Finally back with another chapter! I havnt been taking as many liberties as I should have with this story seeing as it is just a fanfic and Ive been rather anal about following plot and that has made for a very boring story. So im going to do what i should have been doing and spicing it up in a way thats not just adding another character into the story. But as always please enjoy!
Chapter 7: Reaching out for Haven
Tobias woke up to intense discussion.
"There's nothing there! It's a destroyed town with nothing left in it." Ren's voice carried over softly but seriously.
"You can't know that for certain! Even if there's a chance there's a pharmacy we should take it! Besides we can't carry both of them up the mountains Ren! I'm surprised we haven't been attacked by Grimm yet anyway!" Ruby argued. "Taking them both up the mountain would be a huge drain on us and if we get attacked we might not be strong enough.
"It's even worse walking through a deserted town not knowing what's already there!"
"We can't take the risk with both of them out of commission!" Ren spoke, his voice steadily growing louder.
"Just one of them actually." Tobias said as he slowly got to his feet. Causing the rest of them to jump.
Still feeling a bit queasy Tobias blanched before speaking again. "So, what did I miss?"
"Tobias you need to rest! You've been poisoned." Ruby said as she walked over to him.
"Let me stop you right there." Tobias interrupted. "One, the amount of poison in me doesn't seem to be even half much bad as Qrow's. And two, i've been through SO much worse than a little poison. It'll be fine."
"B-but…" Ruby started.
"No buts! I'll live, and this way we can decide which way to take easier. I should be able to properly heal us both this time." Tobias said. "But Qrow will probably still be unconscious for a while after so it would be best if we did have a place to keep him stable.
Ren hesitated, looking like he wanted to argue more before saying. "Nora and I will go through the mountains and bring help back…
"What! Ren we shouldn't split up it's not safe!" Jaune exclaimed.
"It will be fastest! Nora and I will bring help back from Haven while you get Qrow the rest he needs." Ren said again.
Jaune clenched his fist for a moment before nodding. "Fine. But you stay safe out there." He said as he pulled Ren in for a hug.
"And you as well." Ren said.
Tobias made his way to where Qrow was laying on the makeshift stretcher. "Salacia Persei Elimo come!" A glyph appeared at his feet and shined brightly for a moment before a woman appeared in a brilliant flash. The woman had pale skin and long light brown hair, almost orange in color. She had kind cerulean eyes that were behind glasses and an equally kind smile on her face. She wore a long blue dress had had white gloves on. She had four wings and had a floating crystal book in front of her.
"Hello summoner." she said politely as she floated in front of them.
Tobias tossed a fujin potion at her which she caught and instantly drank the contents. Not wasting a moment she threw her arms into the air and a massive ball of swirling water appeared as it grew larger and larger. "Difique Force!" she said as the bubble popped and sprayed water droplets all over the place.
The effect was instantaneous, Tobias's complexion instantly cleared up and Qrow's breathing was no longer labored, instead they were deep and peaceful as the droplets hit Ruby she felt revitalized. At the same time a blue see through shield like wall appeared in front of everyone one before shimmering and disappearing.
"What was that?" Jaune asked.
"A water barrier. It will disappear after a little bit." Tobias answered before turning to Elimo. "Thank you! You are dismissed."
The woman gave a smile and a quick wave before she vanished into multicolored lights.
Tobias let out a deep breath went to pick up one end, only to be stopped by Ruby's hand on his shoulder. "I know you said your fine...but please don't strain yourself. Jaune and I can carry him."
Tobias opened his mouth to argue but Jaune cut him off this time. "Just keep watch for us okay?"
Tobias let out a sigh and nodded in agreement.
"Let's go then." Ruby said as she gave a smile, although it was nowhere near her normal sparkling smiles.
After one more goodbye Ren and Nora went up the mountain path. Jaune watched them walk off before letting out a sigh. "I hope they'll be okay…"
"They'll be fine. Ren and Nora can handle anything together...and so can we." Ruby said as she picked up her end of the stretcher.
"I hope your right." Jaune said as he picked up the other end. "Let's get moving."
Tobias took a moment to pull out his communicator, within a few seconds he had a large scythe in his hands. Simple in design it had a purple streak on the top half of the blade and another blade at the end of if, on each end of the staff it held two shining blue gems.
He set off after them as they marched in relative silence, anxiety and worry filling the air around them.
The town was similar to the other town they passed through when they fought Tyrian. Desolate and abandoned, buildings beginning to crumble under the years of weather and time
"Well, atleast most of the buildings are intact…" Tobias said as they stopped under a dead tree that was more or less in the center of the town. Tobias leaned against the tree and looked at the other two. "So now what."
"Well...now we need some shelter." Ruby said slowly.
"Lets get searching for a good house…" Jaune said as he propped Qrow against a tree.
Right before they began to step away a monsterous howl cut through the eerie quiet causing all three of them to go on alert.
"It sounded far away…" Ruby said. "We're fine…."
"I hope Nora and Ren are too…" Jaune said as he gazed towards the mountains.
A sigh grabbed Tobias's and Jaune's attention as they looked back towards Ruby who was staring dejectedly into the ground. "This is all my fault… i'm sorry." she said as she let out a little sniffle. "For all of this, you guys never asked for any of this and I just selfishly brought you into my problems, and now i've put everyone around me in danger. She choked up before she could continue and Jaune put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We didn't get dragged into anything Ruby, we wanted to come with you. Sure it's scary at times and there's a lot going on that we don't know about but you give us the courage to keep going. You helped us to keep moving forward."
"I gave you the distress beacon for a reason Ruby. I want to help and my units would never forgive me if I got cold feet every time something got a little dangerous." Tobias said with a small smile. "So long as you need it i'll be here to help. No matter what.
Ruby sniffled again as she looked at all of them. "Thank you, so much." as she smiled again, this time a true Ruby smile
Tobias and Jaune just smiled back in response.
"Speaking of your...units. Why don't you have them with you now?" Ruby asked.
Tobias shrugged. "Practice. Getting used to not relying on them all the time. To be able to fight by myself like my friends can."
"Are they strong like your units?"
He chuckled. "Oh yea they are crazy strong. They fight on their own all the time then they use their summons if it gets rough. I...always had an affinity for summoning and after what happened with Alza…" he got a far off look in his eye before shaking his head But i'll get to their level in due time. I just gotta keep training."
That same shriek cut through the air again, only this time much louder.
"That thing is getting closer!" Jaune said standing up. Ruby and Tobias brandished their scythes warily. Ruby gave me a sidelong look. "You know how to use that thing?"
"I've got the basics down. Nothing fancy." Tobias responded as he was stared down the mainstreet of the town." He looked to the left and spoke. "Heads up we got two things headed our way fast. His tattoo glowing a bright golden yellow.
The pounding of feet on stone made everyone tense up as it grew louder and louder before finally Ren and Nora burst around the corner full sprint. "Ren?! Nora?! What are you doing here?" Jaune said in shock as Ruby and Tobias lowered their weapons. "You scared us!"
"No time!" Ren said as he gasped for air. "It's coming fast!"
"Wait wait. What is!" Ruby asked.
The distinct sound of hooves clopping echoed through the town as the monstrosity rounded the corner.
Ren let out a shaky breath as he took a few steps backwards. "That…"
Easily twelve feet tall the mutant horse human grimm hybrid walked slowly towards them. The human part if you could even call it that had two horns on its head and freakishly long arms with two prongs on the end that were being dragged along the ground behind it. As it moved forwards it twitched and convulsed making disgusting snapping sounds as it moved.
"That is probably the fifth most disgusting thing I have ever seen." Tobias muttered.
They slowly moved backwards as they watched its movements before it completely stopped and gazed at them. There was a morbid kind of intelligence in its gaze. Almost smug as if it knew the effect it had on people before slowly turning its head towards Qrow's resting body. Jaune suddenly bolted forwards towards Qrow and as soon as he moved so did the grimm. The creature galloped forwards straight at Jaune and Qrow. Tobias took off a second afterwards. Right before the grimm trampled them both it abruptly stopped. Apparently confused it looked straight at Jaune and Qrow before looking around.
"Go! Get him to safety!" Ren shouted as he concentrated.
The grimm let out a shriek as it turned towards the others right as Tobias cleaved at its leg. As the edge hooked behind its leg lightning sparked from the contact as the blade bit in. Tobias grunted as he pulled hard attempting to dismember the beast but to no avail. The grimm let out a shriek as it stood up on its hind legs and bucked trying to hit him. Tobias was dragged up slightly as his scythe was still slightly embedded into its leg. A shot went off that knocked it back down on four legs and Tobias jerked his scythe out and spun fiercely embedding the tip of the scythe into the horses chest. It winnied again but before it could retaliate Nora and Ren here upon it. Ren slashing down its side as Nora smashed into its hindquarters. The horse spun and jumped backwards to create space, flinging Ren off of its side.
They all regrouped eying the beast warily.
"Its strong." Tobias remaked. "The grimm where not that strong when I was here last. "What happened?"
"After the fall of Beacon...because of the world wide panic and fear all the negative emotions made the grimm stronger as a whole as well as more problematic." Ruby quickly explained. "This one is also apparently very old. Not many grim have skin that tough without existing for a few years."
Jaune reappeared from whatever house he had hid Qrow in. "We aren't getting away from this thing so we have to kill it. Not with Qrow still recovering. The creature started to twitch and convulse more than normal. "Whats going on?" Nora said.
Large bone like spikes suddenly shot out of its skin all over its back and it unhinged its jaw to let out an ear splitting roar that made everyone cover their ears. After its apparent battle cry it's had shot out with surprising speed and range. The boned protrusions slammed into Tobias with incredible force sending him flying backwards smashing into one of the houses.
"Spread out!" Shouted Jaune as he moved towards the beast the four of them circled it as its head twitched to and fro trying to track them all. Ren went in first and instantly a hand darted out at him. Ren deftly vaulted over it running his knives across the black flesh before flipping over it while pelting it with his gun. The beast swung its arm out again trying to catch him. But Tobias's scythe finally found purchase in the thick flesh gouging out a chunk of it as lightning arched down the wound.
"Hit and Run! Hit and Run!" Jaune shouted as Tobias ducked under the horse to get to a safe distance. The constant fire of Crescent Rose had the humanesque head crying out constantly as she unloaded her clip into it. Nora and Ren charged the beast again when suddenly the torso of the body spun in a complete 360 and unwound itself flinging out its arms. As it spun it swept everyone up. As it cried out again, louder than the last time. Instead of a deafening silence after the cry a howl echoed back followed by two more which were then followed by even more howls. A shiver traveled down Tobias's spine as he picked himself up. "It called for help?!" he shouted.
"Ren wait for us!" Jaune called out before turning to Tobias. If we get swarmed we are as good as dead! We can't defend…" he trailed off as his eyes widened in realization. "QROW! He can't defend himself!"
"I'll get to him!" Tobias said before Ruby could say anything. "Where did you leave him."
Jaune bounced one of the hands off of his shield with a grunt. "Main street, third house underneath!
"Got it." Tobias said as he picked his scythe up and ran off. Before he could get far the creatures arm grazed his side, cutting deep. Tobias snarled and swung at the retracting hand but missed as it went back to its original position. There was more gunfire and Tobias used that to get away and look for Qrow.
As luck would have it Tobias found Qrow just in time. He went to pick up the unconscious man when he heard a massive crash to his left. Amid the settling dusk he could make out a large hole in the wall that was not there before. Movement in the dust caught his eye as something squirmed and flipped over before making its way out and its presence know with a squeal. The Boarbatusk was large but not oppressively so, not like the Ursa that lumbered its way through the hole after. The Ursa was nearly as big as the horse grimm back with Ruby and the others. "Oh man…" Tobias muttered as he watched a few more Beowolves come in through the hole after them. "Suddenly the Boarbatusk let out a far more guttural squeal than before and Tobias knew he had been detected. Because the rest of the grimm also looked his way.
"Misfortune Feeva come to me!" Tobias said as he began to drag Qrow backwards.
A flash of light gave way to a ashen blond woman wearing a red shirt with golden links on it with a black coat and tight black pants. She had dark thick bracelets on each wrist and a average sized purple colored sword. Not needing instructions she darted forward at the Boarbatusk as she slashed at it. It squealed as the blade made contact. She continued to move forward with the closest grimm's attention on her, leading it back to where the other grimm where charging. She vaulted over the charging Ursa and drove her blade into one of the Beowolves behind it before swiftly ripping it out and ducking under the powerful swing of the Ursa which sent the skewered Beowolf crashing into the wall. Feeva ducked and twirled gracefully as she fought in the middle of group of grimm as she dodged the Ursa one more time the boarbatusk came spinning rapidly from the side. Feeva quickly brought up the flat of her blade and pivoted as she slid the creature off its course. After a few feet the beast stopped and stood dazed for a moment and Feeva rushed the beast driving her sword deep into its hindquarter and ripping its tendons. As it layed flaying on the ground she raised her hand slightly and purple crystal shards burst out of the ground and impaled the beast, silencing it permanently. Feeva glanced at the other grimm who where still focused on her and ran to meet them halfway. In the blink of an eye she dashed through them all leaving them with a gaping wound across their side. Feeva stood behind the Ursa as they recovered from the attack and confusion and raised her hand again. Spires of dark crystal burst out of the earth in a line skewering the beowolves and piercing deep into the Ursa's belly. As the crystals broke all the bodies trapped in them fell to the ground limply aside from the Ursa, which was struggling to get to its feet. Feeva walked over to it as it cried feebly and raised her sword over its neck. Right before she could swing her blade a massive howl made her turn swiftly. Another Beowolf, this one far larger and covered in much more bone armor was flying towards her. Before she could do anything the beast had her pinned and was snapping at her throat trying to rip out her jugular as Feeva pushed its head back, barely keeping the fangs away.
Another form appeared over the Beowolf who was far too distracted trying to slaughter its pray to notice the curved metal blade swing under its throat. With a grunt Tobias swung hard and cleanly decapitated the Alpha in one clean swipe its body instantly going limp and collapsing on Feeva who quickly pushed it off and got to her feet. Tobias spun his scythe and planted the hilt down with a thud the wound on his slide closing up slightly. "We should seal this hole before anything else can get through."
"Im not a bricklayer summoner." was her only reply.
"Just help me collapse it…" Tobias said sighing and shaking his head as he walked forward.
Feeva gave a small smile as she followed, sheathing her sword. Tobias stood at the hole and cupped both his hands together like a step. Feeva placed one foot in and hopped three times before Tobias threw her upwards on top of the wall. As she clambered to the top she pulled out her sword and stabbed sections of wall above the hole. As she pulled out the blade she filled the small incisions with crystals that burst out of the wall, collapsing the section with a crash filling the hole with crumbled shards of crystal and stone. Feeva rolled as she hit the ground and popped up, brushing dust off herself nonchalantly.
"Now to help Ruby and the others." Tobias said before he heard a massive crash and the pained screams of the grimm.
"It seems like the fight is coming to and end." Feeva said as she started to walk back towards the main courtyard.
Tobias listened to the screams that where now practically non stop as they raised in volume until abruptly it stopped. He let out a sigh and smiled. "Sounds like it."
As they were walking back an angry hissing sound caught their attention. They glanced back down the street to see a massive black and white snake slithering swiftly at them.
Tobias saw Feeva glance at him from the corner of his eye. "We missed one." she stated.
"I noticed." Tobias said not looking back at her. "Go" he said and instantly a black blur passed by him charging straight for the snake.
"Ivy Goddess Nalmika go!"
A flash of white then a blur of green was all that was seen as the woman instantly spirited after Feeva catching up to her quickly. As they neared the beast it reared its head back and struck at them with blinding speed. Feeva quickly rolled out of the way of its mouth while Nalmika with all the grace of a ballerina twirled past the maw and slashed her rapier along its mouth. Before the beast could recoil Nalmika stabbed the beast with rapid trust before flipping backwards as the snake swung its head to the side in an attempt to hit her.
While Nalmika had the snake distracted Feeva hacked and slashed at it leaving bits of skin hanging off of its neck. Before she could attack again the snake swung its head away making her stumble as she missed her strike.
As the snakes head swung over her Nalmika a massive plant erupted from the ground in front of her. It lashed out quickly at the soft underbelly of the snake, Its fang like petals ripping a chunk out of it then spitting a glob of purple acid like substance into the wound. Its shrieking hiss filled the quiet air as the snake whipped its head around in the opposite direction. When a white snake head from the opposite end of the beast came flying forwards.
"Watch it!" Feeva shouted as she rolled out of the way once again.
Nalmika lept forwards into the plant that had sprouted in front of her and stood in a pocket in the plants membrane that opened up when she got near. As soon as she stepped inside the membrane closed up and the plant burrowed as quickly as it had appeared. The white snake head stopped its lightning quick charge and looked around, letting out an angry before suddenly Tobias's scythe appeared and cut the tendons in the jaw. Causing the bottom jaw to hang limply as the snake writhed in pain. He continued with his momentum and whirled around once more this time striking the soft underbelly.
"Adelphia Tale!" he shouted as the blade connected. Lightning surged and crackled as it burst from the blade arcing up and down the snakes body as it twitched and convulsed before falling limply on the ground. At the same time Nalmika and her plant burst from the ground at the other end of the snake where the black head was attempting to regenerate. As the plant latched itself onto the jaw of the grimm Nalmika leapt up on top of the snake and drove her rapier through its skull. The black head fell without a struggle, as the entire body started to dissipate Nalmika ripped her sword out and jumped off her plant burrowing back into the earth as she walked over to Feeva and Tobias.
Tobias sported a victorious grin on his face as Nalmika met up with them. His scythe still crackling with electricity. "Let's get back to the others.
Ruby yanked her scythe out of the beast's now limp arm as she watched Ren make his peace with the monster. When suddenly she remembered the howls of approaching grimm. She turned down the mainstreet where Tobias had ran down when from over the rooftops lightning burst into existence, arcing beautifully into the sky before abruptly fading and a pained inhumane screech cut across the desolate city before everything went silent. Ruby waited and listened for anymore sounds of combat or grimm activity but everything, finally seemed peaceful. The sound of voices carried down the mainstreet, Ruby looked up to see Tobias and two women who were carrying Qrow. as they got closer she could actually hear what they were talking about.
"-ting better all the time admit it."
"If summoner whats me to admit it I shall but I did most of the work, clearing out all those wolves." Feeva said.
"Act as aloof as you want Feeva I know you were happy when I got that alpha off of you." Tobias said with a grin.
Feeva simply hummed to herself, not giving any facial queues to what was going on inside her mind.
The woman on the other side of Qrow, who was pale with dark green and red hair and wore a skirt that looked exactly like a flower petal. Let out a huff. "Instead of happy she should feel mortified summoner had to save her when she should be doing the saving instead."
"Don't be so stubborn Nalmika, it just shows that i'm getting stronger and that's a good thing. To finally be able to properly fight with you all."
As Ruby watched their interactions and listened she couldn't help but sense that in a way...they were different. These two seemed to have the emotional capabilities of Ciara, Selena and the few others she had met, but even then they had been rather closed off to others, a stoic silence around them more often than not unless they were responding to orders. Now these two, which Ruby could tell where far weaker than some of the other units she had seem where more…human, as much as you could call them humans. lifelike and interactive.
Their conversation drew to a close as they reached Ruby. The two women walked past her and dropped Qrow at the base of the tree again.
"So, now what Ruby?" Tobias asked.
"Now...we can take a small break I suppose." she let out a small chuckle. "I think we earned it.
"That's what I like to hear." Tobias said as he set his scythe down and laying on the ground. "Dismissed." he said once he was sitting and both of women did a small curtsy before vanishing into rainbow lights.
"Hey Tobias?" Ruby asked.
"Hmm? Whats up?" Tobias said from the ground
Ruby was silent for a moment. Not really knowing how to voice the question. "Your units seem...different. More like, people. They used to not act like that even around you unless they were the super strong ones. So why did these ones seem so lively?"
Tobias was silent, staring into the sky with a far away look in his eyes. "It's a long story."
"That seems to be a trend for most of the stories we have heard." Ruby said. "If its a bad story...you don't have to tell it." she added with a small frown.
"Its not...BAD...but its not a good story either, a lot of pain and almost dying but I suppose that comes with the job you know?" Tobias sat up and said. "I'll give you the easy version of it all. In the closest world to mine, one might call it a sister world, Ishriga was a land of demons not unlike the lizard beast we fought all those months ago."
Ruby shuddered. That demon had been horrifying enough and supposedly there was a world full of them? Truly the stuff of nightmares."
"Somewhere hidden in that land was a god. Karna Masta." Tobias got a far off look in his eyes as his hand was subconsciously drawn to the middle of his chest.
Ruby noticed the tattoo on his arm slowly turn a purplish black color as Tobias continued to tell his tale.
"Karna Masta was the chief of all gods who had been sealed away by another god named Lucius because Karna Masta wanted to wipe out all of humanity. So as we traveled through the land trying to track him down to destroy him for good of course we were attacked by all manner of demons but that in itself wasn't horrible. When we DID find him however...honestly it's a terrifying thing to behold, a true god towering over me and my units. The sheer power in his very being was enough to shake even my units. My friends and I came very close to death. We would have if Tilith hadn't saved us at the end which nearly killed her in turn. In the end I ended up beating him. But, here's the thing about gods, if you don't destroy their soul along with their body. They just come back stronger. So we had to track down his soul as well which wasn't hard with my friend Ark leading the way. The soul of a god is without a doubt stronger than its physical form. It doesn't need to hold back its just raw power and destruction so you can imagine how tough that fight was. After we permanently destroy Karna Masta we had a time of relative peace in the summoner's hall where I work. Some odd side jobs here and there, and that's around the time I ended up in your world. So after i got called back and dealt with the chaos back there a scientist back in my world and a lot of the other summoners noticed something going awry with the summoning arts. That's when Elder Grah told me about Lugina's mission and how he supposedly was missing in action. So I went after him. Once I was in the world. Bectas, is its name immediately I couldn't summon anymore. At most I could summon a four star unit and not even at their full strength. Thankfully I had Tilith with me and I met another friend along the way who helped me train my own skill with weapons. Once we were there my new friend Reda informed me that specific beings known as Sealed Gods where running rampant as well as causing the disturbances in the summoning arts. So we set about fixing it. As we took down the sealed gods we ran into some...complications but after that we learned something very important. Karna Masta had a brother. And buy destroying Karna Masta's soul and the Sealed Gods we were actually weakening the seal on the brother. Alza Masta, The Chief God Alza Masta." Tobias let out a haunted chuckle. "We went to go put a stop to that naturally but we were just a little too slow...or maybe they were just too fast…"
But the seal broke and chaos ensued." Tobias looked Ruby dead in the eyes. "When Alza Masta appeared...his very presence immobilized us, Even the gods who were stationed there to make sure Alza Masta's seal never broke where completely helpless against him. I said it before and i'll say it again. True gods, are the most horrifying things in existence. I'll take the most twisted demons and crazed criminals over a true god if I have the choice. Only reason we survived...was because I was given true summoning power. The Sealed Gods where each part of Karna Masta power, which was the power of summoning and they sent their power into me. Giving me the strength to move, to fight, and save my friends. Because of this the two gods stationed there let me keep this power. So now perhaps, I don't really know for sure but my soul, in some way is tied with Karna and Alza Masta. And because of this true summoning power it made my units stronger, more THEM. because they draw straight from the source of summoning now, me. And after some loose ends were tied up back in El Gaia it was maybe a week before I found the distress beacon. And now i'm here." Tobias finished as he leaned back on his hands he glanced around in surprise to see the other three listening intently to his story.
"So...if summoning was Karna Masta's power in the first place how did you get it?" Jaune asked.
"Right before Karna Masta was sealed by Lucius. He placed a curse over Grand Gaia. But the curse wasn't for humans. It was for the gods. When the first summoner went through the gate. The curse affected him because he was strong enough and his body could handle it. And as more and more humans came through that were strong enough to use the curse that's how humans acquire summoning."
"What happens if you weren't strong enough." Nora asked.
Tobias shrugged as best he could. "Nothing. You were in Grand Gaia but you couldn't summon so you had to be able to fight on your own."
A strange sound cut through the air as they sat in their story time circle causing everyone to glance around.
"More grimm?" Tobias asked as he reached for his scythe.
Ruby let out a happy gasp. "No look! A ship!" she cried out and got up and started jumping up and down.
Prompting the others to get up and shout and wave in an attempt to flag down the ship.
It seems their waving us unnecessary because the ship was making a bee line for them.
As the ship passed over the mountain peak a vibrant green sprawling city practically built into the mountains instantly came into view. Ruby let out a gasp as she stepped closer to the edge of the ship as she took in the view. She turned around and practically flash stepped into Jaune pulling him in for a crushing hug. "We did it we did it!" she whirled around to see Tobias smiling brightly as he raised his scythe into the air and let out a cheer. The tattoo on his arm a brilliant golden yellow again.
"We made it to Haven…" she said suddenly overcome with emotion.
"Let's find an inn and get settled in." Ren said. With a sedated but no less happy smile on his face as Nora was practically bouncing at his side.
Ruby wiped the tear that was threatening to spill over from joy and nodded. "Yea!"
