A/N: Episode 224.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: THE PLACE YOU CAME TO
Everyone had boarded the Magic Council ship. "There. Troia is finished." Wendy told Natsu.
"Thanks. So what's dangerous now?" Natsu asked.
"We picked up a life form on the island, identity unknown. We don't even know if it's human or animal. The reading was inconclusive." Lahar replied. "But it definitely came from this island that just appeared a few days ago."
"Yeah, that doesn't bode well..." Gray agreed.
"And that's why we're checking it out?" Lucy questioned as Lahar nodded.
"As commander, I'll stay behind in the boat after we dock. If something happens on the island, send up a signal flare." He responded.
"Roger." Orion said.
The group soon left the ship. "Why is there a path on a new island?" Natsu asked.
"My guess is that people used to live here and then it sunk at some point." Lucy replied.
"And for some reason, suddenly popped up again... Anyway, there may be something in those ruins." Gray said, looking up at the ruins.
"This place is suspicious!" Lector told Frosch.
"Fro thinks so, too!" Frosch agreed.
"Let's split up and investigate the perimeter. We'll regroup at the ruins." Erza instructed.
Sebastian, Orion, and Raden were walking in a forest. "I hope we can get some answers to help Zane and Cyana." Sebastian commented.
"Same here." Orion said.
Suddenly, an explosion was heard as Sebastian, Orion, and Raden glanced up, seeing a sea serpent appear from the ruins.
"That doesn't look good." Raden stated.
"Yeah." Sebastian agreed as him, Orion, and Raden rushed towards the ruins to meet up with the others.
Sting, Rogue, and their Exceeds also took notice. "It's near the ruins! Let's go!" Sting said.
"Right!"
The Black Sun Mages soon joined up with Fairy Tail and Sabertooth. "Natsu-san! That's a sea serpent!" Sting informed.
"What?!"
"A demon of the sea. I heard about them a long time ago." Sting elaborated.
"But this is land!" Natsu exclaimed, causing Sting and Rogue flinch back.
The sea serpent charged at them, making all of them dodge.
Natsu, Sebastian, Lucy, Happy, and Kemokemo went into the ruins as the serpent followed them, blocking them in.
Orion quickly shot a red flare signal into the sky, getting a nearby Rune Knight's attention.
"Flare signal!"
"What?!"
Lahar looked down from where the flare signal came from with his telescope, seeing the sea serpent.
"What is that?!" Lahar wondered as the cannons soon appeared.
"Sorry! I'm late." Doranbolt said, arriving. He looked up at the serpent. "What is that?!"
"I don't know, but Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, and Black Sun are already on the island." Lahar answered. "Go to them."
Doranbolt nodded as he teleports away.
"We're going to support them! Prepare to fire!" Lahar ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
The sea serpent was wrapped around the ruins. "Erza-san! Where are Natsu-san and the others?" Sting asked.
"Inside those ruins!" Erza replied.
"No way!" Lector exclaimed.
Inside the ruins...
Sebastian groaned as he got up. "Dammit!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Where's everyone else?" Lucy questioned, holding her head in pain.
"Outside, looks like." Sebastian responded.
"Owww... We're trapped in here?!" Happy asked, waving his arms around as Kemokemo appeared from the debris.
"Are you okay, too?" Natsu questioned.
The ceiling began to tremble, grabbing their attention.
Outside...
Cannons from the Magic Council ships began firing at the serpent as everyone else was ducking for cover when they suddenly heard a noise.
"What's that?" Erza wondered.
"What's that noise?" Lahar questioned.
"It kind of sounds like a heartbeat..." Wendy said.
"A heartbeat?" Carla repeated.
Inside the ruins, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Sebastian turned around. "Is there something... deeper inside of here?" Lucy asked.
"Anyway, we've got to do something about that thing!" Rogue informed.
"Yeah. Before Natsu-san and the others are crushed inside!" Sting agreed.
Erza jumped forward as she requipped a sword. "Let's go, everyone!" She ordered, charging forward and slicing at the serpent.
"Ice Cannon!" Gray shouted.
Spectre summons a ghostly bow it rains down arrows from the sky, striking the sea serpent.
"Rogue!" Sting said.
"Right! Shadow Dragon's..."
"White Dragon's..."
"...Roar!"
Their two breath attacks combined, finally knocking the serpent down.
"That's my Sting-kun!" Lector cheered.
"And Rogue!" Frosch added.
Inside the ruins...
Natsu, Lucy, Sebastian, Happy, and Kemokemo walked deeper into the ruins, seeing a bunch of writing on the walls.
"W-Wow..." Happy muttered.
"W-What is it?!" Natsu asked.
"The same ancient characters that Jura-san showed us!" Lucy replied as she opened a book.
Outside...
The sea serpent soon stood back up. A purple glow emerged as Wendy dropped on the rock. "Wendy!" Carla shouted in worry.
"For some reason... I can't... move..." Wendy muttered.
Carla dropped next to her. "What's happening?"
Doranbolt soon appeared. "Were they attacked?!" He asked.
"Doranbolt!" Erza exclaimed.
"They suddenly collapsed! I've got no idea!" Gray said.
The serpent roared again. "Take them back to the ship!" Erza instructed.
"Right! What are the rest of you going to do?!" Doranbolt questioned.
"Don't worry about us! Just go!" Erza ordered.
The serpent attacked again as Sting, Rogue, and Orion moved out of the way.
Inside the ruins...
Natsu and Sebastian punched the rocks that were coming towards Lucy. "Lucy! If you don't hurry it up, we're gonna get squashed!" Natsu informed.
"I know, but there are tons of characters here!" Lucy said as another sound came.
"Hey! Again?" Sebastian questioned.
"Doesn't that sound like a heartbeat to you?" Happy asked.
"Heartbeat?" Lucy quoted before turning towards Natsu and Sebastian. "Is this island alive?"
Happy suddenly exclaimed in shock as green smoke appeared around them. "What's this smoke?!" He questioned.
The four looked towards Kemokemo, who seemed a lot bigger. "Kemokemo... When did you get so big?" Natsu asked.
"He's huge!" Happy added.
Lucy looked at the book and then at the green smoke. "Smoke..." She mumbled to herself.
Outside...
Gray soon hunched over. "Gray!" Erza exclaimed before she joined him.
"Erza-san!" Lector shouted.
"Are you okay?" Frosch asked before him, Lector, and Raden collapsed on the rock they were on.
"W-What the hell is happening?" Erza wondered.
Orion was next to collapse to the ground. "Orion!" Sting shouted before him and Rogue collapsed as well.
"W-What's going on?" Sting questioned.
"F-Frosch..." Rogue managed to get out.
"I don't feel good. I-I'm dizzy..." Lector said.
"Fro, too..."
"W-What's happening to us? It's like all of our energy was suddenly drained from us..." Raden mumbled.
All of the Rune Knights on the ship collapsed one by one. "What is this? What's happening?" Lahar wondered. "What is this...?"
Doranbolt arrived, carrying Wendy and Carla in his arms. "What happened on the island?" Lahar asked.
"Erza and the others are battling a monster." Doranbolt explained.
"What about these two?"
"I don't know. They suddenly collapsed, but this situation could involve..." Doranbolt paused.
"Some kind of virus?" Lahar finished.
"Take these two to a cabin." Doranbolt told a nearby Rune Knight as Lahar collapsed. "Lahar!"
Inside the ruins...
Natsu and Sebastian continue kicking at the falling debris. "Not yet! Lucy?" Natsu asked.
Lucy looks at the book in her hands before glancing back up. "It's written here, too! 'Light,' 'benefit,' 'tree'..."
"Anything else?" Happy questioned.
"'Protect'... 'disaster'... 'Poison'... 'purify'..." Lucy reads off. "Poison? Purify?"
"P-Poison?! This is poison?!" Happy exclaimed in terror.
"Natsu, Sebastian, try shining light on the ceiling." Lucy said as the two Fire Dragon Slayers lit their fists on fire, pointing it towards the ceiling. "That's..."
"What?"
"Those are the same pictures I saw from the literature at Lamia Scale!" Lucy recalled.
Outside...
The serpent attacks Gray and Erza, sending them in the air as they collapsed back down on the ground.
"Where are Lucy, Natsu, and Sebastian?!" Gray questioned.
"If Natsu-san, Lucy-san, and Sebastian also can't move..." Sting started to say.
"That wouldn't be good..." Orion finished.
Inside the ruins...
"Hellfire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Sebastian called out, protecting Lucy from the debris and causing an explosion.
"Lucy!" Happy moves her out of the way.
"Are you all right?!" Sebastian asked.
"Yeah. Thanks!" Lucy thanked him as she picked up a part of the slate from Lamia Scale.
"What is that?" Natsu questioned.
"What I borrowed from Lamia Scale could be some kind of hint! Um..." Lucy looked around before pointing at something. "Do you remember that form?!"
"It's the same shape as the slate back at Lamia Scale!" Natsu recalled.
"That's right! And so..."
Lucy was now standing on a bunch of rocks. "Half of the words on the surface are worn away... but maybe if I do this..." She moves the slab around. "No... No..."
Outside...
"Wake up, Lahar!" Doranbolt shouted.
"We have to sink this island... Contact the Council..." Lahar spoke weakly.
"They're still on the island." Doranbolt informed.
"We have to keep the virus from spreading to the mainland..." Lahar said.
"But..."
Lahar grabbed onto his shoulder. "If you get infected, who would be left to tell them?!" He said.
Doranbolt grits his teeth before teleporting away. Lahar dropped back onto the ground.
"Everyone... hurry back..." Lahar muttered.
Inside the ruins...
"No... No!" The slab finally connects. "This one!"
"What's it say?" Natsu questioned.
"Wait a second." Lucy picks up her book. "There! This is a plant!"
"A plant?"
"I've got it!" Lucy exclaimed. "'Light'... 'benefit'... 'tree'... 'Photosynthesis'!"
"'Poison'... 'disaster'... 'purify'... And then..." Lucy continued on. "...'plant'!"
Kemokemo continued growing. "'Protect'!" Lucy finished.
Natsu looked between Lucy and Kemokemo. "Kemokemo... Are you..." He trailed off.
Outside...
"Frosch! Lector!" Rogue exclaimed in worry.
"Raden!" Orion exclaimed as well.
"Dammit! I can't get up!" Sting struggles to move.
"M-Maybe this is a virus or something like that..." Erza guessed.
Gray looked up at the ruins. "Natsu... What the hell are you doin'?" He questioned.
The serpent roared as Rogue scooped up Lector and Frosch while Orion quickly grabbed Raden. Gray ended up pushing Erza out of the way.
"You okay?!" Sting asked.
The serpent charged again as Orion pushed Sting, Rogue, Lector, Frosch, and Raden out of harm's way.
Inside the ruins...
The ceiling continued to crumble as both Natsu and Sebastian stepped in front of Lucy to protect her.
"We're goners!" Happy exclaimed.
Lucy opened her eyes to see Kemokemo's eyes were glowing red.
"Kemokemo..." Happy muttered.
"Protect..." Lucy realized.
Kemokemo continued to grow larger.
"Now I understand... what I am and what I should do. It's scary when I think about what lies ahead, but I'll stand up and fight. After all, Natsu said... that we're family."
Outside...
Everyone was still unable to move as Kemokemo appeared from the ruins, releasing green smoke. Natsu, Lucy, Sebastian, and Happy appeared.
"Erza! Gray!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Orion! Raden!" Sebastian shouted out.
"Virus..." Erza muttered.
"Virus?!" Lucy repeated.
"This smoke was poison, after all! Everyone, wake up!" Happy shouted.
Kemokemo grabbed onto the serpents throat. "No! This smoke isn't poison! We were in there with the smoke and weren't infected by the virus. It's the opposite!" Lucy explained. "The smoke coming out of Kemokemo's body isn't poison! The virus is being released from the island itself, and that smoke is purifying it!"
"Purifying?" Erza quoted.
"Is that Kemokemo?" Gray questioned.
Lucy nodded. "I don't think Kemokemo is an animal. Kemokemo must be neutralizing the virus. He's the god of plants! That's why he retaliated when Cyana touched him!"
"Well, both Zane and Cyana are God Slayers, so it makes sense." Orion commented with Lucy nodding in agreement.
"He was protecting us the whole time!" Natsu said as everyone was able to move again.
Kemokemo blasted fire at the serpent. "Kemokemo! I'm not gonna let you fight alone!" Natsu claimed, charging forward. "Let's go, Happy!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy flew Natsu into the air.
"Happy!"
"Aye!"
Happy drops Natsu, who lands on Kemokemo. "All right, Kemokemo! I'll show you our power!" Natsu exclaimed. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"
"Since the distant past, this island has repeatedly sunk and emerged. And when it comes up, it always releases a virus. In ancient times, people built a civilization here, without knowing that. Kemokemo saved them then." Lucy explained.
"Then even now..." Sting started to say.
Lucy nodded. "Yeah. I think it's neutralizing the virus even now."
"Kemokemo!" Natsu shouted as Kemokemo blasted fire from his mouth.
"Exploding Flame Edge!" Natsu called out.
The two fire attacks combined, striking the serpent.
"Where are Natsu-san and the others?" Wendy asked.
"Still on the island..." Lahar replied.
Everyone looked and saw the serpent was defeated before it vanished.
"Yeah! That was awesome, Kemokemo!" Natsu praised as steam appeared from Kemokemo. "Huh? Kemokemo? Hey, Kemokemo, are you all right?"
Rumbling was soon heard. "Look at that!" Carla pointed out as the island began to sink.
"The island!"
"Oh, no! Natsu-san!" Sting called out.
"The island is starting to sink!" Rogue informed.
"We've gotta get out of here fast!" Lector added.
"Fro thinks so, too!"
"Hey, Kemokemo! Kemokemo!" Natsu continued to call out.
"Natsu!" Happy said.
"What's wrong, Kemokemo?! Kemokemo!"
Branches started to form on Kemokemo. "What is this?" Natsu questioned.
"Natsu..."
"You... can talk?" Natsu asked.
"I had forgotten for the longest time. But now I remember... words, and my role, too." Kemokemo spoke.
"Your role?" Happy repeated.
"Come on, get up. Let's go home." Natsu insisted.
"I'm staying here. My body is already becoming one with the forest. I'm going to sink with this island." Kemokemo said.
"What are you talkin' about?!" Natsu asked.
"I'll absorb the island's virus. Go back with everyone, Natsu."
"No! You're goin' with me!"
"I'm sorry..."
"Why are you apologizin'?!"
"I can't protect everyone anymore, so get off the island fast. This is goodbye, Natsu." Kemokemo said.
"It ain't goodbye! I can't go!" Natsu argued.
The island continued sinking. "Kemokemo..." Lucy muttered.
"Kemokemo! Kemokemo!" Natsu shouted.
"Natsu... I was... a member..."
"What?!"
"...of Fairy Tail too, wasn't I?"
"Yeah! That's right! You're a member of Fairy Tail! And a member of my family!" Natsu claimed.
"Thank you... It was fun..." Kemokemo said.
"Hey! Answer me! Answer me!" Natsu said as he was shoved out.
"Natsu!" Happy shouted.
"Natsu!" Erza yelled.
"Dammit! Why?!" Natsu said.
"Let's go!"
"No!"
A seed soon dropped on Natsu's head, in which he picked it up. "Kemokemo's seed?" Happy questioned.
"Let's go." Erza said.
All of them soon boarded the Magic Council ship, watching as the island sunk lower into the ocean.
"I couldn't protect him, even though he was family..." Natsu said.
"No. You've got it wrong, dear cousin. It's the same as what the ancient civilization inscribed on the ruins. Kemokemo is like the god of the island." Sebastian told him.
"Yeah. And he carried out his duty." Lucy added.
Natsu looked at the seed once more in his hand before clenching it tightly.
"We'll be able to meet again someday, right?" Natsu questioned as the island sunk completely.
A/N: Yes, I decided to have Sebastian go in the ruins with Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Kemokemo to switch it up.
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.