AN: Heyo! Another fight scene montage. I'm thinking after this I'll go more in-depth on individual fights per chapter. Hope you guys enjoy!
Notice: I don't own Fairy Tail. Don't sue me.
Chapter 18: Fairies' Trials
Gildarts had never felt so frustrated in his life. There had been very few enemies he had faced recently that he couldn't simply overpower with his immense brute force. Even Bluenote Stinger and Byro Cracy, the two opponents who had given him the most trouble since he'd returned to Fairy Tail from his Century Quest, were both not quite a match for Gildarts in terms of raw magic power and physical ability. But this kid was not even close. He was a scrawny little teenage kid who just didn't know how to stay down- kind of like Natsu but without the "I'm all fired up!" part. To him, Masud was like a cockroach- practically harmless, but impossible to get rid of. Gildarts could even handle being bested by Acnologia- a dragon- but this was just embarrassing.
He and Makarov had given up trying to blow him up with magic a long time ago, since it was just a waste of magic power. Makarov had figured, if Masud's ability lasts four hours, then they would just have to wait until it wore off. But Masud's insect-like nature wouldn't allow them to just wait out his magic. Around their heads he buzzed, constantly wanting to pick a fight. Gildarts kept swatting him away like a pesky fly, over and over and over and over again. But he just kept on getting right back up. Gildarts took it back. This boy was much more annoying than Natsu.
And the worst part was, Gildarts could tell Masud's plan was working. Every time Gildarts fended him off, he got a fresh tiny scratch on his metaphorical armor. While Gildarts' stamina was indeed an exceedingly high number, Masud's stamina was infinite. Infinity was of course infinitely higher than any finite number.
"Wendy! Erza's in trouble!"
"You sure, Warren?" Wendy responded.
"Yeah, she's calling for assist. I need you to take her the emergency rejuvenation tech."
"I'll do my best!"
"Let's hurry, child."
As the sky dragonslayer and her cat dashed off below deck, Warren returned his sights to the battle in front of him. About half the guild was locked in combat with a single beastly man. Warren remembered him from the time when he'd visited the guild. His face had a way of imprinting itself in one's memory.
Macao's and Wakaba's attacks failed once again as they were sucked into the gaping void in the middle of the man's face. "Mmm, smoky! Savory! Fifths, please!"
"What's up with this guy?" Wakaba complained. "So far he's eaten Wendy's sky magic, Macao's Purple Flare, my smoke, several of Levy's Solid Scripts, Droy's plants, Max's sand, Romeo's fire, at least ten of Reedus' pictomagics…"
"Don't forget my hat!" Jet interjected.
"I told you to call me Master!" Macao snapped. A beefy arm smashed into his side and sent him crashing against the side of the boat.
"Maw's tried the buffet," the mouth monstrosity roared. "Now it's time to clean up the mess!" One by one, the guild members were swatted to the side like rag dolls. Something had to be done, and quickly.
Warren, came Freed's voice. There's something going on up here. A strange magic circle is glowing where the hydra heads used to be.
Never mind that, Freed! Warren responded. We've got bigger problems to worry about! I need the Thunder Legion to come down here and deal with this guy! At this rate, he'll take out half the guild by himself!
Freed, Bickslow and Evergreen arrived just as the last of the main Fairy Tail squad was beaten to a pulp. Maw turned his beady eyes toward the remaining four.
"Maw sees new snacks. Maw eat!" the man snarled and charged.
"Careful! He can eat anything!"
"Oh, he's no match for the Thunder Legion. Trust me!" Freed assured. "Now! Let us do Laxus proud!"
Freed began to furiously inscribe an enchantment around the area, while Bickslow and Evergreen charged Maw.
"Let's go, babies!" Let's go!
"Fairy machine gun: Leprechaun!"
Maw opened his mouth and chugged down Evergreen's attack. "Mmm, tastes like sage… maybe a little clover…"
"Gahhh…" Bickslow cried. "Berian Formation!"
The blast of powerful magic energy once again went right down Maw's gullet. Maw reached out and snatched one of Bickslow's dolls and stuffed it down his throat. "Mmmmm! Tastes like spirit!"
Bickslow grinned. "Sorry, man, but even if you eat one of my babies' host bodies, it will…" His face changed to a look of horror, and he fell to his knees. "No way… You ate the baby's spirit too?" Spirit, too? The remaining babies echoed with horror.
"I've got it!" Freed exclaimed. A set of enchantments surrounded the area's perimeter. "None shall eat anything within the barriers of this enchantment!"
Maw shrugged, walked right up to the wall of runes, and took a bite.
Freed's mouth dropped open. He sweatdropped, and then collapsed.
Well, looks like the Thunder Legion isn't much help either. Natsu? Gajeel? Gray? Juvia? Cana? Where are you guys? What about you, Mira? Everything okay with your group?
Yeah, we're doing fine, Warren. We've managed to take out a few wizards, but we haven't encountered anybody super strong. And don't worry about the thunder Legion, Warren. I'm sure they'll pull through.
Breaking the connection, Mira turned her attention to her own assault group. Lucy was arguing with one of her Celestial Spirits, Lisanna was meekly asking if one of the wizards they'd just beaten to a pulp was all right, and Elfman was strutting around and pounding his chest. Even in the midst of all of this trauma and commotion, Mira couldn't help but giggle. She loved her family- not just her two siblings, but the rest of Fairy Tail, too. No matter what happened, they were all going to get through this, just like the guild always did.
"Come on, guys," she interrupted. "We gotta get going. We need to find the power source."
Before anyone could respond, a voice came from the shadows behind Mira. "Oh, I could help you with that."
Mira and the others whirled around to face the young blond girl facing them with a glint in her eyes. It was the girl from Head Five, Fenra. Of all the team members, Fenra was the one people knew the least about.
"How can you expect to beat us," Elfman began, "When you're not even a ma-"
His words were cut short by a powerful blast of silver magic energy that resonated from Fenra's outstretched palm. The four Fairy Tail wizards were blasted off their feet and slammed into the tunnel walls. Mira staggered to her feet and coughed. "Why… why are you doing this? Why are you trying to destroy Fairy Tail?"
Fenra waved her hand, and a ball of silver light about four feet in diameter floated up to the ceiling of the tunnel, basking the entre area in an eerie glow. "Technically, we're only doing this on Master's orders. But I have a special reason for hating you, Fairy Tail. This guild unnecessarily destroyed my hometown on a mission when I was small. And now I'm going to destroy your home."
As per his usual battle strategy, Natsu was getting seriously pissed off. Unlike usual, his anger alone didn't seem to be working.
He'd always gotten horrible luck when it came to facing opponents. Ever since Erigor, half the people he faced used magic that nullified his own flames' power. Totomaru, Zancrow, Byro, that sickle guy from the Garou knights… Against all of them, he'd been able to beat them anyway with his bare fists and determination (well, except Byro). But how the hell was he supposed to fight a swarm of bugs with his bare hands?
Now, Natsu had never had much of a problem with bugs before. They burned surprisingly well, and made for quite the tasty snack when charred. But the amount of bugs he had to fight at this point was ridiculous. No matter how many he burned through, there were always more to take their place. He couldn't even see who the hell he was fighting.
"Happy," Natsu gasped. "We've got to get out of here now, or I think I might choke."
"Aye, sir!"
Somehow Happy managed to push his way out of the fog of locusts, and Natsu took in the sheer enormity of the plague. It stretched at least a mile wide in front of him, blocking off Natsu's view of the guildhall. That made Natsu really mad. He was just about to charge back into the fog when he heard a gleeful cackle from behind him.
"Magnificent, isn't it? The insect is truly the epitome of perfect life. They create so many offspring that it's impossible to extinguish them all!" Flik's voice pierced Natsu's eardrums like a thousand tiny needles. He was levitating with no help at all, no indication of wings.
"Is that so, huh? Then maybe I'll just have to extinguish YOU!" Natsu leapt at the man with a blazing fist. His fist sunk right into Flik's abdomen as if it were made of jell-o. On contact, his flame was quickly snuffed out, and Natsu felt his hand being covered in countless searing stings and cuts. He pulled it out with a cry of pain to find that his hand was swollen, bleeding, and rubbed raw.
Flik cackled maniacally. "Not too smart to put your fist right into my swarm. I'll make those stings seem like honey on your wounds!"
From his hanging coat sleeves began pouring swarms of yellowjacket wasps, each one a tiny harbinger of piercing pain.
Meanwhile, Gajeel was slugging it out on the ground with another brute whose toughness exceeded his own. Gray was being forced to surrender to save the life of his guildmate. Erza was locked in combat with an opponent who couldn't be hit, with a gaping wound in her magic power.
And far above where even Natsu and Flik fought, green scales began to sprout from the tops of each of the seven towers.
Thanks for reading! Hopefully this chapter wasn't too boring. Rates and reviews would be much appreciated! As always, see you next time and I hope you have a nice day.