"Finally. Found someone."
"I can tell...You know a lot of things about this library..."
The situation looked rather dire, as a lone figure stood before a ferocious opponent. Natsu Dragneel had finally caught up to his prey, Asher. He was determined to find out what he needed to know, and would not hesitate to do what was necessary. Even if he had to resort to violence.
Natsu stepped towards him slowly and deliberately, with his gaze fixed upon Asher, whose expression was one of fear and anxiety. He could sense that the young wizard was nervous about him. He wanted to know more about this library. More specifically, about its lost magic. Natsu knew there were many books that held secrets regarding ancient and forbidden magic.
Natsu had come all this way for a reason and was prepared to go all out. "Alright, you know a lot about this library, don't you? Why don't we make this simple? Tell me what you know and I won't blow you away." The Fire Dragon Slayer stated calmly. His words were full of confidence, which was a stark contrast from Asher's current state.
However, Asher wasn't so willing to share any information with Natsu. After all, he had to protect the Lost Magic with his life. "Not even for a second. As the Head Librarian, I refuse to let you Void Kingdom trespassers ruin this sacred place!"
"...Huh, so you're the Head Librarian then? Well that just makes things easier for me." Natsu grinned and started approaching Asher at an alarming rate. Asher felt his body tensing up as Natsu moved closer to him, the feeling of imminent danger was palpable in the air. He couldn't believe how fast Natsu was coming at him.
However, Asher was the Head Librarian for a reason. Asher quickly activated his Lost Magic: Fathom. Asher closed his eyes for a second. Out of his own robe, ethereal chains suddenly flew out. They were a beautiful light violet, with blue outlines and glowed with that oppossite color. Asher was controlling these ethereal chains with the wave of his arms and fingers. He used the chain to strike Natsu. And the ethereal chain managed to wrap itself around Natsu's legs.
Natsu looked down at his legs in disbelief and tried to pull himself free. He grunted loudly as Asher began pulling the chain, making him unable to move. Natsu struggled against his bonds as he tried to escape them, but they refused to let him go.
"What?! This is—" Natsu was cut short as Asher suddenly pulled the chains around his legs tighter, pulling Natsu towards him and lifting the Dragon Slayer into the air. Natsu grunted and groaned as his body was forced upwards and was now facing Asher.
"Hm. What you're looking at is my Ethereal Chains. A Lost Magic I inherited and perfect for those who wish to sully this library and take its beautiful belongings." Asher pointed at Natsu. "Forged from a mystical alloy and enchanted by ancient rituals from long ago, these chains are primed to withstand and strike at any opposing force." Asher raised a hand, which glowed in a violet hue and in response, the chain around Natsu glowed that color as well.
"Wh-What's going on?!"
"The chains are magically attuned to their user, able to adapt and adjust their size, length, strength, and shape according to my will." The chain was slowly extending its length, wrapping itself around Natsu's entire body. It bound him, making it so his hands would be behind his back and the chains would tighten, making it so he would no longer struggle against his bonds.
"Dammit! Let me go, you bastard!"
"Not a chance. You Void Kingdom scum are just here to take what you want. I won't allow that to happen!"
Natsu's struggles only intensified. Asher could feel it. His movements caused friction with the chains, which in turn caused the magic to flow more freely into Natsu, causing his entire body to heat up. "Damn... This isn't good." Natsu could feel it, he could feel the magic flowing throughout his whole body, heating his body up, making him feel a burning sensation that was starting to overwhelm him.
"And to ensure an end to your actions...Magic Restraint!" By clenching his hands, the chains would start suppressing Natsu's Magical Power, making him unable to use any of his Magic.
Natsu could feel the effects of the magic suppression, he was feeling weakened and drained, his magical power being drained from his body, he could feel his muscles tensing as he was slowly being drained of his energy.
He refused to let this happen. Not when he's gotten this far. Not when he has a goal for the future in mind. Angered, Natsu would let the flames within his body flow and exude from his body, trying to burn the chains that were holding him. "Hraaaaaaaaah!" He roared, his mouth wide open as the flames intensified.
Right before Asher could properly suppress his magic, an outburst of flames would envelop these Ethereal Chains and would melt them away, setting Natsu free.
He landed on the floor, his eyes fiercely locking onto Asher. Natsu already felt that some of his magic had been suppressed, no thanks to those chains. He wasn't sure how much, but one thing was for sure, there was some of it missing. He could still feel a burning sensation inside of him.
"Your Fire actually burned through that? For that to even happen, you must have..." Asher paused for a moment, realizing what type of fire would be that strong. "Dragon Slayer Magic!"
"You punk." Natsu grit his teeth. "You almost sealed off all my magic. That's not something I can just sit down and let you do."
Natsu took his battle stance and he was preparing to take on the Head Librarian. Asher would prepare as well, as he was not going to let this Dragon Slayer defeat him in this library. This sacred place was a treasure trove of knowledge, and Asher was willing to fight in order to protect this sacred ground. "You Void Kingdom Wizards don't understand how precious knowledge is! Knowledge is to be shared with the world, and yet you try to keep it for yourself. That's why I won't allow you to win." He proclaimed as he was about to use his magic again. "I forbid you to win!"
Natsu wouldn't allow Asher to get a hit in. The Dragon Slayer would run at Asher and let his fist fly. "FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" Natsu's fist was set ablaze, igniting the area around him with flames that would cover everything in front of him, including Asher. Natsu would punch Asher with his blazing fist, only for a protective shield to form.
"Sanctuary Seal!" Asher extended the chains across a large area to create a protective barrier, shielding himself from the flames and the fist. Natsu grunted and jumped back, not expecting a barrier to appear like that.
Asher saw the opportunity. "Now!" The ethereal chains that had protected him suddenly flew towards Natsu, who saw that and dodged the attack by leaping into the air, evading them as the chains hit the wall behind Natsu and shattered it, creating a huge hole.
"This guy's something fierce...!" Natsu had to admit. Asher was no pushover and the Lost Magic he wielded was nothing to scoff at. But he wasn't about to let this Head Librarian stop him. Holding his breath in, he gathered up a plethora of flames and shouted, "Fire Dragon: ROAAAAAR!" From his mouth, Natsu exhaled a vortex composed of fire, letting out a deafening roar as the flames rushed towards Asher. This was sure to get the Librarian.
However, Asher had his own way to deal with this. "You think that would be enough to take me on?! Sanctuary Wall!" With a wave of his arms, the ethereal chains formed a barrier that would protect him from the oncoming fire.
However, as Natsu's Roar hit the barrier, the flames started melting the ethereal chains that were keeping him protected, making him gasp in shock.
"Wh-What?! How did this-"
"I'm gonna keep going!" Natsu's attack had broken through Asher's barrier, and Natsu would jump to him and unleash his Iron Fist once more, setting his hand on fire, and aiming to hit the Head Librarian with a fiery fist that would be sure to burn him to a crisp.
But once again, Asher's barrier had come to save him from the attack. "Not this time!" The chains formed a barrier, blocking Natsu's flaming punch from connecting. Natsu's fist was about to make contact with the barrier when Asher waved his other arm, sending ethereal chains flying from his sleeves.
The ethereal chains would fly and wrap themselves around Natsu's body, restraining him and rendering him unable to move. Natsu was taken aback. "Guh! Not again...!"
"This time, I am sure to finish you off. Bare witness to the raw power of my Ethereal Chains!" Asher would put both his hands together, preparing something huge. "Chain Vortex!" Asher swung the chains in a wide arc, generating a whirling vortex of energy that started cutting through the walls themselves within a large radius. The chains spin with such force that they create a vacuum effect, pulling Natsu closer. His eyes went wide. "W-Woah!" Natsu found himself being pulled closer and closer, feeling the wind rushing past him and the heat of the swirling chains.
"Damn, this is bad. At this rate, he'll-" Natsu knew that he had to act fast or else he'd be done for.
"Erza, please!" Gray kept avoiding the slashes of Erza, the redhead using a sword that she had requipped in. Her sword slashes were quick, but Gray knew that he couldn't just stand back and let Erza do whatever she wants. He tried to keep his cool and focus, knowing he had to find a way to stop her from doing something rash. He had to save her, no matter what.
Gray and Erza had been fighting for several minutes, their movements fluid and graceful, as if dancing with one another. Erza would swing her blade at him, and Gray would dodge it, or block it with his Ice Make Magic. She had been moving fast and gracefully, as if she were an elegant ballerina, and Gray had been trying to stay one step ahead of her. Erza was too powerful, Gray had to try harder to beat her. He knew this was going to take everything he had.
Gray tried to get through to her. "Erza, snap out of it! You aren't yourself!"
"I will not stop! Not until you're dead for Master Natsu!" Erza's voice had become distorted as her sword came crashing down onto him, creating a shockwave that blew through the hall. Erza's eyes glowed a dark purple as she continued to fight him.
"I'm not trying to fight you!" Gray exclaimed as he continued to dodge her attacks, his ice forming walls to protect him. He didn't want to fight her. He just wanted her back.
"You've already lost!" Erza swung her blade again, this time slicing a large portion of the ice wall that Gray had made. "It's time to end this, once and for all! Hraaah!" With a powerful yell, a great flame erupted from her slashing blade. The flames spread across the floor, burning everything in sight. Gray wasn't able to dodge it in time due to the radius of this flame.
Gray screamed as the flames consumed him, his skin burning from the heat, the pain excruciating. Erza watched with her distorted eyes and a smirk. She knew Gray couldn't withstand her power, so she continued to pour her power into her sword, her blade's heat growing hotter and hotter.
Afterwards, the flames would combust, launching Gray backwards, making him roll across the ground. "G-Guah!" He groaned. His clothes were damaged and his skin had burn marks all over, and he could still feel the heat of Erza's flames, his body burning. "U-Urgh..." He groaned in pain.
"I told you that you had already lost." She walked up to him, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
"Erza..."It pained Gray to see Erza like this. To see her as an enemy and with no signs of her even remembering who he was. It pained and angered Gray to great lengths. So much so, that he couldn't help but think of his times with Erza, especially when they were young all those years back.
It was always Erza who helped Gray whenever he was down. Whether it was from a fight, a training session or something personal, Erza would always be there to support him and offer her strength to help him get back up.
And it had always been that way.
It was the case when he lost to Rufus and they talked in the middle of the forest, and even now. When he had to get back on track with fighting. Erza was always there.
As Gray thought of those memories, the images of them would fade away and Gray would find himself on a grassy hill under the bright blue sky with Erza looking down on him. Erza can always be terrifying to him for many reasons, sure, but at the end of the day, just like everyone else in the guild, she was his friend.
Both came to Fairy Tail after undergoing or witnessing something horrible at such a young age, so they had to rely on the others in the guild in order to grow up to become strong wizards. But even when they were still kids, they would sometimes find time alone together and just enjoy the moment. Just the two of them.
And that's where he found himself, back on the same hill they used to visit when they were younger.
The hill was located a few minutes' walk from the Fairy Tail guild hall and it was the place where Erza and Gray would often spend their free time. It was a place of great significance for both of them and they both had many fond memories of their time together there.
They would spend some of their days on the hill doing anything from training, reading books, talking, to just enjoying the view of Magnolia and just spending their time together.
Erza and Gray had always been close and they were always there for one another, even though they often butted heads over their opinions. Still, when it mattered most, they would always have each other's backs and would fight side by side, protecting each other from harm's way. And now they found themselves back on that same hill, reminiscing about the old days and just enjoying the company of each other.
And of course, every time Gray had to run from a furious Erza if he slipped up somehow.
She could always be terrifying.
That was the Erza Gray wanted back.
Gray laid on the floor when going through those memories. How he wanted them back so badly. And how he wanted to make the Void Kingdom pay. The Ice Wizard was motionless on the ground as Erza looked down on him, believing that the battle was over.
She raised her blade, preparing to deal the final blow.
But in a sudden flash of motion, Erza hesitated. Right as the blade was about to come down on Gray's head, a flicker of recognition appeared in her eyes.
Erza blinked and in an instant, her mind pulstaed. The sword that was raised above Gray's head had frozen in midair as her eyes were attempting to return to their natural colour. It was as if a wave of memories suddenly washed over her, causing her to pause. Gray, who was still lying motionless, looked up at her and their eyes met.
"Gr...ay...?"
She couldn't believe it. It was him, she was seeing him, she remembered him! Her memories were trying to rush back, being held back by the aggressive magic of the Golden Tear Orb.
Erza was still looking at him as he lay there. The small bit of her mind that still remembered her friends was still trying to fight through. The magic of the Golden Tear Orb was potent, but it still never eclipsed the entirety of Erza's mind to begin with. That untouched part that was incredibly minuscule, yet still so impactful was making its move.
It was the same feeling of familiarity that had occurred in the previous fight against Gray. When Erza had her blade raised, prepared to end his life. Right when the sword was raised, she stopped. She stopped just as the tip of her sword was just inches away from Gray's head. It was the same thing as the fight against Gray during Phantom Lord's attack, but instead of a scowl, she had a look of confusion.
"Er...za..." He muttered.
"G...G...Gray..." She whispered. Erza was staring into his eyes and his eyes alone. The only thing she could focus on. She couldn't take her eyes off him, as if she was trying to process what was going on, what had happened to him, why was she about to hurt him. And all that while trying to fight back against the invasive thoughts implanted in her by the Orb's power.
Gray saw it for himself. Erza was still in there. That tiny bit of her was still active and alive, but it was constantly being held back. Even now that she was looking at her friend, the corrupted part of her was still trying to bring the sword down.
"Grrr...Graaaah!" Erza groaned, her mind paining and aching. Her thoughts were scrambled and conflicted, and the Golden Tear Orb's power was too strong to fully resist. It would always win, but the small fragment that resisted its power was still able to hold it back for the moment.
Gray was able to get back on his feet and was looking Erza directly in the eyes. He was able to tell what was going on in her mind, he was able to see the pain she was going through. The mental battle she was in with the Orb's power. Her eyes were changing colour from the Orb's power to their normal eye colour, but then it would revert.
"Erza!" Gray shouted. He couldn't stand to see Erza suffering any longer, but there was still the matter of him being her enemy due to the Golden Tear Orb. If he got close to her, she might snap and hurt him. Gray needed a way to get her out of her suffering state. And then it hit him. "Erza, listen to me!" He had an idea, one that would either save them both, or would get himself killed.
But he wasn't thinking about himself, he was focused on Erza, and he had to save her.
Erza's corrupted self had returned, the Golden Tear Orb taking over once more. She breathed heavily. "You are a nuisance." She told Gray. "You will not stop me from serving my Master." Her eyes had become corrupted again and her mind was in turmoil.
However, these words meant nothing to Gray. Not after what he saw. That entire struggle showed that Erza truly was in there. Otherwise, he would've been dead by now. With that knowledge, Gray knew what he had to do, finding a bright burning blaze of hope in all of this.
"You're still in there. Now I know. Which means...I can go all out and knock you out, Erza!" Gray said. He knew he couldn't kill her or anything, but he knew that the best thing he could do was try to knock her out and hope for the best, and maybe try and find a cure. However, that last part wasn't a guarantee.
Gray had to go all-in. Use everything he had and fight at his best. Erza snarled, intending to do the same, but now, it was hard to tell if she was willing to kill Gray. There was only one way to find out. "I'll save you, Erza!"
Erza swung her blade and Gray was prepared. "Ice-Make: Floor!" He shouted, his hands shining in a blue glow as he used his Ice-Make magic to freeze the entire area. The floor underneath his and Erza's feet instantly froze, and Gray ran towards her. The ice made him move faster, and he was quickly able to reach her, dodging a swipe of her sword and grabbing onto her, stopping her in her tracks.
"What?!"
"Ice-Make...!" While holding onto Erza. He had formed an Ice-Make magic seal. He knew that this would be the best way to make sure Erza would not move and was ready to finish it off. He knew he couldn't use his best spell or it'd be a fatal blow. "Impact!" The spell would freeze and trap Erza in an ice statue. Gray's most powerful ice spell, though he made sure to use less of it in order to make sure that she wouldn't be frozen forever.
Erza's entire body had been covered in a layer of ice, which was starting to freeze her solid. However, the Flame Empress armor she wore had a few properties, including resisting fire and other elements. As such, the ice had not completely frozen her yet.
She was able to break free from her prison, shattering the ice and glaring at Gray. "You won't get me like that!" Erza stated. Her armor glowed brightly and her entire body started to heat up, emitting intense heat waves from her armor that were strong enough to melt the ice that Gray had used on her. She then used a quick spell, creating a sword out of flames.
With a fearsome yell, she rushed at Gray with her fiery sword and slashed at him. "Hrraaah!"
"Ah, damn! Ice-Make-" Gray jumped out of the way, dodging the slash of her blade. "Hammer!" He used his other hand to create a massive, spiked, icy hammer that was aimed at the ground, slamming onto the floor with a loud bang and a small cloud of icy cold mist that came from the impact.
He quickly ran over to Erza and punched her in the face with the hand that was used for the hammer spell, knocking her back. He then used his Ice-Make Magic again to form a giant ice fist that slammed into her, sending her flying across the floor. She quickly got up and attacked Gray with a series of slashes from her fiery blade.
"Ice-Make: Shield!" He made an icy shield that was able to protect him from the fiery sword. She kept slashing at it, but it wouldn't break. Erza then changed her tactics and instead used her blade to slice through the floor. With the heat from the blade, it created a hole and Gray was falling, with the floor underneath him crumbling from the heat.
"Shit! Ice-Make: Rampart!" Gray shouted. A massive wall of ice suddenly appeared from under him and was large enough to reach the hole in the ceiling. It made a large pillar that was made from a wall of ice that Gray stood atop of. Erza, in a burst of rage, was slashing away at the pillar of ice.
The pillar would crumble and Erza would look up to Gray, but Gray was quick to act. "Ice-Make: Hammer!" He smashed the large icy mallet atop of her, causing her to stagger.
Gray quickly got down to the floor. He was not done yet as he knew she wasn't going down just from that. "His movements are so much fast than before...why?!" Erza struggled to understand how Gray had improved so quickly. But Gray knew the answer to that. An answer that Erza knew if she was in her right mind.
"You should know, Erza! Gramps told it to us long ago!" Gray yelled, throwing his fist back and striking Erza's jaw. "I wanna save you! More than anything! And I can't let myself die! If I die, then I'll be leaving you in that horrible state! And I can't let you go!"
Erza felt the punch and was pushed back a little, her head turned slightly to the side and her body was a little unbalanced. She stood upright once again, clenching her sword with rage. "SHUT UP!" Enraged, her flames would intensify, boosted by the magic of the Void Kingdom. The fire around the blade had grown, now having a black hue. It was burning brighter, stronger than before. And Erza rushed forward again, with a new vigor.
But Gray wouldn't let this stop him. By all accounts, Erza was stronger than him, but that wouldn't matter if she couldn't deliver a critical blow or even outpace Gray. "Ice-Make: Shield!"
The shield had stopped her fiery strike, but the heat and intensity of the flame was beginning to slowly melt the ice. Erza's fury had increased and her attacks became more aggressive, she wanted to finish this battle and defeat Gray as fast as possible. Gray had to make sure to not lose focus, even if he was in pain. He wasn't about to lose this.
He jumped backwards and created an icy floor, which was able to slide him away from her attacks. Gray then summoned a barrage of icy lances that flew towards Erza, who was able to dodge the lances, and she used a fiery slash of her blade to destroy them.
But Gray knew that this wouldn't last forever. Erza was still much more powerful and faster than him and would be able to break through his defenses eventually. And he needed to do something fast if he was going to save her.
The ice mage's next move would have to count. Erza would rush towards Gray once again, and this time, Gray knew he had no choice but to risk everything. "Ice-Make: Sword!" He manifested his own sword, approaching Erza.
The two of them would advance towards each other, tightening their respective blades. Gray had to make sure this next strike was the last since he was running low on magic power. If he was to fail, then he would most likely die.
And so, with a quick swing of their respective swords, Gray and Erza's swords clashed with one another as a magical flash erupted from the impact, eclipsing them and the area they stood on in a flash of light.
And after a moment of suspense and silence, Gray would fall to one knee and would look down in defeat, seemingly beaten. Erza stood victorious over him, having won this duel and proving to be the superior fighter.
"Did I make you proud...? Ur?" He uttered.
But in an instant, Erza would suddenly feel pain. Her vision was blurry and she began to stumble, looking at Gray and holding the wound on her arm that was covered in a thick sheet of ice. It wasn't too deep, but it left an impact. An impact so great that despite the fact that Gray would pass out first, eventually, Erza would as well.
She was kneeling on the ground, panting heavily as the two of them had passed out.
Erza's mind was in turmoil. The thoughts implanted by the Golden Tear Orb had caused her to fight against her own friends. And the memories she had tried to recover, her own identity and who she truly is, was being suppressed.
The battle against Gray was a blur, but she remembered the feelings that came from it. Her mind had tried to fight the influence of the orb and it was only when she was reminded of who she really was, and who her friends are that the orb was not able to control her entirely.
She looked down at her arm and noticed that the wound was not bleeding, it was frozen. The ice covering the wound was a sign of how strong the spell was that was cast by Gray. She had to wonder why she was feeling these strange things.
It wasn't just that she had fought Gray. It was that she had enjoyed fighting him. Her body had felt hot and sweaty during the fight. Her heart was pounding fast as the two had exchanged blows. There was a certain thrill to it that made her want more.
Her mind had gone wild and the memories of the past were flooding back to her. She had been with the Void Kingdom for only a short while and her mind had already been altered. She remembered the time she had spent in the Void Kingdom and the training and the sexual act she had committed with Natsu and the abuse from Tigha.
And now, the feelings of arousal were coming back. The sensations of the fight had awoken something inside her and she was not going to ignore it. Erza wanted to experience that same feeling again and wanted more.
The memories of the time spent in the Void Kingdom had come flooding back, and with it, all of her memories of her friends. It was like a veil had been lifted from her mind, and now she could see things clearly. And her mind was telling her she wanted to be touched by her friend. But that was all she could think as she passed out, the Golden Tear Orb taking control once more.
"Ngh...!" Natsu watched as Asher's rapidly spinning chains began to whip around, forming a circle and blocking off Natsu from the wizard. Even though he was restrained, Natsu still had a chance to break free and make a counterattack. But it was too late. The chains had struck him, straight in the head and neck, sending him flying into the wall.
"GUAAAAH!" An absolutely staggering hit. The heaviest Natsu has ever felt yet. The force was enough to make him scream in pain. The wall would then crumble down on Natsu, the structure crashing into his body.
"Honestly. Somewhat pathetic. I was expecting more of a challenge." Asher remarked. His face showed a look of disdain as he looked down at the dragon slayer. He could hear Natsu's groans, but it didn't matter. Natsu was now out of his hair.
"Honestly. Somewhat pathetic. I was expecting more of a challenge." Asher remarked. His face showed a look of disdain as he looked down at the dragon slayer. He could hear Natsu's groans, but it didn't matter. Natsu was now out of his hair.
"Ngh...!" The Salamander could barely speak. His vision blurred as he was struggling to stay conscious.
However, Asher was not finished. He wanted to finish the job, so he decided to use a spell. His chains wrapped around his body and began to spin again.
This time, Asher would use his magic to make his chains sharper and faster, making the spinning chains become a weapon that would cut and tear the flesh of his opponent.
The spinning chains were so strong and fast, that it would rip his enemy's skin and body apart, causing blood to fly everywhere. This is the true power of his magic. "For your attempt of stealing such sacred items, perish."
With that said, he unleashed his spinning chains upon Natsu.
"Gahhh!" The dragon slayer screamed, but it wasn't a scream of pain, but a yell of resistance. Despite being injured and barely able to stand, the fire mage refused to go down and tried to fight back. Flames burst forth from his mouth, and the chains that Asher had conjured were engulfed in the inferno.
Natsu was still in the fight. He had not lost his will yet and his spirit burned bright. He continued to spit his flames, engulfing the chains that were wrapped around his body. He was going to burn his way through this attack and save himself from death.
"Tch." Asher was not expecting that, and the flames were too strong for him to handle. So he pulled the chains back, and the flames dissipated. Natsu was still breathing heavily, but the dragon slayer had not lost the fight yet.
He had not lost his will and his spirit burned bright. Natsu then looked at the hole in the wall, seeing that the others had left, which meant he had to get out. But how? The fire mage was still restrained, but he could see a small opening in the wall where he could escape. Natsu quickly got up, despite the pain, and tried to run out of the hole, but the hole was not big enough for him. So he began to punch and kick the wall, making a hole large enough for him to escape.
But as he was doing this, a barrage of Asher's chains flew towards Natsu once again, aiming for the fire mage. However, Natsu's will was not broken and the dragon slayer continued to fight back. He was going to make a hole in the wall. His body was in pain, and he was barely able to move, but he continued to struggle. The fire mage punched and kicked the wall until finally, a hole appeared.
"But how are you powering through it?! Your body should be writhing and breaking at this point!" Asher's face twisted in disbelief and shock. "What sort of monster are you?!"
Natsu then turned back to Asher and smirked. "I'm not about to lose here. I promised myself that! This is the hardest I've been hit, but I've already been stabbed before!"
The fire wizard's will had not been broken, and his body had healed. The chains were now coming back to Asher, but the fire mage was not done. He was going to use the last of his strength to break the chains and get away.
"Fire Dragon's Outburst!" With a powerful and sudden burst of power and energy, Natsu let out a fiery explosion of his Fire Dragon Slayer magic. The force was so powerful that it shook the entire area and broke down the wall, allowing the fire wizard to escape. Asher was caught in the explosion and thrown into the wall.
His chains fell to the ground as he fell to the floor. Natsu took his chance and jumped out of the hole in the wall and landed on his feet. The fire wizard then looked at the hole in the wall and saw that it was big enough for him to get out. He quickly ran towards the opening and jumped out, leaving the library.
As Asher looked at the hole, his eyes narrowed and his expression grew more stern. His Ethereal Chains were being pushed to their limit, but Natsu was quickly outpacing and even overpowering him. He had never faced such a powerful foe before. It was only now that he was facing the reality that his chains were being pushed back. This was not what he expected, but it was not what he wanted either. He wanted Natsu dead, and it seemed that was going to happen.
"My Ethereal Chains... they're struggling to attune to his magic" Asher gasped. "Is...Is he improving?! As I'm attacking?!"
Natsu's body was covered in cuts and bruises, but the fire wizard had no intention of stopping. His will was not broken and he would continue to fight on.
"Fire Dragon...!" Natsu would suddenly launch himself, gaining an aura of flames as he charged forward towards the wizard. Asher had to take the initiative, and he used his magic to send the chains at the fire wizard. "Sword Horn!"
Natsu would charge through the chains, his horns on his head bursting into flames, slicing right through them. Asher's chains could regenerate and he could easily make more, but the sheer speed of this attack was hard for Asher to keep up with. Natsu had not only improved in terms of strength but also speed.
And with a staggering impact, he smashed into Asher, sending the man flying across the room. The force of the blow was so strong that the ground below Asher would be destroyed and crumbled.
"Ghah!." Asher gasped. The chains that he was using had shattered into pieces. Natsu's speed was increasing, and he was now faster than Asher had expected. But he could not give up. Not now. The fire wizard was too dangerous and he needed to finish this.
Asher's chains were not working, so he needed to change tactics. The fire mage was still in a weakened state and he had the advantage.
But Natsu would not give up so easily. His will was not broken, and he continued to fight back. "But this can't be! What's driving your power?! I've heard that emotions boost magic, but it's only for those pure of heart...!"
"Because I wanna win! And I'm never gonna lose to anyone! Not even you! Fire Dragon...!" Natsu built up the final attack to finish this fight. Asher couldn't generate chains strong enough in time to block or counter what was coming to him, and he couldn't escape fast enough either.
"Brilliant Flame!" Natsu's extravagant flames that engulfed and incinerated anything it touched, including the chains and Asher. It was too much for Asher to take, as the entire room would be absolutely obliterated. The flames blew away multiple rooms and walls, and the ceiling would begin to fall onto them both, and the floor would collapse beneath their feet, causing the two mages to crash down to the floor below.
A cloud of dust rose in the air. It was clear that the battle had come to an end, but there was no way of telling if either of them survived.
There were piles of debris on the floor. There was a lot of damage and a lot of rubble.
Then, the dust settled, and a figure was seen. A figure that had not moved. It was Asher. He had fallen on his back and his body was motionless. His eyes were closed, and there were no signs of life.
"Hah..." Natsu took a deep breath. He was victorious once more. However, he had still sustained damage to his body thanks to all those chains that hit him.
"Man that sucked...that guy was strong." He grunted. "But I can still keep going after this...All that's left is finding those items." And luckily for Natsu, he could pick up the scent of Lucy and the few Librarians around.
The group was still running away from the chaos that was going on outside. Lucy and the librarians had managed to avoid any conflict and had found their way to the underground part of the library.
Lucy had the idea that the books were in an underground storage, where they kept the rare and special collections of the library. They entered a door that was marked with a symbol of the moon. When the doors opened, Lucy and the librarians were amazed to find a huge underground chamber filled with rows upon rows of shelves. Each shelf held a book or a scroll and each book had a different title.
"We didn't get the time to conceal these books or scrolls either. There wasn't enough time." One of the librarians said."But we can probably get them away while we still have the chance." A librarian said.
"Head Librarian Asher isn't the only one who can conceal and condense these books and scrolls." Another librarian said. All the librarians nodded to the others' words. Without wasting any more time, they would start condensing these items, ready to entrust them to Lucy. She already had some condensed items with her, entrusted to her by Asher. Now, she would have to carry more.
However, as they were condensing these remaining books and scrolls, an outburst of flames would obliterate the walls within this room, the mighty flames expanding reaching far to the surface of the library and obliterating the roof, the ground shaking as the building was destroyed, and the fire would consume everything in sight, everything above ground was burning.
"What...?!" Lucy gasped as she closed her eyes, hiding behind one of the bookshelves as cover.
"Void Kingd-" Another librarian began to shout. She was interrupted as the fire consumed her body, a pillar of crimson fire shot right at her. Her body would fall, completely smoking, and in the middle of that, a certain Dragon Slayer would walk past the fire, a smirk on his face while his body was still damaged and bleeding in some parts.
"NATSU?!" Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't believe that he was here. She thought that Asher had dealt with him. But alas, Natsu emerged victorious and even in his weakened state, had managed to knock out every other remaining librarian. Leaving Lucy on her own. Just him and her.
"You're the last one." Natsu terrifyingly said. His eyes narrowed. He walked up to Lucy and stared into her brown ones. She could not believe it. The Void King was staring her down. "Give me the keys to God's Library." His tone was menacing and his gaze was piercing, like a predator sizing its prey.
"I...I refuse." She was trying to sound brave but her voice trembled. Her legs were shaking, and her knees were buckling. She was terrified. But she could not let her fear stop her. She was not going to surrender. She would not let this man win.
Lucy was the last one left.
Gray was unconscious, Asher had been defeated and all the other librarians were down for the count. Now, it was just her against Natsu. And the odds were stacked against her.
She would have to do her best to protect the books and the people who had entrusted her with their safety.
She had to be brave. She could not allow her fear to overtake her.
She had to do her duty as a Fairy Tail Wizard. She could not fail. If she did, the consequences would be severe.