Hello, my lovelies. I'm gonna keep this intro real brief to the massive proportions of my last chapter. I'll shut up now and you all can enjoy. ;)
Mimi howled and screamed in hellish pain. Every muscle in her body felt like it was being twisted and warped. Ganjees had a smirk on his face as he watched the girl writhe in anguish. Monica, the young Sand Mage who captured Mimi, stood back. Her expression was one of shock and horror. Clearly she had not been aware of Ganjees intentions once he got his hands on Mimi.
"You should feel honored," Ganjees said. "This is the treatment I exacted upon your master before extinguishing her life. This is probably closer to her than you've felt in years. But don't fret, you'll get to be even closer to her...once you're dead." Ganjees began chuckling in evil satisfaction as he tortured Mimi. As Mimi screamed till her throat was raw, her subconscious wandered.
"I'm sorry...Zilar," she thought. "I didn't want it to end like this. There was...so much to say, to explain. The thing I wanted to tell you more than anything...was that...that I-" Suddenly, a wall of the cave had a hole smashed through it. Ganjees quickly released his spell on Mimi, her limp figure crashing to the ground. As the dust and rubble cleared, Zilar stood in the threshold of the hole in the wall.
"Let...her...go," Zilar said tiredly. Ganjees gazed at him in surprise. He began to smile and laughed softly.
"Well well well, the Heavens must have aligned just for this occasion," Ganjees said. "To think I'd be reunited with not only the Shadow Girl, but the boy from the mountain temple as well." Zilar was confused. How did this man know about his past? But realization hit as he laid eyes upon the man before him. It was him, the man from the temple attack. All at once, the sadness and anger Zilar had felt that day fueled up inside him like a bomb ready to explode.
"...you," Zilar whispered, hatred boiling in his gaze. Monica stepped in.
"If you'd allow me, Master Ganjees," she began, "I'd like to have a crack at him." Ganjees looked from Monica to Zilar and back.
"Very well," he said. "I've seen the kind of magic the girl holds. I'd like to see a glimpse of this boy's power before I waste him." He then sat in his rock throne to spectate.
"Thank you, Master," Monica said. She readied her stance for battle, but Zilar stayed still. His eyes had never left Ganjees from the moment he saw him. Monica noticed this.
"Hey, what's the matter with you," she shouted. "Didn't you hear the Master? I'M your opponent. SAND SLICER!" A sand blade was coming at Zilar, poised to cut him in half. Mimi looked on from the ground, wanting to protect or help him. But she couldn't move at all, too much pain still coursed through her body. But before the blade could make contact, the attack was blown away. Zilar hadn't even moved, but managed to deflect the attack. Monica was shocked to see her attack brushed off with such ease. Now Zilar's eyes shifted to her. Mimi noticed something different in them. The calm but formidable look was gone. Replaced by something almost feral in nature. It was like staring into the eyes of a wild, manic beast.
"I have no quarrel with you," Zilar said. His voice was emotioneless and cold as a tundra. "If you value your life, you will stand down and leave this place." Monica looked to be frightened now. She had only seen Zilar before for a moment or two, but even she could detect the change in his demeanor.
"SAND CRUSHER!" Two hardened blocks of sand appeared at Zilar's sides and smashed into each other, crushing him. Monica gave a weak smile, thinking she had finally dealt some damage. But the sand was once again blown away in a large burst of wind. Zilar stood there, unfazed by her attack. Now Monica was terrifed. In a flash, Zilar zoomed up to her and grabbed her by the collar.
"I have finished off all your comrades and still I have more than enough magic power to finish you in an instant," he said. "But I do not have the time nor the patience to deal with you." He swiftly tossed her aside and she skidded across the cave ground into the wall.
"You are not like these men. You are not so dark and evil as them," he said. "I give you this one and only chance to leave. However, should you choose to oppose me...I will end you." Monica was frozen in fear. Her eyes were wide and filled with terror. She took one final glance at both Zilar and Ganjees before scrambling up and running out of the cave. Zilar slowly turned his attention back to Ganjees, who still sat smirking in his throne. He stood up.
"Well, it appears you've single-handedly dissolved my Guild," he said. "Bravo, young man. Bravo indeed. However..." Ganjees cast a Letter spell for "Punch" at Zilar. Zilar was struck head-on and sent flying back into the cave wall. Mimi needed to get a hold of herself. She needed to help Zilar.
"...it matters not if I'm the only one left standing," Ganjees finished. "I will kill you just the same." Zilar slowly climbed out of the crater left in the wall from his impact. He gently stood back on his feet.
"What...is...your name," Zilar asked. Ganjees smirked.
"My name is Ganjees," he answered. "Guildmaster of the Blood Panthers. Murderer of your master and the master of that pitiful girl you call a partner." Zilar looked to Mimi. In his rage towards Ganjees, he had almost forgotten about her. He realized that while he had a score to settle with Ganjees, he needed to get Mimi out of here as quickly as possible.
"What, might I ask, is yours," Ganjees replied. Zilar looked back to him.
"My name...is Zilar," he stood tall and firm as he declared his name. "Zilar Enlil. Wind Mage of Fairy Tail. Disciple of Randahim Gyllean. And my partner, no...my friend, is Mimi Kuro." Zilar proudly declared Mimi as his friend, but he knew deep down there was more to it than that. But that was for another time. He couldn't let his weakness for her show to Ganjees, lest he exploit it.
"My Master told me not to exact vengeance on you should we ever cross paths," Zilar said. Ganjees laughed at this.
"Is that so," he replied. "Isn't that rich?" Before Ganjees could continue laughing, Zilar struck with a powerful Wind Punch which sent him hurtling to the other side of the cave.
"Instead, I will enact justice upon you for your numerous crimes," Zilar said, cracking his knuckles. "Your crimes against me personally, against Mimi, against both our Masters, against the town of Rodowa and against the Guild of Fairy Tail!" Mimi gazed at Zilar in amazement. The dark aura she felt coming from Zilar had now been transformed into an aura of dominating light. As though his very soul shined from within him.
Ganjees quickly regained himself and flew towards Zilar. The two began an explosive battle of epic magical proportions. Zilar fended of Ganjees' Letter spells and threw many attacks of his own. Neither man was giving an inch in this fight. Mimi, spurred by Zilar's proud words of courage, slowly began picking herself off the floor. She knew she had to join in this fight. In the memory of Shela and for the support of her fellow guildmate. As Ganjees retreated for a moment, Mimi mustered her power and cast Shadow Spikes at him. They caught Ganjees off guard and gave Zilar an opening to land a devastating attack on him. Ganjees flew through the air. Mimi intercepted him with a strike from her Shadow Axe. Zilar cast Storm Mail and landed punch after kick into Ganjees. Ganjees crashed hard into the cave floor, leaving a large crater. Zilar for a moment looked to Mimi. She looked beaten to hell, but when she looked back at Zilar she couldn't help but smile. Zilar walked as quickly as he could towards her. The battle was over and they were victorious. Now he had to get her to the safety of the village to tend to her wounds.
"Zilar," Mimi said.
"It is okay, Mimi," he said with a smile of his own. "Everything is going to be-" Before he could finish, something grabbed Zilar's ankle. Ganjees cast a Pain spell on Zilar and threw him aside. Zilar collapsed, his body stiff with searing pain. Ganjees turned his attention to Mimi, who looked horrified beyond comprehension. Whatever magic power she had left she used in her final attack on Ganjees.
"I thought...I told you," Ganjees said breathlessly, "to die!" Mimi screamed as he grabbed her face, muffling her cries.
"I'll get rid of you first," he said. "Perhaps your death will make your friend see that fighting me is hopeless." Mimi stared in horror at Ganjees. She was powerless in his grasp.
"Lost Letter Art: Whispering Demise." Mimi could hear a quiet noise in her ears. It didn't hurt, but she could feel her life force ebbing away. This was it, the sound in her head. This was the voice of Death himself. Out of no where, a powerful blast of wind knocked both Mimi and Ganjees away from each other and smashing into the wall. Zilar had managed to conjour that spell since Ganjees was more focused on the Death spell than the Pain spell Zilar was under. Zilar slowly picked himself up and walked towards Ganjees. Ganjees was semi-conscious. The disruption of such a powerful spell had nearly drained him of his magic power. Zilar kneeled down to him and wrapped his hand around his throat. With his free hand, he summoned a Wind Blade around his arm. For the first time ever, Ganjees was frightened. For this one instance in time, it was he who stared Death in the face. Zilar wound back his arm and brought it down upon Ganjees. Ganjees screamed in peril and looked away with his eyes shut. The Wind Blade pierced just a hair's breadth from Ganjees' head. He looked up to see Zilar staring down at him.
"There, now we know just what kind of man you are," Zilar said. Ganjees looked confused at the statement.
"In my Master's final moment, I know that he accepted death with grace," Zilar continued. "And I heard what you said about Mimi's Master. She was a woman who gave her life to protect all that she loved. She met death saying one thing and one thing only, 'I am not afraid'. But you, beneath all the power you hold, under all that suffering you have caused, you are nothing but a coward." Ganjees stared up at him with fear, not of Zilar or Death, but of the inner realization of the truth in Zilar's words.
"And I...feel sorry for you," Zilar concluded. He then wound his fist back and drove it into Ganjees' face, knocking him unconscious. Zilar quickly stood to his feet and strode back to Mimi. He didn't mean to harm her, but he needed to put as much distance between her and Ganjees in the shortest time possible. He cradled her head in his arms. Her skin was slightly pale, but she still felt warm to the touch. She was still alive. Her eyes slowly shifted to Zilar and her lips gently curled into a small smile.
"Th-Thank you f-for saving me, Zilar," she said under her breath. Zilar smiled back at her.
"It is you who saved me today, Mimi," he replied. "Not only in the fight against Ganjees, but from the darkness within myself. That is why I must thank you. Hush now and rest, I must bring you back to the village so they may help heal you." He picked her up in his arms and began leaving the cave. He stopped for a moment, taking one final glance at Ganjees. He would inform the Magic Council authorities upon his return to Rodowa village. But for now, Mimi was his priority. As Zilar left the cave, Mimi could feel herself being carried. Wrapped warmly and safely in Zilar's arms. She gently nestled her head against his chest and fell asleep. She felt like a princess, and Zilar was her prince. A Knight Prince in shining silver armor.
Well, that's that then. Ganjees as well as all the other Blood Panthers are defeated. But Mimi's condition is still very critical and Magnolia's a way away even by train. I suppose we'll have to see what comes of this tragedy in the next chapter (which I promise will be on time next weekend). Until then, this has been ThatDude15. :)
