Chapter 87:
The air in the hall was heavy, smelling of an odd mix of ozone and sulfur. Such a strange mix yet it perfectly described the magic that saturated the air and created it. Everyone sat on the edge, staring at their new guild master who sat on one of the tables, legs on the bench with such a glare fixed on his face that it seemed if he turned that look on anyone, they would drop dead. Natsu truly felt the urge to strangle someone in a way he hadn't felt for years. And considering everything he went through recently that was saying something.
"Ultear and Mira have arrived at the former chairman's place," Levy said over the quiet talking of the guild, unnecessarily loudly considering Natsu was pretty much capable of picking out every conversation currently going on in the guildhall. He gave a short nod, clenching his jaw as he suddenly hated accepting the position of the master that apparently required for him to stay inside the guild in a time like this. He needed something to do or he will kill someone in here accidentally. His expression darkened as he glared at the doors of the guild.
Jellal was just glad the dragon wasn't looking at him at that moment even as he continued to talk to him.
"You have no idea what Tartaros would want with the council?" Natsu's voice was deceptively calm. Jellal dared a glance at the dragon who was still glaring at the doors of the guild, as if it was their fault they did not know where to look for Tartaros.
"It's not that I have no idea, it's that I have too many ideas," Jellal muttered, regretting it almost instantly when those red eyes turned to him and he flinched before he could stop himself. If Natsu noticed he did not acknowledge it. "Then start listing"
Jellal stayed quiet for a moment, obviously thinking. After a moment his expression turned from thoughtful to horrified and he looked at Natsu, "You said they are all demons, right?"
Natsu nodded, staring at him and Jellal swallowed, "Face"
"Face?" Natsu repeated, wondering if he heard correctly.
"It's a weapon controlled by the council," Jellal explained, his voice growing more serious and surer as he turned the idea in his head again. It made sense that they were after it. "It would destroy all the magic on the continent"
The guild fell silent again and Natsu stared at him, anger fading to disbelief for a brief moment before realization dawned on him. A growl escaped his throat. Erza stood beside them in an instant, "Why does the council even has something like that? How would it even work?"
"I…," Jellal hesitated before shrugging helplessly, "I am unsure. My guess would involve Magical Barrier Particles spread in enough quantity to cover the continent"
Erza's eyes widened, "That would…"
"Make all the mages dead or useless and give curse-users free rein to do as they pleased," Natsu hissed. "What would possess anyone to create something like this?!"
Jellal paused, and Natsu knew immediately he wouldn't like the answer. "It was actually made centuries ago just as the war with the dragons ended. It was made as a last resort should they attack again"
Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose, not quite sure how to deal with the amount of stupidity such a plan would require. "And in response, they decided to just poison the air?"
It was a rhetorical question but Natsu's stomach turned to lead. If Tartaros managed to enable Face to fire… The Floating Island was above Fiore. There was a very real possibility that they would be caught in the blast. Fury almost made him stumble as it returned full force.
"How would Tartaros know about this? I assume it was a well-kept secret?", he barely managed to talk with anger making every muscle in his body clench painfully, his mind miles above him on the Island that held the last of the dragon kind, in the infirmary with his son who still hasn't woken up and Laxus who still might die.
Jellal shrugged, "It was. Only the highest seats in the council were even privy to the complete info about the Face, the rest of us were just told the basics. I don't even know – Natsu?"
The dragon was standing now, eyes wide. Blood rushed in his ears, deafening, and he looked at Jellal for a brief moment with such an expression of horror that Jellal could do nothing but stare back. Natsu's mouth opened for a brief second and then his teeth clenched, suddenly longer and sharper than they have been and before Jellal could ask what was wrong, the dragon disappeared through the Void.
Everyone stared after their master and Jellal went over what he had said, trying to figure out what the hell was happening. It was Erza who supplied him with the answer, her eyes also wide as she stared at him. "Mira and Ultear," she breathed out. Jellal looked at her confused for a moment before he looked back where Natsu had stood, realization dawning. "You don't think… the former chairman…?"
"Shit," Jellal spat, jumping to his feet, curses and profanities leaving his lips he wasn't even aware he knew.
"He – he could be wrong, right?" Annie's voice made him look at the girl who hasn't said a word for hours. Her face drawn and pale, still filled with horror from what happened to Arthur, now tinged green at the thought that her mothers might die as well. Jellal stood up, uncertain of what to do. The girl looked ready to faint.
"He could," Erza nodded, though while she sounded hopeful, she certainly didn't sound convinced.
"Do you know what Tartaros is after?" Ultear asked, hands clasped around the cup of steaming tea. The former chairman scratched his chin, hidden underneath the thick beard. "That is a good question, one I asked myself since I saw what happened to my poor colleagues," he sighed heavily, looking into his own tea, "Terrible, terrible"
Mira took a sip of the golden liquid, "There must be something you could tell us. Surely as a former chairman, you can think of something?"
Crawford frowned, staring at Mira for a good moment before a grin broke his face and Ultear raised an eyebrow. "I knew I've seen you before," Mira's eyes widened in horror, face turning an interesting shade of red and Ultear turned to stare at her. "She was a model," Ultear said, not sure if that was what he was referring to but it was the only thing that might make Mira turn red like that… though it never did before.
"You interrupted our trial of Mr. Souleater and pretended to be him!"
Ultear's mouth fell open, turning to Mira who ducked her head and tried to hide her face in her cup. "You what?"
Mira sighed, looking away with pursed lips, "It happened before we met you. Natsu was asked to come to the council for some sort of formality… I did not know that"
"And she managed to get them both sent into a cell for a night," Crawford finished happily. Ultear blinked at Mira, choking on her tea a moment later. "He asked for separate cells if I recall correctly," Crawford continued and Ultear swallowed, now laughing with her head thrown back.
"He was a bit… miffed," Mira muttered, glaring at Ultear who gasped for air, still laughing. "Could we please talk about why we came here, it's far more important than one of the most embarrassing moments of my life"
"I'd beg to differ," Ultear grinned at her, but turned serious with a nod, "But yes, we are here about Tartaros. You have to tell us something, sir. I know you are sworn to secrecy but certainly, this is more important"
"Certainly," Crawford replied with a frown, looking at the cups in front of the girls. "How do you like your tea? I made it myself"
The two women frowned, sharing a brief look. "It is delicious, but please could we stay on topic," Mira said. Crawford nodded, raising his hands apologetically. "Of course, I'm sorry. It's just been a while since I talked to anyone. Let's see… what could Tartaros want… there are many weapons and secrets the council guards. For example, with the council crippled as it is, Etherion cannot be fired – maybe that was their goal"
Ultear shook her head, "If that was the case, they wouldn't be killing off the former members as well"
Mira suddenly stood up, accidentally knocking down her cup and spilling the tea over the wood but her eyes were not on the cup but on the window. Ultear was standing a moment later, looking outside as well. "They are here," the time mage hissed and Crawford paled. "Tartaros?!"
"Stay inside, sir," Mira instructed, the two women moving outside quickly. Thirty men in black and silver armor stood around the house, red eyes from underneath the helm staring at the two mages.
Mira cracked her knuckles, magic flaring around her and Ultear brought her hands up, her orb flying in a circle around her, leaving its past copies behind.
Wings spread behind the white-haired mage, her Satan soul clear for all to see. "Let's teach them not to mess with Fairy Tail," Mira growled and Ultear nodded in agreement. "They will pay for what they did"
The men rushed at them, two steps down the clearing before dozen disappeared in a purple blast, Mira's furious gaze locked on the remains, smoke rising from her outstretched hand. Ultear was moving as well, her own magic turning the undergrowth around them to a jungle of her own making. One soldier came behind her only for her orb to slam into his head, the helmet dented and a sickening crunch was heard and the man fell to the ground. Mira twisted in the air, picking off another five as they came towards her and Ultear trusted her hand in front of her, shouting the final spell that reduced the last soldiers into a paste as the orbs around them suddenly plummeted into them.
Mira stood still for a moment, waiting for someone else to appear out of the woods that surrounded them. Her nostrils flared and she looked at Ultear who looked just as much on the edge as Mira felt. "This was too easy," Mira said, her hair falling around her shoulders as she dispelled the takeover. Ultear nodded, staring around the clearing and then glancing back towards the house.
She stumbled, the floor underneath her feet suddenly tilting and she gave a strangled gasp, her vision blurring. Mira moved towards her, the other woman's name dying on her lips as she collapsed into the dirt moments after Ultear.
Crawford peeked out of the house, watching the slaughtered demons with a scowl before his eyes fell on the unconscious forms of Ultear and Mirajane and yellow teeth spread into a grin underneath the white beard. He walked towards them, picking both women up quickly, chuckling. "My, my," he said to himself, "This was almost too easy"
The figure fell out of the sky like a meteor, black and red magic crackling around him. Blood red wings spread behind his back, tail with a blade on the end coiled around him like a serpent. Red eyes framed in black scales looked around the quiet clearing, immediately seeing the dead demons lying in the grass, their blood still wet.
"Mira!" he called, eyes moving across the bodies, "Ultear!"
When no one answered he shot towards the house like a bullet, lifting off of the grass and flying towards the wooden doors, not even bothering to slow down as he slammed into them, knocking them down and landing on his clawed feet. He growled in frustration when he saw no one and sniffed the air. The stench of herbs in the air made his head swim for a moment. The headache he had since morning, turned into a migraine since he transformed, now slammed into the back of his eyelids like a hammer, making him close his eyes with a wince. He pushed past it, for there was no time to stop because of a simple headache.
They have definitely been here recently. He looked at the table, eyes falling on the bag with Fairy Tail's symbol on it and a bulge inside which he knew was the communication lacrima. He grabbed the bag off of the chair with a jerk. He looked at the table, the teacups innocently sitting there, one turned over and he walked closer, picking the fallen cup and taking a deep breath. Mira's lilac lipstick hit his nose but underneath it chamomile tea and… he snarled at the cup, hurtling the decorated ceramic into the wall. It was spiked.
"To Ankhseram with you, Crawford," Natsu snarled, magic dancing around him, and with a roar, he slammed both hands into the ground, a black and red sphere spreading around him and the house exploded outwards, obliterated. He stayed with his hands on the floor, the taste of copper on his tongue as he growled, "You will not know what hit you, you fat bastard"
He shot again into the air, the roof along with most of the walls gone and not hindering his quick exit. He flew as fast as he could, uncaring of the strain he felt and he knew that Acnologia and Himmel were right. He was not ready for this. Something warm trickled down his chin and he almost hesitantly moved a hand to his chin, not slowing down at all. His fingers came back red and he clenched his teeth in anger. He shouldn't have let them go alone. He should've gone with them as he wanted to, not let them talk him out of it. He let Arthur and Annie go alone and look at what happened.
He will make Crawford suffer. He followed the scent like a bloodhound, mile after mile eaten away by his speed. Unheeded, the black poison gathered on his claws and he flexed his fingers automatically. Yes, Crawford better hopes he's dead already by the time Natsu comes knocking on the door. The bag on his shoulder opened and the lacrima almost fell out. The dragon caught it in the last second, glancing down at the blue orb as if he forgot he had it with him. He looked back up, an island – a cube – flying in the middle of the sky and he knew he found it. The Tartaros headquarters. His lips pulled over his lips into a mockery of a grin. He looked back at the lacrima in his hand and after a moment of hesitation, activated it.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Jellal asked, confused and worried as he looked at the smoking ruin of what had to be the former chairman's home. "Of course, I am," Gajeel snorted, looking around, arms crossed over his chest.
"Levy said this is it," Happy acknowledged, looking around. "Though I don't see a sign of Mira, Ultear or Natsu. Maybe he took them back to the guild and we missed them," the blue cat supplied.
"I doubt that," Lilly shook his head, white wings spread around him as the small group moved towards the house. "I mean he would've contacted us"
"Something happened here, though," Gajeel said, moving through the debris, his nose twitching. "It smells like Souleater so he was definitely here"
"And the girls?" Jellal asked, hopeful.
Gajeel shrugged, "The only residue of their scent, not enough to track any of them"
"So… what?" Happy frowned. "We just go back to the guild without Mira, Ultear, and Natsu?" The small cat paused, an odd expression on his face, "Uh... Master?"
The iron dragon slayer gave his wheezing chuckle in response, "That still sounds so weird"
"It will take some time getting used to," Jellal agreed with a small grin. He sighed then, once again looking around. "If he doesn't contact us, I guess the best we can do is go back to the guild"
As if summoned by his words the lacrima in Jellal's bag gave a shudder and the mage quickly pulled it, almost dropping it in his haste. "Natsu?!"
There was no response from the other line, only the sound of rushing wind and moving scenery and it took Jellal a moment to realize the dragon was flying. And then he realized what the dragon was showing them. "Gajeel!", the mage yelled, pointing at the cube they could both see in the distance, rapidly growing closer. "Shit!" Gajeel cursed, eyes wide, "No wonder we couldn't find them! They are moving the fucking hall with them!"
"The coordinates," Jellal muttered frantically, fiddling with the lacrima before a set of coordinates appeared above it, and just as suddenly as the dragon had called them, he hung up, moments before he landed on the cubic island.
"We have to get there," Gajeel said, Lily already grabbing the back of his shirt with his paws, Happy doing the same for Jellal who shook his head, "We have to tell the guild"
"By the time we get everyone together that cube thing will move and we might not be able to get to Natsu," Gajeel pointed out and Jellal frowned before he took of his bag and threw it at Gajeel who easily caught it. "You go after him, make sure you are not seen and contact us when you get the chance, I'll go and get the guild ready"
The two men exchanged a nod before the cats lifted them into the air, carrying them each in their own directions.
Doranbolt shifted uneasily in his seat again, fiddling with the expensive coat he was given to signify his sudden status. Warrod sat perfectly calm in his own chair, apparently completely used to being in the same room as one of the most important people in the country. Maybe even the most important person in the country.
Toma E. Fiore cleared his throat, interlacing his fingers as he looked at the two men. "This is… very serious," he finally said after minutes of silence that followed Doranbolt's retelling of the Massacre at Era. "But, truth to be told, that is not why I called you here. Well, not the only reason," the king waved a hand through the air and a servant presented the three with newspapers. Doranbolt grimaced, knowing exactly what the king wanted to know. He glanced at Warrod, who could pass for a wooden statue with how much he moved during the whole conversation.
"This is about Souleater," Warrod spoke and the king nodded. "I will not ask if this is true," Toma said much to Doranbolt's surprise. The king saw it and smiled to himself, "I know only the basics of magic and how it works. That is why there is a Magic Council, after all. We all own Souleater a debt for what he did so I will not question the truth of this statement. There is obviously something that isn't being said but if I asked if this is true, I would be either forced to do something I do not want to or you would be forced to lie"
He smiled again, folding the newspaper and putting it aside. "No, I do not want to know where did Souleater disappear to for half a year. I want to know how certain you are that he can be trusted"
Before Warrod could respond, Doranbolt already opened his mouth. "Absolutely," and it wasn't even a lie. Doranbolt's face was serious and the king looked him in the eyes for a moment, the two holding each other's gaze until the king looked at Warrod who simply nodded, glancing at Doranbolt.
The king paused, then nodded, another smile on his old face. "Good"
Doranbolt wondered since when did the king care about Souleater. He didn't ask and the king didn't elaborate. Toma's face turned serious again and the king sighed, rubbing his forehead for a moment before he spoke, "Now… about Tartaros -"
"Are you certain that no one can find this place, Franmalth?" Crawford asked, glancing out of the window with a frown. Franmalth cackled where he walked beside him. "I'm certain, dear Crawford," he laughed again, "How could anyone find it I wonder? How I wonder?"
Crawford shrugged, "After what happened to my house, I am glad you're so certain. This better pays off, Franmalth. I spent my entire savings on that house and now it's in ruins. Do you have any idea how much money that is? Gone!"
"How much? How much?" Franmalth chuckled again. "Don't worry. Once Tartaros reshapes the world we will know who helped. You will be compensated for your house and then some"
Crawford grinned, yellowed teeth gleaming under the white beard. "Have you looked into Souleater as I told you?"
Franmalth waved his hand dismissively through the air, "We have time for that yet. It's not like he will -"
"What's that?" Crawford interrupted him and Franmalth scowled in annoyance. "What is what?"
Crawford's mouth fell open as he pointed at the rapidly approaching shape but he didn't say anything else before Natsu was upon him already. The dragon pressed his legs into Crawford's chest as he landed, hands wrapped around his head. He roared upon his entry, adjusting the grip he had on Crawford's terrified face too fast for anyone to react and pressed his thumbs through the man's eyes.
Franmalth watched in shock as Crawford collapsed screaming, black tar-like substance dripping out of the crushed eyes and mixing with blood. Natsu growled, his nose inches away from Crawford's. "May you rot for eternity, you bastard. Ankhseram curse you!"
Crawford started trashing, the veins around his eyes suddenly turning black, his face losing all its color.
Franmalth watched with growing shock as the former chairman became hysterical, trashing and howling, blackness spreading through his veins, his skin drying and cracking. They must've stood there for minutes, Franmalth reflected in shock later, when Crawford finally fell silent, but not dead, still twitching and trashing.
And when he did Franmalth remembered with a start that there was an intruder in the halls. His gaze snapped to the pink-haired mage. No, not a mage. Franmalth could feel his eye widen even further as he took notice of the curved horns and red eyes. A demon. He stared, mouth opening and closing in shock. If he didn't know any better, he would've…
"Where are my wives?"
"My how much will this cost? How much?" Franmalth finally found his voice, looking at the hole in the wall and the dead former chairman. Natsu snarled in response, his tail lashing out and slamming straight into Franmalth's head with such speed and strength it left the smaller demon reeling. "Do not play coy with me, where are Ultear and Mira?"
"Is that any way to ask? Barging into people's homes and then demanding answers? Who thought you manners?"
Franmalth jumped to his feet, spikes erupting from his back and a grin splitting his face as the metal armor he was wearing fell off. "Silver! Grand timing," the green demon looked back at Natsu who was now turned with his back to the wall, on left Silver, on right Franmalth. "How much is his soul worth you think, Silver? How much?"
Silver smirked, crossing his hands over his chest, "Priceless"
Natsu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Cold, simmering fury is always better than blinding rage. He looked at the newcomer, immediately noting he was no demon. He actually looked familiar. "Who are you?"
"Silver," the black-haired mage responded with a sharp grin. "It is nice to finally meet you Mr. Souleater"
"That's him?!" Franmalth said, staring at the demon. Could it be? Could he be…?
Silver looked back at his fellow guildmate with a frown, "You actually didn't know? That's… rather ignorant"
Natsu shook his head, both hands suddenly wrapped in chaos energy as he pointed his palms at the two. "I am not here to talk. We passed that point when Laxus was poisoned"
Silver's eyes widened and he jumped away just as the beam of energy spread out of Natsu's hands, Franmalth doing the same. Franmalth snarled as another part of the hallway exploded. "How many souls will that cost?! How many?!"
"Only your own," Natsu was standing in front of him. He slammed the palm of his hand with all his strength into the demon's head and Franmalth was sent flying but he didn't have time to follow him before he ducked under a blast of ice coming out of Silver's hand and the dragon prince knew immediately why the man was familiar. "Who is Gray Fullbuster to you?"
Any trace of a smug smirk disappeared from Silver's face. "Don't say that filthy name"
Natsu gave a mockery of a smile to Silver. "A son, then?"
Silver's face darkened even further and he slashed through the air with his hand, the air suddenly beyond freezing and Natsu twisted out of the way of the first wave, the second catching the fingers of his barely healed hand and he grimaced. He sent a blast of black-and-red energy at Silver, forcing him to move and twist his tail, ready to slash the other mage in half with the curved blade on the tip.
"Kyôka"
The demoness looked up from her table, her blue eyes locking on Jackal yellow ones. "I see Lamy finished with you already," Kyôka said in a way of greeting, standing up from the chair and moving to the sofa. Jackal grinned, though it looked strained and Kyôka frowned. "I've been awake for a few hours now," Jackal said, his voice surprisingly flat.
"What is it?" the demoness said, rolling her eyes. She sat down, crossing her legs and looking at the other demon who shrugged. "I went and looked up some information on the guy who managed to kill me," he said and Kyôka realized that the demon was holding some papers. She extended her hand and Jackal presented her with one picture. She sat straight in her sofa, eyes wide as she snatched the piece of paper out of Jackal's fingers.
"You must be mistaken," she said, tearing her eyes away from the picture.
"I'm afraid I'm not. The guy is known as 'Fairy Tail's dragon', apparently it is quite literal," Jackal said, a scowl on his face. Kyôka blinked in shock, looking down on the picture in her hand. The red eyes on a black reptilian head stared back. If she didn't know any better, she would say she was looking at Acnologia. And wasn't that a frightening thought.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the two were connected," Jackal said as if reading her thoughts and she nodded in agreement, once again looking up at her fellow demon. "You're not telling me everything," she concluded.
"There are… rumors," Jackal spoke, "That he's a demon"
Kyôka looked back at the picture, "Didn't you say he's a dragon? What is he?"
"Who knows," Jackal shrugged. "But I do have some good news"
He presented her with a second picture, "I'm pretty sure he's a family guy"
Kyôka looked at it, a poor-quality image of five people sitting in a restaurant. But poor quality or not it was easy to see who it was on the picture and a grin split her face. She stared at it for a second and Jackal raised an eyebrow expectedly, a grin forming on his own face. "So, am I good or am I good?"
Kyôka started laughing, a chilling sound that only served to make Jackal join her. "What a wonderful coincidence," the demoness said, still grinning, once she stopped laughing. "These two lovely ladies are our guests," she purred and Jackal's eyes widened a fraction before he grinned again, a sharp and dangerous edge in his lips. "Lamy will soon start working on them if she hasn't done so already… wouldn't it be amazing? These two against their dragon. Do you think he could kill them as easily as he did you?"
Jackal's grin disappeared, replaced by a scowl, "Fuck off, Kyôka. I'd like to see you try and take him down"
The green-haired demon tutted, smiling, "Don't be so touchy. It was a jest"
"I'll give you something to laugh at, alright," Jackal muttered. He looked back at the picture, his eyes lighting up excitedly a moment later. "I have an idea"
Kyôka smiled again, lifting a bottle of wine from the coffee table and pouring it in one of the glasses. "Let's hear it," she presented the glass to the blond demon who grinned and threw himself onto the sofa, taking the wine with him and downing the entire glass in one gulp. Kyôka scrunched her nose at him, sipping out of her own glass.
The room shock suddenly, a sound of explosion making both demons jump to their feet. Kyôka scowled, looking at Jackal. "You go and get that idea into motion," she said, already halfway out of the room, "I'll go and see what those idiots upstairs are up to"
Natsu twisted in the air as a giant pillar of ice suddenly shot through the air to impale him. He could feel the magic in it, the twisted and foul stench it gave off. He knew already he was fighting the same guy who froze Atlas Flame. He could feel the way his skin burned every time he touched the ice that slowly but surely spread around the room every time Silver missed. The mage was powerful, and that wasn't even counting the other demon who was screeching behind him, wearing Hades' face – and wasn't that disturbing?
Franmalth's arm suddenly managed to leech around his shoulders. He cursed, deflecting a punch that would surely break his jaw with a clawed hand and lashed out with his tail, making Silver jump back unless he wanted to be opened from throat to navel. He could feel the strength leaving him the longer Franmalth had a hold on him, and while he was fighting off Silver the other hands joined the first and Natsu cursed again.
He pulled his wings around him, gathering magic quickly, "Get. Off. ME!"
Black sphere spread around him, wall and ceiling exploding around him and Franmalth was sent flying back with a shocked cry. Silver wrapped himself into an icy cocoon, avoiding being smashed to pasta as a particularly large piece of ceiling fell right on top of him only to slide harmlessly away. But Natsu's hand packed more strength than simple falling debris and he slammed into the cocoon with all his might. "Chaos dragon's iron fist!"
He got a brief look at Silver's shocked expression when his armored shelter suddenly exploded before he sent him flying back with his knee. Silver crashed into the wall with an 'ompf' and Natsu moved to finish him off while he was dazed only for Franmalth to jump at him again, an energy beam of black-and-red he knew well flying towards him. Eyes wide, he flew up and away from it, staring at Franmalth who was crackling with Chaos energy. "Cast whatever you want, mage," he spat the noun as if it was something foul, "You are only making me stronger! How much stronger are you going to make me, little mage? How much?"
Natsu stared at him a moment longer before a grin spread over his face. A grin Franmalth did not like. "You wrapped yourself into the chaos energy?"
Instead of responding Franmalth sent another beam of magic towards him only to watch in shock as it twisted mid-air and flew straight at Silver who was getting back to his feet.
"I control the chaos," Natsu responded to the demon's shocked expression, a sinister grin that would make even Lilith balk spreading over his face. Franmalth scowled and tried again, sure that it couldn't be possible. But it was, apparently, as the beam once again twisted mid-air around the demon at the mare gesture of his hand. He rose a hand towards Franmalth and the demon suddenly felt as if his own power was crushing him. Frantic, he released his hold on the chaos magic around him and focused on the magic Hades had left him, sending it out in a burst towards the demon. But he wasn't fast enough and Natsu couldn't suppress a tight grin that spread over his teeth hideously and he slammed what was left of the chaos energy that Franmalth used and his own magic into the small demon, effectively knocking him out if not outright killing him.
Natsu cursed, the concentration it took to control the chaos around him made him lose concentration in other areas and now he paid for it as he was sent flying back and he would've collided with the wall had Silver not slammed into him. He hissed, several ribs breaking on impact as he was sent sprawling on the floor.
What an arrogant fool, he told himself with a scowl, forcing the demon slayer back once again. He twisted in the air again, dodging Silver's attack again. It was now one on one and despite how much Franmalth took out of him Natsu was confident he could win, both Tartaros members had taken far more hits than he did and now one was down. All it would take would be a well-placed spell and he would –
He stumbled in his next attack as the world suddenly turned black. He turned around, eyes wide yet unseeing. A sound of air shifting and he jumped away, unsure what was happening. He tried to focus his pupils, wondering if it was the light that suddenly disappeared. But he accomplished nothing and he once again dodged another attack.
"Interesting," a new voice – a female one joined them and Natsu whirled around, sending a blast of energy in her direction. His ears told him she had jumped away and he fired again, running towards her and at the same time dodging the blast from Silver. The female demon let out a shocked sound, apparently not expecting him to recover so soon from whatever she did to him. He certainly hoped the blindness was not permanent. "What the -?"
"He can hear you Kyôka," Silver told her and the demoness gave a sound of understanding just as Natsu moved to slam his tail into her. Just as suddenly as the sight left him so did the sound and he stumbled again. Before he could recover from it a blast of cold covered him, freezing him in spot and he would've growled if he could.
It burned. The ice felt like a hot iron against his skin. He couldn't see anything or hear anything. All he had was the scent of the foul ice he was closed into.
"You have excellent timing, Kyôka," Silver said, eyeing the frozen dragon prince. He would make a frightening statue, indeed. He pressed a hand to his side, bleeding quite heavily. Had Kyôka not arrived when she did he was quite certain Lamy would have her hands full.
"That is Souleater?" Kyôka asked, her voice controlled but it wasn't too hard to hear the surprise in it.
"He came here following Crawford," Silver said, gesturing to the man on the ground, still twitching, his face twisted in agony. Kyôka raised an eyebrow, not sure what to think anymore, "What did he do to him?"
Silver shrugged. "It was some sort of poison, I think," Silver supplied, once again looking back at Natsu, his face frozen in a vicious snarl. "I say we kill him as quickly as we can. This guy is too dangerous"
Kyôka seemed to consider it. A moment too long apparently because a crack suddenly spread over the ice and the three demons stared in silent shock as the ice burst apart and the deaf and blind dragon prince threw himself back, through the hole in the wall and disappeared over the edge of the cube before any of them managed to so much as blink.
"Well…," Kyôka started, "I agree with you, Silver"
"But he's blind and deaf," she continued, "He couldn't have gone far"
"But he could be out of range of your powers soon enough, Kyôka. He does have wings," Silver reminded her dryly and the demoness snorted. "As long as he's here he is within range"
"And what's stopping him from leaving?" Silver countered.
Kyôka smiled in response and turned to leave. "Get our soldiers to find him, and turn on the gravity on all sides," she told Silver and then, almost as an afterthought she gestured vaguely to Crawford and Franmalth, "And take them to Lamy. Maybe she can figure out what Souleater did to Crawford"
Natsu floated in the air on the side of the monstrous island, one hand resting against the rocky surface. His touch and smell were the only things he got left to ground himself. The world was a terrifying place without sound and sight. He had been thought to fight blind. Acnologia insisted on it. 'Losing an eye is far easier than you might think,' the dragon king had said. Natsu was inclined to agree, fingers tracing over the scar that ran over his eye.
He stopped suddenly, fingers hovering over the eye.
What did Kyôka's curse affect, actually? The eye or the nerve or his magic? He clenched his left fist, the only sign that it had been burned beyond recognition – that it had been blown away – a heavily scarred skin. If his arm had grown so quickly would something smaller grow even faster? His fingers pressed slightly harder against his eyelid. Could he be lucky enough that the curse would affect the actual organ and not him? And would his eye even regenerate as his arm did?
He was no stranger to losing them, he concluded with a sort of morbid amusement. Both eyes liquified and turned to goo when he first transformed into a dragon. And he spent better time of five months in hell torturing souls and in turn torturing himself. He had pulled out his own eye almost on a daily routine. Not that he was eager to repeat the experience.
He stopped, he had to think rationally – something that he failed to do for days now, much to his embarrassment. Had he managed to keep a cool head he would've already killed Franmalth and Silver before Kyôka appeared, he was certain of it. The demons of Tartaros were strong but it took three of them to give him a pause. And now that Kyôka's powers lost their surprise they lost another advantage.
He was raging on the inside for what they dared to do but he couldn't let it affect him like this. He had learned this in Ausul. Emotions are to be used against others, not against himself.
The world suddenly tilted and Natsu felt a pull to the side. Too surprised to react he landed on his side on the ground he had been touching. He blinked, sitting up. Artificial gravity? He turned his head to look around but growled in frustration when he saw nothing, his frustration growing further when he did not hear his own growl.
It was beyond deconcentrating.
He took a deep breath and taking advantage of the new gravity he sat down and crossed his legs. He pulled the magic around himself, locking the emotions behind the walls in his mind as he performed the well-known steps of the deadly dance. He shifted in his seat, his tail coiling around him like a serpent before he tugged the energy around him and in him deeper inside and with the sound of breaking bones and tearing skin, the wings and horns and the tail disappeared.
That taken care of he once again went back to his previous thoughts. He looked at it objectively. He couldn't sit here until something happened. He couldn't leave for the fear that he wouldn't be able to find them again. And he couldn't stay blind and deaf. The ear was far more complicated than an eye… at least for what he had in mind.
Fingers once again traced the eyelid over his scarred eye. Even if it doesn't regenerate it is damaged so it wouldn't be too big of a loss. He scowled, determined to get it done before he changed his mind and he opened his eyes, fingers digging into the socket before he pulled it out with a jerk.
End of chapter 87.
Now, before you decide to lynch me, I want to say that Tartaros is stronger here than they were in cannon, not by much but they are stronger. There is no other reason for this but for the stories sake because it would be rather dull if Natsu killed them all on his own before Fairy Tail even reached him, no?
That being said, I hope you liked this because this chapter fought me. I started from the beginning I think three times, changed the ending some 5 times, and rewrote the middle about as many. The chapter was supposed to be over when Natsu reached the island but then I realized that I couldn't just leave it there… so here you are, almost with double the length of the chapter thanks to my conviction that I can't 'leave it at that'.
Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter, it's really great to hear what you all think. I actually expected a bit more people concerned with what happened to Arthur. That most of you did not even ask means you either don't care about him all that much (which means I did not make him a good enough character) or that you know that I wouldn't kill him (which means that I'm predictable – though hopefully not boring ;) ). In any case, if you thought I won't kill anyone… well keep thinking that :3
Please review and thanks for reading :)