Took me a while, I know. Was in a slump, but I did it. I just hope I can get to the fun parts. I love writing force lightning stuff you know? Got some cool things planned for him. Also was busy researching the Crown and the RWBY novels the best I can. I had to skim... most of it and rely on the wiki. Turns out I didn't need much imagination for the novel characters.

Could use a hand with the more delicate RWBY side now that I think about it.


Jaune was staring at the worktable, the various tools, wrenches, screwdrivers, welders, the anvil and hammer, the forge, the ingots, everything was there for the making of a complex weapon like Qrow's gun scythe.

He looked at the parts, the very blueprints where one could draw upon as well as the textbooks lined atop the shelf.

"This is where you will make your own weapon one day, kid." Qrow introduced Jaune to the weapon forge of Signal Academy.

Jaune wasn't sure what to think as he reached out and telekinetically pulled a hammer to his hand.

He inspected it as he envisioned himself hammering the metal into a proper shape after heating it in the fire.

"Honestly… I'm not sure about this. I am more with laser swords like I said." Jaune pondered as he recalled his first time constructing his lightsaber.

He wondered…

He did not simply imbue the force into the kyber crystal itself like most Jedi and Sith do, he applied the force to the entire weapon, the mechanical parts, the circuits, the hilt, everything. He wanted to be connected with his weapon more than just through the crystal itself, he wanted to be completely one with it, make it a true extension of himself through even the Force.

"Well, I'm sorry that we're still too primitive to suit your tastes, spaceman." Qrow scoffed.

Qrow had to use his authority a little to show a tyke like Jaune around. He wasn't sure what Jaune would do with the weapons, but he was curious. He wanted to see what kind of Huntsman someone like Jaune, like Galen, could become.

"Heh. But… I think I have an idea on something." Jaune wondered…

He could augment his entire lightsaber through the Force. He wondered if he could apply it to metal as well.

"Although I am going to need some materials. I heard that Dust can be used to enchant materials, right?"

"That is an old method. But yes, you can do that. Why?" Qrow asked.

Jaune smiled.

"Oh, you got some clever ideas you want to try out don't you? Well, too bad. I don't have an excuse to let a young kid like you use the weapon shop."

"But at least you can let me use a blacksmith forge?" Jaune requested.

Qrow curled a brow, confused.

"...You know, I now wish that Summer was still around. She would've begged you to take her as your apprentice, as weird as it may seem." Qrow chuckled.

"What is she like?"

"Like Ruby. Kind, likes cookies, charismatic in her own cheerful way. Also, she cannot do what you can do with the force. She can barely push away a Beowulf, or stun an Ursa." Qrow added. "But she kicks butt like no tomorrow with that scythe of hers. Cleaves Grimm like they're paper mache."

"How'd she get a kyber crystal?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, that's an interesting question. Taiyang actually got it for her, and said he found it somewhere around the shores of Menagerie in a hidden cave during a trip there."

Jaune's ears perked as he turned to Qrow.

"...You want to go there one day, don't you?"

"What do you think laser swords are made of?" Jaune teased the old drunk as the man slowly pieced the story together as he widened his eyes.

"Oh, you sneaky little devil."

Qrow would love to see a futuristic laser sword in action.

"And the laser sword can cut through almost anything." Jaune added with an impish smirk.

"...And what can't it cut?" Qrow asked.

"Well… from my experience, other laser swords. A material called Cortosis that shorts out lightsabers, though I don't think the raw materials are here. And… the bone weapons I encountered on a planet called Felucia. Apparently, you cannot cut weapons strong in the… force… ah." Jaune had an inspiration now for what kind of weapon he wanted using the Felucian bone swords as his blueprint.

He could sense that the bones were heavily rich in the force, giving them the strength to withstand even lightsabers.

He wondered if he could apply the same concept into his weapons. He might have to experiment a little, see what he could do with the resources available.

"I think I have an idea."

"On what? You still didn't finish answering my question."

"Lightsabers are so powerful they can even cut through the hull of starships with ease. Even your scythe sword is nothing but hot butter to a lightsaber."

Qrow let out a scandalous gasp.

"How dare you say that. I'll have you know Harbinger can slash through whatever you spacers can make!"

Jaune's smirk only widened in response.

Qrow scrunched his brows deeper at the boy.

"Really? Because I bet that any sword that I make can cut that gaudy thing in half."

"I bet otherwise."

"Care for another wager?" Jaune dared the alcoholic.

At this rate, this might be a private hobby of theirs, a private game of random bets to one-up the other.

"Pick your poison." Qrow and Jaune circled each other like a viper and a mongoose standing off.

"You'll admit defeat and quit drinking forever. And you'll let me make a sword for you as your shame."

"Make it three months and I get to pick the design. And if I win?"

"I'll grovel and call you master till the day I enter an academy."

"Deal."

Qrow might be able to pull some strings to let the kid use the tools here. He was interested to see what the spacer could cook up with the tools here.

"Need help with the tools?" Qrow asked.

"Perhaps."

"Don't come crying to your mama when it becomes a dud." Qrow warned.

"Don't come crying to Ruby and Yang when my sword destroys yours."

Qrow walked up to the worktable and took a hammer and an ingot. He handed it over to the boy.

"Show me what you got kid."

Jaune envisioned the primitive bone swords of Felucia in his mind. He wondered if he could refine the design with the tools here.

One way to find out.


Six years later - Jaune: Fourteen Years Old.

A giant Grimm, a massive ape in white bone armor roared before the blade sundered it in two, cleaving it from head to toe.

A black blade shimmered in the night, golden yellow painting the edges of the double-edged blade.

The handle was simple, round, polymer, a good grip as the wielder turned to face the incoming horde of Beowulves, Ursae, and Creeps.

"Galen! I'll be right with you!" Qrow shouted from the sky, riding a Nevermore, steering the creature by the scythe blade of Harbinger stabbed into its giant black bird mask head.

Harbinger was a bit different than before. It bore Jaune's signature on the side of the blade, a constant reminder of Jaune's victory over Qrow when he made a sword capable of cutting almost anything.

Jaune doffed his hood, showing his white mask with a T-visor. He wore the mask to avoid attention as he traveled around the world with Qrow to gain experience in dealing with the dangers of Remnant, mostly Grimm.

He was in a village at Vale's outskirts dealing with a Grimm infestation as he ran towards the horde running between the suburban village house and atop the cyclopean stone floor, twirling his Force-forged sword into a reverse grip.

The sword he made was Stella Mors, in honor of his past self, the sword forged with the power of the Force and fueled by the purest of Dust crystals.

Forging weapons with the Force was a long, forgotten art, abandoned since the age of lightsabers arrived, yet Jaune rediscovered it himself using the primitive weapons of the natives of Felucia as a basis.

No matter how old and strong the bone armor of the Grimm, Jaune cut through the horde with precise, long sweeps, using a custom version of Shien mixed with Nimaan and Ataru.

His sword was not cylindrical, meaning he must adapt Remnant's sword styles and fuse them with the lightsaber forms.

Stella Mors crackled, the purest lightning dust interweaved with the lattices of the blade's molecular structure igniting to life by Force Lightning as Jaune swung wide, the elongated blade of lightning separating the torsos and and heads of many Grimm as he continued onwards, mowing down all of the dark side apparitions like a tornado of blades eviscerating them in the tens, reaching his first hundred swiftly.

Behind the horde was a massive Deathstalker, a giant black scorpion plated in calcium white, a golden stinger at the end of its tail, running with all eight of its insectoid legs towards him.

Jaune leapt over its swinging pincer, corkscrew spinning in the air and severed the golden stinger with ease as it fell atop of the Deathstalker, piercing through its hide as Jaune landed behind it.

As it screeched, Jaune spun around and swung low, cutting off its legs with the force lightning blade technique and immobilizing it, as he faced the remaining hordes of dark werewolves and bears. There was a giant snake, a King Taijitu, amongst them, a giant white snake intertwined with a giant black snake, their tails fused together into one entity.

Jaune scoffed as he inhaled, pointing his hands towards them.

But before he could unleash his Force Lightning, a giant Nevermore crashed headfirst into the horde.

"...Really?" Jaune sighed as he dropped his hands to his side as Qrow landed beside him.

"Can't let you have all the fun! Let's go!"

Jaune rolled his eyes as he followed Qrow, both jumping into the disoriented horde as sword and scythe danced, cleaving the remaining invaders without mercy.

Two Months later, Fourteen Years Old

Within the blizzard, the icy taste of the tundra of Atlas, a railway train drove one railtrack built in the rocky cliffs.

The train of Argus was specialized in traveling through Grimm territory, armored in orange bronze, a bright cyclopean eye of light at the front. Turrets were mounted on the roof of the train, covered in retractable armor plating that which employed Huntsmen could control with their scrolls.

Flying beasts of white, winged and masked with bloodlust for the living, assaulted the train as the mounted laser turrets whirred to life.

Manticores, deadly creatures with the head and body shape of a lion, black feathered wings and a white-bone scorpion tail, armored in bone-like spines covering their black fur. Red eyes gleamed from their white-lion skull above their mane of bone, as they rammed their bull horns into the advanced mechanical turrets firing at them.

Moving atop of the train, a grey billowing cloak flapped in the cold wind as a black sword was drawn as it flew, spinning through the air like a helicopter blade, cleaving through their black hides with contemptible ease as it bounced from manticore to manticore, severing their unnatural life from Remnant.

As it flew back into his hand, Jaune looked back, seeing more manticores assaulting the passenger car, the great beasts dueling the scythe master as Harbinger cleaved through their flesh like paper.

"You really should've told me about these Vibroblade motors sooner!" Qrow shouted with a empowered laugh, cutting into the Grimm with Harbinger, the weapon transitioning into a scythe in random sequence.

"Didn't come to mind! Too busy making awesome swords!" Jaune shouted.

"Can you fix the automated turrets?!" Qrow shouted as he cut off the temple of a manticore.

"I'm not that kind of Force User!"

"So it can be done?!"

"Yeah, but the guy that could was literally insane!"

Jaune shouted as saw three more manticores flying towards them.

He took out lightning dust bombs from his satchel and threw them at the manticores, then he zapped them with force lightning.

His powers had grown much stronger with enough ample training, surpassing his previous incarnation with the force. The manticores were disintegrated by the arc of blue lightning, completely disintegrated by the amped output of the explosion.

It was one of his tricks to use Dust as a makeshift lightning grenade since he did not want to turn his weapon into a gun-sword. The extra parts would throw him off balance.

He pondered on getting a gun of some sort, but maybe something more compact like the blaster pistol.

"Are we good?!" Jaune shouted as Qrow dispatched the last of the manticores.

"We're good! I could kill for a pint right now!"

"Remember your promise, drunk!"

"Bah!"

Their destination was towards Atlas.

Why would Qrow enter the home of the man he was most antagonistic towards?

He lost a bet, so it was either this or having to live five months without his favorite poison.

He just hoped that James Ironwood didn't take too much of a liking to the boy.

After all, he had the potential to be the prime asset to the order. Someone like Jaune deserved a chance for a more peaceful life… but the former assassin was good at his job.

Too good, the makings of an excellent Huntsman. One of the greatest even.


The city of Mantle was not what he expected.

It was a suburban oasis built in the frozen hellscape that was the Solitas continent, fenced in by a massive metal wall. From afar, it looked like a stain in the flawless natural white of nature's frost, tarnished by man, a piece of the land ripped out and tethered by manmade cables as if to mock Remnant.

The cables connecting to the floating city were used to transport Dust from Mantle to it. From what Jaune read, the Snow Shoe Rabbit company owns the skyline.

They arrived at night as Jaune looked up, seeing the tallest buildings lit bearing the holographic crest, even the sky-piercing radio tower, of Atlas - a white scepter planted on a white gear within a white ring.

He could only see these buildings from below in awe from the urban district, his view obstructed by the apartment buildings and shops.

The color of the area was dim, darkened, barely any color other than the lights of the windows and streetlamps, the color of the streetlights depending on the Dust used.

Billboards of dazzling neon colors hung above the sidewalks, the somber streets given colorful lights

"Welcome to Atlas, Kid." Qrow remarked as they walked the streets, joining the crowds.

Jauned looked left and right, seeing the stores and apartment buildings.

A glass-shielded bridge sometimes connect two adjacent large square-cut buildings of brick and metal.

The traffic lights, red, yellow, and green, each of the color lights were not circular, but strobing hexagonal.

Hovering high in the sky was the city of Atlas, the main city.

It was like seeing a miniature Coruscant, but instead of a world made of metal and glass, only a mechanical island holding a city instead.

"You look like you found yourself in fantasy world." Qrow remarked at the sight of the young teenager looking around with curious wonder like a child that discovered the candy store for the first time.

Jaune remained silent as he looked at a store called the Schnee Dust Shop.

He walked over to it, wanting to see if he could purchase better Dust crystals for his forging practices.

Qrow shook his head as he followed, silently remarking Jaune acting his age like a curious teenager for once.

The gray-robed Huntsman in training walked in through the glass doors, looking around at the various Dust crystals in high-tech display, prices ranging based on the labeled quality.

His eye caught sight of the gravity dust, the black crystal at its purest in the thousands of Lien.

"Ohhhh." Jaune took out a large canister.

"Uup up up. What do you think you're doing?" Qrow asked as he held Jaune's shoulder.

"What do you think?" Jaune asked.

"...You know that thing is expensive." Qrow reminded.

"So? Even more reason to make you go sober longer." Jaune smirked behind the mask.

"If you think I'll simply let you use my credit card on a whim, I-"

Jaune already waved Qrow's black credit card.

Qrow blinked as he patted his pocket, seeing his money missing.

Jaune was already backing away from Qrow.

"You sneaky bastard."

Jaune went to the counter and slammed the very large glass container of Black Gravity Dust. Then Jaune walked around the store and started collecting even more Dust to Qrow's chagrin.

"...What? I need more forging materials. And it doesn't hurt to compare the quality." Jaune smirked at the alcoholic as he walked towards the counter.

Qrow stomped over to Jaune, not noticing someone else entering the scene, someone Qrow contacted against his will to let him know of their arrival.

"Hello, I wish to purchase… these." Jaune placed the vials of dust onto the counter, from fire to lightning.

"And put it on-"

"-put it on his dime."

Qrow swiped the card from Jaune's hand.

The woman on the counter blinked as she slowly backed away from the two. She blinked again as she gasped when a famous face walked behind them.

"You owe me for the vibration generator, you smelly hobo!" Jaune pushed Qrow's face while gripping the card hard in between his fingers.

"It's still my lien, you thieving imp!"

"Excuse me, would you accept my lien on the behalf of these gentlemen?"

Another voice cut through as Jaune and Qrow turned to the man.

A well-dressed man with short black hair, shaved and combed, some gray areas mingling with the dominant color, wearing a white overcoat, handed the woman his white and ice-blue Lien card.

A gray undercoat was under his white coat, followed by a black sweater. Around his neck was a red necktie, and a white glove wore his right hand. His pants shared the same color as his overcoat, tucked into silver boots accented in gray.

There was a strip of metal above his right eyebrow, the most catching feature.

"...Ironwood. I was hoping you wouldn't get my message." Qrow exasperated with a drawl as the woman accepted the lien card gingerly.

"I am still surprised that you even contacted me given our… relationship."

Jaune stared at Ironwood, comparing the relationship between Qrow and Taiyang.

"...Yes? And you must be…" James offered his gloved hand.

"Galen Marek." The teenager answered, reciprocating his handshake in return.

"Galen? That's an unusual name. But I would be deaf if I didn't hear much about you, a swordsman that cleaves through hordes of Grimm, regardless of size or age, the sword saint, the Hordebreaker. Some say… True Grimmslayer."

"Oh, please, don't embarrass me. It's bad enough that the drunk teases me with those titles." Jaune scoffed.

"I thought you would feel more complimented. Besides, I am here for you per Qrow's request, though I can tell that he was quite hesitant to even contact me, and he was purposely vague on the matter." James glanced at Qrow, the alcoholic looking away.

"We had a bet, and I needed someone for a personal project of mine done. I heard Atlas has the best technology though Qrow was being stubborn. I can sense that he is against me coming here for some reason… so I made a bet with him and he lost."

"What did you bet?"

"We bet on cards. He lost terribly."

James laughed heartily as Qrow muttered unintelligible curses under his breath.

"You have an interesting relationship with him. Are you perhaps his trainee?" James asked.

"Ahem, James. I think it is best if we continue this in a more… private setting." Qrow interrupted.

"Ah, yes. Very well. Come, I have a transport waiting for us. We can continue in my office." James nodded.

Jaune snorted, already sensing the antagonistic relationship between these two. He would comment on them being something like lovers in a love-hate relationship to mess with them, but decided against it. The man wouldn't help him build a lightsaber if he did.

Taking his Dust with him, placing them in his backpack, Jaune followed the adults out the store.

There were men in special uniforms on standby as they straightened their backs simultaneously in sync.

Jaune could sense the devotion coming from them.

"Sir!"

"Tortuga. Winter." James raised his hand to put them at ease.

From above, an Atlesian ship descended, its color primarily white and ice blue.

From his experience in his assassin days, Jaune labeled the vehicle as a light transport aircraft. It was armed with gatling cannons under the chin. The aircraft's engines were mounted on articulated nacelles at the ends of each wing.

The dropship had an angular appearance and consisted of a frontal cockpit section and a rear transport section.

"Winter, with me. Tortuga, overlook Mantle's security while I'm busy." James ordered as they responded with a 'Yes, Sir!', the woman following them as they entered the ship.

"Normally, I would send my trusted men to escort you to the city, but I am curious. I have never seen you travel with someone given your…"

"He's tough stock." Qrow answered as the vehicle took off.

They ascended high above, briefly joining the heights of the skyscrapers, the lights of Mantle mingling under the aurora borealis illuminating the night sky.

Then they took to the skies as they ascended above the floating island as Jaune looked out the window.

There was a certain beauty to this place Jaune could not describe. There was… life, unlike the metal world that was Coruscant.

If Jaune could describe it, it was like the floating island was made with an artist's soul at work fueled by the imaginations of childish wonder, hopes and dreams given shape. There was art, beauty, and harmony in the craft, something not seen even on Coruscant.

"You look younger than the rumors say. How old are you, Galen?" James asked the masked boy.

"Fourteen this year." Jaune answered distraitly, his attention on the floating island that seemed to mesmerize him.

Jaune blinked when he sensed something else from within the island, something powerful. It was an energy he could not describe other than esoteric beyond his current vocabulary.

"You seem interested in our city. Have you considered entering a Huntsman academy?" James asked.

"Ugh. This is why I didn't want to bring you here." Qrow bemoaned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The snow-haired woman called Winter asked.

"James, while I admit that I have no right to control his life… by the way, you didn't inform Ozpin of him, right?"

"That is one request I will honor." James chuckled.

"Good. Let him choose his own life. He is… one of the special kinds of people."

James quirked a brow.

"...Special as in?"

"Like Summer Rose special, only without the silver eyes." Qrow pointed at his eyes and twirled his finger.

James stared at Qrow in a paused silence until he understood.

"Oh. That kind of special." James understood.

"You people are strangely familiar with the existence of Force Sensitives. Is there something I should know?" Jaune asked.

"Well… it's a complicated question. For now, let me introduce you to Atlas Academy. We can have a chat in my office where we'll have the utmost privacy."


Jaune could see the man's love of constellations in the floor design, golden constellations painting the night floor.

The office was a circular room surrounded by dark blue metal walls and windows with adjustable opaqueness.

The academy was built like a fortress, too defensible. Galen invaded fortresses in the past, so he knew. Still, this much security and resources dedicated to training the Remnant version of the Jedi to fend off the infinite hordes that was the Grimm… Jaune expected them to at least develop weapons of mass destruction or something to wipe out the hordes.

They must be tied by ethics to not resort to such things or they were incapable of constructing them. Were they that reliant on Dust not to seek other resources?

When he saw first saw the fortress, it was like a castle from fantasy mixed with a touch of the scientific future. Extensive use of Hard-Light Dust tinted the world of Atlas blue at night while it shone silver during the day.

Five enormous towers stood above the rest of the buildings, one large central tower and four side towers of varying heights surrounding the main building.

The large central tower was the original CCTS tower that was created. Each of the side towers had a pair of Hard-Light Dust rings surrounding them, and a glass viewing platform at the top of the tower.

"Do you like my office?" Ironwood asked as he went to his desk, his female guard following him until she stood beside him.

"This room…" Jaune closed his eyes as he attempted to sense Ironwood's inner thoughts and heart through the Force.

"It speaks of your desire to travel the stars one day. To… find refuge from all of the pressures and problems in the world."

Ironwood smiled.

"Very perceptive and learned. Qrow, where did you find this young man? I am surprised that he hasn't taken after you since… how long was he under you?"

"Six years." Qrow answered.

"Oh my. Mr. Marek, I am very impressed. To repeat my question-"

"You wish to induct me into your academy to… groom me into something for an important matter." Jaune interrupted.

James stared at Jaune as his operative, Winter, removed her hands from her back.

"Sorry, I am practicing sensing the thoughts of others." Jaune admitted. "You are concerned. There is… much worry. Behind that iron face of authority is fear and mistrust. You want me to trust you… yet you keep me away from… arm's reach on reflex? Ah, you have some problems with someone, someone you consider as a friend. You… disagree with his methods using discretion. You want to use your power to show the world that they can trust Atlas. Trust you… so you can trust them in return."

James' smile slowly fell as Winter blinked at Jaune.

"...He really is too special. Qrow…"

"You don't know him, James." Qrow shook his head. "Trust me on this. Let him choose his path. If he decides to join you, I won't stop him. Still, I am surprised that he struck your mark dead on. Besides, you know that there's no other Force user in the world as skilled and experienced as him. He is his own teacher in this case. I am just teaching him the way of the Huntsman early at his request."

James grew a little pensive.

"How far can you read my thoughts?" James asked.

"I cannot read your mind in depth, but I can read your heart. The woman… she is devoted to you. She sees potential in me, like you. You want me for something that only the best can handle, a great responsibility. But the context and details are lost to me." Jaune shook his head. "I do not know if I should enter this academy. The metal walls and rigid mechanical order here… It reminds me of bad memories."

James inhaled.

"...I think I understand your implications, Qrow." James nodded.

".,.I will consider the offer. I wish to remain free at the moment. But that's not why we're here." Jaune took something out from his zip-satchel and placed three crystals on the desk.

All of them were clear, wildly formed, the facets on the crystals without symmetry and congruence.

He took out something from his backpack and rolled the blueprint onto Ironwood's table.

Winter slowly peeked at the schemats, seeing contours and designs for circuits, software parts and some hardware.

"What is this?" Ironwood asked as he inspected the blueprints.

"I heard that this place has the best technological institutions in Remnant. I have a request to make me the parts for a lightsaber." Jaune explained.

"And… what does this lightsaber do?" James asked, looking up.

"It has the power to cut through almost any material and force in this world. Any Grimm, no matter the size, will fall before the blade." Jaune answered as James widened his eyes.

"...Any Grimm?" He asked.

"The crystals are the source of the lightsabers. These aren't dust. They're the core of it." Jaune picked up two of the crystals and imbued himself into them, the crystals gaining a golden color.

"These two are for you, one for each laser sword." Jaune said as he placed the crystals back down. "The kyber crystals can only be truly wielded if it is touched and imbued by the Force. I'll let you choose which two people you want to grant these crystals to."

James smiled.

"Well, I didn't expect you to come prepared to give something back. I want to ask… Qrow, I heard the words of you and Galen dispatching Grimm in Patch and Vale. A huntsman without a license is illegal, but we decided not to pursue your group as you made waves, a substantial following behind you two. The problem I have is your frightening efficiency. I saw a video of you taking down a Goliath."

James took out a Scroll and tapped onto the screen. He then showed a video to Qrow, a recorder showing how Qrow running under a Goliath, a giant Grimm mammoth, and dragging his scythe through the creature's underbelly with contemptuous ease.

[H-He took it down! He took the giant Grimm down!]

The recorder shouted when the Goliath released a massive groan before it toppled over.

The video continued with Qrow and Jaune fighting against the black tide of monsters, their blades cleaving through black malice with vigor and contemptible ease.

Two swords against the seemingly infinite horde of monsters, one sword reaping and cleaving swathes of Grimm while the other was a graceful blender of a single blade dancing through the numbers.

James pressed pause as he looked at Qrow.

"Uhhhh…" Qrow looked away.

"We might have gone a bit overboard…" He admitted.

"I can imagine Ozpin wanting to have a word with you on this. It is why you decided to hide Galen with a mask. So… what is with your weapon? Since I know you, I do not know of any material able to cleave through Grimm of that size with frightening efficiency." He asked.

"I, uh…"

"Let me guess. Does it have something to do with the Force?" Ironwood asked.

"Yeah… damn it. Honestly, I was hoping to be the only licensed Huntsman with a sword-gun-scythe that can cut through Grimm like paper…"

Ironwood smiled at Qrow's honesty.

"Galen Marek. If possible…"

"I would need your finest dust cache and a good idea of what I'm working with. I only do swords. I only worked on the edges of Qrow's sword since the entire weapon is too big and complicated for my liking."

"Oh. That is smart." James remarked. "Since this is a request coming from me… I would like to offer you something in return. Like our facilities, to help you refine your forging techniques." James offered.

Jaune hummed in thought.

"...Well, since this isn't a world dominated by swords… why not? I won't be satisfied anyways with my current skills."

"Winter." James looked at the white-haired woman beside him.

"Yes!" Winter straightened her back.

"Show our guest to the weapons room. And offer him your sabers. I think this is the beginning of a great turning point in this world."

Winter blinked as she looked at Jaune.

"A-Are you sure, General? I-I mean…"

"Don't tell me you're not into swords that can cut through every Grimm like paper?" Jaune asked, using Qrow's words against her with a wry smile behind that mask.

"...I'll be in your care." Winter sported a heavy blush as she fidgeted on her heels.

Woman turned to the dark side: complete.


Jaune Arc: Fifteen Years Old

"Stop him!"

Gunfire echoed as fire Dust ignited the bullet shells, the casings falling against the cavern stone.

Projectiles flew straight, the aims imperfect, bouncing off the sheath and blade as the assailant charged forward with no regard, his sword ignited to life, his black and gold blade crackling with lightning dust and force lightning as the hardlight dust activated.

The blade extended a hardlight edge, an additional function of Stella Mors, slicing through the firearms like paper while the sheath moved through the air in calligraphic strokes, striking against the formerly armed thugs as they cried out, crashing against the walls as the swordsman continued running down to the elevator shaft.

The Crown was a strange organization, one obsessed with following the old ways, an organization wanting the reestablishment of the monarchy and the savagery of the founder of Vacuo.

Two aspects caught Jaune's attention.

One, most of their skilled thugs were Aura users, albeit there was something wrong with their Aura signatures. They bore a similar auric frequency, something that shouldn't be possible unless under very specific means.

Two, they came across something that Jaune had been tailing ever since he was on his quest to find the reason for his reincarnation in this world.

Jaune found a trail of a previous force user, evidence of abilities and powers of a force user that fought alongside Vale against Mistral and Atlas in the great war.

The Crown had a map in Vacuo, one leading to one of the hidden treasures of Avren, and Jaune decided to hunt for their trail through their connections in Mistral.

So he tracked them down by their aura signatures.

The aura signatures of the Crown disturbed him, and it was how Jaune used it to track and hunt them down. The Crown was still fresh, meaning that Jaune could still nip the bud before it could bloom.

After spending considerable time diagnosing them with the Force, he discovered that their minds were corrupted, reflected in their auras. When listening to their thoughts, they were overwhelmed by a dogmatic, infectious belief in following the old ways as well as a fervent worship of a single individual.

It was not easy removing what felt like mind control with the force, but he managed to free enough of them to point him in the right direction.

For now, Jaune decided to clean up here.

The Crown had two hideouts.

The Mirage.

It was originally a dust refinery purchased by the Mistral Trading Company, used until the Dust veins in the land of Sanus died, leaving the facility abandoned.

Within it was a secret fight club used by a shadowy organization. The organization was just starting, and its member were still in the

The other is an abandoned bunker hidden near a CCT Relay Tower in Vacuo.

Jaune already found the identities of their leaders via interrogating the freed. He alerted Qrow to the identities of the Asturias twins and directed them towards the abandoned mine once owned by Mistral., letting him gather the Huntsman with the right skills to deal with them in the meanwhile since the drunk had experience dealing with rogue Huntsmen.

Qrow did say that he owed him for this, so Jaune decided to buy the drunk a bottle of vintage with the least amount of alcohol.

He had already forged the best sword-gun-scythe he could make with his current skills. It was a pain to augment something of that size, despite his skills and talents in the Force.

With each stroke, he struck down the Crown's hired thugs, driven by greed instead of artificial fanaticism. Weapons were bisected with ease while his sheath blew them away like scattered leaves in the wind. He was a whirlwind of artistic strokes, not once killing the men with no Auras.

The Crown marked their brainwashed via silver armbands to distinguish the loyal ones from the stolen manpower.

His time on Remnant turned him into something other than a Jedi or Sith, something new.

He had vambraces on his arms, high tech with circuit lines running through them, plated Lunarium reinforced with force-imbued dust.

Each of the vambraces bore emitter nodes, a circular one one at the center of the dorsal of the forearm.

Arm thrusted forward, a hardlight rope extended, grappling one of the thugs' clothes with piercing hooks, letting Jaune reel up and launch the man towards him before he kicked him towards the other thugs, knocking them down like bowling pins.

It was one of the contraptions he made with the help of Atlas in his forging practices.

It could even summon a hardlight shield and can shoot hardlight bullets, the function triggers depending on which finger he sent his aura into.

"This is where you stop!" A huntsman stopped him.

His weapon… crudely put, was more like helicopter blades worn on his arm like a shield. It even started to rotate, four blades whirling into an accelerated blur.

The man was, surprisingly, a faunus.

His skin was tan, ape-like skin, muscle, and fur, hot hair blew from his nose. His armor was nothing special other than his weapon, made for convenience.

"I'm not here for you." Jaune looked around.

Behind the huntsman were the two he was looking for.

"Jax and Gillain Asturias." Jaune's gaze sharpened in their direction.

Gillian is a fair-skinned woman with black hair braided into two loops on either side. She wears a long dress with many sheer layers of blue, white, green, and purple that resemble running water, and a silver chain was wrapped around her waist, matching the slim silver diadem that gleams on her head.

She has a crown-shaped brand mark on her wrist.

"The Grimmslayer." Gillian narrowed her eyes.

The other one, Jax Asturias.

This one Jaune knew very well despite just meeting him face to face for the first time as Jaune's expression turned to disgust and ridicule.

The thin man with black top-knotted hair shouted at him as the hypnotic swirling pattern of his blue linen duster started to glow and rotate.

"Listen to-"

From his fingers, force lightning arced, crackling blue tendrils reaching them so fast and dancing from the Faunus huntsman and the two leaders, electrocuting through their Auras as their voices cried out in pain. Jaune knew what Jax's Semblance was and he did not want to see whether or not he could resist the mind control.

It was a gamble he couldn't afford. This waste of life did not need power beyond his control.

They lit up like lighthouses, their skeleton flashed under their skins sporadically, Auric defenses ignored.

His proficiency with Force Lightning had improved over the years, his power continues to grow during his training and meditations. Jaune had accidentally discovered a light side variant in his training that had the potential to rival Force lightning.

Their screams covered the entire room as Jaune continued electrocuting them.

He stopped as he approached them, letting them fall to the ground as electricity continued dancing across their clothes and skin, all of them groaning and crying in pain.

Jaune pushed the Faunus out of the way. He did not deserve to endure this.

"You." Jaune electrocuted them again, force lightning reigniting their screams as their voices howled in the room.

He stopped as he exhaled, deciding not to punish them anymore.

"S-St-"

But Jaune electrocuted Jax Asturias on reflex, making him scream in pain once more. He would not let that one utter a single word.

"J-Jax! S-Stop hurting him!" Gillian cried out and glared at Jaune.

"And let him use his Semblance on me? Not a chance. There are three ways I can release those from your semblance. I can either kill you." Jaune said as he stopped. "Or you can release them willingly."

Jaune reached out to Jax Asturias.

"Or…"

And then proceeded to dominate his mind.

Jax suddenly convulsed and cried out, holding his head in pain for a moment.

Force Domination, he called this technique. A variant of the Jedi Mind Trick, but more dark-side oriented. He learned enough from freeing those under Jax's control personally to understand the principles of it. Ironically, Jax Asturias paved the path for Jaune to learn how to dominate the minds of others as well.

"Release those under your control," Jaune ordered as he wrenched control from Jax's will.

The flames of defiant resistance died in Jax's mind, his complexion relaxed as he obeyed the comment.

"I release everyone from my service. You are all free." Jax Asturias robotically answered accordingly.

In an instant, everyone that was under Jax's mind control was freed, many but not all soldiers that were once fighting Qrow and the Huntsmen he employed within the Mirage gaining clarity, confused in the chaos.

"Jax!?" Gillian was shocked to see her twin brother releasing everyone from their control, soldiers they spent months making.

"What did you do to him?!"

"Where is the item you have that leads to Avrin's final tomb?" Jaune ordered, ignoring the sister's demand.

The brother took out something from his blue duster.

Jaune smiled behind his mask. No wonder no one found where it was all this time.

It was a holocron.

The man created something only force sensitives with the right knowledge can use.

He took it from Jax's hand and pocketed it inside his robe.

The faunus huntsman groaned, holding his head as Jaune took out another weapon.

The design was a bit different. Normally, lightsabers were shaped as a wieldable beam of light.

His lightsaber ignited, brilliant golden light forming the shape of a thin blade instead as he walked towards Jax Asturias. It was something he made with the application of hardlight technology, and it had a few more functions.

The hilt was golden yellow with dark, tertiary grooves, cylindrical with a cross safety guard to protect the hand from slipping into the blade.

"Straighten your neck and disable your Aura shield."

"Wait, what are you doing?!" Gillain shouted at him.

Jaune fired the light side variant of Force Lightning at her, paralyzing her in place as Jax straightened his neck.

"Stay still." Jaune said as he swung his newest lightsaber, a swift, brief hum slitting Jax's throat, to Gillian's horror.

At that moment, Jax was free from Jaune's mental domination as he gurgled in pain, clasping his cauterized throat as Jaune turned his weapon off.

"Jax!" Gillian tried to move, but she was too weak to crawl over to him. She could only reach out to him powerlessly.

"You bastard! How dare you do that to Vacuo's future king?!"

"He'll live. I just made sure he can't use his Semblance anymore. It'll be a nuisance if he escapes and starts this all over again."

Jaune couldn't believe he was hearing something that ridiculous from her mouth. Vacuo was no longer a kingdom that needed a monarch. There was no longer a place for the old ways, not after everything Vacuo had lost.

Ignoring her seething glare, Jaune took out a Scroll and started dialing Qrow's number.

He could've killed Jax for the sake of Vacuo, but he promised Qrow not to always resort to killing other humans and Faunus unless absolutely necessary.

Still, Jaune needed a way to seal the man's Semblance other than cauterizing his voice just to be absolutely sure, otherwise, the authorities would have to kill him.

The Faunus got up, holding his head.

"Ow, ow, ow. My aching muscles, ow." The Faunus groaned.

"Are you alright? Did I destroy anything important?" Jaune asked as he waited for Qrow to pick up. He must be busy on his end.

"Ugh… give me a moment. I… kind of remember what happened to me. Ah, my aching head…" The Faunus rubbed his temples, trying to regain his bearings. "Also, ahhhh, it's an honor to meet you. The famous Grimmslayer, right?" The faunus tried to get up, only to hiss in electric pain.

Jaune grimaced a little behind his mask.

"Hah. That is what the people call me. I am Galen Marek."

Currently, he has a wide fan base across the continents. Ruby and Yang might know who he was behind the mask, though they might not piece it together since he only used Force Lightning to hide his powers.

"The name's Furvus Kong, Vacuo Huntsman. I was sent here to investigate the Crown's suspicious activities and… well, you know the rest. I am a bit ashamed of that. And did you really have to electrocute me that hard? I can still feel the aching tingles under my skin."

"Not as bad as I did them. At least you get to heal up in the end." Jaune shrugged.

"Fair. Are you alone?"

"For now." Jaune's call finally received an answer.

[You little shrimp, you actually got them. How are things on your side?]

Qrow sounded a bit haggard.

"Don't tell me you had trouble with a bunch of faux Huntsmen and women?" Jaune talked back.

[Galen, sometimes I wish I had the power to shoot lightning out of my fingers like you and zap all of my problems away. So you got the perps?]

"Need an extraction here. And a lot of hands to help transport them to prison and something to seal someone's Semblance."

Jaune suddenly caught an arrow from the side. He looked at the shooter, Gillian somehow having the strength to at least fire a desperate shot at his head.

Jaune dropped the arrow and aimed his palm flat at Gillian and invaded her mind with the Force.

The girl had a lot of stolen Aura reserves within her. Jaune had a hunch that her Semblance involves draining the Aura of others.

Though he wondered why Jax's Aura reserves were so low.

The twin brother glared at him, trying to hoarse a command while his Semblance was active, draining his Aura reserves away in a futile endeavor.

[You do know that it's impossible to seal someone's Semblance, right?] Qrow asked.

"You never know. Besides, you just need to ensure he can't use his voice again. I don't want to know if he could use his Semblance with a cybernetic voice or something."

[Good thinking. You got what you came for?]

"Yeah. I'm going to head out once this is over. Make sure to tell my family that I'll be away for a while."

[Hope what you find is worth it in the end, kid.]

Qrow hung up on his end.

"Aggggh. You need help rounding them up?" Furvus asked.

"Do you still have the strength to guard the entrance?"

"Yeah." The Faunus ripped off the Crown armband.

"That's all I need."


The last time Jaune opened a holocron was when he infiltrated the abandoned Jedi temple on Coruscant. The holocron he has was much more portable compared to that one.

He fought against what looked like a dark side version of himself in there. It was an experience he could never forget, dueling the dark side reflection of himself.

Jaune was in a room in a dry oasis of Vacuo, an inn, in a room.

He mediated, the pyramid-shaped blue Holocron glowing in response to his force signature.

Jaune could sense that there were Dust crystals involved in the crystal's make. He heard that Holocrons were made from Khyber Crystals, partially at least.

He reached within the Holocron, grasping at the secrets hidden within the artifact.

The compact blue pyramid started to levitate, complex mechanisms within the Holocron unfolding, twisting, and opening to Jaune's will.

Once the core was exposed, a hologram appeared before Jaune.

It was a holographic projection of a robed man.

[To whoever is listening, I congratulate you in obtaining this relic. If you're a Jedi from the wider galaxy, then I welcome you. If you're a Sith… then I hope that my efforts can turn you away from the dark side. This world does not need the troubles of the galaxy or the conflict of the two orders.]

Jaune smirked a little since he had the training of both Jedi and Sith, though his Jedi training was more haphazard.

[My real name is Revan. For summary's sake, I had graced extremes of both the Light Side and the Dark, and learned the ways of both the Jedi and the Sith in my time.]

Jaune widened his eyes.

Vader never taught him the history of the Sith in detail. Was Revan like him? Raised as a Sith, then turned to the light? Or the opposite?

[However, despite all of my power, I do not have the resources needed to end Remnant's curse. In the end, the enemy won by staving me away in a war of attrition. So to the current holder of this Holocron, I implore you to finish what I could not. The hologram will guide you to where my legacy is, and you will learn what to do once you're there. May the Force be with you.]

The hologram dispersed into a map of Remnant, coordinates to a cave somewhere around Vacuo in secret, deep in the wasteland mountains.

Jaune got his coordinates. He smiled as he got his second lead.

He pocketed the holocron and packed up.

As he entered the lobby, he saw Qrow waiting for him, leaning against the wall. Jaune stopped midway after spotting him.

"So?" Qrow called out.

"...It is a work in progress." Jaune vaguely answered. "What are you waiting around for? Don't you have somewhere to go, a mission or so?"

Qrow scoffed at Jaune's witty remark.

"Yeah. But I gotta say my piece before you move out kid. I've known you for years and I gotta say you're the strangest yet most talented kid I know. You're already doing great things despite not… well…"

"Alright. Out with it. What words of parental wisdom do you have for me?" Jaune smiled at the older man.

"...You don't have to be like me, you know? Ever thought about… well, a normal life?"

Jaune already understood his point.

"Qrow. Let's continue this in my room." Jaune did not want to talk while other ears were present and aimed in their way.

Moving from the wall, Qrow followed Jaune upstairs.

Once they were in his room, Jaune closed the door.

"...A normal life…" Jaune turned to Qrow. "Honestly, this is the most normal life I know."

"Killing hordes of Grimm whenever you can ain't exactly normal. And I never said you should stop. At least try to make friends along the way."

"You think an unlicensed Huntsman like me can get along with the normals? Honestly, I don't think that's a good idea."

Qrow chuckled at the quip.

"Yeah, I get it… but this is your new lease on life. Don't you think you should find something else other than the Huntsman life? Sometimes you gotta know when to put the sword behind you. Because the longer you hold it, the harder it'll be to let it go."

His words made Jaune pause. A life without the need for the sword… Jaune inhaled as he tried to imagine it. Picturing a life that did not require a lightsaber… Jaune found it difficult to picture a life of peace

There was a restlessness inside him, something that drove him to move into battle. The only moment he felt at peace was his final moments holding The Emperor at bay.

"...I'll keep that in mind." It was all he could do for now.

Qrow smiled at his honest answer. It did not sound like a casual dismissal. He meant what he said.

"Alright. Take care of yourself. I gotta go check on a Huntsman team in Mistral and then some." Qrow waves Jaune goodbye as he leaves the door.

He stopped at the door.

"Oh, check in with Ruby and Yang if you can. Yang is around the age you died aaaaannnnnd…"

"Just move your legs or I'll roast your hide, you hobo." Jaune playfully warned as Qrow resumed his leave.

Jaune couldn't believe Qrow's insinuation.

He heard of one species that allowed multiple wives due to the imbalanced male-female gender ratio, and there was a Jedi master of that species there as well.

Well… Honestly, he couldn't imagine himself going through the 'awkward teenager phase' as his parents and sisters like to tease him. His eldest sister teased that it may be because he hadn't found the right girl yet.

He did see some of those moments from a few of his sisters, however.

Thoughts for later.

It was time to begin the journey.


Bitterness.

Resentment.

Rage and helplessness,

Every form of negative emotions swirled within the Asturias twins as they were lead by the chained manacles shackling their wrists.

Jax was gagged with a cloth despite losing his ability to speak.

Gillian would've drained the nearest soldier or Huntsman, but they were outnumbered and their bodies were not in good condition.

The lightning Semblance was painful, debilitating. Their bodies ache in great pain, severely weakened, like their muscles threatened to fall off their bones and rot away.

They were transported via Atlesian armored convoys, wheeled heavily armored trucks driving across the sands.

They were destined for Atlas, to be taken into special custody due to the nature of Jax's Semblance to mind control others with his voice.

Gillian and Jax sat side by side.

"..Jax… how is your throat?" Gillain asked, still weak in muscle.

Jax responded with a dry, hoarse sound. He hissed afterwards, holding his throat as if in pain.

"I'm sorry… it seems our dream is gone." Gillian looked up, seeing one of the three Atlas guardsman, infantry military with two-handed pulse rifles of hardlight.

"Don't try any funny business. We've been ordered to shoot to kill if your brother does anything funny." The man in the middle warned.

Gillian scowled. Even if she managed to drain what little Auras they had, it wouldn't be enough to protect her and Jax from the retaliation, and worse, their bodies no longer had the strength needed to escape and survive the desert.

If they weren't recaptured, the Grimm would've picked them off, tear them apart.

"So… twin siblings with a mind control power and…" The guard on the left looked at his scroll. "...Draining and transferring Aura?"

He quirked a brow as he looked at Gillian.

"Huh, gotta admit, that is kind of useful. And… wow, your brother's Aura reservse is literally poop in the desert. So you two support each other, one mind controls the other… being his living vampiric battery? Say, are you two in that kind of relationship or are you two just that close?"

"Hey." The soldier on the right called out. "That's uncalled for."

"What? There were cases. And I'm pretty sure that in the old days, people didn't discriminate as long as they looked good."

The three looked at the two as the twins looked at each other, unsure how to respond to such an accusation.

Now the atmosphere was just awkward.

The sandstorms and flying Grimm, the shrieking bats that stalked the desert were too many.

The armored trucks were to secure their transport to a checkpoint where they would move to aerial transport, to fly them to Atlas where they would be properly detained in a maximum security prison.

The siblings could only wait for their fate, wallowing in their sense of defeat and shame.

Outside, there was a storm of black approaching them from the side in the distance.

A soldier riding shotgun looked to the side, then stared at the approaching black tide out the windows.

He rubbed his eyes and then squinted as it got closer. He could barely make out what they were, and it horrified him.

"Grimm! T-There's a swarm of Grimm to the right!"

"What?!" The driver shouted as he quickly glanced right, seeing a the flying black horde.

"Damn! Everyone, we have Grimm! Arm the turrets!"

Surrounding the vehicles were vehicles armed with turrets, cannons made for destroying the Grimm hordes. There were even several Huntsman joining them, one of them being Furvus Kong.

"Ravagers!" Furvus shouted.

The Ravagers dominated the skies of Vacuo, bat-like Grimm with numbers like vermin. Their wings were leathery red, bone-like masks marked in red, and a rib-cage of bone on their pit-black fur chest.

Behind their long fangs that interlock with their jaws, their throats bearing the power to fire sonic attacks from afar.

The turrets weren't automated, so the men had to mount the controls and rotate the barrel to their direction.

"Open fire!" Furvus shouted as they pulled the trigger.

Hail of metal shells flew towards the black swarm, exploding them as the swarm of Grimm then scattered in all direction.

"Why are there so many Ravagers?! Are all Grimm like this in Vacuo?!"

"As if!" Furvus shouted back, his aim confused by the scattered numbers above him. "Only in the late stages of a Grimm invasion, maybe, but this is too sudden!"

Usually, this number of Grimm would arrive when there was enough negative emotion to draw them from the wilds around the area, the stage where all hope is lost and the settlement must be abandoned.

The only ones able to fight off these numbers so far was the infamous Grimmslayer duo, Galen Marek and Qrow.

But Furvus didn't think they had to fight this many fliers.

And they were a bit too organized when they all started bombarding them with their sonic attacks.

Jax and Gillian could hear the screeching noises of the Ravagers outside the metal hull.

The two were starting to become terrified when the screams started, the rending of metal and the explosions of vehicles.

The guards stationed with them looked just as terrified as they prepared their hardlight pulse rifles, their aim wandering all over.

One of them hesitantly turned on the radio comm on their helmets.

"H-Hey, what's going on out there?!"

He heard only screams and gunfire.

Then something grabbed the armored convoy and lifted it into the skies.

The Ravagers left the wreckage behind as they absconded with the one prize that their mistress demanded, someone with a power unlike any other.