Chapter Nine

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"To think that Sasha went through that." Nashi said. Seymour just finished telling them Sasha's story and they all felt bad for her. Being force to work and losing her mother after she had to be separated must have been so hard for her.

"That was the last I ever saw of Sasha, but somehow I knew she would return." Seymour said.

"This Dantu guy is a real creep." Gale said. "He doesn't care what he has to do as long as he can get this tower finished."

"This person he's trying to revive must be important." Storm said. "Spill it. Who is this person that he wants to revive?"

"The one our cult worships. Black Wizard Zeref." Seymour said.

"You mean my uncle?!" Nashi said.

"Yes. He took part in the war with Alvarez and was lost….." Seymour stopped when he just realized what Nashi said. "What?! Did you just say Zeref is your uncle?!"

"Yeah. He's the older brother of my father." Nashi said and she sounded so casual when she said it. "Although, I never met him. Apparently, he was lost long before any of us here was born.

"But how?! Zeref has been around for centuries until his defeat in the Alvarez War." Seymour said. "How can you be his actual niece?!"

"It's complicated." Nashi said as she scratched the back of her head.

'I never thought I meet an actual relative of Zeref. She doesn't even seem like it.' Seymour thought as he just couldn't believe it.

"Stop freaking over it." Storm said. "We've got to do something about that tower. By the way, shouldn't have Simon and Sasha come back by now? The sun will be up at any minute."

"We can't afford to wait around for them to come back." Nova said. "If we don't make it back to the guild soon, our parents are going to come after us. Not to mention that tower is near completion. If we're going to act, we better do it now."

"You're right. We'll have to hope Simon and Sasha catch up." Nashi said and they all started to head out the door.

"Wait. Do any of you even have a plan?" Seymour said.

"Nope, but that isn't going to stop us." Nashi said and went for the tower as the rising sun came out. Hopefully, it would be a sun of new hope.

…

The Forest

"Yeah. They came this way."

"Those kids are in so much trouble." Their parents already learned of the stolen job and when they realized that all six just vanished and the job was taken without permission, they decided to head out. Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Gray, Gajeel, Wendy, and Juvia went to hunt them down and bring them back.

"I'm so worried about Storm. What if he's hurt or worse?" Juvia said.

"Stop worrying. You should focus more on the punishment those kids are going to get." Gray said.

"I just can't believe Nashi or any of them would actually do something like this." Lucy said.

"What could have made them do something like this?" Wendy asked.

"Salamander, I blame you." Gajeel said.

"Why me?" Natsu said.

"You did something stupid like this once before, didn't you?" Gajeel said.

"The blame does not matter. Let's just find them and bring them back." Erza said. Not knowing of the circumstances, all of them went to do what their children went to stop Sasha from doing. 'Still, why do I feel so anxious about this?' She thought.

…

The Tower

Sasha didn't wait around. After she was done visiting her mother's grave, she went straight for the tower. She's already taken down many followers. She held one by the neck and pinned him to the wall with her holding a rifle to his face.

"Where is Dantu?" Sasha said. "You better tell me right now or do you want this to get ugly?"

"Top of the tower. That might be where he is now. He hardly ever comes down anymore."

"Good." Sasha said and whacked the guy unconscious. She got directly under the tower and looked up. "It won't be long now. I just need to make my way up." With her goal so close, Sasha isn't turning back to have revenge on everything Dantu put her through. As she climbed her way up the tower, Dantu was already aware that she arrived.

"So she decided to come alone? Not very smart." Dantu said as he watched through the vision lacrimas with the Savage Blades with him. "Gore, I want you to take on her friends outside. They shouldn't be far behind her. Sazar and Hakoon, be prepared inside the tower."

"Yes, sir." All three of them said.

…

Nashi's Team

Nashi and the others hurried over to the tower. With no time to spare, all five of them hurried to the tower to bring it down before Dantu can activate the tower's power. Once they arrived, they saw a few of the cultists were knocked out.

"What happened here? Did someone beat us to the punch?" Gale said.

"Do you think Simon and Sasha are already here?" Storm said as they all looked around.

"Sasha maybe, but I don't really see anything that says Simon." Nova said.

"I thought Sasha would have gotten it by now. She can't do this alone." Nashi said as she felt upset.

'I should have known she wouldn't wait around.' Seymour thought and looked towards the tower. 'This isn't good. I have to hurry and reach her.'

"Let's go. Sasha must be making her way up the tower. She's got to be looking for Dantu." Gale said. All of them were about to head in the tower and look for Sasha, but something jumped down from the tower and crashed down in front of them.

"What's going on?" Storm said. They waited for the dust to clear away and saw one of the Savage Blades standing in the way, the one in armor.

"So these are the fairies? They don't look so tough. I'm Gore the Strong of the Savage Blades."

"I don't believe it! Dantu knew we were on to him and he called for the help of the Savage Blades." Seymour said. "They're a team of three mercenaries and are all brutal."

"So he called for some help? That isn't going to stop us." Nashi said as none of them were scared to face him.

"We don't really have time to be fighting him. We've got to reach Sasha." Seymour said.

"He's right. Just leave this guy to me." Gale said as he cracked his knuckles. "I'll take care of him."

"I think I'll stay back too. Between the two of us, it will go much faster." Nova said.

"Good luck." Nashi said as she moved around with Storm and Seymour.

"No you don't!" Gore said as he pulled out the large sword on his back and was going to stop them, but Gale acted faster.

"Iron Dragon Roar!" Gale released the breath of iron attack. Gore saw the attack coming and was able to block the attack. Nova used the cover of the attack and tried to kick him, but Gore blew the attack away and blocked her attack.

"You have to do better than that, sweetheart." Gore said as he pushed her back and the two got ready to fight him.

….

Inside

The three of them made their way through the tower. Seeing as how Sasha had a head start on them, they need to hurry up and catch her.

"Seymour, where are we even going?" Storm asked.

"If Dantu is the one you wish to fight, we should head straight for the top." Seymour said. "That's where Dantu usually resigns. Sasha has to be heading there too. I just hope we make it there before she does." Seymour said. They arrived in a room where there were plenty of platforms sticking out of the wall.

"This place is crazy. Who came up with the design?" Storm said.

"Forget it. Let's just go." Nashi said. All of them were about to head to the next hall, but a few kunai were thrown in front of them and stopped them from going any further. "Where did that come from?"

"Over there." Storm said as he spotted the enemy. They all looked across the place and spotted another one of the Savage Blades, the scrawny looking one.

"You guys made it here sooner than I thought. I am Sazar the Silent of Savage Blades."

"Another one already? These guys surely aren't going to make it easy for us." Storm said.

"You got that right." Sazar said as he held out a kunai and with him not allowing them to leave and no fighters to spare, they have no choice, but to fight. "So are you all ready to die?"

….

Nova and Gale

Gore was a tough one. He slammed his sword against the ground and it was breaking open. Nova and Gale jumped away from it so they wouldn't fall in.

"Unreal. He tore the ground apart in just one attack." Gale said.

"I guess that's why they call him strong." Nova said. "This guy has got a ton of physical strength. No wonder he seems so confident in his win."

"It's more than that." Gore said.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Gale said.

"You're wizards from a guild, aren't you? Wizards can never match the power of a mercenary like me." Gore said. "I train the body. You people train with magic. In a fight, physical strength is what counts."

"Is this guy serious?" Gale said.

"He might have faced a few wizards that couldn't put up a fight, but I doubt he's faced anyone like us." Nova said. "You might be so strong and powerful physically, but we actually hold the advantage."

"How's that?" Gore questioned as he just doesn't see how seeing that he's much bigger than they are.

"You're wearing armor." Nova said, but Gore didn't understand. "Lightning Dragon Roar!" Nova breathed out a stream of lightning. Gore got blasted and all the metal in his armor was electrocuting him.

"Yeah, Nova! We got him now!" Gale said as he thought the fight was already over, but it wasn't. Gore fought through the pain and planted his sword in the ground and used it like a shield. Nova and Gale weren't expecting that and it seemed like he wasn't getting hurt anymore. "What just happened?"

"Did he use his large sword like a conductor?" Nova said.

"Do you really think you're the first wizard I fought to use electricity against me?" Gore said. "I've learned in my battles that I can use this trick to weaken the electrical powers and weaken the damage."

"This guy is smarter than he looks." Gale said. "I guess this goes to show you, you don't have to be all brawn and no brain."

"You think that's funny?" Gore said. "I think it's time someone teach you kids a little thing about discipline." He pulled out his sword and held it out with the side facing them. Gore swung it like a baseball bat and it created a shockwave that bashed against Gale and Nova. Both of them were sent flying and started rolling against the ground and was sent in the forest.

"What was that?" Gale said.

"He must be so strong that he creates powerful shockwaves through the air when he swings it hard enough." Nova said. "Let's just be glad he didn't use the sharp end or we could have been torn to shreds."

"Do you see now?" Gore said as he walked over to them.

"You are strong, but brute strength isn't enough." Gale said as he got up and was starting to get a little excited. "That sure looks like a lot of armor and a big sword made of metal. A member of our guild says they have a fire in their belly. I'm about to have iron in mine." The iron dragon against an armored warrior. Can that armor protect him from Gale?

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