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Chapter 10: Reform

"So, any idea what this place is?"

"You mean, aside from ruins on the back of a giant monster?"

Grey, Lucy, and Guildless stood in a path between the hollow shells of buildings.

Grey continued, "I thought Nirvana was a powerful form of magic, not just a bunch of broken down buildings and rubble."

Lucy asked, "If it's a city, what happened to the people?"

Guildless muttered, "I'm wondering exactly what we're hoping to find here." Suddenly whirling around, three black daggers had been thrown into the air, blocked by chunks of stone.

"Peace, Guildless. We need not fight."

Guildless lowered her stance ever so slightly. "Even with an Oracion Seis member at your side?"

Jura assured, "There's no need to worry. Hoteye is now our faithful ally."

Grey asked, "He is?"

Hoteye proclaimed, "All you need is love! Oh yeah!"

Lucy whispered to Grey as Jura and Hoteye descended from the rooftops., "Isn't this the guy who did nothing but scream money this and money that before?"

Grey muttered back, "Yeah, I think so. Baldy must've beaten some sense into him, huh?"

Guildless interrupted from behind, "One, you two need to learn how to whisper. Two, Nirvana, remember? It switches light for dark."

Grey recollected, "Ah, right. We just went through the same thing with Sherry. Except she definitely changed for the worse."

Lucy agreed, "Yeah, 'Lady Love' basically went psycho on us for a bit."

Jura worried, "What? Is she okay? Where is she?"

Grey assured, "Relax, she's safe with Lyon."

Hoteye leapt into a lecture about the history of Nirvana, explaining how the Nirvit had created Nirvana in the hopes of creating peace in a troubled world. Guildless paid little attention to the conversation, keeping her eyes trained on their surroundings.

She was finally shaken out of her focus by the words "-criminals can find the dark side of even the most constructive of magics."

Guildless glanced down at her bandaged hands, her own, horrific features flashing before her eyes. Don't I know...

Hoteye continued, "In any case, now that Nirvana's been activated, it poses a clear and present threat to the entire world. We must do everything in our power to destroy it. Oh yeah!"

Grey agreed, "Sounds like a plan to me!"

Guildless negatively muttered, "That's considered a plan? I'd call it a goal." She hesitated. "Speaking of which, what's the goal? Where's Nirvana going?"

Hoteye confessed, "Sadly, Brain did not share the particulars of his plan with the rest of us. We-"

Another trio of knives was flying through the air from Guildless' hands, heading for a new visitor. The streaks of black curled around their target: a boy with white and black hair. Seconds later, Guildless wailed in pain as matching streaks cut across her body. Staggering back a step, clutching her bleeding forearm, she stood ready for another attack.

Lucy cried, "Guildless!" But the other wizard waved her off, making more daggers in her good arm.

He said, "Not true. Father didn't trust the rest of you enough to tell you."

Hoteye greeted solemnly, "Hello, Midnight."

Grey affirmed, "One of the Oracion Seis."

Lucy added, "It's the creep that's always napping!"

Midnight continued, "You betrayed us." He reappeared behind them. "I didn't think you had the guts."

Hoteye defended, "I haven't betrayed anyone."

Midnight seemed to teleport again, off to the side. "Oh?"

"I've come to realise the error of Brain's misguided ways."

Midnight's voice was deadly sharp as he asked, "What was that?" He was suddenly in front of them again. "Why don't you come over here and say that, big guy."

Lucy wondered, "How's he doing that?"

Grey asked, "Hang on, what's all this father stuff about anyway?"

Lucy guessed, "Some kind of family that slays together?"

Hoteye clarified, "I say he is misguided because he truly believes a person's heart can be changed by magic. But only love has the power to make even the weakest of hearts strong- oh yeah!"

Midnight glared, the world shifting for the three legal guild wizards. Guildless disappeared yet again, the others in a sunken pit behind Hoteye.

As Guildless reappeared in a flash of black next to the hole, Hoteye commanded, "There's no time to waste! Get to the royal throne as quickly as possible! I'll stay behind and take care of Midnight! You needn't worry about me; all members of the Oracion Seis are equal in power."

Midnight played with the beaded strand of hair hanging by his face. "You really think you're a match for me?"

Hoteye called, "Earth Magic: Liquid Ground!" His magic circle appeared, causing a wave of earth to cascade Midnight's way, yet he somehow deflected it.

Grey thought out loud, "Who would've thought the Oracion Seis would turn on each other?"

Lucy agreed, "Dark guilds aren't exactly all about peace and harmony..."

Guildless was obviously pissed, fists clenched and white, yet she said, "Good luck, Hoteye."

He smiled. "I will, now go, quickly! Also... I would prefer you didn't call me that anymore. The name's Richard. Oh yeah!"

Guildless quietly murmured, "Thank you, Richard."

He urged, "Now make haste, my fellow reformer!"

Guildless tensed. Why? Why did he have to mention it...

Lucy frowned. "Reformer?"

Guildless gracefully shrugged it off as best she could. "He's preoccupied. Come on, we can't afford to stand here watching." She was off, trying to ignore the pain that came from her numerous wounds. The guild wizards were close behind.

As they left, Midnight growled, "We're not supposed to reveal our true name to the enemy. That's a new low, even for you. Oh yeah."

Hoteye strongly said, "I have no interest in hiding behind a code name now that I've opened my heart to love. Prepare yourself!"

He attacked, yet Midnight deflected it once again. The young boy taunted, "And you keep loose cannons from Demon's Shadow on your side?"

Hoteye guarded, "Guildless has seen the error of her ways as I have!"

Midnight smirked. "So that's why she still keeps contact with her old guild, huh? She's no more reformed than I am." And before Hoteye could say another word, his attack was right back against him.

The four wizards had been running toward the highest tower when a massive explosion rocked the ground and sent flames up in front of them.

Grey exclaimed, "Whoa, what was that?"

Jura suggested, "Maybe one of our allies needs help!"

Lucy hypothesized, "An over the top explosion?"

Grey answered, "I bet'cha I know who caused it."

"Natsu makes it easy for us to find him!"

"No kidding!"

Guildless rubbed her side slightly. "Damn pyro's doing it again."

They kept running toward the explosion, even after it had past. After a long, heaving race through Nirvana's paths, they found a chilling sight.

"There he is!"

Brain was walking away, dragging a weakened Natsu by his prized scarf.

Lucy cried out, "Natsu! What happened to you?"

Natsu sickly murmured, "It's moving... I just can't handle it..."

Happy's weak voice called, "Hey guys... please help..."

Lucy worried, "Are you okay?"

Jura assured, "Sir Cat is still alive."

Together, Lucy and Grey asked, "Are you talking about Happy?"

Happy shouted, "You guys gotta save Natsu! Brain's taken him away..."

Brain simply said, "The Six Demons have been cut down to a meager three. We've been chopped in half. So in order to stop the bleeding in our once healthy ranks, I will fortify them with this one."

Guildless growled, "That's all I needed to know." She stepped forward. "This one's mine."

The other wizards hesitated. Guildless obviously had power, but she was so beaten... She'd been taking hits for everyone all day.

She insisted, "I can beat him- you all keep going towards Nirvana. I'll free your friend and take out the biggest problem in our way."

Brain chuckled. "You've always been full of yourself, child. Diviner was right to keep you under lock and key; he should've trained you better before setting you loose. I believe I'll have to put the dog back on its leash."

Suddenly, the tension in the air was palpable. Guildless was still, everyone holding their breath. Guildless suddenly cracked her knuckles. "You'll regret mentioning Diviner, Brain. And a little warning: make sure you can beat your opponent before you piss them off."