Gajeel came upon the soaking bodies suspended in the air.
The rain thundered down around him, making it even harder to see the ashen hue of the mages trapped within. Alive. He needed to deliver them all alive. He'd never given Jose a reason to doubt him and he would not give him one tonight.
Reaching up, Gajeel extended his arm with a solid iron pole to knock them out, the bodies falling unconscious to the ground where coughs wrecked them, their lungs straining to be filled air.
For a moment the water bubbles hung above their recently freed prisoners, then they shuddered and burst, soaking the mages even further. Whatever, they were too weak to get away, they didn't even roll over to shield themselves from the rain.
Gajeel entered the building, glad for a little shelter and warmth. He took a moment to shake himself off after setting the case down on the nearest counter.
After the theatrics of the bubbled sentries, the stillness of the room made the skin on the back of his neck itch. The muted rain and his own breathing were the only things disturbing the unnatural silence. Where was she? Where were the rest of them?
She'd been here not too long ago. He wasn't that slow, even if he had been dragging his feet a bit. Besides, the room reeked of her. The scent of her magic was strong, cloying in the air. It drew his gaze upwards, where a watery web of bubbled mages shimmered above him.
His lips twitched, it was almost impressive.
Still, he didn't fancy slamming them all out, and whatever link she had to them was clearly fading as she directed her magic elsewhere. To a new fight, one that Gajeel needed to be in. But first he had to deal with these, ensure the mission was carried out in full despite the master's newest pet and her efforts to lead it astray.
Gajeel drew in a deep breath to centre himself. The roar of the iron dragon wasn't really subtle, or entirely necessary with the already shaky integrity of the bubbles. But it felt good to release it and watch as his attack finally landed, mages raining down around him.
The hall was thoroughly trashed. Bodies strewn about on splintered tables, twitching. Some were moaning faintly, some were unnervingly still but he could hear the pitter of their hearts with his advanced senses. He swung up on a beam and surveyed them, but the hostages weren't among them, he hadn't thought her that careless and was glad to be proven right.
His ears twitched, the sounds of a struggle finally reaching him. Gajeel picked up the case and left in pursuit of the water mage.
