'Oh, that's not good.' Eric frowned as he continued flying around the Fiore-Bosco border, focusing more ethernano into his eyes before cursing as he caught sight of their first obstacle.
'What's not good?'
'Border barrier between Bosco, Iceberg & Fiore.' Eric answered Bacchus' question as he quickly dove down to the rocky mountains near the border, Flare unwrapping the duo in her hair and Screecher cancelling his invisibility as the three landed next to Eric.
"Oh, that is definitely not good." Bacchus muttered with a frown as the four of them looked at the three way border outpost at the point where Fiore, Iceberg and Bosco met, with each outpost fully stationed with Rune Knights in their respective armour.
However, Eric frowned as he noticed the iridescent gleam to the armour that the Bosco & Iceberg knights were wearing that were a lot brighter compared to the ones the Fiore Rune Knights wore.
"Well, I guess we can add Iceberg to the nations allied with Stella along with Bosco & Joya. Do you think Bellum can be added to that?" Flare whispered/ asked and the three men just frowned before Screecher nodded.
"It would be best. The moment we leave the Fiore border, we're considered criminals of any nation allied with Stella, so we can't trust anyone apart from us and maybe the hostages we rescue."
"I agree. Better to be cautious of anyone than trust another foreign nation and risk being turned over to Stella." Bacchus said, to which the three nodded before they frowned as they looked down at the outpost.
"Think you could get us through the jutsu shiki, Screecher?" Eric asked, to which Screecher stayed silent for a moment as he stared at the barrier patterns spreading through the air before giving a slow nod.
"Perhaps, but if it's like the barrier runes we had at the exams, it's going to be tough to vibrate all four of our ethernano to match the ambient ethernano in the air."
"And what if it's just two?" Eric asked, to which the other three stared at him before Bacchus hummed.
"You're thinking of a two-two infiltration?" He asked, Eric nodding as the process clicked for the other two before Flare frowned.
"We're not entertaining your destructive plans right now. One misstep and this could either tip Zash off that we're coming or result in an international war breaking out."
"It's a stupid plan, but it's the best we got. Unless you have any other ones?" Bacchus asked, to which Flare stayed silent as the man nodded before turning to Eric.
"What's your plan?"
Nathan Draco had dreams to become a mage ever since he found out that his body could contain ethernano. His magic was Solid Magic, a form of Earth Magic that lets him harden any surface that he touches and he had even managed to join Lamia Scale until he went on his first real job.
That fight against a Vulcan Alpha more than showed him the difference between a real mage & a fake one and the fact that he ran & left his guild mates behind didn't help him either.
After they returned back to the guild after his guild mates had to finish the job, Nathan had handed in his resignation and had his guild mark removed as the guilt & shame was too much for him.
Thankfully, Ooba Babasaama had given him a good recommendation when he applied for the Rune Knights and despite the one blot on his record from his last job, he was given a position at the Fiore-Iceberg-Bosco outpost as one of the mages permanently stationed at it.
Man, that first week with the resentful Bosconians and the cold Icebergians was stressful as any moment, it felt as if a full on battle could break out at any moment.
However, in the past year or so, Nathan was slowly growing nervous as the Icebergians & the Bosconians looked to be becoming more & more friendly with each other while their resentment & anger towards Fiore seemed to be as strong as ever.
"Another coffee, another day of glaring at the dumb fuckers we share an outpost with." Nathan muttered as he took a sip from the mug in his hands, frowning at how the Icebergians & Bosconians were talking in whispers to each other and glared at any Fiore Knight that came close.
"You would think they would stop doing shit like that after a year."
"They're just pissed we won the war." Nathan heard someone speak behind him and turned to see the outpost commander walking towards him, the commander waving his hand dismissively as Nathan saluted.
"At ease, Nathan. How goes the battle of will against the barbarians & their tea-loving dipshits?" The Commander asked, Nathan smirking as he saw how many of the others glared at both of them before speaking.
"Not much has changed. I guess we're going to be stuck in this battle for another year or so."
"Seven years and I'm never going to get bored of glaring at these fuckers."
"The same here, commander, though I wish something interesting would happen." As if on cue, Nathan's eyes widened as the temperature skyrocketed before a monstrous pillar of flames exploded into existence on the nearby mountains.
Hearing the panic shouts of everyone in the outposts as the three countries' platoons scrambled to their stations, Nathan was the only one to see as a blur crashed right through the barrier around Bosco right before another followed after it.
'…What the fuck was that?'
'Flare! Wrap them up!' Eric ordered in his mind as he continued flying through the air, Flare nodding as her hair extended behind her before picking up Bacchus & Screecher from the ground.
'Didn't know you could run that fast, Bacchus.' Eric said with a mental smirk, to which Bacchus let out a chuckle out loud as he shook his head.
'Eh, you were slow anyway so it was easy to keep up. If you were going a bit faster, it might have been a little trouble.' The drunk responded with a grin as he settled back into his cocoon, Screecher already covering the four of them in an invisibility sheet as Eric rolled his eyes before he began following the border towards Stella.
'You good?' Eric asked Flare as he could hear her panting slightly, to which the redhead nodded with a frown.
'I'm not used…to extending my hair for this long. Just have to get back into rhythm like I was on our training trip…and I'll be good to go.'
'Good, because you and I are going to be the infiltration plan so I need you ready & relaxed for that one.'
'Wait, what?' She asked in surprise, to which Eric chuckled before he connected the other two to their conversation.
'It's going to take us a few hours to reach Stella so in that time, I'm going to explain my full plan on how we're both going to rescue the hostages and take out half of Zash's army in that same time.'
'Is this going to involve destruction?' Bacchus asked before smirking as Eric's only answer was to chuckle before he spoke.
"I guess not even you can fly forever, huh?" Bacchus spoke with a smirk as the four of them sat around a campfire, to which Eric just rolled his eyes as Flare giggled & Screecher snorted.
"Don't you snort, Screech. Who of the two of us are actually just out of breath and who couldn't move?" Eric asked with a raised eyebrow, to which Screecher didn't say anything as he just stayed silent.
"Uh-huh, thought so and I can't help it if I get tired after flying for an hour straight at top speed. Hell, we're already past the Bosco border so tomorrow, we'll head over to that Krista place and enact the first step of the plan."
"Speaking of the plan, are you sure about this? This is not the regular extermination or escort missions you're used to. The best case scenario when something goes wrong is you managed to escape them with a few severe injuries."
"I understand, Bacchus, but we've already adjusted & tweaked the plan together as well as having a few escape routes for Flare & I should something go wrong. Even if it does, I just need to get her away and I can cut loose." Eric said with a smile, to which Bacchus just stared at him before the man nodded.
"All right, but remember, one mistake and we're cancelling the mission & getting you both out of there, even if it means I have to destroy Zash's Quartum Army to do so."
"Eh, if it comes to that, I'm joining you in doing so." Eric said with a shrug, Bacchus letting out a chuckle as Flare & Screecher shared an exasperated look.
"Looks like it's up to us to be the cool heads on this mission."
"And here I thought I would be able to relax for once. Hah, I guess my life as a lazy man is over."
"Stay where you are!" Eric blinked and looked up to see a group of guards standing at the front gate of the town they were walking towards, raising his hands to the air and gesturing for Flare to do the same at his side as a group of guards walked towards them.
'So, this is what the Quartum Army soldiers look like.' Eric thought with a frown as he stared at the soldiers walking towards them, each clad in a grey bodysuit with the hands, feet, lower legs, lower arms, chest and groin covered in Stellanium-infused steel segments while their head was covered by a simple steel helmet that had a crimson visor at the front.
However, the reason for his frown was the stench of a dragon coming from each one along with the scents of oil & steel coming from under the armoured suits.
'Don't show any reaction, but I'm getting the same scents that I got from Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy and Laxus.' Eric spoke over his telepathic link as the group of soldiers stopped in front of them, Flare managing to hide her shock as her eyes just widened slightly for a brief moment before she composed herself back into a stoic look.
'Seriously?! Is the plan still good then?'
"Hello, gentlemen. My name is Eric Sanches and this is my wife Flare Sanchez. Here are our papers."
'Yeah, they don't know about me so follow the plan.' Eric answered Flare with a smile as he reached into his coat and held out a series of documents to the soldiers, waiting until one reached for it before he acted.
'Chains.' In an instant, Eric stomped on the ground, the soldiers left unable to react as a massive crimson draconic crest appeared on the ground below them before numerous chains made from vivid scarlet flames wrapped the soldiers up in a cocoon before exploding.
However, Eric's head snapped up with a grin as he heard a loud alarm blaring throughout the town as well as most of the town's guards charging out of the main gate towards them.
'Bacchus, Screech, you're up!' Eric said, watching as the invisible Screecher & Bacchus ran past them and around the army into the town before stretching as he turned to Flare, who flicked her hair away from her face with her right hand while her left rested on her hip.
"So, you ready to dance?" He asked as he held out a hand, Flare letting out a giggle as she took Eric's hand and nodded.
"Why, of course. A blazing waltz?" She asked as her hair extended, Eric smirking as he nodded before a violet glow coated both of them as the army aimed all sorts of weapons & spells at them.
"This is your one and only warning! Stand down and surrender!" The man in gold armour at the front of the group shouted, Eric letting out a chuckle as he & Flare landed in front of the cautious army before shrugging.
"Why don't you try & catch us?"
'As soon as I launch my first attack, most of the army will be coming to apprehend Flare and I. As soon as that happens, you and Bacchus head to the far right side of town. There will be an entrance on the immediate alleyway to your right with a manhole cover near the back wall.' Bacchus repeated Eric's words in his head as he rushed around panicking civilians and the guards rushing to where he had last seen Eric & Flare fighting the army, Screecher sitting comfortably on his back as the man was focused on keeping their invisibility up.
"There! That wall there!" Screecher whispered to Bacchus as they turned a corner, Bacchus immediately zoning in on the alleyway Screecher was pointing at before nodding as he rushed into it.
'When you find it, you're going to need to bust it open as the entranceway is blocked by rubble on the other side. Screecher, when Bacchus throws that first punch, you're going to have to hide the entire alleyway from view until you're both inside.' Screecher took a deep breath as he tapped Bacchus on the shoulder while leaping off of his back, Bacchus pulling a palm back as he pumped it with ethernano before sending it flying down into the ground.
The alleyway was obscured in a pitch black void the moment Bacchus' palm made contact with the brick wall, Screecher gritting his teeth as he silenced the deafening boom that tried to escape his illusion before quickly leaping in after Bacchus.
'Now, there's going to be a labyrinth underneath the city, which is what Zash uses whenever he needs to get to his castle. Right, left, left, right, straight for three cross-sections, right again, left, left, left, right, right, left and it should be the second right path you come across.' Bacchus and Screecher were a blur as they rushed down the first tunnel, following Eric's instructions and ignoring the explosions echoing above them as they easily made it through the labyrinth and stopped in front of a rather old oak door.
'You're going to reach an old door with jutsu shiki written on the top of the doorframe. They're just alarm & sensory shiki so you don't have to worry about a barrier. However, the moment you open that door, you'll have exactly two or three minutes to get in, rescue the hostages and get out before Zash receives the alarm. Also, I saw more than just two hostages in there so that's Captain Riana, the VIP hostage with her and most likely, political enemies that he's keeping out of public eye. Be careful and make sure you get them out as fast as you can.'
"Ready?" Bacchus asked Screecher, to which the Sonic Mage took a deep breath before nodding.
'Falcon Crash.' Bacchus chanted as he pulled both arms back before his arms flashed forward with a flurry, hearing yelps & shouts from behind the door before rushing into the room with Screecher closely behind.
'First Lullaby: Song of the Restless.' An eerie whistle echoed throughout the underground chambers they were in as Screecher and Bacchus vanished from view, the guards in front of them panicking at the sight of dozens of zombies rising from the ground while the two invisible mages slipped out down the only tunnel they see.
'First the hostages need to be rescued and then, we need to get them out of a town currently on high alert. That's not including the fact that he's losing steam the longer he has to keep us invisible so I need him to rest for now.' Bacchus thought as he glanced at Screecher, who looked a bit haggard and out of breath before he spoke.
"Screecher, cancel the invisibility and go hide away until I call you. I need you to be in top condition to help me get the hostages out and most of the guards here are not part of his Quartum Army so I can handle them with ease." Screecher looked as if he wanted to object before nodding with a sigh as their invisibility disappeared, Screecher slowing down to a simple jog before Bacchus grinned as he accelerated.
"Halt! You, sto-!" The first guard Bacchus caught sight of wasn't even able to finish his sentence before he was knocked out cold by a palm strike to the chest, Bacchus smirking as he quickly took note of the other fifteen guards all aiming at him before he disappeared and reappeared near the cells at the far end of the room.
'Falcon Talons.' Bacchus chanted as he stood up straight, watching as the guards all fell unconscious to the ground before turning to the terrified group of girls huddled to the far end of the cell entrance.
"Okay, ladies. I'm not the best at this so I'm going to be blunt. A friend of mine along with his girlfriend is currently fighting Zash's army above us, another friend is waiting for us down the tunnel and I'm here to rescue you guys. So, are you going to stay or are you going to come with me? Your choice?"
A/N: And there we are! The first chapter of the Stella Arc! Next chapter…I have no clue, but we'll find out!
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!