"Lisanna?"

I yell, still in a mild panic. If what Ukel said was true, she may be in trouble. Serious trouble.

Although he told me a specific hall to go down, this particular hallway branches off into numerous rooms. In fear of the possibility of passing the correct room, I have taken the time to peak inside every room. Strangely, I haven't seen anyone, let alone Lisanna. Other than the people Natsu took care of in the front room, this entire building is surprisingly vacant. I suppose that only goes to prove how little I actually know about the situation. However, I know one thing, my guildmate is in serious danger.

As I quickly make my way further down the hall, I feel a slight sense of questioning rising from within me. What if Ukel was lying? I wouldn't put it past him, and realistically, it would be sensical for him to lie about this. He's using my affiliations to distract me, thereby creating a favorable scenario for him. Of course, there exists the chance he was not bluffing, meaning Lisanna is in immediate danger.

Damn it, this is one of the reasons I don't get close to people; I'm creating an obvious and exploitable weakness, it let's people use me. Just like he did, all those years ago…

Suddenly, a brief flash of white catches my eye. The same white I have allowed myself to come to care for. I stop and turn to my right, facing an opening in the wall. There she is, Lisanna is safe, at least for the moment. She not only appears to be injured, but her wrists are shackled above her head, holding her in place. Below her feet, it looks like she is standing on a solid blue rock, almost like a large crystal.

But I didn't come here to admire Lisanna and her scenery, I need to get her out of there. Stepping forward, I move to enter the large opening in the wall, only to step into… nothing? It's like I ran into a brick wall, but there is nothing in front of me. Only an open room which exhibits Lisanna, obviously bruised and trapped. Is this what Ukel meant by "You can watch her die"?
"Lisanna, are you okay?"

I call out, but she doesn't seem to hear me.

Bringing my fist up, I lightly punch the wall of nothing ahead of me, confirming I can not pass through. My fist connects with the air, making a solid and audible impact. It's just as I thought…

"An enchantment."

I quietly say to myself as I look around, trying to see the source of this enchantment. Usually, enchantments such as this are a direct result of letter magic, but there exists some magic which creates similar enchantments. Though, I don't see anything which is projecting said enchantment, no words, no person, not even a lacrima. If I knew where the source of power is, or the specifications of the enchantment, I may be able to bypass it, but for the moment, I see nothing. Even looking further into the room, I can't see any other entrances, or even a window. There is only one way into that room, and I can not pass through it.

"Having troubles?"

A condescending, unfamiliar female voice speaks from within the room.

"You seem to be in quite the predicament, being stuck with an invisible wall."

The voice is close to me, on the right side of the room. But she is remaining in the darkness, so I can't see her.

"Is this your enchantment?"

I ask without hesitating. She's attempting to buy time by making irrelevant conversation, but I will not fall for her cheap tactics.

The woman laughs, before saying.

"Well, aren't you a smart one. Though, I suppose your assumption is rather obvious."

I hear the woman take a single step, but I still cannot see her through the darkness of the room.

"But where are my manners? I believe introductions are in order. You may address me as Firo. What are you known by?"

I'm not exactly sure why, but something about the manner in which Firo speaks is almost arrogant. Maybe it's her tone, or her choice of words, but she sounds as if she is talking down to me with every word she speaks.

Regardless, I don't answer her, as I have no real need too.

"Perhaps you are the strong silent type?"

Firo asks as I fail to respond.

"Or perhaps you are more concerned with her."
She adds coyly, obviously referring to Lisanna.

"I assume you know her, but I have to wonder, does she trust you?"

Firo keeps talking as I am stuck with nothing to do but listen.

"More directly, does she actually believe you possess the ability to save her from this current situation?"

I'm not sure if Firo is asking legitimately, or rhetorically.

"What an unpleasant surprise it will be, for this poor girl to learn that you have already failed."
It's obvious she's trying to aggravate me, but I need to stay focused.

"Why do you say I've already failed?"

I ask calmly, while looking ahead to Lisanna.

Firo pauses for a moment, possibly frustrated at her inability to manipulate me.

"I said it, because it is the truth. In less than a minute now, this takeover wizard shall have the magic energy sucked from her, along with the potential energy of each of her forms. Unfortunately for her, and you I expect, she will not survive the extraction."

Firo speaks neutrally now, evidently no longer concerned with puppeteering my emotional being.

So that's why a takeover wizard is better than a dragon slayer, because every form Lisanna can take has it's own specific magical essence to use, and while it can't be accessed all at once by her, Firo apparently has the means to harvest all of her energy, including each form.
But that doesn't matter right now, I am against the clock, and I haven't a clue of how to even get in the room to help. Also, being as I have less than sixty seconds, I don't have time to find Natsu or Erza to enlist their assistance.

"No response? I am literally about to kill your friend, and you aren't bellowing in a fiery rage, mourning in a pit of desperation, or eliciting any reaction? You're no fun."

Now Firo sounds confused, but I am beyond the point of caring. It's detrimental I stay collected and focus on saving Lisanna. I wouldn't be able to go on if I lost the first person I've cared about in three long years. No one else I care about is dieing because of my actions, or lack thereof.

Continuing to ignore Firo, I take a step back. I just need to find whatever is projecting this enchantment, that seems like my only option at this point. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place, maybe the object in question is in a less obvious place. Being as any enchantment of a physical manifestation require some form of a scriptment, I can easily deduce any loopholes and specifications about the enchantment. Of course, I have to find where it's written. I can only hope it isn't written in that room, somewhere in the darkness.

Wait, I'm overlooking something crucial. Unless otherwise written, the object an enchantment effects must be in an area unobstructed by an object. I'm willing to say that the latter part was not written, therefore, the written enchantment must be near the invisible wall. Since I couldn't spot it inside the room Lisanna and Firo are in, then it must be...

Turning around quickly, I spy a small set of scribblings on the wall opposite to the invisible wall. Clever.

"Oh, so you found my inscription? I hate to tell you this, but that is the single victory you shall claim on this day."
Firo is back to her arrogant and cocky manner of speech, as I carefully read the letters carved into the wall.

Through the dimly lit hall, I can tell these words are not of a typical language. But that's not to say I can't read them, as I have seen these odd scribblings before. Laurethiam, that's what this uncommon writing is. It isn't a spoken language, rather one that is only written. It is used in a rather outdated summoning magic, which operates under the same name as the language itself. Though it is an old and somewhat obscure magic, it still remains somewhat effective for summoning, teleportation, and enchantments.

It's a rough translation, but basically the writing states "Those who bear the emblem of affiliation haven't the privilege to pass through the way ahead, spare the ones accompanied by those free of such markings." It doesn't translate perfectly to a spoken language, but it essentially means you can not pass through the doorway if you have a guild emblem on your body, unless they are in physical contact with someone without a guild emblem.

So, as long as I have this red Fairy Tail marking on my right forearm, I can't save Lisanna. And here I was worried I might not be able to save her.

Turning back around, I look down at my blades handle.

"Giving up? Don't take it too hard, I'm one of the few who can even read that language."
I place my right hand by my left hip, grasping the handle of the blade.

"It's surprising to see someone practice Laurethium, especially in this era."
Pulling my blade out of it's sheathe, the wind begins to cyclone around me.

Firo falls silent, before laughing.

"Just because you know the magic, you think you can slice my enchantment?"

She asks while chuckling. I breath in deeply, passing my steel sword to my left hand before holding it in front of my face.

"Before I slit your throat, allow me to extend some advice. In battle, never underestimate your opponents strength or knowledge, and never overestimate yourself."

Firo just laughs harder as I speak.

"You're gonna slit my throat? Have you forgotten about the enchantment?"

She is speaking between laughs, making her vocal efforts sound even more arrogant.

I angle the blade above my body, while extending my right arm. The wind intensifies around me.

"You hurt my guildmates and threatened my friend."

This is gonna hurt.

"I won't let you hurt the people I care about!"

I yell as I swing the blade downwards.

It hurts more than I could've possibly imagined.

As my right arm falls to the ground, I move forward, through the enchantment. Trying my best to ignore the pain, I step further into the room, slicing twice. The first, to slice open Firo's condescending neck, the second to unshackle Lisanna. She begins to fall, but I catch her with my remaining arm. In a moment of overwhelming pain and relief, I dive back out of the room and collapse to the ground. As I do, I make sure to maintain physical contact with Lisanna, so she can pass through the enchantment with me.

I'm not really clear as to what happened next, everything grew dark and fuzzy. I think I remember hearing voices, but I could be wrong.

All I know is, she was safe.

After that...