Chapter 24
Through His Fingers
The cobblestones of Beacon are a steadying sight. Partially because they mean he arrived, partially because they mean he's not dead.
His head throbbed, pain burning up his side as he recalls the last few seconds that might have been minutes ago.
Gryphon on the engine.
Smoke and fire.
Had he screamed? He really hoped no one had noticed a streaking ball of fire crashing onto Beacon. That'd be embarrassing.
He swore anyway, fumbling on the ground as urgency lent speed to his flailing body.
He needed to stop Roman.
He needed to stop Cinder.
He needed to stop Adam.
Stop could be interchangeable with kill for all he cared.
He sat up, slowing as the world twisted, blurring between shades of black and gray, lit by flares of orange and red from the fires dotting the campus.
He needed just a second to keep his head on straight.
Something exploded off to his right.
William grimaced, rolling over and getting to his feet, fighting not only to keep his vision from blurring but also to keep his last meal in his stomach where it belonged.
He found his footing around the same time a straggler Beowulf found him. He pursed his lips, fumbling for to grab Moonlight Sonata off his hip.
He came up empty handed.
The Beowulf came fully clawed.
The blow surprised him, knocking him flat and sending him rolling across the dirt. He righted himself, skidding the last bit before rushing back, Aura unwinding as he summoned his semblance.
He did it fast and loose, because his mind was still tumbling back and forth in his head and all he had the mind to make was a singular jagged wire. He jumped, tumbling over the Grimm's arms and down it's back, looping the wire around its neck.
He pulled, letting his weight draw the wire through the soft hide. It disintegrated, letting him catch his breath and spot Moonlight Sonata, and one Adam Taurus, on the way to the cafeteria.
He huffed, taking a deep breath, feeling his ribs creak in his chest. Maybe he cracked one in the crash? Probable.
Didn't matter.
Adam Taurus.
Then his own health.
He chased after the White Fang leader, snatching up Moonlight Sonata and sliding it back in its holster. His feet pounded on the cobblestones, navigating the streets as he tailed the man. Adam was distracted by the looks of it, oblivious to William on his tail, and any other Beacon student that engaged him was bypassed after the first stroke of his sword.
Not that Adam usually needed a second stroke, given the first took out whoever's Aura in one deadly slash.
The cafeteria was in sight, and he saw Adam duck inside, along with a glimpse of who was leading him there. Blake.
"Not good." William hissed.
A bullet pinged off the concrete to his right.
Four White Fang members. William pursed his lips as he slid Moonlight Sonata out.
"Don't have time for this." He growled, feeling his semblance flex and coil around him.
Fast. Or else Blake would die.
He rotated Moonlight Sonata, the blade splitting as the weapon expanded into a bow. He dove to the side, rolling and came up with the string pulled back to his lip and an arrow already nocked.
He fired and the lead man of the four hit the ground screaming, an arrow in his shoulder.
"Fire!"
A hail of bullets had him ducking behind a tree for cover, chewing his lip as he waited for a break in the fire. He didn't have time to dwaddle.
Adam was vicious. If he wanted Blake dead. He'd have her dead.
Which meant William needed these poor bloke's dead too.
The firing hesitated, either because they were waiting for him to peek out, or because they were flanking. Didn't matter really because William had drawn one of his Aura Blades and used it to claw his way up the tree, slipping into the branches over them.
He dropped down on top of one, putting his full weight behind his steel heels as he bore the man to the ground. He didn't stop, instead throwing Moonlight Sonata out with a handful of wires at another man as he took on the final member.
The SMG in the man's hands rattled, shaking as he squeezed the trigger. William's Aura was occupied, he zig-zagged instead, ignoring the sudden flash and burn as hot lead slashed across his legs and stomach.
He tackled the man, bearing him to the ground as he wedged the Aura Blade between them. He flinched, knuckled protesting as the man struggled. He slammed his own head down, grimacing as the headbutt knocked the man unconscious.
Nobody wins with a headbutt. He reminded himself.
But he couldn't
He got to his feet, grimacing as his legs throbbed. He checked his pocket, swallowing down a glob of worry as his hands closed around the USB. He still had Sandra's code.
He took off running for the cafeteria, semblance pulling Moonlight Sonata into his hand as he ran. Bullet peppered the ground around him, but he ignored it, even as one stray bullet tore through the air around his ear.
He'd spilled enough blood in his life. He didn't want another drop.
He threw open the doors just in time to see Yang crossing the distance of the cafeteria. Just in time to see the red hum of Adam's blade. Just in time to hear Blake's muted whisper of a plea.
A red flash as Adam's blade sliced through muscle, Aura and bone.
Yang hit the floor, awkward and heavy.
"Taurus!" William was running, speeding across the cafeteria, Moonlight Sonata in his hand, his semblance humming, wires spiraling around his arms.
Blake was up. She had Yang.
He reached Adam.
The faunus had enough time to crack his sheath to parry as William slammed into him.
Momentum carried them both to the floor, giving Blake the time needed to escape. Giving William the time he needed to catch his breath.
Giving Adam the time he needed to refocus on a new target.
His sword was a blur of red, and only instinct and luck kept William's head on his shoulders. He'd sat up, and the wave went right behind him, sparking as it glanced off Moonlight Sonata. He rolled to his feet, finding Adam already approaching, hand on his blade and bent low.
Iai.
That was Adam's style.
William shoved his sword out in front of him, bracing it just as Adam's hand flicked.
He couldn't see the sword.
He couldn't see the hilt.
He couldn't see Adam's hand.
But he saw the blood hiss out of his stomach, onto the ground in front of him.
How'd he?
When…?
He grimaced, swallowing as he found himself on his knees.
"You might make for an interesting plaything." Adam mused softly, a gloved hand directing William's gaze up to Adam's covered eyes. "But you're tired, wounded." The man pursed his lips.
He pulled away, hand returning to the hilt of his sword.
The building shuttered.
Adam hesitated, glancing at the ceiling before muttering, "Another time," and running out.
William blinked, then forced himself to stand.
Moonlgiht Sonata?
There.
Severed in half.
Neat and tidy, a foot section of the blade missing from the hilt.
His semblance lashed out, grabbing the pieces as he dove out the window.
He hit the ground hand, wincing as hot pain erupted from his stomach, accompanied by a dull throb in his arm. He rolled onto his back, fingers fumbling for the wound as his semblance coiled around his fingers.
Emergency stitching was not uncommon in William's experience, he grimaced as he felt the edges of the wound. It was shallow, probably due to Moonlight Sonata being in the way, but it spanned his stomach, slicing through the muscle. Wouldn't be pretty.
His wires congealed, a hook and line. He sucked in a deep breath as he worked, pincing the skin together as he criss-crossed it together and pulled it tight.
It made his vision fade, buzzing in and out like the flickering flames of the cafeteria.
Vaguely he was aware of another pair of hands on him, hauling him across the ground as his hands steadily worked on the cut.
He tied it off with a snarl and a groan. He'd have to keep his semblance on now. Have to keep his mid-section loose or he'd pull the wire straight through the skin.
The tower exploded, and William's eyes focused on the beast in the sky.
"I didn't sign up to kill a dragon." He muttered.
"Well neither did we!"
He grunted, recognizing that hiss, that icy retort. Wiess. "Where's Ruby?" He muttered, wincing as he sat up, feeling the stitches protest, the cut on his arm burn.
Wiess huffed, jerking her chin out towards the courtyard. Towards the tower.
Naturally.
"Stop her." He ground out, but he knew it was too late. Knew it was too late in how Wiess's hand rose, summoning glyphs on the side of the tower and how Ruby set off for it, a faint red humm as her semblance collected around her.
He staggered to his feet, grimacing as he struggled. His leg. When had his leg?
Right. Bullet.
He staggered forward, one arm wrapped around his waist, the other clenching the broken pieces of Moonlight Sonata. He tucked them into a pocket, drawing an Aura Blade instead.
"Get me up the tower." He commanded Wiess.
She stared at him, eyes flickering from her to Ruby, scaling the tower.
"Now. Ruby's going to die if she's up there by herself." William pressed, wincing as he felt blood soak into the top of his pants. He must be bleeding pretty bad now.
Maybe the wound was deeper than he thought?
"I'll leave the glyphs for you." Wiess replied after a moment. She crossed her arms and gave him a look. "If you're just so confident my partner can't handle it."
William snorted. If he couldn't handle it, then how could a fourteen year old brat who couldn't even see him as an assassin do it?
He staggered forward into a jog, pitching himself forward until his legs jolted into a run. He had to make it. Had to get the momentum to make it, but he had to make it all the same.
He drew the second Aura Blade as his feet his Wiess's launch glyph. His legs shook, aching as pressure built before he was thrown in a barely controlled path to the tower. He rotated, boots slamming into the concrete as momentum transferred and the next glyph took effect.
He struggled with it, pain weighing his muscles down as he transformed the Blades into claws. He wedged them into the tower, throwing him up the vertical face as his feet scrambled for purchase.
The next glyph made it easier. As did the next.
Until he was running up the tower like some four-legged beast, leaving furrows where he'd clawed his way up after Ruby.
He was gaining, but it was invane. She was cresting the lip of the tower.
The dragon was circling.
His chest seized, lungs refusing to take in anymore air as something welled up in his chest. He felt… guilt.
The world shifted, atmosphere rippling as something happened. He hesistated, claws tearing into concrete as he slowed.
No. He didn't slow.
The world was slowing down.
It was bleeding out, like colour had been sucked out of it, whitewashed. He glanced up, and the haze turned into a blinding light. A supernova of silver.
And Ruby Rose might have been the center of it.
It washed over him, ripping through him, bringing a feelings he didn't know how to deal with. And the feeling of everything.
He could feel his blood, oozing out of his wounds and staining his stomach, dripping down to soak into his boxers. The blood on his arm coagulating, sticky and hard as his shirt clung to it, only to tear free as he extended his arms, reaching for the next hold.
His mind was anywhere but there.
Reflecting.
Considering.
Missing.
And then the light faded. Like a dying strobe light as it flickered and faded to a silver. It condensed, drawing back into a young girl, teetering on the edge of a very tall tower who looked very much unconscious.
Her heels pitched back, and her body followed. She tumbled, body limp as she fell.
William stared, paralyzed as he watched her, judging where she'd hit. She'd pass right by him, a scant few feet to his left. And he'd miss her.
If he kept to the tower he'd miss her.
And she'd smash into the ground into a million bloody broken pieces.
He dove for her.
She hit him like a freight train.
He might have even lost consciousness. His Aura Blades were still in his hands, the claws he'd been using for climbing holding her tight to his chest. He'd gotten blood all over her front though.
He glanced down, to where the ground was speeding towards them. He had nothing to grab. Nothing to…
Aura Blades.
He could adapt. Change their shape, their function. Angles, blades.
Length.
He threw one out, holding the grip tight as he willed the claws to lengthen. A few centimeters. Half a meter. A meter.
The tips sparked against the concrete, snagging for a half-second before tearing free. That second left his hand shaking, shoulder aching.
He coiled Aura around his shoulder, lashing the Blade to his hand. He couldn't afford to do this twice.
The claws slapped against the wall, scraping concrete before the Aura tore through it.
His right arm broke.
Muscles ripped, bones shifted as his full weight and all of Ruby's momentum shifted to it. He screamed, the sound spilling out of his mouth as a pain he couldn't fathom tore his arm apart.
He clung to the weapon, lashing his hand even tighter to the weapon as his air ran out and he was left with a breathless scream in his lungs.
His boots skidded against the wall, drawn closer by his desperate attempt to save them. He barely had the mind to adjust, heels sparking as the heels scrapped against wall.
He had to slow them down.
He had to live.
Or else he'd never see her.
Victoria.
Leo.
Sandra.
He whined, feel his arm go slack, the bones extend far past what they should.
Oum, he was going to die because he couldn't hold onto one stupid Aura Blade wasn't, he?
And he'd never see Victoria's eyes again. He'd never get to see how she'd react to him tell her the truth. He'd never know if she cared for him, or if all their stupid flirty was just banter with nothing behind it.
He'd never figure out if Leo was going to come to terms with a sin, he'd done himself. He'd never get to tell Leo it was okay, that you could recover and be alright. That you wouldn't see his ghost every waking moment. That the blood in your ledger didn't matter some days.
And Sandra.
The USB in his pocket felt like a block of lead, too heavy. Too important. He held her life in his hands. He had to get it back to her.
Fuck. He was hooked on this team thing.
Wanted it to work so bad he'd found something to live for.
And he was going to die because gravity decided to be a bitch.
"God I really don't wanna die right now." He whispered the prayer, suddenly feeling faith.
"Don't make plans for that just yet."
An arm wrapped around William's waist, just below the cut, cinching tight as he heard the mechanical whirl. He didn't need to turn to know it was Qrow, though where the man came from he didn't have a clue, only that he was. He glanced back, catching the scythe blade bite into the building, grounding their descent to a stuttering halt a dozen feet from the building's massive porch.
"You two alive?" Qrow asked, jerking the blade slowly, the blade cutting through and easing them down bit by bit.
"Define alive." William grumbled, closing his eyes and trying his best to ignore every one of his screaming nerves in his arm.
Qrow chuckled, but the expression didn't quite fit. William glanced back at him, and found the pinkish eyes trained on Ruby.
"You get her I'll get her weapon." William suggested, knowing that if he took Ruby at this point, they'd both land in a heap.
He'd probably land in a heap regardless.
"Deal." Qrow retracted the scythe, and pressure returned to William's broken arm, electing a howl from his lips.
Ruby's weight vanished, and her weapon landed in his hands instead as Qrow dropped to the roof. William followed behind slower, carefully easing his way down to the ceiling.
Qrow gave him a look but didn't ask as William retracted his right Aura Blade, instead directing the Aura up his arm, coiling around it and before looping a set of wires around his neck in a sort of sling.
"Get her out." William said, eyeing the drop to the ground. Fifteen meters. He could handle that.
Maybe.
He flexed his legs and grimaced. Maybe.
"Easier said than done kid."
William glanced at him, following his line of sight to where a group of Beowolves were gathering. By the looks, either the last batch of stragglers from Adam's raid, or called to Beacon by the Dragon.
"I'll handle them." William assured the man, wondering if he just told him a lie, or if he could actually manage the fodder in his state.
Qrow hummed, simply nodding as William pulled out one of the pieces of Moonlight Sonata. He drove it into the roof at the corner, lashing a wire to it as he backed up, giving himself room to run. He ran at an angle, jumping out and letting his tether go tight.
He swung, looping around the columns, lengthening his tether as needed. He hit the ground in a sort of staggered run, winching as the impact jolted his arm.
Oum that hurt.
He was seeing stars just from that.
But he had to get Ruby out.
He tightened his grip around his Aura Blade. He could do this.
He let out a breath as he waded in.
He had to protect them.
Victoria.
He dodged a cursory swipe of an Alpha, sweeping his blade around and cleaving through it's neck.
Leo.
He took a blow on his good shoulder, wincing as the claws tore through his sleeve and into his body. He twisted, reversing his grip and thrusting the blade through the Grimm's throat.
Sandra.
He danced through the next three, feeling his body aching, limbs sluggish and weak as he manage to fend them off.
An Alpha dove for him.
Ruby.
He shoved the Aura cast into it's mouth, teeth clenching around the protective barrier as William struggled.
His Aura pulsed, flexing as he struggled.
Another pair of fangs sank into his left thigh. He staggered, gritting his teeth as he lashed out, sinking his blade into the offending Wulf. It howled and tore away, leaving him weaponless.
He hissed, snarling as his semblance pulsed, lashing out.
He had to make it back alive.
He had to survive.
He had to.
His semblance flashed, wires sparking off him, lancing through the remaining Beowulves. William dropped to his knees, vision flickering as he collapsed. He felt something twist, and the roar of Grimm dying as his head hit the ground. Then another pair of arms.
Then nothing.
This one was a long time coming, but also difficult.
I changed a few different things as opposed to the last version.
I hope you guys enjoy it. Sorry for the tardiness, COVID and some other things held me up. But I've finished my other work, Beneath the Helmet for Halo Reach, and I'm back to working on this.