Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 21]

"Jaune." Weiss hopped up into my throne – or what I called it. In truth, it was little more than a seat I sat in where I'd been tossed into the rockface. "We need you to make more scythes for Ruby, and to give her a way into the air. A ramp."

I looked past vines criss-crossing over my face. It must have looked like I was being eaten alive by the Ironwood, but Weiss didn't panic. Probably too tired for it. I nodded back as best I could and concentrated on finishing the scythe I'd been halfway through before. It was quicker now with Ironwood Creation, so quick I surprised myself by finishing it in seconds! I Engraved `Seal` onto it and bid the vines push it toward Weiss.

"Here. How will you get it to her?"

"Portal," Weiss said quickly. "Just give her a ramp – something she can't miss."

It was the work of a moment to make a fresh root burst up and angle toward Salem, not coming close enough for her to worry or pay attention to it but aimed in the right direction. Weiss concentrated and began to murmur. A flickering portal blurred into being before her, a similar one appearing on the ramp itself.

In the distance, something red blurred and changed course, taking in the battlefield at such speeds that she could see even that small portal, react and head to it before anyone else noticed. The blur struck a building and went up, touched the bottom of my ramp and surged forward.

"The wings!" Weiss yelled, tossing the scythe through the portal. "Get the wings!"

Ruby's face appeared for a brief instant on the other side. A flash of silver eyes, a snap as the scythe was ripped out of the air, and then she was gone. The portal closed and Ruby hurled off the ramp, streaming through the air toward Salem and her large, powerful wings.

—Forged Destiny [Book 9: Ch. 21]