Relic of the Future: Chapter 131

Jaune rolled with the impact, out of the path of the charging man, who stopped in a crouch, one hand to the sand collecting a handful of grit. Qrow must have been having flashbacks.

Memorising his weak position, Jaune closed his eyes and slashed down. As expected, Bertilak heaved the sand into his face – but what wasn't expected was the burning pain as it seared along his aura, slicing over his cheeks and drawing blood before he could reinforce it. Shocked, Jaune broke his attack and threw himself to the left, hearing the impact of a mace behind. Opening his eyes, he gingerly touched his cheek, pulling his hand away bloody.

Had Bertilak hidden a weapon in the process of collecting sand? Had he done that knowing Jaune would notice, then substituted it with a throwing knife? Impossible. He would have noticed if the man had that on him. Instead, he noticed the faint wisps of smoke coming from Bertilak's fingers and the droplets of what looked like water falling from them. The water touched the sand and embedded into it, whole and clear, glinting in the sun. Glass.

The lovechild of Cardin, Russel and Cinder. How ridiculous. Had this guy been to the car boot sale of Beacon and taken his pick of gear, aesthetics and Semblance? It was practically identical to Cinder's, even down to how she used it to create glass weaponry.

Heat generation, and at a temperature high enough to turn sand to glass. He wasn't sure of the physics involved, but that temperature would be more than high enough to burn flesh, too. Better not let this guy get a hold of me or I'm in trouble. Still, this explains why he's one of the strongest huntsmen in Vacuo. The ability to turn sand into a weapon in a desert speaks for itself.

—Relic of the Future: Chapter 131