The first light of dawn began to break over the dense forest, casting a golden hue through the thick canopy as Natsu, Hisui, and Kamika made their way toward the Magic Library. Hisui was being carried in a small carriage that held all of their bags, with Kamika steering the vehicle to the desired location and Natsu deciding to walk right behind the carriage solely because he didn't want to spend a second with motion sickness.
"I still can't believe you're taking us to a library," Natsu groaned as they walked through a clearing and saw the Magic Library shooting out of the ground and into the sky, piercing the clouds above and hiding how tall it truly was.
"Well, I did say I was taking you to a more secluded place. Did you have another place in mind, Natsu?" Hisui said, putting her head out the window and showing the mischievous grin she had on her face.
"No, I just thought we would have gone to a more exciting place." Natsu sighed, "So, how long until we get there? We've been walking for more than an hour."
"According to this map, I think we'll reach there in twenty minutes or so," Kamika estimated. She had a map in hand and kept on marking the path they took using every landmark they walked past. She saw a fork in the path, guided the carriage to the left, and saw that it was just a straight path to the Magic Library. She let out a relaxed yawn and placed the map into her bag before turning to Hisui, "So why are we going to the Magic Library in the first place? Natsu is the epitome of brawn over brains. I'm very certain that I have reached the pinnacle of my magic. And I don't remember seeing you use magic, Hisui."
"That's where you're wrong, Kamika," Hisui proudly said as she rummaged through her bag and pulled out three silver keys, each marked with symbols of a reticle, a fly, and a fierce-looking dog.
Kamika's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the keys. "When did you get those? I don't remember seeing you buy any Celestial Keys," she said, clearly taken aback.
"You're right; I didn't buy them," Hisui replied with a smile. "They were gifts from Lucy and Yukino after the Grand Magic Games. I've been waiting for the right time to use them, and now seems like a good time to practice with Natsu."
Natsu glanced at the keys with interest. "Who do those keys summon? Lucy said that multiple people can have the same silver keys; I might know some of them," he asked, curious about the spirits.
"Well, the key with the fly summons Musca, the Southern Fly. This one with the reticle opens Reticulum, the Net. My final key opens one of the strongest silver keys, Rakora, the Greater Dog." Hisui answered. "Are there any other questions you want me to answer?"
"It's cool that you want me to teach you magic, but why me specifically? I'm pretty sure either Lucy or Yukino would be a better teacher than me." Natsu asked.
"You've been around Lucy for a good amount of time, so you can probably teach me a thing or two that they might not go over. Plus, if I did ask those two to train me, I'm more than certain we would get sidetracked talking about a certain someone we hold very dear to our hearts." Hisui whimsically answered as she saw Natsu drop his head in embarrassment.
"It's okay, Natsu. You don't need to worry about being stuck with just me and Hisui for the duration of your trip. We have a small group of soldiers that look over the Magic Library, so you can always speak to them when you have the chance." Kamika reassured.
"Me and your royal guards never had a good track record, so I doubt we'll get along." Natsu sighed as his ears perked up when he heard distant cries for help. "Do you guys hear that? It sounds like someone is screaming."
"Hear what?" The two girls asked as they concentrated on hearing anyone screaming, but all they could hear was the rustling of the trees, the chirping of the birds, and the whistling of the wind. "The only thing we can pick up is the nature around us, Natsu," Hisui said as Kamika nodded with her statement.
"No, I'm certain I can hear something, and it's coming straight ahead," Natsu said as he walked closer to make sure he was right. "Yeah, something isn't right. You girls can follow me if you like while I check it out." Natsu lit up his feet and rushed to the Magic Library as fast as he could while Kamika and Hisui stood there and watched Natsu disappear into the thick forest.
"I sure hope Natsu is joking." Hisui worriedly said as she looked at Kamika.
"It didn't seem like it. We need to get to the Magic Library as fast as we can and see what the commotion Natsu claims there is," Kamika said as she steeled her nerves and hurried the carriage to their desired location. She mentally prayed for Natsu's safety as she saw a distant explosion coming from one of the higher levels of the Magic Library.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and smoke as the sun peeked through the freshly created hole, illuminating the carnage that unfolded only a couple of minutes ago. The clash of steel echoed through the desolate landscape as one of the soldiers found themself slowly getting pushed closer to the hole by two of these monsters that just seemed to crawl up from the deepest, darkest pits and managed to ambush all of them.
"What are you waiting for? Come at me!" the guard shouted, exhaustion evident in his voice. He tossed his heavy shield to the side and tightly gripped his sword, staring as the two Artificial Lizardmen roared and charged at him. He took one final breath, and as soon as the Lizardmen lunged at him, he slid underneath them, pushed them through the hole, and watched as they fell to their doom.
The guard fell to one knee, every muscle in his body begging him to stop and rest, but he ignored the pain, forcing himself to stagger toward the edge of the bridge. He looked down at the chaotic battlefield below, where the monstrous invaders were mercilessly cutting down his fellow soldiers. The horror of the scene gripped him, his eyes wide with disbelief and helplessness. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the slaughter, his heart pounding with the bitter realization of their doomed fate. Suddenly, something whizzed past his head, snapping him out of his trance. Instinctively, he dropped onto his stomach, glancing up to see four shadowy figures looming over him.
"Who are you… Why are you here…" the guard rasped, trying to push himself to his feet, but his body refused to cooperate.
"Who we are isn't important to a man who's about to die, but it would be very rude not to answer at least one of your questions. Yes, very rude," Daphne laughed, her voice dripping with mockery as Gauche separated from the group. He strode over to the fallen guard and, with a casual ease, lifted him by the chest plate.
"We're here because our Boss wants us to pick up a couple of books for his collection. But I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind if some of his books were covered in your blood," Gauche said, his fist turning into steel, ready to deliver a fatal blow. But just as he was about to strike, a massive explosion rocked the entire library, shaking the ground beneath them. Gauche dropped the guard from the shock, and they all looked down to see a man with salmon-colored hair standing at the entrance.
"It's the monster who ate my fire!" Marco shouted, alerting Natsu. As Natsu looked up, his expression tightened with a mix of recognition and fury. Kalen and Marco pulled their heads away from the railings in fear. Gauche looked down at him with discontent, and Daphne had the most scornful look as she stared at Natsu with nothing more than absolute disdain.
"Do you… know him?" Kalen asked meekly, his voice trembling as he glanced nervously at Daphne. The moment he noticed the railing she was gripping beginning to crack under the pressure of her clenched hand, he instinctively backed away in fear.
"Know him?" Daphne's voice dripped with venom as she snarled, "He's the man that ruined my life!" Her grip on the railing tightened, splintering the metal further as she glared down at the scene unfolding below.
Natsu moved with terrifying ease, cutting through her Artificial Lizardmen as if they were mere nuisances. Each of her creations fell before him, their powerful bodies crumpling under the sheer force of his attacks. Daphne's anger only grew as she watched her carefully constructed plans unravel in an instant.
With a final, powerful strike, Natsu launched himself off the ground, flames propelling him upward. In a heartbeat, he was soaring toward the bridge where Daphne and her group stood. They all jumped back as Natsu crashed down onto the bridge with a determined glint in his eyes.
"You're the same guys I fought back at Crocus! This time, you won't escape!" Natsu roared, his voice echoing with fierce determination as he gathered flames in his hands, ready to unleash a devastating attack that would wipe them all out.
But just as Natsu was about to release his attack, something massive and fast blindsided him. One of the Artificial Lizardmen had lunged at him from the shadows, its tail whipping through the air with lethal precision. Natsu barely had time to react, ducking just as the tail sliced through the space where his head had been a moment earlier. With a quick, forceful shove, he pushed the Lizardman back toward Daphne's group, sending it skidding across the bridge.
"How did that thing get here?" Natsu muttered, his eyes narrowing as he regained his footing. "I swore I killed all of them before I got here." He glanced around, confusion and suspicion clouding his mind.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of maniacal laughter. Daphne's voice rang out, sharp and gleeful, as she stood at the edge of the bridge, her eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "You think you can just erase them? My creations? Oh, Natsu, you're more of a fool than I thought!" She cackled, her voice dripping with madness.
"How do you even know my name? Have we met before?" Natsu asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. His casual tone made Daphne's eye twitch with disbelief, and before she could control herself, she comically fell to the floor, arms flailing. A moment of stunned silence passed before she scrambled back to her feet, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and seething rage.
"How dare you forget my name, Natsu Dragneel! How dare you forget the life you ruined!" Daphne shouted, her voice cracking with the intensity of her emotions. Her eyes blazed with fury as she pointed a trembling finger at him as if trying to stab him with the sheer force of her anger.
Natsu, unfazed by her outburst, crossed his arms and shot back, "Listen here, lady, I don't know who you are or why you're mad at me, but I suggest you all surrender before I beat you." His voice was firm, carrying the confidence of someone who had faced countless battles. But just as he finished speaking, his attention was drawn to the ground beneath them.
Hundreds of murky holes began to spawn and Natsu's eyes widened as he watched, stunned, while Artificial Lizardmen began to crawl out of every one of them. The room filled with the eerie sound of their claws scraping against the stone, their glowing eyes fixed on Natsu with predatory intent. As they emerged, each Lizardman conjured a fiery weapon—spears, swords, cannons—turning the library into an armory of destruction.
"Yes… let's see if you can handle my creations," Daphne panted as she slumped to one knee. She was drained but still driven by the twisted satisfaction of seeing Natsu overwhelmed and destroyed. Before she could collapse, Gauche stepped in, hoisting her onto his back with ease.
Gauche shot a serious look at Kalen and Marco, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Both of you, stay here and stall for as much time as you can! Daphne and I will go look for the books!" Without waiting for a response, he began climbing from bookshelf to bookshelf while Daphne clung to him with a desperate grip.
"What kind of books are you after if you're willing to cause all of this mess?" Natsu asked, getting in a defensive position as the Artificial Lizardmen slowly closed in on him.
"As if we'd tell you," Kalen scoffed, a smirk forming on his lips. He raised his hand and quickly covered the bridge in a thick, swirling smoke. "Now, tear him limb from limb!" Kalen's voice echoed through the haze as the Lizardmen closed in.
Even though Natsu could no longer see, his senses were still sharp. He could hear the distinct sounds of the Artificial Lizardmen rushing at him, their heavy footsteps echoing across the bridge, and their weapons slicing through the air. A confident grin spread across his face as he decided to have a bit of fun with them. With a swift motion, Natsu leaped into the air, weaving through the onslaught of attacks with ease. The Artificial Lizardmen lunged at him from all directions, but Natsu dodged each strike effortlessly. His every move was calculated to evade the flurry of claws, spears, and fiery blasts aimed his way.
"Is that all you've got?" Natsu taunted, his voice dripping with confidence as he continued to dance around the battlefield. The Lizardmen's frustration grew as they realized their attacks were ineffective against the Dragon Slayer. Natsu could feel the shift in the air, their movements becoming more desperate and frantic.
Deciding that he had enough fun, Natsu's expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and gathered his power. "Fire Dragon's Purgatory!" he roared, his voice reverberating across the bridge. A massive explosion of flames erupted around him, the intense heat and force of the blast engulfing everything in its path.
The Artificial Lizardmen were caught off guard, their attempts to shield themselves proving futile against the sheer magnitude of Natsu's attack. The flames swallowed them whole, and the bridge shook violently under the impact. Natsu's flames sent a majority of the Lizardmen hurtling through the air, their bodies flung like ragdolls as they were thrown over the edge of the bridge and into the floor below.
"Kalen! Do something!" Marco shrieked, panic evident in his voice as he turned to his side and saw no one. His eyes darted around frantically. "What did you do with Kalen?!" he shouted at Natsu, his voice tinged with desperation. Natsu simply pointed at Kalen, who was already halfway up the stairs, making his escape. "COME BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!" Marco yelled, his face twisting in anger and betrayal as he watched his supposed ally abandon him.
"Not in a million years!" Kalen shouted back, his voice echoing through the room as he continued his mad dash up the stairs. He was so focused on his escape that he failed to notice the black blur that was barreling toward his chest.
Kalen barely had time to register the black blur before it slammed into his chest with the force of a cannonball. He was thrown backward, the impact knocking the wind out of him as he tumbled down the flight of stairs, each step adding to his pain. He finally came to a stop at the bottom, groaning as he struggled to catch his breath.
"What the—who did that?" Kalen gasped, clutching his aching chest as he looked up. What he saw was a figure unlike he'd ever seen. He was staring at a rotund, dressed in a finely tailored butler's suit complete with a bow tie, and he had a fly's head with large, compound eyes and delicate, translucent wings that fluttered softly behind him. The fly-headed figure buzzed, emitting a series of complex tones and vibrations that filled the air. Kalen frowned, unable to make sense of the buzzing noise.
"What the hell is this thing?" Marco shouted in confusion.
Suddenly, another voice chimed in behind them. "Allow me to translate," said Queen Hisui, stepping forward alongside Kamika. Hisui's emerald eyes sparkled with confidence as she continued, "He's introducing himself as Musca, The Southern Fly."
"How do you even understand that thing?" Marco exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and disbelief. As Musca fluttered down to Hisui's side, Marco felt a wave of nausea wash over him. The fly-headed butler drooled a thick glob of saliva, which he shot at Kalen with surprising precision. The saliva splattered against Kalen, quickly enveloping him and hardening into a sticky, gelatinous cocoon, trapping him within its enzyme-laden walls.
"That question is not important," Hisui replied, her voice cool and dismissive. Her jovial expression turned serious, her eyes narrowing as she focused her gaze on Marco. "What is important is why you are in the Magical Library without permission."
Marco sneered, his eyes darting nervously around the room as he considered his options. "As if I'll answer that," he spat, trying to sound defiant but unable to mask the tremor in his voice.
Hisui let out a soft sigh, her expression unchanging. "Fine… Kamika, will you do the honors?" She turned to Kamika, her tone calm yet authoritative.
"With pleasure…" Kamika replied, a sadistic grin spreading across her face. Her eyes glinted with a dangerous excitement as she pulled out a piece of paper from her sash and began to channel her magic.
Marco's eyes widened as he quickly created a sword and shield before charging toward Kamika, "Don't think I'm going to go down without a fight!"
"You've intruded in a sacred place and disrespected the sanctity of knowledge," Kamika said, her voice dripping with contempt. "Now, you'll face the consequences." With a swift motion of her hands, she tossed the now yellow paper above Marco's head and watched as it rained down several bolts of lightning on Marco. Marco screamed as the bolts of lightning struck him, each impact sending a jolt of pain coursing through his body until he was no longer able to move.
"Perhaps now you'll reconsider your choices," Hisui said, her voice calm and measured as Kamika walked up to the rotund man and lifted him by his shirt.
"A-As if… you'll never make me talk…" Marco groaned, his voice strained as he spat at Hisui's feet.
"Are you sure about that?" Natsu asked, stepping forward with a fierce look in his eyes. He grabbed Marco by the collar, yanking him out of Kamika's grip. Marco's eyes widened as Natsu dragged him to the edge of the bridge and dangled him over the floor below.
"You're a pretty heavy man, you know that," Natsu remarked, his tone casual but laced with a dangerous edge. "I don't think I can hold you up for much longer, so you better tell us all why you guys are here." He loosened his grip slightly, causing Marco to scramble and claw at Natsu's arm in a panic.
Marco looked down at the dizzying drop below, fear filling his eyes as he realized Natsu wasn't joking. "W-wait! Okay, okay!" Marco gasped, his voice shaking with fear. "Don't drop me! I'll talk, I'll talk!"
"You can pull him back, Natsu," Hisui said as Natsu dragged Marco back onto the bridge and unceremoniously dropped him on the floor. "Speak."
Marco swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously between Natsu, Hisui, and Kamika. "I—I don't know the exact reason why we're after these books," he admitted, his voice cracking with a mix of desperation and fear. "But we were told to find specific books that contain information about using Dragon Slaying Magic and absorbing energy from different worlds."
Hisui's eyes narrowed, her expression turning serious. "You don't even know why you're after those books?" she asked, her voice icy and controlled.
Marco shook his head, his face contorted with anxiety. "M-maybe Daphne knows why," he said quickly. "Only she and our leader are obsessed with getting this knowledge, but they didn't tell us why."
Kamika's expression hardened as she listened to Marco's explanation. "So you're blindly following orders without understanding the consequences," she said, her tone stern and disapproving.
'Why would they want those books?' Natsu thought to himself as he looked up and saw that Daphne and Gauche had almost reached the top. "We have no time to lose. Those books could be anywhere, and we need to find them before they do." Natsu said as he pointed to Gauche and Daphne.
"But, those books could be anywhere. How are we going to find those books?" Kamika asked as Hisui took a step forward. "Open, Gate of the Net, Reticulum!" A magic circle appeared in front of Hisui, and with a burst of energy, Reticulum materialized. The creature was a dark, bushy mass, with only its glowing, piercing eyes visible from within the thick fur. It moved silently, its body shifting and swirling like a shadow.
Natsu watched in awe as Reticulum floated around the room, its eyes scanning the surroundings intently. It seemed to communicate without words, its eyes locking onto Hisui's as if to receive instructions.
"What is that thing?" Kamika whispered, her voice filled with curiosity as she took in the creature's strange appearance.
"Reticulum is a Celestial Spirit that specializes in locating hidden objects," Hisui explained, her eyes never leaving Reticulum. "It may not speak, but it understands everything. Now, Reticulum, help us find those books." Reticulum's eyes glowed brighter, and it began to move swiftly through the library, its eyes sweeping over the shelves.
"Alright, I'll go follow him. You two stay here and make sure these guys don't escape." Natsu said, propelling himself from bridge to bridge to follow Reticulum while Kamika and Hisui tied up Kalen and Marco.
"Do you have any guesses as to what they want with those books?" Hisui pondered as she had Musca spit on Marco, trapping him on the floor with sticky, drool-like enzymes.
"Unfortunately not," Kamika replied, her eyes scanning the area as they heard rumbling beneath them. Moments later, several of the Artificial Lizardmen that Natsu had flung over the bridge began climbing back up. "Stay back, Queen Hisui. I got this."
"Don't worry, Kamika. I have my spirits by my side," Hisui reassured her, her eyes narrowing as she noticed three more Lizardmen approaching from behind. "Open, Key of the Canis Major, Rakora!"
A brilliant flash of light erupted from the magic circle that formed before Hisui. As the light faded, Rakora, the Celestial Spirit of Canis Major, emerged. She was a large, imposing, dog-like creature covered in sleek white fur that shimmered under the library lights. Her most striking feature was her orange, cone-like nose, resembling Plue's, which spun like a powerful drill.
As the Lizardmen closed in, Rakora let out a deep bark that echoed through the library and immediately took a defensive stance, her sharp eyes fixed on the approaching enemies.
"Rakora, take care of them!" Hisui commanded.
With a swift, fluid motion, Rakora charged at the Lizardmen, her drill-like nose spinning rapidly. She dodged the Lizardmen's attacks effortlessly and countered with powerful strikes, her nose piercing the Lizardmen and pushing them off the edge.
"You see, Kamika. Now let me see what you can do." Hisui cheekily responded as Kamika nodded her head, pulled out multiple pieces of paper, and tossed them at the Lizardmen.
"Paper Blizzard: White Dance!" Kamika shouted as her paper emitted a white light and froze all the oncoming Lizardmen.
Natsu watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh man, is that what Plue could have been instead of the small, adorable guy?" he said, imagining a scenario with Plue meeting Rakora before he noticed Reticulum stopping midair and pointing to Gauche and Daphne. Thanks for the help. Now help Hisui and Kamika while I take care of the rest."
"Finally… now use your lacrima and call the boss," Gauche grumbled as he grabbed the books and placed them in a bag. Daphne laughed while she skimmed through one of the books about Dragon Slaying magic. Just as Gauche was about to grab the last book, Natsu appeared right in front of him and kicked him back a couple of feet while Daphne quickly scampered to his side.
"Sorry about that, but you guys have been a pain in my ass for far too long," Natsu said as he turned to the book that Gauche was about to grab and placed it into his coat without paying too much attention to what it held.
"Damn it! Daphne, if it wasn't for you reading all those books, then we could have escaped before this bastard reached us!" Gauche shouted in frustration as he dropped the bag and placed his hands on the floor, absorbing the material into his body. "Just hurry up and call the boss so that we can all escape."
"Fine, but before I go…" Daphne said with a sly smile as she rummaged through her lab coat and tossed one of her Metamo-chan to Gauche. "Eat that. It'll give you a temporary boost to be on par with Natsu."
Gauche caught the small capsule and hesitated only for a moment before swallowing it down. "Where do you think you're going?!" Natsu roared, his fiery determination igniting as he charged straight at the escaping Daphne. But before he could reach her, Gauche suddenly appeared in his path, blocking him with a smug grin.
"End of the line, buddy," Gauche growled, his newfound strength evident as he grabbed Natsu and hurled him into a nearby bookshelf, sending a cascade of books tumbling down on top of him. "Damn, looks like she wasn't lying. The taste was crummy, but I feel stronger than ever."
Natsu's anger flares as he's buried under the pile of books. "Eyes on the enemy, metalhead," Natsu shouted as he blasted the books off him with a surge of flames and blitzed toward Gauche with incredible speed.
The two clashed with a force that shook the library, their fists meeting in midair with an explosive impact. Gauche's newfound power from the Metamo-chan allowed him to match Natsu blow for blow, and their strength was now equal. Sparks flew as metal collided with fire, each strike sending shockwaves through the room.
Natsu's flames roared fiercely, wrapping around his fists as he launched a barrage of fiery punches. Gauche countered with swift, powerful strikes of his own, his metallic arms deflecting the fire with surprising ease. Neither fighter could gain the upper hand, their battle a blur of speed and power as they traded blows.
"Not bad, flame-brain," Gauche grunted, blocking a particularly fierce punch that sent a wave of heat rippling through the air. "But it's gonna take more than that to take me down!"
Natsu smirked, his eyes burning with determination. "Then I'll just have to turn up the heat!"
As the fight intensified, Daphne was able to contact their escape and didn't have to wait long. Their Boss teleported right in front of her with an eager grin. "So, have you collected everything you needed?"
"Well, Natsu has one of our books, but I think that book does not matter. Your book is of far more importance than mine." Daphne said as she tossed the bag into the portal.
"Oh, and where is Natsu? Alongside that, where are Gauche, Kalen, and Marco?" The Boss asked.
"Natsu is currently fighting with Gauche as we speak while we left Kalen and Marco further down the tower," Daphne answered.
"Alright, go through the portal. I will collect everyone and join you momentarily," he ordered, preparing to jump down to retrieve Marco and Kalen. But just as he was about to move, Daphne raised a hand to stop him.
"Actually, how about I give Natsu a parting gift?" Daphne suggested with a sly smile. She summoned a small group of Artificial Lizardmen and commanded them to start burning the library to the ground, their flames quickly licking at the shelves and ancient tomes.
"Perfect," the Boss agreed, a dark satisfaction in his voice. "If we allow Fiore to have access to this Magic Library, they might use it to thwart us." Daphne nodded and summoned a few more Artificial Lizardmen, who immediately joined the others in spreading the fire. With one last glance at the chaos she had unleashed, Daphne stepped into the portal, vanishing from sight.
"How do you think Natsu is faring up there?" Hisui asked, slightly panting as she and Kamika finally defeated the last of the Artificial Lizardmen. The thick clouds of dust and debris from Natsu and Gauche's fight obscured much of the view above, but the sounds of their fierce battle continued to reverberate through the tower.
"I'm not too sure," Kamika replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "But I believe it would be best if we got up the tower to help Natsu out." Just as they began to move, they heard a heavy thud behind them. They turned quickly, their guard up, ready for another fight.
"No need to get all defensive. I'm just here to retrieve my two associates." Kamika and Hisui watched as the cloaked man created a portal underneath Marco and Kalen and teleported them away.
The figure who had landed behind them slowly stepped out of the shadows, revealing a tall, cloaked man with a hauntingly calm demeanor. His voice was cold and distant as he spoke, each word laced with bitterness. "I had a name once," he began, his gaze distant as if recalling a painful memory. "But that name is dead to me, and I now go by a far more suitable name, Mammon."
"Mammon…" Hisui whispered as she tightly gripped the key of Rakora, "Tell me, what do you want in the Magic Library?"
"That is not of importance to you, Hisui E. Fiore. But let me be clear: if you make any more attempts to stop my goals, I won't be afraid to end your lineage on the spot. Now, drop your weapons." Mammon coldly said as Kamika and Hisui reluctantly lowered their weapons and watched as he conjured a portal underneath himself.
"Wait!" Hisui called out, desperation creeping into her voice as she reached an arm out toward Mammon. But before she could act, Kamika firmly grabbed her by the wrist. "Kamika, what are you doing!?" Hisui demanded, her voice a mix of confusion and urgency.
"Stop and look up there!" Kamika shouted, her eyes fixed on the top of the tower. Hisui turned to see a raging inferno rapidly consuming the library, flames spreading across the shelves with terrifying speed. "We must focus on evacuating the guards at the lower levels before they get crushed underneath all of this."
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Hisui frantically nodded and used the last of her strength to summon Rakora. The large, white-furred Celestial Spirit immediately set to work, carefully carrying the unconscious and injured guards out of the burning library. Hisui, now completely drained, fell to her knees, her vision blurring as exhaustion took over.
Before losing consciousness, she looked up one last time; her thoughts focused on the one still fighting above. "Please… stay safe… Natsu…" she whispered, her voice barely audible before her world faded to black. Kamika gently lifted Hisui into her arms and carried her out of the library.
Back at the top of the library, Natsu found himself standing over a defeated Gauche, the effects from the Metamo-chan he had earlier eaten running out and allowing Natsu an upper hand. "Look around us. The library is on fire, and if you stay here any longer, you're just going to die." Natsu shouted as he tried to grab Gauche, only for a portal to appear right in front of him and blast Natsu with a bolt of lightning.
"Apologies for the interruption, Natsu Dragneel. But me and Gauche must make our escape." Mammon said as he appeared right behind Gauche and was slowly sucked into the portal.
"You can't run away from me! Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu shouted, his voice echoing through the burning tower as he unleashed his signature attack. Flames surged forward, roaring toward Mammon with incredible force. But just as the attack was about to strike, Mammon smirked and created a portal right in front of him, effortlessly redirecting the fiery blast back at Natsu.
"What the hell was that!" Natsu exclaimed in shock as he barely dodged his own attack, the redirected flames scorching the area around him.
Mammon's cold laughter filled the air. "You have my Portal Magic to thank. I am allowed to transport anything in this realm to my location," he explained with a twisted sense of satisfaction. "Now, how about I teach you a lesson!" With that, Mammon opened the largest portal he could muster, his eyes gleaming with delirium as a powerful gust of wind tore through the portal and fanned the flames into an even more intense inferno. "Let's see if you can escape from this, Dragon Slayer."
Natsu gritted his teeth as Mammon vanished into his portal, leaving him alone to face the out-of-control blaze. The fire, now raging with new life, quickly spread through the ancient structure, devouring everything in its path. As Natsu struggled to regain his footing against the violent winds, he could feel the entire building groaning and shaking, on the verge of collapse.
With no time to lose, Natsu scanned the area desperately, his mind racing for an escape route. Just as a large section of the building gave way, blocking the main entrance, he spotted a gaping hole in the bridge where he had confronted everyone earlier. "Looks like that's my only escape," he muttered to himself, determination flashing in his eyes.
Without hesitation, Natsu sprinted toward the hole, dodging falling debris and leaping over crumbling edges with all the speed he could muster. As he neared the edge, he gathered his magic and shouted, "Fire-Make: Exceed!" In an instant, he conjured a fiery replica of Happy and grabbed onto it as it took flight, carrying him away from the collapsing tower.
Natsu soared through the air as the Magic Library crumbled behind him, consumed by the inferno. He barely had time to look back as the once-grand structure fell in on itself, reduced to a pile of smoldering ruins. He looked at the ground beneath him and saw Hisui and Kamika with a large group of unconscious royal guards behind them.
"Natsu!" Hisui cried out as she saw Natsu getting let down by the Exceed and hugged him as he landed on the ground. "Oh, thank heavens, I thought you didn't make it."
"Nah, it'll take more than that to stop me," Natsu replied as he patted the top of Hisui's head.
"What happened to Gauche and Daphne?" Kamika raised the question as she ensured that the burning building wouldn't catch the rest of the forest on fire by using her magic to try and snuff the flames out.
"That weird guy teleported them all away," Natsu answered as Hisui felt a weird bump in Natsu's chest.
"He goes by Mammon and Natsu; what is this thing that I'm touching?" Hisui asked as Natsu dug through his vest and pulled out the book that Gauche was about to grab.
"Oh yeah, that Gauche guy was about to grab it before I snatched it away from him. They did say it was important." Natsu replied as he handed the book to Hisui, who skimmed through the pages and grew a small grin on her face, "What is it, Hisui?"
"Natsu, you're a genius!" Hisui exclaimed as she shoved the book in Natsu's face. "This book is all about Fire Dragon Slaying magic! You can use this to get stronger and beat Mammon!"
"But Hisui, Mammon insisted that if we intervened in any of their actions, you would be a prime target of their fury. Are you sure that having Natsu go around Fiore and trying to stop them is a good idea?" Kamika asked as she handed the book back to Natsu and went through one of her pockets before she pulled out a piece of a map.
"Kamika, every time I stand back, the chances of my people getting harmed rise. It happened when we weren't fast enough to contain Baal, and I don't want that to happen ever again." Hisui answered as she showed Natsu the torn-up map. "I was able to snag this from Kalen; take a look at it."
Natsu examined the map and saw that it showed a portion of the Fiore country with many locations of interest, either with a circle or a cross on it. One of the areas was the Magic Library.
"I believe that the areas with circles are where they plan to attack next," Hisui explained, her tone serious as she pointed to three locations: Lancia City, a bustling city near a river; Asclepiade Town, a quiet town nestled just north of a mountain range; and Tahoka City, home to the Blue Pegasus guild. "I want you to alternate between these three places. If you come across any of their forces, inform us immediately."
"Sure thing, Hisui. I'll make sure you guys are the first to know," Natsu replied with a confident grin. He quickly gathered his belongings from the carriage and waved his goodbyes to Kamika and Hisui. Without wasting any time, he set off towards the closest point of interest, Lancia City.
Hello, everyone. I just wanted to post an author note.
First of all, I'm sorry for not updating this story for some time. Second, I wanted to let the people who read this know that I am starting college in a week, so this will probably be the last chapter for quite some time. Thank you all so much for reading. I would greatly appreciate any criticism; either by comment or DM would work for me. Have a blessed day!