Hey everyone – a massive apology about the drama of last chapter. There was an error affecting some authors on the site (at random) where new chapters would not upload properly. I know a lot of people struggled to even get to this to work. It's been fixed now, so hopefully it won't occur again. It was something on the site itself, not me uploading and then deleting or anything.
If you didn't get to see chapter two for whatever reason, it should be working now if you go back a chapter.
P.s. Long chapter is long, average chapter length will usually be a little shorter.
Beta: College Fool
Chapter 3
I'd read about Grimm before, even looked at pictures from time to time. You couldn't avoid them really, not when they might pop up at any moment. But this was the first time I'd ever seen one in the flesh. The books didn't do them justice.
Thankfully, they didn't see me.
What had I been thinking? The students who had run ahead, they'd clearly known what they were doing and were probably already cutting their way through Grimm at that very moment. I'd stayed behind, as long as I reasonably could, before going in with the last stragglers. There'd be less Grimm, it would be safer – such had been the theory.
Except that I'd made two critical mistakes. The first was that those at the back were mostly the weaker or least confident of Heroes. Those who were under-levelled – like myself – or just the ones who didn't have the training or stomach for fighting at all. That meant I was pretty much on my own in terms of anyone to work with, since half of them turned right back around and gave up.
The second mistake was far more problematic. Grimm spawned… or rather, they could spawn – usually where negativity was present, and especially where combat had recently taken place. Like dark miasma creeping up from the ground itself, they coalesced from thick ooze in less than ten second or fifteen seconds. There was plenty of negativity in this ruined place, whether it lingered from the old residents, or was brought along by struggling students or those who had been injured in this Quest.
The people ahead had cleared them all out, which seemed like a good thing at first. But then they'd all probably moved on in search of more… which meant that by the time I'd gotten to this part of the old village, Grimm had started to spawn once more.
"Not good, not good," I whispered – more as comfort for myself than anything else. My back was pressed against what might once have been the wall of a small house, now nothing more than ruined timber and stone. It was tall enough to keep me hidden if I crouched, but it wouldn't last.
Not when there were some dog-like Grimm up ahead. Canis, I recalled from some old storybooks. They were under a metre tall, though about one and a half in length, and they looked exactly like dogs too. Well, if dogs came with thick, black scales instead of fur. Not to mention the white, bone masks with red lines on. They definitely weren't as cuddly as some of the dogs back home.
Canis were pretty weak, as far as I could remember.
Then again, so was I.
Crocea Mors clinked quietly as I drew her up beside me. I could kill a Canis, surely. I was level twelve, and sure that might not mean much compared to someone like Pyrrha, but these were the lowest of the low when it came to Grimm. If I couldn't kill these then I'd never make it as a Hero.
I just wished there was only one of them… instead of three wandering around together, sniffing at the ground. The words above their head were simple enough, Canis and beneath that, Grimm. It featured as a Class for some reason, no one knew why. I wished I could tell what their levels were, but such was impossible. I'd have to go in blind. Or I'd have to go back and give up.
I can't give up without even trying. If only a few of the other stragglers were still around, or at least close enough that they could help out. I was going to have to do this alone. And fast, too, if I didn't want more Grimm to spawn and tip the odds against me even worse.
It still took another two or three minutes, which felt like hours, to force myself out from behind the wall. Crocea Mors shook in my fist, gripped too tight and rattling as my hand shivered. The plain kite shield hung from my other, ready to be brought up at a moment's notice.
"Deep breaths… you can do this." I wasn't a coward… a fool maybe, but not a coward. There was a certain insane bravery in my decision to try and become a Hero. This would just be like that. With a short sigh I stepped out into the middle of the old dirt path, holding the shield before me and banging Crocea Mors against the edge. Their cursed heads popped up almost immediately, beady red eyes narrowing to slits of lava as they snarled and pawed at the ground. "There's only three of them… I can do this."
I didn't have any skills that would help… I was a Blacksmith damn it, changing the temperature of the forge wouldn't make a difference when I didn't have one to hand. Tempering or Quenching was all well and good for treating metal, but wasn't going to stop a monster. That meant I'd need to rely on actual fighting… which was fine. I had Strength aplenty. It was my best Stat.
The first Canis was upon me before I even realised it. Teeth snapped and tore towards my face. I knocked it aside with my shield, but the weight nearly bore me down. Crocea Mors thrust out, but the Grimm dodged with ease. I tried to track it as it sped by, but the second and third came up quickly after, forcing me to deal with them.
One of them circled to the right, even as the Canis from earlier looped behind. The third came in head on, growling as it leapt for my throat. Stranded in the air there was no way the thing could dodge, so I took the chance to swing down with Crocea Mors, in an attack that even my Dexterity couldn't mess up. Steel bit into flesh, carving through it with disgusting ease. All my Strength behind the attack ensured that the blade tore through muscle and bone. There was an explosion of gore as each half of the beast passed by either side of me.
I'd… I'd done it? I had actua-
"Argh!" My celebration was cut off as something sharp and painful bit into the back of my leg. The shock knocked me onto one knee, even as the second Canis charged in. Crocea Mors swung horizontally, but it leapt at the last second, a curse slipping from my lips as its teeth bore down.
They locked down on my arm. The only thing that stopped it reaching my throat and only because I'd practically shoved it into the monster's dripping jaw. I could feel the teeth through thick leather and cloth, my aura dropping as it thrashed angrily.
Where's the last one? Off to the side, it darted in to bite at my face but a wave of Crocea Mors pushed it back with a ferocious bark. Trapped as I was, with one Grimm gnawing on my arm and another looking for any opening... I'd never been more frightened in my life.
I used it.
I took that fear and shaped it into something valuable, a desperate desire to survive – to live and prove myself. With a growl of my own I dropped Crocea Mors, slamming my free hand down on the upper snout of the Grimm trying to tear my limb off. Its eyes narrowed, but as my fingers dipped under its teeth, I started to wrench its jaws apart. The other one was hardly about to ignore an invitation like that and I let out a howl of pain as teeth bit down into my shoulder.
One at a time, that was the way to do it. Methodical and measured, just like forging a blade. With its teeth now prised off my arm I was able to use my freed hand to grab the lower jaw, keeping its mouth open. Had it actually looked like a dog there might have been some sympathy within me, but with red eyes and white mask, there was none as my muscles bulged, pulling swiftly apart. I didn't even perceive the ruined mess I'd made, too focused on the last creature, which was tearing chunks out of my aura.
"Get off me!" My hands settled on the nape of its neck, reaching over my shoulder to nestle in the thick muscle. With a violent heave its teeth were torn free, leaving pierce marks in my armour as it hurtled through the air. It yelped as it landed, bouncing twice before rolling back onto its feet. My fingers kicked up dirt as they slammed into the ground, grasping Crocea Mors once more.
"Let's see how you do when it's one on one!"
It snarled and shook its head, flecks of my own blood shaking off its teeth. My aura was mending the damage, or at least it stopped the bleeding. Aura itself wouldn't recover until I could rest or receive treatment, and if I ran out of that then my life was over.
I wasn't even close to that, however. There was well over 90% remaining. Thank god for my Constitution…
The Grimm and I circled one another for a few seconds, or as close to that as we could, where the ruined buildings didn't get in the way. I didn't want to be the one on attack, not with my low stats. My Strength had already proven it could carve through these with one good hit, so I was focused fully on that fact.
A bead of sweat dribbled down my forehead as we paced, balancing on the edge of my eyebrow, daring me to brush it aside. The Canis lunged. Dead ahead, I thrust Crocea Mors out, but it weaved to the side. My left! Its jaws clattered off the metal shield. I tried to cut down, whipping the shield back and slamming my blade home. But it had already gone, dashing by before swerving into another attack.
Damn but it was fast! Each time it struck I tried to catch it. Crocea Mors cut left and right, down from above – thrust, slash and swing. But each time I cut nothing more than air. Each time it escaped by a whisker's breadth. My bloody Dexterity, every damn time. The very stat that determined my ability to hit stuff in melee, my hand-to-eye co-ordination and skill with a weapon.
Also my worst stat… what use did a Blacksmith have for hitting a moving target? So long as I had enough to not crush my own fingers beneath a hammer, I didn't need any more.
This isn't going anywhere. I'm fast enough to defend, plus it's a pretty weak spawn. But if I can't kill it then this will never end. I wasn't about to run out of steam anytime soon, but what if more Grimm spawned as a result of the fight dragging on?
I had to stop it… had to find some way to prevent it being able to dodge. I could hit a non-moving target. That was pretty much what I did for a living. I hit stuff that didn't move, and I hit it hard.
"If I get it stuck somewhere it won't be able to dodge either…" I mused out loud. The problem wasn't just my Dex, but also the creature's Agility, which would determine its speed and ability to dodge. It was all about the difference between the two stats. Canis were pretty small and lithe, so chances were their Dex and Agi were high and their other stats were low.
That's why I can't hit it…
The answer came to me in an instant. The next time it attacked I dropped my shield and held my bare arm out towards it. Sensing blood it bit down, and I winced as teeth pierced skin. But like its brothers before, that left it trapped and unable to move. Crocea Mors carved a streak of silver through the air, biting through bone and muscle with contemptable ease. The Canis fell in two parts, slowly fading into nothingness as my breathing began to even out.
I'd done it. I had won. It meant the world to my battered confidence. What was a Hero if not someone who fought Grimm? I still didn't know exactly what made one, but they had to be forged in the crucible of blood and fire – or so the old songs went. Like a newly forged blade being dipped into water for the first time, whether it would come out stronger – or shatter – was the moment of truth for any Blacksmith.
But I hadn't shattered. I hadn't come out any stronger either… no aptly timed level gain or anything, but that didn't matter. The fact that I was still in one piece was enough. Maybe I hadn't grown statistically… but it felt like I'd grown as a person. Maybe even as a Hero.
Maybe this First Quest business wouldn't be so bad after all.
I grinned and let off a little cheer in my head as I managed to make the stone bounce five times across the little pond. It had taken me a good hour and a half, but it was a new record, especially with how small the pond was – little more than a small hole in what must have been a communal park at some point. It reminded me of the one back home, which I'd still occasionally take my little sister Amber out to. She was a Shopkeeper like my mother, like the rest of my sisters too. Gender didn't really have any place in the Class system, but that had just been how things turned out.
The victorious smile dropped off my face a second later. That thought brought back memories of my family – and worse – thoughts of what things might have been like had we lived in this place. The Warlock had said the people had been evacuated... but was that before or after casualties? NPC's… the people who lived here clearly had needed protection. I just hoped they'd received it in time. I sent another stone skimming out, to dash the calm of the pond – and hopefully my memories with it. The stone stopped half way, seemingly enveloped by some thick mucus spreading across the surface of the water. It was pitch-black, a kind of black you didn't see in nature.
A Grimm was spawning in the middle of the pond. Crocea Mors slid free with a quiet rasp, as she had for the last six or so spawns. Things had started to calm down it seemed… at first more Canis had spawned, though only ever one at a time and easily dispatched. The time between each spawn had increased too, suggesting that my presence was having an effect.
I stepped closer, sloshing into the shallow pool so that I could strike this one down the second it appeared. Before it even had the time to look around, and more importantly, before it had the time to dodge! I was getting used to dealing with my inability to hit things, or at least I had found a way around it for now. The monster spawning was kind of like watching the water itself coalesce into something, the way the black, inky substance flowed across the top of the water, clutching at itself as it built into something. Slow at first, but increasing in speed as the shape was created. I drew Crocea Mors back, so that I could swing at waist-height, where its head would be.
It grew bigger. My eyes widened, the miasma sprouting outwards and knocking me back. Water splashed and sloshed around my shoulders as I fell, armour weighing me down as the shape continued to spread. This wasn't normal – it was too big! Bigger than me, taller and wider too, the shape took form in a matter of seconds, even as I splashed and fought my way onto two feet, sodden and cold, weapon in hand.
The monster hardened in a matter of seconds, smoke bursting off and obscuring its form as the ooze became solid flesh, muscle and bone. It roared immediately, dispelling that same smoke in an instant. I stepped back, nearly tripping on the edge of the pond, but just managing to scramble out of the water.
Beowolf… the word came to me, even as the words above its head came into view.
No… it couldn't be…
An Elder Grimm, here? That didn't make sense! The kind of negativity needed for something like this, they were supposed to be rare.
Wasn't it an Elder Grimm which had destroyed this village in the first place?
Calm down, calm down, my breath came out in frenzied pants. A Beowolf isn't a `true` Elder Grimm… it's one of the weakest there is. But that still meant it was still stronger than me. The beast raised its snout into the air and snorted loudly, no doubt getting used to its surroundings.
I couldn't fight something like this. I took a step back, followed by another. If I could find help, if I could find the other Heroes, then maybe we could work together. This thing had to be eight feet tall, and those claws… it could rend his armour with ease. Plan set, I continued to back away before it could see me.
There was a loud, metallic clink as I backed into a wall, my breastplate striking brick.
Red eyes bore down on me a second later.
I fled. I didn't even stop to hesitate. One second we were locking eyes, across a small pool of water. The next, my boots slammed down, propelling me down ruined pathways as fast as they could. I heard it behind me. Newly born, and so hungry, it chased after me on all fours. I didn't look, but I could easily imagine the desperate need in those baleful eyes.
"Help!" I cried, as loudly as I could. The words echoed off nearby ruins, as though ten people were going through the same peril as I. It only made me feel all the more alone.
Or not, as the lumbering beast's pants drew ever closer.
A turn ahead! I ducked into it, one hand pressing against the wall to push me on. I could hear it slide behind me, its speed causing it to slip a little before it pushed on with a frenzied growl. At this rate I wasn't going to be able to lose it, and there was still neither sight nor sound of other people. It was already too close, I turned at the last second, the moment I felt its breath wash over me, to raise my shield.
The blow sent me skidding back, boots kicking up dirt and pebbles as I tried to absorb the impact. I didn't so much come to a stop as strike a building, the unforgiving brick providing the halt to my momentum. Eyes widened, I threw myself to the side, awkwardly rolling across the ground as a claw impaled the wall I'd been standing against. The beast grunted for a second, apparently trapped. I couldn't get there in time, already on my knees and far away.
But he wasn't. He, or as close as I could tell – seemed to appear from the shadows of a nearby rooftop, diving in with incredible grace to slash a single-edged curved blade against the back of the Beowolf's neck. Blood and fur flew, even as the creature roared its displeasure and tore itself free from the wall.
I scrambled to my feet a second later, determined to help my mystery ally. For some reason I couldn't make out much, just the colour of black. Black hair, black clothing – even the weapons seemed a dark grey. What flashes of pale skin I could make out were obscured by a cloth mask across the lower face – and perhaps more unusual – I couldn't make out the details above them.
Not for distance or my vision being obscured, but because they seemed to shimmer hazily. The figure turned to me, even as the Grimm recovered. "Flee," he – no, it was a woman's voice – said.
"W-wait," I gasped, "Don't you need help?"
She looked like she might say something else. The golden eyes I could just about make out narrowed, as though in anger – but they soon left me as the Beowolf attacked. She ducked underneath one paw and dashed forward, blade not reflecting a single bit of light. I readied Crocea Mors, prepared to charge and do what I could.
"Run!" She said again, this time louder. The urgency behind it made me take a step back, but there was still a part of me – a foolish part – that didn't want to leave someone behind to die like this.
And then the Beowolf hit her. She dodged the first strike, but the second came too fast, even for such an agile girl. I just made out her eyes widen, a gasp slipped from her mask, before the monster cut directly through her stomach – impaling her in a single strike.
She exploded into smoke a second later. And suddenly, I wished I had taken her advice. Flee indeed, I realised as I took a nervous step back. She hadn't intended to kill or fight it, but to buy time so that we could both escape. Time I'd wasted. Before it had even turned to look at me I took off once more. A curse slipped from my lips as I heard it lumbering behind.
I took another left, and it was so close that I could feel the rush of wind as it shot past, unable to turn as fast. But that wouldn't matter anymore, I realised – with a hysterical laugh. There was nowhere for me to turn, either… considering how I'd run into a dead end.
"Shit…" Why on Remnant hadn't I taken her advice? On what part of this damned world would a useless NPC not follow the instructions of a Hero? Only me…
The Beowolf didn't seem to notice my angst. It charged towards me, still on all hours, despite that I was no longer moving. There wasn't even time to shout out or move, only lift my shield, plant my feet and hope for some kind of miracle.
"Gah…" the words burst from my lungs, along with all air as it struck. I couldn't breathe, but I was still able to feel the agony of wood exploding on my back. The Grimm pushed me through the first wall, carried me straight into and through the second as well. All I could see was black fur, all I could feel was agony. The second wall gave way with a crash, splintering on my back before we burst out onto open ground once more.
It then wrenched its arm up, tossing me aside like a battering ram it had no more use for. Through the air I tumbled, before striking the ground in an explosion of dust. Crocea Mors scattered across the dirt road, my shield lost somewhere in the grass. Only then was I finally allowed to draw breath into bruised and battered lungs. Even doing that hurt.
Snuffles and snorts from nearby told me the torture wasn't over yet. Muscles aching, body protesting, I pushed myself up and limped after my sword. If only… my Strength was high… surely I could do something. Anything!
I never even made it. Something grabbed my foot from behind, and the only warning I had was my face slamming down into the ground. Even then my hands reached and grabbed for the weapon, only to clasp nothing but soil and rock as I was dragged back. The world lurched, gravity lost as it lifted me up before its gargantuan upside-down face. It snarled, or maybe it even smiled. It was a cruel grin, filled with teeth.
I was going to die. That was the simple truth, I realised, as its fetid breath washed across my face. I couldn't even move my arms; such was the pain. And if I could, what would I do? Unarmed, under-levelled and not even the right Class. I'd been a fool to even think I could do this. And now, like the fool I was, I would die.
I wished I could face that fact with the calm determination of a Hero, but it wasn't so. Energy came back to me like I had surfaced from some deep ocean floor to catch breath once more. For all the uselessness of it I thrashed and shouted, calling for aid, calling for it to let me go – calling for anything.
That seemed to make it angrier, one paw buffeting me across the flank. The claws missed me, but the back of its hand drove what little wind I had from my body. It lifted me higher, towards its wide maw – no doubt prepared to tear me in two in a single bite.
No, no, no – that couldn't happen! I couldn't die here, I couldn't! I threw a punch at its snout, causing it to snort in displeasure but not stop it in any way. Another bounced off the side of a tooth, but it didn't even dislodge it. In a frenzied panic I reached up to tear off my right gauntlet, to do the only thing I hadn't tried.
My bare hand slapped against the side of tis snout, gripping onto its nose. I knew that if anyone had been watching, my eyes would have flashed a little.
The Beowolf roared in pain. I hit the ground a second later, scrabbling to escape as the beast reached up to cup its burnt face. My right hand still smoked a little from the contact, but it wasn't like it would be enough. My only active skill, one of the few a Blacksmith ever picked up and little more than a convenience.
Stoke the Forge, the ability to generate intense heat in the hand – though only for a second. It was pretty much just for starting the forging process, for super-heating the coals to the temperature required. My father had warned me of the risks of it, that I wasn't to use it around people in case I hurt them. I was fairly sure he'd have let this go.
I managed to grab my shield in my escape, changing course and rushing for the sword I could see shimmering in the hot sun. Behind me the Grimm let out another loud roar, this one unmistakably filled with nothing but anger. As I reached down to grab Crocea Mors, I dared to look back for a moment.
Its eyes were locked onto me, mouth parted and breath coming from its jaw in great gouts of steam. But what really caught my eye was the bright pink mark on the left side of its snout. It didn't look like a handprint, more like a thick, straight line. But the skin there was puckered and blistered, like someone had held a bar of cherry-red iron to its face.
I doubted I'd get the chance to do that again… not when I'd have to get a hold of it and then concentrate enough to use the skill. The look in its eyes said there would now be nothing more than renting and tearing, until my body was smeared across the grass.
Yeah, I'm not exactly up for that. Could I run? I wasn't sure… my aura was down below 40%, my legs shook and my body fought desperately for breath. That thing was faster, fitter and less injured than me. I wouldn't make it very far.
I had no idea why I felt so calm. Every part of my mind screamed that I should be terrified, but instead I took a deep breath and squared my feet. Running was useless, which meant I'd have to stand and fight, as insane as that sounded. If I was going to die… then I was going to die.
At least I can die like a Hero.
The first swipe came from the side, the great beast covering the distance between us in a matter of seconds. I took it on the shield, gasping as I was pushed back from the force of it. Crocea Mors bit down in response, claiming a chunk of fur from its arm before it could retreat. Not enough to do damage, but enough to make it angry. Not exactly what I'd been aiming for.
I tried to dodge the next, stumbling and tripping beneath the claws that whistled above. With such poor footing my return was clumsy and weak, easily batted aside – and me along with it. Once more I struck the dirt, rolling and bouncing across the ground like the stones I'd skimmed earlier. Except that this time, there was one small difference.
"Look out!" Someone shouted, from nearby – and for a moment I almost imaged it was someone else they were referring to. "Beowolf, Elder Grimm!"
About time someone noticed… Now I just had to hope they didn't do the sensible thing and run off to find help. I wasn't going to last much longer like this.
I managed to clamber back onto my feet, propped against the building I'd come to rest against. The Grimm lumbered towards me, on its hind legs this time. With shaky arms and a resigned sort of determination I raised my shield once more. I just had to try and last…
"Get down!" Something struck me from the side, not the Grimm's claws, but something that sent me sprawling to the dirt. A flash of red and gold as a familiar figure appeared before me, long, red hair flowing behind her. The Beowolf's claws tore through the space I'd once occupied, parts of the wall behind it too, but Pyrrha had leapt above it, sword clenched in one hand, a small bronze shield in the other.
"Yah!" She drove the blade down into its wrist as it passed beneath her, causing the beast to yelp and withdraw its arm. She wasn't done there, however. Almost as though she were mocking my earlier efforts she dashed towards it, pushing herself off the ground and flipping so that her feet connected with the side of its face. The Beowolf's jaw was knocked aside by the first and it reared back to snarl at her just in time to catch the second boot to the jaw, sending it sprawling to the ground. Pyrrha landed confidently, just in time to scoot back from a bite that would have taken her head off if she'd been just a little slower. "Jaune, are you okay!?"
"Alive," I said, coming to stand beside but slightly behind her. "I've not managed to do much damage to it. I'm glad to see you though. You saved my life."
"And I'm pleased to see you in one piece too. But this… where on Remnant did you find an Elder Grimm?"
"It spawned behind you all. Do you think we can take it on?"
"Maybe…" her eyes narrowed, "but not safely. I think we should escape, maybe try to find others to help us."
That wasn't what I wanted to hear… especially since I had already proven too slow to escape it twice. Pyrrha must have noticed my expression, or maybe just remembered my level, for her face fell.
"Never mind," she shook her head. "We'll fight it here. We can do this." The Champion readied her weapons with a determined look. "Levels don't make the Hero Jaune, so don't let that hold you back."
I wanted to ask her what did, if levels didn't make me a Hero, what was the key ingredient I was missing? But this wasn't exactly the time or place. Instead I hefted Crocea Mors once more, not exactly sure what I was supposed to offer. She was level twenty-one to my twelve. If she couldn't kill this thing, then I sure as hell wasn't going to be of much use.
"Scatter!" I shouted as it came back for another strike. I went left, Pyrrha right, as we fought to put the Grimm between us. To my shameful relief it went after the Champion, presenting its rear to me. I could hear Pyrrha grunt as she ducked and dodged, weaving in and out of its blows. I wouldn't have had any chance of doing the same, not at the speeds she moved at. That didn't mean I could afford to do nothing, though. And with a quick breath I rushed in.
The back, the back… there had to be a weak point somewhere. Its skin was covered in fur and muscle, with bony protrusions along its spine. If I could sever that, then I would have it at my mercy, but there was no way I was going to be able to cut through bone so thick. Instead I went for the legs, trying to hamstring it from behind.
"Careful!" Pyrrha cried, and it was that warning alone that saved my life, more because it caused me to hesitate than anything. When the Grimm suddenly spun, it only caught me with the edge of its claws, but those were still enough to tear great chunks from my armour and send me hurtling through the air. "Jaune, no!"
"I'm alive!" I gasped, though it was a small miracle. My armour had three great rifts torn into it, right where my heart was, but it hadn't actually touched my body. A single inch between life and death… too close for comfort.
"Are you hurt?" Huh, a new voice? I looked up, meeting calm pink eyes that seemed unperturbed by the chaos going on around us. The figure was stood before me, one hand outstretched. I took it gingerly, wincing as he helped me to my feet. "Nora," he called, the strange word making me blink once, "help her out!"
"Got it Renny!" A girl dashed past us, giggling loudly as she sprinted towards the melee. I could just make out the huge hammer she carried in two hands. It seemed far too heavy for something as small as her. She was a Barbarian.
"Can you still fight?" The man, Renny – no Ren – I noticed, as I read the words above him. His name was Ren, and he was a Monk.
"Y-Yes, I can." I couldn't, but there was no way I wasn't going to try and repay Pyrrha for saving my life. "Go help them, I'll catch up."
Ren nodded once, jogging away with a quick glance back. No doubt he thought I'd collapse at a moment's notice. I must have looked terrible.
With a distracted sense of time, I watched the first exchange between them, as the Barbarian entered the fray, striking the back of the knee in the same way I'd wanted to – but so much better. The Grimm roared and fell to one knee, right as Pyrrha flawlessly cut at its face, drawing blood. The Monk, Ren, moved with sublime grace, almost as though he were dancing. He ducked beneath a strike by bending his body at the spine, slipping underneath the paw before striking up towards the creature's chest with tiny hand-held blades. He was gone before the Beowolf could counter, as though he'd never been there in the first place.
It was incredible… the way they fought and moved, like everything I'd ever imagined from Heroes.
Except for one small thing.
The monster did not fall.
It thrashed and bucked instead, catching the ginger girl with one paw and sending her crashing down onto the grass. Pyrrha blocked another strike, but the force of it was enough to lift the girl from her feet, sending her crashing into a tree. Ren, as slippery as he was, could do nothing but give ground as the assault turned on him, before he too was caught with an errant claw and forced back, clutching his side in pain.
This wasn't working. No wonder Pyrrha had said we needed more people – even with the four of us we were being pushed back by this thing. I had to help them, but I was worse than useless. Think Jaune… you were able to kill those Canis, there has to be a way here as well.
This wasn't the same problem. The Beowolf was fast and agile, but not as difficult to hit as the Canis. The issue there had been taking away their speed, making it so that they couldn't dodge faster than he could strike. We could hit this thing… just couldn't get close enough without being attacked, or dodge the counter-attack.
Which meant we needed to stop it being able to attack us at all.
"Guys!" I shouted, hoping against all hope that they would for some reason trust someone as pathetic as I. "We need to lure it into one of the buildings!"
Pyrrha caught my eye across the battlefield, a quick nod as she rushed over to me.
"I hope you have a plan," Ren said as he did the same, Nora limping after him.
"I hope so too." I whispered, as the Beowolf started to lope towards us. The building was already mostly demolished, but it was one of the few which still had the majority of its thatched roof in place. The rotten door gave way easily as we pushed through, spreading out into the room. "Get somewhere clear of the roof beams," I ordered – and from the look in Ren's eyes he had already figured out my plan. "Nora… I need you ready to knock down one of those support beams."
"Aye aye!" The girl giggled and hefted her hammer, as I staggered over to the second.
"This is a crazy plan," Pyrrha called. I couldn't argue with it. But this was a pretty crazy situation and fighting this thing was going to get some of us hurt, maybe even killed. I blinked as the redhead's hands settled on my shoulders, the girl smiling as she braced against me, lending her strength. "I guess I must be crazy as well," she laughed.
The wooden doorframe smashed inwards, the monster carving out a section of hardened mud and brick as it forced its way in.
"Now!" I yelled, putting all my strength into pushing against the rotten wood. Pyrrha grunted as she threw her back into it as well, and a second later we were rewarded with the telling crack of splintering wood.
"Rargh!" Nora's was a much easier prospect. Her frame didn't so much crack as shatter entirely, her massive war hammer making short work of it. The extra strain that placed on ours finished the job for us, Pyrrha falling atop me as the column gave way and the roof came down. The beast screamed in pain, even as straw and wattle scattered down atop us. Pyrrha rolled over as I scrambled up, Crocea Mors being dragged across the wooden floor. The Beowolf was pinned by two large beams, but even now it seemed to be shifting them aside.
Crocea Mors gleamed as I raised her high, "Die!"
It was like striking solid rock. The first blow cut it slightly, the force of it making my bones shake. It growled in return, but with energy I had no idea was even within me I reared up and struck again – and again – and again! Over and over like a Lumberjack methodically working at a tree I struck, until meat and bone gave way and all that remained of its face was a ruined mess of blood and gore.
When it was over I stood, with the blade pierced down into its skull, my arms shaking and legs covered in gristle. Through it, I could feel an almost invigorating feelings… something I'd felt only ten or so times in my life. I'd gained a level… no, two levels!
"It worked," Pyrrha breathed from behind me. She sounded surprised, shocked even – before she burst out into a relieved laugh. "It worked! That was fantastic work!"
"I'm impressed," the Monk said as he came up to stand beside me. For a second it looked like he was going to pat my shoulder, before he apparently noticed how unsteady I was and smiled instead. "A well thought out plan, I'd expect no less from a Knight."
"That's Ren language for; that was awesome – let's be friends!" The final girl bounced up, the Monk holding her back from leaping on me in celebration.
"Sure."
"Huh?" She sounded surprised, but I turned with a euphoric expression.
"Friends," I said, one hand held out. "Let's be friends." The girl, Nora, seemed to hesitate – like she couldn't quite understand what I'd said. For a moment I thought I'd done something wrong, before her smile appeared – like the sun casting away rainclouds.
"Yes!" She cried, pushing her friend aside and tackling me despite my wounds. I coughed at the action, thankful of the straw that cushioned our fall. "Renny I made a new friend!" She shouted, as I patted her back awkwardly.
"I'm afraid you've sealed your fate now," he chuckled. "You don't get to take back that kind of statement with Nora."
"And you Pyrrha?" I asked, as I turned to look at the last person of our impromptu party. The redhead wore a complex expression, startling slightly as I looked at her. "Friends?"
She looked surprised at the notion, though I couldn't for the life of me understand why. But she held one hand out nonetheless, lifting me to my feet and pushing my sword back into my hands. She smiled at me, emerald eyes soft, but happy.
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, Jaune."
Before we left the ruined house, a tiny glint of light caught my eye. The Beowolf had already started to dissolve, but as the flesh peeled away into ash it revealed a hint of metal. As the other three limped their way out of the house I knelt down to look at it, drawing out the small, grey blade. The handle was metal, nothing more than the tang elongated out, and the centre of balance was in the middle. I knew what it was mostly because of the distinctive way it had been forged.
A throwing knife, buried into the back of the Grimm. But who had thrown it?
A single strand of straw drifted past my eye. Following from whence it had come I looked up, flinching slightly as I found myself staring into a pair of golden eyes. Balanced on the edge of the roof, looking down at me from above the dark grey cloth mask. The woman from earlier crouched silently out of reach.
She seemed as surprised as I did, though perhaps that was surprise I'd even noticed her.
"You helped us?" The question slipped from me before I could think it through. The words above her head were still hazy, but they seemed to become more noticeable as I stared at them, as though the dog that covered them was slowly dissipating.
She still didn't speak.
"Thanks for earlier by the way," I added. Maybe I hadn't taken her advice, but she had still tried to help me when no one else would. That meant a lot to me.
She shifted slightly, pushing herself onto her feet atop the ruined roof. For a moment I thought she might come down to speak with me, but she instead stepped back and turned away, ducking out of sight entirely. I winced. Was she angry about what I'd done earlier – about how I had ignored her instructions and ruined the chance she had almost died to give me?
Pyrrha called out to me, and after a brief pause for breath I decided to think on it later. Sheathing the knife in the side of my belt I made my way carefully out over the fallen Beowolf, picking up the small pouch of lien the Beast had dropped. I could find that girl later and apologise, not to mention return her knife. It wouldn't be too hard, since at the last second I had somehow managed to see through the distortion on her Class.
There couldn't be too many Assassins with yellow eyes and black cat ears, after all.
The crowd that stood before Beacon was diminished from what it had been before. A part of me didn't dare ask what had happened to those that were absent. I'd stayed at the back where things had been safest, and even I had nearly died. Would have died, were it not for the intervention of that person – and then being helped by Pyrrha, Ren and Nora. I could only imagine how many people hadn't been so fortunate.
The ones who had given up and gone back, or those who had been injured and forfeited… they were the lucky ones. Or were they? I'd seen a few as we returned, their faces stained with tears, their frames wracked with sobs. They had been judged unworthy by this Quest, and would not cease to be Heroes. A reminder for the rest of their lives that their best hadn't been good enough.
The sight of it had nearly made me sick. That I, an NPC, was still here when they were not – made it even worse. But hadn't I earned it in some small way? The four of us had stuck together after the fight with the Elder Grimm. The rest of the village had been mostly clear, save for a few Canis dotted around. It had been another hour before the cheers had started, the people from Beacon calling the Quest over. Even as we'd left I had seen Soldiers and NPC's arrive, no doubt to reclaim and rebuild what had been lost.
"Congratulations on those who passed the First Quest," the Warlock from earlier orated. "All of you have now been accepted into the Beacon Academy for Heroes."
I'd made it… through lies and deceit, through Grimm and near-death, I'd made it. Pyrrha nudged me from my left, somehow sharing in my delight as she grinned down at me. On my right Nora bounced up and down and whispered something excitedly to Ren.
"That is not to say that your trials are over, or that you can afford to be lax in your training and studies. Your first lessons tomorrow will be on your duties and responsibilities, as well as how we operate here at Beacon." Lessons so soon… I could barely stand as it was. "But for now, the Headmaster and I would like to bid you welcome, and invite you to rest and recover. You have fought hard – and have earned your rest."
The entire crowd, what must have been a good hundred people, sighed in relief.
"This building," the woman pointed to the long, arched building on her left, constructed from white marble with stained-glass windows. "This is the male dorms here at Beacon, and its sister dormitory on my right is the female dorms. You may claim whatever beds you wish. In the morning, leave a note with your name written on the sheets, and the NPC's who work here will engrave your name into them. These will be yours for your time here. The building behind me contains the communal quarters, which contains the cafeteria, recreational rooms and places to rest and study between lessons."
Shared living quarters? That would take some getting used to, especially since I'd had the benefit of my own room back home. I caught Ren's eye for a second, tilting my head in question. He nodded back. At least I'd have a friend there.
"Rules and regulations will be explained more fully to you tomorrow," the woman went on. "But for now know that you may not enter the dorms of the opposite gender, and you should remain here until I or another teacher come to collect and assign lesson plans. I bid you all goodnight, and congratulations." She nodded once and left the stage, not even paying the slightest attention to us.
I couldn't bring myself to be offended.
"Well we did it," I said as the crowds began to disperse. "I take it we'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?" I didn't want to presume, Pyrrha no doubt had all sorts of friends she'd rather be around than me.
"Definitely," the redhead nodded. "I shall save you a seat if I arrive first."
I blinked at that, but nodded my thanks. Maybe she was like me, someone who didn't know anyone here. What luck! Pyrrha and Nora waved as they joined the crowds entering the female dorms.
"Jaune!" A voice called out my name, and something crashed into me a second later. I'd have been thrown off my feet if it wasn't for how small and light it was "I made it, I made it, I passed!" I just about had the time to look down and see an ecstatic face, set with silver eyes, before she pouted and pushed a finger into my ruined breastplate. "Where were you!?"
"Hey Ruby." I laughed, despite the accusatory look on her face. "Glad to hear you made it."
Her frown was washed away once more, "Pfft – like totally! My sis and I were awesome!" Her sis? That drew my attention to the taller girl who had followed after Ruby, my eyes widening slightly. Holy cow, they were different, and I pretended it was that fact which had me staring, and not the size of her bust or how incredibly hot she looked. Long, blonde hair the colour of spun gold, and lilac eyes that flashed with barely contained energy. She was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that I intrinsically knew what so far out of my league it wasn't funny.
"Well, well," she said, in a voice that seemed to drip with hidden emotion. "This is the guy I was meant to be looking out for, is it? Your boyfriend?"
"He's not my boyfriend!" Ruby snapped and went red, pushing off my armour to ineffectually pummel the girl. Her name was Yang, I noticed, and apparently she was a Brawler.
"He's a boy, isn't he?" Yang asked with a grin. "And he's a friend, right?" I laughed as she finished the age-old statement and Ruby erupted into denials. Any doubt that she was Ruby's sister faded in an instant. That was the same thing my sisters had said when I first made a female friend, complete with the same teasing and tone. Older sisters… the bane of younger siblings everywhere.
"Sorry we couldn't group up Ruby," I said at last. "I tried to find you before the Quest started but I guess you must have run in ahead. I got stuck nearer the back and then Grimm spawned between us."
"Aww… I wanted to group up too," she pouted.
"An old friend?" Ren asked, and I realised a second later than I'd yet to introduce them.
"Ah, Ruby. This is Ren, he helped me out in the Quest along with his friend Nora and Pyrrha. They've already headed off to get some rest, I'll have to introduce you tomorrow at breakfast."
"You want to eat together?" Ruby looked uncertain and I quickly backpedalled.
"Well you don't have to. I just mean if y-
"No, no – we want to, right sis?"
The blonde rolled her eyes, "Sure, why not. I'm Yang by the way. If you're waiting for Ruby to remember to introduce me then we'll be here for the rest of our lives." I shook the hand she offered, marvelling at not only how soft her hands were, but also noticing that I'd totally forgotten to find my vambrace after the Beowolf. I must have looked pretty stupid with only one on. "But sure, might as well eat together. Ruby and I don't really know anyone here so might be fun."
"See!" Ruby appeared at my side once more, all smiles. "So we'll all be friends, right?"
"Sure, that's alright with you Ren?"
The other man nodded, though I noticed his pink eyes were still looking at the small girl hugging my side.
"I've never heard of the Reaper class before," he whispered. I think Ruby must have heard him, if the way she shyly hid behind me was any indication. Yang coughed before she could answer though, stepping forward to snag the back of Ruby's hood and pull her away.
"Well we'd best grab some beds before they're all taken. Don't want to get stuck somewhere without my little sister. You guys best do the same."
Erk, she was right. Most of the other people had already retired, which meant there might not be many beds left. While there probably was enough for everyone, a part of me didn't want to get split up from my only male friend.
"Ah – see you at breakfast tomorrow Ruby," I called – and she waved back as her sister dragged her away.
"Did I say something wrong?" Ren asked as they left. I gave him a quizzical look.
"No? I don't think so. Come on, we need to stake our claim while we can."
"Of course, lead the way."
I barely even noted anything about the building we stepped into. People moved around like zombies, bumping into one another while others flopped onto comfortable mattresses. Some didn't even climb out of their armour; such was the exhaustion they all felt.
Ren and I found a pair of beds by a corner, unoccupied and with wooden chests at the end. He took the one at the edge, so that he could rest against the wall, while I claimed the other. My armour slipped off with a dull clunk, I'd have to fix the great gashes that had been torn through it at some point. Crocea Mors was in better shape, as I let her rest against the set of drawers by the bed.
For a moment I looked fondly down on her as I climbed under the covers. Like me, she'd been untested and green, but she'd help up marvellously. Not a nick or dent in her pristine edge, she'd stood by me, even when I wasn't sure if I could stand by myself.
"Welcome to Beacon," Ren mumbled. I don't think he really meant for me to hear him, but I smiled anyway.
"Welcome to Beacon," I echoed.
Hey ho, another chapter, hope you enjoyed it. I am branching a lot of things differently in this world by the way, some of which you have seen – others that you have not as of yet. One thing is the Grimm as well, obviously I am coming up with some new ones, while also modifying others. Beowolves are now more than they are in canon to represent this.
Similarly… no teams! And we've started to delve a little into the combat and the way things work. I did originally want to bring the other characters into this, but their dynamic will be different to usual… that wouldn't have reflected in the fight, so I didn't. You'll see what I mean next chapter – it will make a lot more sense then.
Someone suggested I make a habit of including Jaune's Stats at the bottom here, and I suppose I can do that. I don't want to clog the story with needless numbers and statistics, it's one of the many things that irritates me about Gamer fics. This is all very in-world for them, so Jaune isn't going to regularly assess his own stats, and you cannot look at the stats or levels of other people.
So here you go:
Jaune Arc
Level 14 (+2)
Blacksmith
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Str: 28 (+6)
Con: 25 (+4)
Dex: 11 (+1)
Agi: 12 (+1)
Int: 17 (+2)
Wis: 17 (+3)
Cha: 9 (-)
Res: 23 (+4)
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
I shan't be doing a "skills" list, though one was revealed in this chapter.
Next Chapter: 22nd August
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur
