Shorter installment this week! Debated combining two chapters into one but that felt like cheating.
Thank you, by the way, for the largely positive response for last chapter :)
"Move! I said fucking move!"
Yang, body trembling from mounting exhaustion, dove aside at her mother's behest. Another portion of debris was cleaved in two and the disjointed shards crashed against the estate's walls. Brick came crumbling down, shattered, and the other sailed through an existing gap, plummeting into the ocean with a raucous crash.
The other Wardens, those that were left anyways, remained still. Bound and beaten they posed no threat any longer, too bloodied or exhausted to stand, let alone fight. That made the sudden barrage by Glynda Goodwitch even more stunning. That a single woman could lift debris thrice her size and fling them with ease was equal parts impressive and galling. The amount of magic it would take to accomplish such a task. It was strenuous, that much was clear; Goodwitch's face glistened and twisted in concentration, arms raised. Her hands wove about as a conductor's wand might, stone, fallen trees, and anything else she could grab responding to her whims. Her symphony was anything but pleasant.
Raven twisted as a charred mass of stone sailed over her head. Close enough to send her hair into a fit the woman shouted and drove forward, red sword set ablaze. Another stone shot towards her and she cut through it, jumping and leaping off another. She'd managed to reach Goodwitch only for the ground to quake and rocket skyward.
Qrow fared little better. Without magic to propel himself through a swirling storm of detritus and rubbish he couldn't get nearly close enough. Not anywhere near enough to disable Goodwitch's magic.
Yang pressed down on Ruby's back again and squeezed her eyes shut. Something pelted her back and she hissed, held firm, and wrapped her arms around her sister. Beneath them both Weiss had ceased her struggles and remained still save for breathless moans.
What happened? One moment they'd been triumphant and the next they were cowering beneath a cyclone of stone. Weiss had attacked them - the wound in her shoulder still throbbed - and Goodwitch had gone berserk.
"Yang! We have to go!" Peering down at the fitful face of her sister the blonde nodded.
That was a given. No one in their right minds would linger in the face of such a chaotic display. Dozens of pieces of debris floated around Glynda, swirling about without weight, the woman herself the center of a storm. Leaving was easier said than done however as another smaller shard jettisoned past them, burying itself in the trunk of a tree.
To be hit by debris was to welcome grievous injury, and without Goodwitch ceasing her spells they'd likely be pelted and killed within seconds. Keeping low to the ground was all they could do to save themselves.
"Why aren't you running?!"
Why? Because they couldn't move! Yang, galled by her mother's indignation, like somehow their cowering was a slight against her, raised her head and shook it once. They couldn't move even if they wanted to. Not without being turned into a pincushion.
"Qrow, get ready!" Raven screamed; her voice drowned out in the howling winds.
Qrow nodded, one arm raised to shield his face. His greatsword dragged across the ground as he began to circle Goodwitch. "Make it quick!"
Raven dodged away from another portion of the collapsed walls, and to Yang's surprise, sheathed both of her blades. The wind bit into her exposed skin, salt from the sea stinging her skin, and Yang took the chance to try and move them further away. Ruby took the hint after one shove and crawled on her hands and knees towards the gate while Weiss, still barely moving, remained where she laid. Cursing, she wrapped one arm around the dainty girl's midsection and dragged her through the dirt.
A dislodged body of brick sailed overhead and smashed against the iron gate, warping it. Broken pieces pelted the area around them and Ruby ducked, covering her arms and cowering as a few narrowly missed striking her.
The journey to the gatehouse was painstaking. Ruby and herself couldn't move too quickly as winds assaulted them, threatening to knock them down, battering and hurling smaller projectiles against their prone bodies. Without the flames from before the night's darkness was shuddering. Clouds blotted out the moon and left them in perpetual limbo, incapable of seeing any oncoming attacks even if they tried. Only the whistling of debris foretelling impending injury kept them safe.
Fresh flames erupted behind them and Yang halted, as did Ruby ahead of her. Heat lapped against her back and she shielded her face as light erupted in the courtyard, squinting through the glare.
Raven stood alone, arms spread, red and blue flames swirling around her body. Smaller refuse was incinerated on contact while larger portions were bashed aside by tendrils of flame. In the light of the fire Yang could see her scowling, straining to maintain her spells. The flames grew larger, roaring to life, taking shape as Goodwitch continued to try and bury her in rubble.
A long, slender body began to form, coiling around Raven and growing taller, broader. A narrow sapling turned into an aged, towering body in seconds, flames distorting to form loose details. Scales, flames reached higher, shimmering and beginning to narrow. Raven grunted as a stone slammed into her chest, took a step back, and kept her arms raised.
Flames raced to a point and stopped, forming a serpentine body with a head, its eyes blue flames set in an orange glowing skull. While the dragon itself couldn't roar its body did so readily, eagerly, turning the estate once more into a glowing beacon against the gloomy night.
The dragon reared back, and its mouth opened. Soundless, save for the crackle and hiss of its conjured form, it hurled towards Goodwitch. The distance between them wasn't great and it closed the gap in seconds, searing the ground in its wake. Goodwitch gathered most of the clutter she commanded and formed a shield between herself and the assault.
Flames crashed against stone, spilling over the guard and hurling embers everywhere. Goodwitch stepped back and Raven advanced, shouting inaudibly as the dragon's flickering body reformed, slamming against Goodwitch's makeshift protection.
In the long shadows cast by the spell Qrow emerged, sword dragging behind him and one arm outstretched. The stern woman saw him and raised one arm, pulling a twisted barb of iron free from the ruined gate.
Raven's spell crashed down again. Qrow ducked, reaching for Goodwitch's outstretched arm.
Yang turned her head and closed her eyes, shielding Weiss as Ruby cried out in fright.
/+/+/+/+/+/
Roaming Sentinels were always such a nuisance. Responding on a basic set of instructions they roamed the passages beneath the cathedral as little more than shambling bodies, unseeing, without care. Their heads would occasionally twist and their soulless, pitted, soulless eyes would focus on them before returning to their witless duty.
Unyielding, with no need for rest, they made excellent if unremarkable guards. Until they learned Watts had compromised their integrity and turned more than a few into his personal puppets.
"Sir?"
Infuriating, more so than any other development of the night. Admittedly they should have taken more measures in protecting the creatures from being stolen. A simple spell to animate them, another to instill a series of simple instructions. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge could wrench command of the creatures.
Why? What was Watts seeking to gain? Ozpin's brow furrowed and he paused to wave a hand before a sealed door. Ivy set into stone glowed green at the gesture, "growing" up the door, leaves appearing at the tips of twisting tendrils. With a shuddering groan the stone door peeled open, revealing another long passage beyond.
Yang Xiao Long. Merlot. A nuisance that continued to plague them. And now it appeared that Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose, and if they assumed rightly, Blake Belladonna would be joining that list.
"Sir?" Ahmar kept pace easily, the taller of the two, his lone eye narrowed as he followed Ozpin. "You're certain you want to let them go?"
In truth? No. Ozpin wanted to capture the four girls and be done with it. Yet there was an opportunity presented to them now, one which they'd be even more foolish to pass up. Sconces came to life as they walked the corridor, turning the darkened passages into orange tunnels, pale brick guiding them along.
"Consider it, Ahmar. They have sided with Miss Branwen and others, no? We've played our hand and they'll doubtless make the decision to flee, given the chance." Ozpin glanced back and quirked an eyebrow. "Where do you imagine they'll go?"
"To seek aid," Ahmar said.
"Precisely. Raven will not wish to shelter them against our might alone and so she'll send them elsewhere to entreat for aid. Likeminded groups set on making our lives as difficult as possible. Groups that have as of recently been increasingly difficult to track down and snuff out." Ozpin waved at another sealed door and vines unlocked it.
Beyond, the hallway opened up into a grand, cavernous room. Sconces along the walls provided little light compared to the sizable brazier that erupted at the center of the room, throwing flames high into the air and nearly scorching the domed roof.
"We'll allow them to run," Ozpin continued. "All we need to do is monitor them and they shall lead us to our enemies. I can't think of anything better, can you?"
Between the sconces rose great bookcases, their shelves littered with volumes upon volumes of literature. Spellcraft, history, documentation of Magi. Scores upon scores of information gathered over the two centuries of the Church's existence. The walls themselves were painted a sky blue, bright as midday without a cloud to speak of. Glittering shards similar to stars filled the blue expanse, twinkling, dancing from the flames in the room. With desks spread throughout the space, circling the brazier, and a greyed tiled floor, polished to the point of a mirror, the room resembled a study. One built to house a large group of scholars rather than a personal space.
Ozpin walked to one of the bookcases and waved a hand idly. From somewhere unseen a set of stairs formed and he raised them to the topmost shelf, running his finger along the spines of the books within. Theories on magic mostly, with a handful of works on magic's properties and the manipulation of Remnant's energies.
Gods given? Innate? A power of the planet or something else entirely?
That they still did not know was a glaring hole in not only the Church's doctrine but in humanity's understanding of such a crucial aspect of their lives.
Yet, frustratingly, people had found ways to circumvent magic. Even without clear understanding, recalcitrant individuals like Raven balked at their imposed limitations and found ways to work around them. Insubordinate individuals like Merlot and Watts sought to… What? Expose magic? Wrench away their command of it?
"We need information. We were admittedly arrogant, assuming that we could let events unfold and these troublesome children be dealt with. For that, we are at fault." Ozpin sighed, then took a single tome from the array before him and stepped down. "They fight back because they do not understand what we do. They believe that they, who know nothing of the world, should be able to decide its course."
"Without the Church," Ahmar noted. "Magic would be allowed to run rampant again. What we do is to save Remnant from itself."
"And yet not all appreciate this. But worry not; their insistence in foiling us will prove to be our greatest ally." Ozpin smiled and handed the tome over to Ahmar. It was clean, spotless as every volume within the great study was. Smoke from the fire continued to rise up, vanishing before it could gather along the ceiling. "Deliver this to Salem and then prepare for departure."
"Sir?"
"I'd like you to monitor the children. Keep us informed on their whereabouts and, if possible, their destination. I fear our scrying magic may be compromised before long, so we'll have to do things the old-fashioned way, unfortunately."
Ahmar nodded. Loyal as ever, certainly more so than that infernal Arthur Watts. Ozpin bristled, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself. Assuming the man survived the events at the Lavender estate they would need to interrogate him thoroughly for information. His end goals, the means by which he stole command of Sentinels, and how he managed to a token force of Wardens to defect. They needed answers.
Ozpin sat at one of the many desks, cushioned chair scraping against the polished floor. Steepling his fingers together he sighed, resting his forehead against his hands. The door to the study slid open and he cracked one eye open.
"Ahmar? One last thing before you go." Ozpin leaned back and folded his hands together. "Once the children depart, I would like you to deal with Miss Branwen. Bring her head, if you could. I think that should act as a wonderful deterrent to future detractors, don't you?"
From the doorway he saw the man smile. Excited, eager to please, no doubt. "By your orders, sir. Glory to the Church."
"Glory to the Church," Ozpin echoed, waving a hand dismissively. "Give her our regards before you send her to Kalom. Even nonbelievers deserve their final rites."
After a deep bow Ozpin watched the man leave, door scraping shut behind him. Alone in the room now he drummed a finger on the desk, lazily glancing at the bookshelves surrounding him. Information would come. Oobleck was enlisting the aid of Hazel Rainart and the kingdom's Commandery. Port and Belle had been dispatched to inform the other Archbishops of developing events.
We have little choice now but to wait and see what happens next. Ozpin waved a hand again and the brazier's flames ebbed, lowering the lighting in the room to a pleasant, faint warm glow, the ceiling now obscured in shadow.
James' insistence on enlisting Weiss had seemed foolhardy on the outset. A bastard child, disowned by her family and made to toil in isolation, or she would have been if not for his intervention. Some pruning, a bit of support, and she would have been the ideal Warden, if not for some tampering. Unfortunate that a Schnee should evade their hold, bastard or not, yet not the end of the world. She would still prove useful, just in a capacity they hadn't foreseen.
"Perhaps Salem may find a use for her," Ozpin mused aloud, to no one but himself. With a small smile he rose from his seat and traipsed over to another desk, this one along the wall. Set in an iron cast, claws not unlike talons of a great hawk, another scrying orb lay in wait, cloudy and unfocused. Channeling his magic into the device he sought out Weiss, smiling as the picture became clearer.
"I wonder how Glynda fares?"
/+/+/+/+/+/
Poorly, as it turned out.
Raven's assault had pressed on and prevented Glynda from doing much beyond defend herself. Qrow's intercession had almost been foiled by way of skewering but Ruby, utilizing the remains of her magic, lunged out and knocked her uncle out of the twisted iron bar's path.
The wrought iron buried itself half-length into the soft earth. Qrow, shaking himself free from Ruby, rushed in, lanky figure flashing as Raven's flames spilled over levitating debris like torrid rainfall. His hand grasped Glynda's wrist and he let his magic surge, feeling his body tingling as it rushed from his very core outwards. Fingertips itched and he let the magic pour from them, spilling into Glynda, blocking off her body's ability to command magic. Like a gate shuttered or a river damned, the flow of magic would halt abruptly. The woman's mind would cease its ability to control energy, becoming clouded, and her body would become too weary to go on.
As expected, Glynda collapsed. Raven relinquished her spell as the floating stones collapsed around them, lingering flames landing in the ground harmlessly around them sizzling and failing to spread.
For a moment Qrow feared his comrade, his friend, would fight back. Glynda's eyes sought his own and he felt himself chilled, jaw setting tight. Hazy, unfocused eyes stared back, failing to recognize the man before her. Then, as if a veil had been lifted, the woman gasped. Her vision cleared and her pupils shrank, swaying as she knelt in the grass. Qrow reached out to catch her and Glynda tried to speak but only managed a faint croak, like a frog with hands around its throat.
He felt her go limp against him, fingers hurriedly pressing against her neck. A pulse remained strong, and she breathed steadily. Whatever had overcome Glynda had done her in as it had Weiss and now both were out of it, drenched in sweat and unresponsive.
Yet they weren't through. In a night that seemed dead set on being their undoing even the warmth of the rising sun couldn't instill so much as a shred of hope. Further away, down the singular road leaving the state, Galloway's bell towers tolled. Guards were being summoned, Hunters too, if available, and would be descending upon the grounds soon.
What was he to tell them? How did he explain any of this? Watts' betrayal, Glynda and Weiss' rampancy, the defection of several Wardens. There was nothing he could say, no reasonable explanation to be had.
"Get up! We are leaving!"
His sister, stubborn as a mule, soldiered on. Even as her body seemed ready to collapse under its own weight she trudged towards his nieces, pausing to grab Ruby by the shirt and haul her to her feet. Taking one look at Glynda he laid her down gently, made certain she wasn't in immediate danger, and rose to his feet. His own legs threatened to buckle beneath him and he took a deep breath, used his own sweat to slick back his hair, and moved to join them.
Watts alone remained conscious, resting against a tree nearby, mouth caked in blood. Much as Qrow would have loved to kill the bastard for all the grief he caused he passed Watts by with only a brief glare. For his part the man merely looked up, spat out blood, and let himself recline further.
"Come on, firecracker." Heaving, Qrow bent down and lifted Yang to her feet. Once she seemed steady, he collected Weiss, unceremoniously slinging her over his shoulder. "We gotta go before the guards start showing up."
"Go? What about Watts?!" Yang grimaced and gripped her right arm. While it resumed its regular form it remained blackened, hand twitching. "I owe that jackass a few more punches."
"You won't be doing anything if we're swarmed by guards and Hunters, Yang. Your uncle is barely standing, you and Ruby are on fumes," she cursed, nearly stumbling. "And I'm not much better!" Raven shoved Ruby forward, not hard, but it still made Qrow scowl. "We are leaving."
And go where? After today Qrow wasn't sure Ozpin was the best option. Something had happened to Glynda and Weiss. To Wardens specifically. He wasn't an idiot; what happened was something he'd never witnessed before and that factor was the only thing the two had in common. Well, they were both women, so there was that.
Something about their being Wardens had caused them to go mad. Ozpin knew, one way or another. The Church then wasn't an option.
Urging Yang forward gently with a hand on her back they began the trek back down the causeway. Waves splashed up against the sides and sprinkled them with chilled, salted water. The sun rising to their left turned the crystalline water a soft amber, glowing with the day's waking rays. Ahead the bells continued to toll but no one opposed them yet. There was no telling how long that might last.
"We can go to Tai," Qrow suggested. They had begun to jog, and he did his best to keep Weiss from being jostled too much. "I can get us a boat to Patch -"
"He's a priest, you idiot. He's just as involved in this shit as you are," Raven snapped back. "No, we'll head out of the city, then move towards Plockton. My tribe is there."
"And Ozpin probably knows that," he retorted. "Do you really think that's any better?" Raven cursed, raising a hand and gathering magic. A bird formed in her palm and she whispered to it before sending it off, then conjured another.
"Looking for the Belladonna girl. If she's still alive we might need her magic."
Fair enough. Believing that Tai wouldn't help them out - help his own girls - was a stretch, a leap in logic that Qrow couldn't quite make. They didn't have the time nor himself the energy to argue with his obstinate sister right now. So be it. They'd head to her tribe's stolen settlement and try and figure out a plan from there. Assuming it hadn't already been razed to the ground and her entire tribe slaughtered.
Likely, and if true they would be thoroughly screwed. But without anywhere else to turn to it was all they had.
Surprisingly, they made it into Galloway unopposed. As the bells continued to ring no doubt the guards were mobilizing with all haste and any Hunters present being directed towards the estate. It wouldn't be hard for them to figure out what the cause of commotion was. From any point inside the city one could see the lingering clouds of smoke that hovered over Lady Lavender's home, revitalized by Raven's final spell. It would be swarming soon with a fire brigade and their protection detail.
With the sounding bells and forces rushing to mobilize the city had begun to wake earlier than usual. People still clad in nightgowns and simple wear stumbled out of their homes in a daze, wandering into the streets to see what the commotion was for. Side roads and alleyways provided some degree of respite from their curious stares. It was obvious they were fleeing, and the privier of those onlookers might even alert nearby guards.
Qrow hadn't been on this side of matters before. Usually he was the one chasing down criminals, or working to solve some attack, or reign in a rogue Hunter. Fleeing from the powers that be felt horribly wrong.
Maybe his mind was leaping to conclusions. The sudden attacks by Glynda and Weiss were concerning but could potentially be explained away as a side effect. Of what he didn't know - the Wardens and whatever process they went through was alien to him - but Ozpin surely could provide answers. Maybe Watts was their only enemy in all of this and he was letting Raven's hysterical hatred of the Church color his thoughts.
With Yang and Ruby in tow, the former heaving as she tried to keep up, he was ill content to risk their safety on 'maybe'. "Come on, Yang, you can do this," he cheered, rasping for breath himself. His eldest niece nodded, drenched in sweat and beginning to lean forward as she tried to run. "Rae!"
The blonde yelped as she was lifted, hauled over Raven's shoulder as he had with Weiss. Ruby went soon after, held under arm, kicking in surprise as she too was made to be carried.
Together the twins hauled the girls along, racing through Galloway's winding streets. When the buildings began to thin and the walls rose up ahead of them, gatehouse looming, they cursed. Those guards are never gonna let us just walk through! Covered in soot and ragged as they were, they would be immediate suspects.
"Ruby," he growled hoarsely. "Got any magic left, kiddo?"
Ready, his niece nodded, pressing a hand to Raven's side. "I think so," she said, extending the other to Qrow.
He felt a rush of magic surge, filling his body with energy. His lungs no longer wanted for oxygen and his legs, burning as they were, suddenly felt relaxed and fresh. It was temporary, he knew, but a much-needed boost.
In an instant the world became blurred. The homes lining the streets, stone and brick, turned into smeared palettes of color around them. The chatter of disgruntled residents disturbed from their rest became indecipherable and muddled. The guard house itself, having been a hundred yards off seconds earlier, now stood before them. With the air whipping against his face they passed the threshold and burst out onto the road beyond the city's walls. Several hundred feet later, although only seconds had passed, Qrow felt the magic subside. His legs stumbled and he cursed, twisting his body and falling backwards, shifting Weiss to cradle against his chest. His back hit the ground and he slid off the road and into the grass beside it, skidding for a distance before coming to a halt.
Raven, infuriating, managed to keep upright despite hauling twice his load by digging her feet into the ground and leaning back. Realistically it was probably her being familiar with wind magic that made her better suited for the speed.
Groaning, Qrow shook his head and looked down to make sure he hadn't killed his charge in that tumble. Weiss remained as still as she'd been before, a little dirty for his stumble but unharmed. Exhaling, he sat up and wiped what dirt and grime he could from his face, spitting out a few pieces of grass and dirt and grimacing.
"Next time I'll take my chances with the guards…"
And where the hell was his sword now?! Spotting it several feet away, thrown aside haphazardly in the fall, his blade stuck out of the ground, buried halfway to the hilt in soft earth. Qrow groaned and stood, offering Weiss out to his incredulous sister. Ruby and Yang insisted they were fine to walk, and Raven released them only to have her arms filled with a new passenger.
"Come on," Qrow rested his weapon on his shoulder. "We've got to get more distance between us and the city."
"What about Roman and Neo?" Ruby asked.
"I'll send another bird. Just move it!"
"Oh, you can send more than one?" Yang rasped, coughed, then began a slow jog to keep pace with him. "Never thought to send one to see me, huh?"
"Yang, not now -"
"No? When then, huh mom?"
"When we're not liable to get a sword stuck in our back," Qrow argued. "I get it, Yang, you're angry." Not just at Raven but at Watts, the Church, everything probably. She had every right to be. "But now isn't the time. Let's focus on getting somewhere safe, then we can talk."
Without looking back he added. "You owe us answers, Rae. No more jerking us around. You're gonna tell us everything you know about what's going on."
"I planned on it," Raven huffed. "Just as soon as we're safe. So get off my ass."
Qrow rolled his eyes and took that rough retort as a promise. With a strained breath he forced his heavy limbs to keep moving, inhaling sharp, biting crisp air as he raced alongside the road towards the looming treeline ahead.
/+/+/+/+/+/
Blake hissed as a blade missed her throat by inches. Ren dove into her blindside again and nearly caught her. With Ilia in her arms she couldn't defend herself beyond using magic. Her daggers, still hanging from her belt, were out of reach, and her reserves of magic were waning. Casting anything was taking longer and her movements were growing sluggish. The four Magi, her friends, continued their assault, slowing but just as relentless as ever.
Ren fell back to avoid a spire that erupted beneath him. Blake warped her shadow and formed a shell to deflect Pyrrha's blade. It punctured through and she ducked, feeling hair shear away from her head. Nora's warhammer smashed her barrier to pieces and Jaune's shield slammed into her back. Letting herself fall forward she grew shadow on the ground and fell into it.
Somewhere. Anywhere. In the void her magic created she reached out blindly and seized the furthest point she could reach. Her body burned and she cried out as her muscles seized. Nausea struck, washing over her like an ocean's wave threatening to swallow her and drag her beneath the surface.
Her spell nearly failed. Expending so much magic at once left her gasping for breath as she and Ilia returned to the world. Foliage rushed to greet them, and she cursed, clutching her friend desperately as her body struck a tree limb, leaving a bruise as she bounced off it. Tumbling helplessly through the air she used the last of her magic to try and cushion their fall. Shadow rose, already dissipating into mist, and she struck it with a resounding crash.
Pain wracked her body. Blake felt her left arm go numb as she slid down a hastily constructed ramp, rolling over and over before landing in the dirt. Her chest heaved and the world spun as she laid across the forest floor, coughing and wheezing against the dirt. Turning her head with a pained groan she saw Ilia nearby, alive but clearly in pain, face contorted as a hand grasped at the wound on her head.
Blake tried to drag herself over. Her left arm was numb, and she cried out as she tried to lift it higher than her head. Relying on her right instead she pulled herself, slowly, until she laid beside Ilia.
"H-Hey." She coughed again and reached out, placing a hand on Ilia's side. Grey eyes cracked open and Blake managed a smile. "You okay?"
Dumb question. Ilia had the courtesy to smile back, closing her eyes again and wincing. "Alive. You?"
"Same." She groaned and lifted her head, almost retching as sickness tightened its grip on her. She felt ready to pass out if she was honest. Magic was out of the question and even with Ren's healing her body was sore and battered.
"Why?" Ilia coughed, reaching out and grasping Blake's hand. "Why did they attack us? They're your friends."
She didn't know. Sure, she had history with the White Fang but that had never seemed to be a problem before. Ruby and Weiss accepted her and that had seemed good enough for them.
Were they told to attack me if the trade went south? Was I meant to be killed if Adam didn't get what he wanted? Ozpin had to have arranged that. She'd known her tenure with the Church was more of a trial, a way to keep an eye on her in the interim. Would they have agreed to that?
She didn't know enough about them to be sure. No friends of Ruby would do such a thing, her mind reassured her, only to rebel seconds later. Are you sure that Ruby doesn't feel the same way? Or the others?
They'd fought together, almost died together. She'd shared laughs with them, conspired to discover what the Church had hidden from everyone. Would they really throw her away so easily?
"Blake?"
Ilia watched her worriedly, alarmed. She noticed the sounds of approaching footfalls soon enough, ears swiveling towards the source. Had they followed her that easily? She could barely move! Blindly, Blake freed a dagger from her belt and forced a smile for Ilia, staving off the bile that wanted to rise as she pushed herself up to sit.
"Just relax. I'll deal with them."
Ilia tried to drag her back down, as if that was going to help them at all. Blake shrugged off her friend's grip and turned towards their attackers, raising her dagger readily.
Only to stare at the lone woman before them who seemed just as befuddled as Blake felt. With a pair of rabbits hanging from her belt the woman stepped closer, grey eyes flickering to Ilia before resting on Blake again, holding her hands up. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Who are you?" Blake didn't mean to sound as sharp as she did. "Who are you?" she repeated more gently, swaying. Her vision darkened and she retched, covering her mouth with one hand before breaking into a coughing fit. When the woman knelt before her and reached out, she held her dagger out on reflex, baffled as the woman laughed at her threat.
"Well, you're on my land, for starters, and you barely seem able to sit up, let alone fight back. Not that I'm planning to hurt you," the stranger amended hastily. "You and your friend are hurt. Can you stand?"
"Maybe." Make that a no. Blake tried to rise only for her legs to immediately give. Her stomach rumbled and she grimaced, grasping the side of her head.
"I'll take your friend to my cabin first, then come back for you." Ilia shied away as expected and the woman paused, looking at Blake uncertainly.
Did they trust her? Better question was did they have a choice? Ilia was concussed and barely able to move and Blake herself wasn't much better. Even if this woman wasn't a Magi she could probably kill them easily. Was there an ulterior motive to helping them? Nothing Blake could fathom.
"Trust her, Ilia," she urged, trying again and failing to stand. "I'll be right behind you."
"Trust her?" She couldn't blame her friend for looking put off for the idea. The last time I told her to trust someone they tried killing us. Ilia couldn't do much as she was lifted to her feet, pushing off the woman before resigning herself to lean against her instead. "If you hurt Blake…"
"If I wanted to hurt either of you I wouldn't be doing this," the woman pointed out. "A huntress doesn't waste time trying to befriend injured prey."
Huntress. Her paranoia immediately made her question if the woman was with the Church. As their savior turned to lead Ilia away however Blake couldn't make out any marks on the girl's exposed neck. Not that kind of Hunter then - it was a distinction that always seemed unnecessarily confusing to her - and even if a Magi, not one with cause to do them harm.
She couldn't stand but she could crawl, kind of. It must have looked utterly absurd, gods knew it felt it, but Blake managed to keep after the woman and Ilia. EAch time her hand pressed against the rotting leaves, cushioned as it was, pain flared in her shoulder. Her stomach was on the precipice of emptying itself and her breaths came painfully. Bruised ribs possibly, if she was lucky, and maybe a dislocated shoulder to boot.
Alive, for the time being, and she'd have to settle for that and count their blessings.
"We're not far. You can rest if you'd like," the woman said, phrasing it as a suggestion but making it sound more like a gentle reprimand.
Blake shook her head and winced, immediately regretting the gesture. Ilia looked panicked, either for her own predicament or Blake's. Either way she wasn't about to leave her friend with a stranger no matter how good their intentions might seem.
What was she going to do if things went south? Vomit on the woman?
It was better than being hounded by her 'friends'. Certainly, better than if she'd been taken by Adam. Whether that held remained to be seen.
Exhausted, and just a bit humiliated, Blake crawled along the forest floor, watching even now for signs of attack, or Grimm. If death was coming, she'd at least like to know about it beforehand.
No silliness here this time. See you next Friday!