Forged Destiny [Book 2: Ch. 13, Ch. 14]

I threw my weight against the huge stack of wood and pushed with all my might. It creaked and shifted, but didn't fall. I howled and put everything I had into it. It had to go. It just had to! I heard a few logs tumble, fall and scatter down the roof. With narrowed eyes, I threw myself against it. "Move, god damn you! Fall!"

The pile creaked ominously. It began as a single tumbling log, but was quickly followed by another. A third and fourth tumbled in quick succession, and then the wall I'd been pushing against gave way. Like an avalanche of wood, ice and dust, it rattled down the rooftop. I fell with it, carried along atop the wave. The precipice approached. There would be no time to stop myself, and I wasn't sure I wanted to.

This was all or nothing, after all.

With a quick prayer and gasp, the roof ended – and open air began. My body hung there, free from gravity for a few long moments as I sailed above and over the battle. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, and I was able to turn and look down to the battle below. Ruby's eyes met mine, like tiny specks of silver.

She'd drawn Merlot below me. She'd done it. My eyes traced the huge avalanche of wood as it rained down above him. My armour carried me further, away from him, but the rest would fall like hail across his body.

[...]

My impact robbed me of the chance to see anymore. Snow exploded around me as I hit the ground, and if I'd thought it would make the landing soft, I was woefully mistaken. Every bone in my body cried out. Air was driven from my lungs, and then a little more was taken out as well. I retched and gasped in equal measure. I could barely move.

[...]

"It's weak to fire!" I yelled.

"It is currently on fire, friend. I am not sure more fire can be reasonably applied."

"Oh, right…" Maybe I had a concussion too?

[...]

"I can't move, Ruby. If it comes for me, or even knocks something in my direction, I'll be killed."

[...]

"I'm alive," she said. "Hurt, but… Jaune, are you-?"

"Hurt," I sighed. "Unable to move. I think something is broken."

"Some things from the look of it," Ren said. "You fell off a roof in full armour. You'll be lucky if your spine is in one piece."

[...]

A small group of white-robed figures approached us, however. One, a Priest, knelt beside me and placed a gloved hand on my chest. The glow that permeated it was comforting… both to my eyes and my body. "Badly injured," she whispered, "but alive. Sleep now. I shall see to your wounds, young Knight."

—Forged Destiny [Book 2: Ch. 13]



We were given quarters to recover inside the Grand Academy, and Archmage Ironwood kept us there for several days. It only took a few hours for me to recover, my muscles and bones repaired from the insides by magic. Even now, my hand would occasionally hover over a part of my body, marvelling at how new and light it felt. They'd kept me in bed for two days, however, during which I received regular visits from Ruby, Pyrrha and – less often – Blake.

—Forged Destiny [Book 2: Ch. 14]