Hey guys, here is the next chapter in the fic.

Enjoy

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rules to Monster Slaying

The forest was quieter than any forest I have ever heard before. Usually in forest, you could hear the sound of birds singing in the trees or the sounds of animals that lived there…but now, I couldn`t even hear one pip.

That was really strange.

"Did you hear that?" I asked my companion.

Kagura gave me a glance.

"I don't hear anything," she said.

"Exactly," I told her, "Not even one sound…something is off here."

We continued deeper into the trees which were becoming even closer to each other as we walked into it. The roots have grown over the grounds and I almost tripped over several of them already as I walked through them, a light frown upon my face.

"Eve,"

The voice caused me to glance toward Kagura who was crouched in front of something. I made my way toward her, wanting to see what she has found. Seating at the base of a tree, almost covered by leaves was a helmet, a very familiar one.

"This is a helmet from the Fiore Army right?" I told her.

"It must be one from the soldiers that had been send in to kill the monster," Kagura said, "At least, we knew they made it this far."

I instantly turned my head into a direction, narrowing my eyes. For a second there, I felt a brief flash of magic. It was like a breath of wind basically, something that you would probably overlook usually but in this muted forest, that breath of magic stood out like a bright beacon in the night.

I instantly put my hand on the handle of RuneSave, my eyes searching the surroundings and my sudden stillness must have drawn Kagura`s attention.

"What is it? Did you see something?"

"I briefly felt some kind of presence," I told her, "It was only for a second…"

Then before I even finished speaking, a dark shadow simply materialized in front of us so quickly that I didn`t even realize that it was there. It was easily sixteen feet tall and from the limbs that were closer to me, I can see fur upon his body, dark red fur and his hand was filled with large claws.

What the…? I thought, shocked at what I was looking.

"This is…," Kagura started.

Then in a blur, the claw come flying down at me and I suddenly threw myself down hearing it tear the tree I was standing beside leaving giants claw marks upon it. I summoned my magic out and feathers started to take shape around me.

"Heaven Feather`s Gatling Gun," I said.

The many feathers all flew straight for the large enemy, hammering upon his large form pushing him back but it hardly did anything as the large creature still stood upon his legs. It let out a large roar which echoed around the forest as I stared up at it.

"Think this is the monster in the Job Request?"

I pulled out RuneSave, feeling the blade resonating with my magic.

"I would think so," Kagura said, taking her stance with her own blade.

Then what was the magic I felt earlier? I thought frowning, this monster don't have a trace of magic running through him…

Before I could finish my train of thought, the large furry creature launched himself toward us and I steady myself wanting to get ready to attack but Kagura had already started to move as I felt her magic react…

"Gravity Increase,"

Before the large creature could reach them, it was suddenly brought down on the ground as if he weighted more than normal causing the ground beneath my feet to shake lightly at the sudden increase.

Then next, Kagura was already moving straight toward the large monster who was struggling to stand up and put her sword at the ready as if she was going to draw it.

"Art of the Undrawn Long Sword," she said moving faster than I ever seen, and then all over the large creature, wave of blood blew out from gashes that seems to materialized upon it`s body causing it to yell out in pain.

S…She`s good, I thought, and probably even faster than Gajeel is and he is an S-Class Mage.

Kagura landed on the ground in a crouch as her Gravity magic disappeared from around the large monster as it fell down upon the ground.

"I can see why you were confident to take on this Job all by yourself," I told her.

Kagura looked down at the monster on the ground, a light frown upon her face as she observed it. I walked past the fallen creature toward the girl.

"I didn`t even get to use RuneSave on him," I said shaking my head and replacing the sword back into its place.

"Then if it`s the monster," Kagura said, "Then where are the people the Job Request said that had been kidnapping people."

I looked down at the creature, frowning.

"Somehow, I don't see this guy as a kidnapping type."

"You are right," Kagura said, "Could this mean…that this monster is not the one we are looking for?"

"Well, we never did get the description of the Monster in the Job Request," I told her with a frown upon my features, "Or is it a monster that is taking the people at all."

She gave me a glance.

"What do you think we should do now Eve?" she asked.

"We keep searching," I sighed, looking at her, "The people who were taken…they must be at least nearby if we had found a helmet earlier."

The girl let out a soft sigh.

"Lead the way then."

We started to walk forward leaving the monster behind when a sound behind us caused us to stop. Both Kagura and I glanced at each other and I saw her hand already holding the handle of her blade and mine was gathering magic.

We both turned around toward the noise finding the large monster, the very same one that Kagura had just taken down was standing up again, his large form towering above us.

"How can he still move…?"

"Guess he is made of tougher stuff than he look," I said, summoning a large amount of gold feathers, "Alright time for me to go all out."

The feathers flew around the monster`s form as it glanced around at them, confused as to what is happening and I smirked. That always happens when I use this spell upon a monster…

"Heaven`s Feather Festival," I said.

Large blast of numerous explosions echoed in the area as a number of dust grew around us and I pulled out RuneSave, wanting to be ready when the monster charge out but to my surprise when the dust dissipated, the monster was nowhere to be seen.

The heck?

I wasn`t the only to be surprised when Kagura also was saying, "Where did he go?" surprised lacing her voice.

Then I felt the brief flash of magic again and I turned my attention toward it feeling my eyes widen in surprise. The large creature was standing there right behind us and his large clawed hand was raised high in the air…aiming straight toward Kagura turned back.

I didn`t pause to think.

I just reacted.

Before I was even aware of my movements, I was already upon Kagura who looked surprised at what I was doing before taking hold of her waist with my arm, pushing her to the side at the same time I felt something tear through the fabric of my clothes….

The two of us went tumbling through a hole in the trees rolling down upon the ground before we came to a stop when I fell upon my back, having the wind knocked out of me closing my eyes from the pain. The world was still spinning considering what just happened and I became aware that something soft and warm was pressed against my lips, and a weight lying upon my body forcing me to reopen them.

My eyes was filled with a soft golden brown orb that I, for one second thought that it was the moon until the golden orb suddenly pulled back and the pressure on my lips disappeared. I blinked when I noticed that the weight that had been upon my form was Kagura and she had a shocked look upon her features as she stared down at me, one of her gloved hand upon her lips.

Why does she look so shocked that I saved her life? I thought, completely taken aback by the expression.

I made to seat up but pain exploded from my right elbow causing me to yell out. Glancing down toward my arm I noticed that my entire sleeve was ripped and blood was flowing freely out of the large gashes I have there.

"A…Are you okay?" Kagura asked, looking down at the wound.

I bit my lip as the pain continued to get stronger.

"It…It`s not so bad," I told her.

While I was biting my lips, it was then I tasted something sweet…like lip-gloss. How odd, I don't remember wearing any…

My eyes widened.

That soft thing that was pressed upon my lips earlier…Kagura shocked look…

That was her lips.

Her lips were upon mines…

But for some reason, I didn't feel any different than before. Well, I am not a normal girl in the first place so a lip locks with another girl isn`t going to bother me as much as I expected it to have…

"Help me up," I told her.

Kagura did so, throwing my good arm over her shoulder and I was upon my feet in second still feeling my injured arm throbbing. When I was standing up, I gave a glance around to make out our location, and keeping an eye out for the monster.

"Where are we?" I asked her.

"I don't know," Kagura told me, "When you pushed me out of the way…we might have fallen down a small hill."

"The monster?" I asked.

"He didn't follow us," she answered.

I frowned.

"That creature can use magic," I told her, "But…his magic seems unusual. I could feel a spark of magic for a split second before he can attack us...but it moves too fast for me to be able to counter it."

"Some kind of teleporting magic?" Kagura asked, giving me a glance.

I frowned deeper.

"No…it`s not teleportation," I concluded, "I can`t think of what it could be, but what I do know is that this Job just got a whole lot difficult."

Kagura had a light frown upon her features, thinking to herself.

"Then we have to work together to take it down," she said, "My Undrawn Long Sword technique won`t be enough to defeat him entirely…"

I blinked.

"You use Gravity magic right?" I asked her.

Kagura looked at my direction in surprise.

"Yes…"

"Can you make us lighter somehow," I asked her, "So we can match his speed when he is moving. Altering our own gravity might be a useful way to be able to defeat him."

Kagura seems to think about it.

"This could be a way," she said, "But I can`t keep it going for a long time…my magic reserve are not that high yet."

"Make it last as long as you can," I told her wrapping a bandage around my wounded arm, "Then this Monster is going down."

I winced when I tightened it and tensely moved the fingers of the injured. At least I could still use my hand.

"Will you be alright with that wound?" Kagura asked.

"It`s nothing," I told her, wincing at how much it was hurting, "however we can`t do anything about it now. The sooner we took care of this thing, the sooner we can return to town and get healed up."

Kagura seems to have some misgiving about the plan but it was the best we have right now. I raised my good arm and a magic circle appeared there.

"Heaven`s Feather Resonance,"

The numerous feathers flew out toward the area around us all of them disappearing through the trees.

"What is that?"

"I am using my magic to sense where the creature was," I told her, "And here you are…two o`clock toward the East…he is heading toward the town…and moving quickly, Kagura now."

The girl nodded.

"Gravity Shift," she said.

I felt a sudden weightlessness take over my form. It was like I was floating basically as I stared down at my feet to make sure that I was still on the ground and with a smirk I dashed forward, hearing Kagura following after me.

It was an exciting feeling to be able to move at such great speeds through the forest like that. Thought my actual speed wasn`t as fast as this…this Gravity magic was quite a bit of magic to use. I swerved out of the way of oncoming trees, aiming straight toward where the large creature was and sure enough, it was there moving quickly through the large foliage.

"PICK-A-BOO," I yelled.

He turned toward me, only for my feet to land upon his face sending him flying backward and crashing through a couple of trees. I landed upon the ground in a crouch hearing Kagura landing beside me.

The large monster let out a growl at us and I smirked, pulling RuneSave out with my good arm.

"Alright you big ugly, get ready for round two," I smirked.

Then I felt the strange breath of magic causing me to tense and then, the monster had disappeared again…except this time, I could see him moving. I knew it wasn`t a teleportation spell. It was just using some sort of magic to increase his speed somehow.

But before I could move, Kagura had already intervened, blocking his way causing the monster to falter in his movement, seemingly surprised that she had been able to catch up to him. But Kagura didn't wait for him to recover for she was already poised with her sword to strike.

"Strong Form," she said.

The force of the attack was powerful enough to throw the large creature backward as blood flew out of it`s lips from the blow he had suffered throwing him backward even thought he didn`t fall. Dashing forward, I hold RuneSave in my hand and was upon him in seconds.

"Heaven`s RuneSave slash," I yelled, slashing the blade through him, completely draining him of his magical power.

I heard the monster yell out in surprise, and I let a smirk grow upon my lips.

"KAGURA NOW," I yelled at her.

The girl heeds my command as she dashed forward again.

"Slashing Form," she yelled.

The numerous gashes appeared upon the large creature causing it to crash upon the ground causing a crater upon impact, completely defeated, and leaving both me and Kagura to stand beside its fallen form.

"And down he goes," I said chuckling.

Kagura looked down upon the monster, a frown upon her face.

"Then…what of the people it had captured?" she asked.

A smile grew upon my lips.

"I have a feeling that they would return home soon," I told her, letting out a exhausted sigh, "Now, let me take a breather…I feel weak for some reason."

Without the gravity spell upon me, it made my body feel heavier than before so I had no choice but seat down on the ground. Kagura glanced at me.

"It`s because you are losing blood," she said, "It`s best if we go back to the village right now and get you taken care of."

"Eh…you`re probably right," I told her, as she helped me stand up again.

We walked through the forest heading back toward the village.

"Kagura,"

"What is it?"

"Your lip-gloss," I said, "It taste sweet."

She sputtered.

"I…I`m sorry…I didn't mean to…,"

"I know it was an accident," I interrupted, a small chuckle coming from me, "Probably a nice accident…or a bad accident….thought, I didn't expect to lose my first kiss to a girl thought."

Kagura was looking away from me, and from how red her ear was, I knew she was blushing.

"…me neither."

The Monster is defeated...is it over?

Next Time: The Wraith

Jacques0 out.

R&R