This is what the end of the last chapter has been building up to! I really hope you all enjoy it!
November 13, X790
Spiral was looking at the S-Class request board on the second floor of the guild hall, examining each and every job on there.
"Hey, Spiral!" Sakura said as she walked up to him with Flora flying right next to her. "Going on a job on your own?"
"I don't know yet." Spiral replied. "I'm still checking out everything that's available."
"Is your girlfriend not here?" Flora asked.
"Wah, Hikari's not my girlfriend!" Spiral said with his face blushing.
"I never said anything about Hikari." Flora smirked.
"Dah! Sh-shut up!" Spiral exclaimed.
"You know? It's been a while since the two of us have gone on a mission together." Sakura said. "How about we team up for nostalgia's sake?"
"If only Jason were here, we'd really be getting the original team back together." Spiral said. "But he hasn't come back yet from his mission with Mermaid Heel."
"Then the three of us can go on an S-Class quest together." Sakura said.
"Yeah." Spiral nodded.
Meanwhile far outside the city of Roseshade, Frost was lying on a tree while Melody was standing on the ground with her eyes closed.
"Melody, are you done scoping out the area yet?" Frost asked. "I'm getting bored over here."
"Me, too." Cole said as he flew by Frost and landed on Frost's chest. "On second thought, maybe I'll just play with Frost's boobs for a bit."
"Give me a few more minutes…" Melody said before thinking to herself. *That woman from last night… there was something very wrong about her…*
"I can't believe that lady is planning to pay us so much for such a simple job." Frost said.
"… Yeah, I don't know about her." Melody said.
"Hm?" Cole stopped playing with Frost's breasts. "What do you mean?"
"There was something… off." Melody answered. "I admit, she's a pretty good liar, but I could still tell she was lying."
"Whatever." Frost said as she jumped down from the tree with Cole flying right next to her. "Just hurry up so we can get the job out of the way."
About an hour later, Spiral, Sakura and Flora were all walking out of town with each of them carrying a small bag.
"I didn't think we'd be able to plant seeds this far into November." Spiral said.
"Well, these are special plants that only grow during winter." Sakura said. "And once spring comes, we get our own private stash of veggies!"
"I'd hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not as big on vegetables as you." Spiral said.
The three stopped moving forward as they saw Frost and Melody walking toward them.
"Excuse me?" Melody asked. "You wouldn't happen to be wizards from the Phoenix Dawn guild, would you?"
"Well, yeah, how did you know?"
"Lucky guess." Melody said before blasting Spiral and Sakura with some sort of powerful force.
"What's your deal, lady?!" Sakura shouted.
"We're mercenaries hired to wipe out everyone in the Phoenix Dawn guild." Frost said.
"Who would want us to be wiped out?" Spiral asked.
"I'm afraid that's… confidential." Frost said before she ran up to Sakura about to kick her in the face.
Sakura managed to get up, hold up her arms and block the kick.
"It doesn't matter who hired you, mess with our guild and you'll have to answer to me!" Sakura shouted before breathing in deep. "Forest Dragon Roar!"
Frost was sent flying back by the attack, but she wasn't fazed by it at all.
"What do you know, Frost? She's like you." Melody said.
"What do you mean like me?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, you two already started without me!" Cole whined as he flew up to Frost's side.
"We didn't think we'd have to start fighting this early in the mission." Frost said.
"That's still no excuse for leaving me behind!" Cole shouted.
"An Exceed?" Spiral asked before shaking his head. "Whatever. I'm ending this now. Never-Melt Glacier!"
Spiral created a wide glacier that headed for both Melody and Frost, but Melody slammed her fists against it and the glacier stopped in its tracks.
"It didn't break?" Melody asked.
"Don't worry, I got this." Frost said as she bit into the ice.
The ice started to melt as Frost continued to bite into it.
"No way…" Spiral said with a look of shock. "There's no way she could do that… Unless…"
After the last piece of the glacier was swallowed up by Frost, she let out a content sigh and wiped off the side of her mouth.
"I've never tasted ice that good before." Frost said. "It'll actually make me regret killing you."
"Spiral, I thought you said that Never-Melt was indestructible!" Sakura said.
"Well… there IS one other weakness." Spiral said.
"Ice Dragon Roar!" Frost shot a breath of ice shards and snow at Spiral and Sakura.
Both of them managed to jump out of the way as the breath froze the ground.
"Yeah, thought so." Spiral said.
"You're kidding!" Sakura shouted. "She's a Dragon Slayer, too?!"
"I happen to be a third generation Dragon Slayer." Frost said. "Not only was I raised by a dragon, but I also had a lacrima implanted in my body."
"Frost is the best Dragon Slayer there is!" Cole proudly proclaimed. "Not to mention the bustiest! That flat-chested first gen doesn't stand a chance against you!"
A vein appeared on Sakura's head. "Flat-chested, huh?! You're gonna regret saying that, you stupid cat!" She then turned to Spiral. "Spiral, let me handle the ice bitch there! You take care of the other one!"
"Wait, shouldn't we-"
Before Spiral could say anything else, Sakura already leaped into battle and he sighed as he stared down Melody.
*Her friend there is able to eat my ice to enhance her magic.* Spiral thought. *I better avoid using Never-Melt and instead focus on my Sound Magic.* "Sonic Energico!"
Magic circles appeared beneath Spiral and Sakura and their bodies started to glow.
"Spiral, what is this?" Sakura asked.
"It's a support spell that increases our strength and stamina." Spiral answered.
"I see…" Melody said. "So you're a sound wizard."
"Yeah, and this sound wizard's going to kick your ass!" Spiral shouted as he got in close to Melody. "Sonic Rondo!"
Spiral proceeded to kick Melody, but she held up her arm.
"Rhythm Guard." Melody said as she not only block Spiral's kick, but shot a screeching sound wave at him that sent him flying back.
"W… what…" Spiral tried to speak as he stood back up.
"I'm a sound wizard, too." Melody said. "However, you still seem to be on the lower level. I'm already at the second stage called Rhythm. Normally, sound wizards have to play a song in order to achieve this stage in battle, but I'm able to do it without the song."
"There's… actually better sound magic than what I've got?" Spiral asked.
"Face it." Melody said. "Your lives were forfeit the moment you challenged us."
"Forest Dragon Thorn Claw!"
Sakura tried to swipe her cherry blossom dragon claw at Frost, but her body became covered in ice and she used her ice-covered arm to block Sakura's attack.
"This icy dragon scales may not be as hard as iron, but it can still protect me against your weak attacks." Frost said. "I expected as much from someone as flat as you."
"Grr…" Sakura growled. "Oh yeah?! Forest Dragon Blossom Blade!"
Sakura sent forth a wave of cherry blossom petals that struck Frost across her arm and pierced through her ice dragon scales. As Frost was recovering from the attack, Sakura had charged into her with her body covered in petals.
"Forest Dragon Oak Crash!"
"Ice Dragon Frozen Fist!"
Frost surrounded her right hand in ice and used it to punch Sakura and send her flying backwards. Sakura managed to regain her footing just as she hit the ground.
"What do ya know?" Frost said. "You're not as weak as you look. Guess I'll have to kick things up a notch. Ice Drive!"
A light blue aura surrounded Frost and she ran toward Sakura at an incredible speed.
"Ice Dragon Claw!"
Frost created an ice claw around her right hand and slash Sakura across the chest, tearing open her kimono. Sakura hit the ground with a thud and she struggled to get up.
"Huh? Grass!" Sakura said as she started to eat some of the grass that was on the ground.
"What good is grass going to do you?" Frost asked.
A massive surge of magic energy surrounded Sakura as she stood up and glared at Frost.
"… Oh, right." Frost said.
Sakura charged toward Frost with both of her arms surrounded in cherry blossom petals.
"Big whoop." Frost said. "I can easily block that atta-"
"Forest Dragon Crushing Fang!"
Sakura slammed both cherry blossom arms at Frost and took in a deep breath.
"Forest Dragon Roar!"
Sakura's breath attack sent Frost flying backwards.
*I'm using Ice Drive and yet she's STILL able to break through my defenses?!* Frost thought.
Sakura slammed her hands on the ground and a magic circle appeared.
"Forest Dragon Flytrap!"
A series of roots rose from underground and wrapped around Frost, completely restraining her.
"Crap!" Frost exclaimed.
Sakura was now forming a giant pink leaf in her hands and she leaped toward Frost.
"You should have restrained my head." Frost said as she breathed in. "Ice Dragon R-"
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Leaf Judgment Sword!"
Before Frost could use her breath attack, Sakura had slashed her with the pink leaf and a bloody wound appeared across her chest. The vines receded back into the ground as Frost's body fell to the ground.
"Damn…" Frost groaned in pain. "I didn't think you were THAT strong."
"That's what you get for underestimating us!" Sakura shouted.
"I can't believe a mosquito bitten harlot like you was able to take down Frost!" Cole yelled at Sakura.
"Who are you calling a mosquito bitten harlot?!" Sakura screamed as she started to wail on Cole.
"Heh… If I were you, I'd help out your friend there." Frost said.
Sakura immediately turned to where Spiral and Melody were having their fight and saw that Spiral was losing pretty badly.
"Rhythm Wave!"
With a wave of her arm, Melody sent a powerful sound wave that had sent Spiral rolling across the ground. Melody went over to Spiral, stomped her foot on his chest and picked up his sword.
"This is a very peculiar sword." Melody said as she examined it. "What's even more peculiar is how you wield it. Backhanded AND backwards… Interesting, but there's no point in trying to find out." She then pointed the tip of the sword toward Spiral's throat. "Since you're going to die."
Suddenly a bright, golden light appeared behind Melody and a ball of light had struck her back. The blast had forced Melody to fall to her knees and Spiral tried to see who it was that attacked her.
"GET AWAY FROM SPIRAL!"
Spiral got a closer look at his savior and saw that it was Hikari, looking seriously pissed off. Melody stood up and turned toward Hikari.
"You want to challenge me next?" Melody asked. "Fine, you can join your friend."
"PHOTON BATTLE AXE!"
"Oh, boy…" Melody sighed as she held up her arm to guard against Hikari's attack. "Don't you know that physical strikes won't work on me?"
As Hikari swung her battle axe made out of pure light, it completely passed through Melody's body and even though the attack didn't cause any wounds Melody could still feel intense pain.
"Wha-?" Melody gasped before she felt something cold strike her from behind.
Spiral had surrounded his fist in ice and struck Melody in the back.
"You have the same powers as me and yet you weren't able to sense two sneak attacks?" Spiral asked Melody. "You might trump me in terms of power, but your sensory abilities in combat are lacking. Never-Melt Lion's Maw!"
The ice around Spiral's fist changed in shape to look like a lion's head and he punched Melody with it in the cheek, sending her crashing right into Frost.
"Damn…" Melody groaned in pain. "I never thought they'd be able to beat us…"
Spiral fell over and Hikari managed to catch him.
"Spiral, hold on!" Hikari said. "We'll get you back to the guild hall right away!"
"What is going on here?" A voice spoke.
Hikari turned around to see Blaise walking up to them.
"I saw the explosions from town." Blaise said. "Are you all okay?"
"I'm fine, but Spiral could really use a doctor." Sakura replied.
"Master Blaise, these two ladies threatened to destroy our entire guild!" Flora said.
Blaise walked up to Melody and Frost, grabbed the former by the collar of her shirt and picked her up.
"Tell me!" Blaise interrogated Melody with a fierce and terrifying look on her face. "What was your goal in destroying my guild?"
"Gh… We were hired by someone, but honestly I find the whole proposition a bit suspect." Melody said.
"And WHO hired you?" Blaise asked.
"Our client's name… was Luna Ulric." Melody answered.
Blaise's expression of anger was now replaced with shock and fear.
"Hikari, Sakura, take Spiral back to the guild hall and have his wounds treated!" Blaise shouted. "I'm going to take these two in to the Roseshade guard and see if they know anything else! If anyone else comes back to the guild hall, inform them to never leave town or walk outside at night under any circumstances!"
"Master Blaise, what's wrong?" Hikari asked.
"There's no time!" Blaise said. "Right now just see that Spiral gets medical treatment!"
Meanwhile, Jason was walking through a forest, on his way back to Roseshade after completing his job with Kagura and Milliana.
"Grrrr…"
Jason turned toward the direction of the growl and out of the dark of the wood came a pack of wolves.
"Just wolves?" Jason said as he surrounded his arms with gusts of wind. "This shouldn't be too difficult." *… Wait a minute…*
Jason took a closer look at each of the wolves.
*Something's off about these things.* He thought. *Normally, these things would run away scared by now… and they're eyes…*
The eyes of the wolves were blank, almost as if they were possessed. Several of the wolves leaped toward Jason, but Jason slammed his arms into the ground to create miniature whirlwinds in front of him that blew away the wolves. However, one wolf got around to Jason's back and was about to lunge at him.
A/N: This took a day longer to do, but I wanted to work on another story yesterday. I've also had to help a friend out with his own fanfic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned for next time!