Forever a Family chapter 11
Here's the next chapter for you guys to enjoy. Again, its a bit shorter, so sorry about that. And again, my apologies if the battles seem a bit out of order. Hopefully ill be able to finish up the concurrent fights in the next chapter or two, and then i can get back to focusing on one fight.
Disclaimer: As much as i would love to, I don't own Fairy Tail. However, my birthday is next month so if Mashima's giving it away...
"Why now!?" Cana shouts angrily as she and Laki finish off the hoard of goons who'd attacked them, "Why couldn't these bastards have just waited til tomorrow!? This is my last chance!"
"Relax, Cana." Laki says as she ties up the Grimoire Heart mages, "You know that it can't be helped. I'm sure we'll continue the exam once we've finished off the enemy. We've just got to keep going."
"I know that!" Cana snaps, grabbing a few of her cards off the ground and storming off, her partner right behind her. There were countless explosions still going off all across the island, and every now and then there would be a slight tremor in the distance that confirmed Cana's suspicions. Her Father was back. And more than anything, she didn't want to see him. Not now.
"What's wrong with you?" Laki says, grabbing a hold of Cana's arm. "Cana, you don't have to keep secrets so much. Let us help you. You even turned Master Makarov away last year. Why won't you just open up?"
"Because." Cana says simply, finishing the thought in her mind, 'because these past twelve years would have been meaningless unless I do it myself.'
"Cana!" Laki calls out as she speeds up, ignoring her partner's cries behind her. The next moment, a chill descends on the area, along with a black wave that radiated evil intentions. Before she could react, a wooden whip wraps around her torso, dragging back as the wave washes over the ground where she had been less than a second beforehand.
"Laki…" Cana mutters as her partner rushes to her side, and both mages looked into the forest. The trees were all dead, with not even a single speck of green anywhere to be seen. The grass had withered, leaving the whole place barren.
"Let's go." Laki says impatiently, tugging on the wooden lasso still wrapped around Cana's body, "We need to get out of here. Now."
Cana could only nod dumbly as they ran from the bringer of death they knew was lurking in those trees.
They couldn't have been running for more than a few minutes when a new sensation forced them to the ground. The air itself was heavy, forcing them down to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Fairy Tail…" a rough voice says from above them, "Can you fly?"
"Who are you..?" Laki gasps out, trying to push herself up without success.
"Deputy Commander of Grimoire Heart." He says calmly, lifting Laki up into the air, "Bluenote Stinger."
"Let go of her!" Cana shouts as the massive man hold her friend up by the neck.
"Where is the Grave of Mavis Vermillion?" He asks, ignoring Cana's protests.
"I don't know!" Laki lies, trying to flail her legs despite the gravity.
"Liar." Bluenote says squeezing her neck tightly, "If you will not tell me, then I have no use for you."
"Laki!" Cana roars, reaching out and grabbing his pant legs in an effort to pull herself up. Nevertheless, Bluenote spares her only a glance before coldly clenching his fist. The struggling lavender haired mage's body went limp.
"Such a fragile creature." Bluenote sighs, dropping her body. With the increased gravity, it created a small crater in the ground.
"I'll kill you!" Cana cries, even her tears feeling heavy in the gravity.
"Worry not." He says, lifting her up, "You will join her soon enough. Now, tell me the location of Mavis Vermillion's grave."
For the second time, She felt the chill of death. But this time, there was nothing to save her. Closing her eyes in resignation, she simply says, "Go to hell."
"I see…" He says, and the iron grip tightens around her throat. Her one regret was that she never told her father the truth as the world disappeared.
Halfway across the island, Gildarts felt something in his heart, something bad. For the first time since he fought Achonologia, he was afraid.
"Gildarts?" Freed asks after he freezes up, "What's wrong? Gildarts!"
"Sorry about that." He says impatiently, handing Master Makarov's heavily injured body to Bixlow, "Freed, Take the Master and Juvia to Wendy. There's something I've got to do."
"Gildarts!" Freed call after him, but he was too far away. Using speed that shouldn't have been possible on a prosthetic leg, he tore across the island. With each step, he felt the sense of dread growing stronger and stronger, but his speed only increased. "Please let me make it in time!" He gasps, running with all his might.
"Oh dear." Azuma smiles after he and Mirajane break up from another exchange of blows, "This may interest you, Demon."
"What's that?" Mira asks, feeling slightly winded from the exchange, but not nearly what she'd expected she would. Whatever magic he used to restore her strength with still at work, ensure she had the strength to continue even if most of her spells were now beyond her.
"Two of your friends were just killed." He answers, "It would seem that Master Hades grew impatient. He's dispatched Bluenote Stinger. You've lost for certain now."
"We still have Gildarts." Mira counters, "That's worth more than your whole guild."
"Is that so..?" Azuma smiles, "I'll remember that. However, let's make this battle more interesting."
The ground around them split open, and massive roots were sent flying in all directions. Above her, illuminated by the flames now surrounding it, the Tenrou Tree was falling. Next to them, Elfman and Evergreen were both looking absolutely exhausted.
"I have taken away the magic power of every member of your guild." Azuma explains, "And without the tree, the protections you once had are no more. Now there is nothing that can protect your lives beyond your own strength."
"How could you do this!?" Mira shouts, then to her surprise, she felt her own power increasing again.
"This is my offer." Azuma continues, "I have given you your full power once more, however, I will not be aiding you any further. If you can defeat me as you are, I will return to your guild its magic. Before you reject my offer, know that many of your comrades lie on deaths door, sustained only by the magic power they no longer possess. You have no choice. Fight, or they will certainly die."
"Fine." Mira says, releasing her Satan Soul, "Then you leave me no choice."
"You will surrender?" Azuma scowls, but is taken aback as Mirajane laughs.
"Not even close." She smiles, "Master Makarov forbid me from using this takeover, but I haven't any choice anymore. This is my ultimate power." Purple magic swirled around the area, shrouding them all in the cloak of night. A pitch black magic circle appeared on the ground at Mira's feet, a circle containing characters so foul that they were erased from the pages of history. Elfman and Evergreen trembled at the merest touch of the evil magic that cloaked Mirajane from head to toes.
Azuma watched in amazement as the light dissipated. Mirajane stepped out of the darkness in a completely new takeover. She wore a jumpsuit not unlike her standard Satan Soul, but instead it was blood red, and moved as if it were alive. On her back were leathery wings. With each beat, the forest echoed with the sounds of the eternally damned screaming in agony. Mira's hair turned jet black with a single streak of purple running down the center. Her skin had turned light grey, and her face was feral. Her fairy tail mark and her eyes were the only things that remained from the sweet Mirajane that the guild had come to know.
"This is Lucifer Soul." She says grimly, and her voice alone made the hairs on the back of Azuma's neck stand on end, "This power is the embodiment of my sin. The pride that lost me my sister, and almost lost me my brother. This is the first time I've taken on this form in over two years."
"Magnificent!" Azuma laughs, "Now the battle can begin in earnest! Come, demo- No. Come, Mirajane Strauss!"
"Inferno storm!" Mira roars, and the ground all around them erupts into a volcanic wasteland. The dark purple Hellfire scorched the ground all around them, leaving nowhere to run.
"Terra Clamare!" Azuma laughs, and the energy of Tenrou Island itself shattered the ground underneath Mirajane, engulfing her in a monumental explosion. The purple flames mix themselves into the explosion, burning the fire itself away long before it did any damage to the demon within.
"Shadow Torrent." Mira shouts, and a wave of darkness shrouded them all. Within it, Azuma succumbed to the absolute madness of the tortured souls, but regained his mind out of sheer willpower in order to continue the fight.
"Incredible." Azuma smiles, visibly shaking, "To instill even me with fear… Absolutely remarkable."
"You awakened this power." Mira replies.
"And I have no regrets." Azuma smiles, "Let us continue, Mirajane."
"What in the hell is going on..?" Gildarts pants, trying desperately to stand again after something sapped his strength. It certainly wasn't helped by heavy atmosphere around him.
"Gildarts?" A voice asks weakly from the bushes ahead of him, "Is that you?"
"Erza?" He asks, crawling forward.
"Thank god." She groans, "We have a chance…"
"Are you alright?" He asks, crawling through the bush to see her clutching her chest.
"Most likely not." She smiles sadly, "Can you move?"
"Not since the Tree fell." He replies, "I've got no strength left to do much more than crawl."
"I see…" Erza sighs, then winces again.
"What happened?" Gildarts asks.
"I'm going to die soon." Erza answers, "One of these Grimoire Hearts Mages got me with a spell. Right now, we share the same life, and she's bleeding out."
"Oh no…" Gildarts mutters as a sudden shadow covered the island, "Am I seeing things?"
"Afraid not." Erza says worriedly, "This is Lucifer Soul. It looks like my time will come sooner rather than later."
"There's got to be something we can do though." Gildarts says as Erza's pain gets even worse.
"I've already been living on borrowed time for the last hour." Erza says, shaking her head, "I'd hoped I could find Wendy in time to save her, but it's too late now. With the tree gone, I'm a dead woman."
"Don't give up yet." Gildarts warns, "We're Fairy Tail. Believe in your comrades, Erza."
"I never stopped." She nods, and the two wait for some change.
"This is wonderful." Azuma pants as he and Mirajane finish yet another exchange of blows, "You truly are a demon, Mirajane. Even now, I can feel your bloodlust tearing away at my soul!"
"Shut up." Mira growls, "Let's end this. I don't think either of us has the magic power to keep attacking at this rate."
"Perhaps you're right." Azuma nods, channeling the power of the island into his fist, "One final exchange of punches, Mirajane?"
"Let's do it." Mira answers, concentrating all of the hellfire into her own fist. For just a moment, the two faced off before charging forward. Their fists clashed, creating a pillar of fire larger than even the Tenrou tree had been.
"Terra Force!" Azuma shouts.
"Infernal Damnation!" Mira roars.
The dark fire ripped through his arm, lodging itself in his chest.
For a moment, they stood there, both oblivious to the final result of the fight. Azuma's body started to smoke as he began coughing, but still he smiles at her, "Well Done, Mirajane Strauss." He says honestly as the scorched earth beneath his feet cracks. From the feet up, his body starts turning into a tree, but he shows no sign of fear, "As agreed, I have returned the magic of your comrades."
"What's happening to you?" She asks as she loses her takeover. Instantly, the strain of sustaining Lucifer soul for so long strikes her all at once and she vomits blood onto the burning earth.
"I see your magic is not without its limitations." Azuma says calmly, "This is the Price I must pay for overusing the Great Tree Arc."
"You're not afraid?" Mira asks, her vision fading away.
"No. I knew this would happen." He replies, "In the end, our sins are the same. These powers are the burdens we carry."
"You're not wrong." Mira smiles, "But you're not right either."
"I see." Azuma smiles as his face remains the only human part of him, "Then this is good bye, and thank you for the fight."
And with those words, the powerful mage became nothing but a blackened tree in the middle of the desolate battle field. With his powers gone, the roots confining Elfman and Evergreen were broken, and both hurried to the Demon's side as she fainted.
"That was bizarre." Freed says as he and Bixlow get up off the ground, "What caused us to lose our powers, and why did it suddenly return?"
"Freed…" Makarov whispers from his back, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Master." He says truthfully, "We'd better hurry to find Wendy. You need treatment."
"Don't concern yourself with me." He says weakly, "Juvia needs it far more."
"Don't listen to him." Juvia says from Bixlow's arms, "Juvia's injuries will not kill her so easily. Treat the master."
"As guild master, I'm ordering you-" Makarov starts before he cough up blood again.
"Let's worry about who's getting treated first latter." Bixlow says, breaking into a run, "After we find Wendy."
"You're right." Freed says, following close behind him, "Stop up in the next clearing, Bixlow." He orders, "I can sense someone weak there. It might be one of the others."
The larger man nods his head and skids to a halt in the clearing. His babies flew all around him, surveying the damage. Bodies were strewn everywhere, and all of them bearing the mark of Grimoire heart. In the back, though, was the strangest thing.
"Who's this?" Freed asks, kneeling besides the unknown pink haired girl with a fairy tail guild mark on her arm.
"She's not a member of the guild that I know." Makarov says, opening one of his eyes to look at her, "Perhaps the council altered our memories more than merely adding Mest to the guild."
"I don't think so." Bixlow says, looking at her, "She's got the Grimoire Heart emblem on her shoulder there."
"Should we kill her then?" Freed asks, drawing his sword.
"No." Makarov says firmly, "She bears the guild's mark, and she must have it for a reason. Besides that, Fairy Tail wizards do not kill unnecessarily. Freed, Bind her movements. We're taking her with us until we find out more."
"Yes master." Freed nods, "Dark Écriture: Restrict."
The dark letters snake their way across her body, until they covered her arms and legs, completely sapping them of all strength. Bixlow easily hefts her onto his shoulder, and the group continues on to find Wendy.
"About time!" Natsu says, jumping to his feet as his strength returns. Next to him, Mest and Wendy were waking as well.
"Natsu?" Wendy asks, "What happened? The last thing I remember…"
"I should be dead." Mest nods, "What happened?"
"I took care of it." Natsu answers, "Mest, you're a sensor, right?"
"Yeah, why?" He asks, helping Wendy to her feet.
"Can you Find Lisanna?" Natsu asks, "All I can smell is smoke."
"She's that way." Mest answers after a moment, pointing towards the remains of Tenrou tree, "About a mile. Levy and Gajeel are there too, but it's weak. I don't know how they are."
"Take care of Wendy." Natsu says, charging off towards the direction indicated, "And find the master!"
Lisanna opens her eyes slowly, her entire body aching, but otherwise fine. Levy and Gajeel were nearby, both covered in serious burns. Quickly, she hurried over to Gajeel, who was in significantly worse shape.
"You okay?" He winces, "How's Levy?"
"She's in bad shape, but not as bad as you." She answers, "We've got to get you to Wendy."
"You couldn't take us both, and you know it." Gajeel chuckles, calling her bluff, "You might have been saved from the burns, but you still felt the explosion, and the fall. Combine that with the accumulated damage from your fight with Mirajane, and you're not much better off than us."
"I've got to do something!" Lisanna mutters, "I've been just about useless so far."
"Then get ready." Gajeel whispers, "That guy's coming back. Right now, we've only got one choice, hold out until someone shows up, because there's no way in hell me or Levy are getting anywhere in our condition, and you couldn't out run him even if you could carry us both."
"L-l-lisanna." Levy whimpers, "Come here."
"What is it?" Lisanna asks, helping leave to sit up.
"Can you get the light pen from my pocket?" She asks, "I would, but…"
"Why?" Lisanna asks, holding the pen out. Levy took it and shakily started writing in the air.
Fire.
"Solid Script Magic: Fire." She sighs, dropping the pen as the letters burst into flames, "Eat this. It should restore your magic."
"Right!" Lisanna nods, activating her Dragon Slayer Magic and biting into the fire. She felt the strength fill her body, restoring her to full power.
So, that's the end of Mira vs. Azuma. Next time, it's Lisanna vs. Rustyrose, and someone unexpected decides to take the fight to Bluenote. R&R!