Chapter 12
"What do you mean they got away?"
"Natsu, there was nothing they could do. Cut them some slack."
"Don't tell me what to do, you ice freak!"
"Natsu. Shut up, sit in that corner bench, and don't move until you've cooled down. Now is not the time to be fighting." Erza was pacing the hall, her fists clenched. Shortly after the explosions when Cascadia and Levy left, Natsu had arrived on the scene. However, the danger had seemed to pass. The members who had gone to investigate the site had begun to head back when they came across Lucy trapped in a magical forest and Levy crying but otherwise non-responsive. Cascadia was nowhere to be seen. Lucy had finally woken up and had just explained to the guild what had happened.
"Lucy," Gray asked the blonde, "describe this guy's magic again."
"Well, he used some kind of plant magic that I had never seen before. He not only could control plants; he could create them and manipulate them. Anyone who touched these plants had their magic drained. Even the celestial spirits weren't exempt from this. Loke managed to last longer, but even he couldn't manage to fight it."
"That's what I thought." Gray said, "Sounds like the guy I beat up when I first ran into Cascadia."
"But wait, she said the guys were from some dark guild called Broken Wing. Are you saying it was Broken Wing who did all this?" Erza asked.
"I'd say it's very likely." Gray said somberly.
"What else do we know about Broken Wing?" Erza asked.
"Well-"
"Who cares what we know? I say we just sniff them out, crash their place, and rescue Cascadia!"
"Natsu." Erza gritted her teeth, "I thought I told you to cool down in the corner."
"I did and this is the most logical course of action. Let's go." Natsu shrugged on his travel bag and called to his small blue cat friend, "Com'on Happy."
"Aye, sir!"
"Not so fast." Erza grabbed Natsu by the scarf, "Do you even know where you're going?"
"No, but obviously that's where my nose comes in. I'll just follow the scent."
"Idiot," Gray grumbled, "If you had even an ounce of common sense, you'd remember that Lucy said they disappeared into thin air. How do you plan to follow that kind of scent?"
"Well it's better than any plan you'd come up with."
"Wanna say that again, pyro?"
"I'd be happy to, ice freak."
"Natsu. Calm down. Gray. Put on some clothes." Erza stood between the two boys, giving a glare that would scare even death itself.
"Yes ma'am!" The two straightened up immediately.
"Now, we need to do some immediate recon. We can't do much to help Cascadia if we don't know where she is. I'll visit the Magic Counsel with the master to see if they know anything about this Broken Wing. I would like to send Levy back to the scene to investigate further, because she's the best at this sort of thing, but sadly she hasn't woken yet. Therefore, Lucy, you go and investigate. Natsu and Wendy, you go with her. Maybe you guys can catch the scent of this plant mage. DON'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. Got it Natsu?" Erza paused to stare at Natsu until he nodded his head reluctantly.
"Good. Now Gajeel. I want you to go to the scene of the explosion to pick up any clues or scents that seem suspicious. Take a few more people with you to help clean up the mess in the process. The same thing I said to Natsu applies to you, Gajeel. Nothing reckless. Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna, I want you three to start asking around nearby towns about this dark guild. Maybe we've overlooked something. Gray. Stay behind at the guild. With any luck Laxus, the Thunder Legion, and Gildarts will be back soon. We may need them. For now, we need a strong wizard to protect the guild. If they come back, bring them up to date and try to keep them from leaving again until we know whether we'll need them. Everyone got that? Good. Get going."
With that, everyone split to do their designated tasks, in the hopes of preventing the arising crisis from becoming a full-blown catastrophe.
"My friends at Fairy Tail?" Cascadia abruptly stood up, "What do you want with them? I don't plan to help you willingly, so how do you think I'm useful to you?"
"My dear, you don't know how threats work, do you?" The man leaned forward, chin on hands. "We know everything about your Fairy Tail. We know that old fool Makarov does nothing more these days than drinking himself under the table. We know you have a loose cannon that can cause more trouble than help. My dear, we knew you were going to join them before you even knew."
Cascadia sat back down abruptly, giving a huff of laughter, "I didn't even know I was going to join Fairy Tail until your people started stalking me. Don't act so pretentious."
"Believe me or don't. It's of no consequence to me. What matters is whether you're going to help me or not. I believe you're not as naïve as to truly believe no one will be affected by your insubordination."
Cascadia stiffened, "Don't you hurt them. They've been good to me. They're not family. Not yet. But I won't forgive you if you hurt them. Can't forgive you."
The man stood up, a somber look on his face, "I have respect for you and your guild. Truly. But these are trying times and we need you to cooperate and if that means harming your guild, I'll do it. Your guild may have some powerful wizards, some of which you have yet to meet, but I guarantee my guild has members to match each of yours and counter them.
You recall Brenden and Nele? They were chosen specifically as your captors. They're mentors are much stronger and can take on Gray Fullbuster of the Ice Make. Your guild may survive a frontal assault, but there will be casualties. Picking them off one by one? Child's play. Are you beginning to understand? Chances of survival for your guild are dismal at best.
It doesn't need to be this way, however. Give me your cooperation and your guild remains safe. As a show of comradery and trust, I shall give you my name and what your first assignment shall be."
Cascadia frowned at him, "I never agreed to help you. I find it hard to believe Fairy Tail could be so easily bested by a dark guild. Besides, why should I help you destroy more innocents?"
"Because you don't know these innocents. Isn't Fairy Tail innocent of this matter? Magnolia? I know you felt rage at our first attack. There were no deaths. Only some injured. That was on purpose. Even the explosion that nearly hit dear Gray. Imagine if we hit them with the intent to kill? Even you, one with such a cold heart, would find sadness in the loss of innocents you know purposely for the sake of some sense of morality and chivalry. Better to destroy those you don't know than those you do know. Besides, your assignments will not have you pass judgement on the innocent but rather the guilty. Your choice is clear, and you know it, don't you, my dear?"
Cascadia remained silent. Reluctance in her eyes. The man smiled and finally sat back down and looked Cascadia in the eyes. His eyes were strange, she finally noticed. Somewhat hypnotic. One eye was violet, the other gold. She had never seen anything quite like it. His hair was platinum blonde and reached his shoulders. He had a rather large build that was surprising as he wasn't an extraordinarily tall man.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man finally spoke again. "Andrew."
"What?" Cascadia jerked. He had been quiet so long.
"My name. It's Andrew. I told you I'd give you my name and your first assignment as a sign of trust and cooperation. There's a group of people in a small region known as Pulchra. They're known as the Bellus Morte. They kidnap young children that have extraordinary talent and raise them as wizards. Grooming them to become and army to rise against Fiore. I want you to infiltrate them and figure out how they've been doing it, and then destroy them. Leave only those under the age of 18 alive. This is your first assignment. You will begin immediately."