The REDS of war

Volume Four Chapter Eleven (Volume End)

Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie run through the abandoned Kuroyuri.

Ren repeats himself over and over as the two run. "Not again, not again..."

They come to a stop after passing under an arch leading to the center of town. Ren is panting, but Nora is hardly winded. Ren lifts his head and his worried eyes change to ones smiling in relief.

In front of them, Rei Ferrari, Sky Grimoire, Jaune Arc, and Ruby Rose face the other way, but abruptly turn, Jaune putting his hand on his weapon. Qrow is propped up against the tree.

Ruby turns to the pair. "What are you guys doing here?"

Rei grabs an arrow from his back and readies to fire it. "Tell me that's not what I think it is." He says not turning back.

"Did you hear that noise? What was that?!" Jaune asks.

"Sky, get Qrow out of here." Rei says raising his bow ready to fight.

Ren's eyes grow wide and he falls to his knees, clearly alarmed. "No..."

"Ren! What is it?!" Ruby asks.

The sound of plodding footsteps can be heard coming closer. Sky jumps down from the tree and puts Qrow's arm around her shoulders trying to lift him.

"Wait, you guys hear that?" Jaune asks.

"Get ready to fight everyone." Rei orders.

Ren speaks, in weak protest. "No..."

Nora looks down to the black-haired teen. "Ren?"

The footsteps come to a stop. A bone horse head breathes loudly, exhaling black smoke. Within the bones are glowing red lights and around it is the black flesh of a Grimm.

Ren lifts his head.

Weapons can be seen, stuck into an offscreen body that has bones sticking out perpendicular to its spine. Slowly, a torso raises, revealing a horned, humanoid Grimm. The horns and front part of the face are bone while the mouth is merely thin strips of Grimm flesh stretching across an opening. The mouth, the bones, and the eyes all glow red. The Nuckelavee twitches its head and roars.

The sounds of thunder and gunfire are heard against a black screen. A wide shot of Kuroyuri shows the empty, degraded town. A billowing cloud of dust and pieces of wood rise in the distance around the top of a tree that is barely visible above the town rooftops. Rei Ferrari, Jaune Arc, Ruby Rose, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie all fall back by the dead cherry tree. Sky Grimoire struggles to carry Qrow Branwen away from the tree.

The Nuckelavee comes into view, twitching its various body parts. It sends out a shockwave roar that causes all six teenagers to flinch. The Grimm looks at the teenagers and turns its head to look at Qrow and begins running toward him.

Jaune sheaths his sword and makes a run for Sky and Qrow. The Nuckelavee lashes out with one of its arms, able to extend it at a far reach. Sky punches forward, a blast of blue flames shoot out in front of her which blocks its arm.

Ren uses his Semblance to hide Sky and Qrow from the Grimm, which stops short and looks about in confusion. Jaune stands still, staring at the Grimm.

Ren shouts. "Just get him to safety!"

Jaune grabs Qrow's other arm, he and Sky walk away with Qrow while the battle resumes. They set Qrow down behind a building. Jaune narrows his eyes at the wounded man before turning to leave. Qrow grabs him by the hand, but falls unconscious before he can say anything. Jaune gives Qrow another look before rejoining the fight.

The Grimm is using its arms to grab hold of each of Jaune's teammates, but is continually distracted by the fire of the next one. Rei is the only one to continuously avoid being grabbed, several arrows litter the area anytime the Nuckelave reaches for him, he suddenly moves in a different direction than predicted by the monster.