Hey guys! Back again, to deliver on to you another chapter.
Enjoy!
Nashi had felt a lot of emotions in her time. Sadness, anger, joy, all of the usual.
However the sense of confusion and complete disbelief that washed over her at Blake's words was unreal. Olympians? The Olympians? The ones behind Silverridge? And presumably in control of Devil Advocate and Phantom Dove? No, surely he couldn't be serious. But the more she studied his face and his expression did not change, she grew a little more concerned. He was serious.
"...What?" She asked. Blake chuckled.
"I know you know who I'm talking about." Blake answered., pocketing his hands. "The Olympians. Silverridge, Devil Advocate, all of that." Nashi gritted her teeth.
"So you're working for them?" She demanded. "...Why? What do they want?"
"Heh. How the hell should I know?" A sinister look grew over Blake's features. "All I know is that they are very interested in you, specifically." Nashi felt her head spin at these words. The biggest, baddest, and most mysterious dark guild in the country was interested in her? Why? What had she done?
"I...I don't understand." She said slowly. "I'm nothing special."
"Don't ask me. All I know is that they're watching us." Nashi felt her eyes widen. Blake chuckled. "Surprising? Look up at the lacrima vision Nashi, and give a small wave. They're watching." Nashi slowly looked up towards the floating lacrima in the sky, which was broadcasting them. Looking into the glow coming from it, a chill went down Nashi's spine. They were watching.
"...So you're, what, their puppet?" She demanded, watching him. Blake chuckled.
"I suppose I am. I was taken in as a child. But even as a young kid I knew I wasn't worth much to them." Nashi raised an eyebrow.
"So why did you join Sabertooth?" Nashi demanded. "There are easier ways to get in a confrontation with me then what you've done." Blake smirked.
"I was sent there as a young child. I was reminded regularly that I was not really a member of the guild. They're my cover for when they needed to call upon me, nothing more." Nashi clenched her fists.
"So they mean nothing to you?" Blake did not answer her. "Huh? Answer me!"
"Shut up, would you?!" Blake shouted angrily. "That doesn't matter! They don't matter! All Sabertooth is too me is a cover! The people there...The others...They're nothing to me!" Nashi lowered her head slightly.
"Then you're a worse piece of shit then I thought." She hissed. "Those people are your friends, at least they feel that way. Do their feelings not matter?"
"In the grand scheme of things, not at all." He answered, bringing his hands together, a greenish blue glow coming from them. "Now, let's continue this fight! I have work to do!" Nashi spread her feet out a bit and nodded.
"The Olympians want to watch another peon get destroyed? I'll oblige them."
Terra watched Bella closely, wondering what the hell was happening. She was happy to finally find someone she was able to fight, seeing as she'd been avoided for the most part. But what the hell was even happening here?
"Hm, nice one." Bella said, crossing her arms underneath her on display chest. "You might have really hurt him." Terra shrugged.
"His head is thicker than that stone, he'll be fine." She answered immediately. "So, you want a pillar to the face too?"
"God no. I'm not in the business of fighting women so, if you could leave us be, that's be appreciated."
"Fight?" Terra asked. "Is that what you call fighting? Because what I saw was you trying to make Damien surrender by offering him private time. Just how big of a slut are you?" Bella made a shocked face.
"Slut? I prefer the term promiscuous thank you. And even then I would never consider giving that idiot a shred of attention outside of the battlefield. And even I'm not going to sleep with him, that's just to get him out of the way." Terra raised an eyebrow at this.
"Why give it to him on the battlefield? That doesn't make any sense." Bella snickered.
"Damien honey?" She called, voice sickly sweet. "I need something of you."
"Anything." The man replied hoarsely. Bella smiled and pointed at Terra.
"Could you be a sweetie and get Terra out of our way? I am so looking forward to our alone time." Damien stood and looked at Terra.
"Damien?" She asked. "You okay?"
"Get out of here." He said. " I don't want to hurt you"
"Say what?" Terra narrowed her eyes at Damien. "What's up with you? Did you really not hear what she just said? She's fucking with you!"
"Not with him, no no no!" Bella said, making Terra roll her eyes. "I'm not fucking with him, I'm going to..."
"I get it." Terra interrupted. "You're a slut."
"Promiscuous! Learn the difference!"
"Whatever." Terra crossed her arms. "Well Damien? Did you or didn't...!"
A blast of darkness caught Terra off guard, forcing her away from Bella. She recovered and looked up to find Damien, in his demon form, watching her.
"Leave." he hissed. "You're causing trouble." Terra made a face.
"I know you're an idiot and everything, but you cannot be that deaf! She's...!"
"Terra." Terra stopped speaking and looked towards the voice as it spoke, Standing off to her left was a man wearing a black tuxedo, which was just as black as his hair and eyes. "He's not going to listen to you."
"Huh?" She asked. "Who are you? Where the hell did you come from?" The man sighed.
"I forgot you've never seen me before." he said, giving a slight bow. "I am Xisplate, the Demon Lord from the 12th Circle of Judgment, and Damien's Demon Lord takeover. One of them, technically." Terra felt a cold shiver go down her spine at this.
"Wait..." She said. "You're...?"
"Yes, I am. Whatever your sentence end was, the answer is yes." Terra stared at him in surprise before she realized there had to be a very good reason she was being spoken to.
"Why are you here, like this? Talking to me?"
"Because given the situation we find ourselves in, you are the only one who can carry out the actions necessary to end this nicely."
"...What? What are you talking about?" Xisplate pointed to Bella and Damien, and Terra followed his finger.
"Right now you are facing off against the Demon Lord from the 3rd Circle of Judgment, Meridia. Her powers make her a Succubus."
"Succubus? Those things that seduce men?"
"Essentially, yes. Right now Damien is under her spell so heavily he does not even acknowledge my presence. That is where you come in."
"What do you mean?" Xisplate lowered his head slightly, watching Terra.
"Succubus magic does not work on women, not even with the sexual orientation of the takeover wizard leans that way. In essence, you must find a way to free Damien from her spell and at the same time defeat Meridia. You following me?"
"...Yeah, totally." Terra said, struggling to process what she'd heard. Bella was a Demon Lord, Damien was (obviously) being seduced, and she was the only one around who could undo it all. But how? "Hey, quick question."
"Yes?"
"Just what are Demon Lords weak too again?"
"Holy Magic, other Lords, some other things like Devil Slayers. Why?"
"Then what am I supposed to do against her? I have none of those things." Xisplate rubbed his chin slowly.
"Hm, excellent point." He thought for a moment, before looking back up at her.
"Do you have any spells that use a ludicrous amount of magic power?" Terra nodded.
"I do. Why?" Xisplate sighed.
"Demon Lords are not, technically speaking, immune to all types of magic. We are incredibly resistant to all things other than what I just listed, which gives off the aforementioned feel of immunity. All types of magic theoretically could defeat us, but no sane person would go up against us without one of them on their side." Terra hummed in agreement.
"So you're telling me that if I use Rumbling Mt. Fuji, than it could defeat this Meridia?"
"Hm, I would think. Even we aren't that resistant to raw explosive power." Xisplate met her eyes once more. "However, we have another problem."
"Which is?" Terra's question was answered as another blast of darkness flying past her head. Damien appeared to have missed on purpose, at least she hoped he had.
"Last chance." He said, Bella still smiling behind him. "Back off."
"That." Xisplate said. "Damien would, at least in the seduced state he is in, rather die than allow you to hurt Bella. You need to put him out of commission first, or you won't be able to get to Bella."
"Just knock him out?"
"Normally yes, but the way he is now he won't just do that. Meridia's seduction is so powerful I doubt he'd fall if she asked him not too." Xisplate looked back at Damien. "There's only one way to break him out of his trance."
"Which is?" Xisplate did not reply at first, and eventually he looked over at her.
"I don't think you're going to like this." He said. Terra felt her stomach turning at these words.
"Tell me." She said. "How do I free him?"
"Succubus are very powerful. Their magic is nigh impossible to prevent. The one surefire way to break a man out, however..."
"What?! Tell me!"
"...Meridia's magic spell is broken if her victim becomes sexually attracted to another woman."
Natsu watched as many screens as he could, each battle progressing. Simon and Nami, Ultear and Kyoko, Drake and Rina, Damien, Terra and Bella, Keita and Elise, and Nashi and Blake. Each battle was gradually growing more and more vicious. Each combatant struck as hard as they could at each other, trying to cause them to fall and earn a point.
"What an amazing final day!" Ross shouted. So many amazing battles going down! What do you think, your majesty?" Hisui chuckled.
"I think this year has been one of the best Grand Magic Games we've ever had, to be honest with you." She said, earning a cheer from the crowd. "It'll be hard to top this one next year."
"Agreed! Which battle are you the most interested in?"
"Hm, I can't pick one. If I tried the others would only seem even more nail-biting and interesting."
"They're really going at each other." Erza said. "Every one." Natsu knew that was no understatement. Even Elise vs. Keita, which had gone from an innocent fight into a much more serious duel, had Elise going at him without remorse.
"It means a lot to everyone." Laxus answered. "Some have become a bit more important than others." Natsu slowly looked over in Gajeel and Levy's direction, but neither even seemed to know he was looking at them. Their eyes were glued to the screen where they corrupted little girl went after the Shadow Dragon.
I can't even imagine how hard this is on them...Jeez.
Natsu looked back up just in time to catch a powerful Plasma explosion go off. The lacrima vision had picked it up from the air. A devastating explosion from Blake. He was not holding back whatsoever, even though Nashi was already hurt. What was his aim? The fight was completely one-sided, and he didn't like it, at all.
Come on Nashi, you can do this...Just don't go Etherious...Or I may need to step in and stop you. Which won't end well for anyone.
Nashi tried to get up, coughing viciously as as she did. She looked up at Blake, who was watching her intently, forming another Plasma Blast on his hands.
"Get up." he said. "We're done when they say we are."
"They..." Nashi hissed. "The Olympians?"
"Of course, did you just figure that out?" He shook his head. "All I'm doing his following instructions. After all, I'm..."
"...Just carrying out orders?" She demanded angrily. "It that all you do? Follow your fucking orders?"
"How...?" Nashi giggled as she stood up.
"You're just like him. Look different, but you act the same." She hissed, thinking back.
The only man who'd ever given Nashi nightmares, and a man she feared even in death.
Apocalypse.
"I care nothing for your guild, your family, or any of those people. I got an order, I carry it out. That's what I do."
"Your care about as little as he did, from where I stand." She said. "You just think it differently. Instead of my guild, it's Sabertooth. instead of my family, it's the ones who took you in and basically raised you. Despicable. Your kind makes me sick to my stomach."
"You think you know me?" Blake demanded. "You think that you had it rough, getting bullied? How about you try having your life being in danger of being snuffed out every day by your overlords who may suddenly have no more use for you? After that, you're a fucking liability, so they off you. Do you think you know pain? Or my type? You don't know a fucking thing!"
"I know enough!" Nashi shouted. "I know you don't care about Sabertooth! Isn't that right?!"
"SHUT UP!" The Plasma went off in Blake's hands, and rushed towards Nashi . She braced for impact, wondering how much it was going to hurt this time.
The Plasma exploded halfway to her, leaving nothing but debris to hit her. She covered her eyes from the dust and rubble that was kicked up as a result, coughing again. Once it started to clear, Blake looked surprised.
"What?" Why did it...?"
Tap...Tap...Tap...Tap...Tap
Someone was approaching them. Nashi looked over just as the figure arrived in front of her, arms spread wide.
Michael stood in front of her, head facing down.
"Michael..." She said slowly, and her eyes widened.
He'd followed her.
Which meant...
He'd heard them shouting at each other.
What're you doing, Michael?" Blake asked. "She's my opponent."
"..."
"What's up man? Why so quiet?"
"...You sick bastard." Michael hissed.
"H-Huh?"
"After everything we did together...All the memories I have...They're not real." Nashi heard a strange sound, and followed it with her eyes.
There was a damp spot on the ground under Michael.
He was crying.
"You're...you're not actually my friend...You're a fucking double agent for a dark guild..." Blake looked like he was at a loss for words.
"Michael, I..."
"No...Don't speak. Don't...Just don't."
"Michael..."
"Stop!" Michael whipped his head up, revealing his eyes, which were rimmed with tears. "I don't want to hear more of your lies, Blake. Is that even your fucking name?!" Blake looked down, but Michael continued to shake violently.
"Pranking my parents...Helping Juno cheat in the eating contest...All the times you saved my life during a job...All the times we laughed or cried or did anything as a group of friends...All of it means nothing. Because those memories are just you not getting caught as a double agent. Trying to fit in. Because at the end of the day Blake, what was it you said? We're your cover?"
"I..."
"I'm not going to let you." Michael said, his arms still out, protecting Nashi. "You try and lay one more finger on her, and you and I are having our turn."
Blake felt like a hot knife had been driven into his heart and twisted.
He had those memories too.
All of them meant the world to him.
And thanks to The Olympians, they were supposed to mean nothing.
But they meant something.
But now, he might have been the only one with that sentiment. Because now he was a traitor, an outsider. Someone who had been sent to infiltrate their guild to be an asset. And he'd carried that mission out splendidly.
But along the way, he'd come to love the people residing in Sabertooth. They were his family, but the Olympians were his overlords, and they got the last say.
"Blake."
Fuck. Of course.
"What is the issue here? Get him out of the way.
"..."
"Hm? Silent are we? Are you trying to say you've developed a friendship with this problem standing before you? He was useful in the tag battle so Athena could test END, but now he's in your way. Finish him."
There were so many colorful words painting Blake's mind. But he couldn't say any of them.
"...No."
"Hm?"
"You heard me...No. I won't do it. Michael is my friend."
"Don't speak nonsense, boy. You have no friends. You are an agent of our will, not some petty guild member. Kill him." Blake looked up at Michael. The boy seemed so angry and set in his ways.
Just like he'd always been.
Blake gritted his teeth.
"No. I won't hurt my friend."
"Oh? Your friend is he? Would a friend threaten to attack you for fighting in a fighting tournament? Would a friend do what he's doing? Jumping to conclusions?"
"All of those conclusions are right..."
"Irrelevant. Off him, he's in the way."
"No!" He didn't get a response ate this, and He started to shake with anger. "No...I won't do it. Michael's my friend. Even though he probably no longer considers me as such...He's my fucking friend!"
He didn't get an answer from Zeus for a moment or two, and at first Blake thought he'd messed up horribly.
"Alright Blake, I'll play your little game. Here's what you can do. Either you attack right now with all your might and get this stupid little dragon out of the way, or you can all die from a blast from above."
"Blast...From above..."
"Indeed. Hephaestus developed a satellite that can shoot down concentrated blasts of Divine Flame. if you do not blast away that dragon right now, I'll order him to fire it on you and them. Is that what you want boy? For us to kill all three of you?"
"..."
"You've got five seconds or we fire anyway, boy. Make up your mind."
This couldn't be real...
"One."
Were they really that heartless?
"Two."
But no...He couldn't do it...He didn't have the stomach...
"Three."
Michael...Sabertooth...He loved them damn it! Why?! Why did he have to end it this way?!
"Four."
There had to be a way. He couldn't...He wouldn't...
"Fiv..."
"Okay!" Blake shouted. "Okay...Don't shoot."
"Good choice, boy. Now, show me the power we taught you."
He had no choice.
He was working for The Olympians.
And his enemy stood before him.
His options were obvious.
He brought his hands together, and they started to glow. The glow grew and grew, but Michael did not move.
"Michael please..." He hissed. "Please move. They want her, not you."
"I don't care." Michael replied. "You'll have to go through me."
"Michael..."
"No." Blake gritted his teeth as tears started to drip down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry." he mumbled, the glow growing. "I'm...I'm so sorry."
"PLASMA SALVO!"
The gigantic burst of Plasma left Blake's hands and soared towards the pair.
"Michael move!" Nashi shouted. "That's not any blast! He's aiming to kill!"
"I'm not moving." he replied stoically. "I'll protect you, don't worry."
"Michael please! He's not holding back!"
The blast got closer and Michael laughed softly.
"He never did like holding back when challenged..."
"MICHAEL!"
The resulting explosion eradicated the entire block in a blast of turquoise magic.
Hm, I really like this chapter. Like, a lot. I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!