarrassment was soon forgotten as he got up and ran over to the steel slab that seemed unmovable. The plate glowed briefly and he could hear grinding noises against steel before the metal gave way, opening just large enough for a person to walk inside. He looked at his father who only smiled, gesturing to go inside.

He did as instructed and felt a bit of relief when he saw his father follow behind him. The staircase wasn't anything extravagant, in truth it only lasted a flight, just enough to give anyone in the room enough room to feel comfortable. The room itself was rather simplistic, just a large wide open area with a few training dummies towards the end of it. The only thing that denoted that it belonged to them was the large double crescent moon etched into the floor.

Despite the lackluster training field, Jaune held a bright smile on his face. This was where he would learn to be a huntsman, where he would begin his destiny. It was finally happening!

"Now we begin, but before you begin your physical training you need to learn. To learn how an Arc fights. I told you that for an Arc, Aura is the most important part of our fighting style, this is why."

Jaune watched his father as he took a stance towards the center of the room. He drew Crocea Mors, the beautiful sound of the cool steel scraping against the sheath echoing through the enclosed room. "Huntsmen can channel their Aura into just about anything to strengthen the object, make it harder, to sharpen the edge of their blade or more commonly, to activate dust. Some objects and materials channel Aura better than others."

Crocea Mors begun to glow, a dim light blue hue being gained by the edge of the blade. "A huntsman's weapon is an extension of oneself and one should be able to channel their aura through their weapon as naturally as their own body. Your weapon is as much a conduit for your Aura as your arm."

Jaune's awed filled eyes absorbed every motion that his father made, the blade glowing brighter with every passing second. "With enough practice, you won't even need to think about it, your Aura will flow and move as you will it. It will both be your shield." The man paused, eyes hardening as he picked a target on the other end of the long room. "And when needed, your sword!"

With a primal grunt, Arthur slashed at the air in a wide arc, the bright light that once shrouded Crocea Mors leaving the blade with the motion. It flew through the air, speeding across the wide-open area until it impacted against one of the few training dummies. The wooden opponent was no match for the Aura attack and exploded on contact, splinters shooting everywhere as nothing but a stump of a base was left over.

Shock quickly morphed into excitement as he lunged at his father, latching onto his pants leg, and grinning widely. "That was amazing! Teach me how to do that! I'm ready!"

A deep chuckle and a pat on his head was what he received in response, not exactly what he had been looking for but he pushed his father's hand off his head with considerable effort. "I'm serious!"

His words only seemed to amuse his father more, forcing another irritated growl to escape his throat. "Oh are you now Jaune? You barely could open the door, I don't think you're ready for this. No, you won't be learning this today. All you'll be doing today is learning."

He felt his enthusiasm wane a bit but tried to fight it back. He must have failed however as his father took notice of his look and laughed again. "Oh, not what you were expecting son? Vale wasn't built in a day, nor is a huntsman trained in one. Don't worry, soon you'll be practicing using your Aura as a weapon. First however, you must learn how to use your Aura to protect yourself and others. We are not warriors Jaune. We do not seek combat nor do we fight to kill if we can help it. We are guardians. We protect those that cannot protect themselves. That is what we stand for."

Jaune nodded in understanding, trying his hardest to memorize the words. He always thought that being a huntsman was about fighting and killing monsters. If his dad said otherwise however he would listen, he would learn how to be a guardian. He would protect everyone!

Arthur smiled warmly, rubbing his son's head affectionately. "Good. Once you understand what your power is meant for, what your true purpose is, then your true strength will shine." At that, Arthur grabbed his sheath, the metal expanding to form a heater shield, their family emblem proudly displayed in the center of the shield. The shield began to glow in the same way that the sword had previously.

The energy within the shield expanded but instead of shooting after a target, it maintained its form and stretched out in front of both Arcs. The transparent light blue barrier extended several feet in either direction, the energy shimmering but remaining intact.

Jaune gulped as he reached a tentative hand out to touch the energy that seemed to float there. The tips of his fingers brushed against the energy shield, a small jolt shooting through his fingers, not unlike the shocks he would occasionally receive from static.

"Take pride in our ability to protect. While other huntsmen will use their Aura to enhance themselves to fight, we use our Aura to shield others. That is what makes us unique Jaune, remember that."

He nodded again, his eyes watching as the bluish barrier retreated back from once it came. He allowed his father to guide him to the only other structure in the large room, his mind too preoccupied on what he was learning. They stopped before a large wooden pedestal, a rather large tome resting on top of it.

Arthur placed a hand atop the book, lightly padding it to rid it of the dust that had settled upon it. Jaune didn't miss the way his father smiled fondly at the old book, it must have been important to him, instantly making it important to himself as well.

"Everything we have learned about Aura is in this book. Your great great grandfather was the first to start writing everything he knew down. Then his son added what he learned and so on and so forth. Soon enough you'll write your own passages in this book as well. Of that I have no doubt. For now though, your training will consist of reading this book. Not only does it contain their techniques and strength but their wisdom as well. I have learned quite a lot from this book, as will you."

His eyes were glued to the book, the tempting mysteries waiting within demanded he reach out to grab it, to learn everything it had to offer. He looked at his father, his eyes begging for permission to touch something so important to their family. His father's nod was all he needed to reach out and grab it. Inches before his fingers touched the fine leather the room rocked violently, a terrible sound of thunder filling the room.

A second tremor hit the room, everything inside shaking as an even louder thunder clap erupted from above, the noise so loud that he needed to cover his ears. Jaune turned to his father, his father's eyes however weren't on him, they were glued firmly to the exit.

When the room shook a third time an anxious feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. The noise sounded out again, closer yet and sounding distinctly not like thunder. "Father… what's going on?"

Narrowed eyes turned away from the door, the man taking a knee as he came eye level. "I'm sure it's nothing Jaune, I'm going to check on the village just to be sure though. Stay here and read. I'll be back in no time."

He watched his father stand, Crocea Mors drawn and held at the ready. He moved with purpose towards the exit, only stopping for a moment to look back. He stared into his father's eyes, seeing a tirade of emotions passing. As the man finally left, the steel door slamming shut behind him, the feeling in his stomach only worsened. For the first time in his life he doubted his father's words.

/-/

Jaune fought back tears as he ran. He should have listened to his father, he shouldn't have left that room.

A scream cut through the air and only made him squeeze his eyes shut as he ran. This wasn't happening! There was no way this was happening. Another explosion erupted from the building he was running by, sending debris and bodies everywhere in a spectacular shower of fire.

The explosion knocked him off his feet, his small body tumbling across the hard ground before it hit an equally solid object. This time tears did sprout from his eyes as he held his head. Nothing made any sense.

He felt the soft patters of rain touch his skin as the sound of thunder filled the air, actual thunder, not the explosions that seemed to be going off every few minutes from random points within the village.

Heavy footfalls put fear in Jaune's heart, quickly moving from his spot to try and find some cover, anything at all that could hide him from the monsters that were attacking his village. He found his refuge under a partially destroyed porch, the splintered wood not offering much in the terms of cover but he had little choice.

The footsteps came to a halt just outside his hiding place, which only caused his heart to pound in his chest even more. Despite every fiber of his being saying not to, he dared to take a peek through the destroyed stairs. His breath caught in his throat, wide eyes focused solely on the monstrosities just a few feet away.

He had never seen a Grimm before. His father had taught him that they were the true enemy of people. The Grimm came in many shapes and sizes but something they all shared was their pitch-black fur, white masks, and glowing red eyes. These monsters were similar but far more frightening than anything his father had described.

Their white masks looked exactly like his father had told him but that was where the similarities ended. They looked human in every respect except for the animal appendages that he could make out. Tails, horns, non-human ears. Jaune could easily identify that each of the monsters in white masks were really the monsters with the animal parts.

His father told him that they weren't evil, that they were just like us but he knew better. He could never explain it but he always knew! But it didn't make any sense, the creatures in white were attacking everyone, even the other monsters that weren't wearing white.

"What a mess. This isn't what I thought it would be like when I signed up for this."

"What did you think you were signing up for? It wasn't like Adam sugar coated what we were going to be doing. Or did you think that destroying Aerilon meant something else?" The largest one spoke, his horse-like tail swishing violently in the rain.

"I got it, I got it. I'm still one hundred percent in, it's just I didn't think we would be killing our own. The humans sure, no objections from me, those bastards deserve it. But I really thought the faunus here would come to our side once it all started."

The larger beast just shrugged in response, not caring about the hellish scene around them. "They picked their side. These frontier villages are different than in the Kingdoms. Everyone bands together to defend their home, even a racist human will fight beside a faunus when its life or death. They think that brings them equality but it doesn't. Once the threat is gone the humans will put us back under their heel like they always do. Come on, enough chatter, we have a job to do. We still need to find that Arc boy, Adam will be pissed if we don't get them all. It was the whole point of attacking this shithole to begin with."

Jaune watched them leave, his hands shaking as he gripped the damaged wood. Why were they looking for him? What did that thing mean by get all of them? Was he talking about his family? A new kind of fear enveloped his heart as his head swam with endless possibilities. His eyes focused in on a lifeless body, it's head half buried in a pool of rain water and blood. The mop of brown hair shimmered and changed into blonde and his blood turned to ice.

He didn't know what was going on, he didn't know why the monsters that he lived with everyday started killing everyone, he didn't know what he was going to do but he had to do something! He ran through the burning streets of his home, eyes scared but focused. He ignored the motionless bodies that he ran by, his one and only goal was finding his family, if he found his father everything would be ok.

Another explosion went off in a nearby building but he ignored it, nothing else mattered as he ran through the streets. The ground was muddy with the continued rainfall, the mud mixing with red to make a disgusting rusting brown. He ignored that too as he ran, he had to find them!

The sound of steel clashing brought him to a standstill, his head swiveling to find the source. His heart soared when his eyes landed on the source of the sound. His father stood over one of the white beasts, Crocea Mors stuck within its chest before it was torn free. "Father!"

Jaune expected many things from his dad when he found him, relief, a smile, really anything that reflected how he felt. Instead however he saw anger in his father's eyes. He seemed to shout something at the people behind him before he broke ranks and dashed at him.

It was surreal, he couldn't exactly put his finger on the feeling that washed over him. He just knew that something was wrong, like something was coming after him. Slowly, he turned his head to the side, eyes widening when he finally saw it.

A monster was charging him. The mask on this one seemed more elaborate than the others, filled with markings that he didn't understand. This creature looked far more like the Grimm his father told him about, the black suit shimmering in the bright light brought upon by the flames all around them.

But it wasn't a Grimm. Grimm didn't look like people, nor did they carry weapons. The blood red blade in its hands whistled through the air, slicing through raindrops as the sword cut through the air, cutting right at his throat.

Steel met steel as Crocea Mors clashed against the monster's sword. Sparks flew in the night air as the blades grinded against one another, a battle of strength with no clear winner.

"You stupid boy! I told you to stay in the bunker! Why did you leave!?"

Jaune landed on his backside with a loud splash, his hands sinking into the soft mud as he tried to push himself up. "I'm sorry." His voiced quivered. "I was scared, I wanted to find you, to find mom and everyone else."

He heard his father growl but said nothing as he focused solely on the monster in front of him. With a roar, Arthur pushed his opponent away, the thing sliding against the ground and coming to a stop a few feet away. "Jaune listen to me, you need to get out of here. Run back to the bunker and wait for me to come and get you. Do you understand?"

He flinched as thunder rolled throughout the heavens, the heavy sound booming all around him. Somehow, he still managed to hear the voice of the monster with the red weapon. "Don't think that I'll let him escape. No one is leaving Aerilon alive. The fires that spread from this village will spark the flames of revolution. Humanity will finally get the justice that it so greatly deserves."

"And how is this justice!? You're slaughtering innocents! Since when did the White Fang turn to senseless violence?" Arthur barked at the wild animal.

"Senseless?" Red hair swished back and forth as it shook its head, not comprehending the words his father spoke. "This is anything but senseless. You humans have kept us under your boot since the beginning of time. Treating us as monsters, as nothing more than wild beasts. We tried your way!" The man, no, the monster yelled, his anger growing. "We tried to be peaceful! What did it get us? A lovely place at your feet like some whipped dog! No more! We will tear down the bastions of strength that you humans hold so dear. We will show all of Remnant that the White Fang will no longer allow humanity to do as they please. They will give us equality or they will fall by our hands!"

Like a mad bull, it charged his father, his movements nothing more than a blur in the night. His father vanished as well, reappearing only a few feet away, Crocea Mors once more engaged with the man's red katana. "And what about this? What has Aerilon ever done to deserve this? We were never even given a choice. Don't preach about equality! You're nothing more than a murderer looking to justify his bloodlust!"

Sparks flew as the two swords crashed into one another again. Again and again the steel clashed, neither man giving and inch. Despite the heavy downfall he could still hear their voices. "Aerilon is nothing more than an example for the rest of the world. Destroying a human settlement with no strength would be meaningless. Destroying a village that has been defended for generations by skilled huntsmen however would show the world that we are a legitimate threat. I will end the Arc line here and now. Your death will pave the way for our equality. You should feel honored."

"I will never let you hurt my family!" With a primal roar, Crocea Mors glowed with power and blasted the White Fang leader away. He didn't pursue him however, he instead turned, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Jaune! Run! Get out of here!"

His legs moved but they felt like lead, each movement painfully slow, only worsened by the torrential rainfall. His ears burned with every step, knowing full well that he wasn't fast enough for what was about to come. "Kill the Arc child before he escapes!"

He heard a series of clicks and then the deafening noise of rifles going off. He cried out into the night as tears streamed down his face. He didn't feel any pain but he felt his legs give out, his body crashing harshly into the pavement, mud coating his body as he slid. He looked down at himself, expecting a warm red liquid but found none. Turning his head, he found the answer.

A large blue barrier had formed out of Crocea Mors' shield, the dust bullets impacting and exploding against the barrier but none making through it. His father was protecting him, like he always did.

His smile turned to horror as the red-haired monster drew his blade, dashing around the barrier to his father's exposed side. "You're open Arc!"

This time he did see the red liquid fly into the air but it was not his own. His father bit back a yell as he brought his sword down on the bull faunus, forcing him to retreat, his katana dripping with more than just the rain water. "I said run you daft boy! Listen to your father and run!"

Jaune shut his eyes in frustration but did as he was told, finding his fight. His father was strong! His father was a guardian! He would beat these monsters and everything would go back to normal. He just had to make it back to the bunker.

He ignored everything as he ran. He saw it of course, the dead bodies that littered the streets, the burning building despite the rain. None of that mattered. Everything would be ok! Everything would be ok!

His momentum came to a sudden stop as he felt a rough hand latch onto his shirt. Whoever it was did not care if he was hurt with the way they threw him into the dirt. His head cracking loudly against the cobblestone, his vision blurring.

"Hey look, I found the Arc boy. Bet Adam will give me a promotion for this."

He felt the voice before he could see it, a strong hard wrapping around his throat that quickly lifted him off the ground. His sight finally returned to him and for a moment he wished that it hadn't, holding him in the air was another one of those monsters. He stared into what he could only guess was its eyes, he found nothing in those black slots which only made him panic more.

"Guess it's our lucky day, hurry up and kill him so we can get out of this hell hole. Adam is in the center of the village cleaning up the stragglers." The monster's partner said.

Panic gripped his heart as he started squirming in its' hands. He wouldn't die like this, he promised his dad he would wait for him in the bunker. He would listen to his father, he wouldn't disappoint him again!

He was desperate to escape, to get away. He had been grabbing at the man's arm, trying to free himself but the man's grip was too strong, the gap in their strength too insurmountable for him to overcome with brute strength alone. His futile attempts only furthered the terror running through him, fueling his frantic movements. He needed to run away! Energy flared within him, his Aura pumping to every corner of his being. He desperately grasped onto the power, his grip tightening against the beast's arm and pushed.

"Stop squirming you little brat, this will be over in a sec-Argh!"

Not being the first time he had been sent flying today, Jaune managed to roll as his body struck the ground. He quickly climbed to his feet and stared at his hands, watching as blood dripped from the digits. The blood wasn't his own however.

"You killed him! You fucking brat! I'll fucking kill you!"

The man that had been holding him wasn't moving, he laid motionless in the mud, a large pool of blood coming from the hole in his side where his arm was meant to be. His partner on the other hand was alive and well, his sword drawn as he marched through the storm.

He knew he couldn't do that again, whatever that even was. He would die here, to some monster that only wanted to hurt him for no other reason other than to hurt his family and his home. He wouldn't turn away though. His father wouldn't and neither would he.

His heart pounded in his ears as he watched the wicked curved blade rise. He heard the creature scream at him as he brought the blade down. It didn't reach him however, instead three prongs erupted from the monster's chest, a silent scream on its lips before his body hunched over, lifeless.

With an audible grunt, the White Fang solider was tossed aside, in his place stood another faunus with a trident in his hands. Unlike the White Fang, he wore a collection of colors that were covered in a thick layer of mud. The large man reached a hand towards him but did not touch him. "Are you alright little Jaune?"

With wide eyes Jaune looked from the outstretched hand and into the brown orbs of the man in front of him. He knew him, he had seen him almost every day. The fear that his presence brought was still there but less so than when the faunus in white came after him. "Thomas?"

"That's right little one, I've got you." The man reached the rest of the way and gripped his forearm, pulling the small ten-year-old to his feet. "This place isn't safe for you. Do you know a safe place to hide?"

He could only nod to the man's question, which was enough for him as the older man's eyes scoured the area. "That's good. Run there now and stay there until your father comes and finds you."

His throat clenched while his panicked eyes moved around the area. He saw where he needed to go, it didn't appear to be anyone over there. He was only a couple minutes away, he could make it, he knew he could. Instead he turned, eyes glued to the back of the thing that would cause him terror every day. And yet, he protected him. Why did he protect him? "What about you?"

The larger faunus turned towards him, eyes full of surprise. It didn't last as a warm smile came to his face. He bent on one knee to look him in the eyes, the way he always did. It was strange, normally when he would do that it would fill him with terror, now though, it almost felt comforting. "Don't worry about me little one. I'm going to go help your father push these evil people out of our village. Someone has to watch his back. I'll see you soon enough, now run and be safe."

Fear still filled him as he looked at the ox faunus. Though it wasn't a fear of the man himself, it was something else entirely. He shut his eyes tightly and he slammed into the sturdy man, his tiny arms trying to wrap around his neck, tears streaming down his face. "I'm s-sorry!" He tried to say between sobs.

He felt Thomas' arms wrap around him in kind, the faunus' voice soft and soothing. The words he had failed to convey being received by the man through his hug. "I know you are little one. Everything is alright, there is nothing to forgive. Now go, this will all be over soon."

Jaune pulled away, tears staining his face. His chest felt wet, and not from the rain, it felt warm, rain shouldn't have been warm. He touched his chest and his hand came off warm and wet as well, a thick layer of blood slipping through his fingers as the rain washed it away. His wide eyes looked up into the strained smile of the man in front of him. The blood was not his, the hole in the right side of Thomas' chest was enough to tell him this.

"It's nothing but a small nick, do not concern yourself with that. Now go!"

Words failed him as the large faunus rose from his spot and took off to where his father was fighting. More tears fell from his eyes and he too took off running. Thomas would be fine, his father would be fine, everything would be ok!

/-/

He didn't know how long he had stayed in his family's bunker, hours had gone by before exhaustion overcame him and he passed out. When he woke it was to a lonely room, with nothing but a few spar dust lamps to illuminate the area.

Still he waited, just like he promised he would. Last time he disobeyed his father he was mad at him. Jaune didn't want his father to be mad at him, no, he would do what he was told.

Sadly as each hour passed his patience waned, every second feeling like an hour. Had they forgotten him? No, his father wouldn't forget him, but maybe he was just too busy to come get him? That made sense, with everything that happened things must have been a mess. But why didn't his mother come and get him? Or any of his sisters? Maybe they were all busy with dealing with the mess from yesterday?

If that was the case he couldn't just sit here and let them do everything themselves. He could help! He ran to the door and quickly opened it with his Aura, the hatch hissing shut after he had made his way out.

The rain had yet to let up, the droplets gliding across his skin and soaking his still slightly dump clothes all the way through. He shivered but pushed on, a little rain wasn't going to stop him.

The morning air was strangely quiet as he moved closer to the village. An uneasy feeling settling in his stomach as he crossed the outskirts of his home. There was no one in the village. Well, that wasn't exactly true, there were people, they just weren't moving anymore. Bodies lined the streets, both people he knew and those monsters clothed in white.

Puddles of water, blood and mud littered the ground, the buildings were all damaged, either through the fighting, the explosions or a result of the fire that was left in the explosions wake.

He steeled himself as he moved through the wasteland of death. He had seen all of this yesterday, he knew he would likely see it again when he left the bunker. But why hadn't anyone started cleaning it up? Surely, they weren't going to just leave the bodies there.

A shiver went through his small body as he found his way deeper into Aerilon, but it wasn't the rain that caused it. The center of the pavilion had bodies scattered everywhere, both monsters and villagers alike. One body caught his attention above the others, a large frame of a man slumped against a wall of a local shop.

He stopped a few feet in front of the body, his eyes glued to the two familiar horns on the man's head. A large gash had been cut through his stomach, the rain having washed away the excess blood a long time ago but did little to wipe away the blood that soaked his shirt.

Dead eyes stared into his own before Jaune had to look away, sadly it did little to ease his tortured stomach that threatened to spill everything that it held. His eyes landed on a broken trident, shattered along the shaft, a useless shell of itself.

He pried his eyes away and continued moving, more haste in his steps as he scanned the dead bodies. He had to find his father, he needed to make sure he was okay!

His body came to a grinding halt as his eyes found a familiar golden crest sticking out of the mud. He ran towards it, his eyes wide and red. With a loud slosh his knees struck the mud, his hand grabbing hold of the shield and prying it from its watery resting place. The shield was intact but covered in mud and blood.

That wasn't what he focused on however, instead his blue eyes could only stare in shock at the lifeless arm that still clutched onto the shield. Slowly, painfully, his eyes moved farther up, finally resting on the familiar visage of his father. His breath caught in his throat and he had to look away as the contents of his stomach emptied themselves. He heaved once more as he looked at his father's face from the corner of his eyes, motionless, locked in a look of shock. His small hands shook as he touched the man's chest, his hand running across a jagged diagonal cut running from his shoulder to his hip.

His breaths came faster as the world around him faded away. His eyes stung but refused to release tears, his pool having dried up long ago. He couldn't tear his eyes from his dad's lifeless body, even as his head pounded and his heart threatened to explode.

A feeling he had never felt filled him as he continued to stare, his hands curling painfully onto his father's blood stained shirt and with a primal rage he screamed into the morning air.

Sadly, none could hear it as none were left.

Alright, and that is our intro for this story.

Sheesh, this was a lot heavier a chapter than even I imagined it would be and I knew where this was going from the beginning. I normally don't like insanely intense chapters to kick off stories but for what I'm going for it was pretty necessary.

Now let me just answer a question or two that I'm sure some will have. First and foremost, Adam's age in canon is currently unknown as far as I'm aware but most probably assume he's Blake's age or at least very similar. In this fic he's older, significantly so. At the time of the attack he's 17, so by the time canon rolls around he'll be 24. Take that in for all of what it's worth.

The second thing that I just want to clear up right away is that yes, Jaune does suffer from Faunaphobia. I tried to make it very clear that he suffers from it and it truly is an irrational fear of faunus instead of hate based racism. And yes, the overall concept of Faunaphobia came from a chapter in Coeur Al'Aran's and College Fools mash up The Writer Games. I will say that the only thing taken from that is just the idea of Faunaphobia, everything else, including the main direction of the story (which is not a focus on Faunaphobia, that is merely an element) is completely original. I did message Coeur about it though simply because I respect him deeply as an author and he didn't think that I really even needed to mention it as an irrational hatred isn't a completely original story concept in and of itself. Still, I like giving credit where credit is due.

That's really all I have to say so far for this chapter. As always, leave a review and let me know what you think, good, bad, and everything in between. I do read all reviews and take any and all legitimate criticism to heart. I know I'm not a perfect author and I can't get better without feedback!

Oh, one last thing, if you're looking for a very unique take on the Gamer styled story in the RWBY fandom I would highly recommend Multiplayer by NeoShadows. It's a bit cracky at times but overall, it's a great read with a really unique and compelling plot. In all honesty it's the only gamer fic I can read and enjoy. So if that's your thing give it a look!