The Third Crossing

9. The Way of Mages

The gulf of the northeastern coast of Yoshi was a natural harbor. After Natsu's crew docked the Wraith there to resume the repair works, her deputy wanted to accompany her when she disembarked. "No, Pantu. You must stay here to keep order on the ship," she demanded. "I want that breach sealed when I return."

"Very well. I will stay. But at least, take one of us with you," Pantu pleaded, glancing at the mountain atop of which the mage was waiting.

"It is not necessary." Literally. All of Natsu's crew combined would never do her any good if that mage up there decided to hurt her. Had her deputy forgotten the horrific display that had cost the Koyan empire three of their mighty Turtle ships? "Just keep the men working and make sure they stay calm in my absence. Tell them there is no reason to panic here, do you understand? That mage I'm going to meet is not a threat. Actually, he is the only ally we have in these waters."

"If you insist." Finally, Pantu acquiesced. "Be careful in your ascent, then. Pick a path that is not too steep."

Natsu hadn't survived all she had survived so far to allow a mountain to defeat her. "Then, I need to go while the sun is still up in the sky."

Fortunately, finding a lesser steep side of the mountain didn't take much time, but the ascent itself was a little bit hairy because of the sharp rocks everywhere. One misstep might prove costly in this desolate place. "Blast! Why don't you just come down?" she muttered, hoping that mage might hear her and spare her the trouble of climbing a mountain after barely surviving being chased by three Turtle ships. And after barely sleeping last night.

The ascent was taking too long, but she didn't regret ignoring Pantu's advice. As she was not in need of 'actual' help from her crew, a company would just be a distraction while she was collecting her thoughts for the upcoming meeting with the intimidating mage. He had had the upper hand last time; something she shouldn't allow to happen again. He rescued us because he wants something from us, she thought. Those bastards never do favors.

Natsu was nearing the summit when she found huge rocks blocking her way upward. Too smooth to climb, too huge to turn around. And she had gone too far to go down and restart her ascent somewhere else.

After scanning the rocky barrier ahead of her, all Natsu found was a small foothold, but it would do for her to resume her climb. Gripping on the only handhold she saw, she strained her arms to pull herself up as she tried to lodge her boot into another foothold.

And that was when she slipped.

Natsu cried the instant she lost her footing. Panicking, she moved her legs hysterically to find a foothold before her tired arms—the only things preventing her from falling down—would fail her. But her hysteric movements added more weight to the body hardly hanging to the rock. And before she knew it, she was holding to nothing but air.

Natsu's fall didn't last a whole second, and yet it was the most horrifying feeling she had ever been through. She was even still screaming after she felt herself pulled upward. When she raised her head, she saw the masked mage standing at the cliff, his arms stretched forward, his fingers moving as if he was beckoning Natsu over. Except that Natsu had no say in that.

The moment Natsu landed in front of the robed mage, she blustered, "What was all this horror for? You could have just met at the foot of the bloody mountain!"

The mage wearing the crimson mask tilted his head. "I've just saved your life. Haven't the good people of Hokydo heard of the phrase 'thank you'?"

"Saved my life? You are the one who put my life in danger in the first place," Natsu snapped, still infuriated. "Tell me: Was it entertaining to watch me climb all this distance to reach you?"