Part 35
"You can't be serious!" Erza screamed at the princess, Arcadios and Darton. She and Levy had arrived at the castle to explain what was going on but was not met with the understanding she thought. Instead they were met with the princess telling some soldiers to get her father so that they could set their plan into action. Levy had asked what the plan was and Hisui had explained that they were contacting all the guilds to help them cast the Abyss Break Spell against the Mountain Kings and their mountain home.
"I am serious Erza", Hisui said. "And if what you say is true and Freed really is Albion and that Albion has lost control it means we have to do it now and not later. The Mountain Kings are too dangerous to be let out in this world."
"But that's not a reason to just cast them away like before!" Erza said. "The Mountain Kings were never to blame in the past and neither are they now! They were just defending themselves against prejudice and persecution! If anything, we in Fairy Tail are to blame for all of this!"
"Which includes Freed Justine", Arcadios stated calmly. "Who in turn really is a being called Albion, a Mountain King."
"Don't twist our words", Erza growled. "If you do this don't you realize what will happen?"
"We will destroy a threat", Darton said. Erza shook her head.
"No you will start the cycle all over again but this time I doubt there will be any forgiveness in the hearts of the Mountain Kings when they return the second time. Instead of trying to make sense of the new world around them I do not doubt that the Mountain Kings will destroy the world when they return a second time because they will be convinced that the world is a cruel, cold and evil place. When they return next time it will be to destroy the world and everything in it."
"What makes you so sure they will return?" Darton asked.
"They did this time", Levy said and stood firm beside Erza. "I'm not sure how though…"
"Freed and the Thunder Legion explained it to us before you… arrived", Erza said and Levy looked at her feet in shame. "He said that he had watched his home and family being destroyed by the Abyss Break spell. But what he didn't know at the time was the effect of that spell. In his rage afterwards he hunted down the people responsible and slaughtered them. But one of them told him that the spell did not actually kill or destroy whatever it was cast upon. It sent them into oblivion for 700 years. Back then no one believed there was such a thing as immortality so they expected the Mountain Kings to all wither away and die in the limbo they were sent to. But Freed knew there was immortality so he knew his family would return someday."
"Look this is all very touching", Arcadios stated dryly. "But we need to focus on the here and now and the truth is that we are not strong enough to face this threat. The only thing we can do is stop them the same way it was done last time. But this time we will keep tighter records and prepare a special branch of wizards for the return in 700 years. When the 700 years has passed they will cast the spell again and the world will not have to worry and so on."
"You plan to continue banishing them forever?" Levy asked horrified. "You can't do that!"
"We have no other choice", Hisui stated. "We…" she trailed off because something behind Erza and Levy had caught her attention. Strange shadowy creatures that resembled pigs were entering the castle from every open window, closed window and doors. They were black except for yellow masks with a roman numeral.
"What are those!?" Darton exclaimed and Erza and Levy turned around and noticed the creatures too. But the creatures didn't seem to care about them that much. They were busy devouring everything they could sink their teeth in. Which included the floor, walls and pillars. They seemed to eat everything they touched. Erza felt a chill run up her spine when one of them looked at her. Whatever these things were they weren't anything with good intentions.
"Whatever they are they they're pure evil", Levy whispered and looked up at Erza. Erza had pulled her sword ready to attack, but that's when she realized what Levy had just said and it brought back a memory to her. A memory that felt like a lifetime ago.
"Whatever it is it's pure evil", Mira said.
"Not really", Freed replied and they all looked at him. "It's just darkness."
"What do you mean?" Erza asked and got up.
"Darkness takes many forms", Freed replied. "Not all of it is evil. The Darkness itself is never evil just the person wielding it." He looked at Mira. "For one who used to be one with the darkness you should know that. The darkness isn't evil by itself. What you feel is not death Erza. Just a man. A man with power and hatred. Do not blame his powers for how he wield them."
"No not pure evil", Erza said and they all looked at her. "Just… negative. I can feel lots of negative energy around these things. They are pure darkness but I am not sure what kind of darkness. They are made of darkness and they are part of us all I think..."
"How do you figure that?" Darton asked and she pointed. One of the creatures had buried its claws into a shadow belonging to one of the guards and now pulled on it, pulling out a creature just like it to make their numbers even greater. Arcadios moved forward with his sword drawn. The creatures turned to him and Erza and Levy saw only hunger in their eyes. But before they could warn the big knight the creatures sprang into action and started attacking everything in sight. The guards and Arcadios did what they could do defend Darton and the princess. Erza and Levy joined into the battle. The only problem was that whenever something touched these creatures they devoured it and grew even larger. They ate everything thrown their way. Well calling it eating wasn't really right it was more like they absorbed it. Whatever came their way, be it magic, food, furniture, things, dust or even light they tried to absorb that too. Which made them hard to defeat because no matter what they threw at them they took no harm. They took everything thrown at them and used it to their advantage and they seemed to grow even more if you fought them or tried to take something from them. Arcadios called in all the soldiers in the castle to try and fight these creatures off. Levy used her Magic Script to try and stop them from advancing but it was to no avail since they devoured her spells. Erza was trying all her weapons and armors to stop them but even she had to withdraw or risk being swallowed up hole herself. These things were greedy and they yearned for everything they could, everything in their path. Erza blinked when she saw the creatures split into two, one was now resembling a vulture instead. The vultures too devoured everything in their path.
"We must do something!" Darton shouted. Then he had to jump back or risk getting burnt by green fires that burst up through the floor. Levy sighed in relief when she saw Mira standing there. Her face was filled with scratches and her hair was a mess as was her clothes. She looked as if she'd been in a fight with huge birds. Mira looked at the creature and there was only one word to describe her emotions right now. Mira was pissed. Levy hurried to her side.
"Mira what happened?" Levy asked but before Mira could reply they were all knocked off their feet by a gust of wind. The gust had appeared when Erza and Arcadios' blades collided with Hel's sword arm. The Mountain King had rushed forward to stop the two of them to slice the biggest creature in half. Hisui, Darton, the soliders and Arcadios stared at her. Some guards even fled in fear and Hisui felt how she started trembling. Hel looked at Aradios and he met her gaze dead on.
"It takes a brave man to look Death in the eye", she said before pushing him and Erza back. "But only an idiot would attack an enemy they have not yet studied and knew nothing about."
"Who are you?" Arcadios growled. "And if you haven't noticed these… these… things are destroying the castle!"
"I can see that", Hel replied calmly. "My face may be rotten on one side but I can still see through my eye. Now listen to me. These creatures are Shadows. They are brought to life by Albion's powers but these Shadows' roots are in the human feeling of greed and gluttony."
"So Albion is behind this attack?" Darton asked.
"No", Hel said sharply and glared at him. He dared not meet her gaze. "The one causing all this was not Albion but her!" She pointed at Levy with her finger. "Her actions resulted in an emotional collapse within the King of Darkness and this is the result."
"Hel don't cast blame onto Levy", Erza said and the Mountain King turned to her now, glaring. Erza paled a little but met her burning gaze head on. "We can debate on who's at fault later, right now we need to defeat these Shadows. Do you have any idea of how?"
Hel scoffed and turned to the big black mass coming towards them slowly. Her eyes scanned the huge group and then she turned to the humans behind her.
"Tell me", she said. "What drives Gluttony and Greed? Look closely."
"Why do we waste time talking instead of fighting!" Arcadios yelled.
"Trust me", Mira said and stepped forward. "I want to fight too but Hel knows what she is talking about. Greed and Gluttony are driven by their hunger to have, own, devour and take everything they can lay their slimy paws, talons, claws and mouths on. They want everything because that is how they grow. No matter what we throw at them to stop them they will only use to grow. We have it and they want it. That is why they are almost invincible. They want our strength, our powers, our bodies, our minds, our souls, our clothes, our things, our dreams… everything."
"So how do we fight them", Erza asked. "If they want everything and nothing can be thrown at them to defeat them… how do we destroy them?" Hel scoffed again. "What's with you?"
"This is what I despise about humans", Hel said and walked towards the black mass of creatures. "You all only see one side of the coin, the negative side or the positive. Not both. You give up way too easily. There is always another way." She looked at her opponents and then swiped with her sword in the air and green runes appeared. The runes spread out throughout the room, creating a shield between the creatures and the humans.
"Hel!" Mira screamed. "What are you doing!?"
"I told you before Mira", Hel replied and lifted her sword-arm. "We are very much alike you and I." She started channeling all her magic and it was so forceful that everyone in the room felt as if they were running out air while someone was pressing them down into the floor. Her building power was so intense they were all forced to their knees. Hel's whole body was burning with green flames and the Shadows were looking at her with hungry eyes. Hel closed her eyes.
"I too am an older sister", she said softly. "I would do anything to protect my family. But my family just like yours doesn't only include blood relatives. In a way everything that lives is my family. I am the Lady of Death but I also look after the living. Once you come into this world you come into my world. I govern life and I protect the dead. I watch over the people around me and that includes you all." Her dress started cracking while her flesh started burning as well. "I may look like a demon on the outside. I may look vile and rotten just like you do in your true form Mira. But just like you I have a heart of pure gold. Just like you I would give anything for my family and my world. Just like you I will do anything to protect those around me and those I hold dear. But unlike you all I am not human. Unlike you all my powers never run out. Levy if you wish to redeem yourself in my eyes do me this small favor… strengthen my runes to keep you all safe because what I am unleashing now will destroy every living thing in this city should the enchantment crack." At her words Levy set to work and started adding her own script magic to strengthen Hel's barriers. In the meantime, the floor underneath Hel's feet cracked.
"Hel!" Mira screamed. "Don't be a fool! You can't fight them on your own!"
"Fight them?" Hel asked and opened her eyes. "No Mira. I am not fighting them. I am giving them what they want!" With that she unleashed the true fires of hell upon the creatures in the room. The blast was so strong the whole castle shook. The king arrived but he like everyone else could only see huge green flames contained within a barrier. They could all hear those creatures scream and they could hear popping noises from within the roar of the flames. Erza watched in awe and fear how Hel single-handedly destroyed an enemy that had been invincible to them. Levy kept adding more and more spells to keep the fires at bay but it was much harder than she thought. Mira looked at her and then nodded. She turned into her Sitri form and started using her own flames to strengthen Hel's barrier. Erza saw what she did and nodded. She would help too. She called out her shields and weapons and pressed them against the barrier. She also used her Adamantium Armor to help block the flames. The heat in the room was almost unbearable, way stronger than Natsu's flames. Was this what the fires of Hell really felt like?
After what felt like an eternity the flames dwindled away and ever so slowly they died. The air within the barrier, where Hel stood, was still hot. There was smoke everywhere. The stone floor had turned into diamond. The amount of coal within the ground underneath was large and Hel's fires had turned it into diamond. The pillars had melted. Hel stood there staring ahead of her. She was sweaty and her body shook from exhaustion. She swayed and fell backwards onto the floor. When she hit the diamond floor the barrier disappeared. Levy, Mira and Erza withdrew their magic but before they could run forward they were held back by guards. If they stepped onto the diamond floor they would only get burnt. Levy glared at the floor and called out water to cool it down. The whole room was covered with steam but when it cleared they could all hurry over to her. Hel was unconscious. Her attack had stopped all Greed and Gluttony Shadows from ever coming back, well that night. Mira felt her neck for a pulse.
"She's okay just very tired", she said. "I think she will sleep for a while."
"Good", Arcadios said. "But this just prove our points."
"What do you mean?" Erza asked. Hisui looked at the unconscious woman before turning to her father.
"Father", she said. "I ask of you to let me and every available and willing mage to perform the Abyss Break Spell upon the Mountain Kings. What we just witnessed was the power of one Mountain King. Imagine what they can all do together. They are too dangerous to be left alone. What if they decide that that we are too weak to deserve a place on this earth? You saw it with your own eyes father, this woman could have burnt us all away without much effort. Imagine what they can do together!"
"Princess no!" Levy said. "You can't do this!" The king looked at her, then his daughter and then the woman on the floor. Mira hugged Hel close, trying to protect her.
"My daughter…" the king said solemnly. "You are right."
"No!" Erza and Levy objected.
"Let it be known that the king of Fiore orders every available mage to take part in the casting of the Abyss Break Spell. Those that try to stop it will be classed as traitors of the realm and cast into jail or executed."
"Your majesty please don't!" Mira begged but she wasn't heard. The guards started leaving to spread the word. Arcadios and two guards walked towards Hel. Now that she was not able to fight back they could destroy her. But Erza, Levy and Mira would not have that. The three Fairies looked around them before nodding. Levy used her magic to stun their new enemies. Mira and Erza got Hel up and while the enemy was disoriented they fled the castle. Now they had to get back to Necropolis and fast. They needed to warn the Mountain Kings and their friends. The ultimate attack was coming and there was no way of stopping it.
35 done about... 6 more to go if I haven't miscalculated again ;)
Please review ^^ that makes me happy.