{Author Notes}
I have many mistakes with this story that I try to correct. Amazingly, I went almost four chapters calling Carla into Charlie.
I was wondering why the name didn't feel quite right, and I never checked until now.
Ughh. Welp.
I'd ask for a beta reader, but my luck with them has been utterly abysmal because the ones I ask are almost always busy and respond way too slow. So, yeah. #Foreverinconvinienced
Anyway, this one was kinda hard to crank out, because like I said, I'm super busy this season, and welllllll…
*SUPER SMASH BROTHERS ULTIMATE calls in the distance.*
Erhm! Let's just say I feel my uploads may not be as fast as I hope it is.
Now then, how does one master this 'parry' mechanic?
Laughter, laughter filled the giant glass dome that was currently under repair.
"Igneel did what!?" Fighting through the laughs, and slight pains that were still healing from the Tower of Hell, the surrogate son of the Fire Dragon King managed to ask the hellfire dragon.
"Igneel was gifted for many things, subtlety, common sense, and restraint were not any of them." Atlas Flame added with nostalgic tone. "Many of our brood called him, Hazy Breath until his Rite of Monarchy."
Natsu Dragneel and Happy looked up to the dragon composed of special flames. "Right of Mona Lisa?"
"Ah yes. I do recall Igneel being bad with words with more than three or four syllables. He definitely raised you." Atlas Flame noted while rolling his eyes before sighing and leaning his head closer towards the two visitors. "Did you really think that Igneel simply called himself the King of Fire Dragons because he wanted to?"
"Well, yeah. He was that strong." "Aye!"
Natsu continued eating his sandwich while Happy easily added in.
"Fair point. But Fire Dragons are very prideful creatures, stubborn too. If someone declared themselves the strongest and best among us, our first thoughts would be to challenge that. For Fire Dragons in particular, we were very battle hardened, the first among us was wise enough to realize our stubborn nature would cause a lot of infighting amongst us. So the earliest dragons created the Rite of Monarchy. A test of power, skill, defense, and etcetera, and etcetera to determine who was the greatest among all the dragons, and who would be their king."
Atlas Flame paused in such a way that the cat and the human noticed that it wasn't like the flame dragon to interrupter himself for no reason.
"Hmm, I'm having slight trouble figuring out how to explain this to a human. … An easier way to explain what Igneel had to do to be recognized as King of the Fire Dragons was to travel all of Earthland. Even for a dragon, it was no easy feat. What was more amazing was that I, and a Magma Dragon named Volcanis were Igneel's only companions in that adventure. It took us—I believe a thousand mortal years to complete?"
"You know," Natsu started to recall. "I think Igneel once boasted about traveling the world. Was it through that?"
"That bastard would have been dead without me and Volcanis—in fact it's a damn miracle we even got out of that alive." Atlas was quick to exclaim, his fires heating up and becoming more intense. "He almost killed us on the first day! He surprised tackled us into the sea!"
Natsu raised his brow. "How's that bad?"
"Don't you start too! I'm a fire dragon comprised of flames! Volcanis was a dragon comprised of Magma! We weren't born with a physical body like Igneel!"
That exclamation made Natsu suddenly burst in laughter and point towards his pseudo uncle. "That means you can be killed by a bath!"
"Brat! I can dry up an entire ocean if I want to!" Atlas shook his head and sighed. "It amazes me how much you're like Igneel. You even have another trait similar to him that shouldn't have been hereditary or passed down."
Natsu and Happy seemed to look up back to the flame dragon.
Seeing as they were waiting to here that specific trait, Atlas Flame spoke,
"You both seem to have great luck with good friends."
Is being in a guild fun?
A scream snapped Natsu out of his thoughts as he looked back towards the Mansion and saw through a window Jason using his magic to heal Kara's broken—well there wasn't really a better word to describe how the King of Machines almost turned her arm bones into dust, turned her muscles into mush, and made her lose a lot of blood.
Luckily for them, Jason was apparently a healer. Unfortunately for them, the guy that reminded the Dragon Slayer of a Phantom Lord version of Kain, was over worked, going through everyone injured and using his own magic to heal everyone as best as he could spare, and not everyone was healed yet.
They used to have three healers. Besides Jason, Charlie—the girl Happy—explained that Wendy was a healer, and had better healing spells than what Jason had. William mentioned with as much subtlety as rabid dog that Bella was a healer mage as well.
Natsu didn't do a lot of hard thinking. It wasn't his thing; to be honest it was somewhat of a miracle for Natsu to find and befriend someone who made thinking look so easy to do.
Still, even he had too many thoughts with the fact that Oracion Seis had mind controlled Gramps somehow and he was super strong. How did Kain make ideas look so easy?
"A Jewel for your thoughts?"
The voice sounded exhausted. For a second, Natsu instantly thought of Lucy, but the lack of bouncy things made him realize that it was Ren from Blue Pegasus. Now that he thought about it, this guy pretty much talked with everyone in his team except, Him, Happy, and Ignis.
But something was obviously different, Ren looked… less handsome than a while ago. He also smelled like Cana. With how he was holding on to a full drink and chugged it down even messier than their friend back in Fairy Tail, and with how he sat near Natsu on the grass with not a single ounce of care, there was obviously something wrong with the leader of the Tri-Men from Blue Pegasus.
"I'm getting sick and tired of not beating up those bastards." Natsu folded his arms and looked out towards the forests, not really sensing anything wrong in the immediate area.
"They all deserve much worse than that." His tone was far more venomous than the tsundere, seductive voice he usually used. "I want them al six feet under!"
Natsu finally remembered. The powerful Gre—Grievous? That robot guy killed two people so easily. What was more impossible was that it didn't have a scent, nor could he sense an ounce of magic. But the atmosphere was unmistakeable and oppressive. He hated how a small part of his mind, that was starting to sound more and more like Kain's voice, was glad that Erza stopped him from doing something rash.
"Eve, the guy that smelled like snow." Natsu blurted out with his usual tact and grace. "I'm sorry about that."
"Sorry!?" Ren snapped and pointed at Natsu. "Were you sorry when you first disobeyed the coun—" His eyes snapped open and he seemed to physically bite his tongue. "No, no. Blaming you does nothing—damn it!" He slammed his palm into his face, he ground his teeth, and sniffles started to come against the man's wishes. He let loose a bunch of curses that betrayed his image of being the handsomest mage in Sorcerer Weekly, yet Natsu oddly found him more likable at that moment. "I want him back. I just—I just want him back."
Flashes of a pink haired boy crying out for Igneel without a clue to where he went came into Natsu's mind. The Dragon Slayer just put a hand on his Ren's shoulder, and let the man cry.
They deserve better.
Gray Fullbuster didn't know her, but he knew Lyon.
There was no grave for her. At least that Eve fellow had his—and this felt hard to even think—parts brought back and would be fixed. That Sherry person was scattered into the wind, almost like how Ur was lost in sea.
"Is there any news about our next move?"
Gray closed his eyes before deciding to answer. "It's still the same, Tarsus says to heal the wounded, rest, and then we'll be briefed as soon as Wendy wakes up, which her cats says it won't be long for some reason."
"Then why are you here, Gray?"
Gray said nothing.
Lyon, with his back still turned on Gray, looked up to the clouds. "She always talked about love. I never got why though, she talked about it none stop."
The memory of a water mage popped in to Gray's head, but he did his best to focus.
"When we were planning to revive Deliora, she was one of my most faithful followers." Lyon continued, his fist gripping. "She was like a sycophant, hanging on my every word and almost worshiping the ground I worked on." There was a strange pause coming from him. "Yet her praise always sounded so honest."
Lyon turned with haste, passing by Gray on his way back towards the mansion. "I have not defeated Deliora, but the idea of defeating an acclaimed warrior king of another species will do just fine."
Gray gave a silent promise to himself: he would fight along side Lyon when the time came.
Master Roubaul?
Wendy, have you ever thought about traveling the world?
Hmm, I have, but not to worry, Master! Carla and I will definitely come back to Cait Shelter every time!
Ohoho, you really are a sweet girl, caring for a fool like me.
Huh? Did you say something, master?
I did. We have received a request from the Magic Council. I would like you and Carla to represent us.
M-Me!? But master, there are so many more people stronger and more capable than me!
That is true. At the same time, I believe it is a mission only you can do. You are…
Master?
Wendy, may I hear you sing one more time dear?
The first thing she saw was light. It took a few more moments for her eyes to focus.
"Hey! She's awake!" A familiar voice cried out, which was the signal for the little girl's mind to start looking around as she sat back up from a—bed?
"Wendy, are you alright child!?" The blue haired girl had her hands motion automatically to hug a very distressed Charlie that was already in her hands.
"Carla?" The girl from Cait Shelter finally realized she was in an extravagant room with one of the most luxurious queen sized bed she had ever seen.
"Are you alright? Jason said you had light injuries, but we don't know what Oracion Seis did to you." Wendy saw this beautiful blonde girl before. She was with Natsu, wasn't she? Along with that gorgeous red haired woman and the rather calming young man in brown hair, they were nearby Wendy when she woke up.
"Aren't you," The thoughts came back to her. "Fairy Tail?"
"We are," Erza began. "Don't worry Wendy, you're safe now."
"W-What happened?"
Wendy may have been young, but she recognized the look on all three older people's faces. Even Charlie's face seemed apprehensive.
Lucy tried to comfort the girl. "You should rest a little longer, sweetie. We'll talk about it in a bit."
"W-Where's Ms. Solaris?" Now more than ever, Wendy wanted to see that nice woman again, she really wanted to hear about how she became a Rune Knight. If she could, this bad feeling in her stomach might go away.
The brunette young man gave a deep sigh and kneeled towards the bed. "Wendy, there is no easy way to say this. But I want you to know that it was not and never will be your fault."
It was at that moment Wendy Marvel realized that she was never going to hear that story Bella promised to tell her.
After a rather hard talk, Kain left a now safe Wendy with Erza, Lucy, and Charla.
But the talk only reminded the displaced young man of another duty he had to uphold. Which meant Kain kept looking and looking for the object of his self-given mission. For such a small mansion, it was easier to get lost than he expected.
"Looking for someone, kid?" Kain turned over to see Goldmine folding his arms.
"How'd you know I was looking for someone?"
"Let's just say you reminded me of someone in my old team—ugh. I am not letting Maky live this one down when we get him back. I'll make him owe me drinks for the rest of his geezer life."
The light joke made Kain crack a smile. "I wish we could all share your optimism, Master Goldmine."
"It's just Goldmine. We temporarily stopped our ranks and such, remember? Anyway, I know Ichiya longer, so I'll go to him, you can find Hibiki in the kitchen."
The brunette blinked. "How'd you know—"
"When you live to be this age, you can read some people more than others. Good luck kid, and a tip if it helps: he already lost a lover before this."
With that, Goldmine was gone, and Kain found himself standing in front of the kitchen. With a deep inhale, he walked right in and the aroma smacked his face.
Food and ingredients were all over the kitchen. Hibiki was moving as if possessed, cutting up lettuce while multitasking on grills, ovens, and leaving vegetables scattered on over several tables.
"Ah, Kain," Hibiki looked out with a casual look on his face. "I need to concentrate a bit to prepare a meal for the Alliance, so could you come back again?"
Before Kain could respond, there was a whistling noise coming from a kettle that was shooting out steam like a train. Hibiki made a motion to go to it, but then there was a ding coming from the magic oven form the other side but the heat temperature was still up. If that wasn't enough some soups started to boil and the lids started to clack up if their temperature wasn't going to go down soon.
Hibiki was caught off guard at all these things happening at once, but a red flash soon fixed the already set things. After blinking, the handsome man saw a familiar red armor peeling a potato with a knife.
"What's the use of having powers if you're only going to use them in fights?" Kain's filtered voice gave a light laugh as he started peeling the skin of that one potato before stopping and holding it up. "Where do you want this?"
Hibiki looked like he was about to say he could handle it, but with all the food he brought out, that would have been another stupid mistake. "It goes over there, I'm making a special type of soup."
"Got it. Just tell me what to do."
And that's what they did, the two worked together in preparing a feast for a small village. Though, Kain gave small jokes here and there that Natsu would probably eat it all before anyone could ask for seconds.
Eventually, the two of them finished and it was a sight to behold.
"Good job. This should lift everyone's spirits some what." Hibiki began to say as he turned and walked towards the doors.
However, he stopped just before reaching the handle. "Aren't you going to ask?"
Kain powered down his armor but seemed to tilt his head in confusion towards Hibiki. "Ask what?"
Hibiki was caught off guard, but by the calmness of Kain's face, the leader of the now former tri-men assumed, something was hidden among his words. "Why are you here then?"
The brunette reached for a fried clover and ate it for a few seconds. "To check on the food—you know from my experience, the best cooks are the ones that give their all in whatever they make." He took it and easily finished it before turning around with a smile. "You're a good cook, Hibiki. So good in fact that say if you were ever feeling troubled, I would do whatever I humanly can to make sure you're feeling well."
Ah there it was. "Really? Just because I'm a good cook, you'll help me?"
"Is there a reason for me not to help you?"
"Maybe I want to be alone?"
There was so much more being implied than said, yet neither of the two seemed to directly speak about it. Kain just responded with, "That is an interesting point, but as a currently mind controlled man once told me in a drunken stupor that men may prefer being alone, but they can't stand it." He paused as the circumstances that made him spew out that sentence were one that even fiction had a hard time capturing. "The words have a nice ring even if the smell of his breath lowered their meaning somewhat. Now we have him to worry about since he was somehow captured by Oracion Seis without our knowing."
Kain started to walk towards the door. "I'll call everyone to the dinning hall. Some good news should help us."
As the brunette passed by the far more handsome brunette, the displaced man whispered, "When you're ready, we'll help you avenge your friend."
Hibiki turned around as Kain opened the door and called everyone to the dining room. Hibiki stared at the boy, before shaking his head. "That is the most roundabout about way to help someone I've ever seen."
Still though, his heart felt lighter after that.
The meal was good, but it was now time to get back to business.
"Oracion Seis are armed with some of the most dangerous weaponry the Magic Council has to offer, I'm sure all of you are aware of what attacked us in our assault, but allow me to further explain what it is." Tarsus began as he looked around the entire group. "Now then, I'm sure everyone here at least knows about Horus Anhur?"
Fairy Tail in particular where very surprised to hear that name. It was the name of the Wizard Saint Zombie they had met some time ago and he was a truly fierce opponent that all of them together couldn't beat.
Tarsus took everyone's silent confusion as a yes. "As well all know, he was a Hero General of the Yldarian Kingdom, a smaller kingdom that changed, expanded, and evolved into present day Fiore. History books basically say that because of Horus, the Yldarian Kingdom, our ancestor Kingdom, survived the Gathering War in Ishgar." Trasus seemed to notice that everyone was confused as to why he was brining this up but continued. "Proper historians claim that as an understatement of the highest degree, but believe it necessary because studying the hero's legacy is a rigorous class in itself. Horus was christened the First Wizard Saint, and considered it's progenitor for the Wizard Saint system because of the feats he performed when alive, each feat almost like a miracle and each feat he was seen almost divine, thus coining the term, Wizard Saint. Among the many threats that Horus defended his kingdom from,"
Tarsus took a breath before placing a cylinder Lacrima on the table that lit up and showed an Egyptian styled mural of Horus fighting against the Griever.
"Was the Machina Warrior King, The Griever, or in their tongue: Kaleev. Not much is known about the Machina Race, but the recorders of Horus' time have stressed over and over how fearsome The Warrior King was and how if not for our Hero General, the kingdom might have been a stain on the map."
The idea of something that powerful being their enemy didn't sit well with most sane of the alliance, while a certain dragon slayer and Valkyrie wanted payback along with a student of Ur and the rest of Blue Pegasus.
"I'm more surprised that something like that was even found by the council! You would think that something like the corpse of a Machina King would be with the Machina." Jason noted out loud.
"I didn't know about it either," Tarsus began. "But the council has existed for a long time, and the details of the battle between Horus and Kaleev are lost save for it being a battle barely won. Somehow, Brain must have stolen it before he left the council, and now puppeteers that mechanical puppet to do his bidding."
Fairy Tail tensed. They barely could keep up with the weakened and revived Wizard Saint and now they have to deal with something that almost killed him at his best?
"Speaking of puppets," Everyone turned to Goldmine as he put down his drink of water. "There's poor, old Makky to talk about."
Many eyes went to Fairy Tail, who uncharacteristically were silent at the attention.
Kain spoke up. "After Master Makarov was dismissed from being the guild master, he went off on a vacation. We didn't know he was kidnapped and brainwashed." All of that was true, they had all learned of him being missing, moments before this mission was thrusted on them.
"I couldn't even fathom someone who is more powerful than I can be captured by the likes of them without some special ambush." Jura noted out loud, but everyone could feel the fear in his voice.
"Aren't you a wizard saint too?" Ren pointed out towards the giant of a man.
"Alas, I am the lowest ranked Wizard Saint. To be even part of the legacy of Horus Anhur, is an honor I don't believe I'm worthy. Even Jellal Fernandes, who now sides with our current enemy, is in a league above me despite being one of the lower numbers as well." Jura closed his eyes before looking to Goldmine. "In fact, I've heard stories of how Master Bob is Makarov's equal while Master Goldmine here is at the very least within their level, yet both of them have declined being part of the Wizard Saints."
"Don't sell yourself short, kid, you're way stronger than any of us when we were your age. Give it time." Goldmine leaned on the table with his hands. "But back to the topic, I recognize the magic brainwash over Makky, and I never thought I'd see it again: Jumanda Hagu."
That name made Kain's eyes go wide. Memories of the post-Phantom Lord Vs Fairy Tail war entered into his mind about Makarov confessing what had caused that destruction all those years ago.
"Seeing as how even some of the young ones in the Rune Knights don't know," Goldmine saw the looks on Doranbolt, Raina, William, and even Lahar's confusion and went on, "He was a telepathic mage who had developed a very powerful form of mind control magic, to the point where it was like he could suppress your free will even if you had much more magical power than him."
There was a rare scorn that flashed on Goldmine's face. "We saw him die, but Master Precht once told me that the Council might have been impressed with how Jumanda gained such potent magic, and he was right on the money. Dr. Ockado was using Jumanda's brain as a conduit to mind control Makky—I recognize his staff glowing the same color Jumanda's aura was all those years ago, and seeing how Brain's staff was in the shape of a skull, I can assume that Brain had access to the leftovers of that bastard and weaponized it himself."
Genji of Phantom Lord spotted something what the guild master said. "Is there some kind of limit? If he had a power like that, why didn't he use it on you or any of the cloak group in your encounter?"
"Because as powerful Jumanda's magic was, he had to focus hard on those stronger than him. Even with the physical brain, Dr. Byan has to use all the magic in his staff to have Makky do whatever he wants."
Finally, some good news. "Well then all we have to do is break the staff and we can free Makarov!" Lucy added in excitedly.
However, at the mention of that, Jason of Phantom Lord groaned and the other members of the Cloak group looked away in disappointment and frustration.
It didn't take long to piece together that the Cloak Group also had their best mobile mages: Doranbolt could teleport, Raina had shadow based magic, Kain could move at great speeds, but since Makarov still was under Brain's control...
"Even with Goldmine distracting Makarov, getting close to Brain proved to be a total pain." Doranbolt sighed before he explained. "When the red guy over there made a dive for Wendy, during the clash, I tried to get a jump on Brain, but he was paying attention and stopped me before I could."
"I attempted to follow up with sir Doranbolt," Raina from the White Tiger division began. "But I was met with similar results when he countered my magic with green light, slowing my ability to travel in shadows."
The fact two mobile mages couldn't even surprise the Leader of Oracion Seis seemed to dim the already low spirits of the alliance.
"Actually, there is one advantage we do have." Everyone turned to Hibiki as he looked solemnly towards nothing in particular. "When we confronted Brain, we all noticed he was coughing blood. I think he was terminally ill."
"The leader of the Oracion Seis is dying?" Erza seemed surprised as the rest of the Dagger Group heard this fact.
"Then that's a good thing, isn't it?" Ren from Blue Pegasus seemed to relax into his seat. "That technically means one less of the Oracion Seis to deal with, and it's their leader no less!"
"It's actually a doubled edged-sword," Tarsus walked forward from where he was standing. "Even while sick, he fended off two skilled mages with ease, and worse still, if he really is close to dying it means he is that more desperate to get to Nirvana before whatever illness takes him."
Gray grunted in frustration. "You're telling me the only real advantage we have just ups the danger factor of their leader? When are we gonna catch a break?!"
His complaint was what everyone was thinking as silence filled the area.
However, while everyone was feeling despondent, young Wendy Marvel noticed all of them, people who she saw as great and amazing were all mopping—just like how Ms. Solaris saw her as.
At that moment, the few minutes of Ms. Solaris played in the head of Wendy.
You're going to prove yourself in the future.
Wendy Marvel raised her hand, like the child she was. "I-I know," She squeaked out before she inhaled deeply, remembering the story of Ms. Solaris and trying to gather the same courage she gave to her when she needed it.
That moment, the girl from Cait Shelter continued what she was trying to say, "I know where the Oracion Seis are going."
Needless to say that caught everyone's attention. Wendy was allowed to explain that her Guild were the descendants of the Nirvana Makers. She briefly said that both herself and Carla were outsiders, but the guild took them in, but they taught them both a lot about their culture. But what Brain revealed to her was that Nirvana had another name that Cait Shelter used more often, Lakuya.
From that, Wendy explained that there was a song about it and Brain had captured her to learn about the song.
~Lakuya, Lakuya~
Where shall we play?
On the field of sky flowers not seen by the day?
~Lakuya, Lakuya~
Let us dance with the snake of the pond,
and listen to her story of young.
Follow her path to the mouth of winds,
And rest on the lap of the Guardian King.
~Lakuya, Lakuya~
Do not wake him up,
Sleep with him, Lakuya, down below not above.
After she finished, she looked around the room. "From what I could remember, Brain played that song memory over and over. I don't know why though?"
Kain stood up with urgency that no one was expecting before turning to his blonde, Celestial mage friend. "Lucy, that magic pen and pad you keep with you for story ideas! I need to borrow it!"
The Heartifillia Heiress panicked but did as she was told as her brunette friend started to scribble furiously on to the note pad, with everyone looking towards him.
"Hibiki!" Kain looked up and looked towards the handsome brunette. "Open up an archive of a map and a star chart of this area if you have one!"
"Kain, what's going on?!" Natsu asked while Hibiki had a look of realization and activated his Archive magic to show a map of the Worthwood Sea and the star chart of that area.
"The song, Natsu! That's why Brain was so fixated on it. It's telling us where Nirvana is!"
"It is!?" A lot of the slower members of the group cried out in realization.
"Master Kain, have you already deciphered the song from it's first hearing?" Jura's eyes widened as he looked towards the boy who seemed to be now staring at the chicken scratch of his own handwriting.
"No, but I loved to read mythology," Natsu recalled Kain saying something like that when the two had first met. "And considering that human behavior is mostly the same here and there, I'm willing to bet that the song over states simple facts since back in my world, old writers from many countries loved to sound more extravagant than they really are."
The brunette from another world looked up towards the map and pointed. "Stop! Right there, on the map of the Worth Wood Sea, there's over several fields north of where we rescued Wendy. Can someone match the star chart with it?"
"That's a bit complicated, but," Hibiki stood up and focused more on his magic. He made his archive magic match the two side by side.
At that moment, Kain walked up and circled six open fields at the map. "We need to go to these open areas and find a flower field. But even if we find a flower field, we need to know what type of flowers they are."
Genji of Phantom Lord made a movement to lift his brow. "Why are we looking for flower fields?"
"Because, Angel," Brain spoke out before pointing towards the fields. "That is where the first part describes where we should begin our search."
"Well in that case, why can't I just go to these places ahead?" Racer pointed a thumb out."
Brain turned to the speedster of the group. "That's also the same reason why I can't send you alone to all areas, Racer, you go fast, I have a feeling you'll miss something. And the second more important reason, do you know what the second part means?"
The sunglasses wearing magician folded his arms and asked,
"What is the second part then?" Happy raised his paw.
Kain was quick to explain. "I don't know. I thought that it meant river when the song mentions a pond snake, but the map shows no signs of a river nearby the area at all." Kain looked at the map. "But then I remembered, when I was a kid, and visiting the mountains, one of my uncles told me there was a creek I could play in while the adults did their thing."
"So you think it's a creek?"
"That maybe there is a possibility of a small creek, but I don't know." Brain finished. "Still, Racer, you have a habit of doing things too fast, and this requires a bit of patience."
The Leader of Oracion Seis looked to rest of the members in this meeting. "I'm splitting all of you up with some remaining members we have. You are to—"
"—head to these fields and look for flowers and search for a creek anywhere nearby them." Those were the words of Tarsus after hearing about Kain's educated guess.
There were, funny enough, six potential fields. As of their remaining members, excluding animals, they consisted of 21 members.
"I still think you should have stayed in the house, Wendy." Kain's voice had a firm, but caring voice in his tone as he, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and walked towards one of the designated areas with Goldmine carefully trailing behind.
"I too agree with the young man, Wendy, this mission is dangerous." Carla spoke with obvious intent of getting Wendy out of trouble as they had just saved her from danger, only for her to willing want to go back to it.
"I-I know! I-I promise to run at the first sign of trouble, but I can help! I promise!" The girl huffed up.
"She's also the only one who knows the song," Goldmine spoke out as he looked around. "But at this point, we're getting a little desperate. So we're all going to have to work hard together, right kid?"
Kain sighed, obviously wanting the circumstances to be better. "Just, stay close to us until a fight breaks out, okay?"
Wendy seemed to flinch at the request and then look down cast. "I-I'm sorry. I just wanted to help."
Before anything was said, Kain turned around, he kneeled on one foot and de-powered to show he was meeting Wendy on the same level. "I'm not mad at you," he sad calmly. "I'm worried about you Wendy. What you did was brave, but I don't want you to get hurt."
Wendy seemed to relax at the softer tone of the brunette. "I don't want you to get hurt either."
At that, the corner of Kain's mouth traced upward as he got back up on his feet. "Thanks, kiddo, but Lucy and I are part of the strongest team in Fairy Tail. We can handle some pain here and there."
"We kinda are the weakest in that team—"
"No one needed to know that, especially us, Lucy." The brunette deadpanned before looking over towards the Celestial mage, who laughed with all the effort of a child caught red handed in the cookie jar before dinner.
Lucy supposed not stating out an unhelpful fact would help.
"You kids, are doing alright. I definitely sense all of you have grown since we last met." Goldmine looked over towards the two.
Having the strongest of member of the alliance did little to ease the two sharpest members—granted Fairy Tail was never known for it's quick wit outside of a fight, but that's neither here nor there—because they both knew the moment one of the teams encountered Makarov, Goldmine would leave them to ensure that they wouldn't be destroyed.
Worse, could they even bring to attack the old man who had given them both a home when they didn't have any? Worse still, could they even touch him in a fight?
Damned if they do damned if they don't.
Lucy sighed. "I really wish the odds weren't always so against us."
"Hmm?" Carla activated her wings, flying up ahead then pointing. "I spot a flower field up ahead."
The idea of something peaceful like a flower field brought nothing but anxiety to the group as it meant this was potentially one of the areas where the race for Nirvana would begin.
The brunette powered up his armor and stepped forward with caution. "Don't stray too far, and be sure to peek safely, who knows if any of the Oracion Seis and their men are near by."
Heeding his words, Carla looked back at the field and flew a little lower. As the cat stared at the upcoming flower field, her eyes snapped open and she froze abruptly.
"Carla?" Wendy became worried for her friend at her reaction. "Are you alright?"
"Well fudge pops, I just sensed who's up ahead." A sigh escaped his lips as Goldmine walked ahead with his hands buried in his pockets. "Come on kids, there's someone we gotta meet again."
Past the trees, the small group saw the most beautiful meadow of star shaped flowers. This surely indicated that this was the area the song foretold. However, everyone in that group only knew dread. The reason for such a thing was because in the center of that field, crushing the beautiful flowers under his massive weight was Makarov in his giant form, looking down on two of his own foster children with Brain standing on his shoulder like a twisted version of a certain famous talking, cartoon, cricket.
Yet Goldmine walked forward, his eyes looking towards the glowing and hypnotized eyes of his old friend.
"Fate must be obsessed with these special coincidences," Brain shouted as he threw his hands out to motion something grand. "How else can these events happen that that mere hapenstance cannot hope to capture?"
"Funny, I recall our team facing a mage who claimed he could control fate." Goldmine slowly raised his right hand stretched out. He used his left hand to remove his sunglasses again, revealing his eyes turning gold and a see through, golden snake appeared and started to coil around his hand. Everyone of the younger members of the group were wise enough to start backing off even though there wasn't really a spike of magic in the air. "Turns out, he was a hack with really skillful, luck manipulation magic. It took Porsy to finally beat him for us."
"I never saw well during our first encounter," Brain ignored the implied message of hacks and fate as he pointed towards the golden, see-through snake coiled around Goldmine's right arm. "It's very interesting to see the unique, Gilded Aura, magic. A magic that is said to weaponize one's very soul into powerful physical constructs of their own design."
Goldmine took a stance after scoffing. "Unique? Rob had the way cooler magic."
This finally snapped Kain out of his stupor and motioned everyone else not at the level of a Wizard Saint to pick a place to hide.
It was a good thing he did this too, Makarov had his fist raised as the snake around Goldmine's arm hissed and bared it's fangs. This prefaced the spike of energy that everyone in a good ten miles felt, and made everyone realize who was starting their battle. At the same time, it also sparked fighting all across once more, with the separated groups of both the Alliance and the Oracion Seis meeting each other not long after Makarov and Goldmine started fighting once more.
Speaking of the clash of titans, gales blew like storms as the clash of different energies became like music. Words couldn't keep up with the intensity of magic flowing like a river.
However, a certain group of people were not appreciative of this.
"This is crazy!" Lucy held tightly to Wendy as the rest of that group was hiding behind a rock. "Was master and Jose like this?"
"Honestly," Kain began before a loud clang vibrated through the air, causing him to pause for a second. "It's actually less than what he did!"
The moment he finished a tree flew above the rock they were taking cover and knocked through several other large trees similar to bowling pins. However, when looking at the destruction, Lucy noticed something.
"Kain, look!" The celestial mage pointed as Kain turned towards where she was suggesting. Onward, there was a small creek hidden by the trees.
"Let's move! You two go ahead, I'll watch for debris heading our way!" Kain said as he stood up and readied his blade.
Brain was also standing by, watching the two former teammates duke it out with ferocity that betrayed the image of their old bodies. The leader of the Oracion Seis watched Goldmine expertly swat away a thunder spell with a kick that flew right towards the one wearing red armor who then cut it half with one stoke before spreading his cape into wings and flying off. This made the Oracions Seis leader question himself before his eyes darted to beyond where the boy ran off to.
Brain quickly put a hand on his head. "Racer!"
"Are we even going the right way!?" Lucy cried out as Kain caught up with them. "What if we had to follow the creek up stream?"
"That is a very good point!" Kain glanced back to see if anyone was chasing after them.
"Guys, look!" Wendy cried out, making the two spot a large, protruding root over the creek with a green cat that looked painted on the root long ago. "That cat, it's a different color, but it's like my guild symbol!"
Kain recalled back when they had tried to rescue Wendy, there were cat symbols everywhere. "The cat dances—" His words died as he suddenly moved and threw something on the ground—there was a loud flash followed by the sound of something tripping up and crashing into a large tree.
As the dust settled and Kain stood in between the girls and the dust cloud, Racer came out, creaking his neck. "You're a really cheap bastard, you know that?"
"If I wasn't cheap, I'd be dead."
"Wrong, you're going to be dead!" Racer screamed before The armored rider looked towards Wendy and Carla. "You two, go ahead and follow the path, Lucy and I will take him on."
"What!?"
"Dammint, Lucy, I can't beat him without you!" The rider screamed after the former heiress' scream, but he was distracted as Racer made his move, shouting how none of them would make it out of here and heading fast towards their direction. "GO!" Kain screamed before running up to meet with Racer before in an instant, Racer's foot met with Kain's face and the two flew into the opposite side of the small creek.
"Wendy, we need to go!" Carla cried out as she grabbed onto Wendy's hand before making a dash for it.
The blue haired girl had a sense of déjà vu but this time, there was hope. "Carla, fly!"
However, there was someone else watching the battle now commencing between the two members of Fairy Tail and Racer, and he spotted Wendy Marvel leave the ensuing battle.
As Wendy flew, she noticed something up ahead. The creek was heading towards the north, but there a symbol of a cat going in a different direction.
"Which way do we go?" Carla looked in between following the thin creek that was still running or the following the symbol of the cat.
"Follow the cat," Wendy answered. "That was what the song said."
The two did so, following pictures of cats deeper into the forrest until they reached a dead end with a high cliff looming over them.
Wendy didn't know what to do with pressure to find Nirvana, she started to panic until Carla seemed to get distracted by something. The young girl noticed Carla run over behind a bush where she moved it away to reveal a cat with two tails and colored blue, just like her guild symbol. Wendy felt a gust of air blowing her hair but she was confused as she felt it come right from the rocks in front of her. Looking at the symbol, she touched it. To her and Carla's surprise, the cave art of the cat jumped—as if it was animated and landed on the floor. The cat looked towards Wendy before the girl's guild symbol started to glow. The cliff started to shake and soon, the wall of stone in front of her split open like a door. The cave art cat looked at Wendy and Carla before running into the cave by still sticking to the stone walls.
Wendy and Carla were dumbfounded but soon they followed after the cave cat.
The winds were rather strong as the two ran into the cave, but to the surprise of the two they had came across a large hole in the center of an empty cave and the cave art cat was seen on the floor, just below of a giant hole that was blowing strong winds. The cat looked at the two before jumping into the hole above it. When it did, the strong winds started to die down from the maw.
"Carla." Wendy looked to her friend who went up to fly her down the hole.
Darkness surrounded them but the cat painting started to glow and lead their path. While the winds died down, their howling did not. It came to the point where the cat on the wall started to glow brighter and brighter until it stopped, showing that they had reached the bottom. At that point, the light of the cat was shinning bright enough to show some kind of hidden temple.
"I-Is this where Nirvana is located?" Wendy asked as she looked around before noticing something at the very center of the temple. She thought it was a tabernacle but… "Carla, over there!"
The cat brought the little girl closer and what they saw surprised the two of them, it was some kind of large, metallic, rusty, humanoid shaped being with moss growing atop it's shoulders and some of it's upper areas. "Is this, Nirvana?"
"No," A voice decidedly not Carla's spoke out from behind them and as the two girls turned around, two dark green hand constructs grabbed the two girls and hung them up in the air. From the back, Brain started walking up to them. "The song described a Guardian, in other words a gate keeper and key to unlocking Nirvana. You have my thanks Wendy Marvel, the seal wouldn't have opened without validation of someone from the Cait Shelter Guild."
Brain looked to that machine and rubbed his chin with a smile. "Considering how much the doors needed you to open up," He trailed off and activated his staff. Wendy screamed as her hand was raised out. Carla tried to shout, but Brain muffled her with his construct and made sure that the little girl would touch the head of the metallic man.
Wendy herself felt pain, but at the same time, she refused to let her be used like a tool once more. She inhaled— "Sky Dragon's Roar!"
Brain wasn't expecting the blast of wind coming his way and was sent flying, dropping his hold on the two girls. Yet it was too late, Wendy's hand was already near the one dubbed as the Guardian of Nirvana. When Brain's spell dropped, so did her hand onto the head of the rusting robot.
A green glow came from beneath the thick torso and two white lights activated from the eyes of it's oval like head. The arms twisted and turned and the sound of gears grinding was hear in tandem with that of a low of magic.
Carla and Wendy backed away as the iron robot stood up and slowly turned it's search light eyes towards her then focused those search lights into her guild symbol.
"Fine!" A shout from the back made Wendy remember that Brain was still there, and looking at his expression, Wendy realized she never saw the leader angry until that moment. "I don't need you any longer!"
He blasted an impressive burst of dark green magic towards Carla and Wendy that encompassed a wide area. Wendy panicked as she saw the blast coming her way and her instincts could only make her cover herself and wait for the inevitable.
But it never came.
Wendy heard the sound of a different magic and as she opened her eyes, she witnessed the moldy bot had his arm raised and was protecting both her and Carla.
"You saved me?" Wendy gasped as she looked up at the robot that looked back at her.
Brain cursed under his breath, he threw out his hands in several quick motions before pointing two fingers at the Guardian. "ȜǼψ!"
The moment he cried out a red and green tornado shot out of his fingers and the end of the winds started to form into small bats that all swarmed towards the metal, eight foot creature. The guardian stepped forward and the white of his eyes shined brightly-before firing a laser that lashed through a few of the energy bats. However, those that were cut started to glow before they exploded, catching the entire flock in an explosion.
Out of the explosion, Brain jumped over it, staff raised with energy and attempted to bring it down on the robot of rust. His attack went as well as someone expecting they could count every single grain of sand in their beach.
The rusted and moss bot jumped in an impressive bound and punched Brain with enough force to send him into the roof and make him splatter like a water balloon. Wendy was at first surprised, but then saw that the liquid was actually mud, not blood. That only meant that it was a fake, but where was—
Wendy and Carla felt a presence behind them. "Enough!" And then another magical power overcame the two.
Brain saw the metallic ancient heading towards him. He had an idea form in his head and he put more pressure into his staff.
"Stop!"
Wendy's voice came out of her mouth without her will. But with the sound of her voice, the Guardian indeed obeyed her command. The Cait Shelter mage realized that Brain was using his capture over her to command the Guardian.
"Good, that actually worked," Brain began. "Now then, to undo centuries of work," He pushed magic into his staff and it glowed brighter.
Wendy did her best, she struggled all she could. However, her tongue was moving, her lungs were inhaling, and try as she could, her voice was coming out.
"I-I or-order you-you to-to re-eveal an-d open," Wendy tried harder, preventing that last word from forming.
"Nirvana!"
The robot's eyes dimmed, it motioned its hands towards it's torso where a magic circle was revealed at top the surface. The robotic hands crushed the magic circle, and as soon as it did the earth started to shake.
Up on the surface, everyone fighting could only look up in shock as they saw a burst of white and black magic shooting to the air.
Brain could only look up and laugh, feeling the magic in the air. "Yes! At last! Nirvana is finally awake!"
The black light parted the clouds above and everyone watched as the light started to take form in the sky. As the forming finally stopped, they all knew what they were looking at was Nirvana itself.
It's just none of them expected it to be a floating fortress in the sky.
{Author Notes}
So by my last sentence, I did make another change to Canon. Nirvana is now a flying fortress, much like a certain Studio Ghibli film that also involves a rusted robot with mold growing off it.
Heheh.
I hope you all enjoyed this small change in how Nirvana was awakened. Jellal just somehow knowing where it is was kinda, well it was alright since that wasn't really the focus of it. But I thought I would give more context to finding Nirvana, making a sort of race to find it.
But now it's finally found, and just another warning, I'm not done borrowing ideas from that specific Ghibli film.
Also, now that Nirvana's out, I can go back with focusing on the actual fights. There area an awful lot to cover, so it's why I've been mostly just skipping over fights throughout this arc. Hopefully, that'll change by now, but what do you guys think of it so far?
I hope you all have great holidays. Now I'm off to play Smash Ultimate again.