Been a while since I updated the day after a chapter, but we`re really close to the end of this arc! A few chapters at best!
Enjoy!
Nashi tried her best to catch her breath as Eris watched her from the spot she had still not moved from. The woman had caused so much destruction Nashi wasn't even sure you could recognize the area as a city without the background.
"You know, it's funny." Eris said, making her look up as she panted. "I keep giving you chances to end the pain, and you keep making him hurt you instead."
"I'd rather go through all this pain than go with you." She hissed, anger rising into her chest. "You and your people have already caused me so much...Sitting through this isn't so hard."
"Please do not put on that attempt at bravery." Eris said. "You're not fooling anyone." Nashi gritted her teeth. She wasn't scared, she knew this very much. What she was, was uncertain. Eris had still not moved from her position, and Nashi had been tossed all around the vicinity. How was she supposed to stop this chick? Or was she just going to run?
No. No running.
Nashi got to her feet and took a deep, albeit shaky, breath.
"Oh? Want to go again?" Eris asked. Nashi looked up and examined her opponent for a moment, watching as she raised her hands to attack her again. Nashi tensed as the woman prepared the blast, one that would certainly do a fair amount of damage to anything in it's way.
"What am I supposed to do?" Nashi asked herself as the attack grew in size. "This bitch is intense..." Eris laughed at this.
"I've given you enough outs!" She shouted. "I'm done! I'll just knock you out and...!" Eris was cut off as a golden light shone down on the battlefield. This blinded both women, and Eris' attack died away. "What is this?! What have you done, Dragneel?!"
"I didn't do anything!" Nashi replied. "I'm just as lost as you!" Eris growled, but the light faded away slowly. The woman looked up, and her eyes widened.
Luke dropped right on top of her and Regulus exploded outwards.
Nashi covered her eyes as debris and light flew everywhere from the eruption of magic power. Once it died away, Nashi got a clear look as to what had happened.
"Luke?!" She asked, shocked as her brother turned and straightened the tie of the Leo Star Suit.
"Hey sis." He said. "Figured you could use some backup."
"What are you doing here?" Nashi demanded, running to him. "You should've stayed back at Magnolia, it's dangerous here." Luke rolled his eyes.
"I know that, sis." he said. He then looked back towards Eris, and Nashi followed his eyes to see Eris. The woman had been blown back from Regulus, but stood still. "But i heard what happened. Elise Kaida and I got here as fast as possible."
"Elise and Kaida too? Where are they?" Luke shrugged as Eris dusted herself off.
"Kaida probably went towards the Domus Flau looking for Drake and the others. They okay?" Nashi nodded. "Elise stayed out of the city to deal with another enemy blocking the road. I hope she's okay." Nashi had faith. Elise, after all, was older than her. If she had grown so powerful over the few years she'd rapidly aged, Elise would've been even more powerful.
"So you were the enemies Ares re-tasked Nemesis to deal with." She said, not looking very hurt from the Regulus explosion Luke caused on impact. "Looks like she did a stellar job. if the timeline doesn't change, this will be rich to hold over her head." Luke lowered his gaze slightly.
"And you are?" He asked. Eris smiled at him.
"Eris." She said. "And judging from that brash and very explosive entrance with the light of Regulus no less, you must be Luke Dragneel. The normal kid." Luke made a confused sound.
"Normal?" he asked. "What the hell does that mean?" Eris shrugged.
"If you don't know, there's no point in telling you. I'm not your mother. It's her job to tell you these things." Luke looked over at Nashi, looking lost. Nashi simply shrugged. Luke frowned but looked back at Eris.
"Well listen Eris, you caught me in a good mood." He said. "Back the fuck off and I'll leave you be."
"Oh so now I'm the one who's being negotiated with?" Eris asked. "Sorry Luke hun, I have no interest in you. You're nothing but a nuisance." Luke sighed.
"Well, I tried." He looked back at Nashi. "Well sis, this will be the first and last time I say this, but..." Luke grinned. "Wanna kick some ass with me?" Nashi watched her brother for a moment before she too grinned.
"With pleasure." She said. They both looked back towards Eris and, together, catapulted off of the ground and soared towards Eris.
Regulus and Fire struck together.
The combined impact of the fire and light caused Eris to slid back, but she quickly recovered and launched multicolored beams towards the siblings. Nashi dodged hers and continued to sprint right for the Goddess, while Luke fell back and grabbed for his keys.
"Open! Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!" Scorpio appeared on the battlefield with the usual posing, and Luke rolled his eyes. "Enough of that! Attack Eris!"
"You got it, Luke!" Scorpio bent down and aimed his tail towards where Nashi and Eris traded blows, launching a torrent of sand towards them. Nashi ducked it, but Eris got a face full and backed up a little. Nashi took her opportunity and gathered fire around her feet, kicking the woman in the midsection. Eris growled as she slid backwards again.
"Enough of this backup bullshit!" She shouted, aiming a glowing hand towards Luke and Scorpio. Both had enough sense to try and move, but Luke quickly closed his gate and dodged it alone. Nashi fell back and took a deep breath.
"Fire Dragon Roar!" She shouted, the flames flying right for Eris, who simply swatted it away. Luke rushed past Nashi and delivered a few consecutive blows to Eris, who blocked all of them and swatted him away as well. Nashi caught her brother and together they went after Eris, Regulus and fire trading blows on the woman as she backed up to protect herself. Nashi stopped advancing and lit herself on fire, swinging her feet at Eris, who blocked them and created a small explosion that forced Nashi back. Luke caught her and she used his arms as a launch pad back towards the woman. Soon arrows started to fly from Luke behind Nashi, and they curved around her perfectly to strike Eris in multiple places and irritate her further. Eris exploded the ground beneath Luke, but he moved out of the way and shot more arrows at her before he used his Taurus Star Suit to stomp the ground and send a wave towards Eris. The woman caused it to explode, and Nashi rushed through the debris and delivered an iron fist to the woman's stomach. Eris slid back, stood up tall and took a deep breath.
"I can't believe this." She said, walking forwards. "It's just one irritant after another. Nashi won't come with me, I can't convince her, she gets backup, I start to lose."
"Uh oh." Luke said beside Nashi. She shared this feeling. Eris slowly reached for her shoulder, and Nashi watched as she undid her cape and tossed it to the side. Once the fabric had left Eris' hand, she started to glow with power. Her eyes glowed bright red, then blue, then green, and purple.
"Get ready, Luke." Nashi warned. "She's just getting started." Eris smiled hollowly.
"Congratulations, Dragneel's. You managed to piss off a Goddess." With this, Eris ran forwards in a flash and truck Nashi in the stomach.
BOOM!
Nashi felt the explosion tear the skin slightly as she flew straight up into the air. She recovered as best she could and looked down to see Eris fly right up to her and grabbed her. The second she made contact an explosion tore through Nashi again, this time sending her flying downwards back into the ground. She did her best to slow the fall to prevent hurting herself, which did work pretty well despite the pain it did cause her. She looked up as Eris went towards Luke, causing similar explosions that sent Luke flying away from her. Luke recovered quickly and blasted at the woman with Regulus, who used her own magic to match it and hit him instead. Luke hit the dirt near Nashi and coughed as he recovered.
"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," He said. "But this is a little insane. The explosions hurt so much."
"They do." Nashi said. "you going to be okay?" Luke nodded.
"Never really had a deathly serious fight before, but I'l manage." These words made Nashi realize something. Deathly serious fights was the norm for her. It seemed like she was always in a fight with some guy or girl who wanted something and she was in their way and her life was in danger.
"You'll be okay." Nashi said, standing up tall. "We've got work to do." Luke grunted in acknowledgement and stood up.
"Yeah. Let's get this bitch."
BOOM!
'Well, let's the last guy." Drake said, watching the guys head loll as he fell unconscious. They were standing right outside the Domus Flau, where another group, at least three times larger than others they'd seen, had been waiting. Drake didn't know if any other Gods or Goddess' were present, but if they were he hadn't seen any.
"Alright well, we're here." Simon said. "That didn't take very long."
"Not at all." Damien said, another explosion sounding in the distance. "Now let's hope there's no one inside."
"Doubt it." Ultear said. "They'd have played it stupid and come out at the sign of combat." Drake nodded and looked up at the arena. The Domus Flau towered over him as it used to, but it now stood against the backdrop of Crocus as a battlefield. Drake had to wonder how many times that had happened.
"Well, let's get going then." He said, looking towards the arena entrance. "Before more of those guys...!" Drake's ears twitched, and he looked up in surprise.
"What is it? More enemies?" Damien asked. Drake watched the sky for a moment before he chuckled.
"No." He said, pointing up. "Snake." The others followed his finger as Kaida in her snake for descended from the sky, morphing back to a human maybe five feet from the ground and stumbling as she did.
"Thank God I found you guys!" She said, smiling widely. "I was getting worried."
"What are you doing here?" Drake asked her.
"Elise, Luke and I came to help once we heard the city got overrun." She replied. "Elise had to deal with someone else outside the city, and Luke..." Her gaze darkened. "That bastard dropped a hundred feet on top of his sister to help her out, the piece of shit."
"Well, I'm sure he's okay." Simon offered her. "He's with Nashi, after all."
"That's not the point!" Kaida shouted. "I told him it was a life threatening situation and he still ignored me! It's like my opinion or thoughts don't mean a damn thing to him! Like for fuck sake Luke use your...!"
"Kaida I hate to break it to you, but you sounds like a worried girlfriend right now." Drake said flatly. This caused Kaida to scoff.
"Not even a girlfriend could snap Luke Dragneel out of his confidence based delusions! He's a lost cause through and through." Drake sighed in defeat. "Anyway, I assume you guys already dealt with all the underlings around here?"
"Look for yourself." Damien replied. Kaida took a moment and indeed noticed the area littered with unconscious Olympian soldiers.
"Damn, you tore them a new one alright." She said, whistling. "Looks like we really didn't need to come and help anyway."
BOOM!
The sound of a vicious explosion made everyone look towards it, where several building disappeared from the skyline. Drake frowned.
"We came from that general direction." He reminded the others. The explosions were accompanied by an explosion of light, and a torrent of flame going upwards before more explosions silenced it. "So that'd be Nashi and Luke over there."
"Yeah." Ultear said. "Don't worry about that though. Nashi can handle herself just fine." Drake knew this, but his gaze went to Kaida, who was watching the explosions with an apprehensive look on her face.
"Worried?" He asked her. After a few more seconds of staring, Kaida laughed weakly.
"...No." She said, turning to follow the others inside the arena. "Not at all. Bastard can die for all I care." Drake watched her go before he sighed and activated his magic. He smiled as he followed her in. "What?" She demanded, seeing his smirk.
"Nothing." He replied. Kaida ignored this, but Drake grinned even wider as her thoughts replayed in his mind.
"Please be safe Luke...Please. Don't be stupid."
Drake returned his gaze ahead of them as they went towards the arena.
"You know sis, you can say that out loud."
"I fucking knew it!"
Nashi's body hurt a great deal, even more than Apocalypse attacking her during Silverridge. The only thing keeping her standing was the accelerated age. She felt just a bit more durable.
Luke was in a bad way. Eris losing her temper had caused her to unleash way more power than before, and it really didn't bode well for them.
"What do we do?" Nashi asked, watching Eris glow with power. "She's so strong, even with the two of us working at it."
"I don't know." Luke replied, wiping blood from a mark on his stomach. "But we'd better come up with something, and quick." Nashi watched as Eris kicked aside a piece of rubble near her foot and smirked at them.
"Please don't tell me that's all you can muster." She said. "Because I got all worked up for nothing if so. See Nashi, was defying me worth all of this?" Nashi neglected to answer, assessing herself. Despite the pain she was in, movement was barely hindered. Overall, she felt fine, for now. Which was kind of the problem. Now. If this continued, she'd end up like she had at Silverridge when...
Nashi's head spun as she thought of the city. It happened every time, from blackouts to a head spin.
"Nashi, I have a plan." Nashi heard Luke say this, so she looked over at him.
"What is it?" She asked. Luke narrowed his eyes.
"Leave." He said. Nashi stared at her brother for a moment, unsure if she heard him right.
"W-What?" She asked. He looked back at her.
"Run." He clarified. "Go to the Domus Flau and return to your own time. I'll hold her off until it changes." Nashi's eyes widened as Luke stepped forward to take charge.
"What?! Are you insane?! She'll kill you!" Luke laughed.
"Does it matter?" He asked. "If you guys change the timeline, this won't ever happen. So hurry, get out of here."
"Luke...!"
"I'm not taking no for an answer!" Luke shouted. "You need to go! This in't a fight you need to fight! Go and change this for the better." Nashi made a face as Luke, no matter how bad he looked, stood between her and Eris.
He has a point...If we change things for the better, this won't ever happen.
"...Alright, Luke." She said, nodding slowly. "I'll change the future. I promise." Luke nodded.
"You're damn right you will." He reassured. Nashi turned, but paused as she did.
"Luke?" She asked, and he hummed acknowledgement. "Please don't do anything stupid. Even if the future will change...I don't want you to get hurt." Luke didn't reply at first, but eventually he laughed and reached for his keys.
"Get yourself to the arena, sis." He said. "She's all mine." Nashi nodded, turning and fleeing the area.
"Not a chance!" Nashi stopped at this as an explosion rang out. She turned to see Eris catapulting herself towards her. "I'm not letting you escape! Zeus was crystal clear with his orders and I intent to...!"
BOOM!
Nashi winced as Eris received the full force of Taurus' axe, which sent her right into the dirt between Nashi, Luke and Taurus.
"Go!" Luke shouted. "We've got it!"
"Get moooving!" Taurus shouted as well. "We'll hold off the babe!" Nashi nodded and turned, returning to running away from the scene. She could obviously see the Domus Flau in the distance, and she went for it.
Good luck little brother. You're going to need it.
Luke watched Nashi run away, Taurus by his side. After a few seconds he heard the tiles of the ground shift as Eris lifted herself up from the hole Taurus had created for her.
"Do you have any idea how foolish you are?" Eris hissed, blood trickling from her nose. "I'm going to kill you, little boy." Luke lowered his gaze with a chuckle.
"Are you now?" he asked. A glow surrounded his body. Taurus prepared himself. "Good. Because I'm not letting you out of my sight unless it's over my own damn body." He turned back to the woman and squared off with her. Eris growled.
"You seem abhorrently courageous." She stated. "Or perhaps you are just the foolhardy little brother trying to prove his worth to his better older sister. Is that it Luke Dragneel? Are you trying to make something of yourself?" Luke laughed, his Leo Star Suit returning to his body and covering up most of his wounds. Regulus shone brightly.
"No." he replied. "But you're damn sure I'm the little brother hellbent on protecting the older sister he loves dearly. Ready Taurus?"
"When you are." Taurus replied. "No matter how hot this babe is, we will udderly destroy her!" Luke couldn't help but crack a smile at this. Always the pervert.
"Then let's do it. For a better future!" Luke launched himself forward with Taurus, and both swung at the Goddess of Chaos at the same time.
Luke realized Drake was wrong.
The life or death battles didn't skip generations at all.
Maybe not the tag team you were expecting, but it makes sense right? I hoe you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try to get five!