Forged Destiny [Book 1: Ch. 7]

"Jaune, behind you!" Ren's warning gave me the time I needed to spin and hold my shield out, blocking the attack from the strange, lizard-like Grimm. Its claws skittered across the metal but it wasn't strong enough to push me back or break through. Crocea Mors swung down but it dodged back, making a strange hissing, clicking sound with its tongue. I had no idea what they were, but we'd been fighting them on and off for the last two hour or so.

"I've got it," I shouted back, twirling my blade for no other reason than to loosen my wrist. They weren't too tough, I'd even killed a few myself – though nowhere near as many as Pyrrha had. But they attacked quickly and savagely, and were agile enough to dodge my attacks for the most part. The ones I had hit were either distracted, incapacitated or had just been unlucky. "Just… hitting the damn things."

"Tell me about it," Nora growled. That was the only thing which salvaged my wounded self-esteem, that Nora was also having a little trouble crushing the speedy things. Her two-handed Warhammer made short work of whatever it connected with but connecting in the first place was a chore. She was a Barbarian, so in my head I did assume to a degree that her stats were a little like my own, my true stats, that was. High in Strength and Constitution, low in Dexterity and Agility. "Rennnyyy – these Grimm suck!"

"They're easy to kill when you hit them, though," the taciturn man ducked beneath a set of claws, easily swinging up with his small blades to slice open its throat. I didn't know much about Monks, but his martial arts – combined with the curved blades – seemed suited to these kinds of enemies. "Their attacks don't do much damage either."

"Easy but annoying," I sighed, blocking another attack with ease. My return clipped the side of it, a glancing blow at best but enough to stagger it. That gave Nora the opening she needed to hit it from the side, reducing the Grimm to a fine red mist, while also reminding me not to ever fight her in the ring.

"Got it!" she cheered, turning to me and holding one hand up. Shaking my head, I slapped my palm against hers. For some reason she looked both surprised and pleased, before giggling and slamming her hammer down into the ground, leaning on the haft. "Jaune, I'm tired," she whined. "Can't we take a break?"

"Eh?" I glanced towards the others, who were just finishing off the lizards before them. "Ren had a light sheen of sweat across his skin, which was a little redder than usual. Pyrrha looked fine, but her breathing was also a little heavier. My Constitution left me feeling mostly okay, but even my arms and legs were aching from all the walking and swinging of my weapon. "I guess we could," I shrugged. "Pyrrha, Ren, take a break?"

—Forged Destiny [Book 1: Ch. 7]