RWBY: Forged Destiny

Book 6: Chapter 8

Waiting was the hardest part.

I didn't relish the idea of a proper fight between our group and Roman's. What we'd had before, the stalling action, was all well and good, but in a real fight we'd need to address Watts and not just ignore him, and I still had no idea how to go about that. Mobbing him was the only obvious choice but we'd all but certainly take some casualties. I'd considered the possibility of us stealing Roman and Neo away, but that faltered for two reasons. Firstly, I didn't think we could capture them and evade Watts while carrying captives, and secondly, we didn't know what Watts wanted in this ruin, but I was sure that whatever it was, we didn't want him to have it.

That left dealing with him the only choice. Everyone realised it, evidenced by the overwhelming silence as we sat in our hidden alcove, no fire to warm us as the sun set and the chill came out. The light from a campfire would bounce off the walls and signal our location for anyone with a pair of eyes. We huddled instead, wrapped in blankets for warmth while a rotating shift kept watch over the alluring bait we'd left out hours before. With the sun set, not even the map worked, so we couldn't use it to gauge how close the enemy were.

As if summoned by my thoughts, Blake crept back into our camp, as silent as the grave. "The supplies are gone," she whispered.

Ruby looked up. "They're here?"

"Must be. I didn't see them take them, but one second the cart was there and the next it wasn't."

"Neo," I said. "It must be invisible."

"At least we know they took the bait," Yang said. "Do we go in?"

I shook my head. "No. Let them have it for now."

"Why?" Yang asked. "We could strike while they're still hungry, thirsty and injured. We're not going to get a better shot than this."

"They're still invisible," I pointed out. "Neo is active and there's no way they won't have set a trap up of their own. They might not even be there, and Neo might have just cast a spell on the cart." Yang grumbled but understood my reasoning. "We wait for them to make camp," I said. "Ideally, they'll go to sleep at some point."

"And we hit them then?"

"Yes."

It was enough for Yang, and by the looks of it everyone else, too. We all wanted to get out of this in one piece, which was why Yang wanted to strike while they were exhausted from the desert. If they'd been visible I might have gone along with it, but Neo really was too much of a risk. Watts was strong, but it was the Illusionist who would allow him to land the first blow. More than Watts, I wanted her to be asleep before we attacked.

As the others settled down to catch a little rest of their own, I found myself sat by a back wall, resting my head against it and using it as a barrier from the gentle, but very cold, breeze that washed over us. Sand and fabric shifted as someone sat down beside me. I was both surprised and pleased to find it was Blake.

"It's not a bad plan," she said.

"Thanks."

"Cautious, but that's not such a bad thing. I think they understand," she added with a nod to the others. "It's just that no one likes waiting."

"Me least of all, Blake. Honestly, I'm nervous..."

"I think we all are. I certainly am."

"You?" I asked, surprised. "But you're the highest level here."

"And that won't mean much compared to Watts. But in truth I'm more worried for what will happen to the group than myself." she admitted. "If all goes badly, I can escape; the same can't be said for you."