A bit of a shorter chapter on this one – not because of any issues, but simply because I wanted the ending to come at a certain point, and my plan really called for this chapter to end a certain way, and when it came… well, it wasn't quite the usual chapter length. And I couldn't find anywhere to squeeze more words in that didn't feel out of place or filler.

But the story would suffer if I tried to tack an extra 1,000 of next chapter onto the end of this one, mainly because next chapter really needs all its content to BE in next chapter to make sense. It's hard to take anything from next chapter, as it all just sort of fits better in next chapter.

Kind of hard to explain, but you'll hopefully see what I mean next week.


Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Dishwasher1910

Book 8: Chapter 3


It was a nervous Ruby who eventually told the Guild the full story, sat between him and Yang for comfort, and with Yang occasionally stepping in to take over when Ruby became too afraid to speak. The others had been asked to come and listen to something important and had entered the Lodge with the look of people expecting to find out they'd been picked by Ozpin to deal with Raven.

Ruby's news was no less shocking but compared to the possibility of being sent to their deaths, it was obviously muted. I genuinely saw Weiss' shoulders relax as she realised this wasn't a `we have a Quest` talk.

In a way, it all took away from the strength of Ruby's confession, making it, if not unnecessary, a little less impactful than it should have been.

"So, your Class is unknown?" Ren asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Intriguing."

"I-It is…?"

"Yes. Very much so." Ren nodded and gestured excitedly with his hands. "All of us know what to expect from our Classes in one way or another, except perhaps Jaune since he has outclassed any normal Blacksmith, but every new Skill must be a discovery of its own for you."

"Um. Yeah. Something like that…" Ruby looked around, expecting condemnation. When she found none, her eyes widened. "Y-You're all not mad?"

"Oh, I'm furious," Weiss said, making Ruby wince. "But my mind is plagued with other things more important right now, so you get a free pass."

"Yay?"

"It's also a little late for us to complain about your low Constitution. You've fought Grimm, Merlot and even Watts. While your endurance may leave a lot to desire, your power does not. I've seen you cut through Elder Grimm; there's no doubting it."

"And," Yang said, "It's not like it matters anyway."

"Precisely." Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "While the possibility of you being killed in a single blow is difficult to stomach, the reality of our situation is that we shall all be killed if Raven lands a blow on us. At least your Agility gives you a fair chance at avoiding that."

"Dodge tanking," Pyrrha said. "I've heard of that. It's very risky, though…"

"It's all we have," I countered. "The only ones who will be able to survive a single hit from Raven is me, Nora and you – and even that is a big `maybe` on each of us. If she uses a Skill to do more damage, all bets are off."

"You get a pass, Ruby," Weiss repeated. The Reaper slouched in obvious relief. "Honestly, while this is a shock, it's not like you lied to us. I kept my Passive hidden since I felt embarrassed about it, and you kept your Stats hidden for the same. Everyone here already knew you specialised in Agility and had low Constitution. That was obvious from the start. We just never realised how low."

"I-I'm glad." Ruby laughed as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Thanks guys! I was so worried. I thought… I thought you wouldn't want someone from the Labour Caste on the team."

"A little late for that, isn't it?" Blake asked, nodding in my direction.

"W-Well…"

"It's fine, Ruby." The Assassin sighed. "I was making jest. We've all accepted Jaune, and the fact that the Labour Caste can reach our strength if they find the levels." A respectful nod to me, which I returned with a smile. "It might have been different if you'd told us the first day you met us, but it's pointless to think about that."

"It's good you got it out, though," I said, both for Ruby's sake and the others. "We shouldn't go into this with any secrets between us."

"Agreed."

"He's right. Well done, Ruby."

"Thank you for telling us the truth."

Ruby's mouth opened and closed as she tried to say something, but the relief was too much and she could only nod, sitting back with a watery smile. It was too adorable for Yang, who just had to wrap an arm around her and hug Ruby into her side.

I realised with a little envy that it could have been me in that spot – not the hugged into Yang's side thing, though I imagined if I asked, she'd laugh and do it. More the aspect of everyone believing in her, in listening to her confession and talking it out around a table. Maybe I was being too generous there and maybe things would have gone differently with as big a secret as mine, but I'd never know because I chose to keep it hidden. Chose not to take the plunge Ruby had.

Things were always easier in hindsight, though.

"There's another reason I wanted Ruby to come out about this," I said, drawing a dagger I'd etched my new Rune onto and laying it on the table. "I might have – and I use the word loosely – come up with a Rune to help us against Raven."

"If we have to face Raven," Pyrrha said.

"If we don't, I'll be making Ozpin aware either way, so whomever he sends can have it."

I explained and demonstrated the knife on the table, freezing the corner of it – at least until Velvet saw and coughed loudly, shooting me a glare that made it clear I'd be the one repairing or buying a new table and not her. Wincing, I flicked a few flecks of ice away, revealing mostly whole wood. Just a little discoloured. Fortunately, the others were quick to see the applications in a more combat-oriented scenario.

"You want Ruby to apply this," Ren said, turning the knife over in his hand.

"She is the fastest," Nora said. "It could work…"

"I'd give it to everyone else as well," I said. "But yes, Ruby would be the first to apply it, hopefully slowing Raven down enough for the rest of us to stack it on and grind her to a halt. I know Weiss could do the same with her magic but hitting Raven will be hard."

Weiss nodded, having thought of that problem herself. That was likely the reason for her and Yang's new attack idea, for if they could blind Raven, they might be able to sneak a spell onto her without Weiss being run through for her efforts.

"How fast can you make these?" Yang asked.

"A minute or so. Why?"

"These might be good against Raven, but they're not going to help us get to her. I'm just thinking whether we can keep our Stat-Enhancing Runes on while we deal with the Greycloaks, then switch out to these."

"Maybe. Ruby would be using it in knife form, so she could switch as easily as she switches weapons. I could do the same for the rest of you and let you keep your usual Runes on your primary equipment."

"Might be best. We need every edge we can get."

"It's a good effort," Blake said, inspecting the balance of the dagger when Yang passed it over. "I'm not sure how successful it will be, but we'd better have as many plans as we can. Also, if Ruby is to be the one who delivers it then we'll need to keep her safe. The whole plan falls apart without her."

"No pressure, Rubaby," Yang quipped.

"Oh yeah… None at all… and don't call me that."

"This is all hypothetical anyway," Weiss said over the top of everyone. "The only way any of this will be necessary is if Ozpin decides to send us to the Mirage Isles, which would be absolutely ridiculous. This is a job for professional Heroes, not a Guild full of amateurs."

There was a loud knocking on the front door.

"I'll get it," Velvet said, standing and out the living room area. The sound of the door opening precluded heels striking stone and Velvet returned with Miss Goodwitch beside her. Both her and the teacher's expressions were nothing short of forlorn.

I felt my stomach drop.

"Miss Goodwitch…" Weiss said, without a hint of excitement. "How can…" She swallowed. "How can we help you?"

"Miss Schnee. Hunters." Glynda nodded toward them. "The headmaster would like to speak to you. It is… It is…" Her eyes closed and she let out a quiet sigh. "It is with regards to a Quest."

No one reacted. Despair, fear and doubt rolled off us in waves. Or I assumed it did, because I was feeling it myself and the others were as silent as I. Glynda might as well have invited us to a funeral for all the reaction she received.

Our funeral.

/-/

The headmaster looked no better than we felt. He sat behind his desk, elbows resting upon it but a pinched expression on his face. On the table in front of him was a rolled-up message with the seal broken, tooled with golden borders. I thought I recognised the seal as being that of the Royal family, which had been emblazoned across the palace.

"Thank you all for coming. I understand that the hour is late. Please, feel free to sit down."

Chairs scraped across the floor as we took what seating we could, eight wooden chairs having been made available for us in advance. I had a feeling Ozpin thought we were going to need them for the news to come, even if we could all guess at what it was.

Perhaps it was hope that let us imagine it might not be what we were dreading.

Or maybe it was just desperation.

"I have had news from the King and the Royal Court," Ozpin said, indicating the parchment with one hand. "I will not beat around the bush when I can see how you all feel about this. The King has decided that we will not sanction an invasion of the Mirage Isles."

I couldn't breathe.

I must have heard that wrong, surely.

"W-What?" Weiss croaked, so shocked that all her poise vanished. "B-But… you… we…" The Mage caught herself, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you saying there won't be a Quest?"

"That is what I am saying," Ozpin confirmed, in no uncertain terms. "Your Guild will not be sent to the Mirage Isles. Such would be reckless in the extreme and a Quest deigned to fail. Though the idea was bandied, I would not agree to it without explicit orders from the King. Those were not given."

I wasn't sure what to feel.

Relief?

Joy?

There were none of those things – or if there was, they were mixed with doubt, confusion and fear for what the future might hold. I felt sick despite Ozpin saying what I'd secretly hoped he would say; that we didn't have to go and face Raven.

Judging by the conflicted looks on the others' faces, I wasn't the only one to have so confusing a reaction. While no one looked eager to argue that we should go, no one looked happy with the decision that no one would go.

"But sir," Ruby said, "If no one is going to try and stop Raven then… what will happen?"

"I expect that Raven will carry through with her threat," Ozpin said. The headmaster looked twice his years or more and his hand shook as he brought his mug up for a drink. None of us dared comment on it. "Raven will summon Salem and make a wish of her."

"This isn't a problem which can just be ignored," Ren said.

"We are not ignoring anything, Mr Ren. The King's decision, his thoughts, are that trying to deal with both Raven and Salem will be impossible. Better to let them face off against one another and then deal with whichever remains."

"Which might be a Raven who reaches untold levels of power, or a Salem who is corporeal and active in our world."

"Neither is ideal. But less ideal is the thought of sending a limited force of Heroes to an island infested with Greycloaks, to face off against a woman who may well summon Salem in a fit of pique if she is defeated." Ozpin's voice rose, his words taking a sharper edge. "Even should we defeat her, she will open a portal and fly away. I will not throw away my students on-"

"Ozpin." Glynda coughed.

The headmaster froze, already half-rising from his seat with his hands on the table. He looked over us, eyes wide with shock and regret. "I apologise," he said, stumbling back into his seat. "I lost myself for a moment and acted unbefitting of my position."

I wanted to say it was okay, but was too shocked to say anything, as was everyone else.

In a way, it was good to see him so passionate about this – about us – but the sheer fact that Ozpin would lose his temper like this made it clear just how bad all of this really was. The world was spiralling down to ruin and he knew it.

We all did.

"In an ideal world, I would love nothing more than to storm Raven's fortress myself with an army at my back," he said, calmer. "I would be the first through the door and would strike her down myself for what she did to Qrow. Sadly, that will not happen. Leaving aside the level difference between us, she would flee the moment things looked bad. I cannot see a way to prevent Raven summoning Salem. Only to delay it. Potentially at the cost of hundreds of lives."

"So, the Kind wants to let it happen," Pyrrha said. "He wants us to focus on defending Vale from whomever wins the conflict. We can't stop Raven, but if anyone can, it will be Salem."

"Relying on her is a devastatingly poor idea," Ren said. "But… I can see how there are no better ones. Right now, we have time to prepare and fortify Vale in the event of an attack. The Kingdom can ill afford to lose a portion of its Heroes in an assault on the Mirage Isles and then have Salem brought into this world regardless."

"Indeed." Ozpin nodded. "Vale will need every hand capable of holding a weapon."

"You think we're going to be invaded, then?" I asked.

"I think it's inevitable, Mr Arc. Raven may be powerful, but I do not believe she can defeat a God. Though I can't find evidence to corroborate this, I find it unlikely that the Kingdoms in the past did not try at some point, and Salem persists now. If Raven does win… I cannot predict what will happen, but I do not believe she will be content to sit on her island in peace. She will return to Vale, if only to punish us for not attacking her as instructed. If that happens, we will need every Hero capable of fighting, no matter their age or experience."

"What do the other Kingdoms make of this… isolationism?" Weiss asked.

Archmage Ironwood is not pleased but understands the decision. Given the mobility of the Mages and his long-distance portal technology, Ironwood has promised to reinforce Vale if we are attacked first." Ozpin tapped a wooden box on his table. "He has provided us a Beacon that we can enable to form a connection if this happens. Unfortunately, all bets are off if Atlas is the first to be attacked."

"On Mistral and Vacuo, I'm afraid I can offer no such good news," he said, looking to Pyrrha in silent apology. "Our treaty with Mistral is still shaky and given the loss of their forces recently, they are reluctant to make any moves outside their territory. Vacuo… Well, Vacuo is Vacuo. Too disjoined to assist us."

"Atlas and Vale against the world." Yang sighed. "Great. We're actually better off if they come for us first, since there's no way Atlas can hold out on its own."

"We believe Vale will be the first target if either should win. Raven has more motivation to come here than anywhere else if we call her bluff and refuse to attack, while Salem's last appearance saw her threaten death and destruction upon Mr Arc and I. Given both of their respective strengths, I doubt they'd feel Atlas reinforcing us or not would make a difference. They shall come straight for us."

Straight for Vale. Straight for me.

I couldn't even run away to draw Salem off, since she'd not know, and it wasn't like I was the only thing she cared about. Vale had powerful defences and strong walls, not to mention the keep of Beacon and the palace itself, but if Salem won as Ozpin expected, then I wasn't sure how much use any of those would be. Grimm could fly at the very least, and Salem had power enough to turn Vacuo into a desert. What good would stone walls do?

What would I do differently, though?

Attack Raven? We all knew how flimsy that idea was; Ozpin more than any of us. At least if Salem were summoned, she might deal with the Greycloak problem once and for all, just like she did all her other summoners. If Raven won… well, that would be Salem and her wishes out of the picture.

It wasn't deal, not in the slightest, but cutting our enemies from two to one would make dealing with them just a little easier. Hopefully. I also appreciated the fact we weren't being thrown into the fray in a battle we couldn't hope to win.

"I can see that you are all shocked," Ozpin said. "I do not blame you. I chose to inform your Guild as I knew you would be expecting me to send you on this doomed endeavour. Though I could have waited until morning, I thought the news might let you sleep easily. Easier," he amended. "I doubt any of us will have entirely dreamless nights with what is happening on the Mirage Isles."

"Couldn't we at least send an Assassin?" Pyrrha asked. "A really strong one," she added, not wanting to throw Blake under the horse. "Even if it failed, it would be…"

"It would be what, Miss Nikos? A life thrown away?"

Pyrrha bit her lip.

"I know what you are saying, and I know you do not mean it as callous as it sounds. The simple fact is that we don't have anyone who can hope to challenge Raven's level. If we want to defeat her, it is either ten people or none at all."

"I have a Rune," I began.

"Does it kill her instantly from a range of one hundred metres?"

"No…"

"Then I cannot risk it. I appreciate the effort, Mr Arc. And, in the morning, I would love to hear more about this Rune and how we might use it to prepare for the possibility of Raven's attack. In the meantime, however, I think we have done all we can." Standing, the headmaster finished his drink and slammed the mug down. "Thank you all for coming. Go back to your Guildhall and rest. Train if you wish or help with preparing the defences in the coming weeks. If you will excuse me, I need to take part in planning the evacuation of the outlying villages and towns in the event of Salem's victory."

I stood, along with the others, taking our dismissal for what it was. We mumbled our farewells, and our wishes for his luck and success, before Miss Goodwitch escorted us from the office and closed the door behind her, standing in the hallway with us.

"Please forgive the headmaster's abruptness. He has not had an easy time of late…"

"It is completely understandable," Weiss said. "Please, tell him we took no offence. If I may, he seemed quite aggravated at the suggestion of students being sent." Weiss trailed off meaningfully.

Glynda nodded. "You are mature enough to hear it, I suppose. One of the ideas being discussed by some in the Royal Court – not the King, mind you – was in sending a small team of Beacon students spearheaded by Mr Arc and Miss Belladonna."

"To destroy Raven's sword?"

"Yes. We're not even sure that would stop her, but some thought it worth the risk. The loss of the eight of you would not have had so big an impact on a siege, and there are those who suggested that if you were to fall, Mr Arc, Salem might not be inclined to attack Vale at all."

I wanted to say I was shocked but couldn't quite manage it. I didn't even feel all that offended, though it was clear the others felt that more than enough for me.

"Bastards," Blake hissed.

"I can't believe they'd say that!" Ruby wailed.

"I can." At their horrified expressions, I said, "I'm not saying it's a good idea or that I agree with them, but on a purely pragmatic level, I can see why the idea was put forth. If you think of us as pieces instead of people, there's a small chance of success but relatively little loss if we die."

"That's…"

"Horrible," Ren said, "But I agree with Jaune's analysis."

"Mr Arc speaks the truth," Glynda said. "Of course, Ozpin would not agree with so callous a decision and was quick to shoot it down, poking many holes in the suggestion. On that same pragmatic thinking, Mr Arc does us more benefit here, chained to a forge and creating Runic weapons for all our defenders. Not," she added, "That such would be suggested. Ozpin also suggested that if Raven won, she might take you prisoner and use you to outfit the Greycloaks in turn. The Nobles quickly realised how badly that might go."

"Heh. Someone's important." Yang elbows him in the gut.

I grinned weakly back. "Nice to know someone appreciates me."

"Yeah. Chained to a forge."

"I'll do whatever I have to," I promised, this time to Glynda. "Chains aren't necessary. Just so long as I'm allowed to take part in the fighting when it actually happens. I refuse to stand back and miss out on that."

"We hardly have the manpower to keep you back. Soldiers and Heroes will be standing side-by-side on the walls of Vale. Your presence will be all but necessary. Every Hero's presence will be. Summons are being sent out across the Kingdom. Villages and towns, where they are not being evacuated here, are instead being evacuated to local keeps, which will be left with the bare minimum defence necessary to protect them from the Grimm and hold off a siege. Everyone else shall be returning here."

"Should you really be telling us all this?" Pyrrha asked.

"Ozpin trusts you – and it is not as though the news will not be spread tomorrow. No one can hope to miss the evacuation once it begins, or the influx of refugees."

Vale was going to become very crowded in the coming weeks, that much was obvious.

/-/

It was hard to believe how sombre the mood was as we made our way back down to the Guild village, down the long staircase cut into the side of the plateau Beacons stood atop. We'd climbed it thinking we were headed to her death, and yet upon finding out that wasn't the case and we had a new lease of life, we were somehow more reserved on the way down.

"It's not right," Ruby said. "We can't just ignore what Raven did."

"No one is ignoring her, Ruby." Weiss sighed. "It is just… a passive approach to the problem."

"And passivity is a good strategy now?" Ren asked.

"I'm not saying it is. Only that it's the choice the King has made. There aren't really any good choices…"

"A proactive attack on Raven while she is weaker would be better."

"Better, yes, but no guarantee of success in either case," Pyrrha said. "As Ozpin said, pinning Raven down is difficult. If she feels the odds are against her, she'll just flee."

"Jaune's Rune might be able to stop that."

"Might," I said, feeling I should chip in. "I can't promise it."

"And what of all the people in the Mirage Isles?" Ruby asked. "Blake already said a lot of them are just normal people. They're going to be slaughtered if Salem is summoned. She'll kill every single one of them. And that's if Raven doesn't do that as the sacrifice to summon her!"

"And what are we supposed to do about that?"

"I… I don't know." Ruby scowled at the floor in front of her. "But someone should do something."

"What do you think, Blake?" At the lack of response, I looked over to her. "Blake?"

Blake was walking with a wooden expression, staring down at the floor without saying a word, lost in thought and moving as if she were an automaton.

Coughing loudly, I tried again. "Blake!?"

"Huh. What?" She looked around and flinched at the sudden attention. "Sorry, what was that? I was… I was just thinking."

"We were just talking about the King's decision. What are your thoughts since you lived there?"

"Mine?" Blake looked away quickly. "That was a long time ago. The Mirage Isles are hardly my home anymore. I don't care. The King… He made the only decision he could. We should stay here. Stay and defend Vale."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. I have no connections to it anymore…"

"We shouldn't be so down about this, guys." Yang laughed, and even though it sounded flimsy, it was better than silence. "Yeah, it sucks that we can't take down Raven ourselves, but Salem is going to do it for us, and if Salem becomes real in our world, we can kill her, too. I know it's not perfect. We'd rather she not appear at all. But there are good sides to this."

"At what cost?"

"At a cost we can't influence in any way, Ruby. We can't stop Raven from summoning Salem. It either happens here, on the Mirage Isles, or it happens a few months later in some village full of innocent people. We. Don't. Have. A. Choice."

Seeing the argument forming for what it was, I stepped in. "Alright everyone. I think we can all agree we're upset about this. We'd have been upset whatever Ozpin's decision. How about we all agree to sleep on it and talk more in the morning?"

"That might not be a bad idea," Pyrrha said, showing her relief.

"I agree." Weiss said. "Cooler heads will prevail in the morning."

Making our way back to the Lodge, we told Velvet the good – or goodish – news. Good was a hard way to put an imminent siege well, but we tried our best. Velvet at least appeared happy that we wouldn't be sacrificed.

With the emotional fatigue everyone was feeling from being jerked about so much, no one was willing to stay up and talk about it any further. We all slipped upstairs to our rooms. I caught Blake's arm as she made to go to her own and held back.

"Blake…" I bit my lip, unsure how to continue. "Are you really… Is it really okay?"

"The Mirage Isles? Jaune, it's fine." Blake peeled my fingers off, smiling for the first I'd seen in what felt like weeks. "Like I said, I was a practically a prisoner on those isles, hiding away from my parents' killers. I don't feel any attachment to it like you do with Ansel. Vale is my home. The Guild is my family now."

That meant more to me than she realised, and I let her go. "I'm glad to hear it. Seriously."

"I think I can imagine." Blake turned towards her room. "I… Thank you, though. For the concern. I understand why you'd be worried." Her back to me, she didn't look ready to turn and face me, but continued to speak. "I just want you to know that despite everything that happened between us, I don't regret knowing you. I don't regret what we've been through. I guess what I'm saying is… thank you. For approaching me that first time, for giving me back my dagger and for harassing me into joining the Guild."

Grumbling, but still pleased, I muttered, "You didn't have to call it harassment…"

Blake laughed. "I guess not! Thank you, though. Your belief… It meant a lot to me. It still does."

I watched Blake walk away with a smile on my face. It felt good to have that weight removed, even if we weren't what we'd once been. The things we'd been through had hurt, but I could freely admit I wouldn't change them if I could. My keeping things a secret, yes, but not getting involved with Blake in the first place. The good memories outweighed the bad.

"Yeah, me too." I said as Blake entered her room.

I knew she'd heard me.

Stepping into my own room, I pulled of the day's clothing, looked at the half-written letter to my parents on the desk, and sat down on the end of the bed to tug off my boots. I'd have to tell them about the upcoming evacuation, though it was likely they'd heard by tomorrow, if not the day after. Ansel was so close that it almost had to be evacuated into the main city.

Hopefully, Ozpin would let them stay here with us. We had the room and it would save resources in whatever refugee camps were set up. I was sure the Guild would be fine with it, especially after my family showed them the same hospitality when they stayed in Ansel.

Bringing them here, to the epicentre of disaster, was a frightening thought, but at least I'd be able to defend them. I'd be there on the walls, fighting to keep them safe. That would be enough. It had to be enough.

If it wasn't, no one would be alive to care otherwise.

With those damning thoughts, I laid back and closed my eyes, seeking the ever-elusive slumber.

/-/

"Jaune! Jaune!" Someone shook me. A hand on my shoulder, rough and urgent. The voice was familiar. Ruby's? "Jaune, wake up!"

"Ngh." I groaned and cracked one eye open, fighting past a yawn that died in my throat the moment I saw Ruby's face. The Reaper looked terrified. That was enough to wake me immediately. "Ruby. What's wrong?"

"I-It's Blake…"

Blake? But she'd been fine only a few hours ago. My heart turned to ice. "What happened?"

"She's gone!"


Aaand the whole world lets out a collective scream of "Blllllllaaaaaakkkkkeeeee!"

But hey, Blake running off to do something stupid without telling her team. There's no way that could happen in the show, right? Right? Oh, never mind. It's Blake. Really, it's no wonder I often default to her as a protagonist when she's so easy to form conflict with. Just toss some White Fang in front of her and she'll throw common sense to the wind to chase after them.

Plot ho!


Next Chapter: 4th March

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