Part 50: Saving a friend

As the flames from the fire spirit Salamander grew bigger Finral looked surprised by it, "It has still that much power after Asta cut in half," he said.

"Will just have to keep on fighting until she stops," said Asta holding his swords out. Meanwhile not far from them was Fanzell who was back on a broom with his wind magic covering it and Mars flying on a piece of crystal next to him.

"Alright there he is and looks like their still fighting that flame spirit," said Fanzell as they were at a view where they could see the spot where the flame spirit continued to burn the area surrounding it.

"So that's the flame spirit Salamander, it does look powerful and it looks like it should be more then enough to take care of Ladros," Mars thought calmly as they flew forward.

"With things are they are now Asta wont be able to take on Ladros like this and speaking of which," Fanzell said turning around just in time to see his other former student catching up to them on his flying carpet.

"Hey you haven't forgotten about me have you, that punch of yours was really something but it will take more then that to get read of me," he said smiling as blue lights surrounded him, "Million lasers," he said firing off his spell at the two of them which made them dodge in the air. The two of them avoided the lasers long enough to reach the black bulls.

"Asta," said Fanzell getting the anti magic users attention.

"Hey old man Zell, what are you doing here and with that spiky haired dude?" He asked as the two of them flew above him.

"Never mind that will explain later," said Fanzell when Fana looked in Astas direction.

"Be gone," she said holding her right hand over her third eye as Salamander shot out a fireball in Astas direction.

"This isnt good," said Asta holding up his big anti magic sword with both of his hands as the fireball hit its flat side, "Alright now what am I suppose to do with this," he said.

"Just throw it in our direction," said Fanzell.

"Alright I have no idea what your plan is but I trust you," said Asta swinging his sword in their direction and the fireball was sent towards them where it ended up in a wind tunnel made form Fanzells magic.

"The wind will keeps us safe from the attack, but it would it will also lead straight to him," thought Fanzell as the wind tunnel began to change so its exit was facing Ladros who looked surprised as the fireball got closer to him.

"This magic theres so much of it, I don't think I can absorb that much," he said holding up his hands up beforre the fireball struck him masking him scream in pain as his body began to look like it burned from all the magic power it tried to absorb. His body began to fall to forest floor surrounded by red flames.

Fanzell and Mars landed on the ground in front of Asta, "Okay can someone explain what just happened and why your with him, hes a bad guy," he said pointing his sword at Mars who looked calmly while Asta looked him with an annoyed look on his face.

"Like I said it's a long story, but there will be time to explain later," Fanzell said looking towards the flame spirit.

"But hes an enemy," said Asta looking towards Mars again this time with an angry look on his face, "I still haven't forgotten how your hurt Noelle you big jerk," he said.

"Listen Asta was it, just to make everything clear I'm not your enemy and my names Mars by the way, you little shrimp," said Mars making Asta look annoyed, "But as of now we have bigger problems," he said.

"Alright," said Asta as Mars looked closely at the flame spirt.

"So this is the flame spirits power, but the flames its using are just like mine and the person using them," he said looking down at the person that was using the flame spirit only to looked shocked when he saw her face, "No wait, it cant be," he said as memories from his past flashed through his mind.

Flashback:

Somewhere in the dark red room diamond kingdom mages created target for Mars to destroy with his mineral magic. After one target was destroyed more would appear and even thought he looked tired from using his magic he would keep firing more shards and destroyed the targets.

After the training he walked the hallways of the building wiping the sweat from his face, "This training is exhausting, but I know I have to complete so I can become stronger," he thought looking down when a female voice spoke up from behind him.

"Is the training be a little tough on you Mars," she said and he wiped his eyes to see Fana smiling at him.

"No I'm fine," he said.

"I know you'll do great and make sure to remember that the reason why were getting stronger is so that we can protect the people we love," she said looking out the window next to them.

"The people we love, when I thought about that the only person I could think about was you Fana," thought Mars as he looked outside with her. At another time as the sun set the two of them stood together again.

"Who do you think will be the first of us to leave, I think it will be you Mars," said Fana making him look surprised, "I know you will, I would really like it if I could see the outside the world someday," she said.

"Then will go see it together," said Mars making the Fana look confused by his words, "After I leave here Ill wait for you and that way we can go see the outside world together," he said looking determined while Fana looked confused for a few more moments before she smiled.

"Right," she said.

But not long after their promise was made, the battle to see who would go on took place and there could only be one survivor. Mars being the one to kill Fana, she died in front of him and told him that this was the only way he could live.

Flashback end

"This can't be possible, I killed her I saw it myself," said Mars looking shocked before taking a step forward, "FANA," he yelled getting her attention as she looked up with an angered look on her face.

"Its me, you remember me don't you its me Mars," said Mars walking forward only for Asta to hold him back.

"What do you think your doing, if you get any closer she'll roast you alive," he said as he struggled to hold him back.

"Fana its me, don't you recognize me," He said calling out to her again.

Fanzell looked confused, "Wait Fana," he said before looking surprised as he looked at her face, "Wait I remember her, I taught her a long time ago," he thought as an image of younger, smiling Fana flashed through his mind, "But I had heard she had died during one of Morris human experiments," he thought looking angry as he remembered how the diamond kingdom trained their soldiers after he left.

"You despicable humans, you don't know who Iam, ill make you all pay," Fana said as her body flew into the air and Salamanders body changed. This time bigger and covered in flames as it grew.

"Oh no she's getting all self destruction," said Finral as he remembered when Veto tried to self destruct back in the underwater temple.

"If we don't do anything this whole place is going to be destroyed," Vanessa said looking annoyed as the flames continued to grow.

"Alright you overgrown lizard give me everything you got," said Asta looking determined.

"Asta," said Noelle as she looked at her boyfriend who was still ready to fight even though the conditions changed, "That's right, if anyone can beat this thing it will be his anti magic," she thought smiling before the Salamander shot out multiple red fireballs which Asta destroyed with his anti magic sword.

"Sea dragons lair," Noelle said making a water dome to protect herself, Finral and Vanessa. Fanzell was outside dodging the attacks.

"This isnt good, with my strings and Finral spacial magic were still not able to do a thing out here," said Vanessa looking annoyed before noticing Mars take a direct hit from one of the fireballs.

"Mars what are you doing, use your magic to protect yourself," Fanzell said looking serious.

"I'm sorry master but I cant," Mars said looking down before he was hit with another fireball, this one making a making small injury's on his face.

"Mars if you don't do anything you'll be killed," said Fanzell.

"Then its what I deserve, Im the one who killed Fana after all," said Mars still looking down before someone punched him across the face making him step back and he looked to see it was Asta who struck him, "Hey,".

"What do you think your doing, are you even sure shes you're friend because she has three eyes and is with the eye of the midnight sun," said Asta looking annoyed and the same look appeared on Mars face before he grabbed him front of his magic knights robe.

"Of course I'm sure, I wouldn't never forget the face of a dear friend," he said looking serious.

"A dear friend huh," said Asta as an image of Yuno, the others from the church and Noelle flashed through his mind. He then head butted Mars who didn't flinch as Asta looked him in the eyes with a serious look on his face, "Then quit acting like you wanna die because this way you have a chance to save her," he said as Mars let him go and the two of them faced the Flame spirit as the flames on its body continued to get bigger. The plant life from the ground turning to ash.

"Back when I fought Veto I didn't have the strength to stop him from self destructing," thought Asta as an image of Veto screaming despair flashed through his mind.

"I killed my childhood friend and I wasn't able to anything about it," thought Mars before he and Asta spoke up at the same time and yelled.

"THAT'S WHY THIS TIME I WONT FAIL,".

The two of them started running towards the Flame spirit who shot more fireballs at them and Asta sliced through each one ahead of him with his sword.

"Mineral magic, levitan," said Mars holding his hand in the air as his big crystal sword appeared and started cutting through the fireballs that were being sent at him.

"Those two are so determined, I know if anyone can reach out to Fana it will be the two of them," said Fanzell smiling at his students determination when the two of them got closer some of their clothes began to burn away. Most of their top half clothing gone leaving them bare chested.

"Man this isn't good," said Asta as began to be covered in injury's before he was covered in flames, but these ones didn't hurt him as some of is injury's began to heal, "What is this," he said looking at the flames, only to see the same one on Mars.

"Don't worry its my magic, I used Phoenix robe, can you still move," said Mars only for Asta to smile.

"Of course, as long as this thing keeps me from getting hurt I can keep on going," said Asta walking forward as Mars watched him.

"Last time I fought him he seemed like a reckless loud mouth, but after that I remembered the other clover kingdom knights I fought over the years, I now realize that all the belief those knights uphold, he upholds all of them," thought Mars as he caught up to him, "Hes a true knight,".

"You holding up okay," said Asta looking at Mars as his began to be covered in small burns.

"This is nothing compared to the pain that Fana has had to go through, so ill keep on fighting no matter what," said Mars.

Asta smiled as he thought about his own opinion on Mars, "Back in dungeon he acted more like a doll with no emotions, but now he seems different from back then," he thought, "With that magic and determination I know he will be one of the strongest," he thought as the two of them got closer.

"Stay away, I will destroy you all," said Fana as the flames got even bigger making Asta ad Mars stop for a moment as small burns began to appear on their faces, but despite the pain they felt they continued moving forward.

"Looks like things here are starting to get really serious, you should all back up for now," said Fanzell looking towards the water dome as it fell. He looked surprised by how serious the three black bulls looked, "I see, their not going anywhere because they have faith in their squad mate, if that's the case then I'll have faith in my students," he thought smiling.

"Its over, this time you will meet your end," said Fana as the ground began to shake from her magic power while in another part of the Forest, Domina and Mariella were helping the inured the witches when they looked up as they felt the magic power.

"Somethings not right here, it cant be transformation magic so someone has to be using some kind of spell on her," said Fanzell before looking at Fanas forehead where the third eye was glowing with magic power, "That third eye, someone's using that to control Fana," he said.

"I will destroy this place, with all of you along with it," said Fana as she held a hand over her third eye that was still glowing with magic power and she looked like she was in pain.

"Theres no way I'm going to let that happen," said Asta as he dug his feet into the ground making it crack from the pressure before he jumped into the air and cut his sword right through Salamander once again. The Flame spirit vanished along with the flames as Fana landed on the ground.

"Alright, that did it," said Asta smiling before Fana spoke up.

"No, its not over yet," she said as flames shot up from around her body as she screamed in anger. Then Asta looked surprised when Mars ran past him and wrapped his arms around Fana as he held her close even. Even though her flames began to burn him.

"Its me Fana your friend, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to save you back then," said Mars while Fana still looked angry as her flames got bigger, "Remember the promise that we made that we would go see the outside world, we've made it now so lets go see it all together," he said looking serious when Fana looked surprised as memory's flashed through her mind.

Flashback:

The young Fana stood behind a younger Mars, "Don't push yourself to hard okay Fana, ill wait for you outside no matter how long it takes so we can see the world together," he said.

"Right, Mars," she said smiling.

Then the memory changed to when the elves were being shot down by beams of light as one of the elves blamed the human for what was happening before the magic cirle in the sky got bigger and more beams of light shot down.

Flashback end

"Please just come back Fana," said Mars before he noticed the flames had stopped. Then the dark clouds above them began to vanish as the sun began to shine down on the two of them. Mars looked at Fanas face as the third eye began to vanish in tiny pieces before being completely gone.

"Lets go then," said Fana making Mars look surprised as she smiled, "We did promise each other after all, Mars,".

It was at this moment Mars knew he wasn't looking at Fana the hateful from the third eye, it was Fana the one he thought he had killed so long ago. Tears began to appear flow out of his eyes, "Fana," he said smiling.

"Hey what's wrong," she said looking confused as she reached out to touch his face but he just hugged her again as the tears poured down his face. She looked confused for a moment before she smiled and hugged him back.

"Now its over," said Asta smiling at the sight.

"Thank goodness," said Vanessa while Finral was crying tears of jealousy.

"It's so not fair," he said.

Noelle ran up to Asta and stood next to him as they started at the sight of the two friends being reunited. It reminded the young couple of the moment back when Asta remembered their first meeting.

"Its about time," said Fanzell smiling at the sight of two of his students. There was silecne as the others watched as Mars and Fana enjoyed their reunion.