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Simon quickly followed the citizens through the center of the town, mind racing with what he had been told. His friends had been here alright, but they'd been captured by the enemy.

They were in danger.

After what seemed like forever, the citizens finally led them to what seemed to be an office building. Without waiting for anyone to point him in a certain direction, Simon kicked the door in and walked inside.

"Where's the mayor?" He demanded. The people inside, clearly frightened by his entrance, pointed to the end of the hallway, which was probably his office. Storming towards it, Simon kicked these doors in as well and scared the man behind the desk half to death.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"The guy who just saved your rat hole town," Simon snarled, taking only a few strides to reach the desk. "Where are my friends?! Where's Ultear?!" His line of questioning seemed to confuse the man at first, but soon realisation dawned on him.

"Are you from Fairy Tail?" He asked weakly.

"You're damn right I am," Simon snarled. "Now, where the hell are my-?!"

"Simon ease up!" Without warning Simon was pulled away from the desk by Richard and Erik, which meant the others had caught up to him. His father cast him a disappointed look before looking at the mayor.

"He means well," he said. "We are from Fairy Tail, and we're here to help. What can you tell us?" The mayor, still visibly shaken, nodded weakly.

"I'll do what I can," he said, reaching underneath his desk. Simon watched as the top of his desk shifted, and soon it revealed a map. The mayor took a deep breath, and pointed towards a mountain range over Seven's border.

"This is where they went," he said. "The bandits that harass are stationed out of a base built into the mountains."

"The Cryc Mountain Range," Simon's father said, looking down at the map. "That's in Seven. They crossed the border?"

"With the insurgence there the border security is quite lax," The mayor explained. "Which was helpful for both sides, it seems. They left to attack the fortress only a day or two ago at most, and they haven't returned. At first I hoped for the best, but from the way today has started, it seems they were compromised."

"Hm..." Simon's father said. "Erik, what do you think?"

"Doesn't seem it would have an aerial defences," Erik replied. "So we could drop right in with the airship and raise hell. Get the kids out. I vouch for that."

"We will fight for those we love!" Richard shouted. After a few moments of silence, Simon's father then turned to him.

"What do you think?" He demanded. "How should we approach this?" Simon frowned at this, slamming a fist onto the table.

"I don't give a shit how we go in," he replied. "I'm saving the others, I'm not letting them get hurt."

For the last few days the cell had stayed mostly quiet, and at this point it was starting to get maddening. From what Drake could tell, there was no way out except for the door. The girls lay all around the cell, distracting themselves or, in Ultear's case, distancing herself from the others.

Drake looked over at Ul, who was sitting away from the rest them, curled into a ball. She hadn't said much since the leader, Zindo, had met them. Drake knew who Zindo was, as he had been with Ultear on the last mission to end The Enchanted Blades. Why the man was here, and what he wanted with them now, he didn't know. Ultear probably knew, but the odds that she'd say anything right not were slim.

"Hey, kids." Someone said. Drake looked up to find Aldin standing at the door to the cell, grinning at them through the bars.

"What?" Drake demanded. Aldin laughed.

"Just figured I'd let you know, we sent an army to Arkney." he said. "With any luck they're ransacking it right now. Sounds great, huh?" Silence filled the cell, and Aldin walked off laughing.

"We need to get out of here," Quinn said, getting to her feet. "Now."

"Any ideas?" Elise demanded, flicking rocks off of her hands. "Because I don't see a way out of here."

"I don't either," Steph said. Ultear didn't say anything, but that wasn't a surprise.

"We have to try!" Quinn yelled. "They're attacking Arkney! They'll need our help!"

"I agree with you," Drake said. "But there isn't a way out of here. Not with the walls and cell door being made out of Magic Canceller." Drake watched Ultear as the girls talked, wondering what was going through her head.

"You got any ideas Ultear?" Quinn asked, earning silence. "Come on, we need you right now." Still no response, and Steph sighed.

"Ultear please speak up," she said. "We're worried about you." After a few more seconds of silence, Ultear took a deep breath.

"I don't have any ideas," she said quietly. The cell grew quiet again, but then Elise growled.

"I am so sick and tired of this," she hissed, getting to her feet. She walked over to Ultear and stood in front of her, looking irritated. "I'm so sick and tired of not being in the know! I hate being left out of important information because no one wants to tell me! Even when it concerns me more than them!"

Well, Drake had a painful understanding of what she was talking about.

"Speak up!" Elise shouted at Ultear. "We're your friends, aren't we?! Let us help you! Stop carrying this burden all on your own! It's not yours to bear!"

"...Who else can bear it?" Ultear asked, barely shifting. "It's my fault, my responsibility."

"You think that's gonna satisfy me?!" Elise shouted. "Ultear ever since we were little you've been prone to depressive episodes! Carrying burdens all on your own! Don't you remember that?! Stop hiding in your own head and let us help you! Who is Zindo really?! What happened between you and him?!"

"Elise that's enough!" Steph said, getting up and pulling the girl away from Ultear. "Don't be so mean to her!"

"I'm trying to help!" Elise replied, shoving Steph off of her. "No one else around here has the balls to try and get through to people! So I'll do it! If I have to be the bad guy to save my friends from themselves I'll do it! Being stuck in your own head can kill you! I'd know, I don't know how many times I considered ending it all after I found out what happened after Phantom Dove! You know what saved me?! He ripped me out of my room and made me go out! Took on my burden with me! So if I have to be that guy for someone I care about then I'll do it!"

"Elise..." Drake started weakly. "Did you really consider that? Killing yourself?"

"Of course I did!" She snapped, manic. "I couldn't get away from what happened! Day and night, tortured by what happened! But finally someone stepped up and took initiative to help me. And he saved my life-!"

"Zindo led The Enchanted Blades before." Elise stopped dead in her tracks as Ultear spoke up. "You guys know that, you met him last time we took these guys on." Drake remembered. It had been a while ago, but he remembered being tricked into Zindo's office those years ago.

"So you did fight him before," Steph said. Ultear nodded, lifting her head slightly. Her eyes seemed far away, and Drake didn't like that.

"I worked in Arkney a long time ago," she continued. "I took a job there before Natsu came home. The job...Was to neutralise and finish off a group of bandits attacking the city and the surrounding area. They worked under the name The Enchanted Blades. When I got there I...I was told I'd be acting as a child of a family in town to mask my identity."

"Keiko's family," Drake said, making Ultear visibly flinch.

"Keiko?" Steph asked. "Who is she?"

"...Keiko is the daughter they already had," Ultear said after a silence. "She was...An incredibly young girl. Always excited to see me, and treated me like real family. Even if I came back hurt, they treated me like their own. And...I got them killed.

"Ul..." Drake started, about to disagree.

"I was caught off guard once when I was out," she said. "Zindo attacked me. Using his blades, he gave me that scar on my leg. Because of my wounds, he left me there and...Went after Arkney. He knew I went there to report back. And he was looking for payback. He...He burned their house to the ground with them inside. They died in there, like animals. Because I wasn't strong enough to end it before he could."

"What the hell..." Quinn muttered. "That's horrible."

"I'm a weakling," Ultear said, voice shaky. "I couldn't finish them off on my own, even as an S-Class wizard. I needed you guys to back me up. Even then, I didn't defeat Zindo last time, Nashi did. Because I was too weak. I couldn't do anything against Eoin when you guys were kidnapped by Phantom Dove, Damien had to save me. Drake and I got captured by bandits in Edolas, and we had to be rescued again. I only beat Maya because I used her own magic against her. Asuka beat me so easily in the S-Class trials. I struggled against Ramin while Nashi was fighting, wounded, against Apocalypse. I wouldn't have beat Mami without being cheap, I couldn't do anything against Abigail, and to top it all off I couldn't do anything to help Nashi at Mt. Olympus. I'm weak, and it's pathetic!"

Drake didn't believe what he was hearing. How could Ultear think those things? Without her, they'd still be lost in time. Without her, they might not have been able to defeat The Cross. How could she sit there and claim she was weak? It was the farthest thing from the truth.

Before anyone else could say anything, here was a loud banging at the door.

"Alright kiddies, against the wall!" Aldin shouted. "Our leader would like a few words." Sighing, Drake stood and faced the wall, listening as the group of men walked inside, the muffled yelling probably Idek still being threatened.

"What's going on today, friends?" Zindo asked, making Drake grit his teeth. "Got any cool stories for me?"

"Shut the fuck up," Elise snarled.

"Hey hey now, what's that for?" Zindo asked, walking closer to Elise. "I've been nothing but kind to you...Uh..." Zindo started snapping his fingers as he groaned. "Uh...Eliza?"

"Elise."

"Right, my bad."

"Kind to me? You have me locked up in a cell and are treating me like garbage."

"You're not dead," Zindo said. "I think that's pretty kind considering what you've done for me. What, nearly ruining my group over a year ago right? I remember your face. You were there when the pink haired bitch took me out." The mention of Nashi, and the name he called her, make Drake's stomach turn angrily. But if he acted, Idek's throat would probably be cut. "And that other guy over there was there too, right? What a reunion!"

"What do you want Zindo?" Quinn asked. Zindo laughed at this.

"Easy there," he said. "Ah, Lieutenant Ila Quinn Coletti. I'm impressed Aldin's dumb ass managed to trick you. Your military career would have you believe that wouldn't be possible."

"Uh, thanks?" Aldin asked.

"Don't address me like that," Quinn said. "My name is Quinn."

"Whatever, don't give me your sob story." Zindo said. "I'm here for Fullbuster." At this, Ultear cried out and a body hit the ground.

"Leave her alone!" Drake shouted, whirling around.

"Ah ah ah," Aldin said, pressing the blade in his hand against Idek's throat. "Don't move kid." Drake growled and returned to staring at the wall, listening as Ultear was hoisted off of the ground.

"We need to go and talk," Zindo said. Come on, let's go." Drake listened as Zindo dragged Ultear out of the cell, and soon after the door was slammed shut. As soon as it was Drake rushed to it and slammed his hands against the door, trying to get through.

"Fuck sake..." Drake hissed, pulling at the door. "We need to get out of here!"

"How many times do we have to say it?" Elise asked, crossing her arms. Despite the look she was trying to convey, she looked really worried. "We can't get out of here."

"We need some kind of plan," Quinn said, walking towards the door. " Maybe we make someone sick, so the guards will come and clean it."

"They're bandits," Elise replied. "I don't think they'll give a shit about that."

"May as well wait for an opportunity," Steph said.

"Guess so," Quinn said, looking beyond irritated.

"Let me ask you something," Drake said. "Why do you go by your middle name?" Quinn looked over, making a face.

"Is that really important right now?" She demanded.

"Do we have anything better to do?" Drake replied. Quinn raised an eyebrow but shrugged.

"It's not really my middle name," she said. "I just say it is. I used to know a guy named Quinn. But...I'm pretty sure he died over a decade ago."

"Wait..." Steph said. "What did we look like?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes." Quinn said, looking at her feet. "Any other details are blurry." Drake looked over at Steph, who seemed to want to convey something to him. Activating his sound magic and drifting over to Steph, we took a listen.

"Quinn from The Cross looks exactly like that," she said. Drake saw her thinking of Quinn, and Drake had to admit the man did have the same look the Lieutenant had just described. After thinking for a moment, Drake shook his head, and Steph nodded. Telling the Lieutenant that the man that she knew before was probably alive wasn't important right now.

Right now, they needed to get out of this damn cell.

They needed to save Ultear.

After being dragged through the tunnels underneath the mountains, Ultear was thrown to the ground in a new room, the door being slammed behind her. Zindo laughed as she struggled to her knees.

"So, how have you been since we last saw each other Ultear?" he asked. Ultear looked up to find herself in a circular office with a desk sitting on the center. It was surprisingly classy for a savage like Zindo.

"...What do you want from me?" She asked weakly. "Why did you drag me out here?" Zindo laughed again at her question.

"What, I can't ask you how you're doing?" He asked. "We are old friends, after all."

"Shut up already," Ultear said as she stood. "What do you want?" Zindo watched her with a smile before he chuckled and stood.

"I want one thing," he said. "You dead."

"Surprising," Ultear muttered.

"Zindo walked over to her and got right in her face, smile gone. He was so close Ultear could smell the burnt flesh around his face.

"You nearly got me killed," he said in her face. "And I think I've waited more than long enough to return the favour in full. I should have killed you in that cave before, but I spared you. I will not be so forgiving this time. It's time we finish this." Ultear stared Zindo down, before looking down at her feet.

It was worth a shot.

"Fine," she said. "I understand that well enough. After all, I want you dead too."

"As expected."

"But, I have a question for you." Zindo raised an eyebrow at this.

"Oh?" he asked. "And what would that be?" Ultear watched him warily before taking a deep, shaky breath.

"I want you to-"

BOOM!

Ultear was cut off as an explosion rocked the room, sending her down onto the ground. She turned to water just fast enough to dodge a boulder that fell from the roof, and she reformed to see Zindo destroying boulders with his Impact magic.

"What the hell is going on?!" She yelled over the following explosions.

"Do you think I have any idea?!" He demanded, looking over at her angrily. "I thought your dumb ass friends might have something to do with it!" More explosions rocked all around Ultear, and she was starting to get nervous about what was happening above. What was causing those explosions?

The explosions threw Drake into Elise, who shoved him away onto his ass.

"What the hell was that?!" Steph asked, staring up at the roof as it rumbled.

"I don't know, but it might be our key out of here," Quinn said. More explosions rocked the tiny cell, and Drake watched the roof fearfully. If the cell collapsed on them, they wouldn't be able to free themselves due to it being Magic Canceller. After a few more explosions, the roof deep indeed dip down a bit, which made him flinch.

"Elise, come here!" Drake watched as Quinn and Elise rushed to the door, which was bent to the side. The screws were revealed, and the girls were bent down near it.

"Screwdriver, huh?" Elise asked. "Easy." Drake watched as her right arm turned into a screwdriver, and she began to unscrew the door from it's hinges. She wasn't working quick enough for Drake's nerves, which made him antsy as the roof crumbled a little more.

"Elise, please hurry!" he shouted.

"Going as fast as I can, Cyanide Breath!" She shouted back at him. as she finally released the clasp on the final hinge, Quinn kicked the door down. They were free. Drake rushed as fast as he could, pushing Steph ahead of him as the cell collapsed in on itself, nearly crushing him to death.

"Well," he said, staring back at the mess of rubble. "That was close."

"Tell me about it," Steph said, getting rid of the debris in her hair. "Lets get out of here! We need to know what's causing these explosions!" The group ran through the tunnels, Drake and Elise guiding them towards fresh air. They didn't encounter any bandits on the way, which Drake found a little odd. Whatever was going on above must have been distracting him. Once they saw the end of the tunnel, they ran out into the cold, open air.

And right into a war zone.

Their exit was greeted by an explosion in front of them, which nearly sent them all flying back down the tunnel they'd come from.

"What the hell is that?!" Quinn asked. Drake looked over at her, and saw that she was looking up. Following her gaze, Drake looked up.

A massive airship was flying over the fortress, dropping bombs down onto the bandits inside. Several dozen lined the rooftops firing arrows up at it, but it didn't seem to be doing much.

"What is going on around here?" Drake demanded.

"That's what I'd like to know." Drake's ears twitched at this, and a smile grew over his face. Turning, Drake saw a man with unkempt scarlet coloured hair, and a car down the side of his face. Despite the state of him, Drake would recognise him anywhere.

"Simon!" Steph shouted, answering the final question for him. She rushed him and enveloped him in a hug, which he returned with a small smile.

"We don't have time for a teary reunion," he said, pushing her off of him as Drake and the others rushed to him. "Are you guys okay?"

"For the most part," Elise replied. "What are you guys doing here?"

"No time," Simon said, growing even more concerned. "Where's Ultear? She's not with you?" Drake frowned and looked back down the tunnel they'd come from, before he looked back at Simon.

"She's in trouble," he said.

"Where is she?" No longer confined to a magic cancelling cell, Drake activated his magic and looked through the tunnels underneath the mountains.

"In an office with their leader. They're underneath the mountain in the-"

"Thanks, get up to the airship," Simon said, turning to the tunnels as more bombs dropped around them.

"Where are you going?" Elise demanded.

"To finish this," Simon replied, not looking back at them. "I will protect her."

This seems like a good stopping point for today. Wow, it is late for me to be updating. It's midnight where I am! Ah who cares. I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!

Chapter 297: Rainclouds