Chapter 31: The Phoenix Priestess Pt. II
The attack on Lucy and Éclair proved Karin's suspicions during the onset of their journey. While the crew of mages and spirit warriors gathered around the mysterious girl and her strange bird, what truly caught their attention was half of a stone talisman with the markings of what looked like an ancient bird.
Éclair fiddled with the trinket in her hands fondly, her face showing that she was reminiscing of old memories she thought were long forgotten.
Karin observed the girl, or rather, the way she held the talisman. It was a hunch, but the artifact might be the key to this conspiracy.
"You seem rather fond of that little trinket, Éclair. Mind telling us what it is?"
The girl looked at the reaper and answered, "I don't remember. However, I do know that this artifact holds great importance to my people." Her eyes went to the Fairy Tail members. "Whatever secrets it may hold, they will be found at the Boundary Forest."
"You've been mentioning the Boundary Forest since we left," Lucy interjected. "What's in there, anyway."
"Answers."
"Well, that's a little vague." Yuzu, just like her twin although not that much, was still suspicious of the Éclair but decided to follow along for now.
Erza had an index finger curled over her chin while contemplating. "I won't be surprised if another attack happens again. We were lucky Karin was with you that time, Lucy. You were pretty much stark naked earlier."
"SO, WAS KARIN!"
"Be that as it may, it's clear that Éclair is the target of this individual."
"It might not just even be an individual but a whole group," Gray added. "If that were the case, we might get attacked while getting to our destination."
"Who cares!?" All eyes turned to Natsu. "No matter how many they are, we'll beat the crap out of them like we always do!"
"As much as I like your confidence, Natsu, I'd rather take the side of caution," Yuzu remarked with a sweat drop.
"As for the amulet, I sense a peculiar magical power from it," Carla said, giving her two cents.
"And you said that a guy named Kalard lives there?" Wendy questioned. "Do you think he could help us?"
"It's the only lead we have," Éclair answered. She sighed after, and a somber smile crossed her face. "And perhaps, the key to my blank past."
"SHIT! Somebody, blast it!"
"It's coming for me!"
"EEEK! Somebody, help me!"
"You will not harm my comrades, beast! HYAAA!"
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
"Licht Regen!"
"Freeze over, you big oaf!"
"How'd you like being roasted meat!"
The gang finally reached the Boundary Forest and, just as the rumors said, it was filled to the brim with monsters of various shapes and sizes. Fortunately, despite the sheer numbers of the creatures wreaking havoc, they managed to safely trek through the monster-infested forest…albeit incredibly exhausted from all the fighting save for the twins.
After a few hours of arduous fighting and walking, they finally reached a clearing in the center of the forest. In the middle of the said clearing were the remains of a stone house riddled with light moss and vines creeping upon its crumbling walls.
"Someone set up a monster deterrent," Erza said as she and the rest passed a barrier that wards off monsters. "It's not recent though."
"So, we're close?" Wendy asked the redhead. She got a nod.
Unbeknownst to them, their presence triggered a secret passage to open, revealing a staircase that led to a hidden room.
Éclair suddenly stopped; her eyes widening upon getting a closer look at the ruined home. Memories long forgotten became more vivid. What was once fuzzy images were becoming crystal clear.
The same emotion cannot be said for others. For one, Natsu seemed unimpressed at the abode before him.
"He lives here?"
"There's a great wizard in this place?" Lucy questioned.
However, Éclair couldn't care less about the criticism of the home. There were answers here – answers that will shed light on her past. Without warning, she ran to the abandoned structure. The others quickly followed her and once all of them reached the place, they began examining its interior…or what was left of it.
"This place looks super old," Happy said while hovering over the others.
"More like ancient," Gray corrected.
"Éclair," Yuzu called and pointed at the exposed passage, "there's a staircase over there."
The tribal girl nodded and proceeded into the hidden room. The mages and the spirit fighters followed her and stumbled upon a room that was a mix between a library and a laboratory.
On one side of the room were bookshelves filled with texts relating to magic while on the other end were instruments such as beakers, crystals, and more. And yet, as they sifted through the various objects in the chamber, Éclair's attention was focused on a faded image of a family…
One that she was part of as a little girl.
She reached at the image, letting her fingers trace the picture of her younger self and what could be her mother and father. Éclair can see it; the image of her with her parents walking through the fields with smiles on their faces.
"Is that you in the picture?"
Éclair turned around to find Lucy beside her, eyeing the image. "It is," she answered. "This was when I was still a little girl."
On the table just below her, a lacrima glowed to life, startling Éclair and making her gasp. The mages and the twins saw this and quickly rushed beside her.
The glowing from the lacrima intensified before dying down to a manageable glimmer. From that light came a series of static, like that of a television that buzzes when no reception comes up. However, the blurry picture finally became clear, revealing the face of an older man.
"Éclair…"
All attention was now focused on the visage before them as it spoke to Éclair.
"If this message is, in fact, reaching your ears, child, then what I was told is indeed true. Many people came here searching for you. Survivors of Fire Village told me of the events that transpired. It brought me great joy that you survived. However, when I think of your fate–"
The man suddenly fell into a coughing fit. A few things didn't add up based on the hologram's explanation; something the others noticed.
"Hold on, what does he mean by that?" Gray asked.
"My sweet Éclair," the man continued, "the time we shared together blessed me with the most precious memories of my entire life. But, alas, as fate would have it, the people of Fire Village needed you to serve as its priestess while I was given the task of dispelling the Phoenix Stone."
"De-spell magic," muttered Éclair as she continued listening.
"I do not doubt that you were a worthy priestess," the man said with a smile; as if he was proud of the girl. However, that smile quickly faded. "My nullification spell is finally complete, but I fear I may never have the chance to use it."
Unbeknownst to everyone, the lacrima projecting the hologram gained a small crack.
"I've fallen ill, yet I clung to the life I had as I waited for your return, bearing the stone. But, if you were seeing this, oh Éclair."
"That means, he's gone," Wendy whispered, realizing that the person in the projection has long since passed.
"That's so sad," Carla expressed.
Again, his smile returned but it bore sadness instead of joy. "I have but one prayer," he reached out, wanting to touch Éclair. "I want you to find happiness and people whom you could share that happiness with. Éclair…"
The crack in the crystal grew bigger and still, no one had noticed it. That said, it was the revelation coming next that left a lasting impact on the tribeswoman.
"…My beloved daughter."
Everyone's eyes widened as their attention now fell on Éclair. The girl gasped and began shaking out of happiness and sorrow. The great wizard Kalard was her father and yet, he's gone.
She reached out her hand, wanting to grasp that of her father's regardless if it was just an illusion.
"F-Father," Éclair's voice quivered as she spoke, "I'm here."
Just as she was drawing closer, the lacrima completely shattered, dispersing the projection while the girl whose father she had just remembered stumbled.
They were quiet and no one dared to speak. This was for Éclair's sake as she stared at the shattered lacrima that held her father's message.
It was nighttime. The mages made it a point to search the secret library for anything that pertained to the de-spell magic Kalard had created. So far, none of them have managed to find anything related to it.
"We've scoured every part of that of that library and we haven't found anything on that particular magic," Gray told Erza who was leaning on a broken wall with Wendy, looking at Éclair basking under the moonlight.
"I see," the redhead knight spoke. "The real issue here is the spell that's been cast on the Phoenix Stone."
Éclair took slow, graceful motions while holding the stone in her hand. She was making circular steps, turning around like she was in a dance, and making hand movements. It seemed like the tribeswoman was in a trance; her eyes closed while performing something akin to an ancient ritual.
Erza wasn't the only one watching her. Lucy was nearby solemnly admiring the entrancing dance. The revelation of Éclair's father had passed away while waiting for his daughter was the same as the Celestial wizard's own story. It was painful and she can empathize with her.
Éclair's movements slowed. After one final twirl, she slowly fell to her knees as tears fell and ran down her cheeks. Momon flew to her lap; the little bird was also crying, but it was for her. Finally, she found Lucy staring at her with tears in the corner of her eyes that are full of empathy.
"I know how it feels," the blonde softly spoke. "I lost my father not long ago and I wasn't able to be there by his side."
It was with those words that something within Éclair finally shattered. The wall she had created crumbled and the bare emotions she had long since repressed finally surfaced.
Sadness.
Mourning.
Empathy.
For as long as she remembered, Éclair had kept her emotion in check while letting her hatred for magic fester within her heart. But now, it was magic that led her to these people…and to someone who shared her pain.
"Your father wanted you to find happiness and people who would care for you." Lucy's words made Éclair look up to her.
"That was his final wish."
The stellar mage pulled away and stared at the priestess with an honest and sincere smile. "Éclair, you found one of those people in me."
Lucy slowly brought Éclair into a warm embrace as she let her friend cry on her shoulder.
Éclair…was no longer alone.
Not far from the two were the others who joined this journey, admiring the sight of two people who shared pain comforting each other.
A little later, everyone gathered around a bonfire to hear what Éclair had to say.
"I'd like to make a formal request of the Fairy Tail guild," Éclair spoke while sitting together with the guildmembers of said guild. "My father spent his final days finding a way to rid the Phoenix Stone of the curse it carries. Would lend me your help to achieve it?"
"We gladly accept," Erza eagerly accepted.
"It would be our pleasure"
With that, the priestess smiled with gratitude.
The group returned to the guildhall the next day. They were tired from the trek but with the information they gathered, they were closer to the truth now than when they began.
"OH! They're back!" Kazui exclaimed while running to the returning wizards.
"We're back and we have a formal request from our guest," Erza answered, gaining the attention of the guildmembers present.
Macao, who was in charge while Makarov was absent, approached Erza and the group to further inquire about this request. "We'd be more than happy to help you, Éclair. With that said, would you guys come with me so we can discuss this request?"
Karin and Yuzu, however, decided to head over to Orihime and Kazui.
"Sorry about that, Macao, but Ichigo and Yukino will be returning today," the eldest of the twins explained. "We're going with Orihime and Kazui and meet them at the train station."
"Oh, that's wonderful news," said the old flame mage. "Say high to Ichigo and Yukino for me!"
"Sure will." Karin then turned to her twin, nephew, and sister-in-law.
"Yay! Dad and big sis Yukino are coming home!" Kazui cheered, making his mother chuckle a bit.
"You sure are excited," Orihime commented.
"Sure am!"
"He must be itching for another spar from big bro," Yuzu remarked which was confirmed when her nephew nodded.
"Okay, guys," Orihime said with her hands together, "it's time for us to go." She then waved at her guildmates goodbye.
Everyone inside waved in return, wishing them a safe return later.
Back to Lucy and Éclair, they and the others from their team were with Macao while looking at the odd half of the talisman.
"There was this saying from the shaman from my tribe," Éclair spoke, "Many lives have been paid due to the wretched toll, but the Phoenix Stone has been sealed away. The twin halves of the Phoenix Stone are a testament to this fact, and because of them we can have true peace."
The fourth guildmaster continued eyeing the artifact with utmost scrutiny and yet, he, too, was stumped. "Can't say it looks dangerous," he commented. "If anything, it just looks like an ordinary stone."
Suddenly, happy had an idea. "Hey, how about we destroy the stone to break the curse?"
Natsu, as per usual, liked the idea of breaking stuff again. "Now that's using your brain." He took the stone from Macao and tossed it into the air. He jumped and when he was at the same height as the talisman, he powered up his magical flames. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"
All eyes were on Natsu as he punched his fists together with the stone between them. He poured a considerable amount of power into his spell but it did nothing to the Phoenix Stone. All he accomplished was accidentally scattering his flames on everybody else. Luckily, most died down before reaching the ground while those that do were easily put out.
Now, we find Natsu being chastised by Macao.
"Was that what you call using your brain, Natsu!?"
The salmon-haired dragon slayer just looked away. "It wasn't my idea," he muttered.
"Lisanna, why don't you talk some sense into this dunderhead!"
The aforementioned girl was giving a stern lecture to Happy. "Let me finish giving this little furball a lecture first."
The cat was whimpering, by the way.
"Really, flame brain?" Gray groaned. "If there's anyone who can destroy that thing through brute force, that would be Ichigo…and he's not here."
Upon hearing their most powerful member's name, Macao quickly thought of an idea. "You know what, Gray? You might just be on to something."
"I am?"
"If magic can't destroy this stone, then what about something more powerful?"
Erza caught onto what Macao was thinking. "Spiritual energy! I see where you're getting at, Macao."
Lucy was also able to understand what the fourth guildmaster meant. "That just might work. And, since this is Ichigo, then we don't have to worry about power output since he has more power than any of us combined."
The only one who didn't manage to grasp the conversation was Éclair. Spiritual energy was a foreign concept to her, and this was the first time she's heard the name Ichigo.
"Lucy, who is this Ichigo you're all talking about?" she asked the brunette.
"It's…a funny story," chuckled the blonde when she realized Éclair never met nor does she know what Ichigo was. "He's our guild's strongest member. Also, he's sort of a…god of death?"
Even if the last sentence was said in a whisper, Éclair was still able to hear clearly.
"Are you serious?" the priestess questioned the stellar mage in disbelief.
"Definitely serious," replied Lucy.
"But…how could a god be in the mortal realm? Aren't they supposed to reside in a higher plane of existence? Can he even be trusted?"
Lucy knew where Éclair was going with this. She could understand the woman's misgivings considering she, too, had the same doubts when she first met Ichigo. "I know you're confused, Éclair. All of us in the guild, too, was the same when we first met Ichigo and his family. But he's a good person that's done so much for us since he came to Fairy Tail. Besides, you've already met his sisters, Karin and Yuzu, and his wife and son, Orihime and Kazui."
Éclair recalled the woman in white and the boy in black whom both have orange hair. She was surprised to find out that such an innocent child and a kindly woman was the son and wife of a deity. Not only that, she didn't expect to find out that the two women that accompanied her on her journey were also gods.
"Listen," Lucy called her, snapping Éclair out of her mental confusion. "If anything, you can ask him yourself when he gets back." She then saw Lucy smile widely. "He's a very approachable guy."
Éclair thought about what Lucy said and hesitantly considered it. She has yet to see this Ichigo person but if Lucy, the closest person she has in the guild, says that he is a good person then she will listen to her.
"Dad!"
Kazui's cry excitement made Ichigo smile. "Kazui!" he yelled in return as he opened his arms wide.
Seeing the gesture, the boy phased out of existence and appeared in his father's arms. "You and big sis are back! Did you manage to complete your quest? Did you beat some bad wizards?"
Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle at his son's curiosity. He simply patted the boy's head and replied, "Of course, I did. Our mission was done so well that the client gave us a bonus! You know what that means?"
Kazui shook his head no. Luckily, Yukino knew of her adoptive father's plan and answered her little brother. "We'll be eating lunch at one of the best restaurants in town! Also, he has a few extra bucks for us to spend on anything we like."
Kazui's eyes began to sparkle. He looked at his father in anticipation and eagerly asked, "Really?" The young transcendent then squealed in joy with him now hugging his sister.
"Welcome back, honey," Orihime spoke, earning a tender hug from her husband. "So, how was your trip?"
"Like I told Kazui, we finished splendidly," Ichigo replied.
"So, how did Yukino's first outing as a Quincy trainee go?" It was Yuzu who asked, this time.
"She's a quick learner," the patriarch of the family answered. "Her archery skills are exceptional and her control over her magic has been comparable to yours when you were just starting." He then looked at his Quincy sister. "And we both know how much of a prodigy you were when you were in your training."
"Heh, I'd expect nothing less from our Yukino," Karin remarked which did not go unnoticed by the silver-haired girl.
"Anyway, Ichigo," Orihime interjected, "I was informed this morning that we'll be heading to the Sorcerer Weekly office on Saturday so we can begin the photo shoot."
Ichigo suddenly tripped and almost fell flat on his face. He eyed his wife incredulously and asked, "Are you kidding!?"
Orihime just smiled at him.
"You're not kidding, are you?"
"Nope," the Weaving Maiden chirped. "The publishing company insisted that we have this photoshoot since the two of us are considered to be one of the hottest couples in the kingdom. At least, that's what Mirajane said."
Karin busted out laughing while Yuzu couldn't hide her sniggers.
Orihime continued explaining, "The session will be comprised of singles and both of us as a pair. There will be shoots for casualwear, sportswear, and swimwear."
The adult hybrid could only groan. "Great. That swimwear session will definitely get more people to drool over my wife. Oh god, I hope a hoard of women doesn't appear out of nowhere and chase me!" He felt himself shiver at the thought.
Changing topics, Karin opted to ask his brother about his mission instead.
"So, did you find anything interesting during the quest?"
Ichigo quickly pulled out a piece of paper he got from his encounter with Laughing Manticore. "I did." His tone was serious; enough to warrant the full attention of the other adults while the kids were exploring the shops near the train station. "While Yukino and I were looking for evidence in Laughing Manticore's H.Q., we stumbled upon two concerning documents. One was a piece of paper on a program called Project Breakdown. At first, I had no idea as to what that meant until I found this image." He showed the drawing to his wife and sisters. Their reactions were immediate; shock and worry being the most evident.
Orihime had the most prominent reaction out of the three. Memories from the time of her youth and the threat placed on her loved ones came rushing into her mind. Ichigo saw this and quickly hugged the ginger head to soothe her nerves.
"Honey, Aizen's gone. I promise that nothing like that would ever happen to you." He was rubbing circles on her back which was bringing out the desired effect.
"Is this what I think it is?" Karin questioned, still looking at the image of the dreaded godly sphere.
"It has to be," answered Ichigo who still had Orihime in his arms. "There's no other artifact in Earthland, or at least here in Fiore, that could come close to that."
"To think that this thing would appear again," Yuzu remarked. She may not have seen the artifact, but his brother's recounting of the Winter War was enough to drill into how dangerous this orb was.
"Do you have any guesses on how this thing came to be?" the older of the twins asked. Although, she already had two theories on this.
"I do," Ichigo replies. "It could either be that someone from our world came here centuries ago who was close to achieving the concept of hollowfication…"
"Or an Arrancar who knew Aizen found its way here in Earthland before us and managed to replicate his research."
The Kurosaki siblings stared at Orihime who was no longer nervous. She was able to come up with the same conclusion as them.
"You think it's possible?" Yuzu asked.
"Those are the only two plausible options we have. Both are not good but, if it's the second one, then we may have to face an Espada-level threat."
Before they could continue the conversation, the four suddenly felt a flux of power near the guildhall and it wasn't good. Yukino and Kazui seemed to have sensed it too since they were running toward them all worried.
"Dad, we just heard that the guild is being attacked!" the boy exclaimed.
"We need to hurry and help them!" Yukino added.
The four adults looked at each other and agreed. The discussion could continue some other time.
"Let's go!" Ichigo said and, in a blink of an eye, he and the rest of his family disappeared in a blur.
*****A Few Minutes Earlier*****
"The other half of the Phoenix Stone, do you happen to know where it is?" Erza asked Éclair after the failed attempt of Natsu.
The tribeswoman went into thinking, her index finger tapping the crown of her head. "If memory serves me right, the other half was stolen by soldiers from a place called Veronica."
"Oh, I know that place!" Happy exclaimed, getting the attention of everyone. "Veronica is the name of a country that's north of Fiore and it's super tiny."
Suddenly, multiple cannon shots blasted through the guildhall, breaking the walls, and sending anyone nearby flying. Warren, Max, and Nab were close by and got blasted away. The explosions didn't stop, however. Repeated cannon fire obliterated the inner hall and destroyed most of the building's interior.
When the barrage stopped and the dust settled, most of the wizards inside were injured but otherwise alive. However, their focus was on the perpetrators of the attack. Three individuals stood at the destroyed entrance with two of the attackers seemingly enjoying their handy work.
Natsu stood up and looked around. Most of them were alive and he breathed a massive sigh of relief when he saw his girlfriend safe in her brother's protection.
"Who the Hell are you guys!?" the son of Igneel shouted at the intruders.
"We are called Carbuncle," the teal-haired man said. "The garnet-adorned beast that's forever lurking in the shadows." His power rose; the debris near him levitated. "And you may call me Dyst!" The man now known as Dyst fired the lifted rocks and metal at Natsu and sent him crashing into the far wall while being continuously pelted with more stone and metal.
"Natsu!" Lisanna cried but she was held by Elfman before she did anything drastic.
"Oh no!" Wendy almost went to help but Cana pulled her down back to safety.
"Get down!" the brunette yelled.
When the barrage stopped, Gray stood up and glared at the intruders. "You bastards!"
One of the Carbuncle members, the one with a gun, aimed his weapon at the ice mage and Juvia with a sadistic grin. "You've got a date with this gun, pretty boy."
Somehow, Juvia got the wrong idea and began stomping in front of her "beloved." "You will never win the heart of my darling Gray! I won't allow it!"
Everyone sweatdropped, even the guy with the gun. "I think you are messed up in the head, lady."
Juvia's reply was a blast of pressurized water while the man with the gun fired three bullets. Thinking that it would pass her, she was surprised when she was damaged.
"Magic bullets!?"
Luckily, gray came in and erected an ice barrier that protected her from any more ammunition. However, the bulky man called upon two shoulder cannons and fired more powerful shots, shattering the ice barrier, and blasting them away toward Bisca and Alzack.
The Strauss siblings transformed into their Take-Overs and charged at the attackers when they suddenly reverted to their human forms.
"What!?" the siblings thought.
When they looked for the one responsible, they saw the woman of the group looking at them with a smirk. "And you call that Take-Overs? Pathetic."
The trio was then blasted by cannon fire.
Erza stood up. "Keep Éclair safe!"
"I will!" Lucy answered.
The redhead knight jumped high, becoming engulfed in a bright light before reappearing in her Black Wing Armor, ready to strike down the woman who incapacitated the Strauss siblings.
The woman in question just smirked and raised her hand. Another glow covered Erza until her armor vanished to her surprise. Her foe pulled out a retractable blade and held it over her head.
"It seems even the mighty Titania knows her place and kneels before the great Coordinator!"
Before Coordinator could swing, she found her sword arm punctured by a spirit arrow. Her eyes grew due to shock and her guildmates had similar expressions. It took a few seconds before the pain registered and she let out an Earth-shattering scream.
"Who dares to stand up against Carbuncle!" Dyst questioned, looking around for the marksman who shot the arrow.
"We do."
The demonic voice brought out two reactions: relief for the members of Fairy Tail and dread for Carbuncle. The assaulting guild turned around to find all five members of the Kurosaki clan pissed beyond belief.
"I disappear for like what, five minutes, and someone tries to cause shit." Ichigo's voice was dripping with anger. "Yukino, sweetie, fire another arrow and this time, take a lethal shot."
The silver-haired girl asked no questions and fired not an arrow, but a volley at the intruders. Cannon, Coordinator and Dyst quickly evaded the hail of arrows and retaliated. The woman of the Carbuncle group was shrouded in light before emerging in magenta armor. She was about to attack with her sword when it was grabbed by Karin.
"What the!?" Coordinator managed to pry her weapon out and began slashing at the female reaper only to fail in drawing blood since each strike only let out sparks. "How are you not bleeding!?"
"Hierro," was all Karin's reply before grabbing Coordinator's arm punching the elbow, and bending it in the opposite direction. Again, Coordinator screamed.
"You bitch!" Cannon cursed before firing a barrage of magic bullets.
Orihime's hairpins glowed and formed her signature shield, thus protecting Karin and everyone from the bullet storm.
"You do remember that my Hierro is strong enough to block those, right?" Karin questioned her sister-in-law.
Orihime just chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry. I just got into the heat of the moment."
"What the hell!? Who are these people!?" Cannon was about to fire another volley when his weapon got sliced into bits by Yuzu's Seele Schneider. Surprised, the Carbuncle wizard got a straw sandal to the face courtesy of Kazui. His misfortune continued when Yukino grabbed his arm, scissored her legs around his neck, and slammed him to the ground.
Cannon quickly got back up and summoned his shoulder cannons. Thinking he had the upper hand; he was stunned to see a black blur blitz passed him and shattered his weapons. He turned around to find Kazui whose eyes were now black with golden irises. Again, the boy became a black blur and, before the mage knew it, his left shoulder was sliced off.
It happened so fast. Dyst looked in bewilderment that his group was expeditiously taken down. What's more, they were different compared to the others in Fairy Tail; they were more ruthless and precise. That's when it hit him; the rumors of a family clad in black and white. When he turned to the only one from the family who hadn't moved, a chill ran down his spine.
"Could they be–"
The telekinesis mage's thoughts were put on hold when an overwhelming pressure put him on his knees. Air left his lungs and every breath he took was a struggle unlike any other.
Dyst's eyes darted up and met with Ichigo's obsidian and gold ones.
"Y-You're…him," he stuttered. "You're the Death God of Fairy Tail."
"So, you've heard of me," the reaper spoke. "You've got a lot of nerve coming in here and trashing my guild."
Dyst summoned enough courage and fired off a barrage of levitating stones at Ichigo. The reaper didn't even look at the attack as blue lines lit from his body and crawled around him, creating a quick Blut Anhaben that blocked the weaponized debris.
Shock made its way to the telekinetic's face that instantly morphed into pain when he got a savage Spartan Kick to the gut, sending him crashing through the guildhall. The patriarch of the Kurosaki followed the leader of the attackers after giving out an order to the others.
"Get those assholes out of the guild and make sure you guys beat them well."
However, a shadow suddenly materialized behind Lucy and Éclair. The two girls turned around and were startled to find the same person who attacked them in the inn the other day.
"You're that– ACK!" Lucy received a heavy punch to the gut that sent her flying.
"Lucy!" Éclair's cry was suddenly halted when the assailant blew sleep-inducing powder to her face, causing her to fall unconscious.
The man hoisted the sleeping tribeswoman on his shoulder and took out a communication lacrima. "This is Chase. We have the package. Get us out of here."
On cue, the members of Carbuncle were engulfed in a teal-colored light. The Fairy Tail members who were engaged in combat with the intruding mages stopped and covered their eyes from the blinding glow.
Lucy, having just recovered from the attack, watched in horror as Éclair's visage slowly faded along with the Carbuncle mages.
"Damn it!" she screamed. "Don't take her!" Willing herself up, the Celestial mage ran at her friend's captors, only for her hand to slip through Éclair's image as they faded.
Outside the guildhall, Ichigo landed a decisive blow to Dyst, making him tumble helplessly on the ground.
"I hope you learn your lesson and do not go attacking other guilds. Especially Fairy Tail."
Just before he could finish him off, Ichigo stepped back when a bright teal light covered his enemy.
Dyst coughed blood while forcing himself to stand up. He knew that the light meant that they managed to capture their target. However, he was internally seething at the fact that this individual humiliated him in combat.
"You may have won, Death God," he said between breaths. "However, you won't be able to win against me when I get my hands on the blood of the Phoenix."
With the warning given, Dyst's body vanished.
Ichigo's scowl grew fiercer, not liking the ominous message the invader imparted.
The four members of Carbuncle appeared in a flash of light inside a dimly lit sanctum. The wizards landed hard on the ground, aggravating the injuries they sustained. Cannon took the most damage when his arm got sliced off. The burly man was laying helplessly while clutching his missing limb.
"What happened?"
A commanding voice reverberated throughout the chambers. Wearing a grey formal military uniform under a light-colored trench coat bearing the Carbuncle's insignia, the older, well-built man with red eyes and voluminous orange spiky hair sternly gazed at his subordinates. The two able-bodied wizards promptly stood in attention to the newcomer.
"Guildmaster Tyson," Dyst spoke, "we have successfully retrieved the target requested by the client."
The Telekinetic wizard gestured to the unconscious form of Éclair beside Chase. However, the guildmaster of Carbuncle also noticed that Canon was bleeding and Coordinator's arm was oddly bent.
"Get me our best medics to attend both Coordinator and Cannon. Also, attach one of his weaponized mechanical limbs to his missing arm." After barking out those orders, other members of Carbuncle appeared and took the severely injured Cannon to their infirmary. "Now, can you explain to me how you got yourself and your team in such a condition?"
Dyst didn't hesitate to recount the events from earlier.
"We were accomplishing the task given to us by our client, the duke of Veronica. This mission has led us to Fairy Tail."
"Fairy Tail?" The guildmaster noticed the gritting of the mage's teeth as if he was angry at someone. "Are you sure it was wise to attack Fiore's strongest guild?"
"We caught them by surprise and had almost taken the target without any problems. However, they came."
"They?"
Dyst looked straight into the eyes of his superior and replied, "The Gods of Fairy Tail."
The Tyson knew whom Dyst was speaking of. It wasn't long ago that rumors spread regarding the existence of death gods and those who hold dominion over life and death. These rumors were confirmed when he was notified of their existence by the Magic Council itself.
The guildmaster of Carbuncle knew that this team under the employ of Veronica's sovereign had dug itself a very deep hole. He was well aware that even he can't win against a death god. Still, his guild accepted this job and was already paid a staggering amount of money beforehand.
Tyson Hammer, leader of the guild Carbuncle, sighed, hinting at his displeasure with Dyst's actions. However, what's done is done and the best course of action is to see this though.
"Your actions have put Carbuncle in a very serious situation, Dyst," the master began. "By attacking Fairy Tail, you have broken the laws on interguild conflict. However, since our guild has already been paid by the ruler of Veronica, it leaves me no choice but to go on with the request."
Dyst was relieved. The tone of the guildmaster was enough of a giveaway that the man was not happy with his actions. Still, knowing that the mission will continue more than makeup for his master's displeasure. It would mean that his personal goals wouldn't be in jeopardy.
"That said," Tyson suddenly spoke, "regardless of the outcome of this ordeal, you will be excommunicated from Carbuncle." He didn't bother looking at the shocked face of Dyst as he left the man frozen and headed to his chambers.
Once the guildmaster of Carbuncle made entered his room, he was greeted by a woman with the same orange hair but with blue eyes and dressed in a classic wizard's robe with some chainmail which was completed by a wizard's hat.
"Something wrong, dear?"
This woman was Valeria Hammer, Tyson's wife, and second-in-command of Carbuncle. She was reading one of his husband's books when he entered. Seeing the tired look on his face, she immediately knew that something was wrong.
"It's Dyst," Tyson replied. "The boy attacked another legal guild to accomplish the task given by the monarch of Veronica." He proceeded to his office chair and slumped down. "I'm expecting a lot of repercussions due to his actions."
"No doubt the Magic Council would file an investigation regarding this matter. We'll be lucky to still be considered a legal guild after this."
"That's not the worst of it, Valeria. The guild he attacked was Fairy Tail."
Valeria's eyes widened. "Then that would mean…"
"Dyst picked a fight with the guild where the death god, Ichigo Kurosaki, resides."
The woman's face slowly contorted into a scowl. She knew that Dyst was ambitious, but this!? "Of all the things he could've done, it to be picking a fight with a literal deity!" she was walking back and forth across his husband's chambers, contemplating the ways to remediate the situation the guild found itself in. she suddenly faced him and asked, "Are we going to continue with this?"
Tyson sighed. She wasn't going to like his answer. "We have no choice."
Valeria frowned, showing her distaste. "Is it because of the payment from Duke Cream?"
"Yeah. We have no choice but to see this through. If we don't, we could face the army of Veronica right at our doorstep. I am confident in our guild's strength, but to face a nation's forces would be suicidal."
Valeria's face softened after hearing her husband's worries. She understood her husband's worries and slowly made her way to him, giving him some comfort while they reflected on the future of Carbuncle.
"I understand, dear," Valeria spoke softly. "You only have the guild's best interest like you always do. Besides, we could always apply for our guild to be recognized if the council decides to revoke our legal standing."
"That's going to take a while but at least it's not that bad." Tyson stood up and walked to his desk where a communication lacrima lay. He picked it up and activated the item. "Doronach, do you hear me?"
"I hear you, master." A voice answered the guild leader's call.
"Return to the guild at once. We will be assisting Dyst and his crew on their mission."
"Should our involvement even be necessary?" the voice, identified to be a man named Doronach, questioned. "Dyst alone is very powerful, second only to me, but together with his team, they're unstoppable."
"They are…if it were just any ordinary enemy. However, he attacked Fairy Tail and tasted defeat at the hands of their death god."
Upon the mention of Fairy Tail's death god, Doronach's voice changed from disinterest to excitement. "I see, Master Tyson. Well then, I shall make haste and return to the guildhall at once! It would quite a delight to finally see if this god is worth all the praise."
Doronach cut off the connection from his end, prompting Tyson to place the device back on his table before facing his wife. "Valeria, prepare for departure. We will be leaving for Veronica within the hour."
Valeria nodded and left the chambers to ready her things for their trip. As for the guildmaster, Tyson wondered what would be the outcome of this encounter. If he were honest, he, too, was a little excited at the prospect of facing Ichigo Kurosaki.
A smirk crossed his face. "I wonder how powerful you truly are, god of death."
Meanwhile, Fairy Tail's halls were falling apart after the recent attack. The morale among its members wasn't bright considering Éclair was abducted.
"DAMN IT!"
Natsu's frustration was shared among the guild's mages. They were caught by surprise and got their guildhall wrecked. They barely even did anything to the attackers. It was only thanks to Ichigo and his family that Carbuncle was forced to retreat, but not without their target.
"Calm down, Natsu," Ichigo told the dragon slayer. "Blowing a fuse won't help in this situation."
"But they attacked us!" Natsu yelled at the reaper. "Nobody has the right to attack us."
"I know, and we will get payback for this. We just need a proper plan and permission from the master. Luckily, we don't have to wait for long." Ichigo turned to the destroyed entrance where Makarov and Gajeel stood with Panther Lily floating beside his dragon slayer partner. "Welcome back, master."
"While I would say it's good to be back, it seems that won't be the case." Makarov looked around only to see the downtrodden expressions of his children.
Every able-bodied mage helped clear the rubble caused by the fighting while Wendy, Karin, and Orihime were healing the injured. So far, only those who directly engaged the Carbuncle wizards got the worst of it.
Natsu stomped his way to Makarov and judging by his look, the old man knew what the fire user wanted.
"Give the word, gramps!" yelled Natsu. "Say the word and I'll gladly get those bastards for attacking us."
"While I do share your frustration, Natsu, there is more to this than it seems."
"But we can't wait any longer! They took our client to who knows where…and that's after they trashed our guildhall!"
"Natsu, calm down." Finally, the son of Igneel's temper mellowed thanks to Lisanna's interference. "Let the master finish what he was saying. Maybe it can help us track down whoever took Éclair."
"Thank you, Lisanna. Indeed, the information I have thanks to Gajeel and Panther Lily's efforts connects the attack on our guild to an ever-growing crisis happening near the mountainous borders of Fiore. And, it seems that our client, Éclair, is the center of it all."
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked the guildmaster. Her cheeks were stained with tears for failing to protect Éclair.
"Something powerful will wake up in that region – a power that could rival that of Zeref if it is allowed to awaken." Gasps were heard from his mages. "Further investigation led us to believe that the main culprit behind this is the Principality of Veronica, specifically, its reigning duke."
"Didn't Éclair mention place earlier?" Erza asked her guildmates who were with Éclair before the attack.
"That's right!" Happy confirmed. "That's the place where Éclair mentioned the other half of the Phoenix Stone is located."
"Then, we know where we have to go," Ichigo spoke. "That said, if this power is said to match Zeref's, shouldn't the Magic Council be involved in this?"
"The meeting I was called recently was concerning this growing power up north," Makarov answered the reaper. "They've been monitoring the situation closely and have yet to make a move."
"Then, we need to report these details to the council," Ichigo suggested. "Something tells me that it's going to get messier than it should be."
"While I do agree with Ichigo, I think it's best to keep Éclair, the Phoenix Stone, and the dispel magic from the council," Erza suggested. "The last thing we need is the council apprehending Éclair for something she isn't even responsible for."
"I was thinking the same thing," Makarov said and, when he looked at Ichigo, he received a nod signifying that he agreed with the female knight. "Then, our goal is clear!"
The declaration made everyone look at the old mage; their fire roused and their spirits ignited. It was payback time.
"Natsu and his team will be infiltrating the Principality of Veronica. The rest of us will be on stand-by unless things escalate beyond their control. I will report our findings to the Magic Council and request their aid in this endeavor. There is no doubt those old buffoons would want to eliminate this growing threat posed by Veronica and its duke."
No other reply than a loud unanimous "AYE!" was needed to signify that all mages in Fairy Tail were on-board with the plan. Momon, who was quietly listening to the rambunctious wizards, was teary-eyed when the guildmaster announced that they will rescue his friend. It was ironic that Éclair, who once despised wizards, will now be rescued by wizards who treated her with kindness and compassion.
"Thank you, everyone," the pudgy bird murmured. His voice was loud enough to be recognized by the wizards. "Thank you for trying to save my friend…even if you didn't have to."
"Of course, we will," Lucy told the bird. Her face was now free of tears and her eyes filled with determination. And with that fiery gaze came a sincere smile directed at the avian.
"She's our friend after all."
A/N: ModernRogue11 here and I'm back to deliver another chapter to this story. I must apologize for being silent for about one and a half months. As you may know, I lost two relatives and that affected my will to write. Fortunately, I am now ready and fully invested in writing again so that I can post the final chapter of this mini-arc two weeks from now or earlier. I also have the rough draft for an original arc that would set up the Tartaros arc soon. All in all, I am more than eager to finish the Phoenix Priestess arc and begin the next mini-arc that I'd like to call "Phantom Vengeance."
Anyway, if you like this story, I'd also appreciate it if you looked up "Of Heroes, Sorcerers, and Reapers" which is an MHA/JJK/Bleach triple crossover. It already has nine chapters and a tenth chapter coming in the following week.
Until next time, my dear readers. It's good to be back.