The Demon Children

Chapter 10: More Complications

Hey Jet, look at this." Droy handed the fast mage a request from the board.

"You thinking team shadow gear?" Jet asked, looking at the request.

"I think you and me. We need to prove to Levy that team shadow gear needs to stay together. It's a pretty simple quest."

Jet read the request. The client wanted them to take out a small group of bandits that were blocking travel out of one of the small northwestern towns in Fiore. The flier said none of the bandits were magic users.

"With this we can surely prove to Levy that she can stay with team shadow gear!" Jet said.

"Let's go!"

And the two headed out.

~Searching for the experimentation house~

"This is taking forever…" Natsu groaned. A whole day had passed, and so far they had been unable to locate the facility.

"I don't understand it," Mavis said. "We've been through every inch of this place. Somebody should have run into the facility by now…"

Natsu glared. "Alright, I'm done with this… time to make the searching a little easier."

"Fire Dragon King Mode!"

"Natsu wait!"

"Roar of the Fire Dragon King!"

Everyone gaped as an entire square mile of forest disappeared. Then another as Natsu rampaged off. Soon another square mile evaporated.

Before long, the smoke was clearing from over 2300 square miles of what used to be thick forest. The guild members looked on, speechless.

"What's that?" Erza pointed. In one crater, probably a mile from their location, a few lone trees and lush forest fauna stood out from the desolation around it.

Mavis squinted. "Either Natsu missed a spot, or…"

Instantly they rushed toward that location, where they were met by the exhausted dragon slayer.

"Man, that really wore me out."

"Of course it did baka!" Said Mirajane. "You just destroyed practically a whole forest…"

Except for this one little green patch…" Mavis said, walking straight into a tree… And then through it.

"Woah!" Everyone exclaimed as the illusion shattered. The trees and foliage disappeared, revealing a large, metal trap door that was untouched by the widespread destruction.

"Now to get it open…"

~Miles away, deep in a forest~

Laina successfully batted away each of the iron balls as they attacked her. Her target was only 10 feet away. Now 5. Now within reach.

With a burst she plunged her dagger to the heart of her target, but the iron figure moved, turning its chest and deflecting the blow off-target with one arm. She followed with her other dagger, underneath the arm, but this was also deflected for little damage.