Here's the next chapter everyone!
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Chapter 41
A Fast-Paced Rescue!
In another part of the forest, a certain man was looking for his teammates Ren and Eve. However, he found himself completely lost not even sure of where he was. Not only that, but a dark guild was stalking him preparing to attack.
"Ren! Eve!" he called. "Where are you man?!"
Then suddenly the dark sprang up from the shadows all surrounding him. Ichiya who was now frightened by the overwhelming numbers found himself trapped against a rock as they closed in.
"We got you now weird old man!" said a member cracking his knuckles
"Wait! Hold a minute!" he said. "I'm just a simple traveler who got separated from my party, not doing anything weird at all!"
"Yeah right!" said another member. "What kind of traveler looks like you? Besides we now that you're from those "Allied Forces" people, so there's no point in trying to lie!"
"Very well then!" said Ichiya taking his signature pose sparkling in confidence. "If you really wish to fight me... then please make sure not to make a mess of my handsome face..."
A few moments later...
"I have decided to show you all some mercy. You should count yourselves lucky to have your lives and limbs intact," said Ichiya as he was now tied up on a pole being carried by two of the dark guild members. "You could at least return the favor!"
"Oh put a sock in it old man," said one of the men carrying him. "You're giving me a headache!"
"I will have you know that I'm at least under thirty you know!" snapped Ichiya.
"He said shut up!" snapped back the other man carrying him.
"All right then! Let's go! Man on man!" said Ichiya trying to sound brave. "I'll get serious too in a win or take all brawl and I won't hold back! What's wrong? You're all scared? I will admit I underestimated you men and held back, but that's only because I can only fight to my fullest when there are beautiful ladies watching. Like they say, a clever falcon hides its talons-"
"Shut up you pig!" yelled the men as they continued to walk.
"Geez. Do we really have carry this guy all the way back?" asked one.
"Yeah. I say we finish this guy right here and now," said another. "He's getting on my nerves."
Ichiya paled. "Wait a minute! I'm sure whoever is leading your group would probably prefer to have me in one piece!" he said.
"As much I hate to say it, but this old geezer is right," said the man in front carrying Ichiya. "Lady Angel told us that she forgot to get some information of out this guy so she wants him alive."
"Oh yeah. With that copying magic she uses," said another sighing. "Oh great. So until then, we're pretty much stuck with this pig."
Ichiya could only let out a 'man' of despair as the group continued on taking him with them.
Meanwhile, Natsu and Gray who had finally managed to get the location of the Oración Seis from Erigor had finally arrived at the abandoned village at the bottom of a plateau.
"Is this it?" wondered Gray looking down.
"It must be," said Natsu. "I can smell her, Happy, and those other jerks inside somewhere."
"Happy! Wendy!" called Natsu as his voice echoed throughout the plateau. "Are you here?!"
"Hey! Be quiet!" snapped Carla. "If the enemy really is down there, then you should keep your voice down!"
Inside of the cave, Wendy's five minutes were up and Brain was awaiting her answer whether she liked it or not.
"Times up," he said. "Now what is your decision? Are you going to revive him or not?"
"No Wendy! Don't do it!" insisted Happy. "You can't do it no matter what!"
Brain having enough of Happy fired a force of magic energy at him sending him slamming to the wall and falling to the ground. Then a voice came echoing into the cave. A voice that Happy was happy to hear.
"Happy! Wendy!"
"That's Natsu!" cried Happy.
"Miserable fools," muttered Brain as he turned to the tall mohawked man beside him. "Racer! Intercept them!" he commanded.
"You got it, boss," said Racer as disappeared zipping straight outside.
Brain turned back to Wendy.
"You possess the lost magic of healing magic," he said. Granting you the ability to heal anyone including your loved ones. What better time is there to use them right now? Now do it!"
Wendy trembled still unsure of what to do. Until finally... she made her decision. Much to Happy's horror, she walked over to Jellal and then she began using her healing spell.
Back outside of the cave, Natsu was still calling Wendy and Happy much to Gray's and Carla's negligence. Then suddenly something zipped right by them hitting them both and almost knocking them down. Natsu and Gray looked up towards the trees to see that Racer stood before them with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Not this guy again!" said Natsu. "What the heck is he doing here?"
"Looks like we're in the right place after all!" said Gray. "Natsu! Get going! I can take care of this guy! You need to get down there and help Wendy and Happy!"
"Gotcha!" said Natsu. "Kick his ass for me!"
"Oh no you don't!" said Racer. "You're not going anywhere!"
He jumped off the tree making an attempt to stop Natsu, but then Gray using his Ice Make Magic placed his hand on the ground leading up to the tree Racer had been standing on. Before Racer had a chance to react, he slipped on icy tree and ground and fell flat on his back
"Now Carla! Bust out your wings!" said Natsu expecting Carla to use her Aera Magic to get himself down there, but then he saw that Carla was slightly dazed and confused due to Racer's surprise attack.
"Here! Use this!" called Gray as he once more used his Ice Make Magic again. This time he made an icy slide leading all the way down inside the plateau at the cave.
"All right! Here we go!" cried Natsu.
He grabbed Carla and jumped down the icy slide with Carla who had regained her senses screaming with terror as they slid down. When Natsu made it inside of the plateau safely, his face paled slightly feeling his motion sickness coming on, but he quickly shook it off. He looked around searching for any sigh for his friends, but all he saw was old houses and waterfalls.
"Happy! You in here?!" Natsu called.
"Wendy! Answer us, Child!" called Carla.
Then they heard a faint voice coming from inside of a cave. Natsu and Carla immediately turned towards the direction where they heard the voice which was coming from a cave just a few feet away from them.
"Natsu!"
"That's Happy!" cried Natsu. "They gotta be in there! Let's go!"
The two of them ran straight into the cave and when they stopped dead in their tracks. Standing before them was Brain who was smirking with triumph and Shark on one side with Happy lying on the floor, a sleeping Midnight and a crying Wendy on the other and in the middle someone that made Natsu's heart leap. Standing there was someone who he thought was long dead but was now standing before him fully revived and awake. Then he turned around and the moment Natsu saw his face and made eye contact with him, he immediately felt his blood start to boil.
"Jellal...!" he growled
"I'm so sorry..." wept Wendy. "Please forgive me... I had to do it... I had to revive him... so I could pay him back..."
Then Wendy fell to the ground unconscious. Carla immediately rushed to her side.
"Wendy! You used your healing magic didn't you!?" she scolded. "You know how heavy a toll that is for your body!"
Natsu who was still staring at Jellal immediately growled and ignited his fist on fire preparing to attack.
"I don't know what you're doing here, or why, or even how you got here," he said his voice seeping with anger. "But you don't belong here!"
Natsu charged straight at Jellal with his fire coated fist raised, but Jellal simply raised his hand and unleashed a powerful blast of his magic in a golden light sending Natsu slamming into a wall with the rubble collapsing on top of him.
"No! Natsu!" cried Happy as he quickly rushed over to help his friend.
"I see that your magic power hasn't diminished in the slightest even with your condition," observed Brain. "It's good to have you back Jellal."
Jellal looked towards Brain and then retaliated against him too. Shark being the bodyguard that he was, quickly stepped in front of Brain shielding him.
"Master! Watch out!" he said.
He prepared to protect him using his water magic, but it was too late. Jellal cast another magic attack causing the ground below Shark and Brain to explode and bury them beneath it. Then without saying a single word and without acknowledging anyone in the cave, Jellal walked away out of the cave. Happy and Carla watched as Jellal left then he turned back towards Natsu who was still buried under the rubble.
"Come Natsu! You have to get up!" he cried shaking his leg.
Natsu then sat up shaking all the rubble off of him.
"Where'd he go?! Let's rock!" cried Nastu as he looked around frantically in search for Jellal. "Bring it on! Where you go Jellal?!"
"In case you haven't noticed," said Carla flatly. "He's already gone."
"That lousy coward!" Natsu snarled now feeling madder than before.
"Listen!" said Carla sternly. "I don't know what history you have with that man, but that doesn't matter right now. Our first priority right now is to take Wendy back to the others! You do want to save your friend Erza right?"
Natsu glared at Carla, but he knew she was right. As much has hated letting Jellal get away, but saving Erza came first.
"Damn it! I hate this!"But you're right," he growled. Then he turned to Happy. "Let's get Wendy out of here and head back! You with me Happy?"
"Aye sir!" said Happy.
Then with Happy carrying Natsu and Carla carrying Wendy, they all flew out of the cave and into the sky.
No sooner than they left, Brain and Shark emerged from the ground where Jellal had trapped them.
"Are you alright master?" asked Shark as he pushed the rubble away.
"I'm fine Shark. Thank you," said Brain. "However... that was unexpected. I never expected him to attack me like that. Perhaps I removed his shackles a little too early... But even so, he's never bore this much hostility before. Was he aware all this time? If he was, then could he have possibly overheard us talking about our plans for Nirvana while he slept?"
Brain's eyes then widened with shock, almost popping out of his head.
"No! It couldn't be! Does he intend to take Nirvana's power for himself?! He mustn't! I won't allow it! It belongs to all of us! I refuse to let that happen!"
He then yelled at the top of his lungs so a certain wizard could hear him.
"Cobra! Do you hear me?! Jellal has escaped to claim Nirvana for himself! Find him and stop him at once!"
Then Cobra's voice was heard via telepathy.
"I hear you loud and clear Brain," he said. "As loudly as I can hear that traitor's footsteps."
On the top of the plateau from above, Gray and Racer were at a standoff with each other after Natsu had left. Racer was less than pleased after being stopped by Gray's ice.
"How dare you," he said angrily. "You got some nerve putting the brakes on me like that! No one does that to me!"
"Oh get over it," shrugged Gray. "All you did was lose a little traction. However, if you still got a problem with that, I can do a lot more than just put the brakes on you. Want me to show you?"
"I'd like to see you try!" snarled Racer as he dashed straight towards Gray using his incredible speed. Gray managed to dodge Racer just before Racer's foot slammed into the tree behind him. Gray looked up to see Racer zip up from tree to tree reappearing on a branch above him.
"Damn! That freak's crazy fast! It's nuts!" he panted.
"Well, I'm not code-named Racer for nothing!" he bragged. "In fact, you can call me the fastest man alive. I'm faster than anyone or anything so you might as well give up! You'll never be able to beat me because you'll never be able to catch me!"
Then Gray looked up and Carla and Happy carrying Natsu and Wendy from above. Racer saw them too.
"All right! Natsu and Carla found them!" said Gray with relief. "Way to go!"
"What?!" exclaimed Racer. "There's no way that Brain would just let them slip away like that! How could they have slipped past him and Shark?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" smirked Gray. "Natsu probably beat 'em senseless!"
"Well it's the end of the line now!" said Racer facing towards the group. "They're not going anywhere!"
He then vanished using his speed heading straight towards Natsu and the others.
"Hey, Natsu! Look out!" yelled Gray. "He's heading straight for you!"
But Natsu heard Gray's warning all too late. Racer had reappeared above them and delivered a harsh kick to the cats and Natsu. Happy and Carla fell to the ground as did Natsu. Then Natsu saw Wendy about to hit the ground next to him. He scrambled across the ground managed to catch Wendy just in time. Happy and Carla were now incapacitated to fly, so Natsu scooped up the cats in his other arm and took off running trying to escape.
"I don't think so!" said Racer as he gathered speed. "I told you that it's the end of the line!"
He chased after Natsu in hot pursuit, but then Gray stepped in between them barring Racer's way.
"ICE MAKE RAMPART!"
Gray then create a massive wall of ice that stretched towards the sky cutting Racer off and making him smack head first into the wall. Natsu looked back to see Gray panting trying to catch his breath. It had appeared that use expended a lot of his magic power just to use that particular spell.
"Gray! Are you OK?!" he called out on the other side. "You got this guy?"
"Yeah! Don't worry!" Gray called back. "Hurry and get going! I told you I got this guy!"
"But you just used up a lot of your magic power just now!" said Natsu concerned. "Are you sure?!"
"Just go, dammit!" snapped Gray. "No matter what it takes, I'm not gonna let this guy pass even if it costs me my life! Don't worry about me! I said I got this so get going! Erza's counting on us and her life depends on it!"
Natsu stared at Gray's back still worried for him, but he looked away and did what he was told and took off running. "Thanks, Gray!" he yelled. "But once we save Erza, we're coming back you! You hear me!? Don't you go dying on us!"
Gray smiled to himself as Natsu carrying Happy, Carla, and Wendy disappeared into the forest. "I know you will..." he said under his breath.
Racer who had now recovered from hitting the ice wall stood up and touching the surface of the ice feeling how cold it was feeling more irritated at Gray than ever before.
"That's the second time that you managed stopped me," he spoke in a low threatening voice.
"And that's definitely not gonna be the last because I'm gonna keep on stopping you," Gray shot back casting a predatory glare at Racer. "You know that ice has the power to slow everything down including life right? When I'm done with you, you're gonna be going so slow, you'll be the one not able to catch up pal! Then I'll freeze you dead your tracks forever!"
Natsu had managed to gain a good amount of distance away from Racer and Gray and was now running through the forest in hopes of heading back to Hibiki and Lucy's location. Then he heard Happy as he started to come around.
"What happened?" he mumbled. "What's going on?"
"Glad to see that you're finally awake little buddy," said Natsu.
"Natsu? Where are we? What happened to Gray?" wondered Happy.
"No time to worry about that now," said Natsu. "Just try not to talk and focus on getting some rest."
"But Jellal is out there," said Happy. "We can't just let him go around free."
"I understand that, but we can't worry about that right now," said Natsu. "Right now we gotta get back to Erza so Wendy can heal her. But don't you worry. He may back, but he isn't gonna stick around for long! I'll make sure of that!"
Then suddenly a male voice rang in Natsu's head causing him to come to a complete stop. "Hey, Natsu!"
"What the heck," said Natsu as he looked around.
"What's wrong now Natsu?" asked Happy. "Why did you suddenly stop?"
Natsu then looked up at a tree. "I think I heard that tree talking," he said.
The voice came again.
"Can you hear me?" it said. "I repeat: can you hear me?"
"Yes I can hear you," said Natsu uncertainly. "Who... are you Mr. tree?"
"Mr. tree? No, it's me. Hibiki from Blue Pegasus," responded the voice. "I'm speaking to you through telepathy. I was worried a bit considering that I wasn't able to contact anyone else, but now I'm a little relieved to hear from you."
"Whoa... you're a ventriloquist or something!" said Natsu.
"First of all, that's the furthest thing from what I'm doing, so stop being silly," said Hibiki flatly. "Secondly you need to keep your voice down. The enemy has scouts throughout the Woodsea, so it's possible that they could be listening in on us. That's why I'm speaking to you directly into your head thanks to my Archive magic. Pretty cool huh?"
Natsu had a blank expression on his face not sure what Hibiki had just said. Hibiki then continued.
"By the way, what's your status?" he asked. "Have you managed to find Wendy and Happy yet?"
"Oh yeah, we did! They're right here with me," replied Natsu. "Happy's managed to wake up and Wendy's unconscious but OK too.
"That's great to hear," said Hibiki with relief. "Now hold on a second. I'm going to upload a map into your mind so that way you'll be able to find your way back to the temporary camp where me, Lucy, and Erza are at. I would send the map to Happy as well, but I can't seem to make a connection with his mind. It's probably due to the injuries he's sustained and how low his magic power is. Anyway, once the map is uploaded into your mind, get to the location as fast as you can! We don't have the luxury of time right now."
"Hold on just a minute! What do you mean upload?" demanded Natsu. "Stay out of my-"
Then before Natsu had a chance to object, a picture of a map popped into his head showing his location as well as where he was supposed to go.
"Natsu... I think you need some help," said Happy. "Who are you talking to?"
"Not now! I have to follow a map inside my brain!" said Natsu as he started running again. "Wow! I can even see where Erza is! I don't know what this upload stuff is, but it's awesome! Thanks, Hibiki!"
"Oh man... he's gone even crazier than I thought," said Happy worriedly.
Back in Hibiki's group, Hibiki was just finishing uploading the map to Natsu's mind and was keeping track of his location. Lucy was still keeping watch over Erza as she lied there still unconscious. The poison from her arm had now spread throughout her arm and was reaching just over her shoulder. Lucy who had heard Natsu and Hibiki talking thanks to his archive was a little puzzled.
"Hey, Hibiki. How were you able to tell Natsu exactly where to go?" she asked.
"It's thanks to the Archive Magic," explained Hibiki. "I was able to compress the information while I sent it making easier and faster to transmit than it ever could verbally."
"Wow... I had no idea that was even possible," said Lucy.
"It's only natural you'd think that," said Hibiki. "Considering that magically converting and transmitting data like this is a pretty new concept."
"Wow... that's pretty impressive Hibiki," said Lucy. She then turned back towards Erza. "You hear that Erza? Wendy's on her way right now and she'll be here soon," she said reassuringly. "Just hold on a little bit longer until then, OK? Stay strong!" She then squeezed Erza's hand looking determined. "I know I'm not the strongest wizard and I may not be much of a fighter, but I'll stay here and protect you no matter what! Promise!
Hibiki looked back saw how determined was Lucy and he couldn't help but a small smile show on his face. Lucy was surprised.
"Hey. What are you smiling about at a time like this?" she asked slightly indignant. "Don't you have some work to do?!"
"Sorry about that. I didn't mean anything by it," chuckled Hibiki. "I was just thinking that it's nice to see some light in these dark times right now."
Meanwhile, Jellal was walking through the woods looking to be heading towards somewhere. He had one thing on his mind and that was to find Nirvana. He must find Nirvana. He had to find Nirvana. No matter what the cost.
Then as he continued to walk, he came across Erigor who was still unconscious from his recent fight with Natsu. Jellal then looked at his own clothes and noticed how tattered and torn they were. He had these clothes ever since back at the Tower of Heaven. Feeling that his clothes were a bit inadequate, he stripped Erigor of his clothes leaving him in nothing but his underwear, He then put them on himself. Surprisingly Erigor's clothes fit perfectly. They weren't too big nor were they too small.
Once he made sure his clothes were on, he resumed walking eager to complete his mission. Then he looked at his hand deep in thought about something. Then for the first time since he had awakened. He uttered one single word.
"Erza..." he murmured.
He continued to walk through the Woodsea thinking about that name that popped into his mind as he disappeared into the distance.
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