AN: Alright! Now for another chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! Jaune has to deal with a new land, the cold comes for all and there are sounds in his head? We have a bit of a time skip for the chapter so that is a fact! The story is in the second part of its length so, please! Enjoy...

I never thought that Weiss could have been more intimidating then when she lectured me of the Grimm sloth but now?
"I don't know what to say! Both of you are beyond incompetent! If I had any say I would break your heads open with my staff and try to shove some common sense into you ah!" Weiss screamed as she almost fell the sea waves pushing her forward the boat we were on groaned and rocked with the waves as I sighed.

It was still a week since we had come back from our first dungeon. The battle while a success was taxing. I had barely come out of that fight with my life and I had the strangest noise in my ears. It was almost like the sound you would get if your crumpled parchment and began to break the little pieces of it in your hands.

It was faint but it was ever-present I had no idea what it was and no one not even Blake seemed to be able to hear it. Speaking of Blake… my girlfriend had not taken well to my near-death experience and a week later was still firmly sitting on my lap not letting me out of her sight. And for the grace of the light, my compass needle pointed Frimley at her. Not letting her out of its radius as I sighed.

Thank Oum for minor miracles.

"Jaune. Don't think for a second that you are out of the woods here. I am still upset at you." Blake glared down at me. Her piercing amber eyes forced me to look away from her as I gulped loudly. The ship's rocking and the sound of waves hitting our boat made me groan as I found out that there was something called seasickness. And I had a bad case of it, something Yang had learned the hard way when less than an hour in and I had vomited near! But not on her boots not that she charged for it…
"I know… I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it! If either of you tries this again I will hog-tie you to a pole and make you level up by stabbing captured Grimm!"
"That… that sounds very hard Weiss…" Ruby eeped out the Reaper quivering under Weiss's baleful glare as she growled. Ruby was also refusing to look into Weiss or Blake's eyes the small reaper than had according to her own words gone up over five levels since our foray into the dungeon.

Our return to Beacon was not taken well or it was taken as well as it could have been. Screaming yelling and our guild nearly ripping our heads off for being stupid. Well really Ruby got the brunt of their ire and I honestly could not blame them. She had more or less forced me to go with her on a near suicide dungeon raid and we had both barely gotten out with our lives. And now my stress was back to thirty out of one hundred. I saw the numbers holding steady over my head but with my charms and Runes, I had been able to negate any negative effects caused by them. I looked around the cabin that was shaking as the waves buffeted us the small boat the Stubborn had been chartered to take us to Atlas. Ozpin had paid for all travel expenses our yearly mission had come sooner than expected, something was happening in Atlas and we needed to get there now.

I just wish I could level up a bit more. I don't think that I can take on much more than my own level now. I sighed as I checked my inner level currently it was thirty-six. The dungeon raid had done wonders for me and I was now almost at twenty in all stats and was well over my nat thirty in some of them.

"You two are to stay apart for the rest of the trip! I don't want to deal with any schemes or chicanery with the two of you ok!?" Weiss shouted the Mage fuming as me and Ruby nodded.
"Yes, Weiss." We said as Weiss sighed shaking her head the Mage took a deep breath smoothing out her outfit as she smiled sharply at us flashing her perfect white teeth to the three of us.

"Excellent! Then Ruby come with me! We will go to my room to rest Jaune… Blake, I'm assuming you can handle him here?"
"I'll keep an eye on him. He won't be going anywhere with me here.' My lover who was now seemingly doubling as my jailor said as I sighed.

"Good. See that he does not leave this room save to eat and walk. I can't have you dying of atrophy." Weiss said dragging Ruby out of the room as she waved to me.

"Bye Jaune! Blake!"
"Come on!"
"Yes!" Ruby yelped as Weiss pulled her out leaving me and Blake alone and-
"So. You are going to promise me that this will never happen again."
"I promise you."
"Under threat of my anger."
"Which is worse than death."
"Much worse than death."
"I will not do anything like this again."
Krcht!Krecht! I winced as I heard it, the sound of crumpling parchment that was being crushed and balled up filled my ears. I winced in pain as I felt my head throb my stress went up by one. A solitary dagger fell on my shoulder piercing my skin as the number ticked over.

"You hear it again?" The Assassin asked frowning Blake's shimmering eyes looked over my head full of concern as I nodded.

"Yeah… I have not been able to stop hearing it." I admitted as Blake frowned she narrowed her eyes furling her ears as she strained to listen to the sound that only I can hear.
"I still can't hear it. Maybe it's something to do with you being in the Dungeon?"
"I asked Oobleck about it in Beacon. He said that there was nothing that he knew of that could cause this. And he was just as curious as you."
"And just as unable to help?"
"Just as," I said grinning as Blake sighed she leaned back giving me an unintentional look at her chest. Pushed up by her once again donned tight purple top. Blake had picked her standard Assassin garb a mix of purple robes and pants that made her seem able to blend into the environment around her.

Blake saw my stare I failed whatever perception test that I had been given as she smirked.

"See something you like?" Blake purred making my cheeks flush and turn a bright scarlet as I coughed roughly looking anywhere but her top as I frowned.
"N-no! I was just…"
"Staring at my breast?" Blake asked an infuriatingly smug grin on her face as I groaned.
"I… yes I was you are beautiful ok? Cut me some slack?"
"I would cut you more slack if you did not almost get killed. Jaune… I know that Ruby is your friend and I know you are closed to her… but you can not risk your life for her own dreams. You know this right?" Blake asked the smug leaving her face replaced with a hard stare that could have cut steel as I nodded gulping loudly.

"Yeah, I got it, babe. I won't do it again."
"Good. I'll hold you to that. If you do it again you will have more than just an angry Glynda to deal with ok?" Blake asked as I smiled, taking a huge risk to both my personal safety and my future as I reached out a hand for her head. Her twin quivering black cat ears flickered as my hand reached for her head.

"Jaune? What are you doing?" Blake asked curious but not defensive as I simply put my hand on her head and rubbed. The reaction was instantaneous Blake went ramrod straight. Her body went stiff as a board as I began to rub the top of her head. Blake's eyes went wide as saucers as I rubbed her cat ears.

So soft, like silk.
"Jaune?! What are you doing!?"
"Just petting your head," I said Blake did not make any immediate motion to get up or stab me in my neck so I assumed that she was ok with me petting her. Her eyes looked me up and down as her breath began to rise and fall in her chest as-

"But why!? What did I ever do to you!?"
"Umm… nothing?"
"Then why are you petting me?!"
"Because I want to? I think you are cute and I want to make you comfortable?" I asked as Blake's blush deepened she brought up her hands and for a second I was afraid she was going to put me into the ground. And when you still counted the massive discrepancy in our relative strength levels that was not a hard prospect for her to manage. As she flushed her soft ears that were much softer than I had thought possible as-

"C-can…. Can you stop?" Blake asked blushing as I froze gulping fearing I had pushed too far I relented and for a second I saw Blake frown as if she was sad I had stopped petting as-

"I have to use the washroom!" Blake bolted up before freezing she shivered as I saw her revulsion in her body.
"Still not used to a different washroom?"
"I will never be used to a public washroom." Blake shook as she walked out of the room, the room rocking again the wood creaking and groaning as-

"You can walk around the ship but if you are not in the sight of one of the guilds you are going to be in trouble you hear?"
"Yeah, I got it."
"Good. Now try to get some rest and don't throw up on anyone else ok?"
"That was an accident!"
"Tell Yang that," Blake said leaving the room as I sighed.
"I tried…" I numbered as the ship creaked and groaned as I felt my guts wrench. As the ship rocked and groaned the room that I had to share with Blake was spacy about as big as mine in the guild. Twenty paces long and fifteen across and tall enough for me to stand with a good foot before the ceiling. The floor groaned as the lone bed shifted under me.

The room had a lone dresser with one mirror to cheek yourself.
As I groaned I decided to leave the room as I sighed to myself checking myself for the light armor that I had been taken to wearing when I was not in combat.
"I'll take you," I said as I took Crocea Mors with me. I had chosen to never be undamaged as I made my way out of my room and unto the top of the ship.

/ / / / /

The air was horrible. The frigid Atlas air stabbed into my body as I shivered. The air was so cold I saw my breath as the ship rocked on the water. Large bodies of ice followed by a thick sea of mist that surrounded us on all sides, wrapping the ship in a low pale almost milky curtain making it impossible to see the water beyond a few feet. The boat dipped and groaned the waves were calm but there was still chop as the captain called it that made the ship ebb and flow.

"So cold, how the hell can anyone even live here?" I asked shivering the mist seemed to be alive like some kind of monster of the night. I felt the warmth sapped from my arms the thick fur padding that Ozpin had luckily given us all before we left kept most of the warmth on me but I swore the mist knew every in and out of my cloth because I felt it's icy tendrils stab into me like daggers.

"I should get under the deck."
"You cold too?" Ruby asked I turned to see the small Reaper wrapped in an oddly color-coded outfit. She had a massive fur top that covered everything from the top of her shoulder to past her knees. The thick red fur that came from some kind of best must have been warm because that combined with a pair of thick gloves and deep black boots made the small girl perfectly toasty or so I thought.

She's not shivering so that's good?
"Ruby? What happened to Weiss? Did you get away from her?"
"Yeah, she's getting into an argument with Yang over the dinner."
"Dinner? What's wrong with the dinner?"
"Yang wants something besides fish and Weiss is saying that she should be grateful she is even fed."
"Besides fish? We are in the ocean what else lives here?" I asked as the boat shook bumping into something on the side probably an iceberg that was what the chunks of frozen water were called right? I wondered if one of them could break open the boat, Weiss said it would be hard but…

"Well, Weiss said that we can eat sharks? Apparently there are other things like sea lions and manatees that we can eat but I have never seen one." Ruby shrugged as the boat thumped again. We definitely hit something as I swore I saw something in the mist.

What the hell is that? I asked as I saw what looked like from the distance long whips of air? Whips of air flickered down and around the mist like the massive tentacles of some deep-sea Grimm lashing out and flickering around as I shook my head it was just the mist.

Probably nothing. I thought as-

"RUBY ROSE! Get back here!"
"Oh! That's me… I think I have to go bye Jaune! I"ll tell Blake that you are up here in case she wants to go find you!" Ruby chirped speeding off in a blur of red as I sighed.

"Well, that just leaves me here. Alone. As usual." I thought as I looked out into the thick mist the mist appeared to have somehow gotten thicker? Overtime. I looked out peering into the sea of milk-white mist that was solidifying by the second.

"That's strange…" I thought as I wiped my hand over the mist, the mist parted but it felt like I was forcing my hand through wax. The mist was hard almost like a massive chunk of was as I narrowed my eyes.

"That is new… does it always do that?"
"Don't worry sonny. It's just the sea playing tricks on you. You get used to it." A large man with skin like oak said walking past me. He has Sailor above his head as I let out a deep sigh.
"Well if he says so," I said as I swore I was seeing more and more of them, theses odd tentacles? That was the word, right? Long thin ropey things flew into the air reaching out and clasping the mist. The mist seemed to change color going a light shade of red as I felt a bigger shiver run down my side like ice water had been put down my head.
"What the hell?" I asked again as the long tentacles reached out and hit the ship!?

The slim ghost-like tentacles reached out and touched the tip of the ship and latched on. The ship did not seem to notice. The thing was massive over half the size of the Beacon entry gate and twice as long. I gulped as I saw the thin lines touch out ship the Stubborn shoved them off uncaring as a hog to a gnat sting as it plowed on the massive sails began to tent and-

"Is that a hole?" I asked as a small hole? A small hole appeared in the top of one of the massive sails, even if the ship was powered by magic the sails helped the travel and-
"What the hell is tearing it?" I asked as more and more of the thin ghost-like tendrils latched on and-

There was a sound that I felt more than heard. There was the sound of boulders cracking of mountains breaking as one second I was standing on my feet looking up at the sheets being torn the next? I was thrown flung like a pebble on a like as something crashed into out boat sending the Stubborn flailing to the left.

I hit the deck like a rock.

Wham! I felt the wood explode on my face blood splattered the deck as I gasped, pain bright white and hot flashed in my vision as I groaned. I felt my legs spasms as lightning bolts of pain traveled down my body as I gasped.

"AH!" I screamed in pain as I slammed into a wall. I groaned in pain as I stood up on shaky legs. The boat rocked as a massive wave of water washed over me crashing down forcing me to the ground and soaking me to my bones. I shivered biting back pain as I felt icicles dig into my skin as I groaned.

Cold dead hands. I shook my sword was shaking my hand on the hilt as I groaned my passive kept the blade on my hands as I groaned.

"Come on! I don't have time for sea legs!" I shouted forcibly willing my legs up I had lost ten points on health putting me to 180/190 as I gulped loudly-

"Burn the masts!"
"Kill the crew!"
"Be quick lads! We only have half an hour bere metal twig gets here!" A loud feminine voice said as I gasped!

Fucking pirates!? Really!? I asked as the ship was boarded another ship had slammed into us a massive metal jaw like prow broke into out ship snapping a good amount of the Stubborn in half! The Stubborn thankfully just like its name had stubbornly refused to yield far and was plowing forward the mist only intensified as-

"Wait stop!" I shouted figures fell off the ship a pair of bright red eyes found me as-

"Oh? Looks like I got something special! Come at me little Partisan I wonder if I can level up?" A woman with the word Corsair on the top of her head shouted. She was tall with a full suit of-

Armor? I thought as the woman was decked out head to toe in thick black body armor. Her armor looked well forged by someone that knew what they were doing. She had a long red sword with a curved end in one hand and a tied up mass of inky black hair on her head. She pointed her blade at me as I took a deep breath.

"Ok. Here goes nothing." I hissed as I drew Crocea Mors the dark blade flashed as she smirked.

"So you do have a spine, don't you? Glad to see! Always a bit more fun when they put up a fight you know?" She asked as she bent her knees and sprung at me!

Just like you have been practicing. Hold. I thought as she slammed into me the sound of metal crashing into metal filled my ears my shield blocked the first hit as she pushed me back. I grunted as an ox pushed into me. She was hilariously stronger than me and only my shield and the placement of my feet kept me from sliding back.

I grunted as she smirked showing off rows of perfect teeth as she grinned savagely.

"You are strong! It will do you good to be this tough!" She said pushing her blade out the long hook catching my armor forcing a deep rent into it as I grunted. I felt my metal tear as-

"Shake." She said as her blade bit into my plate. The spell activated making my armor shake as it sundered! There was a mighty crack! As a melon-sized pit appeared in my chest my armor collapsed as she smirked. My plate vanished crumpling like dirt in the wind as I hissed.

"Back off!" I slammed my head into hers making a loud clap! Of flesh on flesh as I head-butted her nose. Our faces met there was a flash of pain between my face as the crack! Filled the air, blood flew from my nose as my health chipped down by a few points.

"AH!" She gasped blood flying from her face as she backed off.

This is my chance! I thought driving my blade right into her chest! She saw the blade coming. She twisted into me as the blade bit into her chest. The blade cut into her armor not scoring a critical hit but I felt the blade hit her softer flesh!

She hissed before twisting allowing me to turn the blade cutting more into her side before her hooked blade slashed down cutting into my cheek!
I screamed in pain as blood flew from my face! Her hook caught in my jaw tearing out a whole section of my cheek!

"AHHH!" I shrieked in pain my health dropped another twenty points as my cheek was torn off!
"Hah! You bleed nice! I wonder what else you can no nicely?" She asked pulling back licking the blade once as I gulped.

Fuck! Fuck me it hurts! I screamed internally balancing myself as my own screams filled my ears metal met metal shouts screams and other sounds filled out the cacophony of battle as I faced off with my Corsair opponent.

"Tell me Partisan. What's your plan to meet your gods? Do you think your passive will save your life? Or do you think my metal will end it?" She asked before darting back. I swung back into her attack my blade was wider than hers. That meant that I should if I clashed with her have the better chance!

The blades met in a hard clang! Of metal, sparks flew everywhere as I pushed into her only for her to force me back her blade sliding into my attack I swore the blade curved into the attack striking into my chest! I let out a scream of pain blood flew out from me as the attack took thirty more points off. I was passed one forty in healthy and I now had a -

"It's called bleeding. If you don't get it taken care of you are going to bleed to death. Not right now but a point of health per second? Oh, I think your life is about to run out Mister Partisan! I hope you give me some good XP!" She shouted slamming into me as-

There was another crash something massive crashed into the enemy ship. The Stubborn was knocked clean out of the jaws of the other ship and we both were flung out!"
"What the fuck!?" She shouted dropping her guard for a moment as-
"DIE!" I shouted as I drove my blade into her back! This time the blade was able to penetrate her back doing a critical amount of damage to her!

"AH! Fuck off!" She screamed the blade exited from the other side of her as-

"Surrender! You are all under arrest for the high crime of piracy!" A massive booming voice said a gust of frigid air that chilled my legs so hard they threatened to buckle came. A ship with a massive snowflake crashed into the enemy ship and a Mage?
Stood at the bow his hands clasping a staff that forced the mist away as more ships came as-
"Oh fuck me… Iron twat!" The woman gasped gaining the Mage's attention in a second he snapped his fingers.

A massive growth of ice appeared on her feet soo sealing her in a solid block of ice as-

"Boss!" A voice yelled as I yanked my blade out! I spun blocking an attacked before-

The sound of meat tearing filled my air I pushed my blade through something soft and wet. A gasp left a woman's mouth as another Corsair had my blade run her through killing her on the spot.

"Boss?" She asked her green eyes flickered before she fell back and I drew my blade from her guts making a horrifying wet squelching sound filled the air like wringing out a sponge thick with syrup.

"I…" I froze my limbs shook, a human was dead?
I… I killed a person? I thought as I felt a wave of nausea rise up in my guts. The woman fell as-

I gained three levels. I went past forty as I saw the dead woman fall memories filled my head as-

You will never level up quicker than when you kill your fellows. Remember that. Ooblekc's words sounded in my head as I saw more of the Atlas personal board the ship clearing the decks as I wanted to scream.

/ / / / /

"I am truly sorry for this." The man Ironwood said as I winced.

"I am sorry." A Cleric in smooth white robes said as she ran a wand over my face successfully healing me as-
"I wish I could stay to chat but I have more work to do. Think of this as my personal apology to you and welcome to Atlas." The Mage smiled, he was young. Younger than I thought no more than thirty with a small scruffy beard thick black hair that was short and well kept. A massive perfect white outfit of a shirt and pants and clean black boots. He held his staff a level three? In his hands, as he left the Cleric finished healing my face putting my health back to full as she sighed.
"You lost some health but the bleed was a nasty one. Try not to take anymore alright?" She asked as I nodded.
"I will."
"Good boy now get out there you are in Atlast territory now enjoy it."

/ / / / /

"You lived here?"
"Yes, Jaune. This was my home…" Weiss said as I saw Atlas proper it was… cold. Very cold. I felt like me just breathing the air was going to freeze my lungs solid. All around us was the bustle and moving of people industry had grown here. The dock was a buzz of people a mass of Npc's swung about as-

"Sparks! Move!"
"On it Crack!"
"Move you, idiots! The captain will be pissed if we are docked to long!"
"Yes Snap!"
"What are these names? Sailor talk?"
"No… most NPC's in Atlas do not have names assigned as birth but instead have only numbers. It is quite common for most to seek work in the dockyards that accept all kinds and make up new nicknames for themselves." Weiss said as I saw a massive gleaming literally gleaming city above us I step off the doc now onto the cold ground of Atlas proper. The city was… massive. I did not know that a city could even look at this…

"Shiny," I said as well that was the best way to describe the city, massive tall blue silver cylinders shot out of the ground glowing and glittering like dazzling snowflakes. The massive structures shot up far into the gloomy frost-covered skies, some of them going so far up that they pierced the clouds themselves and disappeared past my line of sight.

"Nothing like back home is it?" Weiss asked before taking a deep breath-
"Here goes nothing," Weiss said as she took a deep breath and jumped off the dock landing on the steps and gulping! Her hands clenched as she looked around checking her dress the sky and-
"Huh… I"m alive?"
"Did you expect to burst into bits or something?"
"I… I don't know… I didn't know what to expect it has been a long time since I have been here."
"And it will be a long time before you can come back." A cool calm voice said as I turned, a beautiful woman stood before me. She was taller than me or Weiss with hair like Weiss's a face oddly familiar?

She looks like Weiss but older? I thought as a taller Mage with a sword on her side and a cold look on her face. She was dressed in heavy thick fur coats that were the color of milk. She glared down at Weiss as-
"Hello… Winter… It's been some time…"
"Yes. Yes, it has sister." The woman growled as I coughed.

Sister? She's related to her? I don't think that this is going to be happy. I thought as I slowly reached for my shield-
"The last time I saw you, you were sentenced to never step foot on Atlas soil again."
"And I won't! Didn't'!"

"Says the Mage with her feet planted firmly on Atlas territory." Winter spat as Weiss shook like a leaf in the breeze not able to look Winter in her eyes as she gulped.
"I.. I have a special permit to be here right now-"
"I know of your permit sister. And I also know that you know the consequences of failure. You are on a probationary visa to Atlas."

"Visa?" I asked as Weiss coughed elbowing me in the side making me wince.

"Think a travel pass. It allows me to be here without issue."
"Oh… I see."
"Not without issue Weiss. I should advise you to not tell your partisan false words of the land. You are here on very circumstantial factors. I am here to relay the conditions of your travel. You are to keep your person to restricted areas at all times during the day. You will be resigned to the main Atlas garrison and you are forbidden to leave unless going on your assignment or with a military escort. You are not to harm any NPC while in Atlas nor are you interact with any outside the garrison. If you fail to meet any of these conditions are found to be conspiring against Atlas in any way you will be hung on the spot. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Sis- yes Winter," Weiss said bowing as Winter took a deep breath.

"Well ok then. If you know that then welcome to Atlas I hope you will find your stay beneficial." Winter said before sighing as her icy demeanor melted as a warm smile split her face.
"Welcome home Weiss.' WInter said walking forward wrapping her young sibling in a tight hug making Weiss shiver, she shook again as her hands stuck out like twigs both pointing dead ahead as she looked unsure of whether to hug her sibling and-

Weiss took her own deep breath before wrapping her arms around Winter's waist as she hugged back.
"It is good to see you too Winter," Weiss said as her sister rubbed the top of her head.
"The feeling is mutual is good to have you back." Winter smiled down as-

"Oh? And who is he?" Winter asked her eyes locking onto mine as-
"Ah! He is my NPC! He is my charge…" Weiss said as Winter's eyes narrowed on the two of us as she froze on the spot.

"I see… Jaune? Is it? I do not know you personally but I hope that you treat my sister well. She will be in your care…"

/ / / / /

"Once again. I would like to extend my fullest apologies for all that has transpired. I do hope that this has not given you a negative opinion of our nation." Ironwood said as I nodded. I felt Blake pulled into my arm she had been injured in the fighting. Another Assassin had found her and had almost put her down. But she won when Ruby accidentally crashed into her assailant allowing her to slice his throat and allowed her the reprieve to win.

She did take a nasty gash to her side but besides that, she was thankfully alive and well. She stared ahead at the tall Mage as he coughed the guild was assembled thankfully we had taken no casualties and-

I killed a man. The thoughts of the dying man filled my head, that was my first human kill and…

It did not feel bad? I didn't feel anything… after the first shock?
"It's fine sir?"
"Please call me James Jaune. We have brought you here to be our guests and to help us with a personal problem. The least I can do is let you call me by my name." The man said as he took a long drink from a flask sighing before his eyes glared down at us. His eyes a dark storm cloud color bore into all of us as the swirling clouds of grey that loomed in the back of the top floor of the Atlas garrison tower rumble as thunder began to sound low distant booms rocked the glass as he sighed.

"I will be blunt. I have called you all in early because things are not what they seem." The man said as I saw Blake's faunus ears go flat on her head. She glared at the man as her ears went flat on her head.

"And what does this mean? Sir?" Weiss asked as James shook his head again.
"Weiss I was friends with your mother. You do not need to address me so formally none of you do. Please. James." The man said as Weiss gulped the Mage had been off-kilter since she set foot in Atlas and had not been taking it well.
She must not be doing well back in her own home. I wonder if she had any friends? I thought as she righted herself smoothing out her dress as she coughed into her fist.

"Well, then James… what is the situation?"
"Like I was going to tell Jaune, the situation has changed somewhat."
"Somewhat? What does somewhat mean?" Blake asked her eyes narrowed to slits as the man smiled. He did not seem to be the slightest bit bothered by an Assassin so close to him but that might just be to a level gap.

He is probably so much stronger than her than he is not threatened.

"Simple or well not simple. The situation has gotten advanced. What started as basic bandit raids have turned into something much worse. Over the past few months, outlying bandit raid on NPC settlements began to increase in frequency. At first, it was just the usual stealing of gold funds livestock some prisoners to be ransomed or worse but that was the end of it."
"In short nothing out of the ordinary," Winter said standing behind James silent as ever as he nodded.

"Yes. That is correct. But… in the last few weeks the raids have taken on a more brutal aspect. The settlements are being attacked and culled. They are killing the settlers for no reason."
"What? There has to be some kind of reason." Pyrrha said as the man sighed a tired look on his face as he did.
"No… not this time what started off as minimal casualties and extreme theft had turned to the outright slaughter of NPC's and the minimal theft. Gold is left in pockets livestock left alone and besides the killing of the townsfolk there appears to be no greater motivation to the raids."
"So they are just murders then?" Nora asked the Barbain's eyes narrowed to slits as she tensed her grip on her weapon as James nodded.

"Well, that was our first guess."
"Do you have another reason for the random killings?" Blake asked as Winter stepped up the mage smiled before she turned to James as he nodded to her.

"Go ahead."
"Thank you, sir. Yes, we do have another reason Blake was it?"
"Yes. That's it."
"Very well. We have recently learned that instead of being killed a good amount of the people are being captured by the bandits."
"What for? More ransoms?" Yang asked her hands crossed over her chest lilac eyes evenly set as Winter shook her head.

"No. If that where the case things would be much simpler but… they are simply disappearing. We do not know what the purpose of their disappearance is but we do know that it seems like they are being taken for a purpose. For what that purpose may be I do not know."
"So you brought us here to settle this?" Ren asked a confused look on his face as James sighed.

"Yes. I'm sorry we had to call you here this early."
"Why us? Why did you need help from Vale? No offense James this seems like a problem for Atlas alone. Not for Beacon students." Blake said as blunt as possible as the man smiled.

"Well, that is what we thought as well but…"
"The situation is delicate Blake. We are experiencing increased piracy raids on our shipping lanes and most of our forces are diverted there."
"But what of your students? Don't you have an academy here?"
"We do but… the academy here is more… liberal in student duties. We only have our mages pick quests that they think are worthy and-"
"No one thinks the NPCs are worth their time do they?" Blake asked as Winter let out a deep sigh.

"That is one way to put it… and you would not be wrong."
"But why? They are Heroes right! Shouldn't they just want to help them?" Ruby asked her eyes darting between Winter and James as they both sighed deeply.

"It may be hard to believe but here in Atlas, there is an air of. Superiority most Mages have when compared to other classes and an air of dismissiveness when compared to the NPC's of our kingdom... "
"Not that hard to believe. Your entire government is built around Mage superiority. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest. You make people to think they are better than others, what do you expect from them?" Blake asked shrugging her hands pulling me into her chest as I gulped.

So soft. I thought as my compass poked stubbornly at her.

Pointe toward Blake for once and-

Krcht! Krcht! The sounds of crumpling parchment filled my head once more as I groaned. I gripped the top of my head as I swore I heard something… it sounded… it sounded like breaking rocks and the sound of the wind flowing in my head I didn't know what the sound was but the feeling made a sliver of black knives from above my head and fall down into my skull.

I shivered as I felt my stress tick up. After the fight on the boat, I was at 48 out of a hundred and the sight of my knives falling made everyone tense just a bit.
"I assure you! That I personally would have seen to this matter myself if I could spare the time."
"Spare the time? What else are you doing?" I was surprised to find the voice speaking my own and I was shocked to see that I had spoken out of turn like that.
"I'm sorry! I-"
"No. No, you are right. I am sorry that I can not do anything myself at the moment but there are more pressing matters that call to my attention."
"More so than the vanishing of your citizens?" Ruby asked her arms folded the Reaper showing concern must be putting James and Winter off foot as they both looked at the other.

"Yes… there are more than just the villagers to look out for Ruby. I don't expect you to be able to know everything but we need to see the bigger picture here. I need to look out for my entire kingdom, not just the outlines."
"The head mage is correct. He is stressed as he is right now, his attention is pulled out to every way he can not afford to attend to everyone. There are fires all over and he has to prioritize the inferno over the shrub embers."
"Even the smallest spark can become the largest inferno that leads to a cataclysm if you let it," Blake said nodding sagely as the head of Atlas sighed.

"You are more than correct in that statement. If a society can not address the issues of all it's citizens then it has no right to be called a society. I will fix this issue or I will see it end me." James said as I coughed, I felt my sideburn a bit. Some residue from the battle fatigue and the damned sound!

I don't know what the hell that is but it won't stop! I thought the sound seemed to be growing louder and louder, three more knives fell into my skull pushing me to 51 and-

Elron. I heard something, something not words played in my head as I blinked.

"Who said this?" I asked as James paused cocking his head as he looked around.
"Said what Jaune?"
"I… did you just say something that sounded like… Eron?"
"No… I did not." The mage said looking around as Winter shrugged as Blake pulled me closer.
"Hey. Calm down. You got this ok?" Blake said smiling up to me as I gulped I heard something and the sake cackling? Sound like the crumpling of paper had grown louder, it was known a steady buzz in my head slightly drowning out all other sounds as James coughed.

"As I was saying. We could not spare or well… find the help for this so as an act of allegiance between Vale and Atlas I am bringing you all in to deal with that. You will find the bandits. Kill them all. Bring back any surviving NPCs that you find and besides a hefty payment from me and my kingdom you will have the eternal gratitude of our nation." The man said as Weiss coughed strutting up as she smiled her best professional look.

"We humbly accept. We will do our best to keep the captives alive and bring those that have wronged them to justice."
"That is all I can ask. Thank you very much. And we all want you to know that you are our guests here. You are welcome to all parts of the Garrison as long as you do not cause an issue with the day to day running, please. Welcome to Atlas make yourself at home."

/ / / / /

"What the hell is wrong with him? I don't have the time to spare? I mean I don't want to die as much as anyone but hell! Come on man we are Heroes! It's what we do! We have to save lives or like what's the point of even having power?" Yang asked as she paced back and forth, she was frowning as I saw the Brawler show a strange amount of concern for others not in the guild.

Yang paced up and down a small common room that James had provided us. I sat on a very comfy red couch that I sank down into the fabric of. I sighed as Blake also looked like she was not a fan of the way Atlas ran things.

"How do they not care about others? If that was Vale we would make some Heroes go out to save them! We would not let this happen! We would have Heroes or military! Or something!"

"Well if they Heroes do not wish to get out and risk their heads then what the hell is the Military going to get into? They spent their lives fighting why would they risk it so that they can keep?" Ren asked as the Monk sighed he knew that there was almost nothing keeping the Military out of the matter but a direct order from one of their rulers.

"So what do we do? I mean we just kill some bandits and go home right? That's easy."

Solm. I winced in pain the sound? Came back as I let out a whimper. I felt Blake's hand grip my own as her fingers interlaced mine she frowned as her sparkling amber eyes glistened.

"Are you ok? You don't look well… is it the sound?" Blake whispered as-

"Sound? What sound? Do you hear a sound, Ren?"
"No Nora I do not," Ren said wincing knowing that Blake meant for that to be private but Nora and privacy when a long together just as well as Ruby and slow. Nora looked around squinting as if she was attempting to see the sound in front of her.

Nora squinted as Weiss paused her eyes narrowing blue eyes narrowed as I felt my charm burn in my pocket. Weiss was attempting to use some kind of spell on me as-
"Sound? Blake. Is there something that I should know?" Weiss asked her eyes locked onto mine as-

"No. Not really." Blake said neutrally as Weiss bought none of it.
"So there is something that I should know?"

"No. It's just, Jaune has been hearing a sound for some days and it's not that big of a deal."
"What? A sound? Like what?" Weiss asked some concern in her eyes as she looked like she did not know if she should be angry or not yet.

"It's just… I'm hearing a sound ok? It's nothing."
"It might not be nothing Jaune. You took some severe injuries in the dungeon. A persistent sound in your head could be a result of long term brain injury. If you do not look into it, this could be serious." Weiss said frowning as she shook her head, her long silver hair swaying as she groaned.

"Weiss is right Jaune. You need to look into things like this before they get worse. If you let them develop things might get worse than they are." Ren said smiling helpfully. He was doing his best to make things easy for all of us but-

"I'm fine really! It's just something that I'm dealing with."

"How long has this been going on for? How long have you been experiencing this?"
Weiss asked walking forward her eyes locked onto mine as she put a hand on my forehead.
I saw Blake's eyes flash with a sign of territorial irritation before my compass finally coming in handy and not getting me killed pointed right toward Blake making her calm down a bit.

At least she put away her fangs. I thought as Blake's fangs retracted sliding back into her face with a small pop!

"Well… it's been happening since I came out of the dungeon with Ruby. After we escaped I got taken care of and-"
"So it has been happening after the dungeon raid? But not before? You did not hear anything like this before?" Ren asked as a crack filled the air.

The massive ornate fireplace that was the size of a door frame cracked and popped as the large fire keeping us warm as the Atlas weather blazed. I never knew that a snowstorm could have lighting with it but that was what was happening as-

"I… yes after the dungeon after I went to the healers they sent me away with my clean bill of health. After that? They told me that I was fine and I left."
"So they told you were clear and you heard the sound after you were let out of the healing tents?" Weiss asked her brow furrowed. She was obviously hoping it was something that the healers could find but if Beacon could not find it out then I doubted that anyone else could.

Weiss came to the same conclusion as she gulped.
"Well… if the healers of Beacon can not do anything maybe we should let the ones in Atlas try?"

KRCHT. The crumpling grew louder as I winced in pain three more knives sunk into me even as the fireplace had been helping me my stress went up to 54. I winced again taking a deep breath.

"Jaune?" Blake asked rubbing my head it was not fun to have everyone know how stressed out you where. I smiled harshly as I grunted once, I felt hot sweat on my head as I felt my hands become calmly.

"I'm fine. I think I should just sleep." I said putting my concerns to the side. I grunted as I felt a wave of nausea hit my head. I groaned as I felt the sound grows louder inside of me.

Krcht! Krcht! I whimpered as Blake stood up as I did.

"Take your time you don't have to push yourself."
"I'm fine! I'm fine I'm just a bit tired ok?" I asked half smiling as I felt my vision swirl, I felt something in me change as I shook my head my palms continued to get sweaty as-
"You have a fever," Weiss said her hand back on my head.
"You need to rest. Blake and me will take you to bed. Please follow us."

/ / / / /

"Don't get up."
"I won't."
"If you need anything call me. I'm right next door and I'll hear you." Blake stated her eyes boring into me as-

"If you have any other concerns just call me or One seventy-nine," Weiss said motioning to the…

Maid? I thought as a Maid in a blue dress nodded to me. She had long black hair tanned skin and eyes like grass.

"I am here to assist you, brave Hero. Anything that you need please just tell me. Do not hesitate to ask." She said bowing as-
"You have us here to help you Jaune. You don't have to worry about anything." Weiss said as I nodded I leaned back in my bed as I winced. I knew that we had a long time coming, I had no idea what we would face in the morning.

We were if what James said was to be true be sent out as soon as the sun crested the mountains.

"You will need rest Jaune. The day will be rough and we will be traveling a lot. Take your time." Blake said as they walked out of the room leaving me with One seventy-nine. The Main NPC of Atlas staid stiff as a board as soon as they left leaving me alone in a small room or small for Atlas. The room was three times as big as the one I had in the guild and was so much better furnished.

The floor was a rich red carpet the walls painted crimson. The windows massive and sealed. Keeping the harsh gale of the shrieking wind and the booming thunder out of the area.
"The windows are sealed with magic. They will not break nor will they let the booming of thunder disturb your sleep. Please go to bed brave Hero. You will need your strength."

"I… what is your name One seventy-nine?"
"You just said it." The NPC said not making a hint of emotion appear on her tanned skin as I sighed.
"No, I mean what is your real name. Didn't your parents give you one when you were born?"
"What? Why would they get to name me? I was given the name of my birth record."
"What?" I asked, not sure what the hell she was talking about as she cocked her head.

"When I was born I was the one hundredth and seventy-ninth birth of the NPC quarter. I was then given the name one seventy-nine to match that."
"So… that's just the number of your birth?"
"Yes. It was given to me as were the names of my parents."
"And they were?"
"Two seventy-five. And Three forty-two."

"Why not put them together and make you six seventeen?"

Is that right? I think I made the math right. Dammit, what is my intelligence?
"I do not understand how that would make sense. Six Seventeen is currently doing laundry for the group. If I was called her that would make things difficult."
"That… that is not what I was trying to say."
"Then what were you trying to say, brave Hero?" She asked genuine curiosity in her eyes as I sighed.
"Nothing. Nothing at all.'
"So I see. Very well then." She said going back to staring out of the window as the twin candles that lit my bedside flickered.

The was sloughing off of the candles as I found myself drawn to it as I swore it looked liked flesh?

The wax, it flows like flesh… Like molten globs of flesh-

"Ok. That's enough of that."
"Enough of what brave Hero?"
"Jaune… just call me Jaune ok?"
"As you wish brave Hero Jaune."
"No! Just Jaune ok? You don't have to call me a brave Hero. I'm like you, you know?"
"What? No, you are not. You are a Partisan. You assist Heroes in the battle against Grimm and rogue Hero. Your purpose is far greater than mine could ever be."

"That… that is not what I was trying to say."

Can she even think alone? She sounds so… not real, like plastic…

"Ok. What are you trying to say?"
"I… I started off like you just an NPC."
"But then you changed. You evolved and now look at you. You fight monsters. I herd you cleared a dungeon with just you and the Reaper? Not even some Mages can do that! Don't tell anyone that I said that, please? I could get in trouble."

She asked showing what might be the first trace of her being an individual as I smiled.

"Thanks… I won't…"
"Thank you brave-Jaune. Thank you." She said going back to standing silently as she looked back out to the storm raging silently in the distance. Winds whipped the glass as massive bolts of lighting landed down as snow slammed into the frame making no sound not even a drop as the window stood strong against the wind and-

"Excuse me… One seventy-nine… how long are you going to stand there?" I asked as One seventy-nine looked at me as she paused.

"Until the norming comes. I am told to stay here and guard you while you sleep."
"You are going to guard me?"
"You are said to be sick? Or something wrong with your hearing. I will stand guard and make sure you do not attempt to weather any malady that will befall you."
"I… can you leave? I mean what if I want some privacy…"
"Do you wish to pleasure yourself? I can go to the waste closest if you wish-"
"No!" I shouted blushing as she coked her head.

"Then what is the problem?"
"I just! I just want to be alone for a bit ok? I think I need to think and I just have to be alone ok?"
"I… I don't know… Miss Weiss asked me to watch over you and she told me you would ask me to leave."
"I! Look I just have to rest a bit. I'm a Brave Hero remember? I can take care of myself." I said as she sighed shaking her head.

"If you say so. I'll be right next door do not hesitate to call me Jaune. I bid you a night." She bowed leaving the room as I gasped. I did not just want her to be gone for some privacy but-

"Why are you that loud?!" I hissed as the sound of crumpling parchment filled my head it had grown so loud that it was blocking out every other sound in the room!
The sound of the slowly flicking candles was drowned out as I heard it. The sound grew and grew, I felt my hands start to shake.

"I… Weiss… Blake!" I hissed the sound caught in my throat as the candles flickered as if they were in the storm, the crumpling reached a fever pitch! I heard nothing but the sound of ripping and tearing parchment, my heartbeat thumped! I felt my chest heave and push as I let my mouth open to let out a scream of shock as-

I saw the knives come out I have no idea how but they slammed down into me as I felt my stress break sixty shooting up well beyond either as-
I heard it, the crumpling shearing sound reached a fever pitch! My eyes rolled up into the back of my head as the compelling went quiet all was quiet nothing, not the storm, or the beating of my heart, not even the candles made as sound but for a voice spoke to me. It was feminine and soft clearly that belonging to a woman and it spoke but one word to me.

"Hello."

AN: And that's it! Voices in Jaune's head speak, someone is talking to him and he is about to learn what it means to not talk to things that speak in your head when you are alone! A bit of a time skip but the next is exploring Atlas some action and lore! And also who the hell is in his head? After this, there is a double update! Branwen and Love Struck come to an end this week with their own endings and follow up stories soon after! Untill then! Stats!

Stats.

Name Jaune Arc

Level 45

Stress 80/100

Health 230/230

Strength 88 +8 Rune

Charisma 15 +2

Intelligence 13 +1

Perception 24 +2

Constitution 51 +5

Dexterity 20

Intelligence 11

Wisdom 9

Lien13,896

MP NA

Skills.

Stroke the fire. Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.

Armorsmithing level four. You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.

Rune smithing. You can now create moderate Runes of any type.

Blunt force. Your attacks with strength-based weapons will now scale up to .75

Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.

Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom-tailored to your own design.

Reactive Plating level 1. Ability to create a type of special armor that is not only much stronger than normal will block the first attack that would harm the wearer, no matter how powerful the attack is. This armor cannot be repaired or maintained, any damage done to it is permanent and can not be altered.

New Skill unlocked. Class Runes Smithing.

Rune's unlocked 1/5
Due to your familiarity with certain classes, you may now create Rune's specifically made for that class.

Minor Rune of Reaping. When the Rune of Reaping is applied all enemies afflicted with it must pay the crimson tithe before they can begin to heal. A Rune for the weapon of a Reaper. When this blade deals damage any cut made by this weapon that draws even a drop of blood, will force the victim human or not to exsanguinate a total of .9 percent of their total, not current blood volume. If the target attempts to heal the wound before that amount of blood has been lost the effects of the healing no matter how strong will be reversed damaging them and the wound will continue to worsen. This effect stacks and any other cut that draws blood will force the targeted to exsanguinate the given amount before it can be healed.

Common spells.

Passive Guts. Ignores all but debilitating attacks to your person.

Passive Hardy. Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.

Passive Cold dead hands. Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.

Passive Thick skulled. Due to your lack of Intelligence and high Strength, any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take slightly reduced damage from magic attacks.

Curses.

Know no fear. You will know no fear, you will never run from a fight out of fear and will not let your decisions be ruled by fear as long as you are of sound mental health.

Items.

Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does not stop said abilities but will lessen effects.

Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you need to go.

Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution

Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.

Unknown script. A strange script on the hilt of your weapon what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...

Cursed plate. No step back. If applied you will not run from the first enemy you see, your first motion is always towards danger no matter how severe said danger.