Chapter 118
Spies & Spriggans
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Magic"
Flashback
Location / Date / Time Skip
Ocean
A green faced Natsu hugged the side of the boat, trying his best not to throw up. "Couldn't Mest… just teleport us there..?" He groaned in pain.
"I can't do something that far." The spy replied.
"Wendy… your magic… please…" Natsu stumbled over to the two female Dragon Slayers, only to find them both in the same state.
"Seriously?" Lucy asked. "When did this happen?"
"I have… no idea…" The fiancé groaned out.
"I can't even… use my magic… like this…" Wendy added.
"Come on, let's get them inside." Carla said before the three Exceeds dragged their respective partners back into the ship.
Erza stared out at the sea as Mest walked up from behind. "What's wrong, Erza? Or is it Master?"
"Erza is fine." The redhead said back. "Master Makarov disbanded the guild just to protect us… and to keep the Lumen Histoire out of the enemies hand. This much I get. But as long as the Lumen Histoire remains a mystery, I can't help but feel as what we're doing is meaningless…"
"Maybe its a weapon?" Mest suggested.
"He wouldn't use the First Master like that." Gray said in annoyance. "Ugh, I hate having this many unanswered questions."
"I'm sure we'll find our once we save the master." Lucy spoke up.
"How long until we reach Alveraz?" Erza asked the teleporter.
"It takes ten days to reach Aracitacia by sea, so I'd say a few more if we're to reach the capital." Mest answered. "I understand your impatience, but we can't afford to mess up now. We need to make a short stop at Caracall Island before refueling our ship. A place that isn't named after an island…."
"Just goes to say that we're no longer in Fiore territory…" Lucy said.
"Do we even have time to make a pitstop?" Gray asked.
"Like I said, we can't mess up now." The memory mage replied. "Preparation is important in a situation like this. We'll meet our intelligence guy in Caracall and plan our rout there."
"I can see Caracall!"
The guild members rushed over to the side of the ship and looked out. "Hold on. That ship!" Erza pointed out from the front of the pack.
A massive war ship was docked at the harbor, a symbol on its front. "An Alveraz navy ship!? Mest asked in shock, grabbing a pair of binoculars. "It looks like they're searching for something at the ports…"
"They're… looking for spies…" Natsu groaned out.
"It doesn't seem like… they found them…" Laki added.
…"Wait, you guys can hear that from here?" Lucy asked impressed.
"Just a bit…" The male answered.
"I… can't…" Wendy confessed in shame.
"What do we do?" Mest asked the Master.
"We need to get to the spy before the navy catches them…" Erza declared before turning around. "Here's rhe plan."
Caracall Island Port
"Behave yourself, Natsu…" Laki warned her boyfriend.
"I know, I know…" He huffed.
"Next group, step forward." An armored man ordered the now swimsuit clad group as the three Exceeds walked on all fours like cats.
"Hi, we're here to celebrate our friends engagement!" Lucy, cheered, motioning to Natsu and Laki holding hands.
"That mark, are you part of a guild?" The man said.
Lucy held up her hand, her guild mark having changed for the disguises. "Yeah, we're part of the Caith Shelter guild." She declared, making Wendy smiled at the memory.
"Never heard of them." The first guard said, crushing her smile.
"What should we do? We've been told to be thorough with guild members…" A second guard spoke up.
"Yeah, but what spy would come through the front door with a guild crest?" The first guard said back. "Besides… I don't wanna ruin an engagement party."
"Hey, are we done yet?" Lucy asked, her and Erza trying to be as cute as possible.
"Okay, you're free to go!" He shouted, a blush burning though his mask.
They walked along the boardwalk and noticed all guards in town. "The number of guards in town…" Wendy mumbled. "We can't move around like this…"
"Natsu, behave!" Laki warned, squeezing his hand.
"I know, I know!" He said back.
"Give me back my daddy!" The group turned to see a child crying at a guard. "Where did you take him!? Daddy!?"
Natsu gripped her hand even harder, glaring at guard. "Chill it, you know we can't do anything." Gray somberly said.
"I'll make you shut up of you don't!" The guard drew his sword and went to attack the child. Natsu took one step forward only to suddenly stop.
"Are you mental!?" Another guard shouted, grabbing the sword from behind. "You don't use a sword on a kid. Get out of here before I report you to the commander!" The angry guard huffed and sheathed his sword before walking away. "It's okay, kid. I'll take you to your father now. He's just about done talking with us."
The child took his hand and the two walked away. "See, it solved itself." Happy said, hopping onto his shoulder.
"Agreed." Erza added, sitting at a stand with a spoon in her mouth. "Cannot draw too much attention to ourselves."
"Wow, this is good." Lucy added next to her.
"That's Star Mango for you, little lady." The owner said with a smile. "Nothing is more important to me than my business. I gotta save up money to get to Ishgar. You lot are from Ishgar, aren't you?"
"Yeah." Gray answered.
"I'm plan to bring Star Mangoes over there and make the best desert shop there." He declared.
"Nice, sounds deliciou- er, its a great dream." Erza said with a smile.
"I only got this shabby shack for now, but I'm a man with a big dream." The owner chuckled. "There's no stoping me from making my -"
An explosion destroyed the shack and blasted everyone back, an angry Erza the only one unmoved by the attack. "You are an A+." Erza turned her glare to the side to see a sharp dressed man with spiky hair walk forward. "Marin Hollow's the name. Member of the Alveraz Empire Army, Brandish Division."
"Get out of here." Gray told the vendor, offering a bag of money. "It might not be enough, but this should help."
"How dare you destroy this man's livelihood…" Erza growled, her body glowing. "I'll show you the wrath of a desert lover. REQUIP!"
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Her spell suddenly died, confusing everyone. "Sorry, but 'Space' is something I control." Marin chuckled, catching everyone's attention. "'The Knight' it's a kind of magic that enables you to instantly equip anything you want. And that is why you can't use any of your 'Spacial' magic against me."
Lucy pulled out her archers key and tried to summon him, only for the glow to die. "Celestial Spirit magic is Spacial magic too, ya know?" He chuckled as Erza and Lucy started fading away. "Oh, did I forget to mention this? Those who break my Laws of Space get an invitation to my personal relaxation space."
Marin turned to the side and looked at Laki, guarded by Natsu. "Know what? You can come along as well." Laki started turning into bubble and reached for Natsu before she faded away like Lucy and Erza. "But the rest of you…" His attitude turned a complete one-eighty and he glared at at them all. "Are dumbasses who deserve to die!"
"But I'm a girl…" Wendy mumbled in shame as Carla patted her back.
"How dare you be in the presence of such beauties! You don't deserve them!" Marin shouted, only to find Natsu in his face, anger in their eyes as fire blazed on his fist. He swung forward, only for the fist to hit empty air. "You'll have a hard time touching a space magic user." He declared from behind.
Natsu turned and swung again, only to hit air once more. "This is my turf, you scumbags!" He declared, kicking the man in the back. Marin vanished again and kneed Gray in the back before punching Mest in the face.
"Can't you do something, Mest!?" Happy asked as Rose guarded the depressed Wendy.
"You saw what he did with Erza and Lucy. I can't use my magic at all." He snapped back.
"Against me, you idiots don't stand a chance." Marin declared from the top of a building. "The one who controls space is always winner."
"That's enough playtime, Marin" The Fairy Tail members slowly turned in fear at the massive magical presence stepping forward. It originated from a green haired woman in a long coat over what barely qualified as a bikini.
"Oh, Lady Brandish! You're well done, as usual!" Marin nervously chuckled.
"What have I said about the bootlicking?" She snapped back before turning to Natsu and Gray.
'What is this…' Gray mumbled in fear. 'Her magic power is off the charts! It's like nothing I've ever felt.' He glanced over and saw Natsu holding his wrapped arm.
"I want some Star Mango Gelato." Brandish declared, stunning the three males. She turned to the side and found the ruined remains of the shop. "What happened to the store!?"
"THEY DID IT!" Marin lied through his teeth, pointing at the Fairy Tail wizards.
"That's a load of bull!" Gray shouted back.
"You did this!" Mest added.
"I was so looking forward to it…" Brandish sighed before turning around. "I'm going home…"
"Wait, Lady Brandish!" Marin spoke up. "These are the guys our soldiers told us about! We should at least question them to see if they know anything about the spy!"
"Who cares…" A depressed Brandish replied. "Marin, give the them back the girls you passed…"
"But you said I could keep them!" Marin protested.
"Hey, one of them is my fiancé!" Natsu shouted.
"Let. Them. Go." Brandish ordered, her footstep reverberating on the sand.
"What's going on?" Rose asked, the ground shaking.
"Carla, take me up!" Wendy shouted as the cat grabbed her. "Hold on, didn't we just leave the ground?" Wendy looked down and found the resort still within reach.
"I'll take us out to sea." Carla said, flying the girl away from the island. "You're kidding…" The resort was now sitting on top of a giant mountain that rose out of the sea.
"Don't make me repeat myself." Brandish ordered.
Marin flinched and the three girls landed on the ground. "Laki!" Natsu rushed over and helped her up as Gray and Mest did the same.
"That place was creepy…" Laki groaned out.
"Huh? Who's that?" Lucy looked over and Brandish and froze in fear. 'Her power… it's insane.'
"Now, for failing to listen to me…" Brandish waved her hand upwards and Marin vanished from sight, shocking the group. "Troublesome matters like spies don't interest me. I'll let them know the spy was eliminated, so don't come any closer to Alveraz. Makarov is alive.
"But if you guys do anything unnecessary things, who know what will happen." She looked over her shoulder and glared at them. "This is a warning. Don't come any closer." The ground started shaking again and the entire island vanished, sending the group into the ocean. "There are 11 more wizards this powerful in Alveraz, don't start a fight you can't win, Fairy Tail." She declared from atop the shrunken island before a ship picked her up.
'They've found us out…' Gray mumbled in fear.
A large fishing troller soon pulled up and helped the stranded vacationers onto the boat. 'That girl…' Erza thought to herself as she looked out at the sea. 'She changed the mass of the island… I didn't even think that was possible…'
The Dragon Slayers her huddled against the side of the boat, green to the gills. "What do we do now?" Lucy asked the master, holding Natsu over the edge.
"We should start with that spy we-" Erza started before every guild member suddenly teleported from the ship into a stone room, much to the delight of the Slayers.
"Don't just teleport us anywhere without asking!" Carla shouted at Mest.
"Where are we, anyway?" Rose asked.
"Technically, we're still in Caracall Island's waters." Mest answered. "UNDERwater, to be exact. It was the only place the spy could be without being seen."
The building started shaking before Erza noticed passing coral. "We're moving now?" Natsu, Laki and Wendy collapsed to the ground as Happy petted his partner.
"Welcome aboard!" The group turned around to see Angel sitting on a throne, clad in a white bikini. "This is your Captain Sorano, welcoming you to the moving temple Olympia."
"ANGEL!?" Lucy asked in shock.
"Wasn't it supposed to be Cobra?" Erza asked the teleporter.
"He would have asked too many questions." Mest answered.
"Don't get the wrong idea, I'm only doing this because I owe Mest a favor." Sorano declared walking over. "Make no mistake, we aren't friends."
"Thanks, Angel. Er, Sorano?" Lucy was unsure what to call her former enemy before she was pulled in by her top.
"Don't forget, it was I who killed Karen." The white haired woman warned.
"Whe-where are we going?" Laki groaned out. "Besides hell…"
"We're headed to where Makarov is." Angel declared, letting Lucy go. "Not so scary now, am I?"
Alveraz Empire
Vistarion
"Tell me, have you heard the whispers regarding Fairy Tail, Makarov?" An elderly man asked from across the table.
"Shocking to be honest…" Makarov mumbled. "Not about my children, Ajeel. Your emperor. I was expecting him to be so open to negotiations or treat me so well. In Ishgar, we only have rumors of what he is like. I am hoping to meet him soon."
"Forgive me, Makarov." The hunched man requested. "Our Emperor has a habit of disappearing for times on end." Cheers erupted from outside, catching them by surprise. "Oh, seems he as returned. Be at rest, I'm sure he's heard your concerns regarding Ishgar, but once he delivers his decree, none of his shields will have a say."
The pair reached an openinf and looked down from the balcony. "When this is all over, please return to your guild."
"Yes, my family will be waiti-' Makarov stopped mid sentence as he stared at the Emperor walkign down the street. To his surprise, he recognized the man himself.
"He looks well as always…" Ajeel said. "His youth is really worthy of envy, isn't it?"
'It… can't be…' The master thought to himself as he stared at the melancholy expression on the Emperor's face. 'Zeref!?'
