And now for this new chapter update, I dedicate this to aria2233. Enjoy!
♥LucyAshleyHeartfilia♥
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"How many rooms are there!", Tidus is getting annoyed. Tidus and Arthur opened each room but most of them are empty and dark. Some has wizards they have to fight.
"Calm down, Tidus", Arthur said.
"How can I possibly calm down? We're at the enemy's lair and we don't even know where Elizabeth-sama is", Tidus said as they run towards their next location.
"Are you really worried about Elizabeth's safety or is there another reason why you're acting this way?", Arthur asked.
"What are you saying? Elizabeth-sama's safety is the top priority. Both of you are nobles and we don't know if she's alright or not. We promised Reina-sama we'll take care of her", Tidus said.
"I promised Reina her safety, not you. Tidus, be honest with me. You're not really worried about Elizabeth. She's just a noble, you don't hold responsibility of her", Arthur said.
Tidus was silent after that.
"I'll ask you again. Why are you worried?", Arthur asked.
"Because......because I don't know where Minora is", Tidus confessed.
"This is the first time the two of you were separated huh? Mostly, you would follow her on her missions that I ask her to do", Arthur said.
"She can't fight alone. She's hesitating", Tidus said.
"Don't worry, she's a tough one", Arthur said. Tidus didn't say anything. "Let's hurry and look for them", Arthur hurried his pace.
"I sure hope you're alright, Minora", Tidus thought.
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"Minora!!", Elizabeth shouted with worry.
Minora looked at his hands with fear. It was only an inch closer to her neck.
"What the....", Shinji's movements stopped.
Minora looked at Elizabeth instantly.
"You said unless absolutely necessary right?!", Elizabeth focused her gaze at Shinji. She's using her magic to stop him from completely killing Minora.
"Elizabeth-sama, stop!", Minora shouted out and didn't waste a second more. She leaped away and gestured her hands widely open focusing on Crucis.
"AHHH!!!", Shinji struggled harsher.
"Tch. Just a little more. Come on!", she focused more. Crucis shook the wall and went towards her waiting arms.
"This happened because I hesitated again", Minora thought. As she glared at Shinji, she saw an image of Tidus with his arms crossed in his chest looking at her as if telling her to stand up.
"Minora.....", Elizabeth stuttered.
"It's not over yet", Minora made her stance.
"Why you.....", Shinji glared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth's breathing became heavier.
"Stop using your magic, Elizabeth-sama. I'm alright now"
"But...", Elizabeth saw the look in Minora's eyes. It was darker and it shows how serious she is as she stared at Shinji.
"I've never tried using this magic before but.....", Minora narrowed her eyes. "Darn it! This is not the time to be dawdling!"
"Elizabeth-sama! Let go!", Minora said.
"I'll let him off after ten seconds alright?", Elizabeth warned.
"Perfect...", Minora mumbled. "Crucis!", Crucis expanded wider. The center gem glowed brightly.
"What are you going to do huh?!", Shinji glared at her.
Minora looked straight to his eyes. "I won't hesitate any longer. Tidus.....Minori....", Minora widened her eyes.
"Let go of me, you wench! I'll kill you right now!", Shinji squirmed. Elizabeth started to loosen her grip on him. She still hasn't mastered her magic yet.
"Three seconds!", Elizabeth shouted.
"Ser...Erpha...Sil...", Minora started chanting. She closed her eyes and saw her sister smiling at her.
"You can do it, Minora!", she heard her sister's voice in her head. Crucis' light is getting brighter every second.
"You're name is special Minora! Your name means Candle holder. Your name is the bearer of light!", she remembered Lucy saying it during her abduction.
"Lucy....I'm coming!", Minora opened her eyes and summoned her magic circle under Shinji.
"What the....", Shinji looked at it.
"I can't hold on anymore. Minora!!!", Elizabeth lost it and slumped to the ground.
"Crucis!", Minora gestured Crucis in front of him to stop him from escaping.
"Aaaah!", Shinji's hands were cut off by Crucis once again. Crucis glowed in front of him and stopped his movements, just like what she did to Fairy Tail before.
"Lux.....Eterna!", Minora shouted out. A blinding light erupted beneath Shinji. Shinji wasn't able to dodge the attack.
"AAAHHH!!!", Shinji shrieked.
"YAAAAHH!!!!", Minora kept it coming.
After a few more seconds, the light vanished. Minora looked at Shinji with exhaustion in her eyes.
"I can't believe it.....why you little....", Shinji's arms were cut off, blood is spilling from the wound in his stomach. "Why aren't I regenerating?! AHHH!!!!", he groaned with intense pain. He looked at his hands which aren't growing back.
"Lux Eterna.....", Elizabeth gasped. "Eternal Light?"
"That kind of spell, nullifies someone's powers. It...cancels the magic for a while...and drains the energy of a wizard...Try growing them back, idiot!", Minora said.
"Impo...ssible", Shinji fell to the hard ground. "I am one of the top wizards of Galion Alliance! Impossible!"
"I did my part of the bargain. Now, tell me. Where's Lucy?", Minora demanded.
"Who said I'll tell you?!", Shinji mocked.
"Why you!!!", Minora gripped his tattered collar despite her exhaustion.
"For a great fight. I will give you information just because you gave me such a great fight", Shinji looked at her seriously while spitting some blood. "Listen well, pathetic wizards. Two floors above, from the staircase turn left. The girl should be five rooms from there, if she's not dead yet, you'll find her with Helga. If Helga has succeeded in extracting her magic, you can't stop her from dying. That woman ought to have a decent death after....", Shinji laughed. Minora literally punched his face before he lost his consciousness.
"She won't be having anything from you guys", Minora angrily looked at him.
"Minora....", Elizabeth started. "Are you..."
"I'm alright. How about you?", Minora asked.
"I'm perfectly fine, but those wounds", Elizabeth looked at how disheveled she looked.
"We did it. Elizabeth-sama, we won", Minora looked at her with a smile.
"No. You did it. You won!", Elizabeth commended. "You were so cool, Minora!"
"I kept my promise. Tidus....I.......", Minora felt so weak. "Elizabeth-sama, we've got to hurry. We have to......", Minora can't keep standing any longer as she started to fall to the ground.
"Minora!", all she heard is Elizabeth shouting her name.
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"Is everyone alright?", Jura asked.
"I think so", Laxus said. Everyone is on the ground but conscious, just exhausted.
"We really did them good huh?", Romeo asked.
"Yeah, you were pretty cool, Romeo-kun", Wendy smiled while healing his wounds.
"Wendy-chan!!!!", Cheria and Celesta both leaped towards her and hugged her tightly.
"Hey!", Kurogane scolded.
"So, what do we do now?", Laxus asked.
"We wait for a few minutes to recover, then we'll go to find the others and help them if we must", Jura said.
"Sounds good to me", Kurogane said.
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The room opened with a loud banging sound.
"Kyaaah!", a woman's voice echoed as if fearing something.
"Elizabeth?!", Arthur's voice was the first to be heard.
"Arthur?", Elizabeth recognized. "Arthur!"
"Minora!", Tidus worriedly ran towards them as soon as he saw her lying on Elizabeth's lap.
"Stay back!", Elizabeth warned.
Tidus and Arthur stopped and saw Crucis flying in front of them creating a protective barrier.
"Crucis' barrier is activated?", Arthur asked.
"Elizabeth-sama, what happened?", Tidus asked.
"I don't know. When Minora lost consciousness that thing got bigger and stayed that way. I tried taking Minora out of here but it won't let me go anywhere else", Elizabeth said.
"If Crucis created a barrier like that only means Minora is in grave danger", Tidus replied. "How is she?"
"Pretty bad. She had a lot of wounds in her body", Elizabeth informed.
"What about you?", Arthur asked.
I'm perfectly fine. Minora protected me all the time", Elizabeth said.
Tidus and Arthur saw Shinji at the far edge of the room. He's still alive but barely breathing.
"Unless Minora wakes up and stopped Crucis we can't get near them", Arthur said.
"But the problem is, Minora's too weak right now", Tidus never averted his gaze from her.
"What should we do?", Arthur asked.
"Crucis might recognize me. Arthur, stay back", Tidus said.
Tidus moved closer. Crucis must have triggered something moving. It moved and made an attack towards Tidus. Tidus readied himself for the impact and dodged the attack Crucis has made. Both went on and on until Tidus was able to push Crucis away. Crucis immediately recovered and flew back to Tidus.
"Tidus!", Arthur shouted when Crucis was about to slash him.
"Crucis stop!", Minora's voice echoed loudly.
Crucis stopped two inches from where Tidus stood. Crucis returned to its original size and dropped down its guard. Tidus caught Crucis in his hands.
"Minora!!", Tidus ran towards her with Arthur trailing behind. "Minora get a hold of yourself"
"I'm sorry. I should have done something to help her but..."
"She didn't let you, right?", Arthur beat Elizabeth from finishing her sentence. Elizabeth nodded and bit her lip. Arthur comforted her.
Tidus took Minora to his arms and can't stop himself from making a very worried expression just by looking at all her wounds.
"Ti...dus?", Minora mumbled weakly.
"Minora? I'm here", Tidus said.
"Elizabeth-sama?", Minora asked.
"Minora!", Elizabeth held her hands.
"She's safe", Arthur said.
"Arthur-sama? So you're with Tidus all along? Good", Minora stuttered with a smile.
"Idiot!", Tidus hugged her. "You're a mess", he said. Minora smiled and uttered an apology.
"We'll be outside", Arthur said. He took Elizabeth with him.
"Yeah, just give me a minute", Tidus said. When the door closed, Tidus and Minora are alone.
"Tidus...Lucy.....please save her.....for me", Minora said.
"Don't worry, just rest for now", Tidus summoned a magic circle under them. He focused his energy to help close Minora's wounds and heal them a little. "We'll definitely save her. Here", Tidus gave Minora Crucis after making sure she'll be alright. "You dropped it"
"Thanks.....", Minora closed her eyes. "Tidus?", Minora said.
"Yeah?"
"I finished my assignment. I never hesitated", Minora said proudly.
"I know. I'm proud of you", Tidus lifted her up in his arms and started walking slowly.
"Just until we reached the second floor, please let me sleep", Minora said as she drifted to her slumber.
"Sure, just take all the time that you need", Tidus said as he kissed her forehead and headed out the door.