Hello there lads. Sorry for being missing for the past month or so. I had a "slight" drop in motivation, so I decided to take a step back instead of forcing content out. I will still be uploading every Monday I can, and the same usual days for other works. I have some ideas for other fandoms, namely My Hero and One Piece, but I'll hold off until I at least finish Homecoming. If you guys are interested in that, that'll be coming soon!
Enjoy!
Far away from the combat taking place all over the ruins of Magnolia, a solitary figure stood watching. This figure was wearing a sandy cloak over his figure, tan skin covered in dirt where it could be seen. He observed the battlefield quietly, not saying a word. After a few more explosions sounded, the man sighed and reached up to lift the hood off of his cloak.
Blake Hunt observed the destroyed battlefield quietly, listening to the explosions. He'd finally made it to Magnolia, and the situation seemed just as bad as that man had made it out to be.
"Make your way to Magnolia. They will need your help. A war is coming."
The man from Blake's dream had said very little, but this sentence hung in his head for weeks as he made his way back here. Usually he was careful in his movements, but something told him The Olympians were more focused on something else. And judging from the insane magical pressure in the area, he'd been correct in that statement.
"Jeez," he said. "Of course Fairy Tail went and got themselves wrapped up in a situation like this again. Do these guys ever catch a break?"
Somehow, he knew the answer to this question was pretty obvious. As he was about to turn and enter the fray, he watched as a blast of white and black resounded in the forested area nearby. His stomach turned at this, managing to pick out who might have done it quite quickly.
"I swear Michael is going to get himself killed one of these days," he hissed under his breath. "I'll make sure I'm there to stop him. But first-"
Blake whirled and plasma sprung forth from his hand, taking the form of a massive spear.
And he pointed it directly as the group of people behind him. He'd heard them approach, but ignored it until they got close. Where they an enemy? Or a friend? He wasn't in the position to care, he needed to be careful. From the looks of things there were six people in total, all wearing white cloaks over their clothes. The man in front had black and blue striped hair, and he looked surprised as Blake's turn.
"Who the hell are you people?" He demanded. "And why the hell did you sneak up on me?"
"Sneak?" The black haired man to the right asked. "We didn't sneak up on shit, kid. We were-"
"Tristan cut it out," the blonde woman said, looking cross. "We startled the poor kid on a battlefield, of course he whirled on us."
"I suppose we should have thought of that," The brown haired woman said, sighing. "We're rusty, I see."
"Do you guys not see I'm threatening you?" Blake demanded, spear pulsating with energy. "Tell me who you are!"
"Let me ask a counter question," the man up front said. His eyes were kind, and he seemed to be quite relaxed after the initial threat. "May I?"
"Depends on what it is," Blake replied, keeping his guard up.
"Did you also have the dream telling you to come here?"
Blake's eyes widened at this and he lowered his spear a little.
"The dream?" He asked. The man nodded.
"You were told to come here, weren't you?" He asked. "By a man in a graveyard. And you were compelled enough to risk your safety coming back here. Judging from that Lost Magic you're holding, I bet you're a friend of the fairies, right?"
The more this man spoke the less Blake understood. Gritting his teeth, he raised his weapon again.
"One last chance," he said. "Who. Are. You?" The man just chuckled at this and advanced, making Blake tense up. He watched as he walked right up to and past him, ignoring the threat Blake posed.
"My name is Neptu," he said as he looked over his shoulder. "And I think you and I came here for the same reasons."
"Simon? Simon! Where are you!" Mami continued crying out for the redheaded warrior as she lugged Nami around, both girls looking for their friend after his battle. They didn't know if the meteor in the sky had been his doing, but they sure hoped it was. The closer they got to ground zero, the more Mami's stomach started to turn. What exactly were they going to find when they got there? Would Simon be okay? She could only hope.
"Up ahead!" Nami shouted. Looking forward, Mami noted that she was right. Up in front of them was clearly the center of the explosion before, as the ground itself was veering away as if trying to run. Smoke was still billowing around, making visibility near zero.
"Simon!" Mami shouted. "Simon, can you hear me?! Are you okay?!"
"He'd probably down at the epicentre," Nami said hollowly from her side. "Slide down there." Mami cast the dark haired girl a frown at this.
"You're too hurt to be sliding into craters," she replied. Nami just scoffed at this and pushed away from Mami, standing up on her own.
"I lost a hand, not a leg!" She said defiantly, making Mami roll her eyes. Looks like she was already getting over her loss. Sliding down ahead of Nami, Mami did her best to keep her balance on the way down. She managed it well enough and soon hit the bottom, stumbling as she did so. The smoke was only slightly better down, still billowing out from the heat. Nami hit the ground near Mami, also getting to her feet.
"See him?" She asked. Mami shook her head.
"No," she replied, hearing panting. "But I think I hear him. Over here." The two girls walked towards the panting, worried as to what they might find. When they reached the source, their eyes widened.
Simon was standing, beaten and battered, arms hanging at his side. His golden armour had shattered everywhere on his upper body, leaving him in a crumbling lower half. He stared straight up at the sky as he panted, unable to even look at them. Lying a ways away from him was Ares, also covered in the remnants of his armour. The man didn't move an inch, which told Nami that Simon was the victor of this fight.
"Simon," she said as they approached him slowly. "Are you okay? That attack was..." Mami was forced to pause as Simon ignored the pair of them, and stumbled over to Ares. She couldn't do anything but watch as Simon leaned down and grabbed Ares by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up.
"Hey..." He hissed, voice hoarse. "Hey, Ares...What were you talking about, huh?...Why did you want Luna so bad?"
"Simon..." Nami started weakly. There was silence amidst the young adults before Simon gritted his teeth.
"Tell me!" He shouted, making Mami jump. "What problems?! Why did you need her?! What's already started?! Answer me you asshole!"
"Simon!" Nami shouted, finally gaining the mans attention. Simon turned towards them weakly, still looking livid.
"Mami..." He started. "Nami... What are you doing? I told you to run."
"And leave you here on your ass?" Nami demanded. "Okay. He won't answer you, by the way. He's probably out cold. Better yet, he might be dead." Simon looked back at Ares, glaring at him for a moment. Finally he sighed and tossed the man back, Ares hitting the dirt hard.
"We need to go and find the others," Simon said as he turned, stumbling towards the edge of the crater. "We need...We need to help..." Mami rushed forward as Simon collapsed. He would have hit his face had she not been as fast as she was.
"You're not going anywhere," she said. "You're all out of magic power, aren't you?"
"..." His lack of response told Mami as she needed to know.
"You're staying here, to rest up."
"I can't, the fights not over."
"What were you asking him?" Mami and Simon both looked back at Nami, who was watching Simon warily.
"Huh?" Mami asked. She looked towards Simon for clarification, and he looked quite grim.
"Ares was a big talker," he said. "Before I defeated him, he talked about needing Luna to solve their problems. How something was already started, and that they need her."
"Maybe it's their own problems," Mami supplied. "Would explain their selfish way of handling this."
"Could be," Simon replied, looking at the ground. "Or it could be something bigger. I was hoping he'd be able to give me an answer."
"After you dropped a meteor on his head?" Nami demanded. "Yeah, sure Scarlet. The questions later approach only works so well if the guy is beaten to death first."
"He's not dead," Simon replied. "But it doesn't matter, we need too-" His attempt at standing was met with a gasp of pain and a collapse to the ground, making Mami frown.
"You can't even move," she said. "Besides, I can see you bleeding. You've been stabbed a few times." Reaching down, she poked his wounds to prove her point, making him grimace.
"That's another problem," Simon said, gaining the girls attention again. "He had a few opportunities to kill me, but didn't take them. He purposefully avoided mortally wounding me.
"Hah?" Nami asked. "You look pretty mortally injured to me."
"Not overall," Simon hissed. "He stabbed me a few times, but never fatally. What if he was just trying to get me out of the way?"
Silence fell on the group at this, no one knowing how to answer such a question. If The Olympians did have another plan, what was it? Why did they not kill Simon, but erase Magnolia?
What was really going on here?
"Everyone ready?" Steph asked, everyone in the makeshift shelter nodding. Now was the time. They needed to catch the archer shooting at the,, and they needed to do it now. "Runes ready?" She asked.
"Yep," Megan replied, sweating up a storm. "If she steps on one, we'll know." Steph nodded, grateful Megan was here.
"Okay Tsuneo, lower the vines," she said. Tsuneo just gulped at this.
"I swear you fairies are all out of your mind," he hissed.
"That's the fun part!" Reyna cackled as she drank. The vines that had protected them lowered themselves back into the dirt, leaving the whole group exposed. Everyone tensed up, obviously waiting for the flurry of arrows to start.
"Akihiro?!" Steph asked.
"I'm trying!" He hissed, hand on the ground as it glowed a dull grey. "I can't sense any shock waves!"
"My runes haven't gone off either!" Megan replied.
"Did you think the huntress would get caught by her prey so easily?" A new voice asked. Steph's eyes widened, but she barely had time to turn before Megan and Akihiro cried out in pain, dropping to the ground. Akihiro had an arrow in his gut, and Megan had a gash on her leg that looked terribly deep, probably from a dagger.
A silver haired woman stood in between the injured and the rest of the group, watching them will dull grey eyes.
"Where did you come from?!" Steph asked. "We should have been able to detect you somehow!"
"A hunter knows to keep herself hidden," the woman replied, an arrow nocked. "I'm not so weak as to have myself caught by such childish acts." Steph frowned at this, knowing knowing who their enemy was. She'd paid close attention during Ken's rundown on the mythos The Olympians based themselves off, so she know who this woman was.
"You must be Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Moon." The woman just nodded at this.
"Seems you know more than we anticipated," she said. "No matter, I'll make sure you end up in the same place as these townsfolk."
"Steph what now?" Reyna asked, quite calm given the scenario. "Plan B?" Steph nodded curtly at this, smiling.
"Of course," she said. "I'm not dumb enough to just think one plan is enough. Mai!"
Calling the telekinetic mages name initiated plan B. Mai used her magic to pull Akihiro and Megan back over to their side of the engagement, and Tsuneo put up a wall of vines that Rachel reinforced with webbing. At the same time Kimmy took off with her wings, and Toshiro did as well once enhancing the speed of his body.
Steph knew that there was a likely chance Akihiro and Megan would be targeted given the stealthy nature of their opponent. Taking out the ones detecting you is a must in such combat. After they ensured their safety, Kimmy and Toshiro were to speed out of the enclosure and chase after Artemis as she tried to escape. Once either of them were able to accurately call her out, the more damage oriented wizards such as herself, Reyna, Kunio and Ryo could jump into the fray. Once they hit her enough, Kumi was to restrain her with her binds. Boom, they win.
One could argue it was a better plan than her initial one, but being prepared was more important than her pride.
Artemis obviously took off after the wall of vines and web went up, Kimmy soaring upwards as Toshiro took after the grey blur.
"Kimmy!" Steph called as Rachel webbed up Megan's wound. "Call her out for Toshiro and us, we can take her out together!"
"Ay ay, captain!" Kimmy replied, eyes scanning the forest. Steph turned her attention to the wounded, both of which were sitting upright now.
"You guys okay?" She asked, given a moment to breath. Akihiro nodded.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I couldn't detect her at all, I don't get it."
"My runes didn't get her either," Megan said as she pouted. "I wasn't any help at all."
"Focus on helping us once we've found her again," Reyna said. "Cause once we find her I'm gonna pound that little-!"
"Gah!" The screech that cut Reyna off had come from the sky. Steph turned to see Kimmy falling out of the air, an arrow stuck in her shoulder.
"Kimmy!" Mai shouted. "Are you okay?!" After falling a few feet, Kimmy re-stabilised herself.
"Y-Yeah," she said. "Little bitch is a good shot, be careful down there!"
"Do you need help, nyah?" Kumi asked, sounding concerned. Steph watched as Kimmy ripped the arrow out of her shoulder and tossed it aside, blood now tricking down her shoulder.
"I need to help Toshiro!" She said. "If I don't see her, he may be in trouble!" Steph watched as the blue haired girl now prepared to dodge any incoming attacks, admiring her strength.
"It's quite incredible to watch when someone is spurred on for someone else's sake," Reyna said. Steph turned to see her downing the rest of whatever was in her flash before tossing it aside. "I'd spent so long without seeing you guys I forgot you have that effect on people." Steph just smiled at this.
"I forget sometimes too," she said. "Although maybe that's because I'm always doing it without thinking."
"Poison Dragon Scales!"
"Sky God's Tailwind!" Winter jumped far out of range of Drake's attack using her own magic, frowning as the scaled now redirected to follow her. She attacked them head on with wind, causing them to explode on impact. She landed just in time to see Drake rushing her, hands coated in poison as he did so. She whipped up the wind, forcing him back as she pushed against him with it. He came to a stop as he dug in his heels, watching her as he shielded his eyes.
"It's hard to fight someone who knows you so well!" He said. "Is that true for you too?"
"Not so much," Winter replied, no longer in a joking mood. "You're easy to counter if I can keep you away from me." Drake just laughed.
"Fair enough," he said. "I suppose I just need to get close enough and get a good hit on your pretty face!"
As he said this, Winter head spiked with familiarity. For a brief moment, she was no longer in the ruins fighting Drake. She was back in her past, watching a young Drake as blood dripped from his nose.
"I won't hit you that hard, Winter!" The young boy laughed. "You're too pretty to hurt!"
She snapped back to her reality fast enough to push Drake away from herself with another gale, which made him growl as he was forced back again.
"You can't beat me simply by pushing me away!" He shouted.
"You've been pushing me away for a while, I figured it was coming."
"And here I thought you were stronger than this! You talked so highly of yourself back there!"
"I guess it was just because we're young. Don't get me wrong though, you're great. Let's not let this ruin our friendship! We're strong enough to just be friends!"
...Why do I have to remember this now? I'm trying to kick his teeth in...
Winter kept her gale of wind up to keep Drake away as she became embroiled in thoughts, and memories she thought she'd dealt with emotionally already. Perhaps being on the receiving end of his vicious, brainwashed attacks caused her to remember them.
There was obviously a time she and Drake were close. Closer than just friends though. They had dated for a brief period of time, and back then she'd thought they'd be together forever. Kids thought that in their first relationship, though. Like you already met the one. Like there could be no one better than them. Things change, though. People change. And sometimes, you realise that what you had wasn't as deep or meaningful as you thought. However, Winter really only had one question.
How did I end up fighting you while reliving this?
That's a good place to leave it for my comeback! If anyone is actually reading this, I hope you all enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!
Chapter 323: My Past With You