The usual CF disclaimer is here. I'm still downed over my dog, but managed to write this up nonetheless. Hopefully, it will be enough.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 3: Chapter 12


The Mercenary's Guild was in an uproar by the time the rest of the Hunter's Guild arrived. Men and women ran to and fro, many in the process of strapping on arms and armour, while others pushed by one another, shouting to people in the distance. By far, the majority rushed in a particular direction, however – towards the main hall where Coco had declared she would address the Guild as a whole.

"What's going on?" Pyrrha asked, jogging up to Blake and I. The others were close behind. "We got the message about war, but I don't understand. What's happening?"

"I barely understand myself," I said. "Coco and Torchwick have history, and she stormed off after she told me to get you guys."

"But what's this about war?"

"See for yourself," Ren said. He nodded to the people rushing towards the hall. "She's gathering the entire Guild, and most of them are armed. I think it means exactly what it says. The Mercenary's Guild is marching to war."

In the streets of Beacon, though? That was madness! I bit my lip and looked around, unsure what we should do, or if we were even relevant anymore. It definitely didn't look like our troubles were on Coco's mind at all. Off to one side, I caught sight of Yatsuhashi, and rushed over to him with the Guild in tow.

The large Warrior saw me before I reached him. "There you are," he said. "And this is your Guild? Good, good. Coco wants to meet with you all. Please, follow me and I'll take you to her."

"What's going on here? Does Coco really intend to start a war?"

"That question and more will be answered soon enough. I can't say any more here, for we have no idea who is listening." Yatsuhashi paused as a loud tolling rocked the castle. "There, the bell rings. If the news wasn't obvious enough already, that should alert those of the Guild still outside our walls."

"What does the bell mean?" Yang asked.

"It means that the entire Guild is summoned. No more questions now," he added. "Coco will have answers for you."

Yatsuhashi led us deeper into the castle, but this time in a different direction to Coco's lavish office. Streams of students passed us by on either side, and were it not for the large mass of our guide we'd have been swept away. They parted before him, however, and even had they not, I had the feeling he could have walked through the press of bodies without consequence. The rest of us weren't quite so lucky, and had to huddle in single file behind him. Eventually, he pushed through a smaller door, and led us into a room where several figures were hunched around a circular table.

There was a map upon it, probably of Beacon, and as we came close, a figure in full plate armour pointed at a position, listened to something Coco said, nodded and hurried out. He brushed past us, not even giving us a moment's thought.

"There you are," Coco said, waving us over. "Come here. You guys are the stars of this little show, so it makes sense you should see what's going on."

"Is this the part where we get an explanation?" I asked. "All we wanted to do was borrow some of your fighters."

"And you are. You get all of them. What a lucky guy you are."

"This is too much! The whole idea was to have a small party that would go undetected. There's no way so many people won't draw the teacher's attention. What are we going to do if we get stopped before this can even begin?"

"It won't be. That's why I sent Caplin out."

"Who?"

"The Chevalier you just saw. He heads one of our elite teams, and his job is to go out into the Emerald Forest and start a nice big fire."

My mouth fell open. "What!?"

"Nothing dangerous, kiddo. It's going to be contained, but it'll spread for a little bit, and I've told him to make sure it's right in the view of the main tower. The headmaster will send someone out to investigate, and that ought to keep their attention away from us." The Archer chuckled. "For a little while, anyway…"

I didn't like the sound of that, and judging from the faces of the others, neither did they. "How many people are there in the Mercenary's Guild?"

"Oh, around four hundred…"

"Four hundred!?" Weiss gasped. "And you intend to put them all into the field? This is madness – they'll be seen immediately. We intended for a covert raid, not all-out war!"

"You don't do anything covert against someone like Torchwick," Coco said. "Chances are, he already knows about this and is preparing his defences. Whatever we do to draw the teacher's attention away, he'll do to bring it back. We have to strike hard and fast before he can mount a proper defence."

"How hard?" I asked. "How fast?"

"If all goes well, we'll march out in less than an hour."

My mouth felt dry.

"And if my plan goes perfectly, we'll be hitting their compound with a battering ram four-hundred Heroes strong."

This was nuts. I felt dizzy as I looked down at the map, suddenly noticing the coloured markers spread out across Beacon. This wasn't a small thing like we'd hoped for, but a military operation in its own right. Coco had flanking forces, some surrounding – even a small force sent off to where the Red Axe Guild was, likely to prevent reinforcements coming in that way. We were going to turn all of Beacon into a battlefield.

"How are we supposed to avoid the teachers?" Pyrrha asked. "I know you've got that one distraction going on, but that's hardly going to last once the fighting starts."

"We'll be distracting them in stages, slowing them down." Coco touched the map. "Our main goal is to break into the compound, where we'll deliver you guys with a strike force. Your job is to find the staff, since that's going to be the evidence we need to prove our innocence. Even when the teachers see what is going on, they'll break up the fighting on the surface first. My boys and girls will surrender the moment a teacher looks at them, but it'll take time, and since everyone will be so spread out, that'll give us longer to raid Torchwick's base."

"You said he might already know about this," Ruby whispered. "Wouldn't he tell the teachers right now? They could be waiting for us."

"Nah, he won't do that. If the teachers get caught in the middle of our battle lines, then they'll try to diffuse it by addressing the problem. The easiest way to do that would be for them to perform a search of Torchwick's Guild Hall, and that would reveal the evidence he wants to keep hidden. He needs to wait until after we attack, at which point we're clearly the bad guys." Coco sighed. "That's why it has to be tonight. If we give him time, he'll shift everything out of his compound, and then alert the teachers. We can't afford for that to happen, and I've already sent people to watch every exit out of Beacon. He's not going to be able to smuggle anything out tonight."

"A one-night war," Ren whispered. "This has to end tonight. If it doesn't, then it won't only be ourselves who are in trouble."

"Yeah, I'll be out too," Coco said. "I'm the leader here, so it's pretty clear who will be expelled over this if we don't find something. Still, I'm willing to take that risk if it means finding out what happened to Fox."

"I agree," Yatsuhashi said. "In terms of risk, it should only be the two of us, and your Guild. Our companions here might suffer from detentions, but they will not be expelled."

That was still too much, and still more than I wanted. This was our problem, and all of a sudden it was going to engulf not only Coco's Guild, but potentially her future here at Beacon.

"This ends tonight," she said. "One way or another, it ends. If they hold out until dawn, it's over – and if the teachers find us before we find what we're looking for, it's over, too. We're trusting you," she said, eyes on mine. "If you're lying about this, we'll all suffer."

"We're not lying, but this is still too dangerous for you. You still have a chance to back out and not risk yourselves. If you just send some people with us, you can say I tricked you into it." I ran a hand through my hair distractedly. "That has to be safer than… than this!"

"Safer, yes, but also less likely to work," Yatsuhashi said. "As Coco pointed out, Torchwick is a Thief, and a master of deception. To try and fight him at his own game is folly."

Think like a Rogue, but fight like a Hero, I realised. My eyes flickered to Blake's, but she was looking at the map instead. Coco's plan was the perfect example of Blake's lesson to me. Coco intended to break the rules and attack in the middle of the night, using distractions like a Rogue would, but brute force was her biggest strength, and she intended to use that against Torchwick's trickery. To do anything else would be to fight with one arm tied behind her back.

"We shouldn't do this," I said.

"It's too late for that. I've already sent Caplin out, and there are others, too." Coco looked to me and raised an eyebrow. "If you back out now, we'll still go ahead with this, but we'll have no idea what we're looking for. We'll be doomed, and you'll all be screwed once it's over. Torchwick is going to know who started this."

"He likely already does, since he sent those people after us," Blake said. "They were clearly intended to stop us from securing help from the Mercenary's Guild. I would imagine he is already preparing his defences."

"All the more reason we can't afford to wait," Coco said. She marched towards a door, but caught my arm as she did, dragging me along. "You lot can come through as well. You might as well be here to see this."

"See what?" Ruby asked, following behind as Coco pushed open a door and dragged me through.

My mind died a second later.

"Oh," Ruby whispered, and shied back behind her sister. I couldn't blame her. I wanted to do the same.

Before us, an ocean of faces awaited, all stood in rank and file and filling a large hall so much that several stood in window alcoves, and even the hallways leading out. The last time I'd seen such a crowd had been when Ozpin had address us all before the First Quest, but this looked larger. More than that, it looked disciplined. No one fought for space, or spoke. They all stood waiting… waiting and watching as we stepped out onto a large wooden stage. Coco let go of me and strode forwards, and I hovered back with the rest of my Guild, content to hide behind Yatsuhashi.

"Mercenaries," Coco roared, holding one fist in the air. "Good to see you all made it!"

"HAH!" the four-hundred or so voices replied. It was a loud and sharp shout, and from so many lungs it caused the very walls around us to shake.

"Never before has the grand assembly been called this decade, nor the great bell rung. In fact, I don't think it ever has been. Say what you will about us, but we're a simple lot. We like lien, we like Beacon – and we like a good fight!"

The crowd laughed, and some cheered and whooped, while others clashed metal together, either their own weapons, or in some cases their armoured bodies against others similarly clothed. Coco rode out the cacophony for a few seconds, smiling almost indulgently. When it calmed down, she continued.

"Tonight is different however, tonight marks a new chapter, and perhaps a dangerous one. You idiots know me. Hell, you even decided to make me your leader, and I'm not one to mince words. We're off to war. We're off to smash an enemy, and do something that's so far against the rules of Beacon, that I'm not even sure they bothered including it in the rules." She looked out over them, and allowed that to sink in for a moment. "If you choose to follow me, know that you're going to be getting in trouble. As your leader, I'll be taking responsibility, and no doubt getting expelled if this doesn't work out, but you'll all face punishment from Miss Goodwitch and whoever else breaks this up. It's not going to be good. In fact, it's pretty damn illegal and dangerous. Anyone who isn't interested, I want you to leave now – and I'll personally send a shaft through the eyes of anyone who gives those people the stink eye. If you want to leave and avoid this night, feel free. You'll face no trouble for it."

Not a single person moved.

"I'm being serious," Coco growled. She stomped one foot forward and planted her hands on her hips. "You can leave if you want. We're going to be fighting a war on the streets of Beacon, and it's not going to be fun. There'll be carnage and chaos, not to mention a good chance some of you bastards will get hurt. Even after all of that, even if we can prove that our cause is just, the teachers will almost have to punish us. There's no good ending, so if you want to leave – go now."

Still, not a single member of the Guild moved. Not towards the exit, or even a muscle. It felt like if a single piece of armour clinked, the entire hall's gaze would hone in on it. None did, and some instead planted their feet a little wider, as though to say they'd only leave if dragged away.

"Tch, I guess this means you're all staying?"

"YES!" They yelled as one.

Coco threw her head back and laughed. "You're crazy bastards," she said. "That's why I love you all."

"WAR!" Someone chanted.

It was quickly picked up. "To war!"

"To war!"

"TO WAR!"

"Who!?" someone yelled over the carnage. It seemed to be the question Coco was waiting for, as she held her arms high for silence.

"We strike against Torchwick of the TRE."

It looked like we weren't the only ones who knew about him, for the declaration was followed by immediate howls of anger and rage from the crowd. Some banged their weapons together, while others rushed to shout out reasons why Torchwick needed to fall. I looked to the others in shock, and received an equally amazed look from Weiss.

The message was clear. We weren't the only enemies he'd made.

"Too long has that blight been allowed to stay on at Beacon," Coco roared. "He's preyed on people for too long, and always managed to stay above the rules and not get expelled. Tonight, he's crossed the line, and tonight he falls!" She rode out the cheers and applause, once it died down, she levelled her gaze over the audience. "The plan is simple. We strike hard and we strike fast, surrounding and taking out any and all members of the TRE we see. Avoid excessive injury, and do not let any die. This is to be a bloodless conflict if we can help it. We have numbers, so you should be able to suppress them easily enough. The teachers will come to break this up," she added. "Surrender to them when they do, but delay them as long as you can. I will personally lead a force deep into the TRE compound to not only take out Torchwick, but find the evidence we need to expel him from Beacon once and for all."

The crowd roared and screamed, creating so much noise that I staggered back a step. At this point, people in the nearby Guild Village must have surely heard it. Then again, they'd soon know something was up when four hundred Heroes stampeded down the roads, weapons drawn.

"All of you report to your team leaders," Coco went on. "Instructions have been sent to them, and they'll be able to tell you where you're stationed. Remember, no casualties, no deaths, and whatever happens, stick together. I wouldn't put it past the TRE to try and play dirty. Don't fall for anything. You have one hour to prepare. Use it wisely!"

The crowd departed quickly, filing from the exits, and I could hear their feet stampeding away, rushing to where they could gather weapons, or make last-minute preparations. Soon after, it was just the eight of us, along with both the members of the Mercenary's Guild.

"You guys should take the time to prepare, too," Coco said. "Yats will show you to some rooms you can use. When the fighting starts, you'll be with me and my guards. We'll be going in the front door, and we won't be stopping until we have what we came for." She stormed away before I could reply, and was soon assailed by a new member of her Guild, the two trading ideas and plans back and forth.

Yatsuhashi was the only one left with us. The taciturn giant proved thus, refusing to be drawn into any conversation as he led us through the halls. Despite that, there was no ignoring the gleam in his eye.

He was prepared… and now it would be up to us to make sure we were, too.

/-/

I wasn't prepared.

I knew that the moment I'd been dropped off at what was to be my room, but I was no less prepared forty minutes later, and now spent my time pacing back and forth. How had things gotten out of our hands so quickly? What was supposed to be a risky attack on the TRE was now a school-wide war that would no doubt cause countless people to be injured.

Injured because of me, that was. I'd been the one to suggest using the Mercenary's Guild, and the one to speak to Coco in the first place. There were no mental gymnastics I could use to get out of that, and the guilt ate away at me.

The fear did, too.

Torchwick is going to be desperate when he figures out what is going on. He'll almost certainly have the staff with him and will be prepared to defend it. It's the only real evidence we know of, so he's not going to give it up.

And with people breaking into his Guild and attacking his people, he could probably be forgiven for "over-reacting" and badly hurting some people in self-defence. Hell, if it got bad enough, he could even kill one of them and claim it an accident. Who could say what was the truth or a lie in the middle of a battle? None of us wanted to face the threat of Torchwick winning and getting us kicked out of Beacon, but risking our lives over this was beyond what I'd considered.

"This is insane," I whispered, and paused by the wall, eyes wide. I could still hear chanting down the hall. "This is absolutely insane. I didn't mean to cause this. I didn't mean to cause a war!"

"Jaune…?"

I twirled to face the door, in time to see Ruby enter slowly and close it behind her.

"I did knock," she said. "I guess you didn't hear me. Is it okay to talk?"

"Y-Yeah, of course." I faked a smile, but judging from her expression, it wasn't my best. "Is something bothering you, Ruby?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She giggled and stepped further into the room to sit down on the small bed I'd been given. I hadn't slept on it, of course, or even sat down since I'd arrived. "I feel nervous," she admitted. "I kept shaking, and didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd come and talk with you. You uh… you look a lot worse than I do, though."

"Do I?" The question came out defensive, and I slapped my face a second later. Of course I did, otherwise she wouldn't have bothered to mention it. "Sorry, I am nervous. I have no idea what's going on, or how it came to this. I just wanted to get our Guild out of trouble, but now it looks like I've started a war."

"Started it…?"

"I know Torchwick is at fault," I said, before Ruby could argue. "I know that technically, he's the one who started this, but it's my fault it's turned into what it is now."

"Nope."

"Ruby, this isn't the time for your `nope thing`," I said with a little sigh. "I was the one who involved Coco, and it went completely out of control. I've even dragged Blake into it, and she's a complete innocent." My head fell into my hands. "Now, all these people are rushing off to get hurt, and it's all my fault."

"All your fault?" Ruby asked. It wasn't the question which made me look up, but the uncharacteristic anger in her voice. The Reaper had crossed the room to stand before me, and although she was shorter than I was by far, she still cut an intimidating figure with her hands on her hips. "This isn't your fault, Jaune," she said, poking a finger into my chest. "Don't be stupid."

"But it is. I caused this."

"No, not stupid, arrogant – that's what you're being." She poked me again, and this time forced me a step back. "Stop being an arrogant idiot!"

"W-What…?"

"You're acting like this is your fault because only you could have told Coco's Guild, and only you could have come up with the idea for us to attack Torchwick, but that's what makes you so arrogant!" She took another step forward, and pushed me back by force of will alone. "Do you think we're idiots or something?"

"What, no!"

"Do you think we're all useless girls unable to make our own decisions in life?"

"No… and Ren is a guy."

"Don't try to distract me!" Ruby growled. "We're not idiots, Jaune – and we don't need you to make our decisions for us. If any one of us didn't like this idea, we'd have said something. You didn't even come up with the idea!" Ruby rolled her eyes when my mouth fell open. "Wait, you thought you did!? Jaune, attacking him to get the staff back isn't a plan; it's the obvious last resort. We all knew that was an option, but we were looking for other ideas. We all just thought you were saying there weren't any plans that would work, so we'd go with it. Wow… you really did think that was your idea, didn't you?"

My mouth open and closed, but no words came forth. It had been my plan, but… well, maybe it was a desperate move, but this was still my plan, right?

"And on Coco, you're even further off," Ruby went on. "You act like you're the one to trick her into this, but you do realise she's using us as her own way to get revenge, right? I mean, did it look like she needed much convincing to attack him? It looked to me like she's been waiting for this for ages. She already had the plan. We're just the excuse."

"But if I hadn't come to her about the staff-"

"Then someone else would have, or she'd have waited until her last year when it was clear no one was coming, and she'd have just attacked him anyway. Didn't you say the first time you went to her, she turned you down?"

"Well, yes…"

Ruby grinned. "Then there you have it. If this was something you caused, then why didn't she agree then? She turned you down. You had a chance to be responsible for it, but she wasn't interested because she thought it was a bad idea. It wasn't until she learned about Torchwick that she agreed, and has she even mentioned taking the staff as payment?"

I couldn't remember. She refused it the first time, but after agreeing to help us, she hadn't so much as mentioned it. My silence was answer enough for Ruby.

"Exactly… if Coco even cared about pretending this was a mission, she'd have mentioned the staff or how much it's worth. She's not even in this for the lien, and she as good as said if we backed out, she'd attack anyway." Ruby shrugged. "This is personal. This is between her and Torchwick, in which case this whole thing was started well before we even came to Beacon."

Ruby's angry expression faded, and she opened her arms. I wasn't sure what she wanted for a moment, but her hands wound about my waist, engulfing me in a hug.

"This war started years ago when Torchwick did something to Coco's friend. He tried to do to them what he's doing to us, but he failed to get Coco and Yatsuhashi out of Beacon, which means he left enemies behind." She pulled away from me and smiled. "Dad always said the biggest mistake you could make was to leave an enemy behind you. You need to make sure every Grimm you fight is dead, because it's the injured one you turn your back on that will kill you." Ruby hugged me again. "You're not responsible for any of this, dummy."

"I'm… not…?"

"Nope." She giggled. "Torchwick started it when he picked on Coco and didn't finish her off, and now she's come back to finish the job. If anything, we're just convenient excuses and a way for her to get out of trouble once she does it. We're the useless people she has to babysit."

I laughed at the analogy, even if it was true. Compared to her and her people, we were probably extremely weak. Still, Ruby's words washed over me. Was I really blameless in all of this? Had I been borrowing trouble that wasn't my own? I felt a little lighter already, like there'd been a weight removed from my shoulders, and my hands settled on her shoulders as I hugged her back.

"Thanks for that, Ruby. I… I think I needed to hear that."

"I think you did." Ruby let go and walked over to sit on the bed, but patted the mattress next to her. I moved over and sat down, and she linked her hands behind her, kicking her feet. "You always seem to take everything too seriously. You do it on our Quests, and did it with Atlas, too. Why?"

"Well, I guess it's because I'm the Guild Leader," I admitted. "It's my job to look after everyone, and make sure we get through this, right?"

"Uh… and now I feel guilty." Ruby sighed and pouted at me. "You do realise that form I signed your name on doesn't really mean anything, right?"

"Huh?"

"I made you the Guild Leader, but it's just on official paperwork," she explained. "It doesn't mean you have to lead, or even that we have to follow what you say. It's just something that I had to sign someone down for."

"And you put me," I said, "which I still don't understand."

"That's because there's nothing to understand about it. I could have put Yang's name, or Weiss', or even Nora's. It doesn't mean anything." She laughed and elbowed my arm. "It's just a piece of paper. You don't need to act like it's your responsibility to do all the thinking for us. Do you remember when we decided to split out Quests up? It was Weiss and Ren who did the decision making."

That was true.

"And when me and you got told off for our Quest, it was everyone else who decided our next one would be done as a group, and then Weiss chose the Quest, and I got the horses ready. You didn't do anything, and you weren't expected to. The point I'm trying to make is that you're our Guild Leader, but it's only in name. We don't expect you to lead us, and we kind of make decisions based on the group." She paused and poked her chin. "If anything, you're more like our spokesperson. You're better at speaking with people than we are, probably because you're a Knight."

More likely because I'd been raised in a house filled with Shopkeepers. Mom would sure be proud right now. Still, I laughed, realising Ruby's point. "You're saying I've been trying to fill a position that doesn't exist, right?"

"Yep. Sorry."

"Sheesh…" I rubbed a hand down my face. "Do you realise how much I panicked over this? I kept wondering if I was making the right decisions, or if I was leading you all to disaster. Now you're saying it didn't even matter?"

"Well, not that… it's more like if we didn't like your ideas, we wouldn't have followed them." She shrugged. "Like I said, when it comes to making plans, we normally go with what Ren, Pyrrha or Weiss come up with – but you're pretty good at it, too." She bounced on the bed. "Like when you had the idea to set the fake camp for the Griffon. It was a good idea, but that didn't mean we were following your orders. It was just an obviously good decision, so no one felt the need to complain."

A small flicker of pride blossomed to life inside of me, even if it was drowned out by the embarrassment. How much of an idiot had I looked walking around like I was the King of the Guild, when in truth, everyone only followed my instructions if they felt like it?

"That's why you shouldn't feel like this is your fault," Ruby said with a final nod. "It's not, because you don't actually make decisions for us, and we don't follow your orders. We're all here because we want to be, not because you made us. We all knew this would be the desperation plan and well… we're desperate."

"I get it, Ruby. Thanks for letting me know." I grinned at her, but waited until she smiled back before I placed a hand on her shoulder and shoved her across the bed. She yelped and almost fell off.

"Hey! What was that for!?"

"For not telling me sooner," I said sarcastically. "I must have looked like an idiot!"

"Only a little…"

Ruby and I stared at one another for a few moments, before we both burst into laughter. All the weight and pressure I'd been carrying vanished in an instant, leaving behind a curious mix of relief and calm. I was involved in this, but I wasn't responsible, or at least not alone. We were all a part of this dangerous move, this pivotal moment. I had no idea what it would bring, but I wouldn't hold myself responsible at the end of it.

"Seriously, though… thanks. I guess I can be a bit of an idiot sometimes."

"I'm the same," Ruby whispered, coming back over to sit next to me. "I'm not always sure what I'm doing, and I'm two years younger than everyone else. Sometimes I have an idea, but I'm afraid to say anything because it might be stupid. Yang always tells me to just go for it and she'll back me up, but… I guess it's hard."

Honestly, I'd forgotten about her being younger than me. Ruby was short, sure, but no shorter than Weiss – and she had a maturity beyond what one would have expected of someone her age. In the grand scheme of things, the two years didn't feel like much, even if it was a big percentage of her life. "You struggle?" I asked, surprised. "I wouldn't have been able to tell."

Ruby's cheeks darkened and she looked away. Despite that, there was a tiny, embarrassed, smile on her face. "Eh, you know… got to keep trying, and I don't like to bother anyone. The Guilds been great, but sometimes it's hard, and then there's Yang being over-protective, and my Class, and all sorts of other things. Torchwick doesn't help, either!"

"He doesn't," I agreed, sighing. "Well, maybe we'll be free of him after tonight."

"Maybe…"

I glanced at her. "You don't think this'll work?"

"No, I do." She looked away. "Maybe… I don't know. I want to think it will, but there's no idea. I guess I'm just worried that it'll all end, and I don't want it to. I like things here. I like the Guild, and all our friends, and you, and Blake, and even Weiss!" Ruby paused as she realised how shocked she'd sounded. "Don't tell Weiss I said it like that."

"I won't."

"A-Anyway, I guess I'm just frightened. Not about the fighting and what we'll have to do, but about what might happen if we fail."

"You're not the only one," I whispered, putting an arm around her. "I bet we're all scared, even if we're not showing it on the outside. Coco is probably scared, too. If she doesn't find out what happened to her friend, she might never have another chance, and she knows that. It's all we can do to try though… right?"

"Right," Ruby stood up and stepped away from the bed. She turned and backed towards the door with a smile, hands linked behind her. "I'd best get ready to fight. I want to make sure Crescent Rose is in good condition."

"Yeah, I'll see you there." I smiled. "Thanks again, Ruby."

The Reaper smiled and waved goodbye as she closed the door behind her, and despite her departure, my own smile didn't fade. "I guess I needed someone to knock some sense into me," I chuckled. "I'm glad it was Ruby and not Yang."

I might not have survived the latter.

There could only have been five or so minutes left until Coco's appointed time, and already the castle felt quiet and empty, the last vestiges of the forces within having moved out while Ruby and I were talking. Behind, they'd left nothing but silence, but I couldn't help but feel relieved by that. It gave me a chance to think as I drew Crocea Mors out and laid it across my lap. My fingers traced the flat of the sword.

A Knight's sword, a Blacksmith's sword… and here I was, about to take part in what was for all intents and purposes, a war. It would be a short one, for sure, and that would be the same win or lose. Still… I'd never expected anything like this to happen. Not in a million years.

I'm a Blacksmith, a member of the Labour Caste, nothing more than an NPC. What am I doing here? What right do I have to go into such a battle and hold any hope of surviving? Am I going to drag everyone else down?

No, I wouldn't. It didn't matter what I was now, only what I could be. I looked down at the blade, eyes focused on the expanse of flat steel above the cross guard. It was clear and empty because I'd never thought to put anything there, but now my index finger traced a curious pattern. It was one I'd seen before on a chunk of masonry I'd copied onto charcoal paper, and my finger traced that memorable shape. I had no idea what it was, what it might do, or if it would even do anything at all.

There was a loud knock on the door, and it cracked open a second later. Ren poked his head in, but only for the briefest of moments.

"It's time," he said.

I rose opposite him, nodding as I sheathed Crocea Mors in her scabbard and slung the shield behind my back. As I stepped outside, it was to see everyone else waiting, but also staring out of a nearby window, little more than a hole in the wall. It was dark outside, with only the light of the moon for vision, but in the distance I could see an orange flow in the forest. Panicked cries rose from the Guild Village as the fire caught, and bells tolled in the distance. Time, indeed. Coco's people had bought us it, but now it would be up to us to make the most of what we had.

The battle had begun.


And the war begins in earnest. Yes, as some people noticed and commented in the reviews, this is very much a blitzkrieg that Coco has to enact. Both sides know it's coming, but neither can do anything until it begins.

Oh, on the question of numbers (since I said TMG has 400 members), it should have been implied early on in this story, but Beacon is a lot bigger than in canon. I believe in the First Quest, I quoted it as "several hundred" people, and that was purposefully much bigger than canon. This isn't a school that can pick and choose in this story. It's an institute which automatically gets every child born into a certain Caste. As such, it's much larger. I'd say a couple of thousand, at least. (Obviously, that means more teachers, etc, but it's been unnecessary to make or use any so far).

In terms of why the teachers haven't done anything here, it's important to remember that they really can't so long as no rules are broken. It would be like saying, "Why hasn't someone done anything about any scandal-hit person yet?" You need proof, and it will always be innocent until proven guilty, and that it can be really hard to prove anything a lot of the time.


Next Chapter: 21st August

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