Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or Monster Girl Encyclopedia. They belong to Hiro Mashima and Kenkou Cross respectively.
Author's Notes: Hello guys and welcome back to the story. How have you guys been? So, first order of business, I'm sorry. I know that these updates are delayed immensely and I apologize for that. I have started my first semester of university and it has been taxing to me, both mind and body so I just couldn't find any time to continue writing this story. Luckily, I have a few days off so I continued where I left off.
I'll try to make the updates more frequent since you guys deserve better. Anyways, feel free to like and favourite the stories if you like them. It's free and you can always change your mind later. Also, don't forget to comment on this story, as it helps me to know what you guys expect from this story forward. So, I guess that's all. Also, stay safe, wash your hands and don't forget to wear your masks outside. Enjoy!!!
Recap Last Chapter
• Natsu, Tess and Jade succeeded in taking down the the mercenaries that were after them.
• Tess and Jade decided to follow Natsu instead of staying in the forest.
•Upon arriving back home, Natsu was introduced to Altair, an Anubis caretaker of the Sandstorm Desert Ancient Temple.
•She requires the help of Natsu and the girls to free her sisters from the Holy Sovereign whom had taken control of the temple.
Chapter 7: The Plan
Sandstorm Desert Ancient Temple
Legends speak of places of worship at sacred locations in the Kingdom of Galeo, built for the followers to praise and give offerings to beings recognised as deities. There were quite a few of them, the Ice Queen of the Northern Icelands, the Alpha Dragon of the Western Mountains, the Dark Mage of the Great Forest and last but not least, the Pharaoh of the Sandstorm Desert.
These high-beings are known for their godly powers, said to rival the Goddess's strength herself. They were also great leaders, and they were kind towards their people. It was truly a glorious age for both humans and monster-kin. However, there is no such thing as eternal peace.
Once the war with the Demon King began, everything went disarray. Humans lost faith in their leaders, leaving only monster-kin to serve them. Once the war was over, the hatred over monster girls spreaded like wildfire across the globe. Few still believed in that peace could be achieved, most do not.
Not long after, monster-kin begin hiding, trying to hide from being hunted by humans. What was once a beautiful majestic temple, filled with life and joy, is now nothing but an empty husk of what it was before. Broken pillars and cracked ceilings are but one of the few remnants of the Sandstorm Desert Ancient Temple.
And it's not getting any better. Signs of a great battle can be seen evident inside the temple. Dozens of armoured soldiers laid scattered, their weapons broken as they lie unconscious on the floor. Pieces of torn flags were idle on the ground, the symbols of patriotism and hope for a false cause, are nothing more than worthless fabrics now.
"We won..." said our favourite dragon slayer, Natsu Dragneel. However, his voice was lacking of any joy. Instead, only pain and grief can be heard from him.
"Right?" asked Natsu in disbelief.
The battle took it's toll on both sides. The enemy had already lost and those who were left retreated. The Anubis's on the other hand won the battle and managed to secure their temple back. But even they were not joyful.
Natsu was sitting in the middle of all the desolation, with someone on his arms. Tears were running down his cheeks like a waterfall.
"If we won...then why?..." asked Natsu as he looked down on the person he was holding, Amber. Her eyes were shut tight, her body cold as ice and stiff as a rock. A massive wound can be seen on her torso, as her body laid lifelessly.
"Why?! Why?! Why?! Why?! Why?!" Natsu muttered the question over and over again as if he was stuck in a trance. "I'll kill THEM! I'LL KILL THEM ALL!" shouted Natsu in rage as a dark aura surrounded his body. Natsu's strength grew exponentially as his sanity left his mind.
"I will FUCKING MURDER THEM!! I WILL BE THEIR E.N.D."
With Natsu, Oasis Village (35 hours earlier)
"She's still not back. I hope she's doing fine" said Natsu as he gazed towards yellow desert sky.
"She'll be back soon, don't worry. And when she does, we can start discussing our plan to infiltrate the temple" assured Amber.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna go find the rest and see what they're up to" said Natsu as he kissed Amber and left her room.
It's been a few hours since Natsu and company arrived at the village. They were all welcomed warmly by the villagers. As soon as they arrived, Natsu went to see the village chief to discuss about why they were there. Natsu advised the village chief to evacuate all the villagers as a battle with the Holy Sovereign will be unavoidable.
The village chief already knew what was going to happen and informed Natsu that the villagers had already been instructed to pack up their belongings a day prior. He only had ask for Natsu to bring peace to the desert. Natsu assured him that they weren't planning on losing. Now, the village was completely empty, aside from Natsu and his wives as well as a few guards.
After the village evacuated, Ilse volunteered to scout the temple from the skies so that they could have a clear visual of what they're gonna be dealing with. Natsu was against the plan at first but eventually Ilse managed to persuade him and promised that she will be careful.
Now, with nothing to do but wait, Natsu decided to go and see what his other wives were up to. As he went to the village square, he could see Zaia leaning against the village gate, staring at the setting sun across the horizon.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Natsu as he approached the Hellhound.
"Yup. With the battle that's gonna go on tomorrow, might as well enjoy the moment" explained Zaia.
"Aren't you scared, Zaia?"
"Me, scared? Pshhh...Nope. Not one bit. But, if you're asking if I'm worried, yes, I most definitely am...for you" said Zaia as he stared straight into Natsu's eyes.
"For me? Why? You know I can handle myself" said Natsu.
"I know... it's just...I don't know. Maybe I am scared"
Natsu heard her and immediately pulled her into a hug. "It's okay to be scared. Everyone is. That doesn't make you weak" assured Natsu.
"Thanks, I needed that" thanked Zaia. Slowly, she pulled Natsu's head down and kissed him passionately. After they parted the kiss, Natsu left her alone so she could savour the sunset.
As he walked around the village, he saw Altair, the Anubis that came to him for help, sitting under a shady tree while silently meditating.
"Did I catch you in a bad time?" asked Natsu.
"You most certainly didn't. Feel free to join me, meditation can be the best cure for almost everything" explained Altair.
"Almost?" asked Natsu as he sat down besides her.
"Death is the only ailment that is incurable by any means. The only way around death is acceptance" said the Anubis in a soothing voice.
"You know... there's going to be a battle tomorrow. And once we free the others, they're going to have to join the battle as well if we want any chance in winning. Aren't you...you know...worried...for your friends? Things might get hectic tomorrow."
" This Anubis is not worried. My sisters and I...we were born and raised inside the temple. We played there, eat there, learned there. It's our home. And if we die...so be it. At least we died protecting something we loved" said Altair, as a lone tear escaped her left eye.
"Then I guess it's my job to make sure you guys stay alive until the end, huh?" asked Natsu while chuckling and smiling at the Anubis.
"If it is in your power, we would very much appreciate that"
"Hmm, guess I'll leave you to your meditation then. Don't forget, dinner is in a few hours and after Ilse comes back, we're gonna discuss the plan" reminded Natsu before he left the monster girl alone to her meditation.
"It must be hard for her. She acts all calm but I can sense the desperation and worry in her voice. Don't worry Altair, I promise you...I will save your sisters!" Natsu swore to himself as he walked away.
"Now, where's that bloody squirrel?" Natsu asked himself as he searched around.
"Right here"
"Huh?" Natsu looked up and was immediately pounced on. The Ratartoskr we all know and love immediately latched onto Natsu's head, causing Natsu to lose his balance and slip onto the ground.
"Ouch! That hurt Esme!" yelled Natsu.
"Oops! Tee-hee!" Esme simply winked back at the dragon slayer playfully.
"Anyways, you're feeling okay?" asked Natsu as he stood up and dusted the sand off from his vest.
"I'm good, just a little bit nervous is all for tomorrow" said Esme.
"Everyone is" assured Natsu.
"Even the doggo?" asked Esme.
"Which one? The short one or the tall one?"
"The tsundere one" stated Esme.
"Zaia's fine too. Although, she did say she was worried for me. I don't know why" answered Natsu.
"Natsu... it's not just her. All of us are worried for you. We don't want you to get hurt" explained Esme.
"I won't...I won't. I'll be careful tomorrow, so should you guys. The Holy Sovereign won't be merciful towards us, so we'll have to fight with all our strength tomorrow" added Natsu.
"I agree"
"Hmm? It's getting dark" said Natsu as he noticed the skies getting darker.
"Let's go to the mess hall. I'm sure everyone is already there. I hope Ilse's already back too"
"Sure, let's go!" Esme immediately climbed on top of Natsu's back as Natsu carried her to the village mess hall.
After a few minutes, the duo arrived at the mess hall and entered it. After they were inside, they could see everyone else were already there. Some of them were busy chatting while Bethany, Amber and Clara were inside the kitchen, preparing their dinner. Even Ilse had already came back.
"Ilse! You're back!" Natsu immediately walked up to her and hugged the Chimaera.
"Were you worried for me, Beloved?" asked Ilse.
"Always. So, got anything good to tell?"
"Loads. Though, we could discuss it together with the others after dinner. I'm starving" Ilse exclaimed.
"Sure. We've got plenty of time. Let's rest ourselves first" said Natsu as both of them joined the others and had their dinner together. It was a happy moment for the group. The calm before the storm.
Meanwhile, at the Sandstorm Desert Ancient Temple
"Have you fools gotten anything out of the Anubis caretakers?!" Inquistor Kra asked in anger.
"We... we're sorry Sir. They are unresponsive. We tried everything we could but they won't spill the information out" stated the soldier.
"Fine! Guess we'll have to do it my way. Bring in the explosives! We'll blow that door to ashes!" ordered Kra.
"But Sir...the explosives might destroy the artifact inside the room!"
"I don't care anymore! Just blow the goddamn door! To hell with the artifact!" yelled Inquisitor Kra. Day after day, torture after torture, Inquisitor Kra failed to acquire the methods to unlock the sacred door to the Pharaoh's Tomb from the caretakers.
"I don't think that would be a wise idea, Kra~" said a voice from behind him.
"That voice!" exclaimed Kra in shock as he turned around.
"Surprised?" asked the person as Kra turned around to face him.
"Master Gale! I'm sorry. I didn't expect your arrival!" Kra immediately bowed down and apologized to the him.
"That's because you shouldn't. I came here to check on your progress by the order of the High Leader. I was told that your...'interrogations' were unsuccessful. The High Leader feared that you might result to...how do I say this?...Reckless improvisations" explained Master Gale while smirking at Kra.
"Damn! How did that guy found out?" cursed Inquisitor Kra inside his head.
"Kra, I suggest that you don't refer to our master by 'that guy'. Unless, if you want to be executed where you stand" warned Master Gale as the wind around them gathered on Gale's hand. Slowly, the winds shined in a bright blue colour, forming two daggers on his hand. In a flash, the two daggers were immediately brought to Kra's neck.
The tip of the daggers pierced the skin slightly, causing a small drop of blood to form on Kra's neck. "I...I... I'm sorry! I'm sorry Master Gale! I won't repeat this mistake again! I swear by the Holy Order!" Kra's voice shook in fear as his life was on Master Gale's hand.
"You wanna know something Kra? I could just kill you right here and now...and have you replaced just as easily..." said Master Gale, as he tightened his grip to the daggers, pushing it slightly more into Kra's neck.
"...but I think I'll spare you for now. Killing you would be a waste of energy anyways. Though...if you repeat this again, I assure you, I'll separate your head from your body and hang it at our HQ's mess hall...as a friendly reminder to others of course" added Gale as he smiled sadistically. In an instance, the daggers quickly dissipated into air as Gale pulled his hand away from Kra.
The inquistor immediately dropped down to the ground on four legs, his face sweating heavily as he tries to catch his breath.
"Remember Kra, the wind always hears... everything" said Gale as he left Kra panting in fear on the floor.
Once he was outside the temple, Gale stared at the sunset. "Everything will go according to my plan. They'll make a move soon...and we'll be ready. For the Holy Ideal" said Gale to himself as his fingers fiddle with a necklace hanging around his neck.
Back with Kra
"Damn! That bastard! Humiliating me like that! In front of my soldiers no less! I'll get my revenge on you soon!" Kra said in anger as he punched the ground, cracking the sand-brick floor beneath him.
Meanwhile, after dinner, with Natsu And company, Village Meeting Room
After the joyful feast, the company decided it was high time that they begin the briefing. Everyone was gathered inside the room, as they sat around a round table, anxiously waiting for the discussion to start.
"Since everyone is already here, we might as well start the briefing. Altair, you're up first" said Natsu as Altair stood up and looked at her newfound friends.
"Before I begin, I would like to give you all my gratitude. If not that you agreed, all hope for my friends and I might be lost...so...thank you" Altair immediately bowed in gratitude. The others smiled back at the Anubis, as they felt glad that they were given a chance to help her regain her family again.
"...Now, I'll begin my part of the briefing. Around two and a half weeks ago, the Holy Sovereign sent a dozen squadron of their soldiers to raid the temple. They were led by an inquisitor called Kra. Their numbers completely overwhelmed us in an instant and my sister were locked up. I was the only one whom managed to escape" explained Altair.
"You said earlier that there was an inquistor leading them...Kra, am I right?" asked Tess.
"Yes, that is correct"
"Hmm...hey Esme! Got any info on that guy?" asked Natsu.
"Kra Haster or 'Sand God' Kra is one of the 15 inquisitors of the Holy Sovereign. Just like his super unoriginal nickname, he has the power of Sand Manipulation. Though, the extent of his powers are unknown..."paused Esme.
"And why is that?" asked Tess.
"Kra doesn't always use his power in battle, instead he relies on the sheer overwhelming numbers of his soldiers as well as the power of the technological weapons that was provided for them" explained Tess.
"I reckon we can beat him easily!" said Jade as she punched her two fists together.
"Maybe...but that's not the main problem. Just like with what happened with Altair and her sisters, they could easily surround us with the huge number of soldiers at their disposal. Even if we beat Kra, the squadrons are going to be a problem" said Esme.
"Esme's right. We still have to remember our real objectives. We have to save Altair's sisters and get them out of there safe and sound. If we confront our enemies, I'm not sure if even Beloved can stand a chance" added Ilse.
"Yeah...I don't doubt my strength, but there's a chance the enemy might overpower all of us by their numbers. We can't risk being spotted. The only way we could save them is by being stealthy" said Natsu.
While all of them were discussing the plan together, only Zaia was quiet. The Hellhound was leaning against the wall, listening in to each of their ideas while staying silent.
"Hey Zaia...are you okay? You're awfully silent" asked Amber.
"Who? Me? I'm fine. Though, I couldn't help thinking of something" said Zaia as she finally opened up to her concerns.
"What is it?" asked Tess.
"You said before to us, Altair...that the enemy took hold of the temple because they wanted to find something. I think it's time you tell us exactly what it is. What's inside the temple?" asked Zaia.
Altair became silent after she heard the question.
"Altair?" Natsu called out to her.
" *long sigh* Okay. I'll tell you all. Deep inside the temple, lies...the Tomb of Nawra" stated Altair, causing the others except Natsu and Zaia to gasp in shock.
"Wha...I don't get it. What's a Nawra?" asked Natsu, confused as to why the others were so shocked of the sudden revelation.
"Altair, do you mean...'that' Nawra *ribbit*?" asked Jade.
"Yes"
"Okay...could somebody explain to me what's going on?" Natsu asked again.
"Nawra, was a deity that was spoken of in the legends. A Pharaoh that was said to be able to bring life even to the harshest of the conditions. It was said that she was the one who created all of the oasises that exists throughout this desert" explained Esme.
"Yes...you are correct. We, the Anubis's, are the only remaining bloodline of the servants that used to serve the holy deity" added Altair.
"So, what is exactly inside the tomb that the enemy wants to take?" asked Natsu.
"I... don't know for sure. The entrance to the tomb is locked magically and we don't know how to unlock it. The only thing we were told to do by the previous Anubis caretakers was to protect the temple at any cost" explained Altair.
"Hey squirrel! Got any ideas?" asked Zaia.
"Altair's description is pretty vague. But, since it is locked up magically, we could only assume that the tomb must be filled with artifacts"
"Artifacts? What kind of artifacts?" asked Clara.
"Any kind. Weapons, ancient scripts, magical charms, you name it. Anything could be inside that temple. And if it falls to the wrong hands..." Esme paused, worry and concern was evident on her facial expression.
"It could possibly lead to the total destruction of the monster girl race" continued Altair.
"Then...we have no choice. We have to stop the Holy Sovereign and save Altair's sisters at the same time" said Natsu.
"That's a tall order. Do you think we can pull it off?" asked Bethany.
"Esme, what do you think? You're the smartest one here, no offense to the others. Is it possible?" asked Amber.
"It's... possible...maybe...-ish. But if we want to see this through till the end,we have to come up with a perfect plan. And everything has to go our way. One small flaw in the plan can immediately lead us to our demise" Esme explained seriously.
"So... what's the plan then?" asked Natsu.
"To start things off, we have to engage midnight tomorrow. At night, most of the soldiers are probably asleep, leaving a few to guard the outside posts. But there is a small problem" stated Esme.
"And what's the problem?"
"Patrol guards at night will constantly switch shifts, so even if we take the guards out, a second set of guards will come later. We'll have to have someone near the posts until the mission is finished to take care of all the guards" explained Esme.
"Ilse, you saw everything when you were flying earlier. How many posts are there?" asked Natsu.
"There's a couple of watch towers at the northern side of the temple, where the entrance is. There's also two small huts on the eastern and western side of the temple. The back of the temple is completely unguarded since there is no point of entry from that side" answered Ilse.
"Than that could be our way in" suggested Altair.
"Why does...Altair... think so?" asked Lala.
"There's actually a secret entrance into the temple from the back. But, how would we handle the patrol guards? Even if we sneak in from the back, there should be soldiers patrolling both the inside and outside of the temple" inquired Altair.
"Don't worry. You can leave it to me and Jade! We can handle them, easy!" said Tess as she volunteers both herself and her best friend to take out the patrol guards.
"We can *ribbit*?" asked Jade. Tess immediately punched her at her elbow causing the Mucus Toad to wince in pain.
"I-I mean y-yes! We can!" exclaimed Jade as she rubbed her sore elbow.
"That's one part of the plan done. Now, to the complicated part. We have two missions we have to complete, save Altair's sisters while at the same time recover the artifacts from inside of the tomb"
"I have a question. If neither Altair nor her sisters knows of the instructions on how to open the tomb, then the Holy Sovereign must not have the information as well. So why should we be worried about recovering the artifacts if it is physically unobtainable?" asked Freya.
"Because the magic seal itself might not matter at all" Esme answered simply.
"Why so?"
"We don't know what kind of tech the Holy Sovereign has. Hell, they might even blow the whole place up just to get inside that tomb. But, you do have a point. If the Holy Sovereign does have the capabilities to open the tomb, it would be opened long before and they would have probably already left. So, for now, it's safe to assume that..."
"...whatever is inside the tomb is still there." continued Freya.
"Correct. However, this is the Holy Sovereign we're talking about. They must have their own plans, so we can't bet that they won't find a way around the seal anytime soon" said Esme.
"You're really good at this planning thing, squirrel" complimented Ruby.
"Thanks. Now, back to our discussion, there will be two teams. The first one will rescue the prisoners and secure a safe path to escape from the temple. For the second team, you'll have to find some way to open the magic seal without alerting any of the guards...which means, no punching or destroying things" warned Esme, while looking straight into Natsu's eyes.
"What are you looking at me for? Zaia's the reckless one!" retorted Natsu causing the afformentioned Hellhound to growl in annoyance.
"Hey! You're the reckless one! Not me!" denied Zaia.
"Knock if off you two" said Amber.
"Sorry" both of them apologized simultaneously, earning a chuckle from the company.
"Back to the point, it's really important for you guys to not make much noise when infiltrating the temple. We don't wanna alert the whole Holy Sovereign"
"You're right...but how do we exactly unlock the magic seal. It's like you said, if the Holy Sovereign hasn't left yet, it means that they hadn't managed to open it so if they can't do it, what chances do we have?" questioned Clara.
"Don't fret my dear Holstaur sister. This follower of Hel feels that Natsu here will succeed in unlocking the seal" assured Clara.
"She's right. The magical seal will be unlocked by Natsu tomorrow" added Freya.
"What makes you so sure metal-head?" asked Zaia, snorting at the Valkyrie.
"I would be lying if I said that it's my gut feeling. But no, the sealed door will open itself tomorrow for Natsu. I can't tell you anymore as the rest is confidential information given to me by the Goddess before I left" explained Freya.
"If Freya is saying that, I guess we got that problem out of the way" said Natsu.
"Yeah. Moving on, Natsu and his team will take whatever artifact is inside there and extract it. Once you obtained it, get the hell out of there. Meet up with the other team and then we can initiate the final phase of this plan" said Esme.
"Which is?" inquired Bethany.
"The battle. Once we got everybody out, we'll take a stand with the Holy Sovereign and regain the temple. Since we'll begin the attack out of nowhere, we can take them by surprise and regain the temple quickly and efficiently. Tomorrow...the battle will be ours for the win..."
Around 24 hours later,
Natsu and company were ready. With the well thought out plan by Esme, they were prepared to take back the temple and make sure the Holy Sovereign doesn't succeed with their nefarious plan.
The groups were split into three. Tess and Jade were assigned to take out the watchtower guards and to keep an eye on the enemy movements while the other two teams infiltrate the temple.
"Tess, Jade, you can move in now!" said Natsu after he used his dragon senses to make sure the coast was clear.
With his order, the two friends sneakily started advancing towards the two watchtowers at the north side of the temple. The company waited anxiously, hoping that the duo could pull it off. Not long after, Tess and Jade were each at the left and right watchtower respectively.
As if their minds were one, both of them simultaneously climbed the tower at the same time. As they were climbing the wooden ladder slowly, they could see a couple of guards on top of the towers.
"C'mon. You guys can do this" Natsu muttered to himself, worried for the duo.
Soon, they were each at the top end of the ladders, just one more climb and they'll be on the tower's platform. Tess looked to her right and saw Jade looking right back at her, waiting for the signal to start their sneak attack.
Tess was patient. She waited for a while, for the time when the guards aren't looking over the tower for her chance. Beads of sweat running over her cheeks, her mind was flooded with a mixture of fear, concern and excitement.
"Please" Tess whispered to herself in desperation. Soon, her prayers were answered. Suddenly, the guards left the edge of the watchtower, and walked to the middle, seemingly conversing among themselves. Then, she looked over at Jade's watchtower and saw the guards leaning their backs against the tower, and was chatting.
Tess nodded back at Jade. The duo immediately jumped onto the platforms. The guards were immediately startled by their presence but it was too late.
"Art of Kobold: Silent Strike" chanted Tess. As she pulled out her dagger, she immediately pounced on the two guards and dealt multiple slashes on them and knocked them both onto the platform. Her strikes was as silent as the wind but was just as violent as a raging storm, and it took little effort for her to knock out the two guards.
Meanwhile, Jade was also not facing any difficulties. "Art Of Mucus Toad: Slimy Kicks". After she jumped on the platform, Jade immediately did a backflip kick right to one of the guards head, sending him flying to the corner of the tower. The other guard tried to reach over and grab his spear but was too late as Jade did a heel strike straight to his face. A sickening crunch was heard as the man immediately fell back first on the ground.
Jade's part was done. She immediately looked over towards Tess to see if she could be of any help. As she glanced, she saw that Tess was done as well. The two nodded at each other and Tess immediately pulled out a shiny yellow crystal from her pocket. Running to the edge of the watchtower, the Kobold immediately raised the crystal and waved it around.
With Natsu and the others,
"They actually did it!" cheered Esme.
"Meh, I could've done better" said Zaia while smiling.
"Now... it's our turn!" said Natsu. "Let's move"
The two other groups initiated their part of the plan. As they were no guards around now, they moved towards the east side of the temple. True to Ilse's word, there was a small hut and there were also a few soldiers patrolling around the area.
"If we were to be able to reach the hidden doorway at the south side of the temple, we have to take them out first" said Altair.
"Me and Clara will go. You guys wait here for a while. We'll give you a signal once we're done" said Natsu as he and his Banshee wife crept towards the hut.
"Clara you're up" said Natsu as he and Clara neared the hut.
"This follower of Hel shall not disappoint. Art of Banshee: Black Mist" chanted Clara. Using her powers, she conjured a wave of a pitch black fog. The dark fog slowly made it's way to the hut and soon, completely overwhelmed it.
The sudden mist alarmed all of the soldiers but there was nothing they could do as they vision was taken away from them. The mist separated them from each other, causing the soldiers to start yelling in search of their comrades. Big mistake.
"I'll take it from here. Thanks Clara" Natsu thanked her as he started moving towards the enemy hut. His fists were ignited in flames and he was ready to take them out.
As Natsu neared the hut, his vision too was reduced by the fog but he didn't need it. His enhanced sense of hearing helped him in pin-pointing the exact positions of the soldiers.
"Fire Dragon: Iron Fist!" Natsu chanted as he ran straight to one of the soldiers and immediately delivered a strong punch to his abdomen, knocking the soldier out in an instant.
"What was that? Are you all alright men?!" asked one of the soldiers as he heard the sound of the attack. The others heard it as well and became more alarmed.
Without the soldier noticing, Natsu appeared on his left side and immediately kicked his rib. The soldier spat out saliva in pain as he felt immense pain on his side. Even so, the soldier still managed to grab his spear and immediately started thrusting it towards Natsu, trying to stab him with it. With his quick reflexes, Natsu immediately side stepped to the right and grabbed the spear head.
"Nice try" said Natsu while smirking as he yanked the spear from the soldiers hand and used the blunt end of the spear to deliver an upward strike to the soldier's chin, sending him flying upwards briefly before gravity pulled him back down on the course sands.
"Two down, more to go" said Natsu. The dragon slayer continued his assault and took the guards out one by one effortlessly.
After a while, Natsu emerged from the camp victorious. Clara smiled after seeing the dragon slayer, knowing full well that Natsu didn't even had to go all out to take out the soldiers.
"It seems you had your fun" teased Clara.
"Meh...it was a good workout" said Natsu while smirking. Slowly, he approached Clara and kissed her lips for a short period. After that, he ignited his right fist in flames and waved it around, signalling the others to come as it was already safe.
Soon, the others arrived at the scene and one of them particularly was really shocked. "D-did you do all this, Natsu?" asked Altair.
"Did I do this...yes. Alone...no. Clara helped me" Natsu answered simply.
The Banshee blushed heavily after being praised by Natsu.
"We should start moving. There shouldn't be anymore soldiers at this side of the temple" said Esme as the company continued their plan. The group carefully moved across the east side and soon reached the back end of the temple.
"Altair... we're here. Where is it?" asked Natsu.
"Yeah...all I see in front of me is a dumb yellow wall" added Zaia sarcastically.
"The eye can only see so much. It is only with faith and trust can one see the hidden path, the true path" said Altair as she approached the wall. Raising her right hand, she immediately pressed her palm against the cold tough wall.
Almost silently, the Anubis chanted a mantra repeatedly. As she muttered the foreign words over and over again, the walls started to glow. Immediately, the bricks started disassembling themselves, creating a large doorway.
"Woah" exclaimed the group minus Altair and Zaia in shock.
"Welcome to my home" said Altair.
"Let's go inside. We don't have much time left" reminded Esme as the group entered the door into a dark hallway.
"No offense to Altair, but this place gives me the creeps" said Ruby.
"It is to be expected. This entrance had not been used for centuries" explained Altair.
After a while, the group had traversed across the pitch black hallway with Altair leading them to the end. Soon, they came across a brick wall.
"Dead end?" asked Zaia.
"No. This is the doorway that connects this hallway to the temple. This door supposedly opens to the temple's basement" explained Altair.
"So...our part begins now. You guys remember the plans right?" asked Esme.
"Yes. Me, Ruby and emo chick here will go to the brig, free Altair's sisters and take out all of the patrol guards to secure the path to the temple's front entrance" said Zaia.
"Emo chick?" Clara asked herself, confused about the 'not totally obvious' nickname Zaia gave her.
"Good. While you guys do that, we'll go the tomb, unlock the seal and take whatever is inside there before the Holy Sovereign gets their hands on it" added Natsu.
"So we're all good?" asked Esme, looking anxiously at them. Everything depends on them succeeding and they have no other choice but to see the plan through till the end.
All of them nodded simultaneously, with a determined grin on their faces. "I'm all fired up!" all of them chanted, as they were more ready than ever to stop the Holy Sovereign.
"We're good to go Altair"
"Then, may the Goddess's light help us" said Altair as she tapped her staff on the brick wall. With her tap, the brick wall started to glow. The bricks slowly rearranged themselves, creating a door shaped hall.
The group immediately stepped out of it and soon found themselves right at where they should be, the basement. The basement itself looked really abandoned, as if no one ever stepped foot there for ages.
"This is great. This means, the Holy Sovereign didn't place any guards near here. We should be clear for now" deduced Esme.
"We'll go first. See you guys on the other side!" said Zaia while smirking as she left with Ruby and Clara and made their way to the brig.
"Be careful okay. We'll meet up later for the final phase" reminded Natsu. Shortly after, the two groups parted ways, each with their own goals.
With Zaia, Ruby and Clara
"Where was the brig again?" asked Ruby.
"It should be at the top floor" answered Clara.
The trio crept slowly as they tried to find a way out of the basement. Soon, they found a set of stairs, one leading upwards, the other leading down. As they neared the door, suddenly Zaia raised her hand and stopped them.
"Why? What's wrong?" asked Ruby in whispers.
"Look" said Zaia. Once they looked closely, they saw a couple shadows stretching upon the stairs.
"Guards... we'll have to take them out. Ruby?"
"With pleasure" said Ruby as she moved silently to the stairs. Once she was near, she immediately hit her sword hand against the ground, creating a 'ding' noise. The guards were immediately alerted by the noise and raised their spears.
"Who goes there?!" asked one of the guards. The basement was quite dark and Ruby used it to her advantage. With no reply, the guards started feeling suspicious and went to check the noise.
Just as they reached the foot of the stairs, Ruby immediately attacked them, slashing their armour with brute strength, knocking them down.
"Couldn't you take any longer?" asked Zaia sarcastically as she walked towards Ruby.
"It's not like you could do it faster, not with those fluffy hands of yours" retorted Ruby, earning am angry growl from the Hellhound.
"Wanna bet then? I bet that I can take on the next guards in just 5 seconds" declared Zaia.
"I like to see you try, fluffy hands"
"Oh I will you stupid sword" said Zaia as they clashed heads, each of them growling at each other with a sense of rivalry. Clara whom witnessed the whole scene immediately sweat-dropped, as she found it weird but funny.
"Umm, you two...I hate to break this to you but we still have a mission to do" reminded Clara.
"We know goth chick!" said both of them simultaneously while looking menacingly at Carla.
"At least they're on the same page on certain things" Clara noted herself mentally.
The trio went up the stairs carefully, as the peeked over in all directions to see if there is any guards along the way. Luckily for them, they were no more guards as they climbed up the stairs.
"Strange...why are they no guards?" asked Clara.
"Maybe they're sleeping or something" suggested Zaia.
"Yeah, maybe all 12 battalion of them are sleeping" added Ruby sarcastically. "Something's wrong, let's just hope it doesn't come to the worst" continued Ruby.
Soon, the trio reached the third floor. By following the guide left by Altair to them, they navigated the large hallways, keeping an eye for both the enemies and the brig.
"It's so quiet"
"Yeah. Do you think the enemy had set up a trap at the brig?" asked Clara.
"No. I don't think so" said Zaia.
"Why?" asked Ruby.
"I don't smell anyone. In fact, I don't smell a soul at all. Which means, that no one had walked these hallways in a while. But why? Why would they leave the Anubiss in the brig unguarded?" asked Zaia.
"Guess we'll find out soon. We're close to the brig" said Ruby.
After a short while, they reached the entrance to the brig. It's entrance was blocked by a massive wooden door, covered with metal chains.
"Maybe that explains why they didn't need much security. Even a group of monster girls can't break out of that" said Zaia.
"Every prison is meant to be inpenetrable. However, the prisons still requires guards to watch over their captives. Zaia, you've been captured by them before. They locked you guys up pretty tight from what Natsu told me, but they still provided guards" explained Ruby.
"Do you think they're baiting us?" asked Zaia.
"Maybe. But we can't give up now. Let's just stick to the plan" suggested Clara.
"You're right" said Ruby.
"Okay then. So...you guys have any ideas on how to break this bad boy open?" asked Zaia.
"Ruby, can you cut the chains?" asked Clara.
"Easily! Once again, Ruby is back to the rescue!" said Ruby as she went near the door.
"Art Of Cursed Sword: Infinity Slashes!" chanted Ruby as she channeled the energy inside her towards her sword arm. Using her powers, she amplified the strength and speed on that one particular arm. After she was done, she immediately unleashed a flurry of sword strikes and sliced the thick metal chains into half.
"You have to admit it Zaia, she's good" whispered Clara to Zaia only to receive a snort from her.
"Like hell I will" replied Zaia.
"Shall we enter then?" asked Ruby.
"Yeah, but be careful, we don't know what to expect in there" said Zaia.
Zaia walked closer to the wooden door until she was right in front of it. The door creaked as Zaia pushed it open slowly. Now, with the door fully open, the trio entered the chamber and found numerous locked rooms.
"I didn't expect the brig to be this big" stated Ruby.
"Yeah, what should we do now?" asked Clara.
"We'll split up. Makes searching for them faster" said Zaia.
Ruby and Clara agreed on the idea and the trio splited up. Zaia searched the left side, Clara on the right and Ruby went to the middle section.
After a while, one of them heard faint voices during her search. "They're near here" said Zaia.
"Guys! I think I found them!" yelled Zaia.
Soon, the other two came towards Zaia. "Follow me, they're somewhere here" said Zaia as the trio kept quiet and tried to find the source of the voices.
"H-help us"
"The voices are getting louder. They must be really close. Check all the doors" ordered Zaia.
The trio went on and inspected every prison room near them, peaking through the slight openings at each of the small doors to find any sign of life.
"I found them!" yelled out Ruby.
Zaia and Clara immediately walked to the door and peaked inside. Both of them could see a group of monster girls lying inside the room.
"Hey! Are you guys okay in there?!" asked Zaia.
"We-we're okay. Who are you people?" asked one of the Anubis's inside.
"Backup. Now stand away from the door" ordered Zaia. The Anubis's immediately stood up and backed away.
"Art Of Hellhound: Fury Punch!" Zaia chanted, immediately punching the door with her fist, blowing it into smitherins.
With the door gone, they immediately stepped inside the room. "H-how did you guys get passed the guards?" asked one of the Anubis.
"Guards? The only guards we saw was the ones at the basement stairs earlier" answered Clara.
"Huh? Did they leave?"
"No. At least not yet. Are you guys fine with walking?" asked Ruby.
"Yes. We can walk. The Holy Sovereign didn't hurt us too bad. They kept us alive for their interrogations. If it's not a bother, who sent you to rescue us?" asked the Anubis.
"Altair" answered Zaia simply.
"Sister Altair. So she did manage to escape"
"Yeah, and now we're going to escape as well. Follow us" said Ruby as the group left the brig and heads straight to the temple's entrance.
"If Tess and Jade did their jobs, our path to escape should be secured" said Clara.
"Yeah. But something feels wrong. No guards, no nothing. I just hope Natsu's okay" prayed Zaia.
With Natsu, Esme and Altair
"So, where should we go Altair?" asked Natsu.
"The tomb is here right in this basement. Though, it's not close to where we are. We need to travel through a few windy hallways before we get there" explained Altair.
"Lead the way then" said Natsu.
Altair guided the duo as they traveled for half an hour, moving across different sets of hallways until they finally reached the tomb.
"There it is. The Tomb Of Nawra" introduced Altair as they reached the location. In front of them was a huge blocked archway made with sand bricks. The archway was decorated with strange unknown carvings with beautiful jewels embedded in them.
"This place is beautiful" remarked Esme.
"It always is. I came here every day, since I was a child, gazing upon this very archway, admiring it's beauty, praying that one day, I might open it to find out what's inside. Thanks to you, that day, is today" said Altair, smiling towards Natsu.
"Well Natsu, it's your turn" said Esme.
"But, how am I supposed to open it?" asked Natsu.
"I don't know...try getting near it or something. Freya did say the door will open for you" reasoned Esme.
Nodding to her, the dragon slayer slowly approached the archway. Once he was near, Natsu touched the archway, hoping for something to happen...but nothing did.
Natsu immediately turned around, looking at the duo with a confused face.
"I...I don't get it. Freya said the door was supposed to open" questioned Natsu.
"Umm Natsu..."
"Did we miss something?" continued Natsu, not realising that Esme was trying to get his attention.
"Natsu..."
"Maybe we can try punching the seal open. That could work"
"Natsu!"
"Huh?"
"Look behind you" said Esme.
Natsu slowly turned around and what he saw shocked him. The archway was glowing a bright yellow colour, the symbols etched around the archway begin moving in a circular formation surrounding it.
"Umm, Altair?"
"Don't ask me! This is first time it did this in history" said Altair.
The trio watched as the archway began undergoing a magnificent transformation. The sand bricks that were blocking the archway moved away, creating an opening to the tomb. Soon, the light died down, leaving the archway opened for Natsu, Esme and Altair to enter the tomb.
"Lady's first?" asked Natsu.
The trio stepped into the archway and found themselves in a rather short path.
"I think I see some light up ahead" stated Esme.
"Yeah, I see it too. Let's go" said Natsu as the trio went to the light. As they stepped out from the dark hallway, they found themselves inside the sacred tomb. And they were shocked beyond belief.
Surrounding them was heaps upon heaps of gold and jewel. The treasures inside the tomb shone brightly, enticing them.
"Wow, I've never seen this much treasure before!" exclaimed Esme in shock.
"So this is where it all was. They kept all the treasures from the past here" said Altair.
"Yeah...after the start of the war, the deity and the followers must have had moved them here and locked this tomb with magic to prevent anyone from opening it" deduced Esme.
"Even so, why did it unlock for me? What's the purpose?" asked Natsu.
"I...I don't know. Maybe we'll find out" said Esme.
"Okay, focus guys. We need to find the artifacts that the Holy Sovereign wants. It must be somewhere here. Esme...any ideas on what kind of artifact it might be?" asked Natsu.
"I have a vague idea. Look for something that looks like a gem" answered Esme.
"A gem? We're surrounded by them. Which one?" asked Altair.
"It's a special kind of gem. It's said that Nawra used to wear a necklace where a sapphire is fitted into it. That gem might be the one the Holy Sovereign wants" explained Esme.
"Even so, how do we differentiate it from any other normal sapphires here?" asked Natsu.
"You'll know it when you see it" stated Esme simply.
With a very little idea on what they need to find, the trio started their search. They splitted up to cover more ground with Altair going left, Esme going right and Natsu went ahead.
With haste, they began digging through the pile of gold and jewelry in search of the gem they needed. However, with only the three of them, the task proved to be quite impossible.
Natsu heads straight forward as he tried to search for the gem as well. As he kept moving, soon he found himself to a strange clearing. In the middle, there was a strange object, sitting idly.
"Hey guys! I think I found something!" Natsu called out to Esme and Altair.
"What is it?" asked Altair as she and Esme arrived near Natsu.
"That" Natsu stated as he pointed to the object in the middle of the clearing.
"Let's take a close look!" said Esme as she dragged the duo near the object. As they walked closer, they began to recognise the object.
"It's a coffin!" yelled Natsu.
"Yeah we know. Do you think? Could it be her's?" asked Esme.
"There's only one way to find out" said Altair as the Anubis crept closer to the coffin. The coffin itself was clearly made of gold and dozens of beautiful jewels were encrusted into it.
"Wow! Beautiful!" exclaimed Esme.
"Here lies Nawra, the Great Pharaoh" muttered Altair as she translated the pictographs etched on the surface of the coffin.
"Esme, you said that the Pharaoh wears the necklace with her all the time right?" asked Natsu.
"Yeah?"
"So, what if we open the coffin. The necklace and the gem might be buried with her" suggested Natsu.
"Are you insane? We can't just open the coffin!" yelled Esme towards Natsu.
"Why?"
"Cause it's disrespectful. Tell him Altair" said Esme.
"I agree with Esme. This tomb is sacred and it must be kept as it is" added Altair.
"Fine!" said Natsu. Even so, Natsu walked near the coffin to inspect it one last time before they leave to an other part of the tomb to find the necklace. Once he was near, he couldn't help but trace his fingers along the coffin.
As soon as his fingers made contact with it, the coffin top immediately exploded upwards, knocking the trio away. Luckily, the impact didn't hurt them to badly.
"Natsu! I told you not to open it!" yelled Esme.
"Why are you yelling at me for? I didn't do anything! I just touched it and it blew up!" retorted Natsu.
The trio stood up and dusted themselves. They walked back to the opened coffin to try and see what's inside now that is is opened.
"What...the...hell?" Natsu asked himself in shock as he saw the content inside the coffin.
"This is impossible!" exclaimed Altair as her body shook.
Inside the coffin, was a woman lying down on her back. She seemed to be unconscious as her body laid there stiffly. (For the description of the monster girl, look up 'Pharaoh' Monster Girl Encyclopedia). Besides her was a strangely shaped cane-like staff.
"Guys...look" Esme called them as she pointed to a necklace around the woman's neck. Attached to the necklace was an abnormally shiny sapphire gem. The jewel glitters so beautifully, as if all the stars in the universe existed inside it
"That's the gem!" exclaimed Natsu. The dragon slowly stretched his hand, trying to grab hold of the necklace.
"If you want this necklace so badly, you could've just asked" said a female voice suddenly, startling the trio.
Immediately, the woman inside the coffin levitated upwards into mid-air. As her body floats magnetically, it immediately repositioned itself to float vertically. Slowly, the woman descended onto the ground.
"I'm sorry about that. Did I startle you all?" asked the woman.
"How can this be?" asked Esme.
" 'O' mighty and beautiful Nawra. I, on behalf on my friends here apologize for our rude actions" apologized Altair as she bowed to the Pharaoh.
"Such a cute Anubis. It's fine, you people didn't do anything to offend me" said the Pharaoh.
"So, are you actually Nawra?" asked Natsu.
"Yes...and no."
"Huh?" questioned Natsu whom was confused by her answer.
"I was once Nawra, the Great Pharaoh, but now, I'm just a normal monster girl" explained Nawra.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Esme.
"Right after the war started, the Goddess herself asked me to hide as the humans will continue to hunt me down. However, she did told me that one day, The One will fix all that has been wronged. I wanted to live and see that day with my own eyes. So...I sealed myself inside this tomb. Using almost every ounce of magic I had, I created this coffin that would sustain my body until the day The One comes to free me" explained Nawra.
"My dear Master, does that mean that..." Altair was interrupted by Nawra whom continued her sentence.
"Yes. The One is non other than you, Natsu Dragneel" said Nawra.
"What?! Why is it me?" asked Natsu as he was shocked by the sudden revelation.
"I do not have the answer to that. Only the Goddess does. However, I can say this...you are destined for greatness, Natsu Dragneel. Both here and your world"
"You know that I'm not from here?" asked Natsu.
"I do. Your aura is different from those whom are born in this world. The magical energy that exists inside of you, it's much purer, much stronger than normal. There's also something else..." said Nawra but she stopped.
"What else is there?" asked Natsu.
"Nevermind. Back to the point, you three are here for this, am I right?" asked Nawra as she fiddled with her necklace.
"Yes. We need to secure it before the Holy Sovereign does" stated Esme.
"The Holy Sovereign?"
"They are people that believes in the Holy Order. They want to destroy all of monster girls in this world" explained Esme.
"So, the seeds of hatred still grows to this day. I presume that this people have already taken hold of my temple?" asked Nawra.
"Yes. They want the gem as well. So that is why, we must stop them" said Altair.
"Hmm... I'll help you. However, forgive me, for my powers are not as strong as they used to be" Nawra apologized.
"Don't worry, you'll do great. We need all the help we can get" assured Natsu.
"You are pretty charming if I do say so myself, Natsu Dragneel" complimented Nawra, causing Natsu to blush.
"Thanks"
"Now, if I'm correct about this, you must have a plan to take this Holy Sovereign on, don't you? Care to share with me?" asked Nawra.
Esme immediately explained the plan to Nawra, whom understood everything.
"Let's go then. We can't keep the others waiting!" said Nawra enthusiastically.
Now, the new four people company immediately moved out of the tomb and heads straight to the top. If everything goes according to plan, they could initiate the final phase of their plan and take the Holy Sovereign by surprise.
Once the group travelled up a few set of stairs, they found themselves at the ground level of the temple.
"Follow me!" said Altair. "If we go this way, we'll get to the entrance of the temple, and we could meet up with the others" continued Altair.
Natsu, Nawra and Esme immediately followed the Anubis as they race to the entrance. Soon, the entrance entered their vision.
" C'mon! We're almost there. The others should be near" said Altair. However, just as they were about to exit through the entrance of the temple...
"Going somewhere?" a wicked voice asked suddenly. The group immediately stopped and looked behind them. Standing just a few metres behind them was non other than Gale himself.
"Who the fuck are you?" asked Natsu, growling at him.
"He-he's Gale. One of the Ten Gates of the Holy Order" stated Zaia in a horrified tone.
" *chuckle* At least someone recognises me. Even though, it is a filthy monster girl" mocked Gale.
"You son of a bitch!" Natsu was furious when he heard what Esme was referred to by Gale. Natsu was ready to strike the man down then and there but Gale did something to stop him in his tracks.
"You want to hurt me? I wouldn't do that if I were you" said Gale sinisterly as he raised his right hand. Soon, Inquisitor Kra and more than five dozen soldiers appeared. Amongst them, was three familiar monster girls with a bunch of Anubiss tied up.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Tess in fear.
"So, what is it going to be, Natsu Dragneel? Are you still going to attack me?!" asked Gale in a challenging tone.
"We're sorry Natsu. They got us good" said Zaia.
"Shit"