Chapter 234 - Progress

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[Third Person. POV.]

[Adam C.]

Adam's boots crunched against the gravel as he approached the Guild, his eyes brightening at the familiar sight of its sign, Fairy Tail. The weight of what had transpired in the capital still hung heavily on his shoulders. Not to say that he cared about it, but it still annoyed him.

He had expected a simple meeting annoying with the Council, but instead, he had come face to face with God Serena, the supposed strongest mage in all of Fiore, just to pick a fight with him.

It annoyed him to no end that the council had tricked him into traveling just for that. A total waste of time in his opinion.

"Welcome back, Adam," Urahara greeted him, a subtle smile dancing on his lips as he leaned against the doorframe of the Guild. "I have to say, that was quite the performance you put on back at the capital."

"The guy didn't give me much of a choice," Adam snorted. "On that note, I'm pretty sure the guy runs on unearned ego. Like most politicians."

"Regardless of how weak this guy is, or how big his ego is, you showed them who's boss," Urahara chuckled. "The Council won't soon forget the name of the mighty Adam."

As they stepped into the dimly lit hallway, Adam's thoughts turned to his friends as per usual, and how could he not think of them? They were trapped in time by a spell meant to protect them, but without anything to protect against, the spell was just keeping them apart. As much as Adam didn't outright show it, anyone that knew him knew that he missed them with all his heart.

He missed their laughter, their antics, everything, they had left a void in his heart that could only be filled by their return.

"Speaking of which, I deserve a raise," Urahara began, sensing Adam's shift in focus, "I've got some good news for you. We,, and by we, I mean, I made progress on breaking the spell holding your friends. I'm awesome, I know, feel free to adore me."

"Really?" Adam asked, hope flaring like a brilliant flame within him.

"Indeed," Urahara confirmed with a short nod. "It took some doing, but I managed to unravel a portion of the enchantment. It won't be long now before they're free."

"Thank you, Urahara." Adam smiled, hugging the hat-wearing-bastard as he would usually call him. "I don't know what I would do without you helping me with this."

"Hey, we're a fake family," Urahara replied, clapping Adam on the back. "Remember your fake identity? No? It doesn't matter, as a fake family we look out for each other."

Adam chuckled. "So… tell me more about this development me."

"Of course," Urahara replied, leading Adam toward a quieter corner of the Guild. "After some reading/experimenting, I have discovered a hidden layer within the enchantment keeping the spell together. A sort of failsafe meant to confuse and deter those attempting to break it. It took some time, seeing the spell formula was quite complicated compared to most spells, but I believe… no, I'm certain that I found a way to bypass it."

"Is there anything I need to do?" Adam asked, eager to contribute in any way possible.

"Not unless you suddenly became an expert in runic magic, or spell formulas for that matter," Urahara chuckled. "In all honesty though, don't worry about helping. Besides, your strength might be needed when your friends are finally freed. I don't know what kind of condition they'll be in or what challenges may arise once the spell is broken."

Adam sighed. As much as he longed to take an active role in rescuing his friends, he knew Urahara was right. He wasn't a scientist like him, or skilled in the magic schools required to help, so the best he could do was trust Urahara.

"Alright," Adam nodded.

"Wonderful," Urahara replied. "Now go get some rest. You've earned it after your harsh encounter with God Serena."

"Very funny," Adam rolled his eyes.

Adam's mood lightened as he made his way through the familiar halls of the Guild, the walls adorned with memories of countless adventures and victories, most of which Gramps had framed like a father would with his children's drawings. 

As he walked, he passed by various members of the Guild, each busy with their own tasks or leisure. Some greeted him with a nod, others with a cheerful wave, and a few with a teasing remark about his recent scuffle with God Serena, saying no one would mess with them now. 

Adam responded with a mix of grunts and half-smiles, his mind still partly occupied with thoughts of his friends seeing that now… their return seemed more likely than ever.

Eventually, he found himself at his usual spot, a quiet corner at the back of the Guild where he could relax and gather his thoughts, and maybe drink a beer or two, if the mood was right. 

Taking a deep breath, he slumped down onto an old, yet surprisingly comfortable chair, letting out a sigh of relief as he closed his eyes. The faint hum of conversations, fights and laughter from the guild members in the back filled the air, a soothing backdrop to his troubled/hopeful state.

After a few moments of loud silence as he would describe it, Urahara joined him, carrying two cups of steaming tea. "Thought you might need this," he said, placing a cup on the small table next to Adam.

"And here I thought you wanted me to rest," Adam replied, opening his eyes to take the cup. He wasn't one for tea, but he had to admit… When his mind didn't want to shut up, the warmth of the tea was comforting.

Urahara sat opposite him, sipping his own tea. "You know, Adam," he began, his tone more serious now, "I've been thinking about the spell that's holding your friends. There's something peculiar about its design, something that doesn't quite add up."

Adam leaned forward, his interest piqued. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Urahara continued, "In my time here, I have come to learn that most spells have a certain... logic to them, a pattern that can be followed and eventually unraveled. But this one, it's different. It's as if it's constantly evolving, changing its structure to prevent anyone from breaking it."

"That sounds... impossible," Adam said, frowning.

"In the realm of possibility, few things are truly impossible," Urahara replied with a wry smile. "But it does make our task significantly more challenging. I'm starting to wonder if there's more to this spell than just keeping your friends trapped. It's almost as if it's guarding something, or someone."

Adam's eyes narrowed in thought. A name popping in his head. "Mavis?"

"It's a possibility," Urahara said. "She might be doing it on instinct though. If she's anything like you said she is, she's most likely doing it to avoid anyone hurting the guild."

Adam set his cup down. "So what's our next move?"

"Well, Mavis or not, I'm already ahead of the spell structure in terms of adaptability," Urahara replied. "So even if the spell changes, I know we can handle it."