A/N: Good Mythical Morning! This is the Celestial Sky Dragon and I claim no ownership of that greeting!
Welcome to the latest chapter of the Hellfire Dragon Slayer! Last chapter set the bar for this new story arc, and this chapter will get the ball rolling. Team Flaming Skies will be going on their adventure starting off at the Craggy Coast. What new things will they find? Read on and find out.
So, as we approach this adventure, I've been mulling over a few things. Most importantly, future enemies for Aiden to take down. I was going over some ideas for the Edolas arc. At first I wanted to have the Aiden Flame to fight his Edolas counterpart, known as Aiden Spitfire, a gun for hire who kills off those who oppose the kindgom. It would fit in nicely with Erza Knightwalker, the Fairy Hunter, but I also started having some other ideas. I'm not sure which I like more, Edolas Aiden being killed by Erza Knightwalker, or him being a gun for hire. Either way, there's going to be a fight between them.
Eventually, Aiden will end up fighting his brother in a climax battle to the finish. But I haven't decided what kind of magic I'll be giving him. Brandon does have Earth magic, but I was thinking of either making him an Artificial Dragon Slayer, giving him the Element of Ice, or making him an Ice Phoenix Slayer. The third option I have is making him an Ice Angel Slayer, but that magic was only used once by Angel in my previous story, though her element was Sky Magic. It would be interesting to see an Angel Slayer vs a Dragon Slayer though, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility.
As for the rest of this story...I'm not sure if I'll continue it as a whole story. There are still so many arcs left to write, that I don't want to make it too lengthy. I mean, if I keep going at this pace, by the end of the Oracion Seis arc I'll be at around 40 chapters or so, at the end of Edolas, around 60 due to the mini arcs in between, and around the Tenrou Arc, most likely nearing a hundred. If that's the case, I'll most likely cut it in half and start part two at around the time skip and proceed to the Grand Magic Games, which I'm excited to write about since there's going to be a lot of changes.
I've also just found out that Fairy Tail is in its final arc. I'm so freaking sad, just yesterday I was reading chapter one and getting whisked away to a world of magic and adventure and now I'm being told it's ending. It's sad, but nothing lasts forever. I've stuck around for so long, that I just want to see how it will all end. And there's still the anime, so I'll have that for however long it is. It is sad, but I don't want it to turn into One Piece. That fucking series needs to end already. I mean Naruto ended, and it was fucking great. Bleach is shit, it always was shit, the ending is shit and it will always be shit, I don't mean to offend anyone, but I never got into it. Dragon Ball Z keeps getting resurrected somehow, and there's still a bunch of long running anime that need to end. I just hope it isn't anti climactic. I haven't been that happy with the Alvarez arc as a whole. there are some good parts, but there are some really stupid parts too.
Heres to hoping for a Second Fairy Tail manga. they could call it, Fairy Tail, the after years and it could be years in the future. As long as Wendy doesn't end up with Romeo, I'll be fine. If there's a ship in this fandom that I absolutely detest with every fiber of my being, it's RoWen, I just absolutely hate it. Just because their the same age doesn't mean they belong together. They have little interaction...hell I'll be happy if Wendy x Chelia becomes canon, I find that shipping adorable. And please for the love of God, make Carla x Happy a thing, I've been waiting since day one.
Anyway, I'll leave you guys with this chapter. If you like it, leave a review, if you hate it, then read something else, or tell me whats wrong, I don't mind hearing to critisism, as long as its constructive.
This chapter is brought to you by Flaming Cheetos, for when you want regular cheetos but your friend leaves the hot ones behind, and you eat a handful and are then screaming like a bitch because its too spicy. Fuck you!
Fairy Tail
The Foggy Surprise At Fogbound Lake Arc
Chapter 21
A Dangerous Walk Through the Craggy Coast
Having left early in the morning, Team Flaming Skies was making it's way toward the Great Fissure via carriage. Thankfully, it wasn't that far from Margaret Town, so Aiden wasn't worried about his motion sickness. In fact he felt absolutely fine, thanks to Wendy's Troia spell. The ride was a bit bumpy, but it wasn't so bad. In fact Chelia seemed to be enjoying it, giggling every time the cart hit a rock in the road.
Aiden had spent most of his time judging the distance from Margaret to the fissure on his map. He wanted to stick to his self made schedule, arriving to the fissure at noon would allow them to make it to the Craggy Coast path at around one o'clock PM. He looked at his pocket watch, a frown on his face.
"Something wrong Aiden?" Wendy asked curiously, catching everyones attention. He closed his notebook, shoving it in his pack.
"We're off schedule by twenty minutes. I wanted to be across the fissure by 1 so we could rest up and have lunch. Traveling through the Craggy Coast path is going to be rather challenging." he said.
"What's so dangerous about it? It's just a pass between two mountains." Sherry said, looking up from her hands. She had been filing her nails for most of the journey, having grown bored of the scenery outside.
"Well for one, it isn't just a path through two mountains. The path is actually really rocky and slippery due to the water from the ocean. There are large gaps on the ground that could lead to your death if you walk in the wrong direction. Oh, and there are monsters there who specialize in water magic." Carla said, summarizing a bit of the book she was reading. She had been able to find some interesting books in the Margaret Library before leaving, thankfully ones that had the information they would need.
"One of the reasons we requested a water mage was to deal with the water magic of these creatures. Their apt water control will help us greatly, and in Iona's case, she can eat the water and turn it into magic." Wendy replied. Sherry gave the girl a glare, and looked back at Aiden, a loving look on her face.
"You'll keep us safe, right my love?" she asked.
"Sherry, I'm a fire mage. I'll be at a disadvantage in a water dungeon, the best I can do is turn the water to steam. I'll do my best, but you have to worry about yourself. And don't call me that." he cried in annoyance. Sherry bit her lip, trying not to say something love related as per their agreement. The cart suddenly came to a stop, causing them all to jerk forward from the sudden action. Confused, Aiden looked out the window, but since he was unable to see anything he hopped out.
"Hey kid, this is as far as I can take you. There's a landslide blocking the rest of the path." the driver said. Aiden walked in front of the cart, looking far off into the distance. He was able to see some rather large boulders blocking the way. He hissed in anger.
"Shit. Of all damn things to happen." he muttered. He shook his head and turned to the driver, giving him a firm look.
"Thanks for the ride sir. Here, full payment." he said, handing the man two stacks of Jewels. He looked at them, eyes wide.
"I can't accept this, I didn't take you all the way."
"Don't worry about it, the landslide isn't your fault. We're off by two miles so we can handle the rest." he said.
"If you're sure. I wish you luck, you kids are crazy, going after Fogbound Lake like this." he said. Everyone slowly filed out of the cart, walking a ways up the path. They all watched as the cart turned around and sped off, heading back toward Margaret Town. Aiden slung his pack around his shoulders, walking up the path.
"Whoa, why didn't we just keep going in the cart?" Phoebe asked, matching pace with her partner.
"Landslide took out the road, we're gonna have to cut around it. There aren't any towns around here so we'll most likely have to cut across the forest." he said.
"Um...what do you think caused the landslide in the first place?" Sherry asked curiously. She was holding Chelia by the hand, much to the girl's dismay. Aiden took a deep breath, inhaling the air around them. He closed his eyes, mentally separating all of the scents. He smiled a bit when he caught Wendy's strawberry scented shampoo. He shook it off, looking back at his friends.
"Earth Lizard-men. A heard passed by here on a hunt, most likely used powerful earth magic to wipe out the road in an attempt to find food. We'll have to be careful, those particular monsters are tough to deal with." he said.
"H-how tough?" Sherry asked. He looked at her, brow raised.
"You ever see someone get split in half with a single swipe of a hand?" he asked, earning a quiet no from her. He gave her a smile.
"Well, try not to fuck up if you do see one. It ain't pretty." he said. She swallowed hard, tightening her grip on Chelia's hand.
They remained quiet for the better part of an hour, keeping their eyes peeled for anyone or anything. The path started getting more rugged as they approached the landslide. Tall boulders towered over them, along with bent and broken trees. Sharp tree trunks stuck out from between the boulders, a few innocent creatures stabbed into them, blood dripping all over the ground. Aiden wasn't affected much but it, but Wendy did get a bit squeamish. He walked up to the corpse of a Black Boar and looked it over. He lifted it's foreleg, seeing the large gaping hole in the chest cavity.
"This seems recent, couple hours at best. Keep your eyes peeled, we're walking around it." he said, heading down the embankment into the forest.
"Jeez, he looked at that like it was nothing." Carla said, her face had grown a bit pale and she was sweating. The heat wasn't helping her at all. She unbuttoned her blazer, fanning herself a bit. Iona brushed past her, a blank look on her face.
"It's just a dead boar...nothing to be scared about." she said simply.
"How can you just accept that? I'm still getting used to it." Wendy said. She shrugged.
"I've been hunting fish deep in the crystal lake for as long as I can remember. I only ventured out of the cavern when mother was around, so I did get used to hunting land creatures. Death just comes with the territory, I suppose." She replied.
"Cousin Sherry, are we gonna end up like those boars?" Chelia asked, looking at her older cousin, who's eyes grew wide.
"Absolutely not! I won't let it, we won't let it, right Aiden?" she cried.
"Yup, I'll kill them before they reach you guys, so don't worry about a thing." he said, finally reaching the tree line. He heard a loud screech coming from the forest and ducked just in time to avoid a stream of rocks being fired at him. Everyone quickly scattered, avoiding the attack.
From the forest emerged a green scaled lizard, who had thick green scales. It stood almost four inches taller than Aiden did, and had a long snout, making it look crocadillian in nature. It had a sharp looking tail with sharp spikes on the end. Four of them had jumped out of the forest, following their leader. They all hissed loudly, the leader giving a loud screech before launching at Aiden. He jumped back, getting some distance from it.
"Get back, Wendy and Carla take the ones at the sides, Phoebe take the back, Iona you get the straggler."
"Right!" they cried in unison, breaking off from the main group. He raced forward, igniting his fist.
"Hellfire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he shouted, punching the leader across the face. It hissed in pain, backpedaling a few feet. It screeched loudly, causing Aiden to cringe from the loud sound. It spun around, launching its tail at him. He groaned in pain as he was sent flying back.
"Aiden!" Sherry cried out.
"Don't just stand there cousin, do something!" Chelia cried, running forward.
"Chelia!" the pink haired woman cried out. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the little girl running into the fight. Aiden was just about to stand when the Lizard-man swung its tail at him. He blocked the hit, screaming in pain as the spikes slammed into him. Chelia jumped onto its back, wrapping her small arm around its neck.
"Chelia, what the hell are you doing?" Aiden cried.
"Get him big brother, hurry!" she cried. His look of shock turned into a grin. He raced forward, slamming his fist into his open hand.
"Fire Make: Lance!" he cried, launching the attack forward. Instead of creating several lances, he made a single one that pierced the creature right through the chest, thankfully Chelia had jumped out of the way. She took a deep breath, sucking in the air around her.
"Sky God's Bellow!" she shouted, unleashing a swirling funnel of black wind and feathers, much to her surprise. The Lizard-man howled in pain as it was sent flying high into the air. Aiden smirked, doing a quick hand sign, making a blue magic seal appear before him.
"Switch Style: Fire Make Hummingbird!" he cried. From the magic seal emerged a beautiful sapphire hummingbird made of flames. It zoomed after the lizard-man, flying right into its open mouth. It howled in pain from the heat, exploding shortly after. He whooped for joy, holding his hand out to Chelia.
"Yeah, you finally did it!" he cried.
"Yatta! Did you see me? It so awesome!" she cried, slapping his hand in a high five.
"Moon Slash!"
"Sun Kick!"
The lizard-men cried in pain, the attacks landing on their already weakened bodies. Phoebe grinned as she ran forward, bright orange light swirling around her fist. She formed a small sun in her palm which she slammed into the creature's chest, a smirk on her face.
"Solar Eruption!" she chanted, willing the ball to explode. The creature howled in pain as the ball burst into a thick orange beam of sunlight, which practically disintegrated the creature. The only thing that remained were the hind legs and the tail of the creature, which fell to the ground with a dull lifeless thud. She glanced at Carla who successfully decapitated the one she was fighting, her hand still glowing white.
"Nice job Carls!" she cried.
"Same to you!" the white haired girl called back.
"Wendy, let's get them together!" Iona cried, grabbing the Lizard-Man she was fighting by the tail. She swung it overhead, throwing it at the one the Sky Maiden was fighting. They shared a nod, both of them inhaling deeply.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
"Water Basilisk's Breath!"
The bright green jet of swirling water melted together with Wendy's swirling gale turning into a greenish white beam of water and wind. It slammed into the lizard-men with such force that it sent them flying high into the sky. Iona pulled her hands back, forming a medium sized orb of green water in her hands.
"Water Basilisk's Bubble Jet!" she shouted, pushing her arms forward with great force. The beam exploded into a swirling mass of bubbles that slammed into the two lizard-man, the bubbles exploded, sending body parts and blood in all directions. Iona let out a breath, finally happy that the battle was over. Aiden scanned the area for a few seconds, giving them a nod.
"Good job guys, the area is clear. I don't smell anymore of them." he said.
"What...what just happened?" Sherry asked. All she had been doing was watching them. They were all moving in sync, combining their attacks, minding each other and making sure no one was getting hurt. Sure they took a few hits but overall they had moved in unison. It was like watching a military unit, all marching into battle. She just couldn't describe what she had seen. Chelia's cheers filled the area, as she celebrated her successful God Bellow.
"If you want an answer, it's rather simple. We move as a unit, even with someone like Iona who hasn't even been on a team, we were able to take on these creatures. We just...trust each other." Aiden said, shrugging it off.
They continued onward, walking into the forest making sure no monsters were in their way. They walked around the landslide, sticking mostly to the edge of it. As they were walking around it, they ended up reaching the edge of the Great Fissure that cut across the southernmost part of Fiore. It was a large gaping crevice, which had been created when the landmass was still being formed. According to scientists, Ishgar was actually two continents that slammed into each other to crate the continent known today. The fissure is what remains of the edge of the old continent. Looking down into it, all you could see was darkness, and very sharp spikes sticking out from the edges a hundred or so feet down. The wind had picked up a bit, which was a bit welcoming, especially with the heat.
"If we follow the fissure west, we'll be able to cross to the other side. And if we keep going that way, we'll be able to reach Craggy Coast." Aiden said, looking at his map. He marked the spot where they were at before rolling it up, placing it in his pack.
"Isn't it dangerous to walk next to this fissure? What if there's another landslide?" Sherry asked, peeking over the edge. She swallowed hard, trying not to imagine how painful it would be to hit the bottom.
"I got you covered with that. Phoebe, Carla would you mind giving us some aerial cover?" he asked, looking at the two girls.
"Leave it to us!" Phoebe said, summoning her wings. Carla followed suit, silently taking off after the orange haired girl. The rest of the team continued onward, walking well away from the edge of the fissure. The last thing they needed was for someone to fall into it.
Around an hour later, they were finally able to cross the fissure using one of the natural land bridges that connected the two sides to each other. Finally on the other side, they all decided to take a break, next to a few trees that were growing on the other side. Right behind them spanned a tall mountain range, which was still a long ways away. The distant smell of the sea was drifting through the winds. Aiden sighed, laying down on the soft grass.
"Oh man, I could take a nap here." he said, stretching his limbs. He popped his back, groaning in pleasure as the strain from walking washed away.
"Well don't, or else we won't be able to stay on schedule." Carla cried, standing before him. He rolled his eyes. Wendy and Phoebe were busy setting up the blanket while Iona went to find some fire wood. Sherry found herself a fallen log and sat down, after making sure her dress wouldn't get ruined. He frowned and sat up.
"Aren't you going to do something?" he asked.
"Why would I do that my love? You're taking a break and so am I." She said. He hissed under his breath, choosing to ignore that. He stood up, cracking his neck.
"We're all doing stuff. I took two minutes off but I'm going to get us something to eat from the woods. I want to save some of our rations since we don't know when we'll reach the lake. So don't sit around, at least help Wendy out." he said. She sighed, standing up from the log.
"Fine, I'll help the little girl set her little blanket." she said.
"Don't worry, I don't need your help. I am more than capable." Wendy replied, venom laced in her words. They both glared at each other in anger.
"I swear to god." Aiden muttered dryly as he walked off into the woods. Carla followed suit, arms crossed in annoyance. Once they were out of ear shot, she decided to speak.
"Why did we bring her along? She's a hindrance to the group." she said.
"I know she is, but she wouldn't shut up about letting Chelia come along, and she gave us a place to stay for the night." he replied.
"Ugh...I would have gladly slept under a bridge if it meant her not coming along. She's just antagonizing Wendy." she said.
"How so?" Aiden asked, brows furrowed in confusion.
"Seriously? Are you this dense or are you faking it?" she cried.
"I have no idea what you are trying to tell me, Christ you know I hate Charades." he said. Carla's eyes widened a bit. She brushed some sweaty locks from her face, shaking her head.
"My god, I cannot believe he is that dense. Can't he see Wendy likes him? Hmm..maybe I can probe him a bit."
Aiden stopped by one of the younger trees in the woods and snapped one of the thin branches off. He drew his Lightning dagger from the sheathe on his hip and ran the blade across the end of it, slowly sharpening it to a point. He twirled the dagger in his hand before sheathing it to his side.
"So Aiden...I have a question for you."
"I may have an answer." he replied simply. He took a whiff of the area, pinpointing the area with the most pheromones. He started heading off the small path, taking note of the area so he wouldn't get lost.
"You're surrounded by so many girls on a daily basis I just had to ask...are you attracted to anyone?" she asked curiously. He rose a brow in curiosity, looking away from the white haired girl. Her ears twitched a bit as they walked, hearing the sounds of nature.
"That's a rather odd question coming from you. I didn't think you'd give a shit about my love life." he said.
"Remember what I said back in Magnolia? You're my best friend, so I have to make an effort to get to know you. You trust me right?" she asked. He looked back at her, a blank look on his face.
"Does a bear shit in the woods?" he asked back.
"Okay then, so answer the question."
He sighed, kneeling down next to a boulder. There was a bit of a drop off that lead down into the lower part of the wooded area. He could hear the sounds of movement and closed his eyes, trying to search for it. He tightened his grip on his spear as he opened his eyes, focusing on the area where his target would come from. He remained silent for a few seconds, the only sound being Carla's steady breathing. In a fraction of a second he snapped his arm forward, shooting off the spear with an added blast of fire. A loud squeal filled their ears, as the spear hit it's target. He licked his lips, slowly standing up.
"To answer your question Carla, I'm not sure I'm ready for a relationship right now. I'm focusing on too much right now." he said.
"Too much? What else could you possibly be focusing on?" She asked curiously. He hopped down the ledge, holding his hand out to her. She landed a bit harder than she wanted, but she shook off the shooting pain that went up her legs.
"For one, I'm focusing on finding my father. On every solo mission I go to, I tend to listen to stories. I listen to all the rumors I can in case someone saw him. Atlas Flame isn't just a huge dragon, he's also covered in hellfire, so if someone was talking about that, I would definitely follow up on it."
"Alright, one thing. Wendy is focusing on that too...whenever we go on missions she asks around to see if someone has seen Grandeeney. She's been focusing less on that, I guess she's just trying to have fun while being in the guild." she replied. They reached the now deceased black boar, spear sticking though its side. Aiden yanked it out, only to stab it through its eye, making sure it was really dead. Carla looked away from it, not wanting to see the blood.
"So, what are the other things that you are focusing on?"
"Finding my brother...I want to find where he is, so I can kill him." he said, twisting the spear out of the boar. He knelt down before it, pulling his dagger from its sheathe.
"Are you sure you can do it? Are you sure you can kill family?" she asked curiously.
"It isn't about being family. That bastard died the second he killed my parents. That fucker...I only wish I could see him again so I can wipe that smirk off his face. It's ingrained in my head, I just can't forget it. I've had so many nightmares over the last few years. I can see his face, his maniacal grin as he stabs my parents. I can hear his laughter as he stabs my sister to death with stone spears...I just...can't forget it." he said, stabbing the dagger into the boar's side.
He felt tears rushing down his cheeks. He took a deep breath, wiping them away. He started cutting into the shoulder, keen on bringing that back to camp. His hand shook a bit as he closed his eyes.
"I'll never forgive him. For him, there's only death. When he meets whatever god is out there, only he will judge him for his transgressions. I've since stopped believing in religion. He just better hope I get to him first." he said, severing the shoulder off the boar. He set it aside and moved onto the leg.
"I didn't know you had nightmares. Don't you ever talk about them with anyone?" Carla asked, taking a seat beside him. Normally she wouldn't even think about sitting down on the dirt, but right now she didn't really care.
"Not really. I mean...Phoebe is aware of it, but I don't talk to her about it. I put a spell on my room so that it's completely soundproof, that way no one else can hear me whenever I'm having one. I just...don't feel like talking about it. The fact that I'm telling you this right now means that I have immense trust in you. So I have to ask you to keep it between us."
"But why? You know we can help you...Wendy can help you." she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Tch...well unless Wendy has some nightmare healing spell, she can't do shit. 'Sides, I don't want to worry her. She has enough shit on her plate." he said, cutting off the leg of the boar. He grabbed a towel from inside his pack and placed both cuts of meat onto it, using it to wrap the meat up. Once he was done, he stored it in his requip pocket.
"She cares about you, you know...more than you think." Carla said.
"Who Wendy?" he asked, using a bit of water to wash away the blood on his hand and dagger. She gave him a nod.
"I hate to admit it, but she looks up to you. She sees you, and she sees bravery, charisma, confidence. All of the things that she strives to be...once she met you, she swallowed her shyness and broke out of that shell she put herself in. She went outside more, talked more...hell she even laughed more. Seeing her taking her magic so seriously is endearing. She always told me she was weak, nothing but a supporter...but now she's told me she can handle herself in battle, that she's just as much of a Dragon Slayer as you, Natsu and Gajeel. For that I can't thank you enough...so please...if you have a nightmare, talk to us...or at least to me." she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He frowned, placing his hand on her own.
"Alright Carls...I'll talk to you if I have another nightmare." he said, standing up. He hesitated a bit, before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. Carla blushed a bit, but hugged him back.
"Thanks for this talk, I really needed it. Now let's go back before those two tear each other apart. I can hear them from here." he said, walking back toward the ledge. They took their time heading back, just enjoying each others company. Carla's ears twitched a bit, hearing parts of the argument Sherry and Wendy were having. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"So...you have nightmares, are searching for your brother and your Dragon, those things are important. But are they really stopping you from being in a relationship?" she asked.
"I don't want to get whoever I get involved with into my problems. It'd just be too...I dunno...how can I explain to some girl over dinner that I'm trying to find my dragon father, and that I want to kill the shit out of my brother for what he did? No girl would be interested in a guy like that."
"You'd be surprised...or is it that you have someone in mind?" She asked, adopting a catty grin. He furrowed his brows, eyes widening a bit.
"Aha, I get it now. Phoebe put you up to this...she's the only one who gives a fuck about my love life. She's trying to set me up, but I see right through your plot." he snapped.
"Ha, real funny. I'm not involved with her at all...I just want to know if you like anyone back home, or if you like anyone else. Do you think I missed those subtle glances you gave Lucy back in Magnolia." she said, making the teen blush.
"I do not like Lucy. She's hella cute, and really intelligent for a girl her age, but she's clearly into someone else. And no I don't like Mira either, she's beautiful, way out of my league and really fucking scary when she's pissed. I'm more keen on finding someone my age...besides why do you care so much? Unless you like me." he said.
"What?" she snapped, her voice echoing through the woods. He broke into laughter, wiping some tears from his eyes.
"Man, the look on your face was priceless. I'll admit Carla, you are really cute, but I can tell you aren't interested in a relationship right now. You just want to keep a watchful eye over Wendy and make sure she's fine. I'm not looking for anyone right now either...maybe down the line, who knows? I might take you out for a night on the town." he said, giving her a wink.
"That is not what I was getting at. I would never fall in love with a guy as reckless as you, you buffoon." she snapped, quickening her pace. She just wanted to get out of that awkward situation as quick as she could. He rolled his eyes.
Reaching the edge of the forest, the two of them had returned in time to see Sherry and Wendy, who were still glaring at each other.
"I have no idea why he's even friends with you! You are so annoying!" Sherry cried out.
"Oh really? You're the one who's being annoying. Why are you even here? You're holding us back!" Wendy cried out.
"Jeez, calm down girls. We don't want to let this escalate." Phoebe said, stepping in front of them.
"I agree with her. Sherry stop antagonizing Wendy, you are an adult so behave like one, and Wendy just ignore her." Aiden said firmly. He noticed the bundle of sticks Iona had prepared for the fire, the girl having placed the final stick inside the pit. With a flick of his wrist, he shot a fire ball into it, a bright blue flame taking shape within. He requipped the boar meat he had gotten and set it down.
"I'll cut this up. You can take a break if you want Aiden." Phoebe said, effortlessly lifting the two cuts of meat. He gave her a gracious nod.
"Wait...we're eating that?" Sherry asked, looking at the black boar meat that Phoebe had started to cut up. Aiden gave her a nod.
"We eat this stuff all the time back home. It's not as bad as it looks." He said.
"Ew, I'd rather eat something else." she said, digging her hand in her pack.
"Suit yourself." he said with a shrug. He turned back to the fire, content with watching it burn.
Xxx
A few hours had passed, and Team Flaming Skies was making excellent headway on their journey. They had made excellent time with reaching the Craggy Coast. The sound of the ocean water lapping the cliff-side filled their ears. Looking over the edge, you could see the white water slamming hard into the rocks below. The beautiful ocean spanned for miles, glittering a beautiful blue.
The entrance to the water dungeon spanned before them. The cavern was large, and deep, could most likely span several thousand feet underground. It's gaping maw looked dangerous, and the stony spikes coming forth from the ceiling made it look like the mouth of a monster, foaming at the mouth and waiting for its pray to enter, so it could snap its jaws shut. It was dank and humid in the cave, and if anything a bit cold, the air gushing from inside carried the humidity and saltiness of the area. High above them, were some seagulls, cawing loudly. Next to the entrance was an old wooden sign, the name Craggy Coast written on it. Aiden looked down from his map, a smile on his face.
"Well, this place should take us all the way through. Once we're past this place, we'll be in a small wooded area. We'll make our camp there for the night and tackle Mount Horn tomorrow." He said.
"Okay. That sounds like a good plan." Wendy said. They heard a loud gasp behind them and looked back, seeing Chelia eating some of the air around her. Normally air isn't seen, but Aiden could see small tendrils of magic enriched air flying into her mouth. She smiled happily, letting out a little burp.
"Big sis, the air is so tasty here. You should try some!" she said, tugging on Wendy's hand. Aiden smiled and gave her a nod.
"Enjoy yourself. I'm gonna look for some logs so I can make us some torches." he said, walking off toward the cavern entrance. Phoebe and Carla were talking quietly among themselves, while Iona was overlooking the ocean, a look of longing on her face. Sherry was taking a break from their walk by the cave entrance. He saw a few broken pieces of wood next to the sign and grabbed them, looking them over. He frowned, seeing they were rotten.
"Shit...can't make a torch out of these." he muttered.
"Why bother making a torch? You're a fire mage, and the cats use Sunlight and Moonlight as their magic, isn't that enough?" Sherry asked curiously.
"I suppose, I just didn't feel like wasting magic. Then again if we do end up fighting something it wouldn't be convenient to be holding a torch." he said, rubbing his chin in thought.
"I've got a question for you. Why her?" she asked. He looked at her with confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"What do you see in her? The Sky Dragon...she's just so..immature." Sherry snapped, crossing her arms in annoyance. He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Wendy isn't immature. She's sweet and kind, and extremely generous. She doesn't care about herself when it comes to healing. She's...an amazing friend...we might just have different views of her. Please stop antagonizing her, if you get to know her, you might see the same thing I see." he said, glancing at the blue haired girl. She and Chelia had been practicing a bit of wind control. The little girl was surrounded with her signature black wind, while Wendy was surrounded by her blue dragon magic. Her hair was blowing in the wind, the smile on her face just made her look alluring. Sherry frowned, shaking her head.
"You're in love with her aren't you?"
"What?" he asked, brow furrowing a bit.
"That look in your eye, I recognize it. Hell, that's the same look I give my Cold Emperor all the time, a look of pure love. You don't even realize it, which is what makes it so beautiful." she replied. He glanced back at the blue haired girl, who was giving Chelia a bright smile. He felt his cheeks growing hot as he looked at her.
"You should tell her." Sherry said.
"No...I'm not...I...I'm not ready for a relationship. I'm not sure if I even love her." he said.
"You do...the faster you admit it to yourself. The better."
"Whatever, girls we're going in. Phoebe, Carla I want you guys to use your magic as a light source, all of the wood around here is rotten." he said.
"If we must. I'll stick to the front, Phoebe you get the back." Carla said.
"You got it!" she said cheerfully.
The cavern spanned several hundred feet above them, and was rather damp. All around them, water was dripping forming pools all over the place. Small cave dwelling critters could be seen running around, hopping from pool to pool in search for something to eat or drink. Aiden slipped a bit, as the cavern floor was rather slippery. He looked at his map, looking out for some landmarks.
"Alright, if we keep going for a thousand meters or so, we should find a large white boulder. There's a fork in the path, so we'll want to take the left path." he said.
"Are you sure?" Iona asked, stepping away from one of the pools. He gave her a nod.
"The right path leads off towards another part of the Craggy Coast, it would just lead back to the entrance. Apparently, Yuri and his friends took that path three times in a row thinking it would lead to a different place." he said, rolling the map up.
"Those guys are morons then." Carla noted.
"Hey they got us this far right? It was them that discovered the path to Mount Horn after all. They say the village that once made the mountain their home were living in secret for generations, until they ran into them." Aiden said.
"What happened to the village?" Wendy asked curiously.
"Supposedly there was a dragon attack in the year x700 that ended up wiping the village out. It is plausable, seeing as our dragons were still around. I'm willing to bet it was Acnologia." he said. Wendy shuddered a bit at hearing that name. Sherry gave him an incredulous look.
"Big brother, who's Acnologia?" Chelia asked curiously. He licked his lips, looking up at the cavern ceiling.
"Acnologia is the Black Dragon of the apocalypse. A dragon so powerful that no one dragon slayer can take it down. Legend has it, he started his life as a human being. He ended up slaying the dragons during the great dragon war of x400. He bathed in the blood of the fallen, and ended up turning into a dragon himself. So far, he's the only dragon still left. Though he's merely just a myth. No one has seen him in over three hundred years." Aiden said.
"H-He killed dragons...and bathed in their blood?" Phoebe asked, shivering a bit at the thought.
"Yeah, my father Atlas Flame said that bathing in the blood of a dragon makes you a true dragon slayer. I was never brave enough to kill him, even though he suggested it many times. He wanted me to make the best of my abilities...but he was my father...I just couldn't do it." he said.
"It's the same for me. Grandeeney told me about the dragon blood ritual as well...I just couldn't kill her either. I was only five years old when she left me...that thought never even crossed my mind." Wendy replied.
"Do you think...do you think Illgardia ran into Acnologia?" Iona asked. She had remained quiet for most of the trip, not really saying anything.
"I doubt it. Like I said, no one has seen Acnologia in 300 years, and I truly doubt he was around when your mother disappeared. Though it does beg the question, why did a Basilisk disappear in the same year as our Dragons? And could there be more Basilisk Slayers out there?" he asked.
"My mother once said there was a Lightning Basilisk Slayer wondering the world, who was three years older than me. But I'm not sure if he truly does exist. She never mentioned his name." Iona said. Aiden smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"It'll be alright Iona. Maybe your mother is with our parents somewhere." he said. She scoffed, looking away from him.
"As if, my mother wouldn't dare hang out with those overgrown lizards!" she said. He cringed, giving him an apologetic look.
"My apologies...I forget that you are the son of a dragon. I don't mean to offend."
"It's alright, we're not so easily offended. Dragons and Basilisks don't get along, there isn't a reason why we can't get along. We're family now." Wendy said, giving her a bright smile.
"Heads up we have enemies!" Carla cried, forcing them all to stop. In front of them was a horde of slugs. They green and blue in color, and were of decent size. Aiden grit his teeth, getting into his fighting stance.
"Careful guys, these slugs use powerful water magic. They can also join together to make a larger slug, so watch out for that." He said.
"I'll take care of them. Now Rock Doll, take out our enemies!" Sherry cried, waving her hands. The nearby rocks joined together to make a towering rock monster. It roared loudly, slamming its fist into the slugs. All of them jumped out of the way, leaving a giant crater behind.
"Watch it, this cavern can fall on us at any moment!" Carla snapped, glaring at the pink haired girl. Aiden raced forward, trying not to slip on the wet ground. He slammed his hands together, doing a quick hand sign.
"Fire Make: Shuriken!" he cried, throwing the glowing sapphire star at the slugs. They hissed from the heat, their bodies melting a bit. Several of them lurched forward, opening their mouths. Large blasts of water flew from them, slamming into Aiden, sending him flying into the rock monster, both of them tumbling back.
"Aiden, are you alright?" Wendy cried.
"Never better!" he called out, climbing from the pile of rocks, as Sherry had dismantled the monster.
"I'll take care of this. Water Basilisk's Acidic Claws!" Iona cried, racing forward. Green water swirled around her hands, forming large sharp clawed gauntlets over her hands and fingers. She swiped at the creatures slicing them in half. She jumped into the air, a smirk on her face.
"Waters of the great seas, lend me your strength. Water Basilisk's Whirlpool!"
"No don't!" Aiden cried out. But it was too late. Iona formed a giant whirlpool from her hands. She threw it hard, slamming it into the horde of slugs. For a second, it seemed like they dissolved, only for them to reform into larger versions of themselves.
"What?" she cried in confusion.
"These slugs, they use surrounding water to grow in size. That's what makes them a threat, when they are in a big group like this." Aiden said, standing next to the girl.
"So how do we deal with them?" Sherry cried out.
"Easy, we just have to stop them from gaining more water. Phoebe, it's you and me." he said.
"Alright, I've been wanting to fight for awhile!" she replied. With a nod, the two of them ran forward. Aiden's pulled his fist back, slamming his palm into it.
"Fire Make: Gungnir!" He cried, forming a large sapphire spear. He threw it at the giant slug, hitting it in the chest. It cried in pain as steam started to form around it.
"My turn, Solar Beam!" Phoebe shouted, slamming her hands together. With a shout she threw the attack forward, a giant greenish orange beam of pure sunlight exploded outward, burning a hole through the slugs body. It hissed in pain, but quickly reformed.
"That didn't do a thing!" Carla cried.
"We need to help them. Fast wind that run the heaven, Vernier, stout arms that tear the heaven, Arms! Enchant!" Wendy cried. Magic seals formed below Aiden and Phoebe, covering them in the boosting magic. They fist bumped and ran forward, turning into blurs as they sped up. Aiden jumped up, kicking off the wall.
"Hellfire Dragon's Crushing Claw!" he shouted, slamming his foot into the slug's head, flames burst from its mouth as its body sizzled from the heat.
"Bright sun that guides us lend me your power! Solar Flare!" Phoebe shouted. A bright orange magic seal appeared before her, firing hundreds of blazing hot light balls at the slug.
"Now, Breath attacks!" Aiden cried, taking a deep breath. Phoebe stepped back, allowing Chelia and Wendy to come forward.
"Hellfire Dragon's Roar!"
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
"Sky God's Bellow!"
The three attacks melded together into a strong spinning beam of sapphire blue wind and black feathers. The Slug howled loudly just as the attack enveloped it, dissolving its body into nothing more than steam.
"Yeah! Good job guys!" Aiden cried, giving his friends a thumbs up.
"You guys were awesome!" Carla cried, awed at the magic power she had witnessed. Sherry gave an agreeing nod, still not used seeing their team work flowing so easily.
"Aiden I'm sorry, because of my careless mistake I endangered everyone." Iona said, a frown on her face.
"Don't sweat it, you didn't know those slugs absorbed water. It's a mistake anyone can make. Let's just keep going." Aiden said, avoiding the piles of slug slime that had been left behind. They continued walking, passing the white boulder along the way. The path started descending a bit, as they continued doing deeper into the cavern.
"Are we almost out yet?" Sherry asked. Aiden sighed, glancing over his shoulder.
"Almost...we have at least another two hours ahead of us." he said.
"I can't smell the exit either...just salt water." Wendy said, her nose scrounging up a bit.
"I can smell salt water as well...there's also a large reservoir of fresh water deep within this cavern. It's rich in minerals as well...spans underneath Mount Horn."
"How do you know that?" Phoebe asked curiously.
"As a Basilisk Slayer, my senses are on par with those of a basilisk. Meaning I can smell all sources of water, fresh, salty, chlorinated, stagnant. I can also drink any source of water to replenish my magic energy, except stagnant water, that's poison to us." she said.
"Interesting...it's almost like dragon magic, can you eat your own water?" Wendy asked, earning a no from the girl.
"Due to the acid in my body, I cannot consume my own water. It would dissolve through my stomach and kill me in minutes. I would assume its the same for Dragon Slayers?" she asked.
"If I ate my own fire, it would burn my insides faster than a volcanic eruption. Ironically enough I can eat lava." Aiden said with a shrug.
"Doesn't that hurt?" Sherry asked.
"Not really...it's like eating soup." he said with a shrug.
"So, how much farther are we now?" Chelia asked curiously. Aiden reached for his map, looking it over. He looked around for anything that stuck out to him. He noticed several large stone formations nearby and looked at the map, making a small mark by its picture.
"It's a good thing Yuri decided to draw a detailed map of this place, we wouldn't be anywhere near here without it. Wish I had one of those maps that tracks your direction." he said, rolling it back up.
"Those are expensive though." Phoebe added.
"Eh, if it means I can walk around without worrying then it's worth every jewel. We'll have to be careful though, there are some water pits near here and they nest more of those slugs." he said.
They kept walking silently, taking in the beauty of the cavern. They noticed the path had started opening up a bit, as they were approaching their exit. Aiden however was treading careful, making sure no slugs snuck up on them. He took another step forward, only for the ground underneath him to give way. He let out a scream of shock as he fell into the pit.
"Shit!" he cried, grabbing onto the sides with his hands. He grit his teeth as he dug into the rock, slicing his fingers and hands the deeper he fell. He finally came to a stop letting out a breath of relief. He looked down, seeing the pit spanning further below.
"Is everyone alright?" Wendy cried out. Aiden looked up, seeing she was hundreds of feet above him. He also noticed Carla had fallen down with him. She was holding onto the sides of the pit, keeping her legs crossed as best she could.
"Don't look up here idiot!" she shouted angrily.
"We're fine Wendy, just took a bit of a fall." he said, looking to his sides rather than up. He blushed a bit, trying not to look at Carla's stripped panties.
"Hang on, we'll send some rope down. Carla can you fly back up?" Phoebe cried, shining some light down into the pit. It was bright enough with the natural lighting, but the extra light did help.
"I don't think so. It's a bit tight in here." she called back. As she said that, her foot slipped causing her to slide down a bit further. She thankfully stopped a few feet away from Aiden, but now it gave the boy an even better view of her panties, which he was trying to avoid. She looked down, catching the red on his face.
"You fucking pervert! I swear I'm going to kick your ass." She shouted.
"Oh like its my goddamn fault we're in a damn pit. Just start climbing!" he cried.
"I would if I could." the white haired girl snapped back. She sighed angrily and looked around, trying to find a handhold. She reached up, grabbing a stable place, pulling herself up. Aiden gave her a bit of space before he started his climb up.
"Just reach for the rope, we'll pull you out." Phoebe encouraged, tossing the rope down. Carla reached for the rope, her fingers almost grabbing it when she slipped. She let out a yelp as she grabbed the rope, holding onto it for dear life. However she ended up kicking Aiden in the face which resulted in him loosing his hold on the rocks. He grabbed onto her leg, knocking a few rocks from the sides.
"Gah...what are you doing?"
"You kicked me and I slipped." he cried back. She looked down, seeing the footprint on his face. She tightened her grip on the rope, but due to the weight she ended up slipping down it.
"Aiden, if you don't let go, I'm going to fall." she replied. He looked around, reaching for the wall. His hand slipped, due to the blood he wasn't able to get a good grip.
"We're gonna pull you up!" Wendy cried out. She handed the excess rope to the others, giving them a nod.
"Alright, Pull!" Sherry cried. The four girls pulled as hard as they could, only pulling their friends up by a foot. They pulled again, slowly bringing them up.
"Carla, this may be a bad time but...I'm slipping." Aiden said, he was trying not to, but the blood on his hands was making his grip tougher, especially when he was trying to hold on to someone's leg.
"Me too." she said. As if on cue, the rope ended up snapping. She let out a scream as the two of them fell down into the pit.
"Carla! Aiden!" Wendy cried, eyes wide in shock. She teared up, dropping to her knees.
"No...shit, I should have gone down there...in my normal form I would have fit. Why didn't we think of that?" Phoebe snapped, punching the nearby wall.
"Don't worry, there's an underground well underneath the mountain. It has to open up somewhere, we'll just find them there. If not then I'll just go myself, thankfully due to my magic, I can breathe underwater." Iona said.
"Okay...they'll be fine. It is Aiden after all." Wendy said reassuringly, wiping her tears away. They jumped over the gap, quickly running away from the pit. Wendy had to reach the end of this tunnel, she had too if she wanted to save her friends.