Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
So it's been over a month now since the last update and I'm starting to realize that this may become a regular thing. It stinks, but the darn real world is taking up far too much of my time. But I shall persist and continue to write, even if it is a bit slower than I would like.
Also, happy birthday to this story! Today it turns two years old. How crazy! Thank you to everyone who has read from this story's conception in 2013 to now! You're all awesome!
WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! Read at your own risk. There's still original stuff in here, but if you haven't gotten to this point in the anime/manga, then some things may be ruined for you. I advise catching up to the anime/manga if you haven't already (for more reasons than just reading my story)! Thank you and enjoy!
Fairy Tail—The Master and the Dragon
Chapter 81
"Not another weirdo," Happy sighed.
"Weirdo?" Dan echoed. "I'm no weirdo. I'm Dan Straight! Did you not just see the power of my shield?" He held his large shield up in front of him and grinned wide. "Ricochet, the magical shield! It can stop any attack sent its way and send it back in all directions. Ha!"
"Ricochet…as in 'bounce off'?" Erza said quietly.
"So that's why it felt like I was being pulled backwards," Sky breathed.
"We have to be more careful with our attacks," Wendy said.
"Yeah 'cause if we don't, Lucy will end up buying back a pile of rubble," Gray added.
"Why are all of these guys such pains in the neck?" Natsu shouted.
Ash's fingers twitched. "You can say that again. Now I want nothing more than to beat the crap out of anyone who associates with Zentopia."
"Easy, sister," Sky said softly while putting a hand on Ash's shoulder.
Natsu leapt forward with his hands ablaze. "You can't deflect my attack if I destroy your pretty shield first!"
"Here comes another," Samuel said casually.
"Let 'em come!" Dan cried while raising his shield. "The result will never change!"
"FIRE DRAGON BRILLIANT FLAME!" Natsu roared while releasing a massive blast of fire from his hands. The fire crashed into Dan's shield and collected together. "Oh shit," he mumbled as his fire was shot back in all different directions as smaller projectiles of flame. Everyone had to dance to avoid being struck.
"Natsu, seriously stop!" Lucy shrieked while clutching Key of the Starry Heavens closely to her chest.
Samuel raised a paw and pointed at Lucy. "Dan, that girl has the book we need."
"Does she?" Dan said while looking towards Lucy.
"Lucy!" Wendy cried with worry.
"Don't worry, I'll lead him outside!" Lucy exclaimed.
"No, that's dangerous!" Michelle warned.
However, Lucy wasn't listening. She held up the book. "Hey you! The book's right here! Come and get it if you think you can!"
Dan took a step back as a heavy blush stained his cheeks. He blinked twice before staring in awe as Lucy ran off with the book. He then lifted his lance and threw it just in front of Lucy. She shrieked and stopped in her tracks, which allowed Dan to quickly close the distance. "Beautiul," he breathed.
Lucy turned around. "Heh?"
"WOW!" Dan cried as he clutched his chest. "So beautiful! A too-beautiful wizard just shot me right through the heart!"
All of the Fairy Tail members stared at him in disbelief.
Dan was on the floor, beating his fist on the ground while groaning. "I just can't get enough! It's crushing me!" His hand shot up and took hold of a dumbstruck Lucy's hand, shaking it slowly. "What's your name? Won't you tell me?"
"L…Lucy," she replied slowly.
"LUCY! What a name! I can't get enough of that name! It's just too perfect!" Tears filled his eyes. He stood as he wiped them dry. He then beamed at Lucy while leaning on his lance. "Can I call you Lu? Looey? Loopy? Looloo?"
"What do I care what you call me?" Lucy replied.
"Here we go again," Samuel sighed.
"Hey buddy," Natsu hissed with flames surrounding his body. "Where do you get off?"
"Please calm down, Natsu," Wendy said soothingly.
"So I can call you whatever I want, huh?" Dan said while spinning around happily. He then stopped and leered at her. "That voice! Those eyes! That mouth! That hair! That chest! That waist! Those legs! They all set my Fibonacci sequence aflutter! This is truly L-O-V-E!" He got down on one knee. "Love!"
"What the hell is going on?" Lucy cried.
Natsu punched his palm. "I wonder how is head would look shoved up his ass."
"Easy, Natsu," Ash said. "You need to remember that he can just deflect all of our attacks."
"This is absolutely love!" Dan cried before suddenly sensing a presence behind him. He turned to see Erza descending down upon him with her lance drawn back. He leapt away just as her lance crashed into the ground. He pulled his lance from the ground and prepared his shield. "How dare you interrupt me!" he roared.
Erza landed on the ground and quickly requipped into her Flight Armor, which consisted of very little armor at all. It was cheetah printed and the only armor pieces were a revealing top that only covered her breasts, a left shoulder guard, a left knee guard, and a left forearm brace. Thin, purple armguards covered her arms from below her fingers to just beneath her shoulders. She had a furry collar around her neck, cheetah printed ears on her head, and a furry tail coming out of her very short black shorts. Her legs were covered by purple stockings up to her mid thighs and armored boots covered her feet and calves. A cloth was draped around her lower left half and was held in place by a belt. Twin swords were clutched firmly in her hands. She kept her attention on Dan while speaking to Lucy behind her. "Lucy, Michelle, you both need to get out of here! We can't let them get that book!"
"Right!" Lucy said.
"The rest of you cover them!" Erza continued. "I'll handle things here."
Everyone was still affected by Dan's display.
"That was so much to take in," Wendy said innocently.
"How the hell could we process all of that," Gray said while scratching his head.
"He was acting like a real sicko," Ash said.
"Pervert," Sky breathed.
"Wow," Samuel chuckled while taking to the air. "Your confidence certainly is impressive."
"I wouldn't underestimate us," Dan threatened.
"I ain't leaving!" Natsu roared. "I'm gonna help you beat the shit out of that guy! How dare he talk like that to Lucy?!"
"Natsu, I understand your feelings," Erza said calmly, "but right now you need to keep Lucy safe."
Natsu gritted his teeth together before slowly nodding. "You're right."
"Lucy!" Erza shouted.
"Right! Let's go!" Lucy cried while running off with everyone but Erza running alongside her.
"We're not done talking yet!" Dan cried after her as he prepared to intercept. However, Gray and Natsu leapt in his way. They both fired ice and fire respectively at Dan, forcing him to stop and block the attacks with his shield. The attacks collected and ricocheted off, once again firing off in all different directions and crashing through the walls and ceiling.
Through a hole in the ceiling, Happy and Carla carried Lucy and Michelle out of the library and into the hall. "Please don't wreck the place," Lucy sobbed.
Happy looked worriedly behind him as he flew. "I hope everyone will be okay."
Inside of the house, Natsu, Gray, Wendy, Ash, and Sky ran after Lucy and Michelle.
Samuel watched them run before turning to his book. He flipped through the pages. "Let me see. Given the layout of structures such as this…" He stopped to look at Dan. "Titania is all yours, Dan!" he shouted before flying off.
Dan and Erza were standing at the ready and staring each other down. Dan grinned. "You got it!"
"Then come!" Erza shouted as she shot forward. Dan leapt forward as well with his shield raised and blocked the attack. His shield shone bright before sending out concussive power that pushed her back. "So it really does reflect physical attacks as well."
"Here we go!" Dan cried while striking out with his lance.
Erza blocked the attack with her blades. However, her blades suddenly began to glow green and shrink to the size of needles. "What?" she cried in disbelief.
"Haha!" Dan laughed while striking the ground with his lance. The rocks below Erza suddenly grew and struck her in the stomach. It pushed her all the way up and into a bookcase on the second floor. He chuckled as he then lightly touched one of her shrunken swords with the tip of his lance. It then began to rapidly expand.
"What kind of magic is this?" Erza grunted while trying to pull herself free. She then shrieked as one of her swords, now suddenly and unexplainably enormous, crashed into the wall next to her, just barely missing her head.
"Was that a girlish shriek I just heard?" Dan asked. "You know you're pretty damn cute yourself, but Looey's charm is far greater than anyone's."
"What exactly is your deal?" Erza asked. "Do you realize that she's spoken for?"
"Our love will conquer all others!" Dan cried. He then walked up the steel of the enlarged sword and pointed the tip of his lance at a row of books above Erza's head. "Time's up I'm afraid. Until we meet again, Titania!" He grazed his lance across the spines of the books, causing them all to glow green. They all suddenly grew and buried Erza. He then leapt off of the sword and ran off to catch up with Samuel.
Out in the hallway, Natsu, Happy, Lucy, Michelle, Gray, Wendy, Carla, Ash, and Sky all heard a loud crash come from back inside the library. They stopped and turned towards the noise.
"What was that?" Gray asked.
"It came from the library!" Wendy cried.
"Erza," Natsu said worriedly.
"We have to hurry, big sister!" Michelle said.
"Yeah," Lucy agreed. Everyone turned back around to continue on, but were shocked at what they saw. "No way. When did you…?"
Standing there was Samuel. "Just as I calculated," he said calmly. "Based on your mental states and the layout of this house, it was all too simple to determine where I could find you."
Natsu charged him with his fists ablaze. "I'm sick and tired of your nonsense!" he cried. He threw a punch at Samuel, but the cat flew into the air to dodge. He leapt after him and threw another punch, but once again the cat dodged the blow.
As soon as he was in the air, Natsu suddenly found himself face to face with Dan Straight. The man struck Natsu in the stomach with the tip of his lance, causing Natsu to grunt from the force. He then began to glow green as he flew out one of the large glass windows that lined the wall.
"Natsu, no!" Lucy shrieked.
Ice began to collect in Gray's hands. "Bastard!"
"How dare you!" Wendy shouted as wind blew around her.
"You'll pay dearly for that," Ash hissed as her eyes glowed orange and her hair became wildfire.
However, all of them stopped their preparations once they heard a loud cracking sound from above. They looked up and were frightened to see the ceiling falling down. They all leapt out of the way just as a large pile of massive books and Erza crashed to the floor.
Samuel smiled. "Exactly as planned."
Outside the house, Natsu slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees. "Damn that bastard. I swear I'll get him next time!"
"Natsu! Are you okay?" Happy shouted as he ran in search for Natsu.
Natsu turned around to answer, but was surprised to see a giant Happy running straight at him. "Happy! HAPPY! Waaaaaiiit!" he begged, but it was too late. Happy stepped right on his back. He cried out as the incredible weight of the once small Exceed pushed him back into the stone path.
Happy stopped once he heard an oddly small cry. He looked down and was shocked at what he saw. "WHAAAAAAAAT?" he cried as he leapt back.
"Happy!" Lucy called out as she and Michelle came running up. "Where's Natsu? Is he okay?"
Happy leaned down and picked up the tiny and groaning Dragon Slayer with one paw. "I kinda stepped on him."
"Natsu!" Lucy gasped as she tucked the book she was holdingunder her arm, took him from Happy and cradled him in her hands. "What happened to you? Why are you tiny?"
"Hell if I know," Natsu grumbled as he rubbed his back where Happy stepped on him.
"Please stop with this 'running away' act," Samuel said as he hovered above their heads.
"What have you done to Natsu?" Lucy demanded.
"The ability to change the size of whatever it touches," Dan replied as he appeared behind the group, causing them to whip around to face the smirking man, "is the mighty power of my magical lance, the Habaraki!"
Samuel flew over to his partner. "Would you kindly hand over that book now? I'm not particularly fond of Mary's style of doing things. I prefer not resorting to any heavy-handed methods."
"Bastard!" Natsu cried from Lucy's hands. He then felt himself moving as Lucy placed him on her shoulder. "Lucy?"
"Happy!" she cried as she took the book from under her arm. She then threw it as far as she could into the air. "Take the book and run!"
"Aye sir!" Happy shouted as he flew up and grabbed the book. He then began to fly away.
"Hey you damn cat!" Dan shouted. "Get back here!"
Samuel huffed. "What a simple-minded trick," he said as he walked up to Michelle and threw up her dress. Michelle shrieked from embarrassment. Dan nearly had a fatal nose bleed at the sight, but Samuel was more interested in what was hiding within. He reached up and pulled out Key of the Starry Heavens. "The book is right here."
Happy turned around in the air and looked at the cover of The Tortoise and the Hare. "Aw man, he saw right through it."
"But how?" Lucy breathed in disbelief. "How could you have possibly known?"
Samuel opened up Key of the Starry Heavens. A magic circle appeared above the book as he rapidly flipped through the pages. "Everything works through cause and effect. I am able to calculate that." He closed the book. "It also means that I can see right through everything you do. For instance…" He then stopped and turned his head to the left.
Erza, Wendy, Gray, Ash, and Sky descended upon the two Legion Platoon members with their attacks prepared. They threw their attacks at the two, but because Samuel had predicted it, their surprise attack was nullified when Dan held up his shield. The attacks collected on the shield and shot back into the air before raining down like meteors.
"You can have the book back now!" Samuel called out over the noise. "I've memorized the contents." He placed it on the ground and picked up Dan before flying off.
"Until we meet again, Looey!" Dan called out. "Next time we'll have a private date!" He then disappeared into the sky.
"I can't believe they left the book," Wendy said as she watched them disappear.
"They made a mockery of us, didn't they?" Carla said.
"Embarrassing," Sky sobbed.
"Acting all high and mighty really pisses me off," Gray added.
"I'm sick of this," Ash hissed.
"They will pay for this," Erza assured.
"Come back and turn me normal!" Natsu shouted from Lucy's shoulder.
"Yeah, turn him back!" Happy echoed.
Lucy turned to face the house as smoke billowed out from the many holes in its walls. 'Dad…what exactly is it that you're trying to tell me?'
"I couldn't have said it better myself, devil. Let's begin the eradication of darkness!" Gabriel exclaimed as he fired a bright white arrow at Nikolias.
Nikolias reacted quickly and leapt off to the side. As soon as he landed, he sprang forward with shadow enveloped fists. With a fierce battle cry he swung his fist down. However, Gabriel was nimble and easily dodged the blow. Nikolias's fist crashed into the earth, instantly breaking off large pieces of rock and leaving a crater behind. He huffed as he pulled his fist free. "You're pretty light on your feet."
Gabriel nocked another arrow. "My training was very thorough." He was about to pull on the string when he suddenly leapt off to the side, narrowly avoiding Gracie and Mira's combined attacks.
"What the…how did he know we were there?" Gracie cried.
"He didn't even turn around," Mira growled darkly. She was in her Satan Soul form to fight.
Gabriel hummed as he stared down the two women. "Interesting. I couldn't sense it at first because of this devil's aura, but now that I have felt your presences from up close I can sense that you both have significant traces of darkness as well. It would seem I now have three targets to eliminate."
"What are you talking about? What darkness?" Gracie asked.
"Every living being has darkness within them," Mira said. "It's just part of being human. We just have to work hard to keep it from driving our actions."
Gabriel shook his head. "A very untrue statement, for I have no darkness within me." He pointed an accusing finger at Gracie. "You have an aura that reeks of blood, which tells me that you have committed countless murders." He moved his finger to Mira. "And you…well it should be self-explanatory just looking at you. Your entire aura is demonic. It's disgusting."
Nikolias's jaws tightened like a vice as he sprang forward, shadows whipping wildly around him. "How dare you say that!"
Gabriel chuckled as he pulled back on the string of his bow. "Did I say something wrong?"
"We may have to keep you alive, but that doesn't mean I can't rip out that vile tongue of yours!" Nikolias roared.
Gabriel aimed his arrow. "Something evil like you can't even hope to touch someone holy like me. HOLY SHINE!" He fired the arrow and it almost immediately began to glow brightly. When it was about halfway between the two, it burst apart in a glorious and radiant light that illuminated the entire field.
Nikolias groaned as he shielded his eyes. He could feel strange pinching sensations all over his skin. He could feel warm drops of blood hitting his face. "Wh…What the hell is this?" He tried to open his eyes, but the strong light felt like it was burning his eyes. He fought the pain to try and see Gabriel, but all he could make out were his arms in front of his face, small cuts decorating his skin.
And it was then that he realized it. His shadows were gone.
"My shadows," he breathed as he tried to call more out to no avail. "Where did they…?"
"Do you see now, evil creature?" Gabriel cackled. "Your darkness has been purified by my holy light!"
"Are Niky's shadows really gone? I can't see worth a damn," Gracie complained as she shielded her eyes.
"It sounds like it," Mira replied. It was then that she felt her magic disappear. In an instant, she was forced from her Satan Soul. "What happened? Why did I change back?"
"What's wrong, Mira?" Gracie asked.
"My power…it just stopped working," she answered.
"I bet this light has something to do with it," Gracie grumbled.
"Nikolias, are you alright?" Mira called out as she tried to see through the light. She was concerned for his safety. If his shadows were in fact gone and he was being blinded by this light, could he effectively fight or even defend himself from this attacker?
"I'm fine," he replied. "And you? Are you hurt?"
"Mira lost her Satan Soul, but aside from that we're hunky dory," Gracie answered. "Why?"
"It's nothing. Forget I asked." He clenched his fists. 'So Mira was affected too? Well at least they're alright. Still I need to get out of this light. But how? I can sense it all around me.' He leapt far backwards, but felt no change. 'Damn it! Even Grego's light didn't have this effect. Is this really light or something else entirely?' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Alright, calm down. Think carefully. There must be something I can do.' A smile slowly crept onto his face. 'That's it! It's so simple!'
Gabriel drew another arrow from his quiver. "Speak your final words now, harbinger of evil. Do what you can to make your peace with the world even though your soul is already destined for eternal damnation." He nocked the arrow but didn't even have time to pull back on the string before he felt a strong punch land in his gut. He coughed up spit as he went tumbling backwards. As soon as he hit the ground the intense light faded.
Gracie blinked a few times. "Thank God that's over. But why did it stop? I couldn't see a thing."
Mira smiled. "I think Nikolias once again found a way to beat the odds."
Gabriel shook his head to shake off some dirt. He then glared ahead. "How? How could you possibly find me within my holy light? It should have rendered your tainted soul useless!"
Nikolias chuckled and grinned, his dragon fangs glistening while his cuts quickly healed. He crashed his fists together as shadows erupted all around him and whipped around wildly. "Mess with my sight all you want. You can't screw with my ears and nose. Once I calmed down I could easily find you based on your scent and the sound of your obnoxious voice."
"Demon!" Gabriel hissed as he leapt to his feet. "Demons, the lot of you! I must purify you. I must purify you all!" He leapt to his feet and aimed his bow. "Your tainted souls will be dragged to the deepest depths of Hell! HOLY BURST!" he cried as he pulled back on the string and fired. The arrow began to glow brightly before bursting apart into thousands of needle-like strips of light.
"There's no way I can deflect all of those," Gracie breathed as she gripped her katanas tightly in her hands. "I wonder if those things hurt a lot."
Nikolias huffed. "Like I'm gonna let any of these things reach us." He called out his wings and instantly shrouded them in shadows. "DARK WIND!" He flapped his wings rapidly over and over, sending out gusts of thick black haze with each flap. The strong, shadowy winds enveloped the light needles and blew them away.
Gabriel braced himself as the shadowy winds wrapped around him and he suddenly found himself unable to move. "What is this? I can't move! What have you done, evil spirit?"
Nikolias stopped flapping his wings and ran at Gabriel with shadowy fists. "This is the end for you!" he roared as he cocked back his fist.
Gabriel gritted his teeth. "I can't believe a minion of darkness has backed me into a corner. I'll actually have to use my escape plan." He closed his eyes and began to glow brightly with pure white light. "HOLY EXORCISM!" he cried as the light expanded and then vanished within a second. As soon as it was gone, Gabriel reached up and drew out another arrow from his quiver.
Nikolias's eyes narrowed. "How? He shouldn't have been able to escape the paralysis that quickly."
Gabriel quickly nocked an arrow and drew back on the string. "HOLY BINDING!" he roared as he fired the arrow. The arrow glowed brightly before extending and wriggling like a snake.
Nikolias tried to dodge it by leaping into the air, but it chased after him like a heat seeking missile. "What the…?" he began as the bright white light wrapped itself tightly around him, rendering his limbs and wings useless. He crashed to the ground as he struggled against his restraints. "Damn it!"
Gabriel chuckled with wild eyes. "You're going to be fun to eradicate. Destroying you will propel me quickly through the ranks," he purred. He then turned to face Gracie and Mira. "But I think I'll save you for last and deal with your followers first."
"Who's following who?" Gracie snapped irritably.
"Stay away from them!" Nikolias demanded as he continued to push against the binding light. However, the more he pushed the tighter they seemed to get.
Gabriel whipped out two arrows and nocked them both. "Sit back and watch as your dear and vile companions disappear!" He pulled back on the string. "HOLY SEEKER!" he cried as both arrows shot forward, glowing brightly. One raced towards Gracie and the other towards Mira.
Both girls leapt to the side to dodge as the arrows raced by. "Did you really think that we would just sit back and watch?" Gracie called out while readying her katanas.
A wicked grin split Gabriel's face. "Oh, not at all. In fact, you did exactly what I expected."
Gracie blinked. "What are you ta—." Suddenly, Gracie felt an incredible pain shoot through her back.
"Gracie!" Mira cried as she watched the white arrow that the blonde had dodged bury itself in Gracie's back. It was then that she felt something pierce her back as well. She turned her head slowly to see a white arrow lodged between her shoulder blades. "H…How?" Both girls collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
"NO!" Nikolias roared as he pushed against his restraints, but still they would not yield. He called out two shadow tendrils to try and snap the light bindings, but they disintegrated upon contact. "GRACIE! MIRA!"
Gabriel laughed wildly. "Foolish devils! You cannot escape my Holy Seeker! It will seek out and lock onto darkness."
Gracie groaned as she tried to push herself up, but found her body paralyzed. "Damn it. I was careless."
Mira opened one eye slowly. "Who would have thought those arrows would come back around like boomerangs?" she rasped.
Gabriel slowly pulled out another arrow from his quiver. "Those arrows will keep you still. Now I can deliver the final, finishing blow. It's all over now."
"Don't you dare," Nikolias hissed. "Don't you dare!"
Gabriel nocked the arrow. "It's funny; I never expected for such lowly and foul creatures to give me, the Heavenly Archer of Zentopia, so much trouble. To think I would have to pull out so many different arrows to bring you down. Ah, no matter." He aimed his bow and pulled back. "HOLY BEAM!" The arrow began to collect incredible amounts of light and glowed brightly. Strong currents of air began circulating around Gabriel and the arrow.
Nikolias's eyes widened. 'Something that strong…if they can't defend themselves they'll die!' He gritted his teeth as he pushed harder and harder against his restraints, but he could feel no slack. 'I won't let them die. Not a chance!' He closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on the strongest shadows he'd ever mustered; shadows that could overwhelm this light.
"SHADOW OVERDRIVE!" The ground began to shake as shadows poured from Nikolias's body and shot into the sky. Black markings began appearing on his body, wrapping around his muscular body like snakes, stretching up his neck and towards his eyes only to break off underneath and to the side of each eye. The break off of the markings looked almost like black claws that were attempting to reach for his eyes; eyes that had turned completely black. Four shadows billowed from the center of his back like tattered strips from a black cape. His wings stretched and grew longer, the bone bending in the middle at a near right angle so that a large spike could push itself free from within. The membrane of the wing grew as well and the edge looked tattered and ripped. He could feel incredible power swelling up inside of him and giving him immeasurable strength.
"What's going on?" Gabriel exclaimed as he attempted to keep his balance. His Holy Beam had stopped charging power with the loss of focus. "You shouldn't be able to release so much power!"
"Niky!" Gracie cried softly. She remembered what Nikolias had told her about Shadow Overdrive. If he wasn't careful it would drain him of his life force. "Please be careful!"
The shadows exploded in a concussive blast, nearly tearing the shirt off of Nikolias's back. As soon as they had subsided he simply pushed against his restraints, easily snapping the light and causing it to fade away.
"No that can't be," Gabriel breathed. "A creature of darkness like you…abolishing my holy light?" He shook his head. "No, that's wrong! It's blasphemy!" He raised his arrow and began charging power again as he prepared to fire at Nikolias. "I won't stand for it! HOLY BEAM!" He released his arrow, sending a large pillar of light at Nikolias.
Nikolias didn't even blink. He simply lifted his shadow enveloped hand. The light collided with his palm, but it barely budged him. He easily endured it until the light faded away. Once it had Nikolias lowered his hand and vanished, instantly appearing behind and slightly above a stunned Gabriel.
Gabriel barely even registered what had happened. "How did…?" he began while turning his head, but that was as far as he could get before Nikolias grabbed him by the face and slammed him into the ground. The earth shattered from the impact, sending out a massive cloud of dirt and stone.
Mira and Gracie could barely shield their eyes since they were still feeling the paralysis effects of Gabriel's arrows. "Did he win?" Mira asked while wincing from pain.
"I bet," Gracie chuckled. "I'd like to meet the bastard who could get back up after that. Ouch."
Nikolias glared down at the bruised and beaten body of Gabriel the Heavenly Archer. He closed his eyes as the markings and shadows around him vanished and his wings retracted back to normal before disappearing back inside of his body. He then opened his golden brown eyes to glare at Gabriel. "You still alive in there?" A groan was all he got in response. "Good. I'd hate to have killed you after all of this effort." He squatted down and picked the barely conscious man up by the fabric of his robe. He leaned in close. "Now talk. Tell me what I want to know. Where can I find the Legion Platoon?"
Gabriel sobbed quietly. "I don't know," he rasped. "I don't know where they are."
"Like hell," Nikolias growled as he tightened his grip.
"I swear," Gabriel pleaded as his sobbing intensified. "I'm not a member. I'm just trying to join."
"But you said you knew about the Legion Platoon," Nikolias replied. "I refuse to believe that you know nothing about where they are."
"But I really know nothing," Gabriel assured. "All I know is that they had an assignment, but I know nothing about where they were going or even why they were going." He sniffed. "I'm just a fan. I want to join their ranks, but haven't earned the chance yet. That's all. I'm sorry!"
Nikolias tsked as he threw the man back on the ground, stood up, and walked over to where his fallen companions were still lying face down on the ground. "You two hear all that?" he asked.
"What a waste of time," Gracie pouted. "In the end he knew nothing."
Nikolias knelt beside Mira. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently.
"Incredibly stiff and a little pain, but I'm fine," Mira promised.
"Um, excuse me?" Gracie asked. "What about me!"
"You're fine," Nikolias replied.
"You don't know that for sure! I could be bleeding out over here!" she snapped.
"Yeah, yeah," he replied with a wave of his hand. "My apologies. Are you alright, Gracie?"
She gave him a deadpanned look. "I don't think you meant that."
Nikolias wrapped a hand around each arrow. "These aren't too deeply stuck. I think I can safely pull them out." Without waiting for any approval, he yanked on the arrows and pulled them free from their backs.
"Ow!" Mira yelped as the arrow was removed from her flesh.
Gracie was far more dramatic. "SON OF A BITCH!" she cried as she began flailing on the ground. "OH WHAT THE FUCK! AT LEAST GIVE A COUNTDOWN! AHHHH!"
"Look at that," Nikolias said. "You can move just fine. You're not even bleeding too badly. Nice."
Gracie got to her hands and knees and crawled until she was face to face with Nikolias. "I don't think you're getting the picture here. You just yanked an arrow out of my freaking back! Did I say okay? What if I…hey I can move." She blinked as she looked herself over. "Huh."
"You're welcome," Nikolias said.
"Bite me."
He turned to Mira and saw her beginning to sit up. He threw his arms around her. "Thank God you're okay. I was so scared when you two went down."
Mira embraced him. "We're fine. Nothing to worry about."
Gracie put her feet together and leaned on her thighs. "I still can't believe that punk knew nothing about where the Legion Platoon is. This so bites. Looks like we're going back empty handed after all."
"Don't remind me," Nikolias grumbled as he pulled out of the hug to sulk.
Mira giggled at her two depressed friends. "Cheer up. I bet when we get back to the guild, Lucy and the others will have some good news to share with us."
"You're optimism is refreshing!" Gracie exclaimed as she leapt to her feet, wincing slightly from the wound on her back. "We shall not despair! We shall remain positive!"
Nikolias sighed. "Alright, I can try to be optimistic as well."
"Good!" Mira said while clapping her hands together. "Then let's go home!"
