Chapter Ten

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Nashi and the others sought to destroy the Tower of Heaven for Sasha's sake, but Sasha insisted on going alone. However, Dantu was prepared for them and called on the Savage Blades, a team of mercenaries, to eliminate them. Nashi and Storm with Seymour went in the tower and went after Sasha while Gale and Nova stayed behind to face Gore.

"You brats got guts, I'll give you that much." Gore said as he readied his sword.

"I think we've screwed around long enough. We got a few friends in there and are waiting for us." Gale said. "Come on. Let's put an end to this fight right here."

"You want it to end right here? You sound like you're going to win, but clearly you're not." Gore said.

"You should know better than to underestimate us." Nova said.

"Nova, stayed back. I've got this." Gale said as he stepped forward.

"I think not!" Gore said as he charged right at him. "I'm one of the strongest mercenaries around. You probably still think the world and life is easy, but I'll show you a world of pain and suffering!" He raised his sword and slammed it down on Gale, but Gale crossed his arms and was able to block it even as the ground was breaking apart under his feet.

"Is that all you've got?" Gale said as he wasn't cut at all.

"What?!" Gore said. "How? How could you have blocked that? You should be split in two at least, but my sword didn't even cut through your arms."

"You don't know who you're up against. Nova was right. Your armor gives you the disadvantage." Gale said as he grabbed the sword and started biting pieces off. "That's a nice piece of iron you got."

"What the hell are you?" Gore said.

"I'm an iron dragon!" Gale shouted and pulled a fist back and coated it with iron. "Iron Dragon Hard Fist!" Gale hit Gore right in the face and the force of the attack had Gore blow back and smashed through some trees and knocked him out.

"Nice hit." Nova said.

"Yeah, but that took longer than I thought." Gale said.

"You're right. Time isn't really something we should be wasting. We better catch up with everyone else." Nova said.

"Not…done." Both of them were surprised to see Gore getting back up, but he looks like he's barely able to hold conscious.

"He still wants some?" Gale said.

"I….won't…..be…defeated." Gore said and was about to foolishly keep the fight going, but he didn't get the chance as two figures came at him and finished the job. It was Gajeel and Erza who did it.

"Gale! Nova!" Both of them turned around and saw the rest of them arriving.

"Our parents!" Nova said.

"Dad! Nice timing!" Gale said as he was glad, but he got scared when he saw the glare his father was giving him as well as Erza's famous one. Nova got nervous as well as none of them really looked happy.

"I almost forgot. We're taking this job without permission." Nova said.

"Finally, we catch you guys." Gray said.

"Nova. Gale. I assume you know why we're all here." Erza said.

"To take us back to the guild?" Nova said.

"You're not going to kill us, are you?" Gale said.

"No, but we should." Gajeel said.

"What were you kids thinking taking a job like this without permission?" Gray said.

"Great. We found them, but what about Storm? I need to make sure my son is safe." Juvia said with Gray getting annoyed.

"Wait. There's more to this than you think." Gale said.

"We don't want to hear excuses." Erza said.

"Wait just a minute. Just let us explain" Nova said, but Erza held out a sword to both of them.

"Erza, don't overdo it." Wendy said.

"She always does." Lucy said.

"You children broke guild rules. You'll be lucky to get out of this." Erza threatened. Gale and Nova held each other because they feared Erza or any of their parents actually might kill them.

….

Simon

Simon was starting to wake up after he surprisingly fell asleep. His senses were starting to come back to him, but it didn't feel like he was on the ground anymore. He got back up and saw he was in someone's home.

"What happened?" Simon said as he tried to think, but he soon remembered. "Sasha. She used a tranquilizer on me. The fool."

"You're up!" Simon looked and saw a nice woman was there. "You're one of the outsiders that came to help us, right?"

"I suppose that's one way to put it." Simon said.

"I was passing by the cemetery when I found you there and you were sleeping. I thought you were hurt so I brought you to my home."

"Thank you, but I should get going. I'm feeling fine." Simon said as he got up and felt no pain. Simon didn't wait around as he ran out of the house and was heading back to Seymour's. "I hope the others aren't there and already went to the tower." Simon ran right in the house, but he was met with something that even scared him. "Mother!"

"There you are Simon." Erza said. Simon looked around and saw some of the other parents with Gale and Nova tied up.

"Hey, Simon." Nova said.

"We're in big time trouble." Gale said.

"I can see that." Simon said. He looked around and saw no sign of the others. "Where are Nashi and Storm?"

"We split up. Our parents insisted we return to the town." Nova said.

"Where's Sasha. She was with you from what we heard." Natsu said.

"She knocked me out. I had my guard down around her and she took advantage of that." Simon said as he felt ashamed for that.

"Okay." Erza said as she got up and walked past them. "We're going to find the three of them and we're going back to the guild."

"But we can't." Simon said as he turned to her. "Mom, don't you know what's going on around here? Didn't Nova and Gale tell you?"

"No and I have no interest. We're only here to take you all back to the guild where you will be punished." Erza said.

"Mom, these people are suffering. We can't just leave them like this." Simon said, but she didn't seem bothered by it. "I understand you're loyal to the guild and the rules, more than anyone I know, but we can't turn away from them."

"Simon, don't make this worse for yourself." Erza warned.

"I can't believe you be so cold hearted enough to turn away from them." Simon said.

"What did you say?" Erza said as she turned to him and held a sword to him. That actually gave a scare to everyone. "Simon, I expected more out of you, but you're still acting like a child. If I have to force you back, I will."

"What kind of mother threatens her own son like that?!" Gale said. Everyone was a little worried for Simon, but Simon pushed the sword away and gave her the same glare she gives to others.

"Do whatever you want. I will never turn away from people who need help." Simon said and headed out on his own. "This is too important to Sasha and not even you can stop me." Simon headed out and hurried over to the tower to help the others and Erza was greatly disappointed in him.

"What could have gotten into him?" Lucy said.

"Erza, please don't be mad at Simon." Nova said. "Surely you can relate to this. The tower that was asked to be taken down is actually the Tower of Heaven!" Hearing that name sent shivers down their spines, but Erza most of all.

"The Tower of Heaven?!" Gray said.

"I thought that was gone for good." Natsu said.

"Tower of Heaven?" Wendy questioned.

"What are you all freaking out about?" Gajeel asked.

"That's right. I forgot that Juvia was with us, but this was before Gajeel and Wendy joined the guild." Lucy said. Erza swung her sword at Nova and Gale and cut them free from the ropes.

"Tell me everything." Erza said as she wants to never see that tower again.

…

Nashi and Storm

"Fire dragon Brilliant Flame!" Nashi tossed a fireball, but Sazar jumped out of the way and didn't get hurt.

"Ice Demon Rage!" Storm unleashed a blast of ice from his mouth, but Sazar was able to avoid that attack as well. "Damn it. We can't get a clean hit against this guy. He's moving around too much and he's so fast."

"No joke. How does he move so fast?" Nashi said. Sazar landed near Storm and pulled out a couple kunai. He tried slashing at Storm, but Storm jumped out of the way.

"Ice-Make: Hammer!" Storm formed a mallet of ice, but Sazar ran off quickly and was able to avoid the attack.

"Try all you like. You can't hit me." Sazar said.

"And why's that?" Nashi said.

"I try to go for the approach that's silent, but deadly." Sazar said. "That means I have to move quickly and carefully so I don't make a sound. So I trained my body in speed and stealth. You'll have to move a lot faster."

"We don't really have time to be messing around." Seymour said. "We have to defeat him quickly and we've got to reach Sasha."

"Seymour's right. We've got to take him out. Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Nashi jumped right at him to attack, but Sazar moved to the side.

"Now I've got you!" Sazar said. He pulled out a few darts and tossed them with them hitting Nashi.

"What?" Nashi said as she was able to take them out, but she was starting to feel woozy. "What did you just do to me?" Nashi could barely stay on her feet and collapsed.

"Just a little sleeping formula." Sazar said as he walked closer to her. "It should keep you unconscious just long enough for me to finish the job." He held his kunai and was about to kill her, but Storm was able to form some ice and was able to block the attack.

"Get away from her." Storm said as he ran over to them. Sazar did what he said and jumped to a different platform. "You strike someone who is asleep and can't defend themselves? You coward."

"Coward? Don't give me some lecture about honor." Sazar said. "All that matters is getting the job done. It doesn't matter how it's done. Say whatever you like, but I don't care for honor or any of that."

"Bastard." Storm said. 'Now I've got to beat this guy and protect Nashi at the same time. If he's for real, he'll try to attack her when he gets the chance.'

'This is bad.' Seymour thought. 'He has no intention of letting us get through. We have to find Sasha. We have to find her before it's too late. Besides, Savage Blades is made out of three mercenaries. That means there's still one more out there and he's waiting for us.'

…

Sasha

Sasha has made great progress in climbing the tower. She's already more than halfway up to the top and she wasn't going to stop. She wasn't going to stop until she reached Dantu and isn't turning away.

"I'm almost there." Sasha said as she kept running with vengeance for all the pain and suffering she was given. "It won't be long now. I'll reach him soon. Here I come, you demon."

…

Dantu

Dantu kept surveillance of all his guests roaming around in his tower. So far, nothing that has happened has really been a surprise for him. All he had to do was sit comfortable in his chair and wait until they're all dead.

"Sasha is making great progress so far." Dantu said. "I can't wait to see who will be the first to fall." Another screen came up and he saw it was Simon who was the next to arrive. "So another joins the battle. None of them are really of any interest to me. Loretta, your daughter appears to have grown quite a lot in the past ten years. Yet she isn't aware of the horrors that are awaiting her." He leaned back and chuckled sinisterly. Sasha and her friends refuse to turn back and turn away, but that's exactly what Dantu wants.

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