Sorry for the delay! Like I've said before, life has been a little hectic and busy these last few days, and I've barely had a chance to write, as a result. While things are still going a bit haywire - I will try to get back into a consistent writing schedule! I doubt I'll be back to daily updates, but I will try to at least keep things on a consistent scheduled pattern, especially since I do want to progress with the story. Thank you all for your understanding!
"Dialogue"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Natsu and Mira would eventually make their way to the village known as Twin Rock, a cozy village full of log cabins and housing, residing in the center of a relatively flat and tranquil meadow. Walking into the town, Natsu would immediately pick up on how quiet the town was - taking note of the lack of people in sight, which caused his eyes to furrow.
"Hey, Mira. Is it usually this… quiet?" Natsu asked his companion, as he struggled to pick up the sounds of anyone - even with his enhanced hearing.
"No… I mean, it's not like a lot of people live here - but there's usually a few people walking about." Mira responded, as she looked around the seemingly barren town, as well.
The duo continued their walk, reaching the center of the cluster of cabins, still with no trace of a person to be heard. It was at this moment that Natsu's left hand would glow with a golden light, before dimming down and showing his sword in his grip.
"What are you doing, Natsu?" Mira asked, as she began to look around frantically, worried that there was someone she hadn't noticed.
"This is a trap." Natsu stated quietly, his eyes scanning the horizon, still. "I'm almost certain of it." Natsu stated, as he turned to Mira.
"How can you be so certain!? Sure, it's sketchy that there's no one around - but that doesn't mean it's a trap!" Mira shouted back, no longer as paranoid, as she came up empty on seeing anyone.
"The rumor I heard - about an Amalgamation being here, I heard it in a sketchy bar. Now that I think about… I haven't been too inconspicuous about being on the hunt for the Amalgamation." Natsu said, his voice low, almost like someone muttering while in thought. "Someone could have caught wind, and set up a trap to lure me in… but then where are they?" He finished, with skeptical glances as he looked around.
"You couldn't have warned me of that until now!?" Mira asked, with an incredulous look.
"I didn't think about it, okay!? I've only fought two of these things - I didn't think my inquiries would reach the creator of them!" Natsu argued back, still on the lookout for a potential trap.
Mira would shake her head with a tsk, as she listened to Natsu, but she couldn't help but admit he was probably right, about the trap. "You're right. This is certainly a trap… Everytime a mage from Mermaid Heel shows up, Old Man Earl is out here to greet them almost instantly. He's kind of a pervert, so he loves greeting us." Mira said, with a comical sweatdrop.
Before Natsu could respond, he'd feel the ground beneath them shaking, as tremors ripped through the earth - not too far off from the first creature, the duo fought alongside Kagura. "Mira! Move!" Natsu shouted, as he jumped high into the air, using a small explosion of fire from his feet to propel himself upwards.
Mira, understanding to trust in Natsu's judgment after their first fight together, immediately jumped to the right, feeling the same tremors that he was, as well. "Take-Over! Satan Soul!" She'd shout, her body glowing in a bright light, which died down to reveal her Satan Soul form. Her hair was wild and chaotic, two leather wings sticking from her back, as her arms were scaly and clawed, with fin-like protrusions. Her body mostly exposed, with what could really only be described as a one piece swimming suit for clothing.
As Natsu was propelling through the air, and watching for a creature to burst from the floor - his nose would twitch, as he picked up on something. He could smell what could only be described as high class cologne, the same types of smell he gets around nobles and the likes. Though what confused him was where it was coming from, directly… above him?
"Coming right into my loving arms. How kind of you."
Natsu's head shot upwards in an instant, the sound of an older man's voice unmistakably ringing in his ears. Just as he did this, his face would be met with a fist, unable to react in time, as he felt his body plummeting downwards. "Oh fuck-!" He internally screamed, as he crashed into the ground, with a heavy thud.
"Natsu!" Mira shouted, as she saw her friend plummet into the floor. Looking up, she'd spot the pink-haired man's assailant, a glare forming on her face as she saw him. Floating in the sky above her was an older man, easily in his sixties or seventies, looking down at the duo. He had half-rimmed glasses on, as his hair was gray and combed back, with a single strand sticking down and over his face. He was wearing a nicely tailored black suit, with a pair of white gloves covering his hands. "The fuck is this dude?! He looks like a butler!" Mira internally shouted, before her eyes were drawn to the pair of leather wings stretching from his back, which were very much similar to her own. "Is he a demon?" She questioned, in her head, momentarily.
"A sad sight." The floating man said, his voice sounding somehow elegant and prideful, with a hint of pity. "I was told to be careful of you, Salamander. To fear you. Yet you fell for such a simple trick… truly a sad sight indeed." The man mocked, his tone condescending.
Standing up from the ground, Natsu would stare up at the man above him, his eyes furrowed. Despite the typical scratch here and there, and a bit of dirt on his clothes, Natsu did look relatively unharmed from the fall - though his nose did seem a bit bruised from the old man's punch. "I don't know who you are, pal, but you've got a lot of explaining to do." Natsu stated, as he stared up at his assailant. "The tremors are gone… was that his doing? Perhaps that's what he meant by a simple trick…" Natsu internally mused, while keeping his harsh glare towards the floating gentleman.
"My first name is irrelevant to you - but you may call me Conway, young Salamander." The man responded, as he kept himself in the air, looking down on Natsu, still. "I'm here on behalf of King. You were quite right in your assumption - the rumors were false." He stated, his condescending tone never leaving.
"And what happened to the villages!? Where are they!?" Mira shouted, as she stared angrily at the man.
"Now young Salamander. My employer requires you at his Citadel. I'll be taking you, now." Conway said, his eyes still trained solely on Natsu, as he completely ignored Mira and her questions.
"Hey asshole, don't ignore me!" Mira shouted, as her clawed hands came close together - a dark ball of chaotic energy forming between them. "And you're not taking Natsu! Evil Explosion!" She shouted, the ball of dark magic shooting forwards toward Conway, resulting in a large explosion in the sky.
"Aegis of The Gods." Conway's condescending voice echoed throughout the air, as the explosion cleared away, showing him still floating in the air, unharmed, as an intricately designed shield floated next to him, made completely of earth; evident that it was what blocked the explosion. The shield would then crumple, the rock and stone falling to the floor, vanishing into particles of magic before even making contact with the ground. "The villagers are already at the Citadel, being tested on as we speak, wench." Conway said, giving Mira a side-eye, before looking back towards Natsu.
"THE FUCK YOU CALL ME!?" Mira shouted to Conway, as another orb of energy began to form in her hands.
"Mira, wait!" Natsu shouted, his right hand outstretched towards his comrade, as if to halt her. "What do you mean they're at his Citadel? And what do you mean they're being tested on?" Natsu asked skeptically, his eyes narrowed towards the floating butler. "That was definitely Earth Magic he used… but usually that requires contact with the ground. So how was he able to make such a strong shield without touching the Earth?" Natsu thought.
"Exactly as I said. King, my liege, grows tired of simply testing on animals. No, he craves a grander canvas for his art - humans." Conway said, a sinful smile spreading across his face, as his arms outstretched in each direction, dramatically. "Why, you're looking at one of his works of art, after all!" He shouted, his tone changing - the elegant, yet condescending, tone being replaced by that of a crazed zealot.
"What!? What do you mean!?" Mira shouted, as realization dawned on her, as she fully took in Conway's words.
That fanatical look on Conway's face would be replaced by one of boredom and disdain, as he heard Mira speak again. Looking down at her, he'd almost snarl, looking down on her, literally and figuratively, like an unkind, but wealthy, individual would look down on the poor. "I mean they're as good as dead. If I had to wager, they're probably being cut open as we speak." He said, his voice cold and cruel. "Now, be a good wench and be quiet. This is a matter for men." He sneered at Mira.
"Oh shit. He's so dead." Natsu thought, as he listened to Conway. He looked over towards Mira, the ominous and malicious intent oozing from her in waves, as the sphere of evil energy seemed to grow stronger and stronger by the second. "Mira.. we need him ali-"
"YOU'RE DEAD" Mira shouted, as she fired off another Evil Explosion towards the man. This time, however, she wouldn't hesitate to charge for him, as well. With a flap of her demonic wings, Mira took to the skies rapidly, her right hand closing into a fist, as she flew into the explosion cloud, figuring that her target would have blocked it like last time. "Explosion Punch!" She shouted, her fist glowing with a dark purple and yellow energy, as she slammed it into what she assumed to be another shield, as another explosion echoed outwards, this time obscuring both her and Conway from Natsu's vision.
Seeing this, Natsu would squint his eyes lightly, taking in the sight of the explosion, trying to see if he could discern anything hidden from his view. While it took a moment, he would finally notice the vague outline of Mira, floating in the smoke, alongside the outline of Conway - who seemed to be missing an arm!? "Holy shit I knew she's was strong but she fucking punched his arm off!?" Natsu internally screamed, until his eyes widened. Turning around, his sword quickly intercepted a spike of earth, very much like a wooden stake, which shot towards the back of his left leg. As he did so, he saw the undistinguishable form of Conway, standing about thirty feet away from him.
"She packs a punch, I'll give her that. If that was the real me, and not my stand-in.. well, I would've been in quite the predicament." Conway muttered, as he adjusted his half-rimmed glasses, slightly.
As if on cue, the smoke would clear away, revealing Mira floating there, with the disarmed figure of Conway, who had lost all color, and was simply a floating humanoid clump of stone, quickly cracking and crumbling to dust.
Mira, realizing what had happened, would look down towards Natsu and Conway, an aggravated look on her face, as her hand began to glow with the same dark purple and yellow energy. "You won't be so lucky again, you bastard!" She cried out, pulling her fist back, as she started to fly forward.
"Neither will you be." Conway replied, as he took off his glasses, his blue eyes shining a dark purple, for a moment. "Freeze." He spoke, with authority in his voice.
Hearing this, Natsu looked back, seeing as Mira instantly froze mid flight, with a look of panic. Before anyone could react, the crumbling figure of Conway's stand in shot back to life, shooting towards Mira with the last bit of strength it had, as its hands enlarged, clasped together and swung downwards, sending Mira crashing Into the ground.
"Mira!" Natsu shouted, before quickly whirling back, looking towards Conway. "I guess conversation is out of the question." Natsu muttered, through grit teeth, as he held his sword up, in a piercing stance. His flames began to glow and surround his blade, condensing Into a heated ball of pure fire at the tip of his sheathed sword, as he dashed forwards in a quick motion, quickly covering the distance. "Dragon Sword Form: Vorpal Strike!" Natsu shouted, as he thrusted the destructive blow forward.
"Miss." Conway spoke, his eyes glowing purple once again, and his voice thick with egotistical authority.
Much to Natsu's surprise - he did. His blade, instead of slamming into the motionless butler's chest, veered off to the right, harmlessly stabbing the air next to the man, as the condensed flames hovered at the tip of his blade, not exploding outwards due to not making contact with anything. "What the..!?" Natsu spoke, through gritted teeth, only for his eyes to open wide, as he felt Conway's knee colliding with his stomach, sending the pink-haired man skidding back.
"You don't seem to understand your situation, young Salamander. I was sent to retrieve you, and bring you back to the Citadel. We need not fight." Conway said, as he looked at the pink-haired man, who was clutching his stomach. "Of course, the wench you traveled with has proven herself annoying. So I'll dispose of her, regardless of whether you come with me peacefully." Conway uttered, with malicious intent clear as day. As he said that, he'd raise his right hand up, rotating and cracking his wrist, as his right hand, and lower arm, were covered in a gauntlet made of densely backed stone. "Gauntlet of The Gods." Conway muttered, as the gauntlet of earth finished forming.
Shooting out from where she had fallen, Mira charged towards the man, anger evident on her slightly bruised and scratched up body, as she pulled back her fist. "As if you could kill me, YOU FUCKER!" The white-haired woman shouted, as she got within striking distances, throwing her punch.
"Grovel." Conway spoke, his eyes glowing once again.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Mira's body found itself on the floor, in front of the man; sitting down like a servant, with her head to the floor.
"At least now you've learned your place." Conway said, as he raised his gauntleted fist, ready to strike down.
"Dragon Sword Form: Flaming Cleaver!" Natsu shouted, swinging his sword upwards in an arc, as a condensed flaming slash shot its way towards Conway.
Conway's fist would stop before making contact with Mira, as a shield formed of rock and stone protruded from the side of his gauntlet. "Aegis of The Gods!" He shouted, nullifying the flaming slash with relative ease.
However, before he could react any further, his eyes would widen, as he saw Mira's fist rising down from below, colliding with Conway's jaw in a nasty uppercut, before he could do anything. Not wanting to let the opportunity go, Mira would clasp her tail around the man's arm, using the force of her body spinning to send him flying towards Natsu. "Natsu, catch!" She shouted.
Natsu, seeing his mark flying towards him, would pull his fist back, flames coating his hand as he unleashed his punch. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He shouted, his fist colliding with Conway's body, as Natsu angled his punch to send the man into the ground, right below his feet.
Jumping backwards, Natsu would immediately inhale, before shooting a gout of flames straight from his throat, aiming directly at Conway. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu shouted, as the torrent was about to consume Conway.
"Evil Explosion!" Mira shouted, as she fired off the orb of dark energy that was forming in her hands.
Both attacks simultaneously collided with the prone figure, who was just getting into a kneeling position, resulting in a heavy explosion, the shockwave being enough to lightly stagger Mira and Natsu, as a storm of dust would kick up into the air.
"Did we get him!?" Mira shouted across the battlefield, to her partner.
Natsu would stare into the , deciding instead to remain quiet, as he had a bad feeling about the situation. "Conway… he's no joke. He clearly knows powerful Earth Magic - but what was that other type of magic?" Natsu pondered, knowing full well the battle wasn't over. As the dust settled, his assumption was only proven true, as Conway was no longer in sight - instead an orb of stone surrounding where he was, the relatively good condition of said orb showing that its defensive capabilities were nothing to scoff at.
"I'll take that as a no." Mira growled, as she locked her eyes on the orb, as well. Though Miras eyes would widen slightly, her wings expanded as she quickly took to the sky, noticing the small spiky protrusions sticking from Conway's shield.
"Torment of The Gods." Conway's voice echoed from the center of the battlefield, as the many spiky protrusions began to rapid fire out of his sphere in every direction. While the earthen spikes weren't anything too large or imposing, the sheer quantity that was unleashed would be enough to keep both Natsu and Mira on their toes, as they tried their best to dodge in their own respective ways.
While Mira was able to keep to the skies, staying far enough away where most spikes weren't too much of a threat, Natsu would have a harder time dodging the onslaught. He'd try to jump back and forth, nimbly evading as many spikes as he could, while subsequently using his sword to fend off whichever were too risky to dodge. Despite his best efforts, however, he would fall prey to a few, feeling his legs and arms getting grazed by the occasional spike.
"Evil Explosion!" Mira shouted, shooting off another sphere of dark energy towards Conway's orb, in hopes to force the assault to end. As her spell collided with the orb, she'd be thrilled at the sight of the onslaught of spikes ending - only for her eyes to widen in worry, once she realized there was a hole going straight into the ground, as if he burrowed. "Natsu! He's underground!" Mira shouted, only to watch with a helpless look, as she saw Natsu's ankle being grabbed from a hand that burst forth from the ground.
"What the-!?" Natsu shouted, only to feel his body pulled down, with an incredible amount of force. His vision would quickly fill with darkness, as his head was forced below the ground, unable to see anything, the only sensations he was even experiencing was the crushing suffocation of the earth around him, and a firm and powerful grip on his ankle.
"We could've done this the easy way, young Salamander." Conway said, his voice echoing all around Natsu, as he continued to drag him through the ground.
Natsu was about to reply, only to feel loose clumps of dirt and stone trying to force its way into his mouth - instead opting to stay silent, to avoid eat the ground. Each second was too disorienting, it felt like his body was constantly being turned upside down and twisted all around - he had no idea what was up and what was down, as the seismic pressure seemed to only intensify, which was surely not a good thing. "Fucking hell! I get he's an earth mage and all - but he has FUCKING WINGS!? He should NOT be burrowing through the ground!" Natsu internally exclaimed, as he began focusing his magic.
Conway continued to drag the pink-haired man through the very earth itself, molding into the stone he swam through, swinging and twisting Natsu in any way he possibly could - it wasn't an honorable way to fight, but Conway had no qualms about it. Though he would feel his grip on the pink-haired man lessening, a realization that shocked him, as he felt his gauntlet of stone… melting!? "This pain..!?" Conway thought, as it felt as if his very hand was being burnt from the heat. Out of instinct, he let go of the Dragonslayer, moving further away in the stone… only to feel searing pain shoot envelop his body, as it felt like he was caught in the center of an explosion. At the same time, the ground he was dragging Natsu through was engulfed in a bright light, only for him to realize the ground itself was simply gone, and he was floating in the middle of a rather large crater, with Natsu falling down further to the ground.
Floating above the two mages was a panting Mira, her hands outstretched as remnants of a dark purple energy danced around her fingers. "Trying to hide… underground? Fuck.. you.." Mira gasped out between breaths, a cocky grin on her face.
Conway's face would contort I to anger, at the sight of Mira looking down at him in such a way. "How dare she!? How dare that wench simply look down on me?!" Conway screams internally, his composure being lost, as he snarls up at the floating woman. "I don't know what spell you used - but it's left you drained, you dumb broad!" He held his right hand forward, as stone began to materialize in front of his open palm, forming into a large drill that began to rapidly rotate, as he aimed it towards Mira. "And while you're drained, it did next to nothing to me! As soon as I kill you, I'll just go back down and repeat the process all over again! All you've done is waste your life, and my time! Now die you FUCKING WENCH! Drill -" Conway's outburst was cut off, as a blur of orangish-red shot past his vision, coming from the bottom right, and going towards the top left. Looking in that direction, he'd see the retreating figure of Natsu Dragneel, cloaked in a fiery aura, as flame-like tattoos went up his now exposed torso.
Landing at the rim of the crater, Natsu turned around - his eyes glaring down at the butler, with a look of barely restrained anger. "If you say 'of The Gods' one more time, I'm cutting your tongue off next." Natsu spoke, his voice sounding harsh and cold, as he slowly sheathed his blade.
It was at this point Mira's eyes widened, as she noticed blood gush outwards from Conway's wrist - the drill of magical stone dissipating into particles, as his hand fell to the floor, severed from his own arm.
Conway would look away from Natsu, instead looking down, as he raised both his arms up towards his chest, to look at them. While his left looked just fine, he would immediately notice the gushing stream of blood, as he stared at his right arm - which would certainly end in a nub, his hand already colliding with the ground below him, with a soft thud. "My hand…" Conway muttered softly, his face looking more perplexed and confused, than anything else.
"Mira. Come here. You look like you're about to pass out." Natsu called up to his friend, beckoning for her.
"You cut off my hand…" Conway muttered softly again, still in disbelief, as his body began to shake.
Mira would listen to the dragonslayer, flying down to the ground next to him, and landing with a little thud, almost instantly reverting back to normal, as she did so. "Sorry… I didn't know how to help you… so I used most of my magic to blow a hole through the ground.." she painted, as she looked at Natsu. His waistcoat was basically torn to shreds, likely from getting dragged throughout the ground in such a way, she gathered. Though this would be her first time seeing Natsu like this - with his flame-like tattoos moving up the sides of his chest. "...Did you always have those?" she panted, as she tried to regain her breath.
"MY HAND! MY HAND!" Conway began to scream, his voice sounding shaky and feverish, as he screamed and bellowed in the pain that finally caught up with him. He almost sounded delirious, pained tears streaming down his once well composed face.
"It's my Drive. It's a dragon slayer enhancement spell - I'll explain later." Natsu said, as he looked back down into the newly formed crater, staring at the hysterical man. "We're leaving, Conway. I want you to tell King something. I want you to tell him that I'm coming for him. He may think he's safe, but his Sunless Citadel won't be safe for long." Natsu spoke, his voice cold and venomous.
As Mira listened to Natsu address the hysterical man, she couldn't help but shudder at the tone of his voice. Something about the dragonslayer was cold - completely different from how she normally sees him. The fiery warmth that his presence provided was replaced by a distant coldness, even as she felt the best radiating from his body.
"Oh, and one more thing Conway… I'm well aware King will probably be able to reattach your hand, or at the very least give you a new one - since he was able to give you those wings. But if you fuck with my friends again… there won't be anything left of you. Not even ashes." Natsu muttered, before turning around. As he did so, the tattoos along his torso would slowly recede, until they had vanished completely. "Mira, we're leaving." Natsu said, as he began to walk away from the man who was still screaming hysterically in the crater.
Mira would quickly snap out of her trance, falling behind Natsu a bit as she had to lightly job to catch up with him. "Natsu..! How do we know he won't follow us…?" Mira asked, as she did catch up with the dragonslayer - having used more energy than she would have expected, in doing so.
"Because he knows he'll die, if he does. The way he speaks of King… if I had to guess, at least a part of Conway's strength was given to him, by King. He'll run to where he's safe. At least for now." Natsu said, as he looked at Mira. It was the first time actually taking In Mira's sight, since she reverted back to normal. He could see the exhaustion on the woman's face, how her body sagged with every movement. "How much magic did you use in that final blast?" Natsu questioned.
Mira would nod her head in understanding at Natsu's words. While she'd shudder at Natsu casually mentioning he'd kill the man - she couldn't help but feel… protected? Secure? "Killing isn't right, even to people like him… but - Natsu doesn't say it like a threat. It's like.. a promise - and it makes me feel so…safe? Man, what's wrong with me?" Mira questioned herself, unsure as to why her feelings are so conflicted and different from normal, when it comes to the pink-haired man. Though she'd realize that she was asked a question - turning her head away lightly, as a small blush formed. "Uhhhhh… well, I used one of my strongest spells in my Satan Soul - and then I may or may not have bumped it up a notch or two… or ten." Mira responded sheepishly, as they continued walking back towards Gracia.
Taking in her words, Natsu would keep walking - before a sigh left his lips. Without even uttering a word, Natsu quickly and casually scooped Mira up into his arms, lifting her body with remarkable ease, as he positioned her onto his back, her arms around his neck, draping over his chest, with his arms under the back of her knees - like a piggyback ride. "Sorry - but the last thing I need is you collapsing on the way back." Natsu muttered, a small blush on his own face, as he felt Mira's ample bosom pressing into his bare back. "Well, at least Conway doesn't have to kill me… Mira probably will once she can properly move." Natsu thought to himself.
Mira felt her body stiffening and locking up on her, a surprised gasp leaving her lips, as she felt herself being whisked up into Natsu's strong arms… "No no no! Bad Mira! Stop thinking about how strong his arms are, or how comforting his body heat is.." Despite her Internal protesting, Mira couldn't help but to think exactly what she didn't want to - a blush overcoming her face, which she quickly buried into the crook of Natsu's neck. "...It's fine.. just this once.." she softly and embarrassingly muttered, as she felt her body relax against Natsu's back, in the piggyback ride. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a small smile creep up onto her face, which she kept buried in the crook of his neck. "It could be worse…" she softly muttered, to herself.
Thanks for reading, and for all your continued support! I hope you enjoyed, and until next time!