The Melting Pot

Chapter 28

[Wifey did such a good job.]

“Stay together,” Cana said quietly, grabbing Juvia’s hand as they ran towards the bunker. Juvia had unconsciously started towards Natsu and Lucy after watching them engage Etherios’s followers. “I want to help them, too, but we’ve got to keep going.”

She nodded, wishing her friends luck as their group made their way along the outskirts of the main fight, trying to avoid as much confrontation as possible. Although they all wanted to help, Lily had told them to conserve their energy for the fight inside. It would be difficult, and they would need as much of their strength as they could save.

“Jellal.” Lily instructed as they neared the closed doors of the bunker.

“On it.” With a thrust of his hand to the side, the doors slid open, allowing them to enter before slamming closed behind them.

It was nearly as cold inside the bunker as it was outside, no thanks to the metal lining the walls. Juvia wondered if the metal had been put there for the electrical-type users Etherios seemed fond of, and to deter people with gifts like Natsu and Lucy from coming inside.

If Etherios considers gifts like those weak, then he is foolish, she thought as they continued running.

“I don’t like this,” Jellal murmured to Lily, who nodded in response.

“What is it?” Juvia asked.

“No one has attacked us yet,” Levy said, looking around.

“That is weird,” Cana agreed. “This place should be swarming with men, right?”

“It should,” Lily nodded. “Even if most of Etherios’s followers had gone outside to fight, there is no way they would leave the inside unprotected like this.”

“That means they’re confident that whoever did stay inside can handle those of us who came in to rescue Gajeel.” Levy frowned worriedly.

“That works to our advantage,” Lily said.

“It works to our advantage that they left their strongest fighters inside?” Cana frowned.

Lily shook his head. “Their strongest fighters will be with Etherios, like I said. It works to our advantage that not many fighters other than them are still inside. Etherios is underestimating us.”

“Or he knows they can beat us,” Cana grumbled.

Lily came to a sudden halt, turning on her. “If you aren’t confident in this fight, you are going to die,” he said, bluntly, “and there is no place for you on this team. Head back outside to help the others.” Leaving them all stunned, he turned and continued running.

“Hey! Wait a damn minute!” Cana snapped. “I never said I wasn’t confident. I have been training since I was little, so I can kick anyone’s ass that comes at me!”

“Then act like it.”

Juvia grabbed her hand when she opened her mouth to retort. “He’s worried about us,” she told her. It didn’t take Wendy’s gift to know what he was thinking—if any of them hesitated for even an instant, they would end up dead, and it would be his fault for bringing them into the fight.

“He didn’t have to be such an ass about it,” she mumbled.

“He’s our leader, he has to be,” Juvia chuckled.

“I—”

“Get down!” Lily suddenly shouted, grabbing both her and Cana and throwing them to the ground. A loud boom sounded above them, followed by a bright light.