Jaune the Imperishable or how Settra got his Golden Body (RWBY/Warhammer Fantasy) ch.9

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They strode across the field, their boots crunching against the dry grass. Ahead, a ruined temple rose from the earth, its stones weathered and cracked by time. Small stands lined the area surrounding the temple, each bearing chess pieces. As the others hurried toward the stands, chattering with excitement, Jaune hung back, his gaze sweeping the horizon, his stance rigid and watchful.

"We are not alone," Jaune whispered, his voice low and steady.

Pyrrha tensed beside him. Milo shifted into rifle form with practiced ease, and she cocked a fresh round into place. "Grimm?" she asked.

Jaune didn't answer immediately. His shield rose, his golden gaze narrowing as he turned toward a cluster of shrubs. Pyrrha, without hesitation, raised Milo and trained it on the rustling foliage, her finger hovering over the trigger.

A flash of blonde hair emerged from the brush.

"Woah, woah, woah!" came a familiar voice, laced with exasperation. "Can the rifle, damn!"

"Yang?" Ruby blinked. A moment later, her face lit up in recognition, and she shrieked, "YAAANG!"

Ruby giggled in delight, her silver eyes sparkling as she raced forward, throwing herself into her sister's arms. Yang laughed, catching her and patting her back with a wide grin.

Pyrrha sighed in relief, lowering Milo. From behind Yang, more figures began to emerge.

Jaune observed the reunion in silence. As the others exchanged greetings, he slowly sheathed Crocea Mors and turned to Pyrrha, his eyes sharp and commanding. "You did not hesitate," he said, his tone heavy with approval.

It wasn't a question. It was a fact.

"Hesitation will kill you on the battlefield," Pyrrha replied, repeating the lessons drilled into her by countless instructors.

Jaune nodded, his gaze lingering on her. "Correct. You are a capable warrior, Pyrrha of Nikos," he said, his words carrying an unusual weight. "Jaune is fortunate to have you."

Despite herself, Pyrrha giggled. "We're referring to ourselves in the third person now?" she teased lightly.

Jaune raised an eyebrow at her, his expression momentarily puzzled. Then, realization flickered across his face, and he gave a faint smile. "Ah, yes. I forget that I am not...well, never mind." He gestured toward the stands with the chess pieces, his tone shifting back to its usual decisiveness. "Shall we?"

"After you," Pyrrha replied, motioning for him to lead.

Jaune strode forward, his steps purposeful, until he reached the chess pieces laid out before them. His sharp gaze swept over the board, taking in the various pieces with an intensity that suggested he was weighing their worth.

"Which one is the mightiest?" he asked, his tone serious.

Pyrrha blinked, startled by the question. "You've never played chess before?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

Jaune clicked his tongue, his expression a mixture of impatience and faint amusement. "If I had, I would not have asked, Pyrrha of Nikos," he replied, his tone clipped but not unkind.

Pyrrha chuckled softly, gesturing to the pieces. "Chess is a game of strategy," she explained, stepping closer to stand beside him. "Each piece has its own role, its own strengths. The king is the most important, but it's the queen that's the most powerful. She can move in any direction, as far as the board allows."

"Of course she is," Jaune mused. "Not any woman can become a Queen. Where others crawl along prescribed paths, she sweeps across the field in full majesty; unbound and unmatched. If she cannot maintain such standards, she should not even be queen in the first place." 

Pyrrha blinked, caught off guard by the weight in Jaune's words. His tone was calm, almost casual, but there was a gravity to it. 

Authority.

Her lips parted slightly, uncertain of how to respond. "I...suppose you're right," she said hesitantly, her voice soft. "A queen has to be strong, doesn't she? She has to lead, to inspire." She paused, studying him carefully.

"But," she ventured, her voice growing more confident, "even a queen can have weaknesses. She's still a person, after all. No one can be perfect all the time."

Jaune glanced at her. "A queen cannot afford weaknesses, Pyrrha of Nikos. If she falters, her kingdom falls. If she hesitates, her enemies strike. For those who hold power, perfection is not a luxury. It is a necessity."

Pyrrha frowned slightly, her unease growing. She wasn't sure what bothered her more. The words themselves, or the way he said them, as if he were speaking from experience.

"That's...a lot of pressure," she said carefully, choosing her words with care. "Don't you think a queen should have people she can rely on? People who will support her when things get too heavy to carry alone?"

Jaune's gaze softened slightly, though his expression remained distant. "Perhaps," he said, his voice losing some of its edge. "But even then, the burden is hers to bear. A true queen does not crumble under the weight of her crown. She endures. She must endure."

Pyrrha's chest tightened as she listened to Jaune's words, each one striking a chord she'd tried to bury deep within herself. She knew what it meant to endure, to carry the weight of expectations so heavy they threatened to crush her. She was the Invincible Girl, the Champion of Mistral, the one who never faltered, never failed. Everyone admired her strength, her talent, her perfection but they didn't see the cracks beneath the surface, the moments when the crown she wore felt too heavy for her to bear. Hearing Jaune speak so definitively, so coldly, about the necessity of perfection made her stomach twist.

"What if the cracks become too much?" she asked, her emerald eyes searching his face. "What if the queen can't endure it anymore?" For a moment, silence stretched between them, and she thought he might not answer. Then, Jaune turned to her, the weight of his gaze almost unbearable. His eyes burned with an intensity that seemed to pierce through her, as though he could see every doubt, every fear she had ever tried to hide.

"When the cracks become too much, the queen has already failed," he mused. "A true queen does not shatter, Pyrrha of Nikos. She does not falter, nor does she allow weakness to consume her. If she cannot bear the weight of her crown, then it is her duty to forge herself anew; to become stronger, unbreakable, and worthy of her station. There is no room for indulgence in despair. If she falls to pieces, then she was never a queen to begin with. Only the unworthy crumble, and only fools allow the cracks to define them."

His gaze softened, if only slightly, though the fire in his eyes did not dim. "Do you feel the cracks, Pyrrha of Nikos? Do you fear they will consume you? Then you must decide: will you let them destroy you, or will you rise above them? Perfection is not the absence of flaws. It is the ability to overcome them, to wield them as weapons rather than burdens. That is the difference between those who rule and those who fall."  

Jaune reached out and plucked the queen piece from the stand, holding it gingerly between his fingers as he turned to Pyrrha. Without saying a word, he extended the piece toward her, his hand steady but his expression unreadable. The gesture left Pyrrha momentarily stunned, her emerald eyes widening as her lips parted in surprise.

"The queen," she murmured, her voice carrying a mixture of awe and uncertainty. "You...think I should be the queen?"

"I have deemed you worthy, Pyrrha of Nikos. And I do not give my attention lightly," Jaune said imperiously. "And I dub you, Pyrrha the Indomitable."

Pyrrha hesitated only a moment before accepting the queen piece, her fingers brushing against his as she took it from him. Her heart fluttered, though she forced herself to remain composed. She clutched the queen piece tightly, unsure of whether to thank him or to protest that she didn't deserve such faith. In the end, she simply smiled, a soft, grateful expression that conveyed more than words ever could.

​And then, the world cracked.

Ruby yelped as the ground beneath them trembled violently. Dust and debris cascaded from the ruined temple as if the earth itself was protesting their presence. Pyrrha staggered backward, clutching the queen piece tightly as her eyes darted around in alarm. "What's happening?" she called out, her voice barely audible over the roar. The others froze, their lighthearted chatter dying.

"What the hell is going on?!" Yang shouted, her voice sharp with tension. Her gauntlets snapped into place with a metallic clink. Before anyone could answer, an unholy chorus of snarls and growls rose from the shadows, a sound that sent a chill down their spines. Grimm.

Weiss's eyes narrowed as she steadied herself. "The Alpha," she theorized hurriedly, her voice clipped but steady. "It must've pulled the Grimm back to trap us here. This was a setup!"

"Impossible!" Jaune interjected, his shield rising instinctively. "I killed it." 

"Then it's a newer Alpha," Blake said grimly, momentarily pausing as she noticed Jaune stare at her. Discomfort flared in her stomach as his eyes narrowed. But he then ignored her, to her relief. 

"RENNY! YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS!" Nora cried, excitedly shaking Ren's cuffs. "We are in a target rich environment!" 

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The red blips of Grimm signatures multiplied across the screens. Glynda's sharp gaze darted from one display to the next, her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, the ground visibly shook on one of the feeds, and the camera cut out with a burst of static. Her patience snapped.

Glynda slammed her fist on the table, the sound echoing through the room like a thunderclap. "There is far too much Grimm coming!" she barked. 

Across the table, Professor Port flinched, nearly choking on the coffee he had been sipping. He spat it out with a sputtering cough, fumbling to set the mug down as Oobleck adjusted his glasses, his face unusually grim.

"Port, Oobleck!" Glynda snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument. "To the bullhead! Now!" 

Before Port and Oobleck could make it out the door, a calm yet commanding voice cut through. "I will join you," Ozpin said, rising from his seat with an air of quiet authority. His ever-present mug of coffee rested on the table, abandoned for the first time in hours.

"Headmaster, are you certain?" Glynda asked, her tone softening slightly. 

"They will need every asset we can provide," Ozpin interrupted gently. "This situation is unprecedented." He adjusted his long coat. "And I do believe my presence will help ensure their safety."

As Glynda nodded reluctantly and returned her attention to the monitors, Ozpin glanced at the screen, where one particular student stood out. 

And his eyes, were of gold.

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The ground continued to quake beneath their feet, the ominous rumble accompanied by the distant snapping of branches. Tension hung thick in the air, and for a moment, no one spoke, their focus locked on the shadows closing in around them.

Weiss was the first to break the silence. "There are too many," she said firmly. "We need to retreat."

Yang scoffed. "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" She grinned with barely contained blood thirst. "This is an examination, buttercup! This is where our abilities are tested. If we run now, what does that say about us?" Her lilac eyes burned with determination as she turned toward the rest of the group. "We're here to show what we've got and I say we stay and beat the crap out of every Grimm that comes our way!"

Nora grinned, hefting Magnhild onto her shoulder. "I'm with blondie! Smashing Grimm sounds way more fun than running away. Plus, what's the point of training to be Huntsmen if we're scared of a few oversized puppies?"

Ren, however, frowned. "And what happens if we lose?" he asked bluntly, his voice cutting through the growing enthusiasm. "We can't become Beacon students if we're all dead. There's no shame in retreating when the odds are against us."

"But I have barely fought anything since I landed" Yang cried. "The hell can I prove I can kick ass when I have barely kicked any ass?" 

"She's right, you know," Nora elbowed Ren. 

"Retreat if you want," Jaune said. "But I'm staying."

The others turned to him, stunned. Jaune's grip on Crocea Mors tightened as he took a step forward, planting himself between them and the approaching Grimm.

"You call yourselves Huntsmen. Then do what you are supposed to do, hunt," Jaune said.

Weiss stared at him, disbelief in her eyes. "But we have no one here to protect, Arc! This is stupid! We have to retreat!" 

He turned to Weiss, his eyes meeting hers. "Then go, and leave the monster-slaying to me. If you are so much a bore, then run. I know who I am, and I want to slay monsters." 

For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Yang stepped forward. "Hell yeah!" she said, a wild grin spreading across her face. "Let's kick some fucking ass! See! There's a reason why blondes are so much more fun!" 

Weiss threw her hands into the air. "There is literally no strategic or tactical reason to stay here and fight!" she screeched, her voice rising with frustration.

"THEN RUN!" Jaune roared, a manic grin spreading across his face. "RUN, AND WE SHALL HAVE MORE FOR US!" He turned toward the rushing horde, his shield raised high. His voice boomed across the clearing, filled with fiery conviction. "ALMIGHTY PTRA, BEHOLD THE ENEMY! SHADOWS AND FLAMES! THEY WHO KNOW NOT YOUR LIGHT, YOUR POWER! MAY EACH OF THEIR DEMISES PLEASE YOU, HOLY PTRA, BRINGER OF THE DAY, FOR IT IS THE LAST THESE UNBELIEVERS SHALL EVER SEE!"

Yang howled with laughter as she stood at his side. "I have no gods-damned idea who Ptra is, but hell yeah, let's fucking go!"

Pyrrha rushed forwards to stand by Jaune. Her expression was tentative. She clutched Milo and Akouo tightly, her knuckles whitening. "Jaune, are you absolutely sure about this?" she asked, her voice low but carrying a weight of concern. "This isn't an examination anymore. This could get us killed." 

Jaune turned to her, his expression resolute. "Of course I am sure. We are hunters now, and hunters must kill." 

Pyrrha stared at him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Then we kill." 

"Pyrrha!" Weiss protested, her voice tight with frustration. "You're supposed to be the sensible one!"

Pyrrha shrugged, smiling as her weapons gleamed. "Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter," she quoted. 

Weiss's jaw dropped, incredulous. "You're all insane." She took in a breath, then grabbed Ruby's arm, trying to pull her away. "Ruby, come on! This is suicide! We can regroup and come back with a plan!"

Her jaw dropped even lower. 

"Oh my gods, you are staying!?" 

Crescent Rose flashed. 

"Yup," Ruby nodded. 

"Fucking Valeans, I swear!" Weiss grumbled. "What is it with you people and wanting to fight against impossible odds!" 

"Yeah, well that is the same sort of gumption that got us to win a war and ya'lls lost!" Yang shot back. 

"Enough!" Jaune roared again, silencing any further squabbling. He turned to face his companions, his face alight with a mixture of fire and divinity, Crocea Mors gleamed in his hand as if it too had been awakened by his will. "They are almost upon us!" 

He clutched his fist to his chest. And light glowed. And in a sunless realm, the sun rose at last.

Each one felt it in their souls, a burning, yearning feeling of being totally and utterly alive. And Jaune's voice was not his own. "Hear me," he thundered, and the air bowed beneath the command, the grass flattening outward in a perfect circle as if the earth itself genuflected before its rightful ruler.

Weiss's breath hitched, Ruby stiffened, Yang's feral grin froze for a heartbeat, and Pyrrha's hand convulsed around her spear as if her soul recognized something her mind could not articulate. The light around Jaune swelled until it crowned him, edges flaring gold-white like flame licking the rim of a brazier. His stance widened, his shoulders squared.

[SPOILER="This Will be the Day"][URL unfurl="true" media="youtube:jZ798sJsX2M"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ798sJsX2M[/URL][/SPOILER]

"For you tremble at shadows and count them as foes too many," he proclaimed, pointing Crocea Mors toward the oncoming Grimm horde as though accusing them of treason. "For you speak of retreat where none has been decreed. For you weigh your odds like gamblers and cowards, not realizing that fate itself bends knee before the will of the Imperishable."

He grinned, from ear to ear. "For too long have men forgotten glory, lost to soft living and softer hearts, trusting in walls instead of will. But, you shall remember!" 

He strode forward a single step. The earth cracked beneath that heel.

"You shall remember what it is to stand unbroken in the face of annihilation."

Another step.

"You shall remember that greatness is not given, but seized."

Another.

"You shall remember that we are not lambs set for slaughter, but lions. Kings. Huntmasters of the living and scourge of the dead."

Crocea Mors burned in his grip like a shard of the sun.

"And these wretched beasts?" His lip curled in contempt. "They do not come to test you. They come to be destroyed."

Yang laughed, full-bodied and wild. Ruby braced her scythe, eyes wide with awe. Nora vibrated with excitement. Ren swallowed hard but held his ground.

Settra thrust his sword high, and the gathered light exploded, a pillar spearing into the heavens.

"BEHOLD!" he bellowed, his voice cracking the air like a whip. "THE SUN RETURNS TO THIS CURSED LAND! AND WITH IT, DOOM FOR ALL WHO DARE OPPOSE ITS CHOSEN!"

The Grimm roared back, but the sound faltered beneath his.

"STAND WITH ME, IF YOU WOULD BE IMMORTALIZED!"

The ground trembled.

"FLEE, IF YOU WERE BORN FOR NOTHING!"

The light intensified until it painted the faces of every student in gold.

"BUT IF YOU ARE MINE, IF YOU CLAIM VALOR, FURY, AND DESTINY AS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT!"

He swung his sword down, pointing it directly at the onrushing monsters.

"THEN LET US SLAUGHTER THEM SO COMPLETELY THAT EVEN THEIR SHADOWS SHALL KNOW FEAR! WE DO NOT SERVE, WE RULE!" 

They all roared, even Weiss, for battle-fury gripped them. And as one, charged. 

Yang struck first. She slammed into a Beowolf, Ember Celica detonating point-blank against its ribs, the explosion ripping half its torso into a burst of black mist. She laughed  and spun straight into the next one, fist smashing through its jaw with a wet crack as its head snapped sideways, body collapsing into dust before it hit the ground. Another leapt at her and she grabbed it by the snout mid-pounce, roared into its face, and tore its jaws apart with her bare hands

Ruby, she vaulted upward, scythe spinning like a windmill of unfriendship, momentum snapping her into a perfect arc. The Deathstalker lifted its stinger to strike at her but Ruby sliced clean through it, and then buried Crescent Rose in its skull with a single downward stroke. It wailed, and died uselessly. 

Nora launched herself off a shattered log, screaming an unhinged battle cry, and swung Magnhild downward in a meteor hammer blow that cratered the earth. Grimm broke in an almost comedic spray, limbs flailing, before they detonated into black mist mid-air. An Ursa tried to get her from behind, but Nora swung hard, and turned the thing into mist. 

Pyrrha moved with Milo in rifle form first, shots ringing out in disciplined bursts, every bullet punching into eyes, joints, exposed throats. She pivoted, Milo snapping into spear configuration mid-turn, blade shimmering gold as she drove it through a Beowolf's ribs hard enough to split its sternum in half. Another Grimm lunged behind her and without looking, she flicked her shield back, catching the creature's claws, turning its own momentum into an opening. She spun and tore her spear through the creature's neck, severing its head with a brutal, elegant sweep..

And in the center of it all, Jaune. He charged into the thickest cluster of beasts, Crocea Mors blazing with gold-white radiance so intense that shadows cowered from him. A Beowolf leapt and Jaune met it with his shield, smashing it aside so hard its body shattered. Another lunged and he carved it from collarbone to hip in a single glowing stroke, the blade singing with divine heat, Grimm flesh burning away before its halves hit the ground. 

A Deathstalker barreled toward him, stinger arcing down. He caught the stinger on his shield and the Grimm shrieked in confusion. Then with a savage yell, ripped the stinger off, and smashed the glowing stinger into the Deathstalker's skull.  

"COME AND DIE, BEFORE THE IMPERISHABLE!" he roared. "LET MY WILL BE DONE!"

More Grimm flooded in. 

They died screaming. 

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A/N: I think they passed.