"People of Edolas," The King's voice resounded throughout the kingdom. Many screens showed the cast of Edolas' Fairy Tail all restrained, blinded, and bound to a row of pillars. The televisions had the countdown to their demise, and despite how fast the seconds were moving, it felt far too slow to everyone watching. "Today is a day that marks a great tragedy: the death of both The King of The Exceeds, a divine and godly being, and my son, Prince Jellal Nagotsym. But now? This day shall also mark a day of great Justice! Today, those that followed that heretic will die with him!"
The voice resounded throughout every machine, powerful and almost omnipresent. Yet, there was something in the air. Despite all of Edolas' power and presence, even the blind could see Edolas' fear for something in the distance.
The King wasn't wrong. Today marked the change of Edolas' future forevermore.
"Princess?" Hisui looked towards the door of her room and saw Coco, a vassal of Advisor Byro. "I was asked to keep you company."
The green-haired girl sighed. "It matters not Coco. I am not allowed anywhere outside the castle grounds because of..." Breaking the rules, threatening operations, worrying the people she cared for? And the worst of all was how her father didn't even react to when she was kidnapped. Her captor showed more compassion for her! Half of her believed that if she wasn't the heir to the throne, then she would have been executed on the spot. "How fares everyone?"
"Everyone is on high alert. We've recently detected a strange spike of energy in the northeastern quadrant, and most if not all the Captains alongside Lord Arcadios went to check on it. In the meantime, Eisenwald is watching the current Lacrima mountain stationed atop the tree."
Hisui sighed as she looked out the window towards the execution.
She started to think about her captor. Or rather, the questions he instilled in her. She never thought of these questions at the time, mostly because she was too young to understand the rage in her heart. But when her anger met with empathy, it started to fade, but the questions did not.
Why was someone so kind and friendly suddenly so evil? What reason did he have for such a change?
Or perhaps it never happened at all?
Hisui stood up. "Coco. I would like to visit my brother's monument."
"W-What?" The girl's legs did not stop the moment she entered the room. "B-But Princess! You're under house arrest!"
"Yes. Yes. And that area is still within my 'house'. It'll be fine, Coco. You can even accompany me." Hisui figured that abusing her powers meant getting into unwanted trouble. So this time, the princess was going to abuse her powers to get into the trouble she wanted.
The lawyer was right: it's time to find proof.
When one hears thunder and lightning on a bright and sunny day, it's usually a bad sign of things to come. Laxus, being a Lightning Dragon Slayer, would never have thought of it as a bad sign for him, but that's jumping ahead.
The fourth Guild Master of Fairy Tail barely avoided the cat with a giant sword before kicking him in the stomach with enough force to shoot him through the ceiling. He hoped the blow would take him out, but as the "mega cat" flew back out looking angrier, he doubted it. At that moment, Laxus dodged what looked to be a rose-themed blade by the pink-armored man. The Guildmaster noticed that the ground the blade hit didn't get cut or smashed but bent and liquified.
"Not bad, you brutish oaf!" The armored man made a fancy flourish with his blade. "But no matter how tough you are, you stand no chance against my Rosa Espa—" The mohawked man found it hard to finish his boast when Laxus kneed him with enough force to dent his torso armor inward and send him skipping like a stone.
In the meantime, Mystogan dodged Panther Lily's blade and Arcadios' lasers. However, the armored hero shouted out. "This battle is getting us nowhere! Knightwalker, Hughes! Go and find Redray!"
The two mentioned looked like they were going to join the fight but nodded and started to make their way.
However, Mystogan moved. He held two staves as he avoided a blast of magic and slammed them both on the ground. Light flashed and quickly encircled the group until the entire area got covered in a giant pink bubble.
"No one is leaving until you defeat us," Mystgoan spoke as he held out a staff.
Sugarboy and Hughes attempted to strike the barrier but found themselves repelled the moment they made contact with the force field.
The other captains all prepared themselves for a fight until Byron started walking ahead of them.
"My my. This barrier looks very intricate. How are you able to do this with but a wooden stick?" Byro laughed in a way that showed how he wasn't intimidated by the two S-Class mages.
"The hell?" Laxus looked over to the small, old man. "He smells more metal than human?"
Mystogan heard his allies and his eyes widened. "Wait, did they finally finish Project Predator? I thought that was abandoned!"
"Ooooh?" Byro looked over to the masked man. "How curious. Even Redray was not a part of that project. How did you come to learn that, I wonder?"
Laxus found himself squinting when he saw how glassy the man's eyes looked. He found it confusing when Mystogan hid his eyes from him, but Laxus knew something was off. The Guild Master of Earthland fired off a thunderbolt at Byro, who took the blast head-on.
"Now that was rude." Laxus couldn't believe his ears as he heard the voice that sounded unarmed. He then heard the sound of... metal folding?
His eyes widened when he saw the silhouette that was once the size of a bag start to grow to the size of the grand hallway.
As the dust cleared, Laxus felt more confused than anxious when he saw what was in front of him. "Is that a giant, robotic ant-eater?"
Said mechanical being stood on its hind legs, towering over the two Fairy Tail mages. "I find it fitting. You are nothing but ants to me, but instead of crushing you, devouring you whole sounds far more appealing."
The two mages spotted movement coming from the 'snout' of the metallic beast. As they moved away, the 'tongue' jeweled and encrusted with strange orbs struck the ground with speed the two weren't expecting. Not only that, the entire barrier Mystogan created started to get sucked in at the part of the tongue.
"Now then, Sugar Boy, Hugh? Find and locate Redray with Pantherlily. The rest will stay and subdue these two."
The captains broke off, leaving both Laxus and Mystogan against the remaining three.
"This isn't good," Mystogan whispered, which Laxus heard. "Project Predator was another alternative to our Energy Crisis. But this means that he's not the only..."
He couldn't finish as Knightwalker's weapon changed shape to a beautiful blue sword that granted her super speed. The weapon master saw fit to turn Mystogan into pieces if the masked man did not activate one of his staff shields in time. However, even though his barrier blocked the attack, it did not stop their momentum as Mystogan and Knightwalker flew through several walls.
Laxus made a move to follow. However, he quickly ducked a swipe of the robot tongue that cut through the room as if it was butter.
"Oh, you're not going anywhere." Despite being a machine, the amount of bloodlust coming from Byro's voice was enough for Laxus to feel a chill down his spine.
"We're not going to let you."
Odd, Laxus had a feeling that Byro wasn't referring to him and Arcadios.
Laxus turned around when he smelled more metal. "Crap. That's what masked idiot was trying to warn me about."
Turns out the 'we' was other robotic ant-eaters.
Over a dozen of them.
"I hope you put up a fight." Byro's voice echoed and multiplied through the machines. "That simply means more energy to eat up."
"Wait, don't you dare!" Ivan shouted too late after he fell through the portal. He landed with a thud and quickly got up. "Idiots! Splitting up was not part of the plan!"
It took him a second to realize that he landed in a very dark area.
"Where am I?" He pressed a button on the side of his helmet and switched to night vision. As he did, he started to notice that he was underground with no sign of the Anima Labs.
"I'm under the tree roots?" He looked up and spotted the roots growing everywhere in the area. "Mystogan sent me further away? Or maybe," Ivan shook his head as he began to move. As he did, he eventually heard the sound of something slamming against another object.
"You really should quit it, kid," Ivan heard a familiar voice. "There's something off about the cell. It'll keep repelling you."
"I-I'm," Ivan heard a groan. "I'm counting on it. I still don't know how the magic works. But I figured out that it reflects damage the harder I run into it."
"And?"
"Well, it's just a theory, but I'm going for it anyway."
Ivan finally found the source of the voices. He was in time to see a young man rush for his wooden cell with his braces first. However, as he flew towards the back of the cell at dangerous speeds, something red shined from his braces.
A second later, a flash of red light illuminated the room and forced everyone else to look away. As the light died down, the inmates and Ivan saw where the light had come from.
"Wait, you had one of those Power Armors?!"
"The short answer is no. The long answer is something we both don't have time for." The red-armored young man turned over to Ivan and stopped speaking for a second.
"Red armor," Ivan said aloud as he recalled the side conversations of the Earthland mages. He briefly recalled Laxus mentioned looking for one of their capture companions. "Are you with Laxus and Natsu Dragneel?"
"You know them? Wait, who are you?" The armored young man asked.
"That voice!?" When Ivan looked to the other prisoner, his computer recognized the man as Gajeel Bluewolf, the top reporter of Phantom Press. "No way! It's Ivan Redray!"
"You're Ivan Redray!?" The armored young man did a double-take.
"And you must be from Earthland." Ivan believed his luck started to change. "As you said earlier, there is little time. I need your help."
The armored adolescent sighed. "Of course that there's something to do." He summoned a blade out of thin air. "Alright, fill me in." With several slashes, he cut down the bars. This time, no magic attempted to repulse the armored being.
Kain looked over to his former roommate/cellmate. "What will you do?"
He spoke as he stood up. "I'm following after you two."
"Are you sure? We're heading straight into danger."
"And to what is without a doubt the biggest story in Edolas' history since Ivan killed the prince!" Even in the darkness, Edolas Gajeel turned to Ivan. "I found out about Anima! There's more to the murder, isn't there!? In fact, you didn't do it in the first place, right!?"
"I," Ivan shook his head. "We need to move. That story isn't easy to share due to its circumstances. But if I survive today, I promise to tell you everything from my side."
Even in utter darkness, Edolas Gajeel couldn't agree fast enough to the greatest interview in Edolas.
"You might want to stay back. Even though the pen is mightier than the sword, explosions are usually stronger than skin." Kain added.
"Don't worry. I intend to live to tell this story." Edolas Gajeel smiled even as Kain cut his cuffs free. The reporter got out of the cell with the lawyer. And Ivan activated a flashlight compartment from his armor's shoulder. "Alright, where to?" The reporter asked.
"I need to get to Anima. Unfortunately, a friend of mine sent me further away from it than I'd like. I have no knowledge of this area other than we need to go upward."
"Luckily for us, I remember the sounds the guards took. They always came and traveled from that direction." Gajeel pointed towards where Ivan came from.
Kain looked in the opposite direction. Even with his helm, he couldn't see past the darkness. "What's in the opposite direction?"
"It doesn't matter," Ivan spoke before he ran ahead. "Help our friend out. My flashlight doesn't reach far."
"My eyes are fine; it's the light of the sun I'm worried and excited about."
However, as the three started to make their way out of the hallway, Kain heard a very distinct sound.
"Are there other prisoners here?" The Lawyer asked.
"I've never heard anyone else," Bluewolf answered. "Why?"
Kain summoned a blade to his hand. "Because it feels like something's moving around us." No sooner than he said this, Ivan looked up to the roof and saw the tree roots moving in a way that looked poised to strike.
"Back!" Ivan screamed as the roots attempted to impale him. Luckily, Kain jumped ahead and slashed the incoming spikes. The problem was that as soon as he did, the entire room started to shake.
"What the hell? It's like the tree is trying to stop us!" Gajeel shouted out loud.
"That's impossible! The tree shouldn't be active like this!" Ivan cried out. "The only way it could move is if," He stopped himself and looked to Kain. "Did they capture any of the Earthland Dragonslayers?!"
Kain looked at Gajeel Bluewolf for a moment before going back to Ivan. "Uhh? Is that a bad thing?"
The lawyer didn't get answers as the path in front of them got destroyed when more tree roots exploded out of the stone floor.
"Looks like we're taking the other path!" Kain grabbed the waist of both men before his cape shaped into wings. He flew away as more and more of the roots tried to swat the lawyer.
However, the roots wisened up when they started to coil together to create a wall and net to capture the three.
"Keep flying!" Ivan screamed as he pointed his fist towards the wall. The armor around his arm started to unfold and reform into a miniature cannon.
The darkness faded as light gathered at the tip of the cannon. Ivan then blasted an orb of energy towards the wall.
Kain and Edolas Gajeel had enough insight to close their eyes before the flashbang.
Yet, they kept flying even though they didn't crash. It was a good sign that the three survived the unexpected death trap.
"Where are we?"
Kain reopened his eyes as he felt more space in this area than he did in the prison way. When he did, his enhanced hearing picked up a familiar scream.
"Gajeel?! Wendy!?" Kain screamed as he rushed towards the scream and eventually spotted the area his two allies were.
"Wait!? Those tablets are! And who are..." Edolas Gajeel lost his train of thought when he spotted a familiar face screaming in pain.
Kain dropped the two before breaking both tablets and saving Wendy. Earthland Gajeel landed on his feet and cracked his neck.
"Could you be any slower on rescue, brat!? I was expecting you hours ago!?" Earthland Gajeel started before he looked over and saw Edolas Gajeel.
The two walked closer towards each other while Kain checked up on Wendy, and Ivan checked the strange orb in the center of the area.
"Huh. Is that me?" Gajeel from Earthland and Edolas Gajeel mirrored each other's movements and mannerisms as they scanned each other.
"I've either gone insane in my cell, died, or this is all real." Edolas Gajeel smiled. "Either way, it's going to make one hell of a story."
"Stories, huh? What's your opinion on music?" Redfox asked Bluewolf.
In the meantime, Ivan studied the orb. Behind his mask, he frowned and took something out of his pouch. No one paid much attention until they heard the sound of Ivan stabbing the orb with a strange pike.
As soon as he did, the entire area—no. The whole castle started to shake.
"Uhhh," Kain asked as he looked over to the gold-armored man. "What did you just do?"
The scientist didn't have a chance to explain as the group felt an earthquake beneath their feet. Instead, Ivan aimed his arm canon in a random direction before incinerating a wall. "Move! Now!"
No one had to think twice as they all rushed for the wall, even as it started to reform itself.
However, Kain did not expect that after all the tree roots, the next room had nothing but... "Carnival rides?"
"Ah. Good. They still haven't touched the old Royal Playground." Kain's eyes widened after hearing Ivan say that. This theme park was a child's playground!?
Ivan turned to the others. "We'll make our way up. I know our way from here. But be wary of guards."
"Guards? What do you take us for, Mr. Redray?" A flamboyant voice echoed around the area. "Someone of your infamy deserves only the best of the Kingdom."
Everyone but Redray tensed at the new voice. "Mr. Double." The golden man began. "It has been years."
"It's funny to meet the most wanted man in all of Edolas." A more youthful voice echoed around the theme park. "Especially when he was supposed to be some super-nerd."
"Ahh? You must be Timothy's son. Is he retired if you're here, Hugh?" Ivan responded to the second voice.
"Ga—Redfox, can you tell where they are?" Kain whispered to his teammate.
"Trust me. I wish I could tell ya." The Earthland mage whispered back. "Their voices are bouncing all over the damn place."
"Looks like you found all the punks I arrested. Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! There were two of them! When Byro wanted to handle the second guy, I had no chance of comparing them until now." Hugh declared as both Gajeels started to scowl.
Then, everyone started to hear all the rides and lights activate all across the theme park.
They all heard something and looked up. Instinctively, Kain handed Wendy to Bluewolf before flying in the air and cutting what looked to be bumper cards tossed in their direction.
"We need to get out of here! Hugh's armor gives him magnetism!" Ivan's warning came too late as iron bars started to fly from all directions. Luckily for him, Kain had super speed. In an instant, all bars got cut into harmless pieces that fell to the ground.
Kain moved fast and sent a giant beam slash right for several booths. The booth got cut in two, but not before a pink armored man and a purple armored man jumped out of the way of the attack.
"How'd ya spot those punks?" Earthland Gajeel looked to get ready for a fight.
"Bird's eye views help a lot." Kain walked forward while swinging his sword.
"We need to go, now! We're wasting time!" Ivan cried out as he started to run. Bluewolf with Wendy followed after them.
Earthland Gajeel wanted to stay, but Kain pointed ahead. "Stay with Ivan. You still can't use magic, right? He can help you with that. I'll stay behind and hold them off."
As soon as he said this, Kain turned back and unleashed a sword beam that cut through metal tables attempting to block the path of Ivan. He then turned and fired another sword beam at Hugh to distract him from using his magnetic powers.
"You hold them off?" Gajeel Redfox raised his brow.
"I have a nasty feeling this is one of the easier fights. Just go, Gajeel! They'll need a fighter to protect them!" At that moment, the pink armored man, wielding a rose blade rushed up to Kain and clashed swords with him. When he saw Gajeel running, Kain noticed the guy's sword start to glow.
He kicked the man back and jumped some distance away. But when he did, Kain noticed his blade was... limp?
"Are you afraid, Terrorist?" The armored man made a flourish with his blade. "This sword allows me to liquefy anything! Even metal!" As soon as he said this, Sugarboy stabbed several fallen bumper cars, turning them into liquid.
"And because it's still metal," Hughes walked up, flicking what looked to be some strange wand. "I can still control it."
The implications made Kain realize his mistake. But not fast enough as he got trapped in a metal bubble. The Wyvern Rider punched the bubble. But instead of breaking, the metal formed and absorbed his blow like rubber. Similarly, he tried to cut his way out, but the cut healed itself as soon as he made his slash.
Soon, the space around him started to close in. Kain had a bad feeling that Hugh and Sugarboy were going to make the liquid metal seep into the holes in his armor.
Kain thought fast. He couldn't break or cut the bubble. But he did have one idea that came up.
The lawyer sighed as he summoned a second blade to his free hand.
"Only in anime worlds is crap like this a viable strategy!?" The adolescent yelled before firing two sword beams right below him to make them both explode—
"What the?" Gajeel Redfox turned back when he felt the castle shake. "Was that the kid? Damn it! He told me he could handle it!"
"Don't count him out yet." Gajeel Bluewolf grabbed his other's hand before he could run back. "You should have seen him a while ago. The cage we were in kept knocking him down, but no matter how bad it got, he kept getting back up." The reporter smirked. "Something tells me you know about his stubborn streak too."
"Tch!" Earthland Gajeel turned back. "You're right about that. The kid's a glutton for punishment despite being so whiny." The metal dragon slayer walked up to Ivan. "He also said that you could help with my problem?"
Ivan fished one of his pockets and brought out a capsule filled with orbs. "Eat one of these pills. They'll only allow you to use your magic for 30 minutes, so take a few spares."
Gajeel stepped forward—only to quickly push Ivan out of the way of a giant sword attempting to run him through like the outside window and floor.
Gajeel looked up and saw an armored, flying cat the size of a jacked-up human.
"Redray, vengeance finds you this day." The cat wielding the tower-sized blade declared.
"Catch!"
Gajeel looked back and saw Ivan tossing him a small pill. The Iron-dragon slayer caught and ate the marble-sized item. Instantly, Gajeel felt his connection to his magic returning.
At that moment, the blade lifted, and the cat looked like he was about to do the same again. However, Gajeel turned his hand into steel and stretched it towards the flying cat in an attempt to interrupt him.
Gajeel Redfox smiled as he saw the cat avoid the blow. It was true that he wanted something to hit, and the cat above him looked like an entertaining fight. But there was more to this than that. Gajeel had to admit that ever since he saw Wendy, he's been jealous. All the dragon slayers he saw had special sidekicks! Salamander had one. The girl had a white cat and some robot! And even the Guild Master had that one green-haired guy that followed him like a servant! And don't even get him started on the brat that beat him even with dragon force! Why did that punk get the toughest sidekick of them all in a wyvern!?
Now though? "Alright, That settles it. You're the one." He pounded his fists together after reclining his first attack back. "Hey, other me. Get the girl out of here. You'll just be in my way."
"Huh. I can transform into metal in Earthland. Well, that would have been useful here." Gajeel Bluewolf fixed his hat as he started to run. He looked over to see Ivan getting up. "Hey, we better start running!"
Ivan looked up at Pahterlily before running after Bluewolf and Wendy.
"You will not escape!" The Exceed screamed before Gajeel tackled him back out the window.
Ivan ran ahead of the other two. "We should be almost there!"
"Wait, something isn't right! I know there's an execution, but why is there so little protection besides the Royal Captains?" Gajeel Bluefox asked while he cared for Wendy's form.
"Isn't it obvious? The King did all of this for me. I'm the last person alive that can achieve that dream and end this nightmare." Ivan spoke in a low but clear tone.
"What dream? Nightmare?" Bluewolf narrowed his eyes. "What secret are you guarding this much?"
Ivan was silent before he asked. "Where did you find the computer about Anima?"
The reporter thought about it before he realized that they were in a familiar area. It didn't take long before they found the door that led upward. As they traveled, they eventually reached...
A room the size of ten gymnasiums that contained a crystal that looked as big as half a mountain?
"What? Hey, where's the lab? I saw it here!" Bluewolf cried out as he looked around.
Ivan sighed deeply. "He planned this. Or at the least, when you broke in, he must have seen an opportunity and took it." The leader shook his head.
"What are you talking about?" As the reporter from Phantom Press asked this, the ground in front of the lacrima started to open up. When it did, an elevator pushed up a mechanical monstrosity. The machine looked like a cross between a human and a dragon.
"Haven't you wondered why we put you in such a bizarre cell, Bluewolf?" The reporter recognized the voice being amplified by machines. However, out of fear, he refused to believe what his mind was telling him.
Though, then again, the writer in him loved every moment of this.
The King of Edolas was speaking before them...in the most intimidating war machine that he ever saw in his life.
"Behold, the Dorma Anim! A war machine of your design finally brought to life! I'll give you and your protege, Z, thanks for designing such a weapon!" The robotic machine gave a roar that shook the area and caused the wind to blow.
Ivan clenched his fist when he heard about his protege. "Mr. Bluewolf." The leader of Edolas Fairy Tail spoke in a quiet but final manner. "This is no longer safe for you."
The reporter knew he meant what he said, so Bluewolf turned and ran away. Yet, even as he ran out back into the hallway, he saw that it was already closed off.
"Those two are innocent parties, your majesty. Let them go." Although he said this, Ivan seemed to be steeling himself for the fight of his life.
"I made that mistake a long time ago: letting those of little significance grow into actual threats to Edolas' true purpose! Your rebellion ends here, foolish human."
The machine started to move as it unleashed a roar that would make real monsters cower in fear. Ivan ran forward as his right arm turned into a cannon.
Unfortunately for Fair Tail, fights were not just occurring in the lower and castle levels of Edolas' Tree Castle. Up above, a team consisting of Mirajane Rhea, Edolas Jet and Droy, Lisana Strauss, and Natsu Dragneel attempted their part of the plan to find and reconvert pieces of Lacrima back to the Earthland Counterparts.
Natsu, after getting over being motion sick, found out that the tree and its branches could function as its own city above the city because of how expansive it was.
"Alright, everyone!" Mirajane Rhea dressed up in what looked to be a combination of janitor's uniform with the sleekness of a navy officer, shouted to everyone else on board the ship. "Just a repeat of our part of the plan: with the clothes and ID numbers Jet stole, we're going to sneak into the center of the tree and find and free our Earthland Counterparts." She pointed to Lissana. "There are a few details I'm skipping, but I'm trusting that everyone knows their part, right?"
Natsu Dragion raised a thumb. "I'll stay with the ship in case or more likely when we need a quick getaway." He fiddled with controls, and the back door of the ship opened up.
Everyone but Dragion got off, pushing a large crate as they did so.
Natsu Dragneel didn't know what he was expecting once he got off. He didn't expect everything to be so metallic, clean, and cold. He thought they were in a tree, so why could he only see leaves and branches when he looked outside? And not only that, he saw robotic beings of all shapes and sizes.'
His nose twitched. Even though he smelled nothing but metal for miles, why was he picking up a familiar scent?
"Hold it!" A strange and lanky robot wielding a gun stopped Fairy Tail. He seemed to be the leader of a small patrol. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We're here for inventory transfer," Lisanna said as she brought a device towards the robot.
"Roger Roger. It checks out." The lanky robot said before looking towards the other robots. "Alright, escort these people to the east wing."
"That won't be necessary," Mirajane Rhea started. "We know the way."
"It's protocol." The robot replied before walking ahead. Fairy Tail looked at each other before they shared a look that said these things didn't look that tough if it came to a fight.
That being said, Natsu noticed the further they went, the stronger the familiar scent became. Were they heading towards it? What was it, and why was it so familiar to him?
"Something's not right," Natsu heard Lisanna whisper. "The scans are showing that the Lacrima Crystals aren't here! They're pointing towards the center of the castle?"
"What? Then what's up here?!" Edolas Droy whispered back.
"Everyone, keep moving," Mirajane whispered. "We'll move when we're in the clear."
"Alright, it should be behind these doors." The lanky robot exclaimed as they turned into a large door. However, when it opened up, Natsu finally remembered the smell.
"Crud."
Although Natsu usually cursed with vulgar words, the one he just said still encapsulated his feelings when the room exploded with lens flare lights, and a battalion of different robots aimed their guns at Fairy Tail.
"Fairy Tail," The Eisenwald Captain, Erigor, stepped out of the shadows. "You are under arrest for violating crimes against the Kingdom of Edolas. Surrender, and you won't share the same fate as your other companions."
"Well," Mira started as she lifted her hands, which the others soon followed. "This is going to be a long day."
Mystogan shook his head as he tried to remember what had happened a while ago. His instincts screamed at him as he avoided something moving at sonic speeds.
His mind went back to remembering where and what he was doing. He reached for one of his other staves and slammed one end to the ground. When he did, the area got covered in a strange barrier with blue-hue. Instantly, the blue blur crashed straight into the ground.
He spotted Knightwalker struggling to stand. Of course, she was: the spell he just cast messed with one's sense of direction. He found out a speedster relies on balance, so he made sure to throw it off and make her crash into the ground with the same speed she moved. He spotted her attempting to reach for her blade. But Mystogan moved to snatch it away from her.
Quickly, he undid the spell and restrained the Royal Captain.
However, he heard the sound of a laser hum coming from behind him.
"You are going to release her right now, terrorist. Or you're going to lose your head." The voice. He knew that voice. It was cold and cruel, but he remembered a long time ago when it belonged to a whiny crybaby.
Mystgoan spotted Erza Knightwalker looking behind him in shock. "Princess!? What are you doing here!?"
"I wanted to visit my brother's monument. I didn't expect to see you here, Captain." Mystogan found himself looking to his right while ignoring the voice. He saw what looked to be a golden statue of a young man too naive to know how the world was. It was surrounded by flowers he had never seen before and adorned with exotic architecture.
A graveyard for the former prince? Mystogan didn't even know he cared enough for it.
"I'm not in the mood for this, terrorist," Hisui began as Mystogan could hear the humming get louder and the light behind him get brighter. "Drop your weapons."
"Your majesty?" Another voice spoke from beside the princess. "That man's mask is about to fall."
Mystogan's eyes widened as he suddenly felt the wrappings around his head start to fall. Briefly, he remembered barely dodging one of Knightwalker's thrusts. Did he not realize that his mask was cut the entire time?!
Because he did not want to get blasted in the head, Mystogan felt horror as his mask fell and revealed his face. Mystogan watched as Knightwalker's face widened with utter disbelief. And he heard the smaller girl gasp before cupping her hands.
But the princess? He couldn't hear anything.
After one torturous second, Hisui gulped. "Turn around, Terrorist."
Mystogan dropped his staff and slowly turned. When he did, for the first time in years, a brother and a sister had finally been reunited.
{Author Notes}
Sorry for the short chapter. I just wanted a setup for all of the chaos about to unfold in this battle for Edolas' future. And hopefully, I'm going to reveal a lot of other things as well. There's something more than meets the eye in Edolas, and the secret to saving or damning both worlds lies in the mysterious tree. I bet some sharper people have already seen my hints.
With that, I wish you all well. See ya soon for the next chapter. And good news! This story is close to reaching 1k Follows and Favorites! I would appreciate it if this story reached those miles stones. Peace out and thanks for reading.